desert gold- 第42部分

〃Mr。　Belding；　I'm　a　plain　business　man。　　I　come　along。　　I　see　a　good　opening。　　Nobody　seems　to　have　tenable　grants。　　I　stake　out　claims；　locate　squatters；　start　to　build。　　It　seems　to　me　your　rangers　have　overlooked　certain　precautions。　　That's　unfortunate　for　them。　　I'm　prepared　to　hold　my　claim　and　to　back　all　the　squatters　who　work　for　me。　　If　you　don't　like　it　you　can　carry　the　matter　to　Tucson。　The　law　will　uphold　me。〃

〃The　law？　　Say；　on　this　southwest　border　we　haven't　any　law　except　a　man's　word　and　a　gun。〃

〃Then　you'll　find　United　States　law　has　come　along　with　Ben　Chase；〃　replied　the　other；　snapping　his　fingers。　　He　was　still　smooth；　outspoken；　but　his　mask　had　fallen。

〃You're　not　a　Westerner？〃　queried　Belding。

〃No；　I'm　from　Illinois。〃

I　thought　the　West　hadn't　bred　you。　　I　know　your　kind。　　You'd　last　a　long　time　on　the　Texas　border；　now；　wouldn't　you？　　You're　one　of　the　land　and　water　hogs　that　has　come　to　root　in　the　West。　You're　like　the　timber　sharkstake　it　all　and　leave　none　for　those　who　follow。　　Mr。　Chase；　the　West　would　fare　better　and　last　longer　if　men　like　you　were　driven　out。〃

〃You　can't　drive　me　out。〃

〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that。　　Wait　till　my　rangers　come　back。　　I　wouldn't　be　in　your　boots。　　Don't　mistake　me。　　I　don't　suppose　you　could　be　accused　of　stealing　another　man's　ideas　or　plan；　but　sure　you've　stolen　these　four　claims。　　Maybe　the　law　might　uphold　you。　　But　the　spirit；　not　the　letter；　counts　with　us　bordermen。〃

〃See　here；　Belding；　I　think　you're　taking　the　wrong　view　of　the　matter。　　I'm　going　to　develop　this　valley。　　You'd　do　better　to　get　in　with　me。　　I've　a　proposition　to　make　you　about　that　strip　of　land　of　yours　facing　the　river。〃

〃You　can't　make　any　deals　with　me。　　I　won't　have　anything　to　do　with　you。〃

Belding　abruptly　left　the　camp　and　went　home。　　Nell　met　him；　probably　intended　to　question　him；　but　one　look　into　his　face　confirmed　her　fears。　　She　silently　turned　away。　　Belding　realized　he　was　powerless　to　stop　Chase；　and　he　was　sick　with　disappointment　for　the　ruin　of　Dick's　hopes　and　his　own。




XIV



A　Lost　Son

Time　passed。　　The　population　of　Forlorn　River　grew　apace。　　Belding；　who　had　once　bee　the　head　of　the　community；　found　himself　a　person　of　little　consequence。　　Even　had　he　desired　it　he　would　not　have　had　any　voice　in　the　selection　of　postmaster；　sheriff；　and　a　few　other　officials。　　The　Chases　divided　their　labors　between　Forlorn　River　and　their　Mexican　gold　mine；　which　had　been　restored　to　them。　　The　desert　trips　between　these　two　places　were　taken　in　automobiles。　　A　month's　time　made　the　motor　cars　almost　as　familiar　a　sight　in　Forlorn　River　as　they　had　been　in　Casita　before　the　revolution。

Belding　was　not　so　busy　as　he　had　been　formerly。　　As　he　lost　ambition　he　began　to　find　less　work　to　do。　　His　wrath　at　the　usurping　Chases　increased　as　he　slowly　realized　his　powerlessness　to　cope　with　such　men。　　They　were　promoters；　men　of　big　interests　and　wide　influence　in　the　Southwest。　　The　more　they　did　for　Forlorn　River　the　less　reason　there　seemed　to　be　for　his　own　grievance。　He　had　to　admit　that　it　was　personal；　that　he　and　Gale　and　the　rangers　would　never　have　been　able　to　develop　the　resources　of　the　valley　as　these　men　were　doing　it。

All　day　long　he　heard　the　heavy　booming　blasts　and　the　rumble　of　avalanches　up　in　the　gorge。　　Chase's　men　were　dynamiting　the　cliffs　in　the　narrow　box　canyon。　　They　were　making　the　dam　just　as　Gale　had　planned　to　make　it。　　When　this　work　of　blasting　was　over　Belding　experienced　a　relief。　　He　would　not　now　be　continually　reminded　of　his　and　Gale's　loss。

Resignation　finally　came　to　him。　　But　he　could　not　reconcile　himself　to　misfortune　for　Gale。

Moreover；　Belding　had　other　worry　and　strain。　　April　arrived　with　no　news　of　the　rangers。　　From　Casita　came　vague　reports　of　raiders　in　the　Sonoyta　countryreports　impossible　to　verify　until　his　Mexican　rangers　returned。　　When　these　men　rode　in；　one　of　them；　Gonzales；　an　intelligent　and　reliable　halfbreed；　said　he　had　met　prospectors　at　the　oasis。　　They　had　just　come　in　on　the　Camino　del　Diablo；　reported　a　terrible　trip　of　heat　and　drought；　and　not　a　trace　of　the　Yaqui's　party。

〃That　settles　it；〃　declared　Belding。　　〃Yaqui　never　went　to　Sonoyta。　He's　circled　round　to　the　Devil's　Road；　and　the　rangers；　Mercedes；　Thorne；　the　horsestheyI'm　afraid　they　have　been　lost　in　the　desert。　　It's　an　old　story　on　Camino　del　Diablo。

He　had　to　tell　Nell　that；　and　it　was　an　ordeal　which　left　him　weak。

Mrs。　Belding　listened　to　him；　and　was　silent　for　a　long　time　while　she　held　the　stricken　Nell　to　her　breast。　Then　she　opposed　his　convictions　with　that　quiet　strength　so　characteristic　of　her　arguments。

〃Well；　then；〃　decided　Belding；　〃Rojas　headed　the　rangers　at　Papago　Well　or　the　Tanks。〃

〃Tom；　when　you　are　down　in　the　mouth　you　use　poor　judgment；〃　she　went　on。　　〃You　know　only　by　a　miracle　could　Rojas　or　anybody　have　headed　those　white　horses。　　Where's　your　old　stubborn　confidence？　　Yaqui　was　up　on　Diablo。　　Dick　was　up　on　Sol。　　And　there　were　the　other　horses。　　They　could　not　have　been　headed　or　caught。　　Miracles　don't　happen。〃

〃All　right；　mother；　it's　sure　good　to　hear　you；〃　said　Belding。　　She　always　cheered　him；　and　now　he　grasped　at　straws。　　〃I'm　not　myself　these　days；　don't　mistake　that。　　Tell　us　what　you　think。　You　always　say　you　feel　things　when　you　really　don't　know　them。〃

〃I　can　say　little　more　than　what　you　said　yourself　the　night　Mercedes　was　taken　away。　　You　told　Laddy　to　trust　Yaqui；　that　he　was　a　godsend。　　He　might　go　south　into　some　wild　Sonora　valley。　　He　might　lead　Rojas　into　a　trap。　　He　would　find　water　and　grass　where　no　Mexican　or　American　could。〃

〃But　mother；　they're　gone　seven　weeks。　　Seven　weeks！　　At　the　most　I　gave　them　six　weeks。　　Seven　weeks　in　the　desert！〃

〃How　do　the　Yaquis　live？〃　she　asked。

Belding　could　not　reply　to　that；　but　hope　revived　in　him。　　He　had　faith　in　his　wife；　though　he　could　not　in　the　least　understand　what　he　imagined　was　something　mystic　in　her。

〃Years　ago　when　I　was　searching　for　my　father　I　learned　many　things　about　this　country；〃　said　Mrs。　Belding。　　〃You　can　never　tell　how　long　a　man　may　live　in　the　desert。　　The　fiercest；　most　terrible　and　inaccessible　places　often　have　their　hidden　oasis。　　In　his　later　years　my　father　became　a　prospector。　　That　was　strange　to　me；　for　he　never　cared　for　gold　or　money。　　I　learned　that　he　was　often　gone　in　the　desert　for　weeks；　once　for　months。　　Then　the　time　came　when　he　never　came　back。　　That　was　years　before　I　reached　the　southwest　border　and　heard　of　him。　　Even　then　I　did　not　for　long　give　up　hope　of　his　coming　back；　　I　know　nowsomething　tells　meindeed；　it　seems　his　spirit　tells　mehe　was　lost。　　But　I　don't　have　that　feeling　for　Yaqui　and　his　party。　　Yaqui　has　given　Rojas　the　slip　or　has　ambushed　him　in　some　trap。　　Probably　that　took　time　and　a　long　journey　into　Sonora。　　The　Indian　is　too　wise　to　start　back　now　over　dry　trails。　　He'll　curb　the　rangers；　he'll　wait。　I　seem　to　know　this；　dear　Nell；　so　be　brave；　patient。　　Dick　Gale　will　come　back　to　you。〃

〃Oh；　mother！〃　cried　Nell。　　〃I　can't　give　up　hope　while　I　have　you。〃

That　talk　with　the　strong　mother　worked　a　change　in　Nell　and　Belding。　　Nell；　who　had　done　little　but　brood　and　watch　the　west　and　take　violent　rides；　seemed　to　settle　into　a　waiting　patience　that　was　sad；　yet　serene。　　She　helped　her　mother　more　than　ever；　she　was　a　comfort　to　Belding；　she　began　to　take　active　interest　in　the　affairs　of　the　growing　village。　　Belding；　who　had　been　breaking　under　the　strain　of　worry；　recovered　himself　so　that　to　outward　appearance　he　was　his　old　self。　　He　alone　knew；　however；　that　his　humor　was　forced；　and　that　the　slow　burning　wrath　he　felt　for　the　Chases　was　flaming　into　hate。

Belding　argued　with　himself　that　if　Ben　Chase　and　his　son；　Radford；　had　turned　out　to　be　big　men　in　other　ways　than　in　the　power　to　carry　on　great　enterprises　he　might　have　become　reconciled　to　them。　But　the　father　was　greedy；　grasping；　hard；　cold；　the　son　added　to　those　traits　an　overbearing　disposition　to　rule；　and　he　showed　a　fondness　for　drink　and　cards。　　These　men　were　developing　the　valley；　to　be　sure；　and　a　horde　of　poor　Mexicans　and　many　Americans　were　benefiting　from　that　development；　nevertheless；　these　Chases　were　operating　in　a　way　which　proved　they　cared　only　for　themselves。

Belding　shook　off　a　lethargic　spell　and　decided　he　had　better　set　about　several　by　no　means　small　tasks；　if　he　wanted　to　get　them　finished　before　the　hot　months。　　He　made　a　trip　to　the　Sonoyta　Oasis。　　He　satisfied　himself　that　matters　along　the　line　were　favorable；　and　that　there　was　absolutely　no　trace　of　his　rangers。　Upon　completing　this　trip　he　went　to　Casita　with　a　number　of　his　white　thoroughbreds　and　shipped　them　to　ranchers　and　horse…breeders　in　Texas。　　Then；　being　near　the　railroad；　and　having　time；　he　went　up　to　Tucson。　　There　he　learned　some　interesting　particulars　about　the　Chases。　　They　had　an　office　in　the　city；　influential　friends　in　the　Capitol。　　They　were　powerful　men　in　the　rapidly　growing　finance　of　the　West。　　They　had　interested　the　Southern　Pacific　Railroad；　and　in　the　near　future　a　branch　line　was　to　be　constructed　from　San　Felipe　to　Forlorn　River。　　These　details　of　the　Chase　development　were　insignificant　when　compared　to　a　matter　striking　close　home　to　Belding。　His　responsibility　had　been　subtly　attacked。　　A　doubt　had　been　cast　upon　his　capability　of　executing　the　duties　of　immigration　inspector　to　the　best　advantage　of　the　state。　　Belding　divined　that　this　was　only　an　entering　wedge。　　The　Chases　were　bent　upon　driving　him　out　of　Forlorn　River；　but　perhaps　to　serve　better　their　own　ends；　they　were　proceeding　at　leisure。　　Belding　returned　home　consumed　by　rage。　　But　he　controlled　it。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　was　afraid　of　himself。　　He　had　his　wife　and　Nell　to　think　of；　and　the　old　law　of　the　West　had　gone　forever。

〃Dad；　there's　another　Rojas　round　these　diggings；〃　was　Nell's　remark；　after　the　greetings　were　over　and　the　usual　questions　and　answers　passed。

Belding's　exclamation　was　cut　short　by　Nell's　laugh。　　She　was　serious　with　a　kind　of　amused　contempt。

〃Mr。　Radford　Chase！〃

〃Now　Nell；　what　the〃　roared　Belding。

〃Hush；　Dad