sally dows-第27节

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her　and　refused　to　take　any　of　her　dimons；　she　put　a　queer　sort　o'
ring　into　my　hand；　and　told　me　with　a　kind　o'　mischievious；
bedevilin'　smile；　that　I　must　keep　it　to　remember　her　by。　　Here　it
iswhy；　Mollie　lass！　are　you　crazy？〃

She　had　snatched　it　from　his　fingers　and　was　running　swiftly　from
the　cottage　out　into　the　tempestuous　night。　　He　followed　closely；
until　she　reached　the　edge　of　the　rocks。　　And　only　then；　in　the
struggling；　fast…flying　moonlight；　she　raised　a　passionate　hand；
and　threw　it　far　into　the　sea！

As　he　led　her　back　to　the　cottage　she　said　she　was　jealous；　and
honest　Captain　Bunker；　with　his　arm　around　her；　felt　himself　the
happiest　man　in　the　world！

　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

From　that　day　the　flag　flew　regularly　over　the　rocky　shelf；　and；　in
time；　bugles　and　morning　drumbeats　were　wafted　from　it　to　the　decks
of　passing　ships。　　For　the　Federal　Government　had　adjudged　the　land
for　its　own　use；　paid　Captain　Bunker　a　handsome　sum　for　its
possession；　and　had　discreetly　hidden　the　little　cottage　of　Mrs。
Bunker　and　its　history　forever　behind　bastion　and　casemate。




THE　TRANSFORMATION　OF　BUCKEYE　CAMP


PART　I。


The　tiny　lights　that　had　been　far　scattered　and　intermittent　as
fireflies　all　along　the　dark　stream　at　last　dropped　out　one　by　one；
leaving　only　the　three　windows　of　〃Parks'　Emporium〃　to　pierce　the
profoundly　wooded　banks　of　the　South　Fork。　　So　all…pervading　was
the　darkness　that　the　mere　opening　of　the　〃Emporium〃　front　door
shot　out　an　illuminating　shaft　which　revealed　the　whole　length　of
the　little　main　street　of　〃Buckeye；〃　while　the　simple　passing　of　a
single　figure　before　one　of　the　windows　momentarily　eclipsed　a
third　of　the　settlement。　　This　undue　pre…eminence　given　to　the　only
three　citizens　of　Buckeye　who　were　still　up　at　ten　o　'clock　seemed
to　be　hardly　justified　by　their　outward　appearance；　which　was　that
of　ordinary　long…bearded　and　long…booted　river　bar　miners。　　Two　sat
upon　the　counter　with　their　hands　upon　their　knees；　the　third
leaned　beside　the　open　window。

It　was　very　quiet。　　The　faint；　far　barking　of　a　dog；　or　an
occasional　subdued　murmur　from　the　river　shallows；　audible　only
when　the　wind　rose　slightly；　helped　to　intensify　their　solitude。
So　supreme　had　it　become　that　when　the　man　at　the　window　at　last
continued　his　conversation　meditatively；　with　his　face　towards　it；
he　seemed　to　be　taking　all　Nature　into　his　confidence。

〃The　worst　thing　about　it　is；　that　the　only　way　we　can　keep　her　out
of　the　settlement　is　by　the　same　illegal　methods　which　we　deplore
in　other　camps。　　We　have　always　boasted　that　Buckeye　could　get
along　without　Vigilance　Committees　or　Regulators。〃

〃Yes；　and　that　was　because　we　started　it　on　the　principle　of
original　selection；　which　we　are　only　proposing　to　continue；〃
replied　one　of　the　men　on　the　counter。　　〃So　there's　nothing　wrong
about　our　sending　a　deputation　to　wait　upon　her；　to　protest　against
her　settling　here；　and　give　her　our　reasons。〃

〃Yes；　only　it　has　all　the　impudence　without　the　pluck　of　the
Regulators。　　You　demand　what　you　are　afraid　to　enforce。　　Come；
Parks；　you　know　she　has　all　the　rights　on　her　side。　　Look　at　it
squarely。　　She　proposes　to　open　a　store　and　sell　liquor　and　cigars；
which　she　serves　herself；　in　the　broken…down　tienda　which　was
regularly　given　to　her　people　by　the　Spanish　grantee　of　the　land
we're　squatting　on。　　It's　not　her　fault　but　ours　if　we've　adopted　a
line　of　rules；　which　don't　agree　with　hers；　to　govern　the　settlers
on　HER　land；　nor　should　she　be　compelled　to　follow　them。　　Nor
because　we　justify　OUR　squatting　here；　on　the　ground　that　the
Spanish　grant　isn't　confirmed　yet；　can　we　forbid　her　squatting
under　the　same　right。〃

〃But　look　at　the　moral　question；　Brace。　　Consider　the　example；　the
influence　of　such　a　shop；　kept　by　such　a　woman；　on　the　community！
We　have　the　right　to　protect　ourselvesthe　majority。〃

〃That's　the　way　the　lynchers　talk；〃　returned　Brace。　　〃And　I'm　not
so　sure　about　there　being　any　moral　question　yet。　　You　are　assuming
too　much。　　There　is　no　reason　why　she　shouldn't　run　the　tienda　as
decentlybarring　the　liquor　sale；　which；　however；　is　legal；　and
for　which　she　can　get　a　licenseas　a　man　could；　and　without
interfering　with　our　morals。〃

〃Then　what　is　the　use　of　our　rules？〃

〃They　were　made　for　those　who　consented　to　adopt　them；　as　we　all
did。　　They　still　bind　US；　and　if　we　don't　choose　to　buy　her　liquor
or　cigars　that　will　dispose　of　her　and　her　tienda　much　more
effectually　than　your　protest。　　It's　a　pity　she's　a　lone
unprotected　woman。　　Now　if　she　only　had　a　husband〃

〃She　carries　a　dagger　in　her　garter。〃

This　apparently　irrelevant　remark　came　from　the　man　who　had　not　yet
spoken；　but　who　had　been　listening　with　the　languid　unconcern　of
one　who；　relinquishing　the　labor　of　argument　to　others；　had
consented　to　abide　by　their　decision。　　It　was　met　with　a　scornful
smile　from　each　of　the　disputants；　perhaps　even　by　an　added　shrug
of　the　shoulders　from　the　woman's　previous　defender！　　HE　was
evidently　not　to　be　taken　in　by　extraneous　sentiment。　　Nevertheless；
both　listened　as　the　speaker；　slowly　feeling　his　knees　as　if　they
were　his　way　to　a　difficult　subject；　continued　with　the　same
suggestion　of　stating　general　fact；　but　waiving　any　argument
himself。　　〃Clarkson　of　Angels　allows　she's　got　a　free；　gaudy；
picter…covered　style　with　the　boys；　but　that　she　can　be　gilt…edged
when　she　wants　to。　　Rowley　Meadehim　ez　hed　his　skelp　pulled　over
his　eyes　at　one　stroke；　foolin'　with　a　she　bear　over　on　Black
Mountainallows　it　would　be　rather　monotonous　in　him　attemptin'　any
familiarities　with　her。　　Bulstrode's　brother；　ez　was　in　Marysville；
said　there　was　a　womanlike　to　her；　but　not　herez　made　it　lively
for　the　boys　with　a　game　called　'Little　Monte；'　and　he　dropped　a
hundred　dollars　there　afore　he　came　away。　　They　do　say　that　about
seven　men　got　shot　in　Marysville　on　account　o'　this　one；　or　from
some　oneasiness　that　happened　at　her　shop。　　But　then；〃　he　went　on
slowly　and　deferentially　as　the　faces　of　the　two　others　were　lowered
and　became　fixed；　〃SHE　says　she　tired　o'　drunken　rowdies；there's　a
sameness　about　'em；　and　it　don't　sell　her　pipes　and　cigars；　and
that's　WHY　she's　coming　here。　　Thompson　over　at　Dry　Creek　sez　that
THAT'S　where　our　reputation　is　playin'　us！　　'We've　got　her　as　a
reward　o'　virtoo；　and　be　dd　to　us。'　　But；〃　cautiously；　〃Thompson
ain't　drawed　a　sober　breath　since　Christmas。〃

The　three　men　looked　in　each　other's　faces　in　silence。　　The　same
thought　occurred　to　each；　the　profane　Thompson　was　right；　and　the
woman's　advent　was　the　logical　sequence　of　their　own　ethics。　　Two
years　previously；　the　Buckeye　Company　had　found　gold　on　the　South
Fork；　and　had　taken　up　claims。　　Composed　mainly　of　careful；
provident；　and　thoughtful　men；some　of　cultivation　and
refinement；they　had　adopted　a　certain　orderly　discipline　for
their　own　guidance　solely；　which；　however；　commended　itself　to
later　settlers；　already　weary　of　the　lawlessness　and　reckless
freedom　which　usually　attended　the　inception　of　mining　settlements。
Consequently　the　birth　of　Buckeye　was　accompanied　with　no　dangerous
travail；　its　infancy　was　free　from　the　diseases　of　adolescent
communities。　　The　settlers；　without　any　express　prohibition；　had
tacitly　dispensed　with　gambling　and　drinking　saloons；　following　the
unwritten　law　of　example；　had　laid　aside　their　revolvers；　and
mingled　together　peacefully　when　their　labors　were　ended；　without
a　single　peremptory　regulation　against　drinking　and　playing；　or
carrying　lethal　weapons。　　Nor　had　there　been　any　test　of　fitness　or
qualification　for　citizenship　through　previous　virtue。　　There　were
one　or　two　gamblers；　a　skillful　duelist；　and　men　who　still　drank
whiskey　who　had　voluntarily　sought　the　camp。　　Of　some　such
antecedents　was　the　last　speaker。　　Probably　with　two　wives
elsewhere；　and　a　possible　homicidal　record；　he　had　modestly　held
aloof　from　obtrusive　argument。

〃Well；　we　must　have　a　meeting　and　put　the　question　squarely　to　the
boys　to…morrow；〃　said　Parks；　gazing　thoughtfully　from　the　window。
The　remark　was　followed　by　another　long　silence。　　Beyond；　in　the
darkness；　Buckeye；　unconscious　of　the　momentous　question　awaiting
its　decision；　slept　on　peacefully。

〃I　brought　the　keg　of　whiskey　and　brandy　from　Red　Gulch　to…day　that
Doctor　Duchesne　spoke　of；〃　he　resumed　presently。　　〃You　know　he　said
we　ought　to　have　some　in　common　stock　that　he　could　always　rely
upon　in　emergencies；　and　for　use　after　the　tule　fever。　　I　didn't
agree　with　him；　and　told　him　how　I　had　brought　Sam　Denver　through
an　attack　with　quinine　and　arrowroot；　but　he　laughed　and　wanted　to
know　if　we'd　'resolved'　that　everybody　should　hereafter　have　the
Denver　constitution。　　That's　the　trouble　with　those　old　army
surgeons；they　never　can　get　over　the　'heroics'　of　their　past。
Why　he　told　Parson　Jennings　that　he'd　rather　treat　a　man　for　jim…
jams　than　one　that　was　dying　for　want　of　stimulants。　　However；　the
liquor　is　here；　and　one　of　the　things　we　must　settle　tomorrow　is
the　question　if　it　ought　not　to　be　issued　only　on　Duchesne's
prescription。　　When　I　made　that　point　to　him　squarely；