to the last man-第52章
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Colter vouchsafed no reply to this； but deliberately went on rummaging；
with little regard for how he scattered things。 Ellen turned her back
on him。 At length； when he left； she went to her father's corner and
found that； as far as she was able to see； Colter had taken neither
papers nor clothes； but only the gold。 Perhaps； however； she had been
mistaken； for she had not observed Colter's departure closely enough
to know whether or not he carried a package。 She missed only the gold。
Her father's papers； old and musty； were scattered about； and these she
gathered up to slip in her own bundle。
Colter； or one of the men； had saddled Spades； and he was now tied to
the corral fence； champing his bit and pounding the sand。 Ellen wrapped
bread and meat inside her coat； and after tying this behind her saddle
she was ready to go。 But evidently she would have to wait； and；
preferring to remain outdoors； she stayed by her horse。 Presently；
while watching the men pack； she noticed that Springer wore a bandage
round his head under the brim of his sombrero。 His motions were slow
and lacked energy。 Shuddering at the sight； Ellen refused to conjecture。
All too soon she would learn what had happened； and all too soon；
perhaps； she herself would be in the midst of another fight。 She
watched the men。 They were making a hurried slipshod job of packing
food supplies from both cabins。 More than once she caught Colter's
gray gleam of gaze on her； and she did not like it。
〃I'll ride up an' say good…by to Sprague；〃 she called to Colter。
〃Shore y'u won't do nothin' of the kind；〃 he called back。
There was authority in his tone that angered Ellen； and something else
which inhibited her anger。 What was there about Colter with which she
must reckon？ The other two Texans laughed aloud； to be suddenly silenced
by Colter's harsh and lowered curses。 Ellen walked out of hearing and
sat upon a log； where she remained until Colter hailed her。
〃Get up an' ride；〃 he called。
Ellen complied with this order and； riding up behind the three mounted
men； she soon found herself leaving what for years had been her home。
Not once did she look back。 She hoped she would never see the squalid；
bare pretension of a ranch again。
Colter and the other riders drove the pack horses across the meadow；
off of the trails； and up the slope into the forest。 Not very long
did it take Ellen to see that Colter's object was to hide their tracks。
He zigzagged through the forest； avoiding the bare spots of dust； the
dry； sun…baked flats of clay where water lay in spring； and he chose the
grassy； open glades； the long； pine…needle matted aisles。 Ellen rode at
their heels and it pleased her to watch for their tracks。 Colter
manifestly had been long practiced in this game of hiding his trail；
and he showed the skill of a rustler。 But Ellen was not convinced that
he could ever elude a real woodsman。 Not improbably； however； Colter
was only aiming to leave a trail difficult to follow and which would
allow him and his confederates ample time to forge ahead of pursuers。
Ellen could not accept a certainty of pursuit。 Yet Colter must have
expected it； and Springer and Wells also； for they had a dark； sinister；
furtive demeanor that strangely contrasted with the cool； easy manner
habitual to them。
They were not seeking the level routes of the forest land； that was sure。
They rode straight across the thick…timbered ridge down into another
canyon； up out of that； and across rough； rocky bluffs； and down again。
These riders headed a little to the northwest and every mile brought
them into wilder； more rugged country； until Ellen； losing count of
canyons and ridges； had no idea where she was。 No stop was made at
noon to rest the laboring； sweating pack animals。
Under circumstances where pleasure might have been possible Ellen would
have reveled in this hard ride into a wonderful forest ever thickening
and darkening。 But the wild beauty of glade and the spruce slopes and
the deep； bronze…walled canyons left her cold。 She saw and felt； but
had no thrill； except now and then a thrill of alarm when Spades slid
to his haunches down some steep； damp； piny declivity。
All the woodland； up and down； appeared to be richer greener as they
traveled farther west。 Grass grew thick and heavy。 Water ran in all
ravines。 The rocks were bronze and copper and russet； and some had
green patches of lichen。
Ellen felt the sun now on her left cheek and knew that the day was
waning and that Colter was swinging farther to the northwest。 She
had never before ridden through such heavy forest and down and up
such wild canyons。 Toward sunset the deepest and ruggedest canyon
halted their advance。 Colter rode to the right； searching for a place
to get down through a spruce thicket that stood on end。 Presently he
dismounted and the others followed suit。 Ellen found she could not
lead Spades because he slid down upon her heels； so she looped the end
of her reins over the pommel and left him free。 She herself managed to
descend by holding to branches and sliding all the way down that slope。
She heard the horses cracking the brush； snorting and heaving。 One pack
slipped and had to be removed from the horse； and rolled down。 At the
bottom of this deep； green…walled notch roared a stream of water。
Shadowed； cool； mossy； damp； this narrow gulch seemed the wildest place
Ellen had ever seen。 She could just see the sunset…flushed； gold…tipped
spruces far above her。 The men repacked the horse that had slipped his
burden； and once more resumed their progress ahead； now turning up this
canyon。 There was no horse trail； but deer and bear trails were
numerous。 The sun sank and the sky darkened； but still the men
rode on； and the farther they traveled the wilder grew the aspect
of the canyon。
At length Colter broke a way through a heavy thicket of willows and
entered a side canyon； the mouth of which Ellen had not even descried。
It turned and widened； and at length opened out into a round pocket；
apparently inclosed； and as lonely and isolated a place as even pursued
rustlers could desire。 Hidden by jutting wall and thicket of spruce
were two old log cabins joined together by roof and attic floor； the
same as the double cabin at the Jorth ranch。
Ellen smelled wood smoke； and presently； on going round the cabins；
saw a bright fire。 One man stood beside it gazing at Colter's party；
which evidently he had heard approaching。
〃Hullo； Queen！〃 said Colter。 How's Tad？〃
〃He's holdin' on fine；〃 replied Queen； bending over the fire；
where he turned pieces of meat。
〃Where's father？〃 suddenly asked Ellen； addressing Colter。
As if he had not heard her； he went on wearily loosening a pack。
Queen looked at her。 The light of the fire only partially shone on
his face。 Ellen could not see its expression。 But from the fact that
Queen did not answer her question she got further intimation of an
impending catastrophe。 The long； wild ride had helped prepare her for
the secrecy and taciturnity of men who had resorted to flight。 Perhaps
her father had been delayed or was still off on the deadly mission that
had obsessed him； or there might； and probably was； darker reason for
his absence。 Ellen shut her teeth and turned to the needs of her horse。
And presently。 returning to the fire； she thought of her uncle。
〃Queen； is my uncle Tad heah？〃 she asked。
〃Shore。 He's in there；〃 replied Queen； pointing at the nearer cabin。
Ellen hurried toward the dark doorway。 She could see how the logs of
the cabin had moved awry and what a big； dilapidated hovel it was。
As she looked in； Colter loomed over herplaced a familiar and somehow
masterful hand upon her。 Ellen let it rest on her shoulder a moment。
Must she forever be repulsing these rude men among whom her lot was cast？
Did Colter mean what Daggs had always meant？ Ellen felt herself weary；
weak in body； and her spent spirit had not rallied。 Yet； whatever Colter
meant by his familiarity； she could not bear it。 So she slipped out
from under his hand。
〃Uncle Tad； are y'u heah？〃 she called into the blackness。 She heard
the mice
