a waif of the plains-第14节

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been　deceived；　tricked；　and　fooled！　　For　it　flashed　upon　him　for
the　first　time　that　the　vague　sense　of　wrong　which　had　always
haunted　him　was　thisthat　this　was　the　vile　culmination　of　a　plan
to　GET　RID　OF　HIM；　and　that　he　had　been　deliberately　lost　and　led
astray　by　his　relatives　as　helplessly　and　completely　as　a　useless
cat　or　dog！

Perhaps　there　was　something　of　this　in　his　face；　for　the　clerk；
staring　at　him；　bade　him　sit　down　for　a　moment；　and　again　vanished
into　the　mysterious　interior。　　Clarence　had　no　conception　how　long
he　was　absent；　or　indeed　anything　but　his　own　breathless　thoughts；
for　he　was　conscious　of　wondering　afterwards　why　the　clerk　was
leading　him　through　a　door　in　the　counter　into　an　inner　room　of
many　desks；　and　again　through　a　glass　door　into　a　smaller　office；
where　a　preternaturally　busy…looking　man　sat　writing　at　a　desk。
Without　looking　up；　but　pausing　only　to　apply　a　blotting…pad　to　the
paper　before　him；　the　man　said　crisply

〃So　you've　been　consigned　to　some　one　who　don't　seem　to　turn　up；
and　can't　be　found；　eh？　　Never　mind　that；〃　as　Clarence　laid
Peyton's　letter　before　him。　　〃Can't　read　it　now。　　Well；　I　suppose
you　want　to　be　shipped　back　to　Stockton？〃

〃No！〃　said　the　boy；　recovering　his　voice　with　an　effort。

〃Eh；　that's　business；　though。　　Know　anybody　here？〃

〃Not　a　living　soul；　that's　why　they　sent　me；〃　said　the　boy；　in
sudden　reckless　desperation。　　He　was　the　more　furious　that　he　knew
the　tears　were　standing　in　his　eyes。

The　idea　seemed　to　strike　the　man　amusingly。　　〃Looks　a　little　like
it；　don't　it？〃　he　said；　smiling　grimly　at　the　paper　before　him。
〃Got　any　money？〃

〃A　little。〃

〃How　much？〃

〃About　twenty　dollars；〃　said　Clarence　hesitatingly。　　The　man　opened
a　drawer　at　his　side；　mechanically；　for　he　did　not　raise　his　eyes；
and　took　out　two　ten…dollar　gold　pieces。　　〃I'll　go　twenty　better；〃
he　said；　laying　them　down　on　the　desk。　　〃That'll　give　you　a　chance
to　look　around。　　Come　back　here；　if　you　don't　see　your　way　clear。〃
He　dipped　his　pen　into　the　ink　with　a　significant　gesture　as　if
closing　the　interview。

Clarence　pushed　back　the　coin。　　〃I'm　not　a　beggar；〃　he　said
doggedly。

The　man　this　time　raised　his　head　and　surveyed　the　boy　with　two
keen　eyes。　　〃You're　not；　hey？　　Well；　do　I　look　like　one？〃

〃No；〃　stammered　Clarence；　as　he　glanced　into　the　man's　haughty
eyes。

〃Yet；　if　I　were　in　your　fix；　I'd　take　that　money　and　be　glad　to　get
it。〃

〃If　you'll　let　me　pay　you　back　again；〃　said　Clarence；　a　little
ashamed；　and　considerably　frightened　at　his　implied　accusation　of
the　man　before　him。

〃You　can；〃　said　the　man；　bending　over　his　desk　again。

Clarence　took　up　the　money　and　awkwardly　drew　out　his　purse。　But　it
was　the　first　time　he　had　touched　it　since　it　was　returned　to　him
in　the　bar…room；　and　it　struck　him　that　it　was　heavy　and　full
indeed；　so　full　that　on　opening　it　a　few　coins　rolled　out　on　to　the
floor。　　The　man　looked　up　abruptly。

〃I　thought　you　said　you　had　only　twenty　dollars？〃　he　remarked
grimly。

〃Mr。　Peyton　gave　me　forty；〃　returned　Clarence；　stupefied　and
blushing。　　〃I　spent　twenty　dollars　for　drinks　at　the　barand；〃　he
stammered；　〃III　don't　know　how　the　rest　came　here。〃

〃You　spent　twenty　dollars　for　DRINKS？〃　said　the　man；　laying　down
his　pen；　and　leaning　back　in　his　chair　to　gaze　at　the　boy。

〃Yesthat　isI　treated　some　gentlemen　of　the　stage；　sir；　at
Davidson's　Crossing。〃

〃Did　you　treat　the　whole　stage　company？〃

〃No；　sir；　only　about　four　or　fiveand　the　bar…keeper。　But
everything's　so　dear　in　California。　　I　know　that。〃

〃Evidently。　　But　it　don't　seem　to　make　much　difference　with　YOU；〃
said　the　man；　glancing　at　the　purse。

〃They　wanted　my　purse　to　look　at；〃　said　Clarence　hurriedly；　〃and
that's　how　the　thing　happened。　　Somebody　put　HIS　OWN　MONEY　back
into　MY　purse　by　accident。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　the　man　grimly。

〃Yes；　that's　the　reason；〃　said　Clarence；　a　little　relieved；　but
somewhat　embarrassed　by　the　man's　persistent　eyes。

〃Then；　of　course；〃　said　the　other　quietly；　〃you　don't　require　my
twenty　dollars　now。〃

〃But；〃　returned　Clarence　hesitatingly；　〃this　isn't　MY　money。　　I
must　find　out　who　it　belongs　to；　and　give　it　back　again。　　Perhaps；〃
he　added　timidly；　〃I　might　leave　it　here　with　you；　and　call　for　it
when　I　find　the　man；　or　send　him　here。〃

With　the　greatest　gravity　he　here　separated　the　surplus　from　what
was　left　of　Peyton's　gift　and　the　twenty　dollars　he　had　just
received。　　The　balance　unaccounted　for　was　forty　dollars。　　He　laid
it　on　the　desk　before　the　man；　who；　still　looking　at　him；　rose　and
opened　the　door。

〃Mr。　Reed。〃

The　clerk　who　had　shown　Clarence　in　appeared。

〃Open　an　account　with〃　　He　stopped　and　turned　interrogatively　to
Clarence。

〃Clarence　Brant；〃　said　Clarence；　coloring　with　excitement。

〃With　Clarence　Brant。　　Take　that　deposit〃pointing　to　the　money
〃and　give　him　a　receipt。〃　　He　paused　as　the　clerk　retired　with　a
wondering　gaze　at　the　money；　looked　again　at　Clarence；　said；　〃I
think　YOU'LL　do；〃　and　reentered　the　private　office；　closing　the
door　behind　him。

I　hope　it　will　not　be　deemed　inconceivable　that　Clarence；　only　a
few　moments　before　crushed　with　bitter　disappointment　and　the
hopeless　revelation　of　his　abandonment　by　his　relatives；　now　felt
himself　lifted　up　suddenly　into　an　imaginary　height　of　independence
and　manhood。　　He　was　leaving　the　bank；　in　which　he　stood　a　minute
before　a　friendless　boy；　not　as　a　successful　beggar；　for　this
important　man　had　disclaimed　the　idea；　but　absolutely　as　a
customer！　a　depositor！　a　business　man　like　the　grown…up　clients　who
were　thronging　the　outer　office；　and　before　the　eyes　of　the　clerk
who　had　pitied　him！　　And　he；　Clarence；　had　been　spoken　to　by　this
man；　whose　name　he　now　recognized　as　the　one　that　was　on　the　door
of　the　buildinga　man　of　whom　his　fellow…passengers　had　spoken
with　admiring　envya　banker　famous　in　all　California！　　Will　it　be
deemed　incredible　that　this　imaginative　and　hopeful　boy；　forgetting
all　else；　the　object　of　his　visit；　and　even　the　fact　that　he
considered　this　money　was　not　his　own；　actually　put　his　hat　a
little　on　one　side　as　he　strolled　out　on　his　way　to　the　streets　and
prospective　fortune？

Two　hours　later　the　banker　had　another　visitor。　　It　chanced　to　be
the　farmer…looking　man　who　had　been　Clarence's　fellow…passenger。
Evidently　a　privileged　person；　he　was　at　once　ushered　as　〃Captain
Stevens〃　into　the　presence　of　the　banker。　　At　the　end　of　a　familiar
business　interview　the　captain　asked　carelessly

〃Any　letters　for　me？〃

The　busy　banker　pointed　with　his　pen　to　the　letter　〃S〃　in　a　row　of
alphabetically　labeled　pigeon…holes　against　the　wall。　　The　captain；
having　selected　his　correspondence；　paused　with　a　letter　in　his
hand。

〃Look　here；　Carden；　there　are　letters　here　for　some　chap　called
'John　Silsbee。'　　They　were　here　when　I　called；　ten　weeks　ago。〃

〃Well？〃

〃That's　the　name　of　that　Pike　County　man　who　was　killed　by　Injins
in　the　plains。　　The　'Frisco　papers　had　all　the　particulars　last
night；　may　be　it's　for　that　fellow。　　It　hasn't　got　a　postmark。　　Who
left　it　here？〃

Mr。　Carden　summoned　a　clerk。　　It　appeared　that　the　letter　had　been
left　by　a　certain　Brant　Fauquier；　to　be　called　for。

Captain　Stevens　smiled。　　〃Brant's　been　too　busy　dealin'　faro　to
think　of　'em　agin；　and　since　that　shootin'　affair　at　Angels'　I　hear
he's　skipped　to　the　southern　coast　somewhere。　　Cal　Johnson；　his　old
chum；　was　in　the　up　stage　from　Stockton　this　afternoon。〃

〃Did　you　come　by　the　up　stage　from　Stockton　this　afternoon？〃　said
Carden；　looking　up。

〃Yes；　as　far　as　Ten…mile　Stationrode　the　rest　of　the　way　here。〃

〃Did　you　notice　a　queer　little　old…fashioned　kidabout　so　high
like　a　runaway　school…boy？〃

〃Did　I？　　By　Gd；　sir；　he　treated　me　to　drinks。〃

Carden　jumped　from　his　chair。　　〃Then　he　wasn't　lying！〃

〃No！　　We　let　him　do　it；　but　we　made　it　good　for　the　little　chap
afterwards。　　Hello！　　What's　up？〃

But　Mr。　Carden　was　already　in　the　outer　office　beside　the　clerk　who
had　admitted　Clarence。

〃You　remember　that　boy　Brant　who　was　here？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Where　did　he　go？〃

〃Don't　know；　sir。〃

〃Go　and　find　him　somewhere　and　somehow。　　Go　to　all　the　hotels；
restaurants；　and　gin…mills　near　here；　and　hunt　him　up。　　Take　some
one　with　you；　if　you　can't　do　it　alone。　　Bring　him　back　here；
quick！〃

It　was　nearly　midnight　when　the　clerk　fruitlessly　returned。　　It　was
the　fierce　high　noon　of　〃steamer　nights〃；　light　flashed　brilliantly
from　shops；　counting…houses；　drinking…saloons；　and　gambling…hells。
The　streets　were　yet　full　of　eager；　hurrying　feetswift　of
fortune；　ambition；　pleasure；　or　crime。　　But　from　among　these　deeper
harsher　footfalls　the　echo　of　the　homeless　boy's　light；　innocent
tread　seemed　to　have　died　out　forever。


CHAPTER　VIII


When　Clarence　was　once　more　in　the　busy　street　before　the　bank；　it
seemed　clear　to　his　boyish　mind　that；　being　now　cast　adrift　upon
the　world　and　responsible　to　no　one；　there　was　no　reason　why　he
should　not　at　once　proceed　to　the　nearest　gold　mines！　　The　idea　of
returning　to　Mr。　Peyton　and　Susy；　as　a　disowned　and　abandoned
outcast；　was　not　to　be　thought　of。　　He　would　purchase　some　kind　of