按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to see me？〃 she asked gravely。
〃No； Lahoma。 At least not for a long； long time。 I don't believe it's
85
… Page 86…
LAHOMA
good for me to forget the life I've chosen； even for a happy hour。 When I
left the city； it was to drop out of the worldnobody knows what became
of me； not even my brother。 You've brought everything back； and that isn't
good for my peace of mind and so good…bye！〃
Tall and straight he stood； like a soldier whose duty it is to face defeat；
and standing thus； he fastened his eyes upon her face as if to stamp those
features in a last long look upon his heart。
〃Good…by；〃 said Lahoma； this time she did not hold out her hand。 Her
face was composed； her voice quiet。 If in her eyes there was the look of
one who has been rebuffed； her pride was too great to permit a show of
pain。
Wilfred hesitated。 But what was to be done？ Solitude and
homesickness had perhaps distorted his vision； at any rate he had
succumbed to the folly against which he had been warned。 He could not
accept Lahoma as a mere child； and though； during the scene； he had
repeatedly reminded himself that she was only fifteen； her face； her voice；
her form； her manner of thought； refused the limits of childhood。
Therefore he went away； outwardly well…content with his morning； but
inwardly full of wrath that his heart had refused the guidance of his mind。
And she had been so simple； so eager to meet him on an equal plane；
even clinging to him as to the only hope in her narrow world that might
draw her out into deeper currents of knowledge。
〃I've always been a fool；〃 he muttered savagely； as he sought his horse。
〃I was a fool about Annabeland now I'm too big a fool to enjoy what
fortune has fairly flung in my path。〃 Presently he began to laughit was
all so ridiculous； beating a retreat because he could not regard a fifteen…
year…old girl as a little child！ He drew several time…worn letters from his
pocket and tore them into small bits that fluttered away like snowflakes on
the wind。 He had no longer a sentimental interest in them； at all events。
86
… Page 87…
LAHOMA
CHAPTER XII
THE BIG WORLD
He did not come again。 Lahoma used to go to the hill…island； which
she called Turtle Hill because the big flattened rocks looked like turtles
that had crawled up out of the cove to sun themselves； among these turtles
she would lie； watching the open mouth of the mountain horseshoe in the
vain hope that Wilfred would appear from around the granite wall。
Occasionally she descended to the plain and scanned the level world； but it
was pleasanter to watch from the cove because one never knew； while in
that retreat； who might be coming along the range。 On the plain； there
were no illusions。
Lahoma courted illusions。 And when she knew that Wilfred Compton
had severed connections with Old Man Walker she merely exchanged one
hope； one dream； for another。 The opportunity to learn about the big world
was withdrawn； but the anticipation of one day meeting Wilfred again was
as strong as ever。 She made no secret of this expectation。
Bill Atkins sought to dismiss it effectually。 〃You don't know about the
big world； Lahoma；〃 he declared； 〃if you think people meet up with each
other after they've once lost touch。 If all this part of America was blotted
out of existence； people in the East wouldn't miss any ink out of the ink…
bottle。〃
Lahoma tossed her head。 〃Maybe the world IS big；〃 she conceded。
〃But if Wilfred isn't big enough to make himself seen in it when I go a…
looking； I don't care whether I meet him again or not。 When I'm in the big
world； I expect to deal only with big people。〃
〃I saw no bigness about HIM；〃 Bill cried slightingly。
〃If he isn't big enough to make himself seen；〃 Lahoma serenely
returned； 〃I won't never〃
〃You won't ever〃 Bill corrected。
〃I won't ever have to wear specs for strained eyes；〃 Lahoma concluded；
smiling at Bill as if she knew why he was as he was； and willingly took
him so because he couldn't help himself。 It was Brick who heard about
Wilfred's adventures on leaving the Red River ranch； and as all three sat
87
… Page 88…
LAHOMA
outside the cabin in the dusk of evening； he retailed them as gathered from
a recent trip to the corral。 That was a strange story unfolded to Lahoma's
ears； a story rich with the romance of the great West； wild in its primitive
strivings and thrilling in its realizations of countless hopes。 The narrative
lost nothing in the telling； for Brick Willock understood the people and the
instincts that moved them； and though Wilfred Compton might differ from
all in his motives and plans； he shared with all the same hardships； the
same spur to ambition。
It was now ten years since the discovery had been made that in the
western part of Indian Territory were fourteen million acres that had never
been assigned to the red man and which； therefore； were public land；
subject to homestead settlement。 As long as the western immigrants could
choose among the rich prairie…lands of Iowa； Nebraska； Minnesota；
Dakota and Kansasand the choice was open to all； following the
agreement of the plains tribes to retire to reservations；it was not strange
that the unassigned lands of Indian Territory should have escaped notice；
surrounded as they were by the Cherokee Strip； the Osage and Creek
countries； the Chickasaw Nation； the Wichita； Cado； Cheyenne and
Arapaho tribes。
But other public lands were now scarce； or less inviting； and as far
back as 1879； when Lahoma was five years old； colonies had formed in
Kansas City； in Topeka and in Texas； to move upon the Oklahoma country。
The United States troops had dispersed the 〃boomers；〃 but in the
following year the indefatigable Payne succeeded in leading a colony into
the very heart of the coveted land。 It was in order to escape arrestfor
again the United States cavalry had descended on settlersthat several
wagons； among them