riders of the purple sage-第68章

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　were　driving　them　desperately。　Venters　feared　only　an　accident　to　Black　Star　or　Night；　and　skilful　riding　would　mitigate　possibility　of　that。　One　glance　ahead　served　to　show　him　that　Bess　could　pick　a　course　through　the　sage　as　well　as　he。　She　looked　neither　back　nor　at　the　running　riders；　and　bent　forward　over　Black　Star's　neck　and　studied　the　ground　ahead。

It　struck　Venters；　presently；　after　he　had　glanced　up　from　time　to　time；　that　Bess　was　drawing　away　from　him　as　he　had　expected。　He　had；　however；　only　thought　of　the　light　weight　Black　Star　was　carrying　and　of　his　superior　speed；　he　saw　now　that　the　black　was　being　ridden　as　never　before；　except　when　Jerry　Card　lost　the　race　to　Wrangle。　How　easily；　gracefully；　naturally；　Bess　sat　her　saddle！　She　could　ride！　Suddenly　Venters　remembered　she　had　said　she　could　ride。　But　he　had　not　dreamed　she　was　capable　of　such　superb　horsemanship。　Then　all　at　once；　flashing　over　him；　thrilling　him；　came　the　recollection　that　Bess　was　Oldring's　Masked　Rider。

He　forgot　Tullthe　running　ridersthe　race。　He　let　Night　have　a　free　rein　and　felt　him　lengthen　out　to　suit　himself；　knowing　he　would　keep　to　Black　Star's　course；　knowing　that　he　had　been　chosen　by　the　best　rider　now　on　the　upland　sage。　For　Jerry　Card　was　dead。　And　fame　had　rivaled　him　with　only　one　rider；　and　that　was　the　slender　girl　who　now　swung　so　easily　with　Black　Star's　stride。　Venters　had　abhorred　her　notoriety；　but　now　he　took　passionate　pride　in　her　skill；　her　daring；　her　power　over　a　horse。　And　he　delved　into　his　memory；　recalling　famous　rides　which　he　had　heard　related　in　the　villages　and　round　the　camp…fires。　Oldring's　Masked　Rider！　Many　times　this　strange　rider；　at　once　well　known　and　unknown；　had　escaped　pursuers　by　matchless　riding。　He　had　to　run　the　gantlet　of　vigilantes　down　the　main　street　of　Stone　Bridge；　leaving　dead　horses　and　dead　rustlers　behind。　He　had　jumped　his　horse　over　the　Gerber　Wash；　a　deep；　wide　ravine　separating　the　fields　of　Glaze　from　the　wild　sage。　He　had　been　surrounded　north　of　Sterling；　and　he　had　broken　through　the　line。　How　often　had　been　told　the　story　of　day　stampedes；　of　night　raids；　of　pursuit；　and　then　how　the　Masked　Rider；　swift　as　the　wind；　was　gone　in　the　sage！　A　fleet；　dark　horsea　slender；　dark　forma　black　maska　driving　run　down　the　slopea　dot　on　the　purple　sagea　shadowy；　muffled　steed　disappearing　in　the　night！

And　this　Masked　Rider　of　the　uplands　had　been　Elizabeth　Erne！

The　sweet　sage　wind　rushed　in　Venters's　face　and　sang　a　song　in　his　ears。　He　heard　the　dull；　rapid　beat　of　Night's　hoofs；　he　saw　Black　Star　drawing　away；　farther　and　farther。　He　realized　both　horses　were　swinging　to　the　west。　Then　gunshots　in　the　rear　reminded　him　of　Tull。　Venters　looked　back。　Far　to　the　side；　dropping　behind；　trooped　the　riders。　They　were　shooting。　Venters　saw　no　puffs　or　dust；　heard　no　whistling　bullets。　He　was　out　of　range。　When　he　looked　back　again　Tull's　riders　had　given　up　pursuit。　The　best　they　could　do；　no　doubt；　had　been　to　get　near　enough　to　recognize　who　really　rode　the　blacks。　Venters　saw　Tull　drooping　in　his　saddle。

Then　Venters　pulled　Night　out　of　his　running　stride。　Those　few　miles　had　scarcely　warmed　the　black；　but　Venters　wished　to　save　him。　Bess　turned；　and；　though　she　was　far　away；　Venters　caught　the　white　glint　of　her　waving　hand。　He　held　Night　to　a　trot　and　rode　on；　seeing　Bess　and　Black　Star；　and　the　sloping　upward　stretch　of　sage；　and　from　time　to　time　the　receding　black　riders　behind。　Soon　they　disappeared　behind　a　ridge；　and　he　turned　no　more。　They　would　go　back　to　Lassiter's　trail　and　follow　it；　and　follow　in　vain。　So　Venters　rode　on；　with　the　wind　growing　sweeter　to　taste　and　smell；　and　the　purple　sage　richer　and　the　sky　bluer　in　his　sight；　and　the　song　in　his　ears　ringing。　By　and　by　Bess　halted　to　wait　for　him；　and　he　knew　she　had　come　to　the　trail。　When　he　reached　her　it　was　to　smile　at　sight　of　her　standing　with　arms　round　Black　Star's　neck。

〃Oh；　Bern！　I　love　him！〃　she　cried。　〃He's　beautiful；　he　knows；　and　how　he　can　run！　I've　had　fast　horses。　But　Black　Star！。。。Wrangle　never　beat　him！〃

〃I'm　wondering　if　I　didn't　dream　that。　Bess；　the　blacks　are　grand。　What　it　must　have　cost　Janeah！well；　when　we　get　out　of　this　wild　country　with　Star　and　Night；　back　to　my　old　home　in　Illinois；　we'll　buy　a　beautiful　farm　with　meadows　and　springs　and　cool　shade。　There　we'll　turn　the　horses　freefree　to　roam　and　browse　and　drinknever　to　feel　a　spur　againnever　to　be　ridden！〃

〃I　would　like　that；〃　said　Bess。

They　rested。　Then；　mounting；　they　rode　side　by　side　up　the　white　trail。　The　sun　rose　higher　behind　them。　Far　to　the　left　a　low　fine　of　green　marked　the　site　of　Cottonwoods。　Venters　looked　once　and　looked　no　more。　Bess　gazed　only　straight　ahead。　They　put　the　blacks　to　the　long；　swinging　rider's　canter；　and　at　times　pulled　them　to　a　trot；　and　occasionally　to　a　walk。　The　hours　passed；　the　miles　slipped　behind；　and　the　wall　of　rock　loomed　in　the　fore。　The　Notch　opened　wide。　It　was　a　rugged；　stony　pass；　but　with　level　and　open　trail；　and　Venters　and　Bess　ran　the　blacks　through　it。　An　old　trail　led　off　to　the　right；　taking　the　line　of　the　wall；　and　his　Venters　knew　to　be　the　trail　mentioned　by　Lassiter。

The　little　hamlet；　Glaze；　a　white　and　green　patch　in　the　vast　waste　of　purple；　lay　miles　down　a　slope　much　like　the　Cottonwoods　slope；　only　this　descended　to　the　west。　And　miles　farther　west　a　faint　green　spot　marked　the　location　of　Stone　Bridge。　All　the　rest　of　that　world　was　seemingly　smooth；　undulating　sage；　with　no　ragged　lines　of　canyons　to　accentuate　its　wildness。

〃Bess；　we're　safewe're　free！〃　said　Venters。　〃We're　alone　on　the　sage。　We're　half　way　to　Sterling。〃

〃Ah！　I　wonder　how　it　is　with　Lassiter　and　Miss　Withersteen。〃

〃Never　fear；　Bess。　He'll　outwit　Tull。　He'll　get　away　and　hide　her　safely。　He　might　climb　into　Surprise　Valley；　but　I　don't　think　he'll　go　so　far。〃

〃Bern；　will　we　ever　find　any　place　like　our　beautiful　valley？〃

〃No。　But；　dear；　listen。　Well　go　back　some　day；　after　yearsten　years。　Then　we'll　be　forgotten。　And　our　valley　will　be　just　as　we　left　it。〃

〃What　if　Balancing　Rock　falls　and　closes　the　outlet　to　the　Pass？〃

〃I've　thought　of　that。　I'll　pack　in　ropes　and　ropes。　And　if　the　outlet's　closed　we'll　climb　up　the　cliffs　and　over　them　to　the　valley　and　go　down　on　rope　ladders。　It　could　be　done。　I　know　just　where　to　make　the　climb；　and　I'll　never　forget。〃

〃Oh　yes；　let　us　go　back！〃

〃It's　something　sweet　to　look　forward　to。　Bess；　it's　like　all　the　future　looks　to　me。〃

〃Call　meElizabeth；〃　she　said；　shyly。

〃Elizabeth　Erne！　It's　a　beautiful　name。　But　I'll　never　forget　Bess。　Do　you　knowhave　you　thought　that　very　soonby　this　time　to…morrowyou　will　be　Elizabeth　Venters？〃

So　they　rode　on　down　the　old　trail。　And　the　sun　sloped　to　the　west；　and　a　golden　sheen　lay　on　the　sage。　The　hours　sped　now；　the　afternoon　waned。　Often　they　rested　the　horses。　The　glisten　of　a　pool　of　water　in　a　hollow　caught　Venters's　eye；　and　here　he　unsaddled　the　blacks　and　let　them　roll　and　drink　and　browse。　When　he　and　Bess　rode　up　out　of　the　hollow　the　sun　was　low；　a　crimson　ball；　and　the　valley　seemed　veiled　in　purple　fire　and　smoke。　It　was　that　short　time　when　the　sun　appeared　to　rest　before　setting；　and　silence；　like　a　cloak　of　invisible　life；　lay　heavy　on　all　that　shimmering　world　of　sage。

They　watched　the　sun　begin　to　bury　its　red　curve　under　the　dark　horizon。

〃We'll　ride　on　till　late；〃　he　said。　〃Then　you　can　sleep　a　little；　while　I　watch　and　graze　the　horses。　And　we'll　ride　into　Sterling　early　to…morrow。　We'll　be　married！。。。We'll　be　in　time　to　catch　the　stage。　We'll　tie　Black　Star　and　Night　behindand　thenfor　a　country　not　wild　and　terrible　like　this！〃

〃Oh；　Bern！。。。But　look！　The　sun　is　setting　on　the　sagethe　last　time　for　us　till　we　dare　come　again　to　the　Utah　border。　Ten　years！　Oh；　Bern；　look；　so　you　will　never　forget！〃

Slumbering；　fading　purple　fire　burned　over　the　undulating　sage　ridges。　Long　streaks　and　bars　and　shafts　and　spears　fringed　the　far　western　slope。　Drifting；　golden　veils　mingled　with　low；　purple　shadows。　Colors　and　shades　changed　in　slow；　wondrous　transformation。

Suddenly　Venters　was　startled　by　a　low；　rumbling　roarso　low　that　it