the twins of table mountain-第20节

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Mrs。　Rightbody　paused；　a　little　confused。

〃I　have　sent　for　you；〃　she　began　again；　〃to　learn　something　more　of
the　circumstances　under　which　you　gentlemen　sent　a　despatch　to　my
late　husband。〃

〃The　circumstances；〃　replied　Seventy…Four　quietly；　with　a　side…
glance　at　his　companion；　〃panned　out　about　in　this　yer　style。　　We
hung　a　man　named　Josh　Silsbie；　down　at　Deadwood；　for　hoss…stealin'。
When　I　say　WE；　I　speak　for　Seventy…Five　yer　as　is　present；　as　well
as　representin'；　so　to　speak；　seventy…two　other　gents　as　is
scattered。　　We　hung　Josh　Silsbie　on　squar；　pretty　squar；　evidence。
Afore　he　was　strung　up；　Seventy…Five　yer　axed　him；　accordin'　to
custom；　ef　ther　was　enny　thing　he　had　to　say；　or　enny　request　that
he　allowed　to　make　of　us。　　He　turns　to　Seventy…Five　yer；　and〃

Here　he　paused　suddenly；　looking　at　his　companion。

〃He　sez；　sez　he；〃　began　Seventy…Five；　taking　up　the　narrative；〃he
sez；　'Kin　I　write　a　letter？'　sez　he。　　Sez　I；　'Not　much；　ole　man：
ye've　got　no　time。'　　Sez　he；　'Kin　I　send　a　despatch　by　telegraph？'
I　sez；　'Heave　ahead。'　　He　sez；these　is　his　dientikal　words；
'Send　to　Adam　Rightbody；　Boston。　　Tell　him　to　remember　his　sacred
compack　with　me　thirty　years　ago。'〃

〃'His　sacred　compack　with　me　thirty　years　ago；'〃　echoed　Seventy…
Four；〃his　dientikal　words。〃

〃What　was　the　compact？〃　asked　Mrs。　Rightbody　anxiously。

Seventy…Four　looked　at　Seventy…Five；　and　then　both　arose；　and
retired　to　the　corner　of　the　parlor；　where　they　engaged　in　a　slow
but　whispered　deliberation。　　Presently　they　returned；　and　sat　down
again。

〃We　allow；〃　said　Seventy…Four；　quietly　but　decidedly；　〃that　YOU
know　what　that　sacred　compact　was。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　lost　her　temper　and　her　truthfulness　together。　　〃Of
course；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃I　know。　　But　do　you　mean　to　say　that
you　gave　this　poor　man　no　further　chance　to　explain　before　you
murdered　him？〃

Seventy…Four　and　Seventy…Five　both　rose　again　slowly；　and　retired。
When　they　returned　again；　and　sat　down；　Seventy…Five；　who　by　this
time；　through　some　subtile　magnetism；　Mrs。　Rightbody　began　to
recognize　as　the　superior　power；　said　gravely；

〃We　wish　to　say；　regarding　this　yer　murder；　that　Seventy…Four　and
me　is　equally　responsible；　that　we　reckon　also　to　represent；　so　to
speak；　seventy…two　other　gentlemen　as　is　scattered；　that　we　are
ready；　Seventy…Four　and　me；　to　take　and　holt　that　responsibility；
now　and　at　any　time；　afore　every　man　or　men　as　kin　be　fetched　agin
us。　　We　wish　to　say　that　this　yer　say　of　ours　holds　good　yer　in
Californy；　or　in　any　part　of　these　United　States。〃

〃Or　in　Canady；〃　suggested　Seventy…Four。

〃Or　in　Canady。　　We　wouldn't　agree　to　cross　the　water；　or　go　to
furrin　parts；　unless　absolutely　necessary。　　We　leaves　the　chise　of
weppings　to　your　principal；　ma'am；　or　being　a　lady；　ma'am；　and
interested；　to　any　one　you　may　fetch　to　act　for　him。　　An
advertisement　in　any　of　the　Sacramento　papers；　or　a　playcard　or
handbill　stuck　unto　a　tree　near　Deadwood；　saying　that　Seventy…Four
or　Seventy…Five　will　communicate　with　this　yer　principal　or　agent
of　yours；　will　fetch　usallers。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody；　a　little　alarmed　and　desperate；　saw　her　blunder。
〃I　mean　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　she　said　hastily。　　〃I　only　expected
that　you　might　have　some　further　details　of　this　interview　with
Silsbie；　that　perhaps　you　could　tell　me〃　a　bold；　bright　thought
crossed　Mrs。　Rightbody's　mind〃something　more　about　HER。〃

The　two　men　looked　at　each　other。

〃I　suppose　your　society　have　no　objection　to　giving　me　information
about　HER；〃　said　Mrs。　Rightbody　eagerly。

Another　quiet　conversation　in　the　corner；　and　the　return　of　both
men。

〃We　want　to　say　that　we've　no　objection。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody's　heart　beat　high。　　Her　boldness　had　made　her
penetration　good。　　Yet　she　felt　she　must　not　alarm　the　men
heedlessly。

〃Will　you　inform　me　to　what　extent　Mr。　Rightbody；　my　late　husband；
was　interested　in　her？〃

This　time　it　seemed　an　age　to　Mrs。　Rightbody　before　the　men
returned　from　their　solemn　consultation　in　the　corner。　　She　could
both　hear　and　feel　that　their　discussion　was　more　animated　than
their　previous　conferences。　　She　was　a　little　mortified；　however；
when　they　sat　down；　to　hear　Seventy…Four　say　slowly；

〃We　wish　to　say　that　we　don't　allow　to　say　HOW　much。〃

〃Do　you　not　think　that　the　'sacred　compact'　between　Mr。　Rightbody
and　Mr。　Silsbie　referred　to　her？〃

〃We　reckon　it　do。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody；　flushed　and　animated；　would　have　given　worlds　had
her　daughter　been　present　to　hear　this　undoubted　confirmation　of
her　theory。　　Yet　she　felt　a　little　nervous　and　uncomfortable　even
on　this　threshold　of　discovery。

〃Is　she　here　now？〃

〃She's　in　Tuolumne；〃　said　Seventy…Four。

〃A　little　better　looked　arter　than　formerly；〃　added　Seventy…Five。

〃I　see。　　Then　Mr。　Silsbie　ENTICED　her　away？〃

〃Well；　ma'am；　it　WAS　allowed　as　she　runned　away。　　But　it　wasn't
proved；　and　it　generally　wasn't　her　style。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　trifled　with　her　next　question。

〃She　was　pretty；　of　course？〃

The　eyes　of　both　men　brightened。

〃She　was　THAT！〃　said　Seventy…Four　emphatically。

〃It　would　have　done　you　good　to　see　her！〃　added　Seventy…Five。

Mrs。　Rightbody　inwardly　doubted　it；　but；　before　she　could　ask
another　question；　the　two　men　again　retired　to　the　corner　for
consultation。　　When　they　came　back；　there　was　a　shade　more　of
kindliness　and　confidence　in　their　manner；　and　Seventy…Four　opened
his　mind　more　freely。

〃We　wish　to　say；　ma'am；　looking　at　the　thing；　by　and　large；　in　a
far…minded　way；　that；　ez　YOU　seem　interested；　and　ez　Mr。　Rightbody
was　interested；　and　was；　according　to　all　accounts；　deceived　and
led　away　by　Silsbie；　that　we　don't　mind　listening　to　any
proposition　YOU　might　make；　as　a　ladyallowin'　you　was　ekally
interested。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　Mrs。　Rightbody　quickly。　　〃And　you　will　furnish
me　with　any　papers？〃

The　two　men　again　consulted。

〃We　wish　to　say；　ma'am；　that　we　think　she's　got　papers；　but〃

〃I　MUST　have　them；　you　understand；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Rightbody；　〃at
any　price。

〃We　was　about　to　say；　ma'am；〃　said　Seventy…Four　slowly；　〃that；
considerin'　all　things；and　you　being　a　ladyyou　kin　have　HER；
papers；　pedigree；　and　guaranty；　for　twelve　hundred　dollars。〃

It　has　been　alleged　that　Mrs。　Rightbody　asked　only　one　question
more；　and　then　fainted。　　It　is　known；　however；　that　by　the　next　day
it　was　understood　in　Deadwood　that　Mrs。　Rightbody　had　confessed　to
the　Vigilance　Committee　that　her　husband；　a　celebrated　Boston
millionaire；　anxious　to　gain　possession　of　Abner　Springer's　well…
known　sorrel　mare；　had　incited　the　unfortunate　Josh　Silsbie　to
steal　it；　and　that　finally；　failing　in　this；　the　widow　of　the
deceased　Boston　millionaire　was　now　in　personal　negotiation　with
the　owners。

Howbeit；　Miss　Alice；　returning　home　that　afternoon；　found　her
mother　with　a　violent　headache。

〃We　will　leave　here　by　the　next　steamer；〃　said　Mrs。　Rightbody
languidly。　　〃Mr。　Ryder　has　promised　to　accompany　us。〃

〃But；　mother〃

〃The　climate；　Alice；　is　over…rated。　　My　nerves　are　already
suffering　from　it。　　The　associations　are　unfit　for　you；　and　Mr。
Marvin　is　naturally　impatient。〃

Miss　Alice　colored　slightly。

〃But　your　quest；　mother？〃

〃I've　abandoned　it。〃

〃But　I　have　not；〃　said　Alice　quietly。　　〃Do　you　remember　my　guide　at
the　Yo　Semite；Stanislaus　Joe？　　Well；　Stanislaus　Joe　iswho　do
you　think？〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　was　languidly　indifferent。

〃Well；　Stanislaus　Joe　is　the　son　of　Joshua　Silsbie。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　sat　upright　in　astonishment

〃Yes。　　But　mother；　he　knows　nothing　of　what　we　know。　　His　father
treated　him　shamefully；　and　set　him　cruelly　adrift　years　ago；　and；
when　he　was　hung；　the　poor　fellow；　in　sheer　disgrace；　changed　his
name。〃

〃But；　if　he　knows　nothing　of　his　father's　compact；　of　what　interest
is　this？〃

〃Oh；　nothing！　　Only　I　thought　it　might　lead　to　something。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　suspected　that　〃something；〃　and　asked　sharply；　〃And
pray　how　did　YOU　find　it　out？　　You　did　not　speak　of　it　in　the
valley。〃

〃Oh！　I　didn't　find　it　out　till　to…day；〃　said　Miss　Alice；　walking　to
the　window。　　〃He　happened　to　be　here；　andtold　me。〃


PART　IV。


If　Mrs。　Rightbody's　friends　had　been　astounded　by　her　singular　and
unexpected　pilgrimage　to　California　so　soon　after　her　husband's
decease；　they　were　still　more　astounded　by　the　information；　a　year
later；　that　she　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　a　Mr。　Ryder；　of　whom
only　the　scant　history　was　known；　that　he　was　a　Californian；　and
former　correspondent　of　her　husband。　　It　was　undeniable　that　the
man　was　wealthy；　and　evidently　no　mere　adventurer；　it　was　rumored
that　he　was　courageous　and　manly：　but　even　those　who　delighted　in
his　odd　humor　were　shocked　at　his　grammar　and　slang。

It　was　said　that　Mr。　Marvin　had　but　one　interview　with　his　father…
in…law　elect；　and　returned　so　supremely　disgusted；　that　the　match
was　broken　off。　　The　horse…stealing　story；　more　or　less　garbled；
found　its　way　through　lips　that　pretended　to　decry　it；　yet　eagerly
repeated　it。　　Only　one　member　of　the　Rightbody　familyand　a　new
onesaved　them　from　utter　ostracism。　　It　was　young　Mr。　Ryder；　the
adopted　son　of　the　prospective　head　of　the　household；　whose
culture；　man