desert gold-第27节

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ail。　　As　Gale　turned　to　look　back　from　the　far　bank　of　Forlorn　River；　he　saw　Nell　waving　a　white　scarf。　　He　stood　high　in　his　stirrups　and　waved　his　sombrero。　　Then　the　mesquites　hid　the　girl's　slight　figure；　and　Gale　wheeled　grim…faced　to　follow　the　　rangers。

They　rode　in　single　file　with　Ladd　in　the　lead。　　He　did　not　keep　to　the　trail　of　the　raiders　all　the　time。　　He　made　short　cuts。　The　raiders　were　traveling　leisurely；　and　they　evinced　a　liking　for　the　most　level　and　least　cactus…covered　stretches　of　ground。　But　the　cowboy　took　a　bee…line　course　for　the　white　escarpment　pointed　out　by　the　Yaqui；　and　nothing　save　deep　washes　and　impassable　patches　of　cactus　or　rocks　made　him　swerve　from　it。　He　kept　the　broncho　at　a　steady　walk　over　the　rougher　places　and　at　a　swinging　Indian　canter　over　the　hard　and　level　ground。　　The　sun　grew　hot　and　the　wind　began　to　blow。　　Dust　clouds　rolled　along　the　blue　horizon。　　Whirling　columns　of　sand；　like　water　spouts　at　sea；　circled　up　out　of　white　arid　basins；　and　swept　away　and　spread　aloft　before　the　wind。　　The　escarpment　began　to　rise；　to　change　color；　to　show　breaks　upon　it　rocky　face。

Whenever　the　rangers　rode　out　on　the　brow　of　a　knoll　or　ridge　or　an　eminence；　before　starting　to　descend；　Ladd　required　of　Gale　a　long；　careful；　sweeping　survey　of　the　desert　ahead　through　the　field　glass。　　There　were　streams　of　white　dust　to　be　seen；　streaks　of　yellow　dust；　trailing　low　clouds　of　sand　over　the　glistening　dunes；　but　no　steadily　rising；　uniformly　shaped　puffs　that　would　tell　a　tale　of　moving　horses　on　the　desert。　At　noon　the　rangers　got　out　of　the　thick　cactus。　　Moreover；　the　gravel…bottomed　washes；　the　low　weathering；　rotting　ledges　of　yellow　rock　gave　place　to　hard　sandy　rolls　and　bare　clay　knolls。　The　desert　resembled　a　rounded　hummocky　sea　of　color。　　All　light　shades　of　blue　and　pink　and　yellow　and　mauve　were　there　dominated　by　the　glaring　white　sun。　　Mirages　glistened；　wavered；　faded　in　the　shimmering　waves　of　heat。　　Dust　as　fine　as　power　whiffed　up　from　under　the　tireless　hoofs。

The　rangers　rode　on　and　the　escarpment　began　to　loom。　　The　desert　floor　inclined　perceptibly　upward。　　When　Gale　got　an　unobstructed　view　of　the　slope　of　the　escarpment　he　located　the　raiders　and　horses。　　In　another　hour's　travel　the　rangers　could　see　with　naked　eyes　a　long；　faint　moving　streak　of　black　and　white　dots。

〃They're　headin'　for　that　yellow　pass；〃　said　Ladd；　pointing　to　a　break　in　the　eastern　end　of　the　escarpment。　　〃When　they　get　out　of　sight　we'll　rustle。　　I'm　thinkin'　that　waterhole　the　Yaqui　spoke　of　lays　in　the　pass。〃

The　rangers　traveled　swiftly　over　the　remaining　miles　of　level　desert　leading　to　the　ascent　of　the　escarpment。　　When　they　achieved　the　gateway　of　the　pass　the　sun　was　low　in　the　west。　　Dwarfed　mesquite　and　greasewood　appeared　among　the　rocks。　　Ladd　gave　the　word　to　tie　up　horses　and　go　forward　on　foot。

The　narrow　neck　of　the　pass　opened　and　descended　into　a　valley　half　a　mile　wide；　perhaps　twice　that　in　length。　　It　had　apparently　unscalable　slopes　of　weathered　rock　leading　up　to　beetling　walls。　With　floor　bare　and　hard　and　white；　except　for　a　patch　of　green　mesquite　near　the　far　end　it　was　a　lurid　and　desolate　spot；　the　barren　bottom　of　a　desert　bowl。

〃Keep　down；　boys〃　said　Ladd。　　〃There's　the　waterhole　an'　hosses　have　sharp　eyes。　　Shore　the　Yaqui　figgered　this　place。　　I　never　seen　its　like　for　a　trap。〃

Both　white　and　black　horses　showed　against　the　green；　and　a　thin　curling　column　of　blue　smoke　rose　lazily　from　amid　the　mesquites。

〃I　reckon　we'd　better　wait　till　dark；　or　mebbe　daylight；〃　said　Jim　Lash。

〃Let　me　figger　some。　　Dick；　what　do　you　make　of　the　outlet　to　this　hole？　　Looks　rough　to　me。〃

With　his　glass　Gale　studied　the　narrow　construction　of　walls　and　roughened　rising　floor。

〃Laddy；　it's　harder　to　get　out　at　that　end　than　here；〃　he　replied。

〃Shore　that's　hard　enough。　　Let　me　have　a　look。。。。Well；　boys；　it　don't　take　no　figgerin'　for　this　job。　　Jim；　I'll　want　you　at　the　other　end　blockin'　the　pass　when　we're　ready　to　start。〃

〃When'll　that　be？〃　inquired　Jim。

〃Soon　as　it's　light　enough　in　the　mornin'。　　That　Greaser　outfit　will　hang　till　to…morrow。　　There's　no　sure　water　ahead　for　two　days；　you　remember。〃

〃I　reckon　I　can　slip　through　to　the　other　end　after　dark；〃　said　Lash；　thoughtfully。　　〃It　might　get　me　in　bad　to　go　round。〃

The　rangers　stole　back　from　the　vantage　point　and　returned　to　their　horses；　which　they　untied　and　left　farther　round　among　broken　sections　of　cliff。　　For　the　horses　it　was　a　dry；　hungry　camp；　but　the　rangers　built　a　fire　and　had　their　short　though　strengthening　meal。

The　location　was　high；　and　through　a　break　in　the　jumble　of　rocks　the　great　colored　void　of　desert　could　be　seen　rolling　away　endlessly　to　the　west。　　The　sun　set；　and　after　it　had　gone　down　the　golden　tips　of　mountains　dulled；　their　lower　shadows　creeping　upward。

Jim　Lash　rolled　in　his　saddle　blanket；　his　feet　near　the　fire；　and　went　to　sleep。　　Ladd　told　Gale　to　do　likewise　while　he　kept　the　fire　up　and　waited　until　it　was　late　enough　for　Jim　to　undertake　circling　round　the　raiders。　　When　Gale　awakened　the　night　was　dark；　cold；　windy。　　The　stars　shone　with　white　brilliance。　Jim　was　up　saddling　his　horse；　and　Ladd　was　talking　low。　When　Gale　rose　to　accompany　them　both　rangers　said　he　need　not　go。　But　Gale　wanted　to　go　because　that　was　the　thing　Ladd　or　Jim　would　have　done。

With　Ladd　leading；　they　moved　away　into　the　gloom。　　Advance　was　exceedingly　slow；　careful；　silent。　　Under　the　walls　the　blackness　seemed　impenetrable。　　The　horse　was　as　cautious　as　his　master。　Ladd　did　not　lose　his　way；　nevertheless　he　wound　between　blocks　of　stone　and　clumps　of　mesquite；　and　often　tried　a　passage　to　abandon　it。　　Finally　the　trail　showed　pale　in　the　gloom；　and　eastern　stars　twinkled　between　the　lofty　ramparts　of　the　pass。

The　advance　here　was　still　as　stealthily　made　as　before；　but　not　so　difficult　or　slow。　　When　the　dense　gloom　of　the　pass　lightened；　and　there　was　a　wide　space　of　sky　and　stars　overhead；　Ladd　halted　and　stood　silent　a　moment。

〃Luck　again！〃　he　whispered。　　〃The　wind's　in　your　face；　Jim。　　The　horses　won't　scent　you。　　Go　slow。　　Don't　crack　a　stone。　　Keep　close　under　the　wall。　　Try　to　get　up　as　high　as　this　at　the　other　end。　Wait　till　daylight　before　riskin'　a　loose　slope。　　I'll　be　ridin'　the　job　early。　　That's　all。〃

Ladd's　cool；　easy　speech　was　scarcely　significant　of　the　perilous　undertaking。　　Lash　moved　very　slowly　away；　leading　his　horse。　The　soft　pads　of　hoofs　ceased　to　sound　about　the　time　the　gray　shape　merged　into　the　black　shadows。　　Then　Ladd　touched　Dick's　arm；　and　turned　back　up　the　trail。

But　Dick　tarried　a　moment。　　He　wanted　a　fuller　sense　of　that　ebony…bottomed　abyss；　with　its　pale　encircling　walls　reaching　up　to　the　dusky　blue　sky　and　the　brilliant　stars。　　There　was　absolutely　no　sound。

He　retraced　his　steps　down；　soon　coming　up　with　Ladd；　and　together　they　picked　a　way　back　through　the　winding　recesses　of　cliff。　　The　campfire　was　smoldering。　　Ladd　replenished　it　and　lay　down　to　get　a　few　hours'　sleep；　while　Gale　kept　watch。　　The　after　part　of　the　night　wore　on　till　the　paling　of　stars；　the　thickening　of　gloom　indicated　the　dark　hour　before　dawn。　　The　spot　was　secluded　from　wind；　but　the　air　grew　cold　as　ice。　　Gale　spent　the　time　stripping　wood　from　a　dead　mesquite；　in　pacing　to　and　fro；　in　listening。　　Blanco　Sol　stamped　occasionally；　which　sound　was　all　that　broke　the　stilliness。　Ladd　awoke　before　the　faintest　gray　appeared。　　The　rangers　ate　and　drank。　　When　the　black　did　lighten　to　gray　they　saddled　the　horses　and　led　them　out　to　the　pass　and　down　to　the　point　where　they　had　parted　with　Lash。　　Here　they　awaited　daylight。

To　Gale　it　seemed　long　in　coming。　　Such　a　delay　always　aggravated　the　slow　fire　within　him。　　He　had　nothing　of　Ladd's　patience。　　He　wanted　action。　　The　gray　shadow　below　thinned　out；　and　the　patch　of　mesquite　made　a　blot　upon　the　pale　valley。　　The　day　dawned。

Still　Ladd　waited。　　He　grew　more　silent；　grimmer　as　the　time　of　action　approached。　　Gale　wondered　what　the　plan　of　attack　would　be。　　Yet　he　did　not　ask。　　He　waited　ready　for　orders。

The　valley　grew　clear　of　gray　shadow　except　under　leaning　walls　on　the　eastern　side。　　Then　a　straight　column　of　smoke　rose　from　among　the　mesquites。　　Manifestly　this　was　what　Ladd　had　been　awaiting。　　He　took　the　long　。405　from　its　sheath　and　tried　the　lever。　　Then　he　lifted　a　cartridge　belt　from　the　pommel　of　his　saddle。　　Every　ring　held　a　shell　and　these　shells　were　four　inches　long。　　He　buckled　the　belt　round　him。

〃Come　on；　Dick。〃

Ladd　led　the　way　down　the　slope　until　he　reached　a　position　that　commanded　the　rising　of　the　trail　from　a　level。　　It　was　the　only　place　a　man　or　horse　could　leave　the　valley　for　the　pass。

〃Dick；　here's　your　stand。　　If　any　raider　rides　in　range　take　a　crack　at　him。。。。Now　I　want　the　lend　of　your　hoss。〃

〃Blanco　Sol！〃　　exclaimed　Gale；　more　in　amazement　that　Ladd　should　ask　for　the　horse　than　in　reluctance　to　lend　him。

〃Will　you　let　me　have　him？〃　Ladd　repeated；　almost　curtly。

〃Certainly；　Laddy。〃

A　smile　momentarily　chased　the　dark　cold　gloom　that　had　set　upon　the　ranger's　lean　face。

〃Shore　I　appreciate　it；　Dick。　　I　k