wildfire-第25节

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King　fretted　at　the　monotonous　walk。　The　hours　dragged。　The　sun　grew　hot。　And
it　was　noon；　almost；　when　she　reached　the　point　where　she　cut　off　the　trail　to
the　left。　Thereafter；　with　the　monuments　standing　ever　higher；　and　the
distance　perceptibly　lessening；　the　minutes　passed　less　tediously。

At　length　she　reached　the　zone　of　lofty　rocks；　and　found　them　different；　how；
she　could　not　tell。　She　rode　down　among　them；　and　was　glad　when　she　saw　the
huge　mittensher　landmarks。　At　last　she　espied　the　green…bordered　wash　and
the　few　cedar…trees。　Then　a　horse　blazed　red　against　the　sage　and　another
shone　black。　That　sight　made　Lucy　thrill。　She　rode　on；　eager　now；　but　moved　by
the　strangeness　of　the　experience。

Before　she　got　quite　close　to　the　cedars　she　saw　a　man。　He　took　a　few　slow
steps　out　of　the　shade。　His　back　was　bent。　Lucy　recognized　the　rider；　and　in
her　gladness　to　see　him　on　his　feet　she　cried　out。　Then；　when　Sage　King
reached　the　spot；　Lucy　rolled　the　pack　off　to　the　ground。

〃Oh；　that　was　a　job！〃　she　cried。

The　rider　looked　up　with　eyes　that　seemed　keener；　less　staring　than　she
remembered。　〃You　came？　。　。　。　I　was　afraid　you　wouldn't；〃　he　said。

〃Sure　I　came。　。　。　。　You're　betternot　badly　hurt？〃　she　said；　gravely；　〃II'm
so　glad。〃

〃I've　got　a　crimp　in　my　back；　that's　all。〃

Lucy　was　quick　to　see　that　after　the　first　glance　at　her　he　was　all　eyes　for
Sage　King。　She　laughed。　How　like　a　rider！　She　watched　him；　knowing　that
presently　he　would　realize　what　a　horse　she　was　riding。　She　slipped　off　and
threw　the　bridle；　and　then；　swiftly　untying　the　second　pack；　she　laid　it　down。

The　rider；　with　slow；　painful　steps　and　bent　back；　approached　Sage　King　and
put　a　lean；　strong；　brown　hand　on　him；　and　touched　him　as　if　he　wished　to　feel
if　he　were　real。　Then　he　whistled　softly。　When　he　turned　to　Lucy　his　eyes
shone　with　a　beautiful　light。

〃It's　Sage　King；　Bostil's　favorite；〃　said　Lucy。

〃Sage　King！　。　。　。　He　looks　it。　。　。　。　But　never　a　wild　horse？〃

〃No。〃

〃A　fine　horse；〃　replied　the　rider。　〃Of　course　he　can　run？〃　This　last　held　a
note　of　a　rider's　jealousy。

Lucy　laughed。　〃Run！　。　。　。　The　King　is　Bostil's　favorite。　He　can　run　away　from
any　horse　in　the　uplands。〃

〃I'll　bet　you　Wildfire　can　beat　him；〃　replied　the　rider；　with　a　dark　glance。

〃Come　on！〃　cried　Lucy；　daringly。

Then　the　rider　and　girl　looked　more　earnestly　at　each　other。　He　smiled　in　a
way　that　changed　his　facebrightened　out　the　set　hardness。

〃I　reckon　I'll　have　to　crawl；〃　he　said；　ruefully。　〃But　maybe　I　can　ride　in　a
few　daysif　you'll　come　back　again。〃

His　remark　brought　to　Lucy　the　idea　that　of　course　she　would　hardly　see　this
rider　again　after　to…day。　Even　if　he　went　to　the　Ford；　which　event　was
unlikely；　he　would　not　remain　there　long。　The　sensation　of　blankness　puzzled
her；　and　she　felt　an　unfamiliar　confusion。

〃II've　brought　yousome　things；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　larger　pack。

〃Grub；　you　mean？〃

〃No。〃

〃That　was　all　I　asked　you　for；　miss；〃　he　said；　somewhat　stiffly。

〃Yes；　butII　thought〃　Lucy　became　unaccountably　embarrassed。　Suppose　this
strange　rider　would　be　offended。　〃Your　clothes　were　so　torn。　。　。　。　And　no
wonder　you　were　thrownin　those　boots！　。　。　。　So　I　thought　I'd〃

〃You　thought　I　needed　clothes　as　bad　as　grub；〃　he　said；　bitterly。　〃I　reckon
that's　so。〃

His　look；　more　than　his　tone；　cut　Lucy；　and　involuntarily　she　touched　his　arm。
〃Oh；　you　won't　refuse　to　take　them！　Please　don't！〃

At　her　touch　a　warmth　came　into　his　face。　〃Take　them？　I　should　smile　I　will。〃

He　tried　to　reach　down　to　lift　the　pack；　but　as　it　was　obviously　painful　for
him　to　bend；　Lucy　intercepted　him。

〃But　you've　had　no　breakfast；〃　she　protested。　〃Why　not　eat　before　you　open
that　pack？〃

〃Nope。　I'm　not　hungry。　。　。　。　Maybe　I'll　eat　a　little；　after　I　dress　up。〃　He
started　to　walk　away；　then　turned。　〃Miss　Bostil；　have　you　been　so　good　to
every　wanderin'　rider　you　happened　to　run　across？〃

〃Good！〃　she　exclaimed；　flushing。　She　dropped　her　eyes　before　his。　〃Nonsense。　。
。　。　Anyway；　you're　the　first　wandering　rider　I　ever　metlike　this。〃

〃Well；　you're　good；〃　he　replied；　with　emotion。　Then　he　walked　away　with　slow；
stiff　steps　and　disappeared　behind　the　willows　in　the　little　hollow。

Lucy　uncoiled　the　rope　on　her　saddle　and　haltered　Sage　King　on　the　best　grass
near　at　hand。　Then　she　opened　the　pack　of　supplies；　thinking　the　while　that
she　must　not　tarry　here　long。

〃But　on　the　King　I　can　run　back　like　the　wind；〃　she　mused。

The　pack　contained　dried　fruits　and　meat　and　staples；　also　an　assortment　of
good　things　to　eat　that　were　of　a　perishable　nature；　already　much　the　worse
for　the　long　ride。　She　spread　all　this　out　in　the　shade　of　a　cedar。　The
utensils　were　fewtwo　cups；　two　pans；　and　a　tiny　pot。　She　gathered　wood；　and
arranged　it　for　a　fire；　so　that　the　rider　could　start　as　soon　as　he　came　back。
He　seemed　long　in　coming。　Lucy　waited；　yet　still　he　did　not　return。　Finally
she　thought　of　the　red　stallion；　and　started　off　down　the　wash　to　take　a　look
at　him。　He　was　grazing。　He　had　lost　some　of　the　dirt　and　dust　and　the
bedraggled　appearance。　When　he　caught　sight　of　her　he　lifted　his　head　high　and
whistled。　How　wild　he　looked！　And　his　whistle　was　shrill；　clear；　strong。　Both
the　other　horses　answered　it。　Lucy　went　on　closer　to　Wildfire。　She　was
fascinated　now。

〃If　he　doesn't　know　me！〃　she　cried。　Never　had　she　been　so　pleased。　She　had
expected　every　sign　of　savageness　on　his　part；　and　certainly　had　not　intended
to　go　near　him。　But　Wildfire　did　not　show　fear　or　hate　in　his　recognition。
Lucy　went　directly　to　him　and　got　a　hand　on　him。　Wildfire　reared　a　little　and
shook　a　little；　but　this　disappeared　presently　under　her　touch。　He　held　his
head　very　high　and　watched　her　with　wonderful　eyes。　Gradually　she　drew　his
head　down。　Standing　before　him；　she　carefully　and　slowly　changed　the　set　of
the　hackamore；　which　had　made　a　welt　on　his　nose。　It　seemed　to　have　been　her
good　fortune　that　every　significant　move　she　had　made　around　this　stallion　had
been　to　mitigate　his　pain。　Lucy　believed　he　knew　this　as　well　as　she　knew　it。
Her　theory；　an　often　disputed　one；　was　that　horses　were　as　intelligent　as
human　beings　and　had　just　the　same　fears；　likes；　and　dislikes。　Lucy　knew　she
was　safe　when　she　untied　the　lasso　from　the　strong　root　where　she　had　fastened
it；　and　led　the　stallion　down　the　wash　to　a　pool　of　water。　And　she　stood
beside　him　with　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　while　he　bent　his　head　to　sniff　at　the
water。　He　tasted　it；　plainly　with　disgust。　It　was　stagnant　water；　full　of
vermin。　But　finally　he　drank。　Lucy　led　him　up　the　wash　to　another　likely
place；　and　tied　him　securely。

When　she　got　back　to　the　camp　in　the　cedars　the　rider　was　there；　on　his　knees；
kindling　the　fire。　His　clean…shaved　face　and　new　apparel　made　him　vastly
different。　He　was　young；　and；　had　he　not　been　so　gaunt。　he　would　have　been
fine…looking；　Lucy　thought。

〃Wildfire　remembered　me；〃　Lucy　burst　out。　〃He　wasn't　a　bit　scary。　Let　me
handle　him。　Followed　me　to　water。〃

〃He's　taken　to　you；〃　replied　the　rider；　seriously。　〃I've　heard　of　the　like；
but　not　so　quick。　Was　he　in　a　bad　fix　when　you　got　to　him　yesterday？〃

Lucy　explained　briefly。

〃Aha！　。　。　。　If　that　red　devil　has　any　love　in　him　I'll　never　get　it。　I　wish　I
could　have　done　so　much　for　him。　But　always　when　he　sees　me　he'll　remember。〃

Lucy　saw　that　the　rider　was　in　difficulties。　He　could　not　bend　his　back；　and
evidently　it　pained　him　to　try。　His　brow　was　moist。

〃Let　me　do　that；〃　she　said。

〃Thanks。　It　took　about　all　my　strength　to　get　into　this　new　outfit；〃　he　said；
relinquishing；　his　place　to　Lucy。

When　she　looked　up　from　her　task；　presently；　he　was　sitting　in　the　shade　of
the　cedar；　watching　her。　He　had　the　expression　of　a　man　who　hardly　believed
what　he　saw。

〃Did　you　have　any　trouble　gettin'　away；　without　tellin'about　me？〃　he　asked。

〃No。　But　I　sure　had　a　job　with　those　packs；〃　she　replied。

〃You　must　be　a　wonder　with　a　horse。〃

As　far　as　vanity　was　concerned　Lucy　had　only　one　weaknessand　he　had　touched
upon　it。

〃Well；　Dad　and　Holley　and　Farlane　argue　much　about　me。　Still；　I　guess　they　all
agree　I　can　ride。〃

〃Holley　an'　Farlane　are　riders？〃　he　questioned。

〃Yes；　Dad's　right…hand　men。〃

〃Your　dad　hires　many　riders；　I　supposed？〃

〃Sure　I　never　heard　of　him　turning　any　rider　down；　at　least　not　without　a
try。〃

〃I　wonder　if　he　would　give　me　a　job？〃

Lucy　glanced　up　quickly。　The　idea　surprised　herpleased　her。　〃In　a　minute；〃
she　replied。　〃And　he'd　be　grand　to　you。　You　see；　he'd　have　an　eye　for
Wildfire。〃

The　rider　nodded　his　head　as　if　he　understood　how　that　would　be。

〃And　of　course　you'd　never　sell　nor　trade　Wildfire？〃　went　on　Lucy。

The　rider's　smile　was　sad；　but　it　was　conclusive。

〃Then　you'd　better　stay　away　from　Bostil；〃　returned　Lucy；　shortly。

He　remained　silent；　and　Lucy；　busy　about　the　campfire；　did　not　speak　again
till　the　simple　fare　was　ready。　Then　she　spread　a　tarpaulin　in　the　shade。

〃I'm　pretty　hungry　myself；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　don't　suppose　I　know　what　hunger
is。〃

〃After　a　while　a　fellow　loses　the　feelin'　of　hunger；〃　he　replied。　〃I　reckon
it'll　come　back　quick。　。　。　。　This　all　look