the story of a mine-第17部分

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

gathering　around　the　station　fire；　and　not　until　after　midnight　did

Yuba　Bill　put　in　the　relays。　　〃I　wish　you　a　good　journey；〃　said

Wiles；　as　he　drove　from　the　shed　as　Bill　entered。　　Bill　vouchsafed

no　reply；　but；　addressing　himself　to　the　driver；　said　curtly；　as　if

giving　an　order　for　the　delivery　of　goods；　〃Shove　him　out　at

Rawlings；〃　and　passed　contemptuously　around　to　the　tail　board　of

the　sled；　and　returned　to　the　harnessing　of　his　relay。



The　moon　came　out　and　shone　high　as　Yuba　Bill　once　more　took　the

reins　in　his　hands。　　The　wind；　which　instantly　attacked　them　as

they　reached　the　level；　seemed　to　make　the　driver's　theory

plausible；　and　for　half　a　mile　the　roadbed　was　swept　clean；　and

frozen　hard。　　Further　on　a　tongue　of　snow；　extending　from　a　boulder

to　the　right；　reached　across　their　path　to　the　height　of　two　or

three　feet。　　But　Yuba　Bill　dashed　through　a　part　of　it；　and　by

skillful　maneuvering　circumvented　the　rest。　　But　even　as　the

obstacle　was　passed；　the　coach　dropped　with　an　ominous　lurch　on　one

side；　and　the　off　fore　wheel　flew　off　in　the　darkness。　　Bill　threw

the　horses　back　on　their　haunches；　but；　before　their　momentum　could

be　checked；　the　near　hind　wheel　slipped　away；　the　vehicle　rocked

violently；　plunged　backwards　and　forwards；　and　stopped。



Yuba　Bill　was　on　the　road　in　an　instant　with　his　lantern。　　Then

followed　an　outbreak　of　profanity　which　I　regret；　for　artistic

purposes；　exceeds　that　generous　limit　which　a　sympathizing　public

has　already　extended　to　me　in　the　explication　of　character。　　Let　me

state；　therefore；　that　in　a　very　few　moments　he　succeeded　in

disparaging　the　characters　of　his　employers；　their　male　and　female

relatives；　the　coach　builder；　the　station　keeper；　the　road　on　which

he　travelled；　and　the　travellers　themselves；　with　occasional　broad

expletives　addressed　to　himself　and　his　own　relatives。　　For　the

spirit　of　this　and　a　more　cultivated　poetry　of　expression；　I　beg　to

refer　the　temperate　reader　to　the　3d　chapter　of　Job。



The　passengers　knew　Bill；　and　sat；　conservative；　patient；　and

expectant。　　As　yet　the　cause　of　the　catastrophe　was　not　known。

At　last　Thatcher's　voice　came　from　the　box　seat：



〃What's　up；　Bill？〃



〃Not　a　blank　lynch　pin　in　the　whole　blank　coach；〃　was　the　answer。



There　was　a　dead　silence。　　Yuba　Bill　executed　a　wild　war　dance　of

helpless　rage。



〃Blank　the　blank　ENCHANTED　thing　to　blank！〃



（I　beg　here　to　refer　the　fastidious　and　cultivated　reader　to　the

only　adjective　I　have　dared　transcribe　of　this　actual　oath　which　I

once　had　the　honor　of　hearing。　　He　will　I　trust　not　fail　to

recognize　the　old　classic　daemon　in　this　wild　western　objurgation。）



〃Who　did　it？〃　asked　Thatcher。



Yuba　Bill　did　not　reply；　but　dashed　up　again　to　the　box；　unlocked

the　〃boot；〃　and　screamed　out：



〃The　man　that　stole　your　portmantle；Wiles！〃



Thatcher　laughed：



〃Don't　worry　about　that；　Bill。　　A　'biled'　shirt；　an　extra　collar；

and　a　few　papers。　　Nothing　more。〃



Yuba　Bill　slowly　descended。　　When　he　reached　the　ground；　he　plucked

Thatcher　aside　by　his　coat　sleeve：



〃Ye　don't　mean　to　say　ye　had　nothing　in　that　bag　ye　was　trying　to

get　away　with？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　laughing　Thatcher　frankly。



〃And　that　Wiles　warn't　one　o'　them　detectives？〃



〃Not　to　my　knowledge；　certainly。〃



Yuba　Bill　sighed　sadly；　and　returned　to　assist　in　the　replacing　of

the　coach　on　its　wheels　again。



〃Never　mind；　Bill；〃　said　one　of　the　passengers　sympathizingly；

〃we'll　catch　that　man　Wiles　at　Rawlings　sure；〃　and　he　looked　around

at　the　inchoate　vigilance　committee；　already　〃rounding　into　form〃

about　him。



〃Ketch　him！〃　returned　Yuba　Bill；　derisively；　〃why　we've　got　to　go

back　to　the　station；　and　afore　we're　off　agin　he's　pinted　fur

Clarmont　on　the　relay　we　lose。　　Ketch　him！　　H…ll's　full　of　such

ketches！〃



There　was　clearly　nothing　to　do　but　to　go　back　to　the　station　to

await　the　repairing　of　the　coach。　　While　this　was　being　done　Yuba

Bill　again　drew　Thatcher　aside：



〃I　allers　suspected　that　chap's　game　eye；　but　I　didn't　somehow

allow　for　anything　like　this。　　I　reckoned　it　was　only　the　square

thing　to　look　arter　things　gen'rally；　and　'specially　your　traps。

So；　to　purvent　troubil；　and　keep　things　about　ekal；　ez　he　was　goin'

away；　I　sorter　lifted　this　yer　bag　of　hiz　outer　the　tail　board　of

his　sleigh。　　I　don't　know　as　it　is　any　exchange　or　compensation；

but　it　may　give　ye　a　chance　to　spot　him　agin；　or　him　you。　　It

strikes　me　as　bein'　far…minded　and　squar'；〃　and　with　these　words

he　deposited　at　the　feet　of　the　astounded　Thatcher　the　black

travelling　bag　of　Mr。　Wiles。



〃But；　Bill；see　here！　　I　can't　take　this！〃　interrupted　Thatcher

hastily。　　〃You　can't　swear　that　he's　taken　my　bag；andand；

blank　it　all；this　won't　do；　you　know。　　I've　no　right　to　this

man's　things；　even　if〃



〃Hold　your　hosses；〃　said　Bill　gravely；　〃I　ondertook　to　take　charge

o'　your　traps。　　I　didn'tat　least　that　dd　wall…eyed　　Thar's

a　portmantle！　　I　don't　know　who's　it　is。　　Take　it。〃



Half　amused；　half　embarrassed；　yet　still　protesting；　Thatcher　took

the　bag　in　his　hands。



〃Ye　might　open　it　in　my　presence；〃　suggested　Yuba　Bill　gravely。



Thatcher；　half　laughingly；　did　so。　　It　was　full　of　papers　and　semi…

legal…looking　documents。　　Thatcher's　own　name　on　one　of　them　caught

his　eye；　he　opened　the　paper　hastily　and　perused　it。　　The　smile

faded　from　his　lips。



〃Well；〃　said　Yuba　Bill；　〃suppose　we　call　it　a　fair　exchange　at

present。〃



Thatcher　was　still　examining　the　papers。　　Suddenly　this　cautious；

strong…minded　man　looked　up　into　Yuba　Bill's　waiting　face；　and　said

quietly；　in　the　despicable　slang　of　the　epoch　and　region：



〃It's　a　go！　　Suppose　we　do。〃





CHAPTER　XIII



HOW　IT　BECAME　FAMOUS





Yuba　Bill　was　right　in　believing　that　Wiles　would　lose　no　time　at

Rawlings。　　He　left　there　on　a　fleet　horse　before　Bill　had　returned

with　the　broken…down　coach　to　the　last　station；　and　distanced　the

telegram　sent　to　detain　him　two　hours。　　Leaving　the　stage　road　and

its　dangerous　telegraphic　stations；　he　pushed　southward　to　Denver

over　the　army　trail；　in　company　with　a　half…breed　packer；　crossing

the　Missouri　before　Thatcher　had　reached　Julesburg。　　When　Thatcher

was　at　Omaha；　Wiles　was　already　in　St。　Louis；　and　as　the　Pullman

car　containing　the　hero　of　the　〃Blue　Mass〃　mine　rolled　into

Chicago；　Wiles　was　already　walking　the　streets　of　the　national

capital。　　Nevertheless；　he　had　time　en　route　to　sink　in　the　waters

of　the　North　Platte；　with　many　expressions　of　disgust；　the　little

black　portmanteau　belonging　to　Thatcher；　containing　his　dressing

case；　a　few　unimportant　letters；　and　an　extra　shirt；　to　wonder　why

simple　men　did　not　travel　with　their　important　documents　and

valuables；　and　to　set　on　foot　some　prudent　and　cautious　inquiries

regarding　his　own　lost　carpet　bag　and　its　important　contents。



But　for　these　trifles　he　had　every　reason　to　be　satisfied　with　the

progress　of　his　plans。　　〃It's　all　right；〃　said　Mrs。　Hopkinson

merrily；　〃while　you　and　Gashwiler　have　been　working　with　your

'stock；'　and　treating　the　whole　world　as　if　it　could　be　bribed；

I've　done　more　with　that　earnest；　self…believing；　self…deceiving；

and　perfectly　pathetic　Roscommon　than　all　you　fellows　put　together。

Why；　I've　told　his　pitiful　story；　and　drawn　tears　from　the　eyes　of

Senators　and　Cabinet　Ministers。　　More　than　that；　I've　introduced

him　into　society；　put　him　in　a　dress　coat；such　a　figure！and　you

know　how　the　best　folk　worship　everything　that　is　outre　as　the

sincere　thing。　　I've　made　him　a　complete　success。　　Why；　only　the

other　night；　when　Senator　Misnancy　and　Judge　Fitzdawdle　were　here；

after　making　him　tell　his　story；which　you　know　I　think　he　really

believes；I　sang　'There　came　to　the　beach　a　poor　Exile　of　Erin；'

and　my　husband　told　me　afterwards　it　was　worth　at　least　a　dozen

votes。〃



〃But　about　this　rival　of　yours；this　niece　of　Garcia's？〃



〃Another　of　your　blunders；　you　men　know　nothing　of　women。　　Firstly；

she's　a　swarthy　little　brunette；　with　dots　for　eyes；　and　strides

like　a　man；　dresses　like　a　dowdy；　don't　wear　stays；　and　has　no

style。　　Then；　she's　a　single　woman；　and　alone；　and；　although　she

affects　to　be　an　artist；　and　has　Bohemian　ways；　don't　you　see　she

can't　go　into　society　without　a　chaperon　or　somebody　to　go　with

her？　　Nonsense。〃



〃But；〃　persisted　Wiles；　〃she　must　have　some　power；　there's　Judge

Mason　and　Senator　Peabody；　who　are　constantly　talking　about　her；

and　Dinwiddie　of　Virginia　escorted　her　through　the　Capitol　the

other　day。〃



Mistress　Hopkinson　laughed。　　〃Mason　and　Peabody　aspire　to　be

thought　literary　and　artistic；　and　Dinwiddie　wanted　to　pique　ME！〃



〃But　Thatcher　is　no　fool〃



〃Is　Thatcher　a　lady's　man？〃　queried　the　lady　suddenly。



〃Hardly；　I　should　say；〃　responded　Wiles。　　〃He　pretends　to　be

absorbed　in　his　swindle　and　devoted　to　his　mine；　and　I　don't　think

that　even　you〃　he　stopped　with　a　slight　sneer。



〃There；　you　are　misunderstanding　me　again；　and；　what　is　worse；　you

are　misunderstanding　your　case。　　Thatcher　is　pleased　with　her

because　he　has　probably　seen　no　one　else。　　Wait　till　he　comes　to

Washington　and　has　an　opportunity　for　comparison；〃　and　she　cast　a

frank　glance　at　her　mirror；　where　Wiles；　with　a　sardonic　bow；　left

her　standing。



Mr。　Gashwiler　was　quite　as　confident　of　his　own　success　with

Congress。　　〃We　are　within　a　few　days　of　the　end　of　the　session。

We　will　manage　to　have　it　taken　up　and　rushed　through　before　that

fellow　Thatcher　knows　what　he　is　about。〃



〃If　it　could　be　done　before　he　gets　here；〃　said　Wiles；　〃it's　a

reasonably　sure　thing。　　He　is　delayed　two　days：　he　might　have　been

delayed　longer。〃　　Here　Mr。　Wiles　sighed。　　If　the　accident　had

happened　on　a　mountain　road；　and　the　stage　had　been　precipitated

over　the　abyss；