“I never imagined it was so big and … and impressive,” Longarm exclaimed. “Look at the stonework! The corners of every wall and building are perfect!”
“Can you imagine the heartache these Indians must have felt when they were forced to leave?” Miranda asked. “Especially after laboring so long and hard.”
“No, I can’t.” Longarm heard the sound of a pick or shovel chipping at rock, and knew that the archaeologists must already be at work excavating. “Miranda, let’s go see what our two friends are up to.”
“They’re not going to be very happy to see us.”
“I know. I want to watch them for a while before we announce our presence.”
“Good idea.”
Lucking and Barker were down inside one of the great ceremonial kivas, and their grunts of exertion could plainly be heard in the silence of the ruins. The scientists had already brought up a number of bones and some large pieces of the gray pottery etched with black designs that were characteristic of the Mesa Verde Anasazi.
“What shall we do?” Miranda asked.
“Since they may be down there for several more hours, I suggest we take a tour of these ruins.”
“I’d like that.”
Longarm was not a superstitious man, but as they crept through the little rooms and admired the beautiful red and black designs on the inside walls of a bedroom, he could almost hear the whisperings of ancient spirits.
“It’s cold here,” Miranda said once as they ducked into what appeared to have been a storage room. “I bet the old people really suffered from rheumatism and aching bones.”
“I suspect so,” Longarm replied. “My guess is that they stayed very near the mouth of the cave and soaked in as much of the afternoon sunshine as possible.”
“Do you think that quite a few of their children fell to their deaths?”
“I imagine the children must have learned quite young to stay away from the mouth of this cavern and that their mothers watched them like hawks.”
“I hope so,” Miranda said as they left the storage compartment and passed along a second-story balcony that connected two separate square towers. “Everywhere I look I see places where you could fall to your death.”
“I doubt that they saw it that way,” Longarm told her. “I’m sure that they felt right at home and very safe from all enemies.”
Longarm and Miranda worked their way deeper into the cavern, back where they had been told that the Anasazi kept their domesticated turkeys penned and also deposited their refuse. Sure enough, they discovered evidence of turkey droppings as well as many bird and animal bones.
“I could spend years poking around in here, digging up things,” Miranda said. “I wonder if the other cliff dwellings are as big as this one.”
“I don’t think so,” Longarm said, looking back toward the kiva where the archaeologists were still working. “Cliff Palace is supposed to be the largest.”
Just then, Barker and Lucking emerged, cradling dirt-crusted objects in their arms.
“What are we going to do?” Miranda asked as they ducked behind a wall.
“I think we ought to announce ourselves and take a look at whatever it is they are bringing out of that kiva,” Longarm answered.
“But won’t they become suspicious?”
“I don’t think so,” Longarm answered. “At any rate, I’m not one to slink around. Let’s just greet them as if we were out exploring and having a good time.”
When Lucking and Barker realized that they were not alone in Cliff Palace, they were less than friendly. Lucking was especially incensed.
“This is really no place for tourists without experienced guides,” he said, giving them stern looks. “I would have thought that you would both have had more sense than to attempt that descent without a guide familiar with the trail.”
“We are adventuresome,” Longarm said, determined not to allow himself to be rankled. He glanced over at the partial skeleton and the newly unearthed pottery, some of which was unbroken and no doubt very valuable. “I see that you’re not leaving everything you find in that kiva.”
“We examine it and then return it!” Lucking snapped. “And anyway, what concern is it of yours?”
“None at all,” Longarm replied. “I’m all for scientific research. As long as it’s well done and for everyone’s benefit.”
The younger archaeologist said, “These ruins can be quite dangerous to the uninitiated. You could fall through rubble and be killed. My suggestion is that you both leave and perhaps return next spring with an experienced guide.”
“We don’t need a guide,” Miranda angrily retorted. “And neither do we need your advice.”
“We have important work to do,” Lucking said stiffly as he climbed back down the ladder into the kiva.
“Yes,” Barker said, “if you’ll excuse us.”
“Sure.” Longarm smiled disarmingly. “Just pretend that we aren’t even here.”
Barker gave him a cold look and then vanished, leaving Miranda and Longarm alone with the displaced artifacts.
“What now?” she whispered.
