desert gold-第45节

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eep　caverns　in　the　lava；　held　for　Yaqui　spirits　of　the　desert；　his　gods　to　whom　he　called。　　Perhaps　he　invoked　shadows　of　his　loved　ones　and　his　race；　calling　them　in　this　moment　of　vengeance。

Gale　heardor　imagined　he　heardthat　wild；　strange　Yaqui　cry。

Then　the　Indian　stepped　close　to　Rojas；　and　bent　low；　keeping　out　of　reach。　　How　slow　were　his　motions！　　Would　Yaqui　nevernever　end　it？。。。A　wail　drifted　across　the　crater　to　Gale's　ears。

Rojas　fell　backward　and　plunged　sheer。　　The　bank　of　white　choyas　caught　him；　held　him　upon　their　steel　spikes。　　How　long　did　the　dazed　Gale　sit　there　watching　Rojas　wrestling　and　writhing　in　convulsive　frenzy？　　The　bandit　now　seemed　mad　to　win　the　delayed　death。

When　he　broke　free　he　was　a　white　patched　object　no　longer　human；　a　ball　of　choya　burrs；　and　he　slipped　off　the　bank　to　shoot　down　and　down　into　the　purple　depths　of　the　crater。



XIII



Changes　At　Forlorn　River

The　first　of　March　saw　the　federal　occupation　of　the　garrison　at　Casita。　　After　a　short；　decisive　engagement　the　rebels　were　dispersed　into　small　bands　and　driven　eastward　along　the　boundary　line　toward　Nogales。

It　was　the　destiny　of　Forlorn　River；　however；　never　to　return　to　the　slow；　sleepy　tenor　of　its　former　existence。　　Belding's　predictions　came　true。　　That　straggling　line　of　home…seekers　was　but　a　forerunner　of　the　real　invasion　of　Altar　Valley。　　Refugees　from　Mexico　and　from　Casita　spread　the　word　that　water　and　wood　and　grass　and　land　were　to　be　had　at　Forlorn　River；　and　as　if　by　magic　the　white　tents　and　red　adobe　houses　sprang　up　to　glisten　in　the　sun。

Belding　was　happier　than　he　had　been　for　a　long　time。　　He　believed　that　evil　days　for　Forlorn　River；　along　with　the　apathy　and　lack　of　enterprise；　were　in　the　past。　　He　hired　a　couple　of　trustworthy　Mexicans　to　ride　the　boundary　line；　and　he　settled　down　to　think　of　ranching　and　irrigation　and　mining　projects。　　Every　morning　he　expected　to　receive　some　word　form　Sonoyta　or　Yuma；　telling　him　that　Yaqui　had　guided　his　party　safely　across　the　desert。

Belding　was　simple…minded；　a　man　more　inclined　to　action　than　reflection。　　When　the　complexities　of　life　hemmed　him　in；　he　groped　his　way　out；　never　quite　understanding。　　His　wife　had　always　been　a　mystery　to　him。　　Nell　was　sunshine　most　of　the　time；　but；　like　the　sun…dominated　desert；　she　was　subject　to　strange　changes；　wilful；　stormy；　sudden。　　It　was　enough　for　Belding　now　to　find　his　wife　in　a　lighter；　happier　mood；　and　to　see　Nell　dreamily　turning　a　ring　round　and　round　the　third　finger　of　her　left　hand　and　watching　the　west。　　Every　day　both　mother　and　daughter　appeared　farther　removed　from　the　past　darkly　threatening　days。　　Belding　was　hearty　in　his　affections；　but　undemonstrative。　If　there　was　any　sentiment　in　his　make…up　it　had　an　outlet　in　his　memory　of　Blanco　Diablo　and　a　longing　to　see　him。　　Often　Belding　stopped　his　work　to　gaze　out　over　the　desert　toward　the　west。　　When　he　thought　of　his　rangers　and　Thorne　and　Mercedes　he　certainly　never　forgot　his　horse。　　He　wondered　if　Diablo　was　running；　walking；　resting；　if　Yaqui　was　finding　water　and　grass。

In　March；　with　the　short　desert　winter　over；　the　days　began　to　grow　warm。　　The　noon　hours　were　hot；　and　seemed　to　give　promise　of　the　white　summer　blaze　and　blasting　furnace　wind　soon　to　come。　No　word　was　received　from　the　rangers。　　But　this　caused　Belding　no　concern；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　women　folk　considered　no　news　good　news。

Among　the　many　changes　coming　to　pass　in　Forlorn　River　were　the　installing　of　post…office　service　and　the　building　of　a　mescal　drinking…house。　　Belding　had　worked　hard　for　the　post　office；　but　he　did　not　like　the　idea　of　a　saloon　for　Forlorn　River。　　Still；　that　was　an　inevitable　evil。　　The　Mexicans　would　have　mescal。　　Belding　had　kept　the　little　border　hamlet　free　of　an　establishment　for　distillation　of　the　fiery　cactus　drink。　　A　good　many　Americans　drifted　into　Forlorn　Riverminers；　cowboys；　prospectors；　outlaws；　and　others　of　nondescript　character；　and　these　men；　of　course；　made　the　saloon；　which　was　also　an　inn；　their　headquarters。　Belding；　with　Carter　and　other　old　residents；　saw　the　need　of　a　sheriff　for　Forlorn　River。

One　morning　early　in　this　spring　month；　while　Belding　was　on　his　way　from　the　house　to　the　corrals；　he　saw　Nell　running　Blanco　Jose'　down　the　road　at　a　gait　that　amazed　him。　She　did　not　take　the　turn　of　the　road　to　come　in　by　the　gate。　She　put　Jose'　at　a　four…foot　wire　fence；　and　came　clattering　into　the　yard。

〃Nell　must　have　another　tantrum；〃　said　Belding。　　〃She's　long　past　due。〃

Blanco　Jose；　like　the　other　white　horses；　was　big　of　frame　and　heavy；　and　thunder　rolled　from　under　his　great　hoofs。　　Nell　pulled　him　up；　and　as　he　pounded　and　slid　to　a　halt　in　a　cloud　of　dust　she　swung　lightly　down。

It　did　not　take　more　than　half　an　eye　for　Belding　to　see　that　she　was　furious。

〃Nell；　what's　come　off　now？〃　asked　Belding。

〃I'm　not　going　to　tell　you；〃　she　replied；　and　started　away；　leading　Jose　toward　the　corral。

Belding　leisurely　followed。　　She　went　into　the　corral；　removed　Jose's　bridle；　and　led　him　to　the　watering…trough。　　Belding　came　up；　and　without　saying　anything　began　to　unbuckle　Jose's　saddle　girths。　　But　he　ventured　a　look　at　Nell。　　The　red　had　gone　from　her　face；　and　he　was　surprised　to　see　her　eyes　brimming　with　tears。　Most　assuredly　this　was　not　one　of　Nell's　tantrums。　　While　taking　off　Jose's　saddle　and　hanging　it　in　the　shed　Belding　pondered　in　his　slow　way。　　When　he　came　back　to　the　corral　Nell　had　her　face　against　the　bars；　and　she　was　crying。　　He　slipped　a　big　arm　around　her　and　waited。　　Although　it　was　not　often　expressed；　there　was　a　strong　attachment　between　them。

〃Dad；　I　don't　want　you　to　think　me　aa　baby　any　more；〃　she　said。　〃I've　been　insulted。〃

With　a　specific　fact　to　make　clear　thought　in　Belding's　mind　he　was　never　slow。

〃I　knew　something　unusual　had　come　off。　　I　guess　you'd　better　tell　me。〃

〃Dad；　I　will；　if　you　promise。〃

〃What？〃

〃Not　to　mention　it　to　mother；　not　to　pack　a　gun　down　there；　and　never；　never　tell　Dick。〃

Belding　was　silent。　　Seldom　did　he　make　promises　readily。

〃Nell；　sure　something　must　have　come　off；　for　you　to　ask　all　that。〃

〃If　you　don't　promise　I'll　never　tell；　that's　all；〃　she　declared；　firmly。

Belding　deliberated　a　little　longer。　　He　knew　the　girl。

〃Well；　I　promise　not　to　tell　mother；〃　he　said；　presently；　〃and　seeing　you're　here　safe　and　well；　I　guess　I　won't　go　packing　a　gun　down　there；　wherever　that　is。　　But　I　won't　promise　to　keep　anything　from　Dick　that　perhaps　he　ought　to　know。〃

〃Dad；　what　would　Dick　do　ifif　he　were　here　and　I　were　to　tell　him　I'dI'd　been　horribly　insulted？〃

〃I　guess　that　'd　depend。　　Mostly；　you　know；　Dick　does　what　you　want。　　But　you　couldn't　stop　himnobody　couldif　there　was　reason；　a　man's　reason；　to　get　started。　　Remember　what　he　did　to　Rojas！。。。Nell；　tell　me　what's　happened。〃

Nell；　regaining　her　composure；　wiped　her　eyes　and　smoothed　back　her　hair。

〃The　other　day；　Wednesday；〃　she　began；　〃I　was　coming　home；　and　in　front　of　that　mescal　drinking…place　there　was　a　crowd。　　It　was　a　noisy　crowd。　　I　didn't　want　to　walk　out　into　the　street　or　seem　afraid。　　But　I　had　to　do　both。　　There　were　several　young　men；　and　if　they　weren't　drunk　they　certainly　were　rude。　　I　never　saw　them　before；　but　I　think　they　must　belong　to　the　mining　company　that　was　run　out　of　Sonora　by　rebels。　　Mrs。　Carter　was　telling　me。　　Anyway；　these　young　fellows　were　Americans。　　They　stretched　themselves　across　the　walk　and　smiled　at　me。　　I　had　to　go　out　in　the　road。　　One　of　them；　the　rudest；　followed　me。　　He　was　a　big　fellow；　red…faced；　with　prominent　eyes　and　a　bold　look。　　He　came　up　beside　me　and　spoke　to　me。　　I　ran　home。　　And　as　I　ran　I　heard　his　companions　jeering。

〃Well；　to…day；　just　now；　when　I　was　riding　up　the　valley　road　I　came　upon　the　same　fellows。　　They　had　instruments　and　were　surveying。　Remembering　Dick；　and　how　he　always　wished　for　an　instrument　to　help　work　out　his　plan　for　irrigation；　I　was　certainly　surprised　to　see　these　strangers　surveyingand　surveying　upon　Laddy's　plot　of　land。　　It　was　a　sandy　road　there；　and　Jose　happened　to　be　walking。　So　I　reined　in　and　asked　these　engineers　what　they　were　doing。　The　leader；　who　was　that　same　bold　fellow　who　had　followed　me；　seemed　much　pleased　at　being　addressed。　　He　was　swaggeringtoo　friendly；　not　my　idea　of　a　gentleman　at　all。　　He　said　he　was　glad　to　tell　me　he　was　going　to　run　water　all　over　Altar　Valley。　　Dad；　you　can　bet　that　made　me　wild。　　That　was　Dick's　plan；　his　discovery；　and　here　were　surveyors　on　Laddy's　claim。

〃Then　I　told　him　that　he　was　working　on　private　land　and　he'd　better　get　off。　　He　seemed　to　forget　his　flirty　proclivities　in　amazement。　Then　he　looked　cunning。　　I　read　his　mind。　　It　was　news　to　him　that　all　the　land　along　the　valley　had　been　taken　up。

〃He　said　something　about　not　seeing　any　squatters　on　the　land；　and　then　he　shut　up　tight　on　that　score。　　But　he　began　to　be　flirty　again。　　He　got　hold　of　Jose's　bridle；　and　before　I　could　catch　my　breath　he　said　I　was　a　peach；　and　that　he　wanted　to　make　a　date　with　me；　that　his　name　was　Chase；　that　he　owned　a　gold　mine　in　Mexico。　　He　said　a　lot　more　I　didn't　gather；　but　when