found at blazing star-第6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！



could　be　more　fit　for　presenting　to　capital　a　locality　that　even

produced　engagement　rings；　and；　as　Jim　Fauquier　put　it；　〃the　men　ez

knew　how　to　keep　'em。〃　　It　was　this　sympathetic　Virginian　who　took

Cass　aside　with　the　following　generous　suggestion：　〃If　you　find

that　you　and　the　old　gal　couldn't　hitch　hosses；　owin'　to　your　not

likin'　red　hair　or　a　game　leg〃　（it　may　be　here　recorded　that

Blazing　Star　had；　for　no　reason　whatever；　attributed　these

unprepossessing　qualities　to　the　mysterious　advertiser）；　〃you　might

let　ME　in。　　You　might　say　ez　how　I　used　to　jest　worship　that　ring

with　you；　and　allers　wanted　to　borrow　it　on　Sundays。　　If　anything

comes　of　itwhyWE'RE　PARDNERS！〃



A　serious　question　was　the　outfitting　of　Cass　for　what　now　was　felt

to　be　a　diplomatic　representation　of　the　community。　　His　garments；

it　hardly　need　be　said；　were　inappropriate　to　any　wooing　except

that　of　the　〃maiden　all　forlorn；〃　which　the　advertiser　clearly　was

not。　　〃He　might；〃　suggested　Fauquier；　〃drop　in　jest　as　he　is

kinder　as　if　he'd　got　keerless　of　the　world；　being　lovesick。〃　　But

Cass　objected　strongly；　and　was　borne　out　in　his　objection　by　his

younger　comrades。　　At　last　a　pair　of　white　duck　trousers；　a　red

shirt；　a　flowing　black　silk　scarf；　and　a　Panama　hat　were　procured

at　Red　Chief；　on　credit；　after　a　judicious　exhibition　of　the

advertisement。　　A　heavy　wedding　ring；　the　property　of　Drummond　（who

was　not　married）；　was　also　lent　as　a　graceful　suggestion；　and　at

the　last　moment　Fauquier　affixed　to　Cass's　scarf　an　enormous

specimen　pin　of　gold　and　quartz。　　〃It　sorter　indicates　the

auriferous　wealth　o'　this　yer　region；　and　the　old　man　（the　senior

member　of　Bookham　&　Sons）　needn't　know　I　won　it　at　draw　poker　in

Frisco；〃　said　Fauquier。



〃Ef　you　'pass'　on　the　gal；　you　kin　hand　it　back　to　me　and　I'LL　try

it　on。〃　　Forty　dollars　for　expenses　was　put　into　Cass's　hands；　and

the　entire　community　accompanied　him　to　the　cross　roads　where　he

was　to　meet　the　Sacramento　coach；　which　eventually　carried　him

away；　followed　by　a　benediction　of　waving　hats　and　exploding

revolvers。



That　Cass　did　not　participate　in　the　extravagant　hopes　of　his

comrades；　and　that　he　rejected　utterly　their　matrimonial

speculations　in　his　behalf；　need　not　be　said。　　Outwardly；　he　kept

his　own　counsel　with　good…humored　assent。　　But　there　was　something

fascinating　in　the　situation；　and　while　he　felt　he　had　forever

abandoned　his　romantic　dream；　he　was　not　displeased　to　know　that　it

might　have　proved　a　reality。　　Nor　was　it　distasteful　to　him　to

think　that　Miss　Porter　would　hear　of　it　and　regret　her　late

inability　to　appreciate　his　sentiment。　　If　he　really　were　the

object　of　some　opulent　maiden's　passion；　he　would　show　Miss　Porter

how　he　could　sacrifice　the　most　brilliant　prospects　for　her　sake。

Alone；　on　the　top　of　the　coach；　he　projected　one　of　those

satisfying　conversations　in　which　imaginative　people　delight；　but

which　unfortunately　never　come　quite　up　to　rehearsal。　　〃Dear　Miss

Porter；〃　he　would　say；　addressing　the　back　of　the　driver；　〃if　I

could　remain　faithful　to　a　dream　of　my　youth；　however　illusive　and

unreal；　can　you　believe　that　for　the　sake　of　lucre　I　could　be　false

to　the　one　real　passion　that　alone　supplanted　it。〃　　In　the

composition　and　delivery　of　this　eloquent　statement　an　hour　was

happily　forgotten：　the　only　drawback　to　its　complete　effect　was

that　a　misplace　of　epithets　in　rapid　repetition　did　not　seem　to

make　the　slightest　difference；　and　Cass　found　himself　saying　〃Dear

Miss　Porter；　if　I　could　be　false　to　a　dream　of　my　youth；　etc。；

etc。；　can　you　believe　I　could　be　FAITHFUL　to　the　one　real　passion；

etc。；　etc。；〃　with　equal　and　perfect　satisfaction。　　As　Miss　Porter

was　reputed　to　be　well　off；　if　the　unknown　were　poor；　that　might　be

another　drawback。



The　banking　house　of　Bookham　&　Sons　did　not　present　an　illusive　nor

mysterious　appearance。　　It　was　eminently　practical　and　matter　of

fact；　it　was　obtrusively　open　and　glassy；　nobody　would　have　thought

of　leaving　a　secret　there　that　would　have　been　inevitably

circulated　over　the　counter。　　Cass　felt　an　uncomfortable　sense　of

incongruity　in　himself；　in　his　story；　in　his　treasure；　to　this

temple　of　disenchanting　realism。　　With　the　awkwardness　of　an

embarrassed　man　he　was　holding　prominently　in　his　hand　an　envelope

containing　the　ring　and　advertisement　as　a　voucher　for　his

intrusion；　when　the　nearest　clerk　took　the　envelope　from　his　hand；

opened　it；　took　out　the　ring；　returned　it；　said　briskly；　〃T'other

shop；　next　door；　young　man；〃　and　turned　to　another　customer。



Cass　stepped　to　the　door；　saw　that　〃T'other　shop〃　was　a

pawnbroker's；　and　returned　again　with　a　flashing　eye　and　heightened

color。　　〃It's　an　advertisement　I　have　come　to　answer；〃　he　began

again。



The　clerk　cast　a　glance　at　Cass's　scarf　and　pin。　　〃Place　taken

yesterdayno　room　for　any　more；〃　he　said；　abruptly。



Cass　grew　quite　white。　　But　his　old　experience　in　Blazing　Star

repartee　stood　him　in　good　stead。　　〃If　it's　YOUR　place　you　mean；〃

he　said　coolly；　〃I　reckon　you　might　put　a　dozen　men　in　the　hole

you're　rattlin'　round　inbut　it's　this　advertisement　I'm　after。

If　Bookham　isn't　in；　maybe　you'll　send　me　one　of　the　grown…up

sons。〃　　The　production　of　the　advertisement　and　some　laughter　from

the　bystanders　had　its　effect。　　The　pert　young　clerk　retired；　and

returned　to　lead　the　way　to　the　bank　parlor。　　Cass's　heart　sank

again　as　he　was　confronted　by　a　dark；　iron…gray　manin　dress；

features；　speech；　and　actionuncompromisingly　opposed　to　Casshis

ring　and　his　romance。　　When　the　young　man　had　told　his　story　and

produced　his　treasure　he　paused。　　The　banker　scarcely　glanced　at

it；　but　said；　impatiently；



〃Well；　your　papers？〃



〃My　papers？〃



〃Yes。　　Proof　of　your　identity。　　You　say　your　name　is　Cass　Beard。

Good！　　What　have　you　got　to　prove　it？　　How　can　I　tell　who　you　are？〃



To　a　sensitive　man　there　is　no　form　of　suspicion　that　is　as

bewildering　and　demoralizing　at　the　moment　as　the　question　of　his

identity。　　Cass　felt　the　insult　in　the　doubt　of　his　word；　and　the

palpable　sense　of　his　present　inability　to　prove　it。　　The　banker

watched　him　keenly　but　not　unkindly。



〃Come；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃this　is　not　my　affair；　if　you　can

legally　satisfy　the　lady　for　whom　I　am　only　agent；　well　and　good。

I　believe　you　can；　I　only　warn　you　that　you　must。　　And　my　present

inquiry　was　to　keep　her　from　losing　her　time　with　impostors；　a

class　I　don't　think　you　belong　to。　　There's　her　card。　　Good　day。〃



〃Miss　Mortimer。〃　　It　was　NOT　the　banker's　daughter。　　The　first

illusion　of　Blazing　Star　was　rudely　dispelled。　　But　the　care　taken

by　the　capitalist　to　shield　her　from　imposture　indicated　a　person

of　wealth。　　Of　her　youth　and　beauty　Cass　no　longer　thought。



The　address　given　was　not　distant。　　With　a　beating　heart　he　rung

the　bell　of　a　respectable…looking　house；　and　was　ushered　into　a

private　drawing…room。　　Instinctively　he　felt　that　the　room　was　only

temporarily　inhabited；　an　air　peculiar　to　the　best　lodgings；　and

when　the　door　opened　upon　a　tall　lady　in　deep　mourning；　he　was

still　more　convinced　of　an　incongruity　between　the　occupant　and　her

surroundings。　　With　a　smile　that　vacillated　between　a　habit　of

familiarity　and　ease；　and　a　recent　restraint；　she　motioned　him　to　a

chair。



〃Miss　Mortimer〃　was　still　young；　still　handsome；　still　fashionably

dressed；　and　still　attractive。　　From　her　first　greeting　to　the　end

of　the　interview　Cass　felt　that　she　knew　all　about　him。　　This

relieved　him　from　the　onus　of　proving　his　identity；　but　seemed　to

put　him　vaguely　at　a　disadvantage。　　It　increased　his　sense　of

inexperience　and　youthfulness。



〃I　hope　you　will　believe；〃　she　began；　〃that　the　few　questions　I

have　to　ask　you　are　to　satisfy　my　own　heart；　and　for　no　other

purpose。〃　　She　smiled　sadly　as　she　went　on。　　〃Had　it　been

otherwise；　I　should　have　instituted　a　legal　inquiry；　and　left　this

interview　to　some　one　cooler；　calmer；　and　less　interested　than

myself。　　But　I　think；　I　KNOW　I　can　trust　you。　　Perhaps　we　women　are

weak　and　foolish　to　talk　of　an　INSTINCT；　and　when　you　know　my　story

you　may　have　reason　to　believe　that　but　little　dependence　can　be

placed　on　THAT；　but　I　am　not　wrong　in　saying；am　I？〃　（with　a　sad

smile）　〃that　YOU　are　not　above　that　weakness？〃　　She　paused；　closed

her　lips　tightly；　and　grasped　her　hands　before　her。　　〃You　say　you

found　that　ring　in　the　road　some　three　months　beforethetheyou

know　what　I　meanthe　bodywas　discovered？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　thought　it　might　have　been　dropped　by　some　one　in　passing？〃



〃I　thought　so；　yesit　belonged　to　no　one　in　camp。〃



〃Before　your　cabin　or　on　the　highway？〃



〃Before　my　cabin。〃



〃You　are　SURE？〃　　There　was　something　so　very　sweet　and　sad　in　her

smile　that　it　oddly　made　Cass　color。



〃But　my　cabin　is　near　the　road；〃　he　suggested。



〃I　see！　　And　there　was　nothing　else；　no　paper　nor　envelope？〃



〃Nothing。〃



〃And　you　kept　it　because　of　the　odd　resemblance　one　of　the　names

bore　to　yours？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃For　no　other　reason



〃None。〃　　Yet　Cass　felt　he　was　blushing。



〃You'll　forgive　my　repeating　a　question　you　have　already　answered；

but　I　am　so　anxious。　　There　was　some　attempt　to　prove　at　the

inquest　that　the　ring　had　been　found　on　the　body　ofthe

unfortunate　man。　　But　you　tell　me　it　was　not　so？〃



〃I　can　swear　it。〃



〃Good　Godthe　traitor！〃　　She　took　a　hurried　step　forward；　turned

to　the　window；　and　then　came　back　to　Cass　with　a　voice　broken　with

emotion。　　〃I　have　told　you　I　could　trust　you。　　That　ring　was　mine！〃



She　stopped；　and　then　went　on　hurriedly。　　〃Years　ago　I　gave　it　to　a

man　who　deceived　and　wronged　me；　a　man　whose　life　since　then　has

been　a　shame　and　disgrace　to　all　who　knew　him。　　A　man　who；　once；　a

gentleman；　sank　so　low　as　to　become　the　associate　of　thieves　and

ruffians；　sank　so　low；　that　when　he　died；　by　violencea　traitor