riders of the purple sage-第5章

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〃Look！　A　rider！〃　exclaimed　Jane；　breaking　the　silence。　〃Can　that　be　Lassiter？〃

Venters　moved　his　glance　once　more　to　the　west。　A　horseman　showed　dark　on　the　sky…line；　then　merged　into　the　color　of　the　sage。

〃It　might　be。　But　I　think　notthat　fellow　was　coming　in。　One　of　your　riders；　more　likely。　Yes；　I　see　him　clearly　now。　And　there's　another。〃

〃I　see　them；　too。〃

〃Jane；　your　riders　seem　as　many　as　the　bunches　of　sage。　I　ran　into　five　yesterday　'way　down　near　the　trail　to　Deception　Pass。　They　were　with　the　white　herd。〃

〃You　still　go　to　that　canyon？　Bern；　I　wish　you　wouldn't。　Oldring　and　his　rustlers　live　somewhere　down　there。〃

〃Well；　what　of　that？〃

〃Tull　has　already　hinted　to　your　frequent　trips　into　Deception　Pass。〃

〃I　know。〃　Venters　uttered　a　short　laugh。　〃He'll　make　a　rustler　of　me　next。　But；　Jane；　there's　no　water　for　fifty　miles　after　I　leave　here；　and　the　nearest　is　in　the　canyon。　I　must　drink　and　water　my　horse。　There！　I　see　more　riders。　They　are　going　out。〃

〃The　red　herd　is　on　the　slope；　toward　the　Pass。〃

Twilight　was　fast　falling。　A　group　of　horsemen　crossed　the　dark　line　of　low　ground　to　become　more　distinct　as　they　climbed　the　slope。　The　silence　broke　to　a　clear　call　from　an　incoming　rider；　and；　almost　like　the　peal　of　a　hunting…horn；　floated　back　the　answer。　The　outgoing　riders　moved　swiftly；　came　sharply　into　sight　as　they　topped　a　ridge　to　show　wild　and　black　above　the　horizon；　and　then　passed　down；　dimming　into　the　purple　of　the　sage。

〃I　hope　they　don't　meet　Lassiter；〃　said　Jane。

〃So　do　I；〃　replied　Venters。　〃By　this　time　the　riders　of　the　night　shift　know　what　happened　to…day。　But　Lassiter　will　likely　keep　out　of　their　way。〃

〃Bern；　who　is　Lassiter？　He's　only　a　name　to　mea　terrible　name。〃

〃Who　is　he？　I　don't　know；　Jane。　Nobody　I　ever　met　knows　him。　He　talks　a　little　like　a　Texan；　like　Milly　Erne。　Did　you　note　that？〃

〃Yes。　How　strange　of　him　to　know　of　her！　And　she　lived　here　ten　years　and　has　been　dead　two。　Bern；　what　do　you　know　of　Lassiter？　Tell　me　what　he　has　donewhy　you　spoke　of　him　to　Tullthreatening　to　become　another　Lassiter　yourself？〃

〃Jane；　I　only　heard　things；　rumors；　stories；　most　of　which　I　disbelieved。　At　Glaze　his　name　was　known；　but　none　of　the　riders　or　ranchers　I　knew　there　ever　met　him。　At　Stone　Bridge　I　never　heard　him　mentioned。　But　at　Sterling　and　villages　north　of　there　he　was　spoken　of　often。　I've　never　been　in　a　village　which　he　had　been　known　to　visit。　There　were　many　conflicting　stories　about　him　and　his　doings。　Some　said　he　had　shot　up　this　and　that　Mormon　village；　and　others　denied　it。　I'm　inclined　to　believe　he　has；　and　you　know　how　Mormons　hide　the　truth。　But　there　was　one　feature　about　Lassiter　upon　which　all　agreethat　he　was　what　riders　in　this　country　call　a　gun…man。　He's　a　man　with　a　marvelous　quickness　and　accuracy　in　the　use　of　a　Colt。　And　now　that　I've　seen　him　I　know　more。　Lassiter　was　born　without　fear。　I　watched　him　with　eyes　which　saw　him　my　friend。　I'll　never　forget　the　moment　I　recognized　him　from　what　had　been　told　me　of　his　crouch　before　the　draw。　It　was　then　I　yelled　his　name。　I　believe　that　yell　saved　Tull's　life。　At　any　rate；　I　know　this；　between　Tull　and　death　then　there　was　not　the　breadth　of　the　littlest　hair。　If　he　or　any　of　his　men　had　moved　a　finger　downward〃

Venters　left　his　meaning　unspoken；　but　at　the　suggestion　Jane　shuddered。

The　pale　afterglow　in　the　west　darkened　with　the　merging　of　twilight　into　night。　The　sage　now　spread　out　black　and　gloomy。　One　dim　star　glimmered　in　the　southwest　sky。　The　sound　of　trotting　horses　had　ceased；　and　there　was　silence　broken　only　by　a　faint；　dry　pattering　of　cottonwood　leaves　in　the　soft　night　wind。

Into　this　peace　and　calm　suddenly　broke　the　high…keyed　yelp　of　a　coyote；　and　from　far　off　in　the　darkness　came　the　faint　answering　note　of　a　trailing　mate。

〃Hello！　the　sage…dogs　are　barking；〃　said　Venters。

〃I　don't　like　to　hear　them；〃　replied　Jane。　〃At　night；　sometimes　when　I　lie　awake；　listening　to　the　long　mourn　or　breaking　bark　or　wild　howl；　I　think　of　you　asleep　somewhere　in　the　sage；　and　my　heart　aches。〃

〃Jane；　you　couldn't　listen　to　sweeter　music；　nor　could　I　have　a　better　bed。〃

〃Just　think！　Men　like　Lassiter　and　you　have　no　home；　no　comfort；　no　rest；　no　place　to　lay　your　weary　heads。　Well！。。。Let　us　be　patient。　Tull's　anger　may　cool；　and　time　may　help　us。　You　might　do　some　service　to　the　villagewho　can　tell？　Suppose　you　discovered　the　long…unknown　hiding…place　of　Oldring　and　his　band；　and　told　it　to　my　riders？　That　would　disarm　Tull's　ugly　hints　and　put　you　in　favor。　For　years　my　riders　have　trailed　the　tracks　of　stolen　cattle。　You　know　as　well　as　I　how　dearly　we've　paid　for　our　ranges　in　this　wild　country。　Oldring　drives　our　cattle　down　into　the　network　of　deceiving　canyons；　and　somewhere　far　to　the　north　or　east　he　drives　them　up　and　out　to　Utah　markets。　If　you　will　spend　time　in　Deception　Pass　try　to　find　the　trails。〃

〃Jane；　I've　thought　of　that。　I'll　try。〃

〃I　must　go　now。　And　it　hurts；　for　now　I'll　never　be　sure　of　seeing　you　again。　But　to…morrow；　Bern？〃

〃To…morrow　surely。　I'll　watch　for　Lassiter　and　ride　in　with　him。〃

〃Good　night。〃

Then　she　left　him　and　moved　away；　a　white；　gliding　shape　that　soon　vanished　in　the　shadows。

Venters　waited　until　the　faint　slam　of　a　door　assured　him　she　had　reached　the　house；　and　then；　taking　up　his　rifle；　he　noiselessly　slipped　through　the　bushes；　down　the　knoll；　and　on　under　the　dark　trees　to　the　edge　of　the　grove。　The　sky　was　now　turning　from　gray　to　blue；　stars　had　begun　to　lighten　the　earlier　blackness；　and　from　the　wide　flat　sweep　before　him　blew　a　cool　wind；　fragrant　with　the　breath　of　sage。　Keeping　close　to　the　edge　of　the　cottonwoods；　he　went　swiftly　and　silently　westward。　The　grove　was　long；　and　he　had　not　reached　the　end　when　he　heard　something　that　brought　him　to　a　halt。　Low　padded　thuds　told　him　horses　were　coming　this　way。　He　sank　down　in　the　gloom；　waiting；　listening。　Much　before　he　had　expected；　judging　from　sound；　to　his　amazement　he　descried　horsemen　near　at　hand。　They　were　riding　along　the　border　of　the　sage；　and　instantly　he　knew　the　hoofs　of　the　horses　were　muffled。　Then　the　pale　starlight　afforded　him　indistinct　sight　of　the　riders。　But　his　eyes　were　keen　and　used　to　the　dark；　and　by　peering　closely　he　recognized　the　huge　bulk　and　black…bearded　visage　of　Oldring　and　the　lithe；　supple　form　of　the　rustler's　lieutenant；　a　masked　rider。　They　passed　on；　the　darkness　swallowed　them。　Then；　farther　out　on　the　sage；　a　dark；　compact　body　of　horsemen　went　by；　almost　without　sound；　almost　like　specters；　and　they；　too；　melted　into　the　night。



CHAPTER　III。　AMBER　SPRING

No　unusual　circumstances　was　it　for　Oldring　and　some　of　his　men　to　visit　Cottonwoods　in　the　broad　light　of　day；　but　for　him　to　prowl　about　in　the　dark　with　the　hoofs　of　his　horses　muffled　meant　that　mischief　was　brewing。　Moreover；　to　Venters　the　presence　of　the　masked　rider　with　Oldring　seemed　especially　ominous。　For　about　this　man　there　was　mystery；　he　seldom　rode　through　the　village；　and　when　he　did　ride　through　it　was　swiftly；　riders　seldom　met　by　day　on　the　sage；　but　wherever　he　rode　there　always　followed　deeds　as　dark　and　mysterious　as　the　mask　he　wore。　Oldring's　band　did　not　confine　themselves　to　the　rustling　of　cattle。

Venters　lay　low　in　the　shade　of　the　cottonwoods；　pondering　this　chance　meeting；　and　not　for　many　moments　did　he　consider　it　safe　to　move　on。　Then；　with　sudden　impulse；　he　turned　the　other　way　and　went　back　along　the　grove。　When　he　reached　the　path　leading　to　Jane's　home　he　decided　to　go　down　to　the　village。　So　he　hurried　onward；　with　quick　soft　steps。　Once　beyond　the　grove　he　entered　the　one　and　only　street。　It　was　wide；　lined　with　tall　poplars；　and　under　each　row　of　trees；　inside　the　foot…path；　were　ditches　where　ran　the　water　from　Jane　Withersteen's　spring。

Between　the　trees　twinkled　lights　of　cottage　candles；　and　far　down　flared　bright　windows　of　the　village　stores。　When　Venters　got　closer　to　these　he　saw　knots　of　men　standing　together　in　earnest　conversation。　The　usual　lounging　on　the　corners　and　benches　and　steps　was　not　in　evidence。　Keeping　in　the　shadow　Venters　went　closer　and　closer　until　he