登陆注册
15457100000098

第98章 CHAPTER XXI. BLACK STAR AND NIGHT(1)

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?'

"There--there 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.

"Well--perhaps not lie. But you'd have had the sweethearts--You couldn't have helped that--being 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.

"No--no."

"Ah, you don't forget the gold and the world," she sighed.

"Child, you forget the beautiful dresses and the travel--and 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 pets--the 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 shade--beautiful and wild and unreal as a dream.

"We--we can--th--think of it--always--re--remember," 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.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 超级散仙异界游

    超级散仙异界游

    天劫失败,兵解散仙的唐宁发现他散仙劫竟随之到来,于最虚弱时,被突兀出现更强大散仙劫瞬间轰碎成了渣……本该烟消云散,一睁眼,却获得第二次生命。苍澜大陆火狮国少主,从懦弱转变,开始他异世界的精彩圈地之旅。重生异界,资源全是我的,从封地开始,唐宁重走霸道散仙路!
  • 盗星河

    盗星河

    青盗!于残酷掠夺、等级森严的星河时代,不知来历的青盗登场,他是否足以改变时代,亦或是被时代所吞?继承养父的衣钵,成为星际通缉犯,等待他的明天是希望?还是穷途末路?(提示:这是一本科幻侦探推理小说)
  • 超空

    超空

    四个死党,重生拯救世界。“世界需要你,但是你却不属于这个世界。”
  • 小受”太监”要翻身

    小受”太监”要翻身

    作为一代假女的代言人,连名字都怪怪的的亦云,在一次回校的客车上,他遇到了个怪怪的人,然后就莫名奇妙地穿越了!!!!
  • 连锁经营管理

    连锁经营管理

    本书介绍了商业的演变与发展趋势、连锁经营的基本概述、连锁经营体系及其构建,以及连锁企业的战略管理、商品管理、店铺管理及行政管理等内容。
  • 爱上我的女学生

    爱上我的女学生

    本书从一个男教师的角度,讲述了一段不容于世俗的纯美的爱情故事。两朵校花朝烟和石榴青都悄悄喜欢上了她们的青年教师元无雨。在一番纠葛和矛盾之后,元无雨终于在高考结束后,选择和朝烟在一起,开始了他们相隔两地却轰轰烈烈的浪漫恋情。次年朝烟突然宣布与元无雨结束关系,痛不欲生却意外地得到了石榴青的陪伴。两人经过了一段纯洁的幸福时光后,元毅然选择了去山区学校支教,可石榴青却突然来到了他的身边。
  • tfboys之樱花恋水晶

    tfboys之樱花恋水晶

    一次又一次的相遇,让他们熟悉,让他们相爱,可不速之客总会出现,让他们崩溃,她们只能离开,可许多年后,命运让他们相见……
  • 依心相生

    依心相生

    使得一手偷心好本事,从此你我依心相生。我任性,自然得由你保护;我乖张,背后有你靠山;我悲伤,此情因你而生。既然被赋予“预知”能力的我看见的是你我的敌视,那么,你的心我得好好利用了。想要我还?自然以心易心。什么?心在我这。抱歉,在老子这的,就是老子的!
  • 中国古代小说演变史

    中国古代小说演变史

    从体例上突破了《中国小说史略》的框架,却又未背离撰写一般通史的原则。在对古代小说进行分门别类的同时,使读者仍然看出时间上的发展顺序,真正落实了“演变”的前因后果。当然,有些小说是各种题材的融合体,在分类过程分很不容易为它们找到恰当的归属,因此本书的分类未必对每一部作品都区划得十全十美,无懈可击。但这部《中国古代小说演变史》毕竟是从新的角度来观察、考虑问题的,能给人以多方面的启发。我个人在审读书稿时,就感到它的内容既有纵向发展的脉络,也有横向联系的轨迹,实际上作者们只想在我国古代小说领域中尽量做到点、面、线的结合。可以说,这确是一次大胆而有新意的尝试。