wildfire-第22节

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what　was　possible；　even　to　the　extent　of　putting　him　out　of　his　misery；　if
nothing　else　could　be　done。　Yet　she　scanned　the　surroundings　closely；　and
peered　into　the　bushes　and　behind　the　rocks　before　she　tried　to　urge　Sage　King
closer。　He　refused　to　go　nearer；　and　Lucy　dismounted。

The　red　horse　was　partly　hidden　by　overbending　brush。　He　had　plunged　into　a
hole　full　of　cactus。　There　was　a　hackamore　round　his　nose　and　a　tight　noose
round　his　neck。　The　one　round　his　neck　was　also　round　his　forelegs。　And　both
lassoes　were　held　taut　by　the　black　horse。　A　torn　and　soiled　rider's　scarf
hung　limp　round　the　red　horse's　nose；　kept　from　falling　off　by　the　hackamore。

〃A　wild　horse；　a　stallion；　being　broken！〃　exclaimed　Lucy；　instantly　grasping
the　situation。　〃Oh！　where's　the　rider？〃

She　gazed　around；　ran　to　and　fro；　glanced　down　the　little　slope；　and　beyond；
but　she　did　not　see　anything　resembling　the　form　of　a　man。　Then　she　ran　back。

Lucy　took　another　quick　look　at　the　red　stallion。　She　did　not　believe　either
his　legs　or　back　were　hurt。　He　was　just　played　out　and　tangled　and　tied　in　the
ropes；　and　could　not　get　up。　The　shaggy　black　horse　stood　there　braced　and
indomitable。　But　he；　likewise；　was　almost　ready　to　drop。　Looking　at　the
condition　of　both　horses　and　the　saddle　and　ropes；　Lucy　saw　what　a　fight　there
had　been；　and　a　race！　Where　was　the　rider？　Thrown；　surely；　and　back　on　the
trail；　perhaps　dead　or　maimed。

Lucy　went　closer　to　the　stallion　so　that　she　could　almost　touch　him。　He　saw
her。　He　was　nearly　choked。　Foam　and　blood　wheezed　out　with　his　heaves。　She
must　do　something　quickly。　And　in　her　haste　she　pricked　her　arms　and　shoulders
on　the　cactus。

She　led　the　black　horse　closer　in；　letting　the　ropes　go；　slack。　The　black
seemed　as　glad　of　that　release　as　she　was。　What　a　faithful　brute　he　looked！
Lucy　liked　his　eyes。

Then　she　edged　down　in　among　the　cactus　and　brush。　The　red　horse　no　longer　lay
in　a　strained　position。　He　could　lift　his　head。　Lucy　saw　that　the　noose　still
held　tight　round　his　neck。　Fearlessly　she　jerked　it　loose。　Then　she　backed
away；　but　not　quite　out　of　his　reach。　He　coughed　and　breathed　slowly；　with
great　heaves。　Then　he　snorted。

〃You're　all　right　now；〃　said　Lucy；　soothingly。　Slowly　she　reached　a　hand
toward　his　head。　He　drew　it　back　as　far　as　he　could。　She　stepped　around；
closer；　and　more　back　of　him；　and　put　a　hand　on　him；　gently；　for　an　instant。
Then　she　slipped　out　of　the　brush　and；　untying　one　lasso　from　the　pommel；　she
returned　to　the　horse　and　pulled　it　from　round　his　legs。　He　was　free　now；
except　the　hackamore；　and　that　rope　was　slack。　Lucy　stood　near　him；　watching
him；　talking　to　him；　waiting　for　him　to　get　up。　She　could　not　be　sure　he　was
not　badly　hurt　till　he　stood　up。　At　first　he　made　no　efforts　to　rise。　He
watched　Lucy；　less　fearfully；　she　imagined。　And　she　never　made　a　move。　She
wanted　him　to　see；　to　understand　that　she　had　not　hurt　him　and　would　not　hurt
him。　It　began　to　dawn　upon　her　that　he　was　magnificent。

Finally；　with　a　long；　slow　heave　he　got　to　his　feet。　Lucy　led　him　out　of　the
hole　to　open　ground。　She　seemed　somehow　confident。　There　occurred　to　her　only
one　way　to　act。

〃A　little　horse　sense；　as　Dad　would　say；〃　she　soliloquized；　and　then；　when　she
got　him　out　of　the　brush；　she　stood　thrilled　and　amazed。

〃Oh；　what　a　wild；　beautiful　horse！　What　a　giant！　He's　bigger　than　the　King。
Oh；　if　Dad　could　see　him！〃

The　red　stallion　did　not　appear　to　be　hurt。　The　twitching　of　his　muscles　must
have　been　caused　by　the　cactus　spikes　embedded　in　him。　There　were　drops　of
blood　all　over　one　side。　Lucy　thought　she　dared　to　try　to　pull　these　thorns
out。　She　had　never　in　her　life　been　afraid　of　any　horse。　Farlane；　Holley；　all
the　riders；　and　her　father；　too；　had　tried　to　make　her　realize　the　danger　in　a
horse；　sooner　or　later。　But　Lucy　could　not　help　it；　she　was　not　afraid；　she
believed　that　the　meanest　horse　was　actuated　by　natural　fear　of　a　man；　she　was
not　a　man　and　she　had　never　handled　a　horse　like　a　man。　This　red　stallion
showed　hate　of　the　black　horse　and　the　rope　that　connected　them；　he　showed
some　spirit　at　the　repeated　blasts　of　Sage　King。　But　he　showed　less　fear　of
her。

〃He　has　been　a　proud；　wild　stallion；〃　mused　Lucy。　〃And　he's　now
brokenterribly　brokenall　but　ruined。〃

Then　she　walked　up　to　him　naturally　and　spoke　softly；　and　reached　a　hand　for
his　shoulder。

〃Whoa；　Reddy。　Whoa　now。　。　。　。　There。　That's　a　good　fellow。　Why；　I　wouldn't
rope　you　or　hit　you。　I'm　only　a　girl。〃

He　drew　up；　made　a　single　effort　to　jump；　which　she　prevented；　and　then　he
stood　quivering；　eying　her；　while　she　talked　soothingly；　and　patted　him　and
looked　at　him　in　the　way　she　had　found　infallible　with　most　horses。　Lucy
believed　horses　were　like　people；　or　easier　to　get　along　with。　Presently　she
gently　pulled　out　one　of　the　cactus　spikes。　The　horse　flinched；　but　he　stood。
Lucy　was　slow；　careful；　patient；　and　dexterous。　The　cactus　needles　were　loose
and　easily　removed　or　brushed　off。　At　length　she　got　him　free　of　them；　and　was
almost　as　proud　as　she　was　glad。　The　horse　had　gradually　dropped　his　head；　he
was　tired　and　his　spirit　was　broken。

〃Now；　what　shall　I　do？〃　she　queried。　〃I'll　take　the　back　trail　of　these
horses。　They　certainly　hadn't　been　here　long　before　I　saw　them。　And　the　rider
may　be　close。　If　not　I'll　take　the　horses　home。〃

She　slipped　the　noose　from　the　stallion's　head；　leaving　the　hackamore；　and；
coiling　the　loose　lasso；　she　hung　it　over　the　pommel　of　the　black's　saddle。
Then　she　took　up　his　bridle。

〃Come　on；〃　she　called。

The　black　followed　her；　and　the　stallion；　still　fast　to　him　by　the　lasso　Lucy
had　left　tied；　trooped　behind　with　bowed　head。　Lucy　was　elated。　But　Sage　King
did　not　like　the　matter　at　all。　Lucy　had　to　drop　the　black's　bridle　and　catch
the　King；　and　then　ride　back　to　lead　the　other　again。

A　broad　trail　marked　the　way　the　two　horses　had　come；　and　it　led　off　to　the
left；　toward　where　the　monuments　were　thickest；　and　where　the　great　sections
of　wall　stood；　broken　and　battlemented。　Lucy　was　hard　put　to　it　to　hold　Sage
King；　but　the　horses　behind　plodded　along。　The　black　horse　struck　Lucy　as
being　an　ugly；　but　a　faithful　and　wonderful　animal。　He　understood　everything。
Presently　she　tied　the　bridle　she　was　leading　him　by　to　the　end　of　her　own
lasso；　and　thus　let　him　drop　back　a　few　yards；　which　lessened　the　King's
fretting。

Intent　on　the　trail；　Lucy　failed　to　note　time　or　distance　till　the　looming　and
frowning　monuments　stood　aloft　before　her。　What　weird　effect　they　had！　Each
might　have　been　a　colossal　statue　left　there　to　mark　the　work　of　the　ages。
Lucy　realized　that　the　whole　vast　valley　had　once　been　solid　rock；　just　like
the　monuments；　and　through　the　millions　of　years　the　softer　parts　had　eroded
and　weathered　and　blown　awaygone　with　the　great　sea　that　had　once　been
there。　But　the　beauty；　the　solemnity；　the　majesty　of　these　monuments
fascinated　her　most。　She　passed　the　first　one；　a　huge　square　butte；　and　then
the　second；　a　ragged；　thin；　double　shaft；　and　then　went　between　two　much
alike；　reaching　skyward　in　the　shape　of　monstrous　mittens。　She　watched　and
watched　them；　sparing　a　moment　now　and　then　to　attend　to　the　trail。　She
noticed　that　she　was　coming　into　a　region　of　grass；　and　faint　signs　of　water
in　the　draws。　She　was　getting　high　again；　not　many　miles　now　from　the　wall　of
rock。

All　at　once　Sage　King　shied；　and　Lucy　looked　down　to　see　a　man　lying　on　the
ground。　He　lay　inert。　But　his　eyes　were　opendark；　staring　eyes。　They　moved。
And　he　called。　But　Lucy　could　not　understand　him。

In　a　flash　she　leaped　off　the　King。　She　ran　to　the　prostrate　man　dropped　to
her　knees。

〃Oh！〃　she　cried。　His　face　was　ghastly。　〃Oh！　are　youyou　badly　hurt？〃

〃Lift　memy　head；〃　he　said；　faintly。

She　raised　his　head。　What　a　strained；　passionate；　terrible　gaze　he　bent　upon
the　horses。

〃Boy；　they're　minethe　black　an'　the　red！〃　he　cried。

〃They　surely　must　be；〃　replied　Lucy。　〃Oh！　tell　me。　Are　you　hurt？〃

〃Boy！　did　you　catch　themfetch　them　backlookin'　for　me？〃

〃I　sure　did。〃

〃You　caught…that　red　devilan'　fetched　himback　to　me？〃　went　on　the
wondering；　faint　voice。　〃Boyohboy！〃

He　lifted　a　long；　ragged　arm　and　pulled　Lucy　down。　The　action　amazed　her
equally　as　his　passion　of　gratitude。　He　might　have　been　injured；　but　he　had　an
arm　of　iron。　Lucy　was　powerless。　She　felt　her　face　against　hisand　her　breast
against　his。　The　pounding　of　his　heart　was　like　blows。　The　first　instant　she
wanted　to　laugh；　despite　her　pity。　Then　the　powerful　armthe　contact　affected
her　as　nothing　ever　before。　Suppose　this　crippled　rider　had　taken　her　for　a
boyShe　was　not　a　boy！　She　could　not　help　being　herself。　And　no　man　had　ever
put　a　hand　on　her。　Consciousness　of　this　brought　shame　and　anger。　She
struggled　so　violently　that　she　freed　herself。　And　he　lay　back。

〃See　herethat's　no　way　to　actto　huga　person；〃　she　cried；　with　flaming
cheeks。

〃Boy；　I〃

〃I'm　NOT　a　boy。　I'm　a　girl。〃

〃What！〃

Lucy　tore　off　her　sombrero；　which　had　been　pulled　far　forward；　and　this
revealed　her　face　fully；　and　her　hair　came　tumbling　down。　The　rider　gazed；
stupefied。　Then　a　faint　tinge　of　red　colored　hi