the three partners-第5节
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least。 Hold on！ I'll get up； too！〃 But here Demorest arose；
caught his youthful partner's bare foot which went searching
painfully for the ground in one hand； tucked it back under the
blankets； and heaping them on the top of him； patted the bulk with
an authoritative； paternal air。
〃You'll just say your prayers and go to sleep； sonny。 You'll want
to be fresh as a daisy to appear before Miss Kitty to…morrow early；
and you can keep your vigils for to…morrow night； after dinner； in
the back drawing…room。 I said 'Good…night；' and I mean it！〃
Protesting feebly； Barker finally yielded in a nestling shiver and
a sudden silence。 Demorest walked back to his chair。 A prolonged
snore came from Stacy's bunk； then everything was quiet。 Demorest
stirred up the fire； cast a huge root upon it； and； leaning back in
his chair； sat with half…closed eyes and dreamed。
It was an old dream that for the past three years had come to him
daily； sometimes even overtaking him under the shade of a buckeye
in his noontide rest on his claim；a dream that had never yet
failed to wait for him at night by the fireside when his partners
were at rest； a dream of the past； but so real that it always made
the present seem the dream through which he was moving towards some
sure awakening。
It was not strange that it should come to him to…night； as it had
often come before； slowly shaping itself out of the obscurity as
the vision of a fair young girl seated in one of the empty chairs
before him。 Always the same pretty； childlike face； fraught with a
half…frightened； half…wondering trouble； always the same slender；
graceful figure； but always glimmering in diamonds and satin； or
spiritual in lace and pearls； against his own rude and sordid
surroundings； always silent with parted lips； until the night wind
smote some chord of recollection； and then mingled a remembered
voice with his own。 For at those times he seemed to speak also；
albeit with closed lips； and an utterance inaudible to all but her。
〃Well？〃 he said sadly。
〃Well？〃 the voice repeated； like a gentle echo blending with his
own。
〃You know it all now；〃 he went on。 〃You know that it has come at
last；all that I had worked for； prayed for； all that would have
made us happy here； all that would have saved you to me has come at
last； and all too late！〃
〃Too late！〃 echoed the voice with his。
〃You remember；〃 he went on； 〃the last day we were together。 You
remember your friends and family would have you give me upa
penniless man。 You remember when they reproached you with my
poverty； and told you that it was only your wealth that I was
seeking； that I then determined to go away and never to return to
claim you until that reproach could be removed。 You remember；
dearest； how you clung to me and bade me stay with you； even fly
with you； but not to leave you alone with them。 You wore the same
dress that day； darling； your eyes had the same wondering childlike
fear and trouble in them； your jewels glittered on you as you
trembled； and I refused。 In my pride； or rather in my weakness and
cowardice； I refused。 I came away and broke my heart among these
rocks and ledges； yet grew strong； and you； my love； YOU； sheltered
and guarded by those you loved； YOU〃 He stopped and buried his
face in his hands。 The night wind breathed down the chimney； and
from the stirred ashes on the hearth came the soft whisper； 〃I
died。〃
〃And then；〃 he went on； 〃I cared for nothing。 Sometimes my heart
awoke for this young partner of mine in his innocent； trustful love
for a girl that even in her humble station was far beyond his
hopes； and I pitied myself in him。 Home； fortune； friends； I no
longer cared forall were forgotten。 And now they are returning
to meonly that I may see the hollowness and vanity of them； and
taste the bitterness for which I have sacrificed you。 And here； on
this last night of my exile； I am confronted with only the
jealousy； the doubt； the meanness and selfishness that is to come。
Too late！ Too late！〃
The wondering； troubled eyes that had looked into his here appeared
to clear and brighten with a sweet prescience。 Was it the wind
moaning in the chimney that seemed to whisper to him： 〃Too late；
beloved； for ME； but not for you。 I died； but Love still lives。
Be happy； Philip。 And in your happiness I too may live again〃？
He started。 In the flickering firelight the chair was empty。 The
wind that had swept down the chimney had stirred the ashes with a
sound like the passage of a rustling skirt。 There was a chill in
the air and a smell like that of opened earth。 A nervous shiver
passed over him。 Then he sat upright。 There was no mistake； it
was no superstitious fancy； but a faint； damp current of air was
actually flowing across his feet towards the fireplace。 He was
about to rise when he stopped suddenly and became motionless。
He was actively conscious now of a strange sound which had affected
him even in the preoccupation of his vision。 It was a gentle
brushing of some yielding substance like that made by a soft broom
on sand； or the sweep of a gown。 But to his mountain ears； attuned
to every woodland sound； it was not like the gnawing of gopher or
squirrel； the scratching of wildcat； nor the hairy rubbing of bear。
Nor was it human； the long； deep respirations of his sleeping
companions were distinct from that monotonous sound。 He could not
even tell if it were IN the cabin or without。 Suddenly his eye
fell upon the pile in the corner。 The blanket that covered the
treasure was actually moving！
He rose quickly； but silently； alert； self…contained； and menacing。
For this dreamer； this bereaved man； this scornful philosopher of
riches had disappeared with that midnight trespass upon the sacred
treasure。 The movement of the blanket ceased； the soft； swishing
sound recommenced。 He drew a glittering bowie…knife from his boot…
leg； and in three noiseless strides was beside the pile。 There he
saw what he fully expected to see；a narrow； horizontal gap
between the log walls of the cabin and the adobe floor； slowly
widening and deepening by the burrowing of unseen hands from
without。 The cold outer air which he had felt before was now
plainly flowing into the heated cabin through the opening。 The
swishing sound recommenced； and stopped。 Then the four fingers of
a hand； palm downwards； were cautiously introduced between the
bottom log and the denuded floor。 Upon that intruding hand the
bowie…knife of Demorest descended like a flash of lightning。 There
was no outcry。 Even in that supreme moment Demorest felt a pang of
admiration for the stoicism of the unseen trespasser。 But the
maimed hand was quickly withdrawn； and as quickly Demorest rushed
to the door and dashed into the outer darkness。
For an instant he was dazed and bewildered by the sudden change。
But the next moment he saw a dodging； doubling figure running
before him； and threw himself upon it。 In the shock both men fell；
but even in that contact Demorest felt the tangled beard and
alcoholic fumes of Whiskey Dick； and felt also that the hands which
were thrown up against his breast； the palms turned outward with
the instinctive movement of a timid； defenseless man； were
unstained with soil or blood。 With an oath he threw the drunkard
from him and dashed to the rear of the cabin。 But too late！
There； indeed； was the scattered earth； there the widened burrow as
it had been excavated apparently by that mutilated handbut
nothing else！
He turned back to Whiskey Dick。 But the miserable man； although
still retaining a look of dazed terror in his eyes； had recovered
his feet in a kind of angry confidence and a forced sense of
injury。 What did Demorest mean by attacking 〃innoshent〃 gentlemen
on the trail outside his cabin？ Yes！ OUTSIDE his cabin； he would
swear it！
〃What were you doing here at midnight？〃 demanded Demorest。
What was he doing？ What was any gentleman doing？ He wasn't any
molly…coddle to go to bed at ten o'clock！ What was he doing？
Wellhe'd been with men who didn't shut their doors and turn the
boys out just in the shank of the evening。 He wasn't any Barker to
be wet…nursed by Demorest。
〃Some one else was here！〃 said Demorest sternly； with his eyes
fixed on Whiskey Dick。 The dull glaze which seemed to veil the
outer world from the drunkard's pupils shifted suddenly with such a
look of direct horror that Demorest was fain to turn away his own。
But the veil mercifully returned； and with it Dick's worked…up
sense of injury。 Nobody was therenot 〃a shole。〃 Did Demorest
think if there had been any of his friends there they would have
stood by like 〃dogsh〃 and seen him insulted？
Demorest turned away and re…entered the cabin as Dick lurched
heavily forward； still muttering； down the trail。 The excitement
over； a sickening repugnance
