riders of the purple sage-第17部分

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ite　conflict　of　change　within　him。　It　seemed　to　be　a　vague　passing　of　old　moods；　a　dim　coalescing　of　new　forces；　a　moment　of　inexplicable　transition。　He　was　both　cast　down　and　uplifted。　He　wanted　to　think　and　think　of　the　meaning；　but　he　resolutely　dispelled　emotion。　His　imperative　need　at　present　was　to　find　a　safe　retreat；　and　this　called　for　action。

So　he　set　out。　It　still　wanted　several　hours　before　dark。　This　trip　he　turned　to　the　left　and　wended　his　skulking　way　southward　a　mile　or　more　to　the　opening　of　the　valley；　where　lay　the　strange　scrawled　rocks。　He　did　not；　however；　venture　boldly　out　into　the　open　sage；　but　clung　to　the　right…hand　wall　and　went　along　that　till　its　perpendicular　line　broke　into　the　long　incline　of　bare　stone。

Before　proceeding　farther　he　halted；　studying　the　strange　character　of　this　slope　and　realizing　that　a　moving　black　object　could　be　seen　far　against　such　background。　Before　him　ascended　a　gradual　swell　of　smooth　stone。　It　was　hard；　polished；　and　full　of　pockets　worn　by　centuries　of　eddying　rain…water。　A　hundred　yards　up　began　a　line　of　grotesque　cedar…trees；　and　they　extended　along　the　slope　clear　to　its　most　southerly　end。　Beyond　that　end　Venters　wanted　to　get；　and　he　concluded　the　cedars；　few　as　they　were；　would　afford　some　cover。

Therefore　he　climbed　swiftly。　The　trees　were　farther　up　than　he　had　estimated；　though　he　had　from　long　habit　made　allowance　for　the　deceiving　nature　of　distances　in　that　country。　When　he　gained　the　cover　of　cedars　he　paused　to　rest　and　look；　and　it　was　then　he　saw　how　the　trees　sprang　from　holes　in　the　bare　rock。　Ages　of　rain　had　run　down　the　slope；　circling；　eddying　in　depressions；　wearing　deep　round　holes。　There　had　been　dry　seasons；　accumulations　of　dust；　wind…blown　seeds；　and　cedars　rose　wonderfully　out　of　solid　rock。　But　these　were　not　beautiful　cedars。　They　were　gnarled；　twisted　into　weird　contortions；　as　if　growth　were　torture；　dead　at　the　tops；　shrunken；　gray；　and　old。　Theirs　had　been　a　bitter　fight；　and　Venters　felt　a　strange　sympathy　for　them。　This　country　was　hard　on　treesand　men。

He　slipped　from　cedar　to　cedar；　keeping　them　between　him　and　the　open　valley。　As　he　progressed；　the　belt　of　trees　widened　and　he　kept　to　its　upper　margin。　He　passed　shady　pockets　half　full　of　water；　and；　as　he　marked　the　location　for　possible　future　need；　he　reflected　that　there　had　been　no　rain　since　the　winter　snows。　From　one　of　these　shady　holes　a　rabbit　hopped　out　and　squatted　down；　laying　its　ears　flat。

Venters　wanted　fresh　meat　now　more　than　when　he　had　only　himself　to　think　of。　But　it　would　not　do　to　fire　his　rifle　there。　So　he　broke　off　a　cedar　branch　and　threw　it。　He　crippled　the　rabbit；　which　started　to　flounder　up　the　slope。　Venters　did　not　wish　to　lose　the　meat；　and　he　never　allowed　crippled　game　to　escape；　to　die　lingeringly　in　some　covert。　So　after　a　careful　glance　below；　and　back　toward　the　canyon；　he　began　to　chase　the　rabbit。

The　fact　that　rabbits　generally　ran　uphill　was　not　new　to　him。　But　it　presently　seemed　singular　why　this　rabbit；　that　might　have　escaped　downward；　chose　to　ascend　the　slope。　Venters　knew　then　that　it　had　a　burrow　higher　up。　More　than　once　he　jerked　over　to　seize　it；　only　in　vain；　for　the　rabbit　by　renewed　effort　eluded　his　grasp。　Thus　the　chase　continued　on　up　the　bare　slope。　The　farther　Venters　climbed　the　more　determined　he　grew　to　catch　his　quarry。　At　last；　panting　and　sweating；　he　captured　the　rabbit　at　the　foot　of　a　steeper　grade。　Laying　his　rifle　on　the　bulge　of　rising　stone；　he　killed　the　animal　and　slung　it　from　his　belt。

Before　starting　down　he　waited　to　catch　his　breath。　He　had　climbed　far　up　that　wonderful　smooth　slope；　and　had　almost　reached　the　base　of　yellow　cliff　that　rose　skyward；　a　huge　scarred　and　cracked　bulk。　It　frowned　down　upon　him　as　if　to　forbid　further　ascent。　Venters　bent　over　for　his　rifle；　and；　as　he　picked　it　up　from　where　it　leaned　against　the　steeper　grade；　he　saw　several　little　nicks　cut　in　the　solid　stone。

They　were　only　a　few　inches　deep　and　about　a　foot　apart。　Venters　began　to　count　themonetwothreefouron　up　to　sixteen。　That　number　carried　his　glance　to　the　top　of　his　first　bulging　bench　of　cliff…base。　Above；　after　a　more　level　offset；　was　still　steeper　slope；　and　the　line　of　nicks　kept　on；　to　wind　round　a　projecting　corner　of　wall。

A　casual　glance　would　have　passed　by　these　little　dents；　if　Venters　had　not　known　what　they　signified　he　would　never　have　bestowed　upon　them　the　second　glance。　But　he　knew　they　had　been　cut　there　by　hand；　and；　though　age…worn；　he　recognized　them　as　steps　cut　in　the　rock　by　the　cliff…dwellers。　With　a　pulse　beginning　to　beat　and　hammer　away　his　calmness；　he　eyed　that　indistinct　line　of　steps；　up　to　where　the　buttress　of　wall　hid　further　sight　of　them。　He　knew　that　behind　the　corner　of　stone　would　be　a　cave　or　a　crack　which　could　never　be　suspected　from　below。　Chance；　that　had　sported　with　him　of　late；　now　directed　him　to　a　probable　hiding…place。　Again　he　laid　aside　his　rifle；　and；　removing　boots　and　belt；　he　began　to　walk　up　the　steps。　Like　a　mountain　goat；　he　was　agile；　sure…footed；　and　he　mounted　the　first　bench　without　bending　to　use　his　hands。　The　next　ascent　took　grip　of　fingers　as　well　as　toes；　but　he　climbed　steadily；　swiftly；　to　reach　the　projecting　corner；　and　slipped　around　it。　Here　he　faced　a　notch　in　the　cliff。　At　the　apex　he　turned　abruptly　into　a　ragged　vent　that　split　the　ponderous　wall　clear　to　the　top；　showing　a　narrow　streak　of　blue　sky。

At　the　base　this　vent　was　dark；　cool；　and　smelled　of　dry；　musty　dust。　It　zigzagged　so　that　he　could　not　see　ahead　more　than　a　few　yards　at　a　time。　He　noticed　tracks　of　wildcats　and　rabbits　in　the　dusty　floor。　At　every　turn　he　expected　to　come　upon　a　huge　cavern　full　of　little　square　stone　houses；　each　with　a　small　aperture　like　a　staring　dark　eye。　The　passage　lightened　and　widened；　and　opened　at　the　foot　of　a　narrow；　steep；　ascending　chute。

Venters　had　a　moment's　notice　of　the　rock；　which　was　of　the　same　smoothness　and　hardness　as　the　slope　below；　before　his　gaze　went　irresistibly　upward　to　the　precipitous　walls　of　this　wide　ladder　of　granite。　These　were　ruined　walls　of　yellow　sandstone；　and　so　split　and　splintered；　so　overhanging　with　great　sections　of　balancing　rim；　so　impending　with　tremendous　crumbling　crags；　that　Venters　caught　his　breath　sharply；　and；　appalled；　he　instinctively　recoiled　as　if　a　step　upward　might　jar　the　ponderous　cliffs　from　their　foundation。　Indeed；　it　seemed　that　these　ruined　cliffs　were　but　awaiting　a　breath　of　wind　to　collapse　and　come　tumbling　down。　Venters　hesitated。　It　would　be　a　foolhardy　man　who　risked　his　life　under　the　leaning；　waiting　avalanches　of　rock　in　that　gigantic　split。　Yet　how　many　years　had　they　leaned　there　without　falling！　At　the　bottom　of　the　incline　was　an　immense　heap　of　weathered　sandstone　all　crumbling　to　dust；　but　there　were　no　huge　rocks　as　large　as　houses；　such　as　rested　so　lightly　and　frightfully　above；　waiting　patiently　and　inevitably　to　crash　down。　Slowly　split　from　the　parent　rock　by　the　weathering　process；　and　carved　and　sculptured　by　ages　of　wind　and　rain；　they　waited　their　moment。　Venters　felt　how　foolish　it　was　for　him　to　fear　these　broken　walls；　to　fear　that；　after　they　had　endured　for　thousands　of　years；　the　moment　of　his　passing　should　be　the　one　for　them　to　slip。　Yet　he　feared　it。

〃What　a　place　to　hide！〃　muttered　Venters。　〃I'll　climbI'll　see　where　this　thing　goes。　If　only　I　can　find　water！〃

With　teeth　tight　shut　he　essayed　the　incline。　And　as　he　climbed　he　bent　his　eyes　downward。　This；　however；　after　a　little　grew　impossible；　he　had　to　look　to　obey　his　eager；　curious　mind。　He　raised　his　glance　and　saw　light　between　row　on　row　of　shafts　and　pinnacles　and　crags　that　stood　out　from　the　main　wall。　Some　leaned　against　the　cliff；　others　against　each　other；　many　stood　sheer　and　alone；　all　were　crumbling；　cracked；　rotten。　It　was　a　place　of　yellow；　ragged　ruin。　The　passage　narrowed　as　he　went　up；　it　became　a　slant；　hard　for　him　to　stick　on；　it　was　smooth　as　marble。　Finally　he　surmounted　it；　surprised　to　find　the　walls　still　several　hundred　feet　high；　and　a　narrow　gorge　leading　down　on　the　other　side。　This　was　a　divide　between　two　inclines；　about　twenty　yards　wide。　At　one　side　stood　an　enormous　rock。　Venters　gave　it　a　second　glance；　because　it　rested　on　a　pedestal。　It　attracted　closer　attention。　It　was　like　a　colossal　pear　of　stone　standing　on　its　stem。　Around　the　bottom　were　thousands　of　little　nicks　just　distinguishable　to　the　eye。　They　were　marks　of　stone　hatchets。　The　cliff…dwellers　had　chipped　and　chipped　away　at　this　boulder　fill　it　rested　its　tremendous　bulk　upon　a　mere　pin…point　of　its　surface。　Venters　pondered。　Why　had　the　little　stone…men　hacked　away　at　that　big　boulder？　It　bore　no　semblance　to　a　statue　or　an　idol　or　a　godhead　or　a　sphinx。　Instinctively　he　put　his　hands　on　it　and　pushed；　then　his　shoulder　and　heaved。　The　stone　seemed　to　groan；　to　stir；　to　grate；　and　then　to　move。　It　tipped　a　little　downward　and　hung　balancing　for　a　long　instant；　slowly　returned；　rocked　slightly；　groaned；　and　settled　back　to　its　former　position。　Venters　divined　its　significance。　It　had　been　meant　for　defense。　The　cliff…dwellers；　driven　by　dreaded　enemies　to　this　last　stand；　had　cunningly　cut　the　rock　until　it　balanced　perfectly；　ready　to　be　dislodged　by　strong　hands。　Just　below　it　leaned　a　tottering　crag　that　would　have　toppled；　starting　an　avalanche　on　an　acclivity　where　no　sliding　mass　could　stop。　Crags　and　pinnacles；　splintered　cliffs；　and　leaning　shafts　and　monuments；　would　have　thundered　down　to　block　forever　the　outlet　to　Deception　Pass。

〃That　was　a　narrow　shave　for　me；〃　said　Venters；　soberly。　〃A　balancing　rock！　The　cliff…dwellers　never　had　to　roll　it。　They　died；　vanished；　and　here　the　rock　stands；　probably　little　changed。。。。But　it　might　serve　another　lonely　dweller　of　the　cliffs。　I'll　hide　up　here　somewhere；　if　I　can　only　find　water。〃

He　descended　the　gorge　on　the　other　side。　The　slope　was　gradual；　the　space　narrow；　the　course　straight　for　many　rods。　A　gloom　hung　between　the　up…sweeping　walls。　In　a　turn　the　passage　narrowed　to　scarce　a　dozen　feet；　and　here　was　darkness　of　night。　But　light　shone　ahead；　another　abrupt　turn　brought　day　again；　and