the twins of table mountain-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


himself　of　his　coat；　stopped　unbuttoning　his　waistcoat；　and　looked
at　her。

〃Like　ez　not　thar'll　be　high　water　on　the　North　Fork；　ef　this　rain
keeps　on；〃　said　Peg；　as　if　apologetically；　looking　toward　the
window。

The　other　rain　having　ceased；　Mr。　Hamlin　began　to　unbutton　his
waistcoat　again。

〃I　wanted　to　ask　ye　a　favor　about　Mr。aboutJack　Folinsbee；〃
began　Peg　again　hurriedly。　　〃He's　ailin'　agin；　and　is　mighty　low。
And　he's　losin'　a　heap　o'　money　here　and　thar；　and　mostly　to　YOU。
You　cleaned　him　out　of　two　thousand　dollars　last　nightall　he
had。〃

〃Well？〃　said　the　gambler　coldly。

〃Well；　I　thought　ez　you　woz　a　friend　o'　mine；　I'd　ask　ye　to　let　up
a　little　on　him；〃　said　Peg；　with　an　affected　laugh。　　〃You　kin　do
it。　　Don't　let　him　play　with　ye。〃

〃Mistress　Margaret　Moffat；〃　said　Jack；　with　lazy　deliberation；
taking　off　his　watch；　and　beginning　to　wind　it　up；　〃ef　you're　that
much　stuck　after　Jack　Folinsbee；　YOU　kin　keep　him　off　of　me　much
easier　than　I　kin。　　You're　a　rich　woman。　　Give　him　enough　money　to
break　my　bank；　or　break　himself　for　good　and　all；　but　don't　keep
him　forlin'　round　me　in　hopes　to　make　a　raise。　　It　don't　pay；
Mistress　Moffatit　don't　pay！〃

A　finer　nature　than　Peg's　would　have　misunderstood　or　resented　the
gambler's　slang；　and　the　miserable　truths　that　underlaid　it。　　But
she　comprehended　him　instantly；　and　sat　hopelessly　silent。

〃Ef　you'll　take　my　advice；〃　continued　Jack；　placing　his　watch　and
chain　under　his　pillow；　and　quietly　unloosing　his　cravat；　〃you'll
quit　this　yer　forlin'；　marry　that　chap；　and　hand　over　to　him　the
money　and　the　money…makin'　that's　killin'　you。　　He'll　get　rid　of　it
soon　enough。　　I　don't　say　this　because　I　expect　to　git　it；　for；
when　he's　got　that　much　of　a　raise；　he'll　make　a　break　for　'Frisco；
and　lose　it　to　some　first…class　sport　THERE。　　I　don't　say；　neither；
that　you　mayn't　be　in　luck　enough　to　reform　him。　　I　don't　say；
neitherand　it's　a　derned　sight　more　likely！that　you　mayn't　be
luckier　yet；　and　he'll　up　and　die　afore　he　gits　rid　of　your　money。
But　I　do　say　you'll　make　him　happy　NOW；　and；　ez　I　reckon　you're
about　ez　badly　stuck　after　that　chap　ez　I　ever　saw　any　woman；　you
won't　be　hurtin'　your　own　feelin's　either。〃

The　blood　left　Peg's　face　as　she　looked　up。　　〃But　that's　WHY　I
can't　give　him　the　moneyand　he　won't　marry　me　without　it。〃

Mr。　Hamlin's　hand　dropped　from　the　last　button　of　his　waistcoat。
〃Can'tgivehimthemoney？〃　he　repeated　slowly。

〃No。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Becausebecause　I　LOVE　him。〃

Mr。　Hamlin　rebuttoned　his　waistcoat；　and　sat　down　patiently　on　the
bed。　　Peg　arose；　and　awkwardly　drew　the　portmanteau　a　little　nearer
to　him。

〃When　Jim　Byways　left　me　this　yer　property；〃　she　began；　looking
cautiously　around；　〃he　left　it　to　me　on　CONDITIONS；　not　conditions
ez　waz　in　his　WRITTEN　will；　but　conditions　ez　waz　SPOKEN。　　A
promise　I　made　him　in　this　very　room；　Mr。　Hamlin；this　very　room；
and　on　that　very　bed　you're　sittin'　on；　in　which　he　died。〃

Like　most　gamblers；　Mr。　Hamlin　was　superstitious。　　He　rose　hastily
from　the　bed；　and　took　a　chair　beside　the　window。　　The　wind　shook
it　as　if　the　discontented　spirit　of　Mr。　Byways　were　without；　re…
enforcing　his　last　injunction。

〃I　don't　know　if　you　remember　him；〃　said　Peg　feverishly。　　〃he　was　a
man　ez　hed　suffered。　　All　that　he　lovedwife；　fammerly；　friends
had　gone　back　on　him。　　He　tried　to　make　light　of　it　afore　folks；
but　with　me；　being　a　poor　gal；　he　let　himself　out。　　I　never　told
anybody　this。　　I　don't　know　why　he　told　ME；　I　don't　know；〃
continued　Peg；　with　a　sniffle；　〃why　he　wanted　to　make　me　unhappy
too。　　But　he　made　me　promise；　that；　if　he　left　me　his　fortune；　I'd
NEVER；　NEVERso　help　me　God！never　share　it　with　any　man　or　woman
that　I　LOVED；　I　didn't　think　it　would　be　hard　to　keep　that　promise
then；　Mr。　Hamlin；　for　I　was　very　poor；　and　hedn't　a　friend　nor　a
living　bein'　that　was　kind　to　me；　but　HIM。〃

〃But　you've　as　good　as　broken　your　promise　already；〃　said　Hamlin。
〃You've　given　Jack　money；　as　I　know。〃

〃Only　what　I　made　myself。　　Listen　to　me；　Mr。　Hamlin。　　When　Jack
proposed　to　me；　I　offered　him　about　what　I　kalkilated　I　could　earn
myself。　　When　he　went　away；　and　was　sick　and　in　trouble；　I　came
here　and　took　this　hotel。　　I　knew　that　by　hard　work　I　could　make　it
pay。　　Don't　laugh　at　me；　please。　　I　DID　work　hard；　and　DID　make　it
paywithout　takin'　one　cent　of　the　fortin'。　　And　all　I　made；
workin'　by　night　and　day；　I　gave　to　him。　　I　did；　Mr。　Hamlin。　　I
ain't　so　hard　to　him　as　you　think；　though　I　might　be　kinder；　I
know。〃

Mr。　Hamlin　rose；　deliberately　resumed　his　coat；　watch；　hat；　and
overcoat。　　When　he　was　completely　dressed　again；　he　turned　to　Peg。
〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you've　been　givin'　all　the　money　you　made
here　to　this　A　1　first…class　cherubim？〃

〃Yes；　but　he　didn't　know　where　I　got　it。　　O　Mr。　Hamlin！　he　didn't
know　that。〃

〃Do　I　understand　you；　that　he's　bin　buckin　agin　Faro　with　the　money
that　you　raised　on　hash？　　And　YOU　makin'　the　hash？〃

〃But　he　didn't　know　that；　he　wouldn't　hev　took　it　if　I'd　told　him。〃

〃No；　he'd　hev　died　fust！〃　said　Mr。　Hamlin　gravely。　　〃Why；　he's　that
sensitiveis　Jack　Folinsbeethat　it　nearly　kills　him　to　take
money　even　of　ME。　　But　where　does　this　angel　reside　when　he　isn't
fightin'　the　tiger；　and　is；　so　to　speak；　visible　to　the　naked　eye？〃

〃Hehestops　here；〃　said　Peg；　with　an　awkward　blush。

〃I　see。　　Might　I　ask　the　number　of　his　roomor　should　I　be　a
disturbing　him　in　his　meditations？〃　continued　Jack　Hamlin；　with
grave　politeness。

〃Oh！　then　you'll　promise？　　And　you'll　talk　to　him；　and　make　HIM
promise？〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Hamlin　quietly。

〃And　you'll　remember　he's　sickvery　sick？　　His　room's　No。　44；　at
the　end　of　the　hall。　　Perhaps　I'd　better　go　with　you？〃

〃I'll　find　it。〃

〃And　you　won't　be　too　hard　on　him？〃

〃I'll　be　a　father　to　him；〃　said　Hamlin　demurely；　as　he　opened　the
door　and　stepped　into　the　hall。　　But　he　hesitated　a　moment；　and
then　turned；　and　gravely　held　out　his　hand。　　Peg　took　it　timidly。
He　did　not　seem　quite　in　earnest；　and　his　black　eyes；　vainly
questioned；　indicated　nothing。　　But　he　shook　her　hand　warmly；　and
the　next　moment　was　gone。

He　found　the　room　with　no　difficulty。　　A　faint　cough　from　within；
and　a　querulous　protest；　answered　his　knock。　　Mr。　Hamlin　entered
without　further　ceremony。　　A　sickening　smell　of　drugs；　a　palpable
flavor　of　stale　dissipation；　and　the　wasted　figure　of　Jack
Folinsbee；　half…dressed；　extended　upon　the　bed；　greeted　him。　　Mr。
Hamlin　was　for　an　instant　startled。　　There　were　hollow　circles
round　the　sick　man's　eyes；　there　was　palsy　in　his　trembling　limbs；
there　was　dissolution　in　his　feverish　breath。

〃What's　up？〃　he　asked　huskily　and　nervously。

〃I　am；　and　I　want　YOU　to　get　up　too。〃

〃I　can't；　Jack。　　I'm　regularly　done　up。〃　　He　reached　his　shaking
hand　towards　a　glass　half…filled　with　suspicious；　pungent…smelling
liquid；　but　Mr。　Hamlin　stayed　it。

〃Do　you　want　to　get　back　that　two　thousand　dollars　you　lost？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　get　up；　and　marry　that　woman　down　stairs。〃

Folinsbee　laughed　half　hysterically；　half　sardonically。

〃She　won't　give　it　to　me。〃

〃No；　but　I　will。〃

〃YOU？〃

〃Yes。〃

Folinsbee；　with　an　attempt　at　a　reckless　laugh；　rose；　trembling　and
with　difficulty；　to　his　swollen　feet。　　Hamlin　eyed　him　narrowly；
and　then　bade　him　lie　down　again。　　〃To…morrow　will　do；〃　he　said；
〃and　then〃

〃If　I　don't　〃

〃If　you　don't；〃　responded　Hamlin；　〃why；　I'll　just　wade　in　and　CUT
YOU　OUT！〃

But　on　the　morrow　Mr。　Hamlin　was　spared　that　possible　act　of
disloyalty；　for；　in　the　night；　the　already　hesitating　spirit　of　Mr。
Jack　Folinsbee　took　flight　on　the　wings　of　the　south…east　storm。
When　or　how　it　happened；　nobody　knew。　　Whether　this　last　excitement
and　the　near　prospect　of　matrimony；　or　whether　an　overdose　of
anodyne；　had　hastened　his　end；　was　never　known。　　I　only　know；　that；
when　they　came　to　awaken　him　the　next　morning；　the　best　that　was
left　of　hima　face　still　beautiful　and　boy…likelooked　up　coldly
at　the　tearful　eyes　of　Peg　Moffat。　　〃It　serves　me　right；　it's　a
judgment；〃　she　said　in　a　low　whisper　to　Jack　Hamlin；　〃for　God　knew
that　I'd　broken　my　word；　and　willed　all　my　property　to　him。〃

She　did　not　long　survive　him。　　Whether　Mr。　Hamlin　ever　clothed　with
action　the　suggestion　indicated　in　his　speech　to　the　lamented　Jack
that　night；　is　not　of　record。　　He　was　always　her　friend；　and　on　her
demise　became　her　executor。　　But　the　bulk　of　her　property　was　left
to　a　distant　relation　of　handsome　Jack　Folinsbee；　and　so　passed　out
of　the　control　of　Red　Dog　forever。




THE　GREAT　DEADWOOD　MYSTERY


It　was　growing　quite　dark　in　the　telegraph…office　at　Cottonwood；
Tuolumne　County；　California。　　The　office；　a　box…like　enclosure；　was
separated　from　the　public　room　of　the　Miners'　Hotel　by　a　thin
partition；　and　the　operator；　who　was　also　news　and　express　agent　at
Cottonwood；　had　closed　his　window；　and　was　lounging　by　his　news…
stand　preparatory　to　going　home。　　Without；　the　first　monotonous
rain　of　the　season　was　dripping　from　the　porches　of　the　hotel　in
the　waning　light　of　a　December　day。　　The　operator；　accustomed　as　he
was　to　long　intervals　of　idleness；　was　fast　becoming　bored。

The