riders of the purple sage-第18部分

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；　and　here　was　darkness　of　night。　But　light　shone　ahead；　another　abrupt　turn　brought　day　again；　and　then　wide　open　space。

Above　Venters　loomed　a　wonderful　arch　of　stone　bridging　the

canyon　rims；　and　through　the　enormous　round　portal　gleamed　and　glistened　a　beautiful　valley　shining　under　sunset　gold　reflected　by　surrounding　cliffs。　He　gave　a　start　of　surprise。　The　valley　was　a　cove　a　mile　long；　half　that　wide；　and　its　enclosing　walls　were　smooth　and　stained；　and　curved　inward；　forming　great　caves。　He　decided　that　its　floor　was　far　higher　than　the　level　of　Deception　Pass　and　the　intersecting　canyons。　No　purple　sage　colored　this　valley　floor。　Instead　there　were　the　white　of　aspens；　streaks　of　branch　and　slender　trunk　glistening　from　the　green　of　leaves；　and　the　darker　green　of　oaks；　and　through　the　middle　of　this　forest；　from　wall　to　wall；　ran　a　winding　line　of　brilliant　green　which　marked　the　course　of　cottonwoods　and　willows。

〃There's　water　hereand　this　is　the　place　for　me；〃　said　Venters。　〃Only　birds　can　peep　over　those　walls；　I've　gone　Oldring　one　better。〃

Venters　waited　no　longer；　and　turned　swiftly　to　retrace　his　steps。　He　named　the　canyon　Surprise　Valley　and　the　huge　boulder　that　guarded　the　outlet　Balancing　Rock。　Going　down　he　did　not　find　himself　attended　by　such　fears　as　had　beset　him　in　the　climb；　still；　he　was　not　easy　in　mind　and　could　not　occupy　himself　with　plans　of　moving　the　girl　and　his　outfit　until　he　had　descended　to　the　notch。　There　he　rested　a　moment　and　looked　about　him。　The　pass　was　darkening　with　the　approach　of　night。　At　the　corner　of　the　wall；　where　the　stone　steps　turned；　he　saw　a　spur　of　rock　that　would　serve　to　hold　the　noose　of　a　lasso。　He　needed　no　more　aid　to　scale　that　place。　As　he　intended　to　make　the　move　under　cover　of　darkness；　he　wanted　most　to　be　able　to　tell　where　to　climb　up。　So；　taking　several　small　stones　with　him；　he　stepped　and　slid　down　to　the　edge　of　the　slope　where　he　had　left　his　rifle　and　boots。　He　placed　the　stones　some　yards　apart。　He　left　the　rabbit　lying　upon　the　bench　where　the　steps　began。　Then　he　addressed　a　keen…sighted；　remembering　gaze　to　the　rim…wall　above。　It　was　serrated；　and　between　two　spears　of　rock；　directly　in　line　with　his　position；　showed　a　zigzag　crack　that　at　night　would　let　through　the　gleam　of　sky。　This　settled；　he　put　on　his　belt　and　boots　and　prepared　to　descend。　Some　consideration　was　necessary　to　decide　whether　or　not　to　leave　his　rifle　there。　On　the　return；　carrying　the　girl　and　a　pack；　it　would　be　added　encumbrance；　and　after　debating　the　matter　he　left　the　rifle　leaning　against　the　bench。　As　he　went　straight　down　the　slope　he　halted　every　few　rods　to　look　up　at　his　mark　on　the　rim。　It　changed；　but　he　fixed　each　change　in　his　memory。　When　he　reached　the　first　cedar…tree；　he　tied　his　scarf　upon　a　dead　branch；　and　then　hurried　toward　camp；　having　no　more　concern　about　finding　his　trail　upon　the　return　trip。

Darkness　soon　emboldened　and　lent　him　greater　speed。　It　occurred　to　him；　as　he　glided　into　the　grassy　glade　near　camp　and　head　the　whinny　of　a　horse；　that　he　had　forgotten　Wrangle。　The　big　sorrel　could　not　be　gotten　into　Surprise　Valley。　He　would　have　to　be　left　here。

Venters　determined　at　once　to　lead　the　other　horses　out　through　the　thicket　and　turn　them　loose。　The　farther　they　wandered　from　this　canyon　the　better　it　would　suit　him。　He　easily　descried　Wrangle　through　the　gloom；　but　the　others　were　not　in　sight。

Venters　whistled　low　for　the　dogs；　and　when　they　came　trotting　to　him　he　sent　them　out　to　search　for　the　horses；　and　followed。　It　soon　developed　that　they　were　not　in　the　glade　nor　the　thicket。

Venters　grew　cold　and　rigid　at　the　thought　of　rustlers　having　entered　his　retreat。　But　the　thought　passed；　for　the　demeanor　of　Ring　and　Whitie　reassured　him。　The　horses　had　wandered　away。

Under　the　clump　of　silver　spruces　a　denser　mantle　of　darkness；　yet　not　so　thick　that　Venter's　night…practiced　eyes　could　not　catch　the　white　oval　of　a　still　face。　He　bent　over　it　with　a　slight　suspension　of　breath　that　was　both　caution　lest　he　frighten　her　and　chill　uncertainty　of　feeling　lest　he　find　her　dead。　But　she　slept；　and　he　arose　to　renewed　activity。

He　packed　his　saddle…bags。　The　dogs　were　hungry；　they　whined　about　him　and　nosed　his　busy　hands；　but　he　took　no　time　to　feed　them　nor　to　satisfy　his　own　hunger。　He　slung　the　saddlebags　over　his　shoulders　and　made　them　secure　with　his　lasso。　Then　he　wrapped　the　blankets　closer　about　the　girl　and　lifted　her　in　his　arms。　Wrangle　whinnied　and　thumped　the　ground　as　Venters　passed　him　with　the　dogs。　The　sorrel　knew　he　was　being　left　behind；　and　was　not　sure　whether　he　liked　it　or　not。　Venters　went　on　and　entered　the　thicket。　Here　he　had　to　feel　his　way　in　pitch　blackness　and　to　wedge　his　progress　between　the　close　saplings。　Time　meant　little　to　him　now　that　he　had　started；　and　he　edged　along　with　slow　side　movement　till　he　got　clear　of　the　thicket。　Ring　and　Whitie　stood　waiting　for　him。　Taking　to　the　open　aisles　and　patches　of　the　sage；　he　walked　guardedly；　careful　not　to　stumble　or　step　in　dust　or　strike　against　spreading　sage…branches。

If　he　were　burdened　he　did　not　feel　it。　From　time　to　time；　when　he　passed　out　of　the　black　lines　of　shade　into　the　wan　starlight；　he　glanced　at　the　white　face　of　the　girl　lying　in　his　arms。　She　had　not　awakened　from　her　sleep　or　stupor。　He　did　not　rest　until　he　cleared　the　black　gate　of　the　canyon。　Then　he　leaned　against　a　stone　breast…high　to　him　and　gently　released　the　girl　from　his　hold。　His　brow　and　hair　and　the　palms　of　his　hands　were　wet；　and　there　was　a　kind　of　nervous　contraction　of　his　muscles。　They　seemed　to　ripple　and　string　tense。　He　had　a　desire　to　hurry　and　no　sense　of　fatigue。　A　wind　blew　the　scent　of　sage　in　his　face。　The　first　early　blackness　of　night　passed　with　the　brightening　of　the　stars。　Somewhere　back　on　his　trail　a　coyote　yelped；　splitting　the　dead　silence。　Venters's　faculties　seemed　singularly　acute。

He　lifted　the　girl　again　and　pressed　on。　The　valley　better　traveling　than　the　canyon。　It　was　lighter；　freer　of　sage；　and　there　were　no　rocks。　Soon；　out　of　the　pale　gloom　shone　a　still　paler　thing；　and　that　was　the　low　swell　of　slope。　Venters　mounted　it　and　his　dogs　walked　beside　him。　Once　upon　the　stone　he　slowed　to　snail　pace；　straining　his　sight　to　avoid　the　pockets　and　holes。　Foot　by　foot　he　went　up。　The　weird　cedars；　like　great　demons　and　witches　chained　to　the　rock　and　writhing　in　silent　anguish；　loomed　up　with　wide　and　twisting　naked　arms。　Venters　crossed　this　belt　of　cedars；　skirted　the　upper　border；　and　recognized　the　tree　he　had　marked；　even　before　he　saw　his　waving　scarf。

Here　he　knelt　and　deposited　the　girl　gently；　feet　first　and　slowly　laid　her　out　full　length。　What　he　feared　was　to　reopen　one　of　her　wounds。　If　he　gave　her　a　violent　jar；　or　slipped　and　fell！　But　the　supreme　confidence　so　strangely　felt　that　night　admitted　no　such　blunders。

The　slope　before　him　seemed　to　swell　into　obscurity　to　lose　its　definite　outline　in　a　misty；　opaque　cloud　that　shaded　into　the　over…shadowing　wall。　He　scanned　the　rim　where　the　serrated　points　speared　the　sky；　and　he　found　the　zigzag　crack。　It　was　dim；　only　a　shade　lighter　than　the　dark　ramparts；　but　he　distinguished　it；　and　that　served。

Lifting　the　girl；　he　stepped　upward；　closely　attending　to　the　nature　of　the　path　under　his　feet。　After　a　few　steps　he　stopped　to　mark　his　line　with　the　crack　in　the　rim。　The　dogs　clung　closer　to　him。　While　chasing　the　rabbit　this　slope　had　appeared　interminable　to　him；　now；　burdened　as　he　was；　he　did　not　think　of　length　or　height　or　toil。　He　remembered　only　to　avoid　a　misstep　and　to　keep　his　direction。　He　climbed　on；　with　frequent　stops　to　watch　the　rim；　and　before　he　dreamed　of　gaining　the　bench　he　bumped　his　knees　into　it；　and　saw；　in　the　dim　gray　light；　his　rifle　and　the　rabbit。　He　had　come　straight　up　without　mishap　or　swerving　off　his　course；　and　his　shut　teeth　unlocked。

As　he　laid　the　girl　down　in　the　shallow　hollow　of　the　little　ridge　with　her　white　face　upturned；　she　opened　her　eyes。　Wide；　staring　black；　at　once　like　both　the　night　and　the　stars；　they　made　her　face　seem　still　whiter。

〃Isityou？〃　she　asked；　faintly。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Venters。

〃Oh！　Whereare　we？〃

〃I'm　taking　you　to　a　safe　place　where　no　one　will　ever　find　you。　I　must　climb　a　little　here　and　call　the　dogs。　Don't　be　afraid。　I'll　soon　come　for　you。〃

She　said　no　more。　Her　eyes　watched　him　steadily　for　a　moment　and　then　closed。　Venters　pulled　off　his　boots　and　then　felt　for　the　little　steps　in　the　rock。　The　shade　of　the　cliff　above　obscured　the　point　he　wanted　to　gain；　but　he　could　see　dimly　a　few　feet　before　him。　What　he　had　attempted　with　care　he　now　went　at　with　surpassing　lightness。　Buoyant；　rapid；　sure；　he　attained　the　corner　of　wall　and　slipped　around　it。　Here　he　could　not　see　a　hand　before　his　face；　so　he　groped　along；　found　a　little　flat　space；　and　there　removed　the　saddle…bags。　The　lasso　he　took　back　with　him　to　the　corner　and　looped　the　noose　over　the　spur　of　rock。

〃RingWhitiecome；〃　he　called；　softly。

Low　whines　came　up　from　below。

〃Here！　Come；　WhitieRing；〃　he　repeated；　this　time　sharply。

Then　followed　scraping　of　claws　and　pattering　of　feet；　and　out　of　the　gray　gloom　below　him　swiftly　climbed　the　dogs　to　reach　his　side　and　pass　beyond。

Venters　descended；　holding　to　the　lasso。　He　tested　its　strength　by　throwing　all　his　weight　upon　it。　Then　he　gathered　the　girl　up；　and；　holding　her　securely　in　his　left　arm；　he　began　to　climb；　at　every　few　steps　jerking　his　right　hand　upward　along　the　lasso。　It　sagged　at　each　forward　movement　he　made；　but　he　balanced　himself　lightly　during　the　interval　when　he　lacked　the　support　of　a　taut　rope。　He　climbed　as　if　he　had　wings；　the　strength　of　a　giant；　and　knew　not　the　sense　of　fear。　The　sharp　corner　of　cliff　seemed　to　cut　out　of　the　darkness。　He　reached　it　and　the　protruding　shelf；　and　then；　entering　the　black　shade　of　the　notch；　he　moved　blindly　but　surely　to　the　place　where　he　had　left　the　saddle…bags。　He　heard　the　dogs；　though　he　could　not　see　them。　Once　more　he　carefully　placed　the　girl　at　his　feet。　Then；　on　hands　and　knees；　he　went　over　the　little　flat　space；　feeling　for　stones。　He　removed　a　number；　and；　scraping　th