down the mother lode-第13节

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so　d　…　　much　pick　handlin；　an'　a…practicin'　up。　It's　a　reflection　on　the　community。　Why；　there　ain't　been　a　Chinaman　drilled　with　a　bullet　decent　an'　clean　for　weeks！〃

〃They're　leading　out　the　horses！　Where　did　that　little　nigger　jockey　come　from？　The　mare's　got　more　ginger　today。〃

〃Eric；　surely　your　horse　can　win！〃

〃I　don't　know；　dear。〃

〃He　must！　He　must；　or　…　〃

〃Slick…heels　Saul's　face　is　turnin'　the　color　of　me　native　isle；〃　chuckled　Irish　Mike。　〃Patty；　me　little　ladybird；　'tis　no　time　to　be　faintin'！〃

〃Oh；　you　can't　know　…　〃

〃Faith；　an'　I　know　more　than　you　t'ink。　Bear　up；　Asthore；　the　darkest　hour　is　just　forninst　the　dawn。　Whisht；　now！　They're　off！〃

〃Here　they　come！　The　black　is　ahead！　See；　the　nigger　is　lying　flat　on　the　mare's　neck。　She's　closing　up！　Oh；　they　are　neck　and　neck！　I　cannot　look。　Eric　…　The　black　is　getting　the　whip。　Good　horse！　They　are　even　again！　Ah；　it　is　only　for　a　moment。　The　mare　。。。　is　over　the　line；　first　。。。　It　is　all　ended；　life；　love；　honor；　happiness　。。。　I　cannot　belong　to　that　man！　My　poor　old　father。　Dear　old　。。。　for　his　sake；　I　must。　I　…　〃

〃Patty；　girl。〃

〃Eric；　you　are　not　to　blame。　You　would　wager　on　your　own　horse。　'Tis　but　natural。　I　must　accept　my　fate　with　what　fortitude　I　can　summon。　Please　take　me　home。　All　the　people　staring。　I　cannot　bear　it　long。〃

But　when　Slick…heels　Saul　pressed　forward　to　her　side　at　the　boarding…house　steps；　she　was　as　stately　and　cold　as　the　snow…hooded　rocks　of　Granite　Mountain。

〃I　have　lost　everything；　but　still　I　hold　you　to　your　promise。〃

〃I　made　no　promise；　sir；〃　she　said　haughtily。

〃'But　you　will；〃　he　answered　meaningly；　〃tomorrow。〃

〃Stand　aside！〃　thundered　Eric。

〃Come　awn；〃　soothed　Irish　Mike。　〃Not　with　the　lady　here；　Eric；　b'y。〃

〃Patty；　I　cannot　let　you　go！　I　will　shoot　the　beast　on　sight。〃

〃That　would　not　vindicate　my　father's　honor。　Hush；　he　is　coming。　I　must　remember　that　I　am　a　Laughton。〃

Eric　turned　to　stare　moodily　out　the　dusty　window。　〃There　goes　the　cattle　man　with　his　followers　and　his　strong…box。　What　he　must　have　won！　Here　comes　Mike。　In　a　hurry；　too！　I　wonder　…　〃

Slick…heels　Saul　was　bowing　before　the　girl。

〃Forgive　an　auld　Irishman　for　intrudin'　upon　so　tender　a　scene　…　〃　（Slick…heels　glared　at　him　malevolently）；　〃but　I　have　he…e…re　a　something　for　Mistress　Patty　Laughton；〃　pretending　to　read　the　inscription　on　the　package　he　held　out；　〃from　the　auld　boy；　there；　who　is　just　leavin'　us。〃

〃'Bread　cast　upon　the　waters　of　sweet　charity　shall　be　returned　an　hundred　fold。　Blessed　are　the　pure　in　heart　for　they　are　of　the　children　of　God；'　he　has　written。　Why；　it　is　money！〃　gasped　Patty；　〃and　such　a　large　amount！〃

〃He　had　me　put　up　ye'r　little　bag　o'　gold　on　his　mare。　These　are　y'er　winnings。〃　Mike　smiled　inwardly　at　the　sum　of　money。　〃Sure；　auld　Andy　must　have　put　a　rock　or　two　in　the　wee　buckskin　bag；〃　he　thought；　but　aloud　he　said　；　〃I　never　spile　sport；　an'　I　could　not　tell　ye　before；　but　'tis　auld　Andy　Magee　an'　his　famous　racin'　mare；　the　fastest　quarter　mile　horse　bechune　the　state　of　Missouri　and　the　Pacific　ocean。

〃'Tis　the　same　game　he's　pulled　on　the　gamblin'　crooks　all　the　way　from　the　Oregon　line　to　Mariposa　in　the　south。　Even　gettin'　filled　wit'　tanglefoot　is　part　of　the　dodge。　They　cannot　touch　him　an'　the　vaqueros　protect　him　fr'm　the　shootin'。〃

〃But　what　about　the　tryout？〃

〃Also　in　the　schame。　The　mare　was　cross…shod；　meanin'；　two　of　her　shoes；　the　near　front；　an'　the　off　hind　wans；　were　twice　as　heavy　as　the　others　She　could　not　run　top　speed　in　th'm　f'r　love　nor　gold。　Yesterday　she　was　shod　in　light　racin'　pads；　an'　under　her　own　jockey。　No　horse　on　the　coast　could　catch　her。　An'　always；　the　smart　racin'　gamblers　play　th'　auld　man　for　a　fool。　Such　is　often　the　end　of　greed。

〃Pay　up　the　dad's　gamblin'　debts；　an'　bid　this　Knight　o　'the　Green　Cloth　a　swate　an'　long　fare…ye…well。　Then　go　an'　be　happy；　me　child。〃



The　Dragon　and　the　Tomahawk

IX

〃Which　I　wish　to　remark；　And　my　language　is　plain；　That　for　ways　that　are　dark　And　for　tricks　that　are　vain；　The　heathen　Chinee　is　peculiar；　Which　the　same　I　would　rise　to　explain。〃

…　Bret　Harte。



Certain　learned　archaeologists　maintain　that　there　are　marked　racial　similarities　between　the　American　Indians　and　the　Chinese　…　physical　characteristics　dating　from　unknown　centuries；　when　the　widely　sundered　continents　were　probably　one。

However　that　may　be；　in　the　days　of　gold　in　California　the　greatest　animosity　existed　between　the　Indians　and　the　Chinamen。　The　feeling　began；　presumably；　through　intermarriage　and　flourished　like　the　celebrated　milkweed　vine　of　the　foothills；　which　has　been　known　to　grow　…　I　quote　a　'49er；　now　dead；　which　is　perhaps　taking　an　advantage　…　12　inches　in　a　day。

The　tale　is　told　of　a　Chinaman　crossing　a　suspension　footbridge；　high　over　a　winter　torrent；　from　one　part　of　a　mining　camp　to　another。　An　Indian　ran　to　meet　him。　John　Chinaman　started　back　as　quickly　as　he　could　on　the　swaying　bridge。　The　faster　Indian　caught　him；　and；　though　miners　on　both　shores　sought　to　save　the　unfortunate　〃Chink〃　by　a　rain　of　bullets；　it　was　too　long　range；　and　the　Indian　threw　him　to　certain　death　in　the　river。

But　the　Indians　did　not　always　win；　and　this；　then；　is　the　tale　of　an　encounter　between　Hop　Sing　and　Digger　Dan。

〃In　a　game　which　held　accountin'；　On　an　old　Sierra　mountain　…　〃

*　*　*　*　*

〃Whassa　malla；　to…o　much　nail…o　ketchem　clo'e　（clothes）？〃　snorted　Hop　Sing；　coming　around　to　the　side　verandah　with　two　pins　in　his　hand；　to　where　Miss　Jo　Halstead　was　embroidering　an　antimacassar　in　bright　worsteds。

〃Oh；　Sing；　did　you　hurt　your　hand？〃　she　cried。

〃'Nother　boy　heap　mad。〃

〃Another　boy？　Aren't　you　doing　the　washing？〃

〃No　do。　Me　…　〃　but　Jo　had　gone　to　the　back　yard。　She　found　the　tallest　Chinaman　she　had　ever　seen；　meekly　bending　to　the　washing；　and　quickly　obeying　the　sharp　orders　rained　upon　his　queue…circled　poll　by　Hop　Sing。

〃But　…　Sing；〃　protested　Jo；　stifling　any　sort　of　smile。

〃Him　no　good！　No　got　place！　Me　pay　one…dollar…hop　him　stop　one　month；　Chinee　house。　He　no　pay。　Me　makem　work。〃

〃Yes；　but　…　what　is　that？　Those　are　shots　on　the　stage　road　over　the　hill！　Oh；　it　must　be　another　holdup！　And　Rand　is　shotgun　messenger　on　the　stage　today。　Hark！　Hear　the　horses　running！　They're　coming　…　fast。　They're　trying　to　make　the　town！〃

〃Ketchem；　more　horse　run　behind；〃　answered　Sing；　listening　intently；　his　slanting　eyes　glittering。

〃Sing；　you　go　and　see　what　…　〃

〃Can　do！　You　get　that　boy；　make　'em　wash；　alle　same。　He　no　good！　You　look　see？〃　Joe　turned　to　spy　the　frightened　deputy　washerman　wriggling　under　the　verandah。　〃Bime…by　I　kill　'um；〃　remarked　Sing；　composedly。　〃No　got　time　now。　Missie　Jo；　wagon　come；　maybeso　better　you　stop　house…o。〃

Six　horses　topped　the　long　hill；　pulling　the　huge　rockaway　stage。　They　were　coming　at　full　speed；　and　the　near　wheeler　was　dripping　with　blood。　A　dead　man　hung　over　the　high　dashboard；　where　his　feet　had　caught　when　he　fell。

Leaning　far　out　over　the　team　was　a　young　man　holding　the　reins　in　one　hand；　while　he　lashed　the　shot…crazed　horses　to　their　last　ounce　of　speed　with　the　fifteen…foot　whip。　His　sawed…off　shotgun　lay　on　the　seat　beside　him。　It　was　Rand！

〃Oh；　thank　God！〃　moaned　Joe；　but　in　another　moment；　〃Poor　old　Salt　Peter！　They　must　have　killed　him　when　he　wouldn't　stop。　Sing　…　〃　but　Hop　Sing　had　vanished；　leaving　only　his　white　apron　across　the　wash　bench。

As　the　stage　thundered　around　the　turn　at　the　end　of　the　main　street；　the　wounded　horse　threw　up　his　head；　coughed　bloody　spume　over　the　pointers　（the　second　pair）；　and　fell。　Men　were　already　scrambling　onto　their　horses；　and　loping　in　from　all　directions。　Rand　cut　out　a　buckskin　leader；　mounted；　and　dashed　frantically　back　up　the　road　followed　by　a　dozen　horsemen。

〃Rand；　who　was　it？〃

〃I　don't　know；　exactly。　Thought　I　saw　Digger　Dan　…　〃　They　were　over　the　hill；　and　Jo　heard　no　more。

Hop　Sing　did　not　turn　up　for　supper；　but　his　tall　substitute　did　fairly　well；　and　Jo　did　not　worry。　Some　time　after　dark；　a　weary　Rand　appeared。

〃Well；　Miss　Jo；　we　got　Digger　Dan。　At　least　we　thought　it　was；　but　he　won't　say　a　word　except　that　he　wants　to　see　you。　I've　come　to　escort　you　over　to　the　jail。　Will　you　trust　yourself　to　me　that　far？〃

〃That　far；　yes；〃　archly；　〃'tis　but　a　short　space。〃　Not　for　worlds　would　she　have　him　guess　her　anxiety　of　the　afternoon。

〃I　wish　that　'twere　for　always。〃

〃What　can　Digger　Dan　want　of　me；〃　she　evaded；　thankful　for　the　darkness　which　hid　her　blushes。　〃Rand；　hear　the　wolves　howling！〃

〃They　are　only　coyotes；　dear　…　Miss　Joe；　and　afraid　to　venture　into　town　except　to　the　chicken　roosts。〃

〃Why；　it's　Hop　Sing！〃　exclaimed　Jo；　upon　first　sight　of　the　prisoner。　〃They've　cut　off　half　his　queue　and　braided　his　hair　in　two　pig　tails；　and　put　different　clothes　on　him；　and　he　does　look　like　an　Indian。　How　very　extraordinary！〃

〃Kethem　Digger　Dan　cloe；〃　blazed　Sing。

〃That's　a　likely　tale；〃　said　the　sheriff；　〃betcha　he　knows　more　about　stage　robbin'　than　he'll　let　out。〃

〃I　am　sure　he　does　not　about　this　one。　He　was　with　me　every　moment。〃　Nevertheless；　she　could　not　help　remembering　the　substitute　Chinama