desert gold-第33节

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〃Laddy；　what　knocks　me　is　Rojas　holding　Thorne　prisoner；　trying　to　make　him　tell　where　Mercedes　had　been　hidden；〃　said　Belding。

〃Shore。　　It　'd　knock　anybody。〃

〃The　bandit's　crazy　over　her。　　That's　the　Spanish　of　it；〃　replied　Belding；　his　voice　rolling。　　〃Rojas　is　a　peon。　　He's　been　a　slave　to　the　proud　Castilian。　　He　loves　Mercedes　as　he　hates　her。　　When　I　was　down　in　Durango　I　saw　something　of　these　peons'　insane　passions。　　Rojas　wants　this　girl　only　to　have　her；　then　kill　her。　It's　damn　strange；　boys；　and　even　with　Thorne　here　our　troubles　have　just　begun。〃

〃Tom；　you　spoke　correct；〃　said　Jim　Ladd；　in　his　cool　drawl。

〃Shore　I'm　not　sayin'　what　I　think；〃　added　Ladd。　　But　the　look　of　him　was　not　indicative　of　a　tranquil　optimism。

Thorne　was　put　to　bed　in　Gale's　room。　　He　was　very　weak；　yet　he　would　keep　Mercedes's　hand　and　gaze　at　her　with　unbelieving　eyes。　Mercedes's　failing　hold　on　hope　and　strength　seemed　to　have　been　a　fantasy；　she　was　again　vivid；　magnetic；　beautiful；　shot　through　and　through　with　intense　and　throbbing　life。　　She　induced　him　to　take　food　and　drink。　　Then；　fighting　sleep　with　what　little　strength　he　had　left；　at　last　he　succumbed。

For　all　Dick　could　ascertain　his　friend　never　stirred　an　eyelash　nor　a　finger　for　twenty…seven　hours。　　When　he　awoke　he　was　pale；　weak；　but　the　old　Thorne。

〃Hello；　Dick；　I　didn't　dream　it　then；〃　he　said。　　〃There　you　are；　and　my　darling　with　the　proud；　dark　eyesshe's　here？〃

〃Why；　yes；　you　locoed　cavalryman。〃

〃Say；　what's　happened　to　you？　　It　can't　be　those　clothes　and　a　little　bronze　on　your　face。。。。Dick；　you're　olderyou've　changed。　You're　not　so　thickly　built。　　By　Gad；　if　you　don't　look　fine！〃

〃Thanks。　　I'm　sorry　I　can't　return　the　compliment。　　You're　about　the　seediest；　hungriest…looking　fellow　I　ever　saw。。。。Say；　old　man；　you　must　have　had　a　tough　time。〃

A　dark　and　somber　fire　burned　out　the　happiness　in　Thorne's　eyes。

〃Dick；　don't　make　medon't　let　me　think　of　that　fiend　Rojas！。。。。I'm　here　now。　　I'll　be　well　in　a　day　or　two。　　Then！。。。〃

Mercedes　came　in；　radiant　and　soft…voiced。　　She　fell　upon　her　knees　beside　Thorne's　bed；　and　neither　of　them　appeared　to　see　Nell　enter　with　a　tray。　　Then　Gale　and　Nell　made　a　good　deal　of　unnecessary　bustle　in　moving　a　small　table　close　to　the　bed。　　Mercedes　had　forgotten　for　the　moment　that　her　lover　had　been　a　starving　man。　If　Thorne　remembered　it　he　did　not　care。　　They　held　hands　and　looked　at　each　other　without　speaking。

〃Nell；　I　thought　I　had　it　bad；〃　whispered　Dick。　　〃But　I'm　not〃

〃Hush。　　It's　beautiful；〃　replied　Nell；　softly；　and　she　tried　to　coax　Dick　from　the　room。

Dick；　however；　thought　he　ought　to　remain　at　least　long　enough　to　tell　Thorne　that　a　man　in　his　condition　could　not　exist　solely　upon　love。

Mercedes　sprang　up　blushing　with　pretty；　penitent　manner　and　moving　white　hands　eloquent　of　her　condition。

〃Oh；　Mercedesdon't　go！〃　cried　Thorne；　as　she　stepped　to　the　door。

〃Senor　Dick　will　stay。　　He　is　not　mucha　malo　for　youas　I　am。〃

Then　she　smiled　and　went　out。

〃Good　Lord！〃　exclaimed　Thorne。　　〃How　I　love　her。　　Dick；　isn't　she　the　most　beautiful；　the　loveliest；　the　finest〃

〃George；　I　share　your　enthusiasm；〃　said　Dick；　dryly；　〃but　Mercedes　isn't　the　only　girl　on　earth。〃

Manifestly　this　was　a　startling　piece　of　information；　and　struck　Thorne　in　more　than　one　way。

〃George；〃　went　on　Dick；　〃did　you　happen　to　observe　the　girl　who　saved　your　lifewho　incidentally　just　fetched　in　your　breakfast？〃

〃Nell　Burton！　　Why；　of　course。　　She's　brave；　a　wonderful　girl；　and　really　nice…looking。〃

〃You　long；　lean；　hungry　beggar！　　That　was　the　young　lady　who　might　answer　the　raving　eulogy　you　just　got　out　of　your　system。。。。Iwell；　you　haven't　cornered　the　love　market！〃

Thorne　uttered　some　kind　of　a　sound　that　his　weakened　condition　would　not　allow　to　be　a　whoop。

〃Dick！　　Do　you　mean　it？〃

〃I　shore　do；　as　Laddy　says。〃

〃I'm　glad；　Dick；　with　all　my　heart。　　I　wondered　at　the　changed　look　you　wear。　　Why；　boy；　you've　got　a　different　front。。。。Call　the　lady　in；　and　you　bet　I'll　look　her　over　right。　　I　can　see　better　now。〃

〃Eat　your　breakfast。　　There's　plenty　of　time　to　dazzle　you　afterward。〃

Thorne　fell　to　upon　his　breakfast　and　made　it　vanish　with　magic　speed。　Meanwhile　Dick　told　him　something　of　a　ranger's　life　along　the　border。

〃You　needn't　waste　your　breath；〃　said　Thorne。　　〃I　guess　I　can　see。　Belding　and　those　rangers　have　made　you　the　real　thingthe　real　Western　goods。。。。What　I　want　to　know　is　all　about　the　girl。〃

〃Well；　Laddy　swears　she's　got　your　girl　roped　in　the　corral　for　looks。〃

〃That's　not　possible。　　I'll　have　to　talk　to　Laddy。。。。But　she　must　be　a　wonder；　or　Dick　Gale　would　never　have　fallen　for　her。。。。Isn't　it　great；　Dick？　　I'm　here！　　Mercedes　is　wellsafe！　　You've　got　a　girl！　　Oh！。。。。But　say；　I　haven't　a　dollar　to　my　name。　　I　had　a　lot　of　money；　Dick；　and　those　robbers　stole　it；　my　watcheverything。　Damn　that　little　black　Greaser！　　He　got　Mercedes's　letters。　　I　wish　you　could　have　seen　him　trying　to　read　them。　　He's　simply　nutty　over　her；　Dick。　　I　could　have　borne　the　loss　of　money　and　valuablesbut　those　beautiful；　wonderful　lettersthey're　gone！〃

〃Cheer　up。　　You　have　the　girl。　　Belding　will　make　you　a　proposition　presently。　　The　future　smiles；　old　friend。　　If　this　rebel　business　was　only　ended！〃

〃Dick；　you're　going　to　be　my　savior　twice　over。。。。Well；　now；　listen　to　me。〃　　His　gay　excitement　changed　to　earnet　gravity。　　〃I　want　to　marry　Mercedes　at　once。　　Is　there　a　padre　here？〃

〃Yes。　　But　are　you　wise　in　letting　any　Mexican；　even　a　priest；　know　Mercedes　is　hidden　in　Forlorn　River？〃

〃It　couldn't　be　kept　much　longer。〃

Gale　was　compelled　to　acknowledge　the　truth　of　this　statement。

〃I'll　marry　her　first；　then　I'll　face　my　problem。　　Fetch　the　padre；　Dick。　　And　ask　our　kind　friends　to　be　witnesses　at　the　ceremony。〃

Much　to　Gale's　surprise　neither　Belding　nor　Ladd　objected　to　the　idea　of　bringing　a　padre　into　the　household；　and　thereby　making　known　to　at　least　one　Mexican　the　whereabouts　of　Mercedes　Castaneda。　Belding's　caution　was　wearing　out　in　wrath　at　the　persistent　unsettled　condition　of　the　border；　and　Ladd　grew　only　the　cooler　and　more　silent　as　possibilities　of　trouble　multiplied。

Gale　fetched　the　padre；　a　little；　weazened；　timid　man　who　was　old　and　without　interest　or　penetration。　　Apparently　he　married　Mercedes　and　Thorne　as　he　told　his　beads　or　mumbled　a　prayer。　　It　was　Mrs。　Belding　who　kept　the　occasion　from　being　a　merry　one；　and　she　insisted　on　not　exciting　Thorne。　　Gale　marked　her　unusual　pallor　and　the　singular　depth　and　sweetness　of　her　voice。

〃Mother；　what's　the　use　of　making　a　funeral　out　of　a　marriage？〃　protested　Belding。　　〃A　chance　for　some　fun　doesn't　often　come　to　Forlorn　River。　　You're　a　fine　doctor。　　Can't　you　see　the　girl　is　what　Thorne　needed？　　He'll　be　well　to…morrow；　don't　mistake　me。〃

〃George；　when　you're　all　right　again　we'll　add　something　to　present　congratulations；〃　said　Gale。

〃We　shore　will；〃　put　in　Ladd。

So　with　parting　jests　and　smiles　they　left　the　couple　to　themselves。

Belding　enjoyed　a　laugh　at　his　good　wife's　expense；　for　Thorne　could　not　be　kept　in　bed；　and　all　in　a　day；　it　seemed；　he　grew　so　well　and　so　hungry　that　his　friends　were　delighted；　and　Mercedes　was　radiant。　　In　a　few　days　his　weakness　disappeared　and　he　was　going　the　round　of　the　fields　and　looking　over　the　ground　marked　out　in　Gale's　plan　of　water　development。　　Thorne　was　highly　enthusiastic；　and　at　once　staked　out　his　claim　for　one　hundred　and　sixty　acres　of　land　adjoining　that　of　Belding　and　the　rangers。　These　five　tracts　took　in　all　the　ground　necessary　for　their　operations；　but　in　case　of　the　success　of　the　irrigation　project　the　idea　was　to　increase　their　squatter　holdings　by　purchase　of　more　land　down　the　valley。　　A　hundred　families　had　lately　moved　to　Forlorn　River；　more　were　coming　all　the　time；　and　Belding　vowed　he　could　see　a　vision　of　the　whole　Altar　Valley　green　with　farms。

Meanwhile　everybody　in　Belding's　household；　except　the　quiet　Ladd　and　the　watchful　Yaqui；　in　the　absence　of　disturbance　of　any　kind　along　the　border；　grew　freer　and　more　unrestrained；　as　if　anxiety　was　slowly　fading　in　the　peace　of　the　present。　　Jim　Lash　made　a　trip　to　the　Sonoyta　Oasis；　and　Ladd　patrolled　fifty　miles　of　the　line　eastward　without　incident　or　sight　of　raiders。　　Evidently　all　the　border　hawks　were　in　at　the　picking　of　Casita。

The　February　nights　were　cold；　with　a　dry；　icy；　penetrating　coldness　that　made　a　warm　fire　most　comfortable。　　Belding's　household　usually　congregated　in　the　sitting…room；　where　burning　mesquite　logs　crackled　in　the　open　fireplace。　　Belding's　one　passion　besides　horses　was　the　game　of　checkers；　and　he　was　always　wanting　to　play。　　On　this　night　he　sat　playing　with　Ladd；　who　never　won　a　game　and　never　could　give　up　trying。　　Mrs。　Belding　worked　with　her　needle；　stopping　from　time　to　time　to　gaze　with　thoughtful　eyes　into　the　fire。　　Jim　Lash　smoked　his　pipe　by　the　hearth　and　played　with　the　cat　on　his　knee。　　Thorne　and　Mercedes　were　at　the　table　with　pencil　and　paper；　and　he　was　trying　his　best　to　keep　his　attention　from　his　wife's　beautiful；　animated　face　long　enough　to　read　and　write　a　little　Spanish。　　Gale　and　Nell