第59章

“IfIcouldonlySEEsomething——somebody，“hemuttered，asheheldthecockedrifleready，“I——I’dshowhim。“

Hereturnedtocamp。Cribbenswassnoring。Theburrohadcomedowntothestreamforitsmorningdrink。Themulewasawakeandbrowsing。McTeaguestoodirresolutelybythecoldashesofthecamp-fire，lookingfromsidetosidewithallthesuspicionandwarinessofatrackedstag。Strongerandstrongergrewthestrangeimpulse。ItseemedtohimthatonthenextinstantheMUSTperforcewheelsharplyeastwardandrushawayheadlonginaclumsy，lumberinggallop。Hefoughtagainstitwithalltheferociousobstinacyofhissimplebrutenature。

“Go，andleavethemine？Goandleaveamilliondollars？No，NO，Iwon’tgo。No，I’llstay。Ah，“heexclaimed，underhisbreath，withashakeofhishugehead，likeanexasperatedandharassedbrute，“ah，showyourself，willyou？“Hebroughttherifletohisshoulderandcoveredpointafterpointalongtherangeofhillstothewest。

“Comeon，showyourself。Comeonalittle，allofyou。I

ain’tafraidofyou；butdon’tskulkthisway。Youain’tgoingtodrivemeawayfrommymine。I’mgoingtostay。“

Anhourpassed。Thentwo。Thestarswinkedout，andthedawnwhitened。Theairbecamewarmer。Thewholeeast，cleanofclouds，flamedopalescentfromhorizontozenith，crimsonatthebase，wheretheearthblackenedagainstit；

atthetopfadingfrompinktopaleyellow，togreen，tolightblue，totheturquoiseiridescenceofthedesertsky。

Thelong，thinshadowsoftheearlyhoursdrewbackwardlikerecedingserpents，thensuddenlythesunlookedovertheshoulderoftheworld，anditwasday。

AtthatmomentMcTeaguewasalreadyeightmilesawayfromthecamp，goingsteadilyeastward。HewasdescendingthelowestspursofthePanaminthills，followinganoldandfaintcattletrail。Beforehimhedrovehismule，ladenwithblankets，provisionsforsixdays，Cribben’srifle，andacanteenfullofwater。Securelyboundtothepommelofthesaddlewasthecanvassackwithitspreciousfivethousanddollars，allintwenty-dollargoldpieces。ButstrangeenoughinthathorridwasteofsandandsagewastheobjectthatMcTeaguehimselfpersistentlycarried——thecanaryinitscage，aboutwhichhehadcarefullywrappedacoupleofoldflour-bags。

Ataboutfiveo’clockthatmorningMcTeaguehadcrossedseveraltrailswhichseemedtobeconverging，and，guessingthattheyledtoawaterhole，hadfollowedoneofthemandhadbroughtupatasortofsmallsundriedsinkwhichneverthelesscontainedalittlewateratthebottom。Hehadwateredthemulehere，refilledthecanteen，anddrankdeephimself。Hehadalsodampenedtheoldflour-sacksaroundthebirdcagetoprotectthelittlecanaryasfaraspossiblefromtheheatthatheknewwouldincreasenowwitheveryhour。Hehadmadereadytogoforwardagain，buthadpausedirresoluteagain，hesitatingforthelasttime。

“I’mafool，“hegrowled，scowlingbackattherangebehindhim。“I’mafool。What’sthematterwithme？I’mjustwalkingrightawayfromamilliondollars。Iknowit’sthere。No，byGod！“heexclaimed，savagely，“Iain’tgoingtodoit。I’mgoingback。Ican’tleaveaminelikethat。“

Hehadwheeledthemuleabout，andhadstartedtoreturnonhistracks，grindinghisteethfiercely，inclininghisheadforwardasthoughbuttingagainstawindthatwouldbeathimback。“Goon，goon，“hecried，sometimesaddressingthemule，sometimeshimself。“Goon，goback，goback。I

WILLgoback。“Itwasasthoughhewereclimbingahillthatgrewsteeperwitheverystride。Thestrangeimpellinginstinctfoughthisadvanceyardbyyard。Bydegreesthedentis