desert gold-第24节

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e　mountain　Aztecs。　　Personally；　I　think　they　are　noble　and　intelligent；　and　if　let　alone　would　be　peaceable　and　industrious。　　I　like　the　few　I've　known。　　But　they　are　a　doomed　race。　　Have　you　any　idea　what　ailed　this　Yaqui　before　the　raider　got　in　his　work？〃

〃No；　I　haven't。　　I　noticed　the　Indian　seemed　in　bad　shape；　but　I　couldn't　tell　what　was　the　matter　with　him。〃

〃Well；　my　idea　is　another　personal　one。　　Maybe　it's　off　color。　　I　think　that　Yaqui　was；　or　is；　for　that　matter；　dying　of　a　broken　heart。　　All　he　wanted　was　to　get　back　to　his　mountains　and　die。　There　are　no　Yaquis　left　in　that　part　of　Sonora　he　was　bound　for。〃

〃He　had　a　strange　look　in　his　eyes；〃　said　Gale；　thoughtfully。

〃Yes；　I　noticed　that。　　But　all　Yaquis　have　a　wild　look。　　Dick；　if　I'm　not　mistaken；　this　fellow　was　a　chief。　　It　was　a　waste　of　strength；　a　needless　risk　for　you　to　save　him；　pack　him　back　here。　but；　damn　the　whole　Greaser　outfit　generally；　I'm　glad　you　did！〃

Gale　remembered　then　to　speak　of　his　concern　for　Ladd。

〃Laddy　didn't　go　out　to　meet　you；〃　replied　Belding。　　〃I　knew　you　were　due　in　any　day；　and；　as　there's　been　trouble　between　here　and　Casita；　I　sent　him　that　way。　　Since　you've　been　out　our　friend　Carter　lost　a　bunch　of　horses　and　a　few　steers。　　Did　you　get　a　good　look　at　the　horses　those　raiders　had　at　Papago　Well？〃

Dick　had　learned；　since　he　had　become　a　ranger；　to　see　everything　with　keen；　sure；　photographic　eye；　and；　being　put　to　the　test　so　often　required　of　him；　he　described　the　horses　as　a　dark…colored　drove；　mostly　bays　and　blacks；　with　one　spotted　sorrel。

〃Some　of　Carter'ssure　as　you're　born！〃　exclaimed　Belding。　　〃His　bunch　has　been　split　up；　divided　among　several　bands　of　raiders。　He　has　a　grass　ranch　up　here　in　Three　Mile　Arroyo。　　It's　a　good　long　ride　in　U。　S。　territory　from　the　border。〃

〃Those　horses　I　saw　will　go　home；　don't　you　think？〃　asked　Dick。

〃Sure。　　They　can't　be　caught　or　stopped。〃

〃Well；　what　shall　I　do　now？〃

〃Stay　here　and　rest；〃　bluntly　replied　Belding。　　〃You　need　it。　　Let　the　women　fuss　over　youdoctor　you　a　little。　　When　Jim　gets　back　from　Sonoyta　I'll　know　more　about　what　we　ought　to　do。　　By　Lord！　it　seems　our　job　now　isn't　keeping　Japs　and　Chinks　out　of　the　U。　S。　It's　keeping　our　property　from　going　into　Mexico。〃

〃Are　there　any　letters　for　me？〃　asked　Gale。

〃Letters！　　Say；　my　boy；　it'd　take　something　pretty　important　to　get　me　or　any　man　here　back　Casita　way。　　If　the　town　is　safe　these　days　the　road　isn't。　　It's　a　month　now　since　any　one　went　to　Casita。〃

Gale　had　received　several　letters　from　his　sister　Elsie；　the　last　of　which　he　had　not　answered。　　There　had　not　been　much　opportunity　for　writing　on　his　infrequent　returns　to　Forlorn　River；　and；　besides；　Elsie　had　written　that　her　father　had　stormed　over　what　he　considered　Dick's　falling　into　wild　and　evil　ways。

〃Time　flies；〃　said　Dick。　　〃George　Thorne　will　be　free　before　long；　and　he'll　be　coming　out。　　I　wonder　if　he'll　stay　here　or　try　to　take　Mercedes　away？〃

〃Well；　he'll　stay　right　here　in　Forlorn　River；　if　I　have　any　say；〃　replied　Belding。　　〃I'd　like　to　know　how　he'd　ever　get　that　Spanish　girl　out　of　the　country　now；　with　all　the　trails　overrun　by　rebels　and　raiders。　　It'd　be　hard　to　disguise　her。　　Say；　Dick；　maybe　we　can　get　Thorne　to　stay　here。　　You　know；　since　you've　discovered　the　possibility　of　a　big　water　supply；　I've　had　dreams　of　a　future　for　Forlorn　River。。。。If　only　this　war　was　over！

Dick；　that's　what　it　iswarscattered　war　along　the　northern　border　of　Mexico　from　gulf　to　gulf。　　What　if　it　isn't　our　war？　We're　on　the　fringe。　　No；　we　can't　develop　Forlorn　River　until　there's　peace。〃

The　discovery　that　Belding　alluded　to　was　one　that　might　very　well　lead　to　the　making　of　a　wonderful　and　agricultural　district　of　Altar　Valley。　　While　in　college　Dick　Gale　had　studied　engineering；　but　he　had　not　set　the　scientific　world　afire　with　his　brilliance。　　Nor　after　leaving　college　had　he　been　able　to　satisfy　his　father　that　he　could　hold　a　job。　　Nevertheless；　his　smattering　of　engineering　skill　bore　fruit　in　the　last　place　on　earth　where　anything　might　have　been　expected　of　itin　the　desert。　　Gale　had　always　wondered　about　the　source　of　Forlorn　River。　　No　white　man　or　Mexican；　or；　so　far　as　known；　no　Indian；　had　climbed　those　mighty　broken　steps　of　rock　called　No　Name　Mountains；　from　which　Forlorn　River　was　supposed　to　come。　　Gale　had　discovered　a　long；　narrow；　rock…bottomed　and　rock…walled　gulch　that　could　be　dammed　at　the　lower　end　by　the　dynamiting　of　leaning　cliffs　above。　　An　inexhaustible　supply　of　water　could　be　stored　there。　　Furthermore；　he　had　worked　out　an　irrigation　plan　to　bring　the　water　down　for　mining　uses；　and　to　make　a　paradise　out　of　that　part　of　Altar　Valley　which　lay　in　the　United　States。　　Belding　claimed　there　was　gold　in　the　arroyos；　gold　in　the　gulches；　not　in　quantities　to　make　a　prospector　rejoice；　but　enough　to　work　for。　　And　the　soil　on　the　higher　levels　of　Altar　Valley　needed　only　water　to　make　it　grow　anything　the　year　round。　　Gale；　too；　had　come　to　have　dreams　of　a　future　for　Forlorn　River。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　following　day　Ladd　unexpectedly　appeared　leading　a　lame　and　lathered　horse　into　the　yard。　　Belding　and　Gale；　who　were　at　work　at　the　forge；　looked　up　and　were　surprised　out　of　speech。　　The　legs　of　the　horse　were　raw　and　red；　and　he　seemed　about　to　drop。　　Ladd's　sombrero　was　missing；　he　wore　a　bloody　scarf　round　his　head；　sweat　and　blood　and　dust　had　formed　a　crust　on　his　face；　little　streams　of　powdery　dust　slid　from　him；　and　the　lower　half　of　his　scarred　chaps　were　full　of　broken　white　thorns。

〃Howdy；　boys；〃　he　drawled。　　〃I　shore　am　glad　to　see　you　all。〃

〃Where'n　hell's　your　hat？〃　　demanded　Belding；　furiously。　　It　was　a　ridiculous　greeting。　　But　Belding's　words　signified　little。　　The　dark　shade　of　worry　and　solicitude　crossing　his　face　told　more　than　his　black　amaze。

The　ranger　stopped　unbuckling　the　saddle　girths；　and；　looking　at　Belding；　broke　into　his　slow；　cool　laugh。

〃Tom；　you　recollect　that　whopper　of　a　saguaro　up　here　where　Carter's　trail　branches　off　the　main　trail　to　Casita？　　Well；　I　climbed　it　an'　left　my　hat　on　top　for　a　woodpecker's　nest。〃

〃You've　been　runningfighting？〃　queried　Belding；　as　if　Ladd　had　not　spoken　at　all。

〃I　reckon　it'll　dawn　on　you　after　a　while；〃　replied　Ladd；　slipping　the　saddle。

〃Laddy；　go　in　the　house　to　the　women；〃　said　Belding。　　〃I'll　tend　to　your　horse。〃

〃Shore；　Tom；　in　a　minute。　　I've　been　down　the　road。　　An'　I　found　hoss　tracks　an'　steer　tracks　goin'　across　the　line。　　But　I　seen　no　sign　of　raiders　till　this　mornin'。　　Slept　at　Carter's　last　night。　That　raid　the　other　day　cleaned　him　out。　　He's　shootin'　mad。　　Well；　this　mornin'　I　rode　plumb　into　a　bunch　of　Carter's　hosses；　runnin'　wild　for　home。　　Some　Greasers　were　tryin'　to　head　them　round　an'　chase　them　back　across　the　line。　　I　rode　in　between　an'　made　matters　embarrassin'。　　Carter's　hosses　got　away。　　Then　me　an'　the　Greasers　had　a　little　game　of　hide　an'　seek　in　the　cactus。　　I　was　on　the　wrong　side；　an'　had　to　break　through　their　line　to　head　toward　home。　　We　run　some。　　But　I　had　a　closer　call　than　I'm　stuck　on　havin'。〃

〃Laddy；　you　wouldn't　have　any　such　close　calls　if　you'd　ride　one　of　my　horses；〃　expostulated　Belding。　　〃This　broncho　of　yours　can　run；　and　Lord　knows　he's　game。　　But　you　want　a　big；　strong　horse；　Mexican　bred；　with　cactus　in　his　blood。　Take　one　of　the　bunchBull；　White　Woman；　Blanco　Jose。〃

〃I　had　a　big；　fast　horse　a　while　back；　but　I　lost　him；〃　said　Ladd。　〃This　bronch　ain't　so　bad。　　Shore　Bull　an'　that　white　devil　with　his　Greaser　namethey　could　run　down　my　bronch；　kill　him　in　a　mile　of　cactus。　　But；　somehow；　Tom；　I　can't　make　up　my　mind　to　take　one　of　them　grand　white　hosses。　　Shore　I　reckon　I'm　kinda　soft。　　An'　mebbe　I'd　better　take　one　before　the　raiders　clean　up　Forlorn　River。〃

Belding　cursed　low　and　deep　in　his　throat；　and　the　sound　resembled　muttering　thunder。　　The　shade　of　anxiety　on　his　face　changed　to　one　of　dark　gloom　and　passion。　　Next　to　his　wife　and　daughter　there　was　nothing　so　dear　to　him　as　those　white　horses。　　His　father　and　grandfatherall　his　progenitors　of　whom　he　had　tracehad　been　lovers　of　horses。　　It　was　in　Belding's　blood。

〃Laddy；　before　it's　too　late　can't　I　get　the　whites　away　from　the　border？〃

〃Mebbe　it　ain't　too　late；　but　where　can　we　take　them？？

〃To　San　Felipe？〃

〃No。　　We've　more　chance　to　hold　them　here。？

〃To　Casita　and　the　railroad？〃

〃Afraid　to　risk　gettin'　there。　　An'　the　town's　full　of　rebels　who　need　hosses。〃

〃Then　straight　north？〃

〃Shore　man；　you're　crazy。　　Ther's　no　water；　no　grass　for　a　hundred　miles。　　I'll　tell　you；　Tom；　the　safest　plan　would　be　to　take　the　white　bunch　south　into　Sonora；　into　some　wild　mountain　valley。　Keep　them　there　till　the　raiders　have　traveled　on　back　east。　　Pretty　soon　there　won't　be　any　rich　pickin'　left　for　these　Greasers。　　An'　then　they'll　ride　on　to　new　ranges。〃

〃Laddy；　I　don't　know　the　trails　into　Sonora。　　An'　I　can't　trust　a　Mexican　or　a　Papago。　　Between　you　and　me；　I'm　afraid　of　this　Indian　who　herds　for　me。〃

〃I　reckon　we'd　better　stick　here；　Tom。。。。Dick；　it's　some　good　to　see　you　again。　　But　you　seem　kinda　quiet。　　Shore　you　get　quieter　all　the　time。