a waif of the plains-第15节

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returning　to　Mr。　Peyton　and　Susy；　as　a　disowned　and　abandoned
outcast；　was　not　to　be　thought　of。　　He　would　purchase　some　kind　of
an　outfit；　such　as　he　had　seen　the　miners　carry；　and　start　off　as
soon　as　he　had　got　his　supper。　　But　although　one　of　his　most
delightful　anticipations　had　been　the　unfettered　freedom　of
ordering　a　meal　at　a　restaurant；　on　entering　the　first　one　he　found
himself　the　object　of　so　much　curiosity；　partly　from　his　size　and
partly　from　his　dress；　which　the　unfortunate　boy　was　beginning　to
suspect　was　really　preposterous；　and　he　turned　away　with　a
stammered　excuse；　and　did　not　try　another。　　Further　on　he　found　a
baker's　shop；　where　he　refreshed　himself　with　some　gingerbread　and
lemon　soda。　　At　an　adjacent　grocery　he　purchased　some　herrings；
smoked　beef；　and　biscuits；　as　future　provisions　for　his　〃pack〃　or
kit。　　Then　began　his　real　quest　for　an　outfit。　　In　an　hour　he　had
securedostensibly　for　some　friend；　to　avoid　curious　inquirya
pan；　a　blanket；　a　shovel　and　pick；　all　of　which　he　deposited　at　the
baker's；　his　unostentatious　headquarters；　with　the　exception　of　a
pair　of　disguising　high　boots　that　half　hid　his　sailor　trousers；
which　he　kept　to　put　on　at　the　last。　　Even　to　his　inexperience　the
cost　of　these　articles　seemed　enormous；　when　his　purchases　were
complete；　of　his　entire　capital　scarcely　four　dollars　remained！
Yet　in　the　fond　illusions　of　boyhood　these　rude　appointments　seemed
possessed　of　far　more　value　than　the　gold　he　had　given　in　exchange
for　them；　and　he　had　enjoyed　a　child's　delight　in　testing　the
transforming　magic　of　money。

Meanwhile；　the　feverish　contact　of　the　crowded　street　had；　strange
to　say；　increased　his　loneliness；　while　the　ruder　joviality　of　its
dissipations　began　to　fill　him　with　vague　uneasiness。　　The　passing
glimpse　of　dancing　halls　and　gaudily　whirled　figures　that　seemed
only　feminine　in　their　apparel；　the　shouts　and　boisterous　choruses
from　concert　rooms；　the　groups　of　drunken　roisterers　that
congregated　around　the　doors　of　saloons　or；　hilariously　charging
down　the　streets；　elbowed　him　against　the　wall；　or　humorously
insisted　on　his　company；　discomposed　and　frightened　him。　　He　had
known　rude　companionship　before；　but　it　was　serious；　practical；　and
under　control。　　There　was　something　in　this　vulgar　degradation　of
intellect　and　powerqualities　that　Clarence　had　always　boyishly
worshipedwhich　sickened　and　disillusioned　him。　　Later　on　a　pistol
shot　in　a　crowd　beyond；　the　rush　of　eager　men　past　him；　the
disclosure　of　a　limp　and　helpless　figure　against　the　wall；　the
closing　of　the　crowd　again　around　it；　although　it　stirred　him　with
a　fearful　curiosity；　actually　shocked　him　less　hopelessly　than
their　brutish　enjoyments　and　abandonment。

It　was　in　one　of　these　rushes　that　he　had　been　crushed　against　a
swinging　door；　which；　giving　way　to　his　pressure；　disclosed　to　his
wondering　eyes　a　long；　glitteringly　adorned；　and　brightly　lit　room；
densely　filled　with　a　silent；　attentive　throng　in　attitudes　of
decorous　abstraction　and　preoccupation；　that　even　the　shouts　and
tumult　at　its　very　doors　could　not　disturb。　　Men　of　all　ranks　and
conditions；　plainly　or　elaborately　clad；　were　grouped　together
under　this　magic　spell　of　silence　and　attention。　　The　tables　before
them　were　covered　with　cards　and　loose　heaps　of　gold　and　silver。　　A
clicking；　the　rattling　of　an　ivory　ball；　and　the　frequent；　formal；
lazy　reiteration　of　some　unintelligible　sentence　was　all　that　he
heard。　　But　by　a　sudden　instinct　he　UNDERSTOOD　it　all。　　It　was　a
gambling　saloon！

Encouraged　by　the　decorous　stillness；　and　the　fact　that　everybody
appeared　too　much　engaged　to　notice　him；　the　boy　drew　timidly
beside　one　of　the　tables。　　It　was　covered　with　a　number　of　cards；
on　which　were　placed　certain　sums　of　money。　　Looking　down；　Clarence
saw　that　he　was　standing　before　a　card　that　as　yet　had　nothing　on
it。　　A　single　player　at　his　side　looked　up；　glanced　at　Clarence
curiously；　and　then　placed　half　a　dozen　gold　pieces　on　the　vacant
card。　　Absorbed　in　the　general　aspect　of　the　room　and　the　players；
Clarence　did　not　notice　that　his　neighbor　won　twice；　and　even
THRICE；　upon　that　card。　　Becoming　aware；　however；　that　the　player
while　gathering　in　his　gains；　was　smilingly　regarding　him　he　moved
in　some　embarrassment　to　the　other　end　of　the　table；　where　there
seemed　another　gap　in　the　crowd。　　It　so　chanced　that　there　was　also
another　vacant　card。　　The　previous　neighbor　of　Clarence　instantly
shoved　a　sum　of　money　across　the　table　on　the　vacant　card　and　won！
At　this　the　other　players　began　to　regard　Clarence　singularly；　one
or　two　of　the　spectators　smiled；　and　the　boy；　coloring；　moved
awkwardly　away。　　But　his　sleeve　was　caught　by　the　successful
player；　who；　detaining　him　gently；　put　three　gold　pieces　into　his
hand。

〃That's　YOUR　share；　sonny；〃　he　whispered。

〃Sharefor　what？〃　stammered　the　astounded　Clarence。

〃For　bringing　me　'the　luck；'〃　said　the　man。

Clarence　stared。　　〃Am　Itoto　play　with　it？〃　he　said；　glancing　at
the　coins　and　then　at　the　table；　in　ignorance　of　the　stranger's
meaning。

〃No；　no！〃　said　the　man　hurriedly；　〃don't　do　that。　　You'll　lose　it；
sonny；　sure！　　Don't　you　see；　YOU　BRING　THE　LUCK　TO　OTHERS；　not　to
yourself。　　Keep　it；　old　man；　and　run　home！〃

〃I　don't　want　it！　　I　won't　have　it！〃　said　Clarence　with　a　swift
recollection　of　the　manipulation　of　his　purse　that　morning；　and　a
sudden　distrust　of　all　mankind。

〃There！〃　　He　turned　back　to　the　table　and　laid　the　money　on　the
first　vacant　card　he　saw。　　In　another　moment；　as　it　seemed　to　him；
it　was　raked　away　by　the　dealer。　　A　sense　of　relief　came　over　him。

〃There！〃　said　the　man；　with　an　awed　voice　and　a　strange；　fatuous
look　in　his　eye。　　〃What　did　I　tell　you？　　You　see；　it's　allus　so！
Now；〃　he　added　roughly；　〃get　up　and　get　out　o'　this；　afore　you　lose
the　boots　and　shirt　off　ye。〃

Clarence　did　not　wait　for　a　second　command。　　With　another　glance
round　the　room；　he　began　to　make　his　way　through　the　crowd　towards
the　front。　　But　in　that　parting　glance　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a
woman　presiding　over　a　〃wheel　of　fortune〃　in　a　corner；　whose　face
seemed　familiar。　　He　looked　again；　timidly。　　In　spite　of　an
extraordinary　head…dress　or　crown　that　she　wore　as　the　〃Goddess　of
Fortune；〃　he　recognized；　twisted　in　its　tinsel；　a　certain　scarlet
vine　which　he　had　seen　before；　in　spite　of　the　hoarse　formula　which
she　was　continually　repeating；　he　recognized　the　foreign　accent。
It　was　the　woman　of　the　stage…coach！　　With　a　sudden　dread　that　she
might　recognize　him；　and　likewise　demand　his　services　〃for　luck；〃
he　turned　and　fled。

Once　more　in　the　open　air；　there　came　upon　him　a　vague　loathing　and
horror　of　the　restless　madness　and　feverish　distraction　of　this
half…civilized　city。　　It　was　the　more　powerful　that　it　was　vague；
and　the　outcome　of　some　inward　instinct。　　He　found　himself　longing
for　the　pure　air　and　sympathetic　loneliness　of　the　plains　and
wilderness；　he　began　to　yearn　for　the　companionship　of　his　humble
associatesthe　teamster；　the　scout　Gildersleeve；　and　even　Jim
Hooker。　　But　above　all　and　before　all　was　the　wild　desire　to　get
away　from　these　maddening　streets　and　their　bewildering　occupants。
He　ran　back　to　the　baker's；　gathered　his　purchases　together；　took
advantage　of　a　friendly　doorway　to　strap　them　on　his　boyish
shoulders；　slipped　into　a　side　street；　and　struck　out　at　once　for
the　outskirts。

It　had　been　his　first　intention　to　take　stage　to　the　nearest　mining
district；　but　the　diminution　of　his　small　capital　forbade　that
outlay；　and　he　decided　to　walk　there　by　the　highroad；　of　whose
general　direction　he　had　informed　himself。　　In　half　an　hour　the
lights　of　the　flat；　struggling　city；　and　their　reflection　in　the
shallow；　turbid　river　before　it；　had　sunk　well　behind　him。　　The　air
was　cool　and　soft；　a　yellow　moon　swam　in　the　slight　haze　that　rose
above　the　tules；　in　the　distance　a　few　scattered　cottonwoods　and
sycamores　marked　like　sentinels　the　road。　　When　he　had　walked　some
distance　he　sat　down　beneath　one　of　them　to　make　a　frugal　supper
from　the　dry　rations　in　his　pack；　but　in　the　absence　of　any　spring
he　was　forced　to　quench　his　thirst　with　a　glass　of　water　in　a
wayside　tavern。　　Here　he　was　good…humoredly　offered　something
stronger；　which　he　declined；　and　replied　to　certain　curious
interrogations　by　saying　that　he　expected　to　overtake　his　friends
in　a　wagon　further　on。　　A　new　distrust　of　mankind　had　begun　to　make
the　boy　an　adept　in　innocent　falsehood；　the　more　deceptive　as　his
careless；　cheerful　manner；　the　result　of　his　relief　at　leaving　the
city；　and　his　perfect　ease　in　the　loving　companionship　of　night　and
nature；　certainly　gave　no　indication　of　his　homelessness　and
poverty。

It　was　long　past　midnight；　when；　weary　in　body；　but　still　hopeful
and　happy　in　mind；　he　turned　off　the　dusty　road　into　a　vast　rolling
expanse　of　wild　oats；　with　the　same　sense　of　security　of　rest　as　a
traveler　to　his　inn。　　Here；　completely　screened　from　view　by　the
tall　stalks　of　grain　that　rose　thickly　around　him　to　the　height　of
a　man's　shoulder；　he　beat　down　a　few　of　them　for　a　bed；　on　which　he
deposited　his　blanket。　　Placing　his　pack　for　a　pillow；　he　curled
himself