lla.theburninghills-第21章

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und　themselves。
　It　was　an　old　trick。　Many　a　time　he　had　seen　horses　led　across　rickety　bridges　in　this　way　or　taken　from　fires。　A　blindfolded　horse　lies　quiet。
　It　was　very　hot。　The　heat　of　the　earth　was　frightful。　If　one　of　the　horses　moved　at　the　wrong　time　。。。　but　the　sudden　darkness　held　them　still。
　Dust　was　thick　beneath　them。　Gun　in　hand；　he　waited。　Sweat　ran　down　his　face　and　he　knew　that　if　one　of　the　riders　swung　closer　and　came　into　this　space　their　concealment　would　not　be　sufficient。　There　was　the　smell　of　the　horse；　of　his　own　unwashed　clothing；　and　the　mingled　smells　of　creosote　and　crushed　thamnosma。　And　then　he　heard　the　horses　ing。
　He　heard　two　of　them　at　once　and　was　immediately　sure　they　were　too　close。　He　tensed；　ready　to　spring　up　shooting。　If　they　got　him　he　figured　he　could　take　at　least　two　with　him。　He　would　。。。　he　could　hear　a　horse　walking。　He　put　a　quieting　hand　on　Big　Red。
　A　man　swore　bitterly　and　he　heard　brush　scrape　along　his　chaps。　The　man　nearest　them　yelled；　〃See　anything？〃
　〃No！〃　The　reply　was　from　some　distance　off　to　the　other　side。　〃Canyon　up　ahead。〃
　Their　concealment　was　far　from　adequate。　Only　their　pursuers　were　not　expecting　this　and　their　eyes　were　looking　ahead；　always　ahead。
　The　riders　went　by　and　then　as　he　was　about　to　look；　another　rider；　and　closer　still。　They　heard　the　horse　walking；　heard　a　cork　pulled　from　a　canteen　and　the　gurgle　of　water　as　the　rider　drank　At　the　moment　he　passed　them　he　was　plainly　within　view；　only　his　head　was　tipped　back　and　he　was　drinking。　Then　they　heard　him　rinse　his　mouth　and　spit。
　Trace　Jordan　lay　stifl；　counting　a　slow　fifty。　When　he　did　take　a　chance　and　look　he　could　see　but　one　rider；　some　distance　off。　The　rest　must　have　gone　down　into　the　canyon　the　rider　had　mentioned。　Swiftly　they　got　to　their　feet　and；　ripping　off　the　blindfolds；　got　the　horses　to　their　feet。
　Turning　at　right　angles　they　headed　west；　then　turned　north　again；　wanting　to　lose　no　miles　that　would　carry　them　closer　to　safety。　Soon　they　went　into　the　forest　of　yucca；　and　when　well　inside　were　out　of　sight　of　anyone　behind　them。
　What　they　had　gained　was　at　best　a　breathing　spell。　When　Lantz　found　no　more　tracks　he　would　begin　searching。　They　would　back…trail　until　they　found　the　brush　and　the　marks　of　the　bodies。　Jordan　grinned；　picturing　the　old　tracker's　disgust。　But　they　had　gained　an　hour；　perhaps　less。
　Several　intermittent　streams　that　flowed　only　during　the　rains　lay　between　themselves　and　the　border。　Some　of　these　flowed　into　the　Bio　de　San　Bernardino；　and　others　to　the　Bio　de　Bavispe。　The　canyon　of　one　of　these　streams　might　offer　some　protection　for　their　ride　to　the　border；　although　most　of　them　ran　northeast　instead　of　northwest
　There　was　no　run　left　in　the　Apache　pony　and　not　enough　in　the　big　red　horse。　And　then　they　found　the　canyon　they　needed　and；　descending　into　it；　they　rode　into　the　shallow　water　which　flowed　much　of　the　distance　over　shelves　of　stone　and　they　rode　upstream。
　For　over　a　mile　they　rode　in　water　scarcely　hock…deep；　then　down　to　a　thin　sheet　scarcely　more　than　two　inches　in　depth。　They　dismounted　now　and　walked；　liking　the　feeling　of　the　cool　water　on　their　feet；　leaving　slow　miles　behind　them　and　little　trail。
　Ten　miles　from　the　point　at　which　they　entered　the　canyon；　they　saw　a　way　out　and　accepted　the　chance。　Carefully　they　mounted　the　wall　At　the　rim；　Jordan　stepped　down　from　the　saddle　and　took　a　long；　slow　study　of　the　country。
　Wherever　he　looked　the　country　was　wide　and　barren。　There　were　rocks　and　much　cacti；　thickets　of　mesquite；　broken　ledges　upthrust　from　below。
　Emerging；　they　proceeded　with　care。　Exhaustion　had　drawn　his　face　into　haggard　lines。　Dust　lay　along　the　creases　in　his　face。　His　eyeballs　grated　in　their　sockets　and　he　rode　in　a　daze　of　weariness。　Half　a　length　back；　slumping　in　the　saddle；　Maria　Cristina　sat　a　horse　that　was　all　but　ready　to　drop。　
　They　needed　rest；　food　and　a　chance　to　recuperate。　They　needed　fodder　for　the　horses。
　When　he　first　saw　the　scraggly…looking　brush　he　was　not　impressed。　It　was　like　fifty　other　such　vague　clumps　they　had　passed。　It　stretched　out　over　most　of　an　acre　but　what　caught　his　attention　was　a　dip　in　the　ground　at　one　edge　of　the　clump。　He　rode　nearer。　It　was　a　hollow　nestled　with　brush　and；　inside；　a　small　clearing。　It　was　a　doubtful…looking　place　but　it　offered　shelter　of　an　unsuspected　kind。　In　the　bottom　of　the　hollow　there　was　a　small　seep。
　They　could　risk　no　fire　but　there　was　grass　for　the　horses　and　water　they　could　suck　from　the　grass　of　the　seep。　Trace　Jordan　unsaddled　the　horses　and　put　them　on　picket　ropes；　then　began　making　a　small　pool　by　pulling　clumps　of　grass　in　the　wettest　part　of　the　seep。　Maria　Gristina　returned　to　the　clearing　with　some　green　leaves　with　reddish　stems。　These　she　soaked　in　water　and　held　against　a　cut　on　her　arm。
　〃Yerba　mansa；〃　Jordan　said；　looking　at　the　leaves。
　She　looked　up；　faintly　amused。　〃Well！　What　d'you　know！　You　know　the　herbs。〃
　〃Some。〃
　〃Maybe　you　do　well　on　your　ranch。　Maybe　you　good　for　something　after　all。〃
　He　chuckled。　〃You're　hard　to　convince；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　saw　a　woman　like　you。〃
　〃What　woman？　I　think　you　never　see　a　woman。　I　think　all　you　know　is　horse。　Horse　and　fight。〃　She　looked　at　him　critically。　〃You　fight　pretty　good。〃
　They　divided　the　little　jerky　that　was　left　and　two　somewhat　battered　sandy　tortillas。　They　sat　down　together；　watching　the　horses　browse　in　the　little　circle　of　brush。
　〃You　slow；〃　she　said。　〃What　keep　you　today！　I　think　maybe　those　Apaches　get　away　with　me。〃
　There　was　the　suspicion　of　a　smile　at　the　corners　of　her　eyes　and　mouth。　Deep　within　him　something　warm　grew　and　mounted。
　What　a　woman！　To　have　a　smile　left　after　this！　But　it　was　there　。。。　a　little　grim　but　no　longer　sullen。　She　reacted　to　the　danger；　the　hardship　and　the　flight　with　a　wry　smile　and　a　touch　of　humor。
　〃Wasn't　anxious　to　catch　up；〃　he　said。　〃Soon's　they　found　out　what　they　had；　they'd　have　got　rid　of　you。　Saved　me　some　trouble。〃
　〃Hah？　You　think　I'm　no　good　for　something？〃
　He　looked　at　her；　coolly　estimating。　〃I　think　you're　good　for　plenty；〃　he　said。　〃Sometime　I'll　show　you　some　of　the　things　you're　good　for。〃
　She　laughed　outright；　her　eyes　sparkling；　taunting。　〃You　think　so？　Me；　I　don'　think　so。　I　don't　think　you　ever　make　it！〃
　
　Chapter　Five
　A　fire　was　out　of　the　question。　They　had　lost　their　pursuit　for　the　time　being　but　even　in　this　secluded　place　it　would　be　foolish　to　risk　the　slightest　smoke。　Nor　had　they　any　food　remaining　but　coffee　and　little　of　that。
　Maria　Cristina　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　brush　and　watched　the　desert。　The　momentary　lightness　of　her　mood　was　gone。　She　was　too　wise　in　the　ways　of　the　country　not　to　be　pletely　aware　of　their　situation。　They　had　not　won　to　freedom；　only　temporary　delay。　Ben　Hindeman　would　discover　at　any　time　what　they　had　done　and　once　more　would　be　on　their　trail
　Each　hour　of　delay　was　a　victory；　yet　each　hour　brought　them　closer　to　the　final　decision。
　Had　Maria　Cristina　not　been　with　him　Trace　Jordan　would　have　stopped　running。　Tired　as　he　was；　weak　as　he　still　was　from　his　wound；　he　was　nevertheless　on　the　mend。　Not　even　the　grueling　ride　across　the　desert　could　keep　his　strength　from　rebuilding。　Such　life　had　now　been　his　for　a　good　many　years。
　If　she　had　not　been　with　him　he　would　have　turned　back　and　begun　to　hunt　the　hunters。　He　would　have　been　carrying　the　war　to　them；　rather　than　running　and　hiding。　Yet　he　must　think　of　Maria　Cristina　first。
　They　were　fortunate　in　their　hiding　place。　There　was　enough　grass　and　water　for　the　horses　and　there　would　be　enough　to　fill　their　canteens　when　they　left。　Also；　it　was　not　at　all　a　likely　place　for　any　searchers　to　look。　From　the　outside　desert　it　seemed　to　offer　nothing。
　〃Better　get　some　sleep；〃　he　advised　when　she　returned　from　the　edge　of　the　brush。　〃I'll　keep　watch。〃
　〃You　sleep　。。。　I　watch。〃　She　looked　at　him　with　level　eyes；　aloof；　remote　once　more。　〃I　call　you。〃
　He　was　dead　tired　but　he　hesitated。　Yet　she　was　obviously　wide　awake　and　apparently　in　no　mood　for　sleep。　He　walked　to　his　bed　roll　and　stretched　out　and　almost　at