Novel 1956 - Silver Canyon (v5.0) by Louis L’Amour Page B

the shadows I waited for her to see me, and she did, almost at once.
    My shirt had been torn by a bullet and by my own hands, my face was covered with a two weeks’ beard and my cheeks were drawn and hollow, yet the look of surprised relief on her face was good to see.
    â€œMatt?” She was incredulous. “You’re alive?”
    My buckskin walked close to her horse. “Did you think I would die before you had those sons I promised?”
    â€œDon’t joke.”
    â€œI’m not joking.”
    Her eyes searched mine and she flushed a little, then quickly changed the subject.
    â€œYou must go away. If you come back now they’ll kill you.”
    â€œI’ll not run. I’m going back.”
    â€œBut you mustn’t! They believe you’re dead. Let them think so. Go away now, go while you can. They’ve looked and looked, but they couldn’t find you. Jim Pinder has sworn that if you’re alive he’ll kill you on sight, and Bodie Miller hates you.”
    â€œI’ll be riding back.”
    She seemed to give up then, and I don’t believe she really had thought I would run. And I was glad she knew me so well.
    â€œJim Pinder has the Two-Bar.”
    â€œThen he can move.”
    She noticed my full canteen, then waved her hand at the valley where we sat our horses.
    â€œFather will be amazed when he learns there is water back here, and grass. Nobody believed anyone could live in this wilderness. I think you found the only place where there was either water or grass.”
    â€œDon’t give me the credit. My horse found it.”
    â€œYou’ve had a bad time?”
    â€œIt wasn’t good.” I glanced back the way she came. “You weren’t trailed?”
    â€œNo…I made sure.”
    â€œYou’ve looked for me before this?”
    She nodded. “Yes, Matt. I was afraid you’d be dying out here alone. I couldn’t stand that.”
    â€œRollie was good. He was very good.”
    â€œThen it was you who killed him?”
    â€œWho else?”
    â€œCanaval and Bodie found him. Canaval was sure it was you, but some of the others thought it was the Benaras boys.”
    â€œThey’ve done no fighting for me.”
    We sat there silent for a while, doing our thinking. What it was she thought I’d no idea, but I was thinking of her and what a woman she was. Now that I looked at her well, I could see she was thinner, and her cheeks looked drawn. It seemed strange to think that a woman could worry about me. It had been a long time since anyone had.
    â€œSeems miles from anywhere, doesn’t it?”
    She looked around, her eyes searching mine. “I wish we didn’t have to go back.”
    â€œBut we do.”
    She hesitated a little and then said, “Matt, you’ve said you wanted me. I believe you do. If you don’t go back, Matt, I’ll go away with you. Now…anywhere you want to go.”
    So there it was…all any man could want. A girl so lovely that I never looked at her without surprise, and never without a quick feeling of wanting to take her in my arms. I loved her, this daughter of Maclaren.
    â€œNo,” I said, “you know I must go back. Ball told me I was never to give it up, and I will not.”
    â€œBut you can’t! You’re ill—and you’ve been hurt!”
    â€œSo…I have been hurt. But that’s over and I’m mending fast. Sixteen days now I’ve rested, and it’s more than time enough.”
    She turned her horse to ride back with me, and we walked a little in silence. “Tell your father to pull his cattle back,” I said. “I want no trouble with him.”
    â€œHe won’t do it.”
    â€œHe must.”
    â€œYou forget, I’m my father’s daughter.”
    â€œAnd my wife…soon to be.”
    This time she did not deny it. But she did not accept it either.
    At the edge of the badlands, after