the three partners- 第30部分

his　own　flesh！　　His　own　son；　by　God！　　They　could　not　take　THAT　from

him；　they　might　plot；　swindle；　fawn；　cheat；　lie；　and　steal　away　his

affections；　but　there　he　was；　plain　to　all　eyes；　his　own　son；　his

very　son！



〃Come　here；〃　he　said　in　a　singular；　half…weary　and　half…protesting

voice；　which　the　boy　instantly　recognized　as　his　father's　accents

of　affection。



The　boy　hesitated　as　he　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　road　and　pointed

with　mingled　mischief　and　fastidiousness　to　the　depths　of　impalpable

red　dust　that　lay　between　him　and　the　horseman。　　Steptoe　saw　that　he

was　very　smartly　attired　in　holiday　guise；　with　white　duck　trousers

and　patent　leather　shoes；　and；　after　the　Spanish　fashion；　wore　black

kid　gloves。　　He　certainly　was　a　bit　of　a　dandy；　as　he　had　said。　　The

father's　whole　face　changed　as　he　wheeled　and　came　before　the　lad；

who　lifted　up　his　arms　expectantly。　　They　had　often　ridden　together

on　the　same　horse。



〃No　rides　to…day　in　that　toggery；　Eddy；〃　he　said　in　the　same　voice。

〃But　I'll　get　down　and　we'll　go　and　sit　somewhere　under　a　tree　and

have　some　talk。　　I've　got　a　bit　of　a　job　that's　hurrying　me；　and　I

can't　waste　time。〃



〃Not　one　of　your　old　jobs；　father？　　I　thought　you　had　quite　given

that　up？〃



The　boy　spoke　more　carelessly　than　reproachfully；　or　even

wonderingly；　yet；　as　he　dismounted　and　tethered　his　horse；　Steptoe

answered　evasively；　〃It's　a　big　thing；　sonny；　maybe　we'll　make　our

eternal　fortune；　and　then　we'll　light　out　from　this　hole　and　have　a

gay　time　elsewhere。　　Come　along。〃



He　took　the　boy's　gloved　right　hand　in　his　own　powerful　grasp；　and

together　they　clambered　up　the　steep　hillside　to　a　rocky　ledge　on

which　a　fallen　pine　from　above　had　crashed；　snapped　itself　in

twain；　and　then　left　its　withered　crown　to　hang　half　down　the

slope；　while　the　other　half　rested　on　the　ledge。　　On　this　they　sat；

looking　down　upon　the　road　and　the　tethered　horse。　　A　gentle　breeze

moved　the　treetops　above　their　heads；　and　the　westering　sun　played

hide…and…seek　with　the　shifting　shadows。　　The　boy's　face　was　quick

and　alert　with　all　that　moved　round　him；　but　without　thought　the

father's　face　was　heavy；　except　for　the　eyes　that　were　fixed　upon

his　son。



〃Van　Loo　came　to　the　Mission；〃　he　said　suddenly。



The　boy's　eyes　glittered　quickly；　like　a　steel　that　pierced　the

father's　heart。　　〃Oh；〃　he　said　simply；　〃then　it　was　the　padre　told

you？〃



〃How　did　he　know　you　were　here？〃　asked　Steptoe。



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　boy　quietly。　　〃I　think　he　said　something；

but　I've　forgotten　it。　　But　it　was　mighty　good　of　him　to　come；　for

I　thought；　you　know；　that　he　did　not　care　to　see　me　after　Heavy

Tree；　and　that　he'd　gone　back　on　us。〃



〃What　did　he　tell　you？〃　continued　Steptoe。　　〃Did　he　talk　of　me　or

of　your　mother？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　boy；　but　without　any　show　of　interest　or　sympathy；

〃we　talked　mostly　about　old　times。〃



〃Tell　ME　about　those　old　times；　Eddy。　　You　never　told　me　anything

about　them。〃



The　boy；　momentarily　arrested　more　by　something　in　the　tone　of　his

father's　voicea　weakness　he　had　never　noticed　beforethan　by　any

suggestion　of　his　words；　said　with　a　laugh；　〃Oh；　only　about　what　we

used　to　do　when　I　was　very　little　and　used　to　call　myself　his

'little　brother；'don't　you　remember；　long　before　the　big　strike

on　Heavy　Tree？　　They　were　gay　times　we　had　then。〃



〃And　how　he　used　to　teach　you　to　imitate　other　people's

handwriting？〃　said　Steptoe。



〃What　made　you　think　of　that；　pop？〃　said　the　boy；　with　a　slight

wonder　in　his　eyes。　　〃Why；　that's　the　very　thing　we　DID　talk

about。〃



〃But　you　didn't　do　it　again；　you　ain't　done　it　since；〃　said　Steptoe

quickly。



〃Lord！　no；〃　said　the　boy　contemptuously。　　〃There　ain't　no　chance

now；　and　there　wouldn't　be　any　fun　in　it。　　It　isn't　like　the　old

times　when　him　and　me　were　all　alone；　and　we　used　to　write　letters

as　coming　from　other　people　to　all　the　boys　round　Heavy　Tree　and

the　Bar；　and　sometimes　as　far　as　Boomville；　to　get　them　to　do

things；　and　they'd　think　the　letters　were　real；　and　they'd　do　'em。

And　there'd　be　the　biggest　kind　of　a　row；　and　nobody　ever　knew　who

did　it。〃



Steptoe　stared　at　this　flesh　of　his　own　flesh　half　in　relief；　half

in　frightened　admiration。　　Sitting　astride　the　log；　his　elbows　on

his　knees　and　his　gloved　hands　supporting　his　round　cheeks；　the

boy's　handsome　face　became　illuminated　with　an　impish　devilry　which

the　father　had　never　seen　before。　　With　dancing　eyes　he　went　on。

〃It　was　one　of　those　very　games　we　played　so　long　ago　that　he

wanted　to　see　me　about　and　wanted　me　to　keep　mum　about；　for　some　of

the　folks　that　he　played　it　on　were　around　here　now。　　It　was　a　game

we　got　off　on　one　of　the　big　strike　partners　long　before　the

strike。　　I'll　tell　YOU；　dad；　for　you　know　what　happened　afterwards；

and　you'll　be　glad。　　Well；　that　partnerDemorestwas　a　kind　of

silly；　you　remembera　sort　of　Miss　Nancyish　fellowalways　gloomy

and　lovesick　after　his　girl　in　the　States。　　Well；　we'd　written　lots

of　letters　to　girls　from　their　chaps　before；　and　got　lots　of　fun

out　of　it；　but　we　had　even　a　better　show　for　a　game　here；　for　it

happened　that　Van　Loo　knew　all　about　the　girlthings　that　even　the

man's　own　partners　didn't；　for　Van　Loo's　mother　was　a　sort　of　a

friend　of　the　girl's　family；　and　traveled　about　with　her；　and　knew

that　the　girl　was　spoony　over　this　Demorest；　and　that　they

corresponded。　　So；　knowing　that　Van　Loo　was　employed　at　Heavy　Tree；

she　wrote　to　him　to　find　out　all　about　Demorest　and　how　to　stop

their　foolish　nonsense；　for　the　girl's　parents　didn't　want　her　to

marry　a　broken…down　miner　like　him。　　So　we　thought　we'd　do　it　our

own　way；　and　write　a　letter　to　her　as　if　it　was　from　him；　don't　you

see？　　I　wanted　to　make　him　call　her　awful　names；　and　say　that　he

hated　her；　that　he　was　a　murderer　and　a　horse…thief；　and　that　he

had　killed　a　policeman；　and　that　he　was　thinking　of　becoming　a

Digger　Injin；　and　having　a　Digger　squaw　for　a　wife；　which　he　liked

better　than　her。　　Lord！　dad；　you　ought　to　have　seen　what　stuff　I

made　up。〃　　The　boy　burst　into　a　shrill；　half…feminine　laugh；　and

Steptoe；　catching　the　infection；　laughed　loudly　in　his　own　coarse；

brutal　fashion。



For　some　moments　they　sat　there　looking　in　each　other's　faces；

shaking　with　sympathetic　emotion；　the　father　forgetting　the　purpose

of　his　coming　there；　his　rage　over　Van　Loo's　visit；　and　even　the

rendezvous　to　which　his　horse　in　the　road　below　was　waiting　to

bring　him；　the　son　forgetting　their　retreat　from　Heavy　Tree　Hill

and　his　shameful　vagabond　wanderings　with　that　father　in　the　years

that　followed。　　The　sinking　sun　stared　blankly　in　their　faces；　the

protecting　pines　above　them　moved　by　a　stronger　gust　shook　a　few

cones　upon　them；　an　enormous　crow　mockingly　repeated　the　father's

coarse　laugh；　and　a　squirrel　scampered　away　from　the　strangely

assorted　pair　as　Steptoe；　wiping　his　eyes　and　forehead　with　his

pocket…handkerchief；　said：



〃And　did　you　send　it？〃



〃Oh！　Van　Loo　thought　it　too　strong。　　Said　that　those　sort　of　love…

sick　fools　made　more　fuss　over　little　things　than　they　did　over　big

things；　and　he　sort　of　toned　it　down；　and　fixed　it　up　himself。　　But

it　told。　　For　there　were　never　any　more　letters　in　the　post…office

in　her　handwriting；　and　there　wasn't　any　posted　to　her　in　his。〃



They　both　laughed　again；　and　then　Steptoe　rose。　　〃I　must　be　getting

along；〃　he　said；　looking　curiously　at　the　boy。　　〃I've　got　to　catch

a　train　at　Three　Boulders　Station。〃



〃Three　Boulders！〃　repeated　the　boy。　　〃I'm　going　there；　too；　on

Friday；　to　meet　Father　Cipriano。〃



〃I　reckon　my　work　will　be　all　done　by　Friday；〃　said　Steptoe

musingly。　　Standing　thus；　holding　his　boy's　hand；　he　was　thinking

that　the　real　fight　at　Marshall's　would　not　take　place　at　once；　for

it　might　take　a　day　or　two　for　Marshall　to　gather　forces。　　But　he

only　pressed　his　son's　hand　gently。



〃I　wish　you　would　sometimes　take　me　with　you　as　you　used　to；〃　said

the　boy　curiously。　　〃I'm　bigger　now；　and　wouldn't　be　in　your　way。



Steptoe　looked　at　the　boy　with　a　choking　sense　of　satisfaction　and

pride。　　But　he　said；　〃No；〃　and　then　suddenly　with　simulated　humor；

〃Don't　you　be　taken　in　by　any　letters　from　ME；　such　as　you　and　Van

Loo　used　to　write。　　You　hear？〃



The　boy　laughed。



〃And；〃　continued　Steptoe；　〃if　anybody　says　I　sent　for　you；　don't

you　believe　them。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　boy；　smiling。



〃And　don't　you　even　believe　I'm　dead　till　you　see　me　so。　　You

understand。　　By　the　way；　Father　Pedro　has　some　money　of　mine　kept

for　you。　　Now　hurry　back　to　school　and　say　you　met　me；　but　that　I

was　in　a　great　hurry。　　I　reckon　I　may　have　been　rather　rough　to　the

priests。〃



They　had　reached　the　lower　road　again；　and　Steptoe　silently

unhitched　his　horse。　　〃Good…by；〃　he　said；　as　he　laid　his　hand　on

the　boy's　arm。



〃Good…by；　dad。〃



He　mounted　his　horse　slowly。　　〃Well；〃　he　said　smilingly；　looking

down　the　road；　〃you　ain't　got　anything　more　to　say　to　me；　have

you？〃



〃No；　dad。〃



〃Nothin'　you　want？〃



〃Nothin'；　dad。〃



〃All　right。　　Good…by。〃



He　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　cantered　down　the　road　without

looking　back。　　The　boy　watched　him　with　idle　curiosity　until　he

disappeared　from　sight；　and　then　went　on　his　way；　whistling　and

striking　off　the　heads　of　the　wayside　weeds　with　his　walking…stick。





CHAPTER　VII。





The　sun　arose　so　brightly　over　Hymettus　on　the　morning　after　the

meeting　of　the　three　partners　that　it　was　small　wonder　that

Barker's　impressionable　nature　quickly　responded　to　it；　and；

without　awakening　the　still　sleeping　child；　he　dressed　hurriedly；

and　was　the　first　to　greet　it　in　the　keen　air　of　the　slope　behind

the　hotel。　　To　his　pantheistic　spirit　it　had　always　seemed　as

natural　for　him　to　early　welcome　his　returning　brothers　of　the

woods　and　hills　as　to　say　good…morning　to　his　fellow　mo