the three partners-第4节

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than　by　putting　it　on　a　card　for　the　same　purpose。〃



Here　the　ravishing　tenor　voice；　which　had　been　approaching；　ceased；

and　was　succeeded　by　a　heart…breaking　and　equally　melodious

whistling　to　finish　the　bar　of　the　singer's　song。　　And　the　next

moment　Jack　Hamlin　appeared　in　the　doorway。



Whatever　was　his　present　financial　condition；　in　perfect　self…

possession　and　charming　sang…froid　he　fully　bore　out　his　previous

description。　　He　was　as　clean　and　refreshing　looking　as　a　madrono…

tree　in　the　dust…blown　forest。　　An　odor　of　scented　soap　and　freshly

ironed　linen　was　wafted　from　him；　there　was　scarcely　a　crease　in

his　white　waistcoat；　nor　a　speck　upon　his　varnished　shoes。　　He

might　have　been　an　auditor　of　the　previous　conversation；　so　quickly

and　completely　did　he　seem　to　take　in　the　whole　situation　at　a

glance。　　Perhaps　there　was　an　extra　tilt　to　his　black…ribboned

Panama　hat；　and　a　certain　dancing　devilry　in　his　brown　eyeswhich

might　also　have　been　an　answer　to　adverse　criticism。



〃When　I；　his　truth　to　prove；　would　trifle　with　my　love；〃　he　warbled

in　general　continuance　from　the　doorway。　　Then　dropping　cheerfully

into　speech；　he　added；　〃Well；　boys；　I　am　here　to　welcome　the　little

stranger；　and　to　trust　that　the　family　are　doing　as　well　as　can　be

expected。　　Ah！　there　it　is！　　Bless　it！〃　he　went　on；　walking

leisurely　to　the　treasure。　　〃Triplets；　too！and　plump　at　that。

Have　you　had　'em　weighed？〃



Frankness　was　an　essential　quality　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill。　　〃We　were

just　saying；　Jack；〃　said　an　old　locator；　〃that；　giving　you　a　fair

show　and　your　own　game；　you　could　manage　to　get　away　with　that　pile

before　daybreak。〃



〃And　I'm　just　thinking；〃　said　Jack　cheerfully；　〃that　there　were

some　of　you　here　that　could　do　that　without　any　such　useless

preliminary。〃　　His　brown　eyes　rested　for　a　moment　on　Steptoe；　but

turning　quite　abruptly　to　Van　Loo；　he　held　out　his　hand。　　Startled

and　embarrassed　before　the　others；　the　young　man　at　last　advanced

his；　when　Jack　coolly　put　his　own；　as　if　forgetfully；　in　his

pocket。　　〃I　thought　you　might　like　to　know　what　that　little　brother

of　yours　is　doing；〃　he　said　to　Van　Loo；　yet　looking　at　Steptoe。　　〃I

found　him　wandering　about　the　Hill　here　quite　drunk。〃



〃I　have　repeatedly　warned　him〃began　Van　Loo；　reddening。



〃Against　bad　companyI　know；〃　suggested　Jack　gayly；　〃yet　in　spite

of　all　that；　I　think　he　owes　some　of　his　liquor　to　Steptoe　yonder。〃



〃I　never　supposed　the　fool　would　get　drunk　over　a　glass　of　whiskey

offered　in　fun；〃　said　Steptoe　harshly；　yet　evidently　quite　as　much

disconcerted　as　angry。



〃The　trouble　with　Steptoe；〃　said　Hamlin；　thoughtfully　spanning　his

slim　waist　with　both　hands　as　he　looked　down　at　his　polished　shoes；

〃is　that　he　has　such　a　soft…hearted　liking　for　all　weaknesses。

Always　wanting　to　protect　chaps　that　can't　look　after　themselves；

whether　it's　Whiskey　Dick　there　when　he　has　a　pull　on；　or　some

nigger　when　he's　made　a　little　strike；　or　that　straying　lamb　of　Van

Loo's　when　he's　puppy　drunk。　　But　you're　wrong　about　me；　boys。　　You

can't　draw　me　in　any　game　to…night。　　This　is　one　of　my　nights　off；

which　I　devote　exclusively　to　contemplation　and　song。　　But；〃　he

added；　suddenly　turning　to　his　three　hosts　with　a　bewildering　and

fascinating　change　of　expression；　〃I　couldn't　resist　coming　up　here

to　see　you　and　your　pile；　even　if　I　never　saw　the　one　or　the　other

before；　and　am　not　likely　to　see　either　again。　　I　believe　in　luck！

And　it　comes　a　mighty　sight　oftener　than　a　fellow　thinks　it　does。

But　it　doesn't　come　to　stay。　　So　I'd　advise　you　to　keep　your　eyes

skinned；　and　hang　on　to　it　while　it's　with　you；　like　grim　death。

So　long！〃



Resisting　all　attempts　of　his　hostswho　had　apparently　fallen　as

suddenly　and　unaccountably　under　the　magic　of　his　mannerto　detain

him　longer；　he　stepped　lightly　away；　his　voice　presently　rising

again　in　melody　as　he　descended　the　hill。　　Nor　was　it　at　all

remarkable　that　the　others；　apparently　drawn　by　the　same　inevitable

magnetism；　were　impelled　to　follow　him；　naturally　joining　their

voices　with　his；　leaving　Steptoe　and　Van　Loo　so　markedly　behind

them　alone　that　they　were　compelled　at　last　in　sheer　embarrassment

to　close　up　the　rear　of　the　procession。　　In　another　moment　the

cabin　and　the　three　partners　again　relapsed　into　the　peace　and

quiet　of　the　night。　　With　the　dying　away　of　the　last　voices　on　the

hillside　the　old　solitude　reasserted　itself。



But　since　the　irruption　of　the　strangers　they　had　lost　their　former

sluggish　contemplation；　and　now　busied　themselves　in　preparation

for　their　early　departure　from　the　cabin　the　next　morning。　　They

had　arranged　to　spend　the　following　day　and　night　at　Boomville　and

Carter's　Hotel；　where　they　were　to　give　their　farewell　dinner　to

Heavy　Tree　Hill。　　They　talked　but　little　together：　since　the　rebuff

his　enthusiastic　confidences　had　received　from　Van　Loo；　Barker　had

been　grave　and　thoughtful；　and　Stacy；　with　the　irritating

recollection　of　Van　Loo's　criticisms　in　his　mind；　had　refrained

from　his　usual　rallying　of　Barker。　　Oddly　enough；　they　spoke

chiefly　of　Jack　Hamlin；till　then　personally　a　stranger　to　them；

on　account　of　his　infelix　reputation；and　even　the　critical

Demorest　expressed　a　wish　they　had　known　him　before。　　〃But　you

never　know　the　real　value　of　anything　until　you're　quitting　it　or

it's　quitting　you；〃　he　added　sententiously。



Barker　and　Stacy　both　stared　at　their　companion。　　It　was　unlike

Demorest　to　regret　anythingparticularly　a　mere　social　diversion。



〃They　say；〃　remarked　Stacy；　〃that　if　you　had　known　Jack　Hamlin

earlier　and　professionally；　a　great　deal　of　real　value　would　have

quitted　you　before　he　did。〃



〃Don't　repeat　that　rot　flung　out　by　men　who　have　played　Jack's　game

and　lost；〃　returned　Demorest　derisively。　　〃I'd　rather　trust　him

than〃　　He　stopped；　glanced　at　the　meditative　Barker；　and　then

concluded　abruptly；　〃the　whole　caboodle　of　his　critics。〃



They　were　silent　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　seemed　to　have　fallen

into　their　former　dreamy　mood　as　they　relapsed　into　their　old　seats

again。　　At　last　Stacy　drew　a　long　breath。　　〃I　wish　we　had　sent

those　nuggets　off　with　the　others　this　morning。〃



〃Why？〃　said　Demorest　suddenly。



〃Why？　　Well；　dn　it　all！　they　kind　of　oppress　me；　don't　you　see。

I　seem　to　feel　'em　here；　on　my　chestall　the　three；〃　returned

Stacy　only　half　jocularly。　　〃It's　their　dd　specific　gravity；　I

suppose。　　I　don't　like　the　idea　of　sleeping　in　the　same　room　with

'em。　　They're　altogether　too　much　for　us　three　men　to　be　left　alone

with。〃



〃You　don't　mean　that　you　think　that　anybody　would　attempt〃said

Demorest。



Stacy　curled　a　fighting　lip　rather　superciliously。　　〃No；　I　don't

think　THATI　rather　wish　I　did。　　It's　the　blessed　chunks　of　solid

gold　that　seem　to　have　got　US　fast；　don't　you　know；　and　are　going

to　stick　to　us　for　good　or　ill。　　A　sort　of　Frankenstein　monster

that　we've　picked　out　of　a　hole　from　below。〃



〃I　know　just　what　Stacy　means；〃　said　Barker　breathlessly；　rounding

his　gray　eyes。　　〃I've　felt　it；　too。　　Couldn't　we　make　a　sort　of

cache　of　itbury　it　just　outside　the　cabin　for　to…night？　　It　would

be　sort　of　putting　it　back　into　its　old　place；　you　know；　for　the

time　being。　　IT　might　like　it。〃



The　other　two　laughed。　　〃Rather　rough　on　Providence；　Barker　boy；〃

said　Stacy；　〃handing　back　the　Heaven…sent　gift　so　soon！　　Besides；

what's　to　keep　any　prospector　from　coming　along　and　making　a　strike

of　it？　　You　know　that's　mining　lawif　you　haven't　preempted　the

spot　as　a　claim。〃



But　Barker　was　too　staggered　by　this　material　statement　to　make　any

reply；　and　Demorest　arose。　　〃And　I　feel　that　you'd　both　better　be

turning　in；　as　we've　got　to　get　up　early。〃　　He　went　to　the　corner

of　the　cabin；　and　threw　the　blanket　back　over　the　pan　and　its

treasure。　　〃There　that'll　keep　the　chunks　from　getting　up　to　ride

astride　of　you　like　a　nightmare。〃　　He　shut　the　door　and　gave　a

momentary　glance　at　its　cheap　hinges　and　the　absence　of　bolt　or

bar。　　Stacy　caught　his　eye。　　〃We'll　miss　this　security　in　San

Franciscoperhaps　even　in　Boomville；〃　he　sighed。



It　was　scarcely　ten　o'clock；　but　Stacy　and　Barker　had　begun　to

undress　themselves　with　intervals　of　yawning　and　desultory　talk；

Barker　continuing　an　amusing　story；　with　one　stocking　off　and　his

trousers　hanging　on　his　arm；　until　at　last　both　men　were　snugly

curled　up　in　their　respective　bunks。　　Presently　Stacy's　voice　came

from　under　the　blankets：



〃Hallo！　aren't　you　going　to　turn　in　too？〃



〃Not　yet；〃　said　Demorest　from　his　chair　before　the　fire。　　〃You　see

it's　the　last　night　in　the　old　shanty；　and　I　reckon　I'll　see　the

rest　of　it　out。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　the　impulsive　Barker；　struggling　violently　with

his　blankets。　　〃I　tell　you　what；　boys：　we　just　ought　to　make　a

watch…night　of　ita　regular　vigil；　you　knowuntil　twelve　at

least。　　Hold　on！　　I'll　get　up；　too！〃　　But　here　Demorest　arose；

c