the three partners-第30节

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goin'　to　trust　their　money　to　be　'jockeyed'　with　in　that　style。

Nobody　but　a　man　with　a　swelled　head　like　Stacy　would　have　even

dared　to　try　it　on。　　And　now；　by　G…d！　he's　got　to　pay　for　it。〃



The　harsh；　exultant　tone　of　the　speaker　showed　that　he　had　quite

forgotten　Van　Loo　and　Hamlin　in　his　superior　hatred　of　the

millionaire；　and　both　men　noticed　it。　　Van　Loo　edged　still　nearer

to　the　door；　as　Steptoe　continued；　〃Ever　since　he　made　that　big

strike　on　Heavy　Tree　five　years　ago；　the　country　hasn't　been　big

enough　to　hold　him。　　But　mark　my　words；　gentlemen；　the　time　ain't

far　off　when　he'll　find　a　two…foot　ditch　again　and　a　pick　and　grub

wages　room　enough　and　to　spare　for　him　and　his　kind　of　cattle。〃



〃You're　not　drinking；〃　said　Jack　Hamlin　cheerfully。



Steptoe　turned　towards　the　bar；　and　then　started。　　〃Where's　Van

Loo？〃　he　demanded　of　Jack　sharply。



Jack　jerked　his　thumb　over　his　shoulder。　　〃Gone　to　hurry　up　his

girl；　I　reckon。　　I　calculate　he　ain't　got　much　time　to　fool　away

here。〃



Steptoe　glanced　suspiciously　at　Jack。　　But　at　the　same　moment　they

were　all　startledeven　Jack　himselfat　the　apparition　of　Mrs。

Barker　passing　hurriedly　along　the　veranda　before　the　windows　in

the　direction　of　the　still　waiting　buggy。　　〃Dn　it！〃　said　Steptoe

in　a　fierce　whisper　to　the　man　next　him。　　〃Tell　her　not　THEREat

the　back　door！〃　　But　before　the　messenger　reached　the　door　there

was　a　sudden　rattle　of　wheels；　and　with　one　accord　all　except

Hamlin　rushed　to　the　veranda；　only　to　see　Mrs。　Barker　driving

rapidly　away　alone。　　Steptoe　turned　back　into　the　room；　but　Jack

also　had　disappeared。



For　in　the　confusion　created　at　the　sight　of　Mrs。　Barker；　he　had

slipped　to　the　back　door　and　found；　as　he　suspected；　only　one

horse；　and　that　with　a　side…saddle　on。　　His　intuitions　were　right。

Van　Loo；　when　he　disappeared　from　the　saloon；　had　instantly　fled；

taking　the　other　horse　and　abandoning　the　woman　to　her　fate。　　Jack

as　instantly　leaped　upon　the　remaining　saddle　and　dashed　after　him。

Presently　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　fugitive　in　the　distance；

heard　the　half…angry；　half…ironical　shouts　of　the　crowd　at　the　back

door；　and　as　he　reached　the　hilltop　saw；　with　a　mingling　of

satisfaction　and　perplexity；　Mrs。　Barker　on　the　other　road；　still

driving　frantically　in　the　direction　of　the　railroad　station。　　At

which　Mr。　Hamlin　halted；　threw　away　his　encumbering　saddle；　and；

good　rider　that　he　was；　remounted　the　horse；　barebacked　but　for　his

blanket…pad；　and　thrusting　his　knees　in　the　loose　girths；　again

dashed　forwards；with　such　good　results　that；　as　Van　Loo　galloped

up　to　the　stagecoach　office；　at　the　next　station；　and　was　about　to

enter　the　waiting　coach　for　Marysville；　the　soft　hand　of　Mr。　Hamlin

was　laid　on　his　shoulder。



〃I　told　you；〃　said　Jack　blandly；　〃that　I　had　plenty　of　time。　　I

would　have　been　here　BEFORE　and　even　overtaken　you；　only　you　had

the　better　horse　and　the　only　saddle。〃



Van　Loo　recoiled。　　But　he　was　now　desperate　and　reckless。

Beckoning　Jack　out　of　earshot　of　the　other　passengers；　he　said　with

tightened　lips；　〃Why　do　you　follow　me？　　What　is　your　purpose　in

coming　here？〃



〃I　thought；〃　said　Hamlin　dryly；　〃that　I　was　to　have　the　pleasure　of

getting　satisfaction　from　you　for　the　insult　you　gave　me。〃



〃Well；　and　if　I　apologize　for　it；　what　then？〃　he　said　quickly。



Hamlin　looked　at　him　quietly。　　〃Well；　I　think　I　also　said　something

about　the　lady　being　the　wife　of　a　friend　of　mine。〃



〃And　I　have　left　her　BEHIND。　　Her　husband　can　take　her　back　without

disgrace；　for　no　one　knows　of　her　flight　but　you　and　me。　　Do　you

think　your　shooting　me　will　save　her？　　It　will　spread　the　scandal

far　and　wide。　　For　I　warn　you；　that　as　I　have　apologized　for　what

you　choose　to　call　my　personal　insult；　unless　you　murder　me　in　cold

blood　without　witness；　I　shall　let　them　know　the　REASON　of　your

quarrel。　　And　I　can　tell　you　more：　if　you　only　succeed　in　STOPPING

me　here；　and　make　me　lose　my　chance　of　getting　away；　the　scandal　to

your　friend　will　be　greater　still。〃



Mr。　Hamlin　looked　at　Van　Loo　curiously。　　There　was　a　certain　amount

of　conviction　in　what　he　said。　　He　had　never　met　this　kind　of

creature　before。　　He　had　surpassed　even　Hamlin's　first　intuition　of

his　character。　　He　amused　and　interested　him。　　But　Mr。　Hamlin　was

also　a　man　of　the　world；　and　knew　that　Van　Loo's　reasoning　might　be

good。　　He　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　said　gravely；　〃What　IS

your　little　game？〃



Van　Loo　had　been　seized　with　another　inspiration　of　desperation。

Steptoe　had　been　partly　responsible　for　this　situation。　　Van　Loo

knew　that　Jack　and　Steptoe　were　not　friends。　　He　had　certain

secrets　of　Steptoe's　that　might　be　of　importance　to　Jack。　　Why

should　he　not　try　to　make　friends　with　this　powerful　free…lance　and

half…outlaw？



〃It's　a　game；〃　he　said　significantly；　〃that　might　be　of　interest　to

your　friends　to　hear。〃



Hamlin　took　his　hands　out　of　his　pockets；　turned　on　his　heel；　and

said；　〃Come　with　me。〃



〃But　I　must　go　by　that　coach　now；〃　said　Van　Loo　desperately；　〃or

I've　told　you　what　would　happen。〃



〃Come　with　me；〃　said　Jack　coolly。　　〃If　I'm　satisfied　with　what　you

tell　me；　I'll　put　you　down　at　the　next　station　an　hour　before　that

coach　gets　there。〃



〃You　swear　it？〃　said　Van　Loo　hesitatingly。



〃I've　SAID　it；〃　returned　Jack。　　〃Come！〃　and　Van　Loo　followed　Mr。

Hamlin　into　the　station　hotel。





CHAPTER　VI。





The　abrupt　disappearance　of　Jack　Hamlin　and　the　strange　lady　and

gentleman　visitor　was　scarcely　noticed　by　the　other　guests　of　the

Divide　House；　and　beyond　the　circle　of　Steptoe　and　his　friends；　who

were　a　distinct　party　and　strangers　to　the　town；　there　was　no

excitement。　　Indeed；　the　hotel　proprietor　might　have　confounded

them　together；　and；　perhaps；　Van　Loo　was　not　far　wrong　in　his

belief　that　their　identity　had　not　been　suspected。　　Nor　were

Steptoe's　followers　very　much　concerned　in　an　episode　in　which　they

had　taken　part　only　at　the　suggestion　of　their　leader；　and　which

had　terminated　so　tamely。　　That　they　would　have　liked　a　〃row；〃　in

which　Jack　Hamlin　would　have　been　incidentally　forced　to　disgorge

his　winnings；　there　was　no　doubt；　but　that　their　interference　was

asked　solely　to　gratify　some　personal　spite　of　Steptoe's　against

Van　Loo　was　equally　plain　to　them。　　There　was　some　grumbling　and

outspoken　criticism　of　his　methods。



This　was　later　made　more　obvious　by　the　arrival　of　another　guest

for　whom　Steptoe　and　his　party　were　evidently　waiting。　　He　was　a

short；　stout　man；　whose　heavy　red　beard　was　trimmed　a　little　more

carefully　than　when　he　was　first　known　to　Steptoe　as　Alky　Hall；　the

drunkard　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill。　　His　dress；　too；　exhibited　a　marked

improvement　in　quality　and　style；　although　still　characterized　in

the　waist　and　chest　by　the　unbuttoned　freedom　of　portly　and

slovenly　middle　age。　　Civilization　had　restricted　his　potations　or

limited　them　to　certain　festivals　known　as　〃sprees；〃　and　his　face

was　less　puffy　and　sodden。　　But　with　the　accession　of　sobriety　he

had　lost　his　good　humor；　and　had　the　irritability　and　intolerance

of　virtuous　restraint。



〃Ye　needn't　ladle　out　any　of　your　forty…rod　whiskey　to　me；〃　he　said

querulously　to　Steptoe；　as　he　filed　out　with　the　rest　of　the　party

through　the　bar…room　into　the　adjacent　apartment。　　〃I　want　to　keep

my　head　level　till　our　business　is　over；　and　I　reckon　it　wouldn't

hurt　you　and　your　gang　to　do　the　same。　　They're　less　likely　to

blab；　and　there　are　few　doors　that　whiskey　won't　unlock；〃　he　added；

as　Steptoe　turned　the　key　in　the　door　after　the　party　had　entered。



The　room　had　evidently　been　used　for　meetings　of　directors　or

political　caucuses；　and　was　roughly　furnished　with　notched　and

whittled　armchairs　and　a　single　long　deal　table；　on　which　were　ink

and　pens。　　The　men　sat　down　around　it　with　a　half…embarrassed；

half…contemptuous　attitude　of　formality；　their　bent　brows　and

isolated　looks　showing　little　community　of　sentiment　and　scarcely

an　attempt　to　veil　that　individual　selfishness　that　was　prominent。

Still　less　was　there　any　essay　of　companionship　or　sympathy　in　the

manner　of　Steptoe　as　he　suddenly　rapped　on　the　table　with　his

knuckles。



〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　with　a　certain　deliberation　of　utterance；　as

if　he　enjoyed　his　own　coarse　directness；　〃I　reckon　you　all　have　a

sort　of　general　idea　what　you　were　picked　up　for；　or　you　wouldn't

be　here。　　But　you　may　or　may　not　know　that　for　the　present　you　are

honest；　hard…working　miners；the　backbone　of　the　State　of

Californy；and　that　you　have　formed　yourselves　into　a　company

called　the　'Blue　Jay；'　and　you've　settled　yourselves　on　the　Bar

below　Heavy　Tree　Hill；　on　a　deserted　claim　of　the　Marshall

Brothers；　not　half　a　mile　from　where　the　big　strike　was　made　five

years　ago。　　That's　what　you　ARE；　gentlemen；　that's　what　you'll

continue　TO　BE　until　the　job's　finished；　and；〃　he　added；　with　a

s