riders of the purple sage-第5节

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hes。〃

〃Jane；　you　couldn't　listen　to　sweeter　music；　nor　could　I　have　a　better　bed。〃

〃Just　think！　Men　like　Lassiter　and　you　have　no　home；　no　comfort；　no　rest；　no　place　to　lay　your　weary　heads。　Well！。。。Let　us　be　patient。　Tull's　anger　may　cool；　and　time　may　help　us。　You　might　do　some　service　to　the　villagewho　can　tell？　Suppose　you　discovered　the　long…unknown　hiding…place　of　Oldring　and　his　band；　and　told　it　to　my　riders？　That　would　disarm　Tull's　ugly　hints　and　put　you　in　favor。　For　years　my　riders　have　trailed　the　tracks　of　stolen　cattle。　You　know　as　well　as　I　how　dearly　we've　paid　for　our　ranges　in　this　wild　country。　Oldring　drives　our　cattle　down　into　the　network　of　deceiving　canyons；　and　somewhere　far　to　the　north　or　east　he　drives　them　up　and　out　to　Utah　markets。　If　you　will　spend　time　in　Deception　Pass　try　to　find　the　trails。〃

〃Jane；　I've　thought　of　that。　I'll　try。〃

〃I　must　go　now。　And　it　hurts；　for　now　I'll　never　be　sure　of　seeing　you　again。　But　to…morrow；　Bern？〃

〃To…morrow　surely。　I'll　watch　for　Lassiter　and　ride　in　with　him。〃

〃Good　night。〃

Then　she　left　him　and　moved　away；　a　white；　gliding　shape　that　soon　vanished　in　the　shadows。

Venters　waited　until　the　faint　slam　of　a　door　assured　him　she　had　reached　the　house；　and　then；　taking　up　his　rifle；　he　noiselessly　slipped　through　the　bushes；　down　the　knoll；　and　on　under　the　dark　trees　to　the　edge　of　the　grove。　The　sky　was　now　turning　from　gray　to　blue；　stars　had　begun　to　lighten　the　earlier　blackness；　and　from　the　wide　flat　sweep　before　him　blew　a　cool　wind；　fragrant　with　the　breath　of　sage。　Keeping　close　to　the　edge　of　the　cottonwoods；　he　went　swiftly　and　silently　westward。　The　grove　was　long；　and　he　had　not　reached　the　end　when　he　heard　something　that　brought　him　to　a　halt。　Low　padded　thuds　told　him　horses　were　coming　this　way。　He　sank　down　in　the　gloom；　waiting；　listening。　Much　before　he　had　expected；　judging　from　sound；　to　his　amazement　he　descried　horsemen　near　at　hand。　They　were　riding　along　the　border　of　the　sage；　and　instantly　he　knew　the　hoofs　of　the　horses　were　muffled。　Then　the　pale　starlight　afforded　him　indistinct　sight　of　the　riders。　But　his　eyes　were　keen　and　used　to　the　dark；　and　by　peering　closely　he　recognized　the　huge　bulk　and　black…bearded　visage　of　Oldring　and　the　lithe；　supple　form　of　the　rustler's　lieutenant；　a　masked　rider。　They　passed　on；　the　darkness　swallowed　them。　Then；　farther　out　on　the　sage；　a　dark；　compact　body　of　horsemen　went　by；　almost　without　sound；　almost　like　specters；　and　they；　too；　melted　into　the　night。



CHAPTER　III。　AMBER　SPRING

No　unusual　circumstances　was　it　for　Oldring　and　some　of　his　men　to　visit　Cottonwoods　in　the　broad　light　of　day；　but　for　him　to　prowl　about　in　the　dark　with　the　hoofs　of　his　horses　muffled　meant　that　mischief　was　brewing。　Moreover；　to　Venters　the　presence　of　the　masked　rider　with　Oldring　seemed　especially　ominous。　For　about　this　man　there　was　mystery；　he　seldom　rode　through　the　village；　and　when　he　did　ride　through　it　was　swiftly；　riders　seldom　met　by　day　on　the　sage；　but　wherever　he　rode　there　always　followed　deeds　as　dark　and　mysterious　as　the　mask　he　wore。　Oldring's　band　did　not　confine　themselves　to　the　rustling　of　cattle。

Venters　lay　low　in　the　shade　of　the　cottonwoods；　pondering　this　chance　meeting；　and　not　for　many　moments　did　he　consider　it　safe　to　move　on。　Then；　with　sudden　impulse；　he　turned　the　other　way　and　went　back　along　the　grove。　When　he　reached　the　path　leading　to　Jane's　home　he　decided　to　go　down　to　the　village。　So　he　hurried　onward；　with　quick　soft　steps。　Once　beyond　the　grove　he　entered　the　one　and　only　street。　It　was　wide；　lined　with　tall　poplars；　and　under　each　row　of　trees；　inside　the　foot…path；　were　ditches　where　ran　the　water　from　Jane　Withersteen's　spring。

Between　the　trees　twinkled　lights　of　cottage　candles；　and　far　down　flared　bright　windows　of　the　village　stores。　When　Venters　got　closer　to　these　he　saw　knots　of　men　standing　together　in　earnest　conversation。　The　usual　lounging　on　the　corners　and　benches　and　steps　was　not　in　evidence。　Keeping　in　the　shadow　Venters　went　closer　and　closer　until　he　could　hear　voices。　But　he　could　not　distinguish　what　was　said。　He　recognized　many　Mormons；　and　looked　hard　for　Tull　and　his　men；　but　looked　in　vain。

Venters　concluded　that　the　rustlers　had　not　passed　along　the　village　street。　No　doubt　these　earnest　men　were　discussing　Lassiter's　coming。　But　Venters　felt　positive　that　Tull's　intention　toward　himself　that　day　had　not　been　and　would　not　be　revealed。

So　Venters；　seeing　there　was　little　for　him　to　learn；　began　retracing　his　steps。　The　church　was　dark；　Bishop　Dyer's　home　next　to　it　was　also　dark；　and　likewise　Tull's　cottage。　Upon　almost　any　night　at　this　hour　there　would　be　lights　here；　and　Venters　marked　the　unusual　omission。

As　he　was　about　to　pass　out　of　the　street　to　skirt　the　grove；　he　once　more　slunk　down　at　the　sound　of　trotting　horses。　Presently　he　descried　two　mounted　men　riding　toward　him。　He　hugged　the　shadow　of　a　tree。　Again　the　starlight；　brighter　now；　aided　him；　and　he　made　out　Tull's　stalwart　figure；　and　beside　him　the　short；　froglike　shape　of　the　rider　Jerry。　They　were　silent；　and　they　rode　on　to　disappear。

Venters　went　his　way　with　busy；　gloomy　mind；　revolving　events　of　the　day；　trying　to　reckon　those　brooding　in　the　night。　His　thoughts　overwhelmed　him。　Up　in　that　dark　grove　dwelt　a　woman　who　had　been　his　friend。　And　he　skulked　about　her　home；　gripping　a　gun　stealthily　as　an　Indian；　a　man　without　place　or　people　or　purpose。　Above　her　hovered　the　shadow　of　grim；　hidden；　secret　power。　No　queen　could　have　given　more　royally　out　of　a　bounteous　store　than　Jane　Withersteen　gave　her　people；　and　likewise　to　those　unfortunates　whom　her　people　hated。　She　asked　only　the　divine　right　of　all　womenfreedom；　to　love　and　to　live　as　her　heart　willed。　And　yet　prayer　and　her　hope　were　vain。

〃For　years　I've　seen　a　storm　clouding　over　her　and　the　village　of　Cottonwoods；〃　muttered　Venters；　as　he　strode　on。　〃Soon　it'll　burst。　I　don't　like　the　prospects。〃　That　night　the　villagers　whispered　in　the　streetand　night…riding　rustlers　muffled　horsesand　Tull　was　at　work　in　secretand　out　there　in　the　sage　hid　a　man　who　meant　something　terribleLassiter！

Venters　passed　the　black　cottonwoods；　and；　entering　the　sage；　climbed　the　gradual　slope。　He　kept　his　direction　in　line　with　a　western　star。　From　time　to　time　he　stopped　to　listen　and　heard　only　the　usual　familiar　bark　of　coyote　and　sweep　of　wind　and　rustle　of　sage。　Presently　a　low　jumble　of　rocks　loomed　up　darkly　somewhat　to　his　right；　and；　turning　that　way；　he　whistled　softly。

Out　of　the　rocks　glided　a　dog　that　leaped　and　whined　about　him。　He　climbed　over　rough；　broken　rock；　picking　his　way　carefully；　and　then　went　down。　Here　it　was　darker；　and　sheltered　from　the　wind。　A　white　object　guided　him。　It　was　another　dog；　and　this　one　was　asleep；　curled　up　between　a　saddle　and　a　pack。　The　animal　awoke　and　thumped　his　tail　in　greeting。　Venters　placed　the　saddle　for　a　pillow；　rolled　in　his　blankets；　with　his　face　upward　to　the　stars。　The　white　dog　snuggled　close　to　him。　The　other　whined　and　pattered　a　few　yards　to　the　rise　of　ground　and　there　crouched　on　guard。　And　in　that　wild　covert　Venters　shut　his　eyes　under　the　great　white　stars　and　intense　vaulted　blue；　bitterly　comparing　their　loneliness　to　his　own；　and　fell　asleep。

When　he　awoke；　day　had　dawned　and　all　about　him　was　bright　steel…gray。　The　air　had　a　cold　tang。　Arising；　he　greeted　the　fawning　dogs　and　stretched　his　cramped　body；　and　then；　gathering　together　bunches　of　dead　sage　sticks；　he　lighted　a　fire。　Strips　of　dried　beef　held　to　the　blaze　for　a　moment　served　him　and　the　dogs。　He　drank　from　a　canteen。　There　was　nothing　else　in　his　outfit；　he　had　grown　used　to　a　scant　fire。　Then　he　sat　over　the　fire；　palms　outspread；　and　waited。　Waiting　had　been　his　chief　occupation　for　months；　and　he　scarcely　knew　what　he　waited　for　unless　it　was　the　passing　of　the　hours。　But　now　he　sensed　action　in　the　immediate　present；　the　day　promised　another　meeting　with　Lassiter　and　Lane；　perhaps　news　of　the　rustlers；　on　the　morrow　he　meant　to　take　the　trail　to　Deception　Pass。

And　while　he　waited　he　talked　to　his　dogs。　He　called　them　Ring　and　Whitie；　they　were　sheep…dogs；　half　collie；　half　deerhound；　superb　in　build；　perfectly　trained。　It　seemed　that　in　his　fallen　fortunes　these　dogs　understood　the　nature　of　their　value　to　him；　and　governed　their　affection　and　faithfulness　accordingly。　Whitie　watched　him　with　somber　eyes　of　love；　and　Ring；　crouched　on　the　little　rise　of　ground　above；　kept　tireless　guard。　When　the　sun　rose；　the　white　dog　took　the　place　of　the　other；　and　Ring　went　to　sleep　at　his　master's　feet。

By　and　by　Venters　rolled　up　his　blankets　and　tied　them　and　his　meager　pack　together；　then　climbed　out　to　look　for　his　horse。　He　saw　him；　presently；　a　little　way　off　in　the　sage；　and　went　to　fetch　him。　In　that　country；　where　every　rider　boasted　of　a　fine　mount　and　was　eager　for　a　race；　where　thoroughbreds　dotted　the　wonderful　grazing　ranges；　Venters　rode　a　horse　that　was　sad　proof　of　his　misfortunes。

Then；　with　his　back　against　a　stone；　Venters　faced　the　east；　and；　stick　in　hand　and　idle　blade；　he　waited。　The　glorious　sunlight　filled