wildfire-第57节

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suited　him　to　follow　that　trail　at　a　rapid　trot。　If　he　lost　the　tracks　for　a
distance　he　went　right　on；　and　he　knew　where　to　look　for　them　ahead。　There　was
a　vast　difference　between　the　cunning　of　Creech　and　the　cunning　of　a　wild
horse。　And　there　was　an　equal　difference　between　the　going　and　staying　powers
of　Creech's　mustangs　and　Wildfire。　Yes；　Slone　divined　that　Lucy's　salvation
would　be　Wildfire；　her　horse。　The　trail　grew　rougher；　steeper；　harder；　but　the
stallion　kept　his　eagerness　and　his　pace。　On　many　an　open　length　of　canyon　or
height　of　wild　upland　Slone　gazed　ahead　hoping　to　see　Creech's　mustangs。　He
hoped　for　that　even　when　he　knew　he　was　still　too　far　behind。　And　then；
suddenly；　in　the　open；　sandy　flat　of　an　intersecting　canyon　he　came　abruptly
on　a　fresh　trail　of　three　horses；　one　of　them　shod。

The　surprise　stunned　him。　For　a　moment　he　gazed　stupidly　at　these　strange
tracks。　Who　had　made　them？　Had　Creech　met　allies？　Was　that　likely　when　the　man
had　no　friends？　Pondering　the　thing；　Slone　went　slowly　on；　realizing　that　a
new　and　disturbing　feature　confronted　him。　Then　when　these　new　tracks　met　the
trail　that　Creech　had　left　Slone　found　that　these　strangers　were　as　interested
in　Creech's　tracks　as　he　was。　Slone　found　their　boot…marks　in　the　sandthe
hand…prints　where　some　one　had　knelt　to　scrutinize　Creech's　trail。

Slone　led　his　horse　and　walked　on；　more　and　more　disturbed　in　mind。　When　he
came　to　a　larger；　bare；　flat　canyon　bottom；　where　the　rock　had　been　washed
clear　of　sand；　he　found　no　more　cedar　berries。　They　had　been　picked　up。　At　the
other　extreme　edge　of　this　stony　ground　he　found　crumpled　bits　of　cedar　and
cedar　berries　scattered　in　one　spot；　as　if　thrown　there　by　some　one　who　read
their　meaning。

This　discovery　unnerved　Slone。　It　meant　so　much。　And　if　Slone　had　any　hope　or
reason　to　doubt　that　these　strangers　had　taken　up　the　trail　for　good；　the　next
few　miles　dispelled　it。　They　were　trailing　Creech。

Suddenly　Slone　gave　a　wild　start；　which　made　Wildfire　plunge。

〃CORDTS！〃　whispered　Slone　and　the　cold　sweat　oozed　out　of　every　pore。

These　canyons　were　the　hiding…places　of　the　horse…thief。　He　and　two　of　his　men
had　chanced　upon　Creech's　trail；　and　perhaps　their　guess　at　its　meaning　was
like　Slone's。　If　they　had　not　guessed　they　would　soon　learn。　It　magnified
Slone's　task　a　thousandfold。　He　had　a　moment　of　bitter；　almost　hopeless
realization　before　a　more　desperate　spirit　awoke　in　him。　He　had　only　more　men
to　killthat　was　all。　These　upland　riders　did　not　pack　rifles；　of　that　Slone
was　sure。　And　the　sooner　he　came　up　with　Cordts　the　better。　It　was　then　he　let
Wildfire　choose　his　gait　and　the　trail。　Sunset；　twilight；　dusk；　and　darkness
came　with　Slone　keeping　on　and　on。　As　long　as　there　were　no　intersecting
canyons　or　clefts　or　slopes　by　which　Creech　might　have　swerved　from　his
course；　just　so　long　Slone　would　travel。　And　it　was　late　in　the　night　when　he
had　to　halt。

Early　next　day　the　trail　led　up　out　of　the　red　and　broken　gulches　to　the
cedared　uplands。　Slone　saw　a　black…rimmed；　looming　plateau　in　the　distance。
All　these　winding　canyons；　and　the　necks　of　the　high　ridges　between；　must　run
up　to　that　great　table…land。

That　day　he　lost　two　of　the　horse　tracks。　He　did　not　mark　the　change　for　a
long　time　after　there　had　been　a　split　in　the　party　that　had　been　trailing
Creech。　Then　it　was　too　late　for　him　to　go　back　to　investigate；　even　if　that
had　been　wise。　He　kept　on；　pondering；　trying　to　decide　whether　or　not　he　had
been　discovered　and　was　now　in　danger　of　ambush　ahead　and　pursuit　from　behind。
He　thought　that　possibly　Cordts　had　split　his　party；　one　to　trail　along　after
Creech；　the　others　to　work　around　to　head　him　off。　Undoubtedly　Cordts　knew
this　broken　canyon　country　and　could　tell　where　Creech　was　going；　and　knew　how
to　intercept　him。

The　uncertainty　wore　heavily　upon　Slone。　He　grew　desperate。　He　had　no　time　to
steal　along　cautiously。　He　must　be　the　first　to　get　to　Creech。　So　he　held　to
the　trail　and　went　as　rapidly　as　the　nature　of　the　ground　would　permit；
expecting　to　be　shot　at　from　any　clump　of　cedars。　The　trail　led　down　again
into　a　narrow　canyon　with　low　walls。　Slone　put　all　his　keenness　on　what　lay
before　him。

Wildfire's　sudden　break　and　upflinging　of　head　and　his　snort　preceded　the
crack　of　a　rifle。　Slone　knew　he　had　been　shot　at；　although　he　neither　felt　nor
heard　the　bullet。　He　had　no　chance　to　see　where　the　shot　came　from；　for
Wildfire　bolted；　and　needed　as　much　holding　and　guiding　as　Slone　could　give。
He　ran　a　mile。　Then　Slone　was　able　to　look　about　him。　Had　he　been　shot　at　from
above　or　behind？　He　could　not　tell。　It　did　not　matter；　so　long　as　the　danger
was　not　in　front。　He　kept　a　sharp　lookout；　and　presently　along　the　right
canyon　rim；　five　hundred　feet　above　him；　he　saw　a　bay　horse；　and　a　rider　with
a　rifle。　He　had　been　wrong；　then；　about　these　riders　and　their　weapons。　Slone
did　not　see　any　wisdom　in　halting　to　shoot　up　at　this　pursuer；　and　he　spurred
Wildfire　just　as　a　sharp　crack　sounded　above。　The　bullet　thudded　into　the
earth　a　few　feet　behind　him。　And　then　over　bad　ground；　with　the　stallion
almost　unmanageable；　Slone　ran　a　gantlet　of　shots。　Evidently　the　man　on　the
rim　had　smooth　ground　to　ride　over；　for　he　easily　kept　abreast　of　Slone。　But
he　could　not　get　the　range。　Fortunately　for　Slone；　broken　ramparts　above
checked　the　tricks　of　that　pursuer；　and　Slone　saw　no　more　of　him。

It　afforded　him　great　relief　to　find　that　Creech's　trail　turned　into　a　canyon
on　the　left；　and　here；　with　the　sun　already　low；　Slone　began　to　watch　the
clumps　of　cedars　and　the　jumbles　of　rock。　But　he　was　not　ambushed。　Darkness
set　in；　and；　being　tired　out；　he　was　about　to　halt　for　the　night　when　he
caught　the　flicker　of　a　campfire。　The　stallion　saw　it；　too；　but　did　not　snort。
Slone　dismounted　and；　leading　him；　went　cautiously　forward　on　foot；　rifle　in
hand。

The　canyon　widened　at　a　point　where　two　breaks　occurred；　and　the
less…restricted　space　was　thick　with　cedar　and　pinyon。　Slone　could　tell　by　the
presence　of　these　trees　and　also　by　a　keener　atmosphere　that　he　was　slowly
getting　to　a　higher　attitude。　This　camp…fire　must　belong　to　Cordts　or　the　one
man　who　had　gone　on　ahead。　And　Slone　advanced　boldly。　He　did　not　have　to　make
up　his　mind　what　to　do。

But　he　was　amazed　to　see　several　dark　forms　moving　to　and　fro　before　the
bright　camp…fire；　and　he　checked　himself　abruptly。　Considering　a　moment；　Slone
thought　he　had　better　have　a　look　at　these　fellows。　So　he　tied　Wildfire　and；
taking　to　the　darker　side　of　the　canyon；　he　stole　cautiously　forward。

The　distance　was　considerable；　as　he　had　calculated。　Soon；　however；　he　made
out　the　shadowy　outlines　of　horses　feeding　in　the　open。　He　hugged　the　canyon
wall　for　fear　they　might　see　him。　As　luck　would　have　it　the　night　breeze　was
in　his　favor。　Stealthily　he　stole　on；　in　the　deep　shadow　of　the　wall；　and
under　the　cedars；　until　he　came　to　a　point　opposite　the　camp…fire；　and　then　he
turned　toward　it。　He　went　slowly；　carefully；　noiselessly；　and　at　last　he
crawled　through　the　narrow　aisles　between　thick　sage…brush。　Another　clump　of
cedars　loomed　up；　and　he　saw　the　flickering　of　firelight　upon　the　pale…green
foliage。

He　heard　gruff　voices　before　he　raised　himself　to　look；　and　by　this　he　gauged
his　distance。　He　was　close　enoughalmost　too　close。　But　as　he　crouched　in
dark　shade　and　there　were　no　horses　near；　he　did　not　fear　discovery。

When　he　peered　out　from　his　covert　the　first　thing　to　strike　and　hold　his
rapid　glance　was　the　slight　figure　of　a　girl。　Slone　stifled　a　gasp　in　his
throat。　He　thought　he　recognized　Lucy。　Stunned；　he　crouched　down　again　with
his　hands　clenched　round　his　rifle。　And　there　he　remained　for　a　long　moment　of
agony　before　reason　asserted　itself　over　emotion。　Had　he　really　seen　Lucy？　He
had　heard　of　a　girl　now　and　then　in　the　camps　of　these　men；　especially　Cordts。
Maybe　Creech　had　fallen　in　with　comrades。　No；　he　could　not　have　had　any
comrades　there　but　horse…thieves；　and　Creech　was　above　that。　If　Creech　was
there　he　had　been　held　up　by　Cordts；　if　Lucy　only　was　with　the　gang；　Creech
had　been　killed。

Slone　had　to　force　himself　to　look　again。　The　girl　had　changed　her　position。
But　the　light　shone　upon　the　men。　Creech　was　not　one　of　the　three；　nor　Cordts；
nor　any　man　Slone　had　seen　before。　They　were　not　honest　men；　judging　from
their　hard；　evil　looks。　Slone　was　nonplussed　and　he　was　losing　self…control。
Again　he　lowered　himself　and　waited。　He　caught　the　word　〃Durango〃　and　〃hosses〃
and　〃fer　enough　in；〃　the　meaning　of　which　was；　vague。　Then　the　girl　laughed。
And　Slone　found　himself　trembling　with　joy。　Beyond　any　doubt　that　laugh　could
not　have　been　Lucy's。

Slone　stole　back　as　he　had　come；　reached　the　shadow　of　the　wall；　and　drew　away
until　he　felt　it　safe　to　walk　quickly。　When　he　reached　the　place　where　he
expected　to　find　Wildfire　he　did　not　see　him。　Slone　looked　and　looked。　Perhaps
he　had　misjudged　distance　and　place　in　the　gloom。　Still；　he　never　made
mistakes　of　that　nature。　He　searched　around　till　he　found　the　cedar　stump　to
which　he　had　tied　the　lasso。　In　the　gloom　he　could　not　see　it；　and　when　he
reached　out　he　did　n