按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I've never seen anything so well hidden；〃 Nora said。 〃This has to be our trail。〃
〃Hope not。〃
She started up the narrow crevasse； Swire behind her； scrambling over the rocks that filled its bottom。 About halfway up it ended in a badly eroded path cut diagonally into the naked sandstone。 It was less than three feet wide； one side a sheer face of rock； the other dropping off into terrifying blue space。 As Nora stepped near the edge； some pebbles dislodged by her foot rolled down the rock and off the edge； sailing down； Nora listened but could not hear their eventual landing。 She knelt。 〃This is definitely an ancient trail；〃 she said； as she examined eroded cut marks made by prehistoric quartzite tools。
〃It sure wasn't built for horses；〃 Swire said。
〃The Anasazi didn't have horses。〃
〃We do；〃 came the curt reply。
They moved carefully forward。 In places； the cut path had peeled away from the sloping cliff face； forcing them to take a harrowing step across vacant space。 At one of these places Nora glanced down and saw a tumble of rocks more than five hundred feet beneath her。 She felt a surge of vertigo and hastily stepped across。
The grade gradually lessened； and in twenty minutes they were at the top。 A dead juniper； its branches scorched by lightning； marked the point where the trail topped the ridge。 The ridge itself was narrow； perhaps twenty feet across； and in another moment Nora had walked to the far edge。
She looked down the other side into a deep； lush riddle of canyons and washes that merged into an open valley。 The trail； much gentler here； switchbacked down into the gloom below them。
For a moment； she could not speak。 Slowly； the sun was invading the hidden recesses as it rose toward noon； penetrating the deep holes； chasing the darkness from the purple rocks。
〃It's so green；〃 she finally said。 〃All those cottonwoods； and grass for the horses。 Look； there's a stream！〃 At this； she felt the muscles in her throat constrict voluntarily。 She'd almost forgotten her thirst in the excitement。
Swire didn't reply。
From their vantage point； Nora took in the lay of the landscape ahead。 The Devil's Backbone ran diagonally to the northeast； disappearing around the Kaiparowits Plateau。 A vast plex of canyons started on the flanks of the Kaiparowits wilderness and spread out through the slickrock country； eventually coalescing into the valley that swept down in front of them。 A peaceful stream flowed down its center； belying the great scarred plain to either side that told of innumerable flash floods。 Scattered across the floodplain were boulders； some as large as houses； which had clearly been swept down from the higher reaches of the watershed。 Beyond； the valley stepped up through several benchlands； eventually ending in sheer redrock cliffs； pinnacles； and towers。 It looked to Nora as if the valley concentrated the entire watershed of the Kaiparowits Plateau in one hideous floodplain。
At the far end of the green valley； at the point where it joined the sheer cliffs； the stream passed through a canebreak； then disappeared into a narrow canyon； riven through a sandstone plateau。 Such narrow canyons…known as slot canyons…were mon among these southwestern wastes but practically unheard of elsewhere。 They were thin alleys； sometimes only a few feet across； caused by the action of water against sandstone over countless years。 Despite their narrowness； they were often several hundred feet deep； and could go on for miles before widening into more conventional canyons。
Nora peered at the entrance to this one： a dark slit； slicing into the far end of the great plateau。 It was perhaps ten feet wide at the entrance。 That； Nora thought with a rising feeling of excitement； must be the slot canyon my father mentioned。 She pulled out her binoculars and looked slowly around。 She could make out many south…facing alcoves among the cliffs across the valley； ideal for Anasazi dwellings； but as she scanned them with the glasses she could see nothing。 They were all empty。 She examined the sheer cliffs leading up to the top of the plateau； but if there was a way over and into the hidden canyon beyond； it was well hidden。
Dropping the binoculars； she turned and looked around the windswept top of the ridge。 An overlook like this was a perfect place for her father to have carved his initials and a date： the calling card of remote travelers since time immemorial。 Yet there was nothing。 Still； from the top of the ridge it seemed likely that Holroyd would finally get his GPS reading。
Swire had settled his back against the rock and was rolling a smoke。 He placed it in his mouth； struck a match。
〃I ain't bringing my horses up that trail；〃 he said。
Nora looked at him quickly。 〃But it's the only way up。〃
〃I know it；〃 Swire said； drawing smoke into his lungs。
〃So what are you suggesting？ That we turn around？ Give up？〃
Swire nodded。 〃Yep；〃 he said。 There was a brief pause。 〃And it ain't a suggestion。〃
In an instant； Nora's elation fell away。 She took a deep breath。 〃Roscoe； this isn't an impossible trail。 We'll unload and carry everything up by hand。 Then we'll guide the horses； unroped； giving them their heads。 It might take the rest of the day； but it can be done。〃
Roscoe shook his head。 〃We'll kill horses on that trail； no matter what we do。〃
Nora knelt beside him。 〃You've got to do this； Roscoe。 Everything depends on it。 The Institute will replace any horse that gets hurt。〃
From the expression on his face； she saw she had said the wrong thing。 〃You know enough about horses to know you're talking through your hat；〃 he replied。 〃I ain't saying they can't do it。 I'm saying the risk is too high。〃 A truculent note had crept into his voice。 〃No man in his right mind would bring horses up that trail。 And if you want my opinion； I don't think we're on any damn trail； Anasazi or otherwise。 Neither does anyone else。〃
Nora looked at him。 〃So you all think I'm lost？〃
Swire nodded； pulled on his cigarette。 〃All except Holroyd。 But that boy would follow you into a live volcano。〃
Nora felt her face flush。 〃Think what you want；〃 she said； pointing toward the sandstone plateau。 〃But that slot canyon out there is the one my father found。 It has to be。 And there's no other way in。 That means he brought two horses up this trail。〃
〃I doubt it。〃
Nora rounded on him。 〃When you signed on to this trip； you knew the danger。 You can't back out now。 It can be done； and we're going to do it； with you or without you。〃
〃Nope；〃 he said again。
〃Then you're a coward；〃 Nora cried angrily。
Swire's eyes widened quickly； then narrowed。 He stared at Nora for a long； silent moment。 〃I ain't likely to forget you said that；〃 he said at last in a low； even tone。
The breeze blew across the fin of rock； and a pair of ravens rode up the air currents； then dipped back down into space。 Nora slumped against the rock； resting her forehead in her hands。 She didn't know what to do in the face of Swire's flat refusal。 They couldn't go on without him； and the horses were technically his。 She closed her eyes against a growing sense of failure； terrible and final。 And then she realized something。
〃If you want to turn around；〃 she said quietly； glancing over at Swire； 〃you'd better get going。 The last water I remember was a two…day ride back。〃
Swire's face showed a sudden； curious blankness。 Then he swore softly； as he realized the water the horses so desperately needed was in the green valley that lay ahead； below their feet。
He shook his head slowly； and spat。 Finally； he eyed Nora。 〃Looks like you get your wish；〃 he said。 And something in the way he looked at her made Nora shrink back。
By the time they returned to camp； it was noon。 A palpable air of anxiety hung over the group； and the thirsty horses； tied in the shade； were prancing and slinging their heads。
〃You didn't happen to pass a Starbucks； did you？〃 Smithback asked with forced joviality。 〃I could really use an iced latte。〃
Swire brushed his way past them and stalked off to where the horses were hobbled。
〃What's with him？〃 Smithback asked。
〃We've got a tough stretch of trail ahead；〃 Nora said。
�