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！
Dick shook his head。
The ranger turned his gaze upon Thorne； and now the keen； glistening light in his gray eyes had blurred。
〃Thorne； it's different with you。 Jim's a fool； an' young Gale has been punctured by choya thorns。 He's got the desert poison in his blood。 But you nowyou've no call to stickyou can find that trail out。 I'ts easy to follow； made by so many shod hosses。 Take your wife an' go。。。。Shore you'll go； Thorne？〃
Deliberately and without an instant's hesitation the calvaryman replied 〃No。〃
Ladd then directed his appeal to Mercedes。 His face was now convulsed； and his voice； though it had sunk to a whisper； was clear； and beautiful with some rich quality that Gale had never heard in it。
〃Mercedes； you're a woman。 You're the woman we fought for。 An' some of us are shore goin' to die for you。 Don't make it all for nothin'。 Let us feel we saved the woman。 Shore you can make Thorne go。 He'll have to go if you say。 They'll all have to go。 Think of the years of love an' happiness in store for you。 A week or so an' it 'll be too late。 Can you stand for me seein' you？。。。Let me tell you； Mercedes； when the summer heat hits the lava we'll all wither an' curl up like shavin's near a fire。 A wind of hell will blow up this slope。 Look at them mesquites。 See the twist in them。 That's the torture of heat an' thirst。 Do you want me or all us men seein'you like that？。。。Mercedes； don't make it all for nothin'。 Say you'll persuade Thorne； if not the others。〃
For all the effect his appeal had to move her Mercedes might have possessed a heart as hard and fixed as the surrounding lava。
〃Never！〃
White…faced； with great black eyes flashing； the Spanish girl spoke the word that bound her and her companions in the desert。
The subject was never mentioned again。 Gale thought that he read a sinister purpose in Ladd's mind。 To his astonishment； Lash came to him with the same fancy。 After that they made certain there never was a gun within reach of Ladd's clutching； clawlike hands。
Gradually a somber spell lifted from the ranger's mind。 When he was entirely free of it he began to gather strength daily。 Then it was as if he had never known patiencehe who had shown so well how to wait。 He was in a frenzy to get well。 He appetite could not be satisfied。
The sun climbed higher； whiter； hotter。 At midday a wind from gulfward roared up the arroyo； and now only palos verdes and the few saguaros were green。 Every day the water in the lava hole sank an inch。
The Yaqui alone spent the waiting time in activity。 He made trips up on the lava slope； and each time he returned with guns or boots or sombreros； or something belonging to the bandits that had fallen。 He never fetched in a saddle or bridle； and from that the rangers concluded Rojas's horses had long before taken their back trail。 What speculation； what consternation those saddled horses would cause if they returned to Forlorn River！
As Ladd improved there was one story he had to hear every day。 It was the one relating to what he had missedthe sight of Rojas pursued and plunged to his doom。 The thing had a morbid fascination for the sick ranger。 He reveled in it。 He tortured Mercedes。 His gentleness and consideration； heretofore so marked； were in abeyance to some sinister； ghastly joy。 But to humor him Mercedes racked her soul with the sensations she had sufferd when Rojas hounded her out on the ledge； when she shot him； when she sprang to throw herself over the precipice； when she fought him； when with half…blinded eyes she looked up to see the merciless Yaqui reaching for the bandit。 Ladd fed his cruel longing with Thorne's poignant recollections； with the keen； clear； never…to…be…forgotten shocks to Gale's eye and ear。 Jim Lash； for one at least； never tired of telling how he had seen and heard the tragedy； and every time in the telling it gathered some more tragic and gruesome detail。 Jim believed in satiating the ranger。 Then in the twilight； when the campfire burned； Ladd would try to get the Yaqui to tell his side of the story。 But this the Indian would never do。 There was only the expression of his fathomless eyes and the set passion of his massive face。
Those waiting days grew into weeks。 Ladd gained very slowly。 Nevertheless； at last he could walk about； and soon he averred that； strapped to a horse； he could last out the trip to Forlorn River。
There was rejoicing in camp； and plans were eagerly suggested。 The Yaqui happened to be absent。 When he returned the rangers told him they were now ready to undertake the journey back across lava and cactus。
Yaqui shook his head。 They declared again their intention。
〃No！〃 replied the Indian； and his deep； sonorous voice rolled out upon the quiet of the arroyo。 He spoke briefly then。 They had waited too long。 The smaller waterholes back in the trail were dry。 The hot summer was upon them。 There could be only death waiting down in the burning valley。 Here was water and grass and wood and shade from the sun's rays； and sheep to be killed on the peaks。 The water would hold unless the season was that dreaded ano seco of the Mexicans。
〃Wait for rain；〃 concluded Yaqui； and now as never before he spoke as one with authority。 〃If no rain〃 Silently he lifted his hand。
XVI
Mountain Sheep
What Gale might have thought an appalling situation； if considered from a safe and comfortable home away from the desert； became； now that he was shut in by the red…ribbed lava walls and great dry wastes； a matter calmly accepted as inevitable。 So he imagined it was accepted by the others。 Not even Mercedes uttered a regret。 No word was spoken of home。 If there was thought of loved one； it was locked deep in their minds。 In Mercedes there was no change in womanly quality； perhaps because all she had to love was there in the desert with her。
Gale had often pondered over this singular change in character。 He had trained himself； in order to fight a paralyzing something in the desert's influence； to oppose with memory and thought an insidious primitive retrogression to what was scarcely consciousness at all； merely a savage's instinct of sight and sound。 He felt the need now of redoubled effort。 For there was a sheer happiness in drifting。 Not only was it easy to forget； it was hard to remember。 His idea was that a man laboring under a great wrong； a great crime； a great passion might find the lonely desert a fitting place for either remembrance or oblivion； according to the nature of his soul。 But an ordinary； healthy； reasonably happy mortal who loved the open with its blaze of sun and sweep of wind would have a task to keep from going backward to the natural man as he was before civilization。
By tacit agreement Ladd again became the leader of the party。 Ladd was a man who would have taken all the responsibility whether or not it was given him。 In moments of hazard； of uncertainty； Lash and Gale； even Belding； unconsciously looked to the ranger。 He had that kind of power。
The first thing Ladd asked was to have the store of food that remained spread out upon a tarpaulin。 Assuredly； it was a slender enough supply。 The ranger stood for long moments gazing down at it。 He was groping among past experiences； calling back from his years of life on range and desert that which might be valuable for the present issue。 It was impossible to read the gravity of Ladd's face； for he still looked like a dead man； but the slow shake of his head told Gale much。 There was a grain of hope； however； in the significance with which he touched the bags of salt and said； 〃Shore it was sense packin' all that salt！〃
Then he turned to face his comrades。
〃That's little grub for six starvin' people corralled in the desert。 But the grub end ain't worryin' me。 Yaqui can get sheep up the slopes。 Water！ That's the beginnin' and middle an' end of our case。〃
〃Laddy； I reckon the waterhole here never goes dry；〃 replied Jim。
〃Ask the Indian。〃
Upon being questioned； Yaqui repeated what he had said about the dreaded ano seco of the Mexicans。 In a dry year this waterhole failed。
〃Dick； take a rope an' see how much water's in the hole。〃
Gale could not find bottom with a thirty foot lasso。 The water was as cool； clear； sweet as if it had been kept in a shaded iron receptable。
Ladd welcomed this information with surprise and gladness。
〃Let's see。 Last year was shore pretty dry。 Mebbe this summer won't be。 Mebbe our wonderful good luck'll hld。 Ask Yaqui if he thinks it 'll rain。〃
Mercedes questioned the Indian。
〃He says no man can tell surely。 But he thinks the rain will come；〃 she replied。
〃Shore it 'll rain； you can gamble on that now；〃 continued Ladd。 〃If there's only grass for the hosses！ We can't get out of here without hosses。 Dick； take the Indian an' scout down the arroyo。 To…day I seen the hosses were gettin' fat。 Gettin' fat in this desert！ But mebbe they've about grazed up all the grass。 Go an' see； Dick。 An' may you come back with more good news！〃
Gale； upon the few occasions when he had wandered down the arroyo； had never gone far。 The Yaqui said there was grass for the horses； and until now no one had given the quest