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！
pasture adjoining Brackton's house。 Slone felt reasonably sure his horses
would be safe there； but he meant to keep a mighty close watch on them。 And
old Brackton； as if he read Slone's mind； said this： 〃Keep your eye on thet
daffy boy； Joel Creech。 He hangs round my place； sleeps out somewheres； an'
he's crazy about hosses。〃
Slone did not need any warning like that； nor any information to make him
curious regarding young Creech。 Lucy had seen to that； and； in fact； Slone was
anxious to meet this half…witted fellow who had so grievously offended and
threatened Lucy。 That morning； however； Creech did not put in an appearance。
The village had nearly returned to its normal state now； and the sleepy tenor
of its way。 The Indians； had been the last to go； but now none remained。 The
days were hot while the sun stayed high； and only the riders braved its heat。
The morning； however； did not pass without an interesting incident。 Brackton
approached Slone with an offer that he take charge of the freighting between
the Ford and Durango。 〃What would I do with Wildfire？〃 was Slone's questioning
reply； and Brackton held up his hands。 A later incident earned more of Slone's
attention。 He had observed a man in Brackton's store； and it chanced that this
man heard Slone's reply to Brackton's offer； and he said： 〃You'll sure need to
corral thet red stallion。 Grandest hoss I ever seen！〃
That praise won Slone； and he engaged in conversation with the man； who said
his name was Vorhees。 It developed soon that Vorhees owned a little house； a
corral； and a patch of ground on a likely site up under the bluff； and he was
anxious to sell cheap because he had a fine opportunity at Durango； where his
people lived。 What interested Slone most was the man's remark that he had a
corral which could not be broken into。 The price he asked was ridiculously low
if the property was worth anything。 An idea flashed across Slone's mind。 He
went up to Vorhees's place and was much pleased with everything； especially
the corral； which had been built by a man who feared horse…thieves as much as
Bostil。 The view from the door of the little cabin was magnificent beyond
compare。 Slone remembered Lucy's last words。 They rang like bells in his ears。
〃Don't godon't！〃 They were enough to chain him to Bostil's Ford until the
crack of doom。 He dared not dream of what they meant。 He only listened to
their music as they pealed over and over in his ears。
〃Vorhees； are you serious？〃 he asked。 〃The money you ask is little enough。〃
〃It's enough an' to spare；〃 replied the man。 〃An' I'd take it as a favor of
you。〃
〃Well； I'll go you；〃 said Slone； and he laughed a little irrationally。 〃Only
you needn't tell right away that I bought you out。〃
The deal was consummated； leaving Slone still with half of the money that had
been his prize in the race。 He felt elated。 He was rich。 He owned two
horsesone the grandest in all the uplands； the other the faithfulestand he
owned a neat little cabin where it was a joy to sit and look out； and a corral
which would let him sleep at night； and he had money to put into supplies and
furnishings； and a garden。 After he drank out of the spring that bubbled from
under the bluff he told himself it alone was worth the money。
〃Looks right down on Bostil's place；〃 Slone soliloquized； with glee。 〃Won't he
just be mad！ An' Lucy！ 。 。 。 Whatever's she goin' to think？〃
The more Slone looked around and thought； the more he became convinced that
good fortune had knocked at his door at last。 And when he returned to
Brackton's he was in an exultant mood。 The old storekeeper gave him a nudge
and pointed underhand to a young man of ragged aspect sitting gloomily on a
box。 Slone recognized Joel Creech。 The fellow surely made a pathetic sight；
and Slone pitied him。 He looked needy and hungry。
〃Say；〃 said Slone； impulsively； 〃want to help me carry some grub an' stuff？〃
〃Howdy！〃 replied Creech； raising his head。 〃Sure do。〃
Slone sustained the queerest shock of his life when he met the gaze of those
contrasting eyes。 Yet he did not believe that his strange feeling came from
sight of different…colored eyes。 There was an instinct or portent in that
meeting。
He purchased a bill of goods from Brackton； and； with Creech helping； carried
it up to the cabin under the bluff。 Three trips were needed to pack up all the
supplies； and meanwhile Creech had but few words to say； and these of no
moment。 Slone offered him money； which he refused。
〃I'll help you fix up； an' eat a bite；〃 he said。 〃Nice up hyar。〃
He seemed rational enough and certainly responded to kindness。 Slone found
that Vorhees had left the cabin so clean there was little cleaning to do。 An
open fireplace of stone required some repair and there was wood to cut。
〃Joel； you start a fire while I go down after my horses；〃 said Slone。
Young Creech nodded and Slone left him there。 It was not easy to catch
Wildfire； nor any easier to get him into the new corral； but at last Slone saw
him safely there。 And the bars and locks on the gate might have defied any
effort to open or break them quickly。 Creech was standing in the doorway；
watching the horses； and somehow Slone saw； or imagined he saw； that Creech
wore a different aspect。
〃Grand wild hoss！ He did what Blue was a…goin' to dobeat thet there dd
Bostil's King！〃
Creech wagged his head。 He was gloomy and strange。 His eyes were unpleasant to
look into。 His face changed。 And he mumbled。 Slone pitied him the more； but
wished to see the last of him。 Creech stayed on； however； and grew stranger
and more talkative during the meal。 He repeated things oftentalked
disconnectedly； and gave other indications that he was not wholly right in his
mind。 Yet Slone suspected that Creech's want of balance consisted only in what
concerned horses and the Bostils。 And Slone； wanting to learn all he could；
encouraged Creech to talk about his father and the racers and the river and
boat； and finally Bostil。
Slone became convinced that； whether young Creech was half crazy or not； he
knew his father's horses were doomed； and that the boat at the ferry had been
cut adrift。 Slone could not understand why he was convinced； but he was。
Finally Creech told how he had gone down to the river only a day before； how
he had found the flood still raging； but much lower； how he had worked round
the cliffs and had pulled up the rope cables to find they had been cut。
〃You see； Bostil cut them when he didn't need to；〃 continued Creech； shrewdly。
〃But he didn't know the flood was comin' down so quick。 He was afeared we'd
come across an' git the boat thet night。 An' he meant to take away them cut
cables。 But he hadn't no time。〃
〃Bostil？〃 queried Slone； as he gazed hard at Creech。 The fellow had told that
rationally enough。 Slone wondered if Bostil could have been so base。 No！ and
yetwhen it came to horses Bostil was scarcely human。
Slone's query served to send Creech off on another tangent which wound up in
dark； mysterious threats。 Then Slone caught the name of Lucy。 It abruptly
killed his sympathy for Creech。
〃What's the girl got to do with it？〃 he demanded； angrily。 〃If you want to
talk to me don't use her name。〃
〃I'll use her name when I want；〃 shouted Creech。
〃Not to me！〃
〃Yes； to you； mister。 I ain't carin' a dn fer you！〃
〃You crazy loon！〃 exclaimed Slone； with impatience and disgust added to anger。
〃What's the use of being decent to you？〃
Creech crouched low； his hands digging like claws into the table； as if he
were making ready to spring。 At that instant he was hideous。
〃Crazy； am I？〃 he yelled。 〃Mebbe not dn crazy！ I kin tell you're gone on
Lucy Bostil！ I seen you with her out there in the rocks the mornin' of the
race。 I seen what you did to her。 An' I'm a…goin' to tell it！ 。 。 。 An' I'm
a…goin' to ketch Lucy Bostil an' strip her naked； an' when I git through with
her I'll tie her on a hoss an' fire the grass！ By Gawd！ I am！〃 Livid and wild；
he breathed hard as he got up； facing Slone malignantly。
〃Crazy or not； here goes！〃 muttered Slone； grimly； and； leaping up； with one
blow he knocked Creech half out of the door； and then kicked him the rest of
the way。 〃Go on and have a fit！〃 cried Slone。 〃I'm liable to kill you if you
don't have one！〃
Creech got up and ran down the path； turning twice on the way。 Then he
disappeared among the trees。
Slone sat down。 〃Lost my temper again！〃 he said。 〃This has been a day。 Guess
I'd better cool off right now an' stay here。 。 。 。 That poor devil！ Maybe he's
not so crazy。 But he's wilder than an Indian。 I must warn Lucy。 。 。 。 Lord！ I
wonder if Bostil could have held back repairin' that boat； an' then cut it
loose？ I wonder？ Yesterday I'd have sworn never。 To…day〃
Slone drove the conclusion of that thought out of his consciousness before he
wholly admitted it。 Then he set to work cutting the long grass from the wet
and shady nooks under the bluff where the spring made the ground rich。 He
carried an armful down to the corral。 Nagger was roaming around outside；
picking grass for himself。 Wildfire snorted as always when he saw Slone； and
Slone as always； when time permitted； tried to coax the stallio