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bring it back for Aragon to analyze。 Being a ZST type； he may object； but the deed's been done。 Sloane； I don't want you ever doing any invasive procedures without my express permission。 Is that understood？〃
〃Understood；〃 said Sloane； looking suddenly contrite as she handed the skull to Nora。 〃I wasn't thinking。 The excitement of the moment； I guess。〃
Nora slipped the skull into a sample bag and tucked it in her pack。 It seemed to her there had been something challenging in the way Sloane had e forward holding the skull； and Nora momentarily wondered if it hadn't been a deliberate provocation。 After all； it was clear that Sloane was well versed in the protocol of fieldwork。 But then she told herself she was being paranoid。 Nora remembered infelicitously seizing a gorgeous Folsom point she once uncovered at a dig； pulling it out of the stratum； and then seeing the horrified looks of everyone around her。
〃What's a ZST？〃 the unrepentant Smithback asked。 〃Some kind of birth control？〃
Nora shook her head。 〃It stands for Zero Site Trauma。 The idea that an archaeological site should never be physically disturbed。 People like Aragon believe any intrusion； no matter how careful or subtle； destroys it for future archaeologists who might e along with more sophisticated tools。 They tend to work with artifacts that have already been excavated by others。〃
〃ZST groupies consider traditional archaeologists to be artifact whores； digging for relics instead of reconstructing cultures；〃 Sloane added。
〃If Aragon feels that way； why did he e along？〃 Holroyd asked。
〃He's not a total purist。 I suppose that on a project as potentially important as this； he's willing to put his personal feelings aside to some extent。 I think he feels that if anyone is going to touch Quivira； it should be him。〃 Nora looked around。 〃What do you make of these walls？〃 she asked Sloane。 〃It's not soot； it's some kind of thick dried substance； like paint。 But I've never seen an Anasazi room painted black before。〃
〃Beats me；〃 Sloane replied。 She removed a small glass tube and a dentist's pick from her pack。 Then she glanced with a quick smile at Nora。 〃May I take a sample？〃 she paused。 〃Madame Chairman？〃
It's not funny when Smithback calls me that； Nora thought。 And it's even less funny ing from you。 But she nodded wordlessly； watching as Sloane expertly flaked a few pieces into the glass test tube and stoppered it。
The sun was now low in the sky； painting long contrasting stripes along the ancient walls。 〃Let's get back；〃 Nora said。 As they turned to walk out on the ledge； Nora glanced back at the reverse spirals on the wall behind the ruin。 She shivered briefly in spite of the heat。
19
THEY WERE FORCED TO MAKE A DRY CAMP that night。 The horses were thirsty and off their feed； and by sundown the expedition had made serious inroads into their own supplies of water。 Aragon received the skull with the wordless disapproval that Nora had expected。 They turned in early； saddle sore and weary； and slept hard。
Shortly after starting out the following morning； they arrived at a triple intersection of narrow canyons。 Despite careful examination； Nora and Sloane could find no more traces of the ancient road here； it was either buried or had washed away。 The GPS laptop was still not functioning； and Holroyd's map was of little help： at this point of the journey； the underlying topographical elevations on the map were ludicrously off。 The radar data became a confusing maze of color。
Nor could Nora find any sign that her father had ever e this way。 In the tradition of Frank Wetherill and the other early explorers； Nora knew her father sometimes marked his trail by scratching his initials and a date into the rock。 Yet； to her mounting anxiety； she had yet to see any graffiti by him or anyone else； save the occasional petroglyphs of the long…vanished Anasazi。
For the rest of the day； the group toiled up through a warren of fractured canyons； moving deeper into a surreal world that seemed more a landscape of dream than anything of the earth。 The mute stone halls spoke of eons of fury： uplift and erosion； floods； earthquakes； and the endless scouring of the wind。 At every turn； Nora realized her dead reckoning grew more difficult and prone to error。 Each fall of the horses' hooves took them farther from civilization； from the fortable and the known； deeper into an alien landscape of mystery。 Cliff dwellings became more numerous； tucked slyly into the canyon walls； remote and inaccessible。 Nora had the irrational feeling； as she stopped for the tenth time to pore over the map； that they were intruding onto forbidden ground。
By evening they were so exhausted that dinner was a cold； silent； impromptu affair。 The lack of water had pelled Nora to institute severe rationing。 Bonarotti； forced to cook with no water and dirty dishes； grew sullen。
After dinner； the group gravitated apathetically toward the campfire。 Swire joined them after giving the horses a final check。
He sat down beside Nora and spat。 〃e morning； these horses won't have had decent water for thirty…six hours。 Don't know how much longer they can last。〃
〃Frankly； I couldn't give a damn about the horses；〃 Black said from across the fire。 〃I'm wondering when we're going to die of thirst。〃
Swire turned to him； his face flickering in the light。 〃Maybe you don't realize it； but if the horses die； we die。 It ain't any more plicated than that。〃
Nora glanced in Black's direction。 In the firelight his face was haggard； a look of incipient panic in his eyes。
〃Is everything all right； Aaron？〃 she asked。
〃You said we were going to reach Quivira tomorrow；〃 he said huskily。
〃That was only an estimate。 It's taking longer than I anticipated。〃
〃Bullshit。〃 Black sniffed。 〃I've been watching you all afternoon； struggling with those maps and trying to get that useless GPS unit to work。 I think we're lost。〃
〃No；〃 Nora replied。 〃I don't believe we're lost。〃
Black leaned back； his voice growing louder。 〃Is that supposed to be encouraging？ And where's this road？ We saw it yesterday。 Maybe。 But now it's vanished。〃
Nora had seen this kind of reaction to the wilderness before。 It was never pleasant。 〃All I can say is we'll get there； probably tomorrow； certainly by the next day。〃
〃Probably！〃 he repeated derisively； slapping his hands on his knees。 〃Probably！〃
In the flickering light； Nora looked around at the rest of the group。 Everyone was filthy from the lack of water and badly scratched from heavy brush。 Only Sloane； sifting sand thoughtfully through her fingers； and Aragon； wearing his usual distant expression； appeared unconcerned。 Holroyd was staring into the campfire； for once without a book at his side。 Smithback's hair was wilder than ever； his bony knees covered with dirt。 Earlier in the afternoon he had plained； eloquently and at great length； about how if God had meant man to ride a horse he would have put a Barcalounger on the animal's back。 Even the fact that the apathetic Beetlebum had stopped trying to bite him had been little fort。
It was a desperate…looking group； and it was hard to believe that the change had taken place in less than forty…eight hours of difficult travel。 Jesus； Nora thought； if they look like that； what must I look like？
〃I understand how concerned you all are；〃 she said slowly。 〃I'm doing the best I can。 If any of you have any constructive ideas； I'd like to hear them。〃
〃The answer is to keep going；〃 said Aragon with a quiet vehemence。 〃And to stop plaining。 Twentieth…century humans are unused to any real physical challenge。 The people who lived in these canyons dealt with this kind of thirst and heat every day； without plaint。〃 He cast his dark； sardonic eyes around the group。
〃Oh； now I feel better；〃 said Black。 〃And here I thought I was suffering from thirst。〃
Aragon turned his dark eyes on Black。 〃You are suffering more from an undifferentiated personality disorder than from thirst； Dr。 Black。〃
Black turned to look at him； speechless with rage。 Then he stood up on trembling limbs and made his way silently toward his tent。
Nora watched him walk away。 What was happening he