the call of the canyon-第27部分

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en　a　vain；　worldly；　complacent；　effusive　little　fool。　She　had　here　the　shock　of　her　life；　and　she　sensed　a　greater　one；　impossible　to　grasp。

〃Carley；　that　was　coming　to　you；〃　said　Glenn；　presently；　with　deep；　heavy　expulsion　of　breath。

〃I　only　know　I　love　youmoremore；〃　she　cried；　wildly；　looking　up　and　wanting　desperately　to　throw　herself　in　his　arms。

〃I　guess　you　doa　little；〃　he　replied。　〃Sometimes　I　feel　you　are　a　kid。　Then　again　you　represent　the　worldyour　world　with　its　age…old　customits　unalterable。　。　。　。　But；　Carley；　let's　get　back　to　my　work。〃

〃Yesyes；〃　exclaimed　Carley；　gladly。　〃I'm　ready　toto　go　pet　your　hogs…　…anything。〃

〃By　George！　I'll　take　you　up；〃　he　declared。　〃I'll　bet　you　won't　go　near　one　of　my　hogpens。〃

〃Lead　me　to　it！〃　she　replied；　with　a　hilarity　that　was　only　a　nervous　reversion　of　her　state。

〃Well；　maybe　I'd　better　hedge　on　the　bet；〃　he　said；　laughing　again。　〃You　have　more　in　you　than　I　suspect。　You　sure　fooled　me　when　you　stood　for　the　sheep…dip。　But；　come　on；　I'll　take　you　anyway。〃

So　that　was　how　Carley　found　herself　walking　arm　in　arm　with　Glenn　down　the　canyon　trail。　A　few　moments　of　action　gave　her　at　least　an　appearance　of　outward　composure。　And　the　state　of　her　emotion　was　so　strained　and　intense　that　her　slightest　show　of　interest　must　deceive　Glenn　into　thinking　her　eager；　responsive；　enthusiastic。　It　certainly　appeared　to　loosen　his　tongue。　But　Carley　knew　she　was　farther　from　normal　than　ever　before　in　her　life；　and　that　the　subtle；　inscrutable　woman's　intuition　of　her　presaged　another　shock。　Just　as　she　had　seemed　to　change；　so　had　the　aspects　of　the　canyon　undergone　some　illusive　transformation。　The　beauty　of　green　foliage　and　amber　stream　and　brown　tree　trunks　and　gray　rocks　and　red　walls　was　there；　and　the　summer　drowsiness　and　languor　lay　as　deep；　and　the　loneliness　and　solitude　brooded　with　its　same　eternal　significance。　But　some　nameless　enchantment；　perhaps　of　hope；　seemed　no　longer　to　encompass　her。　A　blow　had　fallen　upon　her；　the　nature　of　which　only　time　could　divulge。

Glenn　led　her　around　the　clearing　and　up　to　the　base　of　the　west　wall；　where　against　a　shelving　portion　of　the　cliff　had　been　constructed　a　rude　fence　of　poles。　It　formed　three　sides　of　a　pen；　and　the　fourth　side　was　solid　rock。　A　bushy　cedar　tree　stood　in　the　center。　Water　flowed　from　under　the　cliff；　which　accounted　for　the　boggy　condition　of　the　red　earth。　This　pen　was　occupied　by　a　huge　sow　and　a　litter　of　pigs。

Carley　climbed　on　the　fence　and　sat　there　while　Glenn　leaned　over　the　top　pole　and　began　to　wax　eloquent　on　a　subject　evidently　dear　to　his　heart。　Today　of　all　days　Carley　made　an　inspiring　listener。　Even　the　shiny；　muddy；　suspicious　old　sow　in　no　wise　daunted　her　fictitious　courage。　That　filthy　pen　of　mud　a　foot　deep；　and　of　odor　rancid；　had　no　terrors　for　her。　With　an　arm　round　Glenn's　shoulder　she　watched　the　rooting　and　squealing　little　pigs；　and　was　amused　and　interested；　as　if　they　were　far　removed　from　the　vital　issue　of　the　hour。　But　all　the　time　as　she　looked　and　laughed；　and　encouraged　Glenn　to　talk；　there　seemed　to　be　a　strange；　solemn；　oppressive　knocking　at　her　heart。　Was　it　only　the　beat…beat…beat　of　blood？

〃There　were　twelve　pigs　in　that　litter；〃　Glenn　was　saying；　〃and　now　you　see　there　are　only　nine。　I've　lost　three。　Mountain　lions；　bears；　coyotes；　wild　cats　are　all　likely　to　steal　a　pig。　And　at　first　I　was　sure　one　of　these　varmints　had　been　robbing　me。　But　as　I　could　not　find　any　tracks；　I　knew　I　had　to　lay　the　blame　on　something　else。　So　I　kept　watch　pretty　closely　in　daytime；　and　at　night　I　shut　the　pigs　up　in　the　corner　there；　where　you　see　I've　built　a　pen。　Yesterday　I　heard　squealingand；　by　George！　I　saw　an　eagle　flying　off　with　one　of　my　pigs。　Say；　I　was　mad。　A　great　old　bald…headed　eaglethe　regal　bird　you　see　with　America's　stars　and　stripes　had　degraded　himself　to　the　level　of　a　coyote。　I　ran　for　my　rifle；　and　I　took　some　quick　shots　at　him　as　he　flew　up。　Tried　to　hit　him；　too；　but　I　failed。　And　the　old　rascal　hung　on　to　my　pig。　I　watched　him　carry　it　to　that　sharp　crag　way　up　there　on　the　rim。〃

〃Poor　little　piggy！〃　exclaimed　Carley。　〃To　think　of　our　American　emblemour　stately　bird　of　noble　warlike　mienour　symbol　of　lonely　grandeur　and　freedom　of　the　heightsthink　of　him　being　a　robber　of　pigpens！Glenn；　I　begin　to　appreciate　the　many…sidedness　of　things。　Even　my　hide…bound　narrowness　is　susceptible　to　change。　It's　never　too　late　to　learn。　This　should　apply　to　the　Society　for　the　Preservation　of　the　American　Eagle。〃

Glenn　led　her　along　the　base　of　the　wall　to　three　other　pens；　in　each　of　which　was　a　fat　old　sow　with　a　litter。　And　at　the　last　enclosure；　that　owing　to　dry　soil　was　not　so　dirty；　Glenn　picked　up　a　little　pig　and　held　it　squealing　out　to　Carley　as　she　leaned　over　the　fence。　It　was　fairly　white　and　clean；　a　little　pink　and　fuzzy；　and　certainly　cute　with　its　curled　tall。

〃Carley　Burch；　take　it　in　your　hands；〃　commanded　Glenn。

The　feat　seemed　monstrous　and　impossible　of　accomplishment　for　Carley。　Yet　such　was　her　temper　at　the　moment　that　she　would　have　undertaken　anything。

〃Why；　shore　I　will；　as　Flo　says；〃　replied　Carley；　extending　her　ungloved　hands。　〃Come　here；　piggy。　I　christen　you　Pinky。〃　And　hiding　an　almost　insupportable　squeamishness　from　Glenn；　she　took　the　pig　in　her　hands　and　fondled　it。

〃By　George！〃　exclaimed　Glenn；　in　huge　delight。　〃I　wouldn't　have　believed　it。　Carley；　I　hope　you　tell　your　fastidious　and　immaculate　Morrison　that　you　held　one　of　my　pigs　in　your　beautiful　hands。〃

〃Wouldn't　it　please　you　more　to　tell　him　yourself？〃　asked　Carley。

〃Yes；　it　would；〃　declared　Glenn；　grimly。

This　incident　inspired　Glenn　to　a　Homeric　narration　of　his　hog…raising　experience。　In　spite　of　herself　the　content　of　his　talk　interested　her。　And　as　for　the　effect　upon　her　of　his　singular　enthusiasm；　it　was　deep　and　compelling。　The　little…boned　Berkshire　razorback　hogs　grew　so　large　and　fat　and　heavy　that　their　bones　broke　under　their　weight。　The　Duroc　jerseys　were　the　best　breed　in　that　latitude；　owing　to　their　larger　and　stronger　bones；　that　enabled　them　to　stand　up　under　the　greatest　accumulation　of　fat。

Glenn　told　of　his　droves　of　pigs　running　wild　in　the　canyon　below。　In　summertime　they　fed　upon　vegetation；　and　at　other　seasons　on　acorns；　roots；　bugs；　and　grubs。　Acorns；　particularly；　were　good　and　fattening　feed。　They　ate　cedar　and　juniper　berries；　and　pinyon　nuts。　And　therefore　they　lived　off　the　land；　at　little　or　no　expense　to　the　owner。　The　only　loss　was　from　beasts　and　birds　of　prey。　Glenn　showed　Carley　how　a　profitable　business　could　soon　be　established。　He　meant　to　fence　off　side　canyons　and　to　segregate　droves　of　his　hogs；　and　to　raise　abundance　of　corn　for　winter　feed。　At　that　time　there　was　a　splendid　market　for　hogs；　a　condition　Hutter　claimed　would　continue　indefinitely　in　a　growing　country。　In　conclusion　Glenn　eloquently　told　how　in　his　necessity　he　had　accepted　gratefully　the　humblest　of　labors；　to　find　in　the　hard　pursuit　of　it　a　rejuvenation　of　body　and　mind；　and　a　promise　of　independence　and　prosperity。

When　he　had　finished；　and　excused　himself　to　go　repair　a　weak　place　in　the　corral　fence；　Carley　sat　silent；　wrapped　in　strange　meditation。

Whither　had　faded　the　vulgarity　and　ignominy　she　had　attached　to　Glenn's　raising　of　hogs？　Gonelike　other　miasmas　of　her　narrow　mind！　Partly　she　understood　him　now。　She　shirked　consideration　of　his　sacrifice　to　his　country。　That　must　wait。　But　she　thought　of　his　work；　and　the　more　she　thought　the　less　she　wondered。

First　he　had　labored　with　his　hands。　What　infinite　meaning　lay　unfolding　to　her　vision！　Somewhere　out　of　it　all　came　the　conception　that　man　was　intended　to　earn　his　bread　by　the　sweat　of　his　brow。　But　there　was　more　to　it　than　that。　By　that　toil　and　sweat；　by　the　friction　of　horny　palms；　by　the　expansion　and　contraction　of　muscle；　by　the　acceleration　of　blood；　something　great　and　enduring；　something　physical　and　spiritual；　came　to　a　man。　She　understood　then　why　she　would　have　wanted　to　surrender　herself　to　a　man　made　manly　by　toil；　she　understood　how　a　woman　instinctively　leaned　toward　the　protection　of　a　man　who　had　used　his　handswho　had　strength　and　red　blood　and　virility　who　could　fight　like　the　progenitors　of　the　race。　Any　toil　was　splendid　that　served　this　end　for　any　man。　It　all　went　back　to　the　survival　of　the　fittest。　And　suddenly　Carley　thought　of　Morrison。　He　could　dance　and　dangle　attendance　upon　her；　and　amuse　herbut　how　would　he　have　acquitted　himself　in　a　moment　of　peril？　She　had　her　doubts。　Most　assuredly　he　could　not　have　beaten　down　for　her　a　ruffian　like　Haze　Ruff。　What　then　should　be　the　significance　of　a　man　for　a　woman？

Carley's　querying　and　answering　mind　reverted　to　Glenn。　He　had　found　a　secret　in　this　seeking　for　something　through　the　labor　of　hands。　All　development　of　body　must　come　through　exercise　of　muscles。　The　virility　of　cell　in　tissue　and　bone　depended　upon　that。　Thus　he　had　found　in　toil　the　pleasure　and　reward　athletes　had　in　their　desultory　training。　But　when　a　man　learned　this　secret　the　need　of　work　must　become　permanent。　Did　this　explain　the　law　of　the　Persians　that　every　man　was　required　to　sweat　every　day？

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