roads of destiny-第33节
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less than thirty days on the transaction； but that won't make my cash on hand look any prettier to that bank examiner。 Now； I can't show him those notes； for they're just plain notes of hand without any security in sight； but you know very well that Pink Ross and Jim Fisher are two of the finest white men God ever made； and they'll do the square thing。 You remember Jim Fisherhe was the one who shot that faro dealer in El Paso。 I wired Sam Bradshaw's bank to send me 20；000； and it will get in on the narrow…gauge at 10。35。 You can't let a bank examiner in to count 2；200 and close your doors。 Tom； you hold that examiner。 Hold him。 Hold him if you have to rope him and sit on his head。 Watch our front window after the narrow…gauge gets in； and when we've got the cash inside we'll pull down the shade for a signal。 Don't turn him loose till then。 I'm counting on you； Tom。
Your Old Pard； Bob Buckly； /Prest。 Stockmen's National/。
The major began to tear the note into small pieces and throw them into his waste basket。 He gave a satisfied chuckle as he did so。
〃Confounded old reckless cowpuncher！〃 he growled； contentedly； 〃that pays him some on account for what he tried to do for me in the sheriff's office twenty years ago。〃
XIII
THE FOURTH IN SALVADOR
On a summer's day； while the city was rocking with the din and red uproar of patriotism； Billy Casparis told me this story。
In his way； Billy is Ulysses； Jr。 Like Satan； he comes from going to and fro upon the earth and walking up and down in it。 To…morrow morning while you are cracking your breakfast egg he may be off with his little alligator grip to boom a town site in the middle of Lake Okeechobee or to trade horses with the Patagonians。
We sat at a little； round table； and between us were glasses holding big lumps of ice； and above us leaned an artificial palm。 And because our scene was set with the properties of the one they recalled to his mind； Billy was stirred to narrative。
〃It reminds me；〃 said he； 〃of a Fourth I helped to celebrate down in Salvador。 'Twas while I was running an ice factory down there； after I unloaded that silver mine I had in Colorado。 I had what they called a 'conditional concession。' They made me put up a thousand dollars cash forfeit that I would make ice continuously for six months。 If I did that I could draw down my ante。 If I failed to do so the government took the pot。 So the inspectors kept dropping in； trying to catch me without the goods。
〃One day when the thermometer was at 110； the clock at half…past one； and the calendar at July third； two of the little； brown； oily nosers in red trousers slid in to make an inspection。 Now； the factory hadn't turned out a pound of ice in three weeks； for a couple of reasons。 The Salvador heathen wouldn't buy it； they said it make things cold they put it in。 And I couldn't make any more； because I was broke。 All I was holding on for was to get down my thousand so I could leave the country。 The six months would be up on the sixth of July。
〃Well； I showed 'em all the ice I had。 I raised the lid of a darkish vat； and there was an elegant 100…pound block of ice； beautiful and convincing to the eye。 I was about to close down the lid again when one of those brunette sleuths flops down on his red knees and lays a slanderous and violent hand on my guarantee of good faith。 And in two minutes more they had dragged out on the floor that fine chunk of molded glass that had cost me fifty dollars to have shipped down from Frisco。
〃'Ice…y？' says the fellow that played me the dishonourable trick； 'verree warm ice…y。 Yes。 The day is that hot； senor。 Yes。 Maybeso it is of desirableness to leave him out to get the cool。 Yes。'
〃'Yes；' says I； 'yes；' for I knew they had me。 'Touching's believing； ain't it； boys？ Yes。 Now there's some might say the seats of your trousers are sky blue； but 'tis my opinion they are red。 Let's apply the tests of the laying on of hands and feet。' And so I hoisted both those inspectors out the door on the toe of my shoe； and sat down to cool off on my block of disreputable glass。
〃And； as I live without oats； while I sat there； homesick for money and without a cent to my ambition； there came on the breeze the most beautiful smell my nose had entered for a year。 God knows where it came from in that backyard of a countryit was a bouquet of soaked lemon peel； cigar stumps； and stale beerexactly the smell of Goldbrick Charley's place on Fourteenth Street where I used to play pinochle of afternoons with the third…rate actors。 And that smell drove my troubles through me and clinched 'em at the back。 I began to long for my country and feel sentiments about it； and I said words about Salvador that you wouldn't think could come legitimate out of an ice factory。
〃And while I was sitting there； down through the blazing sunshine in his clean； white clothes comes Maximilian Jones； an American interested in rubber and rosewood。
〃'Great carrambos！' says I； when he stepped in； for I was in a bad temper； 'didn't I have catastrophes enough？ I know what you want。 You want to tell me that story again about Johnny Ammiger and the widow on the train。 You've told it nine times already this month。'
〃'It must be the heat；' says Jones； stopping in at the door； amazed。 'Poor Billy。 He's got bugs。 Sitting on ice； and calling his best friends pseudonyms。 Hi！/muchacho/！' Jones called my force of employees； who was sitting in the sun； playing with his toes； and told him to put on his trousers and run for the doctor。
〃'Come back；' says I。 'Sit down； Maxy； and forget it。 'Tis not ice you see； nor a lunatic upon it。 'Tis only an exile full of homesickness sitting on a lump of glass that's just cost him a thousand dollars。 Now； what was it Johnny said to the widow first？ I'd like to hear it again； Maxyhonest。 Don't mind what I said。'
〃Maximilian Jones and I sat down and talked。 He was about as sick of the country as I was； for the grafters were squeezing him for half the profits of his rosewood and rubber。 Down in the bottom of a tank of water I had a dozen bottles of sticky Frisco beer； and I fished these up； and we fell to talking about home and the flag and Hail Columbia and home…fried potatoes； and the drivel we contributed would have sickened any man enjoying those blessings。 But at that time we were out of 'em。 You can't appreciate home till you've left it； money till it's spent； your wife till she's joined a woman's club； nor Old Glory till you see it hanging on a broomstick on the shanty of a consul in a foreign town。
〃And sitting there me and Maximilian Jones； scratching at our prickly heat and kicking at the lizards on the floor； became afflicted with a dose of patriotism and affection for our country。 There was me； Billy Casparis； reduced from a capitalist to a pauper by over…addiction to my glass （in the lump）； declares my troubles off for the present and myself to be an uncrowned sovereign of the greatest country on earth。 And Maximilian Jones pours out whole drug stores of his wrath on oligarchies and potentates in red trousers and calico shoes。 And we issues a declaration of interference in which we guarantee that the fourth day of July shall be celebrated in Salvador with all the kinds of salutes； explosions； honours of war； oratory； and liquids known to tradition。 Yes； neither me nor Jones breathed with soul so dead。 There shall be rucuses in Salvador； we say； and the monkeys had better climb the tallest cocoanut trees and the fire department get out its red sashes and two tin buckets。
〃About this time into the factory steps a native man incriminated by the name of General Mary Esperanza Dingo。 He was some pumpkin both in politics and colour； and the friend of me and Jones。 He was full of politeness and a kind of intelligence； having picked up the latter and managed to preserve the former during a two years' residence in Philadelphia studying medicine。 For a Salvadorian he was not such a calamitous little man； though he always would play jack； queen； king； ace； deuce for a straight。
〃General Mary sits with us and has a bottle。 While he was in the States he had acquired a synopsis of the English language and the art of admiring our institutions。 By and by the General gets up and tiptoes to the doors and windows and other stage entrances； remarking 'Hist！' at each one。 They all do that in Salvador before they ask for a drink of water or the time of day； being conspirators from the cradle and matinee idols by proclamation。
〃'Hist！' says General Dingo again； and then he lays his chest on the table quite like Gaspard the Miser。 'Good friends； senores； to…morrow will be the great day of Liberty and Independence。 The hearts of Americans and Salvadorians should beat together。 Of your history and your great Washington I know。 Is it not so？'
〃Now； me and Jones thought that nice of the General to remember when the Fourth came。 It made us feel good。 He must have heard the news going round in Philadelphia about that disturbance we had with England。
〃'Yes；' says me and Maxy together； 'we knew it。 We were talking about it when you came in。 And you can bet your bottom concession that there'll be fuss and feathers in the air to…morrow。 We are f
