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thet roar had begun to make my hair raise。 It seemed like years the time I
waited there。 。 。 。 Then the flood came down black an' windy an' awful。 I
had hell gittin' the hosses back。
〃Next mornin' two Piutes come down。 They had lost mustangs up on the rocks。
All the feed on my place was gone。 There wasn't nothin' to do but try to git
out。 The Piutes said there wasn't no chance northno waterno grassan' so
I decided to go south； if we could climb over thet last slide。 Peg broke her
leg there； an'II had to shoot her。 But we climbed out with the rest of the
bunch。 I left it then to the Piutes。 We traveled five days west to head the
canyons。 No grass an' only a little water； salt at thet。 Blue Roan was game if
ever I seen a game hoss。 Then the Piutes took to workin' in an' out an'
around； not to git out； but to find a little grazin'。 I never knowed the earth
was so barren。 One by one them hosses went down。 。 。 。 An' at last； I
couldn'tI couldn't see Blue Roan starvin'dyin' right before my eyesan' I
shot him； too。 。 。 。 An' what hurts me most now is thet I didn't have the
nerve to kill him fust off。〃
There was a long pause in Creech's narrative。
〃Them Piutes will git paid if ever I can pay them。 I'd parched myself but for
them。 。 。 。 We circled an' crossed them red cliffs an' then the strip of red
sand； an' worked down into the canyon。 Under the wall was a long stretch of
beachsandyan' at the head of this we found Bostil's boat。〃
〃Wal；！〃 burst out the profane Brackton。 〃Bostil's boat！ 。 。 。 Say； 'ain't
Joel told you yet about thet boat？〃
〃No； Joel 'ain't said a word about the boat；〃 replied Creech。 〃What about it？〃
〃It was cut loose jest before the flood。〃
Manifestly Brackton expected this to be staggering to Creech。 But he did not
even show surprise。
〃There's a rider here named Slonea wild…hoss wrangler；〃 went on Brackton；
〃an' Joel swears this Slone cut the boat loose so's he'd have a better chance
to win the race。 Joel swears he tracked this feller Slone。〃
For Slone the moment was fraught with many emotions； but not one of them was
fear。 He did not need the sudden force of Holley's strong hand； pushing him
forward。 Slone broke into the group and faced Creech。
〃It's not true。 I never cut that boat loose；〃 he declared ringingly。
〃Who're you？〃 queried Creech。
〃My name's Slone。 I rode in here with a wild horse； an' he won a race。 Then I
was blamed for this trick。〃
Creech's steady； gloomy eyes seemed to pierce Slone through。 They were
terrible eyes to look into； yet they held no menace for him。 〃An' Joel accused
you？〃
〃So they say。 I fought with himstruck him for an insult to a girl。〃
〃Come round hyar； Joel；〃 called Creech； sternly。 His big； scaly； black hand
closed on the boy's shoulder。 Joel cringed under it。 〃Son； you've lied。 What
for？〃
Joel showed abject fear of his father。 〃He's gone on Lucyan' I seen him with
her；〃 muttered the boy。
〃An' you lied to hurt Slone？〃
Joel would not reply to this in speech； though that was scarcely needed to
show he had lied。 He seemed to have no sense of guilt。 Creech eyed him
pityingly and then pushed him back。
〃Men； my son has done this rider dirt；〃 said Creech。 〃You…all see thet。 Slone
never cut the boat loose。 。 。 。 An' say； you…all seem to think cuttin' thet
boat loose was the crime。 。 。 。 No！ Thet wasn't the crime。 The crime was
keepin' the boat out of the water fer days when my hosses could have been
crossed。〃
Slone stepped back； forgotten； it seemed to him。 Both joy and sorrow swayed
him。 He had been exonerated。 But this hard and gloomy Creech he knew things。
And Slone thought of Lucy。
〃Who did cut thet thar boat loose？〃 demanded Brackton； incredulously。
Creech gave him a strange glance。 〃As I was sayin'； we come on the boat fast
at the head of the long stretch。 I seen the cables had been cut。 An' I seen
more'n thet。 。 。 。 Wal； the river was high an' swift。 But this was a long
stretch with good landin' way below on the other side。 We got the boat in； an'
by rowin' hard an' driftin' we got acrost； leadin' the hosses。 We had five
when we took to the river。 Two went down on the way over。 We climbed out then。
The Piutes went to find some Navajos an' get hosses。 An' I headed fer the
Fordmade camp twice。 An' Joel seen me comin' out a ways。〃
〃Creech； was there anythin' left in thet boat？〃 began Brackton； with intense
but pondering curiosity。 〃Anythin' on the ropes or sothet might give an
idee who cut her loose？〃
Creech made no reply to that。 The gloom burned darker in his eyes。 He seemed a
man with a secret。 He trusted no one there。 These men were all friends of his；
but friends under strange conditions。 His silence was tragic； and all about
the man breathed vengeance。
CHAPTER XVI
No moon showed that night； and few stars twinkled between the slow…moving
clouds。 The air was thick and oppressive； full of the day's heat that had not
blown away。 A dry storm moved in dry majesty across the horizon； and the
sheets and ropes of lightning； blazing white behind the black monuments； gave
weird and beautiful grandeur to the desert。
Lucy Bostil had to evade her aunt to get out of the house； and the window；
that had not been the means of exit since Bostil left； once more came into
use。 Aunt Jane had grown suspicious of late； and Lucy； much as she wanted to
trust her with her secret； dared not do it。 For some reason unknown to Lucy；
Holley had also been hard to manage； particularly to…day。 Lucy certainly did
not want Holley to accompany her on her nightly rendezvous with Slone。 She
changed her light gown to the darker and thicker riding…habit。
There was a longed…for； all…satisfying flavor in this night adventure
something that had not all to do with love。 The stealth； the outwitting of
guardians； the darkness； the silence； the riskall these called to some deep；
undeveloped instinct in her； and thrilled along her veins； cool； keen；
exciting。 She had the blood in her of the greatest adventurer of his day。
Lucy feared she was a little late。 Allaying the suspicions of Aunt Jane and
changing her dress had taken time。 Lucy burned with less cautious steps。 Still
she had only used caution in the grove because she had promised Slone to do
so。 This night she forgot or disregarded it。 And the shadows were
thickdarker than at any other time when she had undertaken this venture。 She
had always been a little afraid of the darka fact that made her contemptuous
of herself。 Nevertheless； she did not peer into the deeper pits of gloom。 She
knew her way and could slip swiftly along with only a rustle of leaves she
touched。
Suddenly she imagined she heard a step and she halted； still as a tree…trunk。
There was no reason to be afraid of a step。 It had been a surprise to her that
she had never encountered a rider walking and smoking under the trees。
Listening； she assured herself she had been mistaken； and then went on。 But
she looked back。 Did she see a shadowdarker than othersmoving？ It was only
her imagination。 Yet she sustained a slight chill。 The air seemed more
oppressive； or else there was some intangible and strange thing hovering in
it。 She went onreached the lane that divided the grove。 But she did not
cross at once。 It was lighter in this lane； she could see quite far。
As she stood there； listening； keenly responsive to all the influences of the
night； she received an impression that did not have its origin in sight nor
sound。 And only the leaves touched herand only their dry fragrance came to
her。 But she felt a presencea strange； indefinable presence。
But Lucy was brave； and this feeling； whatever it might be； angered her。 She
entered the lane and stole swiftly along toward the end of the grove。 Paths
crossed the lane at right angles； and at these points she went swifter。 It
would be something to tell Sloneshe had been frightened。 But thought of him
drove away her fear and nervousness； and her anger with herself。
Then she came to a wider path。 She scarcely noted it and passed on。 Then came
a quick rustlea swift shadow。 Between two stepsas her heart
leapedviolent arms swept her off the ground。 A hard hand was clapped over
her mouth。 She was being carried swiftly through the gloom。
Lucy tried to struggle。 She could scarcely move a muscle。 Iron arms wrapped
her in coils that crushed her。 She tried to scream； but her lips were
tight…pressed。 Her nostrils were almost closed between two hard fingers that
smelled of horse。
Whoever had her； she was helpless。 Lucy's fury admitted of reason。 Then both
succumbed to a paralyzing horror。 Cordts had got her！ She knew it。 She grew
limp as a rag and her senses dulled。 She almost fainted。 The sickening
paralysis of her faculties lingered。 But she felt her body releasedshe was
placed upon her feetshe was shaken by a rough hand。 She swayed； and but for
that hand might have fallen。 She could see a tall； dark form over her； and
horses； and the gloomy gray open of the sage slope。 The hand left her face。
〃Don't yap； girl！〃 This command in a hard； low voice pierced her ears。 She saw
the glint of a gun held before her。 Instinctive fear revived her old
faculties。 The horrible sick weakness； the dimne