the three partners-第2节

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〃It　somehow　does　not　seem　to　square　with　this　'gift　of　God'　idea　of

yours；　does　it？〃　said　Stacy。　　〃But　we'll　open　the　door　and　give

them　a　show。〃



As　he　did　so　it　seemed　as　if　the　night　were　their　only　guest；　and

had　been　waiting　on　the　threshold　to　now　enter　bodily　and　pervade

all　things　with　its　presence。　　With　that　cool；　fragrant　inflow　of

air　they　breathed　freely。　　The　red　edge　had　gone　from　Black　Spur；

but　it　was　even　more　clearly　defined　against　the　sky　in　its

towering　blackness。　　The　sky　itself　had　grown　lighter；　although　the

stars　still　seemed　mere　reflections　of　the　solitary　pin…points　of

light　scattered　along　the　concave　valley　below。　　Mingling　with　the

cooler；　restful　air　of　the　summit；　yet　penetratingly　distinct　from

it；　arose　the　stimulating　breath　of　the　pines　below；　still　hot　and

panting　from　the　day…long　sun。　　The　silence　was　intense。　　The　far…

off　barking　of　a　dog　on　the　invisible　river…bar　nearly　a　mile

beneath　them　came　to　them　like　a　sound　in　a　dream。　　They　had　risen；

and；　standing　in　the　doorway；　by　common　consent　turned　their　faces

to　the　east。　　It　was　the　frequent　attitude　of　the　home…remembering

miner；　and　it　gave　him　the　crowning　glory　of　the　view。　　For；　beyond

the　pine…hearsed　summits；　rarely　seen　except　against　the　evening

sky；　lay　a　thin；　white　cloud　like　a　dropped　portion　of　the　Milky

Way。　　Faint　with　an　indescribable　pallor；　remote　yet　distinct

enough　to　assert　itself　above　and　beyond　all　surrounding　objects；

it　was　always　there。　　It　was　the　snow…line　of　the　Sierras。



They　turned　away　and　silently　reseated　themselves；　the　same　thought

in　the　minds　of　each。　　Here　was　something　they　could　not　take　away；

something　to　be　left　forever　and　irretrievably　behind；left　with

the　healthy　life　they　had　been　leading；　the　cheerful　endeavor；　the

undying　hopefulness　which　it　had　fostered　and　blessed。　　Was　what

they　WERE　taking　away　worth　it？　　And　oddly　enough；　frank　and

outspoken　as　they　had　always　been　to　each　other；　that　common

thought　remained　unuttered。　　Even　Barker　was　silent；　perhaps　he　was

also　thinking　of　Kitty。



Suddenly　two　figures　appeared　in　the　very　doorway　of　the　cabin。

The　effect　was　startling　upon　the　partners；　who　had　only　just

reseated　themselves；　and　for　a　moment　they　had　forgotten　that　the

narrow　band　of　light　which　shot　forth　from　the　open　door　rendered

the　darkness　on　either　side　of　it　more　impenetrable；　and　that　out

of　this　darkness；　although　themselves　guided　by　the　light；　the

figures　had　just　emerged。　　Yet　one　was　familiar　enough。　　It　was　the

Hill　drunkard；　Dick　Hall；　or；　as　he　was　called；　〃Whiskey　Dick；〃　or；

indicated　still　more　succinctly　by　the　Hill　humorists；　〃Alky　Hall。〃



Everybody　had　seen　that　sodden；　puffy；　but　good…humored　face；

everybody　had　felt　the　fiery　exhalations　of　that　enormous　red

beard；　which　always　seemed　to　be　kept　in　a　state　of　moist；　unkempt

luxuriance　by　liquor；　everybody　knew　the　absurd　dignity　of　manner

and　attempted　precision　of　statement　with　which　he　was　wont　to

disguise　his　frequent　excesses。　　Very　few；　however；　knew；　or　cared

to　know；　the　pathetic　weariness　and　chilling　horror　that　sometimes

looked　out　of　those　bloodshot　eyes。



He　was　evidently　equally　unprepared　for　the　three　silent　seated

figures　before　the　door；　and　for　a　moment　looked　at　them　blankly

with　the　doubts　of　a　frequently　deceived　perception。　　Was　he　sure

that　they　were　quite　real？　　He　had　not　dared　to　look　at　his

companion　for　verification；　but　smiled　vaguely。



〃Good…evening；〃　said　Demorest　pleasantly。



Whiskey　Dick's　face　brightened。　　〃Good…evenin'；　good…evenin'

yourselves；　boysand　see　how　you　like　it！　　Lemme　interdrush　my　ole

frien'　William　J。　Steptoe；　of　Red　Gulch。　　StepshoSteptoeis

shtayish　stay〃　　He　stopped；　hiccupped；　waved　his　hand　gravely；

and　with　an　air　of　reproachful　dignity　concluded；　〃sojourning　for

the　present　on　the　Bar。　　We　wish　to　offer　our　congrashulashen　and

felishfelish〃　　He　paused　again；　and；　leaning　against　the　door…

post；　added　severely；　〃itations。〃



His　companion；　however；　laughed　coarsely；　and；　pushing　past　Dick；

entered　the　cabin。　　He　was　a　short；　powerful　man；　with　a　closely

cropped　crust　of　beard　and　hair　that　seemed　to　adhere　to　his　round

head　like　moss　or　lichen。　　He　cast　a　glancefurtive　rather　than

curious　around　the　cabin；　and　said；　with　a　familiarity　that　had　not

even　good　humor　to　excuse　it；　〃So　you're　the　gay　galoots　who've

made　the　big　strike？　　Thought　I'd　meander　up　the　Hill　with　this　old

bloat　Alky；　and　drop　in　to　see　the　show。　　And　here　you　are；　feeling

your　oats；　eh？　and　not　caring　any　particular　G…d　dn　if　school

keeps　or　not。〃



〃Show　Mr。　Steptoethe　whiskey；〃　said　Demorest　to　Stacy。　　Then

quietly　addressing　Dick；　but　ignoring　Steptoe　as　completely　as

Steptoe　had　ignored　his　unfortunate　companion；　he　said；　〃You　quite

startled　us　at　first。　　We　did　not　see　you　come　up　the　trail。〃



〃No。　　We　came　up　the　back　trail　to　please　Steptoe；　who　wanted　to

see　round　the　cabin；〃　said　Dick；　glancing　nervously　yet　with　a

forced　indifference　towards　the　whiskey　which　Stacy　was　offering　to

the　stranger。



〃What　yer　gettin'　off　there？〃　said　Steptoe；　facing　Dick　almost

brutally。　　〃YOU　know　your　tangled　legs　wouldn't　take　you　straight

up　the　trail；　and　you　had　to　make　a　circumbendibus。　　Gosh！　if　you

hadn't　scented　this　licker　at　the　top　you'd　have　never　found　it。〃



〃No　matter！　　I'm　glad　you　DID　find　it；　Dick；〃　said　Demorest；　〃and　I

hope　you'll　find　the　liquor　good　enough　to　pay　you　for　the　trouble。〃



Barker　stared　at　Demorest。　　This　extraordinary　tolerance　of　the

drunkard　was　something　new　in　his　partner。　　But　at　a　glance　from

Demorest　he　led　Dick　to　the　demijohn　and　tin　cup　which　stood　on　a

table　in　the　corner。　　And　in　another　moment　Dick　had　forgotten　his

companion's　rudeness。



Demorest　remained　by　the　door；　looking　out　into　the　darkness。



〃Well；〃　said　Steptoe；　putting　down　his　emptied　cup；　〃trot　out　your

strike。　　I　reckon　our　eyes　are　strong　enough　to　bear　it　now。〃

Stacy　drew　the　blanket　from　the　vague　pile　that　stood　in　the

corner；　and　discovered　a　deep　tin　prospecting…pan。　　It　was　heaped

with　several　large　fragments　of　quartz。　　At　first　the　marble

whiteness　of　the　quartz　and　the　glittering　crystals　of　mica　in　its

veins　were　the　most　noticeable；　but　as　they　drew　closer　they　could

see　the　dull　yellow　of　gold　filling　the　decomposed　and　honeycombed

portion　of　the　rock　as　if　still　liquid　and　molten。　　The　eyes　of　the

party　sparkled　like　the　micaeven　those　of　Barker　and　Stacy；　who

were　already　familiar　with　the　treasure。



〃Which　is　the　richest　chunk？〃　asked　Steptoe　in　a　thickening　voice。



Stacy　pointed　it　out。



〃Why；　it's　smaller　than　the　others。〃



〃Heft　it　in　your　hand；〃　said　Barker；　with　boyish　enthusiasm。



The　short；　thick　fingers　of　Steptoe　grasped　it　with　a　certain

aquiline　suggestion；　his　whole　arm　strained　over　it　until　his　face

grew　purple；　but　he　could　not　lift　it。



〃Thar　useter　be　a　little　game　in　the　'Frisco　Mint；〃　said　Dick；

restored　to　fluency　by　his　liquor；　〃when　thar　war　ladies　visiting

it；　and　that　was　to　offer　to　give　'em　any　of　those　little　boxes　of

gold　coin；　that　contained　five　thousand　dollars；　ef　they　would

kindly　lift　it　from　the　counter　and　take　it　away！　　It　wasn't　no

bigger　than　one　of　these　chunks；　but　Jiminy！　you　oughter　have　seed

them　gals　grip　and　heave　on　it；　and　then　hev　to　give　it　up！　　You

see　they　didn't　know　anything　about　the　paci（hic）　the　speshif〃

He　stopped　with　great　dignity；　and　added　with　painful　precision；

〃the　specific　gravity　of　gold。〃



〃Dry　up！〃　said　Steptoe　roughly。　　Then　turning　to　Stacy　he　said

abruptly；　〃But　where's　the　rest　of　it？　　You've　got　more　than　that。〃



〃We　sent　it　to　Boomville　this　morning。　　You　see　we've　sold　out　our

claim　to　a　company　who　take　it　up　to…morrow；　and　put　up　a　mill　and

stamps。　　In　fact；　it's　under　their　charge　now。　　They've　got　a　gang

of　men　on　the　claim　already。〃



〃And　what　mout　ye　hev　got　for　it；　if　it's　a　fair　question？〃　said

Steptoe；　with　a　forced　smile。



Stacy　smiled　also。　　〃I　don't　know　that　it's　a　business　question；〃

he　said。



〃Five　hundred　thousand　dollars；〃　said　Demorest　abruptly　from　the

doorway；　〃and　a　treble　interest。〃



The　eyes　of　the　two　men　met。　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　dull　fire

of　envy　in　Steptoe's　glance；　but　Demorest　received　it　with　a

certain　cold　curiosity；　and　turned　away　as　the　sound　of　arriving

voices　came　from　without。



〃Five　hundred　thousand's　a　big　figger；〃　said　Steptoe；　with　a　coarse

laugh；　〃and　I　don't　wonder　it　makes　you　feel　so　dd　sassy。　　But

it　WAS　a　fair　question。〃



Unfortunately　it　here　occurred　to　the　whiskey…stimulated　brain　of

Dick　that　the　friend　he　had　introduced　was　being　treated　with　scant

courtesy；　and　he　forgot　his　own　treatment　by　Steptoe。　　Leaning

against　the　wall　he　waved　a　dignified　rebuke。　　〃I'm　sashified　my

ole　frien'　is　akshuated　by　only　businesh　princ