in a hollow of the hills-第11部分

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compelled　to　ask　you　for　the　satchel　under　your　seat。　　It　will　be
returned　to　you　when　the　package　is　removed。〃

〃One　moment；〃　said　the　professional　man　indignantly；　〃there　is　a
man　here　whom　you　have　spared；a　man　who　lately　joined　us。　　Is
that　man；〃　pointing　to　the　astonished　Key；　〃one　of　your
confederates？〃

〃That　man；〃　returned　the　spokesman　with　a　laugh；　〃is　the　owner　of
the　Sylvan　Hollow　Mine。　　We　have　spared　him　because　we　owe　him　some
consideration　for　having　been　turned　out　of　his　house　at　the　dead
of　night　while　the　sheriff　of　Sierra　was　seeking　us。〃　　He　stopped；
and　then　in　an　entirely　different　voice；　and　in　a　totally　changed
manner；　said　roughly；　〃Tumble　in　there；　all　of　you；　quick！　　And
you；　sir〃　（to　Key）；〃I'd　advise　you　to　ride　outside。　　Now；　driver；
raise　so　much　as　a　rein　or　a　whiplash　until　you　hear　the　signal
and　by　God！　you'll　know　what　next。〃　　He　stepped　back；　and　seemed　to
be　instantly　swallowed　up　in　the　darkness；　but　the　light　of　a
solitary　bull's…eyethe　holder　himself　invisiblestill　showed　the
muzzles　of　the　guns　covering　the　driver。　　There　was　a　momentary
stir　of　voices　within　the　closed　coach；　but　an　angry　roar　of
〃Silence！〃　from　the　darkness　hushed　it。

The　moments　crept　slowly　by；　all　now　were　breathless。　　Then　a　clear
whistle　rang　from　the　distance；　the　light　suddenly　was
extinguished；　the　leveled　muzzles　vanished　with　it；　the　driver's
lash　fell　simultaneously　on　the　backs　of　his　horses；　and　the　coach
leaped　forward。

The　jolt　nearly　threw　Key　from　the　top；　but　a　moment　later　it　was
still　more　difficult　to　keep　his　seat　in　the　headlong　fury　of　their
progress。　　Again　and　again　the　lash　descended　upon　the　maddened
horses；　until　the　whole　coach　seemed　to　leap；　bound；　and　swerve
with　every　stroke。　　Cries　of　protest　and　even　distress　began　to
come　from　the　interior；　but　the　driver　heeded　it　not。　　A　window　was
suddenly　let　down；　the　voice　of　the　professional　man　saying；
〃What's　the　matter？　　We're　not　followed。　　You　are　imperiling　our
lives　by　this　speed；〃　was　answered　only　by；　〃Will　some　of　ye
throttle　that　dd　fool？〃　from　the　driver；　and　the　renewed　fall　of
the　lash。　　The　wayside　trees　appeared　a　solid　plateau　before　them；
opened；　danced　at　their　side；　closed　up　again　behind　them；but
still　they　sped　along。　　Rushing　down　grades　with　the　speed　of　an
avalanche；　they　ascended　again　without　drawing　rein；　and　as　if　by
sheer　momentum；　for　the　heavy　vehicle　now　seemed　to　have　a
diabolical　energy　of　its　own。　　It　ground　scattered　rocks　to　powder
with　its　crushing　wheels；　it　swayed　heavily　on　ticklish　corners；
recovering　itself　with　the　resistless　forward　propulsion　of　the
straining　teams；　until　the　lights　of　Three　Pine　Station　began　to
glitter　through　the　trees。　　Then　a　succession　of　yells　broke　from
the　driver；　so　strong　and　dominant　that　they　seemed　to　outstrip
even　the　speed　of　the　unabated　cattle。　　Lesser　lights　were
presently　seen　running　to　and　fro；　and　on　the　outermost　fringe　of
the　settlement　the　stage　pulled　up　before　a　crowd　of　wondering
faces；　and　the　driver　spoke。

〃We've　been　held　up　on　the　open　road；　by　Gd；　not　THREE　MILES　from
whar　ye　men　are　sittin'　here　yawpin'！　　If　thar's　a　man　among　ye
that　hasn't　got　the　soul　of　a　skunk；　he'll　foller　and　close　in　upon
'em　before　they　have　a　chance　to　get　into　the　brush。〃　　Having　thus
relieved　himself　of　his　duty　as　an　enforced　noncombatant；　and
allowed　all　further　responsibility　to　devolve　upon　his　recreant
fellow　employees；　he　relapsed　into　his　usual　taciturnity；　and　drove
a　trifle　less　recklessly　to　the　station；　where　he　grimly　set　down
his　bruised　and　discomfited　passengers。　　As　Key　mingled　with　them；
he　could　not　help　perceiving　that　neither　the　late　〃orator's〃
explanation　of　his　exemption　from　their　fate；　nor　the　driver's
surly　corroboration　of　his　respectability；　had　pacified　them。　　For
a　time　this　amused　him；　particularly　as　he　could　not　help
remembering　that　he　first　appeared　to　them　beside　the　mysterious
horseman　who　some　one　thought　had　been　identified　as　one　of　the
masks。　　But　he　was　not　a　little　piqued　to　find　that　the　fair
unknown　appeared　to　participate　in　their　feelings；　and　his　first
civility　to　her　met　with　a　chilling　response。　　Even　then；　in　the
general　disillusion　of　his　romance　regarding　her；　this　would　have
been　only　a　momentary　annoyance；　but　it　strangely　revived　all　his
previous　suspicions；　and　set　him　to　thinking。　　Was　the　singular
sagacity　displayed　by　the　orator　in　his　search　purely　intuitive？
Could　any　one　have　disclosed　to　him　the　secret　of　the　passengers'
hoards？　　Was　it　possible　for　HER　while　sitting　alone　in　the　coach
to　have　communicated　with　the　band？　　Suddenly　the　remembrance
flashed　across　him　of　her　opening　the　window　for　fresh　air！　　She
could　have　easily　then　dropped　some　signal。　　If　this　were　so；　and
she　really　was　the　culprit；　it　was　quite　natural　for　her　own　safety
that　she　should　encourage　the　passengers　in　the　absurd　suspicion　of
himself！　　His　dying　interest　revived；　a　few　moments　ago　he　had　half
resolved　to　abandon　his　quest　and　turn　back　at　Three　Pines。　　Now　he
determined　to　follow　her　to　the　end。　　But　he　did　not　indulge　in　any
further　sophistry　regarding　his　duty；　yet；　in　a　new　sense　of　honor；
he　did　not　dream　of　retaliating　upon　her　by　communicating　his
suspicions　to　his　fellow　passengers。　　When　the　coach　started　again；
he　took　his　seat　on　the　top；　and　remained　there　until　they　reached
Jamestown　in　the　early　evening。　　Here　a　number　of　his　despoiled
companions　were　obliged　to　wait；　to　communicate　with　their　friends。
Happily；　the　exemption　that　had　made　them　indignant　enabled　him　to
continue　his　journey　with　a　full　purse。　　But　he　was　content　with　a
modest　surveillance　of　the　lady　from　the　top　of　the　coach。

On　arriving　at　Stockton　this　surveillance　became　less　easy。　　It　was
the　terminus　of　the　stage…route；　and　the　divergence　of　others　by
boat　and　rail。　　If　he　were　lucky　enough　to　discover　which　one　the
lady　took；　his　presence　now　would　be　more　marked；　and　might　excite
her　suspicion。　　But　here　a　circumstance；　which　he　also　believed　to
be　providential；　determined　him。　　As　the　luggage　was　being　removed
from　the　top　of　the　coach；　he　overheard　the　agent　tell　the
expressman　to　check　the　〃lady's〃　trunk　to　San　Luis。　　Key　was　seized
with　an　idea　which　seemed　to　solve　the　difficulty；　although　it
involved　a　risk　of　losing　the　clue　entirely。　　There　were　two　routes
to　San　Luis；　one　was　by　stage；　and　direct；　though　slower；　the　other
by　steamboat　and　rail；　via　San　Francisco。　　If　he　took　the　boat；
there　was　less　danger　of　her　discovering　him；　even　if　she　chose　the
same　conveyance；　if　she　took　the　direct　stage；and　he　trusted　to　a
woman's　avoidance　of　the　hurry　of　change　and　transshipment　for　that
choice；he　would　still　arrive　at　San　Luis；　via　San　Francisco；　an
hour　before　her。　　He　resolved　to　take　the　boat；　a　careful　scrutiny
from　a　stateroom　window　of　the　arriving　passengers　on　the　gangplank
satisfied　him　that　she　had　preferred　the　stage。　　There　was　still
the　chance　that　in　losing　sight　of　her　she　might　escape　him；　but
the　risk　seemed　small。　　And　a　trifling　circumstance　had　almost
unconsciously　influenced　himafter　his　romantic　and　superstitious
fashionas　to　this　final　step。

He　had　been　singularly　moved　when　he　heard　that　San　Luis　was　the
lady's　probable　destination。　　It　did　not　seem　to　bear　any　relation
to　the　mountain　wilderness　and　the　wild　life　she　had　just　quitted；
it　was　apparently　the　most　antipathic；　incongruous；　and
inconsistent　refuge　she　could　have　taken。　　It　offered　no
opportunity　for　the　disposal　of　booty；　or　for　communication　with
the　gang。　　It　was　less　secure　than　a　crowded　town。　　An　old　Spanish
mission　and　monastery　college　in　a　sleepy　pastoral　plain；it　had
even　retained　its　old…world　flavor　amidst　American　improvements　and
social　revolution。　　He　knew　it　well。　　From　the　quaint　college
cloisters；　where　the　only　reposeful　years　of　his　adventurous　youth
had　been　spent；　to　the　long　Alameda；　or　double　avenues　of　ancient
trees；　which　connected　it　with　the　convent　of　Santa　Luisa；　and　some
of　his　youthful　〃devotions；〃it　had　been　the　nursery　of　his
romance。　　He　was　amused　at　what　seemed　to　be　the　irony　of　fate；　in
now　linking　it　with　this　folly　of　his　maturer　manhood；　and　yet　he
was　uneasily　conscious　of　being　more　seriously　affected　by　it。　　And
it　was　with　a　greater　anxiety　than　this　adventure　had　ever　yet　cost
him　that　he　at　last　arrived　at　the　San　Jose　hotel；　and　from　a
balcony　corner　awaited　the　coming　of　the　coach。　　His　heart　beat
rapidly　as　it　approached。　　She　was　there！　　But　at　her　side；　as　she
descended　from　the　coach；　was　the　mysterious　horseman　of　the　Sierra
road。　　Key　could　not　mistake　the　well…built　figure；　whatever　doubt
there　had　been　about　the　features；　which　had　been　so　carefully
concealed。　　With　the　astonishment　of　this　rediscovery；　there
flashed　across　him　again　the　fatefulness　of　the　inspiration　which
had　decided　him　not　to　go　in　the　coach。　　His　presence　there　would
have　no　doubt　warned　the　stranger；　and　so　estopped　this　convincing
denouement。　　It　was　quite　possible　that　her　companion；　by　relays　of
horses　and　the　advantage　of　bridle　cut…offs；　could　have　easily
followed　the　Three　Pine　coach　and　joined　her　at　Stockton。　　But　for
what　purpose？　　The　lady's　trunk；　which　had　not　been　disturbed
during　the　first　part　of　the　journey；　and　had　been　forwarded　at
Stockton　untouched　before　Key's　eyes；　could　not　have　contained
booty　to　be　disposed　of　in　this　forgotten　old　town。

The　register　of　the　hotel　bore　simply　the　name　of　〃Mrs。　Barker；〃　of
Stockton；　but　no　record　of　her　companion；　who　seemed　to　have
disappeared　as　mysteriously　as　he　came。　　That　she　occupied　a
sitting…room　on　the　same　floor　as　his　ownin　which　she　was
apparently　secluded　during　the　rest　of　the　daywas　all　he　knew。
Nobody　else　seemed　to　know　her。　　Key　felt　an　odd　hesitation；　that
might　have　been　the　result　of　some　vague　fear　of　implicating　her
prematurely；　in　making　any　marked　inquiry；　or　imperiling　his　secret
by　the　bribed　espionage　of　servants。　　Once　when　he　was　passing　her
door　he　heard　the　sounds　of　laughter；albeit　innocent　and　heart…
free；which　seemed　so　inconsistent　with　the　gravity　of　the
situation　a