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bottom side up and lodged on a sand-bar.
"She got across, and then set the boat loose," said August. "That's the
Indian of her. If she went up on the cliffs to the Navajos maybe we'll
find her. If she went into the Painted Desert--" a grave shake of his
shaggy head completed his sentence.
Morning also disclosed Snap Naab once more in the clutch of his demon,
drunk and unconscious, lying like a log on the porch of his cottage.
"This means ruin to him," said his father. "He had one chance; he was
mad over Mescal, and if he had got her, he might have conquered his
thirst for rum."
He gave orders for the sheep to be driven up on the plateau, and for his
sons to ride out to the cattle ranges. He bade Hare pack and get in
readiness to accompany him to the Navajo cliffs, there to search for
Mescal.
The river was low, as the spring thaws had not yet set in, and the
crossing promised none of the hazard so menacing at a later period.
Billy Naab rowed across with the saddle and packs. Then August had to
crowd the lazy burros into the water. Silvermane went in with a rush,
and Charger took to the river like an old duck. August and Jack sat in
the stern of the boat, while Billy handled the oars. They crossed
swiftly and safely. The three burros were then loaded, two with packs,
the other with a heavy water-bag.
"See there," said August, pointing to tracks in the sand. The imprints
of little moccasins reassured Hare, for he had feared the possibility
suggested by the upturned boat." Perhaps it'll be better if I never find
her," continued Naab. "If I bring her back Snap's as likely to kill her
as to marry her. But I must try to find her. Only what to do with her--
"
"Give her to me," interrupted Jack.
"Hare!"
"I love her!"
Naab's stern face relaxed. "Well, I'm beat! Though
I don't see why you should be different from all the others.
It was that time you spent with her on the plateau. I
thought you too sick to think of a woman!"
"Mescal cares for me," said Hare.
"Ah! That accounts. Hare, did you play me fair?"
"We tried to, though we couldn't help loving."
"She would have married Snap but for you."
"Yes. But I couldn't help that. You brought me out here, and saved my
life. I know what I owe you. Mescal meant to marry your son when I left
for the range last fall. But she's a true woman and couldn't. August
Naab, if we ever find her will you marry her to him--now?"
"That depends. Did you know she intended to run?"
"I never dreamed of it. I learned it only at the last moment. I met her
on the river trail."
"You should have stopped her."
Hare maintained silence.
"You should have told me," went on Naab.
"I couldn't. I'm only human."
"Well, well, I'm not blaming you, Hare. I had hot blood once. But I'm
afraid the desert will not be large enough for you and Snap. She's
pledged to him. You can't change the Mormon Church. For the sake of
peace I'd give you Mescal, if I could. Snap will either have her or kill
her. I'm going to hunt this desert in advance of him, because he'll
trail her like a hound. It would be better to marry her to him than to
see her dead."
"I'm not so sure of that."
"Hare, your nose is on a blood scent, like a wolf's. I can see--I've
always seen--well, remember, it's man to man between you now."
During this talk they were winding under Echo Cliffs, gradually climbing,
and working up to a level with the desert, which they presently attained
at a point near the head of the canyon. The trail swerved to the left
following the base of the cliffs. The tracks of Noddle and Wolf were
plainly visible in the dust. Hare felt that if they ever led out into
the immense airy space of the desert all hope of finding Mescal must be
abandoned.
They trailed the tracks of the dog and burro to Bitter Seeps, a shallow
spring of alkali, and there lost all track of them. The path up the
cliffs to the Navajo ranges was bare, time-worn in solid rock, and showed
only the imprint of age. Desertward the ridges of shale, the washes of
copper earth, baked in the sun, gave no sign of the fugitives' course.
August Naab shrugged his broad shoulders and pointed his horse to the
cliff. It was dusk when they surmounted it.
They camped in the lee of an uplifting crag. When the wind died down the
night was no longer unpleasantly cool; and Hare, finding August Naab
"She got across, and then set the boat loose," said August. "That's the
Indian of her. If she went up on the cliffs to the Navajos maybe we'll
find her. If she went into the Painted Desert--" a grave shake of his
shaggy head completed his sentence.
Morning also disclosed Snap Naab once more in the clutch of his demon,
drunk and unconscious, lying like a log on the porch of his cottage.
"This means ruin to him," said his father. "He had one chance; he was
mad over Mescal, and if he had got her, he might have conquered his
thirst for rum."
He gave orders for the sheep to be driven up on the plateau, and for his
sons to ride out to the cattle ranges. He bade Hare pack and get in
readiness to accompany him to the Navajo cliffs, there to search for
Mescal.
The river was low, as the spring thaws had not yet set in, and the
crossing promised none of the hazard so menacing at a later period.
Billy Naab rowed across with the saddle and packs. Then August had to
crowd the lazy burros into the water. Silvermane went in with a rush,
and Charger took to the river like an old duck. August and Jack sat in
the stern of the boat, while Billy handled the oars. They crossed
swiftly and safely. The three burros were then loaded, two with packs,
the other with a heavy water-bag.
"See there," said August, pointing to tracks in the sand. The imprints
of little moccasins reassured Hare, for he had feared the possibility
suggested by the upturned boat." Perhaps it'll be better if I never find
her," continued Naab. "If I bring her back Snap's as likely to kill her
as to marry her. But I must try to find her. Only what to do with her--
"
"Give her to me," interrupted Jack.
"Hare!"
"I love her!"
Naab's stern face relaxed. "Well, I'm beat! Though
I don't see why you should be different from all the others.
It was that time you spent with her on the plateau. I
thought you too sick to think of a woman!"
"Mescal cares for me," said Hare.
"Ah! That accounts. Hare, did you play me fair?"
"We tried to, though we couldn't help loving."
"She would have married Snap but for you."
"Yes. But I couldn't help that. You brought me out here, and saved my
life. I know what I owe you. Mescal meant to marry your son when I left
for the range last fall. But she's a true woman and couldn't. August
Naab, if we ever find her will you marry her to him--now?"
"That depends. Did you know she intended to run?"
"I never dreamed of it. I learned it only at the last moment. I met her
on the river trail."
"You should have stopped her."
Hare maintained silence.
"You should have told me," went on Naab.
"I couldn't. I'm only human."
"Well, well, I'm not blaming you, Hare. I had hot blood once. But I'm
afraid the desert will not be large enough for you and Snap. She's
pledged to him. You can't change the Mormon Church. For the sake of
peace I'd give you Mescal, if I could. Snap will either have her or kill
her. I'm going to hunt this desert in advance of him, because he'll
trail her like a hound. It would be better to marry her to him than to
see her dead."
"I'm not so sure of that."
"Hare, your nose is on a blood scent, like a wolf's. I can see--I've
always seen--well, remember, it's man to man between you now."
During this talk they were winding under Echo Cliffs, gradually climbing,
and working up to a level with the desert, which they presently attained
at a point near the head of the canyon. The trail swerved to the left
following the base of the cliffs. The tracks of Noddle and Wolf were
plainly visible in the dust. Hare felt that if they ever led out into
the immense airy space of the desert all hope of finding Mescal must be
abandoned.
They trailed the tracks of the dog and burro to Bitter Seeps, a shallow
spring of alkali, and there lost all track of them. The path up the
cliffs to the Navajo ranges was bare, time-worn in solid rock, and showed
only the imprint of age. Desertward the ridges of shale, the washes of
copper earth, baked in the sun, gave no sign of the fugitives' course.
August Naab shrugged his broad shoulders and pointed his horse to the
cliff. It was dusk when they surmounted it.
They camped in the lee of an uplifting crag. When the wind died down the
night was no longer unpleasantly cool; and Hare, finding August Naab
- cottage [´kɔtidʒ]
n.村舍；小屋；小别墅 (初中英语单词) - wedding [´wediŋ] n.婚礼，结婚 (初中英语单词)
- evident [´evidənt] a.明显的，明白的 (初中英语单词)
- relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- unfortunate [ʌn´fɔ:tʃunit] a.不幸的，运气差的 (初中英语单词)
- confusion [kən´fju:ʒən] n.混乱(状态)；骚乱 (初中英语单词)
- slightly [´slaitli] ad.轻微地；细长的 (初中英语单词)
- instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)
- pretend [pri´tend] v.假装；借口；妄求 (初中英语单词)
- nevertheless [,nevəðə´les] conj.&ad.然而；不过 (初中英语单词)
- helpless [´helpləs] a.无助的，无依靠的 (初中英语单词)
- holiday [´hɔlidi] n.假日，假期，节日 (初中英语单词)
- twilight [´twailait] n.黎明；黄昏 (初中英语单词)
- breeze [bri:z] n.微风；不费力的事 (初中英语单词)
- slender [´slendə] a.细长的；微薄的 (初中英语单词)
- swiftly [´swiftli] ad.迅速地，敏捷地 (初中英语单词)
- whisper [´wispə] v.耳语 n.低语；沙沙声 (初中英语单词)
- motive [´məutiv] n.动机；主题 a.运动的 (初中英语单词)
- breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)
- silently [´sailəntli] ad.寂静地；沉默地 (初中英语单词)
- flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)
- presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)
- throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)
- liberate [´libəreit] vt.解放，释放，放出 (初中英语单词)
- excitement [ik´saitmənt] n.兴奋；骚动；煽动 (初中英语单词)
- missing [´misiŋ] a.缺掉的；失踪的 (初中英语单词)
- safely [´seifli] ad.安全地；平安地 (初中英语单词)
- clutch [klʌtʃ] v.抓住 n.爪子；控制 (初中英语单词)
- driven [´driv(ə)n] drive 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- saddle [´sædl] n.鞍子 v.装鞍(于) (初中英语单词)
- working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)
- visible [´vizəbəl] a.可见的；明显的 (初中英语单词)
- immense [i´mens] a.广大的，无限的 (初中英语单词)
- pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)
- passionate [´pæʃənit] a.易动情的；易怒的 (高中英语单词)
- quaint [kweint] a.离奇的；奇妙的 (高中英语单词)
- congratulate [kən´grætjuleit] vt.祝贺 (高中英语单词)
- anguish [´æŋgwiʃ] n.(极度的)痛苦；苦恼 (高中英语单词)
- reproach [ri´prəutʃ] vt.&n.责备；指责；耻辱 (高中英语单词)
- resignation [,rezig´neiʃən] n.辞职(书)；放弃；顺从 (高中英语单词)
- plateau [´plætəu] n.高原；平稳；托盘 (高中英语单词)
- pronounced [prə´naunst] a.发出音的；显著的 (高中英语单词)
- radiant [´reidiənt] a.发光的 n.光源(体) (高中英语单词)
- solitude [´sɔlitju:d] n.孤独；寂寞；荒凉 (高中英语单词)
- sweetness [´swi:tnis] n.甜蜜；芳香；亲切 (高中英语单词)
- headlong [´hedlɔŋ] ad.&a.轻率地(的) (高中英语单词)
- hanging [´hæŋiŋ] n.绞刑 a.悬挂着的 (高中英语单词)
- unconscious [ʌn´kɔnʃəs] a.无意识的；不觉察的 (高中英语单词)
- hazard [´hæzəd] n.危险 vt.冒…险 (高中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- finding [´faindiŋ] n.发现物；判断；结果 (高中英语单词)
- unusually [ʌn´ju:ʒuəli] ad.异常地；非常 (英语四级单词)
- patter [´pætə] n.行话 v.喋喋不休 (英语四级单词)
- triumphant [trai´ʌmfənt] a.胜利的；洋洋得意的 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- shroud [ʃraud] n.尸衣；覆盖物；罩 (英语四级单词)
- authoritative [ɔ:´θɔrətətiv] a.可信的；命令的 (英语四级单词)
- cheery [´tʃiəri] a.愉快的；活泼的 (英语四级单词)
- semblance [´sembləns] n.外表；伪装；相似 (英语四级单词)
- canyon [´kænjən] n.峡谷 (英语四级单词)
- august [ɔ:´gʌst] a.尊严的；威严的 (英语六级单词)
- festivity [fe´stiviti] n.节日；喜庆日；庆祝 (英语六级单词)
- speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)
- bewilderment [bi´wildəmənt] n.为难；狼狈；迷惑 (英语六级单词)
- assured [ə´ʃuəd] a.确实的 n.被保险人 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)
- charger [´tʃɑ:dʒə] n.军马；委托者；控诉者 (英语六级单词)
- alkali [´ælkəlai] n.(化学)碱 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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