the last of the plainsmen-第15节

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　Clarke　swears　he　ain't　raised　a　colt　in　two　years。〃

〃We'll　put　that　old　cougar　up　a　tree；〃　exclaimed　Jones。

〃If　you　kill　him　we'll　make　you　all　a　present　of　a　mustang；　an'　Clarke；　he'll　give　you　two　each；〃　replied　Stewart。　〃We'd　be　gettin'　rid　of　him　cheap。〃

〃How　many　wild　horses　on　the　mountain　now？〃

〃Hard　to　tell。　Two　or　three　thousand；　mebbe。　There's　almost　no　ketchin'　them；　an'　they　regrowin'　all　the　time　We　ain't　had　no　luck　this　spring。　The　bunch　in　corral　we　got　last　year。〃

〃Seen　anythin'　of　the　White　Mustang？〃　inquired　Frank。　〃Ever　get　a　rope　near　him？〃

〃No　nearer'n　we　hev　fer　six　years　back。　He　can't　be　ketched。　We　seen　him　an'　his　band　of　blacks　a　few　days　ago；　headin'　fer　a　water…hole　down　where　Nail　Canyon　runs　into　Kanab　Canyon。　He's　so　cunnn'　he'll　never　water　at　any　of　our　trap　corrals。　An'　we　believe　he　can　go　without　water　fer　two　weeks；　unless　mebbe　he　hes　a　secret　hole　we've　never　trailed　him　to。〃

〃Would　we　have　any　chance　to　see　this　White　Mustang　and　his　band？〃　questioned　Jones。

〃See　him？　Why；　thet'd　be　easy。　Go　down　Snake　Gulch；　camp　at　Singin'　Cliffs；　go　over　into　Nail　Canyon；　an'　wait。　Then　send　some　one　slippin'　down　to　the　water…hole　at　Kanab　Canyon；　an'　when　the　band　cums　in　to　drinkwhich　I　reckon　will　be　in　a　few　days　nowhev　them　drive　the　mustangs　up。　Only　be　sure　to　hev　them　get　ahead　of　the　White　Mustang；　so　he'll　hev　only　one　way　to　cum；　fer　he　sure　is　knowin'。　He　never　makes　a　mistake。　Mebbe　you'll　get　to　see　him　cum　by　like　a　white　streak。　Why；　I've　heerd　thet　mustang's　hoofs　ring　like　bells　on　the　rocks　a　mile　away。　His　hoofs　are　harder'n　any　iron　shoe　as　was　ever　made。　But　even　if　you　don't　get　to　see　him；　Snake　Gulch　is　worth　seein'。〃

I　learned　later　from　Stewart　that　the　White　Mustang　was　a　beautiful　stallion　of　the　wildest　strain　of　mustang　blue　blood。　He　had　roamed　the　long　reaches　between　the　Grand　Canyon　and　Buckskin　toward　its　southern　slope　for　years；　he　had　been　the　most　sought…for　horse　by　all　the　wranglers；　and　had　become　so　shy　and　experienced　that　nothing　but　a　glimpse　was　ever　obtained　of　him。　A　singular　fact　was　that　he　never　attached　any　of　his　own　species　to　his　band；　unless　they　were　coal　black。　He　had　been　known　to　fight　and　kill　other　stallions；　but　he　kept　out　of　the　well…wooded　and　watered　country　frequented　by　other　bands；　and　ranged　the　brakes　of　the　Siwash　as　far　as　he　could　range。　The　usual　method；　indeed　the　only　successful　way　to　capture　wild　horses；　was　to　build　corrals　round　the　waterholes。　The　wranglers　lay　out　night　after　night　watching。　When　the　mustangs　came　to　drinkwhich　was　always　after　darkthe　gates　would　be　closed　on　them。　But　the　trick　had　never　even　been　tried　on　the　White　Mustang；　for　the　simple　reason　that　he　never　approached　one　of　these　traps。

〃Boys；〃　said　Jones；　〃seeing　we　need　breaking　in；　we'll　give　the　White　Mustang　a　little　run。〃

This　was　most　pleasurable　news；　for　the　wild　horses　fascinated　me。　Besides；　I　saw　from　the　expression　on　our　leader's　face　that　an　uncapturable　mustang　was　an　object　of　interest　for　him

Wallace　and　I　had　employed　the　last　few　warm　sunny　afternoons　in　riding　up　and　down　the　valley；　below　Oak；　where　there　was　a　fine；　level　stretch。　Here　I　wore　out　my　soreness　of　muscle；　and　gradually　overcame　my　awkwardness　in　the　saddle。　Frank's　remedy　of　maple　sugar　and　red　pepper　had　rid　me　of　my　cold；　and　with　the　return　of　strength；　and　the　coming　of　confidence；　full；　joyous　appreciation　of　wild　environment　and　life　made　me　unspeakably　happy。　And　I　noticed　that　my　companions　were　in　like　condition　of　mind；　though　self…contained　where　I　was　exuberant。　Wallace　galloped　his　sorrel　and　watched　the　crags；　Jones　talked　more　kindly　to　the　dogs；　Jim　baked　biscuits　indefatigably；　and　smoked　in　contented　silence；　Frank　said　always：　〃We'll　ooze　along　easy　like；　for　we've　all　the　time　there　is。〃　Which　sentiment；　whether　from　reiterated　suggestion；　or　increasing　confidence　in　the　practical　cowboy；　or　charm　of　its　free　import；　gradually　won　us　all。

〃Boys；〃　said　Jones；　as　we　sat　round　the　campfire；　〃I　see　you're　getting　in　shape。　Well；　I've　worn　off　the　wire　edge　myself。　And　I　have　the　hounds　coming　fine。　They　mind　me　now；　but　they're　mystified。　For　the　life　of　them　they　can't　understand　what　I　mean。　I　don't　blame　them。　Wait　till；　by　good　luck；　we　get　a　cougar　in　a　tree。　When　Sounder　and　Don　see　that；　we've　lion　dogs；　boys！　we've　lion　dogs！　But　Moze　is　a　stubborn　brute。　In　all　my　years　of　animal　experience；　I've　never　discovered　any　other　way　to　make　animals　obey　than　by　instilling　fear　and　respect　into　their　hearts。　I've　been　fond　of　buffalo；　horses　and　dogs；　but　sentiment　never　ruled　me。　When　animals　must　obey；　they　mustthat's　all；　and　no　mawkishness！　But　I　never　trusted　a　buffalo　in　my　life。　If　I　had　I　wouldn't　be　here　to…night。　You　all　know　how　many　keepers　of　tame　wild　animals　get　killed。　I　could　tell　you　dozens　of　tragedies。　And　I've　often　thought；　since　I　got　back　from　New　York；　of　that　woman　I　saw　with　her　troop　of　African　lions。　I　dream　about　those　lions；　and　see　them　leaping　over　her　head。　What　a　grand　sight　that　was！　But　the　public　is　fooled。　I　read　somewhere　that　she　trained　those　lions　by　love。　I　don't　believe　it。　I　saw　her　use　a　whip　and　a　steel　spear。　Moreover；　I　saw　many　things　that　escaped　most　observershow　she　entered　the　cage；　how　she　maneuvered　among　them；　how　she　kept　a　compelling　gaze　on　them！　It　was　an　admirable；　a　great　piece　of　work。　Maybe　she　loves　those　huge　yellow　brutes；　but　her　life　was　in　danger　every　moment　while　she　was　in　that　cage；　and　she　knew　it。　Some　day；　one　of　her　pets　likely　the　King　of　Beasts　she　pets　the　most　will　rise　up　and　kill　her。　That　is　as　certain　as　death。〃



CHAPTER　6。　THE　WHITE　MUSTANG

For　thirty　miles　down　Nail　Canyon　we　marked；　in　every　dusty　trail　and　sandy　wash；　the　small；　oval；　sharply　defined　tracks　of　the　White　Mustang　and　his　band。

The　canyon　had　been　well　named。　It　was　long；　straight　and　square　sided；　its　bare　walls　glared　steel…gray　in　the　sun；　smooth；　glistening　surfaces　that　had　been　polished　by　wind　and　water。　No　weathered　heaps　of　shale；　no　crumbled　piles　of　stone　obstructed　its　level　floor。　And；　softly　toning　its　drab　austerity；　here　grew　the　white　sage；　waving　in　the　breeze；　the　Indian　Paint　Brush；　with　vivid　vermilion　flower；　and　patches　of　fresh；　green　grass。

〃The　White　King；　as　we　Arizona　wild…hoss　wranglers　calls　this　mustang；　is　mighty　pertickler　about　his　feed；　an'　he　ranged　along　here　last　night；　easy　like；　browsin'　on　this　white　sage；〃　said　Stewart。　Inflected　by　our　intense　interest　in　the　famous　mustang；　and　ruffled　slightly　by　Jones's　manifest　surprise　and　contempt　that　no　one　had　captured　him；　Stewart　had　volunteered　to　guide　us。　〃Never　knowed　him　to　run　in　this　way　fer　water；　fact　is；　never　knowed　Nail　Canyon　had　a　fork。　It　splits　down　here；　but　you'd　think　it　was　only　a　crack　in　the　wall。　An'　thet　cunnin'　mustang　hes　been　foolin'　us　fer　years　about　this　water…hole。〃

The　fork　of　Nail　Canyon；　which　Stewart　had　decided　we　were　in；　had　been　accidentally　discovered　by　Frank；　who；　in　search　of　our　horses　one　morning　had　crossed　a　ridge；　to　come　suddenly　upon　the　blind；　box…like　head　of　the　canyon。　Stewart　knew　the　lay　of　the　ridges　and　run　of　the　canyons　as　well　as　any　man　could　know　a　country　where；　seemingly；　every　rod　was　ridged　and　bisected；　and　he　was　of　the　opinion　that　we　had　stumbled　upon　one　of　the　White　Mustang's　secret　passages；　by　which　he　had　so　often　eluded　his　pursuers。

Hard　riding　had　been　the　order　of　the　day；　but　still　we　covered　ten　more　miles　by　sundown。　The　canyon　apparently　closed　in　on　us；　so　camp　was　made　for　the　night。　The　horses　were　staked　out；　and　supper　made　ready　while　the　shadows　were　dropping；　and　when　darkness　settled　thick　over　us；　we　lay　under　our　blankets。

Morning　disclosed　the　White　Mustang's　secret　passage。　It　was　a　narrow　cleft；　splitting　the　canyon　wall；　rough；　uneven；　tortuous　and　choked　with　fallen　rocksno　more　than　a　wonderful　crack　in　solid　stone；　opening　into　another　canyon。　Above　us　the　sky　seemed　a　winding；　flowing　stream　of　blue。　The　walls　were　so　close　in　places　that　a　horse　with　pack　would　have　been　blocked；　and　a　rider　had　to　pull　his　legs　up　over　the　saddle。　On　the　far　side；　the　passage　fell　very　suddenly　for　several　hundred　feet　to　the　floor　of　the　other　canyon。　No　hunter　could　have　seen　it；　or　suspected　it　from　that　side。

〃This　is　Grand　Canyon　country；　an'　nobody　knows　what　he's　goin'　to　find；〃　was　Frank's　comment。

〃Now　we're　in　Nail　Canyon　proper；〃　said　Stewart；　〃An'　I　know　my　bearin's。　I　can　climb　out　a　mile　below　an'　cut　across　to　Kanab　Canyon；　an'　slip　up　into　Nail　Canyon　agin；　ahead　of　the　mustangs；　an'　drive　'em　up。　I　can't　miss　'em；　fer　Kanab　Canyon　is　impassable　down　a　little　ways。　The　mustangs　will　hev　to　run　this　way。　So　all　you　need　do　is　go　below　the　break；　where　I　climb　out；　an'　wait。　You're　sure　goin'　to　get　a　look　at　the　White　Mustang。　But　wait。　Don't　expect　him　before　noon；　an'　after　thet；　any　time　till　he　comes。　Mebbe　it'll　be　a　couple　of　days；　so　keep　a　good　watch。〃

Then　taking　our　man　Lawson；　with　blankets　and　a　knapsack　of　food；　Stewart　rode　off　down　the　canyon。

We　were　early　on　the　march。　As　we　proceeded　the　canyon　lost　its　regularity　a