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！
picking grass for himself。 Wildfire snorted as always when he saw Slone； and
Slone as always； when time permitted； tried to coax the stallion to him。 He
had never succeeded； nor did he this time。 When he left the bundle of grass on
the ground and went outside Wildfire readily came for it。
〃You're that tame； anyhow； you hungry red devil；〃 said Slone； jealously。
Wildfire would take a bunch of grass from Lucy Bostil's hand。 Slone's feelings
had undergone some reaction； though he still loved the horse。 But it was love
mixed with bitterness。 More than ever he made up his mind that Lucy should
have Wildfire。 Then he walked around his place； planning the work he meant to
start at once。
Several days slipped by with Slone scarcely realizing how they flew。
Unaccustomed labor tired him so that he went to bed early and slept like a
log。 If it had not been for the ever…present worry and suspense and longing；
in regard to Lucy； he would have been happier than ever he could remember。
Almost at once he had become attached to his little home； and the more he
labored to make it productive and comfortable the stronger grew his
attachment。 Practical toil was not conducive to daydreaming； so Slone felt a
loss of something vague and sweet。 Many times he caught himself watching with
eager eyes for a glimpse of Lucy Bostil down there among the cottonwoods。
Still； he never saw her； and； in fact； he saw so few villagers that the place
began to have a loneliness which endeared it to him the more。 Then the view
down the gray valley to the purple monuments was always thrillingly memorable
to Slone。 It was out there Lucy had saved his horse and his life。 His keen
desert gaze could make out even at that distance the great； dark monument；
gold…crowned； in the shadow of which he had heard Lucy speak words that had
transformed life for him。 He would ride out there some day。 The spell of those
looming grand shafts of colored rock was still strong upon him。
One morning Slone had a visitorold Brackton。 Slone's cordiality died on his
lips before it was half uttered。 Brackton's former friendliness was not in
evidence indeed； he looked at Slone with curiosity and disfavor
〃Howdy； Slone！ I jest wanted to see what you was doin' up hyar；〃 he said。
Slone spread his hands and explained in few words。
〃So you took over the place； hey？ We all figgered thet。 But Vorhees was mum。
Fact is； he was sure mysterious。〃 Brackton sat down and eyed Slone with
interest。 〃Folks are talkin' a lot about you；〃 he said； bluntly。
〃Is that so？〃
〃You 'pear to be a pretty mysterious kind of a feller； Slone。 I kind of took a
shine to you at first； an' thet's why I come up hyar to tell you it'd be wise
fer you to vamoose。〃
〃What！〃 exclaimed Slone。
Brackton repeated substantially what he had said； then； pausing an instant；
continued： 〃I've no call to give you a hunch； but I'll do it jest because I
did like you fust off。〃
The old man seemed fussy and nervous and patronizing and disparaging all at
once。
〃What'd you beat up thet poor Joel Creech fer？〃 demanded Brackton。
〃He got what he deserved；〃 replied Slone； and the memory； coming on the head
of this strange attitude of Brackton's； roused Slone's temper。
〃Wal； Joel tells some queer things about youfer instance； how you took
advantage of little Lucy Bostil； grabbin' her an' maulin' her the way Joel
seen you。〃
〃Dn the loon！〃 muttered Slone； rising to pace the path。
〃Wal； Joel's a bit off； but he's not loony all the time。 He's seen you an'
he's tellin' it。 When Bostil hears it you'd better be acrost the canyon！〃
Slone felt the hot； sick rush of blood to his face； and humiliation and rage
overtook him。
〃Joel's down at my house。 He had fits after you beat him； an' he 'ain't got
over them yet。 But he could blab to the riders。 Van Sickle's lookin' fer you。
An' to…day when I was alone with Joel he told me some more queer things about
you。 I shut him up quick。 But I ain't guaranteein' I can keep him shut up。〃
〃I'll bet you I shut him up；〃 declared Slone。 〃What more did the fool say？〃
〃Slone； hev you been round these hyar parts…down among the monuments fer
any considerable time？〃 queried Brackton。
〃Yes； I haveseveral weeks out there； an' about ten days or so around the
Ford。〃
〃Where was you the night of the flood？〃
The shrewd scrutiny of the old man； the suspicion； angered Slone。
〃If it's any of your mix； I was out on the slope among the rocks。 I heard that
flood comin' down long before it got here；〃 replied Slone； deliberately。
Brackton averted his gaze； and abruptly rose as if the occasion was ended。
〃Wal； take my hunch an' leave！〃 he said； turning away。
〃Brackton； if you mean well； I'm much obliged；〃 returned Slone； slowly；
ponderingly。 〃But I'll not take the hunch。〃
〃Suit yourself；〃 added Brackton； coldly； and he went away。
Slone watched him go down the path and disappear in the lane of cottonwoods。
〃I'll be darned！〃 muttered Slone。 〃Funny old man。 Maybe Creech's not the only
loony one hereabouts。〃
Slone tried to laugh off the effect of the interview； but it persisted and
worried him all day。 After supper he decided to walk down into the village；
and would have done so but for the fact that he saw a man climbing his path。
When he recognized the rider Holley he sensed trouble； and straightway he
became gloomy。 Bostil's right…hand man could not call on him for any friendly
reason。 Holley came up slowly； awkwardly； after the manner of a rider unused
to walking。 Slone had built a little porch on the front of his cabin and a
bench； which he had covered with goatskins。 It struck him a little strangely
that he should bend over to rearrange these skins just as Holley approached
the porch。
〃Howdy； son！〃 was the rider's drawled remark。 〃Sure makesmepuff to
climbup this mountain。〃
Slone turned instantly； surprised at the friendly tone； doubting his own ears；
and wanting to verify them。 He was the more surprised to see Holley
unmistakably amiable。
〃Hello； Holley！ How are you？〃 he replied。 〃Have a seat。〃
〃Wal； I'm right spry fer an old bird。 But I can't climb wuth a dn 。 。 。 。
Say； this here beats Bostil's view。〃
〃Yes； it's fine；〃 replied Slone； rather awkwardly； as he sat down on the porch
step。 What could Holley want with him？ This old rider was above curiosity or
gossip。
〃Slone； you ain't holdin' it ag'in methet I tried to shut you up the other
day？〃 he drawled； with dry frankness
〃Why； no； Holley； I'm not。 I saw your point。 You were right。 But Bostil made
me mad。〃
〃Sure！ He'd make anybody mad。 I've seen riders bite themselves； they was so
mad at Bostil。 You called him； an' you sure tickled all the boys。 But you hurt
yourself； fer Bostil owns an' runs this here Ford。〃
〃So I've discovered；〃 replied Slone。
〃You got yourself in bad right off； fer Bostil has turned the riders ag'in
you； an' this here punchin' of Creech has turned the village folks ag'in you。
What'd pitch into him fer？〃
Slone caught the kindly interest and intent of the rider； and it warmed him as
Brackton's disapproval had alienated him。
〃Wal； I reckon I'd better tell you；〃 drawled Holley； as Slone hesitated； 〃thet
Lucy wants to know IF you beat up Joel an' WHY you did。〃
〃Holley！ Did she ask you to find out？〃
〃She sure did。 The girl's worried these days； Slone。 。 。 。 You see； you
haven't been around； an' you don't know what's comin' off。〃
〃Brackton was here to…day an' he told me a good deal。 I'm worried； too；〃 said
Slone； dejectedly。
〃Thet hoss of yours； Wildfire； he's enough to make you hated in Bostil's camp；
even if you hadn't made a fool of yourself； which you sure have。〃
Slone dropped his head as admission。
〃What Creech swears he seen you do to Miss Lucy； out there among the rocks；
where you was hid with Wildfireis there any truth in thet？〃 asked Holley；
earnestly。 〃Tell me； Slone。 Folks believe it。 An' it's hurt you at the Ford。
Bostil hasn't heard it yet； an' Lucy she doesn't know。 But I'm figgerin' thet
you punched Joel because he throwed it in your face。〃
〃He did； an' I lambasted him；〃 replied Slone； with force。
〃You did right。 But what I want to know； is it true what Joel seen？〃
〃It's true； Holley。 But what I did isn't so badso bad as he'd make it look。〃
〃Wal； I knowed thet。 I knowed fer a long time how Lucy cares fer you；〃
returned the old rider； kindly。
Slone raised his head swiftly； incredulously。 〃Holley！ You can't be serious。〃
〃Wal； I am。 I've been sort of a big brother to Lucy Bostil for eighteen years。
I carried her in these here hands when she weighed no more 'n my spurs。 I
taught her how to ridewhat she knows about hosses。 An' she knows more 'n her
dad。 I taught her to shoot。 I know her better 'n anybody。 An' lately she's
been different； She's worried an' unhappy。〃
〃But Holley； all thatit doesn't seem〃
〃I reckon not；〃 went on Holley； as Slone halted。 〃I think she cares fer you。
An' I'm your friend； Slone。 You're goin' to buck up ag'in some hell round here
sooner or later。 An' you'll need a friend。〃
〃ThanksHolley；〃 replied Slone； unsteadily。 He thrilled under the iron grasp
of the rider's hard hand。
〃You've got another friend you can gamble