riders of the purple sage-第14章

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istened。　From　the　direction　he　had　come　swelled　something　that　resembled　a　strange　muffled　pounding　and　splashing　and　ringing。　Despite　his　nerve　the　chill　sweat　began　to　dampen　his　forehead。　What　might　not　be　possible　in　this　stonewalled　maze　of　mystery？　The　unnatural　sound　passed　beyond　him　as　he　lay　gripping　his　rifle　and　fighting　for　coolness。　Then　from　the　open　came　the　sound；　now　distinct　and　different。　Venters　recognized　a　hobble…bell　of　a　horse；　and　the　cracking　of　iron　on　submerged　stones；　and　the　hollow　splash　of　hoofs　in　water。

Relief　surged　over　him。　His　mind　caught　again　at　realities；　and　curiosity　prompted　him　to　peep　from　behind　the　rock。

In　the　middle　of　the　stream　waded　a　long　string　of　packed　burros　driven　by　three　superbly　mounted　men。　Had　Venters　met　these　dark…clothed；　dark…visaged；　heavily　armed　men　anywhere　in　Utah；　let　alone　in　this　robbers'　retreat；　he　would　have　recognized　them　as　rustlers。　The　discerning　eye　of　a　rider　saw　the　signs　of　a　long；　arduous　trip。　These　men　were　packing　in　supplies　from　one　of　the　northern　villages。　They　were　tired；　and　their　horses　were　almost　played　out；　and　the　burros　plodded　on；　after　the　manner　of　their　kind　when　exhausted；　faithful　and　patient；　but　as　if　every　weary；　splashing；　slipping　step　would　be　their　last。

All　this　Venters　noted　in　one　glance。　After　that　he　watched　with　a　thrilling　eagerness。　Straight　at　the　waterfall　the　rustlers　drove　the　burros；　and　straight　through　the　middle；　where　the　water　spread　into　a　fleecy；　thin　film　like　dissolving　smoke。　Following　closely；　the　rustlers　rode　into　this　white　mist；　showing　in　bold　black　relief　for　an　instant；　and　then　they　vanished。

Venters　drew　a　full　breath　that　rushed　out　in　brief　and　sudden　utterance。

〃Good　Heaven！　Of　all　the　holes　for　a　rustler！。。。There's　a　cavern　under　that　waterfall；　and　a　passageway　leading　out　to　a　canyon　beyond。　Oldring　hides　in　there。　He　needs　only　to　guard　a　trail　leading　down　from　the　sage…flat　above。　Little　danger　of　this　outlet　to　the　pass　being　discovered。　I　stumbled　on　it　by　luck；　after　I　had　given　up。　And　now　I　know　the　truth　of　what　puzzled　me　mostwhy　that　cattle　trail　was　wet！〃

He　wheeled　and　ran　down　the　slope；　and　out　to　the　level　of　the　sage…brush。　Returning；　he　had　no　time　to　spare；　only　now　and　then；　between　dashes；　a　moment　when　he　stopped　to　cast　sharp　eyes　ahead。　The　abundant　grass　left　no　trace　of　his　trail。　Short　work　he　made　of　the　distance　to　the　circle　of　canyons。　He　doubted　that　he　would　ever　see　it　again；　he　knew　he　never　wanted　to；　yet　he　looked　at　the　red　corners　and　towers　with　the　eyes　of　a　rider　picturing　landmarks　never　to　be　forgotten。

Here　he　spent　a　panting　moment　in　a　slow…circling　gaze　of　the　sage…oval　and　the　gaps　between　the　bluffs。　Nothing　stirred　except　the　gentle　wave　of　the　tips　of　the　brush。　Then　he　pressed　on　past　the　mouths　of　several　canyons　and　over　ground　new　to　him；　now　close　under　the　eastern　wall。　This　latter　part　proved　to　be　easy　traveling；　well　screened　from　possible　observation　from　the　north　and　west；　and　he　soon　covered　it　and　felt　safer　in　the　deepening　shade　of　his　own　canyon。　Then　the　huge；　notched　bulge　of　red　rim　loomed　over　him；　a　mark　by　which　he　knew　again　the　deep　cove　where　his　camp　lay　hidden。　As　he　penetrated　the　thicket；　safe　again　for　the　present；　his　thoughts　reverted　to　the　girl　he　had　left　there。　The　afternoon　had　far　advanced。　How　would　he　find　her？　He　ran　into　camp；　frightening　the　dogs。

The　girl　lay　with　wide…open；　dark　eyes；　and　they　dilated　when　he　knelt　beside　her。　The　flush　of　fever　shone　in　her　cheeks。　He　lifted　her　and　held　water　to　her　dry　lips；　and　felt　an　inexplicable　sense　of　lightness　as　he　saw　her　swallow　in　a　slow；　choking　gulp。　Gently　he　laid　her　back。

〃Whoareyou？〃　she　whispered；　haltingly。

〃I'm　the　man　who　shot　you；〃　he　replied。

〃You'llnotkill　menow？〃

〃No；　no。〃

〃Whatwillyoudowith　me？〃

〃When　you　get　betterstrong　enoughI'll　take　you　back　to　the　canyon　where　the　rustlers　ride　through　the　waterfall。〃

As　with　a　faint　shadow　from　a　flitting　wing　overhead；　the　marble　whiteness　of　her　face　seemed　to　change。

〃Don'ttakemebackthere！〃



CHAPTER　VI。　THE　MILL…WHEEL　OF　STEERS

Meantime；　at　the　ranch；　when　Judkins's　news　had　sent　Venters　on　the　trail　of　the　rustlers；　Jane　Withersteen　led　the　injured　man　to　her　house　and　with　skilled　fingers　dressed　the　gunshot　wound　in　his　arm。

〃Judkins；　what　do　you　think　happened　to　my　riders？〃

〃II　d　rather　not　say；〃　he　replied。

〃Tell　me。　Whatever　you'll　tell　me　I'll　keep　to　myself。　I'm　beginning　to　worry　about　more　than　the　loss　of　a　herd　of　cattle。　Venters　hinted　of　but　tell　me；　Judkins。〃

〃Well；　Miss　Withersteen；　I　think　as　Venters　thinksyour　riders　have　been　called　in。〃

〃Judkins！。。。By　whom？〃

〃You　know　who　handles　the　reins　of　your　Mormon　riders。〃

〃Do　you　dare　insinuate　that　my　churchmen　have　ordered　in　my　riders？〃

〃I　ain't　insinuatin'　nothin'；　Miss　Withersteen；〃　answered　Judkins；　with　spirit。　〃I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　I　didn't　want　to　tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　I　can't　believe　that！　I'll　not　believe　it！　Would　Tull　leave　my　herds　at　the　mercy　of　rustlers　and　wolves　just　becausebecause？　No；　no！　It's　unbelievable。〃

〃Yes；　thet　particular　thing's　onheard　of　around　Cottonwoods　But；　beggin'　pardon；　Miss　Withersteen；　there　never　was　any　other　rich　Mormon　woman　here　on　the　border；　let　alone　one　thet's　taken　the　bit　between　her　teeth。〃

That　was　a　bold　thing　for　the　reserved　Judkins　to　say；　but　it　did　not　anger　her。　This　rider's　crude　hint　of　her　spirit　gave　her　a　glimpse　of　what　others　might　think。　Humility　and　obedience　had　been　hers　always。　But　had　she　taken　the　bit　between　her　teeth？　Still　she　wavered。　And　then；　with　quick　spurt　of　warm　blood　along　her　veins；　she　thought　of　Black　Star　when　he　got　the　bit　fast　between　his　iron　jaws　and　ran　wild　in　the　sage。　If　she　ever　started　to　run！　Jane　smothered　the　glow　and　burn　within　her；　ashamed　of　a　passion　for　freedom　that　opposed　her　duty。

〃Judkins；　go　to　the　village；〃　she　said；　〃and　when　you　have　learned　anything　definite　about　my　riders　please　come　to　me　at　once。〃

When　he　had　gone　Jane　resolutely　applied　her　mind　to　a　number　of　tasks　that　of　late　had　been　neglected。　Her　father　had　trained　her　in　the　management　of　a　hundred　employees　and　the　working　of　gardens　and　fields；　and　to　keep　record　of　the　movements　of　cattle　and　riders。　And　beside　the　many　duties　she　had　added　to　this　work　was　one　of　extreme　delicacy；　such　as　required　all　her　tact　and　ingenuity。　It　was　an　unobtrusive；　almost　secret　aid　which　she　rendered　to　the　Gentile　families　of　the　village。　Though　Jane　Withersteen　never　admitted　so　to　herself；　it　amounted　to　no　less　than　a　system　of　charity。　But　for　her　invention　of　numberless　kinds　of　employment；　for　which　there　was　no　actual　need；　these　families　of　Gentiles；　who　had　failed　in　a　Mormon　community；　would　have　starved。

In　aiding　these　poor　people　Jane　thought　she　deceived　her　keen　churchmen；　but　it　was　a　kind　of　deceit　for　which　she　did　not　pray　to　be　forgiven。　Equally　as　difficult　was　the　task　of　deceiving　the　Gentiles；　for　they　were　as　proud　as　they　were　poor。　It　had　been　a　great　grief　to　her　to　discover　how　these　people　hated　her　people；　and　it　had　been　a　source　of　great　joy　that　through　her　they　had　come　to　soften　in　hatred。　At　any　time　this　work　called　for　a　clearness　of　mind　that　precluded　anxiety　and　worry；　but　under　the　present　circumstances　it　required　all　her　vigor　and　obstinate　tenacity　to　pin　her　attention　upon　her　task。

Sunset　came；　bringing　with　the　end　of　her　labor　a　patient　calmness　and　power　to　wait　that　had　not　been　hers　earlier　in　the　day。　She　expected　Judkins；　but　he　did　not　appear。　Her　house　was　always　quiet；　to…night；　however；　it　seemed　unusually　so。　At　supper　her　women　served　her　with　a　silent　assiduity；　it　spoke　what　their　sealed　lips　could　not　utterthe　sympathy　of　Mormon　women。　Jerd　came　to　her　with　the　key　of　the　great　door　of　the　stone　stable；　and　to　make　his　daily　report　about　the　horses。　One　of　his　daily　duties　was　to　give　Black　Star　and　Night　and　the　other　racers　a　ten…mile　run。　This　day　it　had　been　omitted；　and　the　boy　grew　confused　in　explanations　that　she　had　not　asked　for。　She　did　inquire　if　he　would　return　on　the　m