the three partners-第4章

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



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

into　their　former　dreamy　mood　as　they　relapsed　into　their　old　seats

again。　　At　last　Stacy　drew　a　long　breath。　　〃I　wish　we　had　sent

those　nuggets　off　with　the　others　this　morning。〃



〃Why？〃　said　Demorest　suddenly。



〃Why？　　Well；　dn　it　all！　they　kind　of　oppress　me；　don't　you　see。

I　seem　to　feel　'em　here；　on　my　chestall　the　three；〃　returned

Stacy　only　half　jocularly。　　〃It's　their　dd　specific　gravity；　I

suppose。　　I　don't　like　the　idea　of　sleeping　in　the　same　room　with

'em。　　They're　altogether　too　much　for　us　three　men　to　be　left　alone

with。〃



〃You　don't　mean　that　you　think　that　anybody　would　attempt〃said

Demorest。



Stacy　curled　a　fighting　lip　rather　superciliously。　　〃No；　I　don't

think　THATI　rather　wish　I　did。　　It's　the　blessed　chunks　of　solid

gold　that　seem　to　have　got　US　fast；　don't　you　know；　and　are　going

to　stick　to　us　for　good　or　ill。　　A　sort　of　Frankenstein　monster

that　we've　picked　out　of　a　hole　from　below。〃



〃I　know　just　what　Stacy　means；〃　said　Barker　breathlessly；　rounding

his　gray　eyes。　　〃I've　felt　it；　too。　　Couldn't　we　make　a　sort　of

cache　of　itbury　it　just　outside　the　cabin　for　to…night？　　It　would

be　sort　of　putting　it　back　into　its　old　place；　you　know；　for　the

time　being。　　IT　might　like　it。〃



The　other　two　laughed。　　〃Rather　rough　on　Providence；　Barker　boy；〃

said　Stacy；　〃handing　back　the　Heaven…sent　gift　so　soon！　　Besides；

what's　to　keep　any　prospector　from　coming　along　and　making　a　strike

of　it？　　You　know　that's　mining　lawif　you　haven't　preempted　the

spot　as　a　claim。〃



But　Barker　was　too　staggered　by　this　material　statement　to　make　any

reply；　and　Demorest　arose。　　〃And　I　feel　that　you'd　both　better　be

turning　in；　as　we've　got　to　get　up　early。〃　　He　went　to　the　corner

of　the　cabin；　and　threw　the　blanket　back　over　the　pan　and　its

treasure。　　〃There　that'll　keep　the　chunks　from　getting　up　to　ride

astride　of　you　like　a　nightmare。〃　　He　shut　the　door　and　gave　a

momentary　glance　at　its　cheap　hinges　and　the　absence　of　bolt　or

bar。　　Stacy　caught　his　eye。　　〃We'll　miss　this　security　in　San

Franciscoperhaps　even　in　Boomville；〃　he　sighed。



It　was　scarcely　ten　o'clock；　but　Stacy　and　Barker　had　begun　to

undress　themselves　with　intervals　of　yawning　and　desultory　talk；

Barker　continuing　an　amusing　story；　with　one　stocking　off　and　his

trousers　hanging　on　his　arm；　until　at　last　both　men　were　snugly

curled　up　in　their　respective　bunks。　　Presently　Stacy's　voice　came

from　under　the　blankets：



〃Hallo！　aren't　you　going　to　turn　in　too？〃



〃Not　yet；〃　said　Demorest　from　his　chair　before　the　fire。　　〃You　see

it's　the　last　night　in　the　old　shanty；　and　I　reckon　I'll　see　the

rest　of　it　out。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　the　impulsive　Barker；　struggling　violently　with

his　blankets。　　〃I　tell　you　what；　boys：　we　just　ought　to　make　a

watch…night　of　ita　regular　vigil；　you　knowuntil　twelve　at

least。　　Hold　on！　　I'll　get　up；　too！〃　　But　here　Demorest　arose；

caught　his　youthful　partner's　bare　foot　which　went　searching

painfully　for　the　ground　in　one　hand；　tucked　it　back　under　the

blankets；　and　heaping　them　on　the　top　of　him；　patted　the　bulk　with

an　authoritative；　paternal　air。



〃You'll　just　say　your　prayers　and　go　to　sleep；　sonny。　　You'll　want

to　be　fresh　as　a　daisy　to　appear　before　Miss　Kitty　to…morrow　early；

and　you　can　keep　your　vigils　for　to…morrow　night；　after　dinner；　in

the　back　drawing…room。　　I　said　'Good…night；'　and　I　mean　it！〃



Protesting　feebly；　Barker　finally　yielded　in　a　nestling　shiver　and

a　sudden　silence。　　Demorest　walked　back　to　his　chair。　　A　prolonged

snore　came　from　Stacy's　bunk；　then　everything　was　quiet。　　Demorest

stirred　up　the　fire；　cast　a　huge　root　upon　it；　and；　leaning　back　in

his　chair；　sat　with　half…closed　eyes　and　dreamed。



It　was　an　old　dream　that　for　the　past　three　years　had　come　to　him

daily；　sometimes　even　overtaking　him　under　the　shade　of　a　buckeye

in　his　noontide　rest　on　his　claim；a　dream　that　had　never　yet

failed　to　wait　for　him　at　night　by　the　fireside　when　his　partners

were　at　rest；　a　dream　of　the　past；　but　so　real　that　it　always　made

the　present　seem　the　dream　through　which　he　was　moving　towards　some

sure　awakening。



It　was　not　strange　that　it　should　come　to　him　to…night；　as　it　had

often　come　before；　slowly　shaping　itself　out　of　the　obscurity　as

the　vision　of　a　fair　young　girl　seated　in　one　of　the　empty　chairs

before　him。　　Always　the　same　pretty；　childlike　face；　fraught　with　a

half…frightened；　half…wondering　trouble；　always　the　same　slender；

graceful　figure；　but　always　glimmering　in　diamonds　and　satin；　or

spiritual　in　lace　and　pearls；　against　his　own　rude　and　sordid

surroundings；　always　silent　with　parted　lips；　until　the　night　wind

smote　some　chord　of　recollection；　and　then　mingled　a　remembered

voice　with　his　own。　　For　at　those　times　he　seemed　to　speak　also；

albeit　with　closed　lips；　and　an　utterance　inaudible　to　all　but　her。



〃Well？〃　he　said　sadly。



〃Well？〃　the　voice　repeated；　like　a　gentle　echo　blending　with　his

own。



〃You　know　it　all　now；〃　he　went　on。　　〃You　know　that　it　has　come　at

last；all　that　I　had　worked　for；　prayed　for；　all　that　would　have

made　us　happy　here；　all　that　would　have　saved　you　to　me　has　come　at

last；　and　all　too　late！〃



〃Too　late！〃　echoed　the　voice　with　his。



〃You　remember；〃　he　went　on；　〃the　last　day　we　were　together。　　You

remember　your　friends　and　family　would　have　you　give　me　upa

penniless　man。　　You　remember　when　they　reproached　you　with　my

poverty；　and　told　you　that　it　was　only　your　wealth　that　I　was

seeking；　that　I　then　determined　to　go　away　and　never　to　return　to

claim　you　until　that　reproach　could　be　removed。　　You　remember；

dearest；　how　you　clung　to　me　and　bade　me　stay　with　you；　even　fly

with　you；　but　not　to　leave　you　alone　with　them。　　You　wore　the　same

dress　that　day；　darling；　your　eyes　had　the　same　wondering　childlike

fear　and　trouble　in　them；　your　jewels　glittered　on　you　as　you

trembled；　and　I　refused。　　In　my　pride；　or　rather　in　my　weakness　and

cowardice；　I　refused。　　I　came　away　and　broke　my　heart　among　these

rocks　and　ledges；　yet　grew　strong；　and　you；　my　love；　YOU；　sheltered

and　guarded　by　those　you　loved；　YOU〃　　He　stopped　and　buried　his

face　in　his　hands。　　The　night　wind　breathed　down　the　chimney；　and

from　the　stirred　ashes　on　the　hearth　came　the　soft　whisper；　〃I

died。〃



〃And　then；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　cared　for　nothing。　　Sometimes　my　heart

awoke　for　this　young　partner　of　mine　in　his　innocent；　trustful　love

for　a　girl　that　even　in　her　humble　station　was　far　beyond　his

hopes；　and　I　pitied　myself　in　him。　　Home；　fortune；　friends；　I　no

longer　cared　forall　were　forgotten。　　And　now　they　are　returning

to　meonly　that　I　may　see　the　hollowness　and　vanity　of　them；　and

taste　the　bitterness　for　which　I　have　sacrificed　you。　　And　here；　on

this　last　night　of　my　exile；　I　am　confronted　with　only　the

jealousy；　the　doubt；　the　meanness　and　selfishness　that　is　to　come。

Too　late！　　Too　late！〃



The　wondering；　troubled　eyes　that　had　looked　into　his　here　appeared

to　clear　and　brighten　with　a　sweet　prescience。　　Was　it　the　wind

moaning　in　the　chimney　that　seemed　to　whisper　to　him：　〃Too　late；

beloved；　for　ME；　but　not　for　you。　　I　died；　but　Love　still　lives。

Be　happy；　Philip。　　And　in　your　happiness　I　too　may　live　again〃？



He　started。　　In　the　flickering　firelight　the　chair　was　empty。　　The

wind　that　had　swept　down　the　chimney　had　stirred　the　ashes　with　a

sound　like　the　passage　of　a　rustling　skirt。　　There　was　a　chill　in

the　air　and　a　smell　like　that　of　opened　earth。　　A　nervous　shiver

passed　over　him。　　Then　he　sat　upright。　　There　was　no　mistake；　it

was　no　superstitious　fancy；　but　a　faint；　damp　current　of　air　was

actually　flowing　across　his　feet　towards　the　fireplace。　　He　was

about　to　rise　when　he　stopped　suddenly　and　became　motionless。



He　was　actively　conscious　now　of　a　strange　sound　which　had　affected

him　even　in　the　preoccupation　of　his　vision。　　It　was　a　gentle

brushing　of　some　yielding　substance　like　that　made　by　a　soft　broom

on　sand；　or　the　sweep　of　a　gown。　　But　to　his　mountain　ears；　attuned

to　every　woodland　sound；　it　was　not　like　the　gnawing　of　gopher　or

squirrel；　the　scratching　of　wildcat；　nor　the　hairy　rubbing　of　bear。

Nor　was　it　human；　the　long；　deep　respirations　of　his　sleeping

companions　were　distinct　from　that　monotonous　sound。　　He　could　not

even　tell　if　it　were　IN　the　cabin　or　without。　　Suddenly　his　eye

fell　upon　the　pile　in　the　corner。　　The　blanket　that　covered　the

treasure　was　actually　moving！



He　rose　quickly；　but　silently；　alert；　self…contained；　and　menacing。

For　this　dreamer；　this　bereaved　man；　this　scornful　philosopher　of

riches　had　disappeared　with　that　midnight　trespass　upon　the　sacred

treasure。　　The　movement　of　the　blanket　ceased；　the　soft；　swishing

sound　recommenced。　　He　drew　a　glittering　bowie…knife　from　his　boot…

leg；　and　in　three　noiseless　strides　was　beside　the　pile。　　There　he

saw　what　he　fully　expected　to　see；a　narrow；　horizontal　gap

between　the　log　walls　of　the　cabin　and　the　adobe　floor；　slowly

widening　and　deepening　by　the　burrowing　of　unseen　hands　from

without。　　The　cold　outer　air　which　he　had　felt　before　was　now

plainly　flowing　into　the　heated　cabin　through　the　opening。　　The

swishing　sound　recommenced；　and　stopped。　　Then　the　four　fingers　of

a　hand；　palm　downwards；　were　cautiously　introduced　between　the

bottom　log　and　the　denuded　floor。　　Upon　that　intruding　hand　the

bowie…knife　of　Demorest　descended　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　　There

was　no　outcry。　　Even　in　that　supreme　moment　Demorest　felt　a　pang　of

admiration　for　the　stoicism　of　the　unseen　trespasser。　　But　the

maimed　hand　was　quickly　withdrawn；　and　as　quickly　Demorest　rushed

to　the　door　and　dashed　into　the　outer　darkness。



For　an　instant　he　was　dazed　and　bewildered　by　the　sudden　change。

But　the　next　moment　he　saw　a　dodging；　doubling　figure　running

before　him；　and　threw　himself　upon　it。　　In　the　shock　both　men　fell；

but　even　in　that　contact　Demorest　felt　the　tangled　beard　and

alcoholic　fumes　of　Whiskey　Dick；　and　felt　also　that　the　hands　which

were　thrown　up　against　his　breast；　the　palms　turned　outward　with

the　instinctive　movement　of　a　timid；　defenseless　man；　were

unstained　with　soil　or　blood。　　With　an　oath　he　threw　the　drunkard

from　him　and　dashed　to　the　rear　of　the　cabin。　　But　too　late！

There；　indeed；　was　the　scattered　earth；　there　the　widened　burrow　as

it　had　been　excavated　apparently　by　that　mutilated　handbut

nothing　else！



He　turned　back　to　Whiskey　Dick。　　But　the　miserable　man；　although

still　retaining　a　look　of　dazed　terror　in　his　eyes；　had　recovered

his　feet　in　a　kind　of　angry　confidence　and　a　forced　sense　of

injury。　　What　did　Demorest　mean　by　attacking　〃innoshent〃　gentlemen

on　the　trail　outside　his　cabin？　　Yes！　OUTSIDE　his　cabin；　he　would

swear　it！