down the mother lode-第11节

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〃Aw…w；　Bet；　don't　you　cry；〃　said　Babe。　〃Y'　see；　when　we　got　here；　Curly；　we　found　her　boy'd　been　shot　in　a　fight　over　a　mine。　Allie；　she　hadn't　no　money　left；　and　no　gumption　much；　like　Bet　an'　me；　to　fight　her　way；　so　we　took　'er　along　o'　us。　We　tried　to　keep　her　the　little　lady　that　she　was；　but　…　Well；　we　got　snowed　in　last　winter　up　on　the　divide　an'　…　Faro　Sam　…　Well；　it　broke　her　pure　heart；　an'　most　Bet's　an'　mine；　too。　An'　she　ain't　never　got　over　the　cold　she　took；　up　there　in　the　snow。〃

〃Life's　hard　for　a　girl　anyways　you　put　it；　an'　she'll　be　happier　over　the　river　where　there　ain't　no　cold　nor　sorrer。　Bet！　Aw…w；　she'll　sleep　on　a　finer　bed　nor　you　an'　I　could　give　'er；　an'　wake　happy；　with　ever'one　she　loved　best　around　her。　She's　layin'　there　so　white　an'　small　an'　still　it'd　most　break　your　hear　to　see　'er。　Like　a　little　snowdrop　you've　picked；　an'　worn；　an'　slung　away。　So　gentle　…　〃

〃Well；　what's　this；　anyway？　A　wake？〃　broke　in　Faro　Sam's　icy　voice。　〃Do　I　hire　fiddlers　to　play　a　funeral　dirge？　Get　on　with　you；〃　scattering　the　girls　in　the　direction　of　the　card　tables　and　the　dancing　platform。　〃Which　ones　do　you　want；　Curly？〃

〃I　want　Babe　and　Betsy。　Where's　that　little　pale　printer's　devil；　the　one　they　call　the　gambler's　ghost？　I　know　Sam　won't　let　you　girls　leave　here。〃

〃He's　workin'　up　on　the　paper；　I　guess。　They　ran　out　of　coal　oil　and　had　to　fire　up　with　pine　knots。〃

〃He's　comin；　now。　He　ain't　no　gambler's　ghost　tonight；　though；　he's　pot　black！〃

〃Ghost；〃　said　Curly；　〃you　take　this　around　to　Allie。〃　It　was　a　50　octagonal　slug。

〃Yessir。〃

〃And　you　say　that　there's　more；　all　she　wants；　where　that　comes　from。〃

〃Yessir。〃

Then；　shaking　his　mop　of　brown；　curly　hair　as　though　to　relieve　his　head　of　a　burden；　he　took　the　girls　for　what　he　felt　was　a　much…needed　round　of　drinks。

By　midnight　the　place　was　wild！

〃Sam；〃　shouted　Curly；　〃what's　the　limit　on　your　pesky　old　game？〃

〃The　ceiling's　the　limit。〃

〃Well；　I'll　put　up　one　bet！　Bein'　on　Easy　Street　I　was　goin'　back　to　the　States　to　marry　my　girl；　but　I'm　blamed　if　I　don't　put　up　my　swag　for　one　turn　of　the　cards。〃

He　sent　for　his　〃dust；〃　and　piled　the　long；　buckskin　bags　criss…cross　before　Faro　Sam's　table。

〃I'll　copper　the　jack；　gentlemen；〃　he　shouted。　〃All　on　the　jack！〃

Teddy　Karn's　face　turned　a　pasty　hue；　and　the　tip　of　his　tongue　slid　along　his　puffed　lips；　but　the　lines　of　Faro　Sam's　face　never　changed；　and　his　eyes　retained　the　blank　impassivity　of　a　snake's　as　he　slipped　his　cards。　There　was　a　sudden；　tense　silence。　The　girls　pressed　forward　with　hurried　breathing　and　the　men　waited；　rigid　as　stones。

Somebody's　mongrel　paced　to　the　middle　of　the　platform　and　scratched　for　fleas；　with　soft　thumping　on　the　floor。　That　was　all。

Suddenly　a　man　swore！　A　woman's　voice　shrilled　hysterically！　Faro　Sam　rose　to　his　feet　ceremoniously。　〃The　house　is　yours。〃

〃By　Jinks！〃　yelled　Curly；　〃I've　coppered　the　jack！　I've　broken　the　bank！　I've　…　〃

One　of　the　doors　swung　open　quietly。　Silence　dropped　once　more；　with　the　speed　of　tropical　night；　upon　the　blare　of　the　place。

The　gambler's　ghost　stood　there　silhouetted　against　the　light　from　a　log　fire　outside。　There　were　pink　streaks　down　his　dirty　face；　washed　by　tears；　and　his　young　shoulders　drooped　woefully。　The　dog　came　forward　and　licked　his　twitching　fingers。

〃Allie　is　dead；〃　he　whispered。

〃Curly；　I　should　like　to　apply　for　the　position　of　dealer　over　at　your　place；　which　yesterday　was　my　place；〃　said　Faro　Sam；　next　day　at　noon；　meeting　Curly　on　the　street。

〃Sure；　you　can　have　it；　Sam。　Too　bad　it's　the　custom　for　the　house　to　go；　too；　when　somebody　breaks　the　bank。　I've　turned　it　over　to　George　Spellman；　with　a　thousand　to　start　with。　He　and　I　come　from　the　same　place　back　in　the　States。　Great　friends　we　were；　till　we　both　got　to　sparkin'　the　same　girl。　When　she　took　me；　George；　he　got　pretty　ornery；　but　I　guess　he's　all　over　it　by　this　time。　I'm　goin'　home　to　marry　her；　now。

〃I've　just　been　around　to　the　tents　seein'　about　little　Allie's　funeral；　an'　he'll　keep　on　the　girls；　too。　I'm　pullin'　my　freight　for　Hangtown　（Placerville）。　This　town's　a　little　too　small　for　a　fellow　of　my　means。〃

Faro　Sam　looked　after　him　with　a　cynical　light　in　his　narrow　eyes。

〃The　pot　bubbles　loudest　when　the　water's　nearest　the　bottom；〃　he　muttered；　and　turned　to　pick　a　fastidious　way　through　the　mud。

Life　that　night　in　the　gambling　hell　went　on　much　as　usual。　Teddy　Karns　〃poured　the　rye；〃　and　Faro　Sam　〃slipped　the　cards；〃　whilst　Babe　worried　over　Bouncing　Bet's　intoxicated　condition。

〃It's　Allie；　you　know；〃　Babe　confided　to　Red　Shirt　Pete　at　midnight。　〃She　took　it　awful　hard；　and　Spellman；　the　new　boss；　wouldn't　let　'er　off　tonight。　I　bin　tellin'　'er　Allie's　better　off；　but　she　won't　listen　to　nobody。　She's　just　bin　pourin'　'em　down　all　evenin'。　What's　that？〃　at　a　loud　banging　on　the　doors。　Some　one　opened　them　and　Curly　rode　into　the　place　on　the　handsome　horse　he　had　bought　that　morning。

〃Well；　boys；　I'm　cleaned！　Tried　to　copper　the　jack　in　Hangtown　and　the　whole　50；000　went。　George；　I'll　be　askin'　for　this　place　back；　I　guess。〃

〃This　place　belongs　to　me；　Curly　Gillmore。〃

〃Who　says　so？〃

'This　old　lady　says　so；〃　covering　him　with　his　pistol。

Curly　laughed；　not　too　musically。　〃Well；　boys；　what　am　I　bid　for　this　horse？　I　need　a　grubstake。〃

〃Play　you　for　him；〃　said　Faro　Sam；　laconically。

〃Done；〃　said　Curly。　A　moment　later　he　laughed　once　more　and　swung　down　off　the　Spanish　thoroughbred。　〃He's　yours。　Well；　good…night；　boys。〃

No　one　answered。　He　had；　like　Hadji　the　beggar；　become　in　twenty…four　hours　again　a　drifter。

Babe　sneaked　out　after　him。　〃Here；　Curly；〃　she　slipped　her　hand　into　her　bosom　and　held　out　the　octagonal　slug。　〃When　Bet　an'　I　reached　Allie　last　night　she　was　holdin'　it　in　her　little　dead　hand；　an'　there　was　such　a　smile　on　her　face！　You　gave　her　that　happy　smile。　God　bless　you　for　it！　Now；　you　take　this　…　〃

But　Curly　turned　away；　blinking　his　eyes；　and　trying　to　swallow　the　lump　in　his　throat。　Babe　stood　watching　him　through　her　tears　as　he　tramped　down　the　street；　out　of　the　town　on　the　road　to　the　south。

*　*　*　*　*

Two　years　later　in　a　hall　in　Sonora；　a　man　strolled　in　to　the　card　tables。

〃Why；　hel…lo；　Curly！〃

Curly　glanced　up　briefly。　〃Hello；　George。〃

〃Hear　you've　made　another　strike。〃

〃You　can　hear　a　lot　that　ain't　true。　This　happens　to　be。〃

〃You　know；　I　was　telling　…　〃

〃Well；　the　sight　of　you　don't　put　me　in　the　mood　to　be　told　much。〃　There　was　an　imperceptible　shifting　of　the　crowd　around　the　table。　They　were　moving　away　from　Spellman。

〃I　was　telling　my　wife　…　〃

〃My　girl；　you　mean！　It　wasn't　enough　to　keep　my　business；　you　had　to　go　home　an'　marry　my　girl；　too；　didn't　you？〃

〃Curly；　for　the　love　of　heaven　…　〃

〃Take　your　hand　off　my　arm；　Pete。　I'm　going　to　kill　this　…　…。　He's　not　the　kind　of　man　I　thought　he　was。〃

Two　shots　crashed　in　the　room！

Spellman　wavered　through　the　smoke　haze；　then　dropped　his　pistol　and　fell　slowly　across　the　card　table　littered　with　shining　cards　and　poker　chips。　An　overturned　tallow…dip　dropped　in　a　pool　of　wine　and　rolled　down　against　the　dead　man's　cheek；　dabbling　it　with　the　color　which　would　never　return　to　it　again。

*　*　*　*　*

〃Bet；　ain't　that　Curly　Gillmore　that　we　knew　three　years　ago　at　Coloma；　when　Allie　died？〃

〃Must　be　a…gittin'　blind！　Where？〃

〃The　feller　all　dressed　up　an'　walkin'　with　the　lady。　Sure　it　is！　Hi；　Curly；　hel…lo！　It's　Babe。　Well；　ain't　I　glad　…　〃

The　woman　with　Curly　fixed　Babe　with　a　stony　glare。　〃If　you　wish　to　converse　with　this　。。。　woman；　kindly　do　so　when　your　wife　is　not　accompanying　you；〃　she　said　to　him　in　an　angry　undertone；　and　went　majestically　on。

〃I'll　come　back；　Babe。　We've　been　married　just　a　month　and　she　doesn't　understand。　I'll　be　back　later；〃　and　he　hurried　off。

〃Bet；　did　you　see　who　that　was　with　Curly？　His　wife；　he　said。〃

〃Aw…w；　Babe；　don't　you　fret！　I　guess　we　fill　our　little　place　out　here　in　Californy　near　as　much　as　some　o'　the　fine　ladies　do。〃

〃I　didn't　care。　No；　I　was　thinkin'　that　the　ways　o'　the　Lord　are　curi…us。　That　lady　used　to　be　married　to　George　Spellman。〃

〃An'　Curly　shot　him；　down　at　Sonora；　last　year！〃

〃Ye…aw。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　…　。〃



The　Race　of　the　Shoestring　Gamblers

VIII

〃Judge　not　too　idly　that　our　toils　are　mean；　Though　no　new　levies　marshall　on　our　green；　Nor　deem　too　rashly　that　our　gains　are　small；　Weighed　with　the　prizes　for　which　heroes　fall。〃

…　Bret　Harte。



If　dancing　was　the　first　form　of　amusement　to　emanate　from　prehistoric　savagery；　then　racing　must　surely　have　come　next。　It　may　possibly　have　come　first。　However；　we　shall　leave　the　〃theorizin〃'　to　be　settled　by　the　lips　of　the　first　mummy　whose　centuries…old　tissues　shall　be　roused　to　full　life　by　modern　science。　What　has　science　not　achieved？　We　have　gone　beyond　wonder。　We　can　only　believe；　and　become　blase！

Meantime　there　is　still　enough　red　blood　in　the　modern　effete　productions　of　humans　to　enjoy　a　contest　of　stress　and　strain；　and　brain　and　brawn；　and　to　gamble　upon　the　outcome。

In　the　'49　days；　racing　was　one　of　the　most　popular　forms　of　chance；　and　it　often　reve