the call of the canyon-第13部分

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r　he　wanted　a　mouthful　of　grass　he　stopped　to　get　it。　Therefore　Carley　was　always　in　the　rear；　a　fact　which　in　itself　did　not　displease　her。　Despite　his　contrariness；　however；　Spillbeans　had　apparently　no　intention　of　allowing　the　other　horses　to　get　completely　out　of　sight。

Several　times　Flo　waited　for　Carley　to　catch　up。　〃He's　loafing　on　you；　Carley。　You　ought　to　have　on　a　spur。　Break　off　a　switch　and　beat　him　some。〃　Then　she　whipped　the　mustang　across　the　flank　with　her　bridle　rein；　which　punishment　caused　Spillbeans　meekly　to　trot　on　with　alacrity。　Carley　had　a　positive　belief　that　he　would　not　do　it　for　her。　And　after　Flo's　repeated　efforts；　assisted　by　chastisement　from　Glenn；　had　kept　Spillbeans　in　a　trot　for　a　couple　of　miles　Carley　began　to　discover　that　the　trotting　of　a　horse　was　the　most　uncomfortable　motion　possible　to　imagine。　It　grew　worse。　It　became　painful。　It　gradually　got　unendurable。　But　pride　made　Carley　endure　it　until　suddenly　she　thought　she　had　been　stabbed　in　the　side。　This　strange　piercing　pain　must　be　what　Glenn　had　called　a　〃stitch〃　in　the　side；　something　common　to　novices　on　horseback。　Carley　could　have　screamed。　She　pulled　the　mustang　to　a　walk　and　sagged　in　her　saddle　until　the　pain　subsided。　What　a　blessed　relief！　Carley　had　keen　sense　of　the　difference　between　riding　in　Central　Park　and　in　Arizona。　She　regretted　her　choice　of　horses。　Spillbeans　was　attractive　to　look　at；　but　the　pleasure　of　riding　him　was　a　delusion。　Flo　had　said　his　gait　resembled　the　motion　of　a　rocking　chair。　This　Western　girl；　according　to　Charley；　the　sheep　herder；　was　not　above　playing　Arizona　jokes。　Be　that　as　it　might；　Spillbeans　now　manifested　a　desire　to　remain　with　the　other　horses；　and　he　broke　out　of　a　walk　into　a　trot。　Carley　could　not　keep　him　from　trotting。　Hence　her　state　soon　wore　into　acute　distress。

Her　left　ankle　seemed　broken。　The　stirrup　was　heavy；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　tired　she　could　no　longer　keep　its　weight　from　drawing　her　foot　in。　The　inside　of　her　right　knee　was　as　sore　as　a　boil。　Besides；　she　had　other　pains；　just　as　severe；　and　she　stood　momentarily　in　mortal　dread　of　that　terrible　stitch　in　her　side。　If　it　returned　she　knew　she　would　fall　off。　But；　fortunately；　just　when　she　was　growing　weak　and　dizzy；　the　horses　ahead　slowed　to　a　walk　on　a　descent。　The　road　wound　down　into　a　wide　deep　canyon。　Carley　had　a　respite　from　her　severest　pains。　Never　before　had　she　known　what　it　meant　to　be　so　grateful　for　relief　from　anything。

The　afternoon　grew　far　advanced　and　the　sunset　was　hazily　shrouded　in　gray。　Hutter　did　not　like　the　looks　of　those　clouds。　〃Reckon　we're　in　for　weather；〃　he　said。　Carley　did　not　care　what　happened。　Weather　or　anything　else　that　might　make　it　possible　to　get　off　her　horse！　Glenn　rode　beside　her；　inquiring　solicitously　as　to　her　pleasure。　〃Ride　of　my　life！〃　she　lied　heroically。　And　it　helped　some　to　see　that　she　both　fooled　and　pleased　him。

Beyond　the　canyon　the　cedared　desert　heaved　higher　and　changed　its　aspect。　The　trees　grew　larger；　bushier；　greener；　and　closer　together；　with　patches　of　bleached　grass　between；　and　russet…lichened　rocks　everywhere。　Small　cactus　plants　bristled　sparsely　in　open　places；　and　here　and　there　bright　red　flowersIndian　paintbrush；　Flo　called　themadded　a　touch　of　color　to　the　gray。　Glenn　pointed　to　where　dark　banks　of　cloud　had　massed　around　the　mountain　peaks。　The　scene　to　the　west　was　somber　and　compelling。

At　last　the　men　and　the　pack…horses　ahead　came　to　a　halt　in　a　level　green　forestland　with　no　high　trees。　Far　ahead　a　chain　of　soft　gray　round　hills　led　up　to　the　dark　heaved　mass　of　mountains。　Carley　saw　the　gleam　of　water　through　the　trees。　Probably　her　mustang　saw　or　scented　it；　because　he　started　to　trot。　Carley　had　reached　a　limit　of　strength；　endurance；　and　patience。　She　hauled　him　up　short。　When　Spillbeans　evinced　a　stubborn　intention　to　go　on　Carley　gave　him　a　kick。　Then　it　happened。

She　felt　the　reins　jerked　out　of　her　hands　and　the　saddle　propel　her　upward。　When　she　descended　it　was　to　meet　that　before…experienced　jolt。

〃Look！〃　cried　Flo。　〃That　bronc　is　going　to　pitch。〃

〃Hold　on；　Carley！〃　yelled　Glenn。

Desperately　Carley　essayed　to　do　just　that。　But　Spillbeans　jolted　her　out　of　the　saddle。　She　came　down　on　his　rump　and　began　to　slide　back　and　down。　Frightened　and　furious；　Carley　tried　to　hang　to　the　saddle　with　her　hands　and　to　squeeze　the　mustang　with　her　knees。　But　another　jolt　broke　her　hold；　and　then；　helpless　and　bewildered；　with　her　heart　in　her　throat　and　a　terrible　sensation　of　weakness；　she　slid　back　at　each　upheave　of　the　muscular　rump　until　she　slid　off　and　to　the　ground　in　a　heap。　Whereupon　Spillbeans　trotted　off　toward　the　water。

Carley　sat　up　before　Glenn　and　Flo　reached　her。　Manifestly　they　were　concerned　about　her；　but　both　were　ready　to　burst　with　laughter。　Carley　knew　she　was　not　hurt　and　she　was　so　glad　to　be　off　the　mustang　that；　on　the　moment；　she　could　almost　have　laughed　herself。

〃That　beast　is　well　named；〃　she　said。　〃He　spilled　me；　all　right。　And　I　presume　I　resembled　a　sack　of　beans。〃

〃Carleyyou'renot　hurt？〃　asked　Glenn；　choking；　as　he　helped　her　up。

〃Not　physically。　But　my　feelings　are。〃

Then　Glenn　let　out　a　hearty　howl　of　mirth；　which　was　seconded　by　a　loud　guffaw　from　Hutter。　Flo；　however；　appeared　to　be　able　to　restrain　whatever　she　felt。　To　Carley　she　looked　queer。

〃Pitch！　You　called　it　that；〃　said　Carley。

〃Oh；　he　didn't　really　pitch。　He　just　humped　up　a　few　times；〃　replied　Flo；　and　then　when　she　saw　how　Carley　was　going　to　take　it　she　burst　into　a　merry　peal　of　laughter。　Charley；　the　sheep　herder　was　grinning；　and　some　of　the　other　men　turned　away　with　shaking　shoulders。

〃Laugh；　you　wild　and　woolly　Westerners！〃　ejaculated　Carley。　〃It　must　have　been　funny。　I　hope　I　can　be　a　good　sport。　。　。　。　But　I　bet　you　I　ride　him　tomorrow。〃

〃Shore　you　will；〃　replied　Flo。

Evidently　the　little　incident　drew　the　party　closer　together。　Carley　felt　a　warmth　of　good　nature　that　overcame　her　first　feeling　of　humiliation。　They　expected　such　things　from　her；　and　she　should　expect　them；　too；　and　take　them；　if　not　fearlessly　or　painlessly；　at　least　without　resentment。

Carley　walked　about　to　ease　her　swollen　and　sore　joints；　and　while　doing　so　she　took　stock　of　the　camp　ground　and　what　was　going　on。　At　second　glance　the　place　had　a　certain　attraction　difficult　for　her　to　define。　She　could　see　far；　and　the　view　north　toward　those　strange　gray…colored　symmetrical　hills　was　one　that　fascinated　while　it　repelled　her。　Near　at　hand　the　ground　sloped　down　to　a　large　rock…bound　lake；　perhaps　a　mile　in　circumference。　In　the　distance；　along　the　shore　she　saw　a　white　conical　tent；　and　blue　smoke；　and　moving　gray　objects　she　took　for　sheep。

The　men　unpacked　and　unsaddled　the　horses；　and；　hobbling　their　forefeet　together；　turned　them　loose。　Twilight　had　fallen　and　each　man　appeared　to　be　briskly　set　upon　his　own　task。　Glenn　was　cutting　around　the　foot　of　a　thickly　branched　cedar　where；　he　told　Carley；　he　would　make　a　bed　for　her　and　Flo。　All　that　Carley　could　see　that　could　be　used　for　such　purpose　was　a　canvas…covered　roll。　Presently　Glenn　untied　a　rope　from　round　this；　unrolled　it；　and　dragged　it　under　the　cedar。　Then　he　spread　down　the　outer　layer　of　canvas；　disclosing　a　considerable　thickness　of　blankets。　From　under　the　top　of　these　he　pulled　out　two　flat　little　pillows。　These　he　placed　in　position；　and　turned　back　some　of　the　blankets。

〃Carley；　you　crawl　in　here；　pile　the　blankets　up；　and　the　tarp　over　them；〃　directed　Glenn。　〃If　it　rains　pull　the　tarp　up　over　your　headand　let　it　rain。〃

This　direction　sounded　in　Glenn's　cheery　voice　a　good　deal　more　pleasurable　than　the　possibilities　suggested。　Surely　that　cedar　tree　could　not　keep　off　rain　or　snow。

〃Glenn；　how　aboutabout　animalsand　crawling　things；　you　know？〃　queried　Carley。

〃Oh；　there　are　a　few　tarantulas　and　centipedes；　and　sometimes　a　scorpion。　But　these　don't　crawl　around　much　at　night。　The　only　thing　to　worry　about　are　the　hydrophobia　skunks。〃

〃What　on　earth　are　they？〃　asked　Carley；　quite　aghast。

〃Skunks　are　polecats；　you　know；〃　replied　Glenn；　cheerfully。　〃Sometimes　one　gets　bitten　by　a　coyote　that　has　rabies；　and　then　he's　a　dangerous　customer。　He　has　no　fear　and　he　may　run　across　you　and　bite　you　in　the　face。　Queer　how　they　generally　bite　your　nose。　Two　men　have　been　bitten　since　I've　been　here。　One　of　them　died；　and　the　other　had　to　go　to　the　Pasteur　Institute　with　a　well…developed　case　of　hydrophobia。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Carley；　horrified。

〃You　needn't　be　afraid；〃　said　Glenn。　〃I'll　tie　one　of　the　dogs　near　your　bed。〃

Carley　wondered　whether　Glenn's　casual；　easy　tone　had　been　adopted　for　her　benefit　or　was　merely　an　assimilation　from　this　Western　life。　Not　improbably　Glenn　himself　might　be　capable　of　playing　a　trick　on　her。　Carley　endeavored　to　fortify　herself　against　disaster；　so　that　when　it　befell　she　might　not　be　wholly　ludicrous。

With　the　coming　of　twilight　a　cold；　keen　wind　moaned　through　the　cedars。　Carley　would　have　hovered　close　to　the　fire　even　if　she　had　not　been　too　tired　to　exert　herself。　Despite　her　aches；　she　did　justice　to　the　supper。　It　amazed　her　that　appetite　consumed　her　to　the　ex