登陆注册
5269600000030

第30章 CHAPTER IV(6)

Thus happily and dreamily absorbed, Ellen covered the forest miles and soon reached the trail that led down into the wild brakes of Chevelon Canyon. It was rough going and less conducive to sweet wanderings of mind. Ellen slowly lost them. And then a familiar feeling assailed her, one she never failed to have upon returning to her father's ranch --a reluctance, a bitter dissatisfaction with her home, a loyal struggle against the vague sense that all was not as it should be.

At the head of this canyon in a little, level, grassy meadow stood a rude one-room log shack, with a leaning red-stone chimney on the outside.

This was the abode of a strange old man who had long lived there. His name was John Sprague and his occupation was raising burros. No sheep or cattle or horses did he own, not even a dog. Rumor had said Sprague was a prospector, one of the many who had searched that country for the Lost Dutchman gold mine. Sprague knew more about the Basin and Rim than any of the sheepmen or ranchers. From Black Butte to the Cibique and from Chevelon Butte to Reno Pass he knew every trail, canyon, ridge, and spring, and could find his way to them on the darkest night. His fame, however, depended mostly upon the fact that he did nothing but raise burros, and would raise none but black burros with white faces.

These burros were the finest bred in ail the Basin and were in great demand. Sprague sold a few every year. He had made a present of one to Ellen, although he hated to part with them. This old man was Ellen's one and only friend.

Upon her trip out to the Rim with the sheep, Uncle John, as Ellen called him, had been away on one of his infrequent visits to Grass Valley. It pleased her now to see a blue column of smoke lazily lifting from the old chimney and to hear the discordant bray of burros.

As she entered the clearing Sprague saw her from the door of his shack.

"Hello, Uncle John!" she called.

"Wal, if it ain't Ellen!" he replied, heartily. "When I seen thet white-faced jinny I knowed who was leadin' her. Where you been, girl?"

Sprague was a little, stoop-shouldered old man, with grizzled head and face, and shrewd gray eyes that beamed kindly on her over his ruddy cheeks. Ellen did not like the tobacco stain on his grizzled beard nor the dirty, motley, ragged, ill-smelling garb he wore, but she had ceased her useless attempts to make him more cleanly.

"I've been herdin' sheep," replied Ellen. "And where have y'u been, uncle? I missed y'u on the way over."

"Been packin' in some grub. An' I reckon I stayed longer in Grass Valley than I recollect. But thet was only natural, considerin'--"

"What?" asked Ellen, bluntly, as the old man paused.

Sprague took a black pipe out of his vest pocket and began rimming the bowl with his fingers. The glance he bent on Ellen was thoughtful and earnest, and so kind that she feared it was pity. Ellen suddenly burned for news from the village.

Wal, come in an' set down, won't you?" he asked.

"No, thanks," replied Ellen, and she took a seat on the chopping block.

"Tell me, uncle, what's goin' on down in the Valley?"

"Nothin' much yet--except talk. An' there's a heap of thet."

"Humph! There always was talk," declared Ellen, contemptuously.

"A nasty, gossipy, catty hole, that Grass Valley!"

"Ellen, thar's goin' to be war--a bloody war in the ole Tonto Basin," went on Sprague, seriously.

"War! . . . Between whom?"

"The Isbels an' their enemies. I reckon most people down thar, an' sure all the cattlemen, air on old Gass's side. Blaisdell, Gordon, Fredericks, Blue--they'll all be in it."

"Who are they goin' to fight?" queried Ellen, sharply.

" Wal, the open talk is thet the sheepmen are forcin' this war. But thar's talk not so open, an' I reckon not very healthy for any man to whisper hyarbouts."

"Uncle John, y'u needn't be afraid to tell me anythin', said Ellen.

"I'd never give y'u away. Y'u've been a good friend to me."

"Reckon I want to be, Ellen," he returned, nodding his shaggy head.

"It ain't easy to be fond of you as I am an' keep my mouth shet. . . I'd like to know somethin'. Hev you any relatives away from hyar thet you could go to till this fight's over?"

"No. All I have, so far as I know, are right heah."

"How aboot friends?"

"Uncle John, I have none," she said, sadly, with bowed head.

"Wal, wal, I'm sorry. I was hopin' you might git away."

She lifted her face. "Shore y'u don't think I'd run off if my dad got in a fight? " she flashed.

"I hope you will."

"I'm a Jorth," she said, darkly, and dropped her head again.

Sprague nodded gloomily. Evidently he was perplexed and worried, and strongly swayed by affection for her.

"Would you go away with me? " he asked. "We could pack over to the Mazatzals an' live thar till this blows over."

"Thank y'u, Uncle John. Y'u're kind and good. But I'll stay with my father. His troubles are mine."

"Ahuh! . . . Wal, I might hev reckoned so. . . . Ellen, how do you stand on this hyar sheep an' cattle question?"

"I think what's fair for one is fair for another. I don't like sheep as much as I like cattle. But that's not the point. The range is free.

Suppose y'u had cattle and I had sheep. I'd feel as free to run my sheep anywhere as y'u were to ran your cattle."

"Right. But what if you throwed your sheep round my range an' sheeped off the grass so my cattle would hev to move or starve?"

"Shore I wouldn't throw my sheep round y'ur range," she declared, stoutly.

"Wal, you've answered half of the question. An' now supposin' a lot of my cattle was stolen by rustlers, but not a single one of your sheep.

What 'd you think then? "

"I'd shore think rustlers chose to steal cattle because there was no profit in stealin' sheep."

"Egzactly. But wouldn't you hev a queer idee aboot it?"

"I don't know. Why queer? What 're y'u drivin' at, Uncle John?"

"Wal, wouldn't you git kind of a hunch thet the rustlers was--say a leetle friendly toward the sheepmen?

Ellen felt a sudden vibrating shock. The blood rushed to her temples.

Trembling all over, she rose.

"Uncle John!" she cried.

同类推荐
  • 春日重至南徐旧居

    春日重至南徐旧居

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 名物蒙求

    名物蒙求

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Light of Western Stars

    The Light of Western Stars

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蜀鉴

    蜀鉴

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 十二礼赞阿弥陀佛文

    十二礼赞阿弥陀佛文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生之仙也是人

    重生之仙也是人

    怪力仙尊触犯天条被贬入凡间,本想凭借万年修为装个酷,谁知道装酷不成反遭雷劈......
  • 足坛刺客

    足坛刺客

    被系统《乾坤》附体的足球爱好者方言,为继承哥哥的遗志,实现自己的足球梦,争战欧州足坛,踢出一个世界,成为全世界瞩目的超级球星。
  • 重生之巅峰大姐

    重生之巅峰大姐

    她是F市内翻手为云覆手为雨的一代枭雄人物,然而在她事业帮派如日中天的时候,如花的生命却陨于一个凉薄的情字,她发誓,若苍天有眼,若她能再生一次,她定要血刃F市!让他求生不得求死不能!!抱恨重生,冷血无情,枪林弹雨,杀戮嗜血,她蓄势崛起,一次次的超越极限,只是为了活下去,珍惜这一次来之不易的重生活下去!生来的第一幕,她灵魂旋起漂浮在天际,天台上站着一个纤瘦稚嫩的少女,对着一个看不清容颜的男人歇斯底里的嘶喊着,那声音是那么的悲痛,决绝。再一次醒来,她发现自己躺在一家医院里,一切都是那么的陌生。‘我告诉你楚星,即使你为我再跳楼一百次,我也一样不会爱上你,永远不会’被打破的病房内安逸流淌着的气息,那熟悉的轮廓再次出现在了楚星的眼界里,她的眼瞳,倏然间变得冰冷无比,是他!——☆——☆——☆——☆——☆——☆——不断的超越,攀登,问,巅峰之路,路在何处,楚星答:“路,在我脚下!”——☆——☆——☆——☆——☆——☆——巅峰之路,黑道军嫂。
  • 空间灵师之家有三宝

    空间灵师之家有三宝

    毒医世家传人意外穿越,容颜骇人,抛尸悬崖。六年后,凤依诺带着三个天才宝贝回到帝都,艳杀天下,一丹难求。她虐渣男,惩贱姐,三重身份,玩转天下,手握神秘空间,日子富的流油。可一不小心,惹上了叱咤风云的神秘男,某男腹黑一笑:“娘子,带着我的孩子,逃到天涯海角,你也逃不出为夫的手掌心。”她泛着毒光的玉指轻挑男子光洁优美的下巴:“我心之所向,谁人可挡?”
  • 蓬莱武道

    蓬莱武道

    《八九玄功》98.10.321.14版最低境界:天人境最低功法前置:《高级锻体术》圆满;《高级内功》圆满;《高级精神力》圆满;《齐天变》十六重;《天魔化生》第六重;《就不告诉你》第八重;《凤凰变》十三重;《QAZXSWEDC》圆满;《天地纯娘》圆满。最低身份需求:三级研究所所长,上校或者百万战功评论:除了名字不武侠之外一切都好(29831万)最强防御武学,没有之一(28134万)版本越来越高,前置越来越多……(24532万)我就看看,不说话(21463万)性价比不如简化版《肌肉就是太阳》(16441万)神兽,呃,我是说神受(10294万)主体匹配率:0
  • 佛眼观处世

    佛眼观处世

    佛法是一种使人在日常生活中摆脱痛苦的智慧。它不是战场上的金戈铁马、运筹帷幄;也不是情场上的你侬我侬、缠绵悱恻;更不是官场上的升降沉浮,勾心斗角,它就是一种生活智慧。它教我们怎么在日常生活中,在行住坐卧、柴米油盐中,获得一种任运自由的心境。佛说“境由心生”,幸福与不幸,快乐与不快,欢喜与忧愁都是一种主观心态。一颗乐观的心,一颗坚毅的心,一颗健康的心是不会被生活中的任何风雨所折服的,自己的心才是人生的快乐之源。可是,现代人“合却自家无尽藏,沿门托钵效贫儿”,像乞丐一样挨家挨户讨饭,却不知道自己家里就有无穷无尽的宝藏。意思是说现代人在精神生活上四处追寻快乐,却不知道应该在自己的“心”上下功夫。
  • 绝色校草:请你爱上我

    绝色校草:请你爱上我

    “阮小白,你喜欢我是不是?”呃……阮白白卡机了,完全失去反应能力。“不用思考,说心里话。”他的话里带着霸道的引诱。阮白白的眼睛渐渐亮起来:“嗯,我喜欢你。”她的话没有说完,嘴巴就被谁堵住,她定神一看,原来是顾蝶久。他倾过身去,环抱她,霸道地吻住她。
  • 末代蒙古王

    末代蒙古王

    蒙古喀喇沁王贡桑诺尔布所出生的年代,像极了成吉思汗统一前的天下。那是个“尽管鲜血长流,但依旧守在那里”的年代。
  • 独尊天下

    独尊天下

    修士之路,逆天而行,练己身、破生死、掌轮回,方能证道不朽!少年林叶,魂穿九州,得神秘玉蝶,修无上宝术,繁华盛景,谁主一世浮沉。
  • 神品

    神品

    石门城北花园“茗泉居”茶园,是玩者们一个好去处。这里单玩古董字画和京戏,有个不成文的规矩,逢初十二十一,玩古董字画的便云集而来?鸦逢初六、十六、二十六,那些京戏票友便鱼贯而入。茗泉居茶园的花掌柜也是个玩家,古董字画和京戏他都爱玩,逢一六日便忙上忙下,六七个小伙计走马灯似的串来串去。花掌柜乐不可支,也玩了,也挣了,玩得开心,挣得实在,真叫江山美人,都出神入化了!岁时民国二十八年腊月初一,也叫己卯年梅月上浣朔日。茗泉居茶园刚下板子,便有一帮人争拥着挤进来,像是喝茶不收银子。