wildfire-第5节

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rider。

〃You're　skin　an'　bones　at　thet。〃

〃Mebbe　you'll　need　to　work　a　little　off；　Van。　Some　one　said　Creech's　Blue　Roan
was　comin'　fast　this　year。〃

〃Bill；　your　mind　ain't　operatin'；〃　replied　Van；　scornfully。　〃Didn't　I　beat
Creech's　hosses　last　year　without　the　King　turnin'　a　hair？〃

〃Not　if　I　recollect；　you　didn't。　The　Blue　Roan　wasn't　runnin'。〃

Then　they　argued；　after　the　manner　of　friendly　riders；　but　all　earnest；　an
eloquent　in　their　convictions。　The　prevailing　opinion　was　that　Creech's　horse
had　a　chance；　depending　upon　condition　and　luck。

The　argument　shifted　upon　the　arrival　of　two　new…comers；　leading　mustangs　and
apparently　talking　trade。　It　was　manifest　that　these　arrivals　were　not　loath
to　get　the　opinions　of　others。

〃Van；　there's　a　hoss！〃　exclaimed　one。

〃No；　he　ain't；〃　replied　Van。

And　that　diverse　judgment　appeared　to　be　characteristic　throughout。　The
strange　thing　was　that　Macomber；　the　rancher；　had　already　traded　his　mustang
and　money　to　boot　for　the　sorrel。　The　deal；　whether　wise　or　not；　had　been
consummated。　Brackton　came　out　with　Red　Wilson；　and　they　had　to　have　their
say。

〃Wal；　durned　if　some　of　you　fellers　ain't　kind　an'　complimentary；〃　remarked
Macomber；　scratching　his　head。　〃But　then　every　feller　can't　have　hoss　sense。〃
Then；　looking　up　to　see　Lucy　Bostil　coming　along　the　road；　he　brightened　as　if
with　inspiration。

Lucy　was　at　home　among　them；　and　the　shy　eyes　of　the　younger　riders；
especially　Van；　were　nothing　if　not　revealing。　She　greeted　them　with　a　bright
smile；　and　when　she　saw　Brackton　she　burst　out：

〃Oh；　Mr。　Brackton；　the　wagon's　in；　and　did　my　box　come？　。　。　。　To…day's　my
birthday。〃

〃'Deed　it　did；　Lucy；　an'　many　more　happy　ones　to　you！〃　he　replied；　delighted
in　her　delight。　〃But　it's　too　heavy　for　you。　I'll　send　it　upor　mebbe　one　of
the　boys〃

Five　riders　in　unison　eagerly　offered　their　services　and　looked　as　if　each　had
spoken　first。　Then　Macomber　addressed　her：

〃Miss　Lucy；　you　see　this　here　sorrel？〃

〃Ah！　the　same　lazy　crowd　and　the　same　old　storya　horse　trade！〃　laughed　Lucy。

〃There's　a　little　difference　of　opinion；〃　said　Macomber；　politely　indicating
the　riders。　〃Now；　Miss　Lucy；　we…all　know　you're　a　judge　of　a　hoss。　And　as　good
as　thet　you　tell　the　truth。　Thet　ain't　in　some　hoss…traders　I　know。　。　。　。　What
do　you　think　of　this　mustang？〃

Macomber　had　eyes　of　enthusiasm　for　his　latest　acquisition；　but　some　of　the
cock…sureness　had　been　knocked　out　of　him　by　the　blunt　riders。

〃Macomber；　aren't　you　a　great　one　to　talk？〃　queried　Lucy；　severely。　〃Didn't
you　get　around　Dad　and　trade　him　an　old；　blind；　knock…kneed　bag　of　bones　for　a
perfectly　good　ponyone　I　liked　to　ride？〃

The　riders　shouted　with　laughter　while　the　rancher　struggled　with　confusion。

〃'Pon　my　word；　Miss　Lucy；　I'm　surprised　you　could　think　thet　of　such　an　old
friend　of　yoursan'　your　Dad's；　too。　I'm　hopin'　he　doesn't　side　altogether
with　you。〃

〃Dad　and　I　never　agree　about　a　horse。　He　thinks　he　got　the　best　of　you。　But
you　know；　Macomber；　what　a　horse…thief　you　are。　Worse　than　Cordts！〃

〃Wal；　if　I　got　the　best　of　Bostil　I'm　willin'　to　be　thought　bad。　I'm　the　first
feller　to　take　him　in。　。　。　。　An'　now；　Miss　Lucy；　look　over　my　sorrel。〃

Lucy　Bostil　did　indeed　have　an　eye　for　a　horse。　She　walked　straight　up　to　the
wild；　shaggy　mustang　with　a　confidence　born　of　intuition　and　experience；　and
reached　a　hand　for　his　head；　not　slowly；　nor　yet　swiftly。　The　mustang　looked
as　if　he　was　about　to　jump；　but　he　did　not。　His　eyes　showed　that　he　was　not
used　to　women。

〃He's　not　well　broken；〃　said　Lucy。　〃Some　Navajo　has　beaten　his　head　in
breaking　him。〃

Then　she　carefully　studied　the　mustang　point　by　point。

〃He's　deceiving　at　first　because　he's　good　to　look　at；〃　said　Lucy。　〃But　I
wouldn't　own　him。　A　saddle　will　turn　on　him。　He's　not　vicious；　but　he'll　never
get　over　his　scare。　He's　narrow　between　the　eyesa　bad　sign。　His　ears　are
stiffand　too　close。　I　don't　see　anything　more　wrong　with　him。〃

〃You　seen　enough；〃　declared　Macomber。　〃An'　so　you　wouldn't　own　him？〃

〃You　couldn't　make　me　a　present　of　himeven　on　my　birthday。〃

〃Wal；　now　I'm　sorry；　for　I　was　thinkin'　of　thet；〃　replied　Macomber；　ruefully。
It　was　plain　that　the　sorrel　had　fallen　irremediably　in　his　estimation。

〃Macomber；　I　often　tell　Dad　all　you　horse…traders　get　your　deserts　now　and
then。　It's　vanity　and　desire　to　beat　the　other　man　that's　your　downfall。〃

Lucy　went　away；　with　Van　shouldering　her　box；　leaving　Macomber　trying　to
return　the　banter　of　the　riders。　The　good…natured　raillery　was　interrupted　by
a　sharp　word　from　one　of　them。

〃Look！　Darn　me　if　thet　ain't　a　naked　Indian　comin'！〃

The　riders　whirled　to　see　an　apparently　nude　savage　approaching；　almost　on　a
run。

〃Take　a　shot　at　thet；　Bill；〃　said　another　rider。　〃Miss　Lucy　might　seeNo；
she's　out　of　sight。　But；　mebbe　some　other　woman　is　around。〃

〃Hold　on；　Bill；〃　called　Macomber。　〃You　never　saw　an　Indian　run　like　thet。〃

Some　of　the　riders　swore；　others　laughed；　and　all　suddenly　became　keen　with
interest。

〃Sure　his　face　is　white；　if　his　body's　red！〃

The　strange　figure　neared　them。　It　was　indeed　red　up　to　the　face；　which　seemed
white　in　contrast。　Yet　only　in　general　shape　and　action　did　it　resemble　a　man。

〃Damned　if　it　ain't　Joel　Creech！〃　sang　out　Bill　Stark。

The　other　riders　accorded　their　wondering　assent。

〃Gone　crazy；　sure！〃

〃I　always　seen　it　comin'。〃

〃Say；　but　ain't　he　wild？　Foamin'　at　the　mouth　like　a　winded　hoss！〃

Young　Creech　was　headed　down　the　road　toward　the　ford　across　which　he　had　to
go　to　reach　home。　He　saw　the　curious　group；　slowed　his　pace；　and　halted。　His
face　seemed　convulsed　with　rage　and　pain　and　fatigue。　His　body；　even　to　his
hands；　was　incased　in　a　thick；　heavy　coating　of　red　adobe　that　had　caked　hard。

〃God's　sakefellers〃　he　panted；　with　eyes　rolling；　〃take　this　'dobe　mud
off　me！　。　。　。　I'm　dyin'！〃

Then　he　staggered　into　Brackton's　place。　A　howl　went　up　from　the　riders　and
they　surged　after　him。

That　evening　after　supper　Bostil　stamped　in　the　big　room；　roaring　with
laughter；　red　in　the　face；　and　he　astonished　Lucy　and　her　aunt　to　the　point　of
consternation。

〃Nowyou'vedoneitLucy　Bostil！〃　he　roared。

〃Oh　dear！　Oh　dear！〃　exclaimed　Aunt　Jane。

〃Done　what？〃　asked　Lucy；　blankly。

Bostil　conquered　his　paroxysm；　and；　wiping　his　moist　red　face；　he　eyed　Lucy　in
mock　solemnity。

〃Joel！〃　whispered　Lucy；　who　had　a　guilty　conscience。

〃Lucy；　I　never　heard　the　beat　of　it。　。　。　。　Joel's　smarter　in　some　ways　than　we
thought；　an'　crazier　in　others。　He　had　the　sun　figgered；　but　what'd　he　want　to
run　through　town　for？　Why；　never　in　my　life　have　I　seen　such　tickled　riders。〃

〃Dad！〃　almost　screamed　Lucy。　〃What　did　Joel　do？〃

〃Wal；　I　see　it　this　way。　He　couldn't　or　wouldn't　wait　for　sundown。　An'　he
wasn't　hankerin'　to　be　burned。　So　he　wallows　in　a　'dobe　mud…hole　an'　covers
himself　thick　with　mud。　You　know　that　'dobe　mud！　Then　he　starts　home。　But　he
hadn't　figgered　on　the　'dobe　gettin'　hard；　which　it　didharder　'n　rock。　An'
thet　must　have　hurt　more　'n　sunburn。　Late　this　afternoon　he　came　runnin'　down
the　road；　yellin'　thet　he　was　dyin'。　The　boys　had　conniption　fits。　Joel　ain't
over…liked；　you　know；　an'　here　they　had　one　on　him。　Mebbe　they　didn't　try　hard
to　clean　him　off。　But　the　fact　is　not　for　hours　did　they　get　thet　'dobe　off
him。　They　washed　an'　scrubbed　an'　curried　him；　while　he　yelled　an'　cussed。
Finally　they　peeled　it　off；　with　his　skin　I　guess。　He　was　raw。　an'　they　say；
the　maddest　feller　ever　seen　in　Bostil's　Ford！〃

Lucy　was　struggling　between　fear　and　mirth。　She　did　not　look　sorry。　〃Oh！　Oh！
Oh；　Dad！〃

〃Wasn't　it　great；　Lucy？〃

〃But　whatwill　hedo？〃　choked　Lucy。

〃Lord　only　knows。　Thet　worries　me　some。　Because　he　never　said　a　word　about　how
he　come　to　lose　his　clothes　or　why　he　had　the　'dobe　on　him。　An'　sure　I　never
told。　Nobody　knows　but　us。〃

〃Dad；　hell　do　something　terrible　to　me！〃　cried　Lucy；　aghast　at　her　premonition



CHAPTER　III

The　days　did　not　pass　swiftly　at　Bostil's　Ford。　And　except　in　winter；　and
during　the　spring　sand…storms；　the　lagging　time　passed　pleasantly。　Lucy　rode
every　day；　sometimes　with　Van；　and　sometimes　alone。　She　was　not　over…keen
about　riding　with　Vanfirst；　because　he　was　in　love　with　her；　and　secondly；
in　spite　of　that；　she　could　not　beat　him　when　he　rode　the　King。　They　were
training　Bostil's　horses　for　the　much…anticipated　races。

At　last　word　arrived　from　the　Utes　and　Navajos　that　they　accepted　Bostil's
invitation　and　would　come　in　force；　which　meant；　according　to　Holley　and　other
old　riders；　that　the　Indians　would　attend　about　eight　hundred　strong。

〃Thet　old　chief；　Hawk；　is　comin'；〃　Holley　informed　Bostil。　〃He　hasn't　been
here　fer　several　years。　Recollect　thet　bunch　of　colts　he　had？　They're　bosses；
not　mustangs。　。　。　。　So　you　look　out；　Bostil！〃

No　rider　or　rancher　or　sheepman；　in　fact；　no　one；　ever　lost　a　chance　to　warn
Bostil。　Some　of　it　was　in　fun；　but　most　of　it　was　earnest。　The　nature　of
events　was　that　sooner　or　later　a　horse　would　beat　the　King。　Bostil　knew　that
as　well　as　anybody；　though　he　would　not　admit　it。　Holley's　hint　made　Bostil
look　worried。　Most　of　Bostil's　gray　hai