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〃Jesus；〃 Smithback muttered。
Arbuckles began to prance and whinny beneath her； and Nora veered left； giving the carcasses a wide berth on the upwind side。 Even so； as they passed she caught a brief glimpse of coiled ropes of entrails； bluish…gray and steaming in the sun； webbed in black traceries of flies。 Beyond the scene of the massacre； she stopped。
〃What are you doing？〃 Smithback asked。
〃I'm going to take a minute to look more closely。〃
〃Mind if I stay here？〃 Smithback asked in a strained voice。
Dismounting and giving her reins to Smithback； Nora walked back over the rise。 The flies； disturbed by her approach； rose in a roaring； angry mass。 The high winds had scoured the ground； but here and there she could make out old horse tracks and some fresher coyote prints。 Except for the marks of Swire's boots； there were no human footprints。 As Swire had said； the entrails had been arranged in a spiral pattern。 Brightly colored macaw feathers； shockingly out of place in the arid landscape； protruded from the eye sockets。 The carcasses had been stabbed with some painted and feathered twigs。
As she was about to turn away； she noticed something else。 A circular patch of skin had been cut from the foreheads of both horses。 Examining these more closely； Nora saw that similar patches had been removed symmetrically from a spot on either side of the horse's chests； and from two more spots on either side of their lower bellies。 Why there？ What could this possibly mean？
She shook her head and retreated from the killing ground。
〃Who could do such a thing？〃 Smithback asked as she remounted。
Who indeed？ It was the question Nora had been asking herself for the last hour。 The answer that seemed most likely was too frightening to contemplate。
Within twenty minutes they had reached the base of the ridge。 In another twenty； following the gentle trail up； they crested the top of the Devil's Backbone。 Nora brought the horses to a stop and dismounted again； gazing slowly over the vista ahead。 The great divide looked out over thousands of miles of slickrock canyons。 To the north； she could see the distant blue hump of Barney Top； and to the northeast； the silent sentinel of the Kaiparowits。
And； directly ahead； were the narrow vicious switchbacks that led down the face of the hogback ridge。 Somewhere at the bottom lay Fiddlehead； Hurricane Deck； and Beetlebum。
〃Tell me we're not really going down that again；〃 Smithback said。
Nora remained silent。 She dismounted and took a few steps from the horses； scouring the patches of sand that lay among the rocks。 There were no signs of a horse； but then； the wind at the top of the ridge would have swept them away。
She looked back down the way they had e。 Though she'd kept a careful lookout as they climbed； she had seen nothing but old hoofprints。 She shivered； she knew very well there was no other way into the valley。 And yet； somehow； the mysterious horse killers had left no sign of their passing。
Tearing her eyes away； she looked back around to the steep trail ahead of them； leading down the front of the Devil's Backbone。 It seemed to simply disappear over the edge into sheer space。 She knew it was always more dangerous to descend than to ascend。 The terrifying memory of how she'd scrabbled at the cliff face； feet kicking in dead space； returned with redoubled force。 She rubbed her fingertips； now free of bandages but still tingling with the memory。
〃I'm going to hike down a ways on foot；〃 Nora murmured。 〃You wait here。〃
〃Anything to stay off that trail；〃 Smithback said。 〃I can't imagine a worse way down a cliff than that。 Except falling； of course。 And at least that's faster。〃
Nora began to pick her way down the steep trail。 The first part； all slickrock； not surprisingly showed no signs of the mysterious rider。 But when she reached the rock strewn part of the trail； she stopped： there； in a small patch of sand； was a fresh hoofprint。 And it was from an unshod horse。
〃Are we going down？〃 Smithback asked with a distinct lack of enthusiasm as she returned to the top of the ridge。
〃Yes；〃 she replied。 〃Swire wasn't seeing things。 Somebody did e up here on horseback。〃
She took a deep breath； then another。 And then she began carefully down the ridge； leading Arbuckles。 The horse balked at the lip of the trail； and after some firm coaxing Nora got him to take one step； and then another。 Smithback followed； leading pa？ero。 Nora could hear the horse snorting； the scrape of bare hoof on stone。 She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the trail ahead； breathing regularly； trying to keep them from straying over the edge into the infinite space below。 Once； instinctively； she looked over： there was the dry valley below； the strange rock formations like tiny piles of pebbles； the stunted junipers mere black dots。 Arbuckles's legs were shaking； but he kept his head down； nose to the ground； and they inched their way down。 Having been up the trail before； Nora was now aware of the most difficult spots； and worked to guide her horse past them when it was most necessary。
Just before the second switchback； Nora heard Arbuckles's hooves skid； and in a panic she dropped the lead rope； but after a brief scrabble the horse stopped； shaking。 Clearly； the unshod hooves had better purchase on the trail。 As she bent down to pick up the rope； two crows； riding air currents up the face of the cliff； hovered past them。 They were so close； Nora could see their beady eyes swiveling around to look at them。 One let fly a loud croak of displeasure as he passed by。
After twenty more heart…stopping minutes； Nora found herself at the bottom of the trail。 Turning； she saw Smithback make the last pitch to the bottom。 She was so relieved she almost felt like hugging him。
Then the wind shifted； and a terrible stench reached her nostrils： the three dead horses； lying perhaps fifty yards away； draped over some broken boulders。
Whoever had e this way would no doubt have inspected those horses。
Giving Arbuckles's reins to Smithback； she walked in the direction of the dead horses； fighting rising feelings of horror and guilt。 The animals lay widely scattered； their bellies burst open； their guts thrown across the rocks。 And there； too； were the tracks she was seeking： the tracks of the unshod horse。 To her surprise； she saw the tracks had not e up from the south； as their expedition had； but led instead from the north： in the direction of the tiny Indian village of Nankoweap； many days' ride away。
〃The trail goes north；〃 she said to Smithback； indicating for him to dismount。
〃I'm impressed；〃 the writer replied as he slipped to the ground。 〃And what else can you tell about the trail？ Was it a stallion or a mare？ Was it a pinto or a palomino？〃
Nora pulled the horseshoes from a saddlebag and knelt beside Arbuckles。 〃I can tell it was probably an Indian's horse。〃
〃How in the hell can you tell that？〃
〃Because Indians tend to ride unshod horses。 Anglos； on the other hand； shoe their horses from the moment they start them under saddle。〃 She fitted the shoes to Arbuckles's hooves； tapped the nails through； then carefully clinched them down。 Swire's horses； their hooves soft from years of wearing horseshoes； could not be left shoeless a moment longer than necessary。
Smithback pulled out the gun Swire had given him； checked it； then replaced it in his jacket。 〃And was there somebody on that horse？〃
〃I'm not that good a tracker。 But I sure don't think Roscoe's the type to be seeing things。〃
Nora fitted the shoes onto Smithback's horse。 Then； leading Arbuckles by the guide rope； she began following the single track； which showed two sets of prints： one going； the other ing。 Although the wind had scoured small sections away； the trail was clearly visible as it wound north through the scattered clumps of Mormon tea bushes。 For a while； it ran along the base of the hogback ridge； and then it veered away； into a series of parallel defiles hemmed in by low ridges of a black volcanic rock。
〃Where'd you learn to track； anyway？〃 Smithback asked。 〃I didn't know the Lone Ranger was still on the lecture circuit。〃
Nora shot him an irritated glance。 〃Is this for your book？〃
Smithback looked back in ical surprise； his long face drooping。 〃No。 Well； yes； I suppose。 Everything is fair game。 But mostly I'm just curious。〃
Nora sighed。 〃You Easterners think tracking is some kind of art； or maybe some instinctive ethnic skill。 But unless you're tracking across rock； buffalo grass； or lava； it's not all that difficult。 Just follow the footprints in the sand。〃
She continued northward； Smithback's voice vexing her concentration。 〃I can't get over how remote this land is；〃 he was saying。 〃When I first got here； I couldn't believe how ugly and barren it all was； not at all like the Verde Valley where I went to school。 But there's something almost forting in its spareness； if you think about it。 Something clean in the emptiness。 Sort of like a Japanese tea room in that way。 I've been studying the tea ceremony a lot this last year； ever since…〃
〃Say； do you think you could hobble that lip？〃 Nora interrupted in exasperation。 〃You could talk Jesus out of going to heaven。〃
There was a long moment of blissful silence。 Then Smithback spoke again。 〃Nora；〃 he asked quietly； 〃what is it； exactly； you don't like about me？〃
Nora stopped at this； turning toward him in surprise。 The writer wore a serious expression； one of the few she remembered seeing on his face。 He stood； silently； in the shadow of pa？ero。 The cowboy clothes； which had seemed so ridiculous a week before； had now bee a real working outfit； creased and dusty； well suited to his long frame。 The pasty plexion was gone； replaced by a ruddy tan that matched his brown hair。 She realized； with a small shock； that this was the first time she had heard him call her by name instead of the odious 〃Madame Chairman。〃 And although she couldn't analyze it…and didn't have the time； even if she felt inclined to do so…a part of her was pleased to think Smithback was concerned about how she felt about him。
Nora opened her mouth to reply： You mean； other than the fact that you're a brash； smug guy with an ego the size of Texas？ But she stopped and turned away； realizing this wasn't fair to Smithback。 For all his eccentric ways； she had grown fond of the journalist。 Now that she knew him better； she realized his ego was tempered by a certain self…deprecation that was charming in its own way。 〃I didn't mean to snap at you just now；〃 she said。 〃And I don't dislike you。 You almost screwed up everything； that's all。〃
〃I did what？〃
Nora decided not to answer。 It was too hot； and she was too tired； for this kind of discussion。
They moved on slowly as the sun climbed toward noon。 Though the trail was relatively easy to follow； tracking by eye was still exhausting work。 The hoofprints took them through a weird country of broken rocks； knobs； and humps of sandstone。 The prints appeared to be following a faint and very old trail。 On horseback now； Nora kept them moving as quickly as she could without losing the track。 The midday sun beat down relentlessly； burning off the glaring white sand； flattening and draining all the color from the landscape。 There was no sign of water anywhere。 And then； unexpectedly； they passed through a lush valley； full of grass…covered sand and prickly pear； sprawling in gorgeous bloom。
〃This is like a garden of Eden；〃 Smithback said as they made their way through the brief； verdant patch。 〃What's it doing here in the middle of the desert？〃
〃Probably the result of a heavy rainfall；〃 Nora replied。 〃Rain out here isn't like it is back in the east。 It's very localized。 You can get a huge downpour in one place； and a mile away see ground still parched and dry。〃
They made their way out of the lush valley and back into the stony desert。 〃What about lunch？〃 Smithback asked。
〃What about it？〃
〃Well； it's almost two。 I like to dine fashionably late； but my stomach has its limits。〃
〃It's really that late？〃 Nora looked at her watch in disbelief； then stretched in the saddle。 〃We must have covered fifteen miles from the base of the ridge。〃 She paused a moment； considering。 〃Pr