desert gold-第11节

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im　the　more　he　pondered。　　All　those　wandering　months　of　his　had　been　filled　with　dissatisfaction；　yet　he　had　been　too　apathetic　to　understand　himself。　　So　he　had　not　been　much　of　a　person　to　try。。　Perhaps　it　had　not　been　the　blow　to　Rojas　any　more　than　other　things　that　had　wrought　some　change　in　him。

His　meeting　with　Thorne；　the　wonderful　black　eyes　of　a　Spanish　girl；　her　appeal　to　him；　the　hate　inspired　by　Rojas；　and　the　rush；　the　blow；　the　action；　sight　of　Thorne　and　　Mercedes　hurrying　safely　away；　the　girl's　hand　pressing　his　to　her　heaving　breast；　the　sweet　fire　of　her　kiss；　the　fact　of　her　being　alone　with　him；　dependent　upon　him　all　these　things　Gale　turned　over　and　over　in　his　mind；　only　to　fail　of　any　definite　conclusion　as　to　which　had　affect　him　so　remarkably；　or　to　tell　what　had　really　happened　to　him。

Had　he　fallen　in　love　with　Thorne's　sweetheart？　　The　idea　came　in　a　flash。　　Was　he；　all　in　an　instant；　and　by　one　of　those　incomprehensible　reversals　of　　character；　jealous　of　his　friend？　　Dick　was　almost　afraid　to　look　up　at　Mercedes。　　Still　he　forced　himself　to　do　so；　and　as　it　chanced　Mercedes　was　looking　down　at　him。　　Somehow　the　light　was　better；　and　he　clearly　saw　her　white　face；　her　black　and　starry　eyes；　her　perfect　mouth。　　With　a　quick；　graceful　impulsiveness　she　put　her　hand　upon　his　shoulder。　　Like　her　appearance；　the　action　was　new；　strange；　striking　to　Gale；　but　it　brought　home　suddenly　to　him　the　nature　of　gratitude　and　affection　in　a　girl　of　her　blood。　　It　was　sweet　and　sisterly。　　He　knew　then　that　he　had　not　fallen　in　love　with　her。　　The　feeling　that　was　akin　to　jealousy　seemed　to　be　of　the　beautiful　something　for　which　Mercedes　stood　in　Thorne's　life。　Gale　then　grasped　the　bewildering　possibilities；　the　infinite　wonder　of　what　a　girl　could　mean　to　a　man。

The　other　haunting　intimations　of　change　seemed　to　be　elusively　blended　with　sensationsthe　heat　and　thrill　of　action；　the　sense　of　something　done　and　more　to　do；　the　utter　vanishing　of　an　old　weary　hunt　for　he　knew　not　what。　　Maybe　it　had　been　a　hunt　for　work；　for　energy；　for　spirit；　for　love；　for　his　real　self。　Whatever　it　might　be；　there　appeared　to　be　now　some　hope　of　finding　it。

The　desert　began　to　lighten。　　Gray　openings　in　the　border　of　shrubby　growths　changed　to　paler　hue。　　The　road　could　be　seen　some　rods　ahead；　and　it　had　become　a　stony　descent　down；　steadily　down。　Dark；　ridged　backs　of　mountains　bounded　the　horizon；　and　all　seemed　near　at　hand；　hemming　in　the　plain。　　In　the　east　a　white　glow　grew　brighter　and　brighter；　reaching　up　to　a　line　of　cloud；　defined　sharply　below　by　a　rugged　notched　range。　　Presently　a　silver　circle　rose　behind　the　black　mountain；　and　the　gloom　of　the　desert　underwent　a　transformation。　From　a　gray　mantle　it　changed　to　a　transparent　haze。　　The　moon　was　rising。

〃Senor　I　am　cold；〃　said　Mercedes。

Dick　had　been　carrying　his　coat　upon　his　arm。　　He　had　felt　warm；　even　hot；　and　had　imagined　that　the　steady　walk　had　occasioned　it。　　But　his　skin　was　cool。　　The　heat　came　from　an　inward　burning。　He　stopped　the　horse　and　raised　the　coat　up；　and　helped　Mercedes　put　it　on。

〃I　should　have　thought　of　you；〃　he　said。　　〃But　I　seemed　to　feel　warm　。　。　。　The　coat's　a　little　large；　we　might　wrap　it　round　you　twice。〃

Mercedes　smiled　and　lightly　thanked　him　in　Spanish。　　The　flash　of　mood　was　in　direct　contrast　to　the　appealing；　passionate；　and　tragic　states　in　which　he　had　successively　viewed　her；　and　it　gave　him　a　vivid　impression　of　what　vivacity　and　charm　she　might　possess　under　happy　conditions。　　He　was　about　to　start　when　he　observed　that　Ladd　had　halted　and　was　peering　ahead　in　evident　caution。　　Mercedes'　horse　began　to　stamp　impatiently；　raised　his　hears　and　head；　and　acted　as　if　he　was　about　to　neigh。

A　warning　〃hist！〃　from　Ladd　bade　Dick　to　put　a　quieting　hand　on　the　horse。　　Lash　came　noiselessly　forward　to　join　his　companion。　The　two　then　listened　and　watched。

An　uneasy　yet　thrilling　stir　ran　through　Gale's　veins。　　This　scene　was　not　fancy。　　These　men　of　the　ranges　had　heard　or　seen　or　scented　danger。　　It　was　all　real；　as　tangible　and　sure　as　the　touch　of　Mercedes's　hand　upon　his　arm。　　Probably　for　her　the　night　had　terrors　beyond　Gale's　power　to　comprehend。　　He　looked　down　into　the　desert；　and　would　have　felt　no　surprise　at　anything　hidden　away　among　the　bristling　cactus；　the　dark；　winding　arroyos；　the　shadowed　rocks　with　their　moonlit　tips；　the　ragged　plain　leading　to　the　black　bold　mountains。　　The　wind　appeared　to　blow　softly；　with　an　almost　imperceptible　moan；　over　the　desert。　　That　was　a　new　sound　to　Gale。　But　he　heard　nothing　more。

Presently　Lash　went　to　the　rear　and　Ladd　started　ahead。　　The　progress　now；　however；　was　considerably　slower；　not　owing　to　a　roadfor　that　became　betterbut　probably　owing　to　caution　exercised　by　the　cowboy　guide。　　At　the　end　of　a　half　hour　this　marked　deliberation　changed；　and　the　horses　followed　Ladd's　at　a　gait　that　put　Gale　to　his　best　walking…paces。

Meanwhile　the　moon　soared　high　above　the　black　corrugated　peaks。　The　gray；　the　gloom；　the　shadow　whitened。　　The　clearing　of　the　dark　foreground　appeared　to　lift　a　distant　veil　and　show　endless　aisles　of　desert　reaching　down　between　dim　horizon…bounding　ranges。

Gale　gazed　abroad；　knowing　that　as　this　night　was　the　first　time　for　him　to　awake　to　consciousness　of　a　vague；　wonderful　other　self；　so　it　was　one　wherein　he　began　to　be　aware　of　an　encroaching　presence　of　physical　thingsthe　immensity　of　the　star…studded　sky；　the　soaring　moon；　the　bleak；　mysterious　mountains；　and　limitless　slope；　and　plain；　and　ridge；　and　valley。　　These　things　in　all　their　magnificence　had　not　been　unnoticed　by　him　before；　only　now　they　spoke　a　different　meaning。　　A　voice　that　he　had　never　heard　called　him　to　see；　to　fee　the　vast　hard　externals　of　heaven　and　earth；　all　that　represented　the　open；　the　free；　silence　and　solitude　and　space。

Once　more　his　thoughts；　like　his　steps；　were　halted　by　Ladd's　actions。　The　cowboy　reined　in　his　horse；　listened　a　moment；　then　swung　down　out　of　the　saddle。　　He　raised　a　cautioning　hand　to　the　others；　then　slipped　into　the　gloom　and　disappeared。　　Gale　marked　that　the　halt　had　been　made　in　a　ridged　and　cut…up　pass　between　low　mesas。　He　could　see　the　columns　of　cactus　standing　out　black　against　the　moon…white　sky。　　The　horses　were　evidently　tiring；　for　the　showed　no　impatience。　　Gale　heard　their　panting　breaths；　and　also　the　bark　of　some　animala　dog　or　a　coyote。　　It　sounded　like　a　dog；　and　this　led　Gale　to　wonder　if　there　was　any　house　near　at　hand。　　To　the　right；　up　under　the　ledges　some　distance　away；　stood　two　square　black　objects；　too　uniform；　he　thought；　to　be　rocks。　　While　he　was　peering　at　them；　uncertain　what　to　think；　the　shrill　whistle　of　a　horse　pealed　out；　to　be　followed　by　the　rattling　of　hoofs　on　hard　stone。　　Then　a　dog　barked。　　At　the　same　moment　that　Ladd　hurriedly　appeared　in　the　road　a　light　shone　out　and　danced　before　one　of　the　square　black　objects。

〃Keep　close　an'　don't　make　no　noise；〃　he　whispered；　and　led　his　horse　at　right　angles　off　the　road。

Gale　followed；　leading　Mercedes's　horse。　　As　he　turned　he　observed　that　Lash　also　had　dismounted。

To　keep　closely　at　Ladd's　heels　without　brushing　the　cactus　or　stumbling　over　rocks　and　depressions　was　a　task　Gale　found　impossible。　After　he　had　been　stabbed　several　times　by　the　bayonetlike　spikes；　which　seemed　invisible；　the　matter　of　caution　became　equally　one　of　self…preservation。　　Both　the　cowboys；　Dick　had　observed；　wore　leather　chaps。　　It　was　no　easy　matter　to　lead　a　spirited　horse　through　the　dark；　winding　lanes　walled　by　thorns。　　Mercedes　horse　often　balked　and　had　to　be　coaxed　and　carefully　guided。　　Dick　concluded　that　Ladd　was　making　a　wide　detour。　　The　position　of　certain　stars　grown　familiar　during　the　march　veered　round　from　one　side　to　another。　　Dick　saw　that　the　travel　was　fast；　but　by　no　means　noiseless。　　The　pack　animals　at　times　crashed　and　ripped　through　the　narrow　places。　　It　seemed　to　Gale　that　any　one　within　a　mile　could　have　heard　these　sounds。　　From　the　tops　of　knolls　or　ridges　he　looked　back；　trying　to　locate　the　mesas　where　the　light　had　danced　and　the　dog　had　barked　alarm。　　He　could　not　distinguish　these　two　rocky　eminences　from　among　many　rising　in　the　background。

Presently　Ladd　let　out　into　a　wider　lane　that　appeared　to　run　straight。　　The　cowboy　mounted　his　horse；　and　this　fact　convinced　Gale　that　they　had　circled　back　to　the　road。　　The　march　proceeded　then　once　more　at　a　good；　steady；　silent　walk。　　When　Dick　consulted　his　watch　he　was　amazed　to　see　that　the　hour　was　till　early。　　How　much　had　happened　in　little　time！　　He　now　began　to　be　aware　that　the　night　was　growing　colder；　and；　strange　to　him；　he　felt　something　damp　that　in　a　country　he　knew　he　would　have　recognized　as　dew。　He　had　not　been　aware　there　was　dew　on　the　desert。　　The　wind　blew　stronger；　the　stars　shone　whiter；　the　sky　grew　darker；　and　the　moon　climbed　toward　the　zenith。　　The　road　stretched　level　for　miles；　then　crossed　arroyos　and　ridges；　wound　between　mounds　of　broken　ruined　rock；　found　a　level　again；　and　then　began　a　long　ascent。　Dick　asked　Mercedes　if　she　was　cold；　and　she　answered　that　she　was；　speaking　especially　of　her　feet；　which　were　growing