desert gold-第41节

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heless；　this　was　not　the　thing　Gale　found　in　the　Indian's　silent　presence。　　Accepting　the　desert　with　its　subtle　and　inconceivable　influence；　Gale　felt　that　the　savage　and　the　white　man　had　been　bound　in　a　tie　which　was　no　less　brotherly　because　it　could　not　be　comprehended。

Toward　dawn　Gale　managed　to　get　some　sleep。　　Then　the　morning　broke　with　the　sun　hidden　back　of　the　uplift　of　the　plateau。　　The　horses　trooped　up　the　arroyo　and　snorted　for　water。　　After　a　hurried　breakfast　the　packs　were　hidden　in　holes　in　the　lava。　　The　saddles　were　left　where　they　were；　and　the　horses　allowed　to　graze　and　wander　at　will。　　Canteens　were　filled；　a　small　bag　of　food　was　packed；　and　blankets　made　into　a　bundle。

Then　Yaqui　faced　the　steep　ascent　of　the　lava　slope。

The　trail　he　followed　led　up　on　the　right　side　of　the　fissure；　opposite　to　the　one　he　had　come　down。　　It　was　a　steep　climb；　and　encumbered　as　the　men　were　they　made　but　slow　progress。　　Mercedes　had　to　be　lifted　up　smooth　steps　and　across　crevices。　　They　passed　places　where　the　rims　of　the　fissure　were　but　a　few　yards　apart。　At　length　the　rims　widened　out　and　the　red；　smoky　crater　yawned　beneath。　　Yaqui　left　the　trail　and　began　clambering　down　over　the　rough　and　twisted　convolutions　of　lava　which　formed　the　rim。　Sometimes　he　hung　sheer　over　the　precipice。　　It　was　with　extreme　difficulty　that　the　party　followed　him。　　Mercedes　had　to　be　held　on　narrow；　foot…wide　ledges。　　The　choya　was　there　to　hinder　passage。　Finally　the　Indian　halted　upon　a　narrow　bench　of　flat；　smooth　lava；　and　his　followers　worked　with　exceeding　care　and　effort　down　to　his　position。

At　the　back　of　this　bench；　between　bunches　of　choya；　was　a　niche；　a　shallow　cave　with　floor　lined　apparently　with　mold。　　Ladd　said　the　place　was　a　refuge　which　had　been　inhabited　by　mountain　sheep　for　many　years。　　Yaqui　spread　blankets　inside；　left　the　canteen　and　the　sack　of　food；　and　with　a　gesture　at　once　humble；　yet　that　of　a　chief；　he　invited　Mercedes　to　enter。　　A　few　more　gestures　and　fewer　words　disclosed　his　plan。　　In　this　inaccessible　nook　Mercedes　was　to　be　hidden。　　The　men　were　to　go　around　upon　the　opposite　rim；　and　block　the　trail　leading　down　to　the　waterhole。

Gale　marked　the　nature　of　this　eyrie。　　It　was　the　wildest　and　most　rugged　place　he　had　ever　stepped　upon。　　Only　a　sheep　could　have　climbed　up　the　wall　above　or　along　the　slanting　shelf　of　lava　beyond。　　Below　glistened　a　whole　bank　of　choya；　frosty　in　the　sunlight；　and　it　overhung　an　apparently　bottomless　abyss。

Ladd　chose　the　smallest　gun　in　the　party　and　gave　it　to　Mercedes。

〃Shore　it's　best　to　go　the　limit　on　bein'　ready；〃　he　said；　simply。　〃The　chances　are　you'll　never　need　it。　　But　if　you　do〃

He　left　off　there；　and　his　break　was　significant。　　Mercedes　answered　him　with　a　fearless　and　indomitable　flash　of　eyes。　　Thorne　was　the　only　one　who　showed　any　shaken　nerve。　　His　leave…taking　of　his　wife　was　affecting　and　hurried。　　Then　he　and　the　rangers　carefully　stepped　in　the　tracks　of　the　Yaqui。

They　climbed　up　to　the　level　of　the　rim　and　went　along　the　edge。　When　they　reached　the　fissure　and　came　upon　its　narrowest　point；　Yaqui　showed　in　his　actions　that　he　meant　to　leap　it。　　Ladd　restrained　the　Indian。　　They　then　continued　along　the　rim　till　they　reached　several　bridges　of　lava　which　crossed　it。　　The　fissures　was　deep　in　some　parts；　choked　in　others。　　Evidently　the　crater　had　no　direct　outlet　into　the　arroyo　below。　　Its　bottom；　however；　must　have　been　far　beneath　the　level　of　the　waterhole。

After　the　fissure　was　crossed　the　trail　was　soon　found。　　Here　it　ran　back　from　the　rim。　　Yaqui　waved　his　hand　to　the　right；　where　along　the　corrugated　slope　of　the　crater　there　were　holes　and　crevices　and　coverts　for　a　hundred　men。　　Yaqui　strode　on　up　the　trail　toward　a　higher　point；　where　presently　his　dark　figure　stood　motionless　against　the　sky。　　The　rangers　and　Thorne　selected　a　deep　depression；　out　of　which　led　several　ruts　deep　enough　for　cover。　　According　to　Ladd　it　was　as　good　a　place　as　any；　perhaps　not　so　hidden　as　others；　but　freer　from　the　dreaded　choya。　　Here　the　men　laid　down　rifles　and　guns；　and；　removing　their　heavy　cartridge　belts；　settled　down　to　wait。

Their　location　was　close　to　the　rim　wall　and　probably　five　hundred　yards　from　the　opposite　rim；　which　was　now　seen　to　be　considerably　below　them。　　The　glaring　red　cliff　presented　a　deceitful　and　baffling　appearance。　　It　had　a　thousand　ledges　and　holes　in　its　surfaces；　and　one　moment　it　looked　perpendicular　and　the　next　there　seemed　to　be　a　long　slant。　　Thorne　pointed　out　where　he　thought　Mercedes　was　hidden；　Ladd　selected　another　place；　and　Lash　still　another。　　Gale　searched　for　the　bank　of　choya　he　had　seen　under　the　bench　where　Mercedes's　retreat　lay；　and　when　he　found　it　the　others　disputed　his　opinion。　Then　Gale　brought　his　field　glass　into　requisition；　proving　that　he　　was　right。　　Once　located　and　fixed　in　sight；　the　white　patch　of　choya；　the　bench；　and　the　sheep　eyrie　stood　out　from　the　other　features　of　that　rugged　wall。　　But　all　the　men　were　agreed　that　Yaqui　had　hidden　Mercedes　where　only　the　eyes　of　a　vulture　could　have　found　her。

Jim　Lash　crawled　into　a　little　strip　of　shade　and　bided　the　time　tranquilly。　　Ladd　was　restless　and　impatient　and　watchful；　every　little　while　rising　to　look　up　the　far…reaching　slope；　and　then　to　the　right；　where　Yaqui's　dark　figure　stood　out　from　a　high　point　of　the　rim。　　Thorne　grew　silent；　and　seemed　consumed　by　a　slow；　sullen　rage。　　Gale　was　neither　calm　nor　free　of　a　gnawing　suspense　nor　of　a　waiting　wrath。　　But　as　best　he　could　he　put　the　pending　action　out　of　mind。

It　came　over　him　all　of　a　sudden　that　he　had　not　grasped　the　stupendous　nature　of　this　desert　setting。　　There　was　the　measureless　red　slope；　its　lower　ridges　finally　sinking　into　white　sand　dunes　toward　the　blue　sea。　　The　cold；　sparkling　light；　the　white　sun；　the　deep　azure　of　sky；　the　feeling　of　boundless　expanse　all　around　himthese　meant　high　altitude。　　Southward　the　barren　red　simply　merged　into　distance。　　The　field　of　craters　rose　in　high；　dark　wheels　toward　the　dominating　peaks。　　When　Gale　withdrew　his　gaze　from　the　magnitude　of　these　spaces　and　heights　the　crater　beneath　him　seemed　dwarfed。　　Yet　while　he　gazed　it　spread　and　deepened　and　multiplied　its　ragged　lines。　　No；　he　could　not　grasp　the　meaning　of　size　or　distance　here。　　There　was　too　much　to　stun　the　sight。　But　the　mood　in　which　nature　had　created　this　convulsed　world　of　lava　seized　hold　upon　him。

Meanwhile　the　hours　passed。　　As　the　sun　climbed　the　clear；　steely　lights　vanished；　the　blue　hazes　deepened；　and　slowly　the　glistening　surfaces　of　lava　turned　redder。　　Ladd　was　concerned　to　discover　that　Yaqui　was　missing　from　his　outlook　upon　the　high　point。　　Jim　Lash　came　out　of　the　shady　crevice；　and　stood　up　to　buckle　on　his　cartridge　belt。　　His　narrow；　gray　glance　slowly　roved　from　the　height　of　lava　down　along　the　slope；　paused　in　doubt；　and　then　swept　on　to　resurvey　the　whole　vast　eastern　dip　of　the　plateau。

〃I　reckon　my　eyes　are　pore；〃　he　said。　　〃Mebbe　it's　this　damn　red　glare。　　Anyway；　what's　them　creepin'　spots　up　there？〃

〃Shore　I　seen　them。　　Mountain　sheep；〃　replied　Ladd。

〃Guess　again；　Laddy。　　Dick；　I　reckon　you'd　better　flash　the　glass　up　the　slope。〃

Gale　adjusted　the　field　glass　and　began　to　search　the　lava；　beginning　close　at　hand　and　working　away　from　him。　　Presently　the　glass　became　stationary。

〃I　see　half　a　dozen　small　animals；　brown　in　color。　　They　look　like　sheep。　　But　I　couldn't　distinguish　mountain　sheep　from　antelope。〃

〃Shore　they're　bighorn；〃　said　Laddy。

〃I　reckon　if　you'll　pull　around　to　the　east　an'　search　under　that　long　wall　of　lavathereyou'll　see　what　I　see；〃　added　Jim。

The　glass　climbed　and　circled；　wavered　an　instant；　then　fixed　steady　as　a　rock。　　There　was　a　breathless　silence。

〃Fourteen　horsestwo　packedsome　mountedothers　without　riders；　and　lame；〃　said　Gale；　slowly。

Yaqui　appeared　far　up　the　trail；　coming　swiftly。　　Presently　he　saw　the　rangers　and　halted　to　wave　his　arms　and　point。　　Then　he　vanished　as　if　the　lava　had　opened　beneath　him。

〃Lemme　that　glass；〃　suddenly　said　Jim　Lash。　　〃I'm　seein'　red；　I　tell　you。。。。Well；　pore　as　my　eyes　are　they　had　it　right。　　Rojas　an'　his　outfit　have　left　the　trail。〃

〃Jim；　you　ain't　meanin'　they've　taken　to　that　awful　slope？〃　queried　Ladd。

〃I　sure　do。　　There　they　arestill　comin'；　but　goin'　down；　too。〃

〃Mebbe　Rojas　is　crazy；　but　it　begins　to　look　like　he〃

〃Laddy；　I'll　be　danged　if　the　Greaser　bunch　hasn't　vamoosed。　　Gone　out　of　sight！　　Right　there　not　a　half　mile　away；　the　whole　caboodlegone！〃

〃Shore　they're　behind　a　crust　or　have　gone　down　into　a　rut；〃　suggested　Ladd。　　〃They'll　show　again　in　a　minute。　　Look　sharp；　boys；　for　I'm　figgerin'　Rojas　'll　spread　his　men。〃

Minutes　passed；　but　nothing　moved　upon　the　slope。　　Each　man　crawled　up　to　a　vantage　point　along　the　crest　of　rotting　lava。　　The　watchers　were　careful　to　peer　through　little　notches　or　from　behind　a　spur；　and　the　constricted　nature　of　their　hiding…place　kept　them　close　together。　　Ladd's　muttering　grew　into　a　growl；　then　lapsed　into　the　silence　that　marked　his　companions。　　From　time　to　time　the　rangers　looked　inquiringly　at　Gale。　　The　field　glass；　however；