lla.thelonelymen-第13部分

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　We　drank；　one　at　a　time；　with　the　others　watching　and　in　the　saddle。　We　crossed　the　river　then　and　went　up　a　switchback　trail　for　a　thousand　feet　toward　a　tremendous　promontory。
　Storm　clouds　hung　over　the　nearby　peaks；　and　there　was　electricity　in　the　air。　Kahtenny's　rancheria　was　somewhere　below　us；　hidden　in　the　low　clouds。　We　started　down　through　the　trees；　but　had　gone　only　a　short　distance　when　the　rain　began　to　fall　in　sheets；　swept　by　a　violent　wind。
　The　forest　offered　slight　cover；　and　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　hole　up　and　wait　it　out。　We　found　a　place　where　a　great　pine　had　fallen　almost　to　the　ground；　part　of　it　resting　among　the　rocks。　We　cut　away　the　branches　on　the　under　side　and　took　shelter　there；　leading　our　horses　under　cover　with　us。　There　was　barely　room　for　us；　and　the　pommel　of　my　saddle　brushed　the　bark　of　the　pine。
　We　took　a　chance；　with　the　rain　to　keep　down　the　smoke　and　keep　the　Apaches　under　shelter；　and　built　a　small　fire　where　we　made　soup　and　coffee。
　After　a　break；　with　the　rain　still　falling；　I　took　up　my　rifle　and　went　out　on　a　scout。　Keeping　to　the　trees；　I　worked　my　way　along　the　cliff。　The　rocks　glistened　with　wet；　and　the　raindrops　pelted　my　slicker　like　thrown　stones；　but　the　trees　offered　some　shelter。
　Suddenly　I　was　looking　down　into　Kahtenny's　rancheria。　There　were　a　few　smokes　from　wickiups；　but　nobody　was　visible。
　I　felt　a　movement　behind　me；　and　I　turned　sharply。　It　was　Tampico　Rocca。
　He　indicated　the　rancheria　below　us。　〃I　could　not　fool　them　now；〃　he　said。　〃They　would　smell　the　difference　in　me。　I　have　been　eating　the　white　man's　food。〃
　〃How　many　would　you　guess　there　are？〃　I　asked。　〃Twenty；　maybe？〃
　'Twenty；　or　twenty…five。〃
　Two　dozen　human　wolves　。。。　and　I　mean　nothing　against　them。　My　enemies　for　the　time；　yes　。。。　but　I　respected　them。　At　trailing　or　fighting　they　were　fierce　and　relentless　as　wolves；　and　we　had　done　the　impossible　and　followed　them　into　their　almost　impregnable　Sierra　Madre。
　〃I'm　going　down；〃　I　said。　〃I　shall　get　close　and　listen。〃
　Rocca　stared　at　me。　〃You　crazy。　They　will　hear　you。　Their　dogs　will　smell　you。〃
　〃Maybe；　but　the　rain　will　help。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃we　both　go。〃　It　would　be　a　daring　thing；　but　there　was　enough　of　the　Apache　in　him　to　be　cautious。　And　it　would　be　a　chance　to　count　coups　against　the　Apaches。
　We　crawled　and　slid　down　the　mountain。　From　time　to　time　we　paused　to　listen；　then　moved　on。　We　were　fools；　I　told　myself。　What　we　did　was　insanity；　no　less。　But　I　had　to　find　Orry；　and　every　hour　in　these　mountains　was　an　hour　of　danger　for　us　。。。　and　for　him。
　Together　we　crept　to　the　edge　of　the　encampment　in　the　driving　rain。　Rocca　darted　to　the　wall　of　one　of　the　wickiups；　and　I　went　to　another。　Crouching　in　the　rain；　I　listened；　but　heard　nothing　except　the　low　mutter　of　Indian　voices　and　the　crackle　of　a　fire。　As　I　was　moving　to　another；　I　was　stopped　for　a　moment　by　Rocca's　uplifted　finger。　Hesitating；　I　watched　him；　holding　my　rifle；　muzzle　down　under　my　slicker。　He　shook　his　head；　and　moved　on。　We　had　listened　at　five　wickiups　and　were　about　ready　to　give　up　。。。　Suppose　the　children　were　not　talking？　Suppose　they　were　not　there　at　all？
　Rocca　gestured　suddenly；　and　I　went　to　him。　We　heard　a　mutter　of　talk　within；　and　then；　sure　enough；　a　boy　speaking　plainly　in　English。
　I　caught　Rocca's　arm。　〃Cover　me；〃　I　said；　and　lifting　the　flap；　I　stepped　in。
　For　a　moment　I　could　see　nothing；　although　I　had　taken　the　precaution　of　closing　my　eyes　for　a　moment　before　stepping　inside。　Then　in　the　red　glow　of　the　coals　I　saw　a　startled　buck　staring　at　me；　and　beginning　to　rise。　On　a　pile　of　skins　near　one　wall　were　three　white　children　。。。　I　could　just　make　them　out。
　A　squaw　was　there；　holding　a　child　at　her　breast。　She　stared　at　me；　no　anger　or　hatred　in　her　eyes；　just　a　calm　acceptance。　〃Do　not　cry　out；〃　I　said　in　Apache。　Then　in　the　event　she　did　not　understand　my　poor　use　of　the　Apache　tongue；　I　repeated　it　in　Spanish。
　The　buck　was　past　his　astonishment；　and　he　came　at　me　with　a　lunge。　I　met　him　halfway　with　the　butt　of　my　rifle；　and　he　went　down　in　a　heap；　out　cold。
　〃All　right；〃　I　said　to　the　children；　〃we're　all　going　home。　Wrap　those　skins　around　you　and　e　on。〃
　Turning　to　the　young　Indian　woman；　who　had　not　stirred；　I　spoke　quietly　in　Spanish。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　hurt　anybody。　I　want　only　to　take　these　children　home。〃
　She　merely　looked　at　me　as　the　three　children　ran　toward　me。　I　saw　that　one　of　them　was　a　girl。　I　waved　them　past；　toward　the　wickiup　entrance；　and　they　went　out　quickly　into　the　rain。　With　another　glance　at　the　squaw；　I　followed。
　Tampico　Rocca　was　already　hurrying　the　youngsters　toward　the　brush…clad　hill　where　we　had　e　down；　and　he　was　backing　away；　covering　the　wickiups　with　his　rifle。　I　ran　toward　him；　and　was　almost　to　the　hillside　when　a　man　with　a　bloody　head　sprang　from　the　wickiup　from　which　we　had　taken　the　children。
　He　leaped　out；　staggered；　then　glared　wildly　around。　His　first　yell　failed　him；　but　he　shouted　again　and　his　voice　came　full　and　strong。　As　he　yelled　he　lifted　his　rifle；　and　Rocca　shot　him。
　The　children　were　in　the　brush　and　climbing　the　steep　slope；　faster　than　I　would　have　believed　possible。
　Backing　after　them；　I　let　the　Apaches　e　boiling　out　into　the　rain；　and　then　fired　rapidly。
　One　Indian　spun　and　dropped　his　rifle；　another　yelled　and　started　for　me。　I　let　him　e；　and　shot　past　him　at　another　who　was　lifting　a　rifle　to　fire。　That　Indian　staggered　and　fell；　then　started　up　again。
　The　running　Indian　had　a　knife；　and　he　was　almost　on　me。　Shortening　my　grip　on　my　rifle；　I　took　a　long　swing　that　caught　the　running　Indian　in　the　belly。　He　caved　in　with　a　choking　cry；　and　I　scrambled　up　the　muddy　slope；　grabbing　at　branches。
　From　above　there　was　a　sudden　cannonade　of　fire　as　our　friends　up　there；　who　had　heard　the　shooting；　opened　up　on　the　Indians　to　cover　our　retreat。
　Scrambling；　falling；　and　scrambling　on；　we　made　the　crest；　and　when　the　little　girl　fell　I　caught　her　up　and　ran　after　Rocca；　with　the　others　covering　us　as　best　they　could。
　We　made　our　camp；　swung　into　our　saddles；　and　with　three　of　us　each　carrying　a　child；　we　raced　off　along　the　ridge；　rain　whipping　our　faces。
　We　ran　our　horses　when　we　could；　then　slowed　for　the　steep；　dangerous　trail　down。　Falling　rain　masked　the　depths　below；　the　great　peaks　were　shrouded　in　cloud。　Thunder　rumbled　around　us；　tremendous　sounds　as　if　we　were　inside　an　enormous　drum。　We　dashed　into　a　pine　forest；　ran　our　horses　for　a　hundred　yards；　then　slowed　for　a　steep　slide　and　a　muddy　scramble。
　Battles'　horse　slipped　and　fell；　spilling　him　from　the　saddle；　but　the　horse　was　game　and　scrambled　up。　By　the　time　it　was　on　its　feet；　Battles　was　in　the　saddle　again。
　There　was　no　chance　now　for　the　black　rock　atop　the　boulder。　Anyway；　because　of　the　rain　Harry　could　not　see　it。
　Me；　I　kept　looking　back　over　my　shoulder；　wondering　when　the　Indians　would　catch　up。　The　rain　might　have　muffled　the　shots　enough　so　that　the　other　rancherias　would　not　be　alerted　to　our　ing。　We　drew　up　briefly　under　the　trees　and　I　eased　the　girl　into　a　better　position　on　the　saddle　before　me。
　〃Were　there　any　other　children　back　there？〃　I　asked　her。　〃White　ones；　I　mean？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　Her　eyes　were　bright；　but　she　looked　excited　rather　than　scared。
　〃Which　one　is　Orry　Sackett？〃　I　asked。
　She　just　looked　at　me。　〃Neither　one。　Those　two　are　the　Creed　boys。　I　never　heard　of　any　boy　called　Orry。〃
　Something　turned　over　inside　me。　'Tamp；〃　I　yelled；　〃my　nephew　isn't　here！〃
　〃I　know　it；〃　he　said。　〃He　ain't　here　at　all。　These　were　the　youngsters　the　Taches　took。　The　only　ones。〃
　〃That's　not　possible！〃
　〃You　better　get　goin'　〃　Spanish　said。　〃This　here　is　no　time　to　talk。〃
　We　started　on；　knowing　there　could　be　no　hesitating；　no　turning　back。　The　hills　would　be　alive　with　Apaches　now；　and　if　we　got　out　of　here　alive　we'd　have　to　have　unmon　luck；　which　we　had　e　into　the　mountains　knowing。
　Slipping　and　running；　scrambling　up　and　down　muddy　slopes；　slapped　by　wet　branches；　racing　through　the　forest　。。。　first　and　last；　it　was　a　nightmare。
　We　came　finally　to　the　place　above　the　first　Indian