p&c.thunderhead-第54节

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n　anything；　Skip　did　not　want　to　have　that　knowledge　confirm　the　fear　that　was　now　growing　inside　him。　
　He　knelt　there；　by　the　old　books；　for　what　seemed　a　long　time。　Then　at　last　he　gripped　the　volume　in　both　hands；　carried　it　to　the　orange　couch；　opened　it　carefully；　and　began　to　read。　
　
　
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　AS　THEY　EMERGED　FROM　THE　GLOOM　OF　the　slot　canyon　into　the　cottonwood　valley；　Nora　could　tell　at　a　glance　something　was　wrong。　Rather　than　being　scattered　indolently　across　the　sparse　grass；　the　horses　were　bunched　together　by　the　stream；　snorting　and　tossing　their　heads。　She　quickly　scanned　the　valley　floor；　the　stone　ramparts；　the　ragged　form　of　the　Devil's　Backbone。　There　was　nobody。　
　Swire　snugged　the　revolver　into　his　belt　and　led　the　way　to　the　horses。　〃You　take　pa？ero；〃　he　said　to　Smithback；　reaching　for　a　saddle。　〃He's　too　dumb　to　be　scared。〃　
　Nora　found　her　own　saddle　from　among　the　pile；　located　Arbuckles；　and　threw　it　over　his　back。　Then　she　held　the　horses　still　while　Swire　knelt　to　remove　the　shoes。　He　worked　in　silence；　using　a　chisel　to　get　underneath　the　clinched　end　of　each　nail　and　bending　it　straight；　taking　great　pains　not　to　clip　or　crack　the　nailhole。　Once　all　the　nails　were　straight；　he　pried　the　shoe　from　the　hoof　with　a　clinch　cutter。　Nora　found　herself　impressed　by　his　skill：　shoeing　and　unshoeing　a　horse　in　the　field　without　an　anvil　was　neither　a　mon　nor　desirable　practice。　
　At　last　he　stood　up；　wordlessly　handing　Nora　fresh　nails　along　with　the　shoes；　hammer；　and　clincher。　〃Sure　you　can　do　this？〃　he　asked。　Nora　nodded；　and　the　wrangler　gestured　for　Smithback　to　mount。　
　〃There　was　a　lot　of　wind　in　the　valley　last　night；〃　Swire　said；　cinching　the　saddle　tight　and　handing　the　reins　to　Smithback。　〃Maybe　that's　why　there　ain't　no　tracks　down　here　in　all　this　loose　sand。　Might　have　better　luck　on　top；　or　down　the　far　side。〃　
　Nora　secured　the　saddlebags；　tested　the　saddle's　fit；　then　swung　up。　〃Smithback's　going　to　need　a　gun；〃　she　said。　
　After　a　moment；　the　wrangler　silently　handed　over　his　pistol；　along　with　a　handful　of　bullets。　
　〃I'd　rather　have　the　rifle；〃　the　writer　said。　
　Swire　shook　his　head。　〃If　anybody　es　over　that　ridge；　I　want　to　have　a　good　bead　on　him；〃　he　replied。　
　〃Just　make　sure　it　isn't　us；〃　Smithback　said　as　he　mounted　pa？ero。　
　Nora　looked　around　for　a　final　time；　then　turned　to　Swire。　〃Thanks　for　the　horses。〃　She　nosed　Arbuckles　away　from　the　group。　
　〃Just　a　minute。〃　Nora　turned　back　to　see　Swire　looking　at　her　evenly。　
　〃Good　luck；〃　he　said　at　last。　
　They　rode　away　from　the　stream；　angling　across　the　uneven　land　toward　the　heavy　bulk　of　the　ridge　ahead；　in　shadow　despite　the　bright　morning　sun。　Over　the　thin　murmur　of　the　stream　and　the　call　of　the　canyon　wrens；　Nora　could　now　hear　a　different　sound：　a　low；　steady　drone；　like　the　hum　of　a　magneto。　Then　they　topped　a　small　rise　and　two　low　forms　came　into　view：　the　remains　of　Hoosegow　and　Crow　Bait。　A　black　cloud　of　flies　hung　over　them。　
　〃Jesus；〃　Smithback　muttered。　
　Arbuckles　began　to　prance　and　whinny　beneath　her；　and　Nora　veered　left；　giving　the　carcasses　a　wide　berth　on　the　upwind　side。　Even　so；　as　they　passed　she　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　coiled　ropes　of　entrails；　bluish…gray　and　steaming　in　the　sun；　webbed　in　black　traceries　of　flies。　Beyond　the　scene　of　the　massacre；　she　stopped。　
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Smithback　asked。　
　〃I'm　going　to　take　a　minute　to　look　more　closely。〃　
　〃Mind　if　I　stay　here？〃　Smithback　asked　in　a　strained　voice。　
　Dismounting　and　giving　her　reins　to　Smithback；　Nora　walked　back　over　the　rise。　The　flies；　disturbed　by　her　approach；　rose　in　a　roaring；　angry　mass。　The　high　winds　had　scoured　the　ground；　but　here　and　there　she　could　make　out　old　horse　tracks　and　some　fresher　coyote　prints。　Except　for　the　marks　of　Swire's　boots；　there　were　no　human　footprints。　As　Swire　had　said；　the　entrails　had　been　arranged　in　a　spiral　pattern。　Brightly　colored　macaw　feathers；　shockingly　out　of　place　in　the　arid　landscape；　protruded　from　the　eye　sockets。　The　carcasses　had　been　stabbed　with　some　painted　and　feathered　twigs。　
　As　she　was　about　to　turn　away；　she　noticed　something　else。　A　circular　patch　of　skin　had　been　cut　from　the　foreheads　of　both　horses。　Examining　these　more　closely；　Nora　saw　that　similar　patches　had　been　removed　symmetrically　from　a　spot　on　either　side　of　the　horse's　chests；　and　from　two　more　spots　on　either　side　of　their　lower　bellies。　Why　there？　What　could　this　possibly　mean？　
　She　shook　her　head　and　retreated　from　the　killing　ground。　
　〃Who　could　do　such　a　thing？〃　Smithback　asked　as　she　remounted。　
　Who　indeed？　It　was　the　question　Nora　had　been　asking　herself　for　the　last　hour。　The　answer　that　seemed　most　likely　was　too　frightening　to　contemplate。　
　Within　twenty　minutes　they　had　reached　the　base　of　the　ridge。　In　another　twenty；　following　the　gentle　trail　up；　they　crested　the　top　of　the　Devil's　Backbone。　Nora　brought　the　horses　to　a　stop　and　dismounted　again；　gazing　slowly　over　the　vista　ahead。　The　great　divide　looked　out　over　thousands　of　miles　of　slickrock　canyons。　To　the　north；　she　could　see　the　distant　blue　hump　of　Barney　Top；　and　to　the　northeast；　the　silent　sentinel　of　the　Kaiparowits。　
　And；　directly　ahead；　were　the　narrow　vicious　switchbacks　that　led　down　the　face　of　the　hogback　ridge。　Somewhere　at　the　bottom　lay　Fiddlehead；　Hurricane　Deck；　and　Beetlebum。　
　〃Tell　me　we're　not　really　going　down　that　again；〃　Smithback　said。　
　Nora　remained　silent。　She　dismounted　and　took　a　few　steps　from　the　horses；　scouring　the　patches　of　sand　that　lay　among　the　rocks。　There　were　no　signs　of　a　horse；　but　then；　the　wind　at　the　top　of　the　ridge　would　have　swept　them　away。　
　She　looked　back　down　the　way　they　had　e。　Though　she'd　kept　a　careful　lookout　as　they　climbed；　she　had　seen　nothing　but　old　hoofprints。　She　shivered；　she　knew　very　well　there　was　no　other　way　into　the　valley。　And　yet；　somehow；　the　mysterious　horse　killers　had　left　no　sign　of　their　passing。　
　Tearing　her　eyes　away；　she　looked　back　around　to　the　steep　trail　ahead　of　them；　leading　down　the　front　of　the　Devil's　Backbone。　It　seemed　to　simply　disappear　over　the　edge　into　sheer　space。　She　knew　it　was　always　more　dangerous　to　descend　than　to　ascend。　The　terrifying　memory　of　how　she'd　scrabbled　at　the　cliff　face；　feet　kicking　in　dead　space；　returned　with　redoubled　force。　She　rubbed　her　fingertips；　now　free　of　bandages　but　still　tingling　with　the　memory。　
　〃I'm　going　to　hike　down　a　ways　on　foot；〃　Nora　murmured。　〃You　wait　here。〃　
　〃Anything　to　stay　off　that　trail；〃　Smithback　said。　〃I　can't　imagine　a　worse　way　down　a　cliff　than　that。　Except　falling；　of　course。　And　at　least　that's　faster。〃　
　Nora　began　to　pick　her　way　down　the　steep　trail。　The　first　part；　all　slickrock；　not　surprisingly　showed　no　signs　of　the　mysterious　rider。　But　when　she　reached　the　rock　strewn　part　of　the　trail；　she　stopped：　there；　in　a　small　patch　of　sand；　was　a　fresh　hoofprint。　And　it　was　from　an　unshod　horse。　
　〃Are　we　going　down？〃　Smithback　asked　with　a　distinct　lack　of　enthusiasm　as　she　returned　to　the　top　of　the　ridge。　
　〃Yes；〃　she　replied。　〃Swire　wasn't　seeing　things。　Somebody　did　e　up　here　on　horseback。〃　
　She　took　a　deep　breath；　then　another。　And　then　she　began　carefully　down　the　ridge；　leading　Arbuckles。　The　horse　balked　at　the　lip　of　the　trail；　and　after　some　firm　coaxing　Nora　got　him　to　take　one　step；　and　then　another。　Smithback　followed；　leading　pa？ero。　Nora　could　hear　the　horse　snorting；　the　scrape　of　bare　hoof　on　stone。　She　kept　her　eyes　firmly　fixed　on　the　trail　ahead；　breathing　regularly；　trying　to　keep　them　from　straying　over　the　edge　into　the　infinite　space　below。　Once；　instinctively；　she　looked　over：　there　was　the　dry　valley　below；　the　strange　rock　formations　like　tiny　piles　of　pebbles；　the　stunted　junipers　mere　black　dots。　Arbuckles's　legs　were　shaking；　but　he　kept　his　head　down；　nose　to　the　ground；　and　they　inched　their　way　down。　Having　been　up　the　trail　before；　Nora　was　now　aware　of　the　most　difficult　spots；　and　worked　to　guide　her　horse　past　them　when　it　was　most　necessary。　
　Just　before　the　second　switchback；　Nora　heard　Arbuckles's　hooves　skid；　and　in　a　panic　she　dropped　the　lead　rope；　but　after　a　brief　scrabble　the　horse　stopped；　shaking。　Clearly；　the　unshod　hooves　had　better　purchase　on　the　trail。　As　she　bent　down　to　pick　up　the　rope；　two　crows；　riding　air　currents　up　the　face　of　the　cliff；　hovered　past　them。　They　were　so　close；　Nora　could　see　their　beady　eyes　swiveling　around　to　look　at　them。　One　let　fly　a　loud　croak　of　displeasure　as　he　passed　by。　
　After　twenty　more　heart…stopping　minutes；　Nora　found　herself　at　the　bottom　of　the　trail。　Turning；　she　saw　Smithback　make　the　last　pitch　to　the　bottom。　She　was　so　relieved　she　almost　felt　like　hugging　him。　
　Then　the　wind　shifted；　and　a　terrible　stench　reached　her　nostrils：　the　three　dead　horses；　lying　perhaps　fifty　yards　away；　draped　over　some　broken　boulders。　
　Whoever　had　e　this　way　would　no　doubt　have　inspected　those　horses。　
　Giving　Arbuckles's　reins　to　Smithback；　she　walked　in　the　direction　of　the　dead　horses；　fighting　rising　feelings　of　horror　and　guilt。　The　animals　lay　widely　scattered；　their　bellies　burst　open；　their　guts　throw