the three partners-第34章

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What　they　thought　at　that　moment　no　one　knew。　　Their　characteristic

appearance　had　slightly　changed。　　The　melancholy　and　philosophic

Demorest　was　alert　and　bitter。　　Barker's　changeful　face　had　become

fixed　and　steadfast。　　Stacy　alone　wore　his　〃fighting　look；〃　which

the　others　had　remembered。



They　had　not　long　to　wait。　　The　sounds　of　rude　laughter；　coarse

skylarking；　and　voices　more　or　less　still　confused　with　half…spent

liquor　came　from　the　rocky　trail。　　And　then　Steptoe　appeared　with

part　of　his　straggling　followers；　who　were　celebrating　their　easy

invasion　by　clattering　their　picks　and　shovels　and　beating　loudly

upon　their　tins　and　prospecting…pans。　　The　three　partners　quickly

recognized　the　stamp　of　the　strangers；　in　spite　of　their　peaceful

implements。　　They　were　the　waifs　and　strays　of　San　Francisco

wharves；　of　Sacramento　dens；　of　dissolute　mountain　towns；　and　there

was　not；　probably；　a　single　actual　miner　among　them。　　A　raging

scorn　and　contempt　took　possession　of　Barker　and　Demorest；　but

Stacy　knew　their　exact　value。　　As　Steptoe　passed　before　the　opening

of　the　tunnel　he　heard　the　cry　of　〃Halt！



He　looked　up。　　He　saw　Stacy　not　thirty　yards　before　him　with　his

rifle　at　half…cock。　　He　saw　Barker　and　Demorest；　fully　armed；　rise

from　behind　their　breastworks　of　rock　along　the　ledge　and　thus

fully　occupy　the　claim。　　But　he　saw　more。　　He　saw　that　his　plot　was

known。　　Outlaw　and　desperado　as　he　was；　he　saw　that　he　had　lost　his

moral　power　in　this　actual　possession；　and　that　from　that　moment　he

must　be　the　aggressor。　　He　saw　he　was　fighting　no　irresponsible

hirelings　like　his　own；　but　men　of　position　and　importance；　whose

loss　would　make　a　stir。　　Against　their　rifles　the　few　revolvers

that　his　men　chanced　to　have　slung　to　them　were　of　little　avail。

But　he　was　not　cowed；　although　his　few　followers　stumbled　together

at　this　momentary　check；　half　angrily；　half　timorously　like　wolves

without　a　leader。　　〃Bring　up　the　other　men　and　their　guns；〃　he

whispered　fiercely　to　the　nearest。　　Then　he　faced　Stacy。



〃Who　are　YOU　to　stop　peaceful　miners　going　to　work　on　their　own

claim？〃　he　said　coarsely。　　〃I'll　tell　you　WHO；　boys；〃　he　added；

suddenly　turning　to　his　men　with　a　hoarse　laugh。　　〃It　ain't　even

the　bank！　　It's　only　Jim　Stacy；　that　the　bank　kicked　out　yesterday

to　save　itself；Jim　Stacy　and　his　broken…down　pals。　　And　what's

the　thief　doing　herein　Marshall's　tunnelthe　only　spot　that

Marshall　can　claim？　　We　ain't　no　particular　friends　o'　Marshall's；

though　we're　neighbors　on　the　same　claim；　but　we　ain't　going　to　see

Marshall　ousted　by　tramps。　　Are　we；　boys？〃



〃No；　by　G…d！〃　said　his　followers；　dropping　the　pans　and　seizing

their　picks　and　revolvers。　　They　understood　the　appeal　to　arms　if

not　to　their　reason。　　For　an　instant　the　fight　seemed　imminent。

Then　a　voice　from　behind　them　said：



〃You　needn't　trouble　yourselves　about　that！　　I'M　Marshall！　　I　sent

these　gentlemen　to　occupy　the　claim　until　I　came　here　with　the

surveyor；〃　and　two　men　stepped　from　a　thicket　of　myrtle　in　the　rear

of　Steptoe　and　his　followers。　　The　speaker；　Marshall；　was　a　thin；

slight；　overworked；　over…aged　man；　his　companion；　the　surveyor；　was

equally　slight；　but　red…bearded；　spectacled；　and　professional…

looking；　with　a　long　traveling…duster　that　made　him　appear　even

clerical。　　They　were　scarcely　a　physical　addition　to　Stacy's　party；

whatever　might　have　been　their　moral　and　legal　support。



But　it　was　just　this　support　that　Steptoe　strangely　clung　to　in　his

designs　for　the　future；　and　a　wild　idea　seized　him。　　The　surveyor

was　really　the　only　disinterested　witness　between　the　two　parties。

If　Steptoe　could　confuse　his　mind　before　the　actual　fightingfrom

which　he　would；　of　course；　escape　as　a　non…combatantit　would　go

far　afterwards　to　rehabilitate　Steptoe's　party。　　〃Very　well；　then；〃

he　said　to　Marshall；　〃I　shall　call　this　gentleman　to　witness　that

we　have　been　attacked　here　in　peaceable　possession　of　our　part　of

the　claim　by　these　armed　strangers；　and　whether　they　are　acting　on

your　order　or　not；　their　blood　will　be　on　your　head。〃



〃Then　I　reckon；〃　said　the　surveyor；　as　he　tore　away　his　beard；　wig；

spectacles；　and　mustache；　and　revealed　the　figure　of　Jack　Hamlin；

〃that　I'm　about　the　last　witness　that　Mr。　Steptoe…Horncastle　ought

to　call；　and　about　the　last　witness　that　he　ever　WILL　call！〃



But　he　had　not　calculated　upon　the　desperation　of　Steptoe　over　the

failure　of　this　last　hope。　　For　there　sprang　up　in　the　outlaw's

brain　the　same　hideous　idea　that　he　voiced　to　his　companions　at　the

Divide。　　With　a　hoarse　cry　to　his　followers；　he　crashed　his　pickaxe

into　the　brain　of　Marshall；　who　stood　near　him；　and　sprang　forward。

Three　or　four　shots　were　exchanged。　　Two　of　his　men　fell；　a　bullet

from　Stacy's　rifle　pierced　Steptoe's　leg；　and　he　dropped　forward　on

one　knee。　　He　heard　the　steps　of　his　reinforcements　with　their

weapons　coming　close　behind　him；　and　rolled　aside　on　the　sloping

ledge　to　let　them　pass。　　But　he　rolled　too　far。　　He　felt　himself

slipping　down　the　mountain…side　in　the　slimy　shoot　of　the　tunnel。

He　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　recover　himself；　but　the　treacherous

drift　of　the　loose　debris　rolled　with　him；　as　if　he　were　part　of

its　refuse；　and；　carrying　him　down；　left　him　unconscious；　but

otherwise　uninjured；　in　the　bushes　of　the　second　ledge　five　hundred

feet　below。



When　he　recovered　his　senses　the　shouts　and　outcries　above　him　had

ceased。　　He　knew　he　was　safe。　　The　ledge　could　only　be　reached　by　a

circuitous　route　three　miles　away。　　He　knew；　too；　that　if　he　could

only　reach　a　point　of　outcrop　a　hundred　yards　away　he　could　easily

descend　to　the　stage　road；　down　the　gentle　slope　of　the　mountain

hidden　in　a　growth　of　hazel…brush。　　He　bound　up　his　wounded　leg；

and　dragged　himself　on　his　hands　and　knees　laboriously　to　the

outcrop。　　He　did　not　look　up；　since　his　pick　had　crashed　into

Marshall's　brain　he　had　but　one　blind　thought　before　himto　escape

at　once！　　That　his　revenge　and　compensation　would　come　later　he

never　doubted。　　He　limped　and　crept；　rolled　and　fell；　from　bush　to

bush　through　the　sloping　thickets；　until　he　saw　the　red　road　a　few

feet　below　him。



If　he　only　had　a　horse　he　could　put　miles　between　him　and　any

present　pursuit！　　Why　should　he　not　have　one？　　The　road　was

frequented　by　solitary　horsemenminers　and　Mexicans。　　He　had　his

revolver　with　him；　what　mattered　the　life　of　another　man　if　he

escaped　from　the　consequences　of　the　one　he　had　just　taken？　　He

heard　the　clatter　of　hoofs；　two　priests　on　mules　rode　slowly　by；　he

ground　his　teeth　with　disappointment。　　But　they　had　scarcely　passed

before　another　and　more　rapid　clatter　came　from　their　rear。　　It　was

a　lad　on　horseback。　　He　started。　　It　was　his　own　son！



He　remembered　in　a　flash　how　the　boy　had　said　he　was　coming　to　meet

the　padre　at　the　station　on　that　day。　　His　first　impulse　was　to

hide　himself；　his　wound；　and　his　defeat　from　the　lad；　but　the　blind

idea　of　escape　was　still　paramount。　　He　leaned　over　the　bank　and

called　to　him。　　The　astonished　lad　cantered　eagerly　to　his　side。



〃Give　me　your　horse；　Eddy；〃　said　the　father；　〃I'm　in　bad　luck；　and

must　get。〃



The　boy　glanced　at　his　father's　face；　at　his　tattered　garments　and

bandaged　leg；　and　read　the　whole　story。　　It　was　a　familiar　page　to

him。　　He　paled　first　and　then　flushed；　and　then；　with　an　odd

glitter　in　his　eyes；　said；　〃Take　me　with　you；　father。　　Do！　　You

always　did　before。　　I'll　bring　you　luck。〃



Desperation　is　superstitious。　　Why　not　take　him？　　They　had　been

lucky　before；　and　the　two　together　might　confound　any　description

of　their　identity　to　the　pursuers。　　〃Help　me　up；　Eddy；　and　then　get

up　before　me。〃



〃BEHIND；　you　mean；〃　said　the　boy；　with　a　laugh；　as　he　helped　his

father　into　the　saddle。



〃No；〃　said　Steptoe　harshly。　　〃BEFORE　me；do　you　hear？　　And　if

anything　happens　BEHIND　you；　don't　look！　　If　I　drop　off；　don't

stop！　　Don't　get　down；　but　go　on　and　leave　me。　　Do　you　understand？〃

he　repeated　almost　savagely。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　boy　tremulously。



〃All　right；〃　said　the　father；　with　a　softer　voice；　as　he　passed　his

one　arm　round　the　boy's　body　and　lifted　the　reins。　　〃Hold　tight

when　we　come　to　the　cross…roads；　for　we'll　take　the　first　turn；　for

old　luck's　sake；　to　the　Mission。〃



They　were　the　last　words　exchanged　between　them；　for　as　they

wheeled　rapidly　to　the　left　at　the　cross…roads；　Jack　Hamlin　and

Demorest　swung　as　quickly　out　of　another　road　to　the　right

immediately　behind　them。　　Jack's　challenge　to　〃Halt！〃　was　only

answered　by　Steptoe's　horse　springing　forward　under　the　sharp　lash

of　the　riata。



〃Hold　up！〃　said　Jack　suddenly；　laying　his　hand　upon　the　rifle　which

Demorest　had　lifted　to　his　shoulder。　　〃He's　carrying　some　one；a

wounded　comrade；　I　reckon。　　We　don't　want　HIM。　　Swing　out　and　go

for　the　horse；　well　forward；　in　the　neck　or　shoulder。〃



Demorest　swung　far　out　to　the　right　of　the　road　and　raised　his

rifle。　　As　it　cracked　Steptoe's　horse　seemed　to　have　suddenly

struck　some　obstacle　ahead　of　him　rather　than　to　have　been　hit

himself；　for　his　head　went　down　with　his　fore　feet　under　him；　and

he　turned　a　half…somersault　on　the　road；　flinging　his　two　riders　a

dozen　feet　away。



Steptoe　scrambled　to　his　knees；　revolver　in　hand；　but　the　other

figure　never　moved。　　〃Hands　up！〃　said　Jack；　sighting　his　own

weapon。　　The　reports　seemed　simultaneous；　but　Jack's　bullet　had

pierced　Steptoe's　brain　even　before　the　outlaw's　pistol　exploded

harmlessly　in　the　air。



The　two　men　dismounted；　but　by　a　common　instinct　they　both　ran　to

the　prostrate　figure　that　had　never　moved。



〃By　God！　it's　a　boy！〃　said　Jack；　leaning　over　the　body　and　lifting

the　shoulders　from　which　the　head　hung　loosely。　　〃Neck　broken　and

dead　as　his　pal。〃　　Suddenly　he　started；　and；　to　Demorest's

astonishment；　began　hurriedly　pulling　off　the　glove　from　the　boy's

limp　right　hand。



〃What　are　you　doing？〃　demanded　Demorest　in　creeping　horror。



〃Look！〃　said　Jack；　as　he　laid　bare　the　small　white　hand。　　The　first

two　fingers　were　merely　unsightly　stumps　that　had　been　hidden　in

the　padded　glove。



〃Good　God！　　Van　Loo's　brother！〃　said　Demorest；　recoiling。



〃No！〃　said　Jack；　with　a　grim　face；　〃it's　what　I　have　long

suspected；it's　Steptoe's　son！〃



〃His　son？〃　repeated　Demorest。



〃Yes；〃　said　Jack；　and　he　added；　after　looking　at　the　two　bodies

with　a　long…drawn　whistle　of　concern；　〃and　I　wouldn't；　if　I　were

you；　say　anything　of　this　to　Barker。〃



〃Why？〃　said　Demorest。



〃Well；〃　returned　Jack；　〃when　our　scrimmage　was　over　down　there；　and

they　brought　the　news　to　Barker　that　his　wife　and　her　diamonds　were

burnt　up　at　the　hotel；　you　remember　that　they　said　that　Mrs。

Horncastle　had　saved　his　boy。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Demorest；　〃but　what　has　that　to　do　with　it？〃



〃Nothing；　I　reckon；〃　said　Jack；　with　a　slight　shrug　of　hi