in a hollow of the hills-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


and　the　cup　the　luminous　streak　of　burnished　silver！

He　stood　up　and　drew　a　long　breath　to　still　the　beatings　of　his
heart。　　Then　he　rapidly　re…climbed　the　rock；　and　passed　over　the
ruins　again；　this　time　plunging　hurriedly　through；　and　kicking
aside　the　charred　heaps　without　a　thought　of　what　they　had
contained。　　Key　was　not　an　unfeeling　man；　he　was　not　an　unrefined
one：　he　was　a　gentleman　by　instinct；　and　had　an　intuitive　sympathy
for　others；　but　in　that　instant　his　whole　mind　was　concentrated
upon　the　calcined　outcrop！　　And　his　first　impulse　was　to　see　if　it
bore　any　evidence　of　previous　examination；　prospecting；　or　working
by　its　suddenly　evicted　neighbors　and　owners。　　There　was　none：　they
had　evidently　not　known　it。　　Nor　was　there　any　reason　to　suppose
that　they　would　ever　return　to　their　hidden　home；　now　devastated
and　laid　bare　to　the　open　sunlight　and　open　trail。　　They　were
already　far　away；　their　guilty　personal　secret　would　keep　them　from
revisiting　it。　　An　immense　feeling　of　relief　came　over　the　soul　of
this　moral　romancer；　a　momentary　recognition　of　the　Most　High　in
this　perfect　poetical　retribution。　　He　ran　back　quickly　to　his
saddle…bags；　drew　out　one　or　two　carefully　written；　formal　notices
of　preemption　and　claim；　which　he　and　his　former　companions　had
carried　in　their　brief　partnership；　erased　their　signatures　and
left　only　his　own　name；　with　another　grateful　sense　of　Divine
interference；　as　he　thought　of　them　speeding　far　away　in　the
distance；　and　returned　to　the　ruins。　　With　unconscious　irony；　he
selected　a　charred　post　from　the　embers；　stuck　it　in　the　ground　a
few　feet　from　the　debris　of　outcrop；　and　finally　affixed　his
〃Notice。〃　　Then；　with　a　conscientiousness　born　possibly　of　his　new
religious　convictions；　he　dislodged　with　his　pickaxe　enough　of　the
brittle　outcrop　to　constitute　that　presumption　of　〃actual　work〃
upon　the　claim　which　was　legally　required　for　its　maintenance；　and
returned　to　his　horse。　　In　replacing　his　things　in　his　saddle…bags
he　came　upon　the　slipper；　and　for　an　instant　so　complete　was　his
preoccupation　in　his　later　discovery；　that　he　was　about　to　throw　it
away　as　useless　impedimenta；　until　it　occurred　to　him；　albeit
vaguely；　that　it　might　be　of　service　to　him　in　its　connection　with
that　discovery；　in　the　way　of　refuting　possible　false　claimants。
He　was　not　aware　of　any　faithlessness　to　his　momentary　romance；　any
more　than　he　was　conscious　of　any　disloyalty　to　his　old　companions；
in　his　gratification　that　his　good　fortune　had　come　to　him　alone。
This　singular　selection　was　a　common　experience　of　prospecting。
And　there　was　something　about　the　magnitude　of　his　discovery　that
seemed　to　point　to　an　individual　achievement。　　He　had　made　a　rough
calculation　of　the　richness　of　the　lode　from　the　quantity　of
precipitate　in　his　rude　experiment；　he　had　estimated　its　length；
breadth；　and　thickness　from　his　slight　knowledge　of　geology　and　the
theories　then　ripe；　and　the　yield　would　be　colossal！　　Of　course；　he
would　require　capital　to　work　it；　he　would　have　to　〃let　in〃　others
to　his　scheme　and　his　prosperity；　but　the　control　of　it　would
always　be　HIS　OWN。

Then　he　suddenly　started　as　he　had　never　in　his　life　before　started
at　the　foot　of　man！　　For　there　was　a　footfall　in　the　charred　brush；
and　not　twenty　yards　from　him　stood　Collinson；　who　had　just
dismounted　from　a　mule。　　The　blood　rushed　to　Key's　pale　face。

〃Prospectin'　agin？〃　said　the　proprietor　of　the　mill；　with　his　weary
smile。

〃No；〃　said　Key　quickly；　〃only　straightening　my　pack。〃　　The　blood
deepened　in　his　cheek　at　his　instinctive　lie。　　Had　he　carefully
thought　it　out　before；　he　would　have　welcomed　Collinson；　and　told
him　all。　　But　now　a　quick；　uneasy　suspicion　flashed　upon　him。
Perhaps　his　late　host　had　lied；　and　knew　of　the　existence　of　the
hidden　house。　　Perhapshe　had　spoken　of　some　〃silvery　rock〃　the
night　beforehe　even　knew　something　of　the　lode　itself。　　He　turned
upon　him　with　an　aggressive　face。　　But　Collinson's　next　words
dissipated　the　thought。

〃I'm　glad　I　found　ye；　anyhow；〃　he　said。　　〃Ye　see；　arter　you　left；　I
saw　ye　turn　off　the　trail　and　make　for　the　burning　woods　instead　o'
goin'　round。　　I　sez　to　myself；　'That　fellow　is　making　straight　for
Skinner's。　　He's　sorter　worried　about　me　and　that　empty　pork
bar'l；'I　hadn't　oughter　spoke　that　away　afore　you　boys；　anyhow；
'and　he's　takin'　risks　to　help　me。'　　So　I　reckoned　I'd　throw　my　leg
over　Jenny　here；　and　look　arter　yeand　go　over　to　Skinner's
myselfand　vote。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Key　with　cheerful　alacrity；　and　the　one　thought
of　getting　Collinson　away；　〃we'll　go　together；　and　we'll　see　that
that　pork　barrel　is　filled！〃　　He　glowed　quite　honestly　with　this
sudden　idea　of　remembering　Collinson　through　his　good　fortune。
〃Let's　get　on　quickly；　for　we　may　find　the　fire　between　us　on　the
outer　trail。〃　　He　hastily　mounted　his　horse。

〃Then　you　didn't　take　this　as　a　short　cut；〃　said　Collinson；　with
dull　perseverance　in　his　idea。　　〃Why　not？　　It　looks　all　clear
ahead。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Key　hurriedly；　〃but　it's　been　only　a　leap　of　the　fire；
it's　still　raging　round　the　bend。　　We　must　go　back　to　the　cross…
trail。〃　　His　face　was　still　flushing　with　his　very　equivocating；
and　his　anxiety　to　get　his　companion　away。　　Only　a　few　steps
further　might　bring　Collinson　before　the　ruins　and　the　〃Notice；〃
and　that　discovery　must　not　be　made　by　him　until　Key's　plans　were
perfected。　　A　sudden　aversion　to　the　man　he　had　a　moment　before
wished　to　reward　began　to　take　possession　of　him。　　〃Come　on；〃　he
added　almost　roughly。

But　to　his　surprise；　Collinson　yielded　with　his　usual　grim
patience；　and　even　a　slight　look　of　sympathy　with　his　friend's
annoyance。　　〃I　reckon　you're　right；　and　mebbee　you're　in　a　hurry　to
get　to　Skinner's　all　along　o'　MY　business；　I　oughtn't　hev　told　you
boys　what　I　did。〃　　As　they　rode　rapidly　away　he　took　occasion　to
add；　when　Key　had　reined　in　slightly；　with　a　feeling　of　relief　at
being　out　of　the　hollow；　〃I　was　thinkin'；　too；　of　what　you'd　asked
about　any　one　livin'　here　unbeknownst　to　me。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Key；　with　a　new　nervousness。

〃Well；　I　only　had　an　idea　o'　proposin'　that　you　and　me　just　took　a
look　around　that　holler　whar　you　thought　you　saw　suthin'！〃　said
Collinson　tentatively。

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Key　hurriedly。　　〃We　really　saw　nothingit　was　all
a　fancy；　and　Uncle　Dick　was　joking　me　because　I　said　I　thought　I
saw　a　woman's　face；〃　he　added　with　a　forced　laugh。

Collinson　glanced　at　him；　half　sadly。　　〃Oh！　　You　were　only　funnin'；
then。　　I　oughter　guessed　that。　　I　oughter　have　knowed　it　from　Uncle
Dick's　talk！〃　　They　rode　for　some　moments　in　silence；　Key
preoccupied　and　feverish；　and　eager　only　to　reach　Skinner's。
Skinner　was　not　only　postmaster　but　〃registrar〃　of　the　district；
and　the　new　discoverer　did　not　feel　entirely　safe　until　he　had　put
his　formal　notification　and　claims　〃on　record。〃　　This　was　no
publication　of　his　actual　secret；　nor　any　indication　of　success；
but　was　only　a　record　that　would　in　all　probability　remain
unnoticed　and　unchallenged　amidst　the　many　other　hopeful　dreams　of
sanguine　prospectors。　　But　he　was　suddenly　startled　from　his
preoccupation。

〃Ye　said　ye　war　straightenin'　up　yer　pack　just　now；〃　said　Collinson
slowly。

〃Yes！〃　said　Key　almost　angrily；　〃and　I　was。〃

〃Ye　didn't　stop　to　straighten　it　up　down　at　the　forks　of　the　trail；
did　ye？〃

〃I　may　have；〃　said　Key　nervously。　　〃But　why？〃

〃Ye　won't　mind　my　axin'　ye　another　question；　will　ye？　　Ye　ain't
carryin'　round　with　ye　no　woman's　shoe？〃

Key　felt　the　blood　drop　from　his　cheeks。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he
stammered；　scarcely　daring　to　lift　his　conscious　eyelids　to　his
companion's　glance。　　But　when　he　did　so　he　was　amazed　to　find　that
Collinson's　face　was　almost　as　much　disturbed　as　his　own。

〃I　know　it　ain't　the　square　thing　to　ask　ye；　but　this　is　how　it
is；〃　said　Collinson　hesitatingly。　　〃Ye　see　just　down　by　the　fork　of
the　trail　where　you　came　I　picked　up　a　woman's　shoe。　　It　sorter　got
me！　　For　I　sez　to　myself；　'Thar　ain't　no　one　bin　by　my　shanty；
comin'　or　goin'；　for　weeks　but　you　boys；　and　that　shoe；　from　the
looks　of　it；　ain't　bin　there　as　many　hours。'　　I　knew　there　wasn't
any　wimin　hereabouts。　　I　reckoned　it　couldn't　hev　bin　dropped　by
Uncle　Dick　or　that　other　man；　for　you　would　have　seen　it　on　the
road。　　So　I　allowed　it　might　have　bin　YOU。　　And　yer　it　is。〃　　He
slowly　drew　from　his　pocketwhat　Key　was　fully　prepared　to　see
the　mate　of　the　slipper　Key　had　in　his　saddle…bags！　　The　fair
fugitive　had　evidently　lost　them　both。

But　Key　was　better　prepared　now　（perhaps　this　kind　of　dissimulation
is　progressive）；　and　quickly　alive　to　the　necessity　of　throwing
Collinson　off　this　unexpected　scent。　　And　his　companion's　own
suggestion　was　right　to　his　hand；　and；　as　it　seemed；　again　quite
providential！　　He　laughed；　with　a　quick　color；　which；　however；
appeared　to　help　his　lie；　as　he　replied　half　hysterically；　〃You're
right；　old　man；　I　own　up；　it's　mine！　　It's　dd　silly；　I　knowbut
then；　we're　all　fools　where　women　are　concernedand　I　wouldn't
have　lost　that　slipper　for　a　mint　of　money。〃

He　held　out　his　hand　gayly；　but　Collinson　retained　the　slipper
while　he　gravely　examined　it。

〃You　wouldn't　mind　telling　me　where　you　mought　hev　got　that？〃　he
said　meditatively。

〃Of　course　I　should　mind；〃　said　Key　with　a　well…affected　mingling
of　mirth　and　indignation。　　〃What　are　you　thinking　of；　you　old
rascal？　　What　do　you　take　me　for？〃

But　Collinson　did　not　laugh。　　〃You　wouldn't　mind　givin'　me　the　size
and　shape　and　general　heft　of　her　as　wore　that　shoe？〃

〃Most　decidedly　I　should　do　nothing　of　the　kind！〃　said　Key　half
impatiently。　　〃Enough；　that　it　was　given　to　me　by　a　very　pretty
girl。　　There！　that's　all　you　will　know。〃

〃GIVEN　to　you？〃　said　Collinson；　lifting　his　eyes。

〃Yes；〃　returned　Key　sharply。

Collinson　handed　him　the　slipper　gravely。　　〃I　only　asked　you；〃　he
said　slowly；　but　with　a　certain　quiet　dignity　which　Key　had　never
before　seen　in　his　face；　〃because　thar　was　suthin'　about　the　size；
and　shape；　and　fillin'　out　o'　that　shoe　that　kinder　reminded　me　of
some　'un；　but　that　some　'unher　as　mought　hev　stood　up　in　that
shoeain't　o'　that　kind　as　would　ever　stand　in