the call of the canyon-第18部分

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ad　which　was　the　verdure　of　a　desert　river。　Beyond　stretched　the　white　sand；　where　whirlwinds　of　dust　sent　aloft　their　funnel…shaped　spouts；　and　it　led　up　to　the　horizon…wide　ribs　and　ridges　of　red　and　walls　of　yellow　and　mountains　of　black；　to　the　dim　mound　of　purple　so　ethereal　and　mystic　against　the　deep…blue　cloud…curtained　band　of　sky。

And　on　the　moment　the　sun　was　obscured　and　that　world　of　colorful　flame　went　out；　as　if　a　blaze　had　died。

Deprived　of　its　fire；　the　desert　seemed　to　retreat；　to　fade　coldly　and　gloomily；　to　lose　its　great　landmarks　in　dim　obscurity。　Closer；　around　to　the　north；　the　canyon　country　yawned　with　innumerable　gray　jaws；　ragged　and　hard；　and　the　riven　earth　took　on　a　different　character。　It　had　no　shadows。　It　grew　flat　and；　like　the　sea；　seemed　to　mirror　the　vast　gray　cloud　expanse。　The　sublime　vanished；　but　the　desolate　remained。　No　warmthno　movementno　life！　Dead　stone　it　was；　cut　into　a　million　ruts　by　ruthless　ages。　Carley　felt　that　she　was　gazing　down　into　chaos。

At　this　moment；　as　before；　a　hawk　had　crossed　her　vision；　so　now　a　raven　sailed　by；　black　as　coal；　uttering　a　hoarse　croak。

〃Quoth　the　raven〃　murmured　Carley；　with　a　half…bitter　laugh；　as　she　turned　away　shuddering　in　spite　of　an　effort　of　self…control。　〃Maybe　he　meant　this　wonderful　and　terrible　West　is　never　for　such　as　I。　。　。　。　Come；　let　us　go。〃

Carley　rode　all　that　afternoon　in　the　rear　of　the　caravan；　gradually　succumbing　to　the　cold　raw　wind　and　the　aches　and　pains　to　which　she　had　subjected　her　flesh。　Nevertheless；　she　finished　the　day's　journey；　and；　sorely　as　she　needed　Glenn's　kindly　hand；　she　got　off　her　horse　without　aid。

Camp　was　made　at　the　edge　of　the　devastated　timber　zone　that　Carley　had　found　so　dispiriting。　A　few　melancholy　pines　were　standing；　and　everywhere；　as　far　as　she　could　see　southward；　were　blackened　fallen　trees　and　stumps。　It　was　a　dreary　scene。　The　few　cattle　grazing　on　the　bleached　grass　appeared　as　melancholy　as　the　pines。　The　sun　shone　fitfully　at　sunset；　and　then　sank；　leaving　the　land　to　twilight　and　shadows。

Once　in　a　comfortable　seat　beside　the　camp　fire；　Carley　had　no　further　desire　to　move。　She　was　so　far　exhausted　and　weary　that　she　could　no　longer　appreciate　the　blessing　of　rest。　Appetite；　too；　failed　her　this　meal　time。　Darkness　soon　settled　down。　The　wind　moaned　through　the　pines。　She　was　indeed　glad　to　crawl　into　bed；　and　not　even　the　thought　of　skunks　could　keep　her　awake。

Morning；　disclosed　the　fact　that　gray　clouds　had　been　blown　away。　The　sun　shone　bright　upon　a　white…frosted　land。　The　air　was　still。　Carley　labored　at　her　task　of　rising；　and　brushing　her　hair；　and　pulling　on　her　boots；　and　it　appeared　her　former　sufferings　were　as　naught　compared　with　the　pangs　of　this　morning。　How　she　hated　the　cold；　the　bleak；　denuded　forest　land；　the　emptiness；　the　roughness；　the　crudeness！　If　this　sort　of　feeling　grew　any　worse　she　thought　she　would　hate　Glenn。　Yet　she　was　nonetheless　set　upon　going　on；　and　seeing　the　sheep…dip；　and　riding　that　fiendish　mustang　until　the　trip　was　ended。

Getting　in　the　saddle　and　on　the　way　this　morning　was　an　ordeal　that　made　Carley　actually　sick。　Glenn　and　Flo　both　saw　how　it　was　with　her；　and　they　left　her　to　herself。　Carley　was　grateful　for　this　understanding。　It　seemed　to　proclaim　their　respect。　She　found　further　matter　for　satisfaction　in　the　astonishing　circumstance　that　after　the　first　dreadful　quarter　of　an　hour　in　the　saddle　she　began　to　feel　easier。　And　at　the　end　of　several　hours　of　riding　she　was　not　suffering　any　particular　pain；　though　she　was　weaker。

At　length　the　cut…over　land　ended　in　a　forest　of　straggling　pines；　through　which　the　road　wound　southward；　and　eventually　down　into　a　wide　shallow　canyon。　Through　the　trees　Carley　saw　a　stream　of　water；　open　fields　of　green；　log　fences　and　cabins；　and　blue　smoke。　She　heard　the　chug　of　a　gasoline　engine　and　the　baa…baa　of　sheep。　Glenn　waited　for　her　to　catch　up　with　him；　and　he　said：　〃Carley；　this　is　one　of　Hutter's　sheep　camps。　It's　not　aa　very　pleasant　place。　You　won't　care　to　see　the　sheep…dip。　So　I'm　suggesting　you　wait　here〃

〃Nothing　doing；　Glenn；〃　she　interrupted。　〃I'm　going　to　see　what　there　is　to　see。〃

〃But；　dearthe　menthe　way　they　handle　sheepthey'llreally　it's　no　sight　for　you；〃　he　floundered。

〃Why　not？〃　she　inquired；　eying　him。

〃Because；　Carleyyou　know　how　you　hate　thethe　seamy　side　of　things。　And　the　stenchwhy；　it'll　make　you　sick！〃

〃Glenn；　be　on　the　level；〃　she　said。　〃Suppose　it　does。　Wouldn't　you　think　more　of　me　if　I　could　stand　it？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　he　replied；　reluctantly；　smiling　at　her；　〃I　would。　But　I　wanted　to　spare　you。　This　trip　has　been　hard。　I'm　sure　proud　of　you。　And；　Carley　you　can　overdo　it。　Spunk　is　not　everything。　You　simply　couldn't　stand　this。〃

〃Glenn；　how　little　you　know　a　woman！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Come　along　and　show　me　your　old　sheep…dip。〃

They　rode　out　of　the　woods　into　an　open　valley　that　might　have　been　picturesque　if　it　had　not　been　despoiled　by　the　work　of　man。　A　log　fence　ran　along　the　edge　of　open　ground　and　a　mud　dam　held　back　a　pool　of　stagnant　water；　slimy　and　green。　As　Carley　rode　on　the　baa…baa　of　sheep　became　so　loud　that　she　could　scarcely　hear　Glenn　talking。

Several　log　cabins；　rough　hewn　and　gray　with　age；　stood　down　inside　the　inclosure；　and　beyond　there　were　large　corrals。　From　the　other　side　of　these　corrals　came　sounds　of　rough　voices　of　men；　a　trampling　of　hoofs；　heavy　splashes；　the　beat　of　an　engine；　and　the　incessant　baaing　of　the　sheep。

At　this　point　the　members　of　Hutter's　party　dismounted　and　tied　their　horses　to　the　top　log　of　the　fence。　When　Carley　essayed　to　get　off　Glenn　tried　to　stop　her；　saying　she　could　see　well　enough　from　there。　But　Carley　got　down　and　followed　Flo。　She　heard　Hutter　call　to　Glenn：　〃Say；　Ryan　is　short　of　men。　We'll　lend　a　hand　for　a　couple　of　hours。〃

Presently　Carley　reached　Flo's　side　and　the　first　corral　that　contained　sheep。　They　formed　a　compact　woolly　mass；　rather　white　in　color；　with　a　tinge　of　pink。　When　Flo　climbed　up　on　the　fence　the　flock　plunged　as　one　animal　and　with　a　trampling　roar　ran　to　the　far　side　of　the　corral。　Several　old　rams　with　wide　curling　horns　faced　around；　and　some　of　the　ewes　climbed　up　on　the　densely　packed　mass。　Carley　rather　enjoyed　watching　them。　She　surely　could　not　see　anything　amiss　in　this　sight。

The　next　corral　held　a　like　number　of　sheep；　and　also　several　Mexicans　who　were　evidently　driving　them　into　a　narrow　lane　that　led　farther　down。　Carley　saw　the　heads　of　men　above　other　corral　fences；　and　there　was　also　a　thick　yellowish　smoke　rising　from　somewhere。

〃Carley；　are　you　game　to　see　the　dip？〃　asked　Flo；　with　good　nature　that　yet　had　a　touch　of　taunt　in　it。

〃That's　my　middle　name；〃　retorted　Carley；　flippantly。

Both　Glenn　and　this　girl　seemed　to　be　bent　upon　bringing　out　Carley's　worst　side；　and　they　were　succeeding。　Flo　laughed。　The　ready　slang　pleased　her。

She　led　Carley　along　that　log　fence；　through　a　huge　open　gate；　and　across　a　wide　pen　to　another　fence；　which　she　scaled。　Carley　followed　her；　not　particularly　overanxious　to　look　ahead。　Some　thick　odor　had　begun　to　reach　Carley's　delicate　nostrils。　Flo　led　down　a　short　lane　and　climbed　another　fence；　and　sat　astride　the　top　log。　Carley　hurried　along　to　clamber　up　to　her　side；　but　stood　erect　with　her　feet　on　the　second　log　of　the　fence。

Then　a　horrible　stench　struck　Carley　almost　like　a　blow　in　the　face；　and　before　her　confused　sight　there　appeared　to　be　drifting　smoke　and　active　men　and　running　sheep；　all　against　a　background　of　mud。　But　at　first　it　was　the　odor　that　caused　Carley　to　close　her　eyes　and　press　her　knees　hard　against　the　upper　log　to　keep　from　reeling。　Never　in　her　life　had　such　a　sickening　nausea　assailed　her。　It　appeared　to　attack　her　whole　body。　The　forerunning　qualm　of　seasickness　was　as　nothing　to　this。　Carley　gave　a　gasp；　pinched　her　nose　between　her　fingers　so　she　could　not　smell；　and　opened　her　eyes。

Directly　beneath　her　was　a　small　pen　open　at　one　end　into　which　sheep　were　being　driven　from　the　larger　corral。　The　drivers　were　yelling。　The　sheep　in　the　rear　plunged　into　those　ahead　of　them；　forcing　them　on。　Two　men　worked　in　this　small　pen。　One　was　a　brawny　giant　in　undershirt　and　overalls　that　appeared　filthy。　He　held　a　cloth　in　his　hand　and　strode　toward　the　nearest　sheep。　Folding　the　cloth　round　the　neck　of　the　sheep；　he　dragged　it　forward；　with　an　ease　which　showed　great　strength；　and　threw　it　into　a　pit　that　yawned　at　the　side。　Souse　went　the　sheep　into　a　murky；　muddy　pool　and　disappeared。　But　suddenly　its　head　came　up　and　then　its　shoulders。　And　it　began　half　to　walk　and　half　swim　down　what　appeared　to　be　a　narrow　boxlike　ditch　that　contained　other　floundering　sheep。　Then　Carley　saw　men　on　each　side　of　this　ditch　bending　over　with　poles　that　had　crooks　at　the　end；　and　their　work　was　to　press　and　pull　the　sheep　along　to　the　end　of　the　ditch；　and　drive　them　up　a　boarded　incline　into　another　corral　where　many　other　sheep　huddled；　now　a　dirty　muddy　color　like　the　liquid　into　which　they　had　been　emersed。　Souse！　Splash！　In　went　sheep　after　sheep。　Occasionally　one　did　not　go　under。　And　then　a　man　would　press　it　under　with　the　crook　and　quickly　l