desert gold-第4部分

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ength。

Morning　told　Cameron　that　they　had　turned　back　miles　into　the　desert；　and　it　was　desert　new　to　him。　　The　red　sun；　the　increasing　heat；　and　especially　the　variety　and　large　size　of　the　cactus　plants　warned　Cameron　that　he　had　descended　to　a　lower　level。　　Mountain　peaks　loomed　on　all　sides；　some　hear；　others　distant；　and　one；　a　blue　spur；　splitting　the　glaring　sky　far　to　the　north；　Cameron　thought　he　recognized　as　a　landmark。　　The　ascent　toward　it　was　heartbreaking；　not　in　steepness；　but　in　its　league…and　league…long　monotonous　rise。　　Cameron　knew　there　was　only　one　hopeto　make　the　water　hold　out　and　never　stop　to　rest。　　Warren　began　to　weaken。　Often　he　had　to　halt。　　The　burning　white　day　passed；　and　likewise　the　night；　with　its　white　stars　shining　so　pitilessly　cold　and　bright。

Cameron　measured　the　water　in　his　canteen　by　its　weight。　　Evaporation　by　heat　consumed　as　much　as　he　drank。　　During　one　of　the　rests；　when　he　had　wetted　his　parched　mouth　and　throat；　he　found　opportunity　to　pour　a　little　water　from　his　canteen　into　Warren's。

At　first　Cameron　had　curbed　his　restless　activity　to　accommodate　the　pace　of　his　elder　comrade。　　but　now　he　felt　that　he　was　losing　something　of　his　instinctive　and　passionate　zeal　to　get　out　of　the　desert。　　The　thought　of　water　came　to　occupy　his　mind。　　He　began　to　imagine　that　his　last　little　store　of　water　did　not　appreciably　diminish。　　He　knew　he　was　not　quite　right　in　his　mind　regarding　water；　nevertheless；　he　felt　this　to　be　more　of　fact　than　fancy；　and　he　began　to　ponder。

When　next　they　rested　he　pretended　to　be　in　a　kind　of　stupor；　but　he　covertly　watched　Warren。　　The　man　appeared　far　gone；　yet　he　had　cunning。　　He　cautiously　took　up　Cameron's　canteen　and　poured　water　into　it　from　his　own。

This　troubled　Cameron。　　The　old　irritation　at　not　being　able　to　thwart　Warren　returned　to　him。　　Cameron　reflected；　and　concluded　that　he　had　been　unwise　not　to　expect　this　very　thing。　　Then；　as　his　comrade　dropped　into　weary　rest；　he　lifted　both　canteens。　　If　there　were　any　water　in　Warren's；　it　was　only　very　little。　　Both　men　had　been　enduring　the　terrible　desert　thirst；　concealing　it；　each　giving　his　water　to　the　other；　and　the　sacrifice　had　been　useless。

Instead　of　ministering　to　the　parched　throats　of　one　or　both；　the　water　had　evaporated。　　When　Cameron　made　sure　of　this；　he　took　one　more　drink；　the　last；　and　poured　the　little　water　left　into　Warren's　canteen。　　He　threw　his　own　away。

Soon　afterward　Warren　discovered　the　loss。

〃Where's　your　canteen？〃　he　asked。

〃The　heat　was　getting　my　water；　so　I　drank　what　was　left。〃

〃My　son！〃　said　Warren。

The　day　opened　for　them　in　a　red　and　green　hell　of　rock　and　cactus。　Like　a　flame　the　sun　scorched　and　peeled　their　faces。　　Warren　went　blind　from　the　glare；　and　Cameron　had　to　lead　him。　　At　last　Warren　plunged　down；　exhausted；　in　the　shade　of　a　ledge。

Cameron　rested　and　waited；　hopeless；　with　hot；　weary　eyes　gazing　down　from　the　height　where　he　sat。　　the　ledge　was　the　top　step　of　a　ragged　gigantic　stairway。　　Below　stretched　a　sad；　austere；　and　lonely　valley。　　A　dim；　wide　streak；　lighter　than　the　bordering　gray；　wound　down　the　valley　floor。　　Once　a　river　had　flowed　there；　leaving　only　a　forlorn　trace　down　the　winding　floor　of　this　forlorn　valley。

Movement　on　the　part　of　Warren　attracted　Cameron's　attention。　Evidently　the　old　prospector　had　recovered　his　sight　and　some　of　his　strength。　　for　he　had　arisen；　and　now　began　to　walk　along　the　arroyo　bed　with　his　forked　peach　branch　held　before　him。　　He　had　clung　to　the　precious　bit　of　wood。　　Cameron　considered　the　prospect　for　water　hopeless；　because　he　saw　that　the　arroyo　had　once　been　a　canyon；　and　had　been　filled　with　sands　by　desert　winds。　　Warren；　however；　stopped　in　a　deep　pit；　and；　cutting　his　canteen　in　half；　began　to　use　one　side　of　it　as　a　scoop。　　He　scooped　out　a　wide　hollow；　so　wide　that　Cameron　was　certain　he　had　gone　crazy。　　Cameron　gently　urged　him　to　stop；　and　then　forcibly　tried　to　make　him。　But　these　efforts　were　futile。　　Warren　worked　with　slow；　ceaseless；　methodical　movement。　　He　toiled　for　what　seemed　hours。　　Cameron；　seeing　the　darkening；　dampening　sand；　realized　a　wonderful　possibility　of　water；　and　he　plunged　into　the　pit　with　the　other　half　of　the　canteen。　　Then　both　men　toiled；　round　and　round　the　wide　hole；　down　deeper　and　deeper。　　The　sand　grew　moist；　then　wet。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　deep　pit　the　sand　coarsened；　gave　place　to　gravel。　Finally　water　welled　in；　a　stronger　volume　than　Cameron　ever　remembered　finding　on　the　desert。　　It　would　soon　fill　the　hole　and　run　over。　　He　marveled　at　the　circumstance。　　The　time　was　near　the　end　of　the　dry　season。　　Perhaps　an　underground　stream　flowed　from　the　range　behind　down　to　the　valley　floor；　and　at　this　point　came　near　to　the　surface。　　Cameron　had　heard　of　such　desert　miracles。

The　finding　of　water　revived　Cameron's　flagging　hopes。　　But　they　were　short…lived。　　Warren　had　spend　himself　utterly。

〃I'm　done。　　Don't　linger；〃　he　whispered。　　〃My　son；　gogo！〃

Then　he　fell。　　Cameron　dragged　him　out　of　the　sand　pit　to　a　sheltered　place　under　the　ledge。　　While　sitting　beside　the　failing　man　Cameron　discovered　painted　images　on　the　wall。　　Often　in　the　desert　he　had　found　these　evidences　of　a　prehistoric　people。　　Then；　from　long　habit；　he　picked　up　a　piece　of　rock　and　examined　it。　Its　weight　made　him　closely　scrutinize　it。　　The　color　was　a　peculiar　black。　　He　scraped　through　the　black　rust　to　find　a　piece　of　gold。　　Around　him　lay　scattered　heaps　of　black　pebbles　and　bits　of　black；　weathered　rock　and　pieces　of　broken　ledge；　and　they　showed　gold。

〃Warren！　　Look！　　See　it！　　Feel　it！　　Gold！〃

But　Warren　had　never　cared；　and　now　he　was　too　blind　to　see。

〃Gogo！〃　he　whispered。

Cameron　gazed　down　the　gray　reaches　of　the　forlorn　valley；　and　something　within　him　that　was　neither　intelligence　nor　emotionsomething　inscrutably　strangeimpelled　him　to　promise。

The　Cameron　built　up　stone　monuments　to　mark　his　gold　strike。　　That　done；　he　tarried　beside　the　unconscious　Warren。　　Moments　passedgrew　into　hours。　　Cameron　still　had　strength　left　to　make　an　effort　to　get　out　of　the　desert。　　But　that　same　inscrutable　something　which　had　ordered　his　strange　involuntary　promise　to　Warren　held　him　beside　his　fallen　comrade。　　He　watched　the　white　sun　turn　to　gold；　and　then　to　red　and　sink　behind　mountains　in　the　west。　　Twilight　stole　into　the　arroyo。　　It　lingered；　slowly　turning　to　gloom。　The　vault　of　blue　black　lightened　to　the　blinking　of　stars。　Then　fell　the　serene；　silent；　luminous　desert　night。

Cameron　kept　his　vigil。　　As　the　long　hours　wore　on　he　felt　creep　over　him　the　comforting　sense　that　he　need　not　forever　fight　sleep。　A　wan　glow　flared　behind　the　dark；　uneven　horizon；　and　a　melancholy　misshapen　moon　rose　to　make　the　white　night　one　of　shadows。　　Absolute　silence　claimed　the　desert。　　It　was　mute。　　Then　that　inscrutable　something　breathed　to　him；　telling　him　when　he　was　along。　　He　need　not　have　looked　at　the　dark；　still　face　beside　him。

Another　face　haunted　Cameron'sa　woman's　face。　　It　was　there　in　the　white　moonlit　shadows；　it　drifted　in　the　darkness　beyond；　it　softened；　changed　to　that　of　a　young　girl；　sweet；　with　the　same　dark；　haunting　eyes　of　her　mother。　　Cameron　prayed　to　that　nameless　thing　within　him；　the　spirit　of　something　deep　and　mystical　as　life。　　He　prayed　to　that　nameless　thing　outside；　of　which　the　rocks　and　the　sand；　the　spiked　cactus　and　the　ragged　lava；　the　endless　waste；　with　its　vast　star…fired　mantle；　were　but　atoms。　　He　prayed　for　mercy　to　a　womanfor　happiness　to　her　child。　　Both　mother　and　daughter　were　close　to　him　then。　　Time　and　distance　were　annihilated。　He　had　faithhe　saw　into　the　future。　　The　fateful　threads　of　the　past；　so　inextricably　woven　with　his　error；　wound　out　their　tragic　length　here　in　this　forlorn　desert。

CAMERON　then　took　a　little　tin　box　from　his　pocket；　and；　opening　it；　removed　a　folded　certificate。　　He　had　kept　a　pen；　and　now　he　wrote　something　upon　the　paper；　and　in　lieu　of　ink　he　wrote　with　blood。　　The　moon　afforded　him　enough　light　to　see；　and；　having　replaced　the　paper；　he　laid　the　little　box　upon　a　shelf　of　rock。　It　would　remain　there　unaffected　by　dust；　moisture；　heat；　time。　How　long　had　those　painted　images　been　there　clear　and　sharp　on　the　dry　stone　walls？　　There　were　no　trails　in　that　desert；　and　always　there　were　incalculable　changes。　　Cameron　saw　this　mutable　mood　of　naturethe　sands　would　fly　and　seep　and　carve　and　bury；　the　floods　would　dig　and　cut；　the　ledges　would　weather　in　the　heat　and　rain；　the　avalanches　would　slide；　the　cactus　seeds　would　roll　in　the　wind　to　catch　in　a　niche　and　split　the　soil　with　thirsty　roots。　　Years　would　pass。　　Cameron　seemed　to　see　them；　too；　and　likewise　destiny　leading　a　child　down　into　this　forlorn　waste；　where　she　would　find　love　and　fortune；　and　the　grave　of　her　father。

Cameron　covered　the　dark；　still　face　of　his　comrade　from　the　light　of　the　waning　moon。

That　action　was　the　severing　of　his　hold　on　realities。　　They　fell　away　from　him　in　final　separation。　　Vaguely；　dreamily　he　seemed　to　behold　his　soul。　　Night　merged　into　gray　day；　and　night　came　again；　weird　and　dark。　　Then　up　out　of　the　vast　void　of　the　desert；　from　the　silence　and　illimitableness；　trooped　his　phantoms　of　peace。　Majestically　they　formed　around　him；　marshalling　and　mustering　in　ceremonious　state；　and　moved　to　lay　upon　him　their　passionless　serenity。



Chapter　I


Old　Friends

Richard　Gale　reflected　that　his　sojourn　in　the　West　had　been　what　his　disgusted　father　had　predictedidling　here　and　there；　with　no　objective　point　or　purpose。

It　was　reflection　such　as　this；　only　more　serious　and　perhaps　somewhat　desperate；　that　had　brought　Gale　down　to　the　border。　For　some　time　the　newspapers　had　been　printing　news　of　Mexican　revolution；　guerrilla　warfare；　United　States　cavalry　patrolling　the　international　line；　American　cowboys　fighting　with　the　rebels；　and　wild　stories　of　bold　raiders　and　bandits。　　But　as　opportunity；　and　adventure；　too；　had　apparently　given　him　a　wide　berth　in　Montana；　Wyoming；　Colorado；　he　had　struck　southwest　for　the　Arizona　border；　where　he　hoped　to　see　some　stirring　life。　　He　did　not　care　very　much　what　happened。　　Months　of　futile　wandering　in　t