wildfire-第5部分

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〃You　couldn't　make　me　a　present　of　himeven　on　my　birthday。〃

〃Wal；　now　I'm　sorry；　for　I　was　thinkin'　of　thet；〃　replied　Macomber；　ruefully。
It　was　plain　that　the　sorrel　had　fallen　irremediably　in　his　estimation。

〃Macomber；　I　often　tell　Dad　all　you　horse…traders　get　your　deserts　now　and
then。　It's　vanity　and　desire　to　beat　the　other　man　that's　your　downfall。〃

Lucy　went　away；　with　Van　shouldering　her　box；　leaving　Macomber　trying　to
return　the　banter　of　the　riders。　The　good…natured　raillery　was　interrupted　by
a　sharp　word　from　one　of　them。

〃Look！　Darn　me　if　thet　ain't　a　naked　Indian　comin'！〃

The　riders　whirled　to　see　an　apparently　nude　savage　approaching；　almost　on　a
run。

〃Take　a　shot　at　thet；　Bill；〃　said　another　rider。　〃Miss　Lucy　might　seeNo；
she's　out　of　sight。　But；　mebbe　some　other　woman　is　around。〃

〃Hold　on；　Bill；〃　called　Macomber。　〃You　never　saw　an　Indian　run　like　thet。〃

Some　of　the　riders　swore；　others　laughed；　and　all　suddenly　became　keen　with
interest。

〃Sure　his　face　is　white；　if　his　body's　red！〃

The　strange　figure　neared　them。　It　was　indeed　red　up　to　the　face；　which　seemed
white　in　contrast。　Yet　only　in　general　shape　and　action　did　it　resemble　a　man。

〃Damned　if　it　ain't　Joel　Creech！〃　sang　out　Bill　Stark。

The　other　riders　accorded　their　wondering　assent。

〃Gone　crazy；　sure！〃

〃I　always　seen　it　comin'。〃

〃Say；　but　ain't　he　wild？　Foamin'　at　the　mouth　like　a　winded　hoss！〃

Young　Creech　was　headed　down　the　road　toward　the　ford　across　which　he　had　to
go　to　reach　home。　He　saw　the　curious　group；　slowed　his　pace；　and　halted。　His
face　seemed　convulsed　with　rage　and　pain　and　fatigue。　His　body；　even　to　his
hands；　was　incased　in　a　thick；　heavy　coating　of　red　adobe　that　had　caked　hard。

〃God's　sakefellers〃　he　panted；　with　eyes　rolling；　〃take　this　'dobe　mud
off　me！　。　。　。　I'm　dyin'！〃

Then　he　staggered　into　Brackton's　place。　A　howl　went　up　from　the　riders　and
they　surged　after　him。

That　evening　after　supper　Bostil　stamped　in　the　big　room；　roaring　with
laughter；　red　in　the　face；　and　he　astonished　Lucy　and　her　aunt　to　the　point　of
consternation。

〃Nowyou'vedoneitLucy　Bostil！〃　he　roared。

〃Oh　dear！　Oh　dear！〃　exclaimed　Aunt　Jane。

〃Done　what？〃　asked　Lucy；　blankly。

Bostil　conquered　his　paroxysm；　and；　wiping　his　moist　red　face；　he　eyed　Lucy　in
mock　solemnity。

〃Joel！〃　whispered　Lucy；　who　had　a　guilty　conscience。

〃Lucy；　I　never　heard　the　beat　of　it。　。　。　。　Joel's　smarter　in　some　ways　than　we
thought；　an'　crazier　in　others。　He　had　the　sun　figgered；　but　what'd　he　want　to
run　through　town　for？　Why；　never　in　my　life　have　I　seen　such　tickled　riders。〃

〃Dad！〃　almost　screamed　Lucy。　〃What　did　Joel　do？〃

〃Wal；　I　see　it　this　way。　He　couldn't　or　wouldn't　wait　for　sundown。　An'　he
wasn't　hankerin'　to　be　burned。　So　he　wallows　in　a　'dobe　mud…hole　an'　covers
himself　thick　with　mud。　You　know　that　'dobe　mud！　Then　he　starts　home。　But　he
hadn't　figgered　on　the　'dobe　gettin'　hard；　which　it　didharder　'n　rock。　An'
thet　must　have　hurt　more　'n　sunburn。　Late　this　afternoon　he　came　runnin'　down
the　road；　yellin'　thet　he　was　dyin'。　The　boys　had　conniption　fits。　Joel　ain't
over…liked；　you　know；　an'　here　they　had　one　on　him。　Mebbe　they　didn't　try　hard
to　clean　him　off。　But　the　fact　is　not　for　hours　did　they　get　thet　'dobe　off
him。　They　washed　an'　scrubbed　an'　curried　him；　while　he　yelled　an'　cussed。
Finally　they　peeled　it　off；　with　his　skin　I　guess。　He　was　raw。　an'　they　say；
the　maddest　feller　ever　seen　in　Bostil's　Ford！〃

Lucy　was　struggling　between　fear　and　mirth。　She　did　not　look　sorry。　〃Oh！　Oh！
Oh；　Dad！〃

〃Wasn't　it　great；　Lucy？〃

〃But　whatwill　hedo？〃　choked　Lucy。

〃Lord　only　knows。　Thet　worries　me　some。　Because　he　never　said　a　word　about　how
he　come　to　lose　his　clothes　or　why　he　had　the　'dobe　on　him。　An'　sure　I　never
told。　Nobody　knows　but　us。〃

〃Dad；　hell　do　something　terrible　to　me！〃　cried　Lucy；　aghast　at　her　premonition



CHAPTER　III

The　days　did　not　pass　swiftly　at　Bostil's　Ford。　And　except　in　winter；　and
during　the　spring　sand…storms；　the　lagging　time　passed　pleasantly。　Lucy　rode
every　day；　sometimes　with　Van；　and　sometimes　alone。　She　was　not　over…keen
about　riding　with　Vanfirst；　because　he　was　in　love　with　her；　and　secondly；
in　spite　of　that；　she　could　not　beat　him　when　he　rode　the　King。　They　were
training　Bostil's　horses　for　the　much…anticipated　races。

At　last　word　arrived　from　the　Utes　and　Navajos　that　they　accepted　Bostil's
invitation　and　would　come　in　force；　which　meant；　according　to　Holley　and　other
old　riders；　that　the　Indians　would　attend　about　eight　hundred　strong。

〃Thet　old　chief；　Hawk；　is　comin'；〃　Holley　informed　Bostil。　〃He　hasn't　been
here　fer　several　years。　Recollect　thet　bunch　of　colts　he　had？　They're　bosses；
not　mustangs。　。　。　。　So　you　look　out；　Bostil！〃

No　rider　or　rancher　or　sheepman；　in　fact；　no　one；　ever　lost　a　chance　to　warn
Bostil。　Some　of　it　was　in　fun；　but　most　of　it　was　earnest。　The　nature　of
events　was　that　sooner　or　later　a　horse　would　beat　the　King。　Bostil　knew　that
as　well　as　anybody；　though　he　would　not　admit　it。　Holley's　hint　made　Bostil
look　worried。　Most　of　Bostil's　gray　hairs　might　have　been　traced　to　his　years
of　worry　about　horses。

The　day　he　received　word　from　the　Indians　he　sent　for　Brackton；　Williams；
Muncie；　and　Creech　to　come　to　his　house　that　night。　These　men；　with　Bostil；
had　for　years　formed　in　a　way　a　club；　which　gave　the　Ford　distinction。　Creech
was　no　longer　a　friend　of　Bostil's；　but　Bostil　had　always　been　fair…minded；
and　now　he　did　not　allow　his　animosities　to　influence　him。　Holley；　the　veteran
rider；　made　the　sixth　member　of　the　club。

Bostil　had　a　cedar　log　blazing　cheerily　in　the　wide　fireplace；　for　these　early
spring　nights　in　the　desert　were　cold。

Brackton　was　the　last　guest　to　arrive。　He　shuffled　in　without　answering　the
laconic　greetings　accorded　him；　and　his　usually　mild　eyes　seemed　keen　and
hard。

〃John；　I　reckon　you　won't　love　me　fer　this　here　I've　got　to　tell　you；　to…night
specially；〃　he　said；　seriously。

〃You　old　robber；　I　couldn't　love　you　anyhow；〃　retorted　Bostil。　But　his　humor
did　not　harmonize　with　the　sudden　gravity　of　his　look。　〃What's　up？〃

〃Who　do　you　suppose　I　jest　sold　whisky　to？〃

〃I've　no　idea；〃　replied　Bostil。　Yet　he　looked　as　if　he　was　perfectly　sure。

〃Cordts！　。　。　。　Cordts；　an'　four　of　his　outfit。　Two　of　them　I　didn't　know。　Bad
men；　judgin'　from　appearances；　let　alone　company。　The　others　was　Hutchinson
an'Dick　Sears。〃

〃DICK　SEARS！〃　exclaimed　Bostil。

Muncie　and　Williams　echoed　Bostil。　Holley　appeared　suddenly　interested。　Creech
alone　showed　no　surprise。

〃But　Sears　is　dead；〃　added　Bostil。

〃He　was　deadwe　thought；〃　replied　Brackton；　with　a　grim　laugh。　〃But　he's
alive　again。　He　told　me　he'd　been　in　Idaho　fer　two　years；　in　the　gold…fields。
Said　the　work　was　too　hard；　so　he'd　come　back　here。　Laughed　when　he　said　it；
the　little　devil！　I'll　bet　he　was　thinkin'　of　thet　wagon…train　of　mine　he
stole。〃

Bostil　gazed　at　his　chief　rider。

〃Wal；　I　reckon　we　didn't　kill　Sears；　after　all；〃　replied　Holley。　〃I　wasn't
never　sure。〃

〃Lord！　Cordts　an'　Sears　in　camp；〃　ejaculated　Bostil；　and　he　began　to　pace　the
room。

〃No；　they're　gone　now；〃　said　Brackton。

〃Take　it　easy；　boss。　Sit　down；〃　drawled　Holley。　〃The　King　is　safe；　an'　all　the
racers。　I　swear　to　thet。　Why；　Cordts　couldn't　chop　into　thet　log…an'…wire
corral　if　he　an'　his　gang　chopped　all　night！　They　hate　work。　Besides；　Farlane
is　there；　an'　the　boys。〃

This　reassured　Bostil；　and　he　resumed　his　chair。　But　his　hand　shook　a　little。

〃Did　Cordts　have　anythin'　to　say？〃　he　asked。

〃Sure。　He　was　friendly　an'　talkative；〃　replied　Brackton。　〃He　came　in　just
after　dark。　Left　a　man　I　didn't　see　out　with　the　hosses。　He　bought　two　big
packs　of　supplies；　an'　some　leather　stuff；　an'；　of　course；　ammunition。　Then
some　whisky。　Had　plenty　of　gold　an'　wouldn't　take　no　change。　Then　while　his
men；　except　Sears；　was　carryin'　out　the　stuff；　he　talked。〃

〃Go　on。　Tell　me；〃　said　Bostil。

〃Wal；　he'd　been　out　north　of　Durango　an'　fetched　news。　There's　wild　talk　back
there　of　a　railroad　goin'　to　be　built　some　day；　joinin'　east　an'　west。　It's
interestin'；　but　no　sense　to　it。　How　could　they　build　a　railroad　through　thet
country？〃

〃North　it　ain't　so　cut　up　an'　lumpy　as　here；〃　put　in　Holley。

〃Grandest　idea　ever　thought　of　for　the　West；〃　avowed　Bostil。　〃If　thet　railroad
ever　starts　we'll　all　get　rich。　。　。　。　　Go　on；　Brack。〃

〃Then　Cordts　said　water　an'　grass　was　peterin'　out　back　on　the　trail；　same　as
Red　Wilson　said　last　week。　Finally　he　asked；　'How's　my　friend　Bostil？'　I　told
him　you　was　well。　He　looked　kind　of　thoughtful　then；　an'　I　knew　what　was
comin'。　。　。　。'How's　the　King？'　'Grand'　I　told　him'grand。'　'When　is　them
races　comin'　off？'　I　said　we　hadn't　planned　the　time　yet；　but　it　would　be
sooninside　of　a　month　or　two。　'Brackton；'　he　said；　sharp…like；　'is　Bostil
goin'　to　pull　a　gun　on　me　at　sight？'　'Reckon　he　is；'　I　told　him。　'Wal；　I'm　not
powerful　glad　to　know　thet。　。　。　。　I　hear　Creech's　blue　hoss　will　race　the　King
this　time。　How　about　it？'　'Sure　an'　certain　this　year。　I've　Creech's　an'
Bostil's　word　for　thet。'　Cordts　put　his　hand　on　my　shoulder。　You　ought　to　've
seen　his　eyes！。　。　。'I　want　to　see　thet　race。　。　。　。　I'm　goin'　to。'　'Wal；'　I
said；　'you'll　have　to　stop　bein'You'll　need　to　change　your　bizness。'　Then；
Bostil；　what　do　you　think？　Cordts　was　sort　of　eager　an'　wild。　He　said　thet　was
a　race　he　jest　couldn't　miss。　He　swore　he　wouldn't　turn　a　trick　or　let　a　man
of　his　gang　stir　a　hand　till　after　thet　race；　if　you'd　let　him　come。〃

A　light　flitted　across　Bostil's　face。

〃I　know　how　Cordts　feels；〃　he　said。

〃Wal；　it's　a　queer　deal；〃　went　on　Brackton。　〃Fer　a　long　time　you've　meant　to
draw　on　Cordts　when　you　meet。　We　all　know　thet。〃

〃Yes；　I'll　kill　him！〃　The　light　left　Bostil's　face。　His　voice　sounded
differently。　His　mouth　opened；　drooped　strangely　at　the　corners；　then　shut　in
a　grim；　tense　line。　Bostil　had　killed　more　than　one　man。　The　memory；　no　doubt；
was　haunting　and　ghastly。

〃Cordts　seemed　to　think　his　word　was　guarantee　of　his　good　faith。　He　said　he'd
send　an　Indian　in　here　to　find　out　if　he　can　come　to　the　races。　I　reckon；
Bostil；　thet　it　wou