desert gold- 第24部分

Belding　was　unconsolable。　　He　cursed　and　railed；　and　finally　declared　he　was　going　to　trail　the　raiders。

〃Tom；　you　just　ain't　agoin'　to　do　nothin'　of　the　kind；〃　said　Ladd　coolly。

Belding　groaned　and　bowed　his　head。

〃Laddy；　you're　right；〃　he　replied；　presently。　　〃I've　got　to　stand　it。　　I　can't　leave　the　women　and　my　property。　　But　it's　sure　tough。　I'm　sore　way　down　deep；　and　nothin'　but　blood　would　ever　satisfy　me。〃

〃Leave　that　to　me　an'　Jim；〃　said　Ladd。

〃What　do　you　mean　to　do？〃　demanded　Belding；　starting　up。

〃Shore　I　don't　know　yet。。。。Give　me　a　light　for　my　pipe。　　An'　Dick；　go　fetch　out　your　Yaqui。〃




VIII


The　Running　of　Blanco　Sol

The　Yaqui's　strange　dark　glance　roved　over　the　corral；　the　swinging　gate　with　its　broken　fastenings；　the　tracks　in　the　road；　and　then　rested　upon　Belding。

〃Malo；〃　he　said；　and　his　Spanish　was　clear。

〃Shore　Yaqui；　about　eight　bad　men；　an'　a　traitor　Indian；〃　said　Ladd。

〃I　think　he　means　my　herder；〃　added　Belding。　　〃If　he　does；　that　settles　any　doubt　it　might　be　decent　to　haveYaquimalo　PapagoSi？〃

The　Yaqui　spread　wide　his　hands。　　Then　he　bent　over　the　tracks　in　the　road。　　They　led　everywhither；　but　gradually　he　worked　out　of　the　thick　net　to　take　the　trail　that　the　cowboys　had　followed　down　to　the　river。　　Belding　and　the　rangers　kept　close　at　his　heels。　Occasionally　Dick　lent　a　helping　hand　to　the　still　feeble　Indian。　He　found　a　trampled　spot　where　the　raiders　had　left　their　horses。　From　this　point　a　deeply　defined　narrow　trail　led　across　the　dry　river　bed。

Belding　asked　the　Yaqui　where　the　raiders　would　head　for　in　the　Sonora　Desert。　　For　answer　the　Indian　followed　the　trail　across　the　streem　of　sand；　through　willows　and　mesquite；　up　to　the　level　of　rock　and　cactus。　　At　this　point　he　halted。　　A　sand…filled；　almost　obliterated　trail　led　off　to　the　left；　and　evidently　went　round　to　the　east　of　No　Name　Mountains。　　To　the　right　stretched　the　road　toward　Papago　Well　and　the　Sonoyta　Oasis。　　The　trail　of　the　raiders　took　a　southeasterly　course　over　untrodden　desert。　The　Yaqui　spoke　in　his　own　tongue；　then　in　Spanish。

〃Think　he　means　slow　march；〃　said　Belding。　　〃Laddy；　from　the　looks　of　that　trail　the　Greasers　are　having　trouble　with　the　horses。〃

〃Tom；　shore　a　boy　could　see　that；〃　replied　Laddy　〃Ask　Yaqui　to　tell　us　where　the　raiders　are　headin'；　an'　if　there's　water。〃

It　was　wonderful　to　see　the　Yaqui　point。　　His　dark　hand　stretched；　he　sighted　over　his　stretched　finger　at　a　low　white　escarpment　in　the　distance。　　Then　with　a　stick　he　traced　a　line　in　the　sand；　and　then　at　the　end　of　that　another　line　at　right　angles。　　He　made　crosses　and　marks　and　holes；　and　as　he　drew　the　rude　map　he　talked　in　Yaqui；　in　Spanish；　with　a　word　here　and　there　in　English。　Belding　translated　as　best　he　could。　　The　raiders　were　heading　southeast　toward　the　railroad　that　ran　from　Nogales　down　into　Sonora。　　It　was　four　days'　travel；　bad　trail；　good　sure　waterhole　one　day　out；　then　water　not　sure　for　two　days。　　Raiders　traveling　slow；　bothered　by　too　many　horses；　not　looking　for　pursuit；　were　never　pursued；　could　be　headed　and　ambushed　that　night　at　the　first　waterhole；　a　natural　trap　in　a　valley。

The　men　returned　to　the　ranch。　　The　rangers　ate　and　drank　while　making　hurried　preparations　for　travel。　　Blanco　Sol　and　the　cowboys'　horses　were　fed；　watered；　and　saddled。　　Ladd　again　refused　to　ride　one　of　Belding's　whites。　　He　was　quick　and　cold。

〃Get　me　a　long…range　rifle　an'　lots　of　shells。　　Rustle　now；〃　he　said。

〃Laddy；　you　don't　want　to　be　weighted　down？〃　protested　Belding。

〃Shore　I　want　a　gun　that'll　outshoot　the　dinky　little　carbines　an'　muskets　used　by　the　rebels。　　Trot　one　out　an'　be　quick。〃

〃I've　got　a　。405；　a　long…barreled　heavy　rifle　that'll　shoot　a　mile。　I　use　it　for　mountain　sheep。　　But　Laddy；　it'll　break　that　bronch's　back。〃

〃His　back　won't　break　so　easy。。。。Dick；　take　plenty　of　shells　for　your　Remington。　　An'　don't　forget　your　field　glass。〃

In　less　than　an　hour　after　the　time　of　the　raid　the　three　rangers；　heavily　armed　and　superbly　mounted　on　fresh　horses；　rode　out　on　the　trail。　　As　Gale　turned　to　look　back　from　the　far　bank　of　Forlorn　River；　he　saw　Nell　waving　a　white　scarf。　　He　stood　high　in　his　stirrups　and　waved　his　sombrero。　　Then　the　mesquites　hid　the　girl's　slight　figure；　and　Gale　wheeled　grim…faced　to　follow　the　　rangers。

They　rode　in　single　file　with　Ladd　in　the　lead。　　He　did　not　keep　to　the　trail　of　the　raiders　all　the　time。　　He　made　short　cuts。　The　raiders　were　traveling　leisurely；　and　they　evinced　a　liking　for　the　most　level　and　least　cactus…covered　stretches　of　ground。　But　the　cowboy　took　a　bee…line　course　for　the　white　escarpment　pointed　out　by　the　Yaqui；　and　nothing　save　deep　washes　and　impassable　patches　of　cactus　or　rocks　made　him　swerve　from　it。　He　kept　the　broncho　at　a　steady　walk　over　the　rougher　places　and　at　a　swinging　Indian　canter　over　the　hard　and　level　ground。　　The　sun　grew　hot　and　the　wind　began　to　blow。　　Dust　clouds　rolled　along　the　blue　horizon。　　Whirling　columns　of　sand；　like　water　spouts　at　sea；　circled　up　out　of　white　arid　basins；　and　swept　away　and　spread　aloft　before　the　wind。　　The　escarpment　began　to　rise；　to　change　color；　to　show　breaks　upon　it　rocky　face。

Whenever　the　rangers　rode　out　on　the　brow　of　a　knoll　or　ridge　or　an　eminence；　before　starting　to　descend；　Ladd　required　of　Gale　a　long；　careful；　sweeping　survey　of　the　desert　ahead　through　the　field　glass。　　There　were　streams　of　white　dust　to　be　seen；　streaks　of　yellow　dust；　trailing　low　clouds　of　sand　over　the　glistening　dunes；　but　no　steadily　rising；　uniformly　shaped　puffs　that　would　tell　a　tale　of　moving　horses　on　the　desert。　At　noon　the　rangers　got　out　of　the　thick　cactus。　　Moreover；　the　gravel…bottomed　washes；　the　low　weathering；　rotting　ledges　of　yellow　rock　gave　place　to　hard　sandy　rolls　and　bare　clay　knolls。　The　desert　resembled　a　rounded　hummocky　sea　of　color。　　All　light　shades　of　blue　and　pink　and　yellow　and　mauve　were　there　dominated　by　the　glaring　white　sun。　　Mirages　glistened；　wavered；　faded　in　the　shimmering　waves　of　heat。　　Dust　as　fine　as　power　whiffed　up　from　under　the　tireless　hoofs。

The　rangers　rode　on　and　the　escarpment　began　to　loom。　　The　desert　floor　inclined　perceptibly　upward。　　When　Gale　got　an　unobstructed　view　of　the　slope　of　the　escarpment　he　located　the　raiders　and　horses。　　In　another　hour's　travel　the　rangers　could　see　with　naked　eyes　a　long；　faint　moving　streak　of　black　and　white　dots。

〃They're　headin'　for　that　yellow　pass；〃　said　Ladd；　pointing　to　a　break　in　the　eastern　end　of　the　escarpment。　　〃When　they　get　out　of　sight　we'll　rustle。　　I'm　thinkin'　that　waterhole　the　Yaqui　spoke　of　lays　in　the　pass。〃

The　rangers　traveled　swiftly　over　the　remaining　miles　of　level　desert　leading　to　the　ascent　of　the　escarpment。　　When　they　achieved　the　gateway　of　the　pass　the　sun　was　low　in　the　west。　　Dwarfed　mesquite　and　greasewood　appeared　among　the　rocks。　　Ladd　gave　the　word　to　tie　up　horses　and　go　forward　on　foot。

The　narrow　neck　of　the　pass　opened　and　descended　into　a　valley　half　a　mile　wide；　perhaps　twice　that　in　length。　　It　had　apparently　unscalable　slopes　of　weathered　rock　leading　up　to　beetling　walls。　With　floor　bare　and　hard　and　white；　except　for　a　patch　of　green　mesquite　near　the　far　end　it　was　a　lurid　and　desolate　spot；　the　barren　bottom　of　a　desert　bowl。

〃Keep　down；　boys〃　said　Ladd。　　〃There's　the　waterhole　an'　hosses　have　sharp　eyes。　　Shore　the　Yaqui　figgered　this　place。　　I　never　seen　its　like　for　a　trap。〃

Both　white　and　black　horses　showed　against　the　green；　and　a　thin　curling　column　of　blue　smoke　rose　lazily　from　amid　the　mesquites。

〃I　reckon　we'd　better　wait　till　dark；　or　mebbe　daylight；〃　said　Jim　Lash。

〃Let　me　figger　some。　　Dick；　what　do　you　make　of　the　outlet　to　this　hole？　　Looks　rough　to　me。〃

With　his　glass　Gale　studied　the　narrow　construction　of　walls　and　roughened　rising　floor。

〃Laddy；　it's　harder　to　get　out　at　that　end　than　here；〃　he　replied。

〃Shore　that's　hard　enough。　　Let　me　have　a　look。。。。Well；　boys；　it　don't　take　no　figgerin'　for　this　job。　　Jim；　I'll　want　you　at　the　other　end　blockin'　the　pass　when　we're　ready　to　start。〃

〃When'll　that　be？〃　inquired　Jim。

〃Soon　as　it's　light　enough　in　the　mornin'。　　That　Greaser　outfit　will　hang　till　to…morrow。　　There's　no　sure　water　ahead　for　two　days；　you　remember。〃

〃I　reckon　I　can　slip　through　to　the　other　end　after　dark；〃　said　Lash；　thoughtfully。　　〃It　might　get　me　in　bad　to　go　round。〃

The　rangers　stole　back　from　the　vantage　point　and　returned　to　their　horses；　which　they　untied　and　left　farther　round　among　broken　sections　of　cliff。　　For　the　horses　it　was　a　dry；　hungry　camp；　but　the　rangers　built　a　fire　and　had　their　short　though　strengthening　meal。

The　location　was　high；　and　through　a　break　in　the　jumble　of　rocks　the　great　colored　void　of　desert　could　be　seen　rolling　away　endlessly　to　the　west。　　The　sun　set；　and　after　it　had　gone　down　the　golden　tips　of　mountains　dulled；　their　lower　shadows　creeping　upward。

Jim　Lash　rolled　in　his　saddle　blanket；　his　feet　near　the　fire；　and　went　to　sleep。　　Ladd　told　Gale　to　do　likewise　while　he　kept　the　fire　up　and　waited　until　it　was　late　enough　for　Jim　to　undertake　circling　round　the　raiders。　　When　Gale　awakened　the　night　was　dark；　cold；　windy。　　The　stars　shone　with　white　brilliance。　Jim　was　up　saddling　his　horse；　and　Ladd　was　talking　low。　When　Gale　rose　to　accompany　them　both　rangers　said　he　need　not　go。　But　Gale　wanted　to　go　because　that　was　the　thing　Ladd　or　Jim　would　have　done。

With　Ladd　leading；　they　moved　away　into　the　gloom。　　Advance　was　exceedingly　slow；　careful；　silent。　　Under　the　walls　the　blackness　seemed　impenetrable。　　The　horse　was　as　cautious　as　his　master。　Ladd　did　not　lose　his　way；　nevertheless　he　wound　between　blocks　of　stone　and　clumps　of　mesquite；　and　often　tried　a　passage　to　abandon　it。　　Finally　the　trail　showed　pale　in　the　gloom；　and　eastern　stars　twinkled　between　the　lofty　ramparts　of　the　pass。

The　advance　here　was　still　as　stealthily　made　as　before；　but　not　so　difficult　or　slow。　　When　the　dense　gloom　of　the　pass　lightened；　and　there　was　a　wide　space　of　sky　and　stars　overhead；　Ladd　halted　and　stood　silent　a　moment。

〃Luck　again！〃　he　whispered。　　〃The　wind's　in　your　face；　Jim。　　The　horse