wildfire-第15部分

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floor　of　the　valley。　Wildfire　looked　back　to　see　his　pursuers；　and　then　the
solemn　stillness　broke　to　a　wild；　piercing　whistle。

Day　after　day；　camping　where　night　found　him；　Slone　followed　the　stallion；
never　losing　sight　of　him　till　darkness　had　fallen。　The　valley　was　immense　and
the　monuments　miles　apart。　But　they　always　seemed　close　together　and　near　him。
The　air　magnified　everything。　Slone　lost　track　of　time。　The　strange；　solemn；
lonely　days　and　the　silent；　lonely　nights；　and　the　endless　pursuit；　and　the
wild；　weird　valleythese　completed　the　work　of　years　on　Slone　and　he　became
satisfied；　unthinking；　almost　savage。

The　toil　and　privation　had　worn　him　down　and　he　was　like　iron。　His　garments
hung　in　tatters；　his　boots　were　ripped　and　soleless。　Long　since　his　flour　had
been　used　up；　and　all　his　supplies　except　the　salt。　He　lived　on　the　meat　of
rabbits；　but　they　were　scarce；　and　the　time　came　when　there　were　none。　Some
days　he　did　not　eat。　Hunger　did　not　make　him　suffer。　He　killed　a　desert　bird
now　and　then；　and　once　a　wildcat　crossing　the　valley。　Eventually　he　felt　his
strength　diminishing；　and　then　he　took　to　digging　out　the　pack…rats　and
cooking　them。　But　these；　too；　were　scarce。　At　length　starvation　faced　Slone。
But　he　knew　he　would　not　starve。　Many　times　he　had　been　within　rifle…shot　of
Wildfire。　And　the　grim；　forbidding　thought　grew　upon　him　that　he　must　kill　the
stallion。　The　thought　seemed　involuntary；　but　his　mind　rejected　it。
Nevertheless；　he　knew　that　if　he　could　not　catch　the　stallion　he　would　kill
him。　That　had　been　the　end　of　many　a　desperate　rider's　pursuit　of　a　coveted
horse。

While　Slone　kept　on　his　merciless　pursuit；　never　letting　Wildfire　rest　by　day；
time　went　on　just　as　relentlessly。　Spring　gave　way　to　early　summer。　The　hot
sun　bleached　the　grass；　water…holes　failed　out　in　the　valley；　and　water　could
be　found　only　in　the　canyons；　and　the　dry　winds　began　to　blow　the　sand。　It　was
a　sandy　valley；　green　and　gray　only　at　a　distance；　and　out　toward　the　north
there　were　no　monuments；　and　the　slow　heave　of　sand　lifted　toward　the　dim
walls。

Wildfire　worked　away　from　this　open　valley；　back　to　the　south　end；　where　the
great　monuments　loomed；　and　still　farther　back；　where　they　grew　closer；　till
at　length　some　of　them　were　joined　by　weathered　ridges　to　the　walls　of　the
surrounding　plateau。　For　all　that　Slone　could　see；　Wildfire　was　in　perfect
condition。　But　Nagger　was　not　the　horse　he　had　been。　Slone　realized　that　in
one　way　or　another　the　pursuit　was　narrowing　down　to　the　end。

He　found　a　water…hole　at　the　head　of　a　wash　in　a　split　in　the　walls；　and　here
he　let　Nagger　rest　and　graze　one　whole　daythe　first　day　for　a　long　time　that
he　had　not　kept　the　red　stallion　in　sight。　That　day　was　marked　by　the　good
fortune　of　killing　a　rabbit；　and　while　eating　it　his　gloomy；　fixed　mind
admitted　that　he　was　starving。　He　dreaded　the　next　sunrise。　But　he　could　not
hold　it　back。　There；　behind　the　dark　monuments；　standing　sentinel…like；　the
sky　lightened　and　reddened　and　burst　into　gold　and　pink；　till　out　of　the
golden　glare　the　sun　rose　glorious。　And　Slone；　facing　the　league…long　shadows
of　the　monuments；　rode　out　again　into　the　silent；　solemn　day；　on　his　hopeless
quest。

For　a　change　Wildfire　had　climbed　high　up　a　slope　of　talus；　through　a　narrow
pass；　rounded　over　with　drifting　sand。　And　Slone　gazed　down　into　a　huge
amphitheater　full　of　monuments；　like　all　that　strange　country。　A　basin　three
miles　across　lay　beneath　him。　Walls　and　weathered　slants　of　rock　and　steep
slopes　of　reddish…yellow　sand　inclosed　this　oval　depression。　The　floor　was
white；　and　it　seemed　to　move　gently　or　radiate　with　heat…waves。　Studying　it；
Slone　made　out　that　the　motion　was　caused　by　wind　in　long　bleached　grass。　He
had　crossed　small　areas　of　this　grass　in　different　parts　of　the　region。

Wildfire's　tracks　led　down　into　this　basin；　and　presently　Slone；　by　straining
his　eyes；　made　out　the　red　spot　that　was　the　stallion。

〃He's　lookin'　to　quit　the　country；〃　soliloquized　Slone；　as　he　surveyed　the
scene。

With　keen；　slow　gaze　Slone　studied　the　lay　of　wall　and　slope；　and　when　he　had
circled　the　huge　depression　he　made　sure　that　Wildfire　could　not　get　out
except　by　the　narrow　pass　through　which　he　had　gone　in。　Slone　sat　astride
Nagger　in　the　mouth　of　this　passa　wash　a　few　yards　wide；　walled　by　broken；
rough　rock　on　one　side　and　an　insurmountable　slope　on　the　other。

〃If　this　hole　was　only　little；　now；〃　sighed　Slone；　as　he　gazed　at　the
sweeping；　shimmering　oval　floor；　〃I　might　have　a　chance。　But　down　therewe
couldn't　get　near　him。〃

There　was　no　water　in　that　dry　bowl。　Slone　reflected　on　the　uselessness　of
keeping　Wildfire　down　there；　because　Nagger　could　not　go　without　water　as　long
as　Wildfire。　For　the　first　time　Slone　hesitated。　It　seemed　merciless　to　Nagger
to　drive　him　down　into　this　hot；　windy　hole。　The　wind　blew　from　the　west；　and
it　swooped　up　the　slope；　hot；　with　the　odor　of　dry；　dead　grass。

But　that　hot　wind　stirred　Slone　with　an　idea；　and　suddenly　he　was　tense；
excited；　glowing；　yet　grim　and　hard。

〃Wildfire；　I'll　make　you　run　with　your　namesake　in　that　high　grass；〃　called
Slone。　The　speech　was　full　of　bitter　failure；　of　regret；　of　the　hardness　of　a
rider　who　could　not　give　up　the　horse　to　freedom。

Slone　meant　to　ride　down　there　and　fire　the　long　grass。　In　that　wind　there
would　indeed　be　wildfire　to　race　with　the　red　stallion。　It　would　perhaps　mean
his　death；　at　least　it　would　chase　him　out　of　that　hole；　where　to　follow　him
would　be　useless。

〃I'd　make　you　hump　now　to　get　away　if　I　could　get　behind　you；〃　muttered　Slone。
He　saw　that　if　he　could　fire　the　grass　on　the　other　side　the　wind　of　flame
would　drive　Wildfire　straight　toward　him。　The　slopes　and　walls　narrowed　up　to
the　pass；　but　high　grass　grew　to　within　a　few　rods　of　where　Slone　stood。　But
it　seemed　impossible　to　get　behind　Wildfire。

〃At　nightthenI　could　get　round　him；〃　said　Slone；　thinking　hard　and
narrowing　his　gaze　to　scan　the　circle　of　wall　and　slope。　〃Why　not？　。　。　。　No
wind　at　night。　That　grass　would　burn　slow　till　mornin'　till　the　wind　came
upan'　it's　been　west　for　days。〃

Suddenly　Slone　began　to　pound　the　patient　Nagger　and　to　cry　out　to　him　in　wild
exultance。

〃Old　horse；　we've　got　him！　。　。　。　We've　got　him！　。　。　。　We'll　put　a　rope　on　him
before　this　time　to…morrow！〃

Slone　yielded　to　his　strange；　wild　joy；　but　it　did　not　last　long；　soon
succeeding　to　sober；　keen　thought。　He　rode　down　into　the　bowl　a　mile；　making
absolutely　certain　that　Wildfire　could　not　climb　out　on　that　side。　The　far
end；　beyond　the　monuments；　was　a　sheer　wall　of　rock。　Then　he　crossed　to　the
left　side。　Here　the　sandy　slope　was　almost　too　steep　for　even　him　to　go　up。
And　there　was　grass　that　would　burn。　He　returned　to　the　pass　assured　that
Wildfire　had　at　last　fallen　into　a　trap　the　like　Slone　had　never　dreamed　of
The　great　horse　was　doomed　to　run　into　living　flame　or　the　whirling　noose　of　a
lasso。

Then　Slone　reflected。　Nagger　had　that　very　morning　had　his　fill　of　good
waterthe　first　really　satisfying　drink　for　days。　If　he　was　rested　that　day；
on　the　morrow　he　would　be　fit　for　the　grueling　work　possibly　in　store　for　him。
Slone　unsaddled　the　horse　and　turned　him　loose；　and　with　a　snort　he　made　down
the　gentle　slope　for　the　grass。　Then　Slone　carried　his　saddle　to　a　shady　spot
afforded　by　a　slab　of　rock　and　a　dwarf　cedar；　and　here　he　composed　himself　to
rest　and　watch　and　think　and　wait。

Wildfire　was　plainly　in　sight　no　more　than　two　miles　away。　Gradually　he　was
grazing　along　toward　the　monuments　and　the　far　end　of　the　great　basin。　Slone
believed；　because　the　place　was　so　large；　that　Wildfire　thought　there　was　a
way　out　on　the　other　side　or　over　the　slopes　or　through　the　walls。　Never
before　had　the　far…sighted　stallion　made　a　mistake。　Slone　suddenly　felt　the
keen；　stabbing　fear　of　an　outlet　somewhere。　But　it　left　him　quickly。　He　had
studied　those　slopes　and　walls。　Wildfire　could　not　get　out；　except　by　the　pass
he　had　entered；　unless　he　could　fly。

Slone　lay　in　the　shade；　his　head　propped　on　his　saddle；　and　while　gazing　down
into　the　shimmering　hollow　he　began　to　plan。　He　calculated　that　he　must　be
able　to　carry　fire　swiftly　across　the　far　end　of　the　basin；　so　that　he　would
not　be　absent　long　from　the　mouth　of　the　pass。　Fire　was　always　a　difficult
matter；　since　he　must　depend　only　on　flint　and　steel。　He　decided　to　wait　till
dark；　build　a　fire　with　dead　cedar　sticks；　and　carry　a　bundle　of　them　with
burning　ends。　He　felt　assured　that　the　wind　caused　by　riding　would　keep　them
burning。　After　he　had　lighted　the　grass　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　hurry　back　to
his　station　and　there　await　developments。

The　day　passed　slowly；　and　it　was　hot。　The　heat…waves　rose　in　dark；　wavering
lines　and　veils　from　the　valley。　The　wind　blew　almost　a　gale。　Thin；　curling
sheets　of　sand　blew　up　over　the　crests　of　the　slopes；　and　the　sound　it　made
was　a　soft；　silken　rustling；　very　low。　The　sky　was　a　steely　blue　above　and
copper　close　over　the　distant　walls。

That　afternoon；　toward　the　close；　Slone　ate　the　last　of　the　meat。　At　sunset
the　wind　died　away　and　the　air　cooled。　There　was　a　strip　of　red　along　the　wall
of　rock　and　on　the　tips　of　the　monuments；　and　it　lingered　there　for　long；　a
strange；　bright　crown。　Nagger　was　not　far　away；　but　Wildfire　had　disappeared；
probably　behind　one　of　the　monuments。

When　twilight　fell　Slone　went　down　after　Nagger　and；　returning　with　him；　put
on　bridle　and　saddle。　Then　he　began　to　search　for　suitable　sticks　of　wood。
Farther　back　in　the　pass　he　found　stunted　dead　cedars；　and　from　these　secured
enough　for　his　purpose。　He　kindled　a　fire　and　burnt　the　ends　of　the　sticks
into　red　embers。　Making　a　bundle　of　these；　he　put　them　under　his　arm；　the
dull；　glowing　ends　backward；　and　then　mounted　his　horse。

It　was　just　about　dark　when　he　faced　down　into　the　valley。　When　he　reached
level　ground　he　kept　to　the　edge　of　the　left　slope　and　put　Nagger　to　a　good
trot。　The　grass　and　brush　were　scant　here；　and　the　color　of　the　sand　was
light；　so　he　had　no　difficulty　in　traveling。

From　time　to　time　his　horse　went　through　grass；　and　its　dry；　crackling　rustle；
showing　how　it　would　burn；