down the mother lode-第9节

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Murderer's　Bar；　and　no　Indian　will　ever　get　aught　from　me。〃

〃Me　pay；〃　said　the　Indian　leader　slowly；　〃Me　pay　cayuse；　me　pay　boy。〃

〃No；　you　won't　pay！　You'll　go　back　and　wade　the　river　like　the　low　beasts　that　you　are。〃

The　chief　began　a　fierce　oration。　Longley　ran　into　the　tollhouse　and　came　out　with　a　sawed…off　shotgun。

〃Now；　will　you　go？〃　he　cried；　defiantly。

The　Indians　were　sober；　and　they　went。　As　they　came　abreast　of　the　pier　under　the　bridge　the　toll…keeper　jeered　and　laughed　at　them；　and　pelted　them　with　rocks。

They　looked　up　with　hate；　but　went　stolidly　on　their　way。

With　darkness；　the　roistering　at　the　barbecue　became　louder。　The　Indians'　money　was　gone　by　this　time；　and　the　fun　was　getting　rougher。　The　toll…keeper；　after　a　weary　day；　was　dozing　beside　his　candle。　He　did　not　see　nor　hear　the　stealthy　forms　which　crept　up　the　bridge。　A　board　creaked；　and　he　jumped　up　and　swung　about；　to　find　himself　quickly　overpowered　by　a　dozen　lithe　redskins。

They　robbed　the　till；　then　held　a　palaver　as　to　the　disposition　of　their　prisoner。　They　finally　left　him　tied　with　his　own　new　rope　to　a　huge　drift　log　at　the　base　of　the　pier；　and　went　back　to　buy　more　firewater。

It　was　a　wild　night！

John　noticed；　very　late；　that　the　Indians　seemed　to　be　having　a　special　pow…wow　of　their　own　on　the　river　bank　near　the　bridge。　There　was　a　great　fire；　and　mad　dancing　and　war　whooping。　He　started　toward　them。

〃Don't　go　there；　pardner；〃　called　an　old　trapper。　〃Them　bucks　is　crazy　with　drink；　an'　if　I　knows　anything　about　Injuns；　it　won't　be　no　safe　place　for　a　white　man。〃

So　passed　Longley's　last　chance　for　his　life！　His　cries　for　aid　were　mingled　with　the　savage　whoops　of　his　ferocious　enemies。　Even　the　people　living　across　the　river　who　heard　his　continued　shouts；　took　them　to　be　part　of　the　celebration。

Maddened　by　drink　and　by　the　ever　mounting　excitement　of　their　incantations；　one　of　the　most　ghastly　deeds　ever　perpetrated　by　Indians　upon　the　whole　river　was　finished　before　daylight。

The　condition　of　Longley's　body　upon　its　discovery　roused　the　entire　settlement；　but　the　Indians　had　vanished　over　the　hills　and　across　Bear　river。　The　chief　had　gone　home　at　sundown；　and　it　was　as　impossible　to　find　those　who　were　on　the　bar　that　night；　as　to　distinguish　one　grain　of　sand　from　another。

The　old　pier　stands　to　this　day；　notwithstanding　the　fierce　battering　of　the　floods　of　nearly　seventy　years；　a　monument　enduring　long　after　the　Digger　Indians　are　gone　off　the　face　of　the　earth；　as　though　to　commemmorate　the　power　of　the　white　race　and　that　member　of　it　who　gave　up　his　life　at　its　base。



Grizzley　Bob　of　Snake　Gulch

VI

〃Be　the　battle　lost　or　won；　Though　its　smoke　shall　hide　the　sun；　I　shall　find　my　love　…　the　one　Born　for　me！〃

…　Bret　Harte。



Names　of　settlements　in　the　'49　days　were　often　as　〃Rough　an　Ready〃　as　the　reasons　for　their　being！

Most　of　them　spoke；　more　or　less　eloquently；　for　themselves　and　no　man　picked　by　fame　in　glowing　wise　from　the　heterogeneous　mass　of　persons　could　hope　to　escape　a　nickname。

A　miner　was　discovered　roaming　down　a　river　bed　minus　his　nether　garments；　and　lives　to　this　day　in　the　appellation　of　Shirt　Tail　canyon。　Two　men　fought。　One　of　them　lost　an　eye　in　the　manner　indicated　by　Gouge　Eye。　Hundreds　of　wild　geese　were　wont　to　gather　on　a　sunny　mesa　above　the　river。　It　made　a　splendid　level　town　called　Wild　Goose　Flat。　The　plains　were　covered　with　〃Antelope。〃　The　end　gate　of　a　prairie　schooner　was　lost　on　a　hill；　and　Tail　Gate　mountain　came　into　being。

Humbug　Creek　panned　light　with　gold。　Red　Dog；　Hangtown；　Round　Tent　Claims；　Dry　Diggings；　Let　'Er　Rip；　You　Bet；　Yuba　Dam；　One　Horse　Town；　and　Hell's　Delight　shriek　for　themselves；　or　should！

This；　then；　is　the　tale　of　Grizzley　Bob；　who　mined　in　Snake　Gulch　at　the　foot　of　Bear　Mountain。

〃The　bear　made　straight　for　me！　Old　Bull…doze　was　hangin'　onto　him　below；　somewhere；　but　I　dropped　my　Killer　（gun）　and　grabbed　my　knife；　'cause　I　knew　if　I　didn't　get　in　on　him　with　Slasher　it　was　all　up　with　both　of　us。　Bear　and　I　took　a　tight　grip　on　each　other　and　I　hit　straight　for　his　heart　just　as　he　gave　me　a　swipe　in　the　face。

〃We　both　fell；　the　bear　on　top；　and　then　I　didn't　remember　anything　for　awhile。　When　I　woke　I　felt　something　heavy　on　my　stomach；　but　I　couldn't　see　anything　for　blood。〃

〃Hu…ray！〃　cheered　old　Solly　Jake；　thinking　the　tale　was　finished。

Sick　Jimmy；　from　behind　the　bar；　prodded　him　good…humoredly。

〃Dry　up；　Soll。〃

〃I　am　dry；〃　whimpered　old　Soll；　〃I'm　dryer'n　before　I　got　drunk！〃

〃Here；　then；〃　pushing　a　bottle　across　the　redwood　slab　used　for　a　bar；　〃the　drinks　are　on　Grizzley　Bob　and　Handsome　Harry；　tonight。〃

〃Was　it　such　a　big　strike　they　made？〃

〃It　sure　was。　Go　on；　Bob；〃　he　called　to　the　tall；　magnificently　built　young　spokesman；　〃then　what？〃

〃After　awhile　I　managed　to　crawl　from　under　that　old　grizzley　and　when　I'd　wiped　the　one　good　eye　that　was　left；　I　saw　him　lying　there　as　stiff　and　dead　as　a　mackerel；　with　Slasher　sticking　in　his　heart　clean　up　to　the　handle。　It　was　pretty　near　dark　then；　but　the　sun　was　just　showing　hisself　over　the　top　of　Bear　mountain　when　I　got　to　Rattlesnake　Bill's　cabin；　and　you'll　scarcely　believe　me　but　I　didn't　have　enough　grit　left　to　signal　Bill　I　was　there。　I　just　settled　down　all　of　a　heap…like　and　that's　the　way　they　found　me。　Bill；　he　got　a　doctor　from　Angel's　and　after　awhile　I　pulled　out　all　right；　but　I　ain't　been　much　of　a　beauty　since。　Well；　what　th　…　；〃　as　the　door　banged　open　to　reveal　an　exceedingly　handsome　blond　youngster　dragging　in　a　cringing　newcomer。

〃Hi；〃　he　called；　while　two　frolicsome　imps　danced　in　his　splendid　blue　eyes。　〃Any　of　you　chaps　got　a　rope　handy？　Time　this　fellow　was　strung　up　over　a　limb　to　be　a　picture　for　coyotes　to　bark　at！〃

〃Hall；　you　let　go；　there。　There'll　be　no　chaffing　a　tenderfoot　whilst　I'm　around　and　you　know　it。〃

〃Who　says　so？〃　laughed　Handsome　Harry。

〃My　foppish　friend；〃　spoke　up　The　Senator；　〃the　reputation　of　Grizzley　Bob　says　so。　A　reputation　that　is　the　terror　and　admiration　of　every　mining　camp　in　the　mountains。　A　dead　shot；　a　sure　thing　with　the　knife；　a　heart　to　succor　the　oppressed　and　often　to　protect　the　shiftless；〃　acridly。

〃I　thank　you；　Senator！　Your　species　of　implication　is　worthy　the　splendor　of　your　mighty　apparel。　The　old　swallow…tail　retains　its　pristine　glory；　I　perceive；　though　your　other　habiliments　have　one　by　one　yielded　to　the　ravages　of　time；　and　been　replaced　by　the　rough　and　ready　garments　of　the　frontier。　Perchance　…　〃

〃Hall；　have　I　got　to　make　you　let　go　of　this　pore　devil！〃　Bob's　powerful　figure　came　forward　into　the　full　light　of　the　huge　fireplace。　One…half　the　face　above　the　comely　form　was　hideously　repulsive。　It　had　been　literally　torn　away　and　what　remained　was　so　scarred　and　seamed　that　it　scarcely　bore　any　resemblance　to　a　human　countenance。

His　one　remaining　eye　was　large；　dark　and　glowing　with　kindness　as　he　bent　over　the　victim　of　his　partner's　latest　joke。

〃Ye…ah；〃　drawled　old　Doc　Smithers；　precipitating　a　large　mouthful　of　brown　liquid　into　the　fireplace。　〃Bob；　he'll　pet　'im；　an'　that　ol'　bulldog　o'　his'n　'ull　lick　im；　an'　next　thing　we　know　Bob'll　be　givin'　'im　a　claim；　just　like　he　took　in　Handsome　Harry　hisself　goin'　on　two　years　ago。　Look　at　the　dandy；　struttin'！　Bob　buys　'im　all　them　fancy　togs　an'　loves　to　see　'im　wearin'　'em。　White　hands；　an'　red　cheeks；　an'　straight　nose　like　a　gal。　Swan；　ef　he　wasn't　so　ornery　an'　long…limbed　I'd　a　mind　to　call　'im　one。　Ef　'twant　for　his　hidin'　behind　Bob　so；　I'd　…　〃

What　he'd　have　done　was　never　known；　for　the　whole　room…full　of　prankish；　loud…voiced；　roistering　men　was　suddenly　struck　dumb　by　the　unwonted　sound　of　a　lady's　voice　out　in　the　darkness。

Bull…doze　reached　her　first；　Bob　next；　and　Handsome　Harry　third。　She　was　only　a　slip　of　a　young　thing　and　the　fright　she　got　from　the　kindly　rush　of　the　old　bulldog　was　immeasurably　increased　by　Bob's　frightful　caricature　of　a　face。　She　turned；　shuddering；　to　the　handsome；　richly…decked　young　Englishman。

〃My　father　and　mother；　sir；　are　very　ill。　I　was　going　after　a　doctor；　but　I　am　tired　out。　I　can　go　no　further。　Oh；　could　one　of　you　go　on　to　Angel's；　whilst　I　rest　with　some　lady　of　your　town？〃

Harry　was　apparently　speechless　from　the　thrall　of　her　fresh　young　beauty；　because　it　was　Bob　who　answered。

〃You　certainly　can；　Miss！　Grizzley　Bob's　word　on　that。　Where'd　you　come　from？〃

〃From　Roundtree's；　sir；〃　timidly。　Bob　had　turned　to　call　orders　through　the　open　door　and　the　girl　gasped　as　the　strong；　manly　profile　of　the　unscarred　half　of　his　face　was　turned　toward　her。　Bull…doze　licked　her　white　fingers；　and　she　stooped　to　pat　his　ugly　head　so　that　the　long　curls　at　her　temple　might　hide　her　face　from　the　look　in　Hal's　bold　eyes。

〃Hey；　Antelope　Bill；　saddle　that　ewe…necked　cayuse　of　yours　and　vamoose；　pronto；　after　the　doctor。　Plug　Hat　Pete；　you've　got　the　best　cabin　in　town。　We'll　want　it　for　the　lady。〃

〃Help　yourself；　Grizzley；〃　answered　the　gambler。　〃It　is　a　privilege。〃

〃I　am　to　stay　with　Mrs。　…　Pete？〃　asked　Becky；　anxiously。

〃Child；　you're　a…going　to　be　as　safe　as　if　there　was　a　lady　in　this　law…evad