the call of the canyon- 第15部分

The　slight　knowing　smile　on　Glenn's　face　and　the　grinning　disbelief　on　Mr。　Hutter's　were　facts　not　lost　upon　Carley。　And　when　Charley；　the　herder；　deliberately　winked　at　Carley；　she　conceived　the　idea　that　Flo；　like　many　women；　only　ran　off　to　be　pursued。　In　some　manner　Carley　did　not　seek　to　analyze；　the　purported　advent　of　this　Lee　Stanton　pleased　her。　But　she　did　admit　to　her　consciousness　that　women；　herself　included；　were　both　as　deep　and　mysterious　as　the　sea；　yet　as　transparent　as　an　inch　of　crystal　water。

It　happened　that　the　expected　newcomer　rode　into　camp　before　anyone　left。　Before　he　dismounted　he　made　a　good　impression　on　Carley；　and　as　he　stepped　down　in　lazy；　graceful　action；　a　tall　lithe　figure；　she　thought　him　singularly　handsome。　He　wore　black　sombrero；　flannel　shirt；　blue　jeans　stuffed　into　high　boots；　and　long；　big…roweled　spurs。

〃How　are　you…all？〃　was　his　greeting。

From　the　talk　that　ensued　between　him　and　the　men；　Carley　concluded　that　he　must　be　overseer　of　the　sheep　hands。　Carley　knew　that　Hutter　and　Glenn　were　not　interested　in　cattle　raising。　And　in　fact　they　were；　especially　Hutter；　somewhat　inimical　to　the　dominance　of　the　range　land　by　cattle　barons　of　Flagstaff。

〃When's　Ryan　goin'　to　dip？〃　asked　Hutter。

〃Today　or　tomorrow；〃　replied　Stanton。

〃Reckon　we　ought　to　ride　over；〃　went　on　Hutter。　〃Say；　Glenn；　do　you　reckon　Miss　Carley　could　stand　a　sheep…dip？〃

This　was　spoken　in　a　low　tone；　scarcely　intended　for　Carley；　but　she　had　keen　ears　and　heard　distinctly。　Not　improbably　this　sheep…dip　was　what　Flo　meant　as　the　worst　to　come。　Carley　adopted　a　listless　posture　to　hide　her　keen　desire　to　hear　what　Glenn　would　reply　to　Hutter。

〃I　should　say　not！〃　whispered　Glenn；　fiercely。

〃Cut　out　that　talk。　She'll　hear　you　and　want　to　go。〃

Whereupon　Carley　felt　mount　in　her　breast　an　intense　and　rebellious　determination　to　see　a　sheep…dip。　She　would　astonish　Glenn。　What　did　he　want；　anyway？　Had　she　not　withstood　the　torturing　trot　of　the　hardest…gaited　horse　on　the　range？　Carley　realized　she　was　going　to　place　considerable　store　upon　that　feat。　It　grew　on　her。

When　the　consultation　of　the　men　ended；　Lee　Stanton　turned　to　Flo。　And　Carley　did　not　need　to　see　the　young　man　look　twice　to　divine　what　ailed　him。　He　was　caught　in　the　toils　of　love。　But　seeing　through　Flo　Hutter　was　entirely　another　matter。

〃Howdy；　Lee！〃　she　said；　coolly；　with　her　clear　eyes　on　him。　A　tiny　frown　knitted　her　brow。　She　did　not；　at　the　moment；　entirely　approve　of　him。

〃Shore　am　glad　to　see　you；　Flo；〃　he　said；　with　rather　a　heavy　expulsion　of　breath。　He　wore　a　cheerful　grin　that　in　no　wise　deceived　Flo；　or　Carley　either。　The　young　man　had　a　furtive　expression　of　eye。

〃Ahuh！〃　returned　Flo。

〃I　was　shore　sorry　aboutabout　that〃　he　floundered；　in　low　voice。

〃About　what？〃

〃Aw；　you　know；　Flo。〃

Carley　strolled　out　of　hearing；　sure　of　two　thingsthat　she　felt　rather　sorry　for　Stanton；　and　that　his　course　of　love　did　not　augur　well　for　smooth　running。　What　queer　creatures　were　women！　Carley　had　seen　several　million　coquettes；　she　believed；　and　assuredly　Flo　Hutter　belonged　to　the　species。

Upon　Carley's　return　to　the　cabin　she　found　Stanton　and　Flo　waiting　for　her　to　accompany　them　on　a　ride　up　the　foothill。　She　was　so　stiff　and　sore　that　she　could　hardly　mount　into　the　saddle；　and　the　first　mile　of　riding　was　something　like　a　nightmare。　She　lagged　behind　Flo　and　Stanton；　who　apparently　forgot　her　in　their　quarrel。

The　riders　soon　struck　the　base　of　a　long　incline　of　rocky　ground　that　led　up　to　the　slope　of　the　foothill。　Here　rocks　and　gravel　gave　place　to　black　cinders　out　of　which　grew　a　scant　bleached　grass。　This　desert　verdure　was　what　lent　the　soft　gray　shade　to　the　foothill　when　seen　from　a　distance。　The　slope　was　gentle；　so　that　the　ascent　did　not　entail　any　hardship。　Carley　was　amazed　at　the　length　of　the　slope；　and　also　to　see　how　high　over　the　desert　she　was　getting。　She　felt　lifted　out　of　a　monotonous　level。　A　green…gray　leaguelong　cedar　forest　extended　down　toward　Oak　Creek。　Behind　her　the　magnificent　bulk　of　the　mountains　reached　up　into　the　stormy　clouds；　showing　white　slopes　of　snow　under　the　gray　pall。

The　hoofs　of　the　horses　sank　in　the　cinders。　A　fine　choking　dust　assailed　Carley's　nostrils。　Presently；　when　there　appeared　at　least　a　third　of　the　ascent　still　to　be　accomplished　and　Flo　dismounted　to　walk；　leading　their　horses。　Carley　had　no　choice　but　to　do　likewise。　At　first　walking　was　a　relief。　Soon；　however；　the　soft　yielding　cinders　began　to　drag　at　her　feet。　At　every　step　she　slipped　back　a　few　inches；　a　very　annoying　feature　of　climbing。　When　her　legs　seemed　to　grow　dead　Carley　paused　for　a　little　rest。　The　last　of　the　ascent；　over　a　few　hundred　yards　of　looser　cinders；　taxed　her　remaining　strength　to　the　limit。　She　grew　hot　and　wet　and　out　of　breath。　Her　heart　labored。　An　unreasonable　antipathy　seemed　to　attend　her　efforts。　Only　her　ridiculous　vanity　held　her　to　this　task。　She　wanted　to　please　Glenn；　but　not　so　earnestly　that　she　would　have　kept　on　plodding　up　this　ghastly　bare　mound　of　cinders。　Carley　did　not　mind　being　a　tenderfoot；　but　she　hated　the　thought　of　these　Westerners　considering　her　a　weakling。　So　she　bore　the　pain　of　raw　blisters　and　the　miserable　sensation　of　staggering　on　under　a　leaden　weight。

Several　times　she　noted　that　Flo　and　Stanton　halted　to　face　each　other　in　rather　heated　argument。　At　least　Stanton's　red　face　and　forceful　gestures　attested　to　heat　on　his　part。　Flo　evidently　was　weary　of　argument；　and　in　answer　to　a　sharp　reproach　she　retorted；　〃Shore　I　was　different　after　he　came。〃　To　which　Stanton　responded　by　a　quick　passionate　shrinking　as　if　he　had　been　stung。

Carley　had　her　own　reaction　to　this　speech　she　could　not　help　hearing；　and　inwardly；　at　least；　her　feeling　must　have　been　similar　to　Stanton's。　She　forgot　the　object　of　this　climb　and　looked　off　to　her　right　at　the　green　level　without　really　seeing　it。　A　vague　sadness　weighed　upon　her　soul。　Was　there　to　be　a　tangle　of　fates　here；　a　conflict　of　wills；　a　crossing　of　loves？　Flo's　terse　confession　could　not　be　taken　lightly。　Did　she　mean　that　she　loved　Glenn？　Carley　began　to　fear　it。　Only　another　reason　why　she　must　persuade　Glenn　to　go　back　East！　But　the　closer　Carley　came　to　what　she　divined　must　be　an　ordeal　the　more　she　dreaded　it。　This　raw；　crude　West　might　have　confronted　her　with　a　situation　beyond　her　control。　And　as　she　dragged　her　weighted　feet　through　the　cinders；　kicking；　up　little　puffs　of　black　dust；　she　felt　what　she　admitted　to　be　an　unreasonable　resentment　toward　these　Westerners　and　their　barren；　isolated；　and　boundless　world。

〃Carley；〃　called　Flo；　〃comelooksee；　as　the　Indians　say。　Here　is　Glenn's　Painted　Desert；　and　I　reckon　it's　shore　worth　seeing。〃

To　Carley's　surprise；　she　found　herself　upon　the　knob　of　the　foothill。　And　when　she　looked　out　across　a　suddenly　distinguish　able　void　she　seemed　struck　by　the　immensity　of　something　she　was　unable　to　grasp。　She　dropped　her　bridle；　she　gazed　slowly；　as　if　drawn；　hearing　Flo's　voice。

〃That　thin　green　line　of　cottonwoods　down　there　is　the　Little　Colorado　River；〃　Flo　was　saying。　〃Reckon　it's　sixty　miles；　all　down　hill。　The　Painted　Desert　begins　there　and　also　the　Navajo　Reservation。　You　see　the　white　strips；　the　red　veins；　the　yellow　bars；　the　black　lines。　They　are　all　desert　steps　leading　up　and　up　for　miles。　That　sharp　black　peak　is　called　Wildcat。　It's　about　a　hundred　miles。　You　see　the　desert　stretching　away　to　the　right；　growing　dimlost　in　distance？　We　don't　know　that　country。　But　that　north　country　we　know　as　landmarks；　anyway。　Look　at　that　saw…tooth　range。　The　Indians　call　it　Echo　Cliffs。　At　the　far　end　it　drops　off　into　the　Colorado　River。　Lee's　Ferry　is　thereabout　one　hundred　and　sixty　miles。　That　ragged　black　rent　is　the　Grand　Canyon。　Looks　like　a　thread；　doesn't　it？　But　Carley；　it's　some　hole；　believe　me。　Away　to　the　left　you　see　the　tremendous　wall　rising　and　turning　to　come　this　way。　That's　the　north　wall　of　the　Canyon。　It　ends　at　the　great　bluffGreenland　Point。　See　the　black　fringe　above　the　bar　of　gold。　That's　a　belt　of　pine　trees。　It's　about　eighty　miles　across　this　ragged　old　stone　washboard　of　a　desert。　。　。　。　Now　turn　and　look　straight　and　strain　your　sight　over　Wildcat。　See　the　rim　purple　dome。　You　must　look　hard。　I'm　glad　it's　clear　and　the　sun　is　shining。　We　don't　often　get　this　view。　。　。　。　That　purple　dome　is　Navajo　Mountain；　two　hundred　miles　and　more　away！〃

Carley　yielded　to　some　strange　drawing　power　and　slowly　walked　forward　until　she　stood　at　the　extreme　edge　of　the　summit。

What　was　it　that　confounded　her　sight？　Desert　slopedown　and　downcolor　distancespace！　The　wind　that　blew　in　her　face　seemed　to　have　the　openness　of　the　whole　world　back　of　it。　Cold；　sweet；　dry；　exhilarating；　it　breathed　of　untainted　vastness。　Carley's　memory　pictures　of　the　Adirondacks　faded　into　pastorals；　her　vaunted　images　of　European　scenery　changed　to　operetta　settings。　She　had　nothing　with　which　to　compare　this　illimitable　space。

〃Oh！America！〃　was　her　unconscious　tribute。

Stanton　and　Flo　had　come　on　to　places　beside　her。　The　young　man　laughed。　〃Wal；　now　Miss　Carley；　you　couldn't　say　more。　When　I　was　in　camp　trainin'　for　service　overseas　I　used　to　remember　how　this　looked。　An'　it　seemed　one　of　the　things　I　was　goin'　to　fight　for。　Reckon　I　didn't　the　idea　of　the　Germans　havin'　my　Painted　Desert。　I　didn't　get　across　to　fight　for　it；　but　I　shore　was　willin'。〃

〃You　see；　Carley；　this　is　our　America；〃　said　Flo；　softly。

Carley　had　never　understood　the　meaning　of　the　word。　The　immensity　of　the　West　seemed　flung　at　her。　What　her　vision　beheld；　so　far…reaching　and　boundless；　was　only　a　dot　on　the　map。

〃Does　any　one　liveout　there？〃　she　asked；　with　slow　sweep　of　hand。

〃A　few　white　traders　and　some　Indian　tribes；〃　replied　Stanton。　〃But　you　can　ride　all　day　an'　next　day　an'　never　see　a　livin'　soul。〃

What　was　the　meaning　of　the　gratification　in　his　voice？　Did　Westerners　court　loneliness？　Carley　wrenched　her　gaze　from　the　desert　void　to　look　at　her　companions。　Stanton's　eyes　were　narrowed；　his　expression　had　changed；　lean　and　hard　and　still；　his　face　resembled　bronze。　The　careless　humor　was　gone；　as　was　the　heated　fl