riders of the purple sage-第51部分

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A　misty　veil　obscured　the　clear；　searching　gaze　she　had　kept　steadfastly　upon　the　purple　slope　and　the　dim　lines　of　canyons。　It　passed；　as　passed　the　rolling　clouds　of　smoke；　and　she　saw　the　valley　deepening　into　the　shades　of　twilight。　Night　came　on；　swift　as　the　fleet　racers；　and　stars　peeped　out　to　brighten　and　grow；　and　the　huge；　windy；　eastern　heave　of　sage…level　paled　under　a　rising　moon　and　turned　to　silver。　Blanched　in　moonlight；　the　sage　yet　seemed　to　hold　its　hue　of　purple　and　was　infinitely　more　wild　and　lonely。　So　the　night　hours　wore　on；　and　Jane　Withersteen　never　once　looked　back。



CHAPTER　XXI。　BLACK　STAR　AND　NIGHT

The　time　had　come　for　Venters　and　Bess　to　leave　their　retreat。　They　were　at　great　pains　to　choose　the　few　things　they　would　be　able　to　carry　with　them　on　the　journey　out　of　Utah。

〃Bern；　whatever　kind　of　a　pack's　this；　anyhow？〃　questioned　Bess；　rising　from　her　work　with　reddened　face。

Venters；　absorbed　in　his　own　task；　did　not　look　up　at　all；　and　in　reply　said　he　had　brought　so　much　from　Cottonwoods　that　he　did　not　recollect　the　half　of　it。

〃A　woman　packed　this！〃　Bess　exclaimed。

He　scarcely　caught　her　meaning；　but　the　peculiar　tone　of　her　voice　caused　him　instantly　to　rise；　and　he　saw　Bess　on　her　knees　before　an　open　pack　which　he　recognized　as　the　one　given　him　by　Jane。

〃By　George！〃　he　ejaculated；　guiltily；　and　then　at　sight　of　Bess's　face　he　laughed　outright。

〃A　woman　packed　this；〃　she　repeated；　fixing　woeful；　tragic　eyes　on　him。

〃Well；　is　that　a　crime？'

〃Therethere　is　a　woman；　after　all！〃

〃Now　Bess〃

〃You've　lied　to　me！〃

Then　and　there　Venters　found　it　imperative　to　postpone　work　for　the　present。　All　her　life　Bess　had　been　isolated；　but　she　had　inherited　certain　elements　of　the　eternal　feminine。

〃But　there　was　a　woman　and　you　did　lie　to　me；〃　she　kept　repeating；　after　he　had　explained。

〃What　of　that？　Bess；　I'll　get　angry　at　you　in　a　moment。　Remember　you've　been　pent　up　all　your　life。　I　venture　to　say　that　if　you'd　been　out　in　the　world　you　d　have　had　a　dozen　sweethearts　and　have　told　many　a　lie　before　this。〃

〃I　wouldn't　anything　of　the　kind；〃　declared　Bess；　indignantly。

〃Wellperhaps　not　lie。　But　you'd　have　had　the　sweetheartsYou　couldn't　have　helped　thatbeing　so　pretty。〃

This　remark　appeared　to　be　a　very　clever　and　fortunate　one；　and　the　work　of　selecting　and　then　of　stowing　all　the　packs　in　the　cave　went　on　without　further　interruption。

Venters　closed　up　the　opening　of　the　cave　with　a　thatch　of　willows　and　aspens；　so　that　not　even　a　bird　or　a　rat　could　get　in　to　the　sacks　of　grain。　And　this　work　was　in　order　with　the　precaution　habitually　observed　by　him。　He　might　not　be　able　to　get　out　of　Utah；　and　have　to　return　to　the　valley。　But　he　owed　it　to　Bess　to　make　the　attempt；　and　in　case　they　were　compelled　to　turn　back　he　wanted　to　find　that　fine　store　of　food　and　grain　intact。　The　outfit　of　implements　and　utensils　he　packed　away　in　another　cave。

〃Bess；　we　have　enough　to　live　here　all　our　lives；〃　he　said　once；　dreamily。

〃Shall　I　go　roll　Balancing　Rock？〃　she　asked；　in　light　speech；　but　with　deep…blue　fire　in　her　eyes。

〃Nono。〃

〃Ah；　you　don't　forget　the　gold　and　the　world；〃　she　sighed。

〃Child；　you　forget　the　beautiful　dresses　and　the　traveland　everything。〃

〃Oh；　I　want　to　go。　But　I　want　to　stay！〃

〃I　feel　the　same　way。〃

They　let　the　eight　calves　out　of　the　corral；　and　kept　only　two　of　the　burros　Venters　had　brought　from　Cottonwoods。　These　they　intended　to　ride。　Bess　freed　all　her　petsthe　quail　and　rabbits　and　foxes。

The　last　sunset　and　twilight　and　night　were　both　the　sweetest　and　saddest　they　had　ever　spent　in　Surprise　Valley。　Morning　brought　keen　exhilaration　and　excitement。　When　Venters　had　saddled　the　two　burros；　strapped　on　the　light　packs　and　the　two　canteens；　the　sunlight　was　dispersing　the　lazy　shadows　from　the　valley。　Taking　a　last　look　at　the　caves　and　the　silver　spruces；　Venters　and　Bess　made　a　reluctant　start；　leading　the　burros。　Ring　and　Whitie　looked　keen　and　knowing。　Something　seemed　to　drag　at　Venters's　feet　and　he　noticed　Bess　lagged　behind。　Never　had　the　climb　from　terrace　to　bridge　appeared　so　long。

Not　till　they　reached　the　opening　of　the　gorge　did　they　stop　to　rest　and　take　one　last　look　at　the　valley。　The　tremendous　arch　of　stone　curved　clear　and　sharp　in　outline　against　the　morning　sky。　And　through　it　streaked　the　golden　shaft。　The　valley　seemed　an　enchanted　circle　of　glorious　veils　of　gold　and　wraiths　of　white　and　silver　haze　and　dim；　blue；　moving　shadebeautiful　and　wild　and　unreal　as　a　dream。

〃Wewe　canththink　of　italwaysreremember；〃　sobbed　Bess。

〃Hush！　Don't　cry。　Our　valley　has　only　fitted　us　for　a　better　life　somewhere。　Come！〃


They　entered　the　gorge　and　he　closed　the　willow　gate。　From　rosy；　golden　morning　light　they　passed　into　cool；　dense　gloom。　The　burros　pattered　up　the　trail　with　little　hollow…cracking　steps。　And　the　gorge　widened　to　narrow　outlet　and　the　gloom　lightened　to　gray。　At　the　divide　they　halted　for　another　rest。　Venters's　keen；　remembering　gaze　searched　Balancing　Rock；　and　the　long　incline；　and　the　cracked　toppling　walls；　but　failed　to　note　the　slightest　change。

The　dogs　led　the　descent；　then　came　Bess　leading　her　burro；　then　Venters　leading　his。　Bess　kept　her　eyes　bent　downward。　Venters；　however；　had　an　irresistible　desire　to　look　upward　at　Balancing　Rock。　It　had　always　haunted　him；　and　now　he　wondered　if　he　were　really　to　get　through　the　outlet　before　the　huge　stone　thundered　down。　He　fancied　that　would　be　a　miracle。　Every　few　steps　he　answered　to　the　strange；　nervous　fear　and　turned　to　make　sure　the　rock　still　stood　like　a　giant　statue。　And；　as　he　descended；　it　grew　dimmer　in　his　sight。　It　changed　form；　it　swayed　it　nodded　darkly；　and　at　last；　in　his　heightened　fancy；　he　saw　it　heave　and　roll。　As　in　a　dream　when　he　felt　himself　falling　yet　knew　he　would　never　fall；　so　he　saw　this　long…standing　thunderbolt　of　the　little　stone…men　plunge　down　to　close　forever　the　outlet　to　Deception　Pass。

And　while　he　was　giving　way　to　unaccountable　dread　imaginations　the　descent　was　accomplished　without　mishap。

〃I'm　glad　that's　over；〃　he　said；　breathing　more　freely。　〃I　hope　I'm　by　that　hanging　rock　for　good　and　all。　Since　almost　the　moment　I　first　saw　it　I've　had　an　idea　that　it　was　waiting　for　me。　Now；　when　it　does　fall；　if　I'm　thousands　of　miles　away；　I'll　hear　it。〃

With　the　first　glimpses　of　the　smooth　slope　leading　down　to　the　grotesque　cedars　and　out　to　the　Pass；　Venters's　cool　nerve　returned。　One　long　survey　to　the　left；　then　one　to　the　right；　satisfied　his　caution。　Leading　the　burros　down　to　the　spur　of　rock；　he　halted　at　the　steep　incline。

〃Bess；　here's　the　bad　place；　the　place　I　told　you　about；　with　the　cut　steps。　You　start　down；　leading　your　burro。　Take　your　time　and　hold　on　to　him　if　you　slip。　I've　got　a　rope　on　him　and　a　half…hitch　on　this　point　of　rock；　so　I　can　let　him　down　safely。　Coming　up　here　was　a　killing　job。　But　it'll　be　easy　going　down。〃

Both　burros　passed　down　the　difficult　stairs　cut　by　the　cliff…dwellers；　and　did　it　without　a　misstep。　After　that　the　descent　down　the　slope　and　over　the　mile　of　scrawled；　ripped；　and　ridged　rock　required　only　careful　guidance；　and　Venters　got　the　burros　to　level　ground　in　a　condition　that　caused　him　to　congratulate　himself。

〃Oh；　if　we　only　had　Wrangle！〃　exclaimed　Venters。　〃But　we're　lucky。　That's　the　worst　of　our　trail　passed。　We've　only　men　to　fear　now。　If　we　get　up　in　the　sage　we　can　hide　and　slip　along　like　coyotes。〃

They　mounted　and　rode　west　through　the　valley　and　entered　the　canyon。　From　time　to　time　Venters　walked；　leading　his　burro。　When　they　got　by　all　the　canyons　and　gullies　opening　into　the　Pass　they　went　faster　and　with　fewer　halts。　Venters　did　not　confide　in　Bess　the　alarming　fact　that　he　had　seen　horses　and　smoke　less　than　a　mile　up　one　of　the　intersecting　canyons。　He　did　not　talk　at　all。　And　long　after　he　had　passed　this　canyon　and　felt　secure　once　more　in　the　certainty　that　they　had　been　unobserved　he　never　relaxed　his　watchfulness。　But　he　did　not　walk　any　more；　and　he　kept　the　burros　at　a　steady　trot。　Night　fell　before　they　reached　the　last　water　in　the　Pass　and　they　made　camp　by　starlight。　Venters　did　not　want　the　burros　to　stray；　so　he　tied　them　with　long　halters　in　the　grass　near　the　spring。　Bess；　tired　out　and　silent；　laid　her　head　in　a　saddle　and　went　to　sleep　between　the　two　dogs。　Venters　did　not　close　his　eyes。　The　canyon　silence　appeared　full　of　the　low；　continuous　hum　of　insects。　He　listened　until　the　hum　grew　into　a　roar；　and　then；　breaking　the　spell；　once　more　he　heard　it　low　and　clear。　He　watched　the　stars　and　the　moving　shadows；　and　always　his　glance　returned　to　the　girl's　dimly　pale　face。　And　he　remembered　how　white　and　still　it　had　once　looked　in　the　starlight。　And　again　stern　thought　fought　his　strange　fancies。　Would　all　his　labor　and　his　love　be　for　naught？　Would　he　lose　her；　after　all？　What　did　the　dark　shadow　around　her　portend？　Did　calamity　lurk　on　that　long　upland　trail　through　the　sage？　Why　should　his　heart　swell　and　throb　with　nameless　fear？　He　listened　to　the　silence　and　told　himself　that　in　the　broad　light　of　day　he　could　dispel　this　leaden…weighted　dread。

At　the　first　hint　of　gray　over　the　eastern　rim　he　awoke　Bess；　saddled　the　burros；　and　began　the　day's　travel。　He　wanted　to　get　out　of　the　Pass　before　there　was　any　chance　of　riders　coming　down。　They　gained　the　break　as　the　first　red　rays　of　the　rising　sun　colored　the　rim。

For　once；　so　eager　was　he　to　get　up　to　level　ground；　he　did　not　send　Ring　or　Whitie　in　advance。　Encouraging　Bess　to　hurry　pulling　at　his　patient；　plodding　burro；　he　climbed　the　soft；　steep　trail。

Brighter　and　brighter　grew　the　light。　He　mounted　the　last　broken　edge　of　rim　to　have　the　sun…fired；　purple　sage…slope　burst　upon　him　as　a　glory。　Bess　panted　up　to　his　side；　tugging　on　the　halter　of　her　burro。

〃We're　up！〃　he　cried；　joyously。　〃There's　not　a　dot　on　the　sage　We're　safe。　We'll　not　be　seen！　Oh；　Bess〃

Ring　growled　and　sniffed　the　keen　air　and　bristled。　Venters　clutched　at　his　rifle。　Whitie　sometimes　made　a　mistake；　but　Ring　never。　The　dull　thud　of　hoofs　almost　deprived　Venters　of　power　to　turn　and　see　from　where　disaster　threatened。　He　felt　h