Honoré Willsie

“ You stay there. You be safe. You have many children. You rule earth, if you stay here and no fight. No fight yourselves. When one Injun first fight other Injun then world be full of trouble for all Injuns.’”
Hugh listened with kindling interest. Fred’s bearded face was expressionless.
“Injuns had many, many children,” Red Wolf went on. “Soon cave pretty near full of Injuns. But they never fight. Pretty happy. Then, one day, young Injun, he made bow and arrow, first one ever made on earth. He make mistake and shoot other boy. That start terrible fight. ”

“ Hugh shook his head and Bookie went on.
“Your father had a big brain, but it was your mother who had the personality. I don’t suppose any one in the world has ever really defined charm. She had it to a remarkable degree. Yet I can’t describe it to you! Loveliness of character? Lots of people have it and nobody cares about them. Cleverness? She was not clever. She was too big to be that. Intellectual? Yes, she was intellectual, but a person can be intellectual and repellent at the same time. ”

“ But, Uncle Bookie, if I’m such a wonder at influencing people, why haven’t I been able to show you and Jessie and her mother how big paleontology is?”
“Because,” returned Bookie quickly, “fine as it is, it’s not as fine as your possibilities, and because you’ve never really tried to convert us. Lord! Lord! I’ve come to the conclusion that modesty and a single interest are the worst combination a man can have. Besides obstinacy,” he added, glancing at the set of Hugh’s long jaw. ”

“ Hugh laughed “Right, Uncle Bookie! Lord, I wouldn’t give up my work for anything on earth.”
“Don’t make wild boasts, boy. Life’s just begun for you— Don’t fix yourself so that every gol darned holiday that comes along, especially Christmas, makes you feel like an empty gourd Especially Christmas.”
“By jove, Uncle Bookie, don’t tell me an old gun-notcher like you is getting sentimental!”
“Exactly! I’m getting sentimental. Every human being has to pay toll sometime in the shape of sentimentality. ”

“ The old Sioux continued to stare at Hugh. He and the young scientist had been friends since Hugh’s childish days of arrow-head collecting. But even at that, it was obvious that Red Wolf was wondering whether or not to speak. Fred jammed another cedar knot into the stove, piled the dishes in a pan, heaped the pan high with snow and set it on a red-hot lid. Then he established his feet on the hearth, took another bite of plug and waited. Finally Red Wolf said, in his husky, carefully modulated voice:
“Your Uncle Bookie, he owns Old Sioux Tract, but he never use it. Great Spirit won’t let ’em. ”

“ Hugh lifted his head excitedly “Lord, Red Wolf, why haven’t you told me this before?”
“We never dig up devil look like this before,” replied the Indian, as if the answer were final.
“Naturally not,” said Hugh. “One doesn’t go out and dig up a Triceratops every morning before breakfast. Show me where this cave is, Red Wolf.”
The old Sioux scowled and rolled another cigarette before he replied.
“You get that Stone Devil uncovered, ready to move out of mountain. Great Spirit send slide, take him back. All Injuns but me they heap much afraid of Stone Devils. ”

“ Hugh gave a welcoming shout. “Uncle Bookie!” A tall old man slid from his horse and clasped the young man in a shameless embrace. Even when he had freed Hugh from the bear hug, Bookie stood with his hand on his foster nephew’s shoulder while he grinned at Fred and Red Wolf.
“I hoped it wouldn’t snow till I picked up the smoke of the sheep wagon,” he said. “What happened at the other camp?”
“A slide that ruined two months’ work,” replied Hugh. “Anything wrong at Fort Sioux, Uncle Bookie?”
“There certainly is. A certain fool geologist forgot to come home for Christmas.” ”

“ But before he’d been here five years, he’d settled the cattle war at the point of his gun, helped himself to what land he wanted from the old Frisco gang he’d rid out and settled down to ranch life. Just how he did it, or how many notches he carries on that old six-shooter of his, only Bookie knows.”
Hugh nodded. “I’ve always known that. Nevertheless I always thought his feeling against any use being made of the Old Sioux Tract had something to do with an old love affair.”
“You’re crazy, Hughie! No woman’s influence could last that long with a he-man, like Bookie.” ”

“ A little glint of irritation showed for a moment in Hugh’s eyes, but it was replaced by a glance of sympathy as he perceived an unwonted expression of weariness, almost of weakness, on Bookie’s thin lips.
“Fred,” Hugh turned suddenly to the old miner, “I don’t believe we’ll begin the job this afternoon, seeing that we have company and it’s Christmas Eve. Suppose you and Red Wolf try your luck at antelope. We ought to have a real dinner tomorrow.”
Fred poured a cupful of melted snow into the coffee pot and smiled. ”

“ It was dusk when the three men crowded into the sheep wagon to eat supper. It was as snug within as the cabin of a tiny ship. There were bunks at one end of the wagon, a little stove and kitchen fittings at the other. ”

“ Hugh shrugged his shoulders, thought of Jessie, and turned to Red Wolf, who was listening patiently.
“Why don’t the Great Spirit let Uncle Bookie use the Tract, Red Wolf?” he asked
“This valley,” said the Sioux, “run ten miles over to river canyon.”
“I know,” nodded Hugh.
“All Injuns of the world,” Red Wolf went on, “Great Spirit borned them in this valley, by river. Long, long time ago, before any white man was born on earth the Great Spirit, he made a few Injuns and put ’em in this valley and showed ’em trail lead to cave, above river. ‘Injuns,’ said Great Spirit, ‘you live there. ”

“ This is the first time I ever heard of it.”
“Good Lord!” exclaimed Hugh, “as if there were any reason why an Indian ever should tell a white anything!”
Red Wolf nodded “Whites, heap big liars, always laugh at Injuns. All but Hughie.”
“Go on, you big red man!” shouted Fred. “Did you ever have a better friend than me?”
“He, a better friend,” replied Red Wolf, pointing at Hugh. Then he added anxiously, “You not afraid?”
“Not a bit,” returned Hugh. “We’ll camp on the canyon edge tomorrow evening. Come on! Let’s get to bed and have an early start.” ”

“ Fred joined in Hugh’s laughter, adding, “I’ll heat that kettle of stew. Look to your saddle, stranger.”
Hugh nodded to the Indian. “Look to the saddle, Red Wolf, will you? Come into the wagon, Uncle Bookie. I’ve just made the discovery of my life. Some Christmas gift, I’ll say.”
The older man followed Hugh and rested himself on the edge of the lower bunk with a sigh, probably of pleasure, for he was smiling at Hugh as he did so.
John Haverford Smith, known to all Wyoming as Bookie Smith, was very thin and very brown, with a small, bald head topping a long whip-cord neck. ”

“ Red Wolf had declined to come down, and Hugh, knowing the old man’s reasons, did not urge him, much as he needed the help of a third man.
The cave was very dry and there had been little weathering of the dinosaur. Nevertheless, it took all of Hugh’s knowledge and skill of hand, combined with Fred’s not to be despised facility in the handling of the pick and shovel, to work the triceratops out of his long resting place. ”

“ But after you got into college, the scientific side of you began to dominate. When you began to go with Jessie, I used to talk to her about it. I didn’t like to see you shut yourself off from the other students and give all your time to fossils. ”