the call of the canyon-第50章

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　failed　menor　love。　It　is　no　longer　a　mystery。　Unhappiness　is　only　a　change。　Happiness　itself　is　only　change。　So　what　does　it　matter？　The　great　thing　is　to　see　lifeto　understandto　feelto　workto　fightto　endure。　It　is　not　my　fault　I　am　here。　But　it　is　my　fault　if　I　leave　this　strange　old　earth　the　poorer　for　my　failure。　。　。　。　I　will　no　longer　be　little。　I　will　find　strength。　I　will　endure。　。　。　。　I　still　have　eyes；　ears；　nose；　taste。　I　can　feel　the　sun；　the　wind；　the　nip　of　frost。　Must　I　slink　like　a　craven　because　I've　lost　the　love　of　one　man？　Must　I　hate　Flo　Hutter　because　she　will　make　Glenn　happy？　Never！　。。。　All　of　this　seems　better　so；　because　through　it　I　am　changed。　I　might　have　lived　on；　a　selfish　clod！〃

Carley　turned　from　the　mountain　kingdom　and　faced　her　future　with　the　profound　and　sad　and　far…seeing　look　that　had　come　with　her　lesson。　She　knew　what　to　give。　Sometime　and　somewhere　there　would　be　recompense。　She　would　hide　her　wound　in　the　faith　that　time　would　heat　it。　And　the　ordeal　she　set　herself；　to　prove　her　sincerity　and　strength；　was　to　ride　down　to　Oak　Creek　Canyon。

Carley　did　not　wait　many　days。　Strange　how　the　old　vanity　held　her　back　until　something　of　the　havoc　in　her　face　should　be　gone！

One　morning　she　set　out　early；　riding　her　best　horse；　and　she　took　a　sheep　trail　across　country。　The　distance　by　road　was　much　farther。　The　June　morning　was　cool；　sparkling；　fragrant。　Mocking　birds　sang　from　the　topmost　twig　of　cedars；　doves　cooed　in　the　pines；　sparrow　hawks　sailed　low　over　the　open　grassy　patches。　Desert　primroses　showed　their　rounded　pink　clusters　in　sunny　places；　and　here　and　there　burned　the　carmine　of　Indian　paint…brush。　Jack　rabbits　and　cotton…tails　bounded　and　scampered　away　through　the　sage。　The　desert　had　life　and　color　and　movement　this　June　day。　And　as　always　there　was　the　dry　fragrance　on　the　air。

Her　mustang　had　been　inured　to　long　and　consistent　travel　over　the　desert。　Her　weight　was　nothing　to　him　and　he　kept　to　the　swinging　lope　for　miles。　As　she　approached　Oak　Creek　Canyon；　however；　she　drew　him　to　a　trot；　and　then　a　walk。　Sight　of　the　deep　red…walled　and　green…floored　canyon　was　a　shock　to　her。

The　trail　came　out　on　the　road　that　led　to　Ryan's　sheep　camp；　at　a　point　several　miles　west　of　the　cabin　where　Carley　had　encountered　Haze　Ruff。　She　remembered　the　curves　and　stretches；　and　especially　the　steep　jump…off　where　the　road　led　down　off　the　rim　into　the　canyon。　Here　she　dismounted　and　walked。　From　the　foot　of　this　descent　she　knew　every　rod　of　the　way　would　be　familiar　to　her；　and；　womanlike；　she　wanted　to　turn　away　and　fly　from　them。　But　she　kept　on　and　mounted　again　at　level　ground。

The　murmur　of　the　creek　suddenly　assailed　her　earssweet；　sad；　memorable；　strangely　powerful　to　hurt。　Yet　the　sound　seemed　of　long　ago。　Down　here　summer　had　advanced。　Rich　thick　foliage　overspread　the　winding　road　of　sand。　Then　out　of　the　shade　she　passed　into　the　sunnier　regions　of　isolated　pines。　Along　here　she　had　raced　Calico　with　Glenn's　bay；　and　here　she　had　caught　him；　and　there　was　the　place　she　had　fallen。　She　halted　a　moment　under　the　pine　tree　where　Glenn　had　held　her　in　his　arms。　Tears　dimmed　her　eyes。　If　only　she　had　known　then　the　truth；　the　reality！　But　regrets　were　useless。

By　and　by　a　craggy　red　wall　loomed　above　the　trees；　and　its　pipe…organ　conformation　was　familiar　to　Carley。　She　left　the　road　and　turned　to　go　down　to　the　creek。　Sycamores　and　maples　and　great　bowlders；　and　mossy　ledges　overhanging　the　water；　and　a　huge　sentinel　pine　marked　the　spot　where　she　and　Glenn　had　eaten　their　lunch　that　last　day。　Her　mustang　splashed　into　the　clear　water　and　halted　to　drink。　Beyond；　through　the　trees；　Carley　saw　the　sunny　red…earthed　clearing　that　was　Glenn's　farm。　She　looked；　and　fought　herself；　and　bit　her　quivering　lip　until　she　tasted　blood。　Then　she　rode　out　into　the　open。

The　whole　west　side　of　the　canyon　had　been　cleared　and　cultivated　and　plowed。　But　she　gazed　no　farther。　She　did　not　want　to　see　the　spot　where　she　had　given　Glenn　his　ring　and　had　parted　from　him。　She　rode　on。　If　she　could　pass　West　Fork　she　believed　her　courage　would　rise　to　the　completion　of　this　ordeal。　Places　were　what　she　feared。　Places　that　she　had　loved　while　blindly　believing　she　hated！　There　the　narrow　gap　of　green　and　blue　split　the　looming　red　wall。　She　was　looking　into　West　Fork。　Up　there　stood　the　cabin。　How　fierce　a　pang　rent　her　breast！　She　faltered　at　the　crossing　of　the　branch　stream；　and　almost　surrendered。　The　water　murmured；　the　leaves　rustled；　the　bees　hummed；　the　birds　sangall　with　some　sad　sweetness　that　seemed　of　the　past。

Then　the　trail　leading　up　West　Fork　was　like　a　barrier。　She　saw　horse　tracks　in　it。　Next　she　descried　boot　tracks　the　shape　of　which　was　so　well…remembered　that　it　shook　her　heart。　There　were　fresh　tracks　in　the　sand；　pointing　in　the　direction　of　the　Lodge。　Ah！　that　was　where　Glenn　lived　now。　Carley　strained　at　her　will　to　keep　it　fighting　her　memory。　The　glory　and　the　dream　were　gone！

A　touch　of　spur　urged　her　mustang　into　a　gallop。　The　splashing　ford　of　the　creekthe　still；　eddying　pool　beyondthe　green　orchardsthe　white　lacy　waterfalland　Lolomi　Lodge！

Nothing　had　altered。　But　Carley　seemed　returning　after　many　years。　Slowly　she　dismountedslowly　she　climbed　the　porch　steps。　Was　there　no　one　at　home？　Yet　the　vacant　doorway；　the　silencesomething　attested　to　the　knowledge　of　Carley's　presence。　Then　suddenly　Mrs。　Hutter　fluttered　out　with　Flo　behind　her。

〃You　dear　girlI'm　so　glad！〃　cried　Mrs。　Hutter；　her　voice　trembling。

〃I'm　glad　to　see　you；　too；〃　said　Carley；　bending　to　receive　Mrs。　Hutter's　embrace。　Carley　saw　dim　eyesthe　stress　of　agitation；　but　no　surprise。

〃Oh；　Carley！〃　burst　out　the　Western　girl；　with　voice　rich　and　full；　yet　tremulous。

〃Flo；　I've　come　to　wish　you　happiness；〃　replied　Carley；　very　low。

Was　it　the　same　Flo？　This　seemed　more　of　a　womanstrange　nowwhite　and　strainedbeautiful；　eager；　questioning。　A　cry　of　gladness　burst　from　her。　Carley　felt　herself　enveloped　in　strong　close　clasp…and　then　a　warm；　quick　kiss　of　joy；　It　shocked　her；　yet　somehow　thrilled。　Sure　was　the　welcome　here。　Sure　was　the　strained　situation；　also；　but　the　voice　rang　too　glad　a　note　for　Carley。　It　touched　her　deeply；　yet　she　could　not　understand。　She　had　not　measured　the　depth　of　Western　friendship。

〃Have　youseen　Glenn？〃　queried　Flo；　breathlessly。

〃Oh　no；　indeed　not；〃　replied　Carley；　slowly　gaining　composure。　The　nervous　agitation　of　these　women　had　stilled　her　own。　〃I　just　rode　up　the　trail。　Where　is　he？〃

〃He　was　herea　moment　ago；〃　panted　Flo。　〃Oh；　Carley；　we　sure　are　locoed。　。　。　。　Why；　we　only　heard　an　hour　agothat　you　were　at　Deep　Lake。　。　。　。　Charley　rode　in。　He　told　us。　。　。　。　I　thought　my　heart　would　break。　Poor　Glenn！　When　he　heard　it。　。　。　。　But　never　mind　me。　Jump　your　horse　and　run　to　West　Fork！〃

The　spirit　of　her　was　like　the　strength　of　her　arms　as　she　hurried　Carley　across　the　porch　and　shoved　her　down　the　steps。

〃Climb　on　and　run；　Carley；〃　cried　Flo。　〃If　you　only　knew　how　glad　he'll　be　that　you　came！〃

Carley　leaped　into　the　saddle　and　wheeled　the　mustang。　But　she　had　no　answer　for　the　girl's　singular；　almost　wild　exultance。　Then　like　a　shot　the　spirited　mustang　was　off　down　the　lane。　Carley　wondered　with　swelling　heart。　Was　her　coming　such　a　wondrous　surpriseso　unexpected　and　big　in　generositysomething　that　would　make　Kilbourne　as　glad　as　it　had　seemed　to　make　Flo？　Carley　thrilled　to　this　assurance。

Down　the　lane　she　flew。　The　red　walls　blurred　and　the　sweet　wind　whipped　her　face。　At　the　trail　she　swerved　the　mustang；　but　did　not　check　his　gait。　Under　the　great　pines　he　sped　and　round　the　bulging　wall。　At　the　rocky　incline　leading　to　the　creek　she　pulled　the　fiery　animal　to　a　trot。　How　low　and　clear　the　water！　As　Carley　forded　it　fresh　cool　drops　splashed　into　her　face。　Again　she　spurred　her　mount　and　again　trees　and　walls　rushed　by。　Up　and　down　the　yellow　bits　of　trailon　over　the　brown　mats　of　pine　needles　until　there　in　the　sunlight　shone　the　little　gray　log　cabin　with　a　tall　form　standing　in　the　door。　One　instant　the　canyon　tilted　on　end　for　Carley　and　she　was　riding　into　the　blue　sky。　Then　some　magic　of　soul　sustained　her