tales of trail and town- 第33部分

〃Please　don't　say　any　more；〃　he　said；　with　a　slight　movement　of

half　awkwardness；　half　impatience。　　〃It　was　a　rough　job；　but　it's

over　now。〃



He　stopped　and　chafed　his　red　hands　abstractedly　together。　　She

could　see　that　he　had　evidently　just　washed　themand　the　glaring

ring　was　more　in　evidence　than　ever。　　But　the　thought　gave　her　an

inspiration。



〃You'll　at　least　let　me　shake　hands　with　you！〃　she　said；　extending

both　her　own　with　childish　frankness。



〃Hold　on；　Miss　Forester；〃　he　said；　with　sudden　desperation。　　〃It

ain't　the　square　thing！　　Look　here！　　I　can't　play　this　thing　on

you！I　can't　let　you　play　it　on　me　any　longer！　　You　weren't　in　any

danger；you　NEVER　were！　　That　bear　was　only　a　half…wild　thing　I

helped　to　ra'r　myself！　　It's　taken　sugar　from　my　hand　night　after

night　at　the　door　of　this　cabin　as　it　might　have　taken　it　from

yours　here　if　it　was　alive　now。　　It　slept　night　after　night　in　the

brush；　not　fifty　yards　away。　　The　morning's　never　come　yettill

now；〃　he　said　hastily；　to　cover　an　odd　break　in　his　voice；　〃when　it

didn't　brush　along　the　whole　side　of　this　cabin　to　kinder　wake　me

up　and　say　'So　long；'　afore　it　browsed　away　into　the　canyon。　　Thar

ain't　a　man　along　the　whole　Divide　who　didn't　know　it；　thar　ain't　a

man　along　the　whole　Divide　that　would　have　drawn　a　bead　or　pulled　a

trigger　on　it　till　now。　　It　never　had　an　enemy　but　the　bees；　it

never　even　knew　why　horses　and　cattle　were　frightened　of　it。　　It

wasn't　much　of　a　pet；　you'd　say；　Miss　Forester；　it　wasn't　much　to

meet　a　lady's　eye；　but　we　of　the　woods　must　take　our　friends　where

we　find　'em　and　of　our　own　kind。　　It　ain't　no　fault　of　yours；　Miss；

that　you　didn't　know　it；　it　ain't　no　fault　of　yours　what　happened；

but　when　it　comes　to　your　THANKING　me　for　it；　whyit'sit's

rather　rough；　you　seeand　gets　me。〃　　He　stopped　short　as

desperately　and　as　abruptly　as　he　had　begun；　and　stared　blankly　at

the　fire。



A　wave　of　pity　and　shame　swept　over　the　young　girl　and　left　its

high　tide　on　her　cheek。　　But　even　then　it　was　closely　followed　by

the　feminine　instinct　of　defence　and　defiance。　　The　REAL　herothe

GENTLEMANshe　reasoned　bitterly；　would　have　spared　her　all　this

knowledge。



〃But　why；〃　she　said；　with　knitted　brows；　〃why；　if　you　knew　it　was

so　precious　and　so　harmlesswhy　did　you　fire　upon　it？〃



〃Because；〃　he　said　almost　fiercely；　turning　upon　her；　〃because　you

SCREAMED；　and　THEN　I　KNEW　IT　HAD　FRIGHTENED　YOU！〃　　He　stopped

instantly　as　she　momentarily　recoiled　from　him；　but　the　very

brusqueness　of　his　action　had　dislodged　a　tear　from　his　dark　eyes

that　fell　warm　on　the　back　of　her　hand；　and　seemed　to　blot　out　the

indignity。　　〃Listen；　Miss；〃　he　went　on　hurriedly；　as　if　to　cover　up

his　momentary　unmanliness。　　〃I　knew　the　bear　was　missing　to…night；

and　when　I　heard　the　horses　scurrying　about　I　reckoned　what　was　up。

I　knew　no　harm　could　come　to　you；　for　the　horses　were　unharnessed

and　away　from　the　wagon。　　I　pelted　down　that　trail　ahead　of　them

all　like　grim　death；　calkilatin'　to　get　there　before　the　bear；　they

wouldn't　have　understood　me；　I　was　too　high　up　to　call　to　the

creature　when　he　did　come　out；　and　I　kinder　hoped　you　wouldn't　see

him。　　Even　when　he　turned　towards　the　wagon；　I　knew　it　wasn't　YOU

he　was　after；　but　suthin'　else；　and　I　kinder　hoped；　Miss；　that　you；

being　different　and　quicker…minded　than　the　rest；　would　see　it　too。

All　the　while　them　folks　were　yellin'　behind　me　to　fireas　if　I

didn't　know　my　work。　　I　was　half…way　downand　then　you　screamed！

And　then　I　forgot　everything；everything　but　standing　clear　of

hitting　you；and　I　fired。　　I　was　that　savage　that　I　wanted　to

believe　that　he'd　gone　mad；　and　would　have　touched　you；　till　I　got

down　there　and　found　the　honey…pot　lying　alongside　of　him。　　But

there；it's　all　over　now！　　I　wouldn't　have　let　on　a　word　to　you

only　I　couldn't　bear　to　take　YOUR　THANKS　for　it；　and　I　couldn't

bear　to　have　you　thinking　me　a　brute　for　dodgin'　them。〃　　He

stopped；　walked　to　the　fire；　leaned　against　the　chimney　under　the

shallow　pretext　of　kicking　the　dull　embers　into　a　blaze；　which；

however；　had　only　the　effect　of　revealing　his　two　glistening　eyes

as　he　turned　back　again　and　came　towards　her。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；

with　an　ineffectual　laugh；　〃it's　all　over　now；　it's　all　in　the

day's　work；　I　reckon；and　now；　Miss；　if　you're　ready；　and　will

just　fix　yourself　your　own　way　so　as　to　ride　easy；　I'll　carry　you

down。〃　　And　slightly　bending　his　strong　figure；　he　dropped　on　one

knee　beside　her　with　extended　arms。



Now　it　is　one　thing　to　be　carried　up　a　hill　in　temperate；

unconscious　blood　and　practical　business　fashion　by　a　tall；

powerful　man　with　steadfast；　glowering　eyes；　but　quite　another

thing　to　be　carried　down　again　by　the　same　man；　who　has　been

crying；　and　when　you　are　conscious　that　you　are　going　to　cry　too；

and　your　tears　may　be　apt　to　mingle。　　So　Miss　Amy　Forester　said：

〃Oh；　wait；　please！　　Sit　down　a　moment。　　Oh；　Mr。　Tenbrook；　I　am　so

very；　very　sorry；〃　and；　clapping　her　hand　to　her　eyes；　burst　into

tears。



〃Oh；　please；　please　don't；　Miss　Forester；〃　said　Jack；　sitting　down

on　the　end　of　the　bunk　with　frightened　eyes；　〃please　don't　do　that！

It　ain't　worth　it。　　I'm　only　a　brute　to　have　said　anything。〃



〃No；　no！　　You　are　SO　noble；　SO　forgiving！〃　sobbed　Miss　Forester；

〃and　I　have　made　you　go　and　kill　the　only　thing　you　cared　for；　that

was　all　your　own。〃



〃No；　Miss；not　all　my　own；　either；and　that　makes　it　so　rough。

For　it　was　only　left　in　trust　with　me　by　a　friend。　　It　was　her　only

companion。〃



〃HER　only　companion？〃　echoed　Miss　Forester；　sharply　lifting　her

bowed　head。



〃Except；〃　said　Jack　hurriedly；　miscomprehending　the　emphasis　with

masculine　fatuity；〃except　the　dying　man　for　whom　she　lived　and

sacrificed　her　whole　life。　　She　gave　me　this　ring；　to　always　remind

me　of　my　trust。　　I　suppose；〃　he　added　ruefully；　looking　down　upon

it；　〃it's　no　use　now。　　I'd　better　take　it　off。〃



Then　Amy　eyed　the　monstrous　object　with　angelic　simplicity。　　〃I

certainly　should；〃　she　said　with　infinite　sweetness；　〃it　would　only

remind　you　of　your　loss。　　But；〃　she　added；　with　a　sudden；　swift；

imploring　look　of　her　blue　eyes；　〃if　you　could　part　with　it　to　me；

it　would　be　such　a　reminder　and　token　ofof　your　forgiveness。〃



Jack　instantly　handed　it　to　her。　　〃And　now；〃　he　said；　〃let　me　carry

you　down。〃



〃I　think；〃　she　said　hesitatingly；　〃thatI　had　better　try　to　walk；〃

and　she　rose　to　her　feet。



〃Then　I　shall　know　that　you　have　not　forgiven　me；〃　said　Jack　sadly。



〃But　I　have　no　right　to　trouble〃



Alas！　she　had　no　time　to　finish　her　polite　objection；　for　the　next

moment　she　felt　herself　lifted　in　the　air；　smelled　the　bark　thatch

within　an　inch　of　her　nose；　saw　the　firelight　vanish　behind　her；

and　subsiding　into　his　curved　arms　as　in　a　hammock；　the　two　passed

forth　into　the　night　together。



〃I　can't　find；　your　bracelet　anywhere；　Amy；〃　said　her　father；　when

they　reached　the　wagon。



〃It　was　on　the　floor　in　the　lint；〃　said　Amy　reproachfully。　　〃But；

of　course；　you　never　thought　of　that！〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



My　pen　halts　with　some　diffidence　between　two　conclusions　to　this

veracious　chronicle。　　As　they　agree　in　result；　though　not　in　theory

or　intention；　I　may　venture　to　give　them　both。　　To　one　coming　from

the　lips　of　the　charming　heroine　herself　I　naturally　yield　the

precedence。　　〃Oh；　the　bear　story！　　I　don't　really　remember　whether

that　was　before　I　was　engaged　to　John　or　after。　　But　I　had　known

him　for　some　time；　father　introduced　him　at　the　Governor's　ball　at

Sacramento。　　Let　me　see！I　think　it　was　in　the　winter　of　'56。

Yes！　it　was　very　amusing；　I　always　used　to　charge　John　with　having

trained　that　bear　to　attack　our　carriage　so　that　he　might　come　in

as　a　hero！　　Oh；　of　course；　there　are　a　hundred　absurd　stories　about

him；they　used　to　say　that　he　lived　all　alone　in　a　cabin　like　a

savage；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　and　was　a　friend　of　a　dubious

woman　in　the　locality；　whom　the　common　people　made　a　heroine　of；

Miggles；　or　Wiggles；　or　some　such　preposterous　name。　　But　look　at

John　there；　can　you　conceive　it？〃　　The　listener；　glancing　at　a　very

handsome；　clean…shaven　fellow；　faultlessly　attired；　could　not

conceive　such　an　absurdity。　　So　I　therefore　simply　give　the　opinion

of　Joshua　Bixley；　Superintendent　of　the　Long　Divide　Tunnel　Company；

for　what　it　is　worth：　〃I　never　took　much　stock　in　that　bear　story；

and　its　captivating　old　Forester's　daughter。　　Old　Forester　knew　a

thing　or　two；　and　when　he　was　out　here　consolidating　tunnels；　he

found　out　that　Jack　Tenbrook　was　about　headed　for　the　big　lead；　and

brought　him　out　and　introduced　him　to　Amy。　　You　see；　Jack；　clear

grit　as　he　was；　was　mighty　rough　style；　and　about　as　simple　as　they

make　'em；　and　they　had　to　get　up　something　to　account　for　that

girl's　taking　a　shine　to　him。　　But　they　seem　to　be　happy　enough

and　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃



And　I　transfer　this　philosophic　query　to　the　reader。







THE　YOUNGEST　PROSPECTOR　IN　CALAVERAS





He　was　scarcely　eight　when　it　was　believed　that　he　could　have

reasonably　laid　claim　to　the　above　title。　　But　he　never　did。　　He

was　a　small　boy；　intensely　freckled　to　the　roots　of　his　tawny　hair；

with　even　a　suspicion　of　it　in　his　almond…shaped　but　somewhat　full

eyes；　which　were　the　greenish　hue　of　a　ripe　gooseberry。　　All　this

was　very　unlike　his　parents；　from　whom　he　diverged　in　resemblance

in　that　fashion　so　often　seen　in　the　Southwest　of　America；　as　if

the　youth　of　the　boundless　West　had　struck　a　new　note　of

independence　and　originality；　overriding　all　conservative　and

established　rules　of　heredity。　　Something　of　this　was　also　shown　in

a　singular　and　remarkable　reticence　and　firmness　of　purpose；　quite

unlike　his　family　or　schoolfellows。　　His　mother　was　the　wife　of　a

teamster；　who　had　apparently　once　〃dumped〃　his　family；　con