lla.thelonelymen-第13节

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nd　I　had　been　keeping　my　eyes　open　for　a　likely　spot；　one　that　had　what　we'd　need。
　First　off；　I　saw　how　the　ground　slanted　away　toward　the　big　creek；　and　I　figured　that　wall　offered　fair　protection。　The　maple　was　alive；　but　in　some　storm　the　wind　had　broken　off　a　big　limb；　with　a　lot　of　branches　on　it；　and　it　lay　there　on　the　ground。　Maple　burns　mighty　well；　and　makes　a　hot　fire。
　That　big　tree　would　give　some　shelter；　and　the　wall　would　make　a　reflector　for　my　fire。　One　branch　of　the　tree　extended　across　a　corner　of　the　wall；　and　I　ducked　under　it　and　rolled　away　a　couple　of　fallen　stones　that　lay　there。　The　big　fallen　limb　and　its　branches　offered　partial　cover　for　the　er；　so　I　cut　some　pine　branches　and　wove　them　in　among　the　branches　of　the　maple　until　I　had　a　fair　shelter。
　Tying　the　black　horse　under　the　maple；　but　on　a　rope　long　enough　so　he　could　graze；　I　carried　the　saddle　and　gear　to　the　shelter。　The　boy　was　already　seated　in　the　corner。
　From　under　a　couple　of　fallen　trees　I　peeled　some　dry　bark；　gathered　twigs　from　the　fallen　maple　limb；　and　in　a　few　minutes　I　had　a　fire　going。　It　looked　good；　and　felt　better。
　I　had　built　the　fire　close　against　the　wall　so　the　heat　would　be　reflected；　and　there　we　huddled　in　reasonable　fort。　The　wall；　the　sheltering　trees；　and　our　improvised　shelter　kept　off　most　of　the　rain。　After　a　few　minutes；　the　boy　fell　asleep。
　I　checked　my　guns；　made　sure　my　rifle　was　fully　loaded；　and　trusting　to　the　black　to　warn　me；　I　huddled　against　the　wall　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　fire　from　the　boy；　and　slept　too。
　
　Chapter　8
　
　The　night　wind　moaned　in　the　passes；　and　the　small　fire　sputtered。　The　fuel　burned　down　to　coals；　and　the　coals　were　a　dull　red　except　when　touched　briefly　by　the　wind。　The　rain　had　e　to　an　end；　but　big　drops　fell　now　and　again　from　the　leaves　of　the　maple。
　From　time　to　time　I　opened　my　eyes；　looked　around；　land　slept　again。　It　was　always　so　with　me　。。。　I　can　remember　few　nights　when　I　slept　the　hours　through　without　awakening；　usually　to　lie　awake　listening　for　a　while；　sometimes　to　get　up　and　prowl　restlessly。
　The　black　horse；　now　that　the　rain　had　stopped；　moved　away　from　the　tree　to　crop　the　thick　grass。　Up　on　the　ridges　the　grass　had　been　sparse　and　had　little　nourishment；　but　the　grass　that　grew　around　the　fallen　stones　was　rich　and　green。
　You　know　how　it　is　when　you　hear　something　a　long　time　before　you　are　really　aware　of　it？　It　was　like　that　now　with　riders　ing　down　the　trail。　Most　likely　I　didn't　hear　much　。。。　maybe　only　a　whisper　of　sound　。。。　maybe　some　hidden　sense　felt　the　difference　in　the　night；　for　they　came　like　ghosts　in　the　darkness；　or　like　wolves；　soft…footed　and　sure　of　their　prey。
　They　must　have　been　puzzled；　and　worried　too；　for　I'd　e　down　the　trail　of　the　Old　Ones；　where　no　one　ever　rode。
　It　was　a　spirit　trail；　and　they　would　not　have　liked　it；　especially　in　the　night。　Their　horses　would　be　mountain…bred　and　sure…footed；　and　more　than　likely　they　had　known　this　valley　of　the　ruins　when　they　ran　wild；　for　there　was　grass　here；　good　grass　and　water。
　These　riders　must　have　been　slow　in　getting　away　from　their　rancheria；　ing　after　my　tracks　had　crossed　the　trail　of　the　Apaches　that　pursued　my　padres。　Seeing　the　tracks　of　my　lone　horse；　they　had　followed；　sure　of　a　kill。
　My　small　fire　gave　off　so　little　smoke　as　to　remain　undetected；　and　its　slight　red　glow　would　be　hidden　by　the　tree　and　the　wall。　Yet　they　found　me。　I　suppose　they　heard　my　horse　cropping　grass。
　All　was　still　in　my　camp。　A　drop　fell　hissing　into　the　coals；　and　my　horse　stopped　cropping　grass　and　lifted　his　head；　blowing　softly　through　his　nostrils。　I　came　clean　awake。
　An　instant　I　lay　there；　listening；　and　then　I　rolled　over　and　left　the　blanket　in　a　long　smooth　dive　into　the　darkness；　and　heard　the　whip　of　an　arrow　as　I　went。　When　I　looked　back；　I　saw　that　the　arrow　had　gone　through　my　blanket　into　the　ground。
　They　came　in　fast；　and　my　butt　stroke　missed　the　head　of　the　nearest　attacker；　and　hit　his　shoulder；　staggering　him。　Then　my　rifle　was　knocked　from　my　hands。
　Now；　back　yonder　in　the　mountains　where　I　hail　from；　the　boys　and　men　do　a　sight　of　knuckle　and　skull　thumping。　The　girls　go　to　the　dances　for　the　dancing　and　the　boys；　and　the　boys　go　for　the　fighting　and　the　girls。
　Me　being　such　a　tall　kind　of　homely　boy；　I　had　more　time　for　fighting。　Then　in　the　Army；　and　on　the　river　boats；　and　all　…　well；　I'd　done　my　share。　So　when　I　lost　my　rifle　it　just　sort　of　freed　me　for　fighting。
　A　body　lunged　against　mine　and　I　butted　at　the　face；　used　my　knee　in　his　crotch；　lifting　him　clean　off　the　ground；　so　as　I　could　lay　hands　on　him。　I　fairly　picked　him　up　and　threw　him；　and　then　I　took　a　roundhouse　swing　at　something　ing　at　me。　I　saw　a　knife　flash；　and　my　fist　landed　and　I　felt　bone　crunch。
　It　was　bang　with　both　hands；　swing；　grab；　but　Apaches　were　fair　hands　at　wrestling；　but　they　had　no　experience　at　fist…fighting；　and　that　was　what　I　was　doing。　One　short；　powerful　Apache　grabbed　me　by　the　arm　and　the　waist　to　throw　me；　but　I　brought　my　boot　heel　down　on　his　instep　and　he　let　go　and　I　could　swing　my　elbow　against　his　ear。
　It　was　kind　of　lively　there　for　a　few　minutes。　There　was　three　of　them；　but　I　was　bigger　and　stronger。　One　of　them　jumped　on　my　back　with　his　forearm　across　my　throat；　but　I　grabbed　his　hand　and　elbow　and　flung　him　over　my　shoulder　and　smack　down　across　the　stone　wall。　He　hit　hard；　and　I　heard　him　scream。　And　just　then　there　was　a　shot。
　ing　from　outside　of　camp；　it　caught　us　unawares；　but　I　saw　an　Apache　fall　and　then　the　others　ghosted　into　the　night；　one　of　them　dragging　the　one　I'd　thrown　across　the　wall。　Then　they　disappeared　like　drops　of　water　into　a　pool。　They　were　there；　and　they　were　gone。
　The　one　who　had　been　shot　was　lying　there　near　the　fire；　and　Harry；　his　skins　clutched　around　him；　was　sitting　up；　huddled　and　scared；　in　the　corner　of　the　wall。
　And　then　a　low　voice　said；　〃Hello；　the　camp！〃
　I　said；　〃e　in；　if　you're　of　a　mind　to；〃　and　the　next　thing　there　walks　into　camp　the　cutest　button　of　a　girl　you　ever　laid　eyes　on。
　She　was　scarcely　more　than　five　feet　tall　and　wore　a　buckskin　hunting　shirt　that　looked　better　than　any　such　shirt　I'd　ever　seen　before。　She　was　quick　and　pert；　and　she　was　leading　her　pony；　but　the　Winchester　in　her　hands　wasn't　for　fun　…　that　Apache　would　have　realized　it　had　he　lived　past　her　bullet。
　She　held　out　her　hand。　〃I　am　Dorset　Binny；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　hope　you　will　forgive　me　for　not　looking　as　much　like　a　lady　as　I　should。〃
　〃Ma'am；〃　I　assured　her；　honestly　enough；　〃when　you　e　up　like　that　and　shoot　that　straight；　I　couldn't　care　how　you're　dressed。〃
　And　I　added；　〃I　am　William　Tell　Sackett；　and　the　boy　yonder　is　Harry　Brook；　recently　taken　back　from　the　Apaches。〃
　We　had　both　moved　back　into　the　shadows；　and　with　that　much　said　we　took　to　listening。　It　was　my　idea　those　Apaches　had　them　a　bellyful；　but　they　weren't　alone；　and　this　was　no　place　to　dally。
　〃Some　other　children　got　away；　didn't　they？〃
　〃Yes　…　a　couple　of　boys　and　a　small　girl。〃
　〃The　girl　was　my　sister。　That　is　why　I　am　here。〃　Well；　she　was　talking　to　a　shadow；　for　I　was　already　saddling　up。　Right　then；　what　I　wanted　between　me　and　those　Apaches　was　distance；　for　within　a　matter　of　hours　this　mountain　would　be　alive　with　them；　like　a　kicked　anthill　with　ants。
　She　came　along　with　me　and　the　boy；　and　for　an　hour　we　followed　the　old　trail　north；　then　we　turned　west；　taking　a　trail　on　which　I　found　no　tracks。　Once　in　a　while　through　the　parted　clouds　I　could　see　the　sky；　and　sometimes　a　star　was　right　above　us。　Black　walls　crowded　closer；　and　we　were　skirting　some　almighty　big　boulders。　Me；　I　kept　thinking　what　a　nasty　place　we　were　in；　with　the　weather　what　it　was。　A　body　didn't　need　to　look　at　the　walls　for　a　high…water　mark。　You　just　knew　that　the　water　must　run　through　here　thirty　feet　deep　for　an　hour　or　two　after　a　heavy　storm。　But　the　water　had　already　passed　on　。。。　and　I　wished　for　no　more　rain　now。
　The　folks　that　had　made　this　trail　had　no　horses；　it　was　a　moccasin　trail。　After　a　while　we　had　to　get　down　and　lead；　for　there　was　just　no　riding；　but　I　let　Harry　stay　on　the　black。
　What　I　wanted　most　just　now　was　to　get　out　of　these　mountains　and　head　off　across　the　flatland；　and　maybe　get　to　a　ranch。　But　I　had　a　time　keeping　my　thoughts　on　my　business　with　that　girl　along。
　She　was　only　a　bit　of　a　thing；　but　she　must　be　packing　a　lot　of　nerve　to　e　into　this　country　after　her　sister。　There　was　no　chance　to　talk；　for　we　were　going　single　file；　and　I　wasn't　stopping。　This　was　a　strange　trail；　and　we'd　no　idea　where　it　might　lead。　Mayhap　right　into　a　bunch　of　Apaches　…　in　which　case　some　brave　might　have　my　scalp　in　his　wickiup；　if　he　bothered　to　take　it。　The　Apaches　were　very　strong　on　scalping。
　At　the　top　of　a　long　slope　we　paused　for　a　breather；　and　I　looked　around　at　Dorset。　She　was　right　behind　me；　leading　her　pony；　and　taking　two　steps　to　my　one。　Harry　Brook；　up　there　on　the　horse；　had　not　said　a　word。
　We　stood　there　for　a　mite；　and　she　said；　〃The　sky's　turning。〃
　There　was　gray　in　it；　all　right；　and　day　would　e　quickly　now。　We　stood　quiet　then；　saying　nothin