down the mother lode-第14节

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〃I　am　sure　he　does　not　about　this　one。　He　was　with　me　every　moment。〃　Nevertheless；　she　could　not　help　remembering　the　substitute　Chinaman　whom　Sing　had　put　in　to　do　his　washing。　But；　though　the　complex　Oriental　nature　will　never　be　quite　understood　by　the　Occidental；　she　had　confidence　in　the　loyalty　of　the　Chinaman；　who　had　served　them　for　five　years；　and　whose　life　had　once　been　saved　by　her　father。

〃Ah　Sing；　will　you　tell　me　what　happened；〃　she　asked；　knowing　well　that　a　command　would　only　elicit　a　stolid　〃No　savvey。〃　Put　as　a　favor；　or　a　confidence；　he　might　respond。

〃Him　Digger　Dan；　no　good！　He　stealem　me　clo'e。　Ketchem。　Missa　Land　（Rand）　an'　plenty　man　come；　he　lun　（run）。　I　ketchem　him！　Tlee　（three）　lobber　（robber）　come。　To…o　muchee　men。　I　no　can　fight！　He　…　〃

〃They　tied　him　on　a　horse　and　drove　it　down　the　canyon　for　us　to　follow；　while　they　got　away。〃

〃I　tell　you；　he　knows　more　about　it　than　he's　telling！〃

〃I　don't　think　so；　sheriff；〃　said　Rand；　positively。　The　man　turned　to　him；　suspiciously。

〃Me　go　home；　all　same　Missie　Joe？〃　Hop　Sing　raised　an　expressionless　face　and　glared　at　the　broad　belt　of　the　sheriff。

〃Well；　you　can　go；　but　I'm　going　to　keep　an　eye　on　you　and　see　that　your　apron's　hanging　in　the　Halstead's　kitchen　every　day　of　your　heathen　life。〃

Later　that　night　when　Rand　started　home；　strange　incantations　were　going　on　in　Sing's　lean…to。　In　four　china　bowls　punk　was　burning；　and　an　old　Chinaman　was　muttering　weird　invocations　over　the　clothes　of　Digger　Dan　slowly　smouldering　in　a　coal…oil　can　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　Hop　Sing　held　one　hand　in　the　smoke；　raised　the　other　aloft　and　made　a　blood…curdling　oath　of　some　sort　which；　by　the　expression　of　his　face；　probably　consigned　the　owner　forever　more　to　the　nethermost　depths　'of　Tophet。

〃Why；　where　is　Ali　Sing？〃　asked　Jo　the　next　morning；　when　she　found　the　tall　slave　still　in　the　kitchen。

〃He　got　heap　sick　cousin。　He　go　way。　I　stay。　He　come　back　bime…by。〃　Jo　knew　that　it　was　useless　to　question　further。

The　summer　drifted　by　and　still　Sing　did　not　return。　Rand　walked　in　one　day　with　the　first　flurry　of　snow；　from　his　claim　in　the　south。　He　caught　both　of　Jo's　hands　in　his　without　a　word；　kissed　them　tenderly　and　let　them　go。

〃Rand；〃　she　faltered；　〃it　is　so　long　since　I've　heard　from　you。　You　have　been　acting　so　strangely…for　months！〃

〃Jo；　have　you　not　heard　the　talk　that　has　been　whispered　with　my　name　ever　since　Sing　disappeared？　They　say　that　I　know　too　much　about　the　holdups；　that　I　helped　the　Chinaman　to　escape；　that　Digger　Dan　and　Hop　Sing　are　one；　that　…　〃

〃I　would　not　listen　to　such　falsehoods；〃　cried　the　girl；　her　grey　eyes　flashing。

〃You　blessed　little　woman！　But　considering　this；　how　can　I　say　to　you　what　…　tell　you　that　which　glorifies　the　very　life　in　my　frame。　How　can　I　offer　you　a　name　tarnished　by　the　suspicions　of　my　fellow　men？〃

〃Rand；　I　acknowledge　no　such　allegations。　Oh；　I　may　be　lost　to　all　sense　of　womanly　reserve；　but　…　〃

〃When　my　name　is　cleared；　I　shall　hope　to　enter　Paradise。　Till　then　I　must　not。　I　cannot　bring　disgrace　upon　you。　I　shall　return　to　my　old　post　of　shotgun　messenger　…　〃

　　〃Rand！　No！　Listen　to　me　one　moment。　Last　evening　Digger　Dan　came　to　this　very　place。　He　told　me　that　if　you　went　back　to　the　stage　you　would　certainly　be　killed。　They　have　been　robbing　all　summer。　It　is　said　that　Joaquin　is　in　the　mountains。〃

〃No；　they　are　Tom　Bell's　men。〃

Jo　glanced　up；　startled。　〃Whoever　it　is；　has　sent　you　a　warning。〃

〃Miz　Halstead；〃　called　a　strident　voice；　〃th'　stage's　jest　in；　an'　you're　paw's　took　awful　sick　up　on　the　Middle　Fork；　at　his　mine。〃

〃I　shall　have　to　go　on　the　morning　stage。　Will　you　not　please　…　〃　to　Rand。

〃Jo；　I　do　not　fear　death。　It　is　dishonor　that　maddens　me；　for　your　sake。　The　snows　have　come。　They　are　already　fitting　runners　to　the　stages。　The　mails　and　the　'dust'　must　get　through　in　spite　of　all。　I　go　out　on　the　first　sleigh；　this　one　you　must　take。　This　winter　I　shall　vindicate　my　name；　if　it　is　humanly　possible　to　do　so。〃　He　kissed　the　end　of　one　long　curl　of　her　hair；　and　was　gone。

Some　weeks　later；　during　a　lull　between　storms；　Rand's　face　lit　up　with　the　feeling　which　but　one　woman　in　the　world　could　inspire；　as　the　stage　pulled　in　to　Middle　Fork。

〃Father　is　not　quite　recovered；　but　I　thought　it　best　to　get　him　out　before　we　were　snowed　in。　Rand；　Digger　Dan　came；〃　she　added；　in　a　whisper；　'the　stage　will　be　stopped　today。　Yet；　it　is　gathering　for　a　storm。　I　dare　not　stay。　What　shall　I　do？〃

〃Come　along。　I　will　protect　you。〃

Two　miles　further；　as　they　topped　a　hill；　Texas；　the　driver；　pulled　the　laboring　six　far　to　the　side。

〃Why？〃　asked　Rand。

〃Cut；　there；〃　answered　Texas；　〃an'　it's　piled　high　with　a　drift。〃

〃Look　out　for　stumps。〃

〃I've　got　'em　spotted；〃　muttered　Tex。

〃What's　that？〃　swinging　his　gun　quickly　to　the　right。　The　horses　plunged；　snorting；　quickly　to　the　left；　the　sleigh　hit　a　snow…covered　stump；　and　it　was　only　Tex's　expert　driving　that　saved　it　from　overturning。

〃Some　animal。　I　saw　his　hide。〃　A　hide　Rand　had　seen；　but　it　was　the　coyote…skin　coat　of　an　Indian　who　had　made　one　sign　and　instantly　vanished。　Very　quickly　the　dreaded　halt　came。

〃Look　out；　Tex！　There's　a　rifle　barrel　from　behind　that　tree　trunk。〃

〃Halt！〃

〃Halt　it　is。　There's　nothing　we　can　do。〃　Was　it　Jo's　presence　in　the　stage　below　that　made　him　give　in　without　a　struggle；　or　did　he　know　that　the　Wells…Fargo　box　had　vanished　from　under　the　driver's　seat？　Or　was　it　knowledge　of　the　horde　of　yelling　Indians　which　rose　from　the　snowy　brush；　and　swooped　down　upon　the　shooting　robbers？　Four　of　them　were　brought；　in　triumph；　to　the　town　on　the　stage。

〃Where　is　the　express　box？〃　asked　the　sheriff。

〃I　do　not　know；〃　answered　Rand；　defiantly。

〃Cached　away　up　on　the　mountain；　I　suppose；　where　the　others　are。〃

〃Sir！〃　thundered　Rand；　〃I　have　brought　in；　the　bandits；　as　I　promised；　to　clear　my　own　namen　…　all　but　Digger　Dan；　who　escaped。　When　I　say　that　I　do　not　know　what　happened　to　the　box；　you　will　please　understand　that　…　〃

〃Here　comes　Digger　Dan　now；　carrying　something。〃

〃No　Indian　ever　carried　anything　in　baskets　slung　on　a　pole！〃

〃Hel…lo；　Missie　Jo；　how　you　do？〃　blandly　remarked　Digger　Dan's　double。

〃Hop　Sing！〃

〃Ketchem　Missa　Land's　money；　nis　bas…a…kit。〃

〃What's　in　the　other　one。

〃Nat　one；　lock　（rock）。　Makern　heap　easy　carry…em。〃

〃Where　did　you　get　the　box？〃

〃You　savvey　place　him　horse　get　scare；　him　wagon；　he　fa'　over　top…side　down。　Him　money；　he　fa'　out。　Him　stop　place　snow　melt　away　by　heap　big　tlee　tlunk。　Me　see。　Missa　Land；　I　know　he　like。　I　ketchem。〃

When　Rand　took　Jo　home　they　were　met　by　a　smiling　Sing　in　a　snowy　white　apron。

〃Where's　the　other　boy？〃　asked　Jo。

〃Him　boy？　I　tellum　get　out　quick；　or　I　killum；　sure！〃

〃Ah　Sing；　how　can　I　ever　thank　you　for　all　the　six　months　you've　spent　in　the　brush？〃

〃He　all…li；　Massa　Land。　You　ketchem　me　come　out　nat　jail。　I　heap　savvey　you　come　see　Missie　Jo。　Missie　papa；　lo…ong　time　now；　he　ketchee　me　no　die。　Missie　Jo；　alla　same　my　girl…o。〃

〃Those　Indians　…　〃

〃Were　Sing's　friends；　dear；　dressed　up。〃

〃Chinamen？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Sing；　where　did　Digger　Dan　go　to？〃

〃He　go　hell；〃　remarked　Sing；　pleasantly。　〃He　lun　away　to　Oustamah　（Indian　village）。　Me　ketchum。　Alla　squaw　ketchern　plenty　tar　on　head；　makern　big　cly　（cry；　Indian　word　for　wake）。　Me　killum　him。　Goo…bye；　me　go　cookem　velly　fine　dinner。　Missie　Jo；　Massa　Land；　you　get　marry　now。　Me　hope　you　ketchem　plenty　boy！〃　From　his　point　of　view　what　greater　blessing　could　he　wish　them？　Later；　he　peeked　in　curiously　from　the　kitchen；　but；　as　kisses　are　not　included　in　the　Chinese　curriculum；　he　failed　to　be　interested　and　returned　to　his　baking。



The　Barstow　Lynching

X

〃This　is　my　story；　sir；　a　trifle；　indeed；　I　assure　you。　Much　more；　perchance；　might　be　said　…　　　　　　but　I　hold　him　of　all　men　most　lightly　Who　swerves　from　the　truth　in　his　tale。　No；　thank　you　Well；　since　you　are　pressing；　Perhaps　I　don't　care　if　I　do：　you　may　give　me　the　same；　Jim　…　no　sugar。〃

…　Bret　Harte。



Contests　of　every　sort　were　the　order　of　the　day　in　'49。　Any　ferocious　encounter　which　would　promulgate　betting　was　countenanced；　and　even　encouraged。　There　were　dog　fights；　bull　fights；　bobcat　or　mountain　lynx　fights；　and　fights　between　game　chickens。

The　tale　is　even　told　of　cootie　fights　during　long；　rainy　winter　evenings　which　must　be　spent　indoors。　The　harborers　of　the　contestants　simply　reached　under　their　shirts；　drew　forth　a　doughty　grey…backed　warrior；　placed　him　on　a　child's　slate　which　was　used　as　an　arena；　and　the　fight　was　on。

A　camp　named　Lousy　Level　is　said　to　have　made　a　specialty　of　this　sort　of　battle。　Thousands　of　dollars　were　sometimes　bet　upon　the　outcome。　Arguments　arising　from　various　combats　often　developed　into　robbing；　murdering　and　lynching。　This；　then；　is　the　tale　of　a　certain　lynching。

*　*　*　*　*

〃Step　up；　gents。　Only　a　dollar　to　see　the　big　fight。　One　little　dollar　to　view　the　greatest　contest　of　the　age。　See　the　champion　fighting　jackass　of　the　state　vanquish　the　biggest　grizzly　in　the　Sierra　mountains。

〃The　unconquerable　battling　jackass　who　has　whipped　two