Этюд в багровых тонах
On the great Alkali Plain.
“Therecan’tbeanynumberofInjunshere,”saidtheelderlymanwhoappearedtobeincommand. “WehavepassedthePawnees,andtherearenoothertribesuntilwecrossthegreatmountains.”
“ShallIgoforwardandsee,BrotherStangerson,”askedoneoftheband.
“AndI,”“andI,”criedadozenvoices.
“Leaveyourhorsesbelowandwewillawaityouhere,”theElderanswered. Inamomenttheyoungfellowshaddismounted,fastenedtheirhorses,andwereascendingtheprecipitousslopewhichleduptotheobjectwhichhadexcitedtheircuriosity. Theyadvancedrapidlyandnoiselessly,withtheconfidenceanddexterityofpractisedscouts. Thewatchersfromtheplainbelowcouldseethemflitfromrocktorockuntiltheirfiguresstoodoutagainsttheskyline. Theyoungmanwhohadfirstgiventhealarmwasleadingthem. Suddenlyhisfollowerssawhimthrowuphishands,asthoughovercomewithastonishment,andonjoininghimtheywereaffectedinthesamewaybythesightwhichmettheireyes.
Onthelittleplateauwhichcrownedthebarrenhilltherestoodasinglegiantboulder,andagainstthisbouldertherelayatallman,long-beardedandhard-featured,butofanexcessivethinness. Hisplacidfaceandregularbreathingshowedthathewasfastasleep. Besidehimlayalittlechild,withherroundwhitearmsencirclinghisbrownsinewyneck,andhergoldenhairedheadrestinguponthebreastofhisvelveteentunic.
