riders of the purple sage-第51章
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flame into life。 If those riders were not rustlers he had forgotten how rustlers looked and rode。 On they came； a small group； so compact and dark that he could not tell their number。 How unusual that their horses did not see Wrangle！ But such failure； Venters decided； was owing to the speed with which they were traveling。 They moved at a swift canter affected more by rustlers than by riders。 Venters grew concerned over the possibility that these horsemen would actually ride down on him before he had a chance to tell what to expect。 When they were within three hundred yards he deliberately led Wrangle out into the trail。
Then he heard shouts； and the hard scrape of sliding hoofs； and saw horses rear and plunge back with up…flung heads and flying manes。 Several little white puffs of smoke appeared sharply against the black background of riders and horses； and shots rang out。 Bullets struck far in front of Venters； and whipped up the dust and then hummed low into the sage。 The range was great for revolvers； but whether the shots were meant to kill or merely to check advance； they were enough to fire that waiting ferocity in Venters。 Slipping his arm through the bridle； so that Wrangle could not get away； Venters lifted his rifle and pulled the trigger twice。
He saw the first horseman lean sideways and fall。 He saw another lurch in his saddle and heard a cry of pain。 Then Wrangle； plunging in fright； lifted Venters and nearly threw him。 He jerked the horse down with a powerful hand and leaped into the saddle。 Wrangle plunged again； dragging his bridle； that Venters had not had time to throw in place。 Bending over with a swift movement； he secured it and dropped the loop over the pommel。 Then； with grinding teeth； he looked to see what the issue would be。
The band had scattered so as not to afford such a broad mark for bullets。 The riders faced Venters； some with red…belching guns。 He heard a sharper report； and just as Wrangle plunged again he caught the whim of a leaden missile that would have hit him but for Wrangle's sudden jump。 A swift； hot wave； turning cold； passed over Venters。 Deliberately he picked out the one rider with a carbine； and killed him。 Wrangle snorted shrilly and bolted into the sage。 Venters let him run a few rods； then with iron arm checked him。
Five riders； surely rustlers； were left。 One leaped out of the saddle to secure his fallen comrade's carbine。 A shot from Venters； which missed the man but sent the dust flying over him made him run back to his horse。 Then they separated。 The crippled rider went one way； the one frustrated in his attempt to get the carbine rode another； Venters thought he made out a third rider； carrying a strange…appearing bundle and disappearing in the sage。 But in the rapidity of action and vision he could not discern what it was。 Two riders with three horses swung out to the right。 Afraid of the long riflea burdensome weapon seldom carried by rustlers or ridersthey had been put to rout。
Suddenly Venters discovered that one of the two men last noted was riding Jane Withersteen's horse Bellsthe beautiful bay racer she had given to Lassiter。 Venters uttered a savage outcry。 Then the small； wiry； frog…like shape of the second rider； and the ease and grace of his seat in the saddlethings so strikingly incongruousgrew more and more familiar in Venters's sight。
〃Jerry Card！〃 cried Venters。
It was indeed Tull's right…hand man。 Such a white hot wrath inflamed Venters that he fought himself to see with clearer gaze。
〃It's Jerry Card！〃 he exclaimed； instantly。 〃And he's riding Black Star and leading Night！〃
The long…kindling； stormy fire in Venters's heart burst into flame。 He spurred Wrangle； and as the horse lengthened his stride Venters slipped cartridges into the magazine of his rifle till it was once again full。 Card and his companion were now half a mile or more in advance； riding easily down the slope。 Venters marked the smooth gait； and understood it when Wrangle galloped out of the sage into the broad cattle trail； down which Venters had once tracked Jane Withersteen's red herd。 This hard…packed trail； from years of use； was as clean and smooth as a road。 Venters saw Jerry Card look back over his shoulder； the other rider did likewise。 Then the three racers lengthened their stride to the point where the swinging canter was ready to break into a gallop。
〃Wrangle； the race's on；〃 said Venters； grimly。 〃We'll canter with them and gallop with them and run with them。 We'll let them set the pace。〃
Venters knew he bestrode the strongest； swiftest； most tireless horse ever ridden by any rider across the Utah uplands。 Recalling Jane Withersteen's devoted assurance that Night could run neck and neck with Wrangle； and Black Star could show his heels to him； Venters wished that Jane were there to see the race to recover her blacks and in the unqualified superiority of the giant sorrel。 Then Venters found himself thankful that she was absent； for he meant that race to end in Jerry Card's death。 The first flush； the raging of Venters's wrath； passed； to leave him in sullen； almost cold possession of his will。 It was a deadly mood； utterly foreign to his nature； engendered； fostered； and released by the wild passions of wild men in a wild country。 The strength in him thenthe thing rife in him that was note hate； but something as remorselessmight have been the fiery fruition of a whole lifetime of vengeful quest。 Nothing could have stopped him。
Venters thought out the race shrewdly。 The rider on Bells would probably drop behind and take to the sage。 What he did was of little moment to Venters。 To stop Jerry Card； his evil hidden career as well as his present flight； and then to catch the blacksthat was all that concerned Venters。 The cattle trail wound for miles and miles down the slope。 Venters saw with a rider's keen vision ten； fifteen； twenty miles of clear purple sage。 There were no on…coming riders or rustlers to aid Card。 His only chance to escape lay in abandoning the stolen horses and creeping away in the sage to hide。 In ten miles Wrangle could run Black Star and Night off their feet； and in fifteen he could kill them outright。 So Venters held the sorrel in； letting Card make the running。 It was a long race that would save the blacks。
In a few miles of that swinging canter Wrangle had crept appreciably closer to the three horses。 Jerry Card turned again； and when he saw how the sorrel had gained； he put Black Star to a gallop。 Night and Bells； on either side of him； swept into his stride。
Venters loosened the rein on Wrangle and let him break into a gallop。 The sorrel saw the horses ahead and wanted to run。 But Venters restrained him。 And in the gallop he gained more than in the canter。 Bells was fast in that gait； but Black Star and Night had been trained to run。 Slowly Wrangle closed the gap down to a quarter of a mile； and crept closer and closer。
Jerry Card wheeled once more。 Venters distinctly saw the red flash of his red face。 This time he looked long。 Venters laughed。 He knew what passed in Card's mind。 The rider was trying to make out what horse it happened to be that thus gained on Jane Withersteen's peerless racers。 Wrangle had so long been away from the village that not improbably Jerry had forgotten。 Besides； whatever Jerry's qualifications for his fame as the greatest rider of the sage； certain it was that his best point was not far…sightedness。 He had not recognized Wrangle。 After what must have been a searching gaze he got his comrade to face about。 This action gave Venters amusement。 It spoke so surely of the facts that neither Card nor the rustler actually knew their danger。 Yet if they kept to the trailand the last thing such men would do would be to leave itthey were both doomed。
This comrade of Card's whirled far around in his saddle； and he even shaded his eyes from the sun。 He； too； looked long。 Then； all at once； he faced ahead again and； bending lower in the saddle； began to fling his right arm up and down。 That flinging Venters knew to be the lashing of Bells。 Jerry also became active。 And the three racers lengthened out into a run。
〃Now； Wrangle！〃 cried Venters。 〃Run； you big devil！ Run！〃
Venters laid the reins on
