the three partners-第3章

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their　faces　that　a　casual　observer；　contrasting　them　with　the

thoughtful　countenances　of　the　real　owners；　would　have　thought　them

the　lucky　ones。　　It　touched　Barker's　quick　sympathies；　it　puzzled

Stacy；　it　made　Demorest　more　serious；　it　aroused　Steptoe's　active

contempt。　　Whiskey　Dick　alone　remained　stolid　and　impassive　in　a

desperate　attempt　to　pull　himself　once　more　together。　　Eventually

he　succeeded；　even　to　the　ambitious　achievement　of　mounting　a　chair

and　lifting　his　tin　cup　with　a　dangerously　unsteady　hand；　which　did

not；　however；　affect　his　precision　of　utterance；　and　said：



〃Order；　gentlemen！　　We'll　drink　success　toto〃



〃The　next　strike！〃　said　Barker；　leaping　impetuously　on　another

chair　and　beaming　upon　the　old　locators〃and　may　it　come　to　those

who　have　so　long　deserved　it！〃



His　sincere　and　generous　enthusiasm　seemed　to　break　the　spell　of

silence　that　had　fallen　upon　them。　　Other　toasts　quickly　followed。

In　the　general　good　feeling　Barker　attached　himself　to　Van　Loo　with

his　usual　boyish　effusion；　and　in　a　burst　of　confidence　imparted

the　secret　of　his　engagement　to　Kitty　Carter。　　Van　Loo　listened

with　polite　attention；　formal　congratulations；　but　inscrutable

eyes；　that　occasionally　wandered　to　Stacy　and　again　to　the

treasure。　　A　slight　chill　of　disappointment　came　over　Barker's

quick　sensitiveness。　　Perhaps　his　enthusiasm　had　bored　this

superior　man　of　the　world。　　Perhaps　his　confidences　were　in　bad

taste！　　With　a　new　sense　of　his　inexperience　he　turned　sadly　away。

Van　Loo　took　that　opportunity　to　approach　Stacy。



〃What's　all　this　I　hear　of　Barker　being　engaged　to　Miss　Carter？〃　he

said；　with　a　faintly　superior　smile。　　〃Is　it　really　true？〃



〃Yes。　　Why　shouldn't　it　be？〃　returned　Stacy　bluntly。



Van　Loo　was　instantly　deprecating　and　smiling。　　〃Why　not；　of

course？　　But　isn't　it　sudden？〃



〃They　have　known　each　other　ever　since　he's　been　on　Heavy　Tree

Hill；〃　responded　Stacy。



〃Ah；　yes！　　True；〃　said　Van　Loo。　　〃But　now〃



〃Wellhe's　got　money　enough　to　marry；　and　he's　going　to　marry。〃



〃Rather　young；　isn't　he？〃　said　Van　Loo；　still　deprecatingly。　　〃And

she's　got　nothing。　　Used　to　wait　on　the　table　at　her　father's　hotel

in　Boomville；　didn't　she？〃



〃Yes。　　What　of　that？　　We　all　know　it。〃



〃Of　course。　　It's　an　excellent　thing　for　herand　her　father。

He'll　have　a　rich　son…in…law。　　About　two　hundred　thousand　is　his

share；　isn't　it？　　I　suppose　old　Carter　is　delighted？〃



Stacy　had　thought　this　before；　but　did　not　care　to　have　it

corroborated　by　this　superfine　young　foreigner。　　〃And　I　don't

reckon　that　Barker　is　offended　if　he　is；〃　he　said　curtly　as　he

turned　away。　　Nevertheless；　he　felt　irritated　that　one　of　the　three

superior　partners　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill　should　be　thought　a　dupe。



Suddenly　the　conversation　dropped；　the　laughter　ceased。　　Every　one

turned　round；　and；　by　a　common　instinct；　looked　towards　the　door。

From　the　obscurity　of　the　hill　slope　below　came　a　wonderful　tenor

voice；　modulated　by　distance　and　spiritualized　by　the　darkness：





　　　　　〃When　at　some　future　day

　　　　　　I　shall　be　far　away；

　　　　　　Thou　wilt　be　weeping；

　　　　　　Thy　lone　watch　keeping。〃





The　men　looked　at　one　another。　　〃That's　Jack　Hamlin；〃　they　said。

〃What's　he　doing　here？〃



〃The　wolves　are　gathering　around　fresh　meat；〃　said　Steptoe；　with

his　coarse　laugh　and　a　glance　at　the　treasure。　　〃Didn't　ye　know　he

came　over　from　Red　Dog　yesterday？〃



〃Well；　give　Jack　a　fair　show　and　his　own　game；〃　said　one　of　the　old

locators；　〃and　he'd　clean　out　that　pile　afore　sunrise。〃



〃And　lose　it　next　day；〃　added　another。



〃But　never　turn　a　hair　or　change　a　muscle　in　either　case；〃　said　a

third。　　〃Lord！　　I've　heard　him　sing　away　just　like　that　when　he's

been　leaving　the　board　with　five　thousand　dollars　in　his　pocket；　or

going　away　stripped　of　his　last　red　cent。〃



Van　Loo；　who　had　been　listening　with　a　peculiar　smile；　here　said　in

his　most　deprecating　manner；　〃Yes；　but　did　you　never　consider　the

influence　that　such　a　man　has　on　the　hard…working　tunnelmen；　who

are　ready　to　gamble　their　whole　week's　earnings　to　him？　　Perhaps

not。　　But　I　know　the　difficulties　of　getting　the　Ditch　rates　from

these　men　when　he　has　been　in　camp。〃



He　glanced　around　him　with　some　importance；　but　only　a　laugh

followed　his　speech。　　〃Come；　Frenchy；〃　said　an　old　locator；　〃you

only　say　that　because　your　little　brother　wanted　to　play　with　Jack

like　a　grown　man；　and　when　Jack　ordered　him　off　the　board　and　he

became　sassy；　Jack　scooted　him　outer　the　saloon。〃



Van　Loo's　face　reddened　with　an　anger　that　had　the　apparent　effect

of　removing　every　trace　of　his　former　polished　repose；　and　leaving

only　a　hard　outline　beneath。　　At　which　Demorest　interfered：



〃I　can't　say　that　I　see　much　difference　in　gambling　by　putting

money　into　a　hole　in　the　ground　and　expecting　to　take　more　from　it

than　by　putting　it　on　a　card　for　the　same　purpose。〃



Here　the　ravishing　tenor　voice；　which　had　been　approaching；　ceased；

and　was　succeeded　by　a　heart…breaking　and　equally　melodious

whistling　to　finish　the　bar　of　the　singer's　song。　　And　the　next

moment　Jack　Hamlin　appeared　in　the　doorway。



Whatever　was　his　present　financial　condition；　in　perfect　self…

possession　and　charming　sang…froid　he　fully　bore　out　his　previous

description。　　He　was　as　clean　and　refreshing　looking　as　a　madrono…

tree　in　the　dust…blown　forest。　　An　odor　of　scented　soap　and　freshly

ironed　linen　was　wafted　from　him；　there　was　scarcely　a　crease　in

his　white　waistcoat；　nor　a　speck　upon　his　varnished　shoes。　　He

might　have　been　an　auditor　of　the　previous　conversation；　so　quickly

and　completely　did　he　seem　to　take　in　the　whole　situation　at　a

glance。　　Perhaps　there　was　an　extra　tilt　to　his　black…ribboned

Panama　hat；　and　a　certain　dancing　devilry　in　his　brown　eyeswhich

might　also　have　been　an　answer　to　adverse　criticism。



〃When　I；　his　truth　to　prove；　would　trifle　with　my　love；〃　he　warbled

in　general　continuance　from　the　doorway。　　Then　dropping　cheerfully

into　speech；　he　added；　〃Well；　boys；　I　am　here　to　welcome　the　little

stranger；　and　to　trust　that　the　family　are　doing　as　well　as　can　be

expected。　　Ah！　there　it　is！　　Bless　it！〃　he　went　on；　walking

leisurely　to　the　treasure。　　〃Triplets；　too！and　plump　at　that。

Have　you　had　'em　weighed？〃



Frankness　was　an　essential　quality　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill。　　〃We　were

just　saying；　Jack；〃　said　an　old　locator；　〃that；　giving　you　a　fair

show　and　your　own　game；　you　could　manage　to　get　away　with　that　pile

before　daybreak。〃



〃And　I'm　just　thinking；〃　said　Jack　cheerfully；　〃that　there　were

some　of　you　here　that　could　do　that　without　any　such　useless

preliminary。〃　　His　brown　eyes　rested　for　a　moment　on　Steptoe；　but

turning　quite　abruptly　to　Van　Loo；　he　held　out　his　hand。　　Startled

and　embarrassed　before　the　others；　the　young　man　at　last　advanced

his；　when　Jack　coolly　put　his　own；　as　if　forgetfully；　in　his

pocket。　　〃I　thought　you　might　like　to　know　what　that　little　brother

of　yours　is　doing；〃　he　said　to　Van　Loo；　yet　looking　at　Steptoe。　　〃I

found　him　wandering　about　the　Hill　here　quite　drunk。〃



〃I　have　repeatedly　warned　him〃began　Van　Loo；　reddening。



〃Against　bad　companyI　know；〃　suggested　Jack　gayly；　〃yet　in　spite

of　all　that；　I　think　he　owes　some　of　his　liquor　to　Steptoe　yonder。〃



〃I　never　supposed　the　fool　would　get　drunk　over　a　glass　of　whiskey

offered　in　fun；〃　said　Steptoe　harshly；　yet　evidently　quite　as　much

disconcerted　as　angry。



〃The　trouble　with　Steptoe；〃　said　Hamlin；　thoughtfully　spanning　his

slim　waist　with　both　hands　as　he　looked　down　at　his　polished　shoes；

〃is　that　he　has　such　a　soft…hearted　liking　for　all　weaknesses。

Always　wanting　to　protect　chaps　that　can't　look　after　themselves；

whether　it's　Whiskey　Dick　there　when　he　has　a　pull　on；　or　some

nigger　when　he's　made　a　little　strike；　or　that　straying　lamb　of　Van

Loo's　when　he's　puppy　drunk。　　But　you're　wrong　about　me；　boys。　　You

can't　draw　me　in　any　game　to…night。　　This　is　one　of　my　nights　off；

which　I　devote　exclusively　to　contemplation　and　song。　　But；〃　he

added；　suddenly　turning　to　his　three　hosts　with　a　bewildering　and

fascinating　change　of　expression；　〃I　couldn't　resist　coming　up　here

to　see　you　and　your　pile；　even　if　I　never　saw　the　one　or　the　other

before；　and　am　not　likely　to　see　either　again。　　I　believe　in　luck！

And　it　comes　a　mighty　sight　oftener　than　a　fellow　thinks　it　does。

But　it　doesn't　come　to　stay。　　So　I'd　advise　you　to　keep　your　eyes

skinned；　and　hang　on　to　it　while　it's　with　you；　like　grim　death。

So　long！〃



Resisting　all　attempts　of　his　hostswho　had　apparently　fallen　as

suddenly　and　unaccountably　under　the　magic　of　his　mannerto　detain

him　longer；　he　stepped　lightly　away；　his　voice　presently　rising

again　in　melody　as　he　descended　the　hill。　　Nor　was　it　at　all

remarkable　that　the　others；　apparently　drawn　by　the　same　inevitable

magnetism；　were　impelled　to　follow　him；　naturally　joining　their

voices　with　his；　leaving　Steptoe　and　Van　Loo　so　markedly　behind

them　alone　that　they　were　compelled　at　last　in　sheer　embarrassment

to　close　up　the　rear　of　the　procession。　　In　another　moment　the

cabin　and　the　three　partners　again　relapsed　into　the　peace　and

quiet　of　the　night。　　With　the　dying　away　of　the　last　voices　on　the

hillside　the　old　solitude　reasserted　itself。



But　since　the　irruption　of　the　strangers　they　had　lost　their　former

sluggish　contemplation；　and　now　busied　themselves　in　preparation

for　their　early　departure　from　the　cabin　the　next　morning。　　They

had　arranged　to　spend　the　following　day　and　night　at　Boomville　and

Carter's　Hotel；　where　they　were　to　give　their　farewell　dinner　to

Heavy　Tree　Hill。　　They　talked　but　little　together：　since　the　rebuff

his　enthusiastic　confidences　had　received　from　Van　Loo；　Barker　had

been　grave　and　thoughtful；　and　Stacy；　with　the　irritating

recollection　of　Van　Loo's　criticisms　in　his　mind；　had　refrained

from　his　usual　rallying　of　Barker。　　Oddly　enough；　they　spoke

chiefly　of　Jack　Hamlin；till　then　personally　a　stranger　to　them；

on　account　of　his　infelix　reputation；and　even　the　critical

Demorest　expressed　a　wish　they　had　known　him　before。　　〃But　you

never　know　the　real　value　of　anything　until　you're　quitting　it　or

it's　quitting　you；〃　he　added　sententiously。



Barker　and　Stacy　both　stared　at　their　companion。　　It　was　unlike

Demorest　to　regret　anythingparticularly　a　mere　social　diversion。



〃They　say；〃　remarked　Stacy；　〃that　if　you　had　known　Jack　Hamlin

earlier　and　professionally；　a　great　deal　of　real　value　would　have

quitted　you　before　he　did。〃



〃Don't　repeat　that　rot　flung　out　by　men　who　have　played　Jack's　game

and　lost；〃　returned　Demorest　derisively。　　〃I'd　rather　trust　him

than〃　　He　stopped；　glanced　at　the　meditative　Barker；　and　then

concluded　abruptly；　〃the　whole　caboodle　of　his　critics。〃



They　were　silent　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　seemed　to　have　falle