sally dows-第31节

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〃Go！〃　whispered　Brace　quickly；　〃YOU'LL　GAIN　TIME！〃

Parks'　face　changed；　and　he　turned　to　Carpenter。　　〃Enough；〃　he　said
gravely。　　〃I　reserve　what　I　have　to　say　of　these　proceedings　till　I
join　you　there。〃　　He　stopped；　whispered　a　few　words　to　Brace；　and
then　disappeared　as　the　men　descended　the　stairs；　and；　joining　the
crowd　on　the　pavement；　proceeded　silently　towards　the　Town　Hall。
There　was　nothing　in　the　appearance　of　that　decorous　procession　to
indicate　its　unlawful　character　or　the　recklessness　with　which　it
was　charged。

There　were　thirty　or　forty　men　already　seated　in　the　Hall。　　The
meeting　was　brief　and　to　the　point。　　The　gambling　saloons　were　to
be　〃cleaned　out〃　that　night；　the　tables　and　appliances　thrown　into
the　street　and　burnt；　the　doors　closed；　and　the　gamblers　were　to　be
conducted　to　the　outskirts　of　the　town　and　forbidden　to　enter　it
again　on　pain　of　death。

〃Does　this　yer　refer　to　Jovita　Mendez'　saloon？〃　asked　a　voice。

To　their　surprise　the　voice　was　not　Parks'　but　Shuttleworth's。　　It
was　also　a　matter　to　be　noted　that　he　stood　a　little　forward　of　the
crowd；　and　that　there　was　a　corresponding　movement　of　a　dozen　or
more　men　from　Fiddletown　who　apparently　were　part　of　the　meeting。

The　chairman　（No。　10）　said　there　was　to　be　no　exception；　and
certainly　not　for　the　originator　of　disorder　in　Buckeye！　　He　was
surprised　that　the　question　should　be　asked　by　No。　72；　who　was　an
old　resident　of　Buckeye；　and　who；　with　No。　73；　had　suffered　from
the　character　of　that　woman's　saloon。

〃That's　jest　it；〃　said　Shuttleworth；　〃and　ez　I　reckon　that　SAUNDERS
AND　ME　did　all　the　disorder　there　was；　and　had　to　turn　ourselves
out　o'　town　on　account　of　it；　I　don't　see　jest　where　SHE　could　come
into　this　affair。　　Only；〃　he　turned　and　looked　around　him；　〃in　one
way！　　And　that　way；　gentlemen；　would　be　for　her　to　come　here　and
boot　one　half　o'　this　kempany　out　o'　town；　and　shoot　the　other
half！　　You　hear　me！that's　so！〃　　He　stopped；　tugged　a　moment　at
his　cravat　and　loosened　his　shirt…collar　as　if　it　impeded　his
utterance；　and　went　on。　　〃I've　got　to　say　suthin'　to　you　gentlemen
about　me　and　Saunders　and　this　woman；　I've　got　to　say　suthin'
that's　hard　for　a　white　man　to　say；　and　him　a　married　man；　too
I've　got　to　say　that　me　and　Saunders　never　had　no　QU'OLL；　never　had
NO　FIGHT　at　her　shop：　I've　got　to　say　that　me　and　Saunders　got　shot
by　Jovita　Mendez　for　INSULTIN'　HERfor　tryin'　to　treat　her　as　if
she　was　the　common　dirt　of　the　turnpikeand　served　us　right！　　I've
got　to　say　that　Saunders　and　me　made　a　bet　that　for　all　her　airs
she　wasn't　no　better　than　she　might　be；　and　we　went　there　drunk　to
try　herand　that　we　got　left；　with　two　shots　into　us　like　hounds
as　we　were！　　That's　so！wasn't　it；　Saunders？〃

〃With　two　shots　inter　us　like　hounds　ez　we　were；〃　repeated　Saunders
with　deliberate　precision。

〃And　I've　got　to　say　suthin'　more；　gen'lemen；〃　continued
Shuttleworth；　now　entirely　removing　his　coat　and　vest；　and
apparently　shaking　himself　free　from　any　extraneous　trammels。　〃I've
got　to　say　thisI've　got　to　say　that　thar　ain't　a　man　in　Buckeye；
from　Dirty　Dick　over　yon　to　the　mayor　of　this　town；　ez　hasn't　tried
the　same　thing　on　and　got　leftgot　left；　without　shootin'　maybe；
more's　the　pity；　but　got　left　all　the　same！　　And　I've　got　to　say；〃
lifting　his　voice；　〃THAT　EF　THAT'S　WHAT　YOU　CALL　DISORDERLINESS　IN
HERif　that's　what　yo'r　turnin'　this　woman　out　o'　town　forwhy〃

He　stopped；　absolutely　breathless　and　gasping。　　For　there　was　a
momentary　shock　of　surprise　and　shame；　and　then　he　was　overborne
by　peal　after　peal　of　inextinguishable　laughter。　　But　it　was　the
laughter　that　precipitated　doubt；　enlightened　justice；　cleared
confusion；　andsaved　them！

In　vain　a　few　struggled　to　remind　them　that　the　question　of　the
OTHER　saloons　was　still　unaffected。　　It　was　lost　in　the　motion
enthusiastically　put　and　carried　that　the　Committee　should
instantly　accompany　Saunders　and　Shuttleworth　to　Jovita's　saloon　to
make　an　apology　in　their　presence。　　Five　minutes　later　they　halted
hilariously　before　its　door。　　But　it　was　closed；　dark；　and　silent！

Their　sudden　onset　and　alarm　brought　Sanchicha　to　the　half…opened
door。　　〃Ah；　yes！　the　Senorita？　　Bueno！　　She　had　just　left　for
Fiddletown　with　the　Senor　Parks；　the　honorable　mayor。　　They　had
been　married　only　a　few　moments　before　by　the　Reverend　Mr。　McCorkle！〃



THEIR　UNCLE　FROM　CALIFORNIA。


PART　I。


It　was　bitterly　cold。　　When　night　fell　over　Lakeville；　Wisconsin；
the　sunset；　which　had　flickered　rather　than　glowed　in　the　western
sky；　took　upon　itself　a　still　more　boreal　tremulousness；　until　at
last　it　seemed　to　fade　away　in　cold　blue　shivers　to　the　zenith。
Nothing　else　stirred；　in　the　crisp　still　air　the　evening　smoke　of
chimneys　rose　threadlike　and　vanished。　　The　stars　were　early；　pale；
and　pitiless；　when　the　later　moonlight　fell；　it　appeared　only　to
whiten　the　stiffened　earth　like　snow；　except　where　it　made　a　dull；
pewter…like　film　over　the　three　frozen　lakes　which　encompassed　the
town。

The　site　of　the　town　itself　was　rarely　beautiful；　and　its　pioneers
and　founders　had　carried　out　the　suggestions　they　had　found　there
with　loving　taste　and　intelligence。

Themselves　old　voyageurs；　trappers；　and　traders；　they　still　loved
Nature　too　well　to　exclude　her　from　the　restful　homes　they　had
achieved　after　years　of　toiling　face　to　face　with　her。　　So　a　strip
of　primeval　forest　on　the　one　side；　and　rolling　level　prairie　on
the　other；　still　came　up　to　the　base　of　the　hill；　whereon　they
had　built　certain　solid　houses；　which　a　second　generation　had
beautified　and　improved　with　modern　taste；　but　which　still　retained
their　old　honesty　of　foundation　and　wholesome　rustic　space。　　These
yet　stood　among　the　old　trees；　military　squares；　and　broad　sloping
avenues　of　the　town。　　Seen　from　the　railway　by　day；　the　regularity
of　streets　and　blocks　was　hidden　by　environing　trees；　there
remained　only　a　picturesque　lifting　of　rustic　gardens；　brown　roofs；
gables；　spires；　and　cupolas　above　the　mirroring　lake：　seen　from　the
railway　this　bitter　night；　the　invisible　terraces　and　streets　were
now　pricked　out　by　symmetrical　lines　and　curves　of　sparkling
lights；　which　glittered　through　the　leafless　boughs　and　seemed　to
encircle　the　hill　like　a　diadem。

Central　in　the　chiefest　square；　and　yet　preserving　its　old　lordly
isolation　in　a　wooded　garden；　the　homestead　of　Enoch　Lane　stood
with　all　its　modern　additions　and　improvements。　　Already　these
included　not　only　the　latest　phases　of　decoration；　but　various
treasures　brought　by　the　second　generation　from　Europe；　which　they
were　wont　to　visit；　but　from　which　they　always　contentedly　returned
to　their　little　provincial　town。　　Whether　there　was　some　instinctive
yearning；　like　the　stirred　sap　of　great　forests；　in　their　wholesome
pioneer　blood；　or　whether　there　was　some　occult　fascination　in　the
pretty　town…crested　hill　itself；　it　was　still　certain　that　the
richest　inhabitants　always　preferred　to　live　in　Lakeville。　　Even　the
young；　who　left　it　to　seek　their　fortune　elsewhere；　came　back　to
enjoy　their　success　under　the　sylvan　vaults　of　this　vast　ancestral
roof。　　And　that　was　why；　this　22d　of　December；　1870；　the　whole
household　of　Gabriel　Lane　was　awaiting　the　arrival　from　California
of　his　brother；　Sylvester　Lane；　at　the　old　homestead　which　he　had
left　twenty　years　ago。

〃And　you　don't　know　how　he　looks？〃　said　Kitty　Lane　to　her　father。

〃I　do；　perfectly；　rather　chubby；　with　blue　eyes；　curly　hair；　fair
skin；　and　blushes　when　you　speak　to　him。〃

〃Papa！〃

〃Eh？Oh；　well；　he　USED　to。　　You　see　that　was　twenty…five　years
ago；　when　he　left　here　for　boarding…school。　　He　ran　away　from
there；　as　I　told　you；　went　to　sea；　and　finally　brought　up　at　San
Francisco。〃

〃And　you　haven't　had　any　picture；　or　photograph　of　him；　since？〃

〃Nothat　isI　say！you　haven't；　any　of　you；　got　a　picture　of
Sylvester；　have　you？〃　he　turned　in　a　vague　parenthetical　appeal　to
the　company　of　relatives　and　friends　collected　in　the　drawing…room
after　dinner。

〃Cousin　Jane　has；　she　knows　all　about　him！〃

But　it　appeared　that　Cousin　Jane　had　only　heard　Susan　Marckland　say
that　Edward　Bingham　had　told　her　that　he　was　in　California　when
〃Uncle　Sylvester〃　had　been　nearly　hanged　by　a　Vigilance　Committee
for　protecting　a　horse　thief　or　a　gambler；　or　some　such　person。
This　was　felt　to　be　ineffective　as　a　personal　description。

〃He's　sure　to　wear　a　big　beard；　they　all　do　when　they　first　come
back；〃　said　Amos　Gunn；　with　metropolitan　oraculousness。

〃He　has　a　big　curling　mustache；　long　silken　hair；　and　broad
shoulders；〃　said　Marie　du　Page。

There　was　such　piquant　conviction　in　the　manner　of　the　speaker；　who
was　also　a　very　pretty　girl；　that　they　all　turned　towards　her；　and
Kitty　quickly　said；

〃But　YOU'VE　never　seen　him？〃

〃Nobut〃　　She　stopped；　and；　lifting　one　shoulder；　threw　her
spirited　head　sideways；　in　a　pretty　deprecatory　way；　with　elevated
eyebrows　and　an　expression　intended　to　show　the　otherwise
untranslatable　character　of　her　impression。　　But　it　showed　quite
as　pleasantly　the　other　fact；　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　a
foreigner；　an　old　French　military　explorer；　and　that　she　had
retained　ev