arizona nights-第7节

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〃What's　the　use？〃　I　used　to　ask　him。　　〃If　you　were　going　to　be　a

buckeroo；　you　couldn't　go　into　harder　training。〃



〃I　like　it；〃　was　always　his　answer。　



He　had　only　one　real　vice；　that　I　could　see。　　He　would　gamble。　

Stud　poker　was　his　favourite；　and　I　never　saw　a　Britisher　yet　who

could　play　poker。　　I　used　to　head　him　off；　when　I　could；　and　he

was　always　grateful；　but　the　passion　was　strong。　　



After　we　got　back　from　founding　Tombstone　I　was　busted　and　had　to

go　to　work。　　



〃I've　got　plenty；〃　said　Tim；　〃and　it's　all　yours。〃　　



〃I　know；　old　fellow；〃　I　told　him；　〃but　your　money　wouldn't　do　for

me。〃　　



Buck　Johnson　was　just　seeing　his　chance　then；　and　was　preparing

to　take　some　breeding　cattle　over　into　the　Soda　Springs　Valley。　

Everybody　laughed　at　himsaid　it　was　right　in　the　line　of　the

Chiricahua　raids；　which　was　true。　　But　Buck　had　been　in　there

with　Agency　steers；　and　thought　he　knew。　　So　he　collected　a　trail

crew；　brought　some　Oregon　cattle　across；　and　built　his　home　ranch

of　three…foot　adobe　walls　with　portholes。　　I　joined　the　trail

crew；　and　somehow　or　another　the　Honourable　Timothy　got

permission　to　go　along　on　his　own　hook。　　



The　trail　was　a　long　one。　　We　had　thirst　and　heat　and　stampedes

and　some　Indian　scares。　　But　in　the　queer　atmospheric　conditions

that　prevailed　that　summer；　I　never　saw　the　desert　more

wonderful。　　It　was　like　waking　to　the　glory　of　God　to　sit　up　at

dawn　and　see　the　colours　change　on　the　dry　ranges。　　



At　the　home　ranch；　again；　Tim　managed　to　get　permission　to　stay

on。　　He　kept　his　own　mount　of　horses；　took　care　of　them；　hunted；

and　took　part　in　　all　the　cow　work。　　We　lost　some　cattle　from

Indians；　of　course；　but　it　was　too　near　the　Reservation　for　them

to　do　more　than　pick　up　a　few　stray　head　on　their　way　through。　

The　troops　were　always　after　them　full　jump；　and　so　they　never

had　time　to　round　up　the　beef。　　But　of　course　we　had　to　look　out

or　we'd　lose　our　hair；　and　many　a　cowboy　has　won　out　to　the　home

ranch　in　an　almighty　exciting　race。　　This　was　nuts　for　the

Honourable　Timothy　Clare；　much　better　than　hunting　silver…tips；

and　he　enjoyed　it　no　limit。



Things　went　along　that　way　for　some　time；　until　one　evening　as

I　was　turning　out　the　horses　a　buckboard　drew　in；　and　from　it

descended　Tony　Briggs　and　a　dapper　little　fellow　dressed　all

in　black　and　with　a　plug　hat。



〃Which　I　accounts　for　said　hat　reachin'　the　ranch；　because　it's

Friday　and　the　boys　not　in　town；〃　Tony　whispered　to　me。　



As　I　happened　to　be　the　only　man　in　sight；　the　stranger　addressed

me。　　



〃I　am　looking；〃　said　he　in　a　peculiar；　sing…song　manner　I　have

since　learned　to　be　English；　〃for　the　Honourable　Timothy　Clare。　

Is　he　here？〃　

　

〃Oh；　you're　looking　for　him　are　you？〃　said　I。　　〃And　who　might　you

be？〃　　



You　see；　I　liked　Tim；　and　I　didn't　intend　to　deliver　him　over

into　trouble。　　



The　man　picked　a　pair　of　eye…glasses　off　his　stomach　where　they

dangled　at　the　end　of　a　chain；　perched　them　on　his　nose；　and

stared　me　over。　　I　must　have　looked　uncompromising；　for　after　a

few　seconds　he　abruptly　wrinkled　his　nose　so　that　the　glasses

fell　promptly　to　his　stomach　again；　felt　his　waistcoat　pocket；

and　produced　a　card。　　I　took　it；　and　read：　　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　JEFFRIES　CASE；　Barrister。



〃A　lawyer！〃　said　I　suspiciously。　　



〃My　dear　man；〃　he　rejoined　with　a　slight　impatience；　〃I　am　not

here　to　do　your　young　friend　a　harm。　　In　fact；　my　firm　have　been

his　family　solicitors　for　generations。〃



〃Very　well；〃　I　agreed；　and　led　the　way　to　the　one…room　adobe　that

Tim　and　I　occupied。



If　I　had　expected　an　enthusiastic　greeting　for　the　boyhood　friend

from　the　old　home；　I　would　have　been　disappointed。　　Tim　was

sitting　with　his　back　to　the　door　reading　an　old　magazine。　　When

we　entered　he　glanced　over　his　shoulder。



〃Ah；　Case；〃　said　he；　and　went　on　reading。　　After　a　moment　he　said

without　looking　up；　〃Sit　down。〃



The　little　man　took　it　calmly；　deposited　himself　in　a　chair　and

his　bag　between　his　feet；　and　looked　about　him　daintily　at　our

rough　quarters。　　I　made　a　move　to　go；　whereupon　Tim　laid　down　his

magazine；　yawned；　stretched　his　arms　over　his　head；　and　sighed。



〃Don't　go；　Harry；〃　he　begged。　　〃Well；　Case；〃　he　addressed　the

barrister；　〃what　is　it　this　time？　　Must　be　something　devilish

important　to　bring　youhow　many　thousand　miles　is　itinto　such

a　country　as　this。〃



〃It　is　important；　Mr。　Clare；〃　stated　the　lawyer　in　his　dry

sing…song　tones；　〃but　my　journey　might　have　been　avoided　had　you

paid　some　attention　to　my　letters。〃



〃Letters！〃　repeated　Tim；　opening　his　eyes。　〃My　dear　chap；　I've

had　no　letters。〃



〃Addressed　as　usual　to　your　New　York　bankers。〃



Tim　laughed　softly。　〃Where　they　are；　with　my　last　two　quarters'

allowance。　　I　especially　instructed　them　to　send　me　no　mail。　　One

spends　no　money　in　　this　country。〃　　He　paused；　pulling　his

moustache。　　〃I'm　truly　sorry　you　had　to　come　so　far；〃　he

continued；　〃and　if　your　business　is；　as　I　suspect；　the　old　one　of

inducing　me　to　return　to　my　dear　uncle's　arms；　I　assure　you　the

mission　will　prove　quite　fruitless。　　Uncle　Hillary　and　I　could

never　live　in　the　same　county；　let　alone　the　same　house。〃　　



〃And　yet　your　uncle；　the　Viscount　Mar；　was　very　fond　of　you；〃

ventured　Case。　　〃Your　allowances〃　



〃Oh；　I　grant　you　his　generosity　in　MONEY　affairs〃　



〃He　has　continued　that　generosity　in　the　terms　of　his　will；　and

those　terms　I　am　here　to　communicate　to　you。〃　　



〃Uncle　Hillary　is　dead！〃　cried　Tim。



〃He　passed　away　the　sixteenth　of　last　June。〃



A　slight　pause　ensued。



〃I　am　ready　to　hear　you；〃　said　Tim　soberly；　at　last。



The　barrister　stooped　and　began　to　fumble　with　his　bag。



〃No；　not　that！〃　cried　Tim；　with　some　impatience。　　〃Tell　me　in

your　own　words。〃



The　lawyer　sat　back　and　pressed　his　finger　points　together　over

his　stomach。



〃The　late　Viscount；〃　said　he；　〃has　been　graciously　pleased　to

leave　you　in　fee　simple　his　entire　estate　of　Staghurst；　together

with　its　buildings；　rentals；　and　privileges。　　This；　besides　the

residential　rights；　amounts　to　some　ten　thousands　pounds　sterling

per　annum。〃



〃A　little　less　than　fifty　thousand　dollars　a　year；　Harry；〃　Tim

shot　over　his　shoulder　at　me。



〃There　is　one　condition；〃　put　in　the　lawyer。



〃Oh；　there　is！〃　exclaimed　Tim；　his　crest　falling。　　〃Well；　knowing

my　Uncle　Hillary〃



〃The　condition　is　not　extravagant；〃　the　lawyer　hastily

interposed。　　〃It　merely　entails　continued　residence　in　England；

and　a　minimum　of　nine　months　on　the　estate。　　This　provision　is

absolute；　and　the　estate　reverts　in　its　discontinuance；　but　may　I

be　permitted　to　observe　that　the　majority　of　men；　myself　among

the　number；　are　content　to　spend　the　most　of　their　lives；　not

merely　in　the　confines　of　a　kingdom；　but　between　the　four　walls

of　a　room；　for　much　less　than　ten　thousand　pounds　a　year。　　Also

that　England　is　not　without　its　attractions　for　an　Englishman；

and　that　Staghurst　is　a　country　place　of　many　possibilities。〃



The　Honourable　Timothy　had　recovered　from　his　first　surprise。



〃And　if　the　conditions　are　not　complied　with？〃　he　inquired。



〃Then　the　estate　reverts　to　the　heirs　at　law；　and　you　receive　an

annuity　of　one　hundred　pounds；　payable　quarterly。〃　　



〃May　I　ask　further　the　reason　for　this　extraordinary　condition？〃　



〃My　distinguished　client　never　informed　me；〃　replied　the　lawyer；

〃but〃and　a　twinkle　appeared　in　his　eye〃as　an　occasional

disburser　of　fundsMonte　Carlo〃　　



Tim　burst　out　laughing。



〃Oh；　but　I　recognise　Uncle　Hillary　there！〃　he　cried。　〃Well；　Mr。

Case；　I　am　sure　Mr。　Johnson；　the　owner　of　this　ranch；　can　put　you

up；　and　to…morrow　we'll　start　back。〃



He　returned　after　a　few　minutes　to　find　me　sitting'　smoking　a

moody　pipe。　　I　liked　Tim；　and　I　was　sorry　to　have　him　go。　　Then；

too；　I　was　ruffled；　in　the　senseless　manner　of　youth；　by　the

sudden　　altitude　to　which　his　changed　fortunes　had　lifted　him。　

He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　surveying　me；　then　came

across　and　laid　his　arm　on　my　shoulder。



〃Well；〃　I　growled；　without　looking　up；　〃you're　a　very　rich　man

now；　Mr。　Clare。〃



At　that　he　jerked　me　bodily　out　of　my　seat　and　stood　me　up　in　the

centre　of　the　room；　the　Irish　blazing　out　of　his　eyes。



〃Here；　none　of　that！〃　he　snapped。　〃You　damn　little　fool！　　Don't

you　'Mr。　Clare'　me！〃



So　in　five　minutes　we　were　talking　it　over。　　Tim　was　very　much

excited　at　the　prospect。　　He　knew　Staghurst　well；　and　told　me　all

about　the　big　stone　house；　and　the　avenue　through　the　trees；　and

the　hedge…row　roads；　and　the　lawn　with　its　peacocks；　and　the

round　green　hills；　and　the　labourers'　cottages。



〃It's　home；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　didn't　realise　before　how　much　I

wanted　to　see　it。　　And　I'll　be　a　man　of　weight　there；　Harry；　and

it'll　be　mighty　good。〃



We　made　all　sorts　of　plans　as　to　how　I　wa