cressy-第13节

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squatters　and　jumpers　just　the　same。　　It'll　be　three　instead　of　two

fightingthat's　all！〃



Uncle　Ben's　imbecile　reply　did　not　trouble　Johnny。　　He　had　ears　now

only　for　the　superior　intellect　before　him。　　IT　continued　coolly：



〃Now　let's　take　a　look　at　that　yield　of　yours。　　I　haven't　much　time

to　give　you；　as　I　expect　some　men　to　be　looking　for　me　hereand　I

suppose　you　want　this　thing　still　kept　a　secret。　　I　don't　see　how

you've　managed　to　do　it　so　far。　　Is　your　claim　near？　　You　live　on

itI　think　you　said？〃



But　that　the　little　listener　was　so　preoccupied　with　the　stranger；

this　suggestion　of　Uncle　Ben's　having　a　claim　worth　the　attention

of　that　distinguished　presence　would　have　set　him　thinking；　the

little　that　he　understood　he　set　down　to　Uncle　Ben's　〃gassin'。〃　　As

the　two　men　moved　forward　again；　he　followed　them　until　Uncle　Ben's

house　was　reached。



It　was　a　rude　shanty　of　boards　and　rough　boulders；　half　burrowing

in　one　of　the　largest　mounds　of　earth　and　gravel；　which　had　once

represented　the　tailings　or　refuse　of　the　abandoned　Indian　Spring

Placer。　　In　fact　it　was　casually　alleged　by　some　that　Uncle　Ben

eked　out　the　scanty　〃grub　wages；〃　he　made　by　actual　mining；　in

reworking　and　sifting　the　tailings　at　odd　timesa　degrading　work

hitherto　practised　only　by　Chinese；　and　unworthy　the　Caucasian

ambition。　　The　mining　code　of　honor　held　that　a　man　might　accept

the　smallest　results　of　his　daily　labor；　as　long　as　he　was

sustained　by　the　prospect　of　a　larger　〃strike；〃　but　condemned　his

contentment　with　a　modest　certainty。　　Nevertheless　a　little　of

this　suspicion　encompassed　his　dwelling　and　contributed　to　its

loneliness；　even　as　a　long　ditch；　the　former　tail…race　of　the

claim；　separated　him　from　his　neighbors。　　Prudently　halting　at　the

edge　of　the　wood；　Johnny　saw　his　resplendent　vision　cross　the　strip

of　barren　flat；　and　enter　the　cabin　with　Uncle　Ben　like　any　other

mortal。　　He　sat　down　on　a　stump　and　awaited　its　return；　which　he

fondly　hoped　might　be　alone！　　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour　he　made　a

short　excursion　to　examine　the　condition　of　a　blackberry　bramble；

and　returned　to　his　post　of　observation。　　But　there　was　neither

sound　nor　motion　in　the　direction　of　the　cabin。　　When　another　ten

minutes　had　elapsed；　the　door　opened　and　to　Johnny's　intense

discomfiture；　Uncle　Ben　appeared　alone　and　walked　leisurely　towards

the　woods。　　Burning　with　anxiety　Johnny　threw　himself　in　Uncle

Ben's　way。　　But　here　occurred　one　of　those　surprising　inconsistencies

known　only　to　children。　　As　Uncle　Ben　turned　his　small　gray　eyes

upon　him　in　a　half　astonished；　half　questioning　manner；　the　potent

spirit　of　childish　secretiveness　suddenly　took　possession　of　the

boy。　　Wild　horses　could　not　now　have　torn　from　him　that　question

which　only　a　moment　before　was　on　his　lips。



〃Hullo；　Johnny！　　What　are　ye　doin'　here？〃　said　Uncle　Ben　kindly。



〃Nothin'。〃　　After　a　pause；　in　which　he　walked　all　round　Uncle　Ben's

large　figure；　gazing　up　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　monument；　he　added；

〃Huntin'　blackberrieth。〃



〃Why　ain't　you　over　at　the　collation？〃



〃Ruperth　there；〃　he　answered　promptly。



The　idea　of　being　thus　vicariously　present　in　the　person　of　his

brother　seemed　a　sufficient　excuse。　　He　leap…frogged　over　the　stump

on　which　he　had　been　sitting　as　an　easy　unembarrassing　pause　for

the　next　question。　　But　Uncle　Ben　was　apparently　perfectly

satisfied　with　Johnny's　reply；　and　nodding　to　him；　walked　away。



When　his　figure　had　disappeared　in　the　bushes；　Johnny　cautiously

approached　the　cabin。　　At　a　certain　distance　he　picked　up　a　stone

and　threw　it　against　the　door；　immediately　taking　to　his　heels　and

the　friendly　copse　again。　　No　one　appearing　he　repeated　the

experiment　twice　and　even　thrice　with　a　larger　stone　and　at　a

nearer　distance。　　Then　he　boldly　skirted　the　cabin　and　dropped　into

the　race…way　at　its　side。　　Following　it　a　few　hundred　yards　he　came

upon　a　long　disused　shaft　opening　into　it；　which　had　been　covered

with　a　rough　trap　of　old　planks；　as　if　to　protect　incautious

wayfarers　from　falling　in。　　Here　a　sudden　and　inexplicable　fear

overtook　Johnny；　and　he　ran　away。　　When　he　reached　the　hotel；　almost

the　first　sight　that　met　his　astounded　eyes　was　the　spectacle　of　the

paragon；　apparently　still　in　undisturbed　possession　of　all　his

perfectionsdriving　coolly　off　in　a　buggy　with　a　fresh　companion。



Meantime　Mr。　Ford；　however　touched　by　the　sentimental　significance

of　the　celebration；　became　slightly　wearied　of　its　details。　　As　his

own　room　in　the　Eureka　Hotel　was　actually　thrilled　by　the　brass

band　without　and　the　eloquence　of　speakers　below；　and　had　become

redolent　of　gunpowder　and　champagne　exploded　around　it；　he

determined　to　return　to　the　school…house　and　avail　himself　of　its

woodland　quiet　to　write　a　few　letters。



The　change　was　grateful；　the　distant　murmur　of　the　excited

settlement　came　only　as　the　soothing　sound　of　wind　among　the

leaves。　　The　pure　air　of　the　pines　that　filled　every　cranny　of　the

quiet　school…room；　and　seemed　to　disperse　all　taint　of　human

tenancy；　made　the　far…off　celebrations　as　unreal　as　a　dream。　　The

only　reality　of　his　life　was　here。



He　took　from　his　pocket　a　few　letters　one　of　which　was　worn　and

soiled　with　frequent　handling。　　He　re…read　it　in　a　half　methodical；

half　patient　way；　as　if　he　were　waiting　for　some　revelation　it

inspired；　which　was　slow　that　afternoon　in　coming。　　At　other　times

it　had　called　up　a　youthful　enthusiasm　which　was　wont　to　transfigure

his　grave　and　prematurely　reserved　face　with　a　new　expression。

To…day　the　revelation　and　expression　were　both　wanting。　　He　put　the

letter　back　with　a　slight　sigh；　that　sounded　so　preposterous　in　the

silent　room　that　he　could　not　forego　an　embarrassed　smile。　　But　the

next　moment　he　set　himself　seriously　to　work　on　his　correspondence。



Presently　he　stopped；　once　or　twice　he　had　been　overtaken　by　a

vague　undefinable　sense　of　pleasure；　even　to　the　dreamy　halting　of

his　pen。　　It　was　a　sensation　in　no　way　connected　with　the　subject

of　his　correspondence；　or　even　his　previous　reflectionsit　was

partly　physical；　and　yet　it　was　in　some　sense　suggestive。　　It　must

be　the　intoxicating　effect　of　the　woodland　air。　　He　even　fancied　he

had　noticed　it　before；　at　the　same　hour　when　the　sun　was　declining

and　the　fresh　odors　of　the　undergrowth　were　rising。　　It　certainly

was　a　perfume。　　He　raised　his　eyes。　　There　lay　the　cause　on　the

desk　before　hima　little　nosegay　of　wild　Californian　myrtle

encircling　a　rose…bud　which　had　escaped　his　notice。



There　was　nothing　unusual　in　the　circumstance。　　The　children　were

in　the　habit　of　making　their　offerings　generally　without　particular

reference　to　time　or　occasion；　and　it　might　have　been　overlooked　by

him　during　school…hours。　　He　felt　a　pity　for　the　forgotten　posy

already　beginning　to　grow　limp　in　its　neglected　solitude。　　He

remembered　that　in　some　folk…lore　of　the　children's；　perhaps　a

tradition　of　the　old　association　of　the　myrtle　with　Venus；　it　was

believed　to　be　emblematic　of　the　affections。　　He　remembered　also

that　he　had　even　told　them　of　this　probable　origin　of　their

superstition。　　He　was　still　holding　it　in　his　hand　when　he　was

conscious　of　a　silken　sensation　that　sent　a　magnetic　thrill　through

his　fingers。　　Looking　at　it　more　closely　he　saw　that　the　sprigs

were　bound　together；　not　by　thread　or　ribbon；　but　by　long　filaments

of　soft　brown　hair　tightly　wound　around　them。　　He　unwound　a　single

hair　and　held　it　to　the　light。　　Its　length；　color；　texture；　and

above　all　a　certain　inexplicable　instinct；　told　him　it　was　Cressy

McKinstry's。　　He　laid　it　down　quickly；　as　if　he　had；　in　that　act；

familiarly　touched　her　person。



He　finished　his　letter；　but　presently　found　himself　again　looking

at　the　myrtle　and　thinking　about　it。　　From　the　position　in　which　it

had　been　placed　it　was　evidently　intended　for　him；　the　fancy　of

binding　it　with　hair　was　also　intentional　and　not　a　necessity；　as

he　knew　his　feminine　scholars　were　usually　well　provided　with　bits

of　thread；　silk；　or　ribbon。　　If　it　had　been　some　new　absurdity　of

childish　fashion　introduced　in　the　school；　he　would　have　noticed　it

ere　this。　　For　it　was　this　obtrusion　of　a　personality　that　vaguely

troubled　him。　　He　remembered　Cressy's　hair；　it　was　certainly　very

beautiful；　in　spite　of　her　occasional　vagaries　of　coiffure。　　He

recalled　how；　one　afternoon；　it　had　come　down　when　she　was　romping

with　Octavia　in　the　play…ground；　and　was　surprised　to　find　what　a

vivid　picture　he　retained　of　her　lingering　in　the　porch　to　put　it

up；　her　rounded　arms　held　above　her　head；　her　pretty　shoulders；

full　throat；　and　glowing　face　thrown　back；　and　a　wisp　of　the　very

hair　between　her　white　teeth！　　He　began　another　letter。



When　it　was　finished　the　shadow　of　the　pine…branch　before　the

window；　thrown　by　the　nearly　level　sun　across　his　paper；　had　begun

slowly　to　reach　the　opposite　wall。　　He　put　h