the twins of table mountain-第10章

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head。

〃There's　more　yet；　gentlemen。　　I　tell　you　that　that　girl；　Mornie
Nixon；　has；　to　my　knowledge；　been　treated　like　a　lady；　has　been
cared　for　as　she　never　was　cared　for　in　her　father's　house；　and；
while　that　father　has　been　proclaiming　her　shame　in　every　bar…room
at　the　Ferry；　has　had　the　sympathy　and　care；　night　and　day；　of　two
of　the　most　accomplished　ladies　of　the　Ferry；Mrs。　Sol　Saunders；
gentlemen；　and　Miss　Euphemia。〃

There　was　a　shout　of　approbation　from　the　crowd。　　Nixon　would　have
slipped　away；　but　the　doctor　stopped　him。

〃Not　yet！　　I've　one　thing　more　to　say。　　I've　to　tell　you；　gentlemen；
on　my　professional　word　of　honor；　that；　besides　being　an　old
hypocrite；　this　same　old　Mat　Nixon　is　the　ungrateful；　unnatural
GRANDFATHER　of　the　first　boy　born　in　the　district。〃

A　wild　huzza　greeted　the　doctor's　climax。　　By　a　common　consent　the
crowd　turned　toward　the　Twins；　who；　grasping　each　other's　hands；
stood　apart。　　The　doctor　nodded　his　head。　　The　next　moment　the
Twins　were　surrounded；　and　lifted　in　the　arms　of　the　laughing
throng；　and　borne　in　triumph　to　the　bar…room　of　the　Mansion　House。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　bar…keeper；　〃call　for　what　you　like：　the
Mansion　House　treats　to…day　in　honor　of　its　being　the　first　time
that　Rand　Pinkney　has　been　admitted　to　the　bar。〃

　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

It　was　agreed；　that；　as　her　condition　was　still　precarious；　the
news　should　be　broken　to　her　gradually　and　indirectly。　　The
indefatigable　Sol　had　a　professional　idea；　which　was　not
displeasing　to　the　Twins。　　It　being　a　lovely　summer　afternoon；　the
couch　of　Mornie　was　lifted　out　on　the　ledge；　and　she　lay　there
basking　in　the　sunlight；　drinking　in　the　pure　air；　and　looking
bravely　ahead　in　the　daylight　as　she　had　in　the　darkness；　for　her
couch　commanded　a　view　of　the　mountain　flank。　　And；　lying　there；
she　dreamed　a　pleasant　dream；　and　in　her　dream　saw　Rand　returning
up　the　mountain…trail。　　She　was　half　conscious　that　he　had　good
news　for　her；　and；　when　he　at　last　reached　her　bedside；　he　began
gently　and　kindly　to　tell　his　news。　　But　she　heard　him　not；　or
rather　in　her　dream　was　most　occupied　with　his　ways　and　manners；
which　seemed　unlike　him；　yet　inexpressibly　sweet　and　tender。　　The
tears　were　fast　coming　in　her　eyes；　when　he　suddenly　dropped　on　his
knees　beside　her；　threw　away　Rand's　disguising　hat　and　coat；　and
clasped　her　in　his　arms。　　And　by　that　she　KNEW　it　was　Ruth。

But　what　they　said；　what　hurried　words　of　mutual　explanation　and
forgiveness　passed　between　them；　what　bitter　yet　tender　recollections
of　hidden　fears　and　doubts；　now　forever　chased　away　in　the　rain　of
tears　and　joyous　sunshine　of　that　mountain…top；　were　then　whispered；
whatever　of　this　little　chronicle　that　to　the　reader　seems　strange
and　inconsistent　（as　all　human　record　must　ever　be　strange　and
imperfect；　except　to　the　actors）　was　then　made　clear；was　never
divulged　by　them；　and　must　remain　with　them　forever。　　The　rest　of
the　party　had　withdrawn；　and　they　were　alone。　　But　when　Mornie
turned；　and　placed　the　baby　in　its　father's　arms；　they　were　so
isolated　in　their　happiness；　that　the　lower　world　beneath　them　might
have　swung　and　drifted　away；　and　left　that　mountain…top　the
beginning　and　creation　of　a　better　planet。

　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

〃You　know　all　about　it　now；〃　said　Sol　the　next　day；　explaining　the
previous　episodes　of　this　history　to　Ruth：　〃you've　got　the　whole
plot　before　you。　　It　dragged　a　little　in　the　second　act；　for　the
actors　weren't　up　in　their　parts。　　But　for　an　amateur　performance；
on　the　whole；　it　wasn't　bad。〃

〃I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Rand　impulsively；　〃how　we'd　have　got
on　without　Euphemia。　　It's　too　bad　she　couldn't　be　here　to…day。〃

〃She　wanted　to　come；〃　said　Sol；　〃but　the　gentleman　she's　engaged　to
came　up　from　Marysville　last　night。〃

〃Gentlemanengaged！〃　repeated　Rand；　white　and　red　by　turns。

〃Well；　yes。　　I　say；　'gentleman；'　although　he's　in　the　variety
profession。　　She　always　said；〃　said　Sol；　quietly　looking　at　Rand；
〃that　she'd　never　marry　OUT　of　it。〃




AN　HEIRESS　OF　RED　DOG。


The　first　intimation　given　of　the　eccentricity　of　the　testator　was；
I　think；　in　the　spring　of　1854。　　He　was　at　that　time　in　possession
of　a　considerable　property；　heavily　mortgaged　to　one　friend；　and　a
wife　of　some　attraction；　on　whose　affections　another　friend　held　an
encumbering　lien。　　One　day　it　was　found　that　he　had　secretly　dug；
or　caused　to　be　dug；　a　deep　trap　before　the　front…door　of　his
dwelling；　into　which　a　few　friends；　in　the　course　of　the　evening；
casually　and　familiarly　dropped。　　This　circumstance；　slight　in
itself；　seemed　to　point　to　the　existence　of　a　certain　humor　in　the
man；　which　might　eventually　get　into　literature；　although　his
wife's　lovera　man　of　quick　discernment；　whose　leg　was　broken　by
the　falltook　other　views。　　It　was　some　weeks　later；　that；　while
dining　with　certain　other　friends　of　his　wife；　he　excused　himself
from　the　table　to　quietly　re…appear　at　the　front…window　with　a
three…quarter　inch　hydraulic　pipe；　and　a　stream　of　water　projected
at　the　assembled　company。　　An　attempt　was　made　to　take　public
cognizance　of　this；　but　a　majority　of　the　citizens　of　Red　Dog；　who
were　not　at　dinner；　decided　that　a　man　had　a　right　to　choose　his
own　methods　of　diverting　his　company。　　Nevertheless；　there　were
some　hints　of　his　insanity；　his　wife　recalled　other　acts　clearly
attributable　to　dementia；　the　crippled　lover　argued　from　his　own
experience　that　the　integrity　of　her　limbs　could　only　be　secured　by
leaving　her　husband's　house；　and　the　mortgagee；　fearing　a　further
damage　to　his　property；　foreclosed。　　But　here　the　cause　of　all　this
anxiety　took　matters　into　his　own　hands；　and　disappeared。

When　we　next　heard　from　him；　he　had；　in　some　mysterious　way；　been
relieved　alike　of　his　wife　and　property；　and　was　living　alone　at
Rockville　fifty　miles　away；　and　editing　a　newspaper。　　But　that
originality　he　had　displayed　when　dealing　with　the　problems　of　his
own　private　life；　when　applied　to　politics　in　the　columns　of　〃The
Rockville　Vanguard〃　was　singularly　unsuccessful。　　An　amusing
exaggeration；　purporting　to　be　an　exact　account　of　the　manner　in
which　the　opposing　candidate　had　murdered　his　Chinese　laundryman；
was；　I　regret　to　say；　answered　only　by　assault　and　battery。　　A
gratuitous　and　purely　imaginative　description　of　a　great　religious
revival　in　Calaveras；　in　which　the　sheriff　of　the　countya
notoriously　profane　scepticwas　alleged　to　have　been　the　chief
exhorter；　resulted　only　in　the　withdrawal　of　the　county　advertising
from　the　paper。　　In　the　midst　of　this　practical　confusion　he
suddenly　died。　　It　was　then　discovered；　as　a　crowning　proof　of　his
absurdity；　that　he　had　left　a　will；　bequeathing　his　entire　effects
to　a　freckle…faced　maid…servant　at　the　Rockville　Hotel。　　But　that
absurdity　became　serious　when　it　was　also　discovered　that　among
these　effects　were　a　thousand　shares　in　the　Rising　Sun　Mining
Company；　which　a　day　or　two　after　his　demise；　and　while　people　were
still　laughing　at　his　grotesque　benefaction；　suddenly　sprang　into
opulence　and　celebrity。　　Three　millions　of　dollars　was　roughly
estimated　as　the　value　of　the　estate　thus　wantonly　sacrificed。　　For
it　is　only　fair　to　state；　as　a　just　tribute　to　the　enterprise　and
energy　of　that　young　and　thriving　settlement；　that　there　was　not
probably　a　single　citizen　who　did　not　feel　himself　better　able　to
control　the　deceased　humorist's　property。　　Some　had　expressed　a
doubt　of　their　ability　to　support　a　family；　others　had　felt　perhaps
too　keenly　the　deep　responsibility　resting　upon　them　when　chosen
from　the　panel　as　jurors；　and　had　evaded　their　public　duties；　a　few
had　declined　office　and　a　low　salary：　but　no　one　shrank　from　the
possibility　of　having　been　called　upon　to　assume　the　functions　of
Peggy　Moffat；　the　heiress。

The　will　was　contested；first　by　the　widow；　who　it　now　appeared
had　never　been　legally　divorced　from　the　deceased；　next　by　four　of
his　cousins；　who　awoke；　only　too　late；　to　a　consciousness　of　his
moral　and　pecuniary　worth。　　But　the　humble　legateea　singularly
plain；　unpretending；　uneducated　Western　girlexhibited　a　dogged
pertinacity　in　claiming　her　rights。　　She　rejected　all　compromises。
A　rough　sense　of　justice　in　the　community；　while　doubting　her
ability　to　take　care　of　the　whole　fortune；　suggested　that　she　ought
to　be　content　with　three　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　〃She's　bound　to
throw　even　THAT　away　on　some　derned　skunk　of　a　man；　natoorally；　but
three　millions　is　too　much　to　give　a　chap　for　makin'　her　onhappy。
It's　offerin'　a　temptation　to　cussedness。〃　　The　only　opposing　voice
to　this　counsel　came　from　the　sardonic　lips　of　Mr。　Jack　Hamlin。
〃Suppose；〃　suggested　that　gentleman；　turning　abruptly　on　the
speaker；〃suppose；　when　you　won　twenty　thousand　dollars　of　me　last
Friday　nightsuppose　that；　instead　of　handing　you　over　the　money
as　I　didsuppose　I'd　got　up　on　my　hind…legs；　and　said；　'Look　yer；
Bill　Wethersbee；　you're　a　dd　fool。　　If　I　give　ye　that　twenty
thousand；　you'll　throw　it　away　in　the　first　skin…game　in　'Frisco；
and　hand　it　over　to　the　first　short…card　sharp　you'll　meet。
There's　a　thousand；enough　for　you　to　fling　away；take　it　and
get！'　　Suppose　what　I'd　said　to　you　was　the　frozen　truth；　and　you
know'd　it；　would　that　have　been　the　square　thing　to　play　on　you？〃
But　here　Wethersbee　quickly　pointed　out　the　inefficiency　of　the
comparison　by　stating　that　HE　had　won　the　money　fairly　with　a
STAKE。　　〃And　how　do　you　know；〃　demanded　Hamlin　savagely；　bending
his　black　eyes　on　the　astounded　casuist；〃how　do　you　know　that　the
gal　hezn't　put　down　a　stake？〃　　The　man　stammered　an　unintelligible
reply。　　The　gambler　laid　his　white　hand　on　Wethersbee's　shoulder。
〃Look　yer；　old　man；〃　he　said；　〃every　gal　stakes　her　WHOLE　pile；
you　can　bet　your　life　on　that；whatever's　her　little　game。　　If　she
took　to　keerds　instead　of　her　feelings；　if　she'd　put　up　'chips'
instead　o'　body　and　soul；　she'd　bust　every　bank　'twixt　this　and
'Frisco！　　You　hear　me？〃

Somewhat　of　this　idea　was　conveyed；　I　fear　not　quite　as
sentimentally；　to　Peggy　Moffat　herself。　　The　best　legal　wisdom　of
San　Francisco；　retained　by　the　widow　and　relatives；　took　occasion；
in　a　private　interview　with　Peggy；　to　point　out　that　she　stood　in
the　quasi…criminal　attitude　of　having　unlawfully　practised　upon　the
affections　of　an　insane　elderly　gentleman；　with　a　view　of　getting
possession　of　his　property；　and　suggested　to　her　that　no　vestige　of
her　moral　character　would　remain　after　the　trial；　if　she　persisted
in　forcing　her　claims　to　that　issue。　　It　is　said　that　Peggy；　on
hearing　this；　stopped　washing　the　plate　she　had　in　her　hands；　and；
twisting　the　towel　around　her　fingers；　fixed　her　small　pale　blue
eyes　at　the　lawyer。

〃And　ez　that　the　kind　o'　chirpin　these　critters　keep　up？〃

〃I　regret　to　say；　my　dear　young　lady；〃　responded　the　lawyer；　〃that
the　world　is　censorious。　　I　must　add；〃　he　continued；　with　engaging
frankness；　〃that　we　professional　lawyers　are　apt　to　study　the
opinion　of　the　world；　and　that　such　will　be　the　theory　ofour
side。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Peggy　stoutly；　〃ez　I　allow　I've　got　to　go　into　court
to　defend　my　characte