sally dows-第36节

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〃A　labored　form　of　the　old　joke；〃　said　Gunn；　turning　contemptuously
away。

〃But　the　story；〃　said　Cousins　Jane　and　Emma。　　〃The　story　of　the
gold　discoverynever　mind　the　names。〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester；　placing　his　hand　in　the　breast
of　his　coat　with　a　delightful　exaggeration　of　offended　dignity。
〃But；　doubts　having　been　cast　upon　my　preliminary　statement；　I　fear
I　must　decline　proceeding　further。〃　　Nevertheless；　he　smiled
unblushingly　at　Miss　Du　Page　as　he　followed　Gunn　from　the　room。

The　next　morning　those　who　had　noticed　the　strained　relations　of
Miss　Kitty　and　Mr。　Gunn　were　not　surprised　that　the　latter　was
recalled　on　pressing　business　to　New　York　by　the　first　train；　but
it　was　a　matter　of　some　astonishment　to　Gabriel　Lane　and　Marie　du
Page　that　Uncle　Sylvester　should　have　been　up　early；　and　actually
accompanied　that　gentleman　as　far　as　the　station！　　Indeed；　the
languid　explorer　and　gold…seeker　exhibited　remarkable　activity；
and；　clad　in　a　rough　tourist　suit；　announced；　over　the　breakfast…
table；　his　intention　of　taking　a　long　tramp　through　the　woods；
which　he　had　not　revisited　since　a　boy。　　To　this　end　he　had　even
provided　himself　with　a　small　knapsack；　and　for　once　realized
Kitty's　ideal　of　his　character。

〃Don't　go　too　far；〃　said　Gabriel；　〃for；　although　the　cold　has
moderated；　the　barometer　is　falling　fast；　and　there　is　every
appearance　of　snow。　　Take　care　you　are　not　caught　in　one　of　our
blizzards。〃

〃But　YOU　are　all　going　on　the　lake　to　skate！〃　protested　Uncle
Sylvester。

〃Yes；　for　the　very　reason　that　it　may　be　our　last　chance；　but
should　it　snow　we　shall　be　nearer　home　than　you　may　be。〃

Nevertheless；　when　it　came　on　to　snow；　as　Gabriel　had　predicted；
the　skating　party　was　by　no　means　so　near　home　as　he　had　imagined。
A　shrewd　keenness　and　some　stimulating　electric　condition　of　the
atmosphere　had　tempted　the　young　people　far　out　on　the　lake；　and
they　had　ignored　the　first　fall　of　fine　grayish　granulations　that
swept　along　the　icy　surface　like　little　puffs　of　dust　or　smoke。
Then　the　fall　grew　thicker；　the　gray　sky　contracted；　the　hurrying
flakes；　dashed　against　them　by　a　fierce　northwester；　were　larger；
heavier；　and　seemed　an　almost　palpable　force　that　held　them　back。
Their　skates；　already　clogged　with　drift；　were　beginning　to　be
useless。　　The　bare　wind…swept　spaces　were　becoming　rarer；　they
could　only　stumble　on　blindly　towards　the　nearest　shore。　　Nor　when
they　reached　it　were　they　yet　safe；　they　could　scarcely　stand
against　the　still　increasing　storm　that　was　fast　obliterating　the
banks　and　stretch　of　meadow　beyond。　　Their　only　hope　of　shelter　was
the　range　of　woods　that　joined　the　hill。　　Holding　hands　in　single
file；　the　little　party；　consisting　of　Kitty；　Marie；　and　Cousins
Jane　and　Emmastout…hearted　Gabriel　leading　and　Cousin　John
bringing　up　the　rearat　last　succeeded　in　reaching　it；　and　were
rejoiced　to　find　themselves　near　old　Lane's　half…ruined　cabin。　　To
their　added　joy　and　astonishment；　whiffs　of　whirling　smoke　were
issuing　from　the　crumbling　chimney。　　They　ran　to　the　crazy　door；
pushed　aside　its　weak　fastening；　and　foundUncle　Sylvester　calmly
enjoying　a　pipe　before　a　blazing　fire。　　A　small　pickaxe　and　crowbar
were　lying　upon　a　mound　of　freshly　turned　earth　beside　the　chimney；
where　the　rotten　flooring　had　been　torn　up。

The　tumultuous　entrance　of　the　skating　party　required　no　explanation；
but　when　congratulations　had　been　exchanged；　the　wet　snow　shaken
off；　and　they　had　drawn　round　the　fire；　curious　eyes　were　cast　upon
the　solitary　occupant　and　the　pile　of　earth　and　debris　before　him。

〃I　believe；〃　said　Gabriel　laughingly；　〃that　you　have　been　so　bored
here　that　you　have　actually　played　at　gold…hunting　for　amusement。〃

Uncle　Sylvester　took　the　pipe　from　his　mouth　and　nodded。

〃It's　a　common　diversion　of　yours；〃　said　Marie　audaciously。

Uncle　Sylvester　smiled　sweetly。

〃And　have　you　been　successful　THIS　TIME？〃　asked　Marie。

〃I　got　the　color。〃

〃Eh？〃

Uncle　Sylvester　rose　and　placed　himself　with　his　back　to　the　fire；
gently　surveying　the　assembled　group。

〃I　was　interrupted　in　a　story　of　gold…digging　last　evening；〃　he
said　blandly。　　〃How　far　had　I　got？〃

〃You　were　down　on　the　San　Joaquin　River　in　the　spring　of　'50；　with
a　chap　named　Flint；〃　chorused　Cousins　Jane　and　Emma　promptly。

〃Ah！　yes；〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester。　　〃Well；　in　those　days　there　was　a
scarcity　of　money　in　the　diggings。　　Gold　dust　there　was　in　plenty；
but　no　COIN。　　You　can　fancy　it　was　a　bother　to　weigh　out　a　pinch　of
dust　every　time　you　wanted　a　drink　of　whiskey　or　a　pound　of　flour；
but　there　was　no　other　legal　tender。　　Pretty　soon；　however；　a　lot
of　gold　and　silver　pieces　found　their　way　into　circulation　in　our
camp　and　the　camps　around　us。　　They　were　foreignold　French　and
English　coins。　　Here's　one　of　them　that　I　kept。〃　　He　took　from　his
pocket　a　gold　coin　and　handed　it　to　Gabriel。

Lane　rose　to　his　feet　with　an　exclamation：

〃Why；　this　is　like　the　louis…d'or　that　grandfather　saved　through
the　war　and　gave　to　father。〃

Uncle　Sylvester　took　the　coin　back；　placed　it　in　his　left　eye；　like
a　monocle；　and　winked　gravely　at　the　company。

〃It　is　the　SAME！〃　he　went　on　quietly。　　〃I　was　interested；　for　I　had
a　good　memory；　and　I　remembered　that；　as　a　boy；　grandfather　had
shown　me　one　of　those　coins　and　told　me　he　was　keeping　them　for　old
Jules　du　Page；　who　didn't　believe　in　banks　and　bank…notes。　　Well；　I
traced　them　to　a　trader　called　Flint；　who　was　shipping　gold　dust
from　Stockton　to　Peter　Gunn　&　Sons；　in　New　York。〃

〃To　whom？〃　asked　Gabriel　quickly。

〃Old　Gunnthe　father　of　your　friend！〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester
blandly。　　〃We　talked　the　matter　over　on　our　way　to　the　station　this
morning。　　Well；　to　return。　　Flint　only　said　that　he　had　got　them
from　a　man　called　Thompson；　who　had　got　them　from　somebody　else　in
exchange　for　goods。　　A　year　or　two　afterwards　this　same　Thompson
happened　to　be　frozen　up　with　me　in　Starvation　Camp。　　When　he
thought　he　was　dying　he　confessed　that　he　had　been　bribed　by　Flint
to　say　what　he　had　said；　but　that　he　believed　the　coins　were
stolen。　　Meantime；　Flint　had　disappeared。　　Other　things　claimed　my
attention。　　I　had　quite　forgotten　him；　until　one　night；　five　years
afterwards；　I　blundered　into　a　deserted　mining…camp；　by　falling
asleep　on　my　mule；　who　carried　me　across　a　broken　flume；　butI
think　I　told　you　that　story　already。〃

〃You　never　finished　it；〃　said　Cousin　Jane　sharply。

〃Let　me　do　so　now；　then。　　I　was　really　saved　by　some　Indians；　who
took　me　for　a　spirit　up　aloft　there　in　the　moonlight　and　spread　the
alarm。　　The　first　white　man　they　brought　me　was　a　wretched　drunkard
known　to　the　boys　as　'Old　Fusil；'　or　'Fusel　Oil；'　who　went　into
delirium　tremens　at　the　sight　of　me。　　Well；　who　do　you　suppose　he
turned　out　to　be？　　Flint！　　Flint　played　out　and　ruined！　　Cast　off
and　discarded　by　his　relations　in　New　Yorkthe　foundation　of　whose
fortunes　he　had　laid　by　the　villainy　they　had　accepted　and　condoned。
For　Flint；　as　the　carpenter　of　the　old　homestead；　had　discovered　the
existence　of　a　bricked　closet　in　the　wall　of　father's　study；
partitioned　it　off　so　that　he　could　break　into　it　without　detection
and　rifle　it　at　his　leisure；　and　who　had　thus　carried　off　that　part
of　grandfather's　hoard　which　father　had　concealed　there。　　He　knew　it
could　never　be　missed　by　the　descendants。　　But；　through　haste　or
ignorance；　he　DID　NOT　TOUCH　THE　PAPERS　and　documents　also　hidden
there。　　And　THEY　told　of　the　existence　of　grandfather's　second
cache；　or　hiding…place；　beneath　this　hearth；　and　were　left　for　me　to
discover。〃

He　coolly　relit　his　pipe；　fixed　his　eyes　on　Marie　without
apparently　paying　attention　to　the　breathless　scrutiny　of　the
others；　and　went　on：　〃Flint；　alias　Pierre　a　Fusil；　alias　Gunn；　died
a　maniac。　　I　resolved　to　test　the　truth　of　his　story。　　I　came　here。
I　knew　the　old　homestead；　as　a　boy　who　had　wandered　over　every　part
of　it；　far　better　than　you；　Gabriel；　or　any　one。　　The　elder　Gunn
had　only　heard　of　it　through　the　criminal　disclosure　of　his
relative；　and　only　wished　to　absorb　it　through　his　son　in　time；　and
thus　obliterate　all　trace　of　Flint's　outrage。　　I　recognized　the
room　perfectlythanks　to　our　dear　Kitty；　who　had　taken　up　the
carpet；　which　thus　disclosed　the　loose　plank　before　the　closet　that
was　hidden　by　the　partition。　　Under　pretext　of　rearranging　the
roomfor　which　Kitty　will　forgive　meI　spent　the　day　behind　a
locked　door；　making　my　way　through　the　partition。　　There　I　found
the　rifled　closet；　but　the　papers　intact。　　They　contained　a　full
description　of　the　sum　taken　by　Flint；　and　also　of　a　larger　sum
buried　in　a　cask　beside　this　chimney。　　I　had　just　finished
unearthing　it　a　few　moments　before　you　came。　　I　had　at　first　hoped
to　offer　it　to　the　family　as　a　Christmas　gift　to…morrow；　but〃　　He
stopped　and　sucked　slowly　at　his　pipe。

〃We　anticipated　you；〃　said　Gabriel　laughing。

〃No；〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester　coolly。　　〃But　because　it　don't　happen　to
belong　to　YOU　at　all！　　According　to　the　paper　I　have　in　my　pocket；
which　is　about　as　legal　a　document　as　I　ever　saw；　it　is　father's
free　gift　to　Miss　Marie　du　Page。〃

Kitty　threw　her　arms　around　her　white　and　breath