the call of the canyon-第21章

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xious　to　look　ahead。　Some　thick　odor　had　begun　to　reach　Carley's　delicate　nostrils。　Flo　led　down　a　short　lane　and　climbed　another　fence；　and　sat　astride　the　top　log。　Carley　hurried　along　to　clamber　up　to　her　side；　but　stood　erect　with　her　feet　on　the　second　log　of　the　fence。

Then　a　horrible　stench　struck　Carley　almost　like　a　blow　in　the　face；　and　before　her　confused　sight　there　appeared　to　be　drifting　smoke　and　active　men　and　running　sheep；　all　against　a　background　of　mud。　But　at　first　it　was　the　odor　that　caused　Carley　to　close　her　eyes　and　press　her　knees　hard　against　the　upper　log　to　keep　from　reeling。　Never　in　her　life　had　such　a　sickening　nausea　assailed　her。　It　appeared　to　attack　her　whole　body。　The　forerunning　qualm　of　seasickness　was　as　nothing　to　this。　Carley　gave　a　gasp；　pinched　her　nose　between　her　fingers　so　she　could　not　smell；　and　opened　her　eyes。

Directly　beneath　her　was　a　small　pen　open　at　one　end　into　which　sheep　were　being　driven　from　the　larger　corral。　The　drivers　were　yelling。　The　sheep　in　the　rear　plunged　into　those　ahead　of　them；　forcing　them　on。　Two　men　worked　in　this　small　pen。　One　was　a　brawny　giant　in　undershirt　and　overalls　that　appeared　filthy。　He　held　a　cloth　in　his　hand　and　strode　toward　the　nearest　sheep。　Folding　the　cloth　round　the　neck　of　the　sheep；　he　dragged　it　forward；　with　an　ease　which　showed　great　strength；　and　threw　it　into　a　pit　that　yawned　at　the　side。　Souse　went　the　sheep　into　a　murky；　muddy　pool　and　disappeared。　But　suddenly　its　head　came　up　and　then　its　shoulders。　And　it　began　half　to　walk　and　half　swim　down　what　appeared　to　be　a　narrow　boxlike　ditch　that　contained　other　floundering　sheep。　Then　Carley　saw　men　on　each　side　of　this　ditch　bending　over　with　poles　that　had　crooks　at　the　end；　and　their　work　was　to　press　and　pull　the　sheep　along　to　the　end　of　the　ditch；　and　drive　them　up　a　boarded　incline　into　another　corral　where　many　other　sheep　huddled；　now　a　dirty　muddy　color　like　the　liquid　into　which　they　had　been　emersed。　Souse！　Splash！　In　went　sheep　after　sheep。　Occasionally　one　did　not　go　under。　And　then　a　man　would　press　it　under　with　the　crook　and　quickly　lift　its　head。　The　work　went　on　with　precision　and　speed；　in　spite　of　the　yells　and　trampling　and　baa…baas；　and　the　incessant　action　that　gave　an　effect　of　confusion。

Carley　saw　a　pipe　leading　from　a　huge　boiler　to　the　ditch。　The　dark　fluid　was　running　out　of　it。　From　a　rusty　old　engine　with　big　smokestack　poured　the　strangling　smoke。　A　man　broke　open　a　sack　of　yellow　powder　and　dumped　it　into　the　ditch。　Then　he　poured　an　acid…like　liquid　after　it。

〃Sulphur　and　nicotine；〃　yelled　Flo　up　at　Carley。　〃The　dip's　poison。　If　a　sheep　opens　his　mouth　he's　usually　a　goner。　But　sometimes　they　save　one。〃

Carley　wanted　to　tear　herself　away　from　this　disgusting　spectacle。　But　it　held　her　by　some　fascination。　She　saw　Glenn　and　Hutter　fall　in　line　with　the　other　men；　and　work　like　beavers。　These　two　pacemakers　in　the　small　pen　kept　the　sheep　coming　so　fast　that　every　worker　below　had　a　task　cut　out　for　him。　Suddenly　Flo　squealed　and　pointed。

〃There！　that　sheep　didn't　come　up；〃　she　cried。　〃Shore　he　opened　his　mouth。〃

Then　Carley　saw　Glenn　energetically　plunge　his　hooked　pole　in　and　out　and　around　until　he　had　located　the　submerged　sheep。　He　lifted　its　head　above　the　dip。　The　sheep　showed　no　sign　of　life。　Down　on　his　knees　dropped　Glenn；　to　reach　the　sheep　with　strong　brown　hands；　and　to　haul　it　up　on　the　ground；　where　it　flopped　inert。　Glenn　pummeled　it　and　pressed　it；　and　worked　on　it　much　as　Carley　had　seen　a　life…guard　work　over　a　half…drowned　man。　But　the　sheep　did　not　respond　to　Glenn's　active　administrations。

〃No　use；　Glenn；〃　yelled　Hutter；　hoarsely。　〃That　one's　a　goner。〃

Carley　did　not　fall　to　note　the　state　of　Glenn's　hands　and　arms　and　overalls　when　he　returned　to　the　ditch　work。　Then　back　and　forth　Carley's　gaze　went　from　one　end　to　the　other　of　that　scene。　And　suddenly　it　was　arrested　and　held　by　the　huge　fellow　who　handled　the　sheep　so　brutally。　Every　time　he　dragged　one　and　threw　it　into　the　pit　he　yelled：　〃Ho！　Ho！〃　Carley　was　impelled　to　look　at　his　face；　and　she　was　amazed　to　meet　the　rawest　and　boldest　stare　from　evil　eyes　that　had　ever　been　her　misfortune　to　incite。　She　felt　herself　stiffen　with　a　shock　that　was　unfamiliar。　This　man　was　scarcely　many　years　older　than　Glenn；　yet　he　had　grizzled　hair；　a　seamed　and　scarred　visage；　coarse；　thick　lips；　and　beetling　brows；　from　under　which　peered　gleaming　light　eyes。　At　every　turn　he　flashed　them　upon　Carley's　face；　her　neck；　the　swell　of　her　bosom。　It　was　instinct　that　caused　her　hastily　to　close　her　riding　coat。　She　felt　as　if　her　flesh　had　been　burned。　Like　a　snake　he　fascinated　her。　The　intelligence　in　his　bold　gaze　made　the　beastliness　of　it　all　the　harder　to　endure；　all　the　stronger　to　arouse。

〃Come；　Carley；　let's　rustle　out　of　this　stinkin'　mess；〃　cried　Flo。

Indeed；　Carley　needed　Flo's　assistance　in　clambering　down　out　of　the　choking　smoke　and　horrid　odor。

〃Adios；　pretty　eyes；〃　called　the　big　man　from　the　pen。

〃Well；〃　ejaculated　Flo；　when　they　got　out；　〃I'll　bet　I　call　Glenn　good　and　hard　for　letting　you　go　down　there。〃

〃It　wasmyfault；〃　panted　Carley。　〃I　said　I'd　stand　it。〃

〃Oh；　you're　game；　all　right。　I　didn't　mean　the　dip。　。　。　。　That　sheep…slinger　is　Haze　Ruff；　the　toughest　hombre　on　this　range。　Shore；　now；　wouldn't　I　like　to　take　a　shot　at　him？　。　。　。　I'm　going　to　tell　dad　and　Glenn。〃

〃Please　don't；〃　returned　Carley；　appealingly。

〃I　shore　am。　Dad　needs　hands　these　days。　That's　why　he's　lenient。　But　Glenn　will　cowhide　Ruff　and　I　want　to　see　him　do　it。〃

In　Flo　Hutter　then　Carley　saw　another　and　a　different　spirit　of　the　West；　a　violence　unrestrained　and　fierce　that　showed　in　the　girl's　even　voice　and　in　the　piercing　light　of　her　eyes。

They　went　back　to　the　horses；　got　their　lunches　from　the　saddlebags；　and；　finding　comfortable　seats　in　a　sunny；　protected　place；　they　ate　and　talked。　Carley　had　to　force　herself　to　swallow。　It　seemed　that　the　horrid　odor　of　dip　and　sheep　had　permeated　everything。　Glenn　had　known　her　better　than　she　had　known　herself；　and　he　had　wished　to　spare　her　an　unnecessary　and　disgusting　experience。　Yet　so　stubborn　was　Carley　that　she　did　not　regret　going　through　with　it。

〃Carley；　I　don't　mind　telling　you　that　you've　stuck　it　out　better　than　any　tenderfoot　we　ever　had　here；〃　said　Flo。

〃Thank　you。　That　from　a　Western　girl　is　a　compliment　I'll　not　soon　forget；〃　replied　Carley。

〃I　shore　mean　it。　We've　had　rotten　weather。　And　to　end　the　little　trip　at　this　sheep…dip　hole！　Why；　Glenn　certainly　wanted　you　to　stack　up　against　the　real　thing！〃

〃Flo；　he　did　not　want　me　to　come　on　the　trip；　and　especially　here；〃　protested　Carley。

〃Shore　I　know。　But　he　let　you。〃

〃Neither　Glenn　nor　any　other　man　could　prevent　me　from　doing　what　I　wanted　to　do。〃

〃Well；　if　you'll　excuse　me；〃　drawled　Flo；　〃I'll　differ　with　you。　I　reckon　Glenn　Kilbourne　is　not　the　man　you　knew　before　the　war。〃

〃No；　he　is　not。　But　that　does　not　alter　the　case。〃

〃Carley；　we're　not　well　acquainted；〃　went　on　Flo；　more　carefully　feeling　her　way；　〃and　I'm　not　your　kind。　I　don't　know　your　Eastern　ways。　But　I　know　what　the　West　does　to　a　man。　The　war　ruined　your　friendboth　his　body　and　mind。　。　。　。　How　sorry　mother　and　I　were　for　Glenn；　those　days　when　it　looked　he'd　sure　'go　west；'　for　good！　。　。　。　Did　you　know　he'd　been　gassed　and　that　he　had　five　hemorrhages？〃

〃Oh！　I　knew　his　lungs　had　been　weakened　by　gas。　But　he　never　told　me　about　having　hemorrhages。〃

〃Well；　he　shore　had　them。　The　last　one　I'll　never　forget。　Every　time　he'd　cough　it　would　fetch　the　blood。　I　could　tell！　。　。　。　Oh；　it　was　awful。　I　begged　him　not　to　cough。　He　smiledlike　a　ghost　smilingand　he　whispered；　'I'll　quit。'　。　。　。　And　he　did。　The　doctor　came　from　Flagstaff　and　packed　him　in　ice。　Glenn　sat　propped　up　all　night　and　never　moved　a　muscle。　Never　coughed　again！　And　the　bleeding　stopped。　After　that　we　put　him　out　on　the　porch　where　he　could　breathe　fresh　air　all　the　time。　There's　something　wonderfully　healing　in　Arizona　air。　It's　from　the　dry　desert　and　here　it's　full　of　cedar　and　pine。　Anyway　Glenn　got　well。　And　I　think　the　West　has　cured　his　mind；　too。〃

〃Of　what