the story of a mine-第4部分

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Pedro。　　The　infuriated　and　half…frightened　ex…vaquero　returned　the

long　knife　he　had　half…drawn　from　its　sheath；　and　growled　surlily：

〃Go　on　then！　　But　keep　thou　on　that　side；　and　I　will　on　this。〃　　And

so；　side　by　side；　listening；　watching；　distrustful　of　all　things；

but　mainly　of　each　other；　they　stole　back　and　up　into　those　shadows

from　which　they　might　like　evil　spirits　have　been　poetically

evoked。



A　half　hour　passed；　in　which　the　east　brightened；　flashed；　and　again

melted　into　gold。　　And　then　the　sun　came　up　haughtily；　and　a　fog

that　had　stolen　across　the　summit　in　the　night　arose　and　fled　up　the

mountain　side；　tearing　its　white　robes　in　its　guilty　haste；　and

leaving　them　fluttering　from　tree　and　crag　and　scar。　　A　thousand

tiny　blades；　nestling　in　the　crevices　of　rocks；　nurtured　in　storms

and　rocked　by　the　trade　winds；　stretched　their　wan　and　feeble　arms

toward　Him；　but　Concho　the　strong；　Concho　the　brave；　Concho　the

light…hearted　spake　not　nor　stirred。





CHAPTER　IV



WHO　TOOK　IT





There　was　persistent　neighing　on　the　summit。　　Concho's　horse　wanted

his　breakfast。



This　protestation　reached　the　ears　of　a　party　ascending　the

mountain　from　its　western　face。　　To　one　of　the　party　it　was

familiar。



〃Why；　blank　it　all；　that's　Chiquita。　　That　dd　Mexican's　lying

drunk　somewhere；〃　said　the　President　of　the　B。　M。　Co。



〃I　don't　like　the　look　of　this　at　all；〃　said　Dr。　Guild；　as　they

rode　up　beside　the　indignant　animal。　　〃If　it　had　been　an　American；

it　might　have　been　carelessness；　but　no　Mexican　ever　forgets　his

beast。　　Drive　ahead；　boys；　we　may　be　too　late。〃



In　half　an　hour　they　came　in　sight　of　the　ledge　below；　the　crumbled

furnace；　and　the　motionless　figure　of　Concho；　wrapped　in　a　blanket；

lying　prone　in　the　sunlight。



〃I　told　you　so；drunk！〃　said　the　President。



The　Doctor　looked　grave；　but　did　not　speak。　　They　dismounted　and

picketed　their　horses。　　Then　crept　on　all　fours　to　the　ledge　above

the　furnace。　　There　was　a　cry　from　Secretary　Gibbs；　〃Look　yer。

Some　fellar　has　been　jumping　us；　boys。　　See　these　notices。〃



There　were　two　notices　on　canvas　affixed　to　the　rock；　claiming　the

ground；　and　signed　by　Pedro；　Manuel；　Miguel；　Wiles；　and　Roscommon。



〃This　was　done；　Doctor；　while　your　trustworthy　Greaser　locater；

dn　him；lay　there　drunk。　　What's　to　be　done　now？〃



But　the　Doctor　was　making　his　way　to　the　unfortunate　cause　of　their

defeat；　lying　there　quite　mute　to　their　reproaches。　　The　others

followed　him。



The　Doctor　knelt　beside　Concho；　unrolled　him；　placed　his　hand　upon

his　wrist；　his　ear　over　his　heart；　and　then　said：



〃Dead。〃



〃Of　course。　　He　got　medicine　of　you　last　night。　　This　comes　of　your

dd　heroic　practice。〃



But　the　Doctor　was　too　much　occupied　to　heed　the　speaker's

raillery。　　He　had　peered　into　Concho's　protuberant　eye；　opened　his

mouth；　and　gazed　at　the　swollen　tongue；　and　then　suddenly　rose　to

his　feet。



〃Tear　down　those　notices；　boys；　but　keep　them。　　Put　up　your　own。

Don't　be　alarmed；　you　will　not　be　interfered　with；　for　here　is

murder　added　to　robbery。〃



〃Murder？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Doctor；　excitedly；　〃I'll　take　my　oath　on　any

inquest　that　this　man　was　strangled　to　death。　　He　was　surprised

while　asleep。　　Look　here。〃　　He　pointed　to　the　revolver　still　in

Concho's　stiffening　hand；　which　the　murdered　man　had　instantly

cocked；　but　could　not　use　in　the　struggle。



〃That's　so；〃　said　the　President；　〃no　man　goes　to　sleep　with　a

cocked　revolver。　　What's　to　be　done？〃



〃Everything；〃　said　the　Doctor。　　〃This　deed　was　committed　within　the

last　two　hours；　the　body　is　still　warm。　　The　murderer　did　not　come

our　way；　or　we　should　have　met　him　on　the　trail。　　He　is；　if

anywhere；　between　here　and　Tres　Pinos。〃



〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　President；　with　a　slight　preparatory　and　half

judicial　cough；　〃two　of　you　will　stay　here　and　stick！　　The　others

will　follow　me　to　Tres　Pinos。　　The　law　has　been　outraged。　　You

understand　the　Court！〃



By　some　odd　influence　the　little　group　of　half…cynical；　half…

trifling；　and　wholly　reckless　men　had　become　suddenly　sober；

earnest　citizens。　　They　said；　〃Go　on；〃　nodded　their　heads；　and

betook　themselves　to　their　horses。



〃Had　we　not　better　wait　for　the　inquest　and　swear　out　a　warrant？〃

said　the　Secretary；　cautiously。



〃How　many　men　have　we？〃



〃Five！〃



〃Then；〃　said　the　President；　summing　up　the　Revised　Statutes　of　the

State　of　California　in　one　strong　sentence；　〃then　we　don't　want　no

dd　warrant。〃





CHAPTER　V



WHO　HAD　A　LIEN　ON　IT





It　was　high　noon　at　Tres　Pinos。　　The　three　pines　from　which　it

gained　its　name；　in　the　dusty　road　and　hot　air；　seemed　to　smoke

from　their　balsamic　spires。　　There　was　a　glare　from　the　road；　a

glare　from　the　sky；　a　glare　from　the　rocks；　a　glare　from　the　white

canvas　roofs　of　the　few　shanties　and　cabins　which　made　up　the

village。　　There　was　even　a　glare　from　the　unpainted　red…wood　boards

of　Roscommon's　grocery　and　tavern；　and　a　tendency　of　the　warping

floor　of　the　veranda　to　curl　up　beneath　the　feet　of　the　intruder。

A　few　mules；　near　the　watering　trough；　had　shrunk　within　the　scant

shadow　of　the　corral。



The　grocery　business　of　Mr。　Roscommon；　although　adequate　and

sufficient　for　the　village；　was　not　exhausting　nor　overtaxing　to

the　proprietor；　the　refilling　of　the　pork　and　flour　barrel　of　the

average　miner　was　the　work　of　a　brief　hour　on　Saturday　nights；　but

the　daily　replenishment　of　the　average　miner　with　whisky　was

arduous　and　incessant。　　Roscommon　spent　more　time　behind　his　bar

than　his　grocer's　counter。　　Add　to　this　the　fact　that　a　long　shed…

like　extension　or　wing　bore　the　legend；　〃Cosmopolitan　Hotel；　Board

or　Lodging　by　the　Day　or　Week。　　M。　Roscommon；〃　and　you　got　an　idea

of　the　variety　of　the　proprietor's　functions。　　The　〃hotel；〃

however；　was　more　directly　under　the　charge　of　Mrs。　Roscommon；　a

lady　of　thirty　years；　strong；　truculent；　and　good…hearted。



Mr。　Roscommon　had　early　adopted　the　theory　that　most　of　his

customers　were　insane；　and　were　to　be　alternately　bullied　or

placated；　as　the　case　might　be。　　Nothing　that　occurred；　no

extravagance　of　speech　nor　act；　ever　ruffled　his　equilibrium；　which

was　as　dogged　and　stubborn　as　it　was　outwardly　calm。　　When　not

serving　liquor；　or　in　the　interval　while　it　was　being　drank；　he　was

always　wiping　his　counter　with　an　exceedingly　dirty　towel；or

indeed　anything　that　came　handy。　　Miners；　noticing　this　purely

perfunctory　habit；　occasionally　supplied　him　slily　with　articles

inconsistent　with　their　service；fragments　of　their　shirts　and

underclothing；　flour　sacking；　tow；　and　once　with　a　flannel

petticoat　of　his　wife's；　stolen　from　the　line　in　the　back…yard。

Roscommon　would　continue　his　wiping　without　looking　up；　but　yet

conscious　of　the　presence　of　each　customer。　　〃And　it's　not　another

dhrop　ye'll　git；　Jack　Brown；　until　ye've　wiped　out　the　black　score

that　stands　agin　ye。〃　　〃And　it's　there　ye　are；　darlint；　and　it's

here's　the　bottle　that's　been　lukin'　for　ye　sins　Saturday。〃　　〃And

fwhot　hev　you　done　with　the　last　I　sent　ye；　ye　divil　of　a　McCorkle；

and　here's　me　back　that's　bruk　entoirely　wid　dipping　intil　the　pork

barl　to　giv　ye　the　best　sides；　and　ye　spending　yur　last　cint　on　a

tare　into　Gilroy。　　Whist！　and　if　it's　fer　foighting　ye　are；　boys；

there's　an　illigant　bit　of　sod　beyant　the　corral；　and　it　may　be

meself'll　come　out　with　a　shtick　and　be　sociable。〃



On　this　particular　day；　however；　Mr。　Roscommon　was　not　in　his　usual

spirits；　and　when　the　clatter　of　horses'　hoofs　before　the　door

announced　the　approach　of　strangers；　he　absolutely　ceased　wiping

his　counter　and　looked　up　as　Dr。　Guild；　the　President；　and

Secretary　of　the　new　Company　strode　into　the　shop。



〃We　are　looking；〃　said　the　President；　〃for　a　man　by　the　name　of

Wiles；　and　three　Mexicans　known　as　Pedro；　Manuel；　and　Miguel。〃



〃Ye　are？〃



〃We　are！〃



〃Faix；　and　I　hope　ye'll　foind　'em。　　And　if　ye'll　git　from　'em　the

score　I've　got　agin　'em；　darlint；　I'll　add　a　blessing　to　it。〃



There　was　a　laugh　at　this　from　the　bystanders；　who；　somehow；

resented　the　intrusion　of　these　strangers。



〃I　fear　you　will　find　it　no　laughing　matter；　gentlemen；〃　said　Dr。

Guild；　a　little　stiffly；　〃when　I　tell　you　that　a　murder　has　been

committed；　and　the　men　I　am　seeking　within　an　hour　of　that　murder

put　up　that　notice　signed　by　their　names；〃　and　Dr。　Guild　displayed

the　paper。



There　was　a　breathless　silence　among　the　crowd　as　they　eagerly

pressed　around　the　Doctor。　　Only　Roscommon　kept　on　wiping　his

counter。



〃You　will　observe；　gentlemen；　that　the　name　of　Roscommon　also

appears　on　this　paper　as　one　of　the　original　beaters。〃



〃And　sure；　darlint；〃　said　Roscommon；　without　looking　up；　〃if　ye've

no　better　ividince　agin　them　boys　then　you　have　forninst　me；　it's

home　ye'd　bether　be　riding　to　wanst。　　For　it's　meself　as　hasn't

sturred　fut　out　of　the　store　the　day　and　noight；more　betoken　as

the　boys　I've　sarved　kin　testify。〃



〃That's　so；　Ross；　right；〃　chorused　the　crowd；　〃We've　been　running

the　old　man　all　night。〃



〃Then　how　comes　your　name　on　this　paper？〃



〃O　murdher！　will　ye　listen　to　him；　boys？　　As　if　every　felly　that

owed　me　a　whisky　bill　didn't　come　to　me　and　say；　'Ah；　Misther

Roscommon；'　or　'Moike；'　as　the　case　moight　be；　sure　it's　an

illigant　sthrike　I've　made　this　day；　and　it's　meself　that　has　put

down　your　name　as　an　original　locater；　and　yer　fortune's　made；　Mr。

Roscommon；　and　will　yer　fill　me　up　another　quart　for　the　good　luck

betune　you　and　me。　　Ah；　but　ask　Jack　Brown　over　yar　if　it　isn't

sick　that　I　am　of　his　original　locations。〃



The　laugh　that　followed　this　speech；　and　its　practical　application；

convinced　the　party　that　they　had　blundered；　that　they　could　obtain

no　clue　to　the　real　culprits　here；　and　that　any　attempt　by　threats

would　meet　violent　opposition。　　Nevertheless　the　Doctor