lla.thelonelymen-第19部分

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　Don　Luis　Gsneros　shrugged。　〃You　might；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　have　the　horses　ready　at　daybreak。〃
　〃An　hour　before；〃　I　said。　〃And　gracias。〃
　
　Chapter　12
　
　The　horses　were　ready　and　we　were　mounted；　the　children　with　us。　The　Don's　men　were　posted　on　the　walls　to　cover　our　going。　My　horse　was　restive；　eager　to　be　away；　but　I　glanced　around　at　Dorset。　In　the　vague　light　her　face　seemed　pale；　her　eyes　unusually　large。　I　suspected　mine　were　the　same。
　〃The　tall　pine　yonder；〃　I　said；　and　pointed　in　the　direction。　〃Ride　for　it；　ride　hard。　They　will　be　close　around；　with　their　horses　well　back　from　where。they　wait。　With　luck；　we　can　ride　through　them　and　be　away　before　they　can　get　off　more　than　a　shot　or　two。〃
　Sixteen　men　were　on　the　walls；　rifles　ready　for　firing。　Other　men　stood　by　the　gates；　prepared　to　swing　them　open。
　Don　Luis　walked　over　to　me　and　held　up　his　hand；　and　I　took　it。　〃Vaya　con　dios；　amigo；〃he　said　gravely；　and　then　he　lifted　a　hand　to　the　men　at　the　gates　and　they　swung　them　wide。
　We　went　through　the　gates　with　a　rush　at　the　same　instant　as　all　sixteen　men　fired。　Some　had　targets　chosen；　having　spotted　lurking　Apaches；　others　fired　at　bits　of　likely　cover。
　We　hit　the　trail　running；　with　Spanish　Murphy　and　myself　in　the　lead。　I　saw　the　dark　form　of　an　Apache　rise　up　almost　directly　before　me　and　chopped　down　to　fire　with　my　pistol；　but　the　horse　struck　him　and　knocked　him　rolling。　A　hoof　spurned　his　body；　and　then　we　were　past　and　running；　with　the　vaqueros　on　the　wall　picking　targets　from　those　we　drove　from　hiding。
　The　tall　pine　was　a　mile　off；　and　we　rode　directly　for　it　through　the　half…light　of　the　early　dawn。　We　covered　that　mile　at　a　dead　run；　slowing　to　a　trot　as　we　neared　the　tree。　I　glanced　around　swiftly。
　〃How　is　it？　Are　we　all　here？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　was　the　last　one；〃　Battles　said。　〃We　all　made　it。〃
　〃Anybody　hurt？〃
　〃They　burned　my　shoulder；〃　Rocca　said。　〃It　is　nothing。〃
　So　I　led　them　away　at　a　fast　trot　for　a　little　way；　then　I　ran　the　horses　again　for　a　good　half…mile；　slowed　to　a　trot　and　then　a　walk；　then　ran　them　again。
　At　noon　we　drew　up　at　a　small　seep　that　came　from　the　base　of　a　grass…covered　dune。　We　watered　our　horses；　exchanged　saddles　to　fresh　horses；　and　pushed　on。
　We　kept　a　good　pace；　riding　wide　of　any　places　of　ambush；　and　watching　for　dust　clouds。　There　were　bandits　as　well　as　Indians　to　be　feared；　and　there　were　soldiers；　too；　who　might　resent　our　being　here。　All　this　while　the　children　did　not　cry；　they　did　not　once　call　out。　The　Apaches　had　taught　them　that；　if　nothing　more。
　At　midafternoon　we　rode　into　a　deserted　village。　The　ruins　of　a　large　adobe　still　stood；　and　a　half…pleted　church。　There　was　water　running　in　an　irrigation　ditch。
　In　a　corner　of　one　of　the　houses　was　a　skeleton；　still　half…clothed；　of　a　Mexican　who　had　died　fighting。　The　left　arm　of　the　skeleton　showed　a　break　that　had　mended　badly；　leaving　the　arm　shorter　and　crooked。
　Tampico　looked　at　it　then　at　the　dried　leather　of　the　holster　on　which　an　initial　had　been　carved。　It　was　a　large　B。
　〃So　this　is　where　it　happened；　Benito；〃　he　said；　and　then　glancing　around　at　me；　he　said；　〃I　knew　him。　He　was　a　bad　one；　but　brave。〃
　We　made　coffee　there；　and　a　hot　soup　from　the　jerked　beef；　and　some　corn；　potatoes；　and　onions　found　in　the　deserted　fields；　now　gone　to　weeds。　We　ate　quickly；　but　we　ate　well。
　Spanish　wiped　his　hands　on　his　chaps　and　looked　at　me。　〃Let's　be　gettin'　on；〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　smell　of　death　about　this　place。〃
　John　J。　Battles　was　already　in　his　saddle；　waiting。　We　mounted　up　and　moved　out；　riding　fresh　horses　again；　so　as　to　use　none　of　them　too　hard。
　It　was　hot　and　still　in　those　late　hours　of　the　day；　and　the　dust　did　not　rise。　Suddenly　Murphy　indicated　a　place　on　the　horizon　where　a　blue…gray　finger　of　smoke　made　a　question　mark　against　the　mountains。　It　was　ahead　of　us　off　to　the　east。　We　knew　what　it　meant；　and　we　pressed　on；　picking　up　the　north　star　for　guiding；　following　it　as　best　we　could；　with　what　the　terrain　offered。　After　midnight　we　stopped　among　some　willows　and　made　dry　camp　in　an　arroyo。
　Short　of　daybreak　we　were　in　the　saddle　again；　and　pushing　on。　We　passed　a　village　off　to　our　right。
　〃Tres　Alamos；〃　Rocca　said。　Three　Cottonwoods　。。。　it　was　the　name　of　many　villages。　Later　we　passed　near　another　village；　but　avoided　it；　for　there　was　no　time　for　answering　questions；　and　they　would　not　like　us　bringing　the　Apaches　on　them。　This　was　Senokipe　…　hollow　tree。　I　loved　the　names　the　country　gave；　the　sound　of　them　made　music　to　the　ear。　Santa　Rosalia　。。。　Soledad　。。。　Remedies　。。。　Soyopa　。。。　Nacori　。。。　Chimala　。。。　Kiburi。　Okitoa；　a　sparrow　hawk's　nest；　Batuco；　a　waterhole；　Cumuripa；　a　rathole　。。。　Matape；　the　red　cliff；　and　Bacadeguatzi；　meaning　〃at　the　white　mountain。〃　The　men　who　came　first　to　this　land　used　the　names　descriptive　of　it；　the　names　that　grew　as　naturally　from　the　land　as　the　cottonwood；　the　willow；　or　the　ocotillo。　Dawn　came　up　in　crimson　light　over　the　eastern　mountains；　it　flushed　the　mountainsides　with　a　kind　of　dull　flame。
　〃I　don't　like　it；〃　Rocca　muttered　gloomily。　〃It　looks　like　blood。〃
　In　the　next　hour　we　counted　three　smokes　。。。　three　and　an　answering　smoke。
　We　stopped　at　a　small　creek；　watered　the　horses；　and　shifted　saddles。
　〃If　anything　goes　wrong；〃　I　said　to　Dorset；　〃you　take　the　children　and　ride　for　the　border。　Harry　can　handle　his　own　horse　and　one　of　the　youngsters。〃
　Rocca　turned　in　his　saddle。　〃I　can　smell　Apaches。　They　have　been　by　this　way；　and　not　long　since。〃
　Murphy　chuckled。　〃You're　dreamin'；　boy。　Nobody　can　smell　that　good。〃
　〃They　have　been　here；〃　Rocca　insisted。　〃And　they　will　e　again。〃
　Now　that　we　were　further　north；　the　grass　was　sparser；　there　were　bare　sandhills；　and　the　bare　brown…red　rock　of　the　mountains　was　streaked　with　the　white　of　quartz。　The　sun　was　hot　two　hours　before　noon。　The　air　was　still；　nothing　stirred　anywhere。　Dancing　heat　waves　emphasized　the　dead　quiet。
　My　skin　crawled。　Again　and　again　I　shifted　my　rifle　to　wipe　the　sweat　from　my　hands。　Sweat　streaked　the　dust　on　the　faces　of　my　panions；　and　the　sweat　trickling　down　my　spine　was　cold　and　clammy　under　the　slight　stir　of　wind。　I　tried　to　assay　our　chances　and　came　up　empty。
　John　J。　Battles　suddenly　spoke。　〃I'd　like　to　see　the　leaves　turning　red　and　gold　again；　and　hear　the　wild　geese　honk。〃
　〃You're　thinking　of　a　northern　land；〃　Spanish　Murphy　said。　〃I　remember　a　time　like　that　in　Wyomin'。　I　drove　a　herd　east　from　Oregon。〃
　Dorset　edged　close　to　me。　〃Tell；〃　she　said　softly；　〃do　you　think　we'll　make　it？〃
　I　did　not　want　to　talk；　it　was　a　time　for　listening。　〃We've　had　luck　so　far；〃　I　answered。
　We　switched　horses　again　and　pushed　on　through　the　nooning　time　…　four　bold　but　lonely　men；　a　girl　scarcely　bee　a　woman；　and　the　youngsters；　four　of　them。　With　the　spare　horses；　three　per　rider；　and　our　pack　horse；　we　made　a　solid　bunch。　Our　other　pack　horse　had　long　since　been　lost。
　Somewhere；　still　far　off　to　north　of　us；　lay　the　border；　a　thin　line　drawn　on　maps；　and　a　thin　line　in　our　consciousness；　but　a　strong　one　across　our　lives。　North　of　it　there　might　be　help。　And　further　north　still　there　was　sanctuary。
　We　slowed　the　horses　to　a　walk。　It　was　very　hot。　The　sun　was　lost　in　a　brassy　sky。
　I　think　we　all　knew　that　the　Apaches　would　e。　We　could　elude　a　few；　but　we　could　not　elude　them　all。　The　Apache　had　no　regard　for　horse　flesh。　He　would　ride　a　horse　to　death　and　then　eat　him；　so　he　rode　often　at　a　killing　pace。　And　there　were　the　talking　smokes；　speaking　across　the　distance。
　I　did　not　hate　the　Apache。　He　was　my　enemy　as　I　was　his　because　of　the　time　and　the　circumstances；　but　he　was　a　fighting　man；　and　a　strong　man　who　endured　much　to　live　in　this　country。　If　they　captured　us　they　would　kill　us。　There　would　be　torture　for　the　men；　worse　perhaps　for　the　girl；　but　it　was　their　way　of　life；　and　you　judge　each　man　by　his　time　and　his　way　of　life。
　We　walked　our　horses　while　the　saddles　creaked；　and　we　blinked　our　eyes　to　see　past　the　sting　of　the　salty　sweat　trickling　into　them。　Dark　stains　showed　on　our　shirts。　We　drank　water　from　our　canteens；　and　kept　on。
　We　knew　there　was　a　waterhole　ahead。　Rocca　knew　where　it　lay；　Spanish　knew；　and　I　knew。　We　thinned　out　as　we　rode　nearer；　and　we　cut　for　sign；　but　found　none。　We　could　see　a　cottonwood　up　ahead；　and　a　small　clump　of　willows。　Off　to　the　east；　fifty　yards　or　more　from　the　waterhole；　rose　a　bare　upthrust　of　rocks　perhaps　half　a　mile　long；　and　not　more　than　a　hundred　yards　wide　for　most　of　its　length。
　Pulling　up；　I　studied　those　rocks。　〃That　waterhole　now；〃　I　said。　〃If　somebody　was　up　in　those　rocks　anybody　at　the　waterhole　would　be　a　sitting　duck。〃
　〃We　got　to　have　water；〃　Murphy　said。
　Glancing　around；　I　saw　a　separate　small　island　of　rocks　rising　perhaps　from　a　buried　spur　of　the　ridge。　〃You　folks　hole　up　over　younder；〃　I　said；　〃and　I'll　take　three　horses　and　the　canteens　and　ride　over　there　for　water。　You　cover　me。　If　any　shooting　starts；　you　open　up　on　the　ridge　over　there。　I'll　water　the　horses；　and　fill　the　canteens。〃
　Leading　the　horses；　I　rode　to　the　waterhole。　There　was　a　desert　wren　singing　in　the　willows；　and