on the frontier-第24部分

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plains；　and　crept　up　the　bosky　sides　of　the　canyon；　the　vanishing

sunset　was　lost　only　to　reappear　as　a　golden　crown。



The　eyes　of　the　young　man　were　fixed　upon　it　with　more　than　a

momentary　picturesque　interest。　　It　had　been　the　favorite　ground　of

his　prospecting　exploits；　its　lowest　flank　had　been　scarred　in　the

old　enthusiastic　days　with　hydraulic　engines；　or　pierced　with

shafts；　but　its　central　position　in　the　claim　and　its　superior

height　had　always　given　it　a　commanding　view　of　the　extent　of　their

valley　and　its　approaches；　and　it　was　this　practical　pre…eminence

that　alone　attracted　him　at　that　moment。　　He　knew　that　from　its

crest　he　would　be　able　to　distinguish　the　figures　of　his　companions；

as　they　crossed　the　valley　near　the　cabin；　in　the　growing　moonlight。

Thus　he　could　avoid　encountering　them　on　his　way　to　the　high　road；

and　yet　see　them；　perhaps；　for　the　last　time。　　Even　in　his　sense　of

injury　there　was　a　strange　satisfaction　in　the　thought。



The　ascent　was　toilsome；　but　familiar。　　All　along　the　dim　trail　he

was　accompanied　by　gentler　memories　of　the　past；　that　seemed；　like

the　faint　odor　of　spiced　leaves　and　fragrant　grasses　wet　with　the

rain　and　crushed　beneath　his　ascending　tread；　to　exhale　the　sweeter

perfume　in　his　effort　to　subdue　or　rise　above　them。　　There　was　the

thicket　of　manzanita；　where　they　had　broken　noonday　bread　together；

here　was　the　rock　beside　their　maiden　shaft；　where　they　had　poured

a　wild　libation　in　boyish　enthusiasm　of　success；　and　here　the　ledge

where　their　first　flag；　a　red　shirt　heroically　sacrificed；　was

displayed　from　a　long…handled　shovel　to　the　gaze　of　admirers　below。

When　he　at　last　reached　the　summit；　the　mysterious　hush　was　still

in　the　air；　as　if　in　breathless　sympathy　with　his　expedition。　　In

the　west；　the　plain　was　faintly　illuminated；　but　disclosed　no

moving　figures。　　He　turned　towards　the　rising　moon；　and　moved

slowly　to　the　eastern　edge。　　Suddenly　he　stopped。　　Another　step

would　have　been　his　last！　　He　stood　upon　the　crumbling　edge　of　a

precipice。　　A　landslip　had　taken　place　on　the　eastern　flank；

leaving　the　gaunt　ribs　and　fleshless　bones　of　Lone　Star　mountain

bare　in　the　moonlight。　　He　understood　now　the　strange　rumble　and

reverberation　he　had　heard；　he　understood　now　the　strange　hush　of

bird　and　beast　in　brake　and　thicket！



Although　a　single　rapid　glance　convinced　him　that　the　slide　had

taken　place　in　an　unfrequented　part　of　the　mountain；　above　an

inaccessible　canyon；　and　reflection　assured　him　his　companions

could　not　have　reached　that　distance　when　it　took　place；　a　feverish

impulse　led　him　to　descend　a　few　rods　in　the　track　of　the

avalanche。　　The　frequent　recurrence　of　outcrop　and　angle　made　this

comparatively　easy。　　Here　he　called　aloud；　the　feeble　echo　of　his

own　voice　seemed　only　a　dull　impertinence　to　the　significant

silence。　　He　turned　to　reascend；　the　furrowed　flank　of　the　mountain

before　him　lay　full　in　the　moonlight。　　To　his　excited　fancy；　a

dozen　luminous　star…like　points　in　the　rocky　crevices　started　into

life　as　he　faced　them。　　Throwing　his　arm　over　the　ledge　above　him；

he　supported　himself　for　a　moment　by　what　appeared　to　be　a

projection　of　the　solid　rock。　　It　trembled　slightly。　　As　he　raised

himself　to　its　level；　his　heart　stopped　beating。　　It　was　simply　a

fragment　detached　from　the　outcrop；　lying　loosely　on　the　ledge　but

upholding　him　by　ITS　OWN　WEIGHT　ONLY。　　He　examined　it　with

trembling　fingers；　the　encumbering　soil　fell　from　its　sides　and

left　its　smoothed　and　worn　protuberances　glistening　in　the

moonlight。　　It　was　virgin　gold！



Looking　back　upon　that　moment　afterwards；　he　remembered　that　he　was

not　dazed；　dazzled；　or　startled。　　It　did　not　come　to　him　as　a

discovery　or　an　accident；　a　stroke　of　chance　or　a　caprice　of

fortune。　　He　saw　it　all　in　that　supreme　moment；　Nature　had　worked

out　their　poor　deduction。　　What　their　feeble　engines　had　essayed

spasmodically　and　helplessly　against　the　curtain　of　soil　that　hid

the　treasure；　the　elements　had　achieved　with　mightier　but　more

patient　forces。　　The　slow　sapping　of　the　winter　rains　had　loosened

the　soil　from　the　auriferous　rock；　even　while　the　swollen　stream

was　carrying　their　impotent　and　shattered　engines　to　the　sea。



What　mattered　that　his　single　arm　could　not　lift　the　treasure　he

had　found！　　What　mattered　that　to　unfix　those　glittering　stars

would　still　tax　both　skill　and　patience！　　The　work　was　done；　the

goal　was　reached！　even　his　boyish　impatience　was　content　with　that。

He　rose　slowly　to　his　feet；　unstrapped　his　long…handled　shovel　from

his　back；　secured　it　in　the　crevice；　and　quietly　regained　the

summit。



It　was　all　his　own！　　His　own　by　right　of　discovery　under　the　law　of

the　land；　and　without　accepting　a　favor　from　THEM。　　He　recalled

even　the　fact　that　it　was　HIS　prospecting　on　the　mountain　that

first　suggested　the　existence　of　gold　in　the　outcrop　and　the　use　of

the　hydraulic。　　HE　had　never　abandoned　that　belief；　whatever　the

others　had　done。　　He　dwelt　somewhat　indignantly　to　himself　on　this

circumstance；　and　half　unconsciously　faced　defiantly　towards　the

plain　below。　　But　it　was　sleeping　peacefully　in　the　full　sight　of

the　moon；　without　life　or　motion。　　He　looked　at　the　stars；　it　was

still　far　from　midnight。　　His　companions　had　no　doubt　long　since

returned　to　the　cabin　to　prepare　for　their　midnight　journey。　　They

were　discussing　him；　perhaps　laughing　at　him；　or　worse；　pitying　him

and　his　bargain。　　Yet　here　was　his　bargain！　　A　slight　laugh　he　gave

vent　to　here　startled　him　a　little；　it　sounded　so　hard　and　so

unmirthful；　and　so　unlike；　as　he　oddly　fancied；　what　he　really

THOUGHT。　　But　WHAT　did　he　think？



Nothing　mean　or　revengeful；　no；　they　never　would　say　THAT。　　When　he

had　taken　out　all　the　surface　gold　and　put　the　mine　in　working

order；　he　would　send　them　each　a　draft　for　a　thousand　dollars。　　Of

course；　if　they　were　ever　ill　or　poor　he　would　do　more。　　One　of　the

first；　the　very　first　things　he　should　do　would　be　to　send　them

each　a　handsome　gun　and　tell　them　that　he　only　asked　in　return　the

old…fashioned　rifle　that　once　was　his。　　Looking　back　at　the　moment

in　after　years；　he　wondered　that；　with　this　exception；　he　made　no

plans　for　his　own　future；　or　the　way　he　should　dispose　of　his　newly

acquired　wealth。　　This　was　the　more　singular　as　it　had　been　the

custom　of　the　five　partners　to　lie　awake　at　night；　audibly

comparing　with　each　other　what　they　would　do　in　case　they　made　a

strike。　　He　remembered　how；　Alnaschar…like；　they　nearly　separated

once　over　a　difference　in　the　disposal　of　a　hundred　thousand

dollars　that　they　never　had；　nor　expected　to　have。　　He　remembered

how　Union　Mills　always　began　his　career　as　a　millionnaire　by　a

〃square　meal〃　at　Delmonico's；　how　the　Right　Bower's　initial　step

was　always　a　trip　home　〃to　see　his　mother〃；　how　the　Left　Bower

would　immediately　placate　the　parents　of　his　beloved　with　priceless

gifts　（it　may　be　parenthetically　remarked　that　the　parents　and　the

beloved　one　were　as　hypothetical　as　the　fortune）；　and　how　the　Judge

would　make　his　first　start　as　a　capitalist　by　breaking　a　certain

faro　bank　in　Sacramento。　　He　himself　had　been　equally　eloquent　in

extravagant　fancy　in　those　penniless　days；　he　who　now　was　quite

cold　and　impassive　beside　the　more　extravagant　reality。



How　different　it　might　have　been！　　If　they　had　only　waited　a　day

longer！　if　they　had　only　broken　their　resolves　to　him　kindly　and

parted　in　good　will！　　How　he　would　long　ere　this　have　rushed　to

greet　them　with　the　joyful　news！　　How　they　would　have　danced　around

it；　sung　themselves　hoarse；　laughed　down　their　enemies；　and　run　up

the　flag　triumphantly　on　the　summit　of　the　Lone　Star　Mountain！　　How

they　would　have　crowned　him　〃the　Old　Man；〃　〃the　hero　of　the　camp！〃

How　he　would　have　told　them　the　whole　story；　how　some　strange

instinct　had　impelled　him　to　ascend　the　summit；　and　how　another

step　on　that　summit　would　have　precipitated　him　into　the　canyon！

And　howbut　what　if　somebody　else；　Union　Mills　or　the　Judge；　had

been　the　first　discoverer？　　Might　they　not　have　meanly　kept　the

secret　from　him；　have　selfishly　helped　themselves　and　done



〃What　YOU　are　doing　now。〃



The　hot　blood　rushed　to　his　cheek；　as　if　a　strange　voice　were　at

his　ear。　　For　a　moment　he　could　not　believe　that　it　came　from　his

own　pale　lips　until　he　found　himself　speaking。　　He　rose　to　his

feet；　tingling　with　shame；　and　began　hurriedly　to　descend　the

mountain。



He　would　go　to　them；　tell　them　of　his　discovery；　let　them　give　him

his　share；　and　leave　them　forever。　　It　was　the　only　thing　to　be

done；　strange　that　he　had　not　thought　of　it　at　once。　　Yet　it　was

hard；　very　hard　and　cruel　to　be　forced　to　meet　them　again。　　What

had　he　done　to　suffer　this　mortification？　　For　a　moment　he　actually

hated　this　vulgar　treasure　that　had　forever　buried　under　its　gross

ponderability　the　light　and　careless　past；　and　utterly　crushed　out

the　poetry　of　their　old；　indolent；　happy　existence。



He　was　sure　to　find　them　waiting　at　the　Cross　Roads　where　the　coach

came　past。　　It　was　three　miles　away；　yet　he　could　get　there　in　time

if　he　hastened。　　It　was　a　wise　and　practical　conclusion　of　his

evening's　work；　a　lame　and　impotent　conclusion　to　his　evening's

indignation。　　No　matter。　　They　would　perhaps　at　first　think　he　had

come　to　weakly　follow　them；　perhaps　they　would　at　first　doubt　his

story。　　No　matter。　　He　bit　his　lips　to　keep　down　the　foolish　rising

tears；　but　still　went　blindly　forward。



He　saw　not　the　beautiful　night；　cradled　in　the　dark　hills；　swathed

in　luminous　mists；　and　hushed　in　the　awe　of　its　own　loveliness！

Here　and　there　the　moon　had　laid　her　calm　face　on　lake　and

overflow；　and　gone　to　sleep　embracing　them；　until　the　whole　plain

seemed　to　be　lifted　into　infinite　quiet。　　Walking　on　as　in　a　dream；

the　black；　impenetrable　barriers　of　skirting　thickets　opened　and

gave　way　to　vague　distances　that