Part 18 (1/2)

”Sorry to keep pus.h.i.+n',” he said in apology as he watched her dismount.

”Iajust thought thatathat we'd bearather safeanow,” she suggested.

He was squinting into the sunlight, studying every direction from their vantage point. At last he turned to her.

”Should be far enough ahead ofaPa,” he conceded. ”Don't s'pose he's on our tail buta” He let the words hang on the stillness of the spring day. Ariana waited.

”I've no idee who shares these hills,” he finished at last.

That was a new and frightening thought to Ariana. Were they never to be out of danger?

”You meana?” she began but couldn't finish.

”Crow. Blackfoot. I don't know who ranges here.” He hesitated for a few more moments and then went on soberly. ”An' those hills yondera”bound to welcome stray pockets of malcontents.”

So they had left one nest of robbers to be threatened by others. The thought was not a pleasant one.

”No need to tighten up,” went on Laramie offhandedly, using an expression Ariana had not heard before. ”Jest pays to keep a sharp eyea”'specially at one's backa”take stock now an' then.”

Ariana nodded, but the fear that constricted her throat was not so easy to dismiss.

Gradually Ariana was beginning to think of Laramie not as her captor but as her deliverer. Without realizing why, she was able to relax in his company. She was learning to trust again.

When they stopped to make camp in the evenings, she was at ease enough to discuss little happenings from the day, to offer to share in camp ch.o.r.es, or to relate small events from her past.

Laramie responded in his easygoing way, even though she felt he never totally gave up his vigilance. He answered her questions, added comments to her chatter, and gladly shared the duties of preparing an evening meal and setting up camp.

”You know,” said Ariana one evening as they cleaned up the tin dishes at a small stream trickling past their campsite, ”I've totally lost track of time. I don't even know what day it is.”

Laramie thought on her words and then drawled, ”Does it matter?”

Ariana lifted her head, then laughed softly. ”Guess not,” she agreed. ”Only it would be nice to know. If I were homea” She did not finish. If she were home it would be important for her to keep track of every pa.s.sing day. To know school days and weekends, Sat.u.r.days and Sundays, holidays and birthdays. Yes, it would matter. It did matter.

”I don't even know ifaif my mama's birthday is past,” she went on wistfully.

”When's her birthday?” asked Laramie.

”May the second.”

Laramie looked at the evening sun just dipping behind the distant hills.

”I don't think we're into May yet,” he answered.

For some reason Ariana felt relieved. She would like to be homea. She let her thoughts drift. She wasn't going home. Well, she'd like to be at her aunt Molly's before her mother's birthday.

”When is your birthday?” she asked, turning her attention back to Laramie, who was rinsing the frying pan.

He shrugged.

”You don't know?” she asked candidly.

”I've no idee.” He turned slightly toward her. ”Never stopped to think about it, I guess. Maybe never cared. Should I?”

”Wellayes. Sort of. I meanaI'd want to know. Don't you?”

”Never thought on it,” said Laramie as he swung the pan back and forth to dry it in the breeze.

”Didn't your father tell you?” asked Ariana.

Laramie let his eyes look out over the hills wrapped comfortably in gathering twilight. ”Birthdays don't mean much in the camp,” he said casually.

”Do youa?” Ariana spoke hesitantly now. ”Do you knowahow old you are?”

Laramie turned back to her with seeming indifference. ”I dunno. Somewhere around twenty, I guess.”

He seemed totally unconcerned.

Ariana found it hard to accept his att.i.tude. She was about to speak again when Laramie turned his face toward the west.

”Looks like it could blow in a bit of a storm,” he observed. ”We'll need to be sure things are rainproof tonight.”

”There's an outcroppin' of rock up ahead. We'll let the horses graze here and take our meal up there.”

Ariana welcomed the opportunity. The view would be spectacular. Inwardly she knew it was not the view that interested Laramie. He saw the rocks as a lookout point.

They ate slowly, savoring the intensity of the sun, allowing its fingers of warmth to ease the aches from wearied muscles. Ariana began to feel drowsy. She wished she could stretch out and sleepa”maybe forever.

Laramie seemed content to let her rest. The horses needed a break as much as their riders. He leaned against the rock at his back and pulled his old Stetson downward over his eyes. The new one rode proudly on the slicker behind his saddle.

But along with her sleepiness, Ariana also felt restless. They were getter closer and closer to their destination. She felt both excitement and reluctance. She could not unscramble her own thoughts or feelings.

Nor could she untangle her thoughts concerning Laramie. He was an outlawa”yet why had she learned to feel so secure, so safe with him?

She longed to study him, but she did not dare lest her searching eyes cause him to stir in recognition of her interest. She decided instead to rouse herself and take a walk.

She had only taken a few steps when his voice reached her. ”Don't go far,” he said lazily.

She did not even answer. Just continued to scramble up over the warm surface of the rocks. It was amazing what the sun could do to cold stone.

She found a spot just above him where she could see out over the whole valley. It was a magnificent sight. First the tall timbers of pine and spruce, dotted here and there with patches of birch and aspen just barely unrolling fresh spring leaves. Then the valley floor with its sparkling ribbon of river that curled and twisted through the greenness, being lost time and again in the lushness of the forest. Way beyond was a slim column of smoke. Ariana could not tell if it came from some small cabin's chimney or some wanderer's open fire. It really did not matter. It added somethinga”mysteriousa”romantica”to the scene before her.

”Should be movin',” came Laramie's soft call.

Ariana breathed deeply, took one more longing look at the vista before her, and began to scramble back down over rocks to join him.

She was almost there when she was startled by a sharp command. ”Don't move!”

Ariana jerked to a halt in unquestioned obedience, though she did not understand why.

Before she could even draw a breath, two shots rang out through the day's stillness. Ariana was frozen to her spot. Only her eyes dared move. Laramie was standing, guns in hand, and they were pointed to the place where she stood. Smoke drifted lazily from each barrel. Laramie's whole body was tensed as though ready for further action.