the last of the plainsmen-第31章

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ngry　hunter。　At　first　I　thought　I　was　only　burned。　Then　I　recognized　the　taste　and　burn　of　the　acid　and　knew　something　was　wrong。　Picking　up　the　tin；　I　examined　it；　smelled　the　pungent　odor　and　felt　a　queer　numb　sense　of　fear。　This　lasted　only　for　a　moment；　as　I　well　knew　the　use　and　power　of　the　acid；　and　had　not　swallowed　enough　to　hurt　me。　I　was　about　to　make　known　my　mistake　in　a　matter…of…fact　way；　when　it　flashed　over　me　the　accident　could　be　made　to　serve　a　turn。

〃Jones！〃　I　cried　hoarsely。　〃What's　in　this　butter？〃

〃Lord！　you　haven't　eaten　any　of　that。　Why；　I　put　carbolic　acid　in　it。〃

〃OhohohI'm　poisoned！　I　ate　nearly　all　of　it！　OhI'm　burning　up！　I'm　dying！〃　With　that　I　began　to　moan　and　rock　to　and　fro　and　hold　my　stomach。

Consternation　preceded　shock。　But　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment；　Wallacewho；　though　badly　scared；　retained　his　wits　made　for　me　with　a　can　of　condensed　milk。　He　threw　me　back　with　no　gentle　hand；　and　was　squeezing　the　life　out　of　me　to　make　me　open　my　mouth；　when　I　gave　him　a　jab　in　his　side。　I　imagined　his　surprise；　as　this　peculiar　reception　of　his　first…aid…to…the…injured　made　him　hold　off　to　take　a　look　at　me；　and　in　this　interval　I　contrived　to　whisper　to　him：　〃Joke！　Joke！　you　idiot！　I'm　only　shamming。　I　want　to　see　if　I　can　scare　Jones　and　get　even　with　Frank。　Help　me　out！　Cry！　Get　tragic！〃

From　that　moment　I　shall　always　believe　that　the　stage　lost　a　great　tragedian　in　Wallace。　With　a　magnificent　gesture　he　threw　the　can　of　condensed　milk　at　Jones；　who　was　so　stunned　he　did　not　try　to　dodge。　〃Thoughtless　man！　Murderer！　it's　too　late！〃　cried　Wallace；　laying　me　back　across　his　knees。　〃It's　too　late。　His　teeth　are　locked。　He's　far　gone。　Poor　boy！　poor　boy！　Who's　to　tell　his　mother？〃

I　could　see　from　under　my　hat…brim　that　the　solemn；　hollow　voice　had　penetrated　the　cold　exterior　of　the　plainsman。　He　could　not　speak；　he　clasped　and　unclasped　his　big　hands　in　helpless　fashion。　Frank　was　as　white　as　a　sheet。　This　was　simply　delightful　to　me。　But　the　expression　of　miserable；　impotent　distress　on　old　Jim's　sun…browned　face　was　more　than　I　could　stand；　and　I　could　no　longer　keep　up　the　deception。　Just　as　Wallace　cried　out　to　Jones　to　prayI　wished　then　I　had　not　weakened　so　soonI　got　up　and　walked　to　the　fire。

〃Jim；　I'll　have　another　biscuit；　please。〃

His　under　jaw　dropped；　then　he　nervously　shoveled　biscuits　at　me。　Jones　grabbed　my　hand　and　cried　out　with　a　voice　that　was　new　to　me：　〃You　can　eat？　You're　better？　You'll　get　over　it？〃

〃Sure。　Why；　carbolic　acid　never　phases　me。　I've　often　used　it　for　rattlesnake　bites。　I　did　not　tell　you；　but　that　rattler　at　the　cabin　last　night　actually　bit　me；　and　I　used　carbolic　to　cure　the　poison。〃

Frank　mumbled　something　about　horses；　and　faded　into　the　gloom。　As　for　Jones；　he　looked　at　me　rather　incredulously；　and　the　absolute；　almost　childish　gladness　he　manifested　because　I　had　been　snatched　from　the　grave；　made　me　regret　my　deceit；　and　satisfied　me　forever　on　one　score。

On　awakening　in　the　morning　I　found　frost　half　an　inch　thick　covered　my　sleeping…bag；　whitened　the　ground；　and　made　the　beautiful　silver　spruce　trees　silver　in　hue　as　well　as　in　name。

We　were　getting　ready　for　an　early　start；　when　two　riders；　with　pack…horses　jogging　after　them；　came　down　the　trail　from　the　direction　of　Oak　Spring。　They　proved　to　be　Jeff　Clarke；　the　wild…horse　wrangler　mentioned　by　the　Stewarts；　and　his　helper。　They　were　on　the　way　into　the　breaks　for　a　string　of　pintos。　Clarke　was　a　short；　heavily　bearded　man；　of　jovial　aspect。　He　said　he　had　met　the　Stewarts　going　into　Fredonia；　and　being　advised　of　our　destination；　had　hurried　to　come　up　with　us。　As　we　did　not　know；　except　in　a　general　way；　where　we　were　making　for；　the　meeting　was　a　fortunate　event。

Our　camping　site　had　been　close　to　the　divide　made　by　one　of　the　long；　wooded　ridges　sent　off　by　Buckskin　Mountain；　and　soon　we　were　descending　again。　We　rode　half　a　mile　down　a　timbered　slope；　and　then　out　into　a　beautiful；　flat　forest　of　gigantic　pines。　Clarke　informed　us　it　was　a　level　bench　some　ten　miles　long；　running　out　from　the　slopes　of　Buckskin　to　face　the　Grand　Canyon　on　the　south；　and　the　'breaks　of　the　Siwash　on　the　west。　For　two　hours　we　rode　between　the　stately　lines　of　trees；　and　the　hoofs　of　the　horses　gave　forth　no　sound。　A　long；　silvery　grass；　sprinkled　with　smiling　bluebells；　covered　the　ground；　except　close　under　the　pines；　where　soft　red　mats　invited　lounging　and　rest。　We　saw　numerous　deer；　great　gray　mule　deer；　almost　as　large　as　elk。　Jones　said　they　had　been　crossed　with　elk　once；　which　accounted　for　their　size。　I　did　not　see　a　stump；　or　a　burned　tree；　or　a　windfall　during　the　ride。

Clarke　led　us　to　the　rim　of　the　canyon。　Without　any　preparationfor　the　giant　trees　hid　the　open　skywe　rode　right　out　to　the　edge　of　the　tremendous　chasm。　At　first　I　did　not　seem　to　think；　my　faculties　were　benumbed；　only　the　pure　sensorial　instinct　of　the　savage　who　sees；　but　does　not　feel；　made　me　take　note　of　the　abyss。　Not　one　of　our　party　had　ever　seen　the　canyon　from　this　side；　and　not　one　of　us　said　a　word。　But　Clarke　kept　talking。

〃Wild　place　this　is　hyar；〃　he　said。　〃Seldom　any　one　but　horse　wranglers　gits　over　this　far。　I've　hed　a　bunch　of　wild　pintos　down　in　a　canyon　below　fer　two　years。　I　reckon　you　can't　find　no　better　place　fer　camp　than　right　hyar。　Listen。　Do　you　hear　thet　rumble？　Thet's　Thunder　Falls。　You　can　only　see　it　from　one　place；　an'　thet　far　off；　but　thar's　brooks　you　can　git　at　to　water　the　hosses。　Fer　thet　matter；　you　can　ride　up　the　slopes　an'　git　snow。　If　you　can　git　snow　close；　it'd　be　better；　fer　thet's　an　all…fired　bad　trail　down　fer　water。〃

〃Is　this　the　cougar　country　the　Stewarts　talked　about？〃　asked　Jones。

〃Reckon　it　is。　Cougars　is　as　thick　in　hyar　as　rabbits　in　a　spring…hole　canyon。　I'm　on　the　way　now　to　bring　up　my　pintos。　The　cougars　hev　cost　me　hundreds　I　might　say　thousands　of　dollars。　I　lose　hosses　all　the　time；　an'　damn　me；　gentlemen；　I've　never　raised　a　colt。　This　is　the　greatest　cougar　country　in　the　West。　Look　at　those　yellow　crags！　Thar's　where　the　cougars　stay。　No　one　ever　hunted　'em。　It　seems　to　me　they　can't　be　hunted。　Deer　and　wild　hosses　by　the　thousand　browse　hyar　on　the　mountain　in　summer；　an'　down　in　the　breaks　in　winter。　The　cougars　live　fat。　You'll　find　deer　and　wild…hoss　carcasses　all　over　this　country。　You'll　find　lions'　dens　full　of　bones。　You'll　find　warm　deer　left　for　the　coyotes。　But　whether　you'll　find　the　cougars；　I　can't　say。　I　fetched　dogs　in　hyar；　an'　tried　to　ketch　Old　Tom。　I've　put　them　on　his　trail　an'　never　saw　hide　nor　hair　of　them　again。　Jones；　it's　no　easy　huntin'　hyar。〃

〃Well；　I　can　see　that；〃　replied　our　leader。　〃I　never　hunted　lions　in　such　a　country；　and　never　knew　any　one　who　had。　We'll　have　to　learn　how。　We've　the　time　and　the　dogs；　all　we　need　is　the　stuff　in　us。〃

〃I　hope　you　fellars　git　some　cougars；　an'　I　believe　you　will。　Whatever　you　do；　kill　Old　Tom。〃

〃We'll　catch　him　alive。　We're　not　on　a　hunt　to　kill　cougars；〃　said　Jones。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Clarke；　looking　from　Jones　to　us。　His　rugged　face　wore　a　half…smile。

〃Jones　ropes　cougars；　an'　ties　them　up；〃　replied　Frank。

〃I'm　　　if　he'll　ever　rope　Old　Tom；〃　burst　out　Clarke；　ejecting　a　huge　quid　of　tobacco。　〃Why；　man　alive！　it'd　be　the　death　of　you　to　git　near　thet　old　villain。　I　never　seen　him；　but　I've　seen　his　tracks　fer　five　years。　They're　larger　than　any　hoss　tracks　you　ever　seen。　He'll　weigh　over　three　hundred；　thet　old　cougar。　Hyar；　take　a　look　at　my　man's　hoss。　Look　at　his　back。　See　them　marks？　Wal；　Old　Tom　made　them；　an'　he　made　them　right　in　camp　last　fall；　when　we　were　down　in　the　canyon。〃

The　mustang　to　which　Clarke　called　our　attention　was　a　sleek　cream　and　white　pinto。　Upon　his　side　and　back　were　long　regular　scars；　some　an　inch　wide；　and　bare　of　hair。

〃How　on　earth　did　he　get　rid　of　the　cougar？〃　asked　Jones。

〃I　don't　know。　Perhaps　he　got　scared　of　the　dogs。　It　took　thet　pinto　a　year　to　git　well。　Old　Tom　is　a　real　lion。　He'll　kill　a　full…grown　hoss　when　he　wants；　but　a　yearlin'　colt　is　his　especial　likin'。　You're　sure　to　run　acrost　his　trail；　an'　you'll　never　miss　it。　Wal；　if　I　find　any　cougar　sign　down　in　the　canyon；　I'll