wildfire-第43部分

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Slone　had　been　nothing　to　what　menaced　him　now。　He　would　have　a　man　to　facea
man　whom　repute　called　just；　but　stern。

Before　Slone　reached　the　vicinity　of　the　store　he　saw　riders　come　out　to　meet
the　Creech　party。　It　so　happened　there　were　more　riders　than　usually
frequented　Brackton's　at　that　hour。　The　old　storekeeper　came　stumbling　out　and
raised　his　hands。　The　riders　could　be　heard；　loud…voiced　and　excited。　Slone
drew　nearer；　and　the　nearer　he　got　the　swifter　he　strode。　Instinct　told　him
that　he　was　making　the　right　move。　He　would　face　this　man　whom　he　was　accused
of　ruining。　The　poor　mustangs　hung　their　heads　dejectedly。

〃Bags　of　bones；〃　some　rider　loudly　said。

And　then　Slone　drew　dose　to　the　excited　group。　Brackton　held　the　center；　he
was　gesticulating；　his　thin　voice　rose　piercingly。

〃Creech！　Whar's　Peg　an'　the　Roan？　Gawd　Almighty；　man！　You　ain't　meanin'　them
cayuses　thar　are　all　you've　got　left　of　thet　grand　bunch　of　hosses？〃

There　was　scarcely　a　sound。　All　the　riders　were　still。　Slone　fastened　his　eyes
on　Creech。　He　saw　a　gaunt；　haggard　face　almost　black　with　dust　worn　and
sadwith　big　eyes　of　terrible　gloom。　He　saw　an　unkempt；　ragged　form　that　had
been　wet　and　muddy；　and　was　now　dust…caked。

Creech　stood　silent　in　a　dignity　of　despair　that　wrung　Slone's　heart。　His
silence　was　an　answer。　It　was　Joel　Creech　who　broke　the　suspense。

〃Didn't　I　tell　you…all　what'd　happen？〃　he　shrilled。　〃PARCHED　AN'　STARVED！〃

〃Aw　no！〃　chorused　the　riders。

Brackton　shook　all　over。　Tears　dimmed　his　eyestears　that　he　had　no　shame
for。　〃So　help　me　GawdI'm　sorry！〃　was　his　broken　exclamation。

Slone　had　forgotten　himself　and　possible　revelation　concerning　him。　But　when
Holley　appeared　close　to　him　with　a　significant　warning　look；　Slone　grew　keen
once　more　on　his　own　account。　He　felt　a　hot　flame　inside　hima　deep　and
burning　anger　at　the　man　who　might　have　saved　Creech's　horses。　And　he；　like
Brackton；　felt　sorrow　for　Creech；　and　a　rider's　sense　of　loss；　of　pain。　These
horsesthese　dumb　brutes　faithful　and　sometimes　devoted；　had　to　suffer　an
agonizing　death　because　of　the　selfishness　of　men。

〃I　reckon　we'd　all　like　to　hear　what　come　off；　Creech；　if　you　don't　feel　too
bad　to　tell　us；〃　said　Brackton。

〃Gimme　a　drink；〃　replied　Creech。

〃Wal；　dn　my　old　head！〃　exclaimed　Brackton。　〃I'm　gittin'　old。　Come　on　in。　All
of　you！　We're　glad　to　see　Creech　home。〃

The　riders　filed　in　after　Brackton　and　the　Creeches。　Holley　stayed　close
beside　Slone；　both　of　them　in　the　background。

〃I　heerd　the　flood　comin'　thet　night；〃　said　Creech　to　his　silent　and
tense…faced　listeners。　〃I　heerd　it　miles　up　the　canyon。　'Peared　a　bigger　roar
than　any　flood　before。　As　it　happened；　I　was　alone；　an'　it　took　time　to　git
the　hosses　up。　If　there'd　been　an　Indian　with　meor　even　Joelmebbe〃　His
voice　quavered　slightly；　broke；　and　then　he　resumed。　〃Even　when　I　got　the
hosses　over　to　the　landin'　it　wasn't　too　lateif　only　some　one　had　heerd　me
an'　come　down。　I　yelled　an'　shot。　Nobody　heerd。　The　river　was　risin'　fast。　An'
thet　roar　had　begun　to　make　my　hair　raise。　It　seemed　like　years　the　time　I
waited　there。　。　。　。　Then　the　flood　came　down　black　an'　windy　an'　awful。　I
had　hell　gittin'　the　hosses　back。

〃Next　mornin'　two　Piutes　come　down。　They　had　lost　mustangs　up　on　the　rocks。
All　the　feed　on　my　place　was　gone。　There　wasn't　nothin'　to　do　but　try　to　git
out。　The　Piutes　said　there　wasn't　no　chance　northno　waterno　grassan'　so
I　decided　to　go　south；　if　we　could　climb　over　thet　last　slide。　Peg　broke　her
leg　there；　an'II　had　to　shoot　her。　But　we　climbed　out　with　the　rest　of　the
bunch。　I　left　it　then　to　the　Piutes。　We　traveled　five　days　west　to　head　the
canyons。　No　grass　an'　only　a　little　water；　salt　at　thet。　Blue　Roan　was　game　if
ever　I　seen　a　game　hoss。　Then　the　Piutes　took　to　workin'　in　an'　out　an'
around；　not　to　git　out；　but　to　find　a　little　grazin'。　I　never　knowed　the　earth
was　so　barren。　One　by　one　them　hosses　went　down。　。　。　。　An'　at　last；　I
couldn'tI　couldn't　see　Blue　Roan　starvin'dyin'　right　before　my　eyesan'　I
shot　him；　too。　。　。　。　An'　what　hurts　me　most　now　is　thet　I　didn't　have　the
nerve　to　kill　him　fust　off。〃

There　was　a　long　pause　in　Creech's　narrative。

〃Them　Piutes　will　git　paid　if　ever　I　can　pay　them。　I'd　parched　myself　but　for
them。　。　。　。　We　circled　an'　crossed　them　red　cliffs　an'　then　the　strip　of　red
sand；　an'　worked　down　into　the　canyon。　Under　the　wall　was　a　long　stretch　of
beachsandyan'　at　the　head　of　this　we　found　Bostil's　boat。〃

〃Wal；！〃　burst　out　the　profane　Brackton。　〃Bostil's　boat！　。　。　。　Say；　'ain't
Joel　told　you　yet　about　thet　boat？〃

〃No；　Joel　'ain't　said　a　word　about　the　boat；〃　replied　Creech。　〃What　about　it？〃

〃It　was　cut　loose　jest　before　the　flood。〃

Manifestly　Brackton　expected　this　to　be　staggering　to　Creech。　But　he　did　not
even　show　surprise。

〃There's　a　rider　here　named　Slonea　wild…hoss　wrangler；〃　went　on　Brackton；
〃an'　Joel　swears　this　Slone　cut　the　boat　loose　so's　he'd　have　a　better　chance
to　win　the　race。　Joel　swears　he　tracked　this　feller　Slone。〃

For　Slone　the　moment　was　fraught　with　many　emotions；　but　not　one　of　them　was
fear。　He　did　not　need　the　sudden　force　of　Holley's　strong　hand；　pushing　him
forward。　Slone　broke　into　the　group　and　faced　Creech。

〃It's　not　true。　I　never　cut　that　boat　loose；〃　he　declared　ringingly。

〃Who're　you？〃　queried　Creech。

〃My　name's　Slone。　I　rode　in　here　with　a　wild　horse；　an'　he　won　a　race。　Then　I
was　blamed　for　this　trick。〃

Creech's　steady；　gloomy　eyes　seemed　to　pierce　Slone　through。　They　were
terrible　eyes　to　look　into；　yet　they　held　no　menace　for　him。　〃An'　Joel　accused
you？〃

〃So　they　say。　I　fought　with　himstruck　him　for　an　insult　to　a　girl。〃

〃Come　round　hyar；　Joel；〃　called　Creech；　sternly。　His　big；　scaly；　black　hand
closed　on　the　boy's　shoulder。　Joel　cringed　under　it。　〃Son；　you've　lied。　What
for？〃

Joel　showed　abject　fear　of　his　father。　〃He's　gone　on　Lucyan'　I　seen　him　with
her；〃　muttered　the　boy。

〃An'　you　lied　to　hurt　Slone？〃

Joel　would　not　reply　to　this　in　speech；　though　that　was　scarcely　needed　to
show　he　had　lied。　He　seemed　to　have　no　sense　of　guilt。　Creech　eyed　him
pityingly　and　then　pushed　him　back。

〃Men；　my　son　has　done　this　rider　dirt；〃　said　Creech。　〃You…all　see　thet。　Slone
never　cut　the　boat　loose。　。　。　。　An'　say；　you…all　seem　to　think　cuttin'　thet
boat　loose　was　the　crime。　。　。　。　No！　Thet　wasn't　the　crime。　The　crime　was
keepin'　the　boat　out　of　the　water　fer　days　when　my　hosses　could　have　been
crossed。〃

Slone　stepped　back；　forgotten；　it　seemed　to　him。　Both　joy　and　sorrow　swayed
him。　He　had　been　exonerated。　But　this　hard　and　gloomy　Creech　he　knew　things。
And　Slone　thought　of　Lucy。

〃Who　did　cut　thet　thar　boat　loose？〃　demanded　Brackton；　incredulously。

Creech　gave　him　a　strange　glance。　〃As　I　was　sayin'；　we　come　on　the　boat　fast
at　the　head　of　the　long　stretch。　I　seen　the　cables　had　been　cut。　An'　I　seen
more'n　thet。　。　。　。　Wal；　the　river　was　high　an'　swift。　But　this　was　a　long
stretch　with　good　landin'　way　below　on　the　other　side。　We　got　the　boat　in；　an'
by　rowin'　hard　an'　driftin'　we　got　acrost；　leadin'　the　hosses。　We　had　five
when　we　took　to　the　river。　Two　went　down　on　the　way　over。　We　climbed　out　then。
The　Piutes　went　to　find　some　Navajos　an'　get　hosses。　An'　I　headed　fer　the
Fordmade　camp　twice。　An'　Joel　seen　me　comin'　out　a　ways。〃

〃Creech；　was　there　anythin'　left　in　thet　boat？〃　began　Brackton；　with　intense
but　pondering　curiosity。　〃Anythin'　on　the　ropes　or　sothet　might　give　an
idee　who　cut　her　loose？〃

Creech　made　no　reply　to　that。　The　gloom　burned　darker　in　his　eyes。　He　seemed　a
man　with　a　secret。　He　trusted　no　one　there。　These　men　were　all　friends　of　his；
but　friends　under　strange　conditions。　His　silence　was　tragic；　and　all　about
the　man　breathed　vengeance。



CHAPTER　XVI

No　moon　showed　that　night；　and　few　stars　twinkled　between　the　slow…moving
clouds。　The　air　was　thick　and　oppressive；　full　of　the　day's　heat　that　had　not
blown　away。　A　dry　storm　moved　in　dry　majesty　across　the　horizon；　and　the
sheets　and　ropes　of　lightning；　blazing　white　behind　the　black　monuments；　gave
weird　and　beautiful　grandeur　to　the　desert。

Lucy　Bostil　had　to　evade　her　aunt　to　get　out　of　the　house；　and　the　window；
that　had　not　been　the　means　of　exit　since　Bostil　left；　once　more　came　into
use。　Aunt　Jane　had　grown　suspicious　of　late；　and　Lucy；　much　as　she　wanted　to
trust　her　with　her　secret；　dared　not　do　it。　For　some　reason　unknown　to　Lucy；
Holley　had　also　been　hard　to　manage；　particularly　to…day。　Lucy　certainly　did
not　want　Holley　to　accompany　her　on　her　nightly　rendezvous　with　Slone。　She
changed　her　light　gown　to　the　darker　and　thicker　riding…habit。

There　was　a　longed…for；　all…satisfying　flavor　in　this　night　adventure
something　that　had　not　all　to　do　with　love。　The　stealth；　the　outwitting　of
guardians；　the　darkness；　the　silence；　the　riskall　these　called　to　some　deep；
undeveloped　instinct　in　her；　and　thrilled　along　her　veins；　cool；　keen；
exciting。　She　had　the　blood　in　her　of　the　greatest　adventurer　of　his　day。

Lucy　feared　she　was　a　little　late。　Allaying　the　suspicions　of　Aunt　Jane　and
changing　her　dress　had　taken　time。　Lucy　burned　with　less　cautious　steps。　Still
she　had　only　used　caution　in　the　grove　because　she　had　promised　Slone　to　do
so。　This　night　she　forgot　or　disregarded　it。　And　the　shadows　were
thickdarker　than　at　any　other　time　when　she　had　undertaken　this　venture。　She
had　always　been　a　little　afraid　of　the　darka　fact　that　made　her　contemptuous
of　herself。　Nevertheless；　she　did　not　peer　into　the　deeper　pits　of　gloom。　She
knew　her　way　and　could　slip　swiftly　along　with　only　a　rustle　of　leaves　she
touched。

Suddenly　she　imagined　she　heard　a　step　and　she　halted；　still　as　a　tree…trunk。
There　was　no　reason　to　be　afraid　of　a　step。　It　had　been　a　surprise　to　her　that
she　had　never　encountered　a　rider　walking　and　smoking　under　the　trees。
Listening；　she　assured　herself　she　had　been　mistaken；　and　then　went　on。　But
she　looked　back。　Did　she　see　a　shadowdarker　than　othersmoving？　It　was　only
her　imagination。　Yet　she　sustained　a　slight　chill。　The　air　seemed　more
oppressive；　or　else　there　was　some　intangible　and　strange　thing　hovering　in
it。　She　went　onreached　t