the last of the plainsmen- 第27部分

This　drew　my　attention　to　our　position。　We　were　on　a　high　ridge　out　in　the　open；　and　I　could　see　fifty　miles　of　the　shaggy　slopes　of　Buckskin。　Southward　the　gray；　ragged　line　seemed　to　stop　suddenly；　and　beyond　it　purple　haze　hung　over　a　void　I　knew　to　be　the　canyon。　And　facing　west；　I　came；　at　last；　to　understand　perfectly　the　meaning　of　the　breaks　in　the　Siwash。　They　were　nothing　more　than　ravines　that　headed　up　on　the　slopes　and　ran　down；　getting　steeper　and　steeper；　though　scarcely　wider；　to　break　into　the　canyon。　Knife…crested　ridges　rolled　westward；　wave　on　wave；　like　the　billows　of　a　sea。　I　appreciated　that　these　breaks　were；　at　their　sources；　little　washes　easy　to　jump　across；　and　at　their　mouths　a　mile　deep　and　impassable。　Huge　pine　trees　shaded　these　gullies；　to　give　way　to　the　gray　growth　of　stunted　oak；　which　in　turn　merged　into　the　dark　green　of　pinyon。　A　wonderful　country　for　deer　and　lions；　it　seemed　to　me；　but　impassable；　all　but　impossible　for　a　hunter。

Frank　soon　appeared；　brushing　through　the　bending　oaks；　and　Sounder　trotted　along　behind　him。

〃Where's　Moze？〃　inquired　Jones。

〃The　last　I　heard　of　Moze　he　was　out　of　the　brush；　goin'　across　the　pinyon　flat；　right　for　the　canyon。　He　had　a　hot　trail。〃

〃Well；　we're　certain　of　one　thing；　if　it　was　a　deer；　he　won't　come　back　soon；　and　if　it　was　a　lion；　he'll　tree　it；　lose　the　scent；　and　come　back。　We've　got　to　show　the　hounds　a　lion　in　a　tree。　They'd　run　a　hot　trail；　bump　into　a　tree；　and　then　be　at　fault。　What　was　wrong　with　Sounder？〃

〃I　don't　know。　He　came　back　to　me。〃

〃We　can't　trust　him；　or　any　of　them　yet。　Still；　maybe　they're　doing　better　than　we　know。〃

The　outcome　of　the　chase；　so　favorably　started　was　a　disappointment；　which　we　all　felt　keenly。　After　some　discussion；　we　turned　south；　intending　to　ride　down　to　the　rim　wall　and　follow　it　back　to　camp。　I　happened　to　turn　once；　perhaps　to　look　again　at　the　far…distant　pink　cliffs　of　Utah；　or　the　wave…like　dome　of　Trumbull　Mountain；　when　I　saw　Moze　trailing　close　behind　me。　My　yell　halted　the　Colonel。

〃Well；　I'll　be　darned！〃　ejaculated　he；　as　Moze　hove　in　sight。　〃Come　hyar；　you　rascal！〃

He　was　a　tired　dog；　but　had　no　sheepish　air　about　him；　such　as　he　had　worn　when　lagging　in　from　deer　chases。　He　wagged　his　tail；　and　flopped　down　to　pant　and　pant；　as　if　to　say：　〃What's　wrong　with　you　guys？〃

〃Boys；　for　two　cents　I'd　go　back　and　put　Jude　on　that　trail。　It's　just　possible　that　Moze　treed　a　lion。　Butwell；　I　expect　there's　more　likelihood　of　his　chasing　the　lion　over　the　rim；　so　we　may　as　well　keep　on。　The　strange　thing　is　that　Sounder　wasn't　with　Moze。　There　may　have　been　two　lions。　You　see　we　are　up　a　tree　ourselves。　I　have　known　lions　to　run　in　pairs；　and　also　a　mother　keep　four　two…year…olds　with　her。　But　such　cases　are　rare。　Here；　in　this　country；　though；　maybe　they　run　round　and　have　parties。〃

As　we　left　the　breaks　behind　we　got　out　upon　a　level　pinyon　flat。　A　few　cedars　grew　with　the　pinyons。　Deer　runways　and　trails　were　thick。

〃Boys；　look　at　that；〃　said　Jones。　〃This　is　great　lion　country；　the　best　I　ever　saw。〃

He　pointed　to　the　sunken；　red；　shapeless　remain　of　two　horses；　and　near　them　a　ghastly　scattering　of　bleached　bones。　〃A　lion…lair　right　here　on　the　flat。　Those　two　horses　were　killed　early　this　spring；　and　I　see　no　signs　of　their　carcasses　having　been　covered　with　brush　and　dirt。　I've　got　to　learn　lion　lore　over　again；　that's　certain。〃

As　we　paused　at　the　head　of　a　depression；　which　appeared　to　be　a　gap　in　the　rim　wall；　filled　with　massed　pinyons　and　splintered　piles　of　yellow　stone；　caught　Sounder　going　through　some　interesting　moves。　He　stopped　to　smell　a　bush。　Then　he　lifted　his　head；　and　electrified　me　with　a　great；　deep　sounding　bay。

〃Hi！　there；　listen　to　that！〃　yelled　Jones　〃What's　Sounder　got？　Give　him　roomdon't　run　him　down。　Easy　now；　old　dog；　easy；　easy！〃

Sounder　suddenly　broke　down　a　trail。　Moze　howled；　Don　barked；　and　Tige　let　out　his　staccato　yelp。　They　ran　through　the　brush　here；　there；　every　where。　Then　all　at　once　old　Jude　chimed　in　with　her　mellow　voice；　and　Jones　tumbled　off　his　horse。

〃By　the　Lord　Harry！　There's　something　here。〃

〃Here；　Colonel；　here's　the　bush　Sounder　smelt　and　there's　a　sandy　trail　under　it；〃　I　called。

〃There　go　Don　an'　Tige　down　into　the　break'　cried　Frank。　〃They've　got　a　hot　scent！〃

Jones　stooped　over　the　place　I　designated；　to　jerk　up　with　reddening　face；　and　as　he　flung　himself　into　the　saddle　roared　out：　〃After　Sounder！　Old　Tom！　Old　Tom！　Old　Tom！〃

We　all　heard　Sounder；　and　at　the　moment　of　Jones's　discovery；　Moze　got　the　scent　and　plunged　ahead　of　us。

〃Hi！　Hi！　Hi！　Hi！〃　yelled　the　Colonel。　Frank　sent　Spot　forward　like　a　white　streak。　Sounder　called　to　us　in　irresistible　bays；　which　Moze　answered；　and　then　crippled　Jude　bayed　in　baffled　impotent　distress。

The　atmosphere　was　charged　with　that　lion。　As　if　by　magic；　the　excitation　communicated　itself　to　all；　and　men；　horses　and　dogs　acted　in　accord。　The　ride　through　the　forest　had　been　a　jaunt。　This　was　a　steeplechase；　a　mad；　heedless；　perilous；　glorious　race。　And　we　had　for　a　pacemaker　a　cowboy　mounted　on　a　tireless　mustang。

Always　it　seemed　to　me；　while　the　wind　rushed；　the　brush　whipped；　I　saw　Frank　far　ahead；　sitting　his　saddle　as　if　glued　there；　holding　his　reins　loosely　forward。　To　see　him　ride　so　was　a　beautiful　sight。　Jones　let　out　his　Comanche　yell　at　every　dozen　jumps　and　Wallace　sent　back　a　thrilling　〃Waa…hoo…o！〃　In　the　excitement　I　had　again　checked　my　horse；　and　when　Jones　remembered；　and　loosed　the　bridle；　how　the　noble　animal　responded！　The　pace　he　settled　into　dazed　me；　I　could　hardly　distinguish　the　deer　trail　down　which　he　was　thundering。　I　lost　my　comrades　ahead；　the　pinyons　blurred　in　my　sight；　I　only　faintly　heard　the　hounds。　It　occurred　to　me　we　were　making　for　the　breaks；　but　I　did　not　think　of　checking　Satan。　I　thought　only　of　flying　on　faster　and　faster。

〃On！　On！　old　fellow！　Stretch　out！　Never　lose　this　race！　We've　got　to　be　there　at　the　finish！〃　I　called　to　Satan；　and　he　seemed　to　understand　and　stretched　lower；　farther；　quicker。

The　brush　pounded　my　legs　and　clutched　and　tore　my　clothes；　the　wind　whistled；　the　pinyon　branches　cut　and　whipped　my　face。　Once　I　dodged　to　the　left；　as　Satan　swerved　to　the　right；　with　the　result　that　I　flew　out　of　the　saddle；　and　crashed　into　a　pinyon　tree；　which　marvelously　brushed　me　back　into　the　saddle。　The　wild　yells　and　deep　bays　sounded　nearer。　Satan　tripped　and　plunged　down；　throwing　me　as　gracefully　as　an　aerial　tumbler　wings　his　flight。　I　alighted　in　a　bush；　without　feeling　of　scratch　or　pain。　As　Satan　recovered　and　ran　past；　I　did　not　seek　to　make　him　stop；　but　getting　a　good　grip　on　the　pommel；　I　vaulted　up　again。　Once　more　he　raced　like　a　wild　mustang。　And　from　nearer　and　nearer　in　front　pealed　the　alluring　sounds　of　the　chase。

Satan　was　creeping　close　to　Wallace　and　Jones；　with　Frank　looming　white　through　the　occasional　pinyons。　Then　all　dropped　out　of　sight；　to　appear　again　suddenly。　They　had　reached　the　first　break。　Soon　I　was　upon　it。　Two　deer　ran　out　of　the　ravine；　almost　brushing　my　horse　in　the　haste。　Satan　went　down　and　up　in　a　few　giant　strides。　Only　the　narrow　ridge　separated　us　from　another　break。　It　was　up　and　down　then　for　Satan；　a　work　to　which　he　manfully　set　himself。　Occasionally　I　saw　Wallace　and　Jones；　but　heard　them　oftener。　All　the　time　the　breaks　grew　deeper；　till　finally　Satan　had　to　zigzag　his　way　down　and　up。　Discouragement　fastened　on　me；　when　from　the　summit　of　the　next　ridge　I　saw　Frank　far　down　the　break；　with　Jones　and　Wallace　not　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away　from　him。　I　sent　out　a　long；　exultant　yell　as　Satan　crashed　into　the　hard；　dry　wash　in　the　bottom　of　the　break。

I　knew　from　the　way　he　quickened　under　me　that　he　intended　to　overhaul　somebody。　Perhaps　because　of　the　clear　going；　or　because　my　frenzy　had　cooled　to　a　thrilling　excitement　which　permitted　detail；　I　saw　clearly　and　distinctly　the　speeding　horsemen　down　the　ravine。　I　picked　out　the　smooth　pieces　of　ground　ahead；　and　with　the　slightest　touch　of　the　rein　on　his　neck；　guided　Satan　into　them。　How　he　ran！　The　light；　quick　beats　of　his　hoofs　were　regular；　pounding。　Seeing　Jones　and　Wallace　sail　high　into　the　air；　I　knew　they　had　jumped　a　ditch。　Thus　prepared；　I　managed　to　stick　on　when　it　yawned　before　me；　and　Satan；　never　slackening；　leaped　up　and　up；　giving　me　a　new　swing。

Dust　began　to　settle　in　little　clouds　before　me；　Frank；　far　ahead；　had　turned　his　mustang　up　the　side　of　the　break；　Wallace；　within　hailing　distance；　now　turned　to　wave　me　a　hand。　The　rushing　wind　fairly　sang　in　my　ears；　the　walls　of　the　break　were　confused　blurs　of　yellow　and　green；　at　every　stride　Satan　seemed　to　swallow　a　rod　of　the　white　trail。

Jones　began　to　scale　the　ravine；　heading　up　obliquely　far　on　the　side　of　where　Frank　had　vanished；　and　as　Wallace　followed　suit；　I　turned　Satan。　I　caught　Wallace　at　the　summit；　and　we　raced　together　out　upon　another　flat　of　pinyon。　We　heard　Frank　and　Jones　yelling　in　a　way　that　caused　us　to　spur　our　horses　frantically。　Spot；　gleaming　white　near　a　clump　of　green　pinyons；　was　our　guiding　star。　That　last　quarter　of　a　mile　was　a　ringing　run；　a　ride　to　remember。

As　our　mounts　crashed　back　with　stiff　forelegs　and　haunches；　Wallace　and　I　leaped　off　and　darted　into　the　clump　of　pinyons；　whence　issued　a　hair…raising　medley　of　yells　and　barks。　I　saw　Jones；　then　Frank；　both　waving　their　arms；　then　Moze　and　Sounder　running　wildly；　airlessly　about。

〃Look　there！〃　rang　in　my　ear；　and　Jones　smashed　me　on　the　back　with　a　blow；　which　at　any　ordinary　time　would　have　laid　me　flat。

In　a　low；　stubby　pinyon　tree；　scarce　twenty　feet　from　us；　was　a　tawny　form。　An　enormous　mountain　lion；　as　large　as　an　African　lioness；　stood　planted　with　huge；　round　legs　on　two　branches；　and　he　faced　us　gloomily；　neither　frightened　nor　fierce。　He　watched　the　running　dogs　with　pale；　yellow　eyes；　waved　his　massive　head　and　switched　a　long；　black　tufted　tail。

〃It's　Old　Tom！　sure　as　you're　born！　It's　Old　Tom！〃　yelled　Jones。　〃There's　no　two　lions　like　that　in　one　country。　Hold　still　now。　Jude　is　here；　and　she'll　see　him；　she'll　show　him　to　the　other　hounds。　Hold　still！〃

We　heard　Jude　coming　at　a　fast　pace　for　a