Lost Pueblo (1992) by Zane Grey Read Free Book Online

writing. You can have a nice quiet hour reading."
    "Hour! I can't go to bed for hours."
    "Janey, you look perfectly wonderful, ravishing--and--well, indecent in that flimsy white gown. It'd make a first-rate handkerchief for one of these man-sized Westerners. But it's wasted on the desert air."
    "Yes, I'm afraid my desire to look well for Phil was wasted," returned Janey. "Men are no good. You can't please them."
    "Perhaps the emancipation of women has peeved us," remarked Endicott, slyly.
    Janey was curious to see if Randolph would come back to the living room. She hoped he would not, for he appeared to be giving her a taste of something different in masculine reactions. She talked to the Bennets about the cowboys and Randolph, learning more and more for her amusement and interest. They regarded the archaeologist as one of the family and were immensely proud of his work. It might have been gold hunting, for all the store they put on it. Janey began to gather some inkling of the importance of Randolph's discovery of the pueblo claimed by scientists to have existed there centuries past. She began to hope for his success.
    Randolph did not appear again and the Bennets retired early. Janey was left to her thoughts, which she found pleasant. Soon she went to her room, and to bed. Though she would not admit it to her father, the quiet of the night, the comfortable feel of wool blankets, the black darkness appealed strongly to her.
    What few words and glances it had taken to upset Phillip Randolph! If Janey had not been so outraged her conscience might have given her a twinge. Deep within her dwelt a respect for honesty and simplicity. The idea she had given Randolph--that she had expected and hoped for a little attention from him--had completely floored him. After all it was not much of a deceit. She had expected more than a little. There was something warm and sweet in the thought of his really caring for her like that. Janey believed that no real woman of the present or of the future would ever feel otherwise than stirred at a man's honest love. It was in the race, and the race's progress toward higher things depended upon it. Janey made the mental observation that the world had not progressed very much lately.
    Next morning she again delayed going into breakfast purposely to miss Randolph and her father. Janey put on her riding clothes, taking her time about it.
    After breakfast the only one of the cowboys around the corrals was Ray.
    "Mornin'," he greeted her. "When did you come back to life? Us boys figgered you was daid."
    "Me? Oh, I never let anybody get tired of me," responded Janey. "Can I have Patter saddled?"
    "I reckon, but I cain't see what for. That cayuse is no good. He's got a mean eye when he rolls it. Now my little roan--"
    "Ray, you boys can't fool me any longer about the horses. They're all good. Please saddle Patter for me."
    While Ray went to fetch the horse Janey walked into the trading post, always and increasingly interesting to her. Bennet was selling supplies to the Indians. Janey liked to hear the low strange voices. One of the Indians was nothing if not frankly admiring. He was a tall, slim, loose-jointed individual, wearing corduroys and moccasins, a huge-buckled and silver-ornamented belt, a garnet-colored velveteen shirt, and a black sombrero with a bright-braided band. He had a lean face like a hawk, dark and clear, and piercing black eyes. Janey had been advised not to appear interested in the Indian men--that they misunderstood it, and had been known to give Eastern women some rude shocks. As usual Janey disregarded advice.
    She noticed when she left the post that the Indian sauntered out to watch her. Janey thought if Phil Randolph would act that way, she would be highly gratified. Patter was saddled waiting for her, a fine little bay mustang.
    "What's Smoky followin' you for?" queried Ray, gruffly.
    "Smoky, who's he?"
    "Thet blamed Navey."
    "Oh, I see. I don't know, Ray. I certainly didn't ask