the three partners-第2章

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thought　remained　unuttered。　　Even　Barker　was　silent；　perhaps　he　was

also　thinking　of　Kitty。



Suddenly　two　figures　appeared　in　the　very　doorway　of　the　cabin。

The　effect　was　startling　upon　the　partners；　who　had　only　just

reseated　themselves；　and　for　a　moment　they　had　forgotten　that　the

narrow　band　of　light　which　shot　forth　from　the　open　door　rendered

the　darkness　on　either　side　of　it　more　impenetrable；　and　that　out

of　this　darkness；　although　themselves　guided　by　the　light；　the

figures　had　just　emerged。　　Yet　one　was　familiar　enough。　　It　was　the

Hill　drunkard；　Dick　Hall；　or；　as　he　was　called；　〃Whiskey　Dick；〃　or；

indicated　still　more　succinctly　by　the　Hill　humorists；　〃Alky　Hall。〃



Everybody　had　seen　that　sodden；　puffy；　but　good…humored　face；

everybody　had　felt　the　fiery　exhalations　of　that　enormous　red

beard；　which　always　seemed　to　be　kept　in　a　state　of　moist；　unkempt

luxuriance　by　liquor；　everybody　knew　the　absurd　dignity　of　manner

and　attempted　precision　of　statement　with　which　he　was　wont　to

disguise　his　frequent　excesses。　　Very　few；　however；　knew；　or　cared

to　know；　the　pathetic　weariness　and　chilling　horror　that　sometimes

looked　out　of　those　bloodshot　eyes。



He　was　evidently　equally　unprepared　for　the　three　silent　seated

figures　before　the　door；　and　for　a　moment　looked　at　them　blankly

with　the　doubts　of　a　frequently　deceived　perception。　　Was　he　sure

that　they　were　quite　real？　　He　had　not　dared　to　look　at　his

companion　for　verification；　but　smiled　vaguely。



〃Good…evening；〃　said　Demorest　pleasantly。



Whiskey　Dick's　face　brightened。　　〃Good…evenin'；　good…evenin'

yourselves；　boysand　see　how　you　like　it！　　Lemme　interdrush　my　ole

frien'　William　J。　Steptoe；　of　Red　Gulch。　　StepshoSteptoeis

shtayish　stay〃　　He　stopped；　hiccupped；　waved　his　hand　gravely；

and　with　an　air　of　reproachful　dignity　concluded；　〃sojourning　for

the　present　on　the　Bar。　　We　wish　to　offer　our　congrashulashen　and

felishfelish〃　　He　paused　again；　and；　leaning　against　the　door…

post；　added　severely；　〃itations。〃



His　companion；　however；　laughed　coarsely；　and；　pushing　past　Dick；

entered　the　cabin。　　He　was　a　short；　powerful　man；　with　a　closely

cropped　crust　of　beard　and　hair　that　seemed　to　adhere　to　his　round

head　like　moss　or　lichen。　　He　cast　a　glancefurtive　rather　than

curious　around　the　cabin；　and　said；　with　a　familiarity　that　had　not

even　good　humor　to　excuse　it；　〃So　you're　the　gay　galoots　who've

made　the　big　strike？　　Thought　I'd　meander　up　the　Hill　with　this　old

bloat　Alky；　and　drop　in　to　see　the　show。　　And　here　you　are；　feeling

your　oats；　eh？　and　not　caring　any　particular　G…d　dn　if　school

keeps　or　not。〃



〃Show　Mr。　Steptoethe　whiskey；〃　said　Demorest　to　Stacy。　　Then

quietly　addressing　Dick；　but　ignoring　Steptoe　as　completely　as

Steptoe　had　ignored　his　unfortunate　companion；　he　said；　〃You　quite

startled　us　at　first。　　We　did　not　see　you　come　up　the　trail。〃



〃No。　　We　came　up　the　back　trail　to　please　Steptoe；　who　wanted　to

see　round　the　cabin；〃　said　Dick；　glancing　nervously　yet　with　a

forced　indifference　towards　the　whiskey　which　Stacy　was　offering　to

the　stranger。



〃What　yer　gettin'　off　there？〃　said　Steptoe；　facing　Dick　almost

brutally。　　〃YOU　know　your　tangled　legs　wouldn't　take　you　straight

up　the　trail；　and　you　had　to　make　a　circumbendibus。　　Gosh！　if　you

hadn't　scented　this　licker　at　the　top　you'd　have　never　found　it。〃



〃No　matter！　　I'm　glad　you　DID　find　it；　Dick；〃　said　Demorest；　〃and　I

hope　you'll　find　the　liquor　good　enough　to　pay　you　for　the　trouble。〃



Barker　stared　at　Demorest。　　This　extraordinary　tolerance　of　the

drunkard　was　something　new　in　his　partner。　　But　at　a　glance　from

Demorest　he　led　Dick　to　the　demijohn　and　tin　cup　which　stood　on　a

table　in　the　corner。　　And　in　another　moment　Dick　had　forgotten　his

companion's　rudeness。



Demorest　remained　by　the　door；　looking　out　into　the　darkness。



〃Well；〃　said　Steptoe；　putting　down　his　emptied　cup；　〃trot　out　your

strike。　　I　reckon　our　eyes　are　strong　enough　to　bear　it　now。〃

Stacy　drew　the　blanket　from　the　vague　pile　that　stood　in　the

corner；　and　discovered　a　deep　tin　prospecting…pan。　　It　was　heaped

with　several　large　fragments　of　quartz。　　At　first　the　marble

whiteness　of　the　quartz　and　the　glittering　crystals　of　mica　in　its

veins　were　the　most　noticeable；　but　as　they　drew　closer　they　could

see　the　dull　yellow　of　gold　filling　the　decomposed　and　honeycombed

portion　of　the　rock　as　if　still　liquid　and　molten。　　The　eyes　of　the

party　sparkled　like　the　micaeven　those　of　Barker　and　Stacy；　who

were　already　familiar　with　the　treasure。



〃Which　is　the　richest　chunk？〃　asked　Steptoe　in　a　thickening　voice。



Stacy　pointed　it　out。



〃Why；　it's　smaller　than　the　others。〃



〃Heft　it　in　your　hand；〃　said　Barker；　with　boyish　enthusiasm。



The　short；　thick　fingers　of　Steptoe　grasped　it　with　a　certain

aquiline　suggestion；　his　whole　arm　strained　over　it　until　his　face

grew　purple；　but　he　could　not　lift　it。



〃Thar　useter　be　a　little　game　in　the　'Frisco　Mint；〃　said　Dick；

restored　to　fluency　by　his　liquor；　〃when　thar　war　ladies　visiting

it；　and　that　was　to　offer　to　give　'em　any　of　those　little　boxes　of

gold　coin；　that　contained　five　thousand　dollars；　ef　they　would

kindly　lift　it　from　the　counter　and　take　it　away！　　It　wasn't　no

bigger　than　one　of　these　chunks；　but　Jiminy！　you　oughter　have　seed

them　gals　grip　and　heave　on　it；　and　then　hev　to　give　it　up！　　You

see　they　didn't　know　anything　about　the　paci（hic）　the　speshif〃

He　stopped　with　great　dignity；　and　added　with　painful　precision；

〃the　specific　gravity　of　gold。〃



〃Dry　up！〃　said　Steptoe　roughly。　　Then　turning　to　Stacy　he　said

abruptly；　〃But　where's　the　rest　of　it？　　You've　got　more　than　that。〃



〃We　sent　it　to　Boomville　this　morning。　　You　see　we've　sold　out　our

claim　to　a　company　who　take　it　up　to…morrow；　and　put　up　a　mill　and

stamps。　　In　fact；　it's　under　their　charge　now。　　They've　got　a　gang

of　men　on　the　claim　already。〃



〃And　what　mout　ye　hev　got　for　it；　if　it's　a　fair　question？〃　said

Steptoe；　with　a　forced　smile。



Stacy　smiled　also。　　〃I　don't　know　that　it's　a　business　question；〃

he　said。



〃Five　hundred　thousand　dollars；〃　said　Demorest　abruptly　from　the

doorway；　〃and　a　treble　interest。〃



The　eyes　of　the　two　men　met。　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　dull　fire

of　envy　in　Steptoe's　glance；　but　Demorest　received　it　with　a

certain　cold　curiosity；　and　turned　away　as　the　sound　of　arriving

voices　came　from　without。



〃Five　hundred　thousand's　a　big　figger；〃　said　Steptoe；　with　a　coarse

laugh；　〃and　I　don't　wonder　it　makes　you　feel　so　dd　sassy。　　But

it　WAS　a　fair　question。〃



Unfortunately　it　here　occurred　to　the　whiskey…stimulated　brain　of

Dick　that　the　friend　he　had　introduced　was　being　treated　with　scant

courtesy；　and　he　forgot　his　own　treatment　by　Steptoe。　　Leaning

against　the　wall　he　waved　a　dignified　rebuke。　　〃I'm　sashified　my

ole　frien'　is　akshuated　by　only　businesh　principles。〃　　He　paused；

recollected　himself；　and　added　with　great　precision：　〃When　I　say　he

himself　has　a　valuable　claim　in　Red　Gulch；　and　to　my　shertain

knowledge　has　received　offersI　have　said　enough。〃



The　laugh　that　broke　from　Stacy　and　Barker；　to　whom　the　infelicitous

reputation　of　Red　Gulch　was　notorious；　did　not　allay　Steptoe's

irritation。　　He　darted　a　vindictive　glance　at　the　unfortunate　Dick；

but　joined　in　the　laugh。　　〃And　what　was　ye　goin'　to　do　with　that？〃

he　said；　pointing　to　the　treasure。



〃Oh；　we're　taking　that　with　us。　　There's　a　chunk　for　each　of　us　as

a　memento。　　We　cast　lots　for　the　choice；　and　Demorest　won；that

one　which　you　couldn't　lift　with　one　hand；　you　know；〃　said　Stacy。



〃Oh；　couldn't　I？　　I　reckon　you　ain't　goin'　to　give　me　the　same

chance　that　they　did　at　the　Mint；　eh？〃



Although　the　remark　was　accompanied　with　his　usual　coarse；　familiar

laugh；　there　was　a　look　in　his　eye　so　inconsequent　in　its

significance　that　Stacy　would　have　made　some　reply；　but　at　this

moment　Demorest　re…entered　the　cabin；　ushering　in　a　half　dozen

miners　from　the　Bar　below。　　They　were；　although　youngish　men；　some

of　the　older　locators　in　the　vicinity；　yet；　through　years　of

seclusion　and　uneventful　labors；　they　had　acquired　a　certain

childish　simplicity　of　thought　and　manner　that　was　alternately

amusing　and　pathetic。　　They　had　never　intruded　upon　the　reserve　of

the　three　partners　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill　before；　nothing　but　an

infantine　curiosity；　a　shy　recognition　of　the　partners'　courtesy　in

inviting　them　with　the　whole　population　of　Heavy　Tree　to　the　dinner

the　next　day；　and　the　never…to…be…resisted　temptation　of　an　evening

of　〃free　liquor〃　and　forgetfulness　of　the　past　had　brought　them

there　now。　　Among　them；　and　yet　not　of　them；　was　a　young　man　who；

although　speaking　English　without　accent；　was　distinctly　of　a

different　nationality　and　race。　　This；　with　a　certain　neatness　of

dress　and　artificial　suavity　of　address；　had　gained　him　the

nickname　of　〃the　Count〃　and　〃Frenchy；〃　although　he　was　really　of

Flemish　extraction。　　He　was　the　Union　Ditch　Company's　agent　on　the

Bar；　by　virtue　of　his　knowledge　of　languages。



Barker　uttered　an　exclamation　of　pleasure　when　he　saw　him。　　Himself

the　incarnation　of　naturalness；　he　had　always　secretly　admired　this

young　foreigner；　with　his　lacquered　smoothness；　although　a　vague

consciousness　that　neither　Stacy　nor　Demorest　shared　his　feelings

had　restricted　their　acquaintance。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　proud　now

to　see　the　bow　with　which　Paul　Van　Loo　entered　the　cabin　as　if　it

were　a　drawing…room；　and　perhaps　did　not　reflect　upon　that　want　of

real　feeling　in　an　act　which　made　the　others　uncomfortable。



The　slight　awkwardness　their　entrance　produced；　however；　was

quickly　forgotten　when　the　blanket　was　again　lifted　from　the　pan　of

treasure。　　Singularly　enough；　too；　the　same　feverish　light　came

into　the　eyes　of　each　as　they　all　gathered　around　this　yellow

shrine。　　Even　the　polite　Paul　rudely　elbowed　his　way　between　the

others；　though　his　artificial　〃Pardon〃　seemed　to　Barker　to　condone

this　act　of　brutal　instinct。　　But　it　was　more　instructive　to

observe　the　manner　in　which　the　older　locators　received　this

confirmation　of　the　fickle　Fortune　that　had　overlooked　their　weary

labors　and　years　of　waiting　to　lavish　her　favors　on　the　new　and

inexperienced　amateurs。　　Yet　as　they　turned　their　dazzled　eyes　upon

the　three　partners　there　was　no　envy　or　malice　in　their　depths；　no

reproach　on　their　lips；　no　insincerity　in　their　wondering

satisfaction。　　Rather　there　was　a　touching；　almost　childlike

resumption　of　hope　as　they　gazed　at　this　conclusive　evidence　of

Nature's　bounty。　　The　gold　had　been　thereTHEY　had　only　missed　it！

And　if　there；　more　could　be　found！　　Was　it　not　a　proof　of　the

richness　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill？　　So　strongly　was　this　reflected　on

their　faces　that　a　casual　observer；　contrasting　them　with　the

thoughtful　countenances　of　the　real　owners；　wo