a phyllis of the sierras-第13部分

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gathered　by　himself　and　none　otherand　now　stolen；　abstracted；

〃skyugled；〃　〃smouged；〃　〃hooked〃　by　this　〃rotten；　skunkified；　long…

legged；　splay…footed；　hoss…laughin'；　nigger…toothed；　or'nary

despot〃　　And；　worse　than　all；　actually　made　to　do　infamous　duty　as

a　love　token〃a　〃candy…gift！〃a　〃philanderin'　box〃　to　HIS；

Richelieu's；　girlfor　Louise　belonged　to　that　innocent　and　vague

outside　seraglio　of　Richelieu's　boyish　dreamsand　put　atop　of　a

letter　to　her！　and　Providence　permitted　such　an　outrage！　　〃Wot　was

he；　Richelieu；　sent　to　school　for；　and　organized　wickedness　in　the

shape　of　gorilla　Injins　like　this　allowed　to　ride　high　horses

rampant　over　Californey！〃　　He　looked　at　the　heavens　in　mute　appeal。

And　thenProvidence　not　immediately　interferinghe　thrust　his　own

small　arm　into　the　window；　regained　his　priceless　treasure；　and

fled　swiftly。



A　fateful　silence　ensued。　　The　wind　slightly　moved　the　curtain

outward；　as　if　in　a　playful　attempt　to　follow　him；　and　then

subsided。　　A　moment　later；　apparently　re…enforced　by　other　winds；

or　sympathizing　with　Richelieu；　it　lightly　lifted　the　unlucky

missive　and　cast　it　softly　from　the　window。　　But　here　another　wind；

lying　in　wait；　caught　it　cleverly；　and　tossed　it；　in　a　long　curve；

into　the　abyss。　　For　an　instant　it　seemed　to　float　lazily；　as　on

the　mirrored　surface　of　a　lake；　until；　turning　upon　its　side；　it

suddenly　darted　into　utter　oblivion。



When　Mainwaring　returned　from　the　shrubbery；　he　went　softly　to　the

window。　　The　disappearance　of　the　letter　and　stone　satisfied　him　of

the　success　of　his　stratagem；　and　for　the　space　of　three　hours

relieved　his　anxiety。　　But　at　the　end　of　that　time；　finding　no

response　from　Louise；　his　former　uneasiness　returned。　　Was　she

offended；　orthe　first　doubt　of　her　acceptance　of　him　crossed　his

mind！



A　sudden　and　inexplicable　sense　of　shame　came　upon　him。　　At　the

same　moment；　he　heard　his　name　called　from　the　steps；　turnedand

beheld　Minty。



Her　dark　eyes　were　shining　with　a　pleasant　light；　and　her　lips

parted　on　her　white　teeth　with　a　frank；　happy　smile。　　She　advanced

and　held　out　her　hand。　　He　took　it　with　a　mingling　of　disappointment

and　embarrassment。



〃You're　wondering　why　I　kem　on　here；　arter　I　sent　word　this　morning

that　I　kelkilated　not　to　come。　　Well；　'twixt　then　and　now　suthin'　's

happened。　　We've　had　fine　doin's　over　at　our　house；　you　bet！

Pop　don't　know　which　end　he's　standin'　on；　and　I　reckon　that　for

about　ten　minutes　I　didn't　know　my　own　name。　　But　ez　soon　ez　I　got

fairly　hold　o'　the　hull　thing；　and　had　it　put　straight　in　my　mind；

I　sez　to　myself；　Minty　Sharpe；　sez　I；　the　first　thing　for　you　to　do

now；　is　to　put　on　yer　bonnet　and　shawl；　and　trapse　over　to　Jim

Bradley's　and　help　them　two　womenfolks　get　dinner　for　themselves

and　that　sick　stranger。　　And；〃　continued　Minty；　throwing　herself

into　a　chair　and　fanning　her　glowing　face　with　her　apron；　〃yer　I

am！〃



〃But　you　have　not　told　me　WHAT　has　happened；〃　said　Mainwaring；　with

a　constrained　smile；　and　an　uneasy　glance　towards　the　house。



〃That's　so；〃　said　Minty；　with　a　brilliant　laugh。　　〃I　clean　forgot

the　hull　gist　of　the　thing。　　Well；　we're　rich　folks　nowover　thar'

on　Barren　Ledge！　　That　onery　brother　of　mine；　Richelieu；　hez　taken

some　of　his　specimens　over　to　Jim　Bradley　to　be　tested。　　And

Bradley；　just　to　please　that　child；　takes　'em；　and　not　an　hour　ago

Bradley　comes　running；　likety　switch；　over　to　Pop　to　tell　him　to

put　up　his　notices；　for　the　hull　of　that　ledge　where　the　forge

stands　is　a　mine　o'　silver　and　copper。　　Afore　ye　knew　it；　Lordy！

half　the　folks　outer　the　Summit　and　the　mill　was　scattered　down

thar　all　over　it。　　Richardsonthat　stranger　ez　knows　youkem　thar

too　with　Jim；　and　he　allows；　ef　Bradley's　essay　is　right；　it's

worth　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　ez　it　stands！〃



〃I　suppose　I　must　congratulate　you；　Miss　Sharpe；〃　said　Mainwaring

with　an　attempt　at　interest；　but　his　attention　still　preoccupied

with　the　open　doorway。



〃Oh；　THEY　know　all　about　it！〃　said　Minty；　following　the　direction

of　his　abstracted　eyes　with　a　slight　darkening　of　her　own；　〃I　jest

kem　out　o'　the　kitchen　the　other　way；　and　Jim　sent　'em　a　note；　but

I　allowed　I'd　tell　YOU　myself。　　Specially　ez　you　are　going　away

to…morrow。〃



〃Who　said　I　was　going　away　to…morrow？〃　asked　Mainwaring；　uneasily。



〃Loo　Macy！〃



〃Ahshe　did？　　But　I　may　change　my　mind；　you　know！〃　he　continued；

with　a　faint　smile。



Minty　shook　her　curls　decisively。　　〃I　reckon　SHE　knows；〃　she　said

dryly；　〃she's　got　law　and　gospel　for　wot　she　says。　　But　yer　she

comes。　　Ask　her！　　Look　yer；　Loo；〃　she　added；　as　the　two　women

appeared　at　the　doorway；　with　a　certain　exaggeration　of

congratulatory　manner　that　struck　Mainwaring　as　being　as　artificial

and　disturbed　as　his　own；　〃didn't　Sir　Francis　yer　say　he　was　going

to…morrow？〃



〃That's　what　I　understood！〃　returned　Louise；　with　cold　astonishment；

letting　her　clear　indifferent　eyes　fall　upon　Mainwaring。　　〃I　do

not　know　that　he　has　changed　his　mind。〃



〃Unless；　as　Miss　Sharpe　is　a　great　capitalist　now；　she　is　willing

to　use　her　powers　of　persuasion；〃　added　Mrs。　Bradley；　with　a　slight

acidulous　pointing　of　her　usual　prim　playfulness。



〃I　reckon　Minty　Sharpe's　the　same　ez　she　allus　wos；　unless　more

so；〃　returned　Minty；　with　an　honest　egotism　that　carried　so　much

conviction　to　the　hearer　as　to　condone　its　vanity。　　〃But　I　kem　yer

to　do　a　day's　work；　gals；　and　I　allow　to　pitch　in　and　do　it；　and

not　sit　yer　swoppin'　compliments　and　keeping　HIM　from　packin'　his

duds。　　Onless；〃　she　stopped；　and　looked　around　at　the　uneasy；

unsympathetic　circle　with　a　faint　tremulousness　of　lip　that　belied

the　brave　black　eyes　above　it；　〃onless　I'm　in　yer　way。〃



The　two　women　sprang　forward　with　a　feminine　bewildering　excess　of

protestation；　and　Mainwaring；　suddenly　pierced　through　his　outer

selfish　embarrassment　to　his　more　honest　depths；　stammered　quickly



〃Look　here；　Miss　Sharpe；　if　you　think　of　running　away　again；　after

having　come　all　the　way　here　to　make　us　share　the　knowledge　of　your

good　fortune　and　your　better　heart；　by　Jove！　I'll　go　back　with　you。〃



But　here　the　two　women　effusively　hurried　her　away　from　the　dangerous

proximity　of　such　sympathetic　honesty；　and　a　moment　later　Mainwaring

heard　her　laughing　voice；　as　of　old；　ringing　in　the　kitchen。　　And

then；　as　if　unconsciously　responding　to　the　significant　common　sense

that　lay　in　her　last　allusion　to　him；　he　went　to　his　room　and　grimly

began　his　packing。



He　did　not　again　see　Louise　alone。　　At　their　informal　luncheon　the

conversation　turned　upon　the　more　absorbing　topic　of　the　Sharpes'

discovery；　its　extent；　and　its　probable　effect　upon　the　fortunes　of

the　locality。　　He　noticed；　abstractedly；　that　both　Mrs。　Bradley　and

her　cousin　showed　a　real　or　assumed　scepticism　of　its　value。　　This

did　not　disturb　him　greatly；　except　for　its　intended　check　upon

Minty's　enthusiasm。　　He　was　more　conscious；　perhaps；with　a　faint

touch　of　mortified　vanity；that　his　own　contemplated　departure　was

of　lesser　importance　than　this　local　excitement。　　Yet　in　his

growing　conviction　that　all　was　overif；　indeed；　it　had　ever

begunbetween　himself　and　Louise；　he　was　grateful　to　this　natural

diversion　of　incident　which　spared　them　both　an　interval　of

embarrassing　commonplaces。　　And；　with　the　suspicion　of　some

indefinable　insincerityeither　of　his　own　or　Louise'shaunting

him；　Minty's　frank　heartiness　and　outspoken　loyalty　gave　him　a

strange　relief。　　It　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　clear　cool　breath　of

the　forest　had　entered　with　her　homely　garments；　and　the　steadfast

truth　of　Nature　were　incarnate　in　her　shining　eyes。　　How　far　this

poetic　fancy　would　have　been　consistent　or　even　coexistent　with　any

gleam　of　tenderness　or　self…forgetfulness　in　Louise's　equally

pretty　orbs；　I　leave　the　satirical　feminine　reader　to　determine。



It　was　late　when　Bradley　at　last　returned；　bringing　further　and

more　complete　corroboration　of　the　truth　of　Sharpe's　good　fortune。

Two　experts　had　arrived；　one　from　Pine　Flat　and　another　from　the

Summit；　and　upon　this　statement　Richardson　had　offered　to　purchase

an　interest　in　the　discovery　that　would　at　once　enable　the

blacksmith　to　develop　his　mine。　　〃I　shouldn't　wonder；　Mainwaring；〃

he　added　cheerfully；　〃if　he'd　put　you　into　it；　too；　and　make　your

eternal　fortune。〃



〃With　larks　falling　from　the　skies　all　round　you；　it's　a　pity　YOU

couldn't　get　put　into　something；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　straightening

her　pretty　brows。



〃I'm　not　a　gold…miner；　my　dear；〃　said　Bradley；　pleasantly。



〃Nor　a　gold…finder；〃　returned　his　wife；　with　a　cruel　little

depression　of　her　pink　nostrils；　〃but　you　can　work　all　night　in

that　stupid　mill　and　then；〃　she　added　in　a　low　voice；　to　escape

Minty's　attention；　〃spend　the　whole　of　the　next　day　examining　and

following　up　a　boy's　discovery　that　his　own　relations　had　been　too

lazy　and　too　ignorant　to　understand　and　profit　by。　　I　suppose　that

next　you　will　be　hunting　up　a　site　on　the　OTHER　SIDE　of　the　Canyon；

where　somebody　else　can　put　up　a　hotel　and　ruin　your　own　prospects。〃



A　sensitive　shadow　of　pain　quickly　dimmed　Bradley's　glancenot　the

first　or　last　time　evidently；　for　it　was　gradually　bringing　out　a

background　of　sadness　in　his　intelligent　eyes。　　But　the　next　moment

he　turned　kindly　to　Mainwaring；　and　began　to　deplore　the　necessity

of　his　early　departure；　which　Richardson　had　already　made　known　to

him　with　practical　and　satisfying　reasons。



〃I　hope　you　won't　forget；　my　dear　fellow；　that　your　most　really

urgent　business　is　to　look　after　your　health；　and　if；　hereafter；

you'll　only　remember　the　old　Lookout　enough　to　impress　that　fact

upon　you；　I　shall　feel　that　any　poor　service　I　have　rendered　you

has　been　amply　repaid。〃



Mainwaring；　notwithstanding　that　he　winced　slightly　at　this　fateful

echo　of　Louise's　advice；　returned　the　grasp　of　his　fri