the call of the canyon-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Carley　and　I　will　go　too；〃　asserted　Flo。

〃Reckon　that'll　be　good；〃　said　Hutter；　with　approving　nod。

His　wife　also　agreed　that　it　would　be　fine　for　Carley　to　see　the　beautiful　desert　country　round　Sunset　Peak。　But　Glenn　looked　dubious。

〃Carley；　it'll　be　rather　hard；〃　he　said。　〃You're　soft；　and　riding　and　lying　out　will　stove　you　up。　You　ought　to　break　in　gradually。〃

〃I　rode　ten　miles　today；〃　rejoined　Carley。　〃And　didn't　mind　itmuch。〃　This　was　a　little　deviation　from　stern　veracity。

〃Shore　Carley's　well　and　strong；〃　protested　Flo。　〃She'll　get　sore；　but　that　won't　kill　her。〃

Glenn　eyed　Flo　with　rather　penetrating　glance。　〃I　might　drive　Carley　round　about　in　the　car；〃　he　said。

〃But　you　can't　drive　over　those　lava　flats；　or　go　round；　either。　We'd　have　to　send　horses　in　some　cases　miles　to　meet　you。　It's　horseback　if　you　go　at　all。〃

〃Shore　we'll　go　horseback；〃　spoke　up　Flo。　〃Carley　has　got　it　all　over　that　Spencer　girl　who　was　here　last　summer。〃

〃I　think　so；　too。　I　am　sure　I　hope　so。　Because　you　remember　what　the　ride　to　Long　Valley　did　to　Miss　Spencer；〃　rejoined　Glenn。

〃What？〃　inquired　Carley。

〃Bad　cold；　peeled　nose；　skinned　shin；　saddle　sores。　She　was　in　bed　two　days。　She　didn't　show　much　pep　the　rest　of　her　stay　here；　and　she　never　got　on　another　horse。〃

〃Oh；　is　that　all；　Glenn？〃　returned　Carley；　in　feigned　surprise。　〃Why；　I　imagined　from　your　tone　that　Miss　Spencer's　ride　must　have　occasioned　her　discomfort。　。　。　。　See　here；　Glenn。　I　may　be　a　tenderfoot；　but　I'm　no　mollycoddle。〃

〃My　dear；　I　surrender；〃　replied　Glenn；　with　a　laugh。　〃Really；　I'm　delighted。　But　if　anything　happensdon't　you　blame　me。　I'm　quite　sure　that　a　long　horseback　ride；　in　spring；　on　the　desert；　will　show　you　a　good　many　things　about　yourself。〃

That　was　how　Carley　came　to　find　herself；　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day；　astride　a　self…willed　and　unmanageable　little　mustang；　riding　in　the　rear　of　her　friends；　on　the　way　through　a　cedar　forest　toward　a　place　called　Deep　Lake。

Carley　had　not　been　able　yet；　during　the　several　hours　of　their　journey；　to　take　any　pleasure　in　the　scenery　or　in　her　mount。　For　in　the　first　place　there　was　nothing　to　see　but　scrubby　little　gnarled　cedars　and　drab…looking　rocks；　and　in　the　second　this　Indian　pony　she　rode　had　discovered　she　was　not　an　adept　horsewoman　and　had　proceeded　to　take　advantage　of　the　fact。　It　did　not　help　Carley's　predicament　to　remember　that　Glenn　had　decidedly　advised　her　against　riding　this　particular　mustang。　To　be　sure；　Flo　had　approved　of　Carley's　choice；　and　Mr。　Hutter；　with　a　hearty　laugh；　had　fallen　in　line：　〃Shore。　Let　her　ride　one　of　the　broncs；　if　she　wants。〃　So　this　animal　she　bestrode　must　have　been　a　bronc；　for　it　did　not　take　him　long　to　elicit　from　Carley　a　muttered；　〃I　don't　know　what　bronc　means；　but　it　sounds　like　this　pony　acts。〃

Carley　had　inquired　the　animal's　name　from　the　young　herder　who　had　saddled　him　for　her。

〃Wal；　I　reckon　he　ain't　got　much　of　a　name；〃　replied　the　lad；　with　a　grin；　as　he　scratched　his　head。　〃For　us　boys　always　called　him　Spillbeans。〃

〃Humph！　What　a　beautiful　cognomen！〃　ejaculated　Carley；　〃But　according　to　Shakespeare　any　name　will　serve。　I'll　ride　him　oror〃

So　far　there　had　not　really　been　any　necessity　for　the　completion　of　that　sentence。　But　five　miles　of　riding　up　into　the　cedar　forest　had　convinced　Carley　that　she　might　not　have　much　farther　to　go。　Spillbeans　had　ambled　along　well　enough　until　he　reached　level　ground　where　a　long　bleached　grass　waved　in　the　wind。　Here　he　manifested　hunger；　then　a　contrary　nature；　next　insubordination；　and　finally　direct　hostility。　Carley　had　urged；　pulled；　and　commanded　in　vain。　Then　when　she　gave　Spillbeans　a　kick　in　the　flank　he　jumped　stiff　legged；　propelling　her　up　out　of　the　saddle；　and　while　she　was　descending　he　made　the　queer　jump　again；　coming　up　to　meet　her。　The　jolt　she　got　seemed　to　dislocate　every　bone　in　her　body。　Likewise　it　hurt。　Moreover；　along　with　her　idea　of　what　a　spectacle　she　must　have　presented；　it　quickly　decided　Carley　that　Spillbeans　was　a　horse　that　was　not　to　be　opposed。　Whenever　he　wanted　a　mouthful　of　grass　he　stopped　to　get　it。　Therefore　Carley　was　always　in　the　rear；　a　fact　which　in　itself　did　not　displease　her。　Despite　his　contrariness；　however；　Spillbeans　had　apparently　no　intention　of　allowing　the　other　horses　to　get　completely　out　of　sight。

Several　times　Flo　waited　for　Carley　to　catch　up。　〃He's　loafing　on　you；　Carley。　You　ought　to　have　on　a　spur。　Break　off　a　switch　and　beat　him　some。〃　Then　she　whipped　the　mustang　across　the　flank　with　her　bridle　rein；　which　punishment　caused　Spillbeans　meekly　to　trot　on　with　alacrity。　Carley　had　a　positive　belief　that　he　would　not　do　it　for　her。　And　after　Flo's　repeated　efforts；　assisted　by　chastisement　from　Glenn；　had　kept　Spillbeans　in　a　trot　for　a　couple　of　miles　Carley　began　to　discover　that　the　trotting　of　a　horse　was　the　most　uncomfortable　motion　possible　to　imagine。　It　grew　worse。　It　became　painful。　It　gradually　got　unendurable。　But　pride　made　Carley　endure　it　until　suddenly　she　thought　she　had　been　stabbed　in　the　side。　This　strange　piercing　pain　must　be　what　Glenn　had　called　a　〃stitch〃　in　the　side；　something　common　to　novices　on　horseback。　Carley　could　have　screamed。　She　pulled　the　mustang　to　a　walk　and　sagged　in　her　saddle　until　the　pain　subsided。　What　a　blessed　relief！　Carley　had　keen　sense　of　the　difference　between　riding　in　Central　Park　and　in　Arizona。　She　regretted　her　choice　of　horses。　Spillbeans　was　attractive　to　look　at；　but　the　pleasure　of　riding　him　was　a　delusion。　Flo　had　said　his　gait　resembled　the　motion　of　a　rocking　chair。　This　Western　girl；　according　to　Charley；　the　sheep　herder；　was　not　above　playing　Arizona　jokes。　Be　that　as　it　might；　Spillbeans　now　manifested　a　desire　to　remain　with　the　other　horses；　and　he　broke　out　of　a　walk　into　a　trot。　Carley　could　not　keep　him　from　trotting。　Hence　her　state　soon　wore　into　acute　distress。

Her　left　ankle　seemed　broken。　The　stirrup　was　heavy；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　tired　she　could　no　longer　keep　its　weight　from　drawing　her　foot　in。　The　inside　of　her　right　knee　was　as　sore　as　a　boil。　Besides；　she　had　other　pains；　just　as　severe；　and　she　stood　momentarily　in　mortal　dread　of　that　terrible　stitch　in　her　side。　If　it　returned　she　knew　she　would　fall　off。　But；　fortunately；　just　when　she　was　growing　weak　and　dizzy；　the　horses　ahead　slowed　to　a　walk　on　a　descent。　The　road　wound　down　into　a　wide　deep　canyon。　Carley　had　a　respite　from　her　severest　pains。　Never　before　had　she　known　what　it　meant　to　be　so　grateful　for　relief　from　anything。

The　afternoon　grew　far　advanced　and　the　sunset　was　hazily　shrouded　in　gray。　Hutter　did　not　like　the　looks　of　those　clouds。　〃Reckon　we're　in　for　weather；〃　he　said。　Carley　did　not　care　what　happened。　Weather　or　anything　else　that　might　make　it　possible　to　get　off　her　horse！　Glenn　rode　beside　her；　inquiring　solicitously　as　to　her　pleasure。　〃Ride　of　my　life！〃　she　lied　heroically。　And　it　helped　some　to　see　that　she　both　fooled　and　pleased　him。

Beyond　the　canyon　the　cedared　desert　heaved　higher　and　changed　its　aspect。　The　trees　grew　larger；　bushier；　greener；　and　closer　together；　with　patches　of　bleached　grass　between；　and　russet…lichened　rocks　everywhere。　Small　cactus　plants　bristled　sparsely　in　open　places；　and　here　and　there　bright　red　flowersIndian　paintbrush；　Flo　called　themadded　a　touch　of　color　to　the　gray。　Glenn　pointed　to　where　dark　banks　of　cloud　had　massed　around　the　mountain　peaks。　The　scene　to　the　west　was　somber　and　compelling。

At　last　the　men　and　the　pack…horses　ahead　came　to　a　halt　in　a　level　green　forestland　with　no　high　trees。　Far　ahead　a　chain　of　soft　gray　round　hills　led　up　to　the　dark　heaved　mass　of　mountains。　Carley　saw　the　gleam　of　water　through　the　trees。　Probably　her　mustang　saw　or　scented　it；　because　he　started　to　trot。　Carley　had　reached　a　limit　of　strength；　endurance；　and　patience。　She　hauled　him　up　short。　When　Spillbeans　evinced　a　stubborn　intention　to　go　on　Carley　gave　him　a　kick。　Then　it　happened。

She　felt　the　reins　jerked　out　of　her　hands　and　the　saddle　propel　her　upward。　When　she　descended　it　was　to　meet　that　before…experienced　jolt。

〃Look！〃　cried　Flo。　〃That　bronc　is　going　to　pitch。