wildfire-第6部分

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send　an　Indian　in　here　to　find　out　if　he　can　come　to　the　races。　I　reckon；
Bostil；　thet　it　wouldn't　hurt　none　to　let　him　come。　An'　hold　your　gun　hand　fer
the　time　he　swears　he'll　be　honest。　Queer　deal；　ain't　it；　men？　A　hoss…thief
turnin'　honest　jest　to　see　a　race！　Beats　me！　Bostil；　it's　a　cheap　way　to　get
at　least　a　little　honesty　from　Cordts。　An'　refusin'　might　rile　him　bad。　When
all's　said　Cordts　ain't　as　bad　as　he　could　be。〃

〃I'll　let　him　come；〃　replied　Bostil；　breathing　deep。　〃But　it'll　be　hard　to　see
him；　rememberin'　how　he's　robbed　me；　an'　what　he's　threatened。　An'　I　ain't
lettin'　him　come　to　bribe　a　few　weeks'　decency　from　him。　I'm　doin'　it　for　only
one　reason。　。　。　。　Because　I　know　how　he　loves　the　Kinghow　he　wants　to　see
the　King　run　away　from　the　field　thet　day！　Thet's　why！〃

There　was　a　moment　of　silence；　during　which　all　turned　to　Creech。　He　was　a
stalwart　man；　no　longer　young；　with　a　lined　face；　deep…set；　troubled　eyes；　and
white；　thin　beard。

〃Bostil；　if　Cordts　loves　the　King　thet　well；　he's　in　fer　heartbreak；〃　said
Creech；　with　a　ring　in　his　voice。

Down　crashed　Bostil's　heavy　boots　and　fire　flamed　in　his　gaze。　The　other　men
laughed；　and　Brackton　interposed：

〃Hold　on；　you　boy　riders！〃　he　yelled。　〃We　ain't　a…goin'　to　have　any　arguments
like　thet。　。　。　。　Now；　Bostil；　it's　settled；　then？　You'll　let　Cordts　come？〃

〃Glad　to　have　him；〃　replied　Bostil。

〃Good。　An'　now　mebbe　we'd　better　get　down　to　the　bizness　of　this　here
meetin'。〃

They　seated　themselves　around　the　table；　upon　which　Bostil　laid　an　old　and
much…soiled　ledger　and　a　stub　of　a　lead…pencil。

〃First　well　set　the　time；〃　he　said；　with　animation；　〃an'　then　pitch　into
details。　。　。　。　What's　the　date？〃

No　one　answered；　and　presently　they　all　looked　blankly　from　one　to　the　other。

〃It's　April；　ain't　it？〃　queried　Holley。

That　assurance　was　as　close　as　they　could　get　to　the　time　of　year。

〃Lucy！〃　called　Bostil；　in　a　loud　voice。

She　came　running　in；　anxious；　almost　alarmed。

〃Goodness！　you　made　us　jump！　What　on　earth　is　the　matter？〃

〃Lucy；　we　want　to　know　the　date；〃　replied　Bostil。

〃Date！　Did　you　have　to　scare　Auntie　and　me　out　of　our　wits　just　for　that？〃

〃Who　scared　you？　This　is　important；　Lucy。　What's　the　date？〃

〃It's　a　week　to…day　since　last　Tuesday；〃　answered　Lucy；　sweetly。

〃Huh！　Then　it's　Tuesday　again；〃　said　Bostil；　laboriously　writing　it　down。
〃Now；　what's　the　date？〃

〃Don't　you　remember？〃

〃Remember？　I　never　knew。〃

〃Dad！　。　。　。　Last　Tuesday　was　my　birthdaythe　day　you　DID　NOT　give　me　a
horse！〃

〃Aw；　so　it　was；〃　rejoined　Bostil；　confused　at　her　reproach。　〃An'　thet　date
waslet's　seeApril　sixth。　。　。　。　Then　this　is　April　thirteenth。　Much
obliged；　Lucy。　Run　back　to　your　aunt　now。　This　hoss　talk　won't　interest　you。〃

Lucy　tossed　her　head。　〃I'll　bet　I'll　have　to　straighten　out　the　whole　thing。〃
Then　with　a　laugh　she　disappeared。

〃Three　days　beginninsay　June　first。　June　firstsecond；　an'　third。　How　about
thet　for　the　races？〃

Everybody　agreed；　and　Bostil　laboriously　wrote　that　down。　Then　they　planned
the　details。　Purses　and　prizes；　largely　donated　by　Bostil　and　Muncie；　the　rich
members　of　the　community；　were　recorded。　The　old　rules　were　adhered　to。　Any
rider　or　any　Indian　could　enter　any　horse　in　any　race；　or　as　many　horses　as　he
liked　in　as　many　races。　But　by　winning　one　race　he　excluded　himself　from　the
others。　Bostil　argued　for　a　certain　weight　in　riders；　but　the　others　ruled　out
this　suggestion。　Special　races　were　arranged　for　the　Indians；　with　saddles；
bridles；　blankets；　guns　as　prizes。

All　this　appeared　of　absorbing　interest　to　Bostil。　He　perspired　freely。　There
was　a　gleam　in　his　eye；　betraying　excitement。　When　it　came　to　arranging　the
details　of　the　big　race　between　the　high…class　racers；　then　he　grew　intense
and　harder　to　deal　with。　Many　points　had　to　go　by　vote。　Muncie　and　Williams
both　had　fleet　horses　to　enter　in　this　race；　Holley　had　one；　Creech　had　two；
there　were　sure　to　be　several　Indians　enter　fast　mustangs；　and　Bostil　had　the
King　and　four　others　to　choose　from。　Bostil　held　out　stubbornly　for　a　long
race。　It　was　well　known　that　Sage　King　was　unbeatable　in　a　long　race。　If　there
were　any　chance　to　beat　him　it　must　be　at　short　distance。　The　vote　went
against　Bostil；　much　to　his　chagrin；　and　the　great　race　was　set　down　for　two
miles。

〃But　two　miles！　。　。　。　Two　miles！〃　he　kept　repeating。　〃Thet's　Blue　Roan's
distance。　Thet's　his　distance。　An'　it　ain't　fair　to　the　King！〃

His　guests；　excepting　Creech；　argued　with　him；　explained；　reasoned；　showed　him
that　it　was　fair　to　all　concerned。　Bostil　finally　acquiesced；　but　he　was　not
happy。　The　plain　fact　was　that　he　was　frightened。

When　the　men　were　departing　Bostil　called　Creech　back　into　the　sitting…room。
Creech　appeared　surprised；　yet　it　was　evident　that　he　would　have　been　glad　to
make　friends　with　Bostil。

〃What'll　you　take　for　the　roan？〃　Bostil　asked；　tersely；'　as　if　he　had　never
asked　that　before。

〃Bostil；　didn't　we　thresh　thet　out　beforean'　FELL　out　over　it？〃　queried
Creech；　with　a　deprecating　spread　of　his　hands。

〃Wal；　we　can　fall　in　again；　if　you'll　sell　or　trade　the　hoss。〃

〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　can't。〃

〃You　need　money　an'　hosses；　don't　you？〃　demanded　Bostil；　brutally。　He　had　no
conscience　in　a　matter　of　horse…dealing。

〃Lord　knows；　I　do；〃　replied　Creech。

〃Wal；　then；　here's　your　chance。　I'll　give　you　five　hundred　in　gold　an'
Sarchedon　to　boot。〃

Creech　looked　as　if　he　had　not　heard　aright。　Bostil　repeated　the　offer。

〃No；〃　replied　Creech。

〃I'll　make　it　a　thousand　an'　throw　Plume　in　with　Sarch；〃　flashed　Bostil。

〃No！〃　Creech　turned　pale　and　swallowed　hard。

〃Two　thousand　an'　Dusty　Ben　along　with　the　others？〃　This　was　an　unheard…of
price　to　pay　for　any　horse。　Creech　saw　that　Bostil　was　desperate。　It　was　an
almost　overpowering　temptation。　Evidently　Creech　resisted　it　only　by　applying
all　his　mind　to　the　thought　of　his　clean…limbed；　soft…eyed；　noble　horse。

Bostil　did　not　give　Creech　time　to　speak。　〃Twenty…five　hundred　an'　Two　Face
along　with　the　rest！〃

〃My　God；　Bostilstop　it！　I　can't　PART　with　Blue　Roan。　You're　rich　an'　you've
no　heart。　Thet　I　always　knew。　At　least　to　me　you　never　had；　since　I　owned　them
two　racers。　Didn't　I　beg　you；　a　little　time　back；　to　lend　me　a　few　hundred？　To
meet　thet　debt？　An'　you　wouldn't；　unless　I'd　sell　the　hosses。　An'　I　had　to
lose　my　sheep。　Now　I'm　a　poor　mangettin'　poorer　all　the　time。　But　I　won't
sell　or　trade　Blue　Roan；　not　for　all　you've　got！〃

Creech　seemed　to　gain　strength　with　his　speech　and　passion　with　the　strength。
His　eyes　glinted　at　the　hard；　paling　face　of　his　rival。　He　raised　a　clenching
fist。

〃An'　by　Gd；　I'm　goin'　to　win　thet　race！〃

During　that　week　Lucy　had　heard　many　things　about　Joel　Creech；　and　some　of
them　were　disquieting。

Some　rider　had　not　only　found　Joel's　clothes　on　the　trail；　but　he　had
recognized　the　track　of　the　horse　Lucy　rode；　and　at　once　connected　her　with
the　singular　discovery。　Coupling　that　with　Joel's　appearance　in　the　village
incased　in　a　heaving　armor　of　adobe；　the　riders　guessed　pretty　close　to　the
truth。　For　them　the　joke　was　tremendous。　And　Joel　Creech　was　exceedingly
sensitive　to　ridicule。　The　riders　made　life　unbearable　for　him。　They　had　fun
out　of　it　as　long　as　Joel　showed　signs　of　taking　the　joke　manfully；　which　was
not　long；　and　then　his　resentment　won　their　contempt。　That　led　to　sarcasm　on
their　part　and　bitter　anger　on　his。　It　came　to　Lucy's　ears　that　Joel　began　to
act　and　talk　strangely。　She　found　out　that　the　rider　Van　had　knocked　Joel　down
in　Brackton's　store　and　had　kicked　a　gun　out　of　his　hand。　Van　laughed　off　the
rumor　and　Brackton　gave　her　no　satisfaction。　Moreover；　she　heard　no　other
rumors。　The　channels　of　gossip　had　suddenly　closed　to　her。　Bostil；　when
questioned　by　Lucy；　swore　in　a　way　that　amazed　her；　and　all　he　told　her　was　to
leave　Creech　alone。　Finally；　when　Muncie　discharged　Joel；　who　worked　now　and
then；　Lucy　realized　that　something　was　wrong　with　Joel　and　that　she　was　to
blame　for　it。

She　grew　worried　and　anxious　and　sorry；　but　she　held　her　peace；　and　determined
to　find　out　for　herself　what　was　wrong。　Every　day　when　she　rode　out　into　the
sage　she　expected　to　meet　him；　or　at　least　see　him　somewhere；　nevertheless
days　went　by　and　there　was　no　sign　of　him。

One　afternoon　she　saw　some　Indians　driving　sheep　down　the　river　road　toward
the　ford；　and；　acting　upon　impulse；　she　turned　her　horse　after　them。

Lucy　seldom　went　down　the　river　road。　Riding　down　and　up　was　merely　work；　and
a　horse　has　as　little　liking　for　it　as　she　had。　Usually　it　was　a　hot；　dusty
trip；　and　the　great；　dark；　overhanging　walls　had　a　depressing　effect；　upon
her。　She　always　felt　awe　at　the　gloomy　canyon　and　fear　at　the　strange；
murmuring　red　river。　But　she　started　down　this　afternoon　in　the　hope　of
meeting　Joel。　She　had　a　hazy　idea　of　telling　him　she　was　sorry　for　what　she
had　done；　and　of　asking　him　to　forget　it　and　pay　no　more　heed　to　the　riders。

The　sheep　raised　a　dust…cloud　in　the　sandy　wash　where　the　road　wound　down；　and
Lucy　hung　back　to　let　them　get　farther　ahead。　Gradually　the　tiny　roar　of
pattering　hoofs　and　the　blended　bleating　and　baaing　died　away。　The　dust…cloud；
however；　hung　over　the　head　of　the　ravine；　and　Lucy　had　to　force　Sarchedon
through　it。　Sarchedon　did　not　mind　sand　and　dust；　but　he　surely　hated　the
smell　of　sheep。　Lucy　seldom　put　a　spur　to　Sarchedon；　still；　she　gave　him　a
lash　with　her　quirt；　and　then　he　went　on　obediently；　if　disgustedly。　He
carried　his　head　like　a　horse　that　wondered　why　his　mistress　preferred　to
drive　him　down　into　an　unpleasant　hole　when　she　might　have　been　cutting　the
sweet；　cool　sage　wind　up　on　the　slope。

The　wash；　with　its　sand　and　clay　walls；　dropped　into　a　gulch；　and　there　was　an
end　of　green　growths。　The　road　led　down　over　solid　rock。　Gradually　the　rims　of
the　gorge　rose；　shutting　out　the　light　and　the　cliffs。　It　was　a　winding　road
and　one　not　safe　to　tarry　on　in　a　stormy　season。　Lucy　had　seen　boulders
weighing　a　ton　go　booming　down　that　gorge　during　one　of　the　sudden　fierce
desert　storms；　when　a　torrent　of　water　and　mud　and　stone　went　plunging　on　to
the　river。　The　ride　through　here　was　short；　t