on the frontier-第22部分

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like　him；　but　generally　that　he　alone　was　responsible　for　the

grocery　man's　defection。　　It　was　put　more　concisely　by　Union　Mills。



〃That　comes　of　letting　him　go　there！　　It's　just　a　fair　provocation

to　any　man　to　have　the　Old　Man　sent　to　him。　　They　can't；　sorter；

restrain　themselves　at　him。　　He's　enough　to　spoil　the　credit　of　the

Rothschilds。〃



〃That's　so；〃　chimed　in　the　Judge。　　〃And　look　at　his　prospecting。

Why；　he　was　out　two　nights　last　week；　all　night；　prospecting　in　the

moonlight　for　blind　leads；　just　out　of　sheer　foolishness。〃



〃It　was　quite　enough　for　me；〃　broke　in　the　Left　Bower；　〃when　the

other　day；　you　remember　when；　he　proposed　to　us　white　men　to　settle

down　to　plain　ground　sluicing；　making　'grub'　wages　just　like　any

Chinaman。　　It　just　showed　his　idea　of　the　Lone　Star　claim。〃



〃Well；　I　never　said　it　afore；〃　added　Union　Mills；　〃but　when　that

one　of　the　Mattison　boys　came　over　here　to　examine　the　claim　with

an　eye　to　purchasin'；　it　was　the　Old　Man　that　took　the　conceit　out

of　him。　　He　just　as　good　as　admitted　that　a　lot　of　work　had　got　to

be　done　afore　any　pay　ore　could　be　realized。　　Never　even　asked　him

over　to　the　shanty　here　to　jine　us　in　a　friendly　game；　just　kept

him；　so　to　speak；　to　himself。　　And　naturally　the　Mattisons　didn't

see　it。〃



A　silence　followed；　broken　only　by　the　rain　monotonously　falling　on

the　roof；　and　occasionally　through　the　broad　adobe　chimney；　where

it　provoked　a　retaliating　hiss　and　splutter　from　the　dying　embers

of　the　hearth。　　The　Right　Bower；　with　a　sudden　access　of　energy；

drew　the　empty　barrel　before　him；　and　taking　a　pack　of　well…worn

cards　from　his　pocket；　began　to　make　a　〃solitaire〃　upon　the　lid。

The　others　gazed　at　him　with　languid　interest。



〃Makin'　it　for　anythin'？〃　asked　Mills。



The　Right　Bower　nodded。



The　Judge　and　Left　Bower；　who　were　partly　lying　in　their　respective

bunks；　sat　up　to　get　a　better　view　of　the　game。　　Union　Mills　slowly

disengaged　himself　from　the　wall　and　leaned　over　the　〃solitaire〃

player。　　The　Right　Bower　turned　the　last　card　in　a　pause　of　almost

thrilling　suspense；　and　clapped　it　down　on　the　lid　with　fateful

emphasis。



〃It　went！〃　said　the　Judge　in　a　voice　of　hushed　respect。　　〃What　did

you　make　it　for？〃　he　almost　whispered。



〃To　know　if　we'd　make　the　break　we　talked　about　and　vamose　the

ranch。　　It's　the　FIFTH　time　today；〃　continued　the　Right　Bower　in　a

voice　of　gloomy　significance。　　〃And　it　went　agin　bad　cards　too。〃



〃I　ain't　superstitious；〃　said　the　Judge；　with　awe　and　fatuity

beaming　from　every　line　of　his　credulous　face；　〃but　it's　flyin'　in

the　face　of　Providence　to　go　agin　such　signs　as　that。〃



〃Make　it　again；　to　see　if　the　Old　Man　must　go；〃　suggested　the　Left

Bower。



The　suggestion　was　received　with　favor；　the　three　men　gathering

breathlessly　around　the　player。　　Again　the　fateful　cards　were

shuffled　deliberately；　placed　in　their　mysterious　combination；　with

the　same　ominous　result。　　Yet　everybody　seemed　to　breathe　more

freely；　as　if　relieved　from　some　responsibility；　the　Judge

accepting　this　manifest　expression　of　Providence　with　resigned

self…righteousness。



〃Yes；　gentlemen；〃　resumed　the　Left　Bower；　serenely；　as　if　a　calm

legal　decision　had　just　been　recorded；　〃we　must　not　let　any

foolishness　or　sentiment　get　mixed　up　with　this　thing；　but　look　at

it　like　business　men。　　The　only　sensible　move　is　to　get　up　and　get

out　of　the　camp。〃



〃And　the　Old　Man？〃　queried　the　Judge。



〃The　Old　Manhush！　he's　coming。〃



The　doorway　was　darkened　by　a　slight　lissome　shadow。　　It　was　the

absent　partner；　otherwise　known　as　〃the　Old　Man。〃　　Need　it　be　added

that　he　was　a　BOY　of　nineteen；　with　a　slight　down　just　clothing　his

upper　lip！



〃The　creek　is　up　over　the　ford；　and　I　had　to　'shin'　up　a　willow　on

the　bank　and　swing　myself　across；〃　he　said；　with　a　quick；　frank

laugh；　〃but　all　the　same；　boys；　it's　going　to　clear　up　in　about　an

hour；　you　bet。　　It's　breaking　away　over　Bald　Mountain；　and　there's

a　sun　flash　on　a　bit　of　snow　on　Lone　Peak。　　Look！　you　can　see　it

from　here。　　It's　for　all　the　world　like　Noah's　dove　just　landed　on

Mount　Ararat。　　It's　a　good　omen。〃



From　sheer　force　of　habit　the　men　had　momentarily　brightened　up　at

the　Old　Man's　entrance。　　But　the　unblushing　exhibition　of　degrading

superstition　shown　in　the　last　sentence　recalled　their　just

severity。　　They　exchanged　meaning　glances。　　Union　Mills　uttered

hopelessly　to　himself：　〃Hell's　full　of　such　omens。〃



Too　occupied　with　his　subject　to　notice　this　ominous　reception；　the

Old　Man　continued：　〃I　reckon　I　struck　a　fresh　lead　in　the　new

grocery　man　at　the　Crossing。　　He　says　he'll　let　the　Judge　have　a

pair　of　boots　on　credit；　but　he　can't　send　them　over　here；　and

considering　that　the　Judge　has　got　to　try　them　anyway；　it　don't

seem　to　be　asking　too　much　for　the　Judge　to　go　over　there。　　He　says

he'll　give　us　a　barrel　of　pork　and　a　bag　of　flour　if　we'll　give　him

the　right　of　using　our　tail…race　and　clean　out　the　lower　end　of　it。〃



〃It's　the　work　of　a　Chinaman；　and　a　four　days'　job；〃　broke　in　the

Left　Bower。



〃It　took　one　white　man　only　two　hours　to　clean　out　a　third　of　it；〃

retorted　the　Old　Man　triumphantly；　〃for　I　pitched　in　at　once　with　a

pick　he　let　me　have　on　credit；　and　did　that　amount　of　work　this

morning；　and　told　him　the　rest　of　you　boys　would　finish　it　this

afternoon。〃



A　slight　gesture　from　the　Right　Bower　checked　an　angry　exclamation

from　the　Left。　　The　Old　Man　did　not　notice　either；　but；　knitting

his　smooth　young　brow　in　a　paternally　reflective　fashion；　went　on：

〃You'll　have　to　get　a　new　pair　of　trousers；　Mills；　but　as　he

doesn't　keep　clothing；　we'll　have　to　get　some　canvas　and　cut　you

out　a　pair。　　I　traded　off　the　beans　he　let　me　have　for　some　tobacco

for　the　Right　Bower　at　the　other　shop；　and　got　them　to　throw　in　a

new　pack　of　cards。　　These　are　about　played　out。　　We'll　be　wanting

some　brushwood　for　the　fire；　there's　a　heap　in　the　hollow。　　Who's

going　to　bring　it　in？　　It's　the　Judge's　turn；　isn't　it？　　Why；

what's　the　matter　with　you　all？〃



The　restraint　and　evident　uneasiness　of　his　companions　had　at　last

touched　him。　　He　turned　his　frank　young　eyes　upon　them；　they

glanced　helplessly　at　each　other。　　Yet　his　first　concern　was　for

them；　his　first　instinct　paternal　and　protecting。　　He　ran　his　eyes

quickly　over　them；　they　were　all　there　and　apparently　in　their

usual　condition。　　〃Anything　wrong　with　the　claim？〃　he　suggested。



Without　looking　at　him　the　Right　Bower　rose；　leaned　against　the

open　door　with　his　hands　behind　him　and　his　face　towards　the

landscape；　and　said；　apparently　to　the　distant　prospect：　〃The

claim's　played　out；　the　partnership's　played　out；　and　the　sooner　we

skedaddle　out　of　this　the　better。　　If；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the

Old　Man；　〃if　YOU　want　to　stay；　if　you　want　to　do　Chinaman's　work　at

Chinaman's　wages；　if　you　want　to　hang　on　to　the　charity　of　the

traders　at　the　Crossing；　you　can　do　it；　and　enjoy　the　prospects　and

the　Noah's　doves　alone。　　But　we're　calculatin'　to　step　out　of　it。〃



〃But　I　haven't　said　I　wanted　to　do　it　ALONE；〃　protested　the　Old　Man

with　a　gesture　of　bewilderment。



〃If　these　are　your　general　ideas　of　the　partnership；〃　continued　the

Right　Bower；　clinging　to　the　established　hypothesis　of　the　other

partners　for　support；　〃it　ain't　ours；　and　the　only　way　we　can　prove

it　is　to　stop　the　foolishness　right　here。　　We　calculated　to

dissolve　the　partnership　and　strike　out　for　ourselves　elsewhere。

You're　no　longer　responsible　for　us；　nor　we　for　you。　　And　we　reckon

it's　the　square　thing　to　leave　you　the　claim　and　the　cabin；　and　all

it　contains。　　To　prevent　any　trouble　with　the　traders；　we've　drawn

up　a　paper　here〃



〃With　a　bonus　of　fifty　thousand　dollars　each　down；　and　the　rest　to

be　settled　on　my　children；〃　interrupted　the　Old　Man；　with　a　half…

uneasy　laugh。　　〃Of　course。　　But〃　he　stopped　suddenly；　the　blood

dropped　from　his　fresh　cheek；　and　he　again　glanced　quickly　round

the　group。　　〃I　don't　thinkII　quite　sabe；　boys；〃　he　added；　with

a　slight　tremor　of　voice　and　lip。　　〃If　it's　a　conundrum；　ask　me　an

easier　one。〃



Any　lingering　doubt　he　might　have　had　of　their　meaning　was

dispelled　by　the　Judge。　　〃It's　about　the　softest　thing　you　kin　drop

into；　Old　Man；〃　he　said　confidentially；　〃if　I　hadn't　promised　the

other　boys　to　go　with　them；　and　if　I　didn't　need　the　best　medical

advice　in　Sacramento　for　my　lungs；　I'd　just　enjoy　staying　with

you。〃



〃It　gives　a　sorter　freedom　to　a　young　fellow　like　you；　Old　Man；

like　goin'　into　the　world　on　your　own　capital；　that　every

Californian　boy　hasn't　got；〃　said　Union　Mills；　patronizingly。



〃Of　course　it's　rather　hard　papers　on　us；　you　know；　givin'　up

everything；　so　to　speak；　but　it's　for　your　good；　and　we　ain't　goin'

back　on　you；〃　said　the　Left　Bower；　〃are　we；　boys？〃



The　color　had　returned　to　the　Old　Man's　face　a　little　more　quickly

and　freely　than　usual。　　He　picked　up　the　hat　he　had　cast　down；　put

it　on　carefully　over　his　brown　curls；　drew　the　flap　down　on　the

side　towards　his　companions；　and　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets。

〃All　right；〃　he　said；　in　a　slightly　altered　voice。　　〃When　do　you

go？〃



〃To…day；〃　answered　the　Left　Bower。　　〃We　calculate　to　take　a

moonlight　pasear　over　to　the　Cross　Roads　and　meet　the　down　stage　at

about　twelve　to…night。　　There's　plenty　of　time　yet；〃　he　added；　with

a　slight　laugh；　〃it's　only　three　o'clock　now。〃



There　was　a　dead　silence。　　Even　the　rain　withheld　its　continuous

patter；　a　dumb；　gray　film　covered　the　ashes　of　the　hushed　hearth。

For　the　first　time　the　Right　Bower　exhibited　some　slight

embarrassment。



〃I　reckon　it's　held　up　for　a　spell；〃　he　said；　ostentatiously

examining　the　weather；　〃and　we　might　as　well　take　a　run　round　the

claim　to　see　if　we've　forgotten　nothing。　　Of　course；　we'll　be　back

again；〃　he　added　hastily；　without　looking　at　the　Old　Man；　〃before

we　go；　you