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！
On the next day Creech traveled west。 This seemed to Lucy to be far to the
left of the direction taken before。 And Lucy； in spite of her utter weariness；
and the necessity of caring for herself and her horse； could not but wonder at
the wild and frowning canyon。 It was only a tributary of the great canyon； she
supposed； but it was different； strange； impressive； yet intimate； because all
about it was overpowering； near at hand； even the beetling crags。 And at every
turn it seemed impossible to go farther over that narrow and rock…bestrewn
floor。 Yet Creech found a way on。
Then came hours of climbing such slopes and benches and ledges as Lucy had not
yet encountered。 The grasping spikes of dead cedar tore her dress to shreds；
and many a scratch burned her flesh。 About the middle of the afternoon Creech
led up over the last declivity； a yellow slope of cedar； to a flat upland
covered with pine and high bleached grass。 They rested。
〃We've fooled Cordts； you can be sure of thet；〃 said Creech。 〃You're a game
kid； an'； by Gawd！ if I had this job to do over I'd never tackle it again！〃
〃Oh； you're sure we've lost him？〃 implored Lucy。
〃Sure as I am of death。 An' we'll make surer in crossin' this bench。 It's
miles to the other side where I'm to keep watch fer Joel。 An' we won't leave a
track all the way。〃
〃But this grass？〃 questioned Lucy。 〃It'll show our tracks。〃
〃Look at the lanes an' trails between。 All pine mats thick an' soft an'
springy。 Only an Indian could follow us hyar on Wild Hoss Bench。〃
Lucy gazed before her under the pines。 It was a beautiful forest； with trees
standing far apart； yet not so far but that their foliage intermingled。 A dry
fragrance； thick as a heavy perfume； blew into her face。 She could not help
but think of firehow it would race through here； and that recalled Joel
Creech's horrible threat。 Lucy shuddered and put away the memory。 〃I can't
goany farther to…day； 〃 she said。
Creech looked at her compassionately。 Then Lucy became conscious that of late
he had softened。
〃You'll have to come；〃 he said。 〃There's no water on this side； short of thet
canyon…bed。 An' acrost there's water close under the wall。〃
So they set out into the forest。 And Lucy found that after all she could go
on。 The horses walked and on the soft； springy ground did not jar her。 Deer
and wild turkey abounded there and showed little alarm at sight of the
travelers。 And before long Lucy felt that she would become intoxicated by the
dry odor。 It was so strong； so thick； so penetrating。 Yet； though she felt she
would reel under its influence； it revived her。
The afternoon passed； the sun set off through the pines； a black…streaked；
golden flare； twilight shortly changed to night。 The trees looked spectral in
the gloom； and the forest appeared to grow thicker。 Wolves murmured； and there
were wild cries of cat and owl。 Lucy fell asleep on her horse。 At last；
sometime late in the night； when Creech lifted her from the saddle and laid
her down； she stretched out on the soft mat of pine needles and knew no more。
She did not awaken until the afternoon of the next day。 The site where Creech
had made his final camp overlooked the wildest of all that wild upland
country。 The pines had scattered and trooped around a beautiful park of grass
that ended abruptly upon bare rock。 Yellow crags towered above the rim； and
under them a yawning narrow gorge； overshadowed from above； blue in its
depths； split the end of the great plateau and opened out sheer into the head
of the canyon； which； according to Creech； stretched away through that
wilderness of red stone and green clefts。 When Lucy's fascinated gaze looked
afar she was stunned at the vast； billowy； bare surfaces。 Every green cleft
was a short canyon running parallel with this central and longer one。 The dips
and breaks showed how all these canyons were connected。 They led the gaze
away； descending gradually to the dim purple of distance the bare； rolling
desert upland。
Lucy did nothing but gaze。 She was unable to walk or eat that day。 Creech hung
around her with a remorse he apparently felt； yet could not put into words。
〃Do you expect Joel to come up this big canyon？〃
〃I reckon I dosome day；〃 replied Creech。 〃An' I wish he'd hurry。〃
〃Does he know the way？〃
〃Nope。 But he's good at findin' places。 An' I told him to stick to the main
canyon。 Would you believe you could ride offer this rim； straight down thar
fer fifty miles； an' never git off your hoss？〃
〃No； I wouldn't believe it possible。〃
〃Wal； it's so。 I've done it。 An' I didn't want to come up thet way because I'd
had to leave tracks。〃
〃Do you think we're safefrom Cordts now？〃 she asked。
〃I reckon so。 He's no tracker。〃
〃But suppose he does trail us？〃
〃Wal； I reckon I've a shade the best of Cordts at gun…play； any day。〃
Lucy regarded the man in surprise。 〃Oh； it's sostrange！〃 she said。 〃You'd
fight for me。 Yet you dragged me for days over these awful rocks！ 。 。 。 Look
at me； Creech。 Do I look much like Lucy Bostil？〃
Creech hung his head。 〃Wal； I reckoned I wasn't a blackguard； but I AM。〃
〃You used to care for me when I was little。 I remember how I used to take
rides on your knee。〃
〃Lucy； I never thought of thet when I ketched you。 You was only a means to an
end。 Bostil hated me。 He ruined me。 I give up to revenge。 An' I could only git
thet through you。〃
〃Creech； I'm not defending Dad。 He'she's no good where horses are concerned。
I know he wronged you。 Then why didn't you wait and meet him like a man
instead of dragging me to this misery？〃
〃Wal； I never thought of thet； either。 I wished I had。〃 He grew gloomier then
and relapsed into silent watching。
Lucy felt better next day； and offered to help Creech at the few camp duties。
He would not let her。 There was nothing to do but rest and wait； and the
idleness appeared to be harder on Creech than on Lucy。 He had always been
exceedingly active。 Lucy divined that every hour his remorse grew keener； and
she did all she could think of to make it so。 Creech made her a rude brush by
gathering small roots and binding them tightly and cutting the ends square。
And Lucy； after the manner of an Indian； got the tangles out of her hair。 That
day Creech seemed to want to hear Lucy's voice； and so they often fell into
conversation。 Once he said； thoughtfully：
〃I'm tryin' to remember somethin' I heerd at the Ford。 I meant to ask you〃
Suddenly he turned to her with animation。 He who had been so gloomy and
lusterless and dead showed a bright eagerness。 〃I heerd you beat the King on a
red hossa wild hoss！ 。 。 。 Thet must have been a jokelike one of Joel's。〃
〃No。 It's true。 An' Dad nearly had a fit！〃
〃Wal！〃 Creech simply blazed with excitement。 〃I ain't wonderin' if he did。 His
own girl！ Lucy； come to remember； you always said you'd beat thet gray racer。
。 。 。 Fer the Lord's sake tell me all about it。〃
Lucy warmed to him because； broken as he was； he could be genuinely glad some
horse but his own had won a race。 Bostil could never have been like that。 So
Lucy told him about the raceand then she had to tell about Wildfire； and
then about Slone。 But at first all of Creech's interest centered round
Wildfire and the race that had not really been run。 He asked a hundred
questions。 He was as pleased as a boy listening to a good story。 He praised
Lucy again and again。 He crowed over Bostil's discomfiture。 And when Lucy told
him that Slone had dared her father to race； had offered to bet Wildfire and
his own life against her hand； then Creech was beside himself。
〃This hyar Slonehe CALLED Bostil's hand！〃
〃He's a wild…horse hunter。 And HE can trail us！〃
〃Trail us！ Slone？ Say； Lucy； are you in love with him？〃
Lucy uttered a strange little broken sound； half laugh； half sob。 〃Love him！
Ah！〃
〃An' your Dad's ag'in him！ Sure Bostil'll hate any rider with a fast hoss。 Why
didn't the darn fool sell his stallion to your father？〃
〃He gave Wildfire to me。〃
〃I'd have done the same。 Wal； now； when you git back home what's comin' of it
all？〃
Lucy shook her head sorrowfully。 〃God only knows。 Dad will never own Wildfire；
and he'll never let me marry Slone。 And when you take the King away from him
to ransom methen my life will be hell； for if Dad sacrifices Sage King；
afterward he'll hate me as the cause of his loss。〃
〃I can sure see the sense of all that；〃 replied Creech； soberly。 And he
pondered。
Lucy saw through this man as if he had been an inch of crystal water。 He was
no villain； and just now in his simplicity； in his plodding thought of
sympathy for her he was lovable。
〃It's one hell of a muss； if you'll excuse my talk；〃 said Creech。 〃An' I don't
like the looks of what I 'pear to be throwin' in your way。 。 。 。 But see hyar；
Lucy； if Bostil didn't give upor； say； he gits the King back； thet wouldn't
make your chance with Slone any brighter。〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Thet race will have to be ran！〃
〃What good will that do？〃 cried Lucy； with tears in her eyes。 〃I don't want to
lose Dad。 IIlove himmean as he is。 And it'll kill me to lose Lin。
Because Wildfire can beat Sage King； and that means Dad will be forever
against him。〃
〃Co