wildfire-第50节

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Joel　Creech。　She　felt　his　eyes　upon　her；　but　instantly　he　averted　them。　He　had
grown　more　haggard　and　sullen　than　ever　before。

The　Creeches　did　not　loiter　over　the　camp　tasks。　Lucy　was　left　to　herself。　The
place　appeared　to　be　a　kind　of　depression　from　which　the　desert　rolled　away　to
a　bulge　against　the　rosy　east；　and　the　rocks　behind　rose　broken　and　yellow；
fringed　with　cedars。

〃Git　the　hosses　in；　if　you　want　to；〃　Creech　called　to　her；　and　then　as　Lucy
started　off　to　where　the　mustangs　grazed　she　heard　him　curse　his　son。　〃Come
back　hyar！　Leave　the　girl　alone　or　I'll　rap　you　one！〃

Lucy　drove　three　of　the　mustangs　into　camp；　where　Creech　began　to　saddle　them。
The　remaining　one；　the　pack　animal；　Lucy　found　among　the　scrub　cedars　at　the
base　of　the　low　cliffs。　When　she　drove　him　in　Creech　was　talking　hard　to　Joel；
who　had　mounted。

〃When　you　come　back；　work　up　this　canyon　till　you　git　up。　It　heads　on　the　pine
plateau。　I　can't　miss　seein'　you；　or　any　one；　long　before　you　git　up　on　top。
An'　you　needn't　come　without　Bostil's　hosses。　You　know　what　to　tell　Bostil　if
he　threatens　you；　or　refuses　to　send　his　hosses；　or　turns　his　riders　on　my
trail。　Thet's　all。　Now　git！〃

Joel　Creech　rode　away　toward　the　rise　in　the　rolling；　barren　desert。

〃An'　now　we'll　go　on；〃　said　Creech　to　Lucy。

When　he　had　gotten　all　in　readiness　he　ordered　Lucy　to　follow　closely　in　his
tracks。　He　entered　a　narrow　cleft　in　the　low　cliffs　which　wound　in　and　out；
and　was　thick　with　sage　and　cedars。　Lucy；　riding　close　to　the　cedars；
conceived　the　idea　of　plucking　the　little　green　berries　and　dropping　them　on
parts　of　the　trail　where　their　tracks　would　not　show。　Warily　she　filled　the
pockets　of　her　jacket。

Creech　led　the　way　without　looking　back；　and　did　not　seem　to　care　where　the
horses　stepped。　The　time　had　not　yet　come；　Lucy　concluded；　when　he　was　ready
to　hide　his　trail。　Presently　the　narrow　cleft　opened　into　a　low…walled　canyon；
full　of　debris　from　the　rotting　cliffs；　and　this　in　turn　opened　into　a　main
canyon　with　mounting　yellow　crags。　It　appeared　to　lead　north。　Far　in　the
distance　above　rims　and　crags　rose　in　a　long；　black　line　like　a　horizon　of
dark　cloud。

Creech　crossed　this　wide　canyon　and　entered　one　of　the　many　breaks　in　the
wall。　This　one　was　full　of　splintered　rock　and　weathered　shale　the　hardest
kind　of　travel　for　both　man　and　beast。　Lucy　was　nothing　if　not　considerate　of
a　horse；　and　here　she　began　to　help　her　animal　in　all　the　ways　a　good　rider
knows。　Much　as　this　taxed　her　attention；　she　remembered　to　drop　some　of　the
cedar　berries　upon　hard　ground　or　rocks。　And　she　knew　she　was　leaving　a　trail
for　Slone's　keen　eyes。

That　day　was　the　swiftest　and　the　most　strenuous　in　all　Lucy　Bostil's
experience　in　the　open。　At　sunset；　when　Creech　halted　in　a　niche　in　a　gorge
between　lowering　cliffs；　Lucy　fell　off　her　horse　and　lay　still　and　spent　on
the　grass。

Creech　had　a　glance　of　sympathy　and　admiration　for　her；　but　he　did　not　say
anything　about　the　long　day's　ride。　Lucy　never　in　her　life　before　appreciated
rest　nor　the　softness　of　grass　nor　the　relief　at　the　end　of　a　ride。　She　lay
still　with　a　throbbing；　burning　ache　in　all　her　body。　Creech；　after　he　had
turned　the　horses　loose；　brought　her　a　drink　of　cold　water　from　the　brook　she
heard　somewhere　near　by。

〃Howfardidwecome？〃　she　whispered。

〃By　the　way　round　I　reckon　nigh　on　to　sixty　miles；〃　he　replied。　〃But　we　ain't
half　thet　far　from　where　we　camped　last　night。〃

Then　he　set　to　work　at　camp　tasks。　Lucy　shook　her　head　when　he　brought　her
food；　but　he　insisted；　and　she　had　to　force　it　down。　Creech　appeared　rough　but
kind。　After　she　had　become　used　to　the　hard；　gaunt；　black　face　she　saw　sadness
and　thought　in　it。　One　thing　Lucy　had　noticed　was　that　Creech　never　failed　to
spare　a　horse；　if　it　was　possible。　He　would　climb　on　foot　over　bad　places。

Night　soon　mantled　the　gorge　in　blackness　thick　as　pitch。　Lucy　could　not　tell
whether　her　eyes　were　open　or　shut；　so　far　as　what　she　saw　was　concerned。　Her
eyes　seemed　filled；　however；　with　a　thousand　pictures　of　the　wild　and　tortuous
canyons　and　gorges　through　which　she　had　ridden　that　day。　The　ache　in　her
limbs　and　the　fever　in　her　blood　would　not　let　her　sleep。　It　seemed　that　these
were　forever　to　be　a　part　of　her。　For　twelve　hours　she　had　ridden　and　walked
with　scarce　a　thought　of　the　nature　of　the　wild　country；　yet　once　she　lay　down
to　rest　her　mind　was　an　endless　hurrying　procession　of　pictures　narrow　red
clefts　choked　with　green　growthsyellow　gorges　and　weathered　slidesdusty；
treacherous　divides　connecting　canyons　jumbles　of　ruined　cliffs　and　piles　of
shalemiles　and　miles　and　endless　winding　miles　yellow；　low；　beetling　walls。
And　through　it　all　she　had　left　a　trail。

Next　day　Creech　climbed　out　of　that　low…walled　canyon；　and　Lucy　saw　a　wild；
rocky　country　cut　by　gorges；　green　and　bare；　or　yellow　and　cedared。　The　long；
black…fringed　line　she　had　noticed　the　day　before　loomed　closer；　overhanging
this　crisscrossed　region　of　canyons。　Every　half…hour　Creech　would　lead　them
downward　and　presently　climb　out　again。　There　were　sand　and　hard　ground　and
thick　turf　and　acres　and　acres　of　bare　rock　where　even　a　shod　horse　would　not
leave　a　track。

But　the　going　was　not　so　hardthere　was　not　so　much　travel　on　foot　for
Lucyand　she　finished　that　day　in　better　condition　than　the　first　one。

Next　day　Creech　proceeded　with　care　and　caution。　Many　times　he　left　the　direct
route；　bidding　Lucy　wait　for　him；　and　he　would　ride　to　the　rims　of　canyons　or
the　tops　of　ridges　of　cedar　forests；　and　from　these　vantage…points　he　would
survey　the　country。　Lucy　gathered　after　a　while　　that　he　was　apprehensive　of
what　might　be　encountered；　and　particularly　so　of　what　might　be　feared　in
pursuit。　Lucy　thought　this　strange；　because　it　was　out　of　the　question　for　any
one　to　be　so　soon　on　Creech's　trail。

These　peculiar　actions　of　Creech　were　more　noticeable　on　the　third　day；　and
Lucy　grew　apprehensive　herself。　She　could　not　divine　why。　But　when　Creech
halted　on　a　high　crest　that　gave　a　sweeping　vision　of　the　broken　table…land
they　had　traversed　Lucy　made　out　for　herself　faint　moving　specks　miles　behind。

〃I　reckon　you　see　thet；〃　said　Creech

〃Horses；〃　replied　Lucy。

He　nodded　his　head　gloomily；　and　seemed　pondering　a　serious　question。

〃Is　some　one　trailing　us？〃　asked　Lucy；　and　she　could　not　keep　the　tremor　out
of　her　voice。

〃Wal；　I　should　smile！　Fer　two　days…an'　it　sure　beats　me。　They've　never　had　a
sight　of　us。　But　they　keep　comin'。〃

〃They！　Who？〃　she　asked；　swiftly。

〃I　hate　to　tell　you；　but　I　reckon　I　ought。　Thet's　Cordts　an'　two　of　his　gang。〃

〃Ohdon't　tell　me　so！〃　cried　Lucy；　suddenly　terrified。　Mention　of　Cordts　had
not　always　had　power　to　frighten　her；　but　this　time　she　had　a　return　of　that
shaking　fear　which　had　overcome　her　in　the　grove　the　night　she　was　captured。

〃Cordts　all　right；〃　replied　Creech。　〃I　knowed　thet　before　I　seen　him。　Fer　two
mornin's　back　I　seen　his　hoss　grazin　in　thet　wide　canyon。　But　I　thought　I'd
slipped　by。　Some　one　seen　us。　Or　they　seen　our　trail。　Anyway；　he's　after　us。
What　beats　me　is　how　he　sticks　to　thet　trail。　Cordts　never　was　no　tracker。　An'
since　Dick　Sears　is　dead　there　ain't　a　tracker　in　Cordts's　outfit。　An'　I
always　could　hide　my　tracks。　。　。　。　Beats　me！〃

〃Creech；　I've　been　leaving　a　trail；〃　confessed　Lucy。

〃What！〃

Then　she　told　him　how　she　had　been　dropping　cedar　berries　and　bits　of　cedar
leaves　along　the　bare　and　stony　course　they　had　traversed。

〃Wal；　I'm〃　Creech　stifled　an　oath。　Then　he　laughed；　but　gruffly。　〃You　air　a
cute　one。　But　I　reckon　you　didn't　promise　not　to　do　thet。　。　。　。　An'　now　if
Cordts　gits　you　there'll　be　only　yourself　to　blame。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Lucy；　frantically　looking　back。　The　moving　specks　were　plainly　in
sight。　〃How　can　he　know　he's　trailing　me？〃

〃Thet　I　can't　say。　Mebbe　he　doesn't　know。　His　hosses　air　fresh；　though；　an'　if
I　can't　shake　him　he'll　find　out　soon　enough　who　he's　trailin'。〃

〃Go　on！　We　must　shake　him。　I'll　never　do　THAT　again！　。　。　。　For　God's　sake；
Creech；　don't　let　him　get　me！〃

And　Creech　led　down　off　the　high　open　land　into　canyons　again。

The　day　ended；　and　the　night　seemed　a　black　blank　to　Lucy。　Another　sunrise
found　Creech　leading　on；　sparing　neither　Lucy　nor　the　horses。　He　kept　on　a
steady　walk　or　trot；　and　he　picked　out　ground　less　likely　to　leave　any　tracks。
Like　an　old　deer　he　doubled　on　his　trail。　He　traveled　down　stream…beds　where
the　water　left　no　trail。　That　day　the　mustangs　began　to　fail。　The　others　were
wearing　out。

The　canyons　ran　like　the　ribs　of　a　wash…board。　And　they　grew　deep　and　verdant；
with　looming；　towered　walls。　That　night　Lucy　felt　lost　in　an　abyss。　The
dreaming　silence　kept　her　awake　many　moments　while　sleep　had　already　seized
upon　her　eyelids。　And　then　she　dreamed　of　Cordts　capturing　her；　of　carrying
her　miles　deeper　into　these　wild　and　purple　cliffs；　of　Slone　in　pursuit　on　the
stallion　Wildfire；　and　of　a　savage　fight。　And　she　awoke　terrified　and　cold　in
the　blackness　of　the　night。

On　the　next　day　Creech　traveled　west。　This　seemed　to　Lucy　to　be　far　to　the
left　of　the　direction　taken　before。　And　Lucy；　in　spite　of　her　utter　wea