a phyllis of the sierras-第14节

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curtains　that　were　parted　during　the　day；　to　allow　a　triangular

revelation　of　a　pale　blue　and　white　draped　interior。　　Mainwaring

reflected　that　the　low　inside　window　ledge　was　easily　accessible

from　the　veranda；　would　afford　a　capital　lodgment　for　the　note；　and

be　quickly　seen　by　the　fair　occupant　of　the　room　on　entering。　　He

sauntered　slowly　past　the　window；　the　room　was　empty；　the　moment

propitious。　　A　slight　breeze　was　stirring　the　blue　ribbons　of　the

curtain；　it　would　be　necessary　to　secure　the　note　with　something；

he　returned　along　the　veranda　to　the　steps；　where　he　had　noticed　a

small　irregular　stone　lying；　which　had　evidently　escaped　from

Richelieu's　bag　of　treasure　specimens；　and　had　been　overlooked　by

that　ingenuous　child。　　It　was　of　a　pretty　peacock…blue　color；　and；

besides　securing　a　paper；　would　be　sure　to　attract　her　attention。

He　placed　his　note　on　the　inside　ledge；　and　the　blue　stone　atop；

and　went　away　with　a　sense　of　relief。



Another　half　hour　passed　without　incident。　　He　could　hear　the

voices　of　the　two　women　in　the　kitchen　and　dining…room。　　After　a

while　they　appeared　to　cease；　and　he　heard　the　sound　of　an　opening

door。　　It　then　occurred　to　him　that　the　veranda　was　still　too

exposed　for　a　confidential　interview；　and　he　resolved　to　descend

the　steps；　pass　before　the　windows　of　the　kitchen　where　Louise

might　see　him；　and　penetrate　the　shrubbery；　where　she　might　be

induced　to　follow　him。　　They　would　not　be　interrupted　nor　overheard

there。



But　he　had　barely　left　the　veranda　before　the　figure　of　Richelieu；

who　had　been　patiently　waiting　for　Mainwaring's　disappearance；

emerged　stealthily　from　the　shrubbery。　　He　had　discovered　his　loss

on　handing　his　〃fire　assays〃　to　the　good…humored　Bradley　for　later

examination；　and　he　had　retraced　his　way；　step　by　step；　looking

everywhere　for　his　missing　stone　with　the　unbounded　hopefulness；

lazy　persistency；　and　lofty　disregard　for　time　and　occupation　known

only　to　the　genuine　boy。　　He　remembered　to　have　placed　his　knotted

bag　upon　the　veranda；　and；　slipping　off　his　stiff　boots　slowly　and

softly；　slid　along　against　the　wall　of　the　house；　looking　carefully

on　the　floor；　and　yet　preserving　a　studied　negligence　of　demeanor；

with　one　hand　in　his　pocket；　and　his　small　mouth　contracted　into　a

singularly　soothing　and　almost　voiceless　whistleRichelieu's　own

peculiar　accomplishment。　　But　no　stone　appeared。　　Like　most　of　his

genus　he　was　superstitious；　and　repeated　to　himself　the　cabalistic

formula：　〃Losin's　seekin's；　findin's　keepin's〃presumed　to　be　of

great　efficacy　in　such　caseswith　religious　fervor。　　He　had

laboriously　reached　the　end　of　the　veranda　when　he　noticed　the　open

window　of　Louise's　room；　and　stopped　as　a　perfunctory　duty　to　look

in。　　And　then　Richelieu　Sharpe　stood　for　an　instant　utterly

confounded　and　aghast　at　this　crowning　proof　of　the　absolute　infamy

and　sickening　enormity　of　Man。



There　was　HIS　stoneHIS；　RICHELIEU'S；　OWN　SPECIMEN；　carefully

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



〃Loo