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A Waif of the Plains
by Bret Harte
CHAPTER I
A long level of dull gray that further away became a faint blue；
with here and there darker patches that looked like water。 At
times an open space； blackened and burnt in an irregular circle；
with a shred of newspaper； an old rag； or broken tin can lying in
the ashes。 Beyond these always a low dark line that seemed to sink
into the ground at night； and rose again in the morning with the
first light； but never otherwise changed its height and distance。
A sense of always moving with some indefinite purpose； but of
always returning at night to the same placewith the same
surroundings； the same people； the same bedclothes； and the same
awful black canopy dropped down from above。 A chalky taste of dust
on the mouth and lips； a gritty sense of earth on the fingers； and
an all…pervading heat and smell of cattle。
This was 〃The Great Plains〃 as they seemed to two children from the
hooded depth of an emigrant wagon； above the swaying heads of
toiling oxen； in the summer of 1852。
It had appeared so to them for two weeks； always the same and
always without the least sense to them of wonder or monotony。 When
they viewed it from the road； walking beside the wagon； there was
only the team itself added to the unvarying picture。 One of the
wagons bore on its canvas hood the inscription； in large black
letters； 〃Off to California！〃 on the other 〃Root； Hog； or Die；〃 but
neither of them awoke in the minds of the children the faintest
idea of playfulness or jocularity。 Perhaps it was difficult to
connect the serious men； who occasionally walked beside them and
seemed to grow more taciturn and depressed as the day wore on； with
this past effusive pleasantry。
Yet the impressions of the two children differed slightly。 The
eldest； a boy of eleven； was apparently new to the domestic habits
and customs of a life to which the younger； a girl of seven； was
evidently native and familiar。 The food was coarse and less
skillfully prepared than that to which he had been accustomed。
There was a certain freedom and roughness in their intercourse； a
simplicity that bordered almost on rudeness in their domestic
arrangements； and a speech that was at times almost untranslatable
to him。 He slept in his clothes； wrapped up in blankets； he was
conscious that in the matter of cleanliness he was left to himself
to overcome the difficulties of finding water and towels。 But it
is doubtful if in his youthfulness it affected him more than a
novelty。 He ate and slept well； and found his life amusing。 Only
at times the rudeness of his companions； or； worse； an indifference
that made him feel his dependency upon them； awoke a vague sense of
some wrong that had been done to him which while it was voiceless
to all others and even uneasily put aside by himself； was still
always slumbering in his childish consciousness。
To the party he was known as an orphan put on the train at 〃St。 Jo〃
by some relative of his stepmother； to be delivered to another
relative at Sacramento。 As his stepmother had not even taken leave
of him； but had entrusted his departure to the relative with whom
he had been lately living； it was considered as an act of
〃riddance；〃 and accepted as such by her party； and even vaguely
acquiesced in by the boy himself。 What consideration had been
offered for his passage he did not know； he only remembered that he
had been told 〃to make himself handy。〃 This he had done
cheerfully； if at times with the unskillfulness of a novice； but it
was not a peculiar or a menial task in a company where all took
part in manual labor； and where existence seemed to him to bear the
charm of a prolonged picnic。 Neither was he subjected to any
difference of affection or treatment from Mrs。 Silsbee； the mother
of his little companion； and the wife of the leader of the train。
Prematurely old； of ill…health； and harassed with cares； she had no
time to waste in discriminating maternal tenderness for her
daughter； but treated the children with equal and unbiased
querulousness。
The rear wagon creaked； swayed； and rolled on slowly and heavily。
The hoofs of the draft…oxen； occasionally striking in the dust with
a dull report； sent little puffs like smoke on either side of the
track。 Within； the children were playing 〃keeping store。〃 The
little girl； as an opulent and extravagant customer； was purchasing
of the boy； who sat behind a counter improvised from a nail…keg and
the front seat； most of the available contents of the wagon； either
under their own names or an imaginary one as the moment suggested；
and paying for them in the easy and liberal currency of dried beans
and bits of paper。 Change was given by the expeditious method of
tearing the paper into smaller fragments。 The diminution of stock
was remedied by buying the same article over again under a
different name。 Nevertheless； in spite of these favorable
commercial conditions； the market seemed dull。
〃I can show you a fine quality of sheeting at four cents a yard；
double width；〃 said the boy； rising and leaning on his fingers on
the counter as he had seen the shopmen do。 〃All wool and will
wash；〃 he added； with easy gravity。
〃I can buy it cheaper at Jackson's；〃 said the girl； with the
intuitive duplicity of her bargaining sex。
〃Very well；〃 said the boy。 〃I won't play any more。〃
〃Who cares？〃 said the girl indifferently。 The boy here promptly
upset the counter； the rolled…up blanket which had deceitfully
represented the desirable sheeting falling on the wagon floor。 It
apparently suggested a new idea to the former salesman。 〃I say！
let's play 'damaged stock。' See； I'll tumble all the things down
here right on top o' the others； and sell 'em for less than cost。〃
The girl looked up。 The suggestion was bold； bad； and momentarily
attractive。 But she only said 〃No；〃 apparently from habit； picked
up her doll； and the boy clambered to the front of the wagon。 The
incomplete episode terminated at once with that perfect
forgetfulness； indifference； and irresponsibility common to all
young animals。 If either could have flown away or bounded off
finally at that moment； they would have done so with no more
concern for preliminary detail than a bird or squirrel。 The wagon
rolled steadily on。 The boy could see that one of the teamsters
had climbed up on the tail…board of the preceding vehicle。 The
other seemed to be walking in a dusty sleep。
〃Kla'uns；〃 said the girl。
The boy； without turning his head； responded； 〃Susy。〃
〃Wot are you going to be？〃 said the girl。
〃Goin' to be？〃 repeated Clarence。
〃When you is growed；〃 explained Susy。
Clarence hesitated。 His settled determination had been to become a
pirate； merciless yet discriminating。 But reading in a bethumbed
〃Guide to the Plains〃 that morning of Fort Lamarie and Kit Carson；
he had decided upon the career of a 〃scout；〃 as being more
accessible and requiring less water。 Yet； out of compassion for
Susy's possible ignorance； he said neither； and responded with the
American boy's modest conventionality； 〃President。〃 It was safe；
required no embarrassing description； and had been approved by
benevolent old gentlemen with their hands on his head。
〃I'm goin' to be a parson's wife；〃 said Susy； 〃and keep hens； and
have things giv' to me。 Baby clothes； and apples； and apple sass
and melasses！ and more baby clothes！ and pork when you kill。〃
She had thrown herself at the bottom of the wagon； with her back
towards him and her doll in her lap。 He could see the curve of her
curly head； and beyond； her bare dimpled knees； which were raised；
and over which she was trying to fold the hem of her brief skirt。
〃I wouldn't be a President's wife；〃 she said presently。
〃You couldn't！〃
〃Could if I wanted to！〃
〃Couldn't！〃
〃Could now！〃
〃Couldn't！〃
〃Why？〃
Finding it difficult to explain his convictions of her
ineligibility； Clarence thought it equally crushing not to give
any。 There was a long silence。 It was very hot and dusty。 The
wagon scarcely seemed to move。 Clarence gazed at the vignette of
the track behind them formed by the hood of the rear。 Presently he
rose and walked past her to the tail…board。 〃Goin' to get down；〃
he said； putting his legs over。
〃Maw says 'No；'〃 said Susy。
Clarence did not reply； but dropped to the ground beside the slowly
turning wheels。 Without quickening his pace he could easily keep
his hand on the tail…board。
〃Kla'uns。〃
He looked up。
〃Take me。〃
She had already clapped on her sun…bonnet and was standing at the
edge of the tail…board； her little arms extended in such perfect
confidence of being caught that the boy could not resist。 He
caught her cleverly。 They halted a moment and let the lumbering
vehicle move away from them； as it swayed from side to side as if
laboring in a heavy sea。 They remained motionless until it had
reached nearly a hundred yards； and then； with a sudden half…real；
half…assumed； but altogether delightful trepidation； ran forward
and caught up with it again。 This they repeated two or three times
until both themselves and the excitement were exhausted； and th