the story of a mine-第6部分

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might；　without　understanding　their　meaning；　and　somehow　failed　to

make　them　even　interpret　her　woman's　moods；　which　surely　were

nature's　too。　　So　she　painted　everything　with　this　innocent　lust　of

the　eye；flowers；　birds；　insects；　landscapes；　and　figures；with　a

joyous　fidelity；　but　no　particular　poetry。　　The　bird　never　sang　to

her　but　one　song；　the　flowers　or　trees　spake　but　one　language；　and

her　skies　never　brightened　except　in　color。　　She　came　out　strong　on

the　Catholic　saints；　and　would　toss　you　up　a　cleanly…shaven

Aloysius；　sweetly　destitute　of　expression；　or　a　dropsical；　lethargic

Madonna　that　you　couldn't　have　told　from　an　old　master；　so　bad　it

was。　　Her　faculty　of　faithful　reproduction　even　showed　itself　in

fanciful　lettering；and　latterly　in　the　imitation　of　fabrics　and

signatures。　　Indeed；　with　her　eye　for　beauty　of　form；　she　had　always

excelled　in　penmanship　at　the　Convent；an　accomplishment　which　the

good　sisters　held　in　great　repute。



In　person　she　was　petite；　with　a　still　unformed　girlish　figure；

perhaps　a　little　too　flat　across　the　back；　and　with　possibly　a　too

great　tendency　to　a　boyish　stride　in　walking。　　Her　brow；　covered　by

blue…black　hair；　was　low　and　frank　and　honest；　her　eyes；　a　very

dark　hazel；　were　not　particularly　large；　but　rather　heavily

freighted　in　their　melancholy　lids　with　sleeping　passion；　her　nose

was　of　that　unimportant　character　which　no　man　remembers；　her　mouth

was　small　and　straight；　her　teeth；　white　and　regular。　　The　whole

expression　of　her　face　was　piquancy　that　might　be　subdued　by

tenderness　or　made　malevolent　by　anger。　　At　present　it　was　a　salad

in　which　the　oil　and　vinegar　were　deftly　combined。　　The　astute

feminine　reader　will　of　course　understand　that　this　is　the　ordinary

superficial　masculine　criticism；　and　at　once　make　up　her　mind　both

as　to　the　character　of　the　young　lady　and　the　competency　of　the

critic。　　I　only　know　that　I　rather　liked　her。　　And　her　functions

are　somewhat　important　in　this　veracious　history。



She　looked　up；　started　to　her　feet；　leveled　her　black　brows　at　the

intruder；　but；　at　a　sign　from　her　uncle；　showed　her　white　teeth　and

spake。



It　was　only　a　sentence；　and　a　rather　common…place　one　at　that；　but

if　she　could　have　put　her　voice　upon　her　canvas；　she　might　have

retrieved　the　Garcia　fortunes。　　For　it　was　so　musical；　so　tender；

so　sympathizing；　so　melodious；　so　replete　with　the　graciousness　of

womanhood；　that　she　seemed　to　have　invented　the　language。　　And　yet

that　sentence　was　only　an　exaggerated　form　of　the　'How　d'ye　do；'

whined　out；　doled　out；　lisped　out；　or　shot　out　from　the　pretty

mouths　of　my　fair　countrywomen。



Miguel　admired　the　paintings。　　He　was　struck　particularly　with　a

crayon　drawing　of　a　mule。　　〃Mother　of　God；　it　is　the　mule　itself！

observe　how　it　will　not　go。〃　　Then　the　crafty　Victor　broke　in　with；

〃But　it　is　nothing　to　her　writing；　look；　you　shall　tell　to　me　which

is　the　handwriting　of　Pio　Pico；〃　and；　from　a　drawer　in　the

secretary；　he　drew　forth　two　signatures。　　One　was　affixed　to　a

yellowish　paper；　the　other　drawn　on　plain　white　foolscap。　　Of

course　Miguel　took　the　more　modern　one　with　lover…like　gallantry。

〃It　is　this　is　genuine！〃　　Victor　laughed　triumphantly；　Carmen

echoed　the　laugh　melodiously　in　child…like　glee；　and　added；　with　a

slight　toss　of　her　piquant　head；　〃It　is　mine！〃　　The　best　of　the　sex

will　not　refuse　a　just　and　overdue　compliment　from　even　the　man

they　dislike。　　It's　the　principle　they're　after；　not　the　sentiment。



But　Victor　was　not　satisfied　with　this　proof　of　his　niece's　skill。

〃Say　to　her；〃　he　demanded　of　Miguel；　〃what　name　thou　likest；　and　it

shall　be　done　before　thee　here。〃　　Miguel　was　not　so　much　in　love

but　he　perceived　the　drift　of　Victor's　suggestion；　and　remarked

that　the　rubric　of　Governor　Micheltorena　was　exceedingly

complicated　and　difficult。　　〃She　shall　do　it！〃　responded　Victor；

with　decision。



From　a　file　of　old　departmental　papers　the　Governor's　signature　and

that　involved　rubric；　which　must　have　cost　his　late　Excellency　many

youthful　days　of　anxiety；　was　produced　and　laid　before　Carmen。



Carmen　took　her　pen　in　her　hand；　looked　at　the　brownish…looking

document；　and　then　at　the　virgin　whiteness　of　the　foolscap　before

her。　　〃But；〃　she　said；　pouting　prettily；　〃I　should　have　to　first

paint　this　white　paper　brown。　　And　it　will　absorb　the　ink　more

quickly　than　that。　　When　I　painted　the　San　Antonio　of　the　Mission

San　Gabriel　for　Father　Acolti；　I　had　to　put　the　decay　in　with　my

oils　and　brushes　before　the　good　Padre　would　accept　it。〃



The　two　scamps　looked　at　each　other。　　It　was　their　supreme　moment。

〃I　think　I　have；〃　said　Victor；　with　assumed　carelessness；　〃I　think　I

have　some　of　the　old　Custom…House　paper。〃　　He　produced　from　the

secretary　a　sheet　of　brown　paper　with　a　stamp。　　〃Try　it　on　that。〃



Carmen　smiled　with　childish　delight；　tried　it；　and　produced　a

marvel！　　〃It　is　as　magic；〃　said　Miguel；　feigning　to　cross　himself。



Victor's　role　was　more　serious。　　He　affected　to　be　deeply　touched；

took　the　paper；　folded　it；　and　placed　it　in　his　breast。　　〃I　shall

make　a　good　fool　of　Don　Jose　Castro；〃　he　said；　〃he　will　declare　it

is　the　Governor's　own　signature；　for　he　was　his　friend；　but　have　a

care；　Carmen！　that　you　spoil　it　not　by　the　opening　of　your　red

lips。　　When　he　is　fooled；　I　will　tell　him　of　this　marvel；this

niece　of　mine；　and　he　shall　buy　her　pictures。　　Eh；　little　one？〃　and

he　gave　her　the　avuncular　caress；　i。　e。；　a　pat　of　the　hand　on

either　cheek；　and　a　kiss。　　Miguel　envied　him；　but　cupidity

outgeneraled　Cupid；　and　presently　the　conversation　flagged；　until　a

convenient　recollection　of　Victor'sthat　himself　and　comrade　were

due　at　the　Posada　del　Toros　at　10　o'clockgave　them　the

opportunity　to　retire。　　But　not　without　a　chance　shot　from　Carmen。

〃Tell　to　me；〃　she　said；　half　to　Victor　and　half　to　Miguel；　〃what

has　chanced　with　Concho？　　He　was　ever　ready　to　bring　to　me　flowers

from　the　mountain；　and　insects　and　birds。　　Thou　knowest　how　he

would　sit；　oh；　my　uncle；　and　talk　to　me　of　the　rare　rocks　he　had

seen；　and　the　bears　and　the　evil　spirits；　and　now　he　comes　no

longer；　my　Concho！　　How　is　this？　　Nothing　evil　has　befallen　him；

surely？〃　and　her　drooping　lids　closed　half…pathetically。



Miguel's　jealousy　took　fire。　　〃He　is　drunk；　Senorita；　doubtless；

and　has　forgotten　not　only　thee　but；　mayhap；　his　mule　and　pack！　　It

is　his　custom；　ha！　ha！〃



The　red　died　out　of　Carmen's　ripe　lips；　and　she　shut　them　together

with　a　snap　like　a　steel　purse。　　The　dove　had　suddenly　changed　to　a

hawk；　the　child…girl　into　an　antique　virago；　the　spirit　hitherto

dimly　outlined　in　her　face；　of　some　shrewish　Garcia　ancestress；

came　to　the　fore。　　She　darted　a　quick　look　at　her　uncle；　and　then；

with　her　little　hands　on　her　rigid　lips；　strode　with　two　steps　up

to　Miguel。



〃Possibly；　O　Senor　Miguel　Dominguez　Perez　（a　profound　courtesy

here）；　it　is　as　thou　sayest。　　Drunkard　Concho　may　be；　but；　drunk　or

sober；　he　never　turned　his　back　on　his　friendor（the　words

grated　a　little　here）his　enemy。〃



Miguel　would　have　replied；　but　Victor　was　ready。　　〃Fool；〃　he　said；

pinching　his　arm；　〃'tis　an　old　friend。　　Andandthe　application

is　still　to　be　filled　up。　　Are　you　crazy？〃



But　on　this　point　Miguel　was　not；　and　with　the　revenge　of　a　rival

added　to　his　other　instincts；　he　permitted　Victor　to　lead　him　away。



On　their　return　to　the　fonda；　they　found　Master　Manuel　too　far　gone

with　aguardiente；　and　a　general　animosity　to　the　average　Americano；

to　be　of　any　service。　　So　they　worked　alone；　with　pen；　ink；　and

paper；　in　the　stuffy；　cigarrito…clouded　back　room　of　the　fonda。　　It

was　midnight；　two　hours　after　Concho　had　started；　that　Miguel

clapped　spurs　to　his　horse　for　the　village　of　Tres　Pinos；　with　an

application　to　Governor　Micheltorena　for　a　grant　to　the　〃Rancho　of

the　Red　Rocks〃　comfortably　bestowed　in　his　pocket。





CHAPTER　VII



WHO　PLEAD　FOR　IT





There　can　be　little　doubt　the　coroner's　jury　of　Fresno　would　have

returned　a　verdict　of　〃death　from　alcoholism；〃　as　the　result　of

their　inquest　into　the　cause　of　Concho's　death；　had　not　Dr。　Guild

fought　nobly　in　support　of　the　law　and　his　own　convictions。　　A

majority　of　the　jury　objected　to　there　being　any　inquest　at　all。　　A

sincere　juryman　thought　it　hard　that　whenever　a　Greaser　pegged　out

in　a　sneakin'　kind　o'　way；　American　citizens　should　be　taken　from

their　business　to　find　out　what　ailed　him。　　〃S'pose　he　was　killed；〃

said　another；　〃thar　ain't　no　time　this　thirty　year　he　weren't；　so

to　speak；　just　sufferin'　for　it；　ez　his　nat'ral　right　ez　a

Mexican。〃　　The　jury　at　last　compromised　by　bringing　in　a　verdict　of

homicide　against　certain　parties　unknown。　　Yet　it　was　understood

tacitly　that　these　unknown　parties　were　severally　Wiles　and　Pedro；

Manuel；　Miguel；　and　Roscommon　proving　an　unmistakable　alibi。　　Wiles

and　Pedro　had　fled　to　lower　California；　and　Manuel；　Miguel；　and

Roscommon　deemed　it　advisable；　in　the　then　excited　state　of　the

public　mind；　to　withhold　the　forged　application　and　claim　from　the

courts　and　the　public　comment。　　So　that　for　a　year　after　the　murder

of　Concho　and　the　flight　of　his　assassins　〃The　Blue　Mass　Mining

Company〃　remained　in　undisturbed　and　actual　possession　of　the　mine；

and　reigned　in　their　stead。



But　the　spirit　of　the　murdered　Concho　would　not　down　any　more　than

that　of　the　murdered　Banquo；　and　so　wrought；　no　doubt；　in　a　quiet；

Concho…like　way；　sore　trouble　with　the　〃Blue　Mass　Company。〃　　For　a

great　Capitalist　and　Master　of　Avarice　came　down　to　the　mine　and

found　it　fair；　and　taking　one　of　the　Company　aside；　offered　to　lend

his　name　and　a　certain　amount　of　coin　for　a　controlling　interest；

accompanying　the　generous　offer　with　a　suggestion　that　if　it　were

not　acceded　to　he　would　be　compelled　to　buy　up　various　Mexican

mines　and　flood　the　market　with　quicksilver　to　the　great　detriment

of　the　〃Blue　Mass　C