the three partners- 第6部分

unfraternal；　but　eventually　he　allowed　himself　to　be　persuaded　out

of　it　and　into　his　clothes。　　For　Barker　had　also　had　HIS　visions　in

the　night；　one　of　which　was　that　they　should　build　a　beautiful

villa　on　the　site　of　the　old　cabin　and　solemnly　agree　to　come　every

year　and　pass　a　week　in　it　together。　　〃I　thought　at　first；〃　he

said；　sliding　along　the　floor　in　search　of　different　articles　of

his　dress；　or　stopping　gravely　to　catch　them　as　they　were　thrown　to

him　by　his　partners；　〃that　we'd　have　it　at　Boomville；　as　being

handier　to　get　there；　but　I've　concluded　we'd　better　have　it　here；

a　little　higher　up　the　hill；　where　it　could　be　seen　over　the　whole

Black　Spur　Range。　　When　we　weren't　here　we　could　use　it　as　a　Hut　of

Refuge　for　broken…down　or　washed…out　miners　or　weary　travelers；

like　those　hospices　in　the　Alps；　you　know；　and　have　somebody　to

keep　it　for　us。　　You　see　I've　thought　even　of　THAT；　and　Van　Loo　is

the　very　man　to　take　charge　of　it　for　us。　　You　see　he's　got　such

good　manners　and　speaks　two　languages。　　Lord！　if　a　German　or

Frenchman　came　along；　poor　and　distressed；　Van　Loo　would　just　chip

in　his　own　language。　　See？　　You've　got　to　think　of　all　these

details；　you　see；　boys。　　And　we　might　call　it　'The　Rest　of　the

Three　Partners；'　or　'Three　Partners'　Rest。'〃



〃And　you　might　begin　by　giving　us　one；〃　said　Stacy。　　〃Dry　up　and

drink　your　coffee。〃



〃I'll　draw　out　the　plans。　　I've　got　it　all　in　my　head；〃　continued

the　enthusiastic　Barker；　unheeding　the　interruption。　　〃I'll　just

run　out　and　take　a　look　at　the　site；　it's　only　right　back　of　the

cabin。〃　　But　here　Stacy　caught　him　by　his　dangling　belt　as　he　was

flying　out　of　the　door　with　one　boot　on；　and　thrust　him　down　in　a

chair　with　a　tin　cup　of　coffee　in　his　hand。



〃Keep　the　plans　in　your　head；　Barker　boy；〃　said　Demorest；　〃for　here

are　the　pack　mules　and　packer。〃　　This　was　quite　enough　to　divert

the　impressionable　young　man；　who　speedily　finished　his　dressing；

as　a　mule　bearing　a　large　pack…saddle　and　two　enormous　saddle…bags

or　pouches　drove　up　before　the　door；　led　by　a　muleteer　on　a　small

horse。　　The　transfer　of　the　treasure　to　the　saddle…bags　was　quickly

made　by　their　united　efforts；　as　the　first　rays　of　the　sun　were

beginning　to　paint　the　hillside。　　Shading　his　keen　eyes　with　his

hand；　Stacy　stood　in　the　doorway　and　handed　Demorest　the　two

rifles。　　Demorest　hesitated。　　〃Hadn't　YOU　better　keep　one？〃　he

said；　looking　in　his　partner's　eyes　with　his　first　challenge　of

curiosity。　　The　sun　seemed　to　put　a　humorous　twinkle　into　Stacy's

glance　as　he　returned；　〃Not　much！　　And　you'd　better　take　my

revolver　with　you；　too。　　I'm　feeling　a　little　better　now；〃　he　said；

looking　at　the　saddlebags；　〃but　I'm　not　fit　to　be　trusted　yet　with

carnal　weapons。　　When　the　other　mule　comes　and　is　packed　I'll

overtake　you　on　the　horse。〃



A　little　more　satisfied；　although　still　wondering　and　perplexed；

Demorest　shouldered　one　rifle；　and　with　Barker；　who　was　carrying

the　other；　followed　the　muleteer　and　his　equipage　down　the　trail。

For　a　while　he　was　a　little　ashamed　of　his　part　in　this　unusual

spectacle　of　two　armed　men　convoying　a　laden　mule　in　broad

daylight；　but；　luckily；　it　was　too　early　for　the　Bar　miners　to　be

going　to　work；　and　as　the　tunnelmen　were　now　at　breakfast　the　trail

was　free　of　wayfarers。　　At　the　point　where　it　crossed　the　main　road

Demorest；　however；　saw　Steptoe　and　Whiskey　Dick　emerge　from　the

thicket；　apparently　in　earnest　conversation。　　Demorest　felt　his

repugnance　and　half…restrained　suspicions　suddenly　return。　　Yet　he

did　not　wish　to　betray　them　before　Barker；　nor　was　he　willing；　in

case　of　an　emergency；　to　allow　the　young　man　to　be　entirely

unprepared。　　Calling　him　to　follow；　he　ran　quickly　ahead　of　the

laden　mule；　and　was　relieved　to　find　that；　looking　back；　his

companion　had　brought　his　rifle　to　a　〃ready；〃　through　some

instinctive　feeling　of　defense。　　As　Steptoe　and　Whiskey　Dick；　a

moment　later　discovering　them；　were　evidently　surprised；　there

seemed；　however；　to　be　no　reason　for　fearing　an　outbreak。

Suddenly；　at　a　whisper　from　Steptoe；　he　and　Whiskey　Dick　both

threw　up　their　hands；　and　stood　still　on　the　trail　a　few　yards

from　them　in　a　burlesque　of　the　usual　recognized　attitude　of

helplessness；　while　a　hoarse　laugh　broke　from　Steptoe。



〃Dd　if　we　didn't　think　you　were　road…agents！　　But　we　see　you're

only　guarding　your　treasure。　　Rather　fancy　style　for　Heavy　Tree

Hill；　ain't　it？　　Things　must　be　gettin'　rough　up　thar　to　hev　to

take　out　your　guns　like　that！〃



Demorest　had　looked　keenly　at　the　four　hands　thus　exhibited；　and

was　more　concerned　that　they　bore　no　trace　of　wounds　or　mutilation

than　at　the　insult　of　the　speech；　particularly　as　he　had　a　distinct

impression　that　the　action　was　intended　to　show　him　the　futility　of

his　suspicions。



〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　if　you　haven't　any　arms　in　your　hands　you're

not　incapable　of　handling　them；〃　said　Demorest　coolly；　as　he　passed

by　them　and　again　fell　into　the　rear　of　the　muleteer。



But　Barker　had　thought　the　incident　very　funny；　and　laughed

effusively　at　Whiskey　Dick。　　〃I　didn't　know　that　Steptoe　was　up　to

that　kind　of　fun；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　suppose　we　DID　look　rather　rough

with　these　guns　as　we　ran　on　ahead　of　the　mule。　　But　then　you　know

that　when　you　called　to　me　I　really　thought　you　were　in　for　a

shindy。　　All　the　same；　Whiskey　Dick　did　that　'hands　up'　to

perfection：　how　he　managed　it　I　don't　know；　but　his　knees　seemed　to

knock　together　as　if　he　was　in　a　real　funk。〃



Demorest　had　thought　so　too；　but　he　made　no　reply。　　How　far　that

miserable　drunkard　was　a　forced　or　willing　accomplice　of　the　events

of　last　night　was　part　of　a　question　that　had　become　more　and　more

repugnant　to　him　as　he　was　leaving　the　scene　of　it　forever。　　It　had

come　upon　him；　desecrating　the　dream　he　had　dreamt　that　last　night

and　turning　its　hopeful　climax　to　bitterness。　　Small　wonder　that

Barker；　walking　by　his　side；　had　his　quick　sympathies　aroused；　and

as　he　saw　that　shadow；　which　they　were　all　familiar　with；　but　had

never　sought　to　penetrate；　fall　upon　his　companion's　handsome　face；

even　his　youthful　spirits　yielded　to　it。　　They　were　both　relieved

when　the　clatter　of　hoofs　behind　them；　as　they　reached　the　valley；

announced　the　approach　of　Stacy。　　〃I　started　with　the　second　mule

and　the　last　load　soon　after　you　left；〃　he　explained；　〃and　have

just　passed　them。　　I　thought　it　better　to　join　you　and　let　the

other　load　follow。　　Nobody　will　interfere　with　THAT。〃



〃Then　you　are　satisfied？〃　said　Demorest；　regarding　him　steadfastly。



〃You　bet！　　Look！〃



He　turned　in　his　saddle　and　pointed　to　the　crest　of　the　hill　they

had　just　descended。　　Above　the　pines　circling　the　lower　slope　above

the　bare　ledges　of　rock　and　outcrop；　a　column　of　thick　black　smoke

was　rising　straight　as　a　spire　in　the　windless　air。



〃That's　the　old　shanty　passing　away；〃　said　Stacy　complacently。　　〃I

reckon　there　won't　be　much　left　of　it　before　we　get　to　Boomville。〃



Demorest　and　Barker　stared。　　〃You　fired　it？〃　said　Barker；　trembling

with　excitement。



〃Yes；〃　said　Stacy。　　〃I　couldn't　bear　to　leave　the　old　rookery　for

coyotes　and　wild…cats　to　gather　in；　so　I　touched　her　off　before　I

left。〃



〃But〃said　Barker。



〃But；〃　repeated　Stacy　composedly。　　〃Hallo！　what's　the　matter　with

that　new　plan　of　'The　Rest'　that　you're　going　to　build；　eh？　　You

don't　want　them　BOTH。〃



〃And　you　did　this　rather　than　leave　the　dear　old　cabin　to

strangers？〃　said　Barker；　with　kindling　eyes。　　〃Stacy；　I　didn't

think　you　had　that　poetry　in　you！〃



〃There's　heaps　in　me；　Barker　boy；　that　you　don't　know；　and　I　don't

exactly　sabe　myself。〃



〃Only；〃　continued　the　young　fellow　eagerly；　〃we　ought　to　have　ALL

been　there！　　We　ought　to　have　made　a　solemn　rite　of　it；　you　know；

a　kind　of　sacrifice。　　We　ought　to　have　poured　a　kind　of　libation　on

the　ground！〃



〃I　did　sprinkle　a　little　kerosene　over　it；　I　think；〃　returned

Stacy；　〃just　to　help　things　along。　　But　if　you　want　to　see　her

flaming；　Barker；　you　just　run　back　to　that　last　corner　on　the　road

beyond　the　big　red　wood。　　That's　the　spot　for　a　view。〃



As　Barkeralways　devoted　to　a　spectacleswiftly　disappeared　the

two　men　faced　each　other。　　〃Well；　what　does　it　all　mean？〃　said

Demorest　gravely。



〃It　means；　old　man；〃　said　Stacy　suddenly；　〃that　if　we　hadn't　had

nigger　luck；　the　same　blind　luck　that　sent　us　that　strike；　you　and

I　and　that　Barker　over　there　would　have　been　swirling　in　that　smoke

up　to　the　sky　about　two　hours　ago！〃　　He　stopped　and　added　in　a

lower；　but　earnest　voice；　〃Look　here；　Phil！　　When　I　went　out　to

fetch　water　this　morning　I　smelt　something　queer。　　I　went　round　to

the　back　of　the　cabin　and　found　a　hole　dug　under　the　floor；　and

piled　against　the　corner　wall　a　lot　of　brush…wood　and　a　can　of

kerosene。　　Some　of　the　kerosene　had　been　already　poured　on　the

brush。　　Everything　was　ready　to　light；　and　only　my　coming　out　an

hour　earlier　had　frightened　the　devils　away。　　The　idea　was　to　set

the　place　on　fire；　suffocate　us　in　the　smoke　of　the　kerosene　poured

into　the　hole；　and　then　to　rush　in　and　grab　the　treasure。　　It　was　a

systematic　plan！〃



〃No！〃　said　Demorest　quietly。



〃No？〃　repeated　Stacy。　　〃I　told　you　I　saw　the　whole　thing　and　took

away　the　kerosene；　which　I　hid；　and　after　you　had　gone　used　it　to

fire　the　cabin　with；　to　see　if　the　ones　I　suspected　would　gather　to

watch　their　work。〃



〃It　was　no　part　of　their　FIRST　plan〃'　said　Demorest；　〃which　was

only　robbery。　　Listen！〃　　He　hurriedly　recounted　his　experience　of

the　preceding　night　to　the　astonished　Stacy。　　〃No；　the　fire　was　an

afterthought　and　revenge；〃　he　added　sternly。



〃But　you　say　you　cut　the　robber　in　the　hand；　there　would　be　no

difficulty　in　identifying　him　by　that。〃



〃I　wounded　only　a　HAND；〃　said　Demorest。　　〃But　there　was　a　HEAD　in

that　attempt　that　I　never　saw。〃　　He　then　revealed　his　own　ha