thillerman.theblessingway-µÚ14²¿·Ö
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¡¡The¡¡man¡¡named¡¡Leaphorn¡¡smiled¡¡very¡¡slightly¡£
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¡¡Lieutenant¡¡Joe¡¡Leaphorn¡¡had¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡his¡¡carryall¡¡intending¡¡to¡¡get¡¡some¡¡sleep¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡left¡¡Window¡¡Rock¡¡a¡¡little¡¡after¡¡midnight¡¡to¡¡drive¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Tsosie¡¡place¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡track¡¡over¡¡the¡¡slick¡¡rock¡¡country¡¡had¡¡been¡¡even¡¡worse¡¡than¡¡he¡¡remembered¡¡and¡¡the¡¡two¡¡hours'¡¡rest¡¡he¡¡had¡¡hoped¡¡to¡¡have¡¡when¡¡he¡¡arrived¡¡had¡¡been¡¡used¡¡in¡¡low¡gear¡¡driving¡¡over¡¡the¡¡great¡¡waste¡¡of¡¡eroded¡¡slopes¡¡west¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Lukachukais¡£¡¡Now¡¡he¡¡had¡¡time¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡learned¡¡nothing¡¡positive¡¡from¡¡Sandoval¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡asked¡¡around¡¡and¡¡learned¡¡that¡¡Billy¡¡Nez¡¡was¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡here¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡do¡¡but¡¡wait¡£¡¡The¡¡sun£»¡¡now¡¡rising£»¡¡would¡¡have¡¡to¡¡be¡¡halfway¡¡up¡¡the¡¡sky¡¡before¡¡it¡¡was¡¡time¡¡for¡¡the¡¡Encounter¡¡Between¡¡the¡¡Camps¡¡and¡¡then¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡¡the¡¡exchange¡¡of¡¡gifts¡¡and¡¡other¡¡ritual¡¡before¡¡the¡¡scalp¡¡shooting¡¡could¡¡be¡¡held¡£¡¡He¡¡leaned¡¡back¡¡against¡¡the¡¡seat£»¡¡feeling¡¡exhausted¡¡but¡¡wide¡¡awake¡£¡¡He¡¡found¡¡himself¡¡again¡¡retracing¡¡all¡¡he¡¡knew¡¡of¡¡Luis¡¡Horseman£»¡¡again¡¡examining¡¡each¡¡assorted¡¡fact¡¡for¡¡some¡¡semblance¡¡of¡¡pattern¡£
¡¡The¡¡file¡¡on¡¡Luis¡¡Horseman¡¡at¡¡Window¡¡Rock¡¡had¡¡been¡¡typical¡¡of¡¡those¡¡for¡¡the¡¡relatively¡¡few¡¡young¡¡men¡¡who¡¡gave¡¡Law¡¡and¡¡Order¡¡the¡¡bulk¡¡of¡¡its¡¡business¡£¡¡A¡¡few¡¡scattered¡¡years¡¡of¡¡schooling¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Reservation£»¡¡arrests¡¡at¡¡Gallup¡¡and¡¡Farmington¡¡and¡¡Tuba¡¡City¡¡for¡¡drunk¡¡and¡¡disorderly£»¡¡beginning¡¡when¡¡he¡¡was¡¡seventeen¡£¡¡Short¡term¡¡jobs¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Santa¡¡Fe¡¡railroad¡¡maintenance¡¡crews¡¡and¡¡at¡¡the¡¡strip¡¡mine¡£¡¡A¡¡marriage¡¡into¡¡the¡¡Minnie¡¡Tso¡¡family£»¡¡a¡¡fight£»¡¡a¡¡six¡month¡¡term¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tribal¡¡jail¡¡for¡¡aggravated¡¡assault£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡the¡¡knifing¡¡at¡¡Gallup¡¡and¡¡the¡¡stolen¡¡car¡£¡¡All¡¡that¡¡was¡¡familiar¡¡enough¡£¡¡Too¡¡familiar¡£
¡¡¡¨He¡¡acted¡¡like¡¡he¡¡had¡¡no¡¡relatives£»¡¨¡¡Leaphorn¡¡thought¡¡and¡¡grinned¡¡wryly¡¡at¡¡the¡¡old¡fashioned¡¡expression¡£¡¡When¡¡he¡¡was¡¡a¡¡boy£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡the¡¡worst¡¡thing¡¡his¡¡mother¡¡could¡¡say¡¡about¡¡anyone¡£¡¡But¡¡then¡¡the¡¡Navajo¡¡Way¡¡made¡¡the¡¡relatives¡¡totally¡¡responsible¡¡for¡¡anything¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡family¡¡did¡£¡¡Now¡¡that¡¡was¡¡changing¡¡and¡¡there¡¡were¡¡more¡¡young¡¡men¡¡like¡¡Horseman¡£¡¡Souls¡¡lost¡¡somewhere¡¡between¡¡the¡¡values¡¡of¡¡The¡¡People¡¡and¡¡the¡¡values¡¡of¡¡the¡¡whites¡£¡¡No¡¡good¡¡even¡¡at¡¡crime¡£
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¡¡The¡¡question¡¡always¡¡brought¡¡him¡¡back¡¡to¡¡witchcraft¡£¡¡But¡¡all¡¡of¡¡yesterday¡¡afternoon¡¡and¡¡evening£»¡¡hours¡¡of¡¡driving¡¡from¡¡place¡¡to¡¡place¡¡and¡¡hours¡¡of¡¡frustrating¡¡questioning¡¡of¡¡Hand¡¡Tremblers£»¡¡Listeners£»¡¡and¡¡Singers¡all¡¡the¡¡practitioners¡¡who¡¡knew¡¡the¡¡most¡¡about¡¡magic¡had¡¡told¡¡him¡¡nothing¡£¡¡Only¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Hand¡¡Trembler¡¡who¡¡examined¡¡Tsosie¡¡had¡¡learned¡¡in¡¡his¡¡trance¡¡that¡¡the¡¡witch¡¡was¡¡a¡¡stranger¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡cure¡¡must¡¡be¡¡an¡¡Enemy¡¡Way¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡not£»¡¡Leaphorn¡¡knew£»¡¡a¡¡ceremonial¡¡lightly¡¡undertaken¡£¡¡It¡¡required¡¡two¡¡Singers£»¡¡one¡¡for¡¡the¡¡patient¡¡and¡¡one¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Stick¡¡Receiver's¡¡camp£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Scalp¡¡Shooter¡£¡¡In¡¡some¡¡cases¡¡there¡¡would¡¡also¡¡be¡¡a¡¡team¡¡of¡¡Tail¡¡Singers¡¡for¡¡the¡¡coyote¡¡songs£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡seven¡¡Black¡¡Dancers¡£¡¡Even¡¡without¡¡the¡¡special¡¡performers£»¡¡the¡¡Singers¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Scalp¡¡Shooter¡¡would¡¡cost¡¡the¡¡Tsosie¡¡family¡¡at¡¡least¡¡200¡¡in¡¡fees¡£¡¡Dozens¡¡of¡¡sheep¡¡would¡¡have¡¡to¡¡be¡¡killed¡¡to¡¡feed¡¡the¡¡crowds¡¡at¡¡both¡¡camps£»¡¡and¡¡several¡¡hundred¡¡dollars¡¡more¡¡would¡¡go¡¡for¡¡the¡¡gift¡¡exchanges¡£¡¡Leaphorn¡¡thought¡¡the¡¡Tsosie¡¡uncles¡¡and¡¡cousins¡¡who¡¡would¡¡have¡¡to¡¡help¡¡bear¡¡this¡¡heavy¡¡cost¡¡would¡¡approve¡¡the¡¡Sing¡¡only¡¡if¡¡they¡¡were¡¡sure¡¡there¡¡had¡¡been¡¡a¡¡witching¡£¡¡And¡¡how¡¡the¡¡devil¡¡could¡¡they¡¡be¡¡sure¡¡if¡¡they¡¡hadn't¡¡identified¡¡the¡¡witch£¿
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¡¡He¡¡remembered¡¡the¡¡sweat¡¡bath¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Singer£»¡¡even¡¡older¡¡than¡¡Sandoval£»¡¡sprinkling¡¡his¡¡shoulders¡¡with¡¡the¡¡sacred¡¡pollen£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡old£»¡¡cracked¡¡voice¡¡rising¡¡over¡¡the¡¡rhythm¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pot¡¡drum¡£
¡¡¡¨In¡¡the¡¡house¡¡made¡¡of¡¡dawn£»
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¡¡Leaphorn¡¡was¡¡sleepy¡¡now¡£¡¡The¡¡horse¡¡race¡¡had¡¡been¡¡run¡¡and¡¡won¡¡by¡¡a¡¡boy¡¡on¡¡a¡¡pinto£»¡¡amid¡¡much¡¡loud¡¡laughter¡£¡¡A¡¡small¡¡bare¡bottomed¡¡boy¡¡had¡¡walked¡¡by¡¡the¡¡carryall£»¡¡smiled¡¡shyly¡¡at¡¡Leaphorn£»¡¡and¡¡relieved¡¡himself¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sage¡¡nearby¡£¡¡A¡¡dozen¡¡or¡¡more¡¡women£»¡¡with¡¡their¡¡families¡¡fed¡¡for¡¡the¡¡morning£»¡¡were¡¡gossiping¡¡raucously¡¡around¡¡an¡¡old¡¡and¡¡rusty¡¡sedan¡£¡¡Three¡¡teen¡aged¡¡girls¡¡had¡¡led¡¡a¡¡string¡¡of¡¡wagon¡¡horses¡¡down¡¡to¡¡the¡¡spring£»¡¡watered¡¡them£»¡¡and¡¡put¡¡them¡¡back¡¡on¡¡the¡¡picket¡¡rope¡£¡¡The¡¡sky¡¡was¡¡cloudless¡¡now¡¡but¡¡light¡¡blue¡¡and¡¡hazy¡¡on¡¡the¡¡horizons¡£¡¡Later¡¡the¡¡thunderclouds¡¡would¡¡be¡¡building¡¡up¡¡and¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡¡showers¡at¡¡least¡¡over¡¡the¡¡mountains¡£¡¡Leaphorn¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡two¡¡messenger¡¡girls¡¡lope¡¡away¡¡carrying¡¡the¡¡ritual¡¡food¡¡baskets¡¡tied¡¡to¡¡their¡¡saddles¡£¡¡A¡¡moment¡¡later¡¡to¡¡the¡¡north¡¡he¡¡heard¡¡a¡¡flurry¡¡of¡¡rifle¡¡shots¡¡and¡¡a¡¡swarm¡¡of¡¡horsemen¡¡appeared¡¡over¡¡the¡¡rim¡¡of¡¡the¡¡flat£»¡¡whooping¡¡and¡¡trailing¡¡plumes¡¡of¡¡dust¡£¡¡Leaphorn¡¡climbed¡¡stiffly¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡carryall¡¡to¡¡watch¡¡the¡¡Encounter¡¡Between¡¡the¡¡Camps¡£¡¡He¡¡glanced¡¡at¡¡his¡¡watch¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡10£º12¡¡A¡£M¡£
¡¡It¡¡was¡¡late¡¡afternoon¡¡before¡¡the¡¡second¡¡serenade¡¡had¡¡been¡¡finished¡¡and¡¡the¡¡gifts¡¡exchanged¡£¡¡They¡¡had¡¡been¡¡thrown¡¡out¡¡to¡¡the¡¡crowd¡¡of¡¡visitors¡first¡¡the¡¡sacrificial¡¡sack¡¡of¡¡tobacco¡¡thrown¡¡through¡¡the¡¡smoke¡¡hole¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hogan¡¡and¡¡caught¡¡by¡¡a¡¡little¡¡girl¡¡so¡¡skinny¡¡that¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡Leaphorn¡¡that¡¡she¡¡might¡¡blow¡¡away¡¡if¡¡the¡¡now¡gusty¡¡breeze¡¡caught¡¡in¡¡her¡¡voluminous¡¡skirts¡£¡¡The¡¡child¡¡had¡¡run¡¡to¡¡her¡¡mother¡¡and¡¡been¡¡rewarded¡¡with¡¡a¡¡hug£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡three¡¡men¡¡of¡¡Tsosie's¡¡family¡¡began¡¡tossing¡¡out¡¡the¡¡gifts¡¡stacked¡¡under¡¡the¡¡brush¡¡shelter¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡much¡¡scrambling¡¡and¡¡laughing¡¡and¡¡some¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡practical¡¡joke¡¡played¡¡on¡¡a¡¡tall¡¡man¡¡with¡¡a¡¡mustache¡¡and¡¡two¡¡long¡¡braids¡¡hanging¡¡down¡¡his¡¡back¡£¡¡The¡¡joke¡¡caused¡¡an¡¡uproar¡¡of¡¡laughter¡¡and¡¡knee¡¡slapping¡¡and¡¡even¡¡the¡¡victim¡¡was¡¡grinning¡£
¡¡Leaphorn¡¡had¡¡been¡¡talking¡¡to¡¡a¡¡young¡¡woman¡¡from¡¡over¡¡near¡¡Toadlena¡¡and¡¡had¡¡missed¡¡the¡¡point¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fun£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡gathered¡¡from¡¡the¡¡shouted¡¡remarks¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡bawdy¡£¡¡He¡¡had£»¡¡by¡¡now£»¡¡been¡¡talking¡¡for¡¡almost¡¡six¡¡hours¡¡and¡¡had¡¡lost¡¡all¡¡count¡¡of¡¡the¡¡number¡¡of¡¡people¡¡he¡¡had¡¡questioned¡£¡¡Most¡¡of¡¡them£»¡¡like¡¡this¡¡young¡¡Salt¡¡Water¡¡woman¡¡from¡¡Toadlena£»¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡know¡¡nothing¡¡at¡¡all¡¡about¡¡subjects¡¡which¡¡interested¡¡Leaphorn¡£¡¡But¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡able¡¡to¡¡confirm¡¡again¡¡beyond¡¡any¡¡shade¡¡of¡¡doubt¡¡that¡¡Horseman¡¡had¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡this¡¡country¡¡after¡¡the¡¡affair¡¡in¡¡Gallup¡¡and¡¡to¡¡learn¡¡that¡¡Billy¡¡Nez¡¡was¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Stick¡¡Carrier's¡¡camp¡£¡¡The¡¡plump¡¡young¡¡man¡¡with¡¡the¡¡horn¡rimmed¡¡glasses¡¡had¡¡told¡¡him¡¡that¡£¡¡An