The Texans ride on to the ranche. They still chafe1 at being thwarted2 of a vengeance3; by every man of them keenly felt, after learning the criminality of the Lancer Colonel. Such unheard of atrocity4 could not help kindling5 within their breasts indignation of the deepest kind.
The three soldiers strung up to the trees have been its victims.
But this episode, instead of appeasing7 the executioners, has only roused them, as tigers who have tasted blood hindered from banqueting on flesh.
They quite comprehend the position in which the norther has placed them. On the way Hamersley and Wilder, most discomforted of all, have made them aware of it. The swollen8 stream will prevent egress9 from the valley till it subsides10.
There is no outlet11 save above and below, and both these are now effectually closed, shutting them up as in a strong-walled prison. On each side the precipice12 is unscalable. Even if men might ascend13, horses could not be taken along; and on such a chase it would be hopeless for them to set out afoot.
But men could not go up the cliff.
“A cat kedn’t climb it,” says Walt, who during his sojourn14 in the valley has explored every inch of it. “We’ve got to stay hyar till the flood falls. I reckon no one kin6 be sorrier to say so than this chile. But thar’s no help for ’t.”
“Till the flood falls? When will that be?”
No one can answer this, not even Wilder himself. And with clouded brows, sullen15, dispirited, they return to the jacal.
Two days they stay there, chafing16 with angry impatience17. In their anger they are ready for the most perilous18 enterprise. But, although bitterly cursing the sinister19 chance that hinders pursuit, deeming each hour a day, they can do nought20 save wait till the swollen stream subsides.
They watch it with eager solicitude21, constantly going to the bank to examine it, as the captain of a ship consults his weather-glass to take steps for the safety of his vessel22. All the time one or another is riding to, or returning from, the head of the valley, to bring back report of how the subsidence progresses.
And long ere the stream has returned to its regular channel, they plunge23 their horses into it, breasting a current that almost sweeps them off their feet. But the Texan horses are strong, as their riders are skilful24; the obstacle is surmounted25, and the Rangers26 at length escape from their prolonged and irksome imprisonment27.
It is mid-day, as filing up the pass, they reach the higher level of the Llano. Not many moments do they remain there; only long enough for the rear files to get out of the gorge28, when those in front move forward across the plain, guided by the two best trackers in Texas, Nat Cully and Walt Wilder.
At first there is no following of a trail, since there is none visible. Wind, rain, and drifted dust have obliterated29 every mark made by the returning soldiers. Not a sign is left to show the pursuers the path Uraga’s troop has taken.
They know it should be westward30, and strike out without waiting to look for tracks.
For the first ten or twelve miles they ride at a rapid rate, often going in a gallop31. Their horses, rested and fresh, enable them to do so. They are only stayed in their pace by the necessity of keeping a straight course—not so easy upon a treeless plain, when the sun is not visible in the sky. Unluckily for them, the day is cloudy, which renders it more difficult. Still, with the twin buttes behind—so long as these are in sight they keep their course with certainty; then, as their summits sink below the level of the plain, another landmark32 looms33 up ahead, well known by Walt Wilder and Hamersley. It is the black-jack grove34 where, two days before, they made their midday meal.
The Rangers ride towards it, with the intention also to make a short halt there and snatch a scrap35 from their haversacks.
When upon its edge, before entering among the trees, they see that which decides them to stay even less time than intended—the hoof-prints of half a hundred horses!
Going inside the copse, they observe other signs that speak of an encampment. Reading these with care, they can tell that it has not long been broken up. The ashes of the bivouac fires are scarce cold, while the hoof-marks of the horses show fresh on the desert dust, for the time converted into mud. Wilder and Cully declare that but one day can have passed since the lancers parted from the spot; for there is no question as to who have been bivouacking among the black-jacks.
A day—only a day! It will take full five before the soldiers can cross the Sierras and enter the valley of the Del Norte. There may still be a chance of overtaking them. All the likelier, since, cumbered with their captives, and not knowing they are pursued, they may be proceeding36 at a leisurely37 pace.
Cheered by this hope, and freshly stimulated38, the Texans do not even dismount, but, spurring forth39 upon the plain, again ride rapidly on, munching40 a mouthful as they go.
They are no longer delayed by any doubt as to course. The trail of the lancer troop is now easily discernible, made since the storm passed over. Any one of the Rangers could follow it in a fast gallop.
At this pace they all go, only at intervals41 drawing in to a walk, to breathe their blown steeds for a fresh spurt42.
Even after night has descended43 they continue on, a clear moonlight enabling them to lift the trail.
As next morning’s sun breaks over the Llano Estacado they descend44 its western slope into the valley of the Rio Pecos.
Traversing its bottom, of no great breadth, they reach the crossing of the old Spanish trail, from Santa Fé to San Antonio de Bejar.
Fording the stream, on its western bank, they discover signs which cause them to come to a halt, for some time perplexing them. Nothing more than the tracks of the troop they have been all the while pursuing, which entered the river on its left side. Now on its right they are seen the same, up the sloping causeway of the bank. But on reaching the bottom, a little aback from the water’s edge, the trail splits into two distinct ramifications45, one continuing westward towards the Sierras, the other turning north along the stream. The first shows the hoof-marks of nigh forty horses, the second only ten or twelve.
Unquestionably the Mexican colonel had here divided his troop, the main body proceeding due west, the detachment striking up stream.
The route taken by this last would be the old Spanish road for Santa Fé, the first party proceeding on to Albuquerque.
For a time the pursuing Texans are at fault, as foxhounds by a fence, over which Reynard has doubled back to mislead them. They have halted at the bifurcation of the trails, and sit in their saddles, considering which of the two they should take.
Not all remain mounted. Cully and Wilder have flung themselves to the ground, and, in bent46 attitudes, with eyes close to the surface, are scanning the hoof-marks of the Mexican horses.
The others debate which of the two troops they ought to take after, or whether they should themselves separate and pursue both. This course is opposed by a majority, and it is at length almost decided47 to continue on after the main body, which, naturally enough, they suppose to have Uraga at its head, with the captives in keeping.
In the midst of their deliberations a shout calls the attention of all, concentrating it on Walt Wilder. For it is he who has uttered the cry. The ex-Ranger is seen upon his knees, his great body bent forward, with his chin almost touching48 the ground. His eyes are upon the hoof-marks of a horse—one of those that went off with the smaller detachment along the river’s bank.
That he has identified the track is evident from the speech succeeding his ejaculation.
“Yur hoss, Hamersley! Hyar’s his futprint, sure. An’, as he’s rud by Urager, the scoundrel’s goed this way to a sartinty. Eqwally sartin, he’s tuk the captives along wi’ him.”
On hearing their old comrade declare his prognosis, the Rangers wheel their horses and ride towards him.
Before reaching the spot where he is still prospecting49, they see him give a sudden spring forward, like a frog leaping over meadow sward, then pause again, scrutinising a track.
A second examination, similar to the first, tells of another discovery. In like manner explained, by his speech close following,—
“An’ hyar’s the track o’ the mare—the yeller mustang as war rid by the saynorita. An’, durn me, that’s the hoof-mark o’ the mule50 as carried my Concheter. Capting Haynes! Kumrades! No use botherin’ ’bout hyar any longer. Them we want to kum up wi’ are goed north ’long this trail as leads by the river bank.”
Not another word is needed. The Rangers, keen of apprehension51 and quick to arrive at conclusions, at once perceive the justness of those come to by their old comrade. They make no opposition52 to his proposal to proceed after the smaller party.
Instead, all signify assent53; and in ten seconds after they are strung out into a long line, going at a gallop, their horses’ heads turned northward54 up the right bank of the Rio Pecos.
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1
chafe
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| v.擦伤；冲洗；惹怒 | |
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thwarted
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| 阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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atrocity
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| n.残暴，暴行 | |
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kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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7
appeasing
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的现在分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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egress
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| n.出去；出口 | |
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subsides
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的第三人称单数 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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11
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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sojourn
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| v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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16
chafing
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| n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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17
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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18
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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25
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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rangers
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| 护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员 | |
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imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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28
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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29
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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31
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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32
landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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33
looms
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| n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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34
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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40
munching
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| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 ) | |
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41
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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42
spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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43
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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44
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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45
ramifications
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| n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 ) | |
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46
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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47
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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48
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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49
prospecting
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| n.探矿 | |
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50
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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51
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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52
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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53
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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54
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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