a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第8节

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eventually　flew　away　with　an　abstracted　air；　as　if　he　had　been
another　bird　entirely。　　The　paper　got　into　a　manzanita　bush；　where
it　remained　suspended　until　the　evening；　when；　being　dislodged　by　a
passing　wild…cat　on　its　way　to　Mulrady's　hen…roost；　it　gave　that
delicately　sensitive　marauder　such　a　turn　that　she　fled　into　the
adjacent　county。

But　the　troubles　of　the　squirrel　were　not　yet　over。　　On　the
following　day　the　young　man　who　had　accompanied　the　young　woman
returned　to　the　trunk；　and　the　squirrel　had　barely　time　to　make　his
escape　before　the　impatient　visitor　approached　the　opening　of　the
cavity；　peered　into　it；　and　even　passed　his　hand　through　its
recesses。　　The　delight　visible　upon　his　anxious　and　serious　face　at
the　disappearance　of　the　letter；　and　the　apparent　proof　that　it　had
been　called　for；　showed　him　to　have　been　its　original　depositor；
and　probably　awakened　a　remorseful　recollection　in　the　dark　bosom
of　the　omnipresent　crow；　who　uttered　a　conscious…stricken　croak
from　the　bough　above　him。　　But　the　young　man　quickly　disappeared
again；　and　the　squirrel　was　once　more　left　in　undisputed
possession。

A　week　passed。　　A　weary；　anxious　interval　to　Don　Caesar；　who　had
neither　seen　nor　heard　from　Mamie　since　their　last　meeting。　　Too
conscious　of　his　own　self…respect　to　call　at　the　house　after　the
equivocal　conduct　of　Mrs。　Mulrady；　and　too　proud　to　haunt　the　lanes
and　approaches　in　the　hope　of　meeting　her　daughter；　like　an
ordinary　lover；　he　hid　his　gloomy　thoughts　in　the　monastic　shadows
of　the　courtyard　at　Los　Gatos；　or　found　relief　in　furious　riding　at
night　and　early　morning　on　the　highway。　　Once　or　twice　the　up…stage
had　been　overtaken　and　passed　by　a　rushing　figure　as　shadowy　as　a
phantom　horseman；　with　only　the　star…like　point　of　a　cigarette　to
indicate　its　humanity。　　It　was　in　one　of　these　fierce　recreations
that　he　was　obliged　to　stop　in　early　morning　at　the　blacksmith's
shop　at　Rough…and…Ready；　to　have　a　loosend　horseshoe　replaced；　and
while　waiting　picked　up　a　newspaper。　　Don　Caesar　seldom　read　the
papers；　but　noticing　that　this　was　the　〃Record；〃　he　glanced　at　its
columns。　　A　familiar　name　suddenly　flashed　out　of　the　dark　type
like　a　spark　from　the　anvil。　　With　a　brain　and　heart　that　seemed　to
be　beating　in　unison　with　the　blacksmith's　sledge；　he　read　as
follows：

〃Our　distinguished　fellow…townsman；　Alvin　Mulrady；　Esq。；　left　town
day　before　yesterday　to　attend　an　important　meeting　of　directors　of
the　Red　Dog　Ditch　Company；　in　San　Francisco。　　Society　will　regret
to　hear　that　Mrs。　Mulrady　and　her　beautiful　and　accomplished
daughter；　who　are　expecting　to　depart　for　Europe　at　the　end　of　the
month；　anticipated　the　event　nearly　a　fortnight；　by　taking　this
opportunity　of　accompanying　Mr。　Mulrady　as　far　as　San　Francisco；　on
their　way　to　the　East。　　Mrs。　and　Miss　Mulrady　intend　to　visit
London；　Paris；　and　Berlin；　and　will　be　absent　three　years。　　It　is
possible　that　Mr。　Mulrady　may　join　them　later　at　one　or　other　of
those　capitals。　　Considerable　disappointment　is　felt　that　a　more
extended　leave…taking　was　not　possible；　and　that；　under　the
circumstances；　no　opportunity　was　offered　for　a　'send　off'　suitable
to　the　condition　of　the　parties　and　the　esteem　in　which　they　are
held　in　Rough…and…Ready。〃

The　paper　dropped　from　his　hands。　　Gone！　and　without　a　word！　　No；
that　was　impossible！　　There　must　be　some　mistake；　she　had　written；
the　letter　had　miscarried；　she　must　have　sent　word　to　Los　Gatos；
and　the　stupid　messenger　had　blundered；　she　had　probably　appointed
another　meeting；　or　expected　him　to　follow　to　San　Francisco。　　〃The
day　before　yesterday！〃　　It　was　the　morning's　papershe　had　been
gone　scarcely　two　daysit　was　not　too　late　yet　to　receive　a
delayed　message　by　post；　by　some　forgetful　handbyahthe　tree！

Of　course　it　was　in　the　tree；　and　he　had　not　been　there　for　a　week！
Why　had　he　not　thought　of　it　before？　　The　fault　was　his；　not　hers。
Perhaps　she　had　gone　away；　believing　him　faithless；　or　a　country
boor。

〃In　the　name　of　the　Devil；　will　you　keep　me　here　till　eternity！〃

The　blacksmith　stared　at　him。　　Don　Caesar　suddenly　remembered　that
he　was　speaking；　as　he　was　thinkingin　Spanish。

〃Ten　dollars；　my　friend；　if　you　have　done　in　five　minutes！〃

The　man　laughed。　　〃That's　good　enough　American；〃　he　said；　beginning
to　quicken　his　efforts。　　Don　Caesar　again　took　up　the　paper。　　There
was　another　paragraph　that　recalled　his　last　interview　with　Mamie：

〃Mr。　Harry　Slinn；　Jr。；　the　editor　of　this　paper；　has　just　moved
into　the　pioneer　house　formerly　occupied　by　Alvin　Mulrady；　Esq。；
which　has　already　become　historic　in　the　annals　of　the　county。　　Mr。
Slinn　brings　with　him　his　fatherH。　J。　Slinn；　Esq。；and　his　two
sisters。　　Mr。　Slinn；　Sen。；　who　has　been　suffering　for　many　years
from　complete　paralysis；　we　understand　is　slowly　improving；　and　it
is　by　the　advice　of　his　physicians　that　he　has　chosen　the
invigorating　air　of　the　foothills　as　a　change　to　the　debilitating
heat　of　Sacramento。〃

The　affair　had　been　quickly　settled；　certainly；　reflected　Don
Caesar；　with　a　slight　chill　of　jealousy；　as　he　thought　of　Mamie's
interest　in　the　young　editor。　　But　the　next　moment　he　dismissed　it
from　his　mind；　all　except　a　dull　consciousness　that；　if　she　really
loved　himDon　Caesaras　he　loved　her；　she　could　not　have　assisted
in　throwing　into　his　society　the　young　sisters　of　the　editor；　who
she　expected　might　be　so　attractive。

Within　the　five　minutes　the　horse　was　ready；　and　Don　Caesar　in　the
saddle　again。　　In　less　than　half　an　hour　he　was　at　the　wayside
boulder。　　Here　he　picketed　his　horse；　and　took　the　narrow　foot…
trail　through　the　hollow。　　It　did　not　take　him　long　to　reach　their
old　trysting…place。　　With　a　beating　heart　he　approached　the
decaying　trunk　and　looked　into　the　cavity。　　There　was　no　letter
there！

A　few　blackened　nuts　and　some　of　the　dry　moss　he　had　put　there　were
lying　on　the　ground　at　its　roots。　　He　could　not　remember　whether
they　were　there　when　he　had　last　visited　the　spot。　　He　began　to
grope　in　the　cavity　with　both　hands。　　His　fingers　struck　against
the　sharp　angles　of　a　flat　paper　packet：　a　thrill　of　joy　ran
through　them　and　stopped　his　beating　heart；　he　drew　out　the　hidden
object；　and　was　chilled　with　disappointment。

It　was　an　ordinary…sized　envelope　of　yellowish…brown　paper；
bearing；　besides　the　usual　government　stamp；　the　official　legend　of
an　express　company；　and　showing　its　age　as　much　by　this　record　of　a
now　obsolete　carrying　service　as　by　the　discoloration　of　time　and
atmosphere。　　Its　weight；　which　was　heavier　than　that　of　any
ordinary　letter　of　the　same　size　and　thickness；　was　evidently　due
to　some　loose　enclosures；　that　slightly　rustled　and　could　be　felt
by　the　fingers；　like　minute　pieces　of　metal　or　grains　of　gravel。
It　was　within　Don　Caesar's　experience　that　gold　specimens　were
often　sent　in　that　manner。　　It　was　in　a　state　of　singular
preservation；　except　the　address；　which；　being　written　in　pencil；
was　scarcely　discernible；　and　even　when　deciphered　appeared　to　be
incoherent　and　unfinished。　　The　unknown　correspondent　had　written
〃dear　Mary；〃　and　then　〃Mrs。　Mary　Slinn；〃　with　an　unintelligible
scrawl　following　for　the　direction。　　If　Don　Caesar's　mind　had　not
been　lately　preoccupied　with　the　name　of　the　editor；　he　would
hardly　have　guessed　the　superscription。

In　his　cruel　disappointment　and　fully　aroused　indignation；　he　at
once　began　to　suspect　a　connection　of　circumstances　which　at　any
other　moment　he　would　have　thought　purely　accidental；　or　perhaps
not　have　considered　at　all。　　The　cavity　in　the　tree　had　evidently
been　used　as　a　secret　receptacle　for　letters　before；　did　Mamie　know
it　at　the　time；　and　how　did　she　know　it？　　The　apparent　age　of　the
letter　made　it　preposterous　to　suppose　that　it　pointed　to　any
secret　correspondence　of　hers　with　young　Mr。　Slinn；　and　the　address
was　not　in　her　handwriting。　　Was　there　any　secret　previous　intimacy
between　the　families？　　There　was　but　one　way　in　which　he　could
connect　this　letter　with　Mamie's　faithlessness。　　It　was　an
infamous；　a　grotesquely　horrible　idea；　a　thought　which　sprang　as
much　from　his　inexperience　of　the　world　and　his　habitual
suspiciousness　of　all　humor　as　anything　else！　　It　was　that　the
letter　was　a　brutal　joke　of　Slinn'sa　joke　perhaps　concocted　by
Mamie　and　himselfa　parting　insult　that　should　at　the　last　moment
proclaim　their　treachery　and　his　own　credulity。　　Doubtless　it
contained　a　declaration　of　their　shame；　and　the　reason　why　she　had
fled　from　him　without　a　word　of　explanation。　　And　the　enclosure；　of
course；　was　some　significant　and　degrading　illustration。　　Those
Americans　are　full　of　those　low　conceits；　it　was　their　national
vulgarity。

He　had　the　letter　in　his　angry　hand。　　He　could　break　it　open　if　he
wished　and　satisfy　himself；　but　it　was　not　addressed　to　HIM；　and
the　instinct　of　honor；　strong　even　in　his　rage；　was　the　instinct　of
an　adversary　as　well。　　No；　Slinn　should　open　the　letter　before　him。
Slinn　should　explain　everything；　and　answer　for　it。　　If　it　was
nothinga　mere　accidentit　would　lead　to　some　general
explanation；　and　perhaps　even　news　of　Mamie。　　But　he　would　arraign
Slinn；　and　at　once。　　He　put　the　letter