the story of a mine-第16部分

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



In　his　bewilderment　Thatcher　had　overlooked　a　letter　lying　on　his

table。　　It　was　from　his　Washington　lawyer。　　The　concluding

paragraph　caught　his　eye；〃Perhaps　it　would　be　well　if　you　came

here　yourself。　　Roscommon　is　here；　and　they　say　there　is　a　niece　of

Garcia's；　lately　appeared；　who　is　likely　to　get　up　a　strong　social

sympathy　for　the　old　Mexican。　　I　don't　know　that　they　expect　to

prove　anything　by　her；　but　I'm　told　she　is　attractive　and　clever；

and　has　enlisted　the　sympathies　of　the　delegation。〃　　Thatcher　laid

the　letter　down　a　little　indignantly。　　Strong　men　are　quite　as

liable　as　weak　women　are　to　sudden　inconsistencies　on　any　question

they　may　have　in　common。　　What　right　had　this　poor　little　bud　he

had　cherished；he　was　quite　satisfied　now　that　he　had　cherished

her；　and　really　had　suffered　from　her　absence；what　right　had　she

to　suddenly　blossom　in　the　sunshine　of　power　to　be；　perhaps；

plucked　and　worn　by　one　of　his　enemies？　　He　did　not　agree　with　his

lawyer　that　she　was　in　any　way　connected　with　his　enemies：　he

trusted　to　her　masculine　loyalty　that　far。　　But　here　was　something

vaguely　dangerous　to　the　feminine　mind；position；　flattery；　power。

He　was　almost　as　firmly　satisfied　now　that　he　had　been　wronged　and

neglected　as　he　had　been　positive　a　few　moments　before　that　he　had

been　remiss　in　his　attention。　　The　irritation；　although　momentary；

was　enough　to　decide　this　strong　man。　　He　telegraphed　to　San

Francisco；　and；　having　missed　the　steamer；　secured　an　overland

passage　to　Washington；　thought　better　of　it；　and　partly　changed　his

mind　an　hour　after　the　ticket　was　purchased；　but；　manlike；　having

once　made　a　practical　step　in　a　wrong　direction；　he　kept　on　rather

than　admit　an　inconsistency　to　himself。　　Yet　he　was　not　entirely

satisfied　that　his　journey　was　a　business　one。　　The　impulsive；　weak

little　Mistress　Carmen　had　prudently　scored　one　against　the　strong

man。



Only　a　small　part　of　the　present　great　trans…continental　railway　at

this　time　had　been　built；　and　was　but　piers　at　either　end　of　a

desolate　and　wild　expanse　as　yet　unbridged。　　When　the　overland

traveller　left　the　rail　at　Reno；　he　left；　as　it　were；　civilization

with　it；　and；　until　he　reached　the　Nebraska　frontier；　the　rest　of

his　road　was　only　the　old　emigrant　trail　traversed　by　the　coaches

of　the　Overland　Company。　　Excepting　a　part　of　〃Devil's　Canyon；〃　the

way　was　unpicturesque　and　flat；　and　the　passage　of　the　Rocky

Mountains；　far　from　suggesting　the　alleged　poetry　of　that　region；

was　only　a　reminder　of　those　sterile　distances　of　a　level　New

England　landscape。



The　journey　was　a　dreary　monotony　that　was　scarcely　enlivened　by

its　discomforts；　never　amounting　to　actual　accident　or　incident；

but　utterly　destructive　to　all　nervous　tissue。　　Insanity　often

supervened。　　〃On　the　third　day　out；〃　said　Hank　Monk；　driver；

speaking　casually　but　charitably　of　a　〃fare；〃〃on　the　third　day

out；　after　axing　no　end　of　questions　and　getting　no　answers；　he

took　to　chewing　straws　that　he　picked　outer　the　cushion；　and

kussin'　to　hisself。　　From　that　very　day　I　knew　it　was　all　over　with

him；　and　I　handed　him　over　to　his　friends　at　'Shy　Ann；'　strapped　to

the　back　seat；　and　ravin'　and　cussin'　at　Ben　Holliday；　the

gent'manly　proprietor。〃　　It　is　presumed　that　the　unfortunate

tourist's　indignation　was　excited　at　the　late　Mr。　Benjamin

Holliday；　then　the　proprietor　of　the　line；an　evidence　of　his

insanity　that　no　one　who　knew　that　large…hearted；　fastidious；　and

elegantly…cultured　Californian；　since　allied　to　foreign　nobility；

will　for　a　moment　doubt。



Mr。　Royal　Thatcher　was　too　old　and　experienced　a　mountaineer　to　do

aught　but　accept　patiently　and　cynically　his　brother　Californian's

method　of　increasing　his　profits。　　As　it　was　generally　understood

that　any　one　who　came　from　California　by　that　route　had　some　dark

design；　the　victim　received　little　sympathy。　　Thatcher's　equable

temperament　and　indomitable　will　stood　him　in　good　stead；　and

helped　him　cheerfully　in　this　emergency。　　He　ate　his　scant　meals；

and　otherwise　took　care　of　the　functions　of　his　weak　human　nature；

when　and　where　he　could；　without　grumbling；　and　at　times　earned

even　the　praise　of　his　driver　by　his　ability　to　〃rough　it。〃　　Which

〃roughing　it；〃　by　the　way；　meant　the　ability　of　the　passengers　to

accept　the　incompetency　of　the　Company。　　It　is　true　there　were

times　when　he　regretted　that　he　had　not　taken　the　steamer；　but　then

he　reflected　that　he　was　one　of　a　Vigilance　Committee；　sworn　to

hang　that　admirable　man；　the　late　Commodore　Cornelius　Vanderbilt；

for　certain　practices　and　cruelties　done　upon　the　bodies　of　certain

steerage　passengers　by　his　line；　and　for　divers　irregularities　in

their　transportation。　　I　mention　this　fact　merely　to　show　how　so

practical　and　stout　a　voyager　as　Thatcher　might　have　confounded　the

perplexities　attending　the　administration　of　a　great　steamship

company　with　selfish　greed　and　brutality；　and　that　he；　with　other

Californians；　may　not　have　known　the　fact；　since　recorded　by　the

Commodore's　family　clergyman；　that　the　great　millionaire　was　always

true　to　the　hymns　of　his　childhood。



Nevertheless；　Thatcher　found　time　to　be　cheerful　and　helpful　to　his

fellow　passengers；　and　even　to　be　so　far　interesting　to　〃Yuba

Bill；〃　the　driver；　as　to　have　the　box　seat　placed　at　his　disposal。

〃But；〃　said　Thatcher；　in　some　concern；　〃the　box　seat　was　purchased

by　that　other　gentleman　in　Sacramento。　　He　paid　extra　for　it；　and

his　name's　on　your　way…bill！〃　　〃That；〃　said　Yuba　Bill；　scornfully；

〃don't　fetch　me　even　ef　he'd　chartered　the　whole　shebang。　　Look

yar；　do　you　reckon　I'm　goin'　to　spile　my　temper　by　setting　next　to

a　man　with　a　game　eye？　　And　such　an　eye！　　Gewhillikins！　　Why；　darn

my　skin；　the　other　day　when　we　war　watering　at　Webster's；　he　got

down　and　passed　in　front　of　the　off…leader；that　yer　pinto　colt

that's　bin　accustomed　to　injins；　grizzlies；　and　buffalo；　and　I'm

bless　ef；　when　her　eye　tackled　his；　ef　she　didn't　jist　git　up　and

rar　round　that　I　reckoned　I'd　hev　to　go　down　and　take　them　blinders

off　from　HER　eyes　and　clap　on　HIS。〃　　〃But　he　paid　the　money；　and　is

entitled　to　his　seat；〃　persisted　Thatcher。　　〃Mebbe　he　isin　the

office　of　the　Kempeny；〃　growled　Yuba　Bill；　〃but　it's　time　some

folks　knowed　that　out　in　the　plains　I　run　this　yer　team　myself。〃A

fact　which　was　self…evident　to　most　of　the　passengers。　　〃I　suppose

his　authority　is　as　absolute　on　this　dreary　waste　as　a　ship

captain's　in　mid　ocean；〃　exclaimed　Thatcher　to　the　baleful…eyed

stranger。　　Mr。　Wileswhom　the　reader　has　recognizedassented　with

the　public　side　of　his　face；　but　looked　vengeance　at　Yuba　Bill　with

the　other；　while　Thatcher；　innocent　of　the　presence　of　one　of　his

worst　enemies；　placated　Bill　so　far　as　to　restore　Wiles　to　his

rights。　　Wiles　thanked　him。　　〃Shall　I　have　the　pleasure　of　your

company　far？〃　Wiles　asked　insinuatingly。　　〃To　Washington；〃　replied

Thatcher　frankly。　　〃Washington　is　a　gay　city　during　the　session；〃

again　suggested　the　stranger。　　〃I'm　going　on　business；〃　said

Thatcher　bluntly。



A　trifling　incident　occurred　at　Pine…Tree　Crossing　which　did　not

heighten　Yuba　Bill's　admiration　of　the　stranger。　　As　Bill　opened

the　double…locked　box　in　the　〃boot〃　of　the　coachsacred　to　Wells；

Fargo　&　Co。's　Express　and　the　Overland　Company's　treasuresMr。

Wiles　perceived　a　small；　black　morocco　portemanteau　among　the

parcels。　　〃Ah；　you　carry　baggage　there　too？〃　he　said　sweetly。　　〃Not

often；〃　responded　Yuba　Bill　shortly。　　〃Ah；　this　then　contains

valuables？〃　　〃It　belongs　to　that　man　whose　seat　you've　got；〃　said

Yuba　Bill；　who；　for　insulting　purposes　of　his　own；　preferred　to

establish　the　fiction　that　Wiles　was　an　interloper；　〃and　ef　he

reckons；　in　a　sorter　mixed　kempeny　like　this；　to　lock　up　his

portmantle；　I　don't　know　who's　business　it　is。　　Who？〃　continued

Bill；　lashing　himself　into　a　simulated　rage；　〃who；　in　blank；　is

running　this　yer　team？　　Hey？　　Mebbe　you　think；　sittin'　up　thar　on

the　box　seat；　you　are。　　Mebbe　you　think　you　kin　see　round　corners

with　that　thar　eye；　and　kin　pull　up　for　teams　round　corners；　on

down　grades；　a　mile　ahead？〃　　But　here　Thatcher；　who；　with　something

of　Lancelot's　concern　for　Modred；　had　a　noble　pity　for　all

infirmities；　interfered　so　sternly　that　Yuba　Bill　stopped。



On　the　fourth　day　they　struck　a　blinding　snow…storm；　while

ascending　the　dreary　plateau　that　henceforward　for　six　hundred

miles　was　to　be　their　roadbed。　　The　horses；　after　floundering

through　the　drift；　gave　out　completely　on　reaching　the　next

station；　and　the　prospects　ahead；　to　all　but　the　experienced　eye；

looked　doubtful。　　A　few　passengers　advised　taking　to　sledges；

others　a　postponement　of　the　journey　until　the　weather　changed。

Yuba　Bill　alone　was　for　pressing　forward　as　they　were。　　〃Two　miles

more　and　we're　on　the　high　grade；　whar　the　wind　is　strong　enough　to

blow　you　through　the　windy；　and　jist　peart　enough　to　pack　away　over

them　cliffs　every　inch　of　snow　that　falls。　　I'll　jist　skirmish

round　in　and　out　o'　them　drifts　on　these　four　wheels　whar　ye　can't

drag　one　o'　them　flat…bottomed　dry…goods　boxes　through　a　drift。〃

Bill　had　a　California　whip's　contempt　for　a　sledge。　　But　he　was

warmly　seconded　by　Thatcher；　who　had　the　next　best　thing　to

experience；　the　instinct　that　taught　him　to　read　character；　and

take　advantage　of　another　man's　experience。　　〃Them　that　wants　to

stop　kin　do　so；〃　said　Bill　authoritatively；　cutting　the　Gordian

knot；　〃them　as　wants　to　take　a　sledge　can　do　so；thar's　one　in　the

barn。　　Them　as　wants　to　go　on　with　me　and　the　relay　will　come　on。〃

Mr。　Wiles　selected　the　sledge　and　a　driver；　a　few　remained　for　the

next　stage；　and　Thatcher；　with　two　others；　decided　to　accompany

Yuba　Bill。　　These　changes　took　up　some　valuable　time；　and　the　storm

continuing；　the　stage　was　run　under　the　shed；　the　passengers

gathering　around　the　sta