desert gold-第36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！


out　therethat　terrible　world　of　sand　and　stone！。。。Do　you　love　me？〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　Oh；　I　love　you　so！　　I　never　knew　it　till　now。　　I　love　you　so。　　Dick；　I'll　be　safe　and　I'll　waitand　hope　and　pray　for　your　return。〃

〃If　I　come　backnowhen　I　come　back；　will　you　marry　me？〃

〃IIoh　yes！〃　she　whispered；　and　returned　his　kiss。

Belding　was　in　the　room　speaking　softly。

〃Nell；　darling；　I　must　go；〃　said　Dick。

〃I'm　a　selfish　little　coward；〃　cried　Nell。　　〃It's　so　splendid　of　you　all。　　I　ought　to　glory　in　it；　but　I　can't。　　。。。Fight　if　you　must；　Dick。　　Fight　for　that　lovely　persecuted　girl。　　I'll　love　youthe　more。。。。Oh！　　Good…by！　　Good…by！〃

With　a　wrench　that　shook　him　Gale　let　her　go。　　He　heard　Belding's　soft　voice。

〃Yaqui　says　the　early　hour's　best。　　Trust　him；　Laddy。　　Remember　what　I　sayYaqui's　a　godsend。〃

Then　they　were　all　outside　in　the　pale　gloom　under　the　trees。　Yaqui　mounted　Blanco　Diablo；　Mercedes　was　lifted　upon　White　Woman；　Thorne　climbed　astride　Queen；　Jim　Lash　was　already　upon　his　horse；　which　was　as　white　as　the　others　but　bore　no　name；　Ladd　mounted　the　stallion　Blanco　Torres；　and　gathered　up　the　long　halters　of　the　two　pack　horses；　Gale　came　last　with　Blanco　Sol。

As　he　toed　the　stirrup；　hand　on　mane　and　pommel；　Gale　took　one　more　look　in　at　the　door。　　Nell　stood　in　the　gleam　of　light；　her　hair　shining；　face　like　ashes；　her　eyes　dark；　her　lips　parted；　her　arms　outstretched。　　That　sweet　and　tragic　picture　etched　its　cruel　outlines　into　Gale's　heart。　　He　waved　his　hand　and　then　fiercely　leaped　into　the　saddle。

Blanco　Sol　stepped　out。

Before　Gale　stretched　a　line　of　moving　horses；　white　against　dark　shadows。　　He　could　not　see　the　head　of　that　column；　he　scarcely　heard　a　soft　hoofbeat。　　A　single　star　shone　out　of　a　rift　in　thin　clouds。　　There　was　no　wind。　　The　air　was　cold。　　The　dark　space　of　desert　seemed　to　yawn。　　To　the　left　across　the　river　flickered　a　few　campfires。　　The　chill　night；　silent　and　mystical；　seemed　to　close　in　upon　Gale；　and　he　faced　the　wide；　quivering；　black　level　with　keen　eyes　and　grim　intent；　and　an　awakening　of　that　wild　rapture　which　came　like　a　spell　to　him　in　the　open　desert。



XI


Across　Cactus　and　Lava

Blanco　Sol　showed　no　inclination　to　bend　his　head　to　the　alfalfa　which　swished　softly　about　his　legs。　　Gale　felt　the　horse's　sensitive；　almost　human　alertness。　　Sol　knew　as　well　as　his　master　the　nature　of　that　flight。

At　the　far　corner　of　the　field　Yaqui　halted；　and　slowly　the　line　of　white　horses　merged　into　a　compact　mass。　　There　was　a　trail　here　leading　down　to　the　river。　　the　campfires　were　so　close　that　the　bright　blazes　could　be　seen　in　movement；　and　dark　forms　crossed　in　front　of　them。　　Yaqui　slipped　out　of　his　saddle。　　He　ran　his　hand　over　Diablo's　nose　and　spoke　low；　and　repeated　this　action　for　each　of　the　other　horses。　　Gale　had　long　ceased　to　question　the　strange　Indian's　behavior。　　There　was　no　explaining　or　understanding　many　of　his　manoeuvers。　　But　the　results　of　them　were　always　thought…provoking。　　Gale　had　never　seen　horse　stand　so　silently　as　in　this　instance；　no　stampno　champ　of　bitno　toss　of　headno　shake　of　saddle　or　packno　heave　or　snort！　　It　seemed　they　had　become　imbued　with　the　spirit　of　the　Indian。

Yaqui　moved　away　into　the　shadows　as　noiselessly　as　if　he　were　one　of　them。　　The　darkness　swallowed　him。　　He　had　taken　a　parallel　with　the　trail。　　Gale　wondered　if　Yaqui　meant　to　try　to　lead　his　string　of　horses　by　the　rebel　sentinels。　　Ladd　had　his　head　bent　low；　his　ear　toward　the　trail。　　Jim's　long　neck　had　the　arch　of　a　listening　deer。　　Gale　listened；　too；　and　as　the　slow；　silent　moments　went　by　his　faculty　of　hearing　grew　more　acute　from　strain。　　He　heard　Blanco　Sol　breathe；　he　heard　the　pound　of　his　own　heart；　he　heard　the　silken　rustle　of　the　alfalfa；　he　heard　a　faint；　far…off　sound　of　voice；　like　a　lost　echo。　　Then　his　ear　seemed　to　register　a　movement　of　air；　a　disturbance　so　soft　as　to　be　nameless。　　Then　followed　long；　silent　moments。

Yaqui　appeared　as　he　had　vanished。　　He　might　have　been　part　of　the　shadows。　　But　he　was　there。　　He　started　off　down　the　trail　leading　Diablo。　　Again　the　white　line　stretched　slowly　out。　　Gale　fell　in　behind。　　A　bench　of　ground；　covered　with　sparse　greasewood；　sloped　gently　down　to　the　deep；　wide　arroyo　of　Forlorn　River。　Blanco　Sol　shied　a　few　feet　out　of　the　trail。　　Peering　low　with　keen　eyes；　Gale　made　out　three　objectsa　white　sombrero；　a　blanket；　and　a　Mexican　lying　face　down。　　The　Yaqui　had　stolen　upon　this　sentinel　like　a　silent　wind　of　death。　　Just　then　a　desert　coyote　wailed；　and　the　wild　cry　fitted　the　darkness　and　the　Yaqui's　deed。

Once　under　the　dark　lee　of　the　river　bank　Yaqui　caused　another　halt；　and　he　disappeared　as　before。　　It　seemed　to　Gale　that　the　Indian　started　to　cross　the　pale　level　sandbed　of　the　river；　where　stones　stood　out　gray；　and　the　darker　line　of　opposite　shore　was　visible。　　But　he　vanished；　and　it　was　impossible　to　tell　whether　he　went　one　way　or　another。　　Moments　passed。　　The　horses　held　heads　up；　looked　toward　the　glimmering　campfires　and　listened。　Gale　thrilled　with　the　meaning　of　it　allthe　nightthe　silence　the　flightand　the　wonderful　Indian　stealing　with　the　slow　inevitableness　of　doom　upon　another　sentinel。　　An　hour　passed　and　Gale　seemed　to　have　become　deadened　to　all　sense　of　hearing。　There　were　no　more　sounds　in　the　world。　　The　desert　was　as　silent　as　it　was　black。　　Yet　again　came　that　strange　change　in　the　tensity　of　Gale's　ear…strain；　a　check；　a　break；　a　vibrationand　this　time　the　sound　did　not　go　nameless。　　It　might　have　been　moan　of　wind　or　wail　of　far…distant　wolf；　but　Gale　imagined　it　was　the　strangling　death…cry　of　another　guard；　or　that　strange；　involuntary　utterance　of　the　Yaqui。　　Blanco　Sol　trembled　in　all　his　great　frame；　and　then　Gale　was　certain　the　sound　was　not　imagination。

That　certainty；　once　for　all；　fixed　in　Gale's　mind　the　mood　of　his　flight。　　The　Yaqui　dominated　the　horses　and　the　rangers。　Thorne　and　Mercedes　were　as　persons　under　a　spell。　　The　Indian's　strange　silence；　the　feeling　of　mystery　and　power　he　seemed　to　create；　all　that　was　incomprehensible　about　him　were　emphasized　in　the　light　of　his　slow；　sure；　and　ruthless　action。　　If　he　dominated　the　others；　surely　he　did　more　for　Galecolored　his　thoughtspresage　the　wild　and　terrible　future　of　that　flight。　　If　Rojas　embodied　all　the　hatred　and　passion　of　the　peonscourged　slave　for　a　thousand　yearsthen　Yaqui　embodied　all　the　darkness；　the　cruelty；　the　white；　sun…heated　blood；　the　ferocity；　the　tragedy　of　the　desert。

Suddenly　the　Indian　stalked　out　of　the　gloom。　　He　mounted　Diablo　and　headed　across　the　river。　　Once　more　the　line　of　moving　white　shadows　stretched　out。　　The　soft　sand　gave　forth　no　sound　at　all。　The　glimmering　campfires　sank　behind　the　western　bank。　　Yaqui　led　the　way　into　the　willows；　and　there　was　faint　swishing　of　leaves；　then　into　the　mesquite；　and　there　was　faint　rustling　of　branches。　　The　glimmering　lights　appeared　again；　and　grotesque　forms　of　saguaros　loomed　darkly。　　Gale　peered　sharply　along　the　trail；　and；　presently；　on　the　pale　sand　under　a　cactus；　there　lay　a　blanketed　form；　prone；　outstretched；　a　carbine　clutched　in　one　hand；　a　cigarette；　still　burning；　in　the　other。

The　cavalcade　of　white　horses　passed　within　five　hundred　yards　of　campfires；　around　which　dark　forms　moved　in　plain　sight。　　Soft　pads　in　sand；　faint　metallic　tickings　of　steel　on　thorns；　low；　regular　breathing　of　horsesthese　were　all　the　sounds　the　fugitives　made；　and　they　could　not　have　been　heard　at　one…fifth　the　distance。　The　lights　disappeared　from　time　to　time；　grew　dimmer；　more　flickering；　and　at　last　they　vanished　altogether。　　Belding's　fleet　and　tireless　steeds　were　out　in　front；　the　desert　opened　ahead　wide；　dark；　vast。　　Rojas　and　his　rebels　were　behind；　eating；　drinking；　careless。　The　somber　shadow　lifted　from　Gale's　　heart。　　He　held　now　an　unquenchable　faith　in　the　Yaqui。　　Belding　would　be　listening　back　there　along　the　river。　He　would　know　of　the　escape。　　He　would　tell　Nell；　and　then　hide　her　safely。　As　Gale　accepted　a　strange　and　fatalistic　foreshadowing　of　toil；　blood；　and　agony　in　this　desert　journey；　so　he　believed　in　Mercedes's　ultimate　freedom　and　happiness；　and　his　own　return　to　the　girl　who　had　grown　dearer　than　life。



A　cold；　gray　dawn　was　fleeing　before　a　rosy　sun　when　Yaqui　halted　the　march　at　Papago　Well。　　The　horses　were　taken　to　water；　then　led　down　the　arroyo　into　the　grass。　　Here　packs　were　slipped；　saddles　removed。　　Mercedes　was　cold；　lame；　tired；　but　happy。　　It　warmed　Gale's　blood　to　look　at　her。　　The　shadow　of　fear　still　lay　in　her　eyes；　but　it　was　passing。　　Hope　and　courage　shone　there；　and　affection　for　her　ranger　protectors　and　the　Yaqui；　and　unutterable　love　for　the　cavalryman。　　Jim　Lash　remarked　how　cleverly　they　had　fooled　the　rebels。

〃Shore　they'll　be　comin'　along；〃　replied　Ladd。

They　built　a　fire；　cooked　and　ate。　　The　Yaqui　spoke　only　one　word：　　〃Sleep。〃　　Blankets　were　spread。　　Mercedes　dropped　into　a　deep　slumber；　her　head　on　Thorne's　shoulder。　　Excitement　kept　Throne　awake。　　The　two　rangers　dozed　beside　the　fire。　　Gale　shared　the　Yaqui's　watch。　　The　sun　began　to　climb　and　the　icy　edge　of　dawn　to　wear　away。　　Rabbits　bobbed　their　cotton　tails　under　t