the three partners-第41节

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glowed　redly　over　the　crest　between　them　and　Hymettus；　Hamlin

said：



〃Another　one　of　those　forest　fires。　　It's　this　side　of　Black　Spur；

and　a　big　one；　I　reckon。〃



〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Barker　thoughtfully；　〃I　was　thinking　of　the

time　the　old　cabin　burnt　up　on　Heavy　Tree。　　It　looks　to　be　about　in

the　same　place。〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Stacy　sharply。





CHAPTER　IX。





An　abandoned　tunnelan　irregular　orifice　in　the　mountain　flank

which　looked　like　a　dried…up　sewer　that　had　disgorged　through　its

opening　the　refuse　of　the　mountain　in　red　slime；　gravel；　and　a

peculiar　clay　known　as　〃cement；〃　in　a　foul　streak　down　its　side；　a

narrow　ledge　on　either　side；　broken　up　by　heaps　of　quartz；

tailings；　and　rock；　and　half　hidden　in　scrub；　oak；　and　myrtle；　a

decaying　cabin　of　logs；　bark；　and　cobblestonesthese　made　up　the

exterior　of　the　Marshall　claim。　　To　this　defacement　of　the

mountain；　the　rude　clearing　of　thicket　and　underbrush　by　fire　or

blasting；　the　lopping　of　tree…boughs　and　the　decapitation　of

saplings；　might　be　added　the　debris　and　ruins　of　half…civilized

occupancy。　　The　ground　before　the　cabin　was　covered　with　broken

boxes；　tin　cans；　the　staves　and　broken　hoops　of　casks；　and　the

cast…off　rags　of　blankets　and　clothing。　　The　whole　claim　in　its

unsavory；　unpicturesque　details；　and　its　vulgar　story　of　sordid；

reckless；　and　selfish　occupancy　and　abandonment；　was　a　foul　blot

on　the　landscape；　which　the　first　rosy　dawn　only　made　the　more

offending。　　Surely　the　last　spot　in　the　world　that　men　should

quarrel　and　fight　for！



So　thought　George　Barker；　as　with　his　companions　they　moved　in

single　file　slowly　towards　it。　　The　little　party　consisted　only　of

himself；　Demorest；　and　Stacy；　Marshall　and　Hamlinaccording　to　a

prearranged　planwere　still　in　ambush　to　join　them　at　the　first

appearance　of　Steptoe　and　his　gang。　　The　claim　was　yet　unoccupied；

they　had　secured　their　first　success。　　Steptoe's　followers；　unaware

that　his　design　had　been　discovered；　and　confident　that　they　could

easily　reach　the　claim　before　Marshall　and　the　surveyor；　had

lingered。　　Some　of　them　had　held　a　drunken　carouse　at　their

rendezvous　at　Heavy　Tree。　　Others　were　still　engaged　in　procuring

shovels　and　picks　and　pans　for　their　mock　equipment　as　miners；　and

this；　again；　gave　Marshall's　adherents　the　advantage。　　THEY　knew

that　their　opponents　would　probably　first　approach　the　empty　claim

encumbered　only　with　their　peaceful　implements；　while　they

themselves　had　brought　their　rifles　with　them。



Stacy；　who　by　tacit　consent　led　the　party；　on　reaching　the　claim　at

once　posted　Demorest　and　Barker　each　behind　a　separate　heap　of

quartz　tailings　on　the　ledge；　which　afforded　them　a　capital

breastwork；　and　stationed　himself　at　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　which

was　nearest　the　trail。　　It　had　already　been　arranged　what　each　man

was　to　do。　　They　were　in　possession。　　For　the　rest　they　must　wait。

What　they　thought　at　that　moment　no　one　knew。　　Their　characteristic

appearance　had　slightly　changed。　　The　melancholy　and　philosophic

Demorest　was　alert　and　bitter。　　Barker's　changeful　face　had　become

fixed　and　steadfast。　　Stacy　alone　wore　his　〃fighting　look；〃　which

the　others　had　remembered。



They　had　not　long　to　wait。　　The　sounds　of　rude　laughter；　coarse

skylarking；　and　voices　more　or　less　still　confused　with　half…spent

liquor　came　from　the　rocky　trail。　　And　then　Steptoe　appeared　with

part　of　his　straggling　followers；　who　were　celebrating　their　easy

invasion　by　clattering　their　picks　and　shovels　and　beating　loudly

upon　their　tins　and　prospecting…pans。　　The　three　partners　quickly

recognized　the　stamp　of　the　strangers；　in　spite　of　their　peaceful

implements。　　They　were　the　waifs　and　strays　of　San　Francisco

wharves；　of　Sacramento　dens；　of　dissolute　mountain　towns；　and　there

was　not；　probably；　a　single　actual　miner　among　them。　　A　raging

scorn　and　contempt　took　possession　of　Barker　and　Demorest；　but

Stacy　knew　their　exact　value。　　As　Steptoe　passed　before　the　opening

of　the　tunnel　he　heard　the　cry　of　〃Halt！



He　looked　up。　　He　saw　Stacy　not　thirty　yards　before　him　with　his

rifle　at　half…cock。　　He　saw　Barker　and　Demorest；　fully　armed；　rise

from　behind　their　breastworks　of　rock　along　the　ledge　and　thus

fully　occupy　the　claim。　　But　he　saw　more。　　He　saw　that　his　plot　was

known。　　Outlaw　and　desperado　as　he　was；　he　saw　that　he　had　lost　his

moral　power　in　this　actual　possession；　and　that　from　that　moment　he

must　be　the　aggressor。　　He　saw　he　was　fighting　no　irresponsible

hirelings　like　his　own；　but　men　of　position　and　importance；　whose

loss　would　make　a　stir。　　Against　their　rifles　the　few　revolvers

that　his　men　chanced　to　have　slung　to　them　were　of　little　avail。

But　he　was　not　cowed；　although　his　few　followers　stumbled　together

at　this　momentary　check；　half　angrily；　half　timorously　like　wolves

without　a　leader。　　〃Bring　up　the　other　men　and　their　guns；〃　he

whispered　fiercely　to　the　nearest。　　Then　he　faced　Stacy。



〃Who　are　YOU　to　stop　peaceful　miners　going　to　work　on　their　own

claim？〃　he　said　coarsely。　　〃I'll　tell　you　WHO；　boys；〃　he　added；

suddenly　turning　to　his　men　with　a　hoarse　laugh。　　〃It　ain't　even

the　bank！　　It's　only　Jim　Stacy；　that　the　bank　kicked　out　yesterday

to　save　itself；Jim　Stacy　and　his　broken…down　pals。　　And　what's

the　thief　doing　herein　Marshall's　tunnelthe　only　spot　that

Marshall　can　claim？　　We　ain't　no　particular　friends　o'　Marshall's；

though　we're　neighbors　on　the　same　claim；　but　we　ain't　going　to　see

Marshall　ousted　by　tramps。　　Are　we；　boys？〃



〃No；　by　G…d！〃　said　his　followers；　dropping　the　pans　and　seizing

their　picks　and　revolvers。　　They　understood　the　appeal　to　arms　if

not　to　their　reason。　　For　an　instant　the　fight　seemed　imminent。

Then　a　voice　from　behind　them　said：



〃You　needn't　trouble　yourselves　about　that！　　I'M　Marshall！　　I　sent

these　gentlemen　to　occupy　the　claim　until　I　came　here　with　the

surveyor；〃　and　two　men　stepped　from　a　thicket　of　myrtle　in　the　rear

of　Steptoe　and　his　followers。　　The　speaker；　Marshall；　was　a　thin；

slight；　overworked；　over…aged　man；　his　companion；　the　surveyor；　was

equally　slight；　but　red…bearded；　spectacled；　and　professional…

looking；　with　a　long　traveling…duster　that　made　him　appear　even

clerical。　　They　were　scarcely　a　physical　addition　to　Stacy's　party；

whatever　might　have　been　their　moral　and　legal　support。



But　it　was　just　this　support　that　Steptoe　strangely　clung　to　in　his

designs　for　the　future；　and　a　wild　idea　seized　him。　　The　surveyor

was　really　the　only　disinterested　witness　between　the　two　parties。

If　Steptoe　could　confuse　his　mind　before　the　actual　fightingfrom

which　he　would；　of　course；　escape　as　a　non…combatantit　would　go

far　afterwards　to　rehabilitate　Steptoe's　party。　　〃Very　well；　then；〃

he　said　to　Marshall；　〃I　shall　call　this　gentleman　to　witness　that

we　have　been　attacked　here　in　peaceable　possession　of　our　part　of

the　claim　by　these　armed　strangers；　and　whether　they　are　acting　on

your　order　or　not；　their　blood　will　be　on　your　head。〃



〃Then　I　reckon；〃　said　the　surveyor；　as　he　tore　away　his　beard；　wig；

spectacles；　and　mustache；　and　revealed　the　figure　of　Jack　Hamlin；

〃that　I'm　about　the　last　witness　that　Mr。　Steptoe…Horncastle　ought

to　call；　and　about　the　last　witness　that　he　ever　WILL　call！〃



But　he　had　not　calculated　upon　the　desperation　of　Steptoe　over　the

failure　of　this　last　hope。　　For　there　sprang　up　in　the　outlaw's

brain　the　same　hideous　idea　that　he　voiced　to　his　companions　at　the

Divide。　　With　a　hoarse　cry　to　his　followers；　he　crashed　his　pickaxe

into　the　brain　of　Marshall；　who　stood　near　him；　and　sprang　forward。

Three　or　four　shots　were　exchanged。　　Two　of　his　men　fell；　a　bullet

from　Stacy's　rifle　pierced　Steptoe's　leg；　and　he　dropped　forward　on

one　knee。　　He　heard　the　steps　of　his　reinforcements　with　their

weapons　coming　close　behind　him；　and　rolled　aside　on　the　sloping

ledge　to　let　them　pass。　　But　he　rolled　too　far。　　He　felt　himself

slipping　down　the　mountain…side　in　the　slimy　shoot　of　the　tunnel。

He　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　recover　himself；　but　the　treacherous

drift　of　the　loose　debris　rolled　with　him；　as　if　he　were　part　of

its　refuse；　and；　carrying　him　down；　left　him　unconscious；　but

otherwise　uninjured；　in　the　bushes　of　the　second　ledge　five　hundred

feet　below。



When　he　recovered　his　senses　the　shouts　and　outcries　above　him　had

ceased。　　He　knew　he　was　safe。　　The　ledge　could　only　be　reached　by　a

circuitous　route　three　miles　away。　　He　knew；　too；　that　if　he　could

only　reach　a　point　of　outcrop　a　hundred　yards　away　he　could　easily

descend　to　the　stage　road；　down　the　gentle　slope　of　the　mountain

hidden　in　a　growth　of　hazel…brush。　　He　bound　up　his　wounded　leg；

and　dragged　himself　on　his　hands　and　knees　laboriously　to　the

outcrop。　　He　did　not　look　up；　since　his　pick　had　crashed　into

Marshall's　brain　he　had　but　one　blind　thought　before　himto　escape

at　once！　　That　his　revenge　and　compensation　would