Bower, 1874-1940 - The heritage of the Sioux

" Now, boys, let's get organized for action. Weather's perfect — Lowry's been raving over the light, all the way out from town. I've got a range

TO THE VICTORS THE SPOILS

picture all blocked out — did it while I was waiting in Los for Jean to show up. Done anything ahout roundup yet, Applehead ? "—

Poor old Applehead, with his guilty conscience and his soft-hearted affection for Luck so deeply stirred by the money laid in his big-knuckled hand, shuffled his feet and cleared his throat and did not get one intelligible word past his dry tongue.

" If you haven't," Luck hurried on, spurred by his inpatient energy, " I want to organize and get out right away with a regular roundup outfit — chuck-wagon, remuda and all — see what I mean ? While I'm getting the picture of the stuff I want, we can gather and brand your calves. That way, all my range scenes will be of the real thing. I may want to throw the Chavez outfit in with ours, too, so as to get bigger stuff. I'll try and locate Ramon Chavez and see what I can do. But any-w r ay, I want the roundup outfit ready to start just as soon as possible — tomorrow, if we could get it together in time. How about that cracked tongue on the chuck-wagon? Anybody ixed that?"

" We-ell, I wired it up so'st it's as aolid as the 45

THE HERITAGE OF THE SIOUX

rest uh the runnin' gear," Applehead confessed shamefacedly, rolling his eyes apprehensively at the flushed faces of his fellow traitors.

"Yuh did? Good! Tires need setting, if I recollect —"

" Er — I had the boys set the tires, V—"

" Fine! I might have known you fellows would put things in shape while I was gone! How about the horses ? I thought I saw a bunch in the big corral —"

" I rustled enough saddle horses to give us all two apiece," Applehead admitted, perspiring coldly. " 'Tain't much of a string, but —"

" You did ? Sounds like you've been reading my mind, Applehead. Now we'll grubstake the outfit —"

" Er — well, I took the chuck-wagon in yest'day and loaded 'er up with grub fer two weeks," blurted Applehead heroically. " I was figurin'—"

" Good! Couldn't ask better. Applehead, you sure are there when it comes to backing a man's play. If I haven't said much about how I stand toward you fellows it isn't because I don't appreciate every durned one of you."

TO THE VICTORS THE SPOILS

The Happy Family squirmed guiltily and made way for Applehead, who was sidling toward the open door, his face showing alarming symptoms of apoplexy. Their confusion Luck set down to a becoming modesty. He went on planning and perfecting details. Standing as he did on the threshold of a career to which his one big success had opened the door, he was wholly absorbed in making good.

There was nothing now to balk his progress, he told himself. He had his company, he had the location for his big range stuff, he had all the financial backing any reasonable man could want. He had a salary that in itself gauged the prestige he had gained among producers, and as an added incentive to do the biggest work of his life he had a contract giving him a royalty on all prints of his pictures in excess of a fixed number. Better than all this, he had big ideals and an enthusiasm for the work that knew no limitations.

Perhaps he was inclined to dream too big; perhaps he assumed too great an enthusiasm on the part of those who worked with him — I don't know just where he did place the boundary line. I do

THE HERITAGE OF THE SIOUX

know that he never once suspected the Happy Family of any meditated truancy from the ranch and his parting instructions to " sit tight." I also know that the Happy Family was not at all likely to rolunteer information of their lapse. And as for Applehead, the money burned his soul deep with remorse; so deep that he went around with an abject eagerness to serve Luck that touched that young man as a rare example of a bone-deep loyalty that knows no deceit. Which proves once more how fortunate it is that we cannot always see too deeply into the thoughts and motives of our friends.

IXXVE WOKDS FOB ANNIE

I"N Tijeras Arroyo the moon made black shadows where stood the tiny knolls here and there, marking frequently the windings of dry washeft where bushes grew in ragged patches and where tall weeds of mid-May tangled in the wind. The roundup tents of the Flying U Feature Film Company stood white as new snow in the moonlight, though daylight showed them an odd, light-blue tint for photographic purposes. On a farther slope cunningly placed by the scenic artist to catch the full sunlight of midday, the camp of the Chavez brothers gleamed softly in the magic light

So far had spring roundup progressed that Lnck was holding the camp in Tijeras Arroyo for picture-making only. Applehead's calves were branded, to the youngest pair of knock-kneed twin* which Happy Jack found curled up together emn-

THE HERITAGE OF THE SIOUX

ningly hidden in a thicket. They had been honored with a " close-up " scene, those two spotted calves, and were destined to further honors which they did not suspect and could not appreciate.

They slept now, as slept the two camps upon the two slopes that lay moon-bathed at midnight. Back where the moon was making the barren mountains a wonderland of deep purple and black and silvery gray and brown, a coyote yapped a falsetto message and was answered by one nearer at hand — his mate, it might be. In a bush under the bank that made of it a black blot in the unearthly whiteness of the sand, a little bird fluttered uneasily and sent a small, inquiring chirp into the stillness. From somewhere farther up the arroyo drifted a faint, aromatic odor of cigarette smoke.

Had you been there by the bush you could not have told when Annie-Many-Ponies passed by; you would not have seen her — certainly you could not have heard the soft tread of her slim, moccasined feet. Yet she passed the bush and the bank and went away up the arroyo, silent as the shadows themselves, swift as the coyote that trotted over a nearby ridge to meet her mate nearer the moun-

LOVE WORDS FOR ANNIE

tains. So, following much the same instinct in. much the same way, Annie-Many-Ponies stole out to meet the man her heart timidly yearned for as a possible mate.

She reached the rock-ledge where the smoke odor was strongest, and she stopped. She saw Ea-mon Chavez, younger of the Chavez brothers who were ten-mile-off neighbors of Applehead, and who owned many cattle and much land by right of an old Spanish grant. He was standing in the shadow of the ledge, leaning against it as they of sun-saturated New Mexico always lean against anything perpendicular and solid near which they happen to stand. He was watching the white-lighted arroyo while he smoked, waiting for her, unconscious of her near presence.

Annie-Many-Ponies stood almost within reach of him, but she did not make her presence known. With the infinite wariness of her race she waited to see what he would do; to read, if she might, what were his thoughts — his attitude toward her in his unguarded moments. That little, inscrutable smile which so exasperated Applehead was on her lips while she watched him.

THE HERITAGE OF THE SIOUX

Ramon finished that cigarette, threw away the stub and rolled and lighted another. Still Annie-Many-Ponies gave no little sign of her presence. He watched the arroyo, and once he leaned to one side and stared back at his own quiet camp on the slope that had the biggest and the wildest mountain of that locality for its background. He settled himself anew with his other shoulder against the rock, and muttered something in Spanish— that strange, musical talk which Annie-Many-Ponies could not understand. And still she watched him, and exulted in his impatience for her coming, and wondered if it would always be love-light which she would see in his eyes.