a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第4节

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fallen　in；　and　was　blocked　up。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Mrs。　Mulrady；　contemptuously。

〃Well；〃　returned　her　husband；　somewhat　disconnectedly；　〃it　kinder
looked　as　if　some　feller　might　have　discovered　it　before。〃

〃And　went　away；　and　left　it　for　others！　　That's　likelyain't　it？〃
interrupted　his　wife；　with　ill…disguised　intolerance。　　〃Everybody
knows　the　hill　wasn't　worth　that　for　prospectin'；　and　it　was
abandoned　when　we　came　here。　　It's　your　property　and　you've　paid
for　it。　　Are　you　goin'　to　wait　to　advertise　for　the　owner；　Alvin
Mulrady；　or　are　you　going　to　Sacramento　at　four　o'clock　to…day？〃

Mulrady　started。　　He　had　never　seriously　believed　in　the
possibility　of　a　previous　discovery；　but　his　conscientious　nature
had　prompted　him　to　give　it　a　fair　consideration。　　She　was　probably
right。　　What　he　might　have　thought　had　she　treated　it　with　equal
conscientiousness　he　did　not　consider。　　〃All　right；〃　he　said
simply。　　〃I　reckon　we'll　go　at　once。〃

〃And　when　you　talk　to　Lawyer　Cole　and　Jim；　keep　that　silly　stuff
about　the　pick　to　yourself。　　There's　no　use　of　putting　queer　ideas
into　other　people's　heads　because　you　happen　to　have　'em　yourself。〃

When　the　hurried　arrangements　were　at　last　completed；　and　Mr。
Mulrady　and　Mamie；　accompanied　by　a　taciturn　and　discreet　Chinaman；
carrying　their　scant　luggage；　were　on　their　way　to　the　high　road　to
meet　the　up　stage；　the　father　gazed　somewhat　anxiously　and
wistfully　into　his　daughter's　face。　　He　had　looked　forward　to　those
few　moments　to　enjoy　the　freshness　and　naivete　of　Mamie's　youthful
delight　and　enthusiasm　as　a　relief　to　his　wife's　practical；　far…
sighted　realism。　　There　was　a　pretty　pink　suffusion　in　her　delicate
cheek；　the　breathless　happiness　of　a　child　in　her　half…opened
little　mouth；　and　a　beautiful　absorption　in　her　large　gray　eyes
that　augured　well　for　him。

〃Well；　Mamie；　how　do　we　like　bein'　an　heiress？　　How　do　we　like
layin'　over　all　the　gals　between　this　and　'Frisco？〃

〃Eh？〃

She　had　not　heard　him。　　The　tender　beautiful　eyes　were　engaged　in
an　anticipatory　examination　of　the　remembered　shelves　in　the　〃Fancy
Emporium〃　at　Sacramento；　in　reading　the　admiration　of　the　clerks；
in　glancing　down　a　little　criticisingly　at　the　broad　cowhide
brogues　that　strode　at　her　side；　in　looking　up　the　road　for　the
stage…coach；　in　regarding　the　fit　of　her　new　gloveseverywhere　but
in　the　loving　eyes　of　the　man　beside　her。

He；　however；　repeated　the　question；　touched　with　her　charming
preoccupation；　and　passing　his　arm　around　her　little　waist。

〃I　like　it　well　enough；　pa；　you　know！〃　she　said；　slightly
disengaging　his　arm；　but　adding　a　perfunctory　little　squeeze　to　his
elbow　to　soften　the　separation。　　〃I　always　had　an　idea　SOMETHING
would　happen。　　I　suppose　I'm　looking　like　a　fright；〃　she　added；
〃but　ma　made　me　hurry　to　get　away　before　Don　Caesar　came。〃

〃And　you　didn't　want　to　go　without　seeing　him？〃　he　added；　archly。

〃I　didn't　want　him　to　see　me　in　this　frock；〃　said　Mamie；　simply。
〃I　reckon　that's　why　ma　made　me　change；〃　she　added；　with　a　slight
laugh。

〃Well　I　reckon　you're　allus　good　enough　for　him　in　any　dress；〃　said
Mulrady；　watching　her　attentively；　〃and　more　than　a　match　for　him
NOW；〃　he　added；　triumphantly。

〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　Mamie。　　〃He's　been　rich　all　the
time；　and　his　father　and　grandfather　before　him；　while　we've　been
poor　and　his　tenants。〃

His　face　changed；　the　look　of　bewilderment；　with　which　he　had
followed　her　words；　gave　way　to　one　of　pain；　and　then　of　anger。
〃Did　he　get　off　such　stuff　as　that？〃　he　asked；　quickly。

〃No。　　I'd　like　to　catch　him　at　it；〃　responded　Mamie；　promptly。
〃There's　better　nor　him　to　be　had　for　the　asking　now。〃

They　had　walked　on　a　few　moments　in　aggrieved　silence；　and　the
Chinaman　might　have　imagined　some　misfortune　had　just　befallen
them。　　But　Mamie's　teeth　shone　again　between　her　parted　lips。　　〃La；
pa！　it　ain't　that！　　He　cares　everything　for　me；　and　I　do　for　him；
and　if　ma　hadn't　got　new　ideas〃　　She　stopped　suddenly。

〃What　new　ideas？〃　queried　her　father；　anxiously。

〃Oh；　nothing！　　I　wish；　pa；　you'd　put　on　your　other　boots！
Everybody　can　see　these　are　made　for　the　farrows。　　And　you　ain't　a
market　gardener　any　more。〃

〃What　am　I；　then？〃　asked　Mulrady；　with　a　half…pleased；　half…uneasy
laugh。

〃You're　a　capitalist；　I　say；　but　ma　says　a　landed　proprietor。〃
Nevertheless；　the　landed　proprietor；　when　he　reached　the　boulder　on
the　Red　Dog　highway；　sat　down　in　somewhat　moody　contemplation；　with
his　head　bowed　over　the　broad　cowhide　brogues；　that　seemed　to　have
already　gathered　enough　of　the　soil　to　indicate　his　right　to　that
title。　　Mamie；　who　had　recovered　her　spirits；　but　had　not　lost　her
preoccupation；　wandered　off　by　herself　in　the　meadow；　or　ascended
the　hillside；　as　her　occasional　impatience　at　the　delay　of　the
coach；　or　the　following　of　some　ambitious　fancy；　alternately
prompted　her。　　She　was　so　far　away　at　one　time　that　the　stage…
coach；　which　finally　drew　up　before　Mulrady；　was　obliged　to　wait
for　her。

When　she　was　deposited　safely　inside；　and　Mulrady　had　climbed　to
the　box　beside　the　driver；　the　latter　remarked；　curtly；

〃Ye　gave　me　a　right　smart　skeer；　a　minit　ago；　stranger。〃

〃Ez　how？〃

〃Well；　about　three　years　ago；　I　was　comin'　down　this　yer　grade；　at
just　this　time；　and　sittin'　right　on　that　stone；　in　just　your
attitude；　was　a　man　about　your　build　and　years。　　I　pulled　up　to　let
him　in；　when；　darn　my　skin！　if　he　ever　moved；　but　sorter　looked　at
me　without　speakin'。　　I　called　to　him；　and　he　never　answered；　'cept
with　that　idiotic　stare。　　I　then　let　him　have　my　opinion　of　him；　in
mighty　strong　English；　and　drove　off；　leavin'　him　there。　　The　next
morning；　when　I　came　by　on　the　up…trip；　darn　my　skin！　if　he　wasn't
thar；　but　lyin'　all　of　a　heap　on　the　boulder。　　Jim　drops　down　and
picks　him　up。　　Doctor　Duchesne；　ez　was　along；　allowst　it　was　a
played…out　prospector；　with　a　big　case　of　paralysis；　and　we
expressed　him　through　to　the　County　Hospital；　like　so　much　dead
freight。　　I've　allus　been　kinder　superstitious　about　passin'　that
rock；　and　when　I　saw　you　jist　now；　sittin'　thar；　dazed　like；　with
your　head　down　like　the　other　chap；　it　rather　threw　me　off　my
centre。〃

In　the　inexplicable　and　half…superstitious　uneasiness　that　this
coincidence　awakened　in　Mulrady's　unimaginative　mind；　he　was　almost
on　the　point　of　disclosing　his　good　fortune　to　the　driver；　in　order
to　prove　how　preposterous　was　the　parallel；　but　checked　himself　in
time。

〃Did　you　find　out　who　he　was？〃　broke　in　a　rash　passenger。　　〃Did　you
ever　get　over　it？〃　added　another　unfortunate。

With　a　pause　of　insulting　scorn　at　the　interruption；　the　driver
resumed；　pointedly；　to　Mulrady：　〃The　pint　of　the　whole　thing　was　my
cussin'　a　helpless　man；　ez　could　neither　cuss　back　nor　shoot；　and
then　afterwards　takin'　you　for　his　ghost　layin'　for　me　to　get
even。〃　　He　paused　again；　and　then　added；　carelessly；　〃They　say　he
never　kem　to　enuff　to　let　on　who　he　was　or　whar　he　kem　from；　and　he
was　eventooally　taken　to　a　'Sylum　for　Doddering　Idjits　and　Gin'ral
and　Permiskus　Imbeciles　at　Sacramento。　　I've　heerd　it's　considered
a　first…class　institooshun；　not　only　for　them　ez　is　paralyzed　and
can't　talk；　as　for　them　ez　is　the　reverse　and　is　too　chipper。
Now；〃　he　added；　languidly　turning　for　the　first　time　to　his
miserable　questioners；　〃how　did　YOU　find　it？〃


CHAPTER　II


When　the　news　of　the　discovery　of　gold　in　Mulrady　shaft　was　finally
made　public；　it　created　an　excitement　hitherto　unknown　in　the
history　of　the　country。　　Half　of　Red　Dog　and　all　Rough…and…Ready
were　emptied　upon　the　yellow　hills　surrounding　Mulrady's；　until
their　circling　camp　fires　looked　like　a　besieging　army　that　had
invested　his　peaceful　pastoral　home；　preparatory　to　carrying　it　by
assault。　　Unfortunately　for　them；　they　found　the　various　points　of
vantage　already　garrisoned　with　notices　of　〃preemption〃　for　mining
purposes　in　the　name　of　the　various　members　of　the　Alvarado　family。
This　stroke　of　business　was　due　to　Mrs。　Mulrady；　as　a　means　of
mollifying　the　conscientious　scruples　of　her　husband　and　of
placating　the　Alvarados；　in　view　of　some　remote　contingency。　　It　is
but　fair　to　say　that　this　degradation　of　his　father's　Castilian
principles　was　opposed　by　Don　Caesar。　　〃You　needn't　work　them
yourself；　but　sell　out　to　them　that　will；　it's　the　only　way　to　keep
the　prospectors　from　taking　it　without　paying　for　it　at　all；〃
argued　Mrs。　Mulrady。　　Don　Caesar　finally　assented；　perhaps　less　to
the　business　arguments　of　Mulrady's　wife　than　to　the　simple
suggestion　of　Mamie's　mother。　　Enough　that　he　realized　a　sum　in
money　for　a　few　acres　that　exceeded　the　last　ten　years'　income　of
Don　Ramon's　seven　leagues。

Equally　unprecedented　and　extravagant　was　the　realization　of　the
discovery　in　Mulrady's　shaft。　　It　was　alleged　that　a　company；
hastily　formed　in　Sacramento；　paid　him　a　million　of　dollars　down；
leaving　him　still　a　controlling　two…thirds　interest　in　the　mine。
With　an　obstinacy；　however；　that　amounted　almost　to　a　moral
conviction；　he　refused　to　include　the　house　and　potato…patch　in　the
property。　　When　the　company　had　yielded　the　point；　he　declined；
with　equal　tenacity；　to　part　with　it