riders of the purple sage-第67章

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。　He；　after　disrupting　the　calm　tenor　of　her　peace；　after　bringing　down　on　her　head　the　implacable　hostility　of　her　churchmen；　after　teaching　her　a　bitter　lesson　of　lifehe　was　to　be　her　salvation。　And　he　turned　away　again；　this　time　shaken　to　the　core　of　his　soul。　Jane　Withersteen　was　the　incarnation　of　selflessness。　He　experienced　wonder　and　terror；　exquisite　pain　and　rapture。　What　were　all　the　shocks　life　had　dealt　him　compared　to　the　thought　of　such　loyal　and　generous　friendship？

And　instantly；　as　if　by　some　divine　insight；　he　knew　himself　in　the　remakingtried；　found　wanting；　but　stronger；　better；　surerand　he　wheeled　to　Jane　Withersteen；　eager；　joyous；　passionate；　wild；　exalted。　He　bent　to　her；　he　left　tears　and　kisses　on　her　hands。

〃Jane；　II　can't　find　wordsnow；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　beyond　words。　OnlyI　understand。　And　I'll　take　the　blacks。〃

〃Don't　be　losin'　no　more　time；〃　cut　in　Lassiter。　〃I　ain't　certain；　but　I　think　I　seen　a　speck　up　the　sage…slope。　Mebbe　I　was　mistaken。　But；　anyway；　we　must　all　be　movin'。　I've　shortened　the　stirrups　on　Black　Star。　Put　Bess　on　him。〃

Jane　Withersteen　held　out　her　arms。

〃Elizabeth　Erne！〃　she　cried；　and　Bess　flew　to　her。

How　inconceivably　strange　and　beautiful　it　was　for　Venters　to　see　Bess　clasped　to　Jane　Withersteen's　breast！

Then　he　leaped　astride　Night。

〃Venters；　ride　straight　on　up　the　slope；〃　Lassiter　was　saying；　〃'an　if　you　don't　meet　any　riders　keep　on　till　you're　a　few　miles　from　the　village；　then　cut　off　in　the　sage　an'　go　round　to　the　trail。　But　you'll　most　likely　meet　riders　with　Tull。　Jest　keep　right　on　till　you're　jest　out　of　gunshot　an'　then　make　your　cut…off　into　the　sage。　They'll　ride　after　you；　but　it　won't　be　no　use。　You　can　ride；　an'　Bess　can　ride。　When　you're　out　of　reach　turn　on　round　to　the　west；　an'　hit　the　trail　somewhere。　Save　the　hosses　all　you　can；　but　don't　be　afraid。　Black　Star　and　Night　are　good　for　a　hundred　miles　before　sundown；　if　you　have　to　push　them。　You　can　get　to　Sterlin'　by　night　if　you　want。　But　better　make　it　along　about　to…morrow　mornin'。　When　you　get　through　the　notch　on　the　Glaze　trail；　swing　to　the　right。　You'll　be　able　to　see　both　Glaze　an'　Stone　Bridge。　Keep　away　from　them　villages。　You　won't　run　no　risk　of　meetin'　any　of　Oldrin's　rustlers　from　Sterlin'　on。　You'll　find　water　in　them　deep　hollows　north　of　the　Notch。　There's　an　old　trail　there；　not　much　used；　en'　it　leads　to　Sterlin'。　That's　your　trail。　An'　one　thing　more。　If　Tull　pushes　youor　keeps　on　persistent…like；　for　a　few　milesjest　let　the　blacks　out　an'　lose　him　an'　his　riders。〃

〃Lassiter；　may　we　meet　again！〃　said　Venters；　in　a　deep　voice。

〃Son；　it　ain't　likelyit　ain't　likely。　Well；　Bess　Oldrin'Masked　RiderElizabeth　Ernenow　you　climb　on　Black　Star。　I've　heard　you　could　ride。　Well；　every　rider　loves　a　good　horse。　An'；　lass；　there　never　was　but　one　that　could　beat　Black　Star。〃

〃Ah；　Lassiter；　there　never　was　any　horse　that　could　beat　Black　Star；〃　said　Jane；　with　the　old　pride。

〃I　often　wonderedmebbe　Venters　rode　out　that　race　when　he　brought　back　the　blacks。　Son；　was　Wrangle　the　best　hoss？〃

〃No；　Lassiter；〃　replied　Venters。　For　this　lie　he　had　his　reward　in　Jane's　quick　smile。

〃Well；　well；　my　hoss…sense　ain't　always　right。　An'　here　I'm　talkie'　a　lot；　wastin'　time。　It　ain't　so　easy　to　find　an'　lose　a　pretty　niece　all　in　one　hour！　Elizabethgood…by！〃

〃Oh；　Uncle　Jim！。。。Good…by！〃

〃Elizabeth　Erne；　be　happy！　Good…by；〃　said　Jane。

〃Good…byohgood…by！〃　In　lithe；　supple　action　Bess　swung　up　to　Black　Star's　saddle。

〃Jane　Withersteen！。。。Good…by！〃　called　Venters　hoarsely。

〃BernBessriders　of　the　purple　sagegood…by！〃



CHAPTER　XXII。　RIDERS　OF　THE　PURPLE　SAGE

Black　Star　and　Night；　answering　to　spur；　swept　swiftly　westward　along　the　white；　slow…rising；　sage…bordered　trail。　Venters　heard　a　mournful　howl　from　Ring；　but　Whitie　was　silent。　The　blacks　settled　into　their　fleet；　long…striding　gallop。　The　wind　sweetly　fanned　Venters's　hot　face。　From　the　summit　of　the　first　low…swelling　ridge　he　looked　back。　Lassiter　waved　his　hand；　Jane　waved　her　scarf。　Venters　replied　by　standing　in　his　stirrups　and　holding　high　his　sombrero。　Then　the　dip　of　the　ridge　hid　them。　From　the　height　of　the　next　he　turned　once　more。　Lassiter；　Jane；　and　the　burros　had　disappeared。　They　had　gone　down　into　the　Pass。　Venters　felt　a　sensation　of　irreparable　loss。

〃Bernlook！〃　called　Bess；　pointing　up　the　long　slope。

A　small；　dark；　moving　dot　split　the　line　where　purple　sage　met　blue　sky。　That　dot　was　a　band　of　riders。

〃Pull　the　black；　Bess。〃

They　slowed　from　gallop　to　canter；　then　to　trot。　The　fresh　and　eager　horses　did　not　like　the　check。

〃Bern；　Black　Star　has　great　eyesight。〃

〃I　wonder　if　they're　Tull's　riders。　They　might　be　rustlers。　But　it's　all　the　same　to　us。〃

The　black　dot　grew　to　a　dark　patch　moving　under　low　dust　clouds。　It　grew　all　the　time；　though　very　slowly。　There　were　long　periods　when　it　was　in　plain　sight；　and　intervals　when　it　dropped　behind　the　sage。　The　blacks　trotted　for　half　an　hour；　for　another　half…hour；　and　still　the　moving　patch　appeared　to　stay　on　the　horizon　line。　Gradually；　however；　as　time　passed；　it　began　to　enlarge；　to　creep　down　the　slope；　to　encroach　upon　the　intervening　distance。

〃Bess；　what　do　you　make　them　out？〃　asked　Venters。　〃I　don't　think　they're　rustlers。〃

〃They're　sage…riders；〃　replied　Bess。　〃I　see　a　white　horse　and　several　grays。　Rustlers　seldom　ride　any　horses　but　bays　and　blacks。〃

〃That　white　horse　is　Tull's。　Pull　the　black；　Bess。　I'll　get　down　and　cinch　up。　We're　in　for　some　riding。　Are　you　afraid？〃

〃Not　now；〃　answered　the　girl；　smiling。

〃You　needn't　be。　Bess；　you　don't　weigh　enough　to　make　Black　Star　know　you're　on　him。　I　won't　be　able　to　stay　with　you。　You'll　leave　Tull　and　his　riders　as　if　they　were　standing　still。〃

〃How　about　you？〃

〃Never　fear。　If　I　can't　stay　with　you　I　can　still　laugh　at　Tull。〃

〃Look；　Bern！　They've　stopped　on　that　ridge。　They　see　us。〃

〃Yes。　But　we're　too　far　yet　for　them　to　make　out　who　we　are。　They'll　recognize　the　blacks　first。　We've　passed　most　of　the　ridges　and　the　thickest　sage。　Now；　when　I　give　the　word；　let　Black　Star　go　and　ride！〃

Venters　calculated　that　a　mile　or　more　still　intervened　between　them　and　the　riders。　They　were　approaching　at　a　swift　canter。　Soon　Venters　recognized　Tull's　white　horse；　and　concluded　that　the　riders　had　likewise　recognized　Black　Star　and　Night。　But　it　would　be　impossible　for　Tull　yet　to　see　that　the　blacks　were　not　ridden　by　Lassiter　and　Jane。　Venters　noted　that　Tull　and　the　line　of　horsemen；　perhaps　ten　or　twelve　in　number；　stopped　several　times　and　evidently　looked　hard　down　the　slope。　It　must　have　been　a　puzzling　circumstance　for　Tull。　Venters　laughed　grimly　at　the　thought　of　what　Tull's　rage　would　be　when　he　finally　discovered　the　trick。　Venters　meant　to　sheer　out　into　the　sage　before　Tull　could　possibly　be　sure　who　rode　the　blacks。

The　gap　closed　to　a　distance　to　half　a　mile。　Tull　halted。　His　riders　came　up　and　formed　a　dark　group　around　him。　Venters　thought　he　saw　him　wave　his　arms　and　was　certain　of　it　when　the　riders　dashed　into　the　sage；　to　right　and　left　of　the　trail。　Tull　had　anticipated　just　the　move　held　in　mind　by　Venters。

〃Now　Bess！〃　shouted　Venters。　〃Strike　north。　Go　round　those　riders　and　turn　west。〃

Black　Star　sailed　over　the　low　sage；　and　in　a　few　leaps　got　into　his　stride　and　was　running。　Venters　spurred　Night　after　him。　It　was　hard　going　in　the　sage。　The　horses　could　run　as　well　there；　but　keen　eyesight　and　judgment　must　constantly　be　used　by　the　riders　in　choosing　ground。　And　continuous　swerving　from　aisle　to　aisle　between　the　brush；　and　leaping　little　washes　and　mounds　of　the　pack…rats；　and　breaking　through　sage；　made　rough　riding。　When　Venters　had　turned　into　a　long　aisle　he　had　time　to　look　up　at　Tull's　riders。　They　were　now　strung　out　into　an　extended　line　riding　northeast。　And；　as　Venters　and　Bess　were　holding　due　north；　this　meant；　if　the　horses　of　Tull　and　his　riders　had　the　speed　and　the　staying　power；　they　would　head　the　blacks　and　turn　them　back　down　the　slope。　Tull's　men　were　not　saving　their　mounts；　they　were　driving　them　desperately。　Venters　feared　only　an　accident　to　Black　Star　or　Night；　and　skilful