the outcasts of poker flat-第1部分

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THE　OUTCASTS　OF　POKER　FLAT





As　Mr。　John　Oakhurst；　gambler；　stepped　into　the　main　street　of

Poker　Flat　on　the　morning　of　the　twenty…third　of　November；　1850；　he

was　conscious　of　a　change　in　its　moral　atmosphere　since　the

preceding　night。　　Two　or　three　men；　conversing　earnestly　together；

ceased　as　he　approached；　and　exchanged　significant　glances。　　There

was　a　Sabbath　lull　in　the　air　which；　in　a　settlement　unused　to

Sabbath　influences；　looked　ominous。



Mr。　Oakhurst's　calm；　handsome　face　betrayed　small　concern　in　these

indications。　　Whether　he　was　conscious　of　any　predisposing　cause

was　another　question。　　〃I　reckon　they're　after　somebody；〃　he

reflected；　〃likely　it's　me。〃　　He　returned　to　his　pocket　the

handkerchief　with　which　he　had　been　whipping　away　the　red　dust　of

Poker　Flat　from　his　neat　boots；　and　quietly　discharged　his　mind　of

any　further　conjecture。



In　point　of　fact；　Poker　Flat　was　〃after　somebody。〃　　It　had　lately

suffered　the　loss　of　several　thousand　dollars；　two　valuable　horses；

and　a　prominent　citizen。　　It　was　experiencing　a　spasm　of　virtuous

reaction；　quite　as　lawless　and　ungovernable　as　any　of　the　acts　that

had　provoked　it。　　A　secret　committee　had　determined　to　rid　the　town

of　all　improper　persons。　　This　was　done　permanently　in　regard　of

two　men　who　were　then　hanging　from　the　boughs　of　a　sycamore　in　the

gulch；　and　temporarily　in　the　banishment　of　certain　other

objectionable　characters。　　I　regret　to　say　that　some　of　these　were

ladies。　　It　is　but　due　to　the　sex；　however；　to　state　that　their

impropriety　was　professional；　and　it　was　only　in　such　easily

established　standards　of　evil　that　Poker　Flat　ventured　to　sit　in

judgment。



Mr。　Oakhurst　was　right　in　supposing　that　he　was　included　in　this

category。　　A　few　of　the　committee　had　urged　hanging　him　as　a

possible　example；　and　a　sure　method　of　reimbursing　themselves　from

his　pockets　of　the　sums　he　had　won　from　them。　　〃It's　agin　justice；〃

said　Jim　Wheeler；　〃to　let　this　yer　young　man　from　Roaring　Campan

entire　strangercarry　away　our　money。〃　　But　a　crude　sentiment　of

equity　residing　in　the　breasts　of　those　who　had　been　fortunate

enough　to　win　from　Mr。　Oakhurst　overruled　this　narrower　local

prejudice。



Mr。　Oakhurst　received　his　sentence　with　philosophic　calmness；　none

the　less　coolly　that　he　was　aware　of　the　hesitation　of　his　judges。

He　was　too　much　of　a　gambler　not　to　accept　Fate。　　With　him　life　was

at　best　an　uncertain　game；　and　he　recognized　the　usual　percentage

in　favor　of　the　dealer。



A　body　of　armed　men　accompanied　the　deported　wickedness　of　Poker

Flat　to　the　outskirts　of　the　settlement。　　Besides　Mr。　Oakhurst；　who

was　known　to　be　a　coolly　desperate　man；　and　for　whose　intimidation

the　armed　escort　was　intended；　the　expatriated　party　consisted　of　a

young　woman　familiarly　known　as　the　〃Duchess〃；　another；　who　had　won

the　title　of　〃Mother　Shipton〃；　and　〃Uncle　Billy；〃　a　suspected

sluice…robber　and　confirmed　drunkard。　　The　cavalcade　provoked　no

comments　from　the　spectators；　nor　was　any　word　uttered　by　the

escort。　　Only；　when　the　gulch　which　marked　the　uttermost　limit　of

Poker　Flat　was　reached；　the　leader　spoke　briefly　and　to　the　point。

The　exiles　were　forbidden　to　return　at　the　peril　of　their　lives。



As　the　escort　disappeared；　their　pent…up　feelings　found　vent　in　a

few　hysterical　tears　from　the　Duchess；　some　bad　language　from

Mother　Shipton；　and　a　Parthian　volley　of　expletives　from　Uncle

Billy。　　The　philosophic　Oakhurst　alone　remained　silent。　　He

listened　calmly　to　Mother　Shipton's　desire　to　cut　somebody's　heart

out；　to　the　repeated　statements　of　the　Duchess　that　she　would　die

in　the　road；　and　to　the　alarming　oaths　that　seemed　to　be　bumped　out

of　Uncle　Billy　as　he　rode　forward。　　With　the　easy　good　humor

characteristic　of　his　class；　he　insisted　upon　exchanging　his　own

riding　horse；　〃Five　Spot；〃　for　the　sorry　mule　which　the　Duchess

rode。　　But　even　this　act　did　not　draw　the　party　into　any　closer

sympathy。　　The　young　woman　readjusted　her　somewhat　draggled　plumes

with　a　feeble；　faded　coquetry；　Mother　Shipton　eyed　the　possessor　of

〃Five　Spot〃　with　malevolence；　and　Uncle　Billy　included　the　whole

party　in　one　sweeping　anathema。



The　road　to　Sandy　Bara　camp　that；　not　having　as　yet　experienced

the　regenerating　influences　of　Poker　Flat；　consequently　seemed　to

offer　some　invitation　to　the　emigrantslay　over　a　steep　mountain

range。　　It　was　distant　a　day's　severe　travel。　　In　that　advanced

season；　the　party　soon　passed　out　of　the　moist；　temperate　regions

of　the　foothills　into　the　dry；　cold；　bracing　air　of　the　Sierras。

The　trail　was　narrow　and　difficult。　　At　noon　the　Duchess；　rolling

out　of　her　saddle　upon　the　ground；　declared　her　intention　of　going

no　farther；　and　the　party　halted。



The　spot　was　singularly　wild　and　impressive。　　A　wooded

amphitheater；　surrounded　on　three　sides　by　precipitous　cliffs　of

naked　granite；　sloped　gently　toward　the　crest　of　another　precipice

that　overlooked　the　valley。　　It　was；　undoubtedly；　the　most　suitable

spot　for　a　camp；　had　camping　been　advisable。　　But　Mr。　Oakhurst　knew

that　scarcely　half　the　journey　to　Sandy　Bar　was　accomplished；　and

the　party　were　not　equipped　or　provisioned　for　delay。　　This　fact　he

pointed　out　to　his　companions　curtly；　with　a　philosophic　commentary

on　the　folly　of　〃throwing　up　their　hand　before　the　game　was　played

out。〃　　But　they　were　furnished　with　liquor；　which　in　this　emergency

stood　them　in　place　of　food；　fuel；　rest；　and　prescience。　　In　spite

of　his　remonstrances；　it　was　not　long　before　they　were　more　or　less

under　its　influence。　　Uncle　Billy　passed　rapidly　from　a　bellicose

state　into　one　of　stupor；　the　Duchess　became　maudlin；　and　Mother

Shipton　snored。　　Mr。　Oakhurst　alone　remained　erect；　leaning　against

a　rock；　calmly　surveying　them。



Mr。　Oakhurst　did　not　drink。　　It　interfered　with　a　profession　which

required　coolness；　impassiveness；　and　presence　of　mind；　and；　in　his

own　language；　he　〃couldn't　afford　it。〃　　As　he　gazed　at　his

recumbent　fellow　exiles；　the　loneliness　begotten　of　his　pariah

trade；　his　habits　of　life；　his　very　vices；　for　the　first　time

seriously　oppressed　him。　　He　bestirred　himself　in　dusting　his　black

clothes；　washing　his　hands　and　face；　and　other　acts　characteristic

of　his　studiously　neat　habits；　and　for　a　moment　forgot　his

annoyance。　　The　thought　of　deserting　his　weaker　and　more　pitiable

companions　never　perhaps　occurred　to　him。　　Yet　he　could　not　help

feeling　the　want　of　that　excitement　which；　singularly　enough；　was

most　conducive　to　that　calm　equanimity　for　which　he　was　notorious。

He　looked　at　the　gloomy　walls　that　rose　a　thousand　feet　sheer　above

the　circling　pines　around　him；　at　the　sky；　ominously　clouded；　at

the　valley　below；　already　deepening　into　shadow。　　And；　doing　so；

suddenly　he　heard　his　own　name　called。



A　horseman　slowly　ascended　the　trail。　　In　the　fresh；　open　face　of

the　newcomer　Mr。　Oakhurst　recognized　Tom　Simson；　otherwise　known　as

the　〃Innocent〃　of　Sandy　Bar。　　He　had　met　him　some　months　before

over　a　〃little　game；〃　and　had；　with　perfect　equanimity；　won　the

entire　fortuneamounting　to　some　forty　dollarsof　that　guileless

youth。　　After　the　game　was　finished；　Mr。　Oakhurst　drew　the　youthful

speculator　behind　the　door　and　thus　addressed　him：　〃Tommy；　you're　a

good　little　man；　but　you　can't　gamble　worth　a　cent。　　Don't　try　it

over　again。〃　　He　then　handed　him　his　money　back；　pushed　him　gently

from　the　room；　and　so　made　a　devoted　slave　of　Tom　Simson。



There　was　a　remembrance　of　this　in　his　boyish　and　enthusiastic

greeting　of　Mr。　Oakhurst。　　He　had　started；　he　said；　to　go　to　Poker

Flat　to　seek　his　fortune。　　〃Alone？〃　　No；　not　exactly　alone；　in　fact

（a　giggle）；　he　had　run　away　with　Piney　Woods。　　Didn't　Mr。　Oakhurst

remember　Piney？　　She　that　used　to　wait　on　the　table　at　the

Temperance　House？　　They　had　been　engaged　a　long　time；　but　old　Jake

Woods　had　objected；　and　so　they　had　run　away；　and　were　going　to

Poker　Flat　to　be　married；　and　here　they　were。　　And　they　were　tired

out；　and　how　lucky　it　was　they　had　found　a　place　to　camp　and

company。　　All　this　the　Innocent　delivered　rapidly；　while　Piney；　a

stout；　comely　damsel　of　fifteen；　emerged　from　behind　the　pine　tree；

where　she　had　been　blushing　unseen；　and　rode　to　the　side　of　her

lover。



Mr。　Oakhurst　seldom　troubled　himself　with　sentiment；　still　less

with　propriety；　but　he　had　a　vague　idea　that　the　situation　was　not

fortunate。　　He　retained；　however；　his　presence　of　mind　sufficiently

to　kick　Uncle　Billy；　who　was　about　to　say　something；　and　Uncle

Billy　was　sober　enough　to　recognize　in　Mr。　Oakhurst's　kick　a

superior　power　that　would　not　bear　trifling。　　He　then　endeavored　to

dissuade　Tom　Simson　from　delaying　further；　but　in　vain。　　He　even

pointed　out　the　fact　that　there　was　no　provision；　nor　means　of

making　a　camp。　　But；　unluckily；　the　Innocent　met　this　objection　by

assuring　the　party　that　he　was　provided　with　an　extra　mule　loaded

with　provisions　and　by　the　discovery　of　a　rude　attempt　at　a　log

house　near　the　trail。　　〃Piney　can　stay　with　Mrs。　Oakhurst；〃　said

the　Innocent；　pointing　to　the　Duchess；　〃and　I　can　shift　for

myself。〃



Nothing　but　Mr。　Oakhurst's　admonishing　foot　saved　Uncle　Billy　from

bursting　into　a　roar　of　laughter。　　As　it　was；　he　felt　compelled　to

retire　up　the　canyon　until　he　could　recover　his　gravity。　　There　he

confided　the　joke　to　the　tall　pine　trees；　with　many　slaps　of　his

leg；　contortions　of　his　face；　and　the　usual　profanity。　　But　when　he

returned　to　the　party；　he　found　them　seated　by　a　firefor　the　air

had　grown　strangely　chill　and　the　sky　overcastin　apparently

amicable　conversation。　　Piney　was　actually　talking　in　an　impulsive；

girlish　fashion　to　the　Duchess；　who　was　listening　with　an　interest

and　animation　she　had　not　shown　for　many　days。　　The　Innocent　was

holding　forth；　apparently　with　equal　effect；　to　Mr。　Oakhurst　and

Mother　Shipton；　who　was　actually　relaxing　into　amiability