the twins of table mountain-第2节

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without　looking　up；　〃is　either　flighty；　oror　suthin'；〃　he　added
in　vague　disgust；　pushing　the　table　from　him　as　if　it　were　the　lady
in　question。　　〃Don't　tell　me！〃

Ruth's　eyes　quickly　sought　his　brother's；　and　were　as　quickly
averted；　as　he　asked　hurriedly；　〃How？〃

〃What　gets　me；〃　continued　Rand　in　a　petulant　non　sequitur；　〃is　that
YOU；　my　own　twin…brother；　never　lets　on　about　her　comin'　yer；
permiskus　like；　when　I　ain't　yer；　and　you　and　her　gallivantin'　and
promanadin'；　and　swoppin'　sentiments　and　mottoes。〃

Ruth　tried　to　contradict　his　blushing　face　with　a　laugh　of　worldly
indifference。

〃She　came　up　yer　on　a　sort　of　pasear。〃

〃Oh；　yes！a　short　cut　to　the　creek；〃　interpolated　Rand　satirically。

〃Last　Tuesday　or　Wednesday；〃　continued　Ruth；　with　affected
forgetfulness。

〃Oh；　in　course；　Tuesday；　or　Wednesday；　or　Thursday！　　You've　so　many
folks　climbing　up　this　yer　mountain　to　call　on　ye；〃　continued　the
ironical　Rand；　〃that　you　disremember；　only　you　remembered　enough
not　to　tell　me。　　SHE　did。　　She　took　me　for　you；　or　pretended　to。〃

The　color　dropped　from　Ruth's　cheek。

〃Took　you　for　me？〃　he　asked；　with　an　awkward　laugh。

〃Yes；〃　sneered　Rand；　〃chirped　and　chattered　away　about　OUR　picnic；
OUR　nose…gays；　and　lord　knows　what！　　Said　she'd　keep　them　blue…
jay's　wings；　and　wear　'em　in　her　hat。　　Spouted　poetry；　too；the
same　sort　o'　rot　you　get　off　now　and　then。〃

Ruth　laughed　again；　but　rather　ostentatiously　and　nervously。

〃Ruth；　look　yer！〃

Ruth　faced　his　brother。

〃What's　your　little　game？　　Do　you　mean　to　say　you　don't　know　what
thet　gal　is？　　Do　you　mean　to　say　you　don't　know　thet　she's　the
laughing…stock　of　the　Ferry；　thet　her　father's　a　dd　old　fool；
and　her　mother's　a　drunkard　and　worse；　thet　she's　got　any　right　to
be　hanging　round　yer？　　You　can't　mean　to　marry　her；　even　if　you
kalkilate　to　turn　me　out　to　do　it；　for　she　wouldn't　live　alone　with
ye　up　here。　　'Tain't　her　kind。　　And　if　I　thought　you　was　thinking
of〃

〃What？〃　said　Ruth；　turning　upon　his　brother　quickly。

〃Oh；　thet's　right！　holler；　swear　and　yell；　and　break　things；　do！
Tear　round！〃　continued　Rand；　kicking　his　boots　off　in　a　corner；
〃just　because　I　ask　you　a　civil　question。　　That's　brotherly；〃　he
added；　jerking　his　chair　away　against　the　side　of　the　cabin；　〃ain't
it？〃

〃She's　not　to　blame　because　her　mother　drinks；　and　her　father's　a
shyster；〃　said　Ruth　earnestly　and　strongly。　　〃The　men　who　make　her
the　laughing…stock　of　the　Ferry　tried　to　make　her　something　worse；
and　failed；　and　take　this　sneak's　revenge　on　her。　　'Laughing…
stock！'　　Yes；　they　knew　she　could　turn　the　tables　on　them。〃

〃Of　course；　go　on！　　She's　better　than　me。　　I　know　I'm　a　fratricide；
that's　what　I　am；〃　said　Rand；　throwing　himself　on　the　upper　of　the
two　berths　that　formed　the　bedstead　of　the　cabin。

〃I've　seen　her　three　times；〃　continued　Ruth。

〃And　you've　known　me　twenty　years；〃　interrupted　his　brother。

Ruth　turned　on　his　heel；　and　walked　towards　the　door。

〃That's　right；　go　on！　　Why　don't　you　get　the　chalk？〃

Ruth　made　no　reply。　　Rand　descended　from　the　bed；　and；　taking　a
piece　of　chalk　from　the　shelf；　drew　a　line　on　the　floor；　dividing
the　cabin　in　two　equal　parts。

〃You　can　have　the　east　half；〃　he　said；　as　he　climbed　slowly　back
into　bed。

This　mysterious　rite　was　the　usual　termination　of　a　quarrel　between
the　twins。　　Each　man　kept　his　half　of　the　cabin　until　the　feud　was
forgotten。　　It　was　the　mark　of　silence　and　separation；　over　which
no　words　of　recrimination；　argument；　or　even　explanation；　were
delivered；　until　it　was　effaced　by　one　or　the　other。　　This　was
considered　equivalent　to　apology　or　reconciliation；　which　each　were
equally　bound　in　honor　to　accept。

It　may　be　remarked　that　the　floor　was　much　whiter　at　this　line　of
demarcation；　and　under　the　fresh　chalk…line　appeared　the　faint
evidences　of　one　recently　effaced。

Without　apparently　heeding　this　potential　ceremony；　Ruth　remained
leaning　against　the　doorway；　looking　upon　the　night；　the　bulk　of
whose　profundity　and　blackness　seemed　to　be　gathered　below　him。
The　vault　above　was　serene　and　tranquil；　with　a　few　large　far…
spaced　stars；　the　abyss　beneath；　untroubled　by　sight　or　sound。
Stepping　out　upon　the　ledge；　he　leaned　far　over　the　shelf　that
sustained　their　cabin；　and　listened。　　A　faint　rhythmical　roll；
rising　and　falling　in　long　undulations　against　the　invisible
horizon；　to　his　accustomed　ears　told　him　the　wind　was　blowing　among
the　pines　in　the　valley。　　Yet；　mingling　with　this　familiar　sound；
his　ear；　now　morbidly　acute；　seemed　to　detect　a　stranger　inarticulate
murmur；　as　of　confused　and　excited　voices；　swelling　up　from　the
mysterious　depths　to　the　stars　above；　and　again　swallowed　up　in　the
gulfs　of　silence　below。　　He　was　roused　from　a　consideration　of　this
phenomenon　by　a　faint　glow　towards　the　east；　which　at　last
brightened；　until　the　dark　outline　of　the　distant　walls　of　the
valley　stood　out　against　the　sky。　　Were　his　other　senses
participating　in　the　delusion　of　his　ears？　for　with　the　brightening
light　came　the　faint　odor　of　burning　timber。

His　face　grew　anxious　as　he　gazed。　　At　last　he　rose；　and　re…entered
the　cabin。　　His　eyes　fell　upon　the　faint　chalk…mark；　and；　taking
his　soft　felt　hat　from　his　head；　with　a　few　practical　sweeps　of　the
brim　he　brushed　away　the　ominous　record　of　their　late　estrangement。
Going　to　the　bed　whereon　Rand　lay　stretched；　open…eyed；　he　would
have　laid　his　hand　upon　his　arm　lightly；　but　the　brother's　fingers
sought　and　clasped　his　own。　　〃Get　up；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃there's　a
strange　fire　in　the　Canyon　head　that　I　can't　make　out。〃

Rand　slowly　clambered　from　his　shelf；　and　hand　in　hand　the　brothers
stood　upon　the　ledge。　　〃It's　a　right　smart　chance　beyond　the　Ferry；
and　a　piece　beyond　the　Mill；　too；〃　said　Rand；　shading　his　eyes　with
his　hand；　from　force　of　habit。　　〃It's　in　the　woods　where〃　　He
would　have　added　where　he　met　Mornie；　but　it　was　a　point　of　honor
with　the　twins；　after　reconciliation；　not　to　allude　to　any　topic　of
their　recent　disagreement。

Ruth　dropped　his　brother's　hand。　　〃It　doesn't　smell　like　the
woods；〃　he　said　slowly。


〃Smell！〃　repeated　Rand　incredulously。　　〃Why；　it's　twenty　miles　in　a
bee…line　yonder。　　Smell；　indeed！〃

Ruth　was　silent；　but　presently　fell　to　listening　again　with　his
former　abstraction。　　〃You　don't　hear　anything；　do　you？〃　he　asked
after　a　pause。

〃It's　blowin'　in　the　pines　on　the　river；〃　said　Rand　shortly。

〃You　don't　hear　anything　else？〃

〃No。〃

〃Nothing　likelikelike〃

Rand；　who　had　been　listening　with　an　intensity　that　distorted　the
left　side　of　his　face；　interrupted　him　impatiently。

〃Like　what？〃

〃Like　a　woman　sobbin'？〃

〃Ruth；〃　said　Rand；　suddenly　looking　up　in　his　brother's　face；
〃what's　gone　of　you？〃

Ruth　laughed。　　〃The　fire's　out；〃　he　said；　abruptly　re…entering　the
cabin。　　〃I'm　goin'　to　turn　in。〃

Rand；　following　his　brother　half　reproachfully；　saw　him　divest
himself　of　his　clothing；　and　roll　himself　in　the　blankets　of　his
bed。

〃Good…night；　Randy！〃

Rand　hesitated。　　He　would　have　liked　to　ask　his　brother　another
question；　but　there　was　clearly　nothing　to　be　done　but　follow　his
example。

〃Good…night；　Ruthy！〃　he　said；　and　put　out　the　light。　　As　he　did　so；
the　glow　in　the　eastern　horizon　faded；　too；　and　darkness　seemed　to
well　up　from　the　depths　below；　and；　flowing　in　the　open　door；
wrapped　them　in　deeper　slumber。


CHAPTER　II。


THE　CLOUDS　GATHER。


Twelve　months　had　elapsed　since　the　quarrel　and　reconciliation；
during　which　interval　no　reference　was　made　by　either　of　the
brothers　to　the　cause　which　had　provoked　it。　　Rand　was　at　work　in
the　shaft；　Ruth　having　that　morning　undertaken　the　replenishment　of
the　larder　with　game　from　the　wooded　skirt　of　the　mountain。　　Rand
had　taken　advantage　of　his　brother's　absence　to　〃prospect〃　in　the
〃drift；〃a　proceeding　utterly　at　variance　with　his　previous
condemnation　of　all　such　speculative　essay；　but　Rand；　despite　his
assumption　of　a　superior　practical　nature；　was　not　above　certain
local　superstitions。　　Having　that　morning　put　on　his　gray　flannel
shirt　wrong　side　out；an　abstraction　recognized　among　the　miners
as　the　sure　forerunner　of　divination　and　treasure…discovery；he
could　not　forego　that　opportunity　of　trying　his　luck；　without
hazarding　a　dangerous　example。　　He　was　also　conscious　of　feeling
〃chipper；〃another　local　expression　for　buoyancy　of　spirit；　not
common　to　men　who　work　fifty　feet　below　the　surface；　without　the
stimulus　of　air　and　sunshine；　and　not　to　be　overlooked　as　an
important　factor　in　fortunate　adventure。　　Nevertheless；　noon　came
without　the　discovery　of　any　treasure。　　He　had　attacked　the　walls
on　either　side　of　the　lateral　〃drift〃　skilfully；　so　as　to　expose
their　quality　without　destroying　their　cohesive　integrity；　but　had
found　nothing。　　Once　or　twice；　returning　to　the　shaft　for　rest　and
air；　its　grim　silence　had　seemed　to　him　pervaded　with　some　vague
echo　of　cheerful　holiday　voices　above。　　This　set　him　to　thinking　of
his　brother's　equally　extravagant　fancy　of　the　wailing　voices　in
the　air　on　the　night　of　the　fire；　and　of　his　attributing　it　to　a
lover's　abstraction。

〃I　laid　it　to　his　being　struck　after　that　gal；　a