thillerman.theblessingway-第15章

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　〃And　now；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　me　about　your　brother。　I　want　you　to　tell　about　Luis　Horseman。〃　He　tried　to　read　Billy　Nez's　face。　Was　it　surprise；　or　fear；　or　anger？　The　boy　looked　at　the　tip　of　the　cigarette；　and　then　took　a　long　drag　and　blew　out　the　smoke。
　〃I　heard　Law　and　Order　already　found　him；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃I　heard　Luis　Horseman　is　dead。〃
　〃We　found　his　body；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃He　was　way　down　by　Ganado　when　we　found　him；　a　hundred　miles　south　of　here。　We　don't　know　how　he　got　there。〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃He　was　staying　up　there　on　the　plateau　between　Many　Ruins　and　Horse　Fell　canyons。〃
　〃And　you　went　up　there　to　tell　him　that　he　didn't　kill　that　Nakai　at　Gallup…that　the　man　got　well　and　he　should　e　in　and　talk　to　us　about　it；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃You　did　that；　didn't　you？〃　His　voice　was　gentle。
　〃I　heard　you　telling　that　at　Shoemaker's；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃And　I　thought　you　were　right。　It　would　be　better　if　Luis　Horseman　went　in　to　Window　Rock　and　didn't　try　to　run　and　hide　any　more。　But　when　I　went　up　there　to　tell　him　and　take　him　some　food　he　was　gone。〃
　〃That　was　four　days　ago；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃Tuesday。　The　day　I　was　at　Shoemaker's？〃
　Nez　nodded。
　〃What　time　did　you　go？　What　time　did　you　get　there？〃
　〃I　waited　until　it　got　dark；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃Luis　Horseman　told　me　to　do　that　so　nobody　would　see。　But　he　wasn't　there。　I　got　there　maybe　two　hours　after　midnight　and　he　was　gone。〃
　〃Blue　Policeman；〃　the　smaller　boy　said；　〃my　cousin　found　something　strange　there。〃
　〃I　looked　around　where　he　was　camping　in　some　rocks　and　I　thought　he　had　taken　everything　he　had　with　him；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃And　then　I　looked　around　some　more　and　I　found　that　the　food　he　had　left　was　buried　there…just　covered　up　with　sand。〃
　〃Were　the　ashes　covered　up；　too？〃　Leaphorn　asked。
　〃Covered　up　with　sand　and　smoothed　over。〃
　〃Did　you　see　anything　else？〃
　〃It　was　dark。　I　rode　on　down　into　the　Chinle　Valley　and　slept　until　it　was　light　and　then　I　went　back　up　again。　Then　I　found　those　tracks　again。〃
　〃The　tracks　like　the　Land…Rover　left？〃
　〃Same　tracks；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃Up　there　on　the　mesa；　maybe　a　half　mile　from　where　Luis　Horseman　was。〃　He　paused。　〃My　brother　would　have　taken　that　food　with　him。　He　wouldn't　have　spoiled　it　like　that。〃
　They　sat；　smoking　in　silence。
　〃I　told　Luis　Horseman　that　wasn't　a　good　place　to　stay。　Too　many　houses　of　the　Old　People　down　in　those　canyons；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃Too　many　ghosts。　Nobody　likes　that　country　but　witches。〃
　The　boy　was　silent　again；　staring　at　the　fire　where　the　sway　dancers　were　again　being　moved　by　the　drums　in　two　rhythmic　lines。
　〃I　think　that　Wolf　killed　my　brother；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　His　tone　was　flat；　emotionless。
　〃Listen；　my　nephew；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃Listen　to　me。　I　think　you　might　be　right。　But　you　might　be　wrong。〃　Leaphorn　paused。　It　would　do　no　good　at　all　to　warn　this　boy　against　any　danger。　〃This　is　our　business　now…Law　and　Order　business。　If　you　hunt　this　man　you　would　hunt　him　to　kill　him　and　that　would　be　wrong。　That　man　might　not　be　the　one　who　did　it。　Don't　hunt　him。〃
　Billy　Nez　got　up　and　dusted　off　his　jeans。
　〃I　must　go　now；　my　uncle；　and　dance　with　Chinle　High　School　Girl。　Go　in　beauty。〃
　〃Go　in　beauty；〃　Leaphorn　said。
　He　sat　against　the　truck；　thinking　about　it；　sorting　out　what　he　knew。
　The　Dinee；　at　least　the　Dinee　who　lived　in　the　district　east　of　Chinle；　thought　the　Big　Navajo　was　their　witch。　Billy　Nez　had　found　his　Land…Rover　tracks　near　Horseman's　camp。　But　they　might　be　old　tracks；　and　they　would　be　gone　now。　It　had　rained　tonight　on　the　Lukachukai　slopes。　And　the　witch；　whoever　he　was；　was　a　violent　witch；　or　a　cruel　one…a　man　who　would　cripple　horses　with　an　ax。　That　was　all　he　knew。　That；　and　the　certainty　that　Billy　Nez　would　be　hunting　the　man　who　drove　the　Land…Rover；　a　danger　to　the　man　if　he　was　innocent　and　a　danger　to　the　boy　if　he　was　not。
　The　first　sign　of　paleness　was　showing　at　the　eastern　edge　of　the　night。　Soon　Charley　Tsosie　and　his　wife　and　sons　would　e　out　of　the　ceremonial　hogan。　Sandoval　would　sing　the　four　First　Songs　and　the　Coyote　Song；　and　the　Tsosies　would　inhale　the　required　four　deep　breaths　of　the　air　of　the　Dawn　People。　Then　Charley　Tsosie　and　his　people　would　be　cured　and　the　witch　who　drove　the　gray　Land…Rover　and　who　might；　or　might　not；　have　maimed　two　horses　with　an　ax　would　have　his　witchcraft　turned　against　him。　The　Origin　Myth　gave　him　one　year　to　live。　One　year；　if　the　Tsosies　or　Billy　Nez　didn't　find　him　first。
　
　Chapter　13
　
　It　was　a　little　more　than　an　hour　after　daylight　when　McKee　heard　the　car　puttering　up　the　canyon；　its　exhaust　leaving　a　faint　wake　of　echoes　from　the　cliffs。　Canfield　had　said　Miss　Leon　would　be　driving　a　Volkswagen　and　this　sounded　like　one。　It　certainly　didn't　have　the　throaty　roar　of　whatever　it　was　the　man　who　had　stalked　him　had　driven　away　in　the　night　before。
　McKee　moved　out　of　the　thicket　of　willows　where　he　had　been　lying；　and　prepared　himself　for　a　moment　he　had　been　dreading。　If　the　car　which　would　soon　round　the　corner　ahead　was　a　Volkswagen　he　would　wave　it　to　a　stop。　If　the　driver　was　Miss　Leon；　she　would　be　confronted　with　the　startling　spectacle　of　a　large　man　with　a　badly　torn　shirt；　a　bruised　and　swollen　face；　and　an　injured　hand；　who　would　tell　her　a　wild；　irrational　story　of　being　spooked　out　of　his　bed　by　a　werewolf；　and　who　would　order　her　to　turn　around　and　flee　with　him　out　of　the　canyon。　McKee　had　thought　of　this　impending　confrontation　for　hours；　ever　since　it　had　occurred　to　him　that　he　couldn't　simply　escape　from　this　canyon…and　whatever　crazy　danger　it　held…and　go　for　help　to　find　Canfield。　To　do　so　would　be　to　leave　Miss　Leon　to　face　whatever　he　was　running　from。
　The　car　which　came　around　the　cliff　into　view　was　a　baby…blue　Volkswagen　sedan；　driven　by　a　young　woman　with　dark　hair。　McKee　trotted　down　the　slope　onto　the　hard…packed　sand；　signaling　it　to　stop。
　The　Volkswagen　slowed。　McKee　saw　the　woman　staring　at　him；　her　eyes　very　large。　And　then；　suddenly；　she　spun　the　wheel；　the　rear　wheels　spurted　sand；　and　the　car　roared　past　him。
　〃Miss　Leon；〃　McKee　screamed。　〃Stop。〃
　The　Volkswagen　stopped。
　McKee　ran　to　it　and　pulled　at　the　door。　It　was　locked。　He　looked　through　the　window。　The　girl　sat　huddled　against　the　door　on　the　driver's　side；　frightened　eyes　in　a　pale　face。
　McKee　cursed　inwardly；　tried　to　pull　his　gaping　shirt　together；　and　tapped　on　the　window。
　〃Miss　Leon；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　Bergen　McKee。　I　was　supposed　to　meet　you　here。　Dr。　Canfield　and　I。〃
　The　girl；　obviously；　couldn't　understand　him。　McKee　repeated　it　all；　shouting　this　time；　conscious　that　the　man　with　the　machine　pistol　must　have　heard　the　Volkswagen　and　might　now　be　taking　aim。
　The　girl　leaned　across　the　front　seat　and　pulled　up　the　lock　button；　McKee　was　inside　in　an　instant。
　〃Start　turning　the　car　around；〃　McKee　ordered。　〃Head　it　out　of　here。〃
　〃What's　wrong？〃　Miss　Leon　said。　〃Where's　Dr。　Canfield？〃
　〃Drive；〃　McKee　ordered。　'Turn　it　around　and　drive　and　I'll　explain。〃
　Miss　Leon　backed　the　car　across　the　sand；　cut　the　wheel　sharply；　and　pulled　the　Volks　back　on　the　track。　McKee　opened　his　door　and　leaned　out；　staring　back　up　the　canyon。　Nothing　moved。　He　looked　at　Miss　Leon；　trying　to　decide　how　to　start。
　〃What's　wrong？〃　she　asked　again。　〃What　are　we　doing？〃
　She　looked　less　frightened；　but　now　as　he　turned　toward　her　she　saw　the　bruised　side　of　his　face；　with　the　dried　blood。　Her　expression　became　a　mixture　of　shock　and　pity。
　〃I'm　Bergen　McKee；〃　McKee　repeated。　He　felt　immensely　foolish。　〃I'm　not　sure　exactly　what's　wrong；　but　I　want　you　to　get　out　of　this　canyon　until　I　can　find　out。〃
　Miss　Leon　looked　at　him　wordlessly；　and　McKee　felt　himself　flushing。
　〃I'm　sorry　I　had　to　give　you　a　scare　like　that；〃　he　said。
　〃But　what　in　the　world　is　happening？　Where's　Dr。　Canfield？　And　what　happened　to　your　face？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　McKee　said。　〃I　mean　I　don't　know　where　Dr。　Canfield　is。　It's　going　to　be　hard　to　explain　it。〃
　He　had　spent　much　of　his　time　since　daylight　planning　how　he　would　explain　it　all；　and　thinking　how　ridiculous　he　must　inevitably　seem　while　he　tried。
　During　the　night　he　had　worked　his　way　steadily　down　the　canyon；　keeping　to　the　rocks　close　to　the　canyon　wall。　When　the　moon　rose　directly　overhead；　flooding　the　north　side　of　the　cliffs　with　light；　he　had　lain　under　a　growth　of　brush；　resting　and　listening。　And　in　this　silence　he　had　heard　the　sound　of　something　moving　on　the　rimrock；　across　the　canyon　and　high　above　him。　Whatever　it　was…and　McKee　had　no　doubt　at　all　that　it　was　the　man　with　the　wolf　skin…its　movements　were　stealthy。　There　was　not　the　steady　sound　of　unguarded　footsteps　on　the　rock。　Only　an　occasional　and　very　slight　noise；　with　long　pauses　when　there　was　no　sound　at　all。　In　those　pauses；　McKee　sensed　the　man　was　looking　down　from　the　rim；　searching　the　canyon　floor　and　listening　for　the　sound　of　movement。　The　feeling　was　familiar；　and　less　frightening　because　he　had　felt　it　before。　Years　before；　when　his　pany　of　the　First　Cavalry　had　been　rearguard　in　the　long；　leapfrog　retreat　down　the　Korean　Peninsula　from　Seoul　toward　the　Pusan　beachhead；　he　had　learned　how　it　felt　to　be　hunted。　And；　he　thought　grimly；　he　had　learned　how　to　survive。
　The　sound　had　finally　moved　away　from　the　rim。　McKee　allowed　thirty　minutes　of　silence；　and　then　sprinted　across　the　sand　to　the　south　wall。　Here　the　moon's　shadow　would　now　fall　and　here　he　would　be　less　visible　from　the　rim。　He　had　kept　as　high　on　the　talus　as　he　could；　trading　the　easier　going　along　the　bottom　for　the　invisibility　offered　by　the　rocks　and　brush。　He　moved　steadily；　but　with　infinite　caution。　His　plan　was　simple。　He　would　travel　as　far　as　he　could　until　daylight　and　then　he　would　find　a　place　from　which　he　could　watch　the　bottom。　There　he　would　wait　to　intercept　the　car　of　Miss　Leon。　He　would　warn　her；　get　her　out　of　the　canyon；　send　her　back　to　Shoemaker's　to　get　help；　and　then　he　would　e　back　to　look　for　Canfield。　He　no　longer　had　even　the　faintest　hope　that　the　morning　would　bring　Canfield　driving　up　the　canyon；　safely　back　from　a　mercy　trip　with　a　snake…bitten　Navajo。　The　sounds　on　the　rimrock　had　killed　that　hope。　If　the　motives　of　the　man　hunting　him　were　less　than　sinister　he　would　have　been　calling　for　him；　not　stalking　him　in　silence。　And　that　man；　the　man　with　the　wolf　skin　and　the　pistol；　must　have　stood　beside　Jeremy　as　he　wrote　the　note　and　signed　it　〃John。〃
　He　knew　my　name；　McKee　had　thought。　He　must　have　read　it　in　my　papers　in　the　tent。　He　could　have　learned　Canfield's　name　the　same　way；　but　only　his　initials。　And　Canfield　must　have　told　him　the　J。　was　for　John　and　tried；　thus；　to　leave　a　warning。　It　occurred　to　McKee　that　if　the　Wolf　had　taken　this　trouble　to　learn　who　was　living　in　the　tent；　he　would　also　know　of　Ellen　Leon。　Her　letter　announcing　her　arrival　time　was　on　the　table。　The　Wolf　would　only　have　to　wait　for　her。
　It　had　all　seemed　very　obvious　in　darkness。　The　man　who　had　stalked　him　must　be　insane。　There　seemed　to　be　no　other　rational　explanation。　And　this；　too；　might　explain　the　puzzle　of　Horseman's　murder。
　An　hour　before　dawn；　when　the　moon　was　down　and　the　canyon　was　al