by Zane Grey
“Pretty darn lucky,” said Jake fervently. “We always packed up more canned stuff than we ever used. An’ there’s a lot, some fruit an’ milk, but most vegetables. There’s a sack of flour an’ a couple sacks of beans. Coffee not a great deal, but lots of sugar. There’s a hundred pounds of salt that I packed up last spring to cure hides. Lucky that was! An’ I’ve hung up three deer I shot, an’ one of my horses. The meat’s froze solid. An’ I guess that’s all.”
“Pretty lucky, yes,” replied Verde. “But it’s a long way from enough. Let’s see — what’s the date?”
“I don’t know exactly. It’s well on in November. I’ll keep track of days.”
“We’re snowed up for five months.”
“Wal, Verde, it seemed terrible at furst, before I felt shore of you comin’ round, but it doesn’t faze me now.”
“All the same, old boy, it’s far the biggest job you ever tackled.” replied Verde.
“Recon so. But don’t you worry,” said Jake reassuringly. “We’ll go easy with our grub. I always was a meat eater, you know, an’ I can live on meat. I’ll find my other horse an’ kill him. Then I saw elk tracks up the canyon, but I didn’t want to take time to trail them. I’ll do it soon. No, I’m more worried about scarcity of wood than meat. You see there’s a couple of feet of snow on, an’ down timber is hard to locate.”
“The avalanche must have fetched down more wood than we’ll need.”
“Shore,” said Jake, slapping his leg. “I never thought of that. Reckon I sort of shunned the avalanche end of our prison. But with lots of wood I can beat this game.”
Verde noted that from this time on Jake was outdoors most of the daylight hours. To be sure, the days were short. But Verde soon became convinced that dry wood and fresh meat were harder to procure than Jake had acknowledged.
Jake ministered to Verde’s comfort and health with the care of a mother. Indeed, as days went by he grew more tender in his ministrations; and as Verde’s pains lessened and he showed signs of renewing strength, Jake’s unspoken worry lessened and he grew happy.
It dawned upon Verde, after a while, that Jake was happier than he had ever been, even before Kitty Mains had come into their lives. Verde guessed at the first flush of this discovery that Jake’s happiness came from having saved him, and from the daily service the situation made imperative. But after a while Verde altered this conviction, and arrived at the conclusion that it came from a revival of Jake’s earlier love for him. Anyway, Jake’s care of him was very sure and very beautiful. Verde never ceased to thank God that he had made the superhuman fight to hold on to life. It had been solely for Jake’s sake, but now he began to be glad for his own. He knew that he would manage somehow to ride a horse again.
CHAPTER IX
ONE NIGHT AFTER supper, with the cabin warm and cozy in the firelight and the snow pattering again against the walls, Jake sat a long time staring into the fire. Every once in a while he would throw on a few chips. Finally he turned a changed and softened face to Verde — a face that revealed a beautiful, strange smile and a warm light in his eyes.
“Verde, I reckon it’s no exaggeration to say you’re out of danger. Your leg has healed. You’re on the mend.”
“Yes, thanks to you, old boy,” returned Verde gratefully.
“Well, you can thank me all you like, but I’m thankin’ Gawd... An’, Verde, are you forgettin’ how you come to be here in this shape?”
“Reckon I am, now you make me think.”
Jake paused to moisten his lips, and his big hand smoothed his long hair.
“I hope you can forgive me, Verde.”
“There’s nothin’ to forgive. I’m as much to blame as you. An’ mebbe more.”
“Wal, we won’t argue that... Do you ever think of Kitty Mains?”
“Shore I do — a lot. When I cain’t help myself.”
“Verde, you loved Kitty somethin’ turrible, didn’t you?”
“I’m afraid I did.”
“But you do — yet?” demanded Jake intensely, as if any intimation otherwise could be sacrilege.
“All right. Yes, I do yet,” replied Verde, hastening to help Jake to his revelation, whatever it was to be.
“Shore, I’m glad. It wouldn’t seem fair to Kitty if our — our differences an’ this trouble made you love her less. Because, Verde — I know Kitty loved you more than me.”
“How do you know that?” asked Verde curiously.
“I reckon I found it out thinkin’. Somethin’ came to me lyin’ there awake so many nights. An’ it was this. Kitty has two natures same as she has eyes. Now I was always easy with girls. Guess I must have a little of girl nature in me. Anyway my coaxin’ an’ tender kind of love must have appealed to Kitty’s softer side. But that side wasn’t Kitty’s deepest an’ strongest. She’s more devil than angel, you can bet. She’d need to be tamed, an’ I never could do it. She’d soon tire of me... I always saw how Kitty flared up when you came around. If I’d have been honest with myself I’d of known what it meant. But I never knew until that night of the last dance. It nearly killed me then, but I’ve lived to be glad... Verde, I reckon mebbe Kitty isn’t all you an’ I dreamed she was. But she is what she is an’ we both love her. Now since we’ve been here alone I’ve reasoned it all out. Mebbe Kitty really does love you best. She ought to, you’re so handsome, Verde. So I’m givin’ up my share in her to you.”
“But Jake—” began Verde, feebly.
“There’s not any buts,” interrupted Jake. “I’ve settled it. I know I’m right. An’ I know this will help you to get well an’ strong quicker’n anything else in the world.”
Verde closed his eyes. He was troubled and shaken, and yet glad to have any expostulation on his part so summarily dismissed. But he knew in his heart that he had not accepted Jake’s ultimatum, and that a tremendous issue still loomed in the vague future. Just now he discovered how weak he was, both physically and spiritually. It was good to sink down — to realize that slumber would come.
Good old Jake!... Verde was a little boy again, wandering along the road. He came to a stream where the water ran swiftly and the leaves floated down. The white sycamore trees stood up like ghosts. He did not want to go back to the wagon, for his stepfather hated him and beat him... He was lost and he began to be afraid. Then a barefooted boy came out of the brush. “My name’s Jake,” the boy said. “What’s yours?” And craftily he would not tell because he wished to stay.
CHAPTER X
THE DEAD, COLD white winter shut down upon Black Gorge. The short days and the long nights passed. Verde slept most of the time. Jake labored at his tasks. Sometimes after supper he would play checkers with Verde on a rude board of his own construction. Or they held council over the all-important speculations of when and how they would dare attempt to get out of the gorge. Or more often they talked over the nearer and more serious problem of fighting the cold and starvation. They never mentioned Kitty Mains. Jake’s peace and serenity had somehow been communicated to Verde.
It was a wonderful occasion for both when Verde rose from his bed and hobbled about the cabin on the crutch Jake had made. From that day Verde’s progress grew more rapid. He looked forward to the supreme test that was to come — the climbing out of the canyon. He wanted to be able to help himself again. Jake had become a gaunt bearded giant, hardy as a pine.
It was true that he could thrive on a meat diet. But their meat was dwindling, and if Jake did not soon make a lucky stalk their supply would be exhausted and they must face starvation. Every day Jake hunted in the recesses of the winding gorge. Several times he had been on the eve of sighting elk, but the advent of night and fresh snow covering the tracks each time had frustrated his hopes.
CHAPTER XI
THE DAYS PASSED, and the hours of sunlight lengthened. The snow melted from the cabin roof and then disappeared from the south slope of the gorge. The icy clutch of winter loosened. Sometimes a warm, balmy breath of wind came wandering through the d
epths of the gorge.
With spring close at hand they came to the last pound of meat and the last hard biscuit each. Jake, giant that he was, had lately grown much gaunter. He had been sacrificing his food for Verde. When Verde discovered this he refused to eat at all unless Jake had an equal share. So they cooked the last pound of frozen meat.
Then Jake left with his rifle. Verde could now manage very well with his crutch. He did the chores while Jake hunted. There was a beautiful sky that afternoon. Verde gazed up wistfully over the pink-tinged snow ridges. Spring was coming. What a winter Jake and he had put in! Yet Verde would not have wanted it different, even to the recovery of his leg. Jake’s labors had been as great as his own sufferings. Together they had conquered something more fearful than death. Together they had climbed heights more beautiful than life itself.
Before the sunset flush had paled on the high ridges Jake came staggering in under a load of meat. With a heavy crash he threw down a haunch of elk. He was covered with snow and blood. A pungent animal odor and the scent of the woods emanated from him to fill the cabin.
“Killed a bull an’ a yearlin’,” he boomed, with his deep-set eyes beaming gladly upon Verde.
“They’ve been hidin’ from me all winter. But I found them... An’ Verde, soon I’ll be makin’ a sled to haul you home.”
“Say, you great big ragamuffin!” yelled Verde with a joy that matched Jake’s own. “I’ll walk home on one leg!”
Jake had impetuosity to make the start soon, but Verde had the wisdom and courage to wait awhile longer. The fresh meat would build up their strength and the longer they delayed the less snow they would have to combat.
During these last days Jake cut a zigzag trail in the snow up the slide of the avalanche. This side, being on the north, did not get the sun except for a brief while each day. The obstacle that imprisoned them, however, was the deep snow on top. Jake climbed high enough to see that the south slopes everywhere showed great patches of black where it had thawed. He was jubilant.
“Verde, I’m rarin’ to go. Once on top the rest will be easy!”
The night before the day they meant to undertake the climb upon which so much depended, Verde came out with something that had for so long obsessed his mind, and had been greatly contributary to the source of his own tranquility.
“Wal, Jake, now it’s time to get somethin’ off my own chest,” he said, with all the calmness he could muster.
“Ahuh?” asked Jake rather sharply. Evidently he did not like Verde’s look.
“I didn’t say so before, but I never agreed with you on that deal about Kitty Mains.”
“No... Say, ain’t it kinda late in the day to—”
“Late, but better than never... Jake, old boy, I cain’t accept what you wanted. I never agreed with you. An’ I simply won’t let you give up Kitty for me.”
Jake turned red under his matted beard. He left off the task in hand and stood up to confront Verde.
“Don’t you love Kitty same as I do?” he demanded.
Verde had his argument all planned, and the fact that in some degree it departed from strict veracity caused him no concern.
“Wal, I reckon I did once, but hardly now. This winter has knocked a lot out of me. Then I’m a cripple now, an’ I never saw thet women cared a heap for cripples, except with a sort of pity. I cain’t work as I used to, an’ I’ll be dependent upon your pa... Jake, he’s been a dad to me, same as you’ve been a brother. Gawd bless you! But after all my name’s not Dunton. I haven’t any real name to give a woman... Now all these things helped me to make up my mind. Fust an’ last though, the biggest reason is that no matter what you say against it, I believe Kitty loves you best.”
“Verde, you’re a doggone liar!” declared Jake huskily.
“Well, if she didn’t last fall, it’s a shore bet she will now. I’m only half a man, Jake… So let’s shake hands on it.”
“What if I won’t?”
“I’d hate to say, Jake. Fact is, I don’t know. Because my thinkin’ didn’t get so far. I might never leave this cabin with you... See it my way, Jake. You got to! We’ve come through hell, an’ we’re happy in spite of it — perhaps because of it. I don’t know. Only I’d never be happy again if you won’t take it my way.”
Jake wrung Verde’s hand, and turned away, mute and shaken, his head bowed.
CHAPTER XII
NEXT MORNING AT sunrise they started. Verde had only his crutch. Jake had a blanket strapped to his back, and he carried some strips of cooked meat in his pocket and a rope in his hand. He had carried the sled high up on the slope to use in case the snow was not gone from the ridge top and the south slope beyond.
The plan was to climb very slowly, foot by foot, to husband Verde’s strength. Two things became manifest during the early hours of the ascent — first, that the difficulties were greater than they had anticipated, and secondly that Verde had amazing strength and endurance.
But he gave out before they reached the top. Whereupon Jake took Verde over his shoulder, and carried him as he would a sack of meal. All winter Jake had packed heavy logs down to the cabin — packed them when he might have cut them into lesser lengths. But he had looked far ahead — to this terrible ascent out of Black Gorge. He was indeed a giant. Verde marveled at him. On the other hand, he was as slow and cautious as he was powerful and enduring. He carried Verde for only short distances, sometimes only a few yards. Then he would lower him to his foot and crutch on some high place. Thus, when he had caught his breath again, he would not have to bend down and lift Verde.
Up and up he toiled. The real Herculean labor began at the end of the trail Jake had cut in the snow. Verde almost despaired. But he could not flinch in the face of this magnificent and invincible courage. Jake had meant to kill him once and now he meant to save him. It was written. Verde felt it. And when his reason argued that Jake must soon fall broken and spent something told him no physical obstacle could conquer this man.
The afternoon waned. Sunset found them in deep snow. But before night came Jake had dragged Verde over the top of the ridge and down onto bare ground. There he fell, gasping and voiceless.
Verde set about gathering dead brush, which he piled in the lee of a large rock. Jake came presently, and helped him build a roaring fire. Then they heated the strips of meat and ate them. Jake cut spruce boughs and made a bed of them between the fire and the rock. Verde lay warm under the blanket, but he could not go to sleep immediately. Jake hunched close to the fire. His heart was too full for words, or sleep, or anything but a silent realization of deliverance and happiness.
The night wind moaned, but not with the moan of winter.
Sunrise found them on their way down the vast slope of brown and green which was dotted with patches of snow. The descent was easy, though slow. They had only to thread their way between the unthawed drifts and the thickets of brush. For a loadstone of hope they had their first sight of the Dunton ranch, a tiny green grass plot far in the distance, but coming ever closer.
Again sunset burned red and gold in the sky. Verde could now gaze back and up at the rim, bold and beautiful with its belt of bright colored cliffs and its fringed line of black pines.
With Jake’s arm upholding Verde, they staggered across the ranch field, to encounter Dunton coming out of the cabin. He dropped a bucket he had been carrying.
“Jane — wife — come quick!” he yelled.
Jake waved a tired hand.
“Dad, it’s me an’ Verde!”
“My Gawd! You infernal scarecrows!”
Then the mother came, white-faced, to scream a wondering, ecstatic welcome.
The warm, bright living room seemed like heaven to Verde. He could only look and feel, as he lay back, propped in a comfortable rocking chair. How good to be home! That wild, white mantled gorge retreated from his memory.
It was Jake who talked, who laughed when his mother wept.
Dunton cast eyes both happy and sad over his returned sons.
“So, thet’s your story,” he said. “Wal, the Tonto never heard its beat. I reckon I’m proud of you both... But, my Gawd, boys, the pity of it!... All fer nothin’! All for a slip of a popeyed girl who wasn’t worth your little finger, let alone a leg! Shore! Folks hadn’t even stopped talkin’ about your fight when she up an’ married young Stillwell.”
THE END
Fighting Caravans
First published in 1929, Fighting Caravans tells the story of Clint Belmet, a young frontier scout, who helps guide a freight wagon train, comprised of twenty-eight wagons packed with families and supplies, across the country, while fighting off Indians and evil traders.
The first edition
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
The 1931 film adaptation
The leading cast members of the 1931 film: Ernest Torrence, Gary Cooper, Lili Damita and Tully Marshall
CHAPTER 1
ONE BRIGHT JUNE day in 1856 the driver of a covered wagon halted on the outskirts of Independence, Missouri. All spring he had traveled with wife and child to reach this frontier post. They were tired and needed a rest before undertaking the long overland journey westward. So he chose for camp a shady spot in a grove where a brook ran deep and still under grassy banks.