thillerman.theblessingway-第28节

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　in…through　a　crawl　hole　in　the　roof　where　the　wall　joined　the　cliff。　And　there　was　no　way　to　reach　the　hole　without　the　ladder…the　ladder　which　the　Big　Navajo　had　carefully　withdrawn　after　leaving　them　here。
　Outside；　a　raven　cawed　again　and　then　there　was　silence。　McKee　leaned　against　the　wall　and　tried　to　sort　it　out。
　Whatever　was　happening　here　was　the　product　of　meticulous　planning。　That　was　clear。　Behind　the　brush　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff　there　had　been　four　sections　of　aluminum…alloy　ladder。　The　man　called　Eddie　had　fit　them　quickly　together；　fastened　them　with　bolts　and　wing　nuts；　and　they　reached　exactly　from　a　massive　sandstone　block　at　the　top　of　the　talus　slope　to　this　shelf。　If　the　ladder　was　not　custom…built　for　the　purpose；　at　least　the　bolt　holes　had　been　drilled　with　this　cliff　dwelling　in　mind。
　And；　when　they　had　reached　the　top；　Eddie　had　pulled　up　the　ladder；　and　laid　it　carefully　out　of　sight。　The　action　obviously　had　long　since　bee　habit。　It　would　leave　anyone　passing　below　no　hint　that　this　cleft　was　occupied。　It　was　equally　obvious　that　the　peculiar　hide…out　had　been　occupied　for　weeks。　Behind　a　screen　of　bushes　which　grew　back　from　the　ledge　under　the　overhanging　cliff　there　was　all　the　equipment　for　a　permanent　camp…a　two…burner　kerosene　stove；　a　half…dozen　five…gallon　cans　and　a　tarp　stretched　low　to　the　ground　protecting　cartons　and　boxes。　And　there　had　been　two　bedrolls。　Whoever　else　was　involved　must　sleep　somewhere　else；　perhaps　directing　this　operation　from　somewhere　outside。　From　what　Eddie　had　said；　others　would　tell　them　when　they　could　leave。
　And　whoever　they　were；　they　had　a　radio　transmitter。　After　Eddie　had　fished　cans　of　meat　and　beans　from　under　the　tarp　and　fed　them　and　started　him　soaking　his　hand　in　a　pot　of　steaming　water；　the　Big　Navajo　had　climbed　back　down　the　ladder。　He　had　sat　for　a　long　time　in　the　Land…Rover　and　when　he　returned　he　had　news。
　McKee　rubbed　his　knuckles　across　his　forehead；　remembering　exactly。　The　big　man　had　been　grinning　when　he　walked　up　to　where　Eddie　was　sitting…grinning　broadly。
　〃Girlie　says　maybe　tomorrow　afternoon　will　do　it；〃　the　Navajo　had　said。　Eddie　had　looked　pleased；　but　he　had　said　something　nonmittal。　Something　like　Girlie's　been　wrong　before。　No。　It　was　Girlie's　been　wrong　three　times；　because　the　Indian　had　laughed　then　and　said；　〃Fourth　time's　the　charm　for　us。　It　had　occurred　to　McKee　then　that　if　these　men　were　leaving　tomorrow　they　would　no　longer　need　a　letter　written　by　him：　Once　they　had　finished　what　they　had　e　to　do　and　had　left　this　canyon　why　would　it　matter　if　someone　came　looking　for　Canfield　and　Miss　Leon　and　himself？　It　would　only　matter　that　no　one　be　left　alive　to　describe　them。　Thinking　that；　he　had　decided　to　throw　the　water　pot　at　the　Big　Navajo　and　jump　Eddie；　trying　for　Eddie's　pistol。　He　hadn't　thought　he　would　get　the　pistol；　but　there　would　be　nothing　to　lose　in　trying。　And　then　the　Navajo　had　baffled　him　again。
　〃Dr。　McKee；〃　he　had　said；　〃I　think　we'd　better　try　to　get　that　knuckle　of　yours　back　into　joint；　and　tie　it　up　with　a　splint。　I'm　going　to　be　busy　tomorrow；　but　by　tomorrow　night　I'll　want　to　get　that　writing　done。〃
　Thinking　about　it　now；　McKee　was　still　puzzled。　Eddie　had　carried　a　section　of　the　ladder　to　the　cliff　ruin　and　they　had　climbed　against　the　overhang　to　the　top　of　this　wall。。。　and　then　down　into　the　pitch　darkness　of　this　room。　The　Navajo　had　told　him　to　sit　on　the　floor　and　hold　out　his　hand。　He　had　argued　with　the　Indian　that　the　joint　was　broken；　not　just　dislocated。
　The　Navajo　had　laughed。　〃They　feel　like　that　when　they're　pulled　out；　but　we　can　get　it　back　in　the　socket。〃
　The　big　man　had　squatted　beside　him；　with　Eddie　holding　the　flashlight　from　above；　and　had　taken　McKee's　swollen　right　hand　in　both　of　his　own；　and　suddenly　there　had　been　pain　beyond　endurance。　When　he　had　returned　to　awareness；　Miss　Leon　was　holding　his　head　and　his　hand　was　tightly　wrapped。　He　had　been　sick　then；　violently　sick；　and　then　they　had　talked。
　〃Where　did　they　go？〃　McKee　had　asked。　It　was　almost　totally　dark　in　the　windowless　room；　with　only　a　small　spot　of　moonlight　reflecting　through　the　roof　hole　relieving　the　blackness。
　〃I　heard　them　a　little　while　ago；〃　Miss　Leon　had　said。　〃I　think　they　were　both　out　there　where　their　sleeping　rolls　are。　And　then　I　heard　what　sounded　like　the　ladder　being　moved。〃
　〃I　guess　they　climbed　down；〃　McKee　said。
　There　was　a　long　silence。　McKee　felt　her　shoe　against　his　leg。　The　touch　seemed　somehow　personal；　and　intimate；　and　forting。
　〃Dr。　McKee。〃　Her　voice　was　very　small。　〃I　didn't　hear　all　of　what　you　and　that　Navajo　said　when　we　were　at　Dr。　Canfield's　camper。　Dr。　Canfield's　body　was　in　there；　wasn't　it？　He　killed　Dr。　Canfield？〃
　〃Yes；〃　McKee　said。　There　was　no　use　trying　to　lie　to　her。　〃I　guess　he　did。〃
　〃Then　he'll　kill　us；　too；〃　she　said。
　〃No；〃　McKee　said。　〃We'll　find　a　way　out。〃　He　could　think　of　no　possible　way。
　〃There　isn't　any　way　out；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　〃It　would　take　a　magician　to　get　out　of　this。〃
　McKee　was　glad　it　was　dark。　Judging　from　the　sound　of　her　voice；　she　was　on　the　ragged　edge　of　tears。
　〃I　didn't　have　a　chance　to　tell　you；〃　he　said。　〃We　think　maybe　that　electrical　engineer　you　were　looking　for　may　be　working　somewhere　way　up　the　canyon。〃
　〃Jim？　Did　you　find　him？〃
　〃Some　Indians　saw　a　van　truck　driving　up　in　here。　Do　you　know　if　he　was　pulling　a　generator？〃
　〃There　was　a　little　trailer　behind　his　truck；〃　she　said。　〃Would　that　be　a　generator？〃
　〃Probably；〃　McKee　said。　He　searched　his　mind　for　some　way　to　keep　this　conversation　going；　to　keep　her　from　thinking　of　sudden　death。
　〃I　noticed　your　ring；　Miss　Leon。　Is　this　Dr。　Hall…er；　Jim…the　one　you're　engaged　to？〃　i
　〃Why　don't　you　call　me　Ellen？〃　she　said。　There　was　a　pause。　〃Yes；　I　was　going　to　marry　him。〃
　McKee　noticed　the　past　tense　instantly。　And　then　it　occurred　to　him　why　she　used　it。　She　thought　she　would　soon　be　dead。
　〃What's　he　like？〃　McKee　asked。　〃Tell　me　about　him。〃
　〃He's　tall；〃　she　said。　〃And　rather　slim。　Blond　hair；　blue　eyes。　He's　very　handsome　really。　And　he's…he's；　well…sometimes　moody。　And　sometimes　very　happy。　And　always　very　smart。〃
　The　voice　stopped。　I　match　none　of　that；　McKee　thought；　except　the　mood　part。
　〃He　graduated　magna　cum　laude。〃　The　voice　paused；　then　continued；　〃And　our　society　doesn't　have　the　proper　respect　for　magna　cum　laude。〃
　〃I　guess　not；〃　McKee　said。
　Ellen　laughed。　〃I　was　quoting　Jim；〃　she　said。　〃Jim　is…well；　Jim　is　very　ambitious。　He　wants　things。　He　wants　a　lot　of　things；　and　he's　very；　very　smart…and…and　so　he'll　get　them。〃
　〃I　don't　know　why；〃　McKee　said。　〃But　I　guess　I　never　was　very　ambitious。〃　He　wished　instantly　that　he　hadn't　said　it。　It　sounded　self…pitying。
　〃What　else　about　him？〃　McKee　asked。　He　didn't　enjoy　hearing　her　talk　about　the　man。　But　it　was　better　for　her　to　talk；　better　than　having　her　sitting　silent　in　the　dark…dreading　tomorrow。　She　talked　rapidly　now；　sounding　sometimes　as　if　she　had　waited　a　long　time　for　someone　to　listen；　and　sometimes　as　if　she　was　talking　only　to　herself；　trying　to　understand　the　tale　she　was　telling。
　She　had　met　Jim　at　Pennsylvania　State　on　the　first　day　of　a　Shakespeare's　Tragedies　class。　He　had　taken　the　chair　to　her　left　and　she　had　hardly　noticed　him　until　the　professor　called　the　roll。　But　the　professor's　voice　had　risen　slightly　in　a　question　as　he　read　〃Jimmy　Willie　Hall〃　off　the　class　card。　The　professor　had　intended　no　rudeness　and　he　made　this　clear　by　nodding　in　acknowledgment　to　Jim's　〃Heah；〃　but　someone　in　the　back　of　the　room　had　sniggered　and　this　churlishness　to　a　stranger　had　embarrassed　Ellen；　embarrassed　her　all　the　more　because　she；　too；　had　smiled　at　the　ludicrous　sound。　She　had　glanced　at　the　young　man　with　the　outlandish　name　and　noticed　he　wore　cowboy　boots　and　had　a　wide…brimmed　gray　felt　hat　pushed　under　his　chair。　On　a　campus　where　styles　were　set　by　the　casual；　careless　conformity　of　young　men　from　Philadelphia　one　was　as　out　of　place　as　the　other。　And；　when　she　had　looked　at　him　again；　she　had　seen　that　while　his　face；　neck；　and　hands　were　incredibly　sunburned　his　forearms　about　the　wrists　were　as　white　as　the　shirt　he　was　wearing。
　〃He　looked　very　strange　and　out　of　place；〃　Ellen　said。　And　suddenly　she　laughed。　〃I　thought　he　would　be　lonely；〃　she　said；　sounding　incredulous。
　She　had　spoken　to　this　Jimmy　Willie　Hall　in　the　lecture　building　hallway。　Jim　had　said；　in　reply　to　her　ment　that　he　wasn't　from　the　East；　that　he　was　from　Hall；　New　Mexico；　and　when　she　had　asked　where　that　was；　he　had　said　he　wasn't　really　from　Hall；　exactly；　because　their　place　was　twenty　one　miles　northwest　of　there；　in　the　foothills　of　the　Oscura　Mountains。　It　was　just　that　they　picked　up　their　mail　at　Hall。　He　guessed　he　should　say　he　was　from　Corona；　which　was　larger　and　slightly　closer。
　The　conversation　had　been　inane　and　pointless；　Ellen　recalled；　as　exploratory　chats　with　strangers　tend　to　be。　She　asked　why；　if　Corona　was　larger　and　nearer；　they　picked　up　their　mail　at　Hall；　and　he　had　explained　that　there　was　no　road　from　the　Hall　ranch　to　Corona。　To　get　there　you　had　to　go　through　the　Oscura　Range　and　Jicarilla　Apache　Reserva