wildfire-第55节

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〃What　of　thet？〃　demanded　Bostil。　〃Sure　she　was　waitin'　somewheres。　They'd　have
too　much　sense　to　go　together。　。　。　。　Saddle　up；　you　boys；　an'　we'll〃

〃Say；　Bostil；　I　happen　to　know　Slone　didn't　see　Lucy　last　night；〃　interrupted
Holley。

〃A…huh！　Wal；　you'd　better　talk　out。〃

〃I　trusted　Lucy；〃　said　Holley。　〃But　all　the　same；　knowin'　she　was　in　love；　I
jest　wanted　to　see　if　any　girl　in　love　could　keep　her　word。　。　。　。　So　about
dark　I　went　down　the　grove　an'　watched　fer　Slone。　Pretty　soon　I　seen　him。　He
sneaked　along　the　upper　end　an'　I　follered。　He　went　to　thet　bench　up　by　the
biggest　cottonwood。　An'　he　waited　a　long　time。　But　Lucy　didn't　come。　He　must
have　waited　till　midnight。　Then　he　left。　I　watched　him　go　backseen　him　go　up
to　his　cabin。〃

〃Wal；　if　she　didn't　meet　him；　where　was　she？　She　wasn't　in　her　room。〃

Bostil　gazed　at　Holley　and　the　other　riders；　then　back　to　Holley。　What　was　the
matter　with　this　old　rider？　Bostil　had　never　seen　Holley　seem　so　strange。　The
whole　affair　began　to　loom　strangely；　darkly。　Some　portent　quickened　Bostil's
lumbering　pulse。　It　seemed　that　Holley's　mind　must　have　found　an　obstacle　to
thought。　Suddenly　the　old　rider's　face　changedthe　bronze　was　blotted　outa
grayness　came；　and　then　a　dead　white。

〃Bostil；　mebbe　you　'ain't　been　told　yet　thetthet　Creech　rode　in　yesterday。　。
。　。　He　lost　all　his　racers！　He　had　to　shoot　both　Peg　an'　Roan！〃

Bostil's　thought　suffered　a　sudden；　blank　halt。　Then；　with　realization；　came
the　shock　for　which　he　had　long　been　prepared。

〃A…huh！　Is　thet　so？　。　。　。　Wal；　an'　what　did　he　say？〃

Holley　laughed　a　grim；　significant　laugh　that　curdled　Bostil's　blood。　〃Creech
said　a　lot！　But　let　thet　go　now。　。　。　。　Come　with　me。〃

Holley　started　with　rapid　strides　down　the　lane。　Bostil　followed。　And　he　heard
the　riders　coming　behind。　A　dark　and　gloomy　thought　settled　upon　Bostil。　He
could　not　check　that；　but　he　held　back　impatience　and　passion。

Holley　went　straight　to　Lucy's　window。　He　got　down　on　his　knees　to　scrutinize
the　tracks。

〃Made　more　'n　twelve　hours　ago；〃　he　said；　swiftly。　〃She　had　on　her　boots；　but
no　spurs。　。　。　。　Now　let's　see　where　she　went。〃

Holley　began　to　trail　Lucy's　progress　through　the　grove；　silently　pointing　now
and　then　to　a　track。　He　went　swifter；　till　Bostil　had　to　hurry。　The　other　men
came　whispering　after　them。

Holley　was　as　keen　as　a　hound　on　scent。

〃She　stopped　there；〃　he　said；　〃mebbe　to　listen。　Looks　like　she　wanted　to　cross
the　lane；　but　she　didn't：　here　she　got　to　goin'　faster。〃

Holley　reached　an　intersecting　path　and　suddenly　halted　stock…still；　pointing
at　a　big　track　in　the　dust。

〃My　God！　。　。　。　Bostil；　look　at　thet！〃

One　riving　pang　tore　through　Bostiland　then　he　was　suddenly　his　old　self；
facing　the　truth　of　danger　to　one　he　loved。　He　saw　beside　the　big　track　a
faint　imprint　of　Lucy's　small　foot。　That　was　the　last　sign　of　her　progress　and
it　told　a　story。

〃Bostil；　thet　ain't　Slone's　track；〃　said　Holley；　ringingly。

〃Sure　it　ain't。　Thet's　the　track　of　a　big　man；〃　replied　Bostil。

The　other　riders；　circling　round　with　bent　heads；　all　said　one　way　or　another
that　Slone　could　not　have　made　the　trail。

〃An'　whoever　he　was　grabbed　Lucy　upmade　off　with　her？〃　asked　Bostil。

〃Plain　as　if　we　seen　it　done！〃　exclaimed　Holley。　There　was　fire　in　the　clear；
hawk　eyes。

〃Cordts！〃　cried　Bostil；　hoarsely。

〃Mebbemebbe。　But　thet　ain't　my　idee。　。　。　。　Come　on。〃

Holley　went　so　fast　he　almost　ran；　and　he　got　ahead　of　Bostil。　Finally　several
hundred　yards　out　in　the　sage　he　halted；　and　again　dropped　to　his　knees。
Bostil　and　the　riders　hurried　on。

〃Keep　back；　don't　stamp　round　so　close；〃　ordered　Holley。　Then　like　a　man
searching　for　lost　gold　in　sand　and　grass　he　searched　the　ground。　To　Bostil　it
seemed　a　long　time　before　he　got　through。　When　he　arose　there　was　a　dark　and
deadly　certainty　in　his　face；　by　which　Bostil　knew　the　worst　had　befallen
Lucy。

〃Four　mustangs　an'　two　men　last　night；〃　said　Holley；　rapidly。　〃Here's　where
Lucy　was　set　down　on　her　feet。　Here's　where　she　mounted。　。　。　。　An'　here's　the
tracks　of　a　third　mantracks　made　this　mornin'。〃

Bostil　straightened　up　and　faced　Holley　as　if　ready　to　take　a　death…blow。　〃I'm
reckonin'　them　last　is　Slone's　tracks。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　them；〃　replied　Holley。

〃An'themother　tracks？　Who　made　them？〃

〃CREECH　AN'　HIS　SON！〃

Bostil　felt　swept　away　by　a　dark；　whirling　flame。　And　when　it　passed　he　lay　in
his　barn；　in　the　shade　of　the　loft；　prostrate　on　the　fragrant　hay。　His
strength　with　his　passion　was　spent。　A　dull　ache　remained。　The　fight　was　gone
from　him。　His　spirit　was　broken。　And　he　looked　down　into　that　dark　abyss　which
was　his　own　soul。

By　and　by　the　riders　came　for　him；　got　him　up；　and　led　him　out。　He　shook　them
off　and　stood　breathing　slowly。　The　air　felt　refreshing；　it　cooled　his　hot；
tired　brain。　It　did　not　surprise　him　to　see　Joel　Creech　there；　cringing　behind
Holley。

Bostil　lifted　a　hand　for　some　one　to　speak。　And　Holley　came　a　step　forward。
His　face　was　haggard；　but　its　white　tenseness　was　gone。　He　seemed　as　if　he
were　reluctant　to　speak；　to　inflict　more　pain。

〃Bostil；〃　he　began；　huskily；　〃you're　to　send　the　Kingan'　Sarchan'　Ben　an'
Two　Face　an'　Plume　to　ransom　Lucy！　。　。　。　If　you　won'tthen　Creech'll　sell　her
to　Cordts！〃

What　a　strange　look　came　into　the　faces　of　the　riders！　Did；　they　think　he
cared　more　for　horseflesh　than　for　his　own　flesh　and　blood？

〃Send　the　Kingan'　all　he　wants。　。　。　。　An'　send　word　fer　Creech　to　come　back
to　the　Ford。　。　。　。　Tell　him　I　saidmy　sin　found　me　out！〃

Bostil　watched　Joel　Creech　ride　the　King　out　upon　the　slope；　driving　the
others　ahead。　Sage　King　wanted　to　run。　Sarchedon　was　wild　and　unruly。　They
passed　out　of　sight。　Then　Bostil　turned　to　his　silent　riders。

〃Boys；　seein'　the　King　go　thet　way　wasn't　nothin'。　。　。　。　But　what　crucifies　me
isWILL　THET　FETCH　HER　BACK？〃

〃God　only　knows！〃　replied　Holley。　〃Mebbe　notI　reckon　not！　。　。　。　But；　Bostil；
you　forget　Slone　is　out　there　on　Lucy's　trail。　Out　there　ahead　of　Joel！　Slone
he's　a　wild…hoss　hunterthe　keenest　I　ever　seen。　Do　you　think　Creech　can
shake　him　on　a　trail？　He'll　kill　Creech；　an'　he'll　lay　fer　Joel　goin'
backan'　he'll　kill　him。　。　。　。　An'　I'll　bet　my　all　he'll　ride　in　here　with
Lucy　an'　the　King！〃

〃Holley；　you　ain't　figurin'　on　thet　red　hoss　of　Slone's　ridin'　down　the　King？〃

Holley　laughed　as　if　Bostil's　query　was　the　strangest　thing　of　all　that
poignant　day。　〃Naw。　Slone'll　lay　fer　Joel　an'　rope　him　like　he　roped　Dick
Sears。〃

〃Holley；　I　reckon　you　seeclearer　'n　me；〃　said　Bostil；　plaintively。　〃'Pears
as　if　I　never　had　a　hard　knock　before。　Fer　my　nerve's　broke。　I　can't　hope。　。　。
。　Lucy's　gone！　。　。　。　Ain't　there　anythin'　to　do　but　wait？〃

〃Thet's　all。　Jest　wait。　If　we　went　out　on　Joel's　trail　we'd　queer　the　chance
of　Creech's　bein'　honest。　An'　we'd　queer　Slone's　game。　I'd　hate　to　have　him
trailin'　me。〃



CHAPTER　XVIII

On　the　day　that　old　Creech　repudiated　his　son；　Slone　with　immeasurable　relief
left　Brackton's　without　even　a　word　to　the　rejoicing　Holley；　and　plodded　up
the　path　to　his　cabin。

After　the　first　flush　of　elation　had　passed　he　found　a　peculiar　mood　settling
down　upon　him。　It　was　as　if　all　was　not　so　well　as　he　had　impulsively
conceived。　He　began　to　ponder　over　this　strange　depression；　to　think　back。
What　had　happened　to　dash　the　cup　from　his　lips？　Did　he　regret　being　freed
from　guilt　in　the　simple　minds　of　the　villagers　regret　it　because　suspicion
would　fall　upon　Lucy's　father？　No；　he　was　sorry　for　the　girl；　but　not　for
Bostil。　It　was　not　this　new　aspect　of　the　situation　at　the　Ford　that　oppressed
him。

He　trailed　his　vague　feelings　back　to　a　subtle　shock　he　had　sustained　in　a
last　look　at　Creech's　dark；　somber　face。　It　had　been　the　face　of　a　Nemesis。
All　about　Creech　breathed　silent；　revengeful　force。　Slone　worked　out　in　his
plodding　thought　why　that　fact　should　oppress　him；　and　it　was　because　in
striking　Bostil　old　Creech　must　strike　through　Bostil's　horses　and　his
daughter。

Slone　divined　itdivined　it　by　the　subtle；　intuitive　power　of　his　love　for
Lucy。　He　did　not　reconsider　what　had　been　his　supposition　before　Creech's
returnthat　Creech　would　kill　Bostil。　Death　would　be　no　revenge。　Creech　had
it　in　him　to　steal　the　King　and　starve　him　or　to　do　the　same　and　worse　with
Lucy。　So　Slone　imagined；　remembering　Creech's　face。

Before　twilight　set　in　Slone　saw　the　Creeches　riding　out　of　the　lane　into　the
sage；　evidently　leaving　the　Ford。　This　occasioned　Slone　great　relief；　but　only
for　a　moment。　What　the　Creeches　appeared　to　be　doing　might　not　be　significant。
And　he　knew　if　they　had　stayed　in　the　village　that　he　would　have　watched　them
as　closely　as　if　he　thought　they　were　trying　to　steal　Wildfire。

He　got　his　evening　meal；　cared　for　his　horses；　and　just　as　darkness　came　on　he
slipped　down　into　the　grove　for　his　rendezvous　with　Lucy。　Always　this　made　his
heart　beat　and　his　nerves　thrill；　but　to…night　he　was　excited。　The　grove
seemed　full　of　moving　shadows；　all　of　which　he　fancied　were　Lucy。　Reaching　the
big　cottonwood；　he　tried　to　compose　himself　on　the　bench　to　wait。　But
composure　seemed　unattainable。　The　night　was　still；　only　the　c