the call of the canyon-第15部分

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〃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　the　lower　hills；　and　wonderful　in　its　color。　Full　in　the　blaze　of　the　rising　sun　it　flaunted　an　unchangeable　front。　Carley　understood　now　what　had　been　told　her　about　this　peak。　Volcanic　fires　had　thrown　up　a　colossal　mound　of　cinders　burned　forever　to　the　hues　of　the　setting　sun。　In　every　light　and　shade　of　day　it　held　true　to　its　name。　Farther　north　rose　the　bold　bulk　of　the　San　Francisco　Peaks；　that；　half　lost　in　the　clouds；　still　dominated　the　desert　scene。　Then　as　Carley　gazed　the　rifts　began　to　close。　Another　transformation　began；　the　reverse　of　what　she　watched。　The　golden　radiance　of　sunrise　vanished；　and　under　a　gray；　lowering）　coalescing　pall　of　cloud　the　round　hills　returned　to　their　bleak　somberness；　and　the　green　desert　took　again　its　cold　sheen。

〃Wasn't　it　fine；　Carley？〃　asked　Glenn。　〃But　nothing　to　what　you　will　experience。　I　hope　you　stay　till　the　weather　gets　warm。　I　want　you　to　see　a　summer　dawn　on　the　Painted　Desert；　and　a　noon　with　the　great　white　clouds　rolling　up　from　the　horizon；　and　a　sunset　of　massed　purple　and　gold。　If　they　do　not　get　you　then　I'll　give　up。〃

Carley　murmured　something　of　her　appreciation　of　what　she　had　just　seen。　Part　of　his　remark　hung　on　her　ear；　thought…provoking　and　disturbing。　He　hoped　she　would　stay　until　summer！　That　was　kind　of　him。　But　her　visit　must　be　short　and　she　now　intended　it　to　end　with　his　return　East　with　her。　If　she　did　not　persuade　him　to　go　he　might　not　want　to　go　for　a　while；　as　he　had　written〃just　yet。〃　Carley　grew　troubled　in　mind。　Such　mental　disturbance；　however；　lasted　no　longer　than　her　return　with　Glenn　to　camp；　where　the　mustang　Spillbeans　stood　ready　for　her　to　mount。　He　appeared　to　put　one　ear　up；　the　other　down；　and　to　look　at　her　with　mild　surprise；　as　if　to　say：　〃Whathellotenderfoot！　Are　you　going　to　ride　me　again？〃

Carley　recalled　that　she　had　avowed　she　would　ride　him。　There　was　no　alternative；　and　her　misgivings　only　made　matters　worse。　Nevertheless；　once　in　the　saddle；　she　imagined　she　had　the　hallucination　that　to　ride　off　so；　with　the　long　open　miles　ahead；　was　really　thrilling。　This　remarkable　state　of　mind　lasted　until　Spillbeans　began　to　trot；　and　then　another　day　of　misery　beckoned　to　Carley　with　gray　stretches　of　distance。

She　was　to　learn　that　misery；　as　well　as　bliss；　can　swallow　up　the　hours。　She　saw　the　monotony　of　cedar　trees；　but　with　blurred　eyes；　she　saw　the　ground　clearly　enough；　for　she　was　always　looking　down；　hoping　for　sandy　places　or　rocky　places　where　her　mustang　could　not　trot。

At　noon　the　cavalcade　ahead　halted　near　a　cabin　and　corral；　which　turned　out　to　be　a　sheep　ranch　belonging　to　Hutter。　Here　Glenn　was　so　busy　that　he　had　no　time　to　devote　to　Carley。　And　Flo；　who　was　more　at　home　on　a　horse　than　on　the　ground；　rode　around　everywhere　with　the　men。　Most　assuredly　Carley　could　not　pass　by　the　chance　to　get　off　Spillbeans　and　to　walk　a　little。　She　found；　however；　that　what　she　wanted　most　was　to　rest。　The　cabin　was　deserted；　a　dark；　damp　place　with　a　rank　odor。　She　did　not　stay　long　inside。

Rain　and　snow　began　to　fall；　adding　to　what　Carley　felt　to　be　a　disagreeable　prospect。　The　immediate　present；　however；　was　cheered　by　a　cup　of　hot　soup　and　some　bread　and　butter　which　the　herder　Charley　brought　her。　By　and　by　Glenn　and　Hutter　returned　with　Flo；　and　all　partook　of　some　lunch。

All　too　soon　Carley　found　herself　astride　the　mustang　again。　Glenn　helped　her　don　the　slicker；　an　abominable　sticky　rubber　coat　that　bundled　her　up　and　tangled　her　feet　round　the　stirrups。　She　was　glad　to　find；　though；　that　it　served　well　indeed　to　protect　her　from　raw　wind　and　rain。

〃Where　do　we　go　from　here？〃　Carley　inquired；　ironically。

Glenn　laughed　in　a　way　which　proved　to　Carley　that　he　knew　perfectly　well　how　she　felt。　Again　his　smile　caused　her　self…reproach。　Plain　indeed　was　it　that　he　had　really　expected　more　of　her　in　the　way　of　complaint　and　less　of　fortitude。　Carley　bit　her　lips。

Thus　began　the　afternoon　ride。　As　it　advanced　the　sky　grew　more　threatening；　the　wind　rawer；　the　cold　keener；　and　the　rain　cut　like　little　bits　of　sharp　ice。　It　blew　in　Carley's　face。　Enough　snow　fell　to　whiten　the　open　patches　of　ground。　In　an　hour　Carley　realized　that　she　had　the　hardest　task　of　her　life　to　ride　to　the　end　of　the　day's　journey。　No　one　could　have　guessed　her　plight。　Glenn　complimented　her　upon　her　adaptation　to　such　unpleasant　conditions。　Flo　evidently　was　on　the　lookout　for　the　tenderfoot's　troubles。　But　as　Spillbeans；　had　taken　to　lagging　at　a　walk；　Carley　was　enabled　to　conceal　all　outward　sign　of　her　woes。　It　rained；　hailed；　sleeted；　snowed；　and　grew　colder　all　the　time。　Carley's　feet　became　lumps　of　ice。　Every　step　the　mustang　took　sent　acute　pains　ramifying　from　bruised　and　raw　places　all　over　her　body。

Once；　finding　herself　behind　the　others　and　out　of　sight　in　the　cedars；　she　got　off　to　walk　awhile；　leading　the　mustang。　This　would　not　do；　however；　because　she　fell　too　far　in　the　rear。　Mounting　again；　she　rode　on；　beginning　to　feet　that　nothing　mattered；　that　this　trip　would　be　the　end　of　Carley　Burch。　How　she　hated　that　dreary；　cold；　flat　land　the　road　bisected