arizona nights-第23部分

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

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

below　me　I　made　out　a　faint　glimmer　of　white　earth　in　the

starlight。　　Somehow　it　reminded　me　of　a　little　trail　I　used　to

know　under　a　big　rock　back　in　Texas。

　　

〃Here's　a　trail；〃　I　thought；　more　than　half　loco；　〃I'll　follow

it！〃

　　　

At　least　that's　what　half　of　me　thought。　　The　other　half　was

sensible；　and　knew　better；　but　it　seemed　to　be　kind　of　standing

to　one　side；　a　little　scornful；　watching　the　performance。　　So　I

slid　and　slipped　down　to　the　strip　of　white　earth；　and；　sure

enough；　it　was　a　trail。　　At　that　the　loco　half　of　me　gave　the

sensible　part　the　laugh。　　I　followed　the　path　twenty　feet　and

came　to　a　dark　hollow　under　the　　rock；　and　in　it　a　round　pool　of

water　about　a　foot　across。　　They　say　a　man　kills　himself　drinking

too　much；　after　starving　for　water。　　That　may　be；　but　it　didn't

kill　me；　and　I　sucked　up　all　I　could　hold。　　Perhaps　the　fishhook

cactus　had　helped。　　Well；　sir；　it　was　surprising　how　that　drink

brought　me　around。　　A　minute　before　I'd　been　on　the　edge　of　going

plumb　loco；　and　here　I　was　as　clear…headed　as　a　lawyer。

　　　　

I　hunted　up　Denton　and　Schwartz。　　They　drank；　themselves　full；

too。　　Then　we　rested。　　It　was　mighty　hard　to　leave　that　spring

　　　　

Oh；　we　had　to　do　it。　　We'd　have　starved　sure；　there。　　The　trail

was　a　game　trail；　but　that　did　us　no　good；　for　we　had　no　weapons。



How　we　did　wish　for　the　coffeepot；　so　we　could　take　some　away。　

We　filled　our　hats；　and　carried　them　about　three　hours；　before

the　　water　began　to　soak　through。　　Then　we　had　to　drink　it　in

order　to　save　it。



The　country　fairly　stood　up　on　end。　　We　had　to　climb　separate

little　hills　so　as　to　avoid　rolling　rocks　down　on　each　other。　　It

took　it　out　of　us。　　About　this　time　we　began　to　see　mountain

sheep。　　They　would　come　right　up　to　the　edges　of　the　small　cliffs

to　look　at　us。　　We　threw　stones　at　them；　hoping　to　hit　one　in　the

forehead；　but　of　course　without　any　results。

　　　

The　good　effects　of　the　water　lasted　us　about　a　day。　　Then　we

began　to　see　things　again。　　Off　and　on　I　could　see　water　plain　as

could　be　in　every　hollow；　and　game　of　all　kinds　standing　around

and　looking　at　me。　　I　knew　these　were　all　fakes。　　By　making　an

effort　I　could　swing　things　around　to　where　they　belonged。　　I

used　to　do　that　every　once　in　a　while；　just　to　be　sure　we　weren't

doubling　back；　and　to　look　out　for　real　water。　　But　most　of　the　

time　it　didn't　seem　to　be　worth　while。　　I　just　let　all　these

visions　riot　around　and　have　a　good　time　inside　me　or　outside　me；

whichever　it　was。　　I　knew　I　could　get　rid　of　them　any　minute。　

Most　of　the　time；　if　I　was　in　any　doubt；　it　was　easier　to　throw　a

stone　to　see　if　the　animals　were　real　or　not。　　The　real　ones　ran

away。

　　　

We　began　to　see　bands　of　wild　horses　in　the　uplands。　　One　day

both　Denton　and　I　plainly　saw　one　with　saddle　marks　on　him。　　If

only　one　of　us　had　seen　him；　it　wouldn't　have　counted　much；　but

we　both　made　him　out。　　This　encouraged　us　wonderfully；　though　I

don't　see　why　it　should　have。　　We　had　topped　the　high　country；

too；　and　had　started　down　the　other　side　of　the　mountains　that

ran　out　on　the　promontory。　　Denton　and　I　were　still　navigating

without　any　thought　of　giving　up；　but　Schwartz　was　getting　in　bad

shape。　　I'd　hate　to　pack　twenty　pounds　over　that　country　even

with　rest；　food；　and　water。　　He　was　toting　it　on　nothing。　　We

told　him　so；　and　he　came　to　see　it；　but　he　never　could　persuade

himself　to　get　rid　of　the　gold　all　at　once。　　Instead　he　threw

away　the　pieces　one　by　one。　　Each　sacrifice　seemed　to　nerve　him

up　for　another　heat。　　I　can　shut　my　eyes　and　see　it　nowthe

wide；　glaring；　yellow　country；　the　pasteboard　mountains；　we　three

dragging　along；　and　the　fierce　sunshine　flashing　from　the

doubloons　as　one　by　one　they　went　spinning　through　the　air。







CHAPTER　FOURTEEN；

THE　CHEWED　SUGAR　CANE



〃I'd　like　to　have　trailed　you　fellows；〃　sighed　a　voice　from　the

corner。

　

〃Would　you！〃　said　Colorado　Rogers　grimly。





It　was　five　days　to　the　next　water。　　But　they　were　worse　than　the

eight　days　before。　　We　were　lucky；　however；　for　at　the　spring　we

discovered　in　a　deep　wash　near　the　coast；　was　the　dried…up　skull

of　a　horse。　　It　had　been　there　a　long　time；　but　a　few　shreds　of

dried　flesh　still　clung　to　it。　　It　was　the　only　thing　that　could

be　described　as　food　that　had　passed　our　lips　since　breakfast

thirteen　days　before。　　In　that　time　we　had　crossed　the　mountain

chain；　and　had　come　again　to　the　sea。　　The　Lord　was　good　to　us。

He　sent　us　the　water；　and　the　horse's　skull；　and　the　smooth　hard

beach；　without　breaks　or　the　necessity　of　climbing　hills。　　And　we

needed　it；　oh；　I　promise　you；　we　needed　it！



I　doubt　if　any　of　us　could　have　kept　the　direction　except　by　such

an　obvious　and　continuous　landmark　as　the　sea　to　our　left。　　It

hardly　seemed　worth　while　to　focus　my　mind；　but　I　did　it

occasionally　just　by　way　of　testing　myself。　　Schwartz　still　threw

away　his　gold　coins；　and　once；　in　one　of　my　rare　intervals　of

looking　about　me；　I　saw　Denton　picking　them　up。　　This　surprised

me　mildly；　but　I　was　too　tired　to　be　very　curious。　　Only　now；

when　I　saw　Schwartz's　arm　sweep　out　in　what　had　become　a

mechanical　movement；　I　always　took　pains　to　look；　and　always　I

saw　Denton　search　for　the　coin。　　Sometimes　he　found　it；　and

sometimes　he　did　not。

　　　　

The　figures　of　my　companions　and　the　yellow…brown　tide　sand　under

my　feet；　and　a　consciousness　of　the　blue　and　white　sea　to　my

left；　are　all　I　remember；　except　when　we　had　to　pull　ourselves

together　for　the　purpose　of　cutting　fishhook　cactus。　　I　kept

going；　and　I　knew　I　had　a　good　reason　for　doing　so；　but　it　seemed

too　much　of　an　effort　to　recall　what　that　reason　was。

　　　　

Schwartz　threw　away　a　gold　piece　as　another　man　would　take　a

stimulant。　　Gradually；　without　really　thinking　about　it；　I　came

to　see　this；　and　then　went　on　to　sabe　why　Denton　picked　up　the

coins；　and　a　great　admiration　for　Denton's　cleverness　seeped

through　me　like　water　through　the　sand。　　He　was　saving　the　coins

to　keep　Schwartz　going。　　When　the　last　coin　went；　Schwartz　would

give　out。　　It　all　sounds　queer　now；　but　it　seemed　all　right

thenand　it　WAS　all　right；　too。

　　　

So　we　walked　on　the　beach；　losing　entire　track　of　time。　　And

after　a　long　interval　I　came　to　myself　to　see　Schwartz　lying　on

the　sand；　and　Denton　standing　over　him。　　Of　course　we'd　all　been

falling　down　a　lot；　but　always　before　we'd　got　up　again。

　　

〃He's　give　out；〃　croaked　Denton。

　　　

His　voice　sounded　as　if　it　was　miles　away；　which　surprised　me；

but；　when　I　answered；　mine　sounded　miles　away；　too；　which

surprised　me　still　more。

　　　

Denton　pulled　out　a　handful　of　gold　coins。

　　

〃This　will　buy　him　some　more　walk；〃　said　he　gravely；　〃but　not

much。〃

　　　

I　nodded。　　It　seemed　all　right；　this　new；　strange　purchasing

power　of　goldit　WAS　all　right；　by　God；　and　as　real　as　buying

bricks

　　

〃I'll　go　on；〃　said　Denton；　〃and　send　back　help。　　You　come　after。〃



〃To　Mollyhay！〃　said　I。

　　

This　far　I　reckon　we'd　hung　onto　ourselves　because　it　was

serious。　　Now　I　began　to　laugh。　　So　did　Denton。　　We　laughed　and

laughed。



〃A　damn　long　way

To　Mollyhay。〃



said　I。　Then　we　laughed　some　more；　until　the　tears　ran　down　our

cheeks；　and　we　had　to　hold　our　poor　weak　sides。　　Pretty　soon　we

fetched　up　with　a　gasp。



〃A　damn　long　way

To　Mollyhay；〃



whispered　Denton；　and　then　off　we　went　into　more　shrieks。　　And

when　we　would　sober　down　a　little；　one　or　the　other　of　us　would

say　it　again；



〃A　damn　long　way

To　Mollyhay；〃



and　then　we'd　laugh　some　more。　　It　must　have　been　a　sweet　sight！

　　　

At　last　I　realised　that　we　ought　to　pull　ourselves　together；　so　I

snubbed　up　short；　and　Denton　did　the　same；　and　we　set　to　laying

plans。　　But　every　minute　or　so　one　of　us　would　catch　on　some

word；　and　then　we'd　trail　off　into　rhymes　and　laughter　and

repetition。

　　

〃Keep　him　going　as　long　as　you　can；〃　said　Denton。

　　　　

〃Yes。〃

　　　　

〃And　be　sure　to　stick　to　the　beach。〃

　　　

That　far　it　was　all　right　and　clear…headed。　　But　the　word　〃beach〃

let　us　out。



〃I'm　a　peach

Upon　the　beach；〃



sings　I；　and　there　we　were　both　off　again　until　one　or　the　other

managed　to　grope　his　way　back　to　common　sense　again。　　And

sometimes　we　crow…hopped　solemnly　around　and　around　the　prostrate

Schwartz　like　a　pair　of　Injins。

　　

But　somehow　we　got　our　plan　laid　at　last；　slipped　the　coins　into

Schwartz's　pocket；　and　said　good…bye。



〃Old　socks；　good…bye；

You　bet　I'll　try；〃



yelled　Denton；　and　laughing　fit　to　kill；　danced　off　up　the　beach；

and　out　into　a　sort　of　grey　mist　that　shut　off　everything　beyond

a　certain　distance　from　me　now。

　　　

So　I　kicked　Schwartz；　he　felt　in　his　pocket；　threw　a　gold　piece

away；　and　〃bought　a　little　more　walk。〃



My　entire　vision　was　fifty　feet　or　so　across。　　Beyond　that　was

grey　mist。　　Inside　my　circle　I　could　see　the　sand　quite　plainly

and　Denton's　footprints。　　If　I　moved　a　little　to　the　left；　the

wash　of　the　waters　would　lap　under　the　edge　of　that　grey　curtain。



If　I　moved　to　the　right；　I　came　to　cliffs。　　The　nearer　I　drew　to

them；　the　farther　up　I　could　see；　but　I　could　never　see　to　the

top。　　It　used　to　amuse　me　to　move　this　area　of　consciousness

about　to　see　what　I　could　find。　　Actual　physical　suffering　was

beginning　to　dull；　and　my　head　seemed　to　be　getting　clearer。

　　　

One　day；　without　any　apparent　reason；　I　moved　at　right　angles

across　the　beach。　　Directly　before　me　lay　a　piece　of　sugar　cane；

and　one　end　of　it　had　been　chewed。

　　　　

Do　you　know　what　that　meant？　　Animals　don't　cut　sugar　cane　and

bring　it　to　the　beach　and　chew　one　end。　　A　new　strength　ran

through　me；　and　actually　the　grey　mist　thinned　and　lifted　for　a

moment；　until　I　could　m