tales of trail and town-第40节

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to　say　that　Johnny　was　not　above　giving　his　advice；and　that　it

was　invariably　of　not　the　smallest　use　to　the　recipient。



And　so　the　days　passed。　　Mr。　Medliker's　absence　was　protracted；　and

the　hour　of　retribution　and　punishment　still　seemed　far　away。　　The

blackberries　ripened　and　dried　upon　the　hillside；　and　the　squirrels

had　gathered　their　hoards；　the　bees　no　longer　came　and　went　through

the　thicket；　but　Johnny　was　still　in　daily　mysterious　possession　of

his　grains　of　gold！　　And　then　one　dayafter　the　fate　of　all　heroic

humanityhis　secret　was　imperilled　by　the　blandishments　and

machinations　of　the　all…powerful　sex。



Florry　Fraser　was　a　little　playmate　of　Johnny's。　　Why；　with　his

doubts　of　his　elder　sister's　intelligence　and　integrity；　he　should

have　selected　a　child　two　years　younger；　and　of　singular

simplicity；　was；　like　his　other　secret；　his　own。　　What　SHE　saw　in

him　to　attract　her　was　equally　strange；　possibly　it　may　have　been

his　brown…gooseberry　eyes　or　his　warts；　but　she　was　quite　content

to　trot　after　him；　like　a　young　squaw；　carrying　his　〃bow…arrow；〃　or

his　〃trap；〃　supremely　satisfied　to　share　his　woodland　knowledge　or

his　scanter　confidences。　　For　nobody　who　knew　Johnny　suspected　that

she　was　privy　to　his　great　secret。　　Howbeit；　wherever　his　ragged

straw　hat；　thatched　with　his　tawny　hair；　was　detected　in　the　brush；

the　little　nankeen　sunbonnet　of　Florry　was　sure　to　be　discerned　not

far　behind。　　For　two　weeks　they　had　not　seen　each　other。　　A　fell

disease；　nurtured　in　ignorance；　dirt；　and　carelessness；　was

striking　right　and　left　through　the　valleys　of　the　foothills；　and

Florry；　whose　sister　had　just　recovered　from　an　attack；　had　been

sequestered　with　her。　　But　one　morning；　as　Johnny　was　bringing　his

wood　from　the　stack　behind　the　house；　he　saw；　to　his　intense

delight；　a　picket　of　the　road　fence　slipped　aside　by　a　small　red

hand；　and　a　moment　after　Florry　squeezed　herself　through　the　narrow

opening。　　Her　round　cheeks　were　slightly　flushed；　and　there　was　a

scrap　of　red　flannel　around　her　plump　throat　that　heightened　the

whiteness　of　her　skin。



〃My！〃　said　Johnny；　with　half…real；　half…affected　admiration；　〃how

splendiferous！〃



〃Sore　froat；〃　said　Florry；　in　a　whisper；　trying　to　insert　her　two

chubby　fingers　between　the　bandage　and　her　chin。　　〃I　mussent　go

outer　the　garden　patch！　　I　mussent　play　in　the　woods；　for　I'll　be

seed！　　I　mussent　stay　long；　for　they'll　ketch　me　outer　bed！〃



〃Outer　bed？〃　repeated　Johnny；　with　intense　admiration；　as　he

perceived　for　the　first　time　that　Florry　was　in　a　flannel　nightgown；

with　bare　legs　and　feet。



〃Ess。〃



Whereupon　these　two　delightful　imps　chuckled　and　wagged　their　heads

with　a　sincere　enjoyment　that　this　mere　world　could　not　give！

Johnny　slipped　off　his　shoes　and　stockings　and　hurriedly　put　them

on　the　infant　Florry；　securing　them　from　falling　off　with　a　thick

cord。　　This　added　to　their　enjoyment。



〃We　can　play　cubby　house　in　the　stone　heap；〃　whispered　Florry。




〃Hol'　on　till　I　tote　in　this　wood；〃　said　Johnny。　　〃You　hide　till　I

come　back。〃



Johnny　swiftly　delivered　his　load　with　an　alacrity　he　had　never

shown　before。　　Then　they　played　〃cubby　house〃not　fifty　feet　from

the　cabin；　with　a　hushed　but　guilty　satisfaction。　　But　presently　it

palled。　　Their　domain　was　too　circumscribed　for　variety。　　〃Robinson

Crusoe　up　the　tree〃　was　impossible；　as　being　visible　from　the　house

windows。　　Johnny　was　at　his　wits'　end。　　Florry　was　fretful　and

fastidious。　　Then　a　great　thought　struck　him　and　left　him　cold。

〃If　I　show　you　a　show；　you　won't　tell？〃　he　said　suddenly。



〃No。〃



〃Wish　yer…ma…die？〃



〃Ess。〃



〃Got　any　penny？〃



〃No。〃



〃Got　any　slate　pencil？〃



〃No。〃



〃Ain't　got　any　pins　nor　nuthin'？　　You　kin　go　in　for　a　pin。〃



But　Florry　had　none　of　childhood's　fluctuating　currency　with　her；

having；　so　to　speak；　no　pockets。



〃Well；〃　said　Johnny；　brightening　up；　〃ye　kin　go　in　for　luv。〃



The　child　clipped　him　with　her　small　arms　and　smiled；　and；　Johnny

leading　the　way；　they　crept　on　all　fours　through　the　thick　ferns

until　they　paused　before　a　deep　fissure　in　the　soil　half　overgrown

with　bramble。　　In　its　depths　they　could　hear　the　monotonous　trickle

of　water。　　It　was　really　the　source　of　the　spring　that　afterwards

reappeared　fifty　yards　nearer　the　road；　and　trickled　into　an

unfailing　pool　known　as　the　Burnt　Spring；　from　the　brown　color　of

the　surrounding　bracken。　　It　was　the　water　supply　of　the　ranch；　and

the　reason　for　Mr。　Medliker's　original　selection　of　that　site。

Johnny　lingered　for　an　instant；　looked　carefully　around；　and　then

lowered　himself　into　the　fissure。　　A　moment　later　he　reached　up　his

arms　to　Florry；　lowered　her　also；　and　both　disappeared　from　view。

Yet　from　time　to　time　their　voices　came　faintly　from　belowwith

the　gurgle　of　wateras　of　festive　gnomes　at　play。



At　the　end　of　ten　minutes　they　reappeared；　a　little　muddy；　a　little

bedraggled；　but　flushed　and　happy。　　There　were　two　pink　spots　on

Florry's　cheeks；　and　she　clasped　something　tightly　in　her　little

red　fist。



〃There；〃　said　Johnny；　when　they　were　seated　in　the　straw　again；

〃now　mind　you　don't　tell。〃



But　here　suddenly　Florry's　lips　began　to　quiver；　and　she　gave　vent

to　a　small　howl　of　anguish。



〃You　ain't　bit　by　a　trant'ler　nor　nuthin'？'　said　Johnny　anxiously。

〃Hush　up！〃



〃Noo！　　But〃



〃But　what？〃　said　Johnny。



〃Mar　said　I　MUST　tell！　　Mar　said　I　was　to　fin'　out　where　you　get

the　truly　gold！　　Mar　said　I　was　to　get　you　to　take　me；〃　howled

Florry；　in　an　agony　of　remorse。



Johnny　gasped。　　〃You　Injin！〃　he　began。



〃But　I　won'tJohnny！〃　said　Florry；　clutching　his　leg　frantically。

〃I　won't　and　I　sha'n't！　　I　ain't　no　Injin！〃



Then；　between　her　sobs；　she　told　him　how　her　mother　and　Mr。　Staples

had　said　that　she　was　to　ask　Johnny　the　next　time　they　met　to　take

her　where　they　found　the　〃truly　gold；〃　and　she　was　to　remember

where　it　was　and　to　tell　them。　　And　they　were　going　to　give　her　a

new　dolly　and　a　hunk　of　gingerbread。　　〃But　I　won'tand　I　sha'n't！〃

she　said　passionately。　　She　was　quite　pale　again。



Johnny　was　convinced；　but　thoughtful。　　〃Tell　'em；〃　he　said

hoarsely；　〃tell　'em　a　big　whopper！　　They　won't　know　no　better。

They'll　never　guess　where。〃　　And　he　briefly　recounted　the　wild…

goose　chase　he　had　given　the　minister。



〃And　get　the　dolly　and　the　cake；〃　said　Florry；　her　eyes　shining

through　her　tears。



〃In　course；〃　said　Johnny。　　〃They'll　get　the　dolly　back；　but　you　kin

have　eated　the　cake　first。〃　　They　looked　at　each　other；　and　their

eyes　danced　together　over　this　heaven…sent　inspiration。　　Then

Johnny　took　off　her　shoes　and　stockings；　rubbed　her　cold　feet　with

his　dirty　handkerchief；　and　said：　〃Now　you　trot　over　to　your　mar！〃



He　helped　her　through　the　loose　picket　of　the　fence　and　was　turning

away　when　her　faint　voice　again　called　him。



〃Johnny！〃



He　turned　back；　she　was　standing　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence

holding　out　her　arms　to　him。　　He　went　to　her　with　shining　eyes；

lifted　her　up；　and　from　her　hot　but　loving　little　lips　took　a　fatal

kiss。



For　only　an　hour　later　Mrs。　Fraser　found　Florry　in　her　bed；　tossing

with　a　high　fever　and　a　light　head。　　She　was　talking　of　〃Johnny〃

and　〃gold；〃　and　had　a　flake　of　the　metal　in　her　tiny　fist。　　When

Mr。　Staples　was　sent　for；　and　with　the　mother　and　father；　hung

anxiously　above　her　bed；　to　their　eager　questioning　they　could　only

find　out　that　Florry　had　been　to　a　high　mountain；　ever　so　far　away；

and　on　the　top　of　it　there　was　gold　lying　around；　and　a　shining

figure　was　giving　it　away　to　the　people。



〃And　who　were　the　people；　Florry　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Staples

persuasively；　〃anybody　ye　know　here？〃



〃They　woz　angels；〃　said　Florry；　with　a　frightened　glance　over　her

shoulder。



I　grieve　to　say　that　Mr。　Staples　did　not　look　as　pleased　at　the

celestial　vision　as　he　might　have；　and　poor　Mrs。　Fraser　probably

saw　that　in　her　child's　face　which　drove　other　things　from　her

mind。　　Yet　Mr。　Staples　persisted：



〃And　who　led　you　to　this　beautiful　mountain？　　Was　it　Johnny？〃



〃No。〃



〃Who　then？〃



Florry　opened　her　eyes　on　the　speaker。　　〃I　fink　it　was　Dod；〃　she

said；　and　closed　them　again。



But　here　Dr。　Duchesne　hurried　in；　and　after　a　single　glance　at　the

child　hustled　Mr。　Staples　from　the　room。　　For　there　were　grave

complications　that　puzzled　him；　Florry　seemed　easier　and　quieter

under　his　kindly　voice　and　touch；　but　did　not　speak　again；and　so；

slowly　sinking；　passed　away　that　night　in　a　dreamless　sleep。　　This

was　followed　by　a　mad　panic　at　Burnt　Spring　the　next　day；　and　Mrs。

Medliker　fled　with　her　two　girls　to　Sacramento；　leaving　Johnny；

ostensibly　strong　and　active；　to　keep　house　until　his　father's

return。　　But　Mr。　Medliker's　return　was　again　delayed；　and　in　the

epidemic；　which　had　now　taken　a　fast　hold　of　the　settlement；

Johnny's　secretand　indeed