desert gold-第53节

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s　for　the　horses；　and　until　now　no　one　had　given　the　question　more　consideration。　Gale　found　that　the　arroyo　widened　as　it　opened。　　Near　the　head；　where　it　was　narrow；　the　grass　lined　the　course　of　the　dry　stream　bed。　　But　farther　down　this　stream　bed　spread　out。　　There　was　every　indication　that　at　flood　seasons　the　water　covered　the　floor　of　the　arroyo。　　The　farther　Gale　went　the　thicker　and　larger　grew　the　gnarled　mesquites　and　palo　verdes；　the　more　cactus　and　greasewood　there　were；　and　other　desert　growths。　　Patches　of　gray　grass　grew　everywhere。　　Gale　began　to　wonder　where　the　horses　were。　　Finally　the　trees　and　brush　thinned　out；　and　a　mile…wide　gray　plain　stretched　down　to　reddish　sand　dunes。　　Over　to　one　side　were　the　white　horses；　and　even　as　Gale　saw　them　both　Blanco　Diablo　and　Sol　lifted　their　heads　and；　with　white　manes　tossing　in　the　wind；　whistled　clarion　calls。　　Here　was　grass　enough　for　many　horses；　the　arroyo　was　indeed　an　oasis。

Ladd　and　the　others　were　awaiting　Gale's　report；　and　they　received　it　with　calmness；　yet　with　a　joy　no　less　evident　because　it　was　restrained。　　Gale；　in　his　keen　observation　at　the　moment；　found　that　he　and　his　comrades　turned　with　glad　eyes　to　the　woman　of　the　party。

〃Senor　Laddy；　you　thinkyou　believewe　shall〃　she　faltered；　and　her　voice　failed。　　It　was　the　woman　in　her；　weakening　in　the　light　of　real　hope；　of　the　happiness　now　possible　beyond　that　desert　barrier。

〃Mercedes；　no　white　man　can　tell　what'll　come　to　pass　out　here；〃　said　Ladd；　earnestly。　　〃Shore　I　have　hopes　now　I　never　dreamed　of。　I　was　pretty　near　a　dead　man。　　The　Indian　saved　me。　　Queer　notions　have　come　into　my　head　about　Yaqui。　　I　don't　understand　them。　　He　seems　when　you　look　at　him　only　a　squalid；　sullen；　vengeful　savage。　But　Lord！　that's　far　from　the　truth。　　Mebbe　Yaqui's　different　from　most　Indians。　　He　looks　the　same；　though。　　Mebbe　the　trouble　is　we　white　folks　never　knew　the　Indian。　　Anyway；　Beldin'　had　it　right。　Yaqui's　our　godsend。　　Now　as　to　the　future；　I'd　like　to　know　mebbe　as　well　as　you　if　we're　ever　to　get　home。　　Only　bein'　what　I　am；　I　say；　Quien　sabe？　　But　somethin'　tells　me　Yaqui　knows。　　Ask　him；　Mercedes。　　Make　him　tell。　　We'll　all　be　the　better　for　knowin'。　We'd　be　stronger　for　havin'　more'n　our　faith　in　him。　　He's　silent　Indian；　but　make　him　tell。〃

Mercedes　called　to　Yaqui。　　At　her　bidding　there　was　always　a　suggestion　of　hurry；　which　otherwise　was　never　manifest　in　his　actions。　　She　put　a　hand　on　his　bared　muscular　arm　and　began　to　speak　in　Spanish。　Her　voice　was　low；　swift；　full　of　deep　emotion；　sweet　as　the　sound　of　a　bell。　　It　thrilled　Gale；　though　he　understood　scarcely　a　word　she　said。　　He　did　not　need　translation　to　know　that　here　spoke　the　longing　of　a　woman　for　life；　love；　home；　the　heritage　of　a　woman's　heart。

Gale　doubted　his　own　divining　impression。　　It　was　that　the　Yaqui　understood　this　woman's　longing。　　In　Gale's　sight　the　Indian's　stoicism；　his　inscrutability；　the　lavalike　hardness　of　his　face；　although　they　did　not　change；　seemed　to　give　forth　light；　gentleness；　loyalty。　　For　an　instant　Gale　seemed　to　have　a　vision；　but　it　did　not　last；　and　he　failed　to　hold　some　beautiful　illusive　thing。

〃Si！〃　rolled　out　the　Indian's　reply；　full　of　power　and　depth。

Mercedes　drew　a　long　breath；　and　her　hand　sought　Thorne's。

〃He　says　yes；〃　she　whispered。　　〃He　answers　he'll　save　us；　he'll　take　us　all　backhe　knows！〃

The　Indian　turned　away　to　his　tasks；　and　the　silence　that　held　the　little　group　was　finally　broken　by　Ladd。

〃Shore　I　said　so。　　Now　all　we've　got　to　do　is　use　sense。　　Friends；　I'm　the　commissary　department　of　this　outfit；　an'　what　I　say　goes。　You　all　won't　eat　except　when　I　tell　you。　　Mebbe　it'll　not　be　so　hard　to　keep　our　health。　　Starved　beggars　don't　get　sick。　　But　there's　the　heat　comin'；　an'　we　can　all　go　loco；　you　know。　　To　pass　the　time！　　Lord；　that's　our　problem。　　Now　if　you　all　only　had　a　hankerin'　for　checkers。　　Shore　I'll　make　a　board　an'　make　you　play。　　Thorne；　you're　the　luckiest。　　You've　got　your　girl；　an'　this　can　be　a　honeymoon。　　Now　with　a　few　tools　an'　little　material　see　what　a　grand　house　you　can　build　for　your　wife。　　Dick；　you're　lucky；too。　　You　like　to　hunt；　an'　up　there　you'll　find　the　finest　bighorn　huntin'　in　the　West。　　Take　Yaqui　and　the　。405。　　We　need　the　meat；　but　while　you're　gettin'　it　have　your　sport。　　The　same　chance　will　never　come　again。　　I　wish　we　all　was　able　to　go。　　But　crippled　men　can't　climb　the　lava。　　Shore　you'll　see　some　country　from　the　peaks。　　There's　no　wilder　place　on　earth；　except　the　poles。　An'　when　you're　older；　you　an'　Nell；　with　a　couple　of　fine　boys；　think　what　it'll　be　to　tell　them　about　bein'　lost　in　the　lava；　an'　huntin'　sheep　with　a　Yaqui。　　Shore　I've　hit　it。　　You　can　take　yours　out　in　huntin'　an'　thinkin'。　　Now　if　I　had　a　girl　like　Nell　I'd　never　go　crazy。　　That's　your　game；　Dick。　　Hunt；　an'　think　of　Nell；　an'　how　you'll　tell　those　fine　boys　about　it　all；　an'　about　the　old　cowman　you　knowed；　Laddy；　who'll　by　then　be　long　past　the　divide。　　Rustle　now；　son。　　Get　some　enthusiasm。　　For　shore　you'll　need　it　for　yourself　an'　us。

Gale　climbed　the　lava　slope；　away　round　to　the　right　of　the　arroyo；　along　an　old　trail　that　Yaqui　said　the　Papagos　had　made　before　his　own　people　had　hunted　there。　　Part　way　it　led　through　spiked；　crested；　upheaved　lava　that　would　have　been　almost　impassable　even　without　its　silver　coating　of　choya　cactus。　　There　were　benches　and　ledges　and　ridges　bare　and　glistening　in　the　sun。　　From　the　crests　of　these　Yaqui's　searching　falcon　gaze　roved　near　and　far　for　signs　of　sheep；　and　Gale　used　his　glass　on　the　reaches　of　lava　that　slanted　steeply　upward　to　the　corrugated　peaks；　and　down　over　endless　heave　and　roll　and　red…waved　slopes。　　The　heat　smoked　up　from　the　lava；　and　this；　with　the　red　color　and　the　shiny　choyas；　gave　the　impression　of　a　world　of　smoldering　fire。

Farther　along　the　slope　Yaqui　halted　and　crawled　behind　projections　to　a　point　commanding　a　view　over　an　extraordinary　section　of　country。　　The　peaks　were　off　to　the　left。　　In　the　foreground　were　gullies；　ridges；　and　canyons；　arroyos；　all　glistening　with　choyas　and　some　other　and　more　numerous　white　bushes；　and　here　and　there　towered　a　green　cactus。　　This　region　was　only　a　splintered　and　more　devastated　part　of　the　volcanic　slope；　but　it　was　miles　in　extent。　Yaqui　peeped　over　the　top　of　a　blunt　block　of　lava　and　searched　the　sharp…billowed　wilderness。　　Suddenly　he　grasped　Gale　and　pointed　across　a　deep　wide　gully。

With　the　aid　of　his　glass　Gale　saw　five　sheep。　　They　were　much　larger　than　he　had　expected；　dull　brown　in　color；　and　two　of　them　were　rams　with　great　curved　horns。　　They　were　looking　in　his　direction。　　Remembering　what　he　had　heard　about　the　wonderful　eyesight　of　these　mountain　animals；　Gale　could　only　conclude　that　they　had　seen　the　hunters。

Then　Yaqui's　movements　attracted　and　interested　him。　　The　Indian　had　brought　with　him　a　red　scarf　and　a　mesquite　branch。　　He　tied　the　scarf　to　the　stick；　and　propped　this　up　in　a　crack　of　the　lava。　The　scarf　waved　in　the　wind。　　That　done；　the　Indian　bade　Gale　watch。

Once　again　he　leveled　the　glass　at　the　sheep。　　All　five　were　motionless；　standing　like　statues；　heads　pointed　across　the　gully。　They　were　more　than　a　mile　distant。　　When　Gale　looked　without　his　glass　they　merged　into　the　roughness　of　the　lava。　　He　was　intensely　interested。　Did　the　sheep　see　the　red　scarf？　　It　seemed　incredible；　but　nothing　else　could　account　for　that　statuesque　alertness。　　The　sheep　held　this　rigid　position　for　perhaps　fifteen　minutes。　　Then　the　leading　ram　started　to　approach。　　The　others　followed。　　He　took　a　few　steps；　then　halted。　　Always　he　held　his　head　up；　nose　pointed。

〃By　George；　they're　coming！〃　exclaimed　Gale。　　〃They　see　that　flag。　They're　hunting　us。　　They're　curious。　　If　this　doesn't　beat　me！〃

Evidently　the　Indian　understood；　for　he　grunted。

Gale　found　difficulty　in　curbing　his　impatience。　　The　approach　of　the　sheep　was　slow。　　The　advances　of　the　leader　and　the　intervals　of　watching　had　a　singular　regularity。　　He　worked　like　a　machine。　Gale　followed　him　down　the　opposite　wall；　around　holes；　across　gullies；　over　ridges。　　Then　Gale　shifted　the　glass　back　to　find　the　others。　　They　were　coming　also；　with　exactly　the　same　pace　and　pause　of　their　leader。　　What　steppers　they　were！　　How　sure…footed！　　What　leaps　they　made！　　It　was　thrilling　to　watch　them。　Gale　forgot　he　had　a　rifle。　　The　Yaqui　pressed　a　heavy　hand　down　upon　his　shoulder。　　He　was　to　keep　well　hidden　and　to　be　quiet。　Gale　suddenly　conceived　the　idea　that　the　sheep　might　come　clear　across　to　investigate　the　puzzling　red　thing　fluttering　in　the　breeze。　　Strange；　indeed；　would　that　be　for　the　wildest　creatures　in　the　world。

The　big　ram　led　on　with　the　same　regular　persistence；　and　in　half　an　hour's　time　he　was　in　the　bottom　of　the　great　gulf；　and　soon　he　was　facing　up　the　slope。　　Gale　knew　then　that　the　alluring　scarf　had　fascinated　him。

It　was　no　longer　necessary　now　for　Gale　to　use　his　glass。　　There　was　a　short　period　when　an　intervening　crest　of　lava　hid　the　sheep　from　view。　　After　that　the　two　rams　and　their　smaller　followers　were　plainly　in　sight　for　perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Then　they　disappeared　behind　anot