wildfire-第30节

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A　smile　was　beginning　to　change　the　hardness　of　his　face。　〃Yes；　Lucy；〃　he
said。

〃And　I'll　HAVE　to　ride　him？〃

〃You　sure　willif　he's　ever　to　beat　the　King。〃

Lucy's　eyes　flashed　blue。　She　saw　the　crowdthe　curious；　friendly
Indiansthe　eager　ridersthe　spirited　horsesthe　face　of　her　father　and
last　the　race　itself；　such　a　race　as　had　never　been　ran；　so　swift；　so　fierce；
so　wonderful。

〃Then　Lin；〃　began　Lucy；　with　a　slowly　heaving　breast；　〃if　I　accept　Wildfire
will　you　keep　him　for　meuntil　。　。　。　and　if　I　accept　him；　and　tell　you　why；
will　you　promise　to　say〃

〃Don't　ask　me　again！〃　interrupted　Slone；　hastily。　〃I　WILL　speak　to　Bostil。〃

〃Wait；　will　you　。　。　。　promise　not　to　say　a　worda　single　word　to　ME　till
after　the　race？〃

〃A　wordto　you！　What　about？〃　he　queried；　wonderingly。　Something　in　his　eyes
made　Lucy　think　of　the　dawn。

〃AbouttheBecauseWhy；　I'mI'll　accept　your　horse。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　swiftly。

Lucy　settled　herself　in　the　saddle　and；　shortening　the　bridle；　she　got　ready
to　spur　Sarchedon　into　a　bolt。

〃Lin；　I'll　accept　Wildfire　because　I　love　you。〃

Sarchedon　leaped　forward。　Lucy　did　not　see　Slone's　face　nor　hear　him　speak。
Then　she　was　tearing　through　the　sage；　out　past　the　whistling　Wildfire；　with
the　wind　sweet　in　her　face。　She　did　not　look　back。



CHAPTER　XI

All　through　May　there　was　an　idea；　dark　and　sinister；　growing　in　Bostil's
mind。　Fiercely　at　first　he　had　rejected　it　as　utterly　unworthy　of　the　man　he
was。　But　it　returned。　It　would　not　be　denied。　It　was　fostered　by　singular　and
unforeseen　circumstances。　The　meetings　with　Creech；　the　strange；　sneaking
actions　of　young　Joel　Creech；　and　especially　the　gossip　of　riders　about　the
improvement　in　Creech's　swift　horsethese　things　appeared　to　loom　larger　and
larger　and　to　augment　in　Bostil's　mind　the　monstrous　idea　which　he　could　not
shake　off。　So　he　became　brooding　and　gloomy。

It　appeared　to　be　an　indication　of　his　intense　preoccupation　of　mind　that　he
seemed　unaware　of　Lucy's　long　trips　down　into　the　sage。　But　Bostil　had
observed　them　long　before　Holley　and　other　riders　had　approached　him　with　the
information。

〃Let　her　alone；〃　he　growled　to　his　men。　〃I　gave　her　orders　to　train　the　King。
An'　after　Van　got　well　mebbe　Lucy　just　had　a　habit　of　ridin'　down　there。　She
can　take　care　of　herself。〃

To　himself；　when　alone；　Bostil　muttered：　〃Wonder　what　the　kid　has　looked　up
now？　Some　mischief；　I'll　bet！〃

Nevertheless；　he　did　not　speak　to　her　on　the　subject。　Deep　in　his　heart　he
knew　he　feared　his　keen…eyed　daughter；　and　during　these　days　he　was　glad　she
was　not　in　evidence　at　the　hours　when　he　could　not　very　well　keep　entirely　to
himself。　Bostil　was　afraid　Lucy　might　divine　what　he　had　on　his　mind。　There
was　no　one　else　he　cared　for。　Holley；　that　old　hawk…eyed　rider；　might　see
through　him；　but　Bostil　knew　Holley　would　be　loyal；　whatever　he　saw。

Toward　the　end　of　the　month；　when　Somers　returned　from　horse…hunting；　Bostil
put　him　and　Shugrue　to　work　upon　the　big　flatboat　down　at　the　crossing。　Bostil
himself　went　down；　and　he　walkeda　fact　apt　to　be　considered　unusual　if　it
had　been　noticed。

〃Put　in　new　planks；〃　was　his　order　to　the　men。　〃An'　pour　hot　tar　in　the
cracks。　Then　when　the　tar　dries　shove　her　in　。　。　。　but　I'll　tell　you　when。〃

Every　morning　young　Creech　rowed　over　to　see　if　the　boat　was　ready　to　take　the
trip　across　to　bring　his　father's　horses　back。　The　third　morning　of　work　on
the　boat　Bostil　met　Joel　down　there。　Joel　seemed　eager　to　speak　to　Bostil。　He
certainly　was　a　wild…looking　youth。

〃Bostil；　my　ole　man　is　losin'　sleep　waitin'　to　git　the　hosses　over；〃　he　said；
frankly。　〃Feed's　almost　gone。〃

〃That'll　be　all　right；　Joel；〃　replied　Bostil。　〃You　see；　the　river　ain't　begun
to　raise　yet。　。　。　。　How're　the　hosses　comin'　on？〃

〃Grand；　sirgrand！〃　exclaimed　the　simple　Joel。　〃Peg　is　runnin'　faster　than
last　year；　but　Blue　Roan　is　leavin'　her　a　mile。　Dad's　goin'　to　bet　all　he　has。
The　roan　can't　lose　this　year。〃

Bostil　felt　like　a　bull　bayed　at　by　a　hound。　Blue　Roan　was　a　young　horse；　and
every　season　he　had　grown　bigger　and　faster。　The　King　had　reached　the　limit　of
his　speed。　That　was　great；　Bostil　knew；　and　enough　to　win　over　any　horse　in
the　uplands；　providing　the　luck　of　the　race　fell　even。　Luck；　however；　was　a
fickle　thing。

〃I　was　advisin'　Dad　to　swim　the　hosses　over；〃　declared　Joel；　deliberately。

〃A…huh！　You　was？　。　。　。　An'　why？〃　rejoined　Bostil。

Joel's　simplicity　and　frankness　vanished；　and　with　them　his　rationality。　He
looked　queer。　His　contrasting　eyes　shot　little　malignant　gleams。　He　muttered
incoherently；　and　moved　back　toward　the　skiff；　making　violent　gestures；　and
his　muttering　grew　to　shouting；　though　still　incoherent。　He　got　in　the　boat
and　started　to　row　back　over　the　river。

〃Sure　he's　got　a　screw　loose；〃　observed　Somers。　Shugrue　tapped　his　grizzled
head　significantly。

Bostil　made　no　comment。　He　strode　away　from　his　men　down　to　the　river　shore；
and；　finding　a　seat　on　a　stone；　he　studied　the　slow　eddying　red　current　of　the
river　and　he　listened。　If　any　man　knew　the　strange　and　remorseless　Colorado；
that　man　was　Bostil。　He　never　made　any　mistakes　in　anticipating　what　the　river
was　going　to　do。

And　now　he　listened；　as　if　indeed　the　sullen；　low　roar；　the　murmuring　hollow
gurgle；　the　sudden　strange　splash；　were　spoken　words　meant　for　his　ears　alone。
The　river　was　low。　It　seemed　tired　out。　It　was　a　dirty　red　in　color；　and　it
swirled　and　flowed　along　lingeringly。　At　times　the　current　was　almost
imperceptible；　and　then　again　it　moved　at　varying　speed。　It　seemed　a　petulant；
waiting；　yet　inevitable　stream；　with　some　remorseless　end　before　it。　It　had　a
thousand　voices；　but　not　the　one　Bostil　listened　to　hear。

He　plodded　gloomily　up　the　trail；　resting　in　the　quiet；　dark　places　of　the
canyon；　loath　to　climb　out　into　the　clear　light　of　day。　And　once　in　the
village；　Bostil　shook　himself　as　if　to　cast　off　an　evil；　ever…present；
pressing　spell。

The　races　were　now　only　a　few　days　off。　Piutes　and　Navajos　were　camped　out　on
the　sage；　and　hourly　the　number　grew　as　more　came　in。　They　were　building　cedar
sunshades。　Columns　of　blue　smoke　curled　up　here　and　there。　Mustangs　and　ponies
grazed　everywhere；　and　a　line　of　Indians　extended　along　the　racecourse；　where
trials　were　being　held。　The　village　was　full　of　riders；　horse…traders　and
hunters；　and　ranchers。　Work　on　the　ranges　had　practically　stopped　for　the　time
being；　and　in　another　day　or　so　every　inhabitant　of　the　country　would　be　in
Bostil's　Ford。

Bostil　walked　into　the　village；　grimly　conscious　that　the　presence　of　the
Indians　and　riders　and　horses；　the　action　and　color　and　bustle；　the　near
approach　of　the　great　race…daythese　things　that　in　former　years　had　brought
him　keen　delight　and　speculationhad　somehow　lost　their　tang。　He　had　changed。
Something　was　wrong　in　him。　But　he　must　go　among　these　visitors　and　welcome
them　as　of　old；　he　who　had　always　been　the　life　of　these　racing…days　must　be
outwardly　the　same。　And　the　task　was　all　the　harder　because　of　the　pleasure
shown　by　old　friends　among　the　Indians　and　the　riders　at　meeting　him。　Bostil
knew　he　had　been　a　cunning　horse…trader；　but　he　had　likewise　been　a　good
friend。　Many　were　the　riders　and　Indians　who　owed　much　to　him。　So　everywhere
he　was　hailed　and　besieged；　until　finally　the　old　excitement　of　betting　and
bantering　took　hold　of　him　and　he　forgot　his　brooding。

Brackton's　place；　as　always；　was　a　headquarters　for　all　visitors。　Macomber　had
just　come　in　full　of　enthusiasm　and　pride　over　the　horse　he　had　entered；　and
he　had　money　to　wager。　Two　Navajo　chiefs；　called　by　white　men　Old　Horse　and
Silver；　were　there　for　the　first　time　in　years。　They　were　ready　to　gamble
horse　against　horse。　Cal　Blinn　and　his　riders　of　Durango　had　arrived；　likewise
Colson；　Sticks；　and　Burthwait；　old　friends　and　rivals　of　Bostil's。

For　a　while　Brackton's　was　merry。　There　was　some　drinking　and　much　betting。　It
was　characteristic　of　Bostil　that　he　would　give　any　odds　asked　on　the　King　in
a　race；　and；　furthermore；　he　would　take　any　end　of　wagers　on　other　horses。　As
far　as　his　own　horses　were　concerned　he　bet　shrewdly；　but　in　races　where　his
horses　did　not　figure　he　seemed　to　find　fun　in　the　betting；　whether　or　not　he
won。

The　fact　remained；　however；　that　there　were　only　two　wagers　against　the　King；
and　both　were　put　up　by　Indians。　Macomber　was　betting　on　second　or　third　place
for　his　horse　in　the　big　race。　No　odds　of　Bostil's　tempted　him。

〃Say；　where's　Wetherby？〃　rolled　out　Bostil。　〃He'll　back　his　hoss。〃

〃Wetherby's　ridin'　over　to…morrow；〃　replied　Macomber。　〃But　you　gotta　bet　him
two　to　one。〃

〃See　hyar；　Bostil；〃　spoke　up　old　Cal　Blinn；　〃you　jest　wait　till　I　git　an　eye
on　the　King's　runnin'。　Mebbe　I'll　go　you　even　money。〃

〃An'　as　fer　me；　Bostil；〃　said　Colson；　〃I　ain't　set　up　yit　which　hoss　I'll
race。〃

Burthwait；　an　old　rider；　came　forward　to　Brackton's　desk　and　entered　a　wager
against　the　field　that　made　all　the　men　gasp。

〃By　George！　pard；　you　ain't　a…limpin'　along！〃　ejaculated　Bostil；　admiringly；
and　he　put　a　hand　on　the　other's　shoulder。

〃Bostil；　I've　a　grand　hoss；〃　replied　Burthwait。　〃He's　four　years　old；　I