the twins of table mountain-第14节

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means　a　heroine。　　I　quote　her　affair　with　Jack　Folinsbee　to　show
she　was　scarcely　the　average　woman。

That　handsome；　graceless　vagabond　had　struck　the　outskirts　of　Red
Dog　in　a　cyclone　of　dissipation　which　left　him　a　stranded　but　still
rather　interesting　wreck　in　a　ruinous　cabin　not　far　from　Peg
Moffat's　virgin　bower。　　Pale；　crippled　from　excesses；　with　a　voice
quite　tremulous　from　sympathetic　emotion　more　or　less　developed　by
stimulants；　he　lingered　languidly；　with　much　time　on　his　hands；　and
only　a　few　neighbors。　　In　this　fascinating　kind　of　general
deshabille　of　morals；　dress；　and　the　emotions；　he　appeared　before
Peg　Moffat。　　More　than　that；　he　occasionally　limped　with　her
through　the　settlement。　　The　critical　eye　of　Red　Dog　took　in　the
singular　pair；Jack；　voluble；　suffering；　apparently　overcome　by
remorse；　conscience；　vituperation；　and　disease；　and　Peg；　open…
mouthed；　high…colored；　awkward；　yet　delighted；　and　the　critical　eye
of　Red　Dog；　seeing　this；　winked　meaningly　at　Rockville。　　No　one
knew　what　passed　between　them；　but　all　observed　that　one　summer　day
Jack　drove　down　the　main　street　of　Red　Dog　in　an　open　buggy；　with
the　heiress　of　that　town　beside　him。　　Jack；　albeit　a　trifle　shaky；
held　the　reins　with　something　of　his　old　dash；　and　Mistress　Peggy；
in　an　enormous　bonnet　with　pearl…colored　ribbons　a　shade　darker
than　her　hair；　holding　in　her　short；　pink…gloved　fingers　a　bouquet
of　yellow　roses；　absolutely　glowed　crimson　in　distressful
gratification　over　the　dash…board。　　So　these　two　fared　on；　out　of
the　busy　settlement；　into　the　woods；　against　the　rosy　sunset。
Possibly　it　was　not　a　pretty　picture：　nevertheless；　as　the　dim
aisles　of　the　solemn　pines　opened　to　receive　them；　miners　leaned
upon　their　spades；　and　mechanics　stopped　in　their　toil　to　look
after　them。　　The　critical　eye　of　Red　Dog；　perhaps　from　the　sun；
perhaps　from　the　fact　that　it　had　itself　once　been　young　and
dissipated；　took　on　a　kindly　moisture　as　it　gazed。

The　moon　was　high　when　they　returned。　　Those　who　had　waited　to
congratulate　Jack　on　this　near　prospect　of　a　favorable　change　in
his　fortunes　were　chagrined　to　find；　that；　having　seen　the　lady
safe　home；　he　had　himself　departed　from　Red　Dog。　　Nothing　was　to　be
gained　from　Peg；　who；　on　the　next　day　and　ensuing　days；　kept　the
even　tenor　of　her　way；　sunk　a　thousand　or　two　more　in　unsuccessful
speculation；　and　made　no　change　in　her　habits　of　personal　economy。
Weeks　passed　without　any　apparent　sequel　to　this　romantic　idyl。
Nothing　was　known　definitely　until　Jack；　a　month　later；　turned　up
in　Sacramento；　with　a　billiard…cue　in　his　hand；　and　a　heart
overcharged　with　indignant　emotion。　　〃I　don't　mind　saying　to　you；
gentlemen；　in　confidence；〃　said　Jack　to　a　circle　of　sympathizing
players；〃I　don't　mind　telling　you　regarding　this　thing；　that　I
was　as　soft　on　that　freckled…faced；　red…eyed；　tallow…haired　gal；　as
if　she'd　beenaaan　actress。　　And　I　don't　mind　saying；
gentlemen；　that；　as　far　as　I　understand　women；　she　was　just　as　soft
on　me。　　You　kin　laugh；　but　it's　so。　　One　day　I　took　her　out　buggy…
riding；in　style；　too；and　out　on　the　road　I　offered　to　do　the
square　thing；　just　as　if　she'd　been　a　lady；offered　to　marry　her
then　and　there。　　And　what　did　she　do？〃　said　Jack　with　a　hysterical
laugh。　　〃Why；　blank　it　all！　OFFERED　ME　TWENTY…FIVE　DOLLARS　A　WEEK
ALLOWANCEPAY　TO　BE　STOPPED　WHEN　I　WASN'T　AT　HOME！〃　　The　roar　of
laughter　that　greeted　this　frank　confession　was　broken　by　a　quiet
voice　asking；　〃And　what　did　YOU　say？〃〃Say？〃　screamed　Jack；　〃I
just　told　her　to　go　to　　with　her　money。〃〃They　say；〃　continued
the　quiet　voice；　〃that　you　asked　her　for　the　loan　of　two　hundred
and　fifty　dollars　to　get　you　to　Sacramentoand　that　you　got　it。〃
〃Who　says　so　roared　Jack。　　〃Show　me　the　blank　liar。〃　　There　was　a
dead　silence。　　Then　the　possessor　of　the　quiet　voice；　Mr。　Jack
Hamlin；　languidly　reached　under　the　table；　took　the　chalk；　and；
rubbing　the　end　of　his　billiard…cue；　began　with　gentle　gravity：　〃It
was　an　old　friend　of　mine　in　Sacramento；　a　man　with　a　wooden　leg；　a
game　eye；　three　fingers　on　his　right　hand；　and　a　consumptive　cough。
Being　unable；　naturally；　to　back　himself；　he　leaves　things　to　me。
So；　for　the　sake　of　argument；〃　continued　Hamlin；　suddenly　laying
down　his　cue；　and　fixing　his　wicked　black　eyes　on　the　speaker；　〃say
it's　ME！〃

I　am　afraid　that　this　story；　whether　truthful　or　not；　did　not　tend
to　increase　Peg's　popularity　in　a　community　where　recklessness　and
generosity　condoned　for　the　absence　of　all　the　other　virtues；　and
it　is　possible；　also；　that　Red　Dog　was　no　more　free　from　prejudice
than　other　more　civilized　but　equally　disappointed　matchmakers。
Likewise；　during　the　following　year；　she　made　several　more　foolish
ventures；　and　lost　heavily。　　In　fact；　a　feverish　desire　to　increase
her　store　at　almost　any　risk　seemed　to　possess　her。　　At　last　it　was
announced　that　she　intended　to　reopen　the　infelix　Rockville　Hotel；
and　keep　it　herself。

Wild　as　this　scheme　appeared　in　theory；　when　put　into　practical
operation　there　seemed　to　be　some　chance　of　success。　　Much；
doubtless；　was　owing　to　her　practical　knowledge　of　hotel…keeping；
but　more　to　her　rigid　economy　and　untiring　industry。　　The　mistress
of　millions；　she　cooked；　washed；　waited　on　table；　made　the　beds；
and　labored　like　a　common　menial。　　Visitors　were　attracted　by　this
novel　spectacle。　　The　income　of　the　house　increased　as　their
respect　for　the　hostess　lessened。　　No　anecdote　of　her　avarice　was
too　extravagant　for　current　belief。　　It　was　even　alleged　that　she
had　been　known　to　carry　the　luggage　of　guests　to　their　rooms；　that
she　might　anticipate　the　usual　porter's　gratuity。　　She　denied
herself　the　ordinary　necessaries　of　life。　　She　was　poorly　clad；　she
was　ill…fedbut　the　hotel　was　making　money。

A　few　hinted　of　insanity；　others　shook　their　heads；　and　said　a
curse　was　entailed　on　the　property。　　It　was　believed；　also；　from
her　appearance；　that　she　could　not　long　survive　this　tax　on　her
energies；　and　already　there　was　discussion　as　to　the　probable　final
disposition　of　her　property。

It　was　the　particular　fortune　of　Mr。　Jack　Hamlin　to　be　able　to　set
the　world　right　on　this　and　other　questions　regarding　her。

A　stormy　December　evening　had　set　in　when　he　chanced　to　be　a　guest
of　the　Rockville　Hotel。　　He　had；　during　the　past　week；　been　engaged
in　the　prosecution　of　his　noble　profession　at　Red　Dog；　and　had；　in
the　graphic　language　of　a　coadjutor；　〃cleared　out　the　town；　except
his　fare　in　the　pockets　of　the　stage…driver。〃　　〃The　Red　Dog
Standard〃　had　bewailed　his　departure　in　playful　obituary　verse；
beginning；　〃Dearest　Johnny；　thou　hast　left　us；〃　wherein　the　rhymes
〃bereft　us〃　and　〃deplore〃　carried　a　vague　allusion　to　〃a　thousand
dollars　more。〃　　A　quiet　contentment　naturally　suffused　his
personality；　and　he　was　more　than　usually　lazy　and　deliberate　in
his　speech。　　At　midnight；　when　he　was　about　to　retire；　he　was　a
little　surprised；　however；　by　a　tap　on　his　door；　followed　by　the
presence　of　Mistress　Peg　Moffat；　heiress；　and　landlady　of　Rockville
hotel。

Mr。　Hamlin；　despite　his　previous　defence　of　Peg；　had　no　liking　for
her。　　His　fastidious　taste　rejected　her　uncomeliness；　his　habits　of
thought　and　life　were　all　antagonistic　to　what　he　had　heard　of　her
niggardliness　and　greed。　　As　she　stood　there；　in　a　dirty　calico
wrapper；　still　redolent　with　the　day's　cuisine；　crimson　with
embarrassment　and　the　recent　heat　of　the　kitchen　range；　she
certainly　was　not　an　alluring　apparition。　　Happily　for　the　lateness
of　the　hour；　her　loneliness；　and　the　infelix　reputation　of　the　man
before　her；　she　was　at　least　a　safe　one。　　And　I　fear　the　very
consciousness　of　this　scarcely　relieved　her　embarrassment。

〃I　wanted　to　say　a　few　words　to　ye　alone；　Mr。　Hamlin；〃　she　began；
taking　an　unoffered　seat　on　the　end　of　his　portmanteau；　〃or　I
shouldn't　hev　intruded。　　But　it's　the　only　time　I　can　ketch　you；　or
you　me；　for　I'm　down　in　the　kitchen　from　sunup　till　now。〃

She　stopped　awkwardly；　as　if　to　listen　to　the　wind；　which　was
rattling　the　windows；　and　spreading　a　film　of　rain　against　the
opaque　darkness　without。　　Then；　smoothing　her　wrapper　over　her
knees；　she　remarked；　as　if　opening　a　desultory　conversation；
〃Thar's　a　power　of　rain　outside。〃

Mr。　Hamlin's　only　response　to　this　meteorological　observation　was　a
yawn；　and　a　preliminary　tug　at　his　coat　as　he　began　to　remove　it。

〃I　thought　ye　couldn't　mind　doin'　me　a　favor；〃　continued　Peg；　with
a　hard；　awkward　laugh；　〃partik'ly　seein'　ez　folks　allowed　you'd
sorter　bin　a　friend　o'　mine；　and　hed　stood　up　for　me　at　times　when
you　hedn't　any　partikler　call　to　do　it。　　I　hevn't〃　she　continued；
looking　down　on　her　lap；　and　following　with　her　finger　and　thumb　a
seam　of　her　gown；〃I　hevn't　so　many　friends　ez　slings　a　kind　word
for　me　these　times　that　I　disremember　them。〃　　Her　under　lip
quivered　a　little　here；　and；　after　vainly　hunting　for　a　forgotten
handkerchief；　she　finally　lifted　the　hem　of　her　gown；　wiped　her
snub　nose　upon　it；　but　left　the　tears　still　in　her　eyes　as　she
raised　them　to　the　man；　Mr。　Hamlin；　who　had　by　this　time　divested
himself　of　his　coat；　stopped　unbuttoning　his　waistcoat；　and　looked
at　her。

〃Like　ez　not　thar'll　b