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The light had pletely vanished from the sky； and a huge dome of stars was cast over their heads。 Somewhere in the distance； out on the plain； a coyote began yipping and wailing； and was answered by another。
〃I shouldn't have told you any of this；〃 Beiyoodzin said。 〃No good can e to me。 But maybe now you know why you must leave this place at once。〃
Nora took a deep breath。 〃Mr。 Beiyoodzin； thank you for your help。 I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't frightened by what you've said。 It scares me to death。 But I'm running the excavation of a ruin that my father gave up his life to find。 I owe it to him to see it through。〃
This seemed to astonish Beiyoodzin。 〃Your father died out here？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； but we never found his body。〃 Something about the way he spoke put her on guard。 〃Do you know something about it？〃
〃I know nothing。〃 Then the man was abruptly on his feet。 His agitation seemed to have increased。 〃But I'm sorry to hear about it。 Please think over what I've said。〃
〃We're not likely to forget it；〃 said Nora。
〃Good。 Now I think I'll turn in。 I've got to get up early。 So I'll say goodbye to you right now。 You can turn your horses out to graze in the draw。 There's plenty of grass down by the stream。 Tomorrow； help yourself to breakfast if you like。 I won't be around。〃
〃That won't be necessary…〃 Nora began。 But the old man was already shaking their hands。 He turned away and began to busy himself with the bedroll。
〃I think we've been given the brushoff；〃 murmured Smithback。 They went back to their horses； unsaddled them； and made a small camp of their own on the far side of the pile of rocks。
* * *
〃What a character；〃 Smithback muttered a little later as he unrolled his bag。 The horses had been watered and were now nickering and muttering contentedly； hobbled nearby。 〃First he spooks us with all that talk about skinwalkers。 Then he suddenly announces it's bedtime。〃
〃Yes；〃 Nora replied。 〃Just when the talk got around to my father。〃 She shook out her own bedroll。
〃He never said what tribe he was from。〃
〃I think Nankoweap。 That's how the village got its name。〃
〃Some of that witchcraft stuff was pretty vile。 Do you believe it？〃
〃I believe in the power of evil；〃 Nora said after a moment。 〃But the thought of wolfskin runners； witching people with corpse powder； is tough to swallow。 There are millions of dollars worth of artifacts at Quivira。 It seems more likely that we're dealing with a couple of people playing at witchcraft to frighten us away。〃
〃Maybe so； but it seems like a pretty elaborate plan。 Dressing up in wolfskins； cutting up horses 。 。 。〃
They both fell silent； and the cool night air moved over them。 Nora rubbed her arms in the sudden chill。 She could offer no explanation for what had happened to her at the ranch house； the matted form running alongside her truck。 Or the same dark figure； racing away from her kitchen door。 Or the disappearance of Thurber。
〃Which way is downwind？〃 Smithback asked suddenly。
Nora looked at him。
〃I want to know where to put my boots；〃 he explained。 In the dark； Nora thought she could see a crooked smile on the journalist's face。
〃Put them at the foot of your bedroll and point them east；〃 she said。 〃Maybe they'll keep the rattlers away。〃
She pulled off her own boots with a sigh； lay down； and pulled the bag up around her dusty clothes。 A half…moon had begun to rise； veiled by tatters of cloud。 A few yards away； she could hear Smithback grunting as he flounced around； making preparations for sleep。 In the calm darkness； the thought of skinwalkers and witches fell away under the weight of her weariness。
〃It's strange；〃 Smithback said。 〃But something is definitely rotten in the State of Denmark。〃
〃What； your shoes？〃
〃Very funny。 Our host； I mean。 He's hiding something。 But I don't think it has to do with the horses。〃
From far overhead came the sound of a jet。 Idly； Nora located its faint； blinking light； crawling across the velvety blackness。 As if reading her mind； Smithback spoke： 〃There's some guy；〃 he said； 〃sitting up in that plane； guzzling a martini； eating smoked almonds； and doing the New York Times crossword puzzle。〃
Nora laughed quietly。 〃Speaking of the Times； how long have you written for them？〃
〃About two years now； since my last book was published。 I took a leave of absence to e on this trip。〃
Nora sat up on one elbow。 〃Why did you e？〃
〃What？〃 The question seemed to take the writer by surprise。
〃It's a simple enough question。 This is a dangerous； dirty； unfortable trip。 Why did you leave fortable old Manhattan？〃
〃And maybe miss out on the greatest discovery since King Tut's tomb？〃 Smithback turned in his sleeping bag。 〃Well； I guess it's more than that。 After all； I knew there was no guarantee we'd find anything。 If you get right down to it； newspaper work can be boring。 Even if it's the New York Times and everyone genuflects when you enter the room。 But you know what？ This is what it's all about； really； discovering lost cities； listening to tales of murder； lying under the stars with a lovely…〃 He cleared his voice。 〃Well； you know what I mean。〃
〃No； I don't；〃 Nora said； surprised at the sudden excitement that flooded through her。
〃Lying under the stars with someone like you；〃 he finished。 〃Sounds kind of lame； doesn't it？〃
〃As e…ons go； yes it does。 But thanks just the same。〃
She glanced at the lanky form of Smithback； faintly outlined in starlight； his eyes glinting as he looked skyward。 〃So？〃 she said after a moment。
〃So what？〃
〃Over the last week； you've had your spine realigned by hard saddles； you've gone without water； been bitten by horses； almost fallen off cliffs； avoided rattlesnakes； quicksand； and skinwalkers。 So are you glad you came along？〃
His eyes turned toward her； luminous in the starlight。 〃Yes；〃 he said simply。
Holding his gaze in her own； she reached toward him in the darkness。 Finding his hand； she squeezed it briefly。
〃I'm glad； too；〃 she replied。
36
BY MIDNIGHT； A HALF…MOON HAD RISEN IN the dark sky； and the gnarled badlands of southern Utah were bathed in pale light。 At the foot of Lake Powell； Wahweap Marina dozed； its jetskis and houseboats silent。 To the north and west； the labyrinthine system of narrow canyons leading ultimately toward the Devil's Backbone were still。
In the valley of Chilbah； two forms moved slowly up a secret notch。 It was less a trail than a fissure in the rock； fiendishly hidden； now worn away to the faintest of lines after centuries of erosion and disuse。 It was the Priest's Trail： the back door to Quivira。
Emerging out of the inky blackness of the rocks； the figures topped out on the sandstone plateau in which the valley of Quivira was hidden。 Far below； in the long valley behind them； a horse nickered and stamped in agitation。 But this evening they had left the horses unharmed； just as they had slipped past the cowboy who guarded them without running a knife across his throat。 He sat there still； hand on his gun； the ground around him damp with tobacco juice。 Let him sit； his time would e soon enough。
Now； with animal stealth； they scuttled along the wide mesa far above the valley floor。 Though the moon laid a dappled byway across the sandstone； the figures avoided the faint light； keeping to the shadows。 The heavy animal pelts on their backs draped down over their sides； dragging along the rough rock beneath them。 The figures moved on； silent as ghosts。
After an eternity of movement they stopped； as if possessed of a single mind。 Ahead； a well of darkness loomed： the tiny valley of Quivira。 Far below； at the base of the canyon； the little stream shimmered in the moonlight。 From the higher ground away from the stream； a faint glow arose from the dying campfire； and the even fainter smell of woodsmoke reached the figures peering down from the canyon rim。
Their eyes moved from the fire to the dim figures that lay around it。
Several tents ringed the camp； pallid in the dim moonlight。 A number of bedrolls lay near the campfire； seemingly flung down at random。 With the tents closed and darkened； it was impossible to count the numb