desert gold-第51节

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〃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　Dick。

〃Where's　Thorne　an'　Mercedes？　　Look　here；　man。　　I　reckon　you　ain't　packin'　this　crippled　outfit　down　that　awful　trail？〃

〃Had　to；　Jim。　　An　hour's　sunwould　killboth　Laddy　and　Thorne。　Come　on　now。〃

For　once　Jim　Lash's　cool　good　nature　and　careless　indifference　gave　precedence　to　amaze　and　concern。

〃Always　knew　you　was　a　husky　chap。　　But；　Dick；　you're　no　hoss！　Get　me　a　crutch　an'　give　me　a　lift　on　one　side。〃

〃Come　on；〃　replied　Gale。　　〃I've　no　time　to　monkey。〃

He　lifted　the　ranger；　called　to　Yaqui　to　follow　with　some　of　the　camp　outfit；　and　once　more　essayed　the　steep　descent。　　Jim　Lash　was　the　heaviest　man　of　the　three；　and　Gale's　strength　was　put　to　enormous　strain　to　carry　him　on　that　broken　trail。　Nevertheless；　Gale　went　down；　down；　walking　swiftly　and　surely　over　the　bad　places；　and　at　last　he　staggered　into　the　arroyo　with　bursting　heart　and　red…blinded　eyes。　　When　he　had　recovered　he　made　a　final　trip　up　the　slope　for　the　camp　effects　which　Yaqui　had　been　unable　to　carry。

Then　he　drew　Jim　and　Mercedes　and　Yaqui；　also；　into　an　earnest　discussion　of　ways　and　means　whereby　to　fight　for　the　life　of　Thorne。　　Ladd's　case　Gale　now　considered　hopeless；　though　he　meant　to　fight　for　him；　too；　as　long　as　he　breathed。

In　the　labor　of　watching　and　nursing　it　seemed　to　Gale　that　two　days　and　two　nights　slipped　by　like　a　few　hours。　　During　that　time　the　Indian　recovered　from　his　injury；　and　became　capable　of　performing　all　except　heavy　tasks。　　Then　Gale　succumbed　to　weariness。　　After　his　much…needed　rest　he　relieved　Mercedes　of　the　care　and　watch　over　Thorne　which；　up　to　that　time；　she　had　absolutely　refused　to　relinquish。　　The　cavalryman　had　high　fever；　and　Gale　feared　he　had　developed　blood　poisoning。　　He　required　constant　attention。　　His　condition　slowly　grew　worse；　and　there　came　a　day　which　Gale　thought　surely　was　the　end。　　But　that　day　passed；　and　the　night；　and　the　next　day；　and　Thorne　lived　on；　ghastly；　stricken；　raving。　　Mercedes　hung　over　him　with　jealous；　passionate　care　and　did　all　that　could　have　been　humanly　done　for　a　man。　　She　grew　wan；　absorbed；　silent。　　But　suddenly；　and　to　Gale's　amaze　and　thanksgiving；　there　came　an　abatement　of　Thorne's　fever。　With　it　some　of　the　heat　and　redness　of　the　inflamed　wound　disappeared。　　Next　morning　he　was　conscious；　and　Gale　grasped　some　of　the　hope　that　Mercedes　had　never　abandoned。　　He　forced　her　to　rest　while　he　attended　to　Thorne。　　That　day　he　saw　that　the　crisis　was　past。　　Recovery　for　Thorne　was　now　possible；　and　would　perhaps　depend　entirely　upon　the　care　he　received。

Jim　Lash's　wound　healed　without　any　aggravating　symptoms。　　It　would　be　only　a　matter　of　time　unti　he　had　the　use　of　his　leg　again。　　All　these　days；　however；　there　was　little　apparent　change　in　Ladd's　condition　unless　it　was　that　he　seemed　to　fade　away　as　he　lingered。　At　first　his　wounds　remained　open；　they　bled　a　little　all　the　time　outwardly；　perhaps　internally　also；　the　blood　did　not　seem　to　clot；　and　so　the　bullet　holes　did　not　close。　　Then　Yaqui　asked　for　the　care　of　Ladd。　　Gale　yielded　it　with　opposing　thoughtsthat　Ladd　would　waste　slowly　away　till　life　ceased；　and　that　there　never　was　any　telling　what　might　lie　in　the　power　of　this　strange　Indian。　Yaqui　absented　himself　from　camp　for　a　while；　and　when　he　returned　he　carried　the　roots　and　leaves　of　desert　plants　unknown　to　Gale。　From　these　the　Indian　brewed　an　ointment。　　Then　he　stripped　the　bandages　from　Ladd　and　applied　the　mixture　to　his　wounds。　　That　done；　he　let　him　lie　with　the　wounds　exposed　to　the　air；　at　night　covering　him。　　Next　day　he　again　exposed　the　wounds　to　the　warm；　dry　air。　　Slowly　they　closed；　and　Ladd　ceased　to　bleed　externally。

Days　passed　and　grew　into　what　Gale　imagined　must　have　been　weeks。　Yaqui　recovered　fully。　　Jim　Lash　began　to　move　about　on　a　crutch；　he　shared　the　Indian's　watch　over　Ladd。　　Thorne　lay　haggard；　emaciated　ghost　of　his　rugged　self；　but　with　life　in　the　eyes　that　turned　always　toward　Mercedes。　　Ladd　lingered　and　lingered。　　The　life　seemingly　would　not　leave　his　bullet…pierced　body。　　He　faded；　withered；　shrunk　till　he　was　almost　a　skeleton。　　He　knew　those　who　worked　and　watched　over　him；　but　he　had　no　power　of　speech。　　His　eyes　and　eyelids　moved；　the　rest　of　him　seemed　stone。　　All　those　days　nothing　except　water　was　given　him。　　It　was　marvelous　how　tenaciously；　however　feebly；　he　clung　to　life。　　Gale　imagined　it　was　the　Yaqui's　spirit　that　held　back　death。　　That　tireless；　implacable；　inscrutable　savage　was　ever　at　the　ranger's　side。　　His　great　somber　eyes　burned。　　At　length　he　went　to　Gale；　and；　with　that　strange　light　flitting　across　the　hard　bronzed　face；　he　said　Ladd　would　live。


The　second　day　after　Ladd　had　been　given　such　thin　nourishment　as　he　could　swallow　he　recovered　the　use　of　his　tongue。

〃Shorethis'shell；〃　he　whispered。

That　was　a　characteristic　speech　for　the　ranger；　Gale　thought；　and　indeed　it　made　all　who　heard　it　smile　while　their　eyes　were　wet。

From　that　time　forward　Ladd　gained；　but　he　gained　so　immeasurably　slowly　that　only　the　eyes　of　hope　could　have　seen　any　improvement。　Jim　Lash　threw　away　his　crutch；　and　Thorne　was　well；　if　still　somewhat　weak；　before　Ladd　could　lift　his　arm　or　turn　his　head。　　A　kind　of　long；　immovable　gloom　passed；　like　a　shadow；　from　his　face。　　His　whispers　grew　stronger。　　And　the　day　arrived　when　Gale；　who　was　perhaps　the　least　optimistic；　threw　doubt　to　the　winds　and　knew　the　ranger　would　get　well。　　For　Gale　that　joyous　moment　of　realization　was　one　in　which　he　seemed　to　return　to　a　former　self　long　absent。　He　experienced　an　elevation　of　soul。　　He　was　suddenly　overwhelmed　with　gratefulness；　humility；　awe。　　A　gloomy　black　terror　had　passed　by。　　He　wanted　to　thank　the　faithful　Mercedes；　and　Thorne　for　getting　well；　and　the　cheerful　Lash；　and　Ladd　himself；　and　that　strange　and　wonderful　Yaqui；　now　such　a　splendid　figure。　　He　thought　of　home　and　Nell。　　The　terrible　encompassing　red　slopes　lost　something　of　their　fearsomeness；　and　there　was　a　good　spirit　hovering　near。



〃Boys；　come　round；〃　called　Ladd；　in　his　low　voice。　　〃An'　you；　Mercedes。　　An'　call　the　Yaqui。〃

Ladd　lay　in　the　shade　of　the　brush　shelter　that　had　been　erected。　　His　head　was　raised　slightly　on　a　pillow。　　There　seemed　little　of　him　but　long　lean　lines；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　his　keen；　thoughtful；　kindly　eyes；　his　face　would　have　resembled　a　death　mask　of　a　man　starved。

〃Shore　I　want　to　know　what　day　is　it　an'　what　month？〃　asked　Ladd。

Nobody　could　answer　him。　　The　question　seemed　a　surprise　to　Gale；　and　evidently　was　so　to　the　others。

〃Look　at　that　cactus；〃　went　on　Ladd。

Near　the　wall　of　lava　a　stunted　saguaro　lifted　its　head。　　A　few　shriveled　blossoms　that　had　once　been　white　hung　along　the　fluted　column。

〃I　reckon　according　to　that　giant　cactus　it's　somewheres　along　the　end　of　March；〃　said　Jim　Lash；　soberly。

〃Shore　it's　April。　　Look　where　the　sun　is。　　An'　can't　you　feel　it's　gettin'　hot？〃

〃Supposin'　it　is　April？〃　queried　Lash　slowly。

〃Well；　what　I'm　drivin'　at　is　it's　about　time　you　all　was　hittin'　the　trail　back　to　Forlorn　River；　before　the　waterholes　dry　out。〃

〃Laddy；　I　reckon　we'll　start　soon　as　you're　able　to　be　put　on　a　hoss。〃

〃Shore　that　'll　be　too　late。〃

A　silence　ensued；　in　which　those　who　heard　Ladd　gazed　fixedly　at　him　and　then　at　one　another。　　Lash　uneasily　shifted　the　position　of　his　lame　leg；　and　Gale　saw　him　moisten　his　lips　with　his　tongue。

〃Charlie　Ladd；　I　ain't　reckonin'　you　mean　we're　to　ride　off　an'　leave　you　here？〃

〃What　else　is　there　to　do？　　The　hot　weather's　close。　　Pretty　soon　most　of　the　waterholes　will　be　dry。　　You　can't　travel　then。。。。I'm　on　my　back　here；　an'　God　only　knows　when　I　could　be　packed　out。　Not　for　weeks；　mebbe。　　I'll　never　be　any　good　again；　even　if　I　was　to　get　out　alive。。。。You　see；　shore　this　sort　of　case　comes　round　sometimes　in　the　desert。　　It's　common　enough。　　I've　heard　of　several　cases　where　men　had　to　go　an'　leave　a　feller　behind。　　It's　reasonable。　If　you're　fightin'　the　desert　you　can't　afford　to　be　sentimental。。。　Now；　as　I　said；　I'm　all　in。　　So　what's　the　sense　of　you　waitin'　here；　when　it　means　the　old　desert　story？　　By　goin'　now　mebbe　you'll　get　home。　If　you　wait　on　a　chance　of　takin'　me；　you'll　be　too　late。　　Pretty　soon　this　lava　'll　be　one　roastin'　hell。　　Shore　now；　boys；　you'll　see　this　the　right　way？　　Jim；　old　pard？〃

〃No；　Laddy；　an'　I　can't　figger　how　you　could　ever　ask　me。〃

〃Shore　then　leave　me　here　with　Yaqui　an'　a　could　of　the　hosses。　We　can　eat　sheep　meat。　　An'　if　the　water　holds　out〃

〃No！〃　interrupted　Lash；　violently。

Ladd's　eyes　sought　Gale's　face。

〃Son；　you　ain't　bull…headed　like　Jim。　　You'll　see　the　sense　of　it。　There's　Nell　a…waitin'　back　at　Forlorn　River。　　Think　what　it　means　to　her！　　She's　a　damn　fine　girl；　Dick；　an'　what　right　have　you　to　break　her　heart　for　an　old　worn…out　cowpuncher？　　Think　how　she's　watchin'　for　you　with　that　sweet　face　all　sad　an'　troubled；　an'　her　eyes　turnin'　black。　　You'll　go；　son；　won't　you？〃

Dick　shook　his　head。

The　ranger　turned　his　gaze　upon　Thorne；　and　now　the　keen；　glistening　lig