wildfire-第22部分

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〃Joel　Creech　waylaid　me　out　in　the　sageandand　tried　to　catch　me。〃　Lucy
checked　herself。　It　might　not　do　to　tell　how　Joel　had　tried　to　catch　her。

〃He　did？　An'　you　on　the　King！〃　Farlane　laughed；　as　if　relieved。　〃Wal；　he's
tried　thet　before。　Miss　Lucy。　But　when　you　was　up　on　the　graythet　shows
Joel's　crazy；　sure。〃

〃He　sure　is。　Farlane；　II　am　mad！〃

〃Wal；　cool　off；　Miss　Lucy。　It　ain't　nothin'　to　git　set　up　about。　An'　don't
tell　the　old　man。〃

〃Why　not？〃　demanded　Lucy。

〃Wal；　because　he's　in　a　queer　sort　of　bad　mood　lately。　It　wouldn't　be　safe。　He
hates　them　Creeches。　So　don't　tell　him。〃

〃All　right；　Farlane；　I　won't。　Don't　you　tell；　either；〃　replied　Lucy；　soberly。

〃Sure　I'll　keep　mum。　But　if　Joel　doesn't　watch　out　I'll　put　a　crimp　in　him
myself。〃

Lucy　hurried　away　down　the　lane　and　entered　the　house　without　meeting　any　one。
In　her　room　she　changed　her　clothes　and　lay　down　to　rest　and　think。

Strangely　enough；　Lucy　might　never　have　encountered　Joel　Creech　out　in　the
sage；　for　all　the　thought　she　gave　him。　Her　mind　was　busy　with　the　crippled
rider。　Who　was　he？　Where　was　he　from？　What　strange　passion　he　had　shown　over
the　recovery　of　that　wonderful　red　horse！　Lucy　could　not　forget　the　feeling　of
his　iron　arm　when　he　held　her　in　a　kind　of　frenzied　gratitude。　A　wild　upland
rider；　living　only　for　a　wild　horse！　How　like　Indians　some　of　these　riders！
Yet　this　fellow　had　seemed　different　from　most　of　the　uncouth　riders　she　had
known。　He　spoke　better。　He　appeared　to　have　had　some　little　schooling。　Lucy
did　not　realize　that　she　was　interested　in　him。　She　thought　she　was　sorry　for
him　and　interested　in　the　stallion。　She　began　to　compare　Wildfire　with　Sage
King；　and　if　she　remembered　rightly　Wildfire；　even　in　his　disheveled　state；
had　appeared　a　worthy　rival　of　the　King。　What　would　Bostil　say　at　sight　of
that　flame…colored　stallion？　Lucy　thrilled。

Later　she　left　her　room　to　see　if　the　hour　was　opportune　for　her　plan　to　make
up　a　pack　of　supplies　for　the　rider。　Her　aunt　was　busy　in　the　kitchen；　and
Bostil　had　not　come　in。　Lucy　took　advantage　of　the　moment　to　tie　up　a　pack　and
carry　it　to　her　room。　Somehow　the　task　pleased　her。　She　recalled　the　lean　face
of　the　rider。　And　that　recalled　his　ragged　appearance。　Why　not　pack　up　an
outfit　of　clothes？　Bostil　had　a　stock…room　full　of　such　accessories　for　his
men。　Then　Lucy；　glowing　with　the　thought；　hurried　to　Bostil's　stock…room；　and
with　deft　hands　and　swift　judgment　selected　an　outfit　for　the　rider；　even　down
to　a　comb　and　razor。　All　this　she　carried　quickly　to　her　room；　where　in　her
thoughtfulness　she　added　a　bit　of　glass　from　a　broken　mirror；　and　soap　and　a
towel。　Then　she　tied　up　a　second　pack。

Bostil　did　not　come　home　to　supper；　a　circumstance　that　made　Lucy's　aunt
cross。　They　ate　alone；　and；　waiting　awhile；　were　rather　late　in　clearing　away
the　table。　After　this　Lucy　had　her　chance　in　the　dusk　of　early　evening；　and
she　carried　both　packs　way　out　into　the　sage　and　left　them　near　the　trail。

〃Hope　a　coyote　doesn't　come　along；〃　she　said。　That　possibility；　however；　did
not　worry　her　as　much　as　getting　those　packs　up　on　the　King。　How　in　the　world
would　she　ever　do　it？

She　hurried　back　to　the　house；　stealthily　keeping　to　the　shadow　of　the
cottonwoods；　for　she　would　have　faced　an　embarrassing　situation　if　she　had　met
her　father；　even　had　he　been　in　a　good　humor。　And　she　reached　the　sitting…room
unobserved。　The　lamps　had　been　lighted　and　a　log　blazed　on　the　hearth。　She　was
reading　when　Bostil　entered。

〃Hello；　Lucy！〃　he　said。

He　looked　tired；　and　Lucy　knew　he　had　been　drinking；　because　when　he　had　been
he　never　offered　to　kiss　her。　The　strange；　somber　shade　was　still　on　his　face；
but　it　brightened　somewhat　at　sight　of　her。　Lucy　greeted　him　as　always。

〃Farlane　tells　me　you　handled　the　King　greatbetter　'n　Van　has　worked　him
lately；〃　said　Bostil。　〃But　don't　tell　him　I　told　you。〃

That　was　sweet　praise　from　Farlane。　〃Oh；　Dad；　it　could　hardly　be　true；〃
expostulated　Lucy。　〃Both　you　and　Farlane　are　a　little　sore　at　Van　now。〃

〃I'm　a　lot　sore；〃　replied　Bostil；　gruffly。

〃Anyway；　how　did　Farlane　know　how　I　handled　Sage　King？〃　queried　Lucy。

〃Wal；　every　hair　on　a　hoss　talks　to　Farlane；　so　Holley　says。　。　。　。　Lucy；　you
take　the　King　out　every　day　for　a　while。　Ride　him　now　an'　watch　out！　Joel
Creech　was　in　the　village　to…day。　He　sure　sneaked　when　he　seen　me。　He's　up　to
some　mischief。〃

Lucy　did　not　want　to　lie　and　she　did　not　know　what　to　say。　Presently　Bostil
bade　her　good　night。　Lucy　endeavored　to　read；　but　her　mind　continually
wandered　back　to　the　adventure　of　the　day。

Next　morning　she　had　difficulty　in　concealing　her　impatience；　but　luck　favored
her。　Bostil　was　not　in　evidence；　and　Farlane；　for　once；　could　spare　no　more
time　than　it　took　to　saddle　Sage　King。　Lucy　rode　out　into　the　sage；　pretty
sure　that　no　one　watched　her。

She　had　hidden　the　packs　near　the　tallest　bunch　of　greasewood　along　the　trail；
and　when　she　halted　behind　it　she　had　no　fear　of　being　seen　from　the　corrals。
She　got　the　packs。　The　light　one　was　not　hard　to　tie　back　of　the　saddle；　but
the　large　one　was　a　very　different　matter。　She　decided　to　carry　it　in　front。
There　was　a　good…sized　rock　near；　upon　which　she　stepped；　leading　Sage　King
alongside；　and　after　an　exceedingly　trying　moment　she　got　up；　holding　the
pack。　For　a　wonder　Sage　King　behaved　well。

Then　she　started　off；　holding　the　pack　across　her　lap；　and　she　tried　the
King's　several　gaits　to　see　which　one　would　lend　itself　more　comfortably　to
the　task　before　her。　The　trouble　was　that　Sage　King　had　no　slow　gait；　even　his
walk　was　fast。　And　Lucy　was　compelled　to　hold　him　into　that。　She　wanted　to
hurry；　but　that　seemed　out　of　the　question。　She　tried　to　keep　from　gazing　out
toward　the　monuments；　because　they　were　so　far　away。

How　would　she　find　the　crippled　rider？　It　flashed　into　her　mind　that　she　might
find　him　dead；　and　this　seemed　horrible。　But　her　common　sense　persuaded　her
that　she　would　find　him　alive　and　better。　The　pack　was　hard　to　hold；　and　Sage
King　fretted　at　the　monotonous　walk。　The　hours　dragged。　The　sun　grew　hot。　And
it　was　noon；　almost；　when　she　reached　the　point　where　she　cut　off　the　trail　to
the　left。　Thereafter；　with　the　monuments　standing　ever　higher；　and　the
distance　perceptibly　lessening；　the　minutes　passed　less　tediously。

At　length　she　reached　the　zone　of　lofty　rocks；　and　found　them　different；　how；
she　could　not　tell。　She　rode　down　among　them；　and　was　glad　when　she　saw　the
huge　mittensher　landmarks。　At　last　she　espied　the　green…bordered　wash　and
the　few　cedar…trees。　Then　a　horse　blazed　red　against　the　sage　and　another
shone　black。　That　sight　made　Lucy　thrill。　She　rode　on；　eager　now；　but　moved　by
the　strangeness　of　the　experience。

Before　she　got　quite　close　to　the　cedars　she　saw　a　man。　He　took　a　few　slow
steps　out　of　the　shade。　His　back　was　bent。　Lucy　recognized　the　rider；　and　in
her　gladness　to　see　him　on　his　feet　she　cried　out。　Then；　when　Sage　King
reached　the　spot；　Lucy　rolled　the　pack　off　to　the　ground。

〃Oh；　that　was　a　job！〃　she　cried。

The　rider　looked　up　with　eyes　that　seemed　keener；　less　staring　than　she
remembered。　〃You　came？　。　。　。　I　was　afraid　you　wouldn't；〃　he　said。

〃Sure　I　came。　。　。　。　You're　betternot　badly　hurt？〃　she　said；　gravely；　〃II'm
so　glad。〃

〃I've　got　a　crimp　in　my　back；　that's　all。〃

Lucy　was　quick　to　see　that　after　the　first　glance　at　her　he　was　all　eyes　for
Sage　King。　She　laughed。　How　like　a　rider！　She　watched　him；　knowing　that
presently　he　would　realize　what　a　horse　she　was　riding。　She　slipped　off　and
threw　the　bridle；　and　then；　swiftly　untying　the　second　pack；　she　laid　it　down。

The　rider；　with　slow；　painful　steps　and　bent　back；　approached　Sage　King　and
put　a　lean；　strong；　brown　hand　on　him；　and　touched　him　as　if　he　wished　to　feel
if　he　were　real。　Then　he　whistled　softly。　When　he　turned　to　Lucy　his　eyes
shone　with　a　beautiful　light。

〃It's　Sage　King；　Bostil's　favorite；〃　said　Lucy。

〃Sage　King！　。　。　。　He　looks　it。　。　。　。　But　never　a　wild　horse？〃

〃No。〃

〃A　fine　horse；〃　replied　the　rider。　〃Of　course　he　can　run？〃　This　last　held　a
note　of　a　rider's　jealousy。

Lucy　laughed。　〃Run！　。　。　。　The　King　is　Bostil's　favorite。　He　can　run　away　from
any　horse　in　the　uplands。〃

〃I'll　bet　you　Wildfire　can　beat　him；〃　replied　the　rider；　with　a　dark　glance。

〃Come　on！〃　cried　Lucy；　daringly。

Then　the　rider　and　girl　looked　more　earnestly　at　each　other。　He　smiled　in　a
way　that　changed　his　facebrightened　out　the　set　hardness。

〃I　reckon　I'll　have　to　crawl；〃　he　said；　ruefully。　〃But　maybe　I　can　ride　in　a
few　daysif　you'll　come　back　again。〃

His　remark　brought　to　Lucy　the　idea　that　of　course　she　would　hardly　see　this
rider　again　after　to…day。　Even　if　he　went　to　the　Ford；　which　event　was
unlikely；　he　would　not　remain　there　long。　The　sensation　of　blankness　puzzled
her；　and　she　felt　an　unfamiliar　confusion。

〃II've　brought　yousome　things；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　larger　pack。

〃Grub；　you　mean？〃

〃No。〃

〃That　was　all　I　asked　you　for；　miss；〃　he　said；　somewhat　stiffly。

〃Yes；　butII　thought〃　Lucy　became　unaccountably　embarrassed。　Suppose　this
strange　rider　would　be　offended。　〃Your　clothes　were　so　torn。　。　。　。　And　no
wonder　you　were　thrownin　those　boots！　。　。　。　So　I　thought　I'd〃

〃You　thought　I　needed　clothes　as　bad　as　grub；〃　he　said；　bitterly。　〃I　reckon
that's　so。〃

His　look；　more　than　his　tone；　cut　Lucy；　and　involuntarily　she　touched　his　arm。
〃Oh；　you　won't　refuse　to　take　them！　Please　don't！〃

At　her　touch　a　warmth　came　into　his　face。　〃Take　them？　I　should　smile　I　will。〃

He　tried　to　reach　down　to　lift　the　pack；　but　as　it　was　obviously　painful　for
him　to　bend；　Lucy　intercepted　him。

〃But　you've　had　no　breakfast；〃　she　protested。　〃Why　not　eat　before　you　open
that　pack？〃

〃Nope。　I'm　not　hungry。　。　。　。　Maybe　I'll　eat　a　little；　after　I　dress　up。〃　He
started　to　walk　away；　then　turned。　〃Miss　Bostil；　have　you　been　so　good　to
every　wanderin'　rider　you　happened　to　run　across？〃

〃Good！〃　she　exclaimed；　flushing。　She　dropped　her　eyes　before　his。　〃Nonsense。　。
。　。　Anyway；　you're　the　first　wandering　rider　I　ever　metlike　this。〃

〃Well；　you're　good；〃　he　replied；　with　emotion。　Then　he　walked　away