the three partners-第25章

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the　better　horse　and　the　only　saddle。〃



Van　Loo　recoiled。　　But　he　was　now　desperate　and　reckless。

Beckoning　Jack　out　of　earshot　of　the　other　passengers；　he　said　with

tightened　lips；　〃Why　do　you　follow　me？　　What　is　your　purpose　in

coming　here？〃



〃I　thought；〃　said　Hamlin　dryly；　〃that　I　was　to　have　the　pleasure　of

getting　satisfaction　from　you　for　the　insult　you　gave　me。〃



〃Well；　and　if　I　apologize　for　it；　what　then？〃　he　said　quickly。



Hamlin　looked　at　him　quietly。　　〃Well；　I　think　I　also　said　something

about　the　lady　being　the　wife　of　a　friend　of　mine。〃



〃And　I　have　left　her　BEHIND。　　Her　husband　can　take　her　back　without

disgrace；　for　no　one　knows　of　her　flight　but　you　and　me。　　Do　you

think　your　shooting　me　will　save　her？　　It　will　spread　the　scandal

far　and　wide。　　For　I　warn　you；　that　as　I　have　apologized　for　what

you　choose　to　call　my　personal　insult；　unless　you　murder　me　in　cold

blood　without　witness；　I　shall　let　them　know　the　REASON　of　your

quarrel。　　And　I　can　tell　you　more：　if　you　only　succeed　in　STOPPING

me　here；　and　make　me　lose　my　chance　of　getting　away；　the　scandal　to

your　friend　will　be　greater　still。〃



Mr。　Hamlin　looked　at　Van　Loo　curiously。　　There　was　a　certain　amount

of　conviction　in　what　he　said。　　He　had　never　met　this　kind　of

creature　before。　　He　had　surpassed　even　Hamlin's　first　intuition　of

his　character。　　He　amused　and　interested　him。　　But　Mr。　Hamlin　was

also　a　man　of　the　world；　and　knew　that　Van　Loo's　reasoning　might　be

good。　　He　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　said　gravely；　〃What　IS

your　little　game？〃



Van　Loo　had　been　seized　with　another　inspiration　of　desperation。

Steptoe　had　been　partly　responsible　for　this　situation。　　Van　Loo

knew　that　Jack　and　Steptoe　were　not　friends。　　He　had　certain

secrets　of　Steptoe's　that　might　be　of　importance　to　Jack。　　Why

should　he　not　try　to　make　friends　with　this　powerful　free…lance　and

half…outlaw？



〃It's　a　game；〃　he　said　significantly；　〃that　might　be　of　interest　to

your　friends　to　hear。〃



Hamlin　took　his　hands　out　of　his　pockets；　turned　on　his　heel；　and

said；　〃Come　with　me。〃



〃But　I　must　go　by　that　coach　now；〃　said　Van　Loo　desperately；　〃or

I've　told　you　what　would　happen。〃



〃Come　with　me；〃　said　Jack　coolly。　　〃If　I'm　satisfied　with　what　you

tell　me；　I'll　put　you　down　at　the　next　station　an　hour　before　that

coach　gets　there。〃



〃You　swear　it？〃　said　Van　Loo　hesitatingly。



〃I've　SAID　it；〃　returned　Jack。　　〃Come！〃　and　Van　Loo　followed　Mr。

Hamlin　into　the　station　hotel。





CHAPTER　VI。





The　abrupt　disappearance　of　Jack　Hamlin　and　the　strange　lady　and

gentleman　visitor　was　scarcely　noticed　by　the　other　guests　of　the

Divide　House；　and　beyond　the　circle　of　Steptoe　and　his　friends；　who

were　a　distinct　party　and　strangers　to　the　town；　there　was　no

excitement。　　Indeed；　the　hotel　proprietor　might　have　confounded

them　together；　and；　perhaps；　Van　Loo　was　not　far　wrong　in　his

belief　that　their　identity　had　not　been　suspected。　　Nor　were

Steptoe's　followers　very　much　concerned　in　an　episode　in　which　they

had　taken　part　only　at　the　suggestion　of　their　leader；　and　which

had　terminated　so　tamely。　　That　they　would　have　liked　a　〃row；〃　in

which　Jack　Hamlin　would　have　been　incidentally　forced　to　disgorge

his　winnings；　there　was　no　doubt；　but　that　their　interference　was

asked　solely　to　gratify　some　personal　spite　of　Steptoe's　against

Van　Loo　was　equally　plain　to　them。　　There　was　some　grumbling　and

outspoken　criticism　of　his　methods。



This　was　later　made　more　obvious　by　the　arrival　of　another　guest

for　whom　Steptoe　and　his　party　were　evidently　waiting。　　He　was　a

short；　stout　man；　whose　heavy　red　beard　was　trimmed　a　little　more

carefully　than　when　he　was　first　known　to　Steptoe　as　Alky　Hall；　the

drunkard　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill。　　His　dress；　too；　exhibited　a　marked

improvement　in　quality　and　style；　although　still　characterized　in

the　waist　and　chest　by　the　unbuttoned　freedom　of　portly　and

slovenly　middle　age。　　Civilization　had　restricted　his　potations　or

limited　them　to　certain　festivals　known　as　〃sprees；〃　and　his　face

was　less　puffy　and　sodden。　　But　with　the　accession　of　sobriety　he

had　lost　his　good　humor；　and　had　the　irritability　and　intolerance

of　virtuous　restraint。



〃Ye　needn't　ladle　out　any　of　your　forty…rod　whiskey　to　me；〃　he　said

querulously　to　Steptoe；　as　he　filed　out　with　the　rest　of　the　party

through　the　bar…room　into　the　adjacent　apartment。　　〃I　want　to　keep

my　head　level　till　our　business　is　over；　and　I　reckon　it　wouldn't

hurt　you　and　your　gang　to　do　the　same。　　They're　less　likely　to

blab；　and　there　are　few　doors　that　whiskey　won't　unlock；〃　he　added；

as　Steptoe　turned　the　key　in　the　door　after　the　party　had　entered。



The　room　had　evidently　been　used　for　meetings　of　directors　or

political　caucuses；　and　was　roughly　furnished　with　notched　and

whittled　armchairs　and　a　single　long　deal　table；　on　which　were　ink

and　pens。　　The　men　sat　down　around　it　with　a　half…embarrassed；

half…contemptuous　attitude　of　formality；　their　bent　brows　and

isolated　looks　showing　little　community　of　sentiment　and　scarcely

an　attempt　to　veil　that　individual　selfishness　that　was　prominent。

Still　less　was　there　any　essay　of　companionship　or　sympathy　in　the

manner　of　Steptoe　as　he　suddenly　rapped　on　the　table　with　his

knuckles。



〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　with　a　certain　deliberation　of　utterance；　as

if　he　enjoyed　his　own　coarse　directness；　〃I　reckon　you　all　have　a

sort　of　general　idea　what　you　were　picked　up　for；　or　you　wouldn't

be　here。　　But　you　may　or　may　not　know　that　for　the　present　you　are

honest；　hard…working　miners；the　backbone　of　the　State　of

Californy；and　that　you　have　formed　yourselves　into　a　company

called　the　'Blue　Jay；'　and　you've　settled　yourselves　on　the　Bar

below　Heavy　Tree　Hill；　on　a　deserted　claim　of　the　Marshall

Brothers；　not　half　a　mile　from　where　the　big　strike　was　made　five

years　ago。　　That's　what　you　ARE；　gentlemen；　that's　what　you'll

continue　TO　BE　until　the　job's　finished；　and；〃　he　added；　with　a

sudden　dominance　that　they　all　felt；　〃the　man　who　forgets　it　will

have　to　reckon　with　me。　　Now；〃　he　continued；　resuming　his　former

ironical　manner；　〃now；　what　are　the　cold　facts　of　the　case？　　The

Marshalls　worked　this　claim　ever　since　'49；　and　never　got　anything

out　of　it；　then　they　dropped　off　or　died　out；　leaving　only　one

brother；　Tom　Marshall；　to　work　what　was　left　of　it。　　Well；　a　few

days　ago　HE　found　indications　of　a　big　lead　in　the　rock；　and

instead　of　rushin'　out　and　yellin'　like　an　honest　man；　and　callin'

in　the　boys　to　drink；　he　sneaks　off　to　'Frisco；　and　goes　to　the

bank　to　get　'em　to　take　a　hand　in　it。　　Well；　you　know；　when　Jim

Stacy　takes　a　hand　in　anything；　IT'S　BOTH　HANDS；　and　the　bank

wouldn't　see　it　until　he　promised　to　guarantee　possession　of　the

whole　abandoned　claim；'dips；　spurs；　and　angles；'and　let　them

work　the　whole　thing；　which　the　dd　fool　DID；　and　the　bank

agreed　to　send　an　expert　down　there　to…morrow　to　report。　　But　while

he　was　away　some　one　on　our　side；　who　was　an　expert　also；　got　wind

of　it；　and　made　an　examination　all　by　himself；　and　found　it　was　a

vein　sure　enough　and　a　big　thing；　and　some　one　else　on　our　side

found　out；　too；　all　that　Marshall　had　promised　the　bank　and　what

the　bank　had　promised　him。　　Now；　gentlemen；　when　the　bank　sends

down　that　expert　to…morrow　I　expect　that　he　will　find　YOU　IN

POSSESSION　of　every　part　of　the　deserted　claim　except　the　spot

where　Tom　is　still　working。〃



〃And　what　good　is　that　to　us？〃　asked　one　of　the　men　contemptuously。



〃Good？〃　repeated　Steptoe　harshly。　　〃Well；　if　you're　not　as　dd　a

fool　as　Marshall；　you'll　see　that　if　he　has　struck　a　lead　or　vein

it's　bound　to　run　across　OUR　CLAIMS；　and　what's　to　keep　us　from

sinking　for　it　as　long　as　Marshall　hasn't　worked　the　other　claims

for　years　nor　pre…empted　them　for　this　lead？〃



〃What'll　keep　him　from　pre…empting　now？〃



〃Our　possession。〃



〃But　if　he　can　prove　that　the　brothers　left　their　claims　to　him　to

keep；　he'll　just　send　the　sheriff　and　his　posse　down　upon　us；〃

persisted　the　first　speaker。



〃It　will　take　him　three　months　to　do　that　by　law；　and　the　sheriff

and　his　posse　can't　do　it　before　as　long　as　we're　in　peaceable

possession　of　it。　　And　by　the　time　that　expert　and　Marshall　return

they'll　find　us　in　peaceful　possession；　unless　we're　such　blasted

fools　as　to　stay　talking　about　it　here！〃



〃But　what's　to　prevent　Marshall　from　getting　a　gang　of　his　own　to

drive　us　off？〃



〃Now　your　talkin'　and　not　yelpin'；〃　said　Steptoe；　with　slow

insolence。　　〃Dd　if　I　didn't　begin　to　think　you　kalkilated　I　was

goin'　to　employ　you　as　lawyers！　　Nothing　is　to　prevent　him　from

gettin'　up　HIS　gang；　and　we　hope　he'll　do　it；　for　you　see　it　puts

us　both　on　the　same　level　before　the　law；　for　we're　both　BREAKIN'

IT。　　And　we　kalkilate　that　we're　as　good　as　any　roughs　they　can

pick　up　at　Heavy　Tree。〃



〃I　reckon！〃　　〃Ye　can　count　us　in！〃　said　half　a　dozen　voices

eagerly。



〃But　what's　the　job　goin'　to　pay　us？〃　persisted　a　Sydney　man。　　〃An'

arter　we've　beat　off　this　other　gang；　are　we　going　to　scrub　along

on　grub　wages　until　we're　yanked　out　by　process…sarvers　three

months　later？　　If　that's　the　ticket　I'm　not　in　it。　　I　aren't　no

by　quartz　miner。〃



〃We　ain't　going　to　do　no　more　MINING　there　than　the　bank；〃　said

Steptoe　fiercely。　　〃And　the　bank　ain't　going　to　wait　no　three

months　for　the　end　of　the　lawsuit。　　They'll　float　the　stock　of　that

mine　for　a　couple　of　millions；　and　get　out　of　it　with　a　million

before　a　month。　　And　they'll　have　to　buy　us　off　to　do　that。　　What

they'll　pay　will　depend　upon　the　lead；　but　we　don't　move　off　those

claims　for　less　than　five　thousand　dollars；　which　will　be　two

hundred　and　fifty　dollars　to　each　man。　　But；〃　said　Steptoe　in　a

lower　but　perfectly　distinct　voice；　〃if　there　should　be　a　row；and

they　BEGIN　it；and　in　the　scuffle　Tom　Marshall；　their　only

witness；　should　happen　to　get　in　the　way　of　a　revolver　or　have　his

head　caved　in；　there　might　be　some　difficulty　in　their　holdin'　ANY

OF　THE　MINE　against　honest；　hardworking　miners　in　possession。　　You

hear　me？〃



There　was　a　breathless　silence　for　the　moment；　and　a　slight

movement　of　the　men　in　their　chairs；　but　never　in　fear　or　protest。

Every　one　had　heard　the　speaker　distinctly；　and　every　man

distinctly　understood　him。　　Some　of　them　were　criminals；　one　or　two

had　already　the　stain　of　blood　on　their　hands；　but　even　the　most

timid；　who　at　other　times　might　have　shrunk　from　suggested

assassination；　saw　in　the　speaker's　words　only　the　fair　removal　of

a　natural　enemy。



〃All　right；　boys。　　I'm　ready　to　wade　in　at　once。　　Why　ain't　we　on

the　road　now？　　We　might　have　been　but　for　foolin'　our　time　away　on

that　man　Van　Loo。〃



〃Van　Loo！〃　repeated　Hall　eagerly；〃Van　Loo！　　Was　he　here？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Steptoe　shortly；　administering　a　kick　under　the　table

to　Hall；　as　h