riders of the purple sage-第11部分

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formerly　been　one　raid　or　shooting　fray　in　the　little　hamlets　there　were　now　many。　Perhaps　Oldring　had　another　range　farther　on　up　the　pass；　and　from　theredrove　the　cattle　to　distant　Utah　towns　where　he　was　little　known　But　Venters　came　finally　to　doubt　this。　And；　from　what　he　had　learned　in　the　last　few　days；　a　belief　began　to　form　in　Venters's　mind　that　Oldring's　intimidations　of　the　villages　and　the　mystery　of　the　Masked　Rider；　with　his　alleged　evil　deeds；　and　the　fierce　resistance　offered　any　trailing　riders；　and　the　rustling　of　cattle　these　things　were　only　the　craft　of　the　rustler…chief　to　conceal　his　real　life　and　purpose　and　work　in　Deception　Pass。

And　like　a　scouting　Indian　Venters　crawled　through　the　sage　of　the　oval　valley；　crossed　trail　after　trail　on　the　north　side；　and　at　last　entered　the　canyon　out　of　which　headed　the　cattle　trail；　and　into　which　he　had　watched　the　rustlers　disappear。

If　he　had　used　caution　before；　now　he　strained　every　nerve　to　force　himself　to　creeping　stealth　and　to　sensitiveness　of　ear。　He　crawled　along　so　hidden　that　he　could　not　use　his　eyes　except　to　aid　himself　in　the　toilsome　progress　through　the　brakes　and　ruins　of　cliff…wall。　Yet　from　time　to　time；　as　he　rested；　he　saw　the　massive　red　walls　growing　higher　and　wilder；　more　looming　and　broken。　He　made　note　of　the　fact　that　he　was　turning　and　climbing。　The　sage　and　thickets　of　oak　and　brakes　of　alder　gave　place　to　pinyon　pine　growing　out　of　rocky　soil。　Suddenly　a　low；　dull　murmur　assailed　his　ears。　At　first　he　thought　it　was　thunder；　then　the　slipping　of　a　weathered　slope　of　rock。　But　it　was　incessant；　and　as　he　progressed　it　filled　out　deeper　and　from　a　murmur　changed　into　a　soft　roar。

〃Falling　water；〃　he　said。　〃There's　volume　to　that。　I　wonder　if　it's　the　stream　I　lost。〃

The　roar　bothered　him；　for　he　could　hear　nothing　else。　Likewise；　however；　no　rustlers　could　hear　him。　Emboldened　by　this　and　sure　that　nothing　but　a　bird　could　see　him；　he　arose　from　his　hands　and　knees　to　hurry　on。　An　opening　in　the　pinyons　warned　him　that　he　was　nearing　the　height　of　slope。

He　gained　it；　and　dropped　low　with　a　burst　of　astonishment。　Before　him　stretched　a　short　canyon　with　rounded　stone　floor　bare　of　grass　or　sage　or　tree；　and　with　curved；　shelving　walls。　A　broad　rippling　stream　flowed　toward　him；　and　at　the　back　of　the　canyon　waterfall　burst　from　a　wide　rent　in　the　cliff；　and；　bounding　down　in　two　green　steps；　spread　into　a　long　white　sheet。

If　Venters　had　not　been　indubitably　certain　that　he　had　entered　the　right　canyon　his　astonishment　would　not　have　been　so　great。　There　had　been　no　breaks　in　the　walls；　no　side　canyons　entering　this　one　where　the　rustlers'　tracks　and　the　cattle　trail　had　guided　him；　and；　therefore；　he　could　not　be　wrong。　But　here　the　canyon　ended；　and　presumably　the　trails　also。

〃That　cattle　trail　headed　out　of　here；〃　Venters　kept　saying　to　himself。　〃It　headed　out。　Now　what　I　want　to　know　is　how　on　earth　did　cattle　ever　get　in　here？〃

If　he　could　be　sure　of　anything　it　was　of　the　careful　scrutiny　he　had　given　that　cattle　track；　every　hoofmark　of　which　headed　straight　west。　He　was　now　looking　east　at　an　immense　round　boxed　corner　of　canyon　down　which　tumbled　a　thin；　white　veil　of　water；　scarcely　twenty　yards　wide。　Somehow；　somewhere；　his　calculations　had　gone　wrong。　For　the　first　time　in　years　he　found　himself　doubting　his　rider's　skill　in　finding　tracks；　and　his　memory　of　what　he　had　actually　seen。　In　his　anxiety　to　keep　under　cover　he　must　have　lost　himself　in　this　offshoot　of　Deception　Pass；　and　thereby　in　some　unaccountable　manner；　missed　the　canyon　with　the　trails。　There　was　nothing　else　for　him　to　think。　Rustlers　could　not　fly；　nor　cattle　jump　down　thousand…foot　precipices。　He　was　only　proving　what　the　sage…riders　had　long　said　of　this　labyrinthine　system　of　deceitful　canyons　and　valleystrails　led　down　into　Deception　Pass；　but　no　rider　had　ever　followed　them。

On　a　sudden　he　heard　above　the　soft　roar　of　the　waterfall　an　unusual　sound　that　he　could　not　define。　He　dropped　flat　behind　a　stone　and　listened。　From　the　direction　he　had　come　swelled　something　that　resembled　a　strange　muffled　pounding　and　splashing　and　ringing。　Despite　his　nerve　the　chill　sweat　began　to　dampen　his　forehead。　What　might　not　be　possible　in　this　stonewalled　maze　of　mystery？　The　unnatural　sound　passed　beyond　him　as　he　lay　gripping　his　rifle　and　fighting　for　coolness。　Then　from　the　open　came　the　sound；　now　distinct　and　different。　Venters　recognized　a　hobble…bell　of　a　horse；　and　the　cracking　of　iron　on　submerged　stones；　and　the　hollow　splash　of　hoofs　in　water。

Relief　surged　over　him。　His　mind　caught　again　at　realities；　and　curiosity　prompted　him　to　peep　from　behind　the　rock。

In　the　middle　of　the　stream　waded　a　long　string　of　packed　burros　driven　by　three　superbly　mounted　men。　Had　Venters　met　these　dark…clothed；　dark…visaged；　heavily　armed　men　anywhere　in　Utah；　let　alone　in　this　robbers'　retreat；　he　would　have　recognized　them　as　rustlers。　The　discerning　eye　of　a　rider　saw　the　signs　of　a　long；　arduous　trip。　These　men　were　packing　in　supplies　from　one　of　the　northern　villages。　They　were　tired；　and　their　horses　were　almost　played　out；　and　the　burros　plodded　on；　after　the　manner　of　their　kind　when　exhausted；　faithful　and　patient；　but　as　if　every　weary；　splashing；　slipping　step　would　be　their　last。

All　this　Venters　noted　in　one　glance。　After　that　he　watched　with　a　thrilling　eagerness。　Straight　at　the　waterfall　the　rustlers　drove　the　burros；　and　straight　through　the　middle；　where　the　water　spread　into　a　fleecy；　thin　film　like　dissolving　smoke。　Following　closely；　the　rustlers　rode　into　this　white　mist；　showing　in　bold　black　relief　for　an　instant；　and　then　they　vanished。

Venters　drew　a　full　breath　that　rushed　out　in　brief　and　sudden　utterance。

〃Good　Heaven！　Of　all　the　holes　for　a　rustler！。。。There's　a　cavern　under　that　waterfall；　and　a　passageway　leading　out　to　a　canyon　beyond。　Oldring　hides　in　there。　He　needs　only　to　guard　a　trail　leading　down　from　the　sage…flat　above。　Little　danger　of　this　outlet　to　the　pass　being　discovered。　I　stumbled　on　it　by　luck；　after　I　had　given　up。　And　now　I　know　the　truth　of　what　puzzled　me　mostwhy　that　cattle　trail　was　wet！〃

He　wheeled　and　ran　down　the　slope；　and　out　to　the　level　of　the　sage…brush。　Returning；　he　had　no　time　to　spare；　only　now　and　then；　between　dashes；　a　moment　when　he　stopped　to　cast　sharp　eyes　ahead。　The　abundant　grass　left　no　trace　of　his　trail。　Short　work　he　made　of　the　distance　to　the　circle　of　canyons。　He　doubted　that　he　would　ever　see　it　again；　he　knew　he　never　wanted　to；　yet　he　looked　at　the　red　corners　and　towers　with　the　eyes　of　a　rider　picturing　landmarks　never　to　be　forgotten。

Here　he　spent　a　panting　moment　in　a　slow…circling　gaze　of　the　sage…oval　and　the　gaps　between　the　bluffs。　Nothing　stirred　except　the　gentle　wave　of　the　tips　of　the　brush。　Then　he　pressed　on　past　the　mouths　of　several　canyons　and　over　ground　new　to　him；　now　close　under　the　eastern　wall。　This　latter　part　proved　to　be　easy　traveling；　well　screened　from　possible　observation　from　the　north　and　west；　and　he　soon　covered　it　and　felt　safer　in　the　deepening　shade　of　his　own　canyon。　Then　the　huge；　notched　bulge　of　red　rim　loomed　over　him；　a　mark　by　which　he　knew　again　the　deep　cove　where　his　camp　lay　hidden。　As　he　penetrated　the　thicket；　safe　again　for　the　present；　his　thoughts　reverted　to　the　girl　he　had　left　there。　The　afternoon　had　far　advanced。　How　would　he　find　her？　He　ran　into　camp；　frightening　the　dogs。

The　girl　lay　with　wide…open；　dark　eyes；　and　they　dilated　when　he　knelt　beside　her。　The　flush　of　fever　shone　in　her　cheeks。　He　lifted　her　and　held　water　to　her　dry　lips；　and　felt　an　inexplicable　sense　of　lightness　as　he　saw　her　swallow　in　a　slow；　choking　gulp。　Gently　he　laid　her　back。

〃Whoareyou？〃　she　whispered；　haltingly。

〃I'm　the　man　who　shot　you；〃　he　replied。

〃You'llnotkill　menow？〃

〃No；　no。〃

〃Whatwillyoudowith　me？〃

〃When　you　get　betterstrong　enoughI'll　take　you　back　to　the　canyon　where　the　rustlers　ride　through　the　waterfall。〃

As　with　a　faint　shadow　from　a　flitting　wing　overhead；　the　marble　whiteness　of　her　face　seemed　to　change。

〃Don'ttakemebackthere！〃



CHAPTER　VI。　THE　MILL…WHEEL　OF　STEERS

Meantime；　at　the　ranch；　when　Judkins's　news　had　sent　Venters　on　the　trail　of　the　rustlers；　Jane　Withersteen　led　the　injured　man　to　her　house　and　with　skilled　fingers　dressed　the　gunshot　wound　in　his　arm。

〃Judkins；　what　do　you　think　happened　to　my　riders？〃

〃II　d　rather　not　say；〃　he　replied。

〃Tell　me。　Whatever　you'll　tell　me　I'll　keep　to　myself。　I'm　beginning　to　worry　about　more　than　the　loss　of　a　herd　of　cattle。　Venters　hinted　of　but　tell　me；　Judkins。〃

〃Well；　Miss　Withersteen；　I　think　as　Venters　thinksyour　riders　have　been　called　in。〃

〃Judkins！。。。By　whom？〃

〃You　know　who　handles　the　reins　of　your　Mormon　riders。〃

〃Do　you　dare　insinuate　that　my　churchmen　have　ordered　in　my　riders？〃

〃I　ain't　insinuatin'　nothin'；　Miss　Withersteen；〃　answered　Judkins；　with　spirit。　〃I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　I　didn't　want　to　tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　I　can't　believe　that！　I'll　not　believe　it！　Would　Tull　leave　my　herds　at　the　mercy　of　rustlers　and　wolves　just　becausebecause？　No；　no！　It's　unbelievable。〃

〃Yes；　thet　particular　thing's　onheard　of　around　Cottonwoods　But；　beggin'　pardon；　Miss　Withersteen；　there　never　was　any　other　rich　Mormon　woman　here　on　the　border；　let　alone　one　thet's　taken　the　bit　between　her　teeth。〃

That　was　a　bold　thing　for　the　reserved　Judkins　to　say；　but　it　did　not　anger　her。　This　rider's　crude　hint　of　her　spirit　gave　her　a　glimpse　of　what　others　might　think。　Humility　and　obedience　had　been　hers　always。　But　had　she　taken　the　bit　between　her　teeth？　Still　she　wavered。　And　then；　with　quick　spurt　of　warm　blood　along　her　veins；　she　thought　of　Black　Star　when　he　got　the　bit　fast　between　his　iron　jaws　and　ran　wild　in　the　sage。　If　she　ever　started　to　run！　Jane　smothered　the　glow　and　burn　within　her；　ashamed　of　a　passion　for　freedom　that　opposed　her　duty。

〃Judkins；　go　to　the　village；〃　she　said；　〃and　when　you　have　learned　anything　definite　about　my　riders　please　come　to　me　at　once。〃

When　he　had　gone　Jane　resolutely　applied　her　mind　to　a　number　of　tasks　that　of　late　had　been