the story of a mine-第2部分

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uneasy。　　Not　that　his　moral　consciousness　was　touched；　but　he

feared　that　Concho's　companions　might；　knowing　Concho's　simplicity；

instantly　suspect　him　of　trading　upon　it。　　He　rode　on　in　a　deep

study。　　Was　he　reviewing　his　past　life？　　A　vagabond　by　birth　and

education；　a　swindler　by　profession；　an　outcast　by　reputation；

without　absolutely　turning　his　back　upon　respectability；　he　had

trembled　on　the　perilous　edge　of　criminality　ever　since　his

boyhood。　　He　did　not　scruple　to　cheat　these　Mexicans；they　were　a

degraded　race；and　for　a　moment　he　felt　almost　an　accredited　agent

of　progress　and　civilization。　　We　never　really　understand　the

meaning　of　enlightenment　until　we　begin　to　use　it　aggressively。



A　few　paces　further　on　four　figures　appeared　in　the　now　gathering

darkness　of　the　trail。　　The　stranger　quickly　recognized　the　beaming

smile　of　Concho；　foremost　of　the　party。　　A　quick　glance　at　the

faces　of　the　others　satisfied　him　that　while　they　lacked　Concho's

good　humor；　they　certainly　did　not　surpass　him　in　intellect。

〃Pedro〃　was　a　stout　vaquero。　　〃Manuel〃　was　a　slim　half…breed　and

ex…convert　of　the　Mission　of　San　Carmel；　and　〃Miguel〃　a　recent

butcher　of　Monterey。　　Under　the　benign　influences　of　Concho　that

suspicion　with　which　the　ignorant　regard　strangers　died　away；　and

the　whole　party　escorted　the　strangerwho　had　given　his　name　as

Mr。　Joseph　Wilesto　their　camp…fire。　　So　anxious　were　they　to

begin　their　experiments　that　even　the　instincts　of　hospitality　were

forgotten；　and　it　was　not　until　Mr。　Wilesnow　known　as　〃Don　Jose〃

sharply　reminded　them　that　he　wanted　some　〃grub；〃　that　they　came

to　their　senses。　　When　the　frugal　meal　of　tortillas；　frijoles；　salt

pork；　and　chocolate　was　over；　an　oven　was　built　of　the　dark…red

rock　brought　from　the　ledge　before　them；　and　an　earthenware　jar；

glazed　by　some　peculiar　local　process；　tightly　fitted　over　it；　and

packed　with　clay　and　sods。　　A　fire　was　speedily　built　of　pine

boughs　continually　brought　from　a　wooded　ravine　below；　and　in　a　few

moments　the　furnace　was　in　full　blast。　　Mr。　Wiles　did　not　participate

in　these　active　preparations；　except　to　give　occasional　directions

between　his　teeth；　which　were　contemplatively　fixed　over　a　clay　pipe

as　he　lay　comfortably　on　his　back　on　the　ground。　　Whatever　enjoyment

the　rascal　may　have　had　in　their　useless　labors　he　did　not　show　it；

but　it　was　observed　that　his　left　eye　often　followed　the　broad

figure　of　the　ex…vaquero；　Pedro；　and　often　dwelt　on　that　worthy's

beetling　brows　and　half…savage　face。　　Meeting　that　baleful　glance

once；　Pedro　growled　out　an　oath；　but　could　not　resist　a　hideous

fascination　that　caused　him　again　and　again　to　seek　it。



The　scene　was　weird　enough　without　Wiles's　eye　to　add　to　its　wild

picturesqueness。　　The　mountain　towered　above；a　heavy　Rembrandtish

mass　of　black　shadow；sharply　cut　here　and　there　against　a　sky　so

inconceivably　remote　that　the　world…sick　soul　must　have　despaired

of　ever　reaching　so　far；　or　of　climbing　its　steel…blue　walls。　　The

stars　were　large；　keen；　and　brilliant；　but　cold　and　steadfast。

They　did　not　dance　nor　twinkle　in　their　adamantine　setting。　　The

furnace　fire　painted　the　faces　of　the　men　an　Indian　red；　glanced　on

brightly　colored　blanket　and　serape；　but　was　eventually　caught　and

absorbed　in　the　waiting　shadows　of　the　black　mountain；　scarcely

twenty　feet　from　the　furnace　door。　　The　low；　half…sung；　half…

whispered　foreign　speech　of　the　group；　the　roaring　of　the　furnace；

and　the　quick；　sharp　yelp　of　a　coyote　on　the　plain　below　were　the

only　sounds　that　broke　the　awful　silence　of　the　hills。



It　was　almost　dawn　when　it　was　announced　that　the　ore　had　fused。

And　it　was　high　time；　for　the　pot　was　slowly　sinking　into　the　fast…

crumbling　oven。　　Concho　uttered　a　jubilant　〃God　and　Liberty；〃　but

Don　Jose　Wiles　bade　him　be　silent　and　bring　stakes　to　support　the

pot。　　Then　Don　Jose　bent　over　the　seething　mass。　　It　was　for　a

moment　only。　　But　in　that　moment　this　accomplished　metallurgist；

Mr。　Joseph　Wiles；　had　quietly　dropped　a　silver　half　dollar　into　the

pot！



Then　he　charged　them　to　keep　up　the　fires　and　went　to　sleepall

but　one　eye。



Dawn　came　with　dull　beacon　fires　on　the　near　hill　tops；　and；　far　in

the　East；　roses　over　the　Sierran　snow。　　Birds　twittering　in　the

alder　fringes　a　mile　below；　and　the　creaking　of　wagon　wheels；the

wagon　itself　a　mere　cloud　of　dust　in　the　distant　road；were　heard

distinctly。　　Then　the　melting　pot　was　solemnly　broken　by　Don　Jose；

and　the　glowing　incandescent　mass　turned　into　the　road　to　cool。



And　then　the　metallurgist　chipped　a　small　fragment　from　the　mass

and　pounded　it；　and　chipped　another　smaller　piece　and　pounded　that；

and　then　subjected　it　to　acid；　and　then　treated　it　to　a　salt　bath

which　became　at　once　milky；and　at　last　produced　a　white

something；mirabile　dictu！two　cents'　worth　of　silver！



Concho　shouted　with　joy；　the　rest　gazed　at　each　other　doubtingly

and　distrustfully；　companions　in　poverty；　they　began　to　diverge　and

suspect　each　other　in　prosperity。　　Wiles's　left　eye　glanced

ironically　from　the　one　to　the　other。



〃Here　is　the　hundred　dollars；　Don　Jose；〃　said　Pedro；　handing　the

gold　to　Wiles　with　a　decidedly　brusque　intimation　that　the　services

and　presence　of　a　stranger　were　no　longer　required。



Wiles　took　the　money　with　a　gracious　smile　and　a　wink　that　sent

Pedro's　heart　into　his　boots；　and　was　turning　away；　when　a　cry　from

Manuel　stopped　him。　　〃The　pot；the　pot；it　has　leaked！　look！

behold！　see！〃



He　had　been　cleaning　away　the　crumbled　fragments　of　the　furnace　to

get　ready　for　breakfast；　and　had　disclosed　a　shining　pool　of

QUICKSILVER！



Wiles　started；　cast　a　rapid　glance　around　the　group；　saw　in　a　flash

that　the　metal　was　unknown　to　them；and　then　said　quietly：



〃It　is　not　silver。〃



〃Pardon；　Senor；　it　is；　and　still　molten。〃　　Wiles　stooped　and　ran

his　fingers　through　the　shining　metal。



〃Mother　of　God；what　is　it　then？magic？〃



〃No；　only　base　metal。〃　　But　here；　Concho；　emboldened　by　Wiles's

experiment；　attempted　to　seize　a　handful　of　the　glistening　mass；

that　instantly　broke　through　his　fingers　in　a　thousand　tiny

spherules；　and　even　sent　a　few　globules　up　his　shirt　sleeves；　until

he　danced　around　in　mingled　fear　and　childish　pleasure。



〃And　it　is　not　worth　the　taking？〃　queried　Pedro　of　Wiles。



Wiles's　right　eye　and　bland　face　were　turned　toward　the　speaker；

but　his　malevolent　left　was　glancing　at　the　dull　red…brown　rock　on

the　hill　side。



〃No！〃and　turning　abruptly　away；　he　proceeded　to　saddle　his　mule。



Manuel；　Miguel；　and　Pedro；　left　to　themselves；　began　talking

earnestly　together；　while　Concho；　now　mindful　of　his　crippled　mule；

made　his　way　back　to　the　trail　where　he　had　left　her。　　But　she　was

no　longer　there。　　Constant　to　her　master　through　beatings　and

bullyings；　she　could　not　stand　incivility　and　inattention。　　There

are　certain　qualities　of　the　sex　that　belong　to　all　animated

nature。



Inconsolable；　footsore；　and　remorseful；　Concho　returned　to　the　camp

and　furnace；　three　miles　across　the　rocky　ridge。　　But　what　was　his

astonishment　on　arriving　to　find　the　place　deserted　of　man；　mule；

and　camp　equipage。　　Concho　called　aloud。　　Only　the　echoing　rocks

grimly　answered　him。　　Was　it　a　trick？　　Concho　tried　to　laugh。　　Ah

yesa　good　one；a　joke；nonothey　HAD　deserted　him。　　And　then

poor　Concho　bowed　his　head　to　the　ground；　and　falling　on　his　face；

cried　as　if　his　honest　heart　would　break。



The　tempest　passed　in　a　moment；　it　was　not　Concho's　nature　to

suffer　long　nor　brood　over　an　injury。　　As　he　raised　his　head　again

his　eye　caught　the　shimmer　of　the　quicksilver；that　pool　of　merry

antic　metal　that　had　so　delighted　him　an　hour　before。　　In　a　few

moments　Concho　was　again　disporting　with　it；　chasing　it　here　and

there；　rolling　it　in　his　palms　and　laughing　with　boy…like　glee　at

its　elusive　freaks　and　fancies。　　〃Ah；　sprightly　one；skipjack；

there　thou　goest；come　here。　　This　way；now　I　have　thee；　little

one；come；　muchacha；come　and　kiss　me；〃　until　he　had　quite

forgotten　the　defection　of　his　companions。　　And　even　when　he

shouldered　his　sorry　pack；　he　was　fain　to　carry　his　playmate　away

with　him　in　his　empty　leathern　flask。



And　yet　I　fancy　the　sun　looked　kindly　on　him　as　he　strode　cheerily

down　the　black　mountain　side；　and　his　step　was　none　the　less　free

nor　light　that　he　carried　with　him　neither　the　brilliant　prospects

nor　the　crime　of　his　late　comrades。





CHAPTER　III



WHO　CLAIMED　IT





The　fog　had　already　closed　in　on　Monterey；　and　was　now　rolling；　a

white；　billowy　sea　above；　that　soon　shut　out　the　blue　breakers

below。　　Once　or　twice　in　descending　the　mountain　Concho　had

overhung　the　cliff　and　looked　down　upon　the　curving　horse…shoe　of　a

bay　below　him；distant　yet　many　miles。　　Earlier　in　the　afternoon

he　had　seen　the　gilt　cross　on　the　white…faced　Mission　flare　in　the

sunlight；　but　now　all　was　gone。　　By　the　time　he　reached　the　highway

of　the　town　it　was　quite　dark；　and　he　plunged　into　the　first　fonda

at　the　wayside；　and　endeavored　to　forget　his　woes　and　his　weariness

in　aguardiente。　　But　Concho's　head　ached；　and　his　back　ached；　and

he　was　so　generally　distressed　that　he　bethought　him　of　a　medico；

an　American　doctor；lately　come　into　the　town；　who　had　once

treated　Concho　and　his　mule　with　apparently　the　same　medicine；　and

after　the　same　heroic　fashion。　　Concho　reasoned；　not　illogically；

that　if　he　were　to　be　physicked　at　all　he　ought　to　get　the　worth　of

his　money。　　The　grotesque　extravagance　of　life；　of　fruit　and

vegetables；　in　California　was　inconsistent　with　infinitesimal

doses。　　In　Concho's　previous　illness　the　doctor　had　given　him　a

dozen　4　grain　quinine　powders。



The　following　day　the　grateful　Mexican　walked　into　the　Doctor's

officecured。　　The　Doctor　was　gratified　until；　on　examination；　it

appeared　that　to　save　trouble；　and　because　his　memory　was　poor；

Concho　had　take