wildfire-第7部分

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desert　storms；　when　a　torrent　of　water　and　mud　and　stone　went　plunging　on　to
the　river。　The　ride　through　here　was　short；　though　slow。　Lucy　always　had　time
to　adjust　her　faculties　for　the　overpowering　contrast　these　lower　regions
presented。　Long　before　she　reached　the　end　of　the　gorge　she　heard　the　sullen
thunder　of　the　river。　The　river　was　low；　too；　for　otherwise　there　would　have
been　a　deafening　roar。

Presently　she　came　out　upon　a　lower　branch　of　the　canyon；　into　a　great
red…walled　space；　with　the　river　still　a　thousand　feet　below；　and　the　cliffs
towering　as　high　above　her。　The　road　led　down　along　this　rim　where　to　the　left
all　was　open；　across　to　the　split　and　peaked　wall　opposite。　The　river　appeared
to　sweep　round　a　bold；　bulging　comer　a　mile　above。　It　was　a　wide；　swift；
muddy；　turbulent　stream。　A　great　bar　of　sand　stretched　out　from　the　shore。
Beyond　it；　through　the　mouth　of　an　intersecting　canyon；　could　be　seen　a　clump
of　cottonwoods　and　willows　that　marked　the　home　of　the　Creeches。　Lucy　could
not　see　the　shore　nearest　her；　as　it　was　almost　directly　under　her。　Besides；
in　this　narrow　road；　on　a　spirited　horse；　she　was　not　inclined　to　watch　the
scenery。　She　hurried　Sarchedon　down　and　down；　under　the　overhanging　brows　of
rock；　to　where　the　rim　sloped　out　and　failed。　Here　was　a　half…acre　of　sand；
with　a　few　scant　willows；　set　down　seemingly　in　a　dent　at　the　base　of　the
giant；　beetling　cliffs。　The　place　was　light；　though　the　light　seemed　a　kind　of
veiled　red；　and　to　Lucy　always　ghastly。　She　could　not　have　been　joyous　with
that　river　moaning　before　her；　even　if　it　had　been　up　on　a　level；　in　the　clear
and　open　day。　As　a　little　girl　eight　years　old　she　had　conceived　a　terror　and
hatred　of　this　huge；　jagged　rent　so　full　of　red　haze　and　purple　smoke　and　the
thunder　of　rushing　waters。　And　she　had　never　wholly　outgrown　it。　The　joy　of
the　sun　and　wind；　the　rapture　in　the　boundless　open；　the　sweetness　in　the
sagethese　were　not　possible　here。　Something　mighty　and　ponderous；　heavy　as
those　colossal　cliffs；　weighted　down　her　spirit。　The　voice　of　the　river　drove
out　any　dream。　Here　was　the　incessant　frowning　presence　of　destructive　forces
of　nature。　And　the　ford　was　associated　with　catastropheto　sheep；　to　horses
and　to　men。

Lucy　rode　across　the　bar　to　the　shore　where　the　Indians　were　loading　the　sheep
into　an　immense　rude　flatboat。　As　the　sheep　were　frightened；　the　loading　was
no　easy　task。　Their　bleating　could　be　heard　above　the　roar　of　the　river。
Bostil's　boatmen；　Shugrue　and　Somers；　stood　knee…deep　in　the　quicksand　of　the
bar；　and　their　efforts　to　keep　free…footed　were　as　strenuous　as　their　handling
of　the　sheep。　Presently　the　flock　was　all　crowded　on　board；　the　Indians
followed；　and　then　the　boatmen　slid　the　unwieldy　craft　off　the　sand…bar。　Then；
each　manning　a　clumsy　oar；　they　pulled　up…stream。　Along　shore　were　whirling；
slow　eddies；　and　there　rowing　was　possible。　Out　in　that　swift　current　it　would
have　been　folly　to　try　to　contend　with　it；　let　alone　make　progress。　The　method
of　crossing　was　to　row　up　along　the　shore　as　far　as　a　great　cape　of　rock
jutting　out；　and　there　make　into　the　current；　and　while　drifting　down　pull
hard　to　reach　the　landing　opposite。　Heavily　laden　as　the　boat　was；　the　chances
were　not　wholly　in　favor　of　a　successful　crossing。

Lucy　watched　the　slow；　laborious　struggle　of　the　boatmen　with　the　heavy　oars
until　she　suddenly　remembered　the　object　of　her　visit　down　to　the　ford。　She
appeared　to　be　alone　on　her　side　of　the　river。　At　the　landing　opposite；
however；　were　two　men；　and　presently　Lucy　recognized　Joel　Creel　and　his
father。　A　second　glance　showed　Indians　with　burros；　evidently　waiting　for　the
boat。　Joel　Creech　jumped　into　a　skiff　and　shoved　off。　The　elder　man；　judging
by　his　motions；　seemed　to　be　trying　to　prevent　his　son　from　leaving　the　shore。
But　Joel　began　to　row　up…stream；　keeping　close　to　the　shore。　Lucy　watched　him。
No　doubt　he　had　seen　her　and　was　coming　across。　Either　the　prospect　of　meeting
him　or　the　idea　of　meeting　him　there　in　the　place　where　she　was　never　herself
made　her　want　to　turn　at　once　and　ride　back　home。　But　her　stubborn　sense　of
fairness　overruled　that。　She　would　hold　her　ground　solely　in　the　hope　of
persuading　Joel　to　be　reasonable。　She　saw　the　big　flatboat　sweep　into　line　of
sight　at　the　same　time　Joel　turned　into　the　current。　But　while　the　larger
craft　drifted　slowly　the　other　way；　the　smaller　one　came　swiftly　down　and
across。　Joel　swept　out　of　the　current　into　the　eddy；　rowed　across　that；　and
slid　the　skiff　up　on　the　sand…bar。　Then　he　stepped　out。　He　was　bareheaded　and
barefooted；　but　it　was　not　that　which　made　him　seem　a　stranger　to　Lucy。

〃Are　you　lookin'　fer　me？〃　he　shouted。

Lucy　waved　a　hand　for　him　to　come　up。

Then　he　approached。　He　was　a　tall；　lean　young　man；　stoop…shouldered　and
bow…legged　from　much　riding；　with　sallow；　freckled　face；　a　thin　fuzz　of　beard；
weak　mouth　and　chin；　and　eyes　remarkable　for　their　small　size　and　piercing
quality　and　different　color。　For　one　was　gray　and　the　other　was　hazel。　There
was　no　scar　on　his　face；　but　the　irregularity　of　his　features　reminded　one　who
knew　that　he　had　once　been　kicked　in　the　face　by　a　horse。

Creech　came　up　hurriedly；　in　an　eager；　wild　way　that　made　Lucy　suddenly　pity
him。　He　did　not　seem　to　remember　that　the　stallion　had　an　antipathy　for　him。
But　Lucy；　if　she　had　forgotten；　would　have　been　reminded　by　Sarchedon's
action。

〃Look　out；　Joel！〃　she　called；　and　she　gave　the　black's　head　a　jerk。　Sarchedon
went　up　with　a　snort　and　came　down　pounding　the　sand。　Quick　as　an　Indian　Lucy
was　out　of　the　saddle。

〃Lemme　your　quirt；〃　said　Joel；　showing　his　teeth　like　a　wolf。

〃No。　I　wouldn't　let　you　hit　Sarch。　You　beat　him　once；　and　he's　never
forgotten；〃　replied　Lucy。

The　eye　of　the　horse　and　the　man　met　and　clashed；　and　there　was　a　hostile
tension　in　their　attitudes。　Then　Lucy　dropped　the　bridle　and　drew　Joel　over　to
a　huge　drift…log；　half　buried　in　the　sand。　Here　she　sat　down；　but　Joel
remained　standing。　His　gaze　was　now　all　the　stranger　for　its　wistfulness。　Lucy
was　quick　to　catch　a　subtle　difference　in　him；　but　she　could　not　tell　wherein
it　lay。

〃What'd　you　want？〃　asked　Joel。

〃I've　heard　a　lot　of　things；　Joel；〃　replied　Lucy；　trying　to　think　of　just　what
she　wanted　to　say。

〃Reckon　you　have；〃　said　Joel；　dejectedly；　and　then　he　sat　down　on　the　log　and
dug　holes　in　the　sand　with　his　bare　feet。

Lucy　had　never　before　seen　him　look　tired；　and　it　seemed　that　some　of　the
healthy　brown　of　his　cheeks　had　thinned　out。　Then　Lucy　told　him；　guardedly；　a
few　of　the　rumors　she　had　heard。

〃All　thet　you　say　is　nothin'　to　what's　happened；〃　he　replied；　bitterly。　〃Them
riders　mocked　the　life　an'　soul　out　of　me。〃

〃But；　Joel；　you　shouldn't　be　soso　touchy；〃　said　Lucy；　earnestly。　〃After　all；
the　joke　WAS　on　you。　Why　didn't　you　take　it　like　a　man？〃

〃But　they　knew　you　stole　my　clothes；〃　he　protested。

〃Suppose　they；　did。　That　wasn't　much　to　care　about。　If　you　hadn't　taken　it　so
hard　they'd　have　let　up　on　you。〃

〃Mebbe　I　might　have　stood　that。　But　they　taunted　me　with　bein'　loony　about
you。〃

Joel　spoke　huskily。　There　was　no　doubt　that　he　had　been　deeply　hurt。　Lucy　saw
tears　in　his　eyes；　and　her　first　impulse　was　to　put　a　hand　on　his　and　tell　him
how　sorry　she　was。　But　she　desisted。　She　did　not　feel　at　her　ease　with　Joel。

〃What'd　you　and　Van　fight　about？〃　she　asked；　presently。　Joel　hung　his　head。　〃I
reckon　I　ain't　a…goin'　to　tell　you。〃

〃You're　ashamed　of　it？〃

Joel's　silence　answered　that。

〃You　said　something　about　me？〃　Lucy　could　not　resist　her　curiosity；　back　of
which　was　a　little　heat。　〃It　must　have　beenbadelse　Van　wouldn't　have
struck　you。　〃　

〃He　hit　mehe　knocked　me　flat；〃　passionately　said　Joel。

〃And　you　drew　a　gun　on　him？〃

〃I　did；　an'　like　a　fool　I　didn't　wait　till　I　got　up。　Then　he　kicked　me！　。　。　。
Bostil's　Ford　will　never　be　big　enough　fer　me　an'　Van　now。〃

〃Don't　talk　foolish。　You　won't　fight　with　Van。　。　。　。　Joel；　maybe　you　deserved
what　you　got。　You　say　somesome　rude　things。〃

〃I　only　said　I'd　pay　you　back；〃　burst　out　Joel。

〃How？〃

〃I　swore　I'd　lay　fer　youan'　steal　your　clothesso　you'd　have　to　run　home
naked。〃

There　was　indeed　something　lacking　in　Joel；　but　it　was　not　sincerity。　His　hurt
had　rankled　deep　and　his　voice　trembled　with　indignation。

〃But；　Joel；　I　don't　go　swimming　in　spring…holes；〃　protested　Lucy；　divided
between　amusement　and　annoyance。

〃I　meant　it；　anyhow；〃　said　Joel；　doggedly。

〃Are　you　absolutely　honest？　Is　that　all　you　said　to　provoke　Van？〃

〃It's　all；　Lucy；　I　swear。〃

She　believed　him；　and　saw　the　unfortunate　circumstance　more　than　ever　her
fault。　〃I'm　sorry；　Joel。　I'm　much　to　blame。　I　shouldn't　have　lost　my　temper
and　played　that　trick　with　your　clothes。　。　。　。　If　you'd　only　had　sense　enough
to　stay　out　till　after　dark！　But　no　use　crying　over　spilt　milk。　Now；　if　you'll
do　your　share　I'll　do　mine。　I'll　tell　the　boys　I　was　to　blame。　I'll　persuade
them　to　let　you　alone。　I'll　go　to　Muncie〃

〃No　you　won't　go　cryin'　small　fer　me！〃　blurted　out　Joel。

Lucy　was　surprised　to　see　pride　in　him。　〃Joel；　I'll　not　make　it　appear〃

〃You'll　not　say　one　word　about　me　to　any　one；〃　he　went　on；　with　the　blood
beginning　to　darken　his　face。　And　now　he　faced　her。　How　strange　the　blaze　in
his　differently　colored　eyes！　〃Lucy　Bostil；　there's　been　thet　done　an'　said　to
me　which　I'll　never　forgive。　I'm　no　good　in　Bostil's　Ford。　Mebbe　I　never　was
much。　But　I　could　get　a　job　when　I　wanted　it　an'　credit　when　I　needed　it。　Now
I　can't　get　nothin'。　I'm　no　good！　。　。　。　I'm　no　good！　An'　it's　your　fault！〃

〃Oh；　Joel；　what　can　I　do？〃　cried　Lucy。

〃I　reckon　there's　only　one　way　you　can　square　me；〃　he　replied；　suddenly
growing　pale。　But　his　eyes　were　like　flint。　He　certainly　looked　to　be　in
possession　of　all　his　wits。

〃How？〃　queried　Lucy；　sharply。

〃You　can　marry　me。　Thet'll　show　thet　gang！　An'　it'll　square　me。　Then　I'll　go
back　to　work　an'　I'll　stick。　Thet's　all；　Lucy　Bostil。〃

Manifestly　he　was　laboring　under　strong　suppressed　agitation。　That　moment　was
the　last　of　real　strength　and　dignity　ever　shown　by　Joel　Creech。

〃But；　Joel；　I　can't　marry　youeven　if　I　am　to　blame　for　yo