arizona nights-第22部分

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actual　distance。〃

　　　

〃That's　so；〃　agreed　Denton。

　　　

〃Now；　I've　always　figured　that　it　would　be　a　good　deal　better　to

start　right　out　for　some　particular　place；　even　if　it's　ten

thousand　miles　away。　　A　man　is　just　as　likely　to　strike　water

going　in　a　straight　line　as　he　is　going　in　a　circle；　and　then；

besides；　he's　getting　somewhere。〃

　　　　　

〃Correct；〃　said　Denton；

　　　　　

〃So；〃　I　finished；　〃I　reckon　we'd　better　follow　the　coast　south

and　try　to　get　to　Mollyhay。〃

　　

〃How　far　is　that？〃　asked　Schwartz。

　　

〃I　don't　rightly　know。　　But　somewheres　between　three　and　five

hundred　miles；　at　a　guess。〃

　　　

At　that　he　fell　to　glowering　and　grooming　with　himself；　brooding

over　what　a　hard　time　it　was　going　to　be。　　That　is　the　way　with　a

German。　　First　off　he's　plumb　scared　at　the　prospect　of　suffering

anything；　and　would　rather　die　right　off　than　take　long　chances。　

After　he　gets　into　the　swing　of　it；　he　behaves　as　well　as　any

man。



〃We　took　stock　of　what　we　had　to　depend　on。　　The　total　assets

proved　to　be　just　three　pairs　of　legs。　　A　pot　of　coffee　had　been

on　the　fire；　but　that　villain　had　kicked　it　over　when　he　left。　

The　kettle　of　beans　was　there；　but　somehow　we　got　the　notion　they

might　have　been　poisoned；　so　we　left　them。　　I　don't　know　now　why

we　were　so　foolishif　poison　was　his　game；　he'd　have　tried　it

beforebut　at　that　time　it　seemed　reasonable　enough。　　Perhaps

the　horror　of　the　morning's　work；　and　the　sight　of　the

brittle…brown　mountains；　and　the　ghastly　yellow　glare　of　the　sun；

and　the　blue　waves　racing　by　outside；　and　the　big　strong　wind

that　blew　through　us　so　hard　that　it　seemed　to　blow　empty　our

souls；　had　turned　our　judgment。　　Anyway；　we　left　a　full　meal

there　in　the　beanpot。

　　　

So　without　any　further　delay　we　set　off　up　the　ridge　I　had

started　to　cross　that　morning。　　Schwartz　lagged；　sulky　as　a　muley

cow；　but　we　managed　to　keep　him　with　us。　　At　the　top　of　the　ridge

we　took　our　bearings　for　the　next　deep　bay。　　Already　we　had　made

up　our　minds　to　stick　to　the　sea…coast；　both　on　account　of　the

lower　country　over　which　to　travel　and　the　off　chance　of　falling

in　with　a　fishing　vessel。　　Schwartz　muttered　something　about　its

being　too　far　even　to　the　next　bay；　and　wanted　to　sit　down　on　a

rock。　　Denton　didn't　say　anything；　but　he　jerked　Schwartz　up　by

the　collar　so　fiercely　that　the　German　gave　it　over　and　came

along。

　　　

We　dropped　down　into　the　gully；　stumbled　over　the　boulder　wash；

and　began　to　toil　in　the　ankle…deep　sand　of　a　little　sage…brush

flat　this　side　of　the　next　ascent。　　Schwartz　followed　steadily

enough　now；　but　had　fallen　forty　or　fifty　feet　behind。　　This　was

a　nuisance；　as　we　bad　to　keep　turning　to　see　if　he　still　kept　up。



Suddenly　he　seemed　to　disappear。

　　　

Denton　and　I　hurried　back　to　find　him　on　his　hands　and　knees

behind　a　sagebrush；　clawing　away　at　the　sand　like　mad。

　　

〃Can't　be　water　on　this　flat；〃　said　Denton；　〃he　must　have　gone

crazy。〃

　　

〃What's　the　matter；　Schwartz？〃　I　asked。

　　　

For　answer　he　moved　a　little　to　one　side；　showing　beneath　his

knee　one　corner　of　a　wooden　box　sticking　above　the　sand。

　　　

At　this　we　dropped　beside　him；　and　in　five　minutes　had　uncovered

the　whole　of　the　chest。　　It　was　not　very　large；　and　was　locked。　

A　rock　from　the　wash　fixed　that；　however。　　We　threw　back　the　lid。

　　

It　was　full　to　the　brim　of　gold　coins；　thrown　in　loose；　nigh　two

bushels　of　them。

　　

〃The　treasure！〃　I　cried。

　　　

There　it　was；　sure　enough；　or　some　of　it。　　We　looked　the　rest

through；　but　found　nothing　but　the　gold　coins。　　The　altar

ornaments　and　jewels　were　lacking。

　　

〃Probably　buried　in　another　box　or　so；〃　said　Denton。

　　　

Schwartz　wanted　to　dig　around　a　little。

　　

〃No　good；〃　said　I。　　〃We've　got　our　work　cut　out　for　us　as　it　is。〃

　　　

Denton　backed　me　up。　We　were　both　old　hands　at　the　business；　had

each　in　our　time　suffered　the　〃cotton…mouth〃　thirst；　and　the

memory　of　it　outweighed　any　desire　for　treasure。

　　　

But　Schwartz　was　money…mad。　　Left　to　himself　he　would　have　staid

on　that　sand　flat　to　perish；　as　certainly　as　had　poor　Billy。　　We

had　fairly　to　force　him　away；　and　then　succeeded　only　because　we

let　him　fill　all　his　pockets　to　bulging　with　the　coins。　　As　we

moved　up　the　next　rise；　he　kept　looking　back　and　uttering　little

moans　against　the　crime　of　leaving　it。

　　　

Luckily　for　us　it　was　winter。　　We　shouldn't　have　lasted　six　hours

at　this　time　of　year。　　As　it　was；　the　sun　was　hot　against　the

shale　and　the　little　stones　of　those　cussed　hills。　　We　plodded

along　until　late　afternoon；　toiling　up　one　hill　and　down　another；

only　to　repeat　immediately。　　Towards　sundown　we　made　the　second

bay；　where　we　plunged　into　the　sea；　clothes　and　all；　and　were

greatly　refreshed。　　I　suppose　a　man　absorbs　a　good　deal　that　way。　

Anyhow；　it　always　seemed　to　help。

　　　

We　were　now　pretty　hungry；　and；　as　we　walked　along　the　shore；　we

began　to　look　for　turtles　or　shellfish；　or　anything　else　that

might　come　handy。　　There　was　nothing。　　Schwartz　wanted　to　stop

for　a　night's　rest；　but　Denton　and　I　knew　better　than　that。

　　

〃Look　here；　Schwartz；〃　said　Denton；　〃you　don't　realise　you're

entered　against　time　in　this　raceand　that　you're　a　damn　fool　to

carry　all　that　weight　in　your　clothes。〃

　　　

So　we　dragged　along　all　night。

　　　

It　was　weird　enough；　I　can　tell　you。　　The　moon　shone　cold　and

white　over　that　dead；　dry　country。　　Hot　whiffs　rose　from　the

baked　stones　and　hillsides。　　Shadows　lay　under　the　stones　like

animals　crouching。　　When　we　came　to　the　edge　of　a　silvery　hill　we

dropped　off　into　pitchy　blackness。　　There　we　stumbled　over

boulders　for　a　minute　or　so；　and　began　to　climb　the　steep　shale

on　the　other　side。　　This　was　fearful　work。　　The　top　seemed　always

miles　away。　　By　morning　we　didn't　seem　to　have　made　much　of

anywhere。　　The　same　old　hollow…looking　mountains　with　the　sharp

edges　stuck　up　in　about　the　same　old　places。

　　　

We　had　got　over　being　very　hungry；　and；　though　we　were　pretty

dry；　we　didn't　really　suffer　yet　from　　thirst。　　About　this　time

Denton　ran　across　some　fishhook　cactus；　which　we　cut　up　and

chewed。　　They　have　a　sticky　wet　sort　of　inside；　which　doesn't

quench　your　thirst　any；　but　helps　to　keep　you　from　drying　up　and

blowing　away。

　　　

All　that　day　we　plugged　along　as　per　usual。　　It　was　main　hard

work；　and　we　got　to　that　state　where　things　are　disagreeable；　but

mechanical。　　Strange　to　say；　Schwartz　kept　in　the　lead。　　It

seemed　to　me　at　the　time　that　he　was　using　more　energy　than　the　

occasion　called　forjust　as　man　runs　faster　before　he　comes　to

the　giving…out　point。　　However；　the　hours　went　by；　and　he

didn't　seem　to　get　any　more　tired　than　the　rest　of　us。

　　　

We　kept　a　sharp　lookout　for　anything　to　eat；　but　there　was

nothing　but　lizards　and　horned　toads。　　　Later　we'd　have　been　glad

of　them；　but　by　that　time　we'd　got　out　of　their　district。　　Night

came。　　Just　at　sundown　we　took　another　wallow　in　the　surf；　and

chewed　some　more　fishhook　cactus。　　When　the　moon　came　up　we　went

on。

　　　

I'm　not　going　to　tell　you　how　dead　beat　we　got。　　We　were　pretty

tough　and　strong；　for　all　of　us　had　been　used　to　hard　living；　but

after　the　third　day　without　anything　to　eat　and　no　water　to

drink；　it　came　to　be　pretty　hard　going。　　It　got　to　the　point

where　we　had　to　have　some　REASON　for　getting　out　besides　just

keeping　alive。　　A　man　would　sometimes　rather　die　than　keep　alive；

anyway；　if　it　came　only　to　that。　　But　I　know　I　made　up　my　mind　I

was　going　to　get　out　so　I　could　smash　up　that　Anderson；　and　I

reckon　Denton　had　the　same　idea。　　Schwartz　didn't　say　anything；

but　he　pumped　on　ahead　of　us；　his　back　bent　over；　and　his　clothes

sagging　and　bulging　with　the　gold　he　carried。

　　　

We　used　to　travel　all　night；　because　it　was　cool；　and　rest　an

hour　or　two　at　noon。　　That　is　all　the　rest　we　did　get。　　I　don't

know　how　fast　we　went；　I'd　got　beyond　that。　　We　must　have　crawled

along　mighty　slow；　though；　after　our　first　strength　gave　out。　

The　way　I　used　to　do　was　to　collect　myself　with　an　effort；　look

around　for　my　bearings；　pick　out　a　landmark　a　little　distance

off；　and　forget　everything　but　it。　　Then　I'd　plod　along；　knowing

nothing　but　the　sand　and　shale　and　slope　under　my　feet；　until　I'd

reached　that　landmark。　　Then　I'd　clear　my　mind　and　pick　out

another。

　　　

But　I　couldn't　shut　out　the　figure　of　Schwartz　that　way。　　He　used

to　walk　along　just　ahead　of　my　shoulder。　　His　face　was　all

twisted　up；　but　I　remember　thinking　at　the　time　it　looked　more　as

if　he　was　worried　in　his　mind　than　like　bodily　suffering。　　The

weight　of　the　gold　in　his　clothes　bent　his　shoulders　over。

　　　

As　we　went　on　the　country　gradually　got　to　be　more　mountainous；

and；　as　we　were　steadily　growing　weaker；　it　did　seem　things　were

piling　up　on　us。　The　eighth　day　we　ran　out　of　the　fishhook

cactus；　and；　being　on　a　high　promontory；　were　out　of　touch　with

the　sea。　　For　the　first　time　my　tongue　began　to　swell　a　little。　

The　cactus　had　kept　me　from　that　before。　　Denton　must　have　been

in　the　same　fix；　for　he　looked　at　me　and　raised　one　eyebrow　kind

of　humorous。

　　　　

Schwartz　was　having　a　good　deal　of　difficulty　to　navigate。　　I

will　say　for　him　that　he　had　done　well；　but　now　I　could　see　that

his　strength　was　going　on　him　in　spite　of　himself。　　He　knew　it；

all　right；　for　when　we　rested　that　day　he　took　all　the　gold　coins

and　spread　them　in　a　row；　and　counted　them；　and　put　them　back　in

his　pocket；　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　snatched　out　two　handfuls

and　threw　them　as　far　as　he　could。

　　

〃Too　heavy；〃　he　muttered；　but　that　was　all　he　could　bring　himself

to　throw　away。

　　　

All　that　night　we　wandered　high　in　the　air。　　I　guess　we　tried　to

keep　a　general　direction；　but　I　don't　know。　　Anyway；　along　late；

but　before　moonriseshe　was　now　on　the　waneI　came　to；　and

found　myself　looking　over　the　edge　of　a　twenty…foot　drop。