"Grey, Zane - The Rainbow Trail" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grey Zane)

"You're Mr. Presbrey, the trader?" inquired Shefford.

"Yes, I'm Presbrey, without the Mister," he replied.

"My name's Shefford. I'm knocking about on the desert. Rode from
beyond Tuba to-day."

"Glad to see you," said Presbrey. He offered his hand. He was a
stalwart man, clad in gray shirt, overalls, and boots. A shock of
tumbled light hair covered his massive head; he was tanned, but not
darkly, and there was red in his cheeks; under his shaggy eyebrows
were deep, keen eyes; his lips were hard and set, as if occasion for
smiles or words was rare; and his big, strong jaw seemed locked.

"Wish more travelers came knocking around Red Lake," he added.
"Reckon here's the jumping-off place."

"It's pretty--lonesome," said Shefford, hesitating as if at a loss
for words.

Then the Indian girl came up. Presbrey addressed her in her own
language, which Shefford did not understand. She seemed shy and
would not answer; she stood with downcast face and eyes. Presbrey
spoke again, at which she pointed down the valley, and then moved
on with her pony toward the water-hole.

Presbrey's keen eyes fixed on the receding black dot far down that
oval expanse.

"That fellow left--rather abruptly," said Shefford, constrainedly.
"Who was he?"

"His name's Willetts. He's a missionary. He rode in to-day with this
Navajo girl. He was taking her to Blue Canyon, where he lives and
teaches the Indians. I've met him only a few times. You see, not
many white men ride in here. He's the first white man I've seen in
six months, and you're the second. Both the same day! . . . Red Lake's
getting popular! It's queer, though, his leaving. He expected to
stay all night. There's no other place to stay. Blue Canyon is fifty
miles away."

"I'm sorry to say--no, I'm not sorry, either--but I must tell you I
was the cause of Mr. Willetts leaving," replied Shefford.

"How so?" inquired the other.

Then Shefford related the incident following his arrival.

"Perhaps my action was hasty," he concluded, apologetically. "I didn't
think. Indeed, I'm surprised at myself."