desert gold-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


owed　Cameron　how　inevitably　all　his　spiritual　life　was　governed　by　what　had　happened　long　ago。　　That　which　made　life　significant　to　him　was　a　wandering　in　silent　places　where　no　eye　could　see　him　with　his　secret。　　Some　fateful　chance　had　thrown　him　with　the　father　of　the　girl　he　had　wrecked。　It　was　incomprehensible；　it　was　terrible。　　It　was　the　one　thing　of　all　possible　happenings　in　the　world　of　chance　that　both　father　and　lover　would　have　found　unendurable。

Cameron's　pain　reached　to　despair　when　he　felt　this　relation　between　Warren　and　himself。　　Something　within　him　cried　out　to　him　to　reveal　his　identity。　　Warren　would　kill　him；　but　it　was　not　fear　of　death　that　put　Cameron　on　the　rack。　　He　had　faced　death　too　often　to　be　afraid。　　It　was　the　thought　of　adding　torture　to　this　long…suffering　man。　　All　at　once　Cameron　swore　that　he　would　not　augment　Warren's　trouble；　or　let　him　stain　his　hands　with　blood。　　He　would　tell　the　truth　of　Nell's　sad　story　and　his　own；　and　make　what　amends　he　could。

Then　Cameron's　thought　shifted　from　father　to　daughter。　　She　was　somewhere　beyond　the　dim　horizon　line。　　In　those　past　lonely　hours　by　the　campfire　his　fancy　had　tortured　him　with　pictures　of　Nell。　But　his　remorseful　and　cruel　fancy　had　lied　to　him。　　Nell　had　struggled　upward　out　of　menacing　depths。　　She　had　reconstructed　a　broken　life。　　And　now　she　was　fighting　for　the　name　and　happiness　of　her　child。　　Little　Nell！　　Cameron　experienced　a　shuddering　ripple　in　all　his　beingthe　physical　rack　of　an　emotion　born　of　a　new　and　strange　consciousness。

As　Cameron　gazed　out　over　the　blood…red；　darkening　desert　suddenly　the　strife　in　his　soul　ceased。　　The　moment　was　one　of　incalculable　change；　in　which　his　eyes　seemed　to　pierce　the　vastness　of　cloud　and　range；　and　mystery　of　gloom　and　shadowto　see　with　strong　vision　the　illimitable　space　before　him。　　He　felt　the　grandeur　of　the　desert；　its　simplicity；　its　truth。　　He　had　learned　at　last　the　lesson　it　taught。　　No　longer　strange　was　his　meeting　and　wandering　with　Warren。　Each　had　marched　in　the　steps　of　destiny；　and　as　the　lines　of　their　fates　had　been　inextricably　tangled　in　the　years　that　were　gone；　so　now　their　steps　had　crossed　and　turned　them　toward　one　common　goal。　　For　years　they　had　been　two　men　marching　alone；　answering　to　an　inward　driving　search；　and　the　desert　had　brought　them　together。　for　years　they　had　wandered　alone　in　silence　and　solitude；　where　the　sun　burned　white　all　day　and　the　stars　burned　white　all　night；　blindly　following　the　whisper　of　a　spirit。　　But　now　Cameron　knew　that　he　was　no　longer　blind；　and　in　this　flash　of　revelation　he　felt　that　it　had　been　given　him　to　help　Warren　with　his　burden。

He　returned　to　camp　trying　to　evolve　a　plan。　　As　always　at　that　long　hour　when　the　afterglow　of　sunset　lingered　in　the　west；　Warren　plodded　to　and　fro　in　the　gloom。　　All　night　Cameron　lay　awake　thinking。

In　the　morning；　when　Warren　brought　the　burros　to　camp　and　began　preparations　for　the　usual　packing；　Cameron　broke　silence。

〃Pardner；　your　story　last　night　made　me　think。　　I　want　to　tell　you　something　about　myself。　　It's　hard　enough　to　be　driven　by　sorrow　for　one　you've　loved；　as　you've　been　driven；　but　to　suffer　sleepless　and　eternal　remorse　for　the　ruin　of　one　you've　loved　as　I　have　sufferedthat　is　hell。　。　。　。Listen。　　In　my　younger　daysit　seems　long　now；　yet　isn't　not　so　many　yearsI　was　wild。　　I　wronged　the　sweetest　and　loveliest　girl　I　ever　knew。　　I　went　away　not　dreaming　that　any　disgrace　might　come　to　her。　　Along　about　that　time　I　fell　into　terrible　moodsI　changedI　learned　I　really　loved　her。　　Then　came　a　letter　I　should　have　gotten　months　before。　　It　told　of　her　troubleimportuned　me　to　hurry　to　save　her。　　Half　frantic　with　shame　and　fear；　I　got　a　marriage　certificate　and　rushed　back　to　her　town。　She　was　gonehad　been　gone　for　weeks；　and　her　disgrace　was　known。　Friends　warned　me　to　keep　out　of　reach　of　her　father。　　I　trailed　her　found　her。　　I　married　her。　　But　too　late！。。。She　would　not　live　with　me。　She　left　me。I　followed　her　west；　but　never　found　her。〃

Warren　leaned　forward　a　little　and　looked　into　Cameron's　eyes；　as　if　searching　there　for　the　repentance　that　might　make　him　less　deserving　of　a　man's　scorn。

Cameron　met　the　gaze　unflinchingly；　and　again　began　to　speak：

〃You　know；　of　course；　how　men　out　here　somehow　lose　old　names；　old　identities。　　It　won't　surprise　you　much　to　learn　my　name　really　isn't　Cameron；　as　I　once　told　you。〃

Warren　stiffened　upright。　　It　seemed　that　there　might　have　been　a　blank；　a　suspension；　between　his　grave　interest　and　some　strange　mood　to　come。

Cameron　felt　his　heart　bulge　and　contract　in　his　breast；　all　his　body　grew　cold；　and　it　took　tremendous　effort　for　him　to　make　his　lips　form　words。

〃Warren；　I'm　the　man　you're　hunting。　　I'm　Burton。　　I　was　Nell's　lover！〃

The　old　man　rose　and　towered　over　Cameron；　and　then　plunged　down　upon　him；　and　clutched　at　his　throat　with　terrible　stifling　hands。　The　harsh　contact；　the　pain　awakened　Cameron　to　his　peril　before　it　was　too　late。　　Desperate　fighting　saved　him　from　being　hurled　to　the　ground　and　stamped　and　crushed。　　Warren　seemed　a　maddened　giant。　　There　was　a　reeling；　swaying；　wrestling　struggle　before　the　elder　man　began　to　weaken。　　The　Cameron；　buffeted；　bloody；　half…stunned；　panted　for　speech。

〃Warrenhold　on！　　Give　mea　minute。　　I　married　Nell。　　Didn't　you　know　that？。。。I　saved　the　child！

Cameron　felt　the　shock　that　vibrated　through　Warren。　　He　repeated　the　words　again　and　again。　　As　if　compelled　by　some　resistless　power；　Warren　released　Cameron；　and；　staggering　back；　stood　with　uplifted；　shaking　hands。　　In　his　face　was　a　horrible　darkness。

〃Warren！　　Waitlisten！〃　panted　Cameron。　　〃I've　got　that　marriage　certificateI've　had　it　by　me　all　these　years。　　I　kept　itto　prove　to　myself　I　did　right。〃

The　old　man　uttered　a　broken　cry。

Cameron　stole　off　among　the　rocks。　　How　long　he　absented　himself　or　what　he　did　he　had　no　idea。　　When　he　returned　Warren　was　sitting　before　the　campfire；　and　once　more　he　appeared　composed。　　He　spoke；　and　his　voice　had　a　deeper　note；　but　otherwise　he　seemed　as　usual。

They　packed　the　burros　and　faced　the　north　together。

Cameron　experienced　a　singular　exaltation。　　He　had　lightened　his　comrade's　burden。　　Wonderfully　it　came　to　him　that　he　had　also　lightened　his　own。　　From　that　hour　it　was　not　torment　to　think　of　Nell。　　Walking　with　his　comrade　through　the　silent　places；　lying　beside　him　under　the　serene　luminous　light　of　the　stars；　Cameron　began　to　feel　the　haunting　presence　of　invisible　things　that　were　real　to　himphantoms　whispering　peace。　　In　the　moan　of　the　cool　wind；　in　the　silken　seep　of　sifting　sand；　in　the　distant　rumble　of　a　slipping　ledge；　in　the　faint　rush　of　a　shooting　star　he　heard　these　phantoms　of　peace　coming　with　whispers　of　the　long　pain　of　men　at　the　last　made　endurable。　　Even　in　the　white　noonday；　under　the　burning　sun；　these　phantoms　came　to　be　real　to　him。　In　the　dead　silence　of　the　midnight　hours　he　heard　them　breathing　nearer　on　the　desert　windnature's　voices　of　motherhood；　whispers　of　God；　peace　in　the　solitude。



Chapter　IV


There　came　a　morning　when　the　sun　shone　angry　and　red　through　a　dull；　smoky　haze。

〃We're　in　for　sandstorms；〃　said　Cameron。

They　had　scarcely　covered　a　mile　when　a　desert…wide；　moaning；　yellow　wall　of　flying　sand　swooped　down　upon　them。　　Seeking　shelter　in　the　lee　of　a　rock；　they　waited；　hoping　the　storm　was　only　a　squall；　such　as　frequently　whipped　across　the　open　places。　　The　moan　increased　to　a　roar；　and　the　dull　red　slowly　dimmed；　to　disappear　in　the　yellow　pall；　and　the　air　grew　thick　and　dark。　　Warren　slipped　the　packs　from　the　burros。　　Cameron　feared　the　sandstorms　had　arrived　some　weeks　ahead　of　their　usual　season。

The　men　covered　their　heads　and　patiently　waited。　　The　long　hours　dragged；　and　the　storm　increased　in　fury。　　Cameron　and　Warren　wet　scarfs　with　water　from　their　canteens；　and　bound　them　round　their　faces；　and　then　covered　their　heads。　　The　steady；　hollow　bellow　of　flying　sand　went　on。　　It　flew　so　thickly　that　enough　sifted　down　under　the　shelving　rock　to　weight　the　blankets　and　almost　bury　the　men。　　They　were　frequently　compelled　to　shake　off　the　sand　to　keep　from　being　borne　to　the　ground。　　And　it　was　necessary　to　keep　digging　out　the　packs。　　The　floor　of　their　shelter　gradually　rose　higher　and　higher。　　they　tried　to　eat；　and　seemed　to　be　grinding　only　sand　between　their　teeth。　　They　lost　the　count　of　time。　They　dared　not　sleep；　for　that　would　have　meant　being　buried　alive。　The　could　only　crouch　close　to　the　leaning　rock；　shake　off　the　sand；　blindly　dig　out　their　packs；　and　every　moment　gasp　and　cough　and　choke　to　fight　suffocation。

The　storm　finally　blew　itself　out。　　It　let　the　prospectors　heavy　and　stupid　for　want　of　sleep。　　Their　burros　had　wandered　away；　or　had　been　buried　in　the　sand。　　Far　as　eye　could　reach　the　desert　had　marvelously　changed；　it　was　now　a　rippling　sea　of　sand　dunes。　Away　to　the　north　rose　the　peak　that　was　their　only　guiding　mark。　They　headed　toward　it；　carrying　a　shovel　and　part　of　their　packs。

At　noon　the　peak　vanished　in　the　shimmering　glare　of　the　desert。　The　prospectors　pushed　on；　guided　by　the　sun。　　In　every　wash　they　tried　for　water。　　With　the　forked　peach　branch　in　his　hands　Warren　always　succeeded　in　locating　water。　　They　dug；　but　it　lay　too　deep。　　At　length；　spent　and　sore；　they　fell　and　slept　through　that　night　and　part　of　the　next　day。　　Then　they　succeeded　in　getting　water；　and　quenched　their　thirst；　and　filled　the　canteens；　and　cooked　a　meal。

The　burning　day　found　them　in　an　interminably　wide　plain；　where　there　was　no　shelter　from　the　fierce　sun。　The　men　were　exceedingly　careful　with　their　water；　though　there　was　absolute　necessity　of　drinking　a　little　every　hour。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　they　came　to　a　canyon　that　they　believed　was　the　lower　end　of　the　one　in　which　they　had　last　found　water。　　For　hours　they　traveled　toward　its　head；　and；　long　after　night　had　set；　found　what　they　sought。　Yielding　to　exhaustion；　they　slept；　and　next　day　were　loath　to　leave　the　waterhole。　　Cool　night　spurred　them　on　with　canteens　full　and　renewed　strength。

Morning　told　Cameron　that　they　had　turned　back　miles　into　the　desert；　and　it　was　desert　ne