wildfire-第20节

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Slone　uncoiled　the　lassoes　from　the　pommel　and　slacked　them　a　little。　Wildfire
stood　up；　striking　at　the　air；　snorting　fiercely。　Slone　tried　to　wheel　Nagger
in　close　behind　the　stallion。　Both　horse　and　man　narrowly　escaped　the　vicious
hoofs。　But　Slone　had　closed　in。　He　took　a　desperate　chance　and　spurred　Nagger
in　a　single　leap　as　Wildfire　reared　again。　The　horses　collided。　Slone　hauled
the　lassoes　tight。　The　impact　threw　Wildfire　off　his　balance；　just　as　Slone
had　calculated；　and　as　the　stallion　plunged　down　on　four　feet　Slone　spurred
Nagger　close　against　him。　Wildfire　was　a　little　in　the　lead。　He　could　only
half　rear　now；　for　the　heaving；　moving　Nagger；　always　against　him；　jostled　him
down；　and　Slone's　iron　arm　hauled　on　the　short　ropes。　When　Wildfire　turned　to
bite；　Slone　knocked　the　vicious　nose　back　with　a　long　swing　of　his　fist。

Up　the　pass　the　horses　plunged。　With　a　rider's　wild　joy　Slone　saw　the　long
green…and…gray　valley；　and　the　isolated　monuments　in　the　distance。　There；　on
that　wide　stretch；　he　would　break　Wildfire。　How　marvelously　luck　had　favored
him　at　the　last！

〃Run；　you　red　devil！〃　Slone　called。　〃Drag　us　around　now　till　you're　done！〃

They　left　the　pass　and　swept　out　upon　the　waste　of　sage。　Slone　realized；　from
the　stinging　of　the　sweet　wind　in　his　face；　that　Nagger　was　being　pulled　along
at　a　tremendous　pace。　The　faithful　black　could　never　have　made　the　wind　cut
so。　Lower　the　wild　stallion　stretched　and　swifter　he　ran；　till　it　seemed　to
Slone　that　death　must　end　that　thunderbolt　race。



CHAPTER　VIII

Lucy　Bostil　had　called　twice　to　her　father　and　he　had　not　answered。　He　was　out
at　the　hitching…rail；　with　Holley；　the　rider；　and　two　other　men。　If　he　heard
Lucy　he　gave　no　sign　of　it。　She　had　on　her　chaps　and　did　not　care　to　go　any
farther　than　the　door　where　she　stood。

〃Somers　has　gone　to　Durango　an'　Shugrue　is　out　huntin'　hosses；〃　Lucy　heard
Bostil　say；　gruffly。

〃Wal　now；　I　reckon　I　could　handle　the　boat　an'　fetch　Creech's　hosses　over；〃
said　Holley。

Bostil　raised　an　impatient　hand；　as　if　to　wave　aside　Holley's　assumption。

Then　one　of　the　other　two　men　spoke　up。　Lucy　had　seen　him　before；　but　did　not
know　his　name。

〃Sure　there　ain't　any　need　to　rustle　the　job。　The　river　hain't　showed　any
signs　of　risin'　yet。　But　Creech　is　worryin'。　He　allus　is　worryin'　over　them
hosses。　No　wonder！　Thet　Blue　Roan　is　sure　a　hoss。　Yesterday　at　two　miles　he
showed　Creech　he　was　a　sight　faster　than　last　year。　The　grass　is　gone　over
there。　Creech　is　grainin'　his　stock　these　last　few　days。　An'　thet's
expensive。〃

〃How　about　the　flat　up　the　canyon？〃　queried　Bostil。　〃Ain't　there　any　grass
there？〃

〃Reckon　not。　It's　the　dryest　spell　Creech　ever　had；〃　replied　the　other。　〃An'
if　there　was　grass　it　wouldn't　do　him　no　good。　A　landslide　blocked　the　only
trail　up。〃

〃Bostil；　them　hosses；　the　racers　special；　ought　to　be　brought　acrost　the
river；〃　said　Holley；　earnestly。　He　loved　horses　and　was　thinking　of　them。

〃The　boat's　got　to　be　patched　up；〃　replied　Bostil；　shortly。

It　occurred　to　Lucy　that　her　father　was　also　thinking　of　Creech's
thoroughbreds；　but　not　like　Holley。　She　grew　grave　and　listened　intently。

There　was　an　awkward　pause。　Creech's　rider；　whoever　he　was；　evidently　tried　to
conceal　his　anxiety。　He　flicked　his　boots　with　a　quirt。　The　boots　were　covered
with　wet　mud。　Probably　he　had　crossed　the　river　very　recently。

〃Wal；　when　will　you　have　the　hosses　fetched　over？〃　he　asked；　deliberately。
〃Creech'll　want　to　know。〃

〃Just　as　soon　as　the　boat's　mended；〃　replied　Bostil。　〃I'll　put　Shugrue　on　the
job　to…morrow。〃

〃Thanks；　Bostil。　Sure；　thet'll　be　all　right。　Creech'll　be　satisfied；〃　said　the
rider；　as　if　relieved。　Then　he　mounted；　and　with　his　companion　trotted　down
the　lane。

The　lean；　gray　Holley　bent　a　keen　gaze　upon　Bostil。　But　Bostil　did　not　notice
that；　he　appeared　preoccupied　in　thought。

〃Bostil；　the　dry　winter　an'　spring　here　ain't　any　guarantee　thet　there　wasn't
a　lot　of　snow　up　in　the　mountains。〃　Holley's　remark　startled　Bostil。

〃Noit　ain'tsure；　〃　he　replied。

〃An'　any　mornin'　along　now　we　might　wake　up　to　hear　the　Colorado　boomin'；〃
went　on　Holley；　significantly。

Bostil　did　not　reply　to　that。

〃Creech　hain't　lived　over　there　so　many　years。　What's　he　know　about　the　river？
An'　fer　that　matter；　who　knows　anythin'　sure　about　thet　hell…bent　river？〃

〃It　ain't　my　business　thet　Creech　lives　over　there　riskin'　his　stock　every
spring；〃　replied　Bostil；　darkly。

Holley　opened　his　lips　to　speak；　hesitated；　looked　away　from　Bostil；　and
finally　said；　〃No；　it　sure　ain't。〃　Then　he　turned　and　walked　away；　head　bent
in　sober　thought。　Bostil　came　toward　the　open　door　where　Lucy　stood。　He　looked
somber。　At　her　greeting　he　seemed　startled。

〃What？〃　he　said。

〃I　just　said；　'Hello；　Dad；'〃　she　replied；　demurely。　Yet　she　thoughtfully
studied　her　father's　dark　face。

〃Hello　yourself。　。　。　。　Did　you　know　Van　got　throwed　an'　hurt？〃

〃Yes。〃

Bostil　swore　under　his　breath。　〃There　ain't　any　riders　on　the　range　thet　can
be　trusted；〃　he　said；　disgustedly。　〃They're　all　the　same。　They　like　to　get　in
a　bunch　an'　jeer　each　other　an'　bet。　They　want　MEAN　hosses。　They　make　good
hosses　buck。　They　haven't　any　use　for　a　hoss　thet　won't　buck。　They　all　want　to
give　a　hoss　a　rakin'　over。　。　。　。　Think　of　thet　fool　Van　gettin'　throwed　by　a
two…dollar　Ute　mustang。　An'　hurt　so　he　can't　ride　for　days！　With　them　races
comin'　soon！　It　makes　me　sick。〃

〃Dad；　weren't　you　a　rider　once？〃　asked　Lucy。

〃I　never　was　thet　kind。〃

〃Van　will　be　all　right　in　a　few　days。〃

〃No　matter。　It's　bad　business。　If　I　had　any　other　rider　who　could　handle　the
King　I'd　let　Van　go。〃

〃I　can　get　just　as　much　out　of　the　King　as　Van　can；〃　said　Lucy；　spiritedly。

〃You！〃　exclaimed　Bostil。　But　there　was　pride　in　his　glance。

〃I　know　I　can。〃

〃You　never　had　any　use　for　Sage　King；〃　said　Bostil；　as　if　he　had　been　wronged。

〃I　love　the　King　a　little；　and　hate　him　a　lot；〃　laughed　Lucy。

〃Wal；　I　might　let　you　ride　at　thet；　if　Van　ain't　in　shape；〃　rejoined　her
father。

〃I　wouldn't　ride　him　in　the　race。　But　I'll　keep　him　in　fine　fettle。〃

〃I'll　bet　you'd　like　to　see　Sarch　beat　him；〃　said　Bostil；　jealously。

〃Sure　I　would；〃　replied　Lucy；　teasingly。　〃But；　Dad；　I'm　afraid　Sarch　never
will　beat　him。〃

Bostil　grunted。　〃See　here。　I　don't　want　any　weight　up　on　the　King。　You　take
him　out　for　a　few　days。　An'　ride　him！　Savvy　thet？〃

〃Yes；　Dad。〃

〃Give　him　miles　an'　milesan'　then　comin'　home；　on　good　trails；　ride　him　for
all　your　worth。　。　。　。　Now；　Lucy；　keep　your　eye　open。　Don't　let　any　one　get
near　you　on　the　sage。〃

〃I　won't。　。　。　。　Dad；　do　you　still　worry　about　poor　Joel　Creech？〃

〃Not　Joel。　But　I'd　rather　lose　all　my　stock　then　have　Cordts　or　Dick　Sears　get
within　a　mile　of　you。〃

〃A　mile！〃　exclaimed　Lucy；　lightly；　though　a　fleeting　shade　crossed　her　face。
〃Why；　I'd　run　away　from　him；　if　I　was　on　the　King；　even　if　he　got　within　ten
yards　of　me。〃

〃A　mile　is　close　enough；　my　daughter；〃　replied　Bostil。　〃Don't　ever　forget　to
keep　your　eye　open。　Cordts　has　sworn　thet　if　he　can't　steal　the　King　he'll　get
you。

〃Oh！　he　prefers　the　horse　to　me。〃

〃Wal；　Lucy；　I've　a　sneakin'　idea　thet　Cordts　will　never　leave　the　uplands
unless　he　gets　you　an'　the　King　both。〃

〃And；　Dadyou　consented　to　let　that　horse…thief　come　to　our　races？〃　exclaimed
Lucy；　with　heat。

〃Why　not？　He　can't　do　any　harm。　If　he　or　his　men　get　uppish；　the　worse　for
them。　Cordts　gave　his　word　not　to　turn　a　trick　till　after　the　races。〃

〃Do　you　trust　him？〃

〃Yes。　But　his　men　might　break　loose；　away　from　his　sight。　Especially　thet　Dick
Sears。　He's　a　bad　man。　So　be　watchful　whenever　you　ride　out。〃

As　Lucy　went　down　toward　the　corrals　she　was　thinking　deeply。　She　could　always
tell；　woman…like。　when　her　father　was　excited　or　agitated。　She　remembered　the
conversation　between　him　and　Creech's　rider。　She　remembered　the　keen　glance
old　Holley　had　bent　upon　him。　And　mostly　she　remembered　the　somber　look　upon
his　face。　She　did　not　like　that。　Once；　when　a　little　girl；　she　had　seen　it　and
never　forgotten　it；　nor　the　thing　that　it　was　associated　withsomething
tragical　which　had　happened　in　the　big　room。　There　had　been　loud；　angry　voices
of　menand　shotsand　then　the　men　carried　out　a　long　form　covered　with　a
blanket。　She　loved　her　father；　but　there　was　a　side　to　him　she　feared。　And
somehow　related　to　that　side　was　his　hardness　toward　Creech　and　his
intolerance　of　any　rider　owning　a　fast　horse　and　his　obsession　in　regard　to
his　own　racers。　Lucy　had　often　tantalized　her　father　with　the　joke　that　if　it
ever　came　to　a　choice　between　her　and　his　favorites　they　would　come　first。　But
was　it　any　longer　a　joke？　Lucy　felt　that　she　had　left　childhood　behind　with
its　fun　and　fancies；　and　she　had　begun　to　look　at　life　thoughtfully。

Sight　of　the　corrals；　however；　and　of　the　King　prancing　around；　drove　serious
thoughts　away。　There　were　riders　there；　among　them　Farlane；　and　they　all　had
pleasant　greetings　for　her。

〃Farlane；　Dad　says　I'm　to　take　out　Sage　King；〃　announced　Lucy。

〃No！〃　ejaculated　Farlane；　as　he　pocketed　his　pipe。

〃Sure。　And　I'm　to　RIDE　him。　You　know　how　Dad　means　that。〃

〃Wal；　no