the crusade of the excelsior-第30节

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Markham's　feebleness　had　never　reached　this　absurdity。　　In　the

midst　of　his　uneasiness　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　he　opened　it

himself　nervously　and　sharply。　　Markham's　self…satisfied　face　drew

back　in　alarm　and　embarrassment　at　the　unexpected　apparition。　　The

sight　restored　Brimmer's　coolness　and　satirical　self…possession。



〃IIdidn't　know　you　were　here；〃　stammered　Markham。　　〃I　left

Keene　in　your　room。〃



〃Then　why　didn't　you　bring　him　along　with　you？〃　said　Brimmer

maliciously。　　〃Go　and　fetch　him。〃



〃Yes；　but　he　said　you　were　to　meet　him　there；〃　continued　Markham；

glancing　around　the　empty　room　with　a　slight　expression　of　relief。



〃My　watch　was　twenty　minutes　fast；　and　I　had　given　him　up；〃　said

Brimmer；　with　mendacious　effrontery。　　〃Miss　Montgomery　is　dressing。

You　can　bring　him　here　before　she　returns。〃



Markham　flew　uneasily　down　the　corridor　and　quickly　returned　with　a

handsome　young　fellow　of　five…and…twenty；　whose　frank　face　was

beaming　with　excitement　and　youthful　energy。　　The　two　elder　men

could　not　help　regarding　him　with　a　mingled　feeling　of　envy　and

compassion。



〃Did　you　tell　Brimmer　yet？〃　said　Keene；　with　animation。



〃I　haven't　had　time；〃　hesitated　Markham。　　〃The　fact　is；　Brimmer；　I

think　of　going　with　Keene　on　this　expedition。〃



〃Indeed！〃　said　Brimmer　superciliously。



〃Yes；〃　said　Markham；　coloring　slightly。　　〃You　see；　we've　got　news。

Tell　him；　Dick。〃



〃The　Storm　Cloud　got　in　yesterday　from　Valparaiso　and　Central

American　ports；〃　said　Keene；　with　glowing　cheeks。　　〃I　boarded　her；

as　usual；　last　night；　for　information。　　The　mate　says　there　is　a

story　of　a　man　picked　up　crazy；　in　an　open　fishing…boat；　somewhere

off　the　peninsula；　and　brought　into　hospital　at　San　Juan　last

August。　　He　recovered　enough　lately　to　tell　his　story　and　claim　to

be　Captain　Bunker　of　the　Excelsior；　whose　crew　mutinied　and　ran　her

ashore　in　a　fog。　　But　the　boat　in　which　he　was　picked　up　was　a

Mexican　fishing…boat；　and　there　was　something　revolutionary　and

political　about　the　story；　so　that　the　authorities　detained　him。

The　consul　has　just　been　informed　of　the　circumstances；　and　has

taken　the　matter　in　hand。〃



〃It's　a　queer　story；〃　said　Brimmer；　gazing　from　the　one　to　the

other；　〃and　I　will　look　into　it　also　to…morrow。　　If　it　is　true；〃　he

added　slowly；　〃I　will　go　with　you。〃



Richard　Keene　extended　his　hand　impulsively　to　his　two　elders。



〃You'll　excuse　me　for　saying　it；　Brimmerand　you；　too；　Markham

but　this　is　just　what　I've　been　looking　forward　to。　　Not　but　what

I'd　have　found　Nell　without　your　assistance；　but　you　see；　boys；　it

DID　look　mighty　mean　in　me　to　make　more　fuss　about　a　sister　than

you　would　for　your　wives！　　But　now　that　it's　all　settled〃



〃We'll　go　to　supper；〃　said　Miss　Montgomery　theatrically；　appearing

at　the　door。　　〃Dick　will　give　me　his　arm。〃





CHAPTER　II。



THE　MOURNERS　AT　TODOS　SANTOS。





There　was　a　breath　of　spring　in　the　soft　morning　air　of　Todos

Santosa　breath　so　subtle　and　odorous　that　it　penetrated　the　veil

of　fog　beyond　the　bay；　and　for　a　moment　lingered　on　the　deck　of　a

passing　steamer　like　an　arresting　memory。　　But　only　for　an　instant；

the　Ometepe；　bound　from　San　Francisco　to　San　Juan　del　Norte；　with

its　four　seekers　of　the　Excelsior；　rolled　and　plunged　on　its　way

unconsciously。



Within　the　bay　and　over　the　restful　pueblo　still　dwelt　the　golden

haze　of　its　perpetual　summer；　the　two　towers　of　the　old　Mission

church　seemed　to　dissolve　softly　into　the　mellow　upper　twilight；

and　the　undulating　valleys　rolled　their　green　waves　up　to　the

wooded　heights　of　San　Antonio；　that　still　smiled　down　upon　the

arid；　pallid　desert。　　But　although　Nature　had　not　changed　in　the

months　that　had　passed　since　the　advent　of　the　Excelsior；　there

appeared　some　strange　mutations　in　the　town　and　its　inhabitants。

On　the　beach　below　the　Presidio　was　the　unfinished　skeleton　of　a

small　sea…going　vessel　on　rude　stocks；　on　the　plaza　rose　the　framed

walls　and　roofless　rafters　of　a　wooden　building；　near　the

Embarcadero　was　the　tall　adobe　chimney　of　some　inchoate　manufactory

whose　walls　had　half　risen　from　their　foundations；　but　all　of　these

objects　had　evidently　succumbed　to　the　drowsy　influence　of　the

climate；　and　already　had　taken　the　appearances　of　later　and　less

picturesque　ruins　of　the　past。　　There　were　singular　innovations　in

the　costumes：　one　or　two　umbrellas；　used　as　sunshades；　were　seen

upon　the　square；　a　few　small　chip　hats　had　taken　the　place　of　the

stiff　sombreros；　with　an　occasional　tall　white　beaver；　while　linen

coat　and　nankeen　trousers　had；　at　times；　usurped　the　short　velvet

jacket　and　loose　calzas　of　the　national　costume。



At　San　Antonio　the　change　was　still　more　perceptible。　　Beside　the

yawning　pit　of　the　abandoned　silver　mine　a　straggling　building

arose；　filled　with　rude　machinery；　bearing　the　legend；　painted　in

glowing　letters；　〃Excelsior　Silver　Mining　Co。；　J。　Crosby；

Superintendent；〃　and　in　the　midst　of　certain　excavations　assailing

the　integrity　of　the　cliff　itself　was　another　small　building；

scarcely　larger　than　a　sentry…box；　with　the　inscription；　〃Office：

Eleanor　Quicksilver　Smelting　Works。〃



Basking　in　that　yellow　morning　sunlight；　with　his　back　against　his

office；　Mr。　Brace　was　seated　on　the　ground；　rolling　a　cigarette。　　A

few　feet　from　him　Crosby；　extended　on　his　back　on　the　ground；　was

lazily　puffing　rings　of　smoke　into　the　still　air。　　Both　of　these

young　gentlemen　were　dressed　in　exaggerated　Mexican　costumes；　the

silver　buttons　fringing　the　edge　of　Crosby's　calza；　open　from　the

knee　down　to　show　a　glimpse　of　the　snowy　under…trouser；　were　richer

and　heavier　than　those　usually　worn；　while　Brace；　in　addition　to

the　crimson　silk　sash　round　his　waist；　wore　a　crimson　handkerchief

around　his　head；　under　his　sombrero。



〃Pepe's　falling　off　in　his　tobacco；〃　said　Brace。　　〃I　think　I'll

have　to　try　some　other　Fonda。〃



〃How's　Banks　getting　on　with　his　crop？〃　asked　Crosby。　　〃You　know　he

was　going　to　revolutionize　the　business；　and　cut　out　Cuba　on　that

hillside。〃



〃Oh；　the　usual　luck！　　He　couldn't　get　proper　cultivators；　and　the

Injins　wouldn't　work　regular。　　I　must　try　and　get　hold　of　some　of

the　Comandante's　stock；　but　I'm　out　of　favor　with　the　old　man　since

Winslow　and　I　wrecked　that　fishing…boat　on　the　rocks　off　yonder。

He　always　believed　we　were　trying　to　run　off；　like　Captain　Bunker。

That's　why　he　stopped　our　shipbuilding；　I　really　believe。〃



〃All　the　same；　we　might　have　had　it　built　and　ready　now　but　for　our

laziness。　　We　might　have　worked　on　it　nights　without　their　knowing

it；　and　slipped　off　some　morning　in　the　fog。〃



〃And　we　wouldn't　have　got　one　of　the　women　to　go　with　us！　　If　we

are　getting　shiftless　hereand　I　don't　say　we're　notthese　women

have　just　planted　themselves　and　have　taken　root。　　But　that　ain't

all：　there's　the　influence　of　that　infernal　sneak　Hurlstone！　　He's

set　the　Comandante　against　us；　you　know；　he；　and　the　priest；　the

Comandante；　and　Nelly　Keene　make　up　the　real　Council　of　Todos

Santos。　　Between　them　they've　shoved　out　the　poor　little　Alcalde；

who's　ready　to　give　up　everything　to　dance　attendance　on　Mrs。

Brimmer。　　They　run　the　whole　concern；　and　they　give　out　that　it's

owing　to　them　that　we're　given　parole　of　the　town；　and　the

privilege　of　spending　our　money　and　working　these　mines。　　Who'd

have　thought　that　sneak　Hurlstone　would　have　played　his　cards　so

well？　　It　makes　me　regularly　sick　to　hear　him　called　'Don　Diego。'〃



〃Yet　you're　mightily　tickled　when　that　black…eyed　sister　of　the

Alcalde　calls　you　'Don　Carlos；'〃　said　Crosby；　yawning。



〃Dona　Isabel；〃　said　Brace；　with　some　empressement；　〃is　a　lady　of

position；　and　these　are　only　her　national　courtesies。〃



〃She　just　worships　Miss　Keene；　and　I　reckon　she　knows　by　this　time

all　about　your　old　attentions　to　her　friend；〃　said　Crosby；　with

lazy　mischief。



〃My　attentions　to　Miss　Keene　were　simply　those　of　an　ordinary

acquaintance；　and　were　never　as　strongly　marked　as　yours　to　Mrs。

Brimmer。〃



〃Who　has　deserted　ME　as　Miss　Keene　did　YOU；〃　rejoined　Crosby。



Brace's　quick　color　had　risen　again；　and　he　would　have　made　some

sharp　retort；　but　the　jingling　of　spurs　caught　his　ear。　　They　both

turned　quickly；　and　saw　Banks　approaching。　　He　was　dressed　as　a

vaquero；　but　with　his　companions'　like　exaggeration　of　detail；　yet；

while　his　spurs　were　enormous；　and　his　sombrero　unusually

expansive；　he　still　clung　to　his　high　shirt…collars　and　accurately

tied　check　cravat。



〃Well？〃　he　said；　approaching　them。



〃Well？〃　said　Crosby。



〃Well？〃　repeated　Brace。



After　this　national　salutation；　the　three　Americans　regarded　each

other　silently。



〃Knocked　off　cultivating　to…day？〃　queried　Crosby；　lighting　a　fresh

cigarette。



〃The　peons　have；〃　said　Banks；　〃it's　another　saint's　day。　　That's

the　fourth　in　two　weeks。　　Leaves　about　two　clear　working　days　in

e