wildfire-第42节

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pasture　adjoining　Brackton's　house。　Slone　felt　reasonably　sure　his　horses
would　be　safe　there；　but　he　meant　to　keep　a　mighty　close　watch　on　them。　And
old　Brackton；　as　if　he　read　Slone's　mind；　said　this：　〃Keep　your　eye　on　thet
daffy　boy；　Joel　Creech。　He　hangs　round　my　place；　sleeps　out　somewheres；　an'
he's　crazy　about　hosses。〃

Slone　did　not　need　any　warning　like　that；　nor　any　information　to　make　him
curious　regarding　young　Creech。　Lucy　had　seen　to　that；　and；　in　fact；　Slone　was
anxious　to　meet　this　half…witted　fellow　who　had　so　grievously　offended　and
threatened　Lucy。　That　morning；　however；　Creech　did　not　put　in　an　appearance。
The　village　had　nearly　returned　to　its　normal　state　now；　and　the　sleepy　tenor
of　its　way。　The　Indians；　had　been　the　last　to　go；　but　now　none　remained。　The
days　were　hot　while　the　sun　stayed　high；　and　only　the　riders　braved　its　heat。

The　morning；　however；　did　not　pass　without　an　interesting　incident。　Brackton
approached　Slone　with　an　offer　that　he　take　charge　of　the　freighting　between
the　Ford　and　Durango。　〃What　would　I　do　with　Wildfire？〃　was　Slone's　questioning
reply；　and　Brackton　held　up　his　hands。　A　later　incident　earned　more　of　Slone's
attention。　He　had　observed　a　man　in　Brackton's　store；　and　it　chanced　that　this
man　heard　Slone's　reply　to　Brackton's　offer；　and　he　said：　〃You'll　sure　need　to
corral　thet　red　stallion。　Grandest　hoss　I　ever　seen！〃

That　praise　won　Slone；　and　he　engaged　in　conversation　with　the　man；　who　said
his　name　was　Vorhees。　It　developed　soon　that　Vorhees　owned　a　little　house；　a
corral；　and　a　patch　of　ground　on　a　likely　site　up　under　the　bluff；　and　he　was
anxious　to　sell　cheap　because　he　had　a　fine　opportunity　at　Durango；　where　his
people　lived。　What　interested　Slone　most　was　the　man's　remark　that　he　had　a
corral　which　could　not　be　broken　into。　The　price　he　asked　was　ridiculously　low
if　the　property　was　worth　anything。　An　idea　flashed　across　Slone's　mind。　He
went　up　to　Vorhees's　place　and　was　much　pleased　with　everything；　especially
the　corral；　which　had　been　built　by　a　man　who　feared　horse…thieves　as　much　as
Bostil。　The　view　from　the　door　of　the　little　cabin　was　magnificent　beyond
compare。　Slone　remembered　Lucy's　last　words。　They　rang　like　bells　in　his　ears。
〃Don't　godon't！〃　They　were　enough　to　chain　him　to　Bostil's　Ford　until　the
crack　of　doom。　He　dared　not　dream　of　what　they　meant。　He　only　listened　to
their　music　as　they　pealed　over　and　over　in　his　ears。

〃Vorhees；　are　you　serious？〃　he　asked。　〃The　money　you　ask　is　little　enough。〃

〃It's　enough　an'　to　spare；〃　replied　the　man。　〃An'　I'd　take　it　as　a　favor　of
you。〃

〃Well；　I'll　go　you；〃　said　Slone；　and　he　laughed　a　little　irrationally。　〃Only
you　needn't　tell　right　away　that　I　bought　you　out。〃

The　deal　was　consummated；　leaving　Slone　still　with　half　of　the　money　that　had
been　his　prize　in　the　race。　He　felt　elated。　He　was　rich。　He　owned　two
horsesone　the　grandest　in　all　the　uplands；　the　other　the　faithfulestand　he
owned　a　neat　little　cabin　where　it　was　a　joy　to　sit　and　look　out；　and　a　corral
which　would　let　him　sleep　at　night；　and　he　had　money　to　put　into　supplies　and
furnishings；　and　a　garden。　After　he　drank　out　of　the　spring　that　bubbled　from
under　the　bluff　he　told　himself　it　alone　was　worth　the　money。

〃Looks　right　down　on　Bostil's　place；〃　Slone　soliloquized；　with　glee。　〃Won't　he
just　be　mad！　An'　Lucy！　。　。　。　Whatever's　she　goin'　to　think？〃

The　more　Slone　looked　around　and　thought；　the　more　he　became　convinced　that
good　fortune　had　knocked　at　his　door　at　last。　And　when　he　returned　to
Brackton's　he　was　in　an　exultant　mood。　The　old　storekeeper　gave　him　a　nudge
and　pointed　underhand　to　a　young　man　of　ragged　aspect　sitting　gloomily　on　a
box。　Slone　recognized　Joel　Creech。　The　fellow　surely　made　a　pathetic　sight；
and　Slone　pitied　him。　He　looked　needy　and　hungry。

〃Say；〃　said　Slone；　impulsively；　〃want　to　help　me　carry　some　grub　an'　stuff？〃

〃Howdy！〃　replied　Creech；　raising　his　head。　〃Sure　do。〃

Slone　sustained　the　queerest　shock　of　his　life　when　he　met　the　gaze　of　those
contrasting　eyes。　Yet　he　did　not　believe　that　his　strange　feeling　came　from
sight　of　different…colored　eyes。　There　was　an　instinct　or　portent　in　that
meeting。

He　purchased　a　bill　of　goods　from　Brackton；　and；　with　Creech　helping；　carried
it　up　to　the　cabin　under　the　bluff。　Three　trips　were　needed　to　pack　up　all　the
supplies；　and　meanwhile　Creech　had　but　few　words　to　say；　and　these　of　no
moment。　Slone　offered　him　money；　which　he　refused。

〃I'll　help　you　fix　up；　an'　eat　a　bite；〃　he　said。　〃Nice　up　hyar。〃

He　seemed　rational　enough　and　certainly　responded　to　kindness。　Slone　found
that　Vorhees　had　left　the　cabin　so　clean　there　was　little　cleaning　to　do。　An
open　fireplace　of　stone　required　some　repair　and　there　was　wood　to　cut。

〃Joel；　you　start　a　fire　while　I　go　down　after　my　horses；〃　said　Slone。

Young　Creech　nodded　and　Slone　left　him　there。　It　was　not　easy　to　catch
Wildfire；　nor　any　easier　to　get　him　into　the　new　corral；　but　at　last　Slone　saw
him　safely　there。　And　the　bars　and　locks　on　the　gate　might　have　defied　any
effort　to　open　or　break　them　quickly。　Creech　was　standing　in　the　doorway；
watching　the　horses；　and　somehow　Slone　saw；　or　imagined　he　saw；　that　Creech
wore　a　different　aspect。

〃Grand　wild　hoss！　He　did　what　Blue　was　a…goin'　to　dobeat　thet　there　dd
Bostil's　King！〃

Creech　wagged　his　head。　He　was　gloomy　and　strange。　His　eyes　were　unpleasant　to
look　into。　His　face　changed。　And　he　mumbled。　Slone　pitied　him　the　more；　but
wished　to　see　the　last　of　him。　Creech　stayed　on；　however；　and　grew　stranger
and　more　talkative　during　the　meal。　He　repeated　things　oftentalked
disconnectedly；　and　gave　other　indications　that　he　was　not　wholly　right　in　his
mind。　Yet　Slone　suspected　that　Creech's　want　of　balance　consisted　only　in　what
concerned　horses　and　the　Bostils。　And　Slone；　wanting　to　learn　all　he　could；
encouraged　Creech　to　talk　about　his　father　and　the　racers　and　the　river　and
boat；　and　finally　Bostil。

Slone　became　convinced　that；　whether　young　Creech　was　half　crazy　or　not；　he
knew　his　father's　horses　were　doomed；　and　that　the　boat　at　the　ferry　had　been
cut　adrift。　Slone　could　not　understand　why　he　was　convinced；　but　he　was。
Finally　Creech　told　how　he　had　gone　down　to　the　river　only　a　day　before；　how
he　had　found　the　flood　still　raging；　but　much　lower；　how　he　had　worked　round
the　cliffs　and　had　pulled　up　the　rope　cables　to　find　they　had　been　cut。

〃You　see；　Bostil　cut　them　when　he　didn't　need　to；〃　continued　Creech；　shrewdly。
〃But　he　didn't　know　the　flood　was　comin'　down　so　quick。　He　was　afeared　we'd
come　across　an'　git　the　boat　thet　night。　An'　he　meant　to　take　away　them　cut
cables。　But　he　hadn't　no　time。〃

〃Bostil？〃　queried　Slone；　as　he　gazed　hard　at　Creech。　The　fellow　had　told　that
rationally　enough。　Slone　wondered　if　Bostil　could　have　been　so　base。　No！　and
yetwhen　it　came　to　horses　Bostil　was　scarcely　human。

Slone's　query　served　to　send　Creech　off　on　another　tangent　which　wound　up　in
dark；　mysterious　threats。　Then　Slone　caught　the　name　of　Lucy。　It　abruptly
killed　his　sympathy　for　Creech。

〃What's　the　girl　got　to　do　with　it？〃　he　demanded；　angrily。　〃If　you　want　to
talk　to　me　don't　use　her　name。〃

〃I'll　use　her　name　when　I　want；〃　shouted　Creech。

〃Not　to　me！〃

〃Yes；　to　you；　mister。　I　ain't　carin'　a　dn　fer　you！〃

〃You　crazy　loon！〃　exclaimed　Slone；　with　impatience　and　disgust　added　to　anger。
〃What's　the　use　of　being　decent　to　you？〃

Creech　crouched　low；　his　hands　digging　like　claws　into　the　table；　as　if　he
were　making　ready　to　spring。　At　that　instant　he　was　hideous。

〃Crazy；　am　I？〃　he　yelled。　〃Mebbe　not　dn　crazy！　I　kin　tell　you're　gone　on
Lucy　Bostil！　I　seen　you　with　her　out　there　in　the　rocks　the　mornin'　of　the
race。　I　seen　what　you　did　to　her。　An'　I'm　a…goin'　to　tell　it！　。　。　。　An'　I'm
a…goin'　to　ketch　Lucy　Bostil　an'　strip　her　naked；　an'　when　I　git　through　with
her　I'll　tie　her　on　a　hoss　an'　fire　the　grass！　By　Gawd！　I　am！〃　Livid　and　wild；
he　breathed　hard　as　he　got　up；　facing　Slone　malignantly。

〃Crazy　or　not；　here　goes！〃　muttered　Slone；　grimly；　and；　leaping　up；　with　one
blow　he　knocked　Creech　half　out　of　the　door；　and　then　kicked　him　the　rest　of
the　way。　〃Go　on　and　have　a　fit！〃　cried　Slone。　〃I'm　liable　to　kill　you　if　you
don't　have　one！〃

Creech　got　up　and　ran　down　the　path；　turning　twice　on　the　way。　Then　he
disappeared　among　the　trees。

Slone　sat　down。　〃Lost　my　temper　again！〃　he　said。　〃This　has　been　a　day。　Guess
I'd　better　cool　off　right　now　an'　stay　here。　。　。　。　That　poor　devil！　Maybe　he's
not　so　crazy。　But　he's　wilder　than　an　Indian。　I　must　warn　Lucy。　。　。　。　Lord！　I
wonder　if　Bostil　could　have　held　back　repairin'　that　boat；　an'　then　cut　it
loose？　I　wonder？　Yesterday　I'd　have　sworn　never。　To…day〃

Slone　drove　the　conclusion　of　that　thought　out　of　his　consciousness　before　he
wholly　admitted　it。　Then　he　set　to　work　cutting　the　long　grass　from　the　wet
and　shady　nooks　under　the　bluff　where　the　spring　made　the　ground　rich。　He
carried　an　armful　down　to　the　corral。　Nagger　was　roaming　around　outside；
picking　grass　for　himself。　Wildfire　snorted　as　always　when　he　saw　Slone；　and
Slone　as　always；　when　time　permitted；　tried　to　coax　the　stallio