p&c.thunderhead-第62章
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cture circuit。〃
Nora shot him an irritated glance。 〃Is this for your book？〃
Smithback looked back in ical surprise； his long face drooping。 〃No。 Well； yes； I suppose。 Everything is fair game。 But mostly I'm just curious。〃
Nora sighed。 〃You Easterners think tracking is some kind of art； or maybe some instinctive ethnic skill。 But unless you're tracking across rock； buffalo grass； or lava； it's not all that difficult。 Just follow the footprints in the sand。〃
She continued northward； Smithback's voice vexing her concentration。 〃I can't get over how remote this land is；〃 he was saying。 〃When I first got here； I couldn't believe how ugly and barren it all was； not at all like the Verde Valley where I went to school。 But there's something almost forting in its spareness； if you think about it。 Something clean in the emptiness。 Sort of like a Japanese tea room in that way。 I've been studying the tea ceremony a lot this last year； ever since…〃
〃Say； do you think you could hobble that lip？〃 Nora interrupted in exasperation。 〃You could talk Jesus out of going to heaven。〃
There was a long moment of blissful silence。 Then Smithback spoke again。 〃Nora；〃 he asked quietly； 〃what is it； exactly； you don't like about me？〃
Nora stopped at this； turning toward him in surprise。 The writer wore a serious expression； one of the few she remembered seeing on his face。 He stood； silently； in the shadow of pa？ero。 The cowboy clothes； which had seemed so ridiculous a week before； had now bee a real working outfit； creased and dusty； well suited to his long frame。 The pasty plexion was gone； replaced by a ruddy tan that matched his brown hair。 She realized； with a small shock； that this was the first time she had heard him call her by name instead of the odious 〃Madame Chairman。〃 And although she couldn't analyze it…and didn't have the time； even if she felt inclined to do so…a part of her was pleased to think Smithback was concerned about how she felt about him。
Nora opened her mouth to reply： You mean； other than the fact that you're a brash； smug guy with an ego the size of Texas？ But she stopped and turned away； realizing this wasn't fair to Smithback。 For all his eccentric ways； she had grown fond of the journalist。 Now that she knew him better； she realized his ego was tempered by a certain self…deprecation that was charming in its own way。 〃I didn't mean to snap at you just now；〃 she said。 〃And I don't dislike you。 You almost screwed up everything； that's all。〃
〃I did what？〃
Nora decided not to answer。 It was too hot； and she was too tired； for this kind of discussion。
They moved on slowly as the sun climbed toward noon。 Though the trail was relatively easy to follow； tracking by eye was still exhausting work。 The hoofprints took them through a weird country of broken rocks； knobs； and humps of sandstone。 The prints appeared to be following a faint and very old trail。 On horseback now； Nora kept them moving as quickly as she could without losing the track。 The midday sun beat down relentlessly； burning off the glaring white sand； flattening and draining all the color from the landscape。 There was no sign of water anywhere。 And then； unexpectedly； they passed through a lush valley； full of grass…covered sand and prickly pear； sprawling in gorgeous bloom。
〃This is like a garden of Eden；〃 Smithback said as they made their way through the brief； verdant patch。 〃What's it doing here in the middle of the desert？〃
〃Probably the result of a heavy rainfall；〃 Nora replied。 〃Rain out here isn't like it is back in the east。 It's very localized。 You can get a huge downpour in one place； and a mile away see ground still parched and dry。〃
They made their way out of the lush valley and back into the stony desert。 〃What about lunch？〃 Smithback asked。
〃What about it？〃
〃Well； it's almost two。 I like to dine fashionably late； but my stomach has its limits。〃
〃It's really that late？〃 Nora looked at her watch in disbelief； then stretched in the saddle。 〃We must have covered fifteen miles from the base of the ridge。〃 She paused a moment； considering。 〃Pretty soon we'll be crossing into Indian land。 The Nankoweap reservation begins somewhere up ahead。〃
〃So what does that mean？ Any chance of a Coke machine？〃
〃No； the village is still a two…day ride from here； and it doesn't have electricity in any case。 What I mean is； we'll be subject to their laws。 Any Indians we meet aren't likely to look too kindly on a couple of outsiders blundering in； accusing them of being horse killers。 We have to be careful how we do this。〃
Smithback considered this a moment。 〃On second thought； maybe I'm not so hungry。〃
The faint trail seemed to go on forever； winding through a senseless tangle of arroyos； hidden valleys； shadowy ravines； and dunefields。 Vaguely； Nora guessed that by now they had crossed into Indian country； but there was no fence and； of course； no sign。 This was the kind of land that the white men had given to the Indians all over the West； she knew； utterly remote and useless for just about anything。
〃So exactly how did I screw things up？〃 Smithback asked suddenly。
Nora twisted to look at him。 〃Huh？〃
〃At the bottom of the ridge； you said that I almost screwed things up for you。 I've been thinking about that； and I don't see what I've done that you weren't already doing yourself。〃
Nora urged Arbuckles forward。 〃I'm afraid that anything I say； you'll just use in your book。〃
〃I won't； honest。〃
Nora moved forward without speaking。
〃Really； Nora； I mean it。 I just want to know what's going on with you。〃
Again； Nora felt a strange sense of pleasure from his interest。 〃What do you know about how I discovered Quivira？〃 she asked； returning her eyes to the trail。
〃I know how Holroyd helped you pinpoint the location。 It was Dr。 Goddard who told me your father was the one who originally discovered it。 I'd been meaning to ask you more about that； only 。 。 。〃 Smithback's voice fell away。
Only you knew I'd snap your head off； Nora thought with a twinge of guilt。 〃About two weeks ago；〃 she began； 〃I was attacked in my family's old ranch house by a couple of men。 At least； I think they were men； dressed up as animals。 They demanded I give them a letter。 My neighbor chased them away with her shotgun。 At the time； I didn't know what they were talking about。 But then I came upon this letter my father had written to my mother； years and years ago。 Somebody mailed it； just recently。 Who； or why； I don't know； and I can't get that out of my head。 Anyway； in the letter； my father said that he'd discovered Quivira。 He gave directions…vague； but with Peter's help； enough to get us here。 I think those stalkers also wanted to learn the location of Quivira。 So they could loot it； strip it of its treasures。〃
She paused and licked her lips； painfully dry in the sun。 〃So I tried to keep the expedition a secret。 Everything was ing together just right。 And then you showed up at the marina； notebook in one hand and megaphone in the other。〃
〃Oh。〃 Even without turning around； she could hear the sheepish note in the writer's voice。 〃Sorry。 I knew the purpose of the expedition was secret； but I didn't realize the expedition itself was。〃 He paused。 〃I didn't give anything away； you know。〃
Nora sighed。 〃Maybe not。 But you certainly created quite a stir。 But let's forget it； okay？ I overreacted。 I was a little tense myself…for obvious reasons。〃
They rode quietly for a while。 〃So what do you think of my story？〃 Nora asked at last。
〃I think I'm sorry I said I wouldn't print it。 Do you suppose these guys are really still after you？〃
〃Why do you think I insisted on taking this little field trip myself？ I'm pretty sure that the people who killed our horses； and the ones who attacked me； might be the same。 If so； that means they've learned where Quivira is。〃
Abruptly； the trail left the weird tangle of stone and topped out on a narrow； fingerlike mesa。 Breathtaking views surrounded them on all sides； canyons layered against canyons； disappearing into the purple depths。 The snowcapped peaks of the Henry Mountains were now visible to the east； blue and inexpressibly lonely in the va
