the story of a mine-第15部分

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jealousy　of　a　rival；　and　revealed　the　awful　secret　that　he

（DeLancy）　had　reason　to　expect　more　loyalty　from　his　（Hopkinson's）

wife。　　The　good　fellow　is　reported　to　have　been　very　sympathetic；

and　to　have　promised　Delaney　to　lend　whatever　influence　he　had　with

Mrs。　Hopkinson　in　his　favor。　　〃You　see；〃　he　said　explanatorily　to

DeLancy；　〃she　has　a　good　deal　to　attend　to　lately；　and　I　suppose

has　got　rather　careless；that's　women's　ways。　　But　if　I　can't

bring　her　round　I'll　speak　to　Gashwiler；I'll　get　him　to　use　his

influence　with　Mrs。　Hop。　　So　cheer　up；　my　boy；　HE'LL　make　it　all

right。〃



The　appearance　of　a　bouquet　on　the　table　of　Mrs。　Hopkinson　was　no

rare　event；　nevertheless；　Mr。　Gashwiler's　was　not　there。　　Its

hideous　contrasts　had　offended　her　woman's　eye；it　is　observable

that　good　taste　survives　the　wreck　of　all　the　other　feminine

virtues；and　she　had　distributed　it　to　make　boutonnieres　for　other

gentlemen。　　Yet；　when　he　appeared；　she　said　to　him　hastily；　putting

her　little　hand　over　the　cardiac　region：



〃I'm　so　glad　you　came。　　But　you　gave　me　SUCH　a　fright　an　hour　ago。〃



Mr。　Gashwiler　was　both　pleased　and　astounded。　　〃What　have　I　done；

my　dear　Mrs。　Hopkinson？〃　he　began。



〃Oh；　don't　talk；〃　she　said　sadly。　　〃What　have　you　done；　indeed！

Why；　you　sent　me　that　beautiful　bouquet。　　I　could　not　mistake　your

taste　in　the　arrangement　of　the　flowers；but　my　husband　was　here。

You　know　his　jealousy。　　I　was　obliged　to　conceal　it　from　him。

neverpromise　me　nowNEVER　do　it　again。〃



Mr。　Gashwiler　gallantly　protested。



〃No！　I　am　serious！　　I　was　so　agitated：　he　must　have　seen　me　blush。〃



Nothing　but　the　gross　flattery　to　this　speech　could　have　clouded

its　manifest　absurdity　to　the　Gashwiler　consciousness。　　But　Mr。

Gashwiler　had　already　succumbed　to　the　girlish　half…timidity　with

which　it　was　uttered。　　Nevertheless；　he　could　not　help　saying：



〃But　why　should　he　be　so　jealous　now？　　Only　day　before　yesterday　I

saw　Simpson　of　Duluth　hand　you　a　nosegay　right　before　him！〃



〃Ah；〃　returned　the　lady；　〃he　was　outwardly　calm　THEN；　but　you　know

nothing　of　the　scene　that　occurred　between　us　after　you　left。〃



〃But；〃　gasped　the　practical　Gashwiler；　〃Simpson　had　given　your

husband　that　contract；a　cool　fifty　thousand　in　his　pocket！〃



Mrs。　Hopkinson　looked　as　dignifiedly　at　Gashwiler　as　was　consistent

with　five　feet　three　（the　extra　three　inches　being　a　pyramidal

structure　of　straw…colored　hair）；　a　frond　of　faint　curls；　a　pair　of

laughing　blue　eyes；　and　a　small　belted　waist。　　Then　she　said；　with

a　casting　down　of　her　lids：



〃You　forget　that　my　husband　loves　me。〃　　And　for　once　the　minx

appeared　to　look　penitent。　　It　was　becoming；　but　as　it　had　been

originally　practiced　in　a　simple　white　dress；　relieved　only　with

pale…blue　ribbons；　it　was　not　entirely　in　keeping　with　be…flounced

lavender　and　rose…colored　trimmings。　　Yet　the　woman　who　hesitates

between　her　moral　expression　and　the　harmony　of　her　dress　is　lost。

And　Mrs。　Hopkinson　was　victrix　by　her　very　audacity。



Mr。　Gashwiler　was　flattered。　　The　most　dissolute　man　likes　the

appearance　of　virtue。　　〃But　graces　and　accomplishments　like　yours；

dear　Mrs。　Hopkinson；〃　he　said　oleaginously；　〃belong　to　the　whole

country。〃　　Which；　with　something　between　a　courtesy　and　a　strut；　he

endeavored　to　represent。　　〃And　I　shall　want　to　avail　myself　of

all；〃　he　added；　〃in　the　matter　of　the　Castro　claim。　　A　little

supper　at　Welcker's；　a　glass　or　two　of　champagne；　and　a　single

flash　of　those　bright　eyes；　and　the　thing　is　done。〃



〃But；〃　said　Mrs。　Hopkinson；　〃I've　promised　Josiah　that　I　would　give

up　all　those　frivolities；　and　although　my　conscience　is　clear；　you

know　how　people　talk！　　Josiah　hears　it。　　Why；　only　last　night；　at　a

reception　at　the　Patagonian　Minister's；　every　woman　in　the　room

gossiped　about　me　because　I　led　the　german　with　him。　　As　if　a

married　woman；　whose　husband　was　interested　in　the　Government；

could　not　be　civil　to　the　representative　of　a　friendly　power？〃



Mr。　Gashwiler　did　not　see　how　Mr。　Hopkinson's　late　contract　for

supplying　salt　pork　and　canned　provisions　to　the　army　of　the　United

States　should　make　his　wife　susceptible　to　the　advances　of　foreign

princes；　but　he　prudently　kept　that　to　himself。　　Still；　not　being

himself　a　diplomat；　he　could　not　help　saying：



〃But　I　understood　that　Mr。　Hopkinson　did　not　object　to　your

interesting　yourself　in　this　claim；　and　you　know　some　of　the

stock〃



The　lady　started；　and　said：



〃Stock！　　Dear　Mr。　Gashwiler；　for　Heaven's　sake　don't　mention　that

hideous　name　to　me。　　Stock；　I　am　sick　of　it！　　Have　you　gentlemen　no

other　topic　for　a　lady？〃



She　punctuated　her　sentence　with　a　mischievous　look　at　her

interlocutor。　　For　a　second　time　I　regret　to　say　that　Mr。　Gashwiler

succumbed。　　The　Roman　constituency　at　Remus；　it　is　to　be　hoped；

were　happily　ignorant　of　this　last　defection　of　their　great

legislator。　　Mr。　Gashwiler　instantly　forgot　his　theme；began　to

ply　the　lady　with　a　certain　bovine…like　gallantry；　which　it　is　to

be　said　to　her　credit　she　parried　with　a　playful；　terrier…like

dexterity；　when　the　servant　suddenly　announced；　〃Mr。　Wiles。〃



Gashwiler　started。　　Not　so　Mrs。　Hopkinson；　who；　however；　prudently

and　quietly　removed　her　own　chair　several　inches　from　Gashwiler's。



〃Do　you　know　Mr。　Wiles？〃　she　asked　pleasantly。



〃No！　　That　is；　Iahyes；　I　may　say　I　have　had　some　business

relations　with　him；〃　responded　Gashwiler　rising。



〃Won't　you　stay？〃　she　added　pleadingly。　　〃Do！〃



Mr。　Gashwiler's　prudence　always　got　the　better　of　his　gallantry。

〃Not　now；〃　he　responded　in　some　nervousness。　　〃Perhaps　I　had　better

go　now；　in　view　of　what　you　have　just　said　about　gossip。　　You　need

not　mention　my　name　to　this…erthisMr。　Wiles。〃　　And　with　one　eye

on　the　door；　and　an　awkward　dash　of　his　lips　at　the　lady's　fingers；

he　withdrew。



There　was　no　introductory　formula　to　Mr。　Wiles's　interview。　　He

dashed　at　once　in　medias　res。　　〃Gashwiler　knows　a　woman　that；　he

says；　can　help　us　against　that　Spanish　girl　who　is　coming　here　with

proofs；　prettiness；　fascination；　and　what　not！　　You　must　find　her

out。〃



〃Why？〃　asked　the　lady　laughingly。



〃Because　I　don't　trust　that　Gashwiler。　　A　woman　with　a　pretty　face

and　an　ounce　of　brains　could　sell　him　out；　aye；　and　US　with　him。〃



〃Oh；　say　TWO　ounces　of　brains。　　Mr。　Wiles；　Mr。　Gashwiler　is　no

fool。〃



〃Possibly；　except　when　your　sex　is　concerned；　and　it　is　very　likely

that　the　woman　is　his　superior。〃



〃I　should　think　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Hopkinson　with　a　mischievous　look。



〃Ah；　you　know　her；　then？〃



〃Not　so　well　as　I　know　him；〃　said　Mrs。　H。　quite　seriously。　　〃I　wish

I　did。〃



〃Well；　you'll　find　out　if　she's　to　be　trusted！　　You　are　laughing；

it　is　a　serious　matter！　　This　woman〃



Mrs。　Hopkinson　dropped　him　a　charming　courtesy　and　said；



〃C'est　moi！〃





CHAPTER　XII



A　RACE　FOR　IT





Royal　Thatcher　worked　hard。　　That　the　boyish　little　painter　who

shared　his　hospitality　at　the　〃Blue　Mass〃　mine　should　afterward

have　little　part　in　his　active　life　seemed　not　inconsistent　with

his　habits。　　At　present　the　mine　was　his　only　mistress；　claiming

his　entire　time；　exasperating　him　with　fickleness；　but　still

requiring　that　supreme　devotion　of　which　his　nature　was　capable。

It　is　possible　that　Miss　Carmen　saw　this　too；　and　so　set　about　with

feminine　tact；　if　not　to　supplement；　at　least　to　make　her　rival

less　pertinacious　and　absorbing。　　Apart　from　this　object；　she

zealously　labored　in　her　profession；　yet　with　small　pecuniary

result；　I　fear。　　Local　art　was　at　a　discount　in　California。　　The

scenery　of　the　country　had　not　yet　become　famous；　rather　it　was

reserved　for　a　certain　Eastern　artist；　already　famous；　to　make　it

so；　and　people　cared　little　for　the　reproduction；　under　their　very

noses；　of　that　which　they　saw　continually　with　their　own　eyes；　and

valued　not。　　So　that　little　Mistress　Carmen　was　fain　to　divert　her

artist　soul　to　support　her　plump　little　material　body；　and　made

divers　excursions　into　the　regions　of　ceramic　art；　painting　on

velvet；　illuminating　missals；　decorating　china；　and　the　like。　　I

have　in　my　possession　some　wax　flowersa　startling　fuchsia　and　a

bewildering　dahliasold　for　a　mere　pittance　by　this　little　lady；

whose　pictures　lately　took　the　prize　at　a　foreign　exhibition；

shortly　after　she　had　been　half　starved　by　a　California　public；　and

claimed　by　a　California　press　as　its　fostered　child　of　genius。



Of　these　struggles　and　triumphs　Thatcher　had　no　knowledge；　yet　he

was　perhaps　more　startled　than　he　would　own　to　himself　when；　one

December　day；　he　received　this　despatch：　〃Come　to　Washington　at

once。Carmen　de　Haro。〃



〃Carmen　de　Haro！〃　　I　grieve　to　state　that　such　was　the　preoccupation

of　this　man；　elected　by　fate　to　be　the　hero　of　the　solitary　amatory

episode　of　his　story；　that　for　a　moment　he　could　not　recall　her。

When　the　honest　little　figure　that　had　so　manfully　stood　up　against

him；　and　had　proved　her　sex　by　afterwards　running　away　from　him；

came　back　at　last　to　his　memory；　he　was　at　first　mystified　and　then

self…reproachful。　　He　had　been；　he　felt　vaguely；　untrue　to　himself。

He　had　been　remiss　to　the　self…confessed　daughter　of　his　enemy。

Yet　why　should　she　telegraph　to　him；　and　what　was　she　doing　in

Washington？　　To　all　these　speculations　it　is　to　be　said　to　his

credit　that　he　looked　for　no　sentimental　or　romantic　answer。

Royal　Thatcher　was　naturally　modest　and　self…depreciating　in　his

relations　to　the　other　sex；　as　indeed　most　men　who　are　apt　to　be

successful　with　women　generally　are；　despite　a　vast　degree　of

superannuated　bosh　to　the　contrary。　　To　the　half　dozen　women　who　are

startled　by　sheer　audacity　into　submission　there　are　scores　who　are

piqued　by　a　self…respectful　patience；　and　where　a　women　has　to　do

half　the　wooing；　she　generally　makes　a　pretty　sure　thing　of　it。



In　his　bewilderment　Tha