desert gold-第47节

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iablo；　reported　a　terrible　trip　of　heat　and　drought；　and　not　a　trace　of　the　Yaqui's　party。

〃That　settles　it；〃　declared　Belding。　　〃Yaqui　never　went　to　Sonoyta。　He's　circled　round　to　the　Devil's　Road；　and　the　rangers；　Mercedes；　Thorne；　the　horsestheyI'm　afraid　they　have　been　lost　in　the　desert。　　It's　an　old　story　on　Camino　del　Diablo。

He　had　to　tell　Nell　that；　and　it　was　an　ordeal　which　left　him　weak。

Mrs。　Belding　listened　to　him；　and　was　silent　for　a　long　time　while　she　held　the　stricken　Nell　to　her　breast。　Then　she　opposed　his　convictions　with　that　quiet　strength　so　characteristic　of　her　arguments。

〃Well；　then；〃　decided　Belding；　〃Rojas　headed　the　rangers　at　Papago　Well　or　the　Tanks。〃

〃Tom；　when　you　are　down　in　the　mouth　you　use　poor　judgment；〃　she　went　on。　　〃You　know　only　by　a　miracle　could　Rojas　or　anybody　have　headed　those　white　horses。　　Where's　your　old　stubborn　confidence？　　Yaqui　was　up　on　Diablo。　　Dick　was　up　on　Sol。　　And　there　were　the　other　horses。　　They　could　not　have　been　headed　or　caught。　　Miracles　don't　happen。〃

〃All　right；　mother；　it's　sure　good　to　hear　you；〃　said　Belding。　　She　always　cheered　him；　and　now　he　grasped　at　straws。　　〃I'm　not　myself　these　days；　don't　mistake　that。　　Tell　us　what　you　think。　You　always　say　you　feel　things　when　you　really　don't　know　them。〃

〃I　can　say　little　more　than　what　you　said　yourself　the　night　Mercedes　was　taken　away。　　You　told　Laddy　to　trust　Yaqui；　that　he　was　a　godsend。　　He　might　go　south　into　some　wild　Sonora　valley。　　He　might　lead　Rojas　into　a　trap。　　He　would　find　water　and　grass　where　no　Mexican　or　American　could。〃

〃But　mother；　they're　gone　seven　weeks。　　Seven　weeks！　　At　the　most　I　gave　them　six　weeks。　　Seven　weeks　in　the　desert！〃

〃How　do　the　Yaquis　live？〃　she　asked。

Belding　could　not　reply　to　that；　but　hope　revived　in　him。　　He　had　faith　in　his　wife；　though　he　could　not　in　the　least　understand　what　he　imagined　was　something　mystic　in　her。

〃Years　ago　when　I　was　searching　for　my　father　I　learned　many　things　about　this　country；〃　said　Mrs。　Belding。　　〃You　can　never　tell　how　long　a　man　may　live　in　the　desert。　　The　fiercest；　most　terrible　and　inaccessible　places　often　have　their　hidden　oasis。　　In　his　later　years　my　father　became　a　prospector。　　That　was　strange　to　me；　for　he　never　cared　for　gold　or　money。　　I　learned　that　he　was　often　gone　in　the　desert　for　weeks；　once　for　months。　　Then　the　time　came　when　he　never　came　back。　　That　was　years　before　I　reached　the　southwest　border　and　heard　of　him。　　Even　then　I　did　not　for　long　give　up　hope　of　his　coming　back；　　I　know　nowsomething　tells　meindeed；　it　seems　his　spirit　tells　mehe　was　lost。　　But　I　don't　have　that　feeling　for　Yaqui　and　his　party。　　Yaqui　has　given　Rojas　the　slip　or　has　ambushed　him　in　some　trap。　　Probably　that　took　time　and　a　long　journey　into　Sonora。　　The　Indian　is　too　wise　to　start　back　now　over　dry　trails。　　He'll　curb　the　rangers；　he'll　wait。　I　seem　to　know　this；　dear　Nell；　so　be　brave；　patient。　　Dick　Gale　will　come　back　to　you。〃

〃Oh；　mother！〃　cried　Nell。　　〃I　can't　give　up　hope　while　I　have　you。〃

That　talk　with　the　strong　mother　worked　a　change　in　Nell　and　Belding。　　Nell；　who　had　done　little　but　brood　and　watch　the　west　and　take　violent　rides；　seemed　to　settle　into　a　waiting　patience　that　was　sad；　yet　serene。　　She　helped　her　mother　more　than　ever；　she　was　a　comfort　to　Belding；　she　began　to　take　active　interest　in　the　affairs　of　the　growing　village。　　Belding；　who　had　been　breaking　under　the　strain　of　worry；　recovered　himself　so　that　to　outward　appearance　he　was　his　old　self。　　He　alone　knew；　however；　that　his　humor　was　forced；　and　that　the　slow　burning　wrath　he　felt　for　the　Chases　was　flaming　into　hate。

Belding　argued　with　himself　that　if　Ben　Chase　and　his　son；　Radford；　had　turned　out　to　be　big　men　in　other　ways　than　in　the　power　to　carry　on　great　enterprises　he　might　have　become　reconciled　to　them。　But　the　father　was　greedy；　grasping；　hard；　cold；　the　son　added　to　those　traits　an　overbearing　disposition　to　rule；　and　he　showed　a　fondness　for　drink　and　cards。　　These　men　were　developing　the　valley；　to　be　sure；　and　a　horde　of　poor　Mexicans　and　many　Americans　were　benefiting　from　that　development；　nevertheless；　these　Chases　were　operating　in　a　way　which　proved　they　cared　only　for　themselves。

Belding　shook　off　a　lethargic　spell　and　decided　he　had　better　set　about　several　by　no　means　small　tasks；　if　he　wanted　to　get　them　finished　before　the　hot　months。　　He　made　a　trip　to　the　Sonoyta　Oasis。　　He　satisfied　himself　that　matters　along　the　line　were　favorable；　and　that　there　was　absolutely　no　trace　of　his　rangers。　Upon　completing　this　trip　he　went　to　Casita　with　a　number　of　his　white　thoroughbreds　and　shipped　them　to　ranchers　and　horse…breeders　in　Texas。　　Then；　being　near　the　railroad；　and　having　time；　he　went　up　to　Tucson。　　There　he　learned　some　interesting　particulars　about　the　Chases。　　They　had　an　office　in　the　city；　influential　friends　in　the　Capitol。　　They　were　powerful　men　in　the　rapidly　growing　finance　of　the　West。　　They　had　interested　the　Southern　Pacific　Railroad；　and　in　the　near　future　a　branch　line　was　to　be　constructed　from　San　Felipe　to　Forlorn　River。　　These　details　of　the　Chase　development　were　insignificant　when　compared　to　a　matter　striking　close　home　to　Belding。　His　responsibility　had　been　subtly　attacked。　　A　doubt　had　been　cast　upon　his　capability　of　executing　the　duties　of　immigration　inspector　to　the　best　advantage　of　the　state。　　Belding　divined　that　this　was　only　an　entering　wedge。　　The　Chases　were　bent　upon　driving　him　out　of　Forlorn　River；　but　perhaps　to　serve　better　their　own　ends；　they　were　proceeding　at　leisure。　　Belding　returned　home　consumed　by　rage。　　But　he　controlled　it。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　was　afraid　of　himself。　　He　had　his　wife　and　Nell　to　think　of；　and　the　old　law　of　the　West　had　gone　forever。

〃Dad；　there's　another　Rojas　round　these　diggings；〃　was　Nell's　remark；　after　the　greetings　were　over　and　the　usual　questions　and　answers　passed。

Belding's　exclamation　was　cut　short　by　Nell's　laugh。　　She　was　serious　with　a　kind　of　amused　contempt。

〃Mr。　Radford　Chase！〃

〃Now　Nell；　what　the〃　roared　Belding。

〃Hush；　Dad！　　Don't　swear；〃　interrupted　Nell。　　〃I　only　meant　to　tease　you。〃

〃Humph！　　Say；　my　girl；　that　name　Chase　makes　me　see　red。　　If　you　must　tease　me　hit　on　some　other　way。　　Sabe；　senorita？〃

〃Si；　si；　Dad。〃

〃Nell；　you　may　as　well　tell　him　and　have　it　over；〃　said　Mrs。　Belding；　quietly。

〃You　promised　me　once；　Dad；　that　you'd　not　go　packing　a　gun　off　down　there；　didn't　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　remember；〃　replied　Belding；　but　he　did　not　answer　her　smile。

〃Will　you　promise　again？〃　she　asked；　lightly。　　Here　was　Nell　with　arch　eyes；　yet　not　the　old　arch　eyes；　so　full　of　fun　and　mischief。　Her　lips　were　tremulous；　her　cheeks　seemed　less　round。

〃Yes；〃　rejoined　Belding；　and　he　knew　why　his　voice　was　a　little　thick。

〃Well；　if　you　weren't　such　a　good　old　blind　Dad　you'd　have　seen　long　ago　the　way　Mr。　Radford　Chase　ran　round　after　me。　　At　first　it　was　only　annoying；　and　I　did　not　want　to　add　to　your　worries。　But　these　two　weeks　you've　been　gone　I've　been　more　than　annoyed。　After　that　time　I　struck　Mr。　Chase　with　my　quirt　he　made　all　possible　efforts　to　meet　me。　　He　did　meet　me　wherever　I　went。　　He　sent　me　letters　till　I　got　tired　of　sending　them　back。

〃When　you　left　home　on　your　trips　I　don't　know　that　he　grew　bolder；　but　he　had　more　opportunity。　　I　couldn't　stay　in　the　house　all　the　time。　　There　were　mama's　errands　and　sick　people　and　my　Sunday　school；　and　what　not。　　Mr。　Chase　waylaid　me　every　time　I　went　out。　If　he　works　any　more　I　don't　know　when；　unless　it's　when　I'm　asleep。　He　followed　me　until　it　was　less　embarassing　for　me　to　let　him　walk　with　me　and　talk　his　head　off。　　He　made　love　to　me。　　He　begged　me　to　marry　him。　　I　told　him　I　was　already　in　love　and　engaged　to　be　married。　　He　said　that　didn't　make　any　difference。　　Then　I　called　him　a　fool。

Next　time　he　saw　me　he　said　he　must　explain。　　He　meant　I　was　being　true　to　a　man　who；　everybody　on　the　border　knew；　had　been　lost　in　the　desert。　　Thatthat　hurt。　　Maybemaybe　it's　true。　　Sometimes　it　seems　terribly　true。　　Since　then；　of　course；　I　have　stayed　in　the　house　to　avoid　being　hurt　again。

〃But；　Dad；　a　little　thing　like　a　girl　sticking　close　to　her　mother　and　room　doesn't　stop　Mr。　Chase。　　I　think　he's　crazy。　　Anyway；　he's　a　most　persistent　fool。　　I　want　to　be　charitable；　because　the　man　swears　he　loves　me；　and　maybe　he　does；　but　he　is　making　me　nervous。　　I　don't　sleep。　　I'm　afraid　to　be　in　my　room　at　night。　I've　gone　to　mother's　room。　　He's　always　hanging　round。　　Bold！　Why；　that　isn't　the　thing　to　call　Mr。　Chase。　　He's　absolutely　without　a　sense　of　decency。　　He　bribes　our　servants。　　He　comes　into　our　patio。　　Think　of　that！　　He　makes　the　most　ridiculous　excuses。　　He　bothers　mother　to　death。　　I　feel　like　a　poor　little　rabbit　holed　by　a　hound。　　And　I　daren't　peep　out。〃

Somehow　the　thing　struck　Belding　as　funny；　and　he　laughed。　　He　had　not　had　a　laugh　for　so　long　that　it　made　him　feel　good。　　He　stopped　only　at　sight　of　Nell's　surprise　and　pain。　　Then　he　put　his　arms　round　her。

〃Never　mind；　dear。　　I'm　an　old　bear。　　But　it　tickled　me；　I　guess。　I　sure　hope　Mr。　Radford　Chase　has　got　it　bad。。。Nell；　it