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第23节

a millionaire of rough-and-ready(粗犷的百万富翁)-第23节


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follow me and stop me when I go wrong。〃 

     He took the paper; and; in dead silence; read as follows: 

     〃DEAR WIFE;I've just struck gold in my tunnel; and you must get 

ready to come here with the children; at once。               It was after six months' 

hard work; and I'm so weak I 。 。 。         It's a fortune for us all。     We should be 

rich   even   if   it   were   only   a   branch   vein   dipping   west   towards   the   next 

tunnel; instead of dipping east; according to my theory〃 

     〃Stop!〃 said Slinn; in a voice that shook the room。 

     Mulrady looked up。 

     〃It's wrong; ain't it?〃 he asked; anxiously; 〃it should be EAST towards 

the next tunnel。〃 

     〃No!     IT'S RIGHT!        I am wrong!       We're all wrong!〃 

     Slinn   had   risen   to   his   feet;   erect   and   inspired。 〃Don't   you   see;〃   he 

almost      screamed;       with    passionate      vehemence;        〃it's  MASTERS' 

ABANDONED             TUNNEL   your       shaft   has  struck?    Not    mine!     It  was 



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                        A MILLIONAIRE OF ROUGH…AND…READY 



Masters' pick you found!          I know it now!〃 

     〃And     your    own    tunnel?〃    said   Mulrady;     springing     to  his   feet  in 

excitement。       〃And YOUR strike?〃 

     〃Is still there!〃 

     The   next   instant;   and   before   another   question   could   be   asked;   Slinn 

had darted from the room。           In the exaltation of that supreme discovery he 

regained the full control of his mind and body。 Mulrady and Don Caesar; 

no   less   excited;   followed   him   precipitately;   and   with   difficulty   kept   up 

with his feverish speed。         Their way lay along the base of the hill below 

Mulrady's   shaft;   and   on   a   line   with   Masters'   abandoned   tunnel。      Only 

once he stopped to snatch a pick from the hand of an astonished Chinaman 

at work in a ditch; as he still kept on his way; a quarter of a mile beyond 

the shaft。    Here he stopped before a jagged hole in the hillside。               Bared to 

the   sky   and   air;   the   very   openness   of   its   abandonment;   its   unpropitious 

position;   and   distance   from   the   strike   in   Mulrady's   shaft   had   no   doubt 

preserved its integrity from wayfarer or prospector。 

     〃You can't go in there alone; and without a light;〃 said Mulrady; laying 

his   hand   on   the   arm   of   the   excited   man。  〃Let   me   get   more   help   and 

proper tools。〃 

     〃I   know   every   step   in   the   dark   as   in   the   daylight;〃   returned   Slinn; 

struggling。      〃Let   me   go;   while   I   have   yet   strength   and   reason!   Stand 

aside!〃 

     He broke from them; and the next moment was swallowed up in the 

yawning blackness。         They waited with bated breath until; after a seeming 

eternity  of   night   and   silence;  they  heard his   returning   footsteps;   and   ran 

forward to meet him。         As he was carrying something clasped to his breast; 

they supported him to the opening。 But at the same moment the object of 

his search and his burden; a misshapen wedge of gold and quartz; dropped 

with him; and both fell together with equal immobility to the ground。                    He 

had still strength to turn his fading eyes to the other millionaire of Rough… 

and…Ready; who leaned over him。 

     〃Yousee;〃 he gasped; brokenly; 〃I was notcrazy!〃 

     No。    He was dead! 



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A MILLIONAIRE OF ROUGH…AND…READY 



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