to the last man-第4部分

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He's　a　sheepman。　　Lately　there's　been　herders　shot　at。　　Just　now　we're
short　an'　I　have　to　fill　in。　　But　I　like　shepherdin'　an'　I　love　the
woods；　and　the　Rim　Rock　an'　all　the　Tonto。　　If　they　were　all；　I'd
shore　be　happy。〃

〃Herders　shot　at！〃　exclaimed　Jean；　thoughtfully。　　〃By　whom？
An'　what　for？〃

〃Trouble　brewin'　between　the　cattlemen　down　in　the　Basin　an'　the
sheepmen　up　on　the　Rim。　　Dad　says　there'll　shore　be　hell　to　pay。
I　tell　him　I　hope　the　cattlemen　chase　him　back　to　Texas。〃

〃Then　　Are　you　on　the　ranchers'　side？　〃　queried　Jean；　trying　to
pretend　casual　interest。

〃No。　　I'll　always　be　on　my　father's　side；〃　she　replied；　with　spirit。
〃But　I'm　bound　to　admit　I　think　the　cattlemen　have　the　fair　side　of
the　argument。〃

〃How　so？〃

〃Because　there's　grass　everywhere。　　I　see　no　sense　in　a　sheepman　goin'
out　of　his　way　to　surround　a　cattleman　an'　sheep　off　his　range。　　That
started　the　row。　　Lord　knows　how　it'll　end。　　For　most　all　of　them　heah
are　from　Texas。〃

〃So　I　was　told；〃　replied　Jean。　　〃An'　I　heard'　most　all　these　Texans
got　run　out　of　Texas。　　Any　truth　in　that？〃

〃Shore　I　reckon　there　is；〃　she　replied；　seriously。　　〃But；　stranger；
it　might　not　be　healthy　for　y'u　to；　say　that　anywhere。　　My　dad；　for
one；　was　not　run　out　of　Texas。　　Shore　I　never　can　see　why　he　came　heah。
He's　accumulated　stock；　but　he's　not　rich　nor　so　well　off　as　he　was
back　home。〃

〃Are　you　goin'　to　stay　here　always？〃　queried　Jean；　suddenly。

〃If　I　do　so　it　'll　be　in　my　grave；　〃　she　answered；　darkly。　　〃But　what's
the　use　of　thinkin'？　　People　stay　places　until　they　drift　away。　　Y'u　can
never　tell。　。　。　。　Well；　stranger；　this　talk　is　keepin'　y'u。〃

She　seemed　moody　now；　and　a　note　of　detachment　crept　into　her　voice。
Jean　rose　at　once　and　went　for　his　horse。　　If　this　girl　did　not　desire
to　talk　further　he　certainly　had　no　wish　to　annoy　her。　　His　mule　had
strayed　off　among　the　bleating　sheep。　　Jean　drove　it　back　and　then　led
his　horse　up　to　where　the　girl　stood。　　She　appeared　taller　and；　though
not　of　robust　build；　she　was　vigorous　and　lithe；　with　something　about
her　that　fitted　the　place。　　Jean　was　loath　to　bid　her　good…by。

〃Which　way　is　the　Rim？　〃　he　asked；　turning　to　his　saddle　girths。

〃South；〃　she　replied；　pointing。　　〃It's　only　a　mile　or　so。　　I'll　walk
down　with　y'u。　。　。　。　Suppose　y'u're　on　the　way　to　Grass　Valley？〃

〃Yes；　I've　relatives　there；〃　he　returned。　　He　dreaded　her　next
question；　which　he　suspected　would　concern　his　name。　　But　she　did
not　ask。　　Taking　up　her　rifle　she　turned　away。　　Jean　strode　ahead
to　her　side。　　〃Reckon　if　you　walk　I　won't　ride。〃

So　he　found　himself　beside　a　girl　with　the　free　step　of　a　Mountaineer。
Her　bare；　brown　head　came　up　nearly　to　his　shoulder。　　It　was　a　small；
pretty　head；　graceful；　well　held；　and　the　thick　hair　on　it　was　a　shiny；
soft　brown。　　She　wore　it　in　a　braid；　rather　untidily　and　tangled；　he
thought；　and　it　was　tied　with　a　string　of　buckskin。　　Altogether　her
apparel　proclaimed　poverty。

Jean　let　the　conversation　languish　for　a　little。　　He　wanted　to　think
what　to　say　presently；　and　then　he　felt　a　rather　vague　pleasure　in
stalking　beside　her。　　Her　profile　was　straight　cut　and　exquisite　in
line。　　From　this　side　view　the　soft　curve　of　lips　could　not　be　seen。

She　made　several　attempts　to　start　conversation；　all　of　which　Jean
ignored；　manifestly　to　her　growing　constraint。　　Presently　Jean；
having　decided　what　he　wanted　to　say；　suddenly　began：　〃I　like　this
adventure。　　Do　you？〃

〃Adventure！　Meetin'　me　in　the　woods？〃　　And　she　laughed　the　laugh
of　youth。　　〃Shore　you　must　be　hard　up　for　adventure；　stranger。〃

〃Do　you　like　it？〃　he　persisted；　and　his　eyes　searched　the
half…averted　face。

〃I　might　like　it；〃　she　answered；　frankly；　〃ifif　my　temper　had　not
made　a　fool　of　me。　　I　never　meet　anyone　I　care　to　talk　to。　　Why　should
it　not　be　pleasant　to　run　across　some　one　newsome　one　strange　in
this　heah　wild　country？　〃

〃We　are　as　we　are；〃　said　Jean；　simply。　　〃I　didn't　think　you　made　a
fool　of　yourself。　　If　I　thought　so；　would　I　want　to　see　you　again？〃

〃Do　y'u？〃　　The　brown　face　flashed　on　him　with　surprise；　with　a　light
he　took　for　gladness。　　And　because　he　wanted　to　appear　calm　and　friendly；
not　too　eager；　he　had　to　deny　himself　the　thrill　of　meeting　those
changing　eyes。

〃Sure　I　do。　　Reckon　I'm　overbold　on　such　short　acquaintance。　　But　I
might　not　have　another　chance　to　tell　you；　so　please　don't　hold　it
against　me。〃

This　declaration　over；　Jean　felt　relief　and　something　of　exultation。
He　had　been　afraid　he　might　not　have　the　courage　to　make　it。　　She
walked　on　as　before；　only　with　her　head　bowed　a　little　and　her　eyes
downcast。　　No　color　but　the　gold…brown　tan　and　the　blue　tracery　of
veins　showed　in　her　cheeks。　　He　noticed　then　a　slight　swelling　quiver
of　her　throat；　and　he　became　alive　to　its　graceful　contour；　and　to　how
full　and　pulsating　it　was；　how　nobly　it　set　into　the　curve　of　her
shoulder。　　Here　in　her　quivering　throat　was　the　weakness　of　her；
the　evidence　of　her　sex；　the　womanliness　that　belied　the　mountaineer
stride　and　the　grasp　of　strong　brown　hands　on　a　rifle。　　It　had　an
effect　on　Jean　totally　inexplicable　to　him；　both　in　the　strange　warmth
that　stole　over　him　and　in　the　utterance　he　could　not　hold　back。

〃Girl；　we're　strangers；　but　what　of　that？　　We've　met；　an'　I　tell　you
it　means　somethin'　to　me。　　I've　known　girls　for　months　an'　never　felt
this　way。　　I　don't　know　who　you　are　an'　I　don't　care。　　You　betrayed　a
good　deal　to　me。　　You're　not　happy。　　You're　lonely。　　An'　if　I　didn't
want　to　see　you　again　for　my　own　sake　I　would　for　yours。　　Some　things
you　said　I'll　not　forget　soon。　　I've　got　a　sister；　an'　I　know　you　have
no　brother。　　An'　I　reckon　。　。　。〃

At　this　juncture　Jean　in　his　earnestness　and　quite　without　thought
grasped　her　hand。　　The　contact　checked　the　flow　of　his　speech　and
suddenly　made　him　aghast　at　his　temerity。　　But　the　girl　did　not　make
any　effort　to　withdraw　it。　　So　Jean；　inhaling　a　deep　breath　and　trying
to　see　through　his　bewilderment；　held　on　bravely。　　He　imagined　he　felt
a　faint；　warm；　returning　pressure。　　She　was　young；　she　was　friendless；
she　was　human。　　By　this　hand　in　his　Jean　felt　more　than　ever　the
loneliness　of　her。　　Then；　just　as　he　was　about　to　speak　again；
she　pulled　her　hand　free。

〃Heah's　the　Rim；〃　she　said；　in　her　quaint　Southern　drawl。
〃An'　there's　Y'ur　Tonto　Basin。〃

Jean　had　been　intent　only　upon　the　girl。　　He　had　kept　step　beside　her
without　taking　note　of　what　was　ahead　of　him。　　At　her　words　he　looked
up　expectantly；　to　be　struck　mute。

He　felt　a　sheer　force；　a　downward　drawing　of　an　immense　abyss　beneath　him。
As　he　looked　afar　he　saw　a　black　basin　of　timbered　country；　the　darkest
and　wildest　he　had　ever　gazed　upon；　a　hundred　miles　of　blue　distance
across　to　an　unflung　mountain　range；　hazy　purple　against　the　sky。
It　seemed　to　be　a　stupendous　gulf　surrounded　on　three　sides　by　bold；
undulating　lines　of　peaks；　and　on　his　side　by　a　wall　so　high　that　he
felt　lifted　aloft　on　the　run　of　the　sky。

Southeast　y'u　see　the　Sierra　Anchas；〃　said　the　girl　pointing。　〃That
notch　in　the　range　is　the　pass　where　sheep　are　driven　to　Phoenix　an'
Maricopa。　　Those　big　rough　mountains　to　the　south　are　the　Mazatzals。
Round　to　the　west　is　the　Four　Peaks　Range。　　An'　y'u're　standin'　on
the　Rim。〃

Jean　could　not　see　at　first　just　what　the　Rim　was；　but　by　shifting
his　gaze　westward　he　grasped　this　remarkable　phenomenon　of　nature。
For　leagues　and　leagues　a　colossal　red　and　yellow　wall；　a　rampart；
a　mountain…faced　cliff；　seemed　to　zigzag　westward。　　Grand　and　bold
were　the　promontories　reaching　out　over　the　void。　　They　ran　toward
the　westering　sun。　　Sweeping　and　impressive　were　the　long　lines
slanting　away　from　them；　sloping　darkly　spotted　down　to　merge　into
the　black　timber。　　Jean　had　never　seen　such　a　wild　and　rugged
manifestation　of　nature's　depths　and　upheavals。　　He　was　held　mute。

〃Stranger；　look　down；〃　said　the　girl。

Jean's　sight　was　educated　to　judge　heights　and　depths　and　distances。
This　wall　upon　which　he　stood　sheered　precipitously　down；　so　far　that
it　made　him　dizzy　to　look；　and　then　the　craggy　broken　cliffs　merged
into　red…slided；　cedar…greened　slopes　running　down　and　down　into
gorges　choked　with　forests；　and　from　which　soared　up　a　roar　of　rushing
waters。　　Slope　after　slope；　ridge　beyond　ridge；　canyon　merging　into
canyonso　the　tremendous　bowl　sunk　away　to　its　black；　deceiving　depths；
a　wilderness　across　which　travel　seemed　impossible。

〃Wonderful！〃　exclaimed　Jean。

〃Indeed　it　is！〃　murmured　the　girl。　　〃Shore　that　is　Arizona。　　I　reckon
I　love　THIS。　　The　heights　an'　depthsthe　awfulness　of　its　wilderness！〃

〃An'　you　want　to　leave　it？〃

〃Yes　an'　no。　　I　don't　deny　the　peace　that　comes　to　me　heah。　　But　not
often　do　I　see　the　Basin；　an'　for　that　matter；　one　doesn't　live　on
grand　scenery。〃

〃Child；　even　once　in　a　whilethis　sight　would　cure　any　misery；　if　you
only　see。　　I'm　glad　I　came。　　I'm　glad　you　showed　it　to　me　first。〃

She　too　seemed　under　the　spell　of　a　vastness　and　loneliness　and　beauty
and　grandeur　that　could　not　but　strike　the　heart。

Jean　took　her　hand　again。　　〃Girl；　say　you　will　meet　me　here；〃　he　said；
his　voice　ringing　deep　in　his　ears。

〃Shore　I　will；〃　she　replied；　softly；　and　turned　to　him。　　It　seemed
then　that　Jean　saw　her　face　for　the　first　time。　　She　was　beautiful
as　he　had　never　known　beauty。　　Limned　against　that　scene；　she　gave
it　lifewild；　sweet；　young　lifethe　poignant　meaning　of　which
haunted　yet　eluded　him。　　But　she　belonged　there。　　Her　eyes　were
again　searching　his；　as　if。　for　some　lost　part　of　herself；　unrealized；
never　known　before。　　Wondering；　wistful；　hopeful；　glad…they　were　eyes
that　seemed　surprised；　to　reveal　part　of　her　soul。

Then　her　red　lips　parted。　　Their　tremulous　movement　was　a　magnet　to　Jean。
An　invisible　and　mighty　force　pulled　him　down　to　kiss　them。　　Whatever
the　spell　had　been；　that　rude；　unconscious　action　broke　it。

He　jerked　away；　as　if　he　expected　to　be　struck。　〃GirlII〃he　gasped
in　amaze　and　sudden…dawning　contrition〃　I　kissed　youbut　I　swear　it
wasn't　intentionalI　never　thought。　。　。　。〃

The　anger　that　Jean　anticipated　failed　to　materialize。　　He　stood；
breathing　hard；　with　a　hand　held