a millionaire of rough-and-ready(粗犷的百万富翁)-第13节
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expressionthe first and only change to the complete happiness that had
hitherto suffused his face。 〃Youand your name isis Ma〃
〃Alvarado；〃 said Don Caesar； gently。 Caesar Alvarado。〃
〃You said Masters；〃 said the old man； with sudden querulousness。
〃No； good friend。 I said Alvarado；〃 returned Don Caesar； gravely。
〃If you didn't say Masters； how could I say it？ I don't know any
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Masters。〃
Don Caesar was silent。 In another moment the happy tranquillity
returned to Slinn's face； and Don Caesar continued：
〃It is not a long walk over the hill； though it is far by the road。 When
you are better you shall try it。 Yonder little trail leads to the top of the
hill； and then〃
He stopped； for the invalid's face had again assumed its troubled
expression。 Partly to change his thoughts； and partly for some
inexplicable idea that had suddenly seized him； Don Caesar continued：
〃There is a strange old stump near the trail； and in it a hole。 In the
hole I found this letter。〃 He stopped againthis time in alarm。 Slinn
had staggered to his feet with ashen and distorted features； and was
glancing at the letter which Don Caesar had drawn from his pocket。 The
muscles of his throat swelled as if he was swallowing； his lips moved； but
no sound issued from them。 At last； with a convulsive effort； he regained
a disjointed speech； in a voice scarcely audible。
〃My letter！ my letter！ It's mine！ Give it me！ It's my fortune all
mine！ In the tunnelhill！ Masters stole itstole my fortune！ Stole it
all！ See； see！〃
He seized the letter from Don Caesar with trembling hands； and tore it
open forcibly： a few dull yellow grains fell from it heavily； like shot； to the
ground。
〃See； it's true！ My letter！ My gold！ My strike！ Mymymy
God！〃
A tremor passed over his face。 The hand that held the letter suddenly
dropped sheer and heavy as the gold had fallen。 The whole side of his
face and body nearest Don Caesar seemed to drop and sink into itself as
suddenly。 At the same moment； and without a word； he slipped through
Don Caesar's outstretched hands to the ground。 Don Caesar bent quickly
over him； but no longer than to satisfy himself that he lived and breathed；
although helpless。 He then caught up the fallen letter； and； glancing over
it with flashing eyes； thrust it and the few specimens in his pocket。 He
then sprang to his feet； so transformed with energy and intelligence that he
seemed to have added the lost vitality of the man before him to his own。
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He glanced quickly up and down the highway。 Every moment to him
was precious now； but he could not leave the stricken man in the dust of
the road； nor could he carry him to the house； nor； having alarmed his
daughters； could he abandon his helplessness to their feeble arms。 He
remembered that his horse was still tied to the garden fence。 He would
fetch it； and carry the unfortunate man across the saddle to the gate。 He
lifted him with difficulty to the boulder； and ran rapidly up the road in the
direction of his tethered steed。 He had not proceeded far when he heard
the noise of wheels behind him。 It was the up stage coming furiously
along。 He would have called to the driver for assistance； but even
through that fast…sweeping cloud of dust and motion he could see that the
man was utterly oblivious of anything but the speed of his rushing chariot；
and had even risen in his box to lash the infuriated and frightened animals
forward。
An hour later； when the coach drew up at the Red Dog Hotel； the
driver descended from the box； white； but taciturn。 When he had
swallowed a glass of whiskey at a single gulp； he turned to the astonished
express agent； who had followed him in。
〃One of two things； Jim； hez got to happen；〃 he said； huskily。 〃Either
that there rock hez got to get off the road； or I have。 I've seed HIM on it
agin！〃
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CHAPTER IV
No further particulars of the invalid's second attack were known than
those furnished by Don Caesar's brief statement； that he had found him
lying insensible on the boulder。 This seemed perfectly consistent with
the theory of Dr。 Duchesne； and as the young Spaniard left Los Gatos the
next day； he escaped not only the active reporter of the 〃Record；〃 but the
perusal of a grateful paragraph in the next day's paper recording his
prompt kindness and courtesy。 Dr。 Duchesne's prognosis； however；
seemed at fault； the elder Slinn did not succumb to this second stroke； nor
did he recover his reason。 He apparently only relapsed into his former
physical weakness； losing the little ground he had gained during the last
month； and exhibiting no change in his mental condition； unless the fact
that he remembered nothing of his seizure and the presence of Don Caesar
could be considered as favorable。 Dr。 Duchesne's gravity seemed to give
that significance to this symptom； and his cross…questioning of the patient
was characterized by more than his usual curtness。
〃You are sure you don't remember walking in the garden before you
were ill？〃 he said。 〃Come； think again。 You must remember that。〃 The
old man's eyes wandered restlessly around the room； but he answered by a
negative shake of his head。 〃And you don't remember sitting down on a
stone by the road？〃
The old man kept his eyes resolutely fixed on the bedclothes before
him。 〃No！〃 he said； with a certain sharp decision that was new to him。
The doctor's eye brightened。 〃All right； old man； then don't。〃
On his way out he took the eldest Miss Slinn aside。 〃He'll do；〃 he
said； grimly： 〃he's beginning to lie。〃
〃Why； he only said he didn't remember；〃 responded Esther。
〃That was because he didn't want to remember；〃 said the doctor；
authoritatively。 〃The brain is acting on some impression that is either
painful and unpleasant； or so vague that he can't formulate it； he is
conscious of it； and won't attempt it yet。 It's a heap better than his old
self…satisfied incoherency。〃
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A few days later； when the fact of Slinn's identification with the
paralytic of three years ago by the stage…driver became generally known；
the doctor came in quite jubilant。
〃It's all plain now；〃 he said； decidedly。 〃That second stroke was
caused by the nervous shock of his coming suddenly upon the very spot
where he had the first one。 It proved that his brain still retained old
impressions； but as this first act of his memory was a painful one； the
strain was too great。 It was mighty unlucky； but it was a good sign。〃
〃And you think； then〃 hesitated Harry Slinn。
〃I think；〃 said Dr。 Duchesne； 〃that this activity still exists； and the
proof of it； as I said before； is that he is trying now to forget it； and avoid
thinking of it。 You will find that he will fight shy of any allusion to it；
and will be cunning enough to dodge it every time。〃
He certainly did。 Whether the doctor's hypothesis was fairly based or
not； it was a fact that； when he was first taken out to drive with his
watchful physician； he apparently took no notice of the boulderwhich
still remained on the roadside； thanks to the later practical explanation of
the stage…driver's visionand curtly refused to talk about it。 But； more
significant to Duchesne； and perhaps more perplexing； was
