riders of the purple sage-第57节

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b　from　terrace　to　bridge　appeared　so　long。

Not　till　they　reached　the　opening　of　the　gorge　did　they　stop　to　rest　and　take　one　last　look　at　the　valley。　The　tremendous　arch　of　stone　curved　clear　and　sharp　in　outline　against　the　morning　sky。　And　through　it　streaked　the　golden　shaft。　The　valley　seemed　an　enchanted　circle　of　glorious　veils　of　gold　and　wraiths　of　white　and　silver　haze　and　dim；　blue；　moving　shadebeautiful　and　wild　and　unreal　as　a　dream。

〃Wewe　canththink　of　italwaysreremember；〃　sobbed　Bess。

〃Hush！　Don't　cry。　Our　valley　has　only　fitted　us　for　a　better　life　somewhere。　Come！〃


They　entered　the　gorge　and　he　closed　the　willow　gate。　From　rosy；　golden　morning　light　they　passed　into　cool；　dense　gloom。　The　burros　pattered　up　the　trail　with　little　hollow…cracking　steps。　And　the　gorge　widened　to　narrow　outlet　and　the　gloom　lightened　to　gray。　At　the　divide　they　halted　for　another　rest。　Venters's　keen；　remembering　gaze　searched　Balancing　Rock；　and　the　long　incline；　and　the　cracked　toppling　walls；　but　failed　to　note　the　slightest　change。

The　dogs　led　the　descent；　then　came　Bess　leading　her　burro；　then　Venters　leading　his。　Bess　kept　her　eyes　bent　downward。　Venters；　however；　had　an　irresistible　desire　to　look　upward　at　Balancing　Rock。　It　had　always　haunted　him；　and　now　he　wondered　if　he　were　really　to　get　through　the　outlet　before　the　huge　stone　thundered　down。　He　fancied　that　would　be　a　miracle。　Every　few　steps　he　answered　to　the　strange；　nervous　fear　and　turned　to　make　sure　the　rock　still　stood　like　a　giant　statue。　And；　as　he　descended；　it　grew　dimmer　in　his　sight。　It　changed　form；　it　swayed　it　nodded　darkly；　and　at　last；　in　his　heightened　fancy；　he　saw　it　heave　and　roll。　As　in　a　dream　when　he　felt　himself　falling　yet　knew　he　would　never　fall；　so　he　saw　this　long…standing　thunderbolt　of　the　little　stone…men　plunge　down　to　close　forever　the　outlet　to　Deception　Pass。

And　while　he　was　giving　way　to　unaccountable　dread　imaginations　the　descent　was　accomplished　without　mishap。

〃I'm　glad　that's　over；〃　he　said；　breathing　more　freely。　〃I　hope　I'm　by　that　hanging　rock　for　good　and　all。　Since　almost　the　moment　I　first　saw　it　I've　had　an　idea　that　it　was　waiting　for　me。　Now；　when　it　does　fall；　if　I'm　thousands　of　miles　away；　I'll　hear　it。〃

With　the　first　glimpses　of　the　smooth　slope　leading　down　to　the　grotesque　cedars　and　out　to　the　Pass；　Venters's　cool　nerve　returned。　One　long　survey　to　the　left；　then　one　to　the　right；　satisfied　his　caution。　Leading　the　burros　down　to　the　spur　of　rock；　he　halted　at　the　steep　incline。

〃Bess；　here's　the　bad　place；　the　place　I　told　you　about；　with　the　cut　steps。　You　start　down；　leading　your　burro。　Take　your　time　and　hold　on　to　him　if　you　slip。　I've　got　a　rope　on　him　and　a　half…hitch　on　this　point　of　rock；　so　I　can　let　him　down　safely。　Coming　up　here　was　a　killing　job。　But　it'll　be　easy　going　down。〃

Both　burros　passed　down　the　difficult　stairs　cut　by　the　cliff…dwellers；　and　did　it　without　a　misstep。　After　that　the　descent　down　the　slope　and　over　the　mile　of　scrawled；　ripped；　and　ridged　rock　required　only　careful　guidance；　and　Venters　got　the　burros　to　level　ground　in　a　condition　that　caused　him　to　congratulate　himself。

〃Oh；　if　we　only　had　Wrangle！〃　exclaimed　Venters。　〃But　we're　lucky。　That's　the　worst　of　our　trail　passed。　We've　only　men　to　fear　now。　If　we　get　up　in　the　sage　we　can　hide　and　slip　along　like　coyotes。〃

They　mounted　and　rode　west　through　the　valley　and　entered　the　canyon。　From　time　to　time　Venters　walked；　leading　his　burro。　When　they　got　by　all　the　canyons　and　gullies　opening　into　the　Pass　they　went　faster　and　with　fewer　halts。　Venters　did　not　confide　in　Bess　the　alarming　fact　that　he　had　seen　horses　and　smoke　less　than　a　mile　up　one　of　the　intersecting　canyons。　He　did　not　talk　at　all。　And　long　after　he　had　passed　this　canyon　and　felt　secure　once　more　in　the　certainty　that　they　had　been　unobserved　he　never　relaxed　his　watchfulness。　But　he　did　not　walk　any　more；　and　he　kept　the　burros　at　a　steady　trot。　Night　fell　before　they　reached　the　last　water　in　the　Pass　and　they　made　camp　by　starlight。　Venters　did　not　want　the　burros　to　stray；　so　he　tied　them　with　long　halters　in　the　grass　near　the　spring。　Bess；　tired　out　and　silent；　laid　her　head　in　a　saddle　and　went　to　sleep　between　the　two　dogs。　Venters　did　not　close　his　eyes。　The　canyon　silence　appeared　full　of　the　low；　continuous　hum　of　insects。　He　listened　until　the　hum　grew　into　a　roar；　and　then；　breaking　the　spell；　once　more　he　heard　it　low　and　clear。　He　watched　the　stars　and　the　moving　shadows；　and　always　his　glance　returned　to　the　girl's　dimly　pale　face。　And　he　remembered　how　white　and　still　it　had　once　looked　in　the　starlight。　And　again　stern　thought　fought　his　strange　fancies。　Would　all　his　labor　and　his　love　be　for　naught？　Would　he　lose　her；　after　all？　What　did　the　dark　shadow　around　her　portend？　Did　calamity　lurk　on　that　long　upland　trail　through　the　sage？　Why　should　his　heart　swell　and　throb　with　nameless　fear？　He　listened　to　the　silence　and　told　himself　that　in　the　broad　light　of　day　he　could　dispel　this　leaden…weighted　dread。

At　the　first　hint　of　gray　over　the　eastern　rim　he　awoke　Bess；　saddled　the　burros；　and　began　the　day's　travel。　He　wanted　to　get　out　of　the　Pass　before　there　was　any　chance　of　riders　coming　down。　They　gained　the　break　as　the　first　red　rays　of　the　rising　sun　colored　the　rim。

For　once；　so　eager　was　he　to　get　up　to　level　ground；　he　did　not　send　Ring　or　Whitie　in　advance。　Encouraging　Bess　to　hurry　pulling　at　his　patient；　plodding　burro；　he　climbed　the　soft；　steep　trail。

Brighter　and　brighter　grew　the　light。　He　mounted　the　last　broken　edge　of　rim　to　have　the　sun…fired；　purple　sage…slope　burst　upon　him　as　a　glory。　Bess　panted　up　to　his　side；　tugging　on　the　halter　of　her　burro。

〃We're　up！〃　he　cried；　joyously。　〃There's　not　a　dot　on　the　sage　We're　safe。　We'll　not　be　seen！　Oh；　Bess〃

Ring　growled　and　sniffed　the　keen　air　and　bristled。　Venters　clutched　at　his　rifle。　Whitie　sometimes　made　a　mistake；　but　Ring　never。　The　dull　thud　of　hoofs　almost　deprived　Venters　of　power　to　turn　and　see　from　where　disaster　threatened。　He　felt　his　eyes　dilate　as　he　stared　at　Lassiter　leading　Black　Star　and　Night　out　of　the　sage；　with　Jane　Withersteen；　in　rider's　costume；　close　beside　them。

For　an　instant　Venters　felt　himself　whirl　dizzily　in　the　center　of　vast　circles　of　sage。　He　recovered　partially；　enough　to　see　Lassiter　standing　with　a　glad　smile　and　Jane　riveted　in　astonishment。

〃Why；　Bern！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃How　good　it　is　to　see　you！　We're　riding　away；　you　see。　The　storm　burstand　I'm　a　ruined　woman！。。。I　thought　you　were　alone。〃

Venters；　unable　to　speak　for　consternation；　and　bewildered　out　of　all　sense　of　what　he　ought　or　ought　not　to　do；　simply　stared　at　Jane。

〃Son；　where　are　you　bound　for？〃　asked　Lassiter。

〃Not　safewhere　I　was。　I'mwe're　going　out　of　Utahback　East；〃　he　found　tongue　to　say。

〃I　reckon　this　meetin's　the　luckiest　thing　that　ever　happened　to　you　an'　to　mean'　to　Janean'　to　Bess；〃　said　Lassiter；　coolly。

〃Bess！〃　cried　Jane；　with　a　sudden　leap　of　blood　to　her　pale　cheek。

It　was　entirely　beyond　Venters　to　see　any　luck　in　that　meeting。

Jane　Withersteen　took　one　flashing；　woman's　glance　at　Bess's　scarlet　face；　at　her　slender；　shapely　form。

〃Venters！　is　this　a　girla　woman？〃　she　questioned；　in　a　voice　that　stung。

〃Yes。〃

〃Did　you　have　her　in　that　wonderful　valley？〃

〃Yes；　but　Jane〃

〃All　the　time　you　were　gone？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　couldn't　tell〃

〃Was　it　for　her　you　asked　me　to　give　you　supplies？　Was　it　for　her　that　you　wanted　to　make　your　valley　a　paradise？〃

〃OhJane〃

〃Answer　me。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh；　you　liar！〃　And　with　these　passionate　words　Jane　Withersteen　succumbed　to　fury。　For　the　second　time　in　her　life　she　fell　into　the　ungovernable　rage　that　had　been　her　father's　weakness。　And　it　was　worse　than　his；　for　she　was　a　jealous　womanjealous　even　of　her　friends。　As　best　he　could；　he　bore　the　brunt　of　her　anger。　It　was　not　only　his　deceit　to　her　that　she　visited　upon　him；　but　her　betrayal　by　religion；　by　life　itself。

Her　passion；　like　fire　at　white　heat；　consumed　itself　in　little　time。　Her　physical　strength　failed；　and　still　her　spirit　attempted　to　go　on　in　magnificent　denunciation　of　those　who　had　wronged　her。　Like　a　tree　cut　deep　into　its　roots；　she　began　to　quiver　and　shake；　and　her　anger　weakened　into　despair。　And　her　ringing　voice　sank　into　a　broken；　husky　whisper。　Then；　spent　and　pitiable；　upheld　by　Lassiter's　arm；　she　turned　and　hid　her　face　in　Black　Star's　mane。

Numb　as　Venters　was　when　at　length　Jane　Withersteen　lifted　her　head　and　looked　at　him；　he　yet　suffered　a　pang。

〃Jane；　the　girl　is　innocent！〃　he　cried。

〃Can　you　expect　me　to　believe　that？〃　she　asked；　with　weary；　bitter　eyes。

〃I'm　not　that　kind　of　a　liar。　And　you　know　it。　If　I　liedif　I　kept　silent　when　honor　should　have　made　me　speak；　it　was　to　spare　you。　I　came　to　Cottonwoods　to　tell　you。　But　I　couldn't　add　to　your　pain。　I　intended　to　tell　you　I　had　come　to　love　this　girl。　But；　Jane　I　hadn't　forgotten　how　good　you　were　to　me。　I　haven't　changed　at　all　toward　you。　I　prize　your　friendship　as　I　always　have。　But；　however　it　may　look　to　youdon't　be　unjust。　The　girl　is　innocent。　Ask　Lassiter。〃

〃