desert gold-第50节

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iff！　　Then　the　finish！　　Only　a　Yaqui　could　have　done　that。。。。Thorne；　you　didn't　miss　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　was　down　and　out；〃　replied　the　cavalryman。

〃It's　a　shame。　　Greatest　stunt　I　ever　seen！　　Thorne；　you're　standin'　up　pretty　fair。　　How　about　you？　　Dick；　is　he　bad　hurt？〃

〃No；　he's　not。　　A　hard　knock　on　the　skull　and　a　scalp　wound；　〃　replied　Dick。　　〃Here；　Jim；　let　me　help　you　over　this　place。〃

Step　by　step　Gale　got　the　two　injured　men　down　the　uneven　declivity　and　then　across　the　narrow　lava　bridge　over　the　fissure。　　Here　he　bade　them　rest　while　he　went　along　the　trail　on　that　side　to　search　for　Laddy。　　Gale　found　the　ranger　stretched　out；　face　downward；　a　reddened　hand　clutching　a　gun。　　Gale　thought　he　was　dead。　　Upon　examination；　however；　it　was　found　that　Ladd　still　lived；　though　he　had　many　wounds。　　Gale　lifted　him　and　carried　him　back　to　the　others。

〃He's　alive；　but　that's　all；〃　said　Dick；　as　he　laid　the　ranger　down。　〃Do　what　you　can。　　Stop　the　blood。　　Laddy's　tough　as　cactus；　you　know。　　I'll　hurry　back　for　Mercedes　and　Yaqui。〃

Gale；　like　a　fleet；　sure…footed　mountain　sheep；　ran　along　the　trail。　　When　he　came　across　the　Mexican；　Rojas's　last　ally；　Gale　had　evidence　of　the　terrible　execution　of　the　。405。　　He　did　not　pause。　　On　the　first　part　of　that　descent　he　made　faster　time　than　had　Rojas。　　But　he　exercised　care　along　the　hard；　slippery；　ragged　slope　leading　to　the　ledge。　　Presently　he　came　upon　Mercedes　and　the　Yaqui。　　She　ran　right　into　Dick's　arms；　and　there　her　strength；　if　not　her　courage；　broke；　and　she　grew　lax。

〃Mercedes；　you're　safe！　　Thorne's　safe。　　It's　all　right　now。〃

〃Rojas！〃　she　whispered。

〃Gone！　　To　the　bottom　of　the　crater！　　A　Yaqui's　vengeance；　Mercedes。〃

He　heard　the　girl　whisper　the　name　of　the　Virgin。　　Then　he　gathered　her　up　in　his　arms。

〃Come；　Yaqui。〃

The　Indian　grunted。　　He　had　one　hand　pressed　close　over　a　bloody　place　in　his　shoulder。　　Gale　looked　keenly　at　him。　　Yaqui　was　inscrutable；　as　of　old；　yet　Gale　somehow　knew　that　wound　meant　little　to　him。　　The　Indian　followed　him。

Without　pausing；　moving　slowly　in　some　places；　very　carefully　in　others；　and　swiftly　on　the　smooth　part　of　the　trail；　Gale　carried　Mercedes　up　to　the　rim　and　along　to　the　the　others。　Jim　Lash　worked　awkardly　over　Ladd。　　Thorne　was　trying　to　assist。　　Ladd；　himself；　was　conscious；　but　he　was　a　pallid；　apparently　a　death…stricken　man。　　The　greeting　between　Mercedes　and　Thorne　was　calmstrangely　so；　it　seemed　to　Gale。　　But　he　was　calm　himself。　　Ladd　smiled　at　him；　and　evidently　would　have　spoken　had　he　the　power。　　Yaqui　then　joined　the　group；　and　his　piercing　eyes　roved　from　one　to　the　other；　lingering　longest　over　Ladd。

〃Dick；　I'm　figger'n　hard；〃　said　Jim；　faintly。　　〃In　a　minute　it　'll　be　up　to　you　an'　Mercedes。　　I've　about　shot　my　bolt。。。。Reckon　you'll　do　best　by　bringin'　up　blanketswatersaltfirewood。　Laddy's　gotone　chancein　a　hundred。　　Fix　him　upfirst。　　Use　hot　salt　water。　　If　my　leg's　brokeset　it　best　you　can。　　That　hole　in　Yaquionly　'll　bother　him　a　day。　　Thorne's　bad　hurt。。。Now　rustleDick；　oldboy。〃

Lash's　voice　died　away　in　a　husky　whisper；　and　he　quietly　lay　back；　stretching　out　all　but　the　crippled　leg。　　Gale　examined　it；　assured　himself　the　bones　had　not　been　broken；　and　then　rose　ready　to　go　down　the　trail。

〃Mercedes；　hold　Thorne's　head　up；　in　your　lapso。　　Now　I'll　go。〃

On　the　moment　Yaqui　appeared　to　have　completed　the　binding　of　his　wounded　shoulder；　and　he　started　to　follow　Gale。　　He　paid　no　attention　to　Gale's　order　for　him　to　stay　back。　　But　he　was　slow；　and　gradually　Gale　forged　ahead。　　The　lingering　brightness　of　the　sunset　lightened　the　trail；　and　the　descent　to　the　arroyo　was　swift　and　easy。　　Some　of　the　white　horses　had　come　in　for　water。　　Blanco　Sol　spied　Gale　and　whistled　and　came　pounding　toward　him。　　It　was　twilight　down　in　the　arroyo。　　Yaqui　appeared　and　began　collecting　a　bundle　of　mesquite　sticks。　　Gale　hastily　put　together　the　things　he　needed；　and；　packing　them　all　in　a　tarpaulin；　he　turned　to　retrace　his　steps　up　the　trail。

Darkness　was　setting　in。　　The　trail　was　narrow；　exceedingly　steep；　and　in　some　places　fronted　on　precipices。　　Gale's　burden　was　not　very　heavy；　but　its　bulk　made　it　unwieldy；　and　it　was　always　overbalancing　him　or　knocking　against　the　wall　side　of　the　trail。　Gale　found　it　necessary　to　wait　for　Yaqui　to　take　the　lead。　　The　Indian's　eyes　must　have　seen　as　well　at　night　as　by　day。　　Gale　toiled　upward；　shouldering；　swinging；　dragging　the　big　pack；　and；　though　the　ascent　of　the　slope　was　not　really　long；　it　seemed　endless。　　At　last　they　reached　a　level；　and　were　soon　on　the　spot　with　Mercedes　and　the　injured　men。

Gale　then　set　to　work。　　Yaqui's　part　was　to　keep　the　fire　blazing　and　the　water　hot；　Mercedes's　to　help　Gale　in　what　way　she　could。　Gale　found　Ladd　had　many　wounds；　yet　not　one　of　them　was　directly　in　a　vital　place。　　Evidently；　the　ranger　had　almost　bled　to　death。　He　remained　unconcious　through　Gale's　operations。　　According　to　Jim　Lash；　Ladd　had　one　chance　in　a　hundred；　but　Gale　considered　it　one　in　a　thousand。　　Having　done　all　that　was　possible　for　the　ranger；　Gale　slipped　blankets　under　and　around　him；　and　then　turned　his　attention　to　Lash。

Jim　came　out　of　his　stupor。　　A　mushrooming　bullet　had　torn　a　great　hole　in　his　leg。　　Gale；　upon　examination；　could　not　be　sure　the　bones　had　been　missed；　but　there　was　no　bad　break。　　The　application　of　hot　salt　water　made　Jim　groan。　　When　he　had　been　bandaged　and　laid　beside　Ladd；　Gale　went　on　to　the　cavalryman。　Thorne　was　very　weak　and　scarcely　conscious。　　A　furrow　had　been　plowed　through　his　scalp　down　to　the　bone。　　When　it　had　been　dressed；　Mercedes　collapsed。　　Gale　laid　her　with　the　three　in　a　row　and　covered　them　with　blankets　and　the　tarpaulin。

Then　Yaqui　submitted　to　examination。　　A　bullet　had　gone　through　the　Indian's　shoulder。　　To　Gale　it　appeared　serious。　　Yaqui　said　it　was　a　flea　bite。　　But　he　allowed

Gale　to　bandage　it；　and　obeyed　when　he　was　told　to　lie　quiet　in　his　blanket　beside　the　fire。

Gale　stood　guard。　　He　seemed　still　calm；　and　wondered　at　what　he　considered　a　strange　absence　of　poignant　feeling。　　If　he　had　felt　weariness　it　was　now　gone。　　He　coaxed　the　fire　with　as　little　wood　as　would　keep　it　burning；　he　sat　beside　it；　he　walked　to　and　fro　close　by；　sometimes　he　stood　over　the　five　sleepers；　wondering　if　two　of　them；　at　least；　would　ever　awaken。

Time　had　passed　swiftly；　but　as　the　necessity　for　immediate　action　had　gone　by；　the　hours　gradually　assumed　something　of　their　normal　length。　　The　night　wore　on。　　The　air　grew　colder；　the　stars　brighter；　the　sky　bluer；　and；　if　such　could　be　possible；　the　silence　more　intense。　　The　fire　burned　out；　and　for　lack　of　wood　could　not　be　rekindled。　　Gale　patrolled　his　short　beat；　becoming　colder　and　damper　as　dawn　approached。　　The　darkness　grew　so　dense　that　he　could　not　see　the　pale　faces　of　the　sleepers。　　He　dreaded　the　gray　dawn　and　the　light。　　Slowly　the　heavy　black　belt　close　to　the　lava　changed　to　a　pale　gloom；　then　to　gray；　and　after　that　morning　came　quickly。

The　hour　had　come　for　Dick　Gale　to　face　his　great　problem。　　It　was　natural　that　he　hung　back　a　little　at　first；　natural　that　when　he　went　forward　to　look　at　the　quiet　sleepers　he　did　so　with　a　grim　and　stern　force　urging　him。　　Yaqui　stirred；　roused；　yawned；　got　up；　and；　though　he　did　not　smile　at　Gale；　a　light　shone　swiftly　across　his　dark　face。　　His　shoulder　drooped　and　appeared　stiff；　otherwise　he　was　himself。　　Mercedes　lay　in　deep　slumber。　　Thorne　had　a　high　fever；　and　was　beginning　to　show　signs　of　restlessness。　　Ladd　seemed　just　barely　alive。　　Jim　Lash　slept　as　if　he　was　not　much　the　worse　for　his　wound。

Gale　rose　from　his　examination　with　a　sharp　breaking　of　his　cold　mood。　　While　there　was　life　in　Thorne　and　Ladd　there　was　hope　for　them。　　Then　he　faced　his　problem；　and　his　decision　was　instant。

He　awoke　Mercedes。　　How　wondering；　wistful；　beautiful　was　that　first　opening　flash　of　her　eyes！　　Then　the　dark；　troubled　thought　came。　　Swiftly　she　sat　up。

〃Mercedescome。　　Are　you　all　right？　　Laddy　is　alive　Thorne's　not　not　so　bad。　　But　we've　got　a　job　on　our　hands！　　You　must　help　me。〃

She　bent　over　Thorne　and　laid　her　hands　on　his　hot　face。　　Then　she　rosea　woman　such　as　he　had　imagined　she　might　be　in　an　hour　of　trial。

Gale　took　up　Ladd　as　carefully　and　gently　as　possible。

〃Mercedes；　bring　what　you　can　carry　and　follow　me；〃　he　said。　　Then；　motioning　for　Yaqui　to　remain　there；　he　turned　down　the　slope　with　Ladd　in　his　arms。

Neither　pausing　nor　making　a　misstep　nor　conscious　of　great　effort；　Gale　carried　the　wounded　man　down　into　the　arroyo。　　Mercedes　kept　at　his　heels；　light；　supple；　lithe　as　a　panther。　　He　left　her　with　Ladd　and　went　back。　　When　he　had　started　off　with　Thorne　in　his　arms　he　felt　the　tax　on　his　strength。　　Surely　and　swiftly；　however；　he　bore　the　cavalryman　down　the　trail　to　lay　him　beside　Ladd。　　Again　he　started　back；　and　when　he　began　to　mount　the　steep　lava　steps　he　was　hot；　wet；　breathing　hard。　　As　he　reached　the　scene　of　that　night's　camp　a　voice　greeted　him。　　Jim　Lash　was　sitting　up。

〃Hello；　Dick。　　I　woke　some　late　this　mornin'。　　Where's　Laddy？　　Dick；　you　ain't　a…goin'　to　say〃

〃Laddy's　alivethat's　about　all；〃　replied　Dic