the call of the canyon- 第13部分

Carley　stood　stockstill。　They　had　reached　the　furthermost　end　of　that　aisle；　but　had　turned　to　go　back。　The　flare　of　the　camp　fire　threw　a　wan　light　into　the　shadows　before　them。　There　came　a　rustling　in　the　brush；　a　snapping　of　twigs。　Cold　tremors　chased　up　and　down　Carley's　back。

〃Shore　it's　a　varmint；　all　right。　Let's　hurry；〃　whispered　Flo。

Carley　needed　no　urging。　It　appeared　that　Flo　was　not　going　to　run。　She　walked　fast；　peering　back　over　her　shoulder；　and；　hanging　to　Carley's　arm；　she　rounded　a　large　cedar　that　had　obstructed　some　of　the　firelight。　The　gloom　was　not　so　thick　here。　And　on　the　instant　Carley　espied　a　low；　moving　object；　somehow　furry；　and　gray　in　color。　She　gasped。　She　could　not　speak。　Her　heart　gave　a　mighty　throb　and　seemed　to　stop。

〃Whatdo　you　see？〃　cried　Flo；　sharply；　peering　ahead。　〃Oh！　。　。　。　Come；　Carley。　Run！〃

Flo's　cry　showed　she　must　nearly　be　strangled　with　terror。　But　Carley　was　frozen　in　her　tracks。　Her　eyes　were　riveted　upon　the　gray　furry　object。　It　stopped。　Then　it　came　faster。　It　magnified。　It　was　a　huge　beast。　Carley　had　no　control　over　mind；　heart；　voice；　or　muscle。　Her　legs　gave　way。　She　was　sinking。　A　terrible　panic；　icy；　sickening；　rending；　possessed　her　whole　body。

The　huge　gray　thing　came　at　her。　Into　the　rushing　of　her　ears　broke　thudding　sounds。　The　thing　leaped　up。　A　horrible　petrifaction　suddenly　made　stone　of　Carley。　Then　she　saw　a　gray　mantlelike　object　cast　aside　to　disclose　the　dark　form　of　a　man。　Glenn！

〃Carley；　dog…gone　it！　You　don't　scare　worth　a　cent；〃　he　laughingly　complained。

She　collapsed　into　his　arms。　The　liberating　shock　was　as　great　as　had　been　her　terror。　She　began　to　tremble　violently。　Her　hands　got　back　a　sense　of　strength　to　clutch。　Heart　and　blood　seemed　released　from　that　ice…banded　vise。

〃Say；　I　believe　you　were　scared；〃　went　on　Glenn；　bending　over　her。

〃Scar…ed！〃　she　gasped。　〃Ohthere's　no　wordto　tellwhat　I　was！〃

Flo　came　running　back；　giggling　with　joy。　〃Glenn；　she　shore　took　you　for　a　bear。　Why；　I　felt　her　go　stiff　as　a　post！　。　。　。　Hal　Ha！　Hal　Carley；　now　how　do　you　like　the　wild　and　woolly？〃

〃Oh！　You　put　up…a　trick　on　me！〃　ejaculated　Carley。　〃Glenn；　how　could　you？　。　。　。　Such　a　terrible　trick！　I　wouldn't　have　minded　something　reasonable。　But　that！　Oh；　I'll　never　forgive　you！〃

Glenn　showed　remorse；　and　kissed　her　before　Flo　in　a　way　that　made　some　little　amends。　〃Maybe　I　overdid　it；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　thought　you'd　have　a　momentary　start；　you　know；　enough　to　make　you　yell；　and　then　you'd　see　through　it。　I　only　had　a　sheepskin　over　my　shoulders　as　I　crawled　on　hands　and　knees。〃

〃Glenn；　for　me　you　were　a　prehistoric　monstera　dinosaur；　or　something；〃　replied　Carley。

It　developed；　upon　their　return　to　the　campfire　circle；　that　everybody　had　been　in　the　joke；　and　they　all　derived　hearty　enjoyment　from　it。

〃Reckon　that　makes　you　one　of　us；〃　said　Hutter；　genially。　〃We've　all　had　our　scares。〃

Carley　wondered　if　she　were　not　so　constituted　that　such　trickery　alienated　her。　Deep　in　her　heart　she　resented　being　made　to　show　her　cowardice。　But　then　she　realized　that　no　one　had　really　seen　any　evidence　of　her　state。　It　was　fun　to　them。

Soon　after　this　incident　Hutter　sounded　what　he　called　the　roll…call　for　bed。　Following　Flo's　instructions；　Carley　sat　on　their　bed；　pulled　off　her　boots；　folded　coat　and　sweater　at　her　head；　and　slid　down　under　the　blankets。　How　strange　and　hard　a　bed！　Yet　Carley　had　the　most　delicious　sense　of　relief　and　rest　she　had　ever　experienced。　She　straightened　out　on　her　back　with　a　feeling　that　she　had　never　before　appreciated　the　luxury　of　lying　down。

Flo　cuddled　up　to　her　in　quite　sisterly　fashion；　saying：　〃Now　don't　cover　your　head。　If　it　rains　I'll　wake　and　pull　up　the　tarp。　Good　night；　Carley。〃　And　almost　immediately　she　seemed　to　fall　asleep。

For　Carley；　however；　sleep　did　not　soon　come。　She　had　too　many　aches；　the　aftermath　of　her　shock　of　fright　abided　with　her；　and　the　blackness　of　night；　the　cold　whip　of　wind　over　her　face；　and　the　unprotected　helplessness　she　felt　in　this　novel　bed；　were　too　entirely　new　and　disturbing　to　be　overcome　at　once。　So　she　lay　wide　eyed；　staring　at　the　dense　gray　shadow；　at　the　flickering　lights　upon　the　cedar。　At　length　her　mind　formed　a　conclusion　that　this　sort　of　thing　might　be　worth　the　hardship　once　in　a　lifetime；　anyway。　What　a　concession　to　Glenn's　West！　In　the　secret　seclusion　of　her　mind　she　had　to　confess　that　if　her　vanity　had　not　been　so　assaulted　and　humiliated　she　might　have　enjoyed　herself　more。　It　seemed　impossible；　however；　to　have　thrills　and　pleasures　and　exaltations　in　the　face　of　discomfort；　privation；　and　an　uneasy　half…acknowledged　fear。　No　woman　could　have　either　a　good　or　a　profitable　time　when　she　was　at　her　worst。　Carley　thought　she　would　not　be　averse　to　getting　Flo　Hutter　to　New　York；　into　an　atmosphere　wholly　strange　and　difficult；　and　see　how　she　met　situation　after　situation　unfamiliar　to　her。　And　so　Carley's　mind　drifted　on　until　at　last　she　succumbed　to　drowsiness。


A　voice　pierced　her　dreams　of　home；　of　warmth　and　comfort。　Something　sharp；　cold；　and　fragrant　was　scratching　her　eyes。　She　opened　them。　Glenn　stood　over　her；　pushing　a　sprig　of　cedar　into　her　face。

〃Carley；　the　day　is　far　spent；〃　he　said；　gayly。　〃We　want　to　roll　up　your　bedding。　Will　you　get　out　of　it？〃

〃Hello；　Glenn！　What　time　is　it？〃　she　replied。

〃It's　nearly　six。〃

〃What！　。　。　。　Do　you　expect　me　to　get　up　at　that　ungodly　hour？〃

〃We're　all　up。　Flo's　eating　breakfast。　It's　going　to　be　a　bad　day；　I'm　afraid。　And　we　want　to　get　packed　and　moving　before　it　starts　to　rain。〃

〃Why　do　girls　leave　home？〃　she　asked；　tragically。

〃To　make　poor　devils　happy；　of　course；〃　he　replied；　smiling　down　upon　her。

That　smile　made　up　to　Carley　for　all　the　clamoring　sensations　of　stiff；　sore　muscles。　It　made　her　ashamed　that　she　could　not　fling　herself　into　this　adventure　with　all　her　heart。　Carley　essayed　to　sit　up。　〃Oh；　I'm　afraid　my　anatomy　has　become　disconnected！　。　。　。　Glenn；　do　I　look　a　sight？〃　She　never　would　have　asked　him　that　if　she　had　not　known　she　could　bear　inspection　at　such　an　inopportune　moment。

〃You　look　great；〃　he　asserted；　heartily。　〃You've　got　color。　And　as　for　your　hairI　like　to　see　it　mussed　that　way。　You　were　always　one　to　have　it　dressedjust　so。　。　。　。　Come；　Carley；　rustle　now。〃

Thus　adjured；　Carley　did　her　best　under　adverse　circumstances。　And　she　was　gritting　her　teeth　and　complimenting　herself　when　she　arrived　at　the　task　of　pulling　on　her　boots。　They　were　damp　and　her　feet　appeared　to　have　swollen。　Moreover；　her　ankles　were　sore。　But　she　accomplished　getting　into　them　at　the　expense　of　much　pain　and　sundry　utterances　more　forcible　than　elegant。　Glenn　brought　her　warm　water；　a　mitigating　circumstance。　The　morning　was　cold　and　thought　of　that　biting　desert　water　had　been　trying。

〃Shore　you're　doing　fine；〃　was　Flo's　greeting。　〃Come　and　get　it　before　we　throw　it　out。〃

Carley　made　haste　to　comply　with　the　Western　mandate；　and　was　once　again　confronted　with　the　singular　fact　that　appetite　did　not　wait　upon　the　troubles　of　a　tenderfoot。　Glenn　remarked　that　at　least　she　would　not　starve　to　death　on　the　trip。

〃Come；　climb　the　ridge　with　me；〃　be　invited。　〃I　want　you　to　take　a　look　to　the　north　and　east。〃

He　led　her　off　through　the　cedars；　up　a　slow　red…earth　slope；　away　from　the　lake。　A　green　moundlike　eminence　topped　with　flat　red　rock　appeared　near　at　hand　and　not　at　all　a　hard　climb。　Nevertheless；　her　eyes　deceived　her；　as　she　found　to　the　cost　of　her　breath。　It　was　both　far　away　and　high。

〃I　like　this　location；〃　said　Glenn。　〃If　I　had　the　money　I'd　buy　this　section　of　landsix　hundred　and　forty　acresand　make　a　ranch　of　it。　Just　under　this　bluff　is　a　fine　open　flat　bench　for　a　cabin。　You　could　see　away　across　the　desert　clear　to　Sunset　Peak。　There's　a　good　spring　of　granite　water。　I'd　run　water　from　the　lake　down　into　the　lower　flats；　and　I'd　sure　raise　some　stock。〃

〃What　do　you　call　this　place？〃　asked　Carley；　curiously。

〃Deep　Lake。　It's　only　a　watering　place　for　sheep　and　cattle。　But　there's　fine　grazing；　and　it's　a　wonder　to　me　no　one　has　ever　settled　here。〃

Looking　down；　Carley　appreciated　his　wish　to　own　the　place；　and　immediately　there　followed　in　her　a　desire　to　get　possession　of　this　tract　of　land　before　anyone　else　discovered　its　advantages；　and　to　hold　it　for　Glenn。　But　this　would　surely　conflict　with　her　intention　of　persuading　Glenn　to　go　back　East。　As　quickly　as　her　impulse　had　been　born　it　died。

Suddenly　the　scene　gripped　Carley。　She　looked　from　near　to　far；　trying　to　grasp　the　illusive　something。　Wild　lonely　Arizona　land！　She　saw　ragged　dumpy　cedars　of　gray　and　green；　lines　of　red　earth；　and　a　round　space　of　water；　gleaming　pale　under　the　lowering　clouds；　and　in　the　distance　isolated　hills；　strangely　curved；　wandering　away　to　a　black　uplift　of　earth　obscured　in　the　sky。

These　appeared　to　be　mere　steps　leading　her　sight　farther　and　higher　to　the　cloud…navigated　sky；　where　rosy　and　golden　effulgence　betokened　the　sun　and　the　east。　Carley　held　her　breath。　A　transformation　was　going　on　before　her　eyes。

〃Carley；　it's　a　stormy　sunrise；〃　said　Glenn。

His　words　explained；　but　they　did　not　convince。　Was　this　sudden…bursting　glory　only　the　sun　rising　behind　storm　clouds？　She　could　see　the　clouds　moving　while　they　were　being　colored。　The　universal　gray　surrendered　under　some　magic　paint　brush。　The　rifts　widened；　and　the　gloom　of　the　pale…gray　world　seemed　to　vanish。　Beyond　the　billowy；　rolling；　creamy　edges　of　clouds；　white　and　pink；　shone　the　soft　exquisite　fresh　blue　sky。　And　a　blaze　of　fire；　a　burst　of　molten　gold；　sheered　up　from　behind　the　rim　of　cloud　and　suddenly　poured　a　sea　of　sunlight　from　east　to　west。　It　trans…　figured　the　round　foothills。　They　seemed　bathed　in　ethereal　light；　and　the　silver　mists　that　overhung　them　faded　while　Carley　gazed；　and　a　rosy　flush　crowned　the　symmetrical　domes。　Southward　along　the　horizon　line；　down…dropping　veils　of　rain；　just　touched　with　the　sunrise　tint；　streamed　in　drifting　slow　movement　from　cloud　to　earth。　To　the　north　the　range　of　foothills　lifted　toward　the　majestic　dome　of　Sunset　Peak；　a　volcanic　upheaval　of　red　and　purple　cinders；　bare　as　rock；　round　as