desert gold-第18节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。

〃Hello；　Dick！　　Good　news　and　bad！〃　he　said；　putting　the　letter　in　Dick's　hand。　　〃Had　no　trouble　finding　your　friend　Thorne。　　Looked　like　he'd　been　drunk　for　a　week！　　Say；　he　nearly　threw　a　fit。　　I　never　saw　a　fellow　so　wild　with　joy。　　He　made　sure　you　and　Mercedes　were　lost　in　the　desert。　　He　wrote　two　letters　which　I　brought。　Don't　mistake　me；　boy；　it　was　some　fun　with　Mercedes　just　now。　I　teased　her；　wouldn't　give　her　the　letter。　　You　ought　to　have　seen　her　eyes。　　If　ever　you　see　a　black…and…white　desert　hawk　swoop　down　upon　a　quail；　then　you'll　know　how　Mercedes　pounced　upon　her　letter。。。Well；　Casita　is　one　hell　of　a　place　these　days。　　I　tried　to　get　your　baggage；　and　I　think　I　made　a　mistake。　　We're　going　to　see　travel　toward　Forlorn　River。　　The　federal　garrison　got　reinforcements　from　somewhere；　and　is　holding　out。　　There's　been　fighting　for　three　days。　　The　rebels　have　a　string　of　flat　railroad　cars；　all　iron；　and　they　ran　this　up　within　range　of　the　barricades。　　They've　got　some　machine　guns；　and　they're　going　to　lick　the　federals　sure。　　There　are　dead　soldiers　in　the　ditches；　Mexican　non…combatants　lying　dead　in　the　streetsand　buzzards　everywhere！　It's　reported　that　Campo；　the　rebel　leader；　is　on　the　way　up　from　Sinaloa；　and　Huerta；　a　federal　general；　is　coming　to　relieve　the　garrison。　I　don't　take　much　stock　in　reports。　　But　there's　hell　in　Casita；　all　right。〃

〃Do　you　think　we'll　have　trouble　out　here？〃　asked　Dick；　excitedly。

〃Sure。　　Some　kind　of　trouble　sooner　or　later；〃　replied　Belding；　gloomily。　　〃Why；　you　can　stand　on　my　ranch　and　step　over　into　Mexico。　　Laddy　says　we'll　lose　horses　and　other　stock　in　night　raids。　Jim　Lash　doesn't　look　for　any　worse。　　But　Jim　isn't　as　well　acquainted　with　Greasers　as　I　am。　　Anyway；　my　boy；　as　soon　as　you　can　hold　a　bridle　and　a　gun　you'll　be　on　the　job；　don't　mistake　me。〃

〃With　Laddy　and　Jim？〃　asked　Dick；　trying　to　be　cool。

〃Sure。　　With　them　and　me；　and　by　yourself。〃

Dick　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　even　after　Belding　had　departed　he　forgot　for　a　moment　about　the　letter　in　his　hand。　　Then　he　unfolded　the　paper　and　read：

Dear　Dick；You've　more　than　saved　my　life。　　To　the　end　of　my　days　you'll　be　the　one　man　to　whom　I　owe　everything。　　Words　fail　to　express　my　feelings。

This　must　be　a　brief　note。　　Belding　is　waiting；　and　I　used　up　most　of　the　time　writing　to　Mercedes。　　I　like　Belding。　　He　was　not　unknown　to　me；　though　I　never　met　or　saw　him　before。　　You'll　be　interested　to　learn　that　he's　the　unadulterated　article；　the　real　Western　goods。　　I've　heard　of　some　of　his　stunts；　and　they　made　my　hair　curl。　　Dick；　your　luck　is　staggering。　　The　way　Belding　spoke　of　you　was　great。　　But　you　deserve　it；　old　man。

I'm　leaving　Mercedes　in　your　charge；　subject；　of　course；　to　advice　from　Belding。　　Take　care　of　her；　Dick；　for　my　life　is　wrapped　up　in　her。　　By　all　means　keep　her　from　being　seen　by　Mexicans。　　We　are　sitting　tight　herenothing　doing。　　If　some　action　doesn't　come　soon；　it'll　be　darned　strange。　　Things　are　centering　this　way。　There's　scrapping　right　along；　and　people　have　begun　to　move。　We're　still　patrolling　the　line　eastward　of　Casita。　　It'll　be　impossible　to　keep　any　tab　on　the　line　west　of　Casita；　for　it's　too　rough。　　That　cactus　desert　is　awful。　Cowboys　or　rangers　with　desert…bred　horses　might　keep　raiders　and　smugglers　from　crossing。　But　if　cavalrymen　could　stand　that　waterless　wilderness；　which　I　doubt　much；　their　horses　would　drop　under　them。

If　things　do　quiet　down　before　my　commission　expires；　I'll　get　leave　of　absence；　run　out　to　Forlorn　River；　marry　my　beautiful　Spanish　princess；　and　take　her　to　a　civilized　country；　where；　I　opine；　every　son　of　a　gun　who　sees　her　will　lose　his　head；　and　drive　me　mad。　　It's　my　great　luck；　old　pal；　that　you　are　a　fellow　who　never　seemed　to　care　about　pretty　girls。　　So　you　won't　give　me　the　double　cross　and　run　off　with　Mercedescarry　her　off；　like　the　villain　in　the　play；　I　mean。

That　reminds　me　of　Rojas。　　Oh；　Dick；　it　was　glorious！　　You　didn't　do　anything　to　the　Dandy　Rebel！　　Not　at　all！　　You　merely　caressed　himgently　moved　him　to　one　side。　　Dick；　harken　to　these　glad　words：　　Rojas　is　in　the　hospital。　　I　was　interested　to　inquire。　He　had　a　smashed　finger；　a　dislocated　collar　bone；　three　broken　ribs；　and　a　fearful　gash　on　his　face。　　He'll　be　in　the　hospital　for　a　month。　　Dick；　when　I　meet　that　pig…headed　dad　of　yours　I'm　going　to　give　him　the　surprise　of　his　life。

Send　me　a　line　whenever　any　one　comes　in　from　F。　R。；　and　inclose　Mercedes's　letter　in　yours。　　Take　care　of　her；　Dick；　and　may　the　future　hold　in　store　for　you　some　of　the　sweetness　I　know　now！

Faithfully　yours；　Thorne。


Dick　reread　the　letter；　then　folded　it　and　placed　it　under　his　pillow。

〃Never　cared　for　pretty　girls；　huh？〃　he　soliloquized。

〃George；　I　never　saw　any　till　I　struck　Southern　Arizona！　Guess　I'd　better　make　up　for　lost　time。〃

While　he　was　eating　his　supper；　with　appetite　rapidly　returning　to　normal；　Ladd　and　Jim　cam　in；　bowing　their　tall　heads　to　enter　the　door。　　Their　friendly　advances　were　singularly　welcome　to　Gale；　but　he　was　still　backward。　　He　allowed　himself　to　show　that　he　was　glad　to　see　them；　and　he　listened。　　Jim　Lash　had　heard　from　Belding　the　result　of　the　mauling　given　to　Rojas　by　Dick。　　And　Jim　talked　about　what　a　grand　thing　that　was。　　Ladd　had　a　good　deal　to　say　about　Belding's　horses。　　It　took　no　keen　judge　of　human　nature　to　see　that　horses　constituted　Ladd's　ruling　passion。

〃I've　had　wimmen　go　back　on　me；　but　never　no　hoss！〃　declared　Ladd；　and　manifestly　that　was　a　controlling　truth　with　him。

〃Shore　it's　a　cinch　Beldin'　is　agoin'　to　lose　some　of　them　hosses；〃　he　said。　　〃you　can　search　me　if　I　don't　think　there'll　be　more　doin'　on　the　border　here　than　along　the　Rio　Grande。　　We're　just　the　same　as　on　Greaser　soil。　　Mebbe　we　don't　stand　no　such　chance　of　bein'　shot　up　as　we　would　across　the　line。　　but　who's　goin'　to　give　up　his　hosses　without　a　fight？　　Half　the　time　when　Beldin's　stock　is　out　of　the　alfalfa　it's　grazin'　over　the　line。　　He　thinks　he's　careful　about　them　hosses；　but　he　ain't。〃

〃Look　a…here；　Laddy；　you　cain't　believe　all　you　hear；〃　replied　Jim；　seriously。　　〃I　reckon　we　mightn't　have　any　trouble。〃

〃Back　up；　Jim。　　Shore　you're　standin'　on　your　bridle。　　I　ain't　goin'　much　on　reports。　　Remember　that　American　we　met　in　Casita；　the　prospector　who'd　just　gotten　out　of　Sonora？　　He　had　some　story；　he　had。　　Swore　he'd　killed　seventeen　Greasers　breakin'　through　the　rebel　line　round　the　mine　where　he　an'　other　Americans　were　corralled。　　The　next　day　when　I　met　him　again；　he　was　drunk；　an'　then　he　told　me　he'd　shot　thirty　Greasers。　　The　chances　are　he　did　kill　some。　　But　reports　are　exaggerated。　　There　are　miners　fightin'　for　life　down　in　Sonora；　you　can　gamble　on　that。　　An'　the　truth　is　bad　enough。　　Take　Rojas's　harryin'　of　the　Senorita；　for　instance。　　Can　you　beat　that？　　Shore；　Jim；　there's　more　doin'　than　the　raidin'　of　a　few　hosses。　　An'　Forlorn　River　is　goin'　to　get　hers！〃

Another　dawn　found　Gale　so　much　recovered　that　he　arose　and　looked　after　himself；　not；　however；　without　considerable　difficulty　and　rather　disheartening　twinges　of　pain。

Some　time　during　the　morning　he　heard　the　girls　in　the　patio　and　called　to　ask　if　he　might　join　them。　　He　received　one　response；　a　mellow；　〃Si；　Senor。〃　　It　was　not　as　much　as　he　wanted；　but　considering　that　it　was　enough；　he　went　out。　　He　had　not　as　yet　visited　the　patio；　and　surprise　and　delight　were　in　store　for　him。　　He　found　himself　lost　in　a　labyrinth　of　green　and　rose…bordered　walks。　　He　strolled　around；　discovering　that　the　patio　was　a　courtyard；　open　at　an　end；　but　he　failed　to　discover　the　young　ladies。　　So　he　called　again。　　the　answer　cam　from　the　center　of　the　square。　　After　stooping　to　get　under　shrubs　and　wading　through　bushes　he　entered　an　open　sandy　circle；　full　of　magnificent　and　murderous　cactus　plants；　strange　to　him。　　On　the　other　side；　in　the　shade　of　a　beautiful　tree；　he　found　the　girls。　Mercedes　sitting　in　a　hammock；　Nell　upon　a　blanket。

〃What　a　beautiful　tree！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　never　saw　one　like　that。　　What　is　it？〃

〃Palo　verde；〃　replied　Nell。

〃Senor；　palo　verde　means　'green　tree；'〃　added　Mercedes。

This　desert　tree；　which　had　struck　Dick　as　so　new　and　strange　and　beautiful；　was　not　striking　on　account　of　size；　for　it　was　small；　scarcely　reaching　higher　than　the　roof；　but　rather　because　of　its　exquisite　color　of　green；　trunk　and　branch　alike；　and　owing　to　the　odd　fact　that　it　seemed　not　to　possess　leaves。　　All　the　tree　from　ground　to　tiny　flat　twigs　was　a　soft　polished　green。　　It　bore　no　thorns。

Right　then　and　there　began　Dick's　education　in　desert　growths；　and　he　felt　that　even　if　he　had　not　had　such　charming　teachers　he　would　still　have　been　absorbed。　　For　the　patio　was　full　of　desert　wonders。　　A　twisting…trunked　tree　with　full　foliage　of　small　gray　leaves　Nell　called　a　mesquite。　　Then　Dick　remembered　the　name；　and　now　he　saw　where　the　desert　got　its　pale…gray　color。　A　huge；　lofty；　fluted　column　of　green　was　a　saguaro；　or　giant　cactus。　　Another　oddshaped　cactus；　resembling　the　legs　of　an　inverted　devil…fish；　bore　the　name　ocatillo。　　Each　branch　rose　high　and　symmetrical；　furnished　with　sharp　blades　that　seemed　to　be　at　once