the call of the canyon-第15章

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d　jolt。

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

〃Hold　on；　Carley！〃　yelled　Glenn。

Desperately　Carley　essayed　to　do　just　that。　But　Spillbeans　jolted　her　out　of　the　saddle。　She　came　down　on　his　rump　and　began　to　slide　back　and　down。　Frightened　and　furious；　Carley　tried　to　hang　to　the　saddle　with　her　hands　and　to　squeeze　the　mustang　with　her　knees。　But　another　jolt　broke　her　hold；　and　then；　helpless　and　bewildered；　with　her　heart　in　her　throat　and　a　terrible　sensation　of　weakness；　she　slid　back　at　each　upheave　of　the　muscular　rump　until　she　slid　off　and　to　the　ground　in　a　heap。　Whereupon　Spillbeans　trotted　off　toward　the　water。

Carley　sat　up　before　Glenn　and　Flo　reached　her。　Manifestly　they　were　concerned　about　her；　but　both　were　ready　to　burst　with　laughter。　Carley　knew　she　was　not　hurt　and　she　was　so　glad　to　be　off　the　mustang　that；　on　the　moment；　she　could　almost　have　laughed　herself。

〃That　beast　is　well　named；〃　she　said。　〃He　spilled　me；　all　right。　And　I　presume　I　resembled　a　sack　of　beans。〃

〃Carleyyou'renot　hurt？〃　asked　Glenn；　choking；　as　he　helped　her　up。

〃Not　physically。　But　my　feelings　are。〃

Then　Glenn　let　out　a　hearty　howl　of　mirth；　which　was　seconded　by　a　loud　guffaw　from　Hutter。　Flo；　however；　appeared　to　be　able　to　restrain　whatever　she　felt。　To　Carley　she　looked　queer。

〃Pitch！　You　called　it　that；〃　said　Carley。

〃Oh；　he　didn't　really　pitch。　He　just　humped　up　a　few　times；〃　replied　Flo；　and　then　when　she　saw　how　Carley　was　going　to　take　it　she　burst　into　a　merry　peal　of　laughter。　Charley；　the　sheep　herder　was　grinning；　and　some　of　the　other　men　turned　away　with　shaking　shoulders。

〃Laugh；　you　wild　and　woolly　Westerners！〃　ejaculated　Carley。　〃It　must　have　been　funny。　I　hope　I　can　be　a　good　sport。　。　。　。　But　I　bet　you　I　ride　him　tomorrow。〃

〃Shore　you　will；〃　replied　Flo。

Evidently　the　little　incident　drew　the　party　closer　together。　Carley　felt　a　warmth　of　good　nature　that　overcame　her　first　feeling　of　humiliation。　They　expected　such　things　from　her；　and　she　should　expect　them；　too；　and　take　them；　if　not　fearlessly　or　painlessly；　at　least　without　resentment。

Carley　walked　about　to　ease　her　swollen　and　sore　joints；　and　while　doing　so　she　took　stock　of　the　camp　ground　and　what　was　going　on。　At　second　glance　the　place　had　a　certain　attraction　difficult　for　her　to　define。　She　could　see　far；　and　the　view　north　toward　those　strange　gray…colored　symmetrical　hills　was　one　that　fascinated　while　it　repelled　her。　Near　at　hand　the　ground　sloped　down　to　a　large　rock…bound　lake；　perhaps　a　mile　in　circumference。　In　the　distance；　along　the　shore　she　saw　a　white　conical　tent；　and　blue　smoke；　and　moving　gray　objects　she　took　for　sheep。

The　men　unpacked　and　unsaddled　the　horses；　and；　hobbling　their　forefeet　together；　turned　them　loose。　Twilight　had　fallen　and　each　man　appeared　to　be　briskly　set　upon　his　own　task。　Glenn　was　cutting　around　the　foot　of　a　thickly　branched　cedar　where；　he　told　Carley；　he　would　make　a　bed　for　her　and　Flo。　All　that　Carley　could　see　that　could　be　used　for　such　purpose　was　a　canvas…covered　roll。　Presently　Glenn　untied　a　rope　from　round　this；　unrolled　it；　and　dragged　it　under　the　cedar。　Then　he　spread　down　the　outer　layer　of　canvas；　disclosing　a　considerable　thickness　of　blankets。　From　under　the　top　of　these　he　pulled　out　two　flat　little　pillows。　These　he　placed　in　position；　and　turned　back　some　of　the　blankets。

〃Carley；　you　crawl　in　here；　pile　the　blankets　up；　and　the　tarp　over　them；〃　directed　Glenn。　〃If　it　rains　pull　the　tarp　up　over　your　headand　let　it　rain。〃

This　direction　sounded　in　Glenn's　cheery　voice　a　good　deal　more　pleasurable　than　the　possibilities　suggested。　Surely　that　cedar　tree　could　not　keep　off　rain　or　snow。

〃Glenn；　how　aboutabout　animalsand　crawling　things；　you　know？〃　queried　Carley。

〃Oh；　there　are　a　few　tarantulas　and　centipedes；　and　sometimes　a　scorpion。　But　these　don't　crawl　around　much　at　night。　The　only　thing　to　worry　about　are　the　hydrophobia　skunks。〃

〃What　on　earth　are　they？〃　asked　Carley；　quite　aghast。

〃Skunks　are　polecats；　you　know；〃　replied　Glenn；　cheerfully。　〃Sometimes　one　gets　bitten　by　a　coyote　that　has　rabies；　and　then　he's　a　dangerous　customer。　He　has　no　fear　and　he　may　run　across　you　and　bite　you　in　the　face。　Queer　how　they　generally　bite　your　nose。　Two　men　have　been　bitten　since　I've　been　here。　One　of　them　died；　and　the　other　had　to　go　to　the　Pasteur　Institute　with　a　well…developed　case　of　hydrophobia。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Carley；　horrified。

〃You　needn't　be　afraid；〃　said　Glenn。　〃I'll　tie　one　of　the　dogs　near　your　bed。〃

Carley　wondered　whether　Glenn's　casual；　easy　tone　had　been　adopted　for　her　benefit　or　was　merely　an　assimilation　from　this　Western　life。　Not　improbably　Glenn　himself　might　be　capable　of　playing　a　trick　on　her。　Carley　endeavored　to　fortify　herself　against　disaster；　so　that　when　it　befell　she　might　not　be　wholly　ludicrous。

With　the　coming　of　twilight　a　cold；　keen　wind　moaned　through　the　cedars。　Carley　would　have　hovered　close　to　the　fire　even　if　she　had　not　been　too　tired　to　exert　herself。　Despite　her　aches；　she　did　justice　to　the　supper。　It　amazed　her　that　appetite　consumed　her　to　the　extent　of　overcoming　a　distaste　for　this　strong；　coarse　cooking。　Before　the　meal　ended　darkness　had　fallen；　a　windy　raw　darkness　that　enveloped　heavily　like　a　blanket。　Presently　Carley　edged　closer　to　the　fire；　and　there　she　stayed；　alternately　turning　back　and　front　to　the　welcome　heat。　She　seemingly　roasted　hands；　face；　and　knees　while　her　back　froze。　The　wind　blew　the　smoke　in　all　directions。　When　she　groped　around　with　blurred；　smarting　eyes　to　escape　the　hot　smoke；　it　followed　her。　The　other　members　of　the　party　sat　comfortably　on　sacks　or　rocks；　without　much　notice　of　the　smoke　that　so　exasperated　Carley。　Twice　Glenn　insisted　that　she　take　a　seat　he　had　fixed　for　her；　but　she　preferred　to　stand　and　move　around　a　little。

By　and　by　the　camp　tasks　of　the　men　appeared　to　be　ended；　and　all　gathered　near　the　fire　to　lounge　and　smoke　and　talk。　Glenn　and　Hutter　engaged　in　interested　conversation　with　two　Mexicans；　evidently　sheep　herders。　If　the　wind　and　cold　had　not　made　Carley　so　uncomfortable　she　might　have　found　the　scene　picturesque。　How　black　the　night！　She　could　scarcely　distinguish　the　sky　at　all。　The　cedar　branches　swished　in　the　wind；　and　from　the　gloom　came　a　low　sound　of　waves　lapping　a　rocky　shore。　Presently　Glenn　held　up　a　hand。

〃Listen；　Carley！〃　he　said。

Then　she　heard　strange　wild　yelps；　staccato；　piercing；　somehow　infinitely　lonely。　They　made　her　shudder。

〃Coyotes；〃　said　Glenn。　〃You'll　come　to　love　that　chorus。　Hear　the　dogs　bark　back。〃

Carley　listened　with　interest；　but　she　was　inclined　to　doubt　that　she　would　ever　become　enamoured　of　such　wild　cries。

〃Do　coyotes　come　near　camp？〃　she　queried。

〃Shore。　Sometimes　they　pull　your　pillow　out　from　under　your　head；〃　replied　Flo；　laconically。

Carley　did　not　ask　any　more　questions。　Natural　history　was　not　her　favorite　study　and　she　was　sure　she　could　dispense　with　any　first…hand　knowledge　of　desert　beasts。　She　thought；　however；　she　heard　one　of　the　men　say；　〃Big　varmint　prowlin'　round　the　sheep。〃　To　which　Hutter　replied；　〃Reckon　it　was　a　bear。〃　And　Glenn　said；　〃I　saw　his　fresh　track　by　the　lake。　Some　bear！〃

The　heat　from　the　fire　made　Carley　so　drowsy　that　she　could　scarcely　hold　up　her　head。　She　longed　for　bed　even　if　it　was　out　there　in　the　open。　Presently　Flo　called　her：　〃Come。　Let's　walk　a　little　before　turning　in。〃

So　Carley　permitted　herself　to　be　led　to　and　fro　down　an　open　aisle　between　some　cedars。　The　far　end　of　that　aisle；　dark；　gloomy；　with　the　bushy　secretive　cedars　all　around；　caused　Carley　apprehension　she　was　ashamed　to　admit。　Flo　talked　eloquently　about　the　joys　of　camp　life；　and　how　the　harder　any　outdoor　task　was　and　the　more　endurance　and　pain　it　required；　the　more　pride　and　pleasure　one　had　in　remembering　it。　Carley　was　weighing　the　import　of　these　words　when　suddenly　Flo　clutched　her　arm。　〃What's　that？〃　she　whispered；　tensely。

Carley　stood　stockstill。　They　had　reached　the　furthermost　end　of　that　aisle；　but　had　turned　to　go　back。　The　flare　of　the　camp　fire　threw　a　wan　light　into　the　shadows　before　them。　There