p&c.thunderhead-第63章
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d peaks of the Henry Mountains were now visible to the east； blue and inexpressibly lonely in the vast distance。 At the far side of the mesa stood some rocks； hiding the landscape beyond from view。
〃I didn't realize we were gaining so much altitude；〃 said Smithback； stopping his horse and gazing around。
Just then Nora caught a faint whiff of cedar smoke。 She signaled Smithback to dismount quietly。
〃Smell that？〃 she whispered。 〃We're not far from a campfire。 Let's leave our horses here and go ahead on foot。〃
Tying their mounts to sagebrush； they began walking through the sand。 〃Wouldn't it be nice if there were a bathtub full of ice and cervezas on the other side？〃 Smithback said under his breath as they approached the jumble of rocks。 Nora dropped to her knees and peered through a gap in the rocks。 Smithback did the same； creeping up beside her。
At the naked end of the mesa； under a dead； corkscrewed juniper； was a small fire； smoking faintly。 What appeared to be a jackrabbit； skinned and spitted； was propped between two forked sticks nearby。 An old army bedroll lay unrolled in the lee of the rock； beside several buckskin bundles。 To the left of the little camp the mesa sloped downward； and Nora could see a horse； picketed on a fifty…foot rope； grazing grass。
The view from the point of the mesa was spectacular。 The land dropped away in a great sweep of erosion； down into a wrinkled and violent landscape； dry； lifeless； webbed with alkali washes； dissolving into a badlands peppered with great rock megaliths； casting long shadows。 Beyond lay the heavily forested Aquarius Plateau； a black irregular line on the horizon。 A grasshopper scratched forlornly in the late afternoon heat。
Nora slowly exhaled。 It was a barren place； and she knew she ought to feel a little silly； crawling up the ridge； peering melodramatically through the rocks on hands and knees。 Then she thought about the matted； hairy figures in the deserted farmhouse； and about the coils of horse entrails； flyblown and steaming in the sun。
The unshod tracks they had been following led around the rocks and straight into the camp。
〃Looks like nobody's home；〃 whispered Nora。 Her voice sounded loud and thin in her ears； and she could feel her skin prickle with fear。
〃Yeah； but they couldn't be far。 Look at that rabbit。 What do we do now？〃
〃I think we mount up and ride in； nice and easy。 And then wait until they or whoever returns。〃
〃Oh； sure。 And get shot right out of the saddle。〃
Nora turned to him。 〃Got a better idea？〃
〃Yeah。 How about if we head back and see what Bonarotti's got cooking for supper？〃
Nora shook her head impatiently。 〃Then I'll go in there alone； on foot。 They're not likely to kill a lone woman。〃
Smithback considered this。 〃I wouldn't remend that。 If these are the same guys who attacked you； being a woman didn't stop them before。〃
〃So what do we do？〃
Smithback thought for a while。 〃Maybe we should hide ourselves； and just wait near here for them to return。 We could surprise them。〃
Nora looked at the writer。 〃Where？〃
〃Back up in those rocks； behind us。 We can look down and over the end of the mesa。 We'll see them as they e in。〃
They returned to their horses； moved them well off the trail； and brushed out their tracks。 Then they climbed up behind the camp and waited in a small nook between two large boulders。 As they settled in； Nora heard an ominous； rattling buzz。 About fifty yards away； in the shadow of a rock； a rattlesnake had reared up in an S…coil； its anvil…shaped head swaying slightly。
〃Now you can show me your brilliant marksmanship；〃 said Smithback。
〃No；〃 said Nora instantly。
〃Why not？〃
〃That gun's going to make a pretty loud doorbell。 Do you really want to alert whoever's out there？〃
Smithback suddenly stiffened。 〃I think it's too late for that；〃 he said。
There； on one of the flanking ridges behind them； Nora saw a lone man silhouetted against the sky； his face in shadow。 A gun was hanging off his right hip。 How long he had been waiting there； watching them； Nora could not say。
A dog appeared over the ridge behind the man。 As it saw them； it broke into a flurry of outraged barking。 The man spoke a brief mand and it slunk behind his legs。
〃Oh； God；〃 Smithback said。 〃Here we are； hiding in the rocks。 This isn't going to look too good。〃
Nora waited in indecision。 The weight of her own gun felt heavy on her hips。 If this was one of the men who had attacked her； killed the horses 。 。 。
The man stood motionless as the late afternoon deepened。
〃You got us into this；〃 Smithback said。 〃What do we do now？〃
〃I don't know。 Say hello？〃
〃There's brilliance for you。〃 Smithback raised a tentative hand。 After a moment； the man on the ridge made a similar gesture。
Then he stepped down from the ridge and began walking toward them； a curious walk on stiff； long legs； the dog trotting behind him。
And then； in a instant of terrifying speed； Nora saw him stop short； draw his gun； and fire。
35
INSTINCTIVELY； NORA'S HAND DROPPED TO HER own weapon as the rattler's head blew apart in a spray of blood and venom。 She glanced from the snake to Smithback。 The writer's face was ashen； his gun drawn。
The man walked toward them with slow deliberate steps。 〃Jumpy； ain't you；〃 he said； holstering his gun。 〃These damned rattlers。 I know they keep the mice down； but when I go out to piss at night； I don't want to step on any mousehunting coontail。〃
He was an extraordinary…looking man。 His hair was long and white； and plaited in two long braids in the traditional Native American fashion。 A bandanna was tied around his head and formed into a bun to one side。 His pants； indescribably old but very clean； were at least eight inches too short。 Beneath； dusty； sticklike legs plunged sockless into a pair of red high…top sneakers； brand…new and laced up tight。 His shirt was beautifully made out of tanned buckskin； decorated with strips of fine beadwork； and a turquoise necklace circled his neck。 But it was the face above the necklace that most arrested Nora。 There was a gravity and dignity to the face； a gravity that seemed at variance with the glittering； amused liveliness of his black eyes。
〃You look a long way from home；〃 the man said in a thin； reedy voice； with the peculiar kind of clipped yet melodious tone mon to many native speakers in the Southwest。 〃Did you find what you needed in my camp？〃
Nora looked into the mercurial eyes。 〃We didn't disturb your camp；〃 she said。 〃We're searching for the person that murdered our horses。〃
The man gazed back steadily； the eyes narrowing slightly。 The good humor seemed to vanish。 For a moment； Nora wondered if he would raise his gun again； and she felt her right hand flex involuntarily。
Then the tension seemed to ease； and the man took a step forward。 〃It's a hard thing to lose horses；〃 he said。 〃I've got some cool water down there in camp； and some roasted jackrabbit and chiles。 Why don't you e along？〃 He paused。
〃We'd be happy to；〃 said Nora。 They followed him down the rockpile and into camp。 He gestured for them to find a seat on the nearby rocks； then he squatted by the fire and turned the jackrabbit。 He poked a stick into the ashes and pulled out several tinfoil…wrapped chiles； piling them at the edge of the fire to keep warm。 〃I heard you folks ing； so I decided to head on up there and check you out from above。 Don't get a lot of visitors out here； you know。 Pays to be careful。〃
〃Were we that obvious？〃 Smithback asked。
The man looked at him with cool brown eyes。
〃Really；〃 said Smithback。 〃That obvious； huh？〃
The man pulled a canteen out of the sand in the shadow of a rock and passed it to Nora。 She accepted the water silently； realizing how thirsty she was。 The man stirred the ashes of the fire； freshened it with a few pieces of juniper； then turned the jackrabbit again。
〃So you're the folks down in Chilbah Valley；〃 he said； sitting down across from them。
〃Chilbah？〃 Smithback asked。
The man nodded。 〃The valley over the big ridge back there。 I saw you the other day； from the top。〃 He turned to Nora。 〃And I guess you saw me。 And now you're
