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idian； agate； salt； and pottery。〃
〃What are you getting at？〃 Nora asked。
〃Simply that with all this trade going on； it's not entirely unreasonable to think the Anasazi obtained gold。〃
Nora opened her mouth； then shut it again； surprised at hearing this from Black。 Holroyd； Swire； and even Sloane were listening intently。
〃If they did have gold；〃 Nora began； trying to keep patient； 〃then； in the tens of thousands of Anasazi sites excavated over the last hundred and fifty years； we'd have found some。 But not one excavation has ever turned up even the tiniest speck of gold。 The bottom line is； if the Anasazi had gold； then where is it all？〃
〃Maybe right here；〃 said Smithback quietly。
Nora stared at him。 Then she began to laugh。 〃Bill； put a cold press on that fevered imagination of yours。 I just saw a dozen rooms full of incredible stuff today； but not a single glimmer of gold。 If we do find gold in Quivira； I'll eat that ridiculous hat of yours。 Okay？ Now let's get down and see what miracle Chef Bonarotti has prepared for dinner。〃
27
NORA GAZED ANXIOUSLY UP AT THE FIGURE rapelling down the rock wall four hundred feet above her head； a brightly colored bug against the sandstone。 Beside Nora； Black and Holroyd gaped upward； motionless。 Nearby； Smithback stood； notebook at the ready； as if waiting for some disaster to happen。 A sharp clang rang out as Sloane drove an angle into the deep red rock with her wall hammer。 As Nora watched； Sloane affixed the next portion of the rope ladder to the cliff face； then slid easily another ten feet down the rockface to drive in the next piece of gear。
In order for the weather receiver and munications gear to operate； it was necessary to place them atop the rim of the canyon； far above Quivira。 Two hours earlier； Nora and Sloane had determined the best place to set up the gear； basing their estimates on a bination of the easiest climb and lowest clifftop。 The site turned out to be just beyond the far end of the city； overlooking the valley floor by the entrance to the slot canyon through which they had entered。
Easiest climb； perhaps； but still frightful。 Nora's eyes had traveled up the wall； stopping at the last pitch。 It was obviously the most difficult； a beetling brow of rock that hung out into space。 But Sloane had just smiled。 〃Grade 1； 5。10； A…two；〃 she'd murmured； visually rating the difficulty of the climb。 〃Look at that secure crack system； goes almost all the way to the top。 No problem。〃 And； in a spectacular feat of bravura climbing； she proved herself correct。 An hour later； as they waited nervously below； slings and a haul bag tumbled down from above； indicating that Sloane had reached the top and was ready to hoist up the radio gear。
And now Sloane was making her way back down to the bench that held Quivira； placing the ladder as she went。 Another ten minutes； and she dropped nimbly into the group to a round of applause。
〃That was fantastic；〃 Nora said。
Sloane shrugged and smiled； obviously pleased。 〃Another ten feet and we'd have run out of ladder。 Is everybody ready？〃
Holroyd looked up； swallowing。 〃I guess so。〃
〃I have important work to do；〃 Black said。 〃Can someone remind me again why I have to risk life and limb on this little climbing expedition？〃
〃You won't risk anything；〃 Sloane laughed in her deep contralto。 〃Those placements of mine are bombproof。〃
〃And it's your misfortune；〃 Nora said； 〃that you've been on a lot of digs and know how to use the radio equipment。 We need a backup for Holroyd。〃
〃Yeah； but why me？〃 Black asked。 〃Why not Aragon？ He's got more field experience than all of us put together。〃
〃He's also got twenty years on the rest of us；〃 Nora replied。 〃You're much better suited to a physical challenge like this。〃 The buttering…up seemed to have its intended effect： Black pulled in his chest and looked sternly up the cliff。
〃Let's get started； then。〃 Sloane turned briefly toward Smithback。 〃You ing？〃
Smithback looked speculatively upward。 〃I'd better not；〃 he said。 〃Somebody has to stay behind to catch the ones that fall。〃
Sloane raised one eyebrow； with a look that said she'd thought as much。 〃All right。 Aaron； why don't you lead； and I'll follow。 Peter； you e third； and Nora； please bring up the rear。〃
Nora noticed that Sloane had staggered the inexperienced climbers with the more experienced ones。 〃Why do I have to go first？〃 Black asked。
〃Believe me； it's easier when nobody's ahead of you。 Less chance of eating a boot that way。〃
Black looked unconvinced； but grasped the base of the rope ladder and began hoisting himself up。
〃It's just like climbing the ladder to Quivira； only longer；〃 Sloane said。 〃Keep your body hugged to the rock； and your feet apart。 Take a rest at each bench。 The longest pitch is the last one； maybe two hundred feet。〃
But Black； scrabbling at the second step； suddenly lost his footing。 Sloane moved with the swiftness of a cat as Black came lurching downward。 She half caught； half tackled him； and they ended up sprawled in a soft drift of sand at the base of the cliff； Black atop Sloane。 They lay still； and Nora came running over。 She could see that Sloane was shaking and making a choking sound； but as she bent down in a panic she realized the woman was laughing hysterically。 Black seemed frozen in either fear or surprise。 His face was buried between Sloane's breasts。
〃Death； where is thy sting？〃 Smithback intoned。
Sloane continued to gasp with laughter。 〃Aaron； you're supposed to be climbing up； not down！〃 She made no move to push Black away； and after a few moments the scientist sat up； hair askew。 He backed away； looking from Sloane to the rope ladder and back to Sloane again。
Sloane sat up； still giggling； and dusted herself off。 〃You're letting yourself get psyched out；〃 she said。 〃It's just a ladder。 But if it's falling you're afraid of； I've got a wall harness you can use instead。〃 She stood up and walked over to her equipment duffel。 〃It's for emergencies； really； but you can use it to get familiar with the climb。〃 She pulled out a small harness constructed of nylon webbing and fastened it around Black。 〃You are just going to jumar your way up the rope。 That way； you can't fall。〃
Black； strangely quiet； simply looked at Sloane and nodded。 This time； with the mental security of the harness and Sloane's encouragement； he got the hang of using the jumar and was soon moving confidently up the cliff。 Sloane followed； then Holroyd reached hold of the lowest rung。
Nora had noticed that； in the sudden scramble； Sloane hadn't bothered to check on the image specialist's state of mind。 〃You up to this； Peter？〃 she asked。
Holroyd looked at her and smiled bashfully。 〃Hey； it's just a ladder； like she said。 Anyway； I'm going to have to climb this thing once a day。 I'd better get used to it。〃
He took a deep breath； then began to climb。 Nora followed carefully。 She tested one or two of Sloane's placements and found them to be as tight and secure as the woman had said。 She'd learned from experience it was best not to look down on a long climb； and she kept her eyes on the three figures ranged up the face above her。 There were long minutes of almost vertical climbing。 They caught their breaths at each ledge。 The final pitch ended with a brief； frightening moment of hanging backward as she worked around the protruding rimrock。 For an instant； Nora was reminded of the Devil's Backbone： the scrabbling at the slickrock； the frightened screaming of the horses as they hurtled to their deaths below her feet。 Then she took another determined step upward； hoisted herself onto the top of the cliff； and collapsed； gasping； to her knees。 Nearby sat Holroyd； sides heaving； head resting on crossed arms。 Beside him was Black； trembling with exhaustion and stress。
Sloane； alone； seemed unaffected by the climb。 She began moving the small array of equipment a safe distance from the edge of the cliff： Holroyd's satellite positioning unit； now sporting a long UHF whip antenna； the microwave horn； the solar panel and deep…cycle battery； rack…mounted receivers and transmitters。 Beside them； winking in the morning light； the satellit