wildfire-第42部分

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that。　He　thinks　he　hates　you。　But　in　his　heart　he　doesn't。　If　he　got　hold　of
Wildfirewhy；　he'd　never　be　able　to　do　enough　for　you。　He　never　could　make　it
up。　What　do　you　think？　I　told　him　you　hugged　and　kissed　me　shamefully　that
day。〃

〃Oh；　Lucy！　you　didn't？〃　implored　Slone。

〃I　sure　did。　And　what　do　you　think？　He　said　he　once　did　the　same　to　my　mother！
。　。　。　No；　Lin；　Dad'd　never　kill　you　for　anything　except　a　fury　about　horses。
All　the　fights　he　ever　had　were　over　horse　deals。　The　two　menhehe〃　Lucy
faltered　and　her　shudder　was　illuminating　to　Slone。　〃Both　of　themfights　over
horse　trades！〃

〃Lucy；　if　I'm　ever　unlucky　enough　to　meet　Bostil　again　I'll　be　deaf　an'　dumb。
An'　now　you　promise　me　you　won't　tell　him　you　were　with　me　that　night。〃

〃Lin；　if　the　occasion　comes；　I　willI　couldn't　help　it；〃　replied　Lucy。

〃Then　fight　shy　of　the　occasion；〃　he　rejoined；　earnestly。　〃For　that　would　be
the　end　of　Lin　Slone！〃

〃Thenwhat　on　earth　canwe　do？〃　Lucy　said；　with　sudden　break　of　spirit。

〃I　think　we　must　wait。　You　wrote　in　your　letter　you'd　stick　to　me　you'd〃
He　could　not　get　the　words　out；　the　thought　so　overcame　him。

〃If　it　comes　to　a　finish；　I'll　go　with　you；〃　Lucy　returned；　with　passion
rising　again。

〃Oh！　to　ride　off　with　you；　Lucyto　have　you　all　to　myselfI　daren't　think　of
it。　But　that's　only　selfish。〃

〃Maybe　it's　not　so　selfish　as　you　believe。　If　you　left　the　Fordnow　it'd
break　my　heart。　I'd　never　get　over　it。〃

〃Lucy！　You　love　methat　well？〃

Then　their　lips　met　again　and　their　hands　locked；　and　they　stood　silent；
straining　toward　each　other。　He　held　the　slight　form；　so　pliant；　so
responsive；　so　alive；　close　to　him；　and　her　face　lay　hidden　on　his　breast；　and
he　looked　out　over　her　head　into　the　quivering　moonlit　shadows。　The　night　was
as　still　as　one　away　on　the　desert　far　from　the　abode　of　men。　It　was　more
beautiful　than　any　dream　of　a　night　in　which　he　had　wandered　far　into　strange
lands　where　wild　horses　were　and　forests　lay　black　under　moon…silvered　peaks。

〃We'll　runthenif　it　comes　to　a　finish；〃　said　Slone；　huskily。　〃But　I'll
wait。　I'll　stick　it　out　here。　I'll　take　what　comes。　Somaybe　I'll　not
disgrace　you　more。〃

〃I　told　Van　II　gloried　in　being　hugged　by　you　that　day；〃　she　replied；　and
her　little　defiant　laugh　told　what　she　thought　of　the　alleged　disgrace。

〃You　torment　him；〃　remonstrated　Slone。　〃You　set　him　against　us。　It　would　be
better　to　keep　still。〃

〃But　my　blood　is　up！〃　she　said；　and　she　pounded　his　shoulder　with　her　fist。
〃I'll　fightI'll　fight！　。　。　。　I　couldn't　avoid　Van。　It　was　Holley　who　told　me
Van　was　threatening　you。　And　when　I　met　Van　he　told　me　how　everybody　said　you
insulted　mehad　been　worse　than　a　drunken　riderand　that　he'd　beat　you　half
to　death。　So　I　told　Van　Joel　Creech　might　have　seen　usI　didn't　doubt
thatbut　he　didn't　see　that　I　liked　being　hugged。〃

〃What　did　Van　say　then？〃　asked　Slone；　all　aglow　with　his　wonderful　joy。

〃He　wilted。　He　slunk　away。　。　。　。　And　so　I'll　tell　them　all。〃

〃But；　Lucy；　you've　always　been　soso　truthful。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Well；　to　say　you　liked　being　hugged　that　day　waswas　a　story；　wasn't　it？〃

〃That　was　what　made　me　so　furious；〃　she　admitted；　shyly。　〃I　was　surprised　when
you　grabbed　me　off　Wildfire。　And　my　heart　beatbeat　beat　so　when　you　hugged
me。　And　when　you　kissed　me　II　was　petrified。　I　knew　I　liked　it　thenand　I
was　furious　with　myself。〃

Slone　drew　a　long；　deep　breath　of　utter　enchantment。　〃You'll　take　back
Wildfire？〃

〃Oh；　Lindon'taskme；〃　she　implored。

〃Take　him　backan'　me　with　him。〃

〃Then　I　will。　But　no　one　must　know　that　yet。〃

They　drew　apart　then。

〃An'　now　you　must　go；〃　said　Slone；　reluctantly。　〃Listen。　I　forgot　to　warn　you
about　Joel　Creech。　Don't　ever　let　him　near　you。　He's　crazy　an'　he　means　evil。〃

〃Oh；　I　know；　Lin！　I'll　watch。　But　I'm　not　afraid　of　him。〃

〃He's　strong；　Lucy。　I　saw　him　lift　bags　that　were　hefty　for　me。　。　。　。　Lucy；　do
you　ride　these　days？〃

〃Every　day。　If　I　couldn't　ride　I　couldn't　live。〃

〃I'm　afraid；〃　said　Slone；　nervously。　〃There's　Creech　an'　Cordts　both　have
threatened　you。〃

〃I'm　afraid　of　Cordts；〃　replied　Lucy；　with　a　shiver。　〃You　should　have　seen　him
look　at　me　race…day。　It　made　me　hot　with　anger；　yet　weak；　too；　somehow。　But
Dad　says　I'm　never　in　any　danger　if　I　watch　out。　And　I　do。　Who　could　catch　me
on　Sarch？〃

〃Any　horse　can　be　tripped　in　the　sage。　You　told　me　how　Joel　tried　to　rope　Sage
King。　Did　you　ever　tell　your　dad　that？〃

〃I　forgot。　But　then　I'm　glad　I　didn't。　Dad　would　shoot　for　that；　quicker　than
if　Joel　tried　to　rope　him。　。　。　。　Don't　worry；　Lin；　I　always　pack　a　gun。〃

〃But　can　you　use　it？〃

Lucy　laughed。　〃Do　you　think　I　can　only　ride？〃

Slone　remembered　that　Holley　had　said　he　had　taught　Lucy　how　to　shoot　as　well
as　ride。　〃You'll　be　watchfulcareful；〃　he　said；　earnestly。

〃Oh；　Lin；　you　need　to　be　that　more　than　I。　。　。　。　What　will　you　do？〃

〃I'll　stay　up　at　the　little　cabin　I　thought　I　owned　till　to…day。〃

〃Didn't　you　buy　it？〃　asked　Lucy；　quickly。

〃I　thought　I　did。　But　。　。　。　never　mind。　Maybe　I　won't　get　put　out　just　yet。
An'　when　will　I　see　you　again？〃

〃Here；　every　night。　Wait　till　I　come；〃　she　replied。　〃Good　night；　Lin。〃

〃I'llwait！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　a　catch　in　his　voice。　〃Oh；　my　luck！　。　。　。
I'll　wait；　Lucy；　every　dayhopin'　an'　prayin'　that　this　trouble　will　lighten。
An'　I'll　wait　at　nightfor　you！〃

He　kissed　her　good…by　and　watched　the　slight　form　glide　away；　flit　to　and　fro；
white　in　the　dark　patches；　grow　indistinct　and　vanish。　He　was　left　alone　in
the　silent　grove。

Slone　stole　back　to　the　cabin　and　lay　sleepless　and　tranced；　watching　the
stars；　till　late　that　night。

All　the　next　day　he　did　scarcely　anything　but　watch　and　look　after　his　horses
and　watch　and　drag　the　hours　out　and　dream　despite　his　dread。　But　no　one
visited　him。　The　cabin　was　left　to　him　that　day。

It　had　been　a　hot　day；　with　great　thunderhead；　black　and　creamy　white　clouds
rolling　down　from　the　canyon　country。　No　rain　had　fallen　at　the　Ford；　though
storms　near　by　had　cooled　the　air。　At　sunset　Slone　saw　a　rainbow　bending　down；
ruddy　and　gold；　connecting　the　purple　of　cloud　with　the　purple　of　horizon。

Out　beyond　the　valley　the　clouds　were　broken；　showing　rifts　of　blue；　and　they
rolled　low；　burying　the　heads　of　the　monuments；　creating　a　wild　and　strange
spectacle。　Twilight　followed；　and　appeared　to　rise　to　meet　the　darkening
clouds。　And　at　last　the　gold　on　the　shafts　faded；　the　monuments　faded；　and　the
valley　grew　dark。

Slone　took　advantage　of　the　hour　before　moonrise　to　steal　down　into　the　grove；
there　to　wait　for　Lucy。　She　came　so　quickly　he　scarcely　felt　that　he　waited　at
all；　and　then　the　time　spent　with　her；　sweet；　fleeting；　precious；　left　him
stronger　to　wait　for　her　again；　to　hold　himself　in；　to　cease　his　brooding；　to
learn　faith　in　something　deeper　than　he　could　fathom。

The　next　day　he　tried　to　work；　but　found　idle　waiting　made　the　time　fly
swifter　because　in　it　he　could　dream。　In　the　dark　of　the　rustling　cottonwoods
he　met　Lucy；　as　eager　to　see　him　as　he　was　to　see　her；　tender；　loving；
remorsefula　hundred　sweet　and　bewildering　things　all　so　new；　so　unbelievable
to　Slone。

That　night　he　learned　that　Bostil　had　started　for　Durango　with　some　of　his
riders。　This　trip　surprised　Slone　and　relieved　him　likewise；　for　Durango　was
over　two　hundred　miles　distant；　and　a　journey　there　even　for　the　hard　riders
was　a　matter　of　days。

〃He　left　no　orders　for　me；〃　Lucy　said；　〃except　to　behave　myself。　。　。　。　Is　this
behaving？〃　she　whispered；　and　nestled　close　to　Slone；　audacious；　tormenting　as
she　had　been　before　this　dark　cloud　of　trouble。　〃But　he　left　orders　for　Holley
to　ride　with　me　and　look　after　me。　Isn't　that　funny？　Poor　old　Holley！　He　hates
to　doublecross　Dad；　he　says。〃

〃I'm　glad　Holley's　to　look　after　you；〃　replied　Slone。　〃Yesterday　I　saw　you
tearin'　down　into　the　sage　on　Sarch。　I　wondered　what　you'd　do；　Lucy；　if　Cordts
or　that　loon　Creech　should　get　hold　of　you？〃

〃I'd　fight！〃

〃But；　child；　that's　nonsense。　You　couldn't　fight　either　of　them。〃

〃Couldn't　I？　Well；　I　just　could。　I'dI'd　shoot　Cordts。　And　I'd　whip　Joel
Creech　with　my　quirt。　And　if　he　kept　after　me　I'd　let　Sarch　run　him　down。
Sarch　hates　him。〃

〃You're　a　brave　sweetheart；〃　mused　Slone。　〃Suppose　you　were　caught　an'
couldn't　get　away。　Would　you　leave　a　trail　somehow？〃

〃I　sure　would。〃

〃Lucy；　I'm　a　wild…horse　hunter；〃　he　went　on；　thoughtfully；　as　if　speaking　to
himself。　〃I　never　failed　on　a　trail。　I　could　track　you　over　bare　rock。〃

〃Lin；　I'll　leave　a　trail；　so　never　fear；〃　she　replied。　〃But　don't　borrow
trouble。　You're　always　afraid　for　me。　Look　at　the　bright　side。　Dad　seems　to
have　forgotten　you。　Maybe　it　all　isn't　so　bad　as　we　thought。　Oh；　I　hope　so！　。
。　。　How　is　my　horse；　Wildfire？　I　want　to　ride　him　again。　I　can　hardly　keep
from　going　after　him。〃

And　so　they　whispered　while　the　moments　swiftly　passed。

It　was　early　during　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day　that　Slone；　hearing　the
clip…clop　of　unshod　ponies；　went　outside　to　look。　One　part　of　the　lane　he
could　see　plainly；　and　into　it　stalked　Joel　Creech；　leading　the　leanest　and
gauntest　ponies　Slone　had　ever　seen。　A　man　as　lean　and　gaunt　as　the　ponies
stalked　behind。

The　sight　shocked　Slone。　Joel　Creech　and　his　father！　Slone　had　no　proof；
because　he　had　never　seen　the　elder　Creech；　yet　strangely　he　felt　convinced　of
it。　And　grim　ideas　began　to　flash　into　his　mind。　Creech　would　hear　who　was
accused　of　cutting　the　boat　adrift。　What　would　he　say？　If　he　believed；　as　all
the　villagers　believed；　then　Bostil's　Ford　would　become　an　unhealthy　place　for
Lin　Slone。　Where　were　the　great　race…horsesBlue　Roan　and　Pegand　the　other
thoroughbreds？　A　pang　shot　through　Slone。

〃Oh；　not　lostnot　starved？〃　he　muttered。　〃That　would　be　hell！〃

Yet　he　believed　just　this　had　happened。　How　strange　he　had　never　considered
such　an　event　as　the　return　of　Creech。

〃I'd　better　look　him　up　before　he　looks　me；〃　said　Slone。

It　took　but　an　instant　to　strap　on　his　belt　and　gun。　Then　Slone　strode　down
his　path；　out　into　the　lane　toward　Brackton's。　Whatever　before　boded　ill　to
Slone　had　been　nothing　to　what　menaced　him　now。　He　would　have　a　man　to　facea
man　whom