to the last man-第5章
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not of robust build； she was vigorous and lithe； with something about
her that fitted the place。 Jean was loath to bid her good…by。
〃Which way is the Rim？ 〃 he asked； turning to his saddle girths。
〃South；〃 she replied； pointing。 〃It's only a mile or so。 I'll walk
down with y'u。 。 。 。 Suppose y'u're on the way to Grass Valley？〃
〃Yes； I've relatives there；〃 he returned。 He dreaded her next
question； which he suspected would concern his name。 But she did
not ask。 Taking up her rifle she turned away。 Jean strode ahead
to her side。 〃Reckon if you walk I won't ride。〃
So he found himself beside a girl with the free step of a Mountaineer。
Her bare； brown head came up nearly to his shoulder。 It was a small；
pretty head； graceful； well held； and the thick hair on it was a shiny；
soft brown。 She wore it in a braid； rather untidily and tangled； he
thought； and it was tied with a string of buckskin。 Altogether her
apparel proclaimed poverty。
Jean let the conversation languish for a little。 He wanted to think
what to say presently； and then he felt a rather vague pleasure in
stalking beside her。 Her profile was straight cut and exquisite in
line。 From this side view the soft curve of lips could not be seen。
She made several attempts to start conversation； all of which Jean
ignored； manifestly to her growing constraint。 Presently Jean；
having decided what he wanted to say； suddenly began： 〃I like this
adventure。 Do you？〃
〃Adventure！ Meetin' me in the woods？〃 And she laughed the laugh
of youth。 〃Shore you must be hard up for adventure； stranger。〃
〃Do you like it？〃 he persisted； and his eyes searched the
half…averted face。
〃I might like it；〃 she answered； frankly； 〃ifif my temper had not
made a fool of me。 I never meet anyone I care to talk to。 Why should
it not be pleasant to run across some one newsome one strange in
this heah wild country？ 〃
〃We are as we are；〃 said Jean； simply。 〃I didn't think you made a
fool of yourself。 If I thought so； would I want to see you again？〃
〃Do y'u？〃 The brown face flashed on him with surprise； with a light
he took for gladness。 And because he wanted to appear calm and friendly；
not too eager； he had to deny himself the thrill of meeting those
changing eyes。
〃Sure I do。 Reckon I'm overbold on such short acquaintance。 But I
might not have another chance to tell you； so please don't hold it
against me。〃
This declaration over； Jean felt relief and something of exultation。
He had been afraid he might not have the courage to make it。 She
walked on as before； only with her head bowed a little and her eyes
downcast。 No color but the gold…brown tan and the blue tracery of
veins showed in her cheeks。 He noticed then a slight swelling quiver
of her throat； and he became alive to its graceful contour； and to how
full and pulsating it was； how nobly it set into the curve of her
shoulder。 Here in her quivering throat was the weakness of her；
the evidence of her sex； the womanliness that belied the mountaineer
stride and the grasp of strong brown hands on a rifle。 It had an
effect on Jean totally inexplicable to him； both in the strange warmth
that stole over him and in the utterance he could not hold back。
〃Girl； we're strangers； but what of that？ We've met； an' I tell you
it means somethin' to me。 I've known girls for months an' never felt
this way。 I don't know who you are an' I don't care。 You betrayed a
good deal to me。 You're not happy。 You're lonely。 An' if I didn't
want to see you again for my own sake I would for yours。 Some things
you said I'll not forget soon。 I've got a sister； an' I know you have
no brother。 An' I reckon 。 。 。〃
At this juncture Jean in his earnestness and quite without thought
grasped her hand。 The contact checked the flow of his speech and
suddenly made him aghast at his temerity。 But the girl did not make
any effort to withdraw it。 So Jean； inhaling a deep breath and trying
to see through his bewilderment； held on bravely。 He imagined he felt
a faint； warm； returning pressure。 She was young； she was friendless；
she was human。 By this hand in his Jean felt more than ever the
loneliness of her。 Then； just as he was about to speak again；
she pulled her hand free。
〃Heah's the Rim；〃 she said； in her quaint Southern drawl。
〃An' there's Y'ur Tonto Basin。〃
Jean had been intent only upon the girl。 He had kept step beside her
without taking note of what was ahead of him。 At her words he looked
up expectantly； to be struck mute。
He felt a sheer force； a downward drawing of an immense abyss beneath him。
As he looked afar he saw a black basin of timbered country； the darkest
and wildest he had ever gazed upon； a hundred miles of blue distance
across to an unflung mountain range； hazy purple against the sky。
It seemed to be a stupendous gulf surrounded on three sides by bold；
undulating lines of peaks； and on his side by a wall so high that he
felt lifted aloft on the run of the sky。
Southeast y'u see the Sierra Anchas；〃 said the girl pointing。 〃That
notch in the range is the pass where sheep are driven to Phoenix an'
Maricopa。 Those big rough mountains to the south are the Mazatzals。
Round to the west is the Four Peaks Range。 An' y'u're standin' on
the Rim。〃
Jean could not see at first just what the Rim was； but by shifting
his gaze westward he grasped this remarkable phenomenon of nature。
For leagues and leagues a colossal red and yellow wall； a rampart；
a mountain…faced cliff； seemed to zigzag westward。 Grand and bold
were the promontories reaching out over the void。 They ran toward
the westering sun。 Sweeping and impressive were the long lines
slanting away from them； sloping darkly spotted down to merge into
the black timber。 Jean had never seen such a wild and rugged
manifestation of nature's depths and upheavals。 He was held mute。
〃Stranger； look down；〃 said the girl。
Jean's sight was educated to judge heights and depths and distances。
This wall upon which he stood sheered precipitously down； so far that
it made him dizzy to look； and then the craggy broken cliffs merged
into red…slided； cedar…greened slopes running down and down into
gorges choked with forests； and from which soared up a roar of rushing
waters。 Slope after slope； ridge beyond ridge； canyon merging into
canyonso the tremendous bowl sunk away to its black； deceiving depths；
a wilderness across which travel seemed impossible。
〃Wonderful！〃 exclaimed Jean。
〃Indeed it is！〃 murmured the girl。 〃Shore that is Arizona。 I reckon
I love THIS。 The heights an' depthsthe awfulness of its wilderness！〃
〃An' you want to leave it？〃
〃Yes an' no。 I don't deny the peace that comes to me heah。 But not
often do I see the Basin； an' for that matter； one doesn't live on
grand scenery。〃
〃Child； even once in a whilethis sight would cure any misery； if you
only see。 I'm glad I came。 I'm glad you showed it to me first。〃
She too seemed under the spell of a vastness and loneliness and beauty
and grandeur that could not but strike the heart。
Jean took her hand again。 〃Girl； say you will meet me here；〃 he said；
his voice ringing deep in his ears。
〃Shore I will；〃 she replied； softly； and turned to him。 It seemed
then that Jean saw her face for the first time。 She was beautiful
as he had never known beauty。 Limned against that scene； she gave
it lifewild； sweet； young lifethe poignant meaning of which
haunted yet eluded him。 But she belonged there。 Her eyes were
again searching his； as if。 for some lost part of herself； unrealized；
never known before。 Wondering； wistful； hopeful； glad…they were eyes
that seemed surprised； to reveal part of her soul。
Then her red lips parted。 Their tremulous movement was a magnet to Jean。
An invisible and mighty force pulled him down to kiss them。 Whatever
the spell had been； that rude； unconscious action broke it。
He jerked away； as if he expected to be struck。 〃GirlII〃he gasped
in amaze and sudden…dawning contrition〃 I kissed youbut I swear it
wasn't intentionalI never thought。 。 。 。〃
The anger that Jean anticipated failed to materialize。 He stood；
breathing hard； with a h
