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the earth's nakedness。 Thirst； delirium； death； hovered palpable in the
wind； dreadful； unconquerable； ghastly。 The desert showed her
teeth and lay in wait like a fierce beast。 The little soul of man shrank in
terror before it。
Buck Johnson stared； recalling the phrases of the letter； recalling the
words of his foreman； Jed Parker。 〃It's too lonesome for me；〃 〃I'm
afraid；〃 〃I hate it all；〃 〃I'd go crazy here；〃 〃The desert would make
anyone bad；〃 〃The country is awful。〃 And the musing voice of the old
cattleman； 〃I wonder if she'll like the country！〃 They reiterated
themselves over and over； and always as refrain his own confident reply；
〃Like the country？ Sure！ Why SHOULDN'T she？〃 And then he
recalled the summer just passing； and the woman who had made no
fuss。 Chance remarks of hers came back to him； remarks whose meaning
he had not at the time grasped； but which now he saw were desperate
appeals to his understanding。 He had known his desert。 He had never
known hers。 With an exclamation Buck Johnson turned abruptly
back to the arroyo。 Button followed him； mildly curious； certain that his
master's reappearance meant a summons for himself。 Down the
miniature cliff the man slid； confidently； without hesitation； sure of
himself。 His shoulders held squarely； his step elastic； his eye bright； he
walked to the fearful； shapeless bundle now lying motionless on the flat
surface of the alkali。 Brent Palmer had fallen into a grim silence； but
Estrella still moaned。 The cattleman drew his knife and ripped loose the
bonds。 Immediately the flaps of the wet rawhide fell apart； exposing to
the new daylight the two bound together。 Buck Johnson leaned over to
touch the woman's shoulder。 〃Estrella；〃 said he gently。 Her
eyes came open with a snap； and stared into his； wild with the surprise of
his return。 〃Estrella；〃 he repeated； 〃how old are you？〃 She
gulped down a sob； unable to comprehend the purport of his question。
〃How old are you； Estrella？〃 he repeated again。 〃Twenty…one；〃
she gasped finally。 〃Ah！〃 said he。 He stood for a
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moment in deep thought； then began methodically； without haste； to cut
loose the thongs that bound the two together。 When the man and
the woman were quite freed； he stood for a moment； the knife in his hand；
looking down on them。 Then he swung himself into the saddle and rode
away； straight down the narrow arroyo； out beyond its lower widening；
into the vast plains the hither side of the Chiricahuas。 The alkali dust
was snatched by the wind from beneath his horse's feet。 Smaller and
smaller he dwindled； rising and falling； rising and falling in the
monotonous cow…pony's lope。 The heat shimmer veiled him for a
moment； but he reappeared。 A mirage concealed him； but he emerged on
the other side of it。 Then suddenly he was gone。 The desert had
swallowed him up。
End of Project Gutenberg Etext of Arizona Nights by Stewart Edward
White
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