the twins of table mountain-第4节

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wife；　〃of　course　Pinkney　doesn't　know　Phemie；　eh？〃

〃No；　nor　ME　either；　Sol；〃　said　that　lady　warningly。

〃Certainly！〃　continued　Sol。　　〃It's　his　misfortune。　　You　weren't
with　me　at　Gold　Hill。Allow　me；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Rand；　〃to
present　Mrs。　Sol　Saunders；　wife　of　the　undersigned；　and　Miss
Euphemia　Neville；　otherwise　known　as　the　'Marysville　Pet；'　the　best
variety　actress　known　on　the　provincial　boards。　　Played　Ophelia　at
Marysville；　Friday；　domestic　drama　at　Gold　Hill；　Saturday；　Sunday
night；　four　songs　in　character；　different　dress　each　time；　and　a
clog…dance。　　The　best　clog…dance　on　the　Pacific　Slope；〃　he　added　in
a　stage　aside。　　〃The　minstrels　are　crazy　to　get　her　in　'Frisco。
But　money　can't　buy　herprefers　the　legitimate　drama　to　this　sort
of　thing。〃　　Here　he　took　a　few　steps　of　a　jig；　to　which　the
〃Marysville　Pet〃　beat　time　with　her　feet；　and　concluded　with　a
laugh　and　a　winkthe　combined　expression　of　an　artist's　admiration
for　her　ability；　and　a　man　of　the　world's　scepticism　of　feminine
ambition。

Miss　Euphemia　responded　to　the　formal　introduction　by　extending　her
hand　frankly　with　a　re…assuring　smile　to　Rand；　and　an　utter
obliviousness　of　her　former　hauteur。　　Rand　shook　it　warmly；　and
then　dropped　carelessly　on　a　rock　beside　them。

〃And　you　never　told　me　you　lived　up　here　in　the　attic；　you　rascal！〃
continued　Sol　with　a　laugh。

〃No；〃　replied　Rand　simply。　　〃How　could　I？　　I　never　saw　you　before；
that　I　remember。〃

Miss　Euphemia　stared　at　Sol。　　Mrs。　Sol　looked　up　in　her　lord's
face；　and　folded　her　arms　in　a　resigned　expression。　　Sol　rose　to
his　feet　again；　and　shaded　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　but　this　time
quite　seriously；　and　gazed　at　Rand's　smiling　face。

〃Good　Lord！　　Do　you　mean　to　say　your　name　isn't　Pinkney？〃　he　asked；
with　a　half　embarrassed　laugh。

〃It　IS　Pinkney；〃　said　Rand；　〃but　I　never　met　you　before。〃

〃Didn't　you　come　to　see　a　young　lady　that　joined　my　troupe　at　Gold
Hill　last　month；　and　say　you'd　meet　me　at　Keeler's　Ferry　in　a　day
or　two？〃

〃No…o…o；〃　said　Rand；　with　a　good…humored　laugh。　　〃I　haven't　left
this　mountain　for　two　months。〃

He　might　have　added　more；　but　his　attention　was　directed　to　Miss
Euphemia；　who　during　this　short　dialogue；　having　stuffed
alternately　her　handkerchief；　the　corner　of　her　mantle；　and　her
gloves；　into　her　mouth；　restrained　herself　no　longer；　but　gave　way
to　an　uncontrollable　fit　of　laughter。　　〃O　Sol！〃　she　gasped
explanatorily；　as　she　threw　herself　alternately　against　him；　Mrs。
Sol；　and　a　bowlder；　〃you'll　kill　me　yet！　　O　Lord！　first　we　take
possession　of　this　man's　property；　then　we　claim　HIM。〃　　The
contemplation　of　this　humorous　climax　affected　her　so　that　she　was
fain　at　last　to　walk　away；　and　confide　the　rest　of　her　speech　to
space。

Sol　joined　in　the　laugh　until　his　wife　plucked　his　sleeve；　and
whispered　something　in　his　ear。　　In　an　instant　his　face　became　at
once　mysterious　and　demure。　　〃I　owe　you　an　apology；〃　he　said；
turning　to　Rand；　but　in　a　voice　ostentatiously　pitched　high　enough
for　Miss　Euphemia　to　overhear：　〃I　see　I　have　made　a　mistake。　　A
resemblanceonly　a　mere　resemblance；　as　I　look　at　you　nowled　me
astray。　　Of　course　you　don't　know　any　young　lady　in　the　profession？〃

〃Of　course　he　doesn't；　Sol；〃　said　Miss　Euphemia。　　〃I　could　have
told　you　that。　　He　didn't　even　know　ME！〃

The　voice　and　mock…heroic　attitude　of　the　speaker　was　enough　to
relieve　the　general　embarrassment　with　a　laugh。　　Rand；　now
pleasantly　conscious　of　only　Miss　Euphemia's　presence；　again
offered　the　hospitality　of　his　cabin；　with　the　polite　recognition
of　her　friends　in　the　sentence；　〃and　you　might　as　well　come　along
too。〃

〃But　won't　we　incommode　the　lady　of　the　house？〃　said　Mrs。　Sol
politely。

〃What　lady　of　the　house〃？　said　Rand　almost　angrily。

〃Why；　Ruth；　you　know！〃

It　was　Rand's　turn　to　become　hilarious。　　〃Ruth；〃　he　said；　〃is　short
for　Rutherford；　my　brother。〃　　His　laugh；　however；　was　echoed　only
by　Euphemia。

〃Then　you　have　a　brother？〃　said　Mrs。　Sol　benignly。

〃Yes；〃　said　Rand：　〃he　will　be　here　soon。〃　　A　sudden　thought　dropped
the　color　from　his　cheek。　　〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　turning　impulsively
upon　Sol。　　〃I　have　a　brother；　a　twin…brother。　　It　couldn't　be　HIM〃

Sol　was　conscious　of　a　significant　feminine　pressure　on　his　right
arm。　　He　was　equal　to　the　emergency。　　〃I　think　not；〃　he　said
dubiously；　〃unless　your　brother's　hair　is　much　darker　than　yours。
Yes！　now　I　look　at　you；　yours　is　brown。　　He　has　a　mole　on　his　right
cheek　hasn't　he？〃

The　red　came　quickly　back　to　Rand's　boyish　face。　　He　laughed。　　〃No；
sir：　my　brother's　hair　is；　if　any　thing；　a　shade　lighter　than　mine；
and　nary　mole。　　Come　along！〃

And　leading　the　way；　Rand　disclosed　the　narrow　steps　winding　down
to　the　shelf　on　which　the　cabin　hung。　　〃Be　careful；〃　said　Rand；
taking　the　now　unresisting　hand　of　the　〃Marysville　Pet〃　as　they
descended：　〃a　step　that　way；　and　down　you　go　two　thousand　feet　on
the　top　of　a　pine…tree。〃

But　the　girl's　slight　cry　of　alarm　was　presently　changed　to　one　of
unaffected　pleasure　as　they　stood　on　the　rocky　platform。　　〃It　isn't
a　house：　it's　a　NEST；　and　the　loveliest！〃　said　Euphemia　breathlessly。

〃It's　a　scene；　a　perfect　scene；　sir！〃　said　Sol；　enraptured。　　〃I
shall　take　the　liberty　of　bringing　my　scene…painter　to　sketch　it
some　day。　　It　would　do　for　'The　Mountaineer's　Bride'　superbly；　or；〃
continued　the　little　man；　warming　through　the　blue…black　border　of
his　face　with　professional　enthusiasm；　〃it's　enough　to　make　a　play
itself。　　'The　Cot　on　the　Crags。'　　Last　scenemoonlightthe
struggle　on　the　ledge！　　The　Lady　of　the　Crags　throws　herself　from
the　beetling　heights！A　shriek　from　the　depthsa　woman's　wail！〃

〃Dry　up！〃　sharply　interrupted　Rand；　to　whom　this　speech　recalled
his　brother's　half…forgotten　strangeness。　　〃Look　at　the　prospect。〃

In　the　full　noon　of　a　cloudless　day；　beneath　them　a　tumultuous　sea
of　pines　surged；　heaved；　rode　in　giant　crests；　stretched　and　lost
itself　in　the　ghostly；　snow…peaked　horizon。　　The　thronging　woods
choked　every　defile；　swept　every　crest；　filled　every　valley　with
its　dark…green　tilting　spears；　and　left　only　Table　Mountain　sunlit
and　bare。　　Here　and　there　were　profound　olive　depths；　over　which
the　gray　hawk　hung　lazily；　and　into　which　blue　jays　dipped。　　A
faint；　dull　yellowish　streak　marked　an　occasional　watercourse；　a
deeper　reddish　ribbon；　the　mountain　road　and　its　overhanging　murky
cloud　of　dust。

〃Is　it　quite　safe　here？〃　asked　Mrs。　Sol；　eying　the　little　cabin。
〃I　mean　from　storms？〃

〃It　never　blows　up　here；〃　replied　Rand；　〃and　nothing　happens。〃

〃It　must　be　lovely；〃　said　Euphemia；　clasping　her　hands。

〃It　IS　that；〃　said　Rand　proudly。　　〃It's　four　years　since　Ruth　and　I
took　up　this　yer　claim；　and　raised　this　shanty。　　In　that　four　years
we　haven't　left　it　alone　a　night；　or　cared　to。　　It's　only　big
enough　for　two；　and　them　two　must　be　brothers。　　It　wouldn't　do　for
mere　pardners　to　live　here　alone；they　couldn't　do　it。　　It
wouldn't　be　exactly　the　thing　for　man　and　wife　to　shut　themselves
up　here　alone。　　But　Ruth　and　me　know　each　other's　ways；　and　here
we'll　stay　until　we've　made　a　pile。　　We　sometimesone　of　ustakes
a　pasear　to　the　Ferry　to　buy　provisions；　but　we're　glad　to　crawl　up
to　the　back　of　old　'Table'　at　night。〃

〃You're　quite　out　of　the　world　here；　then？〃　suggested　Mrs。　Sol。

〃That's　it；　just　it！　　We're　out　of　the　world；out　of　rows；　out　of
liquor；　out　of　cards；　out　of　bad　company；　out　of　temptation。
Cussedness　and　foolishness　hez　got　to　follow　us　up　here　to　find　us；
and　there's　too　many　ready　to　climb　down　to　them　things　to　tempt
'em　to　come　up　to　us。〃

There　was　a　little　boyish　conceit　in　his　tone；　as　he　stood　there；
not　altogether　unbecoming　his　fresh　color　and　simplicity。　　Yet；
when　his　eyes　met　those　of　Miss　Euphemia；　he　colored；　he　hardly
knew　why；　and　the　young　lady　herself　blushed　rosily。

When　the　neat　cabin；　with　its　decorated　walls；　and　squirrel　and
wild…cat　skins；　was　duly　admired；　the　luncheon…basket　of　the
Saunders　party　was　re…enforced　by　provisions　from　Rand's　larder；
and　spread　upon　the　ledge；　the　dimensions　of　the　cabin　not
admitting　four。　　Under　the　potent　influence　of　a　bottle；　Sol　became
hilarious　and　professional。　　The　〃Pet〃　was　induced　to　favor　the
company　with　a　recitation；　and；　under　the　plea　of　teaching　Rand；　to
perform　the　clog…dance　with　both　gentlemen。　　Then　there　was　an
interval；　in　which　Rand　and　Euphemia　wandered　a　little　way　down　the
mountain…side　to　gather　laurel；　leaving　Mr。　Sol　to　his　siesta　on　a
rock；　and　Mrs。　Sol　to　take　some　knitting　from　the　basket；　and　sit
beside　him。

When　Rand　and　his　companion　had　disappeared；　Mrs。　Sol　nudged　her
sleeping　partner。　　〃Do　you　think　that　WAS　the　brother？〃

Sol　yawned。　　〃Sure　of　it。　　They're　as　like　as　two　peas；　in　looks。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　him　so；　then？〃

〃Will　you　tell　me；　my　dear；　why　you　stopped　me　when　I　began？〃

〃Because　something　was　said　about　Ruth　being　here；　and　I　supposed
Ruth　was　a　woman；　and　perhaps　Pinkney's　wife；　and　knew　you'd　be
putting　your　foot　in　it　by　talking　of　that　other　woman。　　I　supposed
it　was　for　fear　of　that　he　denied　knowing　you。〃

〃Well；　when　HEthis　Randtold　me　he　had　a　twin…brother；　he　looked