the call of the canyon-第3章

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mplement　of　passengers；　who；　as　far　as　Carley　could　see；　were　people　not　of　her　station　in　life。　The　glare　from　the　many　windows；　and　the　rather　crass　interest　of　several　men；　drove　her　back　to　her　own　section。　There　she　discovered　that　some　one　had　drawn　up　her　window　shades。　Carley　promptly　pulled　them　down　and　settled　herself　comfortably。　Then　she　heard　a　woman　speak；　not　particularly　low：　〃I　thought　people　traveled　west　to　see　the　country。〃　And　a　man　replied；　rather　dryly。　〃Wal；　not　always。〃　His　companion　went　on：　〃If　that　girl　was　mine　I'd　let　down　her　skirt。〃　The　man　laughed　and　replied：　〃Martha；　you're　shore　behind　the　times。　Look　at　the　pictures　in　the　magazines。〃

Such　remarks　amused　Carley；　and　later　she　took　advantage　of　an　opportunity　to　notice　her　neighbors。　They　appeared　a　rather　quaint　old　couple；　reminding　her　of　the　natives　of　country　towns　in　the　Adirondacks。　She　was　not　amused；　however；　when　another　of　her　woman　neighbors；　speaking　low；　referred　to　her　as　a　〃lunger。〃　Carley　appreciated　the　fact　that　she　was　pale；　but　she　assured　herself　that　there　ended　any　possible　resemblance　she　might　have　to　a　consumptive。　And　she　was　somewhat　pleased　to　hear　this　woman's　male　companion　forcibly　voice　her　own　convictions。　In　fact；　he　was　nothing　if　not　admiring。

Kansas　was　interminably　long　to　Carley；　and　she　went　to　sleep　before　riding　out　of　it。　Next　morning　she　found　herself　looking　out　at　the　rough　gray　and　black　land　of　New　Mexico。　She　searched　the　horizon　for　mountains；　but　there　did　not　appear　to　be　any。　She　received　a　vague；　slow…dawning　impression　that　was　hard　to　define。　She　did　not　like　the　country；　though　that　was　not　the　impression　which　eluded　her。　Bare　gray　flats；　low　scrub…fringed　hills；　bleak　cliffs；　jumble　after　jumble　of　rocks；　and　occasionally　a　long　vista　down　a　valley；　somehow　compelling…these　passed　before　her　gaze　until　she　tired　of　them。　Where　was　the　West　Glenn　had　written　about？　One　thing　seemed　sure；　and　it　was　that　every　mile　of　this　crude　country　brought　her　nearer　to　him。　This　recurring　thought　gave　Carley　all　the　pleasure　she　had　felt　so　far　in　this　endless　ride。　It　struck　her　that　England　or　France　could　be　dropped　down　into　New　Mexico　and　scarcely　noticed。

By　and　by　the　sun　grew　hot；　the　train　wound　slowly　and　creakingly　upgrade；　the　car　became　full　of　dust；　all　of　which　was　disagreeable　to　Carley。　She　dozed　on　her　pillow　for　hours；　until　she　was　stirred　by　a　passenger　crying　out；　delightedly：　〃Look！　Indians！〃

Carley　looked；　not　without　interest。　As　a　child　she　had　read　about　Indians；　and　memory　returned　images　both　colorful　and　romantic。　From　the　car　window　she　espied　dusty　flat　barrens；　low　squat　mud　houses；　and　queer…looking　little　people；　children　naked　or　extremely　ragged　and　dirty；　women　in　loose　garments　with　flares　of　red；　and　men　in　white　man's　garb；　slovenly　and　motley。　All　these　strange　individuals　stared　apathetically　as　the　train　slowly　passed。

〃Indians；〃　muttered　Carley；　incredulously。　〃Well；　if　they　are　the　noble　red　people；　my　illusions　are　dispelled。〃　She　did　not　look　out　of　the　window　again；　not　even　when　the　brakeman　called　out　the　remarkable　name　of　Albuquerque。

Next　day　Carley's　languid　attention　quickened　to　the　name　of　Arizona；　and　to　the　frowning　red　walls　of　rock；　and　to　the　vast　rolling　stretches　of　cedar…dotted　land。　Nevertheless；　it　affronted　her。　This　was　no　country　for　people　to　live　in；　and　so　far　as　she　could　see　it　was　indeed　uninhabited。　Her　sensations　were　not；　however；　limited　to　sight。　She　became　aware　of　unfamiliar　disturbing　little　shocks　or　vibrations　in　her　ear　drums；　and　after　that　a　disagreeable　bleeding　of　the　nose。　The　porter　told　her　this　was　owing　to　the　altitude。　Thus；　one　thing　and　another　kept　Carley　most　of　the　time　away　from　the　window；　so　that　she　really　saw　very　little　of　the　country。　From　what　she　had　seen　she　drew　the　conviction　that　she　had　not　missed　much。　At　sunset　she　deliberately　gazed　out　to　discover　what　an　Arizona　sunset　was　like　just　a　pale　yellow　flare！　She　had　seen　better　than　that　above　the　Palisades。　Not　until　reaching　Winslow　did　she　realize　how　near　she　was　to　her　journey's　end　and　that　she　would　arrive　at　Flagstaff　after　dark。　She　grew　conscious　of　nervousness。　Suppose　Flagstaff　were　like　these　other　queer　little　towns！

Not　only　once；　but　several　times　before　the　train　slowed　down　for　her　destination　did　Carley　wish　she　had　sent　Glenn　word　to　meet　her。　And　when；　presently；　she　found　herself　standing　out　in　the　dark；　cold；　windy　night　before　a　dim…lit　railroad　station　she　more　than　regretted　her　decision　to　surprise　Glenn。　But　that　was　too　late　and　she　must　make　the　best　of　her　poor　judgment。

Men　were　passing　to　and　fro　on　the　platform；　some　of　whom　appeared　to　be　very　dark　of　skin　and　eye；　and　were　probably　Mexicans。　At　length　an　expressman　approached　Carley；　soliciting　patronage。　He　took　her　bags　and；　depositing　them　in　a　wagon；　he　pointed　up　the　wide　street：　〃One　block　up　an'　turn。　Hotel　Wetherford。〃　Then　he　drove　off。　Carley　followed；　carrying　her　small　satchel。　A　cold　wind；　driving　the　dust；　stung　her　face　as　she　crossed　the　street　to　a　high　sidewalk　that　extended　along　the　block。　There　were　lights　in　the　stores　and　on　the　corners；　yet　she　seemed　impressed　by　a　dark；　cold；　windy　bigness。　Many　people；　mostly　men；　were　passing　up　and　down；　and　there　were　motor　cars　everywhere。　No　one　paid　any　attention　to　her。　Gaining　the　corner　of　the　block；　she　turned；　and　was　relieved　to　see　the　hotel　sign。　As　she　entered　the　lobby　a　clicking　of　pool　balls　and　the　discordant　rasp　of　a　phonograph　assailed　her　ears。　The　expressman　set　down　her　bags　and　left　Carley　standing　there。　The　clerk　or　proprietor　was　talking　from　behind　his　desk　to　several　men；　and　there　were　loungers　in　the　lobby。　The　air　was　thick　with　tobacco　smoke。　No　one　paid　any　attention　to　Carley　until　at　length　she　stepped　up　to　the　desk　and　interrupted　the　conversation　there。

〃Is　this　a　hotel？〃　she　queried；　brusquely。

The　shirt…sleeved　individual　leisurely　turned　and　replied；　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃

And　Carley　said：　〃No　one　would　recognize　it　by　the　courtesy　shown。　I　have　been　standing　here　waiting　to　register。〃

With　the　same　leisurely　case　and　a　cool；　laconic　stare　the　clerk　turned　the　book　toward　her。　〃Reckon　people　round　here　ask　for　what　they　want。〃

Carley　made　no　further　comment。　She　assuredly　recognized　that　what　she　had　been　accustomed　to　could　not　be　expected　out　here。　What　she　most　wished　to　do　at　the　moment　was　to　get　close　to　the　big　open　grate　where　a　cheery　red…　and…gold　fire　cracked。　It　was　necessary；　however；　to　follow　the　clerk。　He　assigned　her　to　a　small　drab　room　which　contained　a　bed；　a　bureau；　and　a　stationary　washstand　with　one　spigot。　There　was　also　a　chair。　While　Carley　removed　her　coat　and　hat　the　clerk　went　downstairs　for　the　rest　of　her　luggage。　Upon　his　return　Carley　learned　that　a　stage　left　the　hotel　for　Oak　Creek　Canyon　at　nine　o'clock　next　morning。　And　this　cheered　her　so　much　that　she　faced　the　strange　sense　of　loneliness　and　discomfort　with　something　of　fortitude。　There　was　no　heat　in　the　room；　and　no　hot　water。　When　Carley　squeezed　the　spigot　handle　there　burst　forth　a　torrent　of　water　that　spouted　up　out　of　the　washbasin　to　deluge　her。　It　was　colder　than　any　ice　water　she　had　ever　felt。　It　was　piercingly　cold。　Hard　upon　the　surprise　and　shock　Carley　suffered　a　flash　of　temper。　But　then　the　humor　of　it　struck　her　and　she　had　to　laugh。

〃Serves　you　rightyou　spoiled　doll　of　luxury！〃　she　mocked。　〃This　is　out　West。　Shiver　and　wait　on　yourself！〃

Never　before　had　she　undressed　so　swiftly　nor　felt　grateful　for　thick　woollen　blankets　on　a　hard　bed。　Gradually　she　grew　warm。　The　blackness；　too；　seemed　rather　comforting。

〃I'm　only　twenty　miles　from　Glenn；〃　she　whispered。　〃How　strange！　I　wonder　will　he　be　glad。〃　She　felt　a　sweet；　glowing　assurance　of　that。　Sleep　did　not　come　readily。　Excitement　had　laid　hold　of　her　nerves；　and　for　a　long　time　she　lay　awake。　After　a　while　the　chug　of　motor　cars；　the　click　of　pool　balls；　the　murmur　of　low　voices　all　ceased。　Then　she　heard　a　sound　of　wind　outside；　an　intermittent；　low　moaning；　new　to　her　ears；　and　somehow　pleasant。　Another　sound　greeted　herthe　musical　clanging　of　a　cl