a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第16章
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Clarence stared。 〃Am Itoto play with it？〃 he said； glancing at the
coins and then at the table； in ignorance of the stranger's meaning。
〃No； no！〃 said the man hurriedly； 〃don't do that。 You'll lose it； sonny；
sure！ Don't you see； YOU BRING THE LUCK TO OTHERS； not to
yourself。 Keep it； old man； and run home！〃
〃I don't want it！ I won't have it！〃 said Clarence with a swift
recollection of the manipulation of his purse that morning； and a sudden
distrust of all mankind。
〃There！〃 He turned back to the table and laid the money on the first
vacant card he saw。 In another moment； as it seemed to him； it was raked
away by the dealer。 A sense of relief came over him。
〃There！〃 said the man； with an awed voice and a strange； fatuous look
in his eye。 〃What did I tell you？ You see； it's allus so！ Now；〃 he added
roughly； 〃get up and get out o' this； afore you lose the boots and shirt off
ye。〃
Clarence did not wait for a second command。 With another glance
round the room； he began to make his way through the crowd towards the
front。 But in that parting glance he caught a glimpse of a woman
presiding over a 〃wheel of fortune〃 in a corner； whose face seemed
familiar。 He looked again； timidly。 In spite of an extraordinary head…
dress or crown that she wore as the 〃Goddess of Fortune；〃 he recognized；
twisted in its tinsel； a certain scarlet vine which he had seen before； in
spite of the hoarse formula which she was continually repeating； he
recognized the foreign accent。 It was the woman of the stage…coach！
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With a sudden dread that she might recognize him； and likewise demand
his services 〃for luck；〃 he turned and fled。
Once more in the open air； there came upon him a vague loathing and
horror of the restless madness and feverish distraction of this half…civilized
city。 It was the more powerful that it was vague； and the outcome of
some inward instinct。 He found himself longing for the pure air and
sympathetic loneliness of the plains and wilderness； he began to yearn for
the companionship of his humble associatesthe teamster； the scout
Gildersleeve； and even Jim Hooker。 But above all and before all was the
wild desire to get away from these maddening streets and their
bewildering occupants。 He ran back to the baker's； gathered his purchases
together； took advantage of a friendly doorway to strap them on his boyish
shoulders； slipped into a side street； and struck out at once for the
outskirts。
It had been his first intention to take stage to the nearest mining district；
but the diminution of his small capital forbade that outlay； and he decided
to walk there by the highroad； of whose general direction he had informed
himself。 In half an hour the lights of the flat； struggling city； and their
reflection in the shallow； turbid river before it； had sunk well behind him。
The air was cool and soft； a yellow moon swam in the slight haze that rose
above the tules； in the distance a few scattered cottonwoods and
sycamores marked like sentinels the road。 When he had walked some
distance he sat down beneath one of them to make a frugal supper from
the dry rations in his pack； but in the absence of any spring he was forced
to quench his thirst with a glass of water in a wayside tavern。 Here he
was good…humoredly offered something stronger； which he declined； and
replied to certain curious interrogations by saying that he expected to
overtake his friends in a wagon further on。 A new distrust of mankind
had begun to make the boy an adept in innocent falsehood； the more
deceptive as his careless； cheerful manner； the result of his relief at leaving
the city； and his perfect ease in the loving companionship of night and
nature； certainly gave no indication of his homelessness and poverty。
It was long past midnight； when； weary in body； but still hopeful and
happy in mind； he turned off the dusty road into a vast rolling expanse of
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wild oats； with the same sense of security of rest as a traveler to his inn。
Here； completely screened from view by the tall stalks of grain that rose
thickly around him to the height of a man's shoulder； he beat down a few
of them for a bed； on which he deposited his blanket。 Placing his pack
for a pillow； he curled himself up in his blanket； and speedily fell asleep。
He awoke at sunrise； refreshed； invigorated； and hungry。 But he was
forced to defer his first self…prepared breakfast until he had reached water；
and a less dangerous place than the wild…oat field to build his first camp
fire。 This he found a mile further on； near some dwarf willows on the
bank of a half…dry stream。 Of his various efforts to prepare his first meal；
the fire was the most successful； the coffee was somewhat too
substantially thick； and the bacon and herring lacked definiteness of
quality from having been cooked in the same vessel。 In this boyish
picnic he missed Susy； and recalled； perhaps a little bitterly； her coldness
at parting。 But the novelty of his situation； the brilliant sunshine and
sense of freedom； and the road already awakening to dusty life with
passing teams； dismissed everything but the future from his mind。
Readjusting his pack； he stepped on cheerily。 At noon he was overtaken
by a teamster； who in return for a match to light his pipe gave him a lift of
a dozen miles。 It is to be feared that Clarence's account of himself was
equally fanciful with his previous story； and that the teamster parted from
him with a genuine regret； and a hope that he would soon be overtaken by
his friends along the road。 〃And mind that you ain't such a fool agin to
let 'em make you tote their dod…blasted tools fur them！〃 he added
unsuspectingly； pointing to Clarence's mining outfit。 Thus saved the
heaviest part of the day's journey； for the road was continually rising from
the plains during the last six miles； Clarence was yet able to cover a
considerable distance on foot before he halted for supper。 Here he was
again fortunate。 An empty lumber team watering at the same spring； its
driver offered to take Clarence's purchasesfor the boy had profited by his
late friend's suggestion to personally detach himself from his equipment
to Buckeye Mills for a dollar； which would also include a 〃shakedown
passage〃 for himself on the floor of the wagon。 〃I reckon you've been
foolin' away in Sacramento the money yer parents give yer for return stage
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fare； eh？ Don't lie； sonny；〃 he added grimly； as the now artful Clarence
smiled diplomatically； 〃I've been thar myself！〃 Luckily； the excuse that
he was 〃tired and sleepy〃 prevented further dangerous questioning； and
the boy was soon really in deep slumber on the wagon floor。
He awoke betimes to find himself already in the mountains。 Buckeye
Mills was a straggling settlement； and Clarence prudently stopped any
embarrassing inquiry from his friend by dropping off the wagon with his
equipment as they entered it； and hurriedly saying 〃Good… by〃 from a
crossroad through the woods。 He had learned that the nearest mining
camp was five miles away； and its direction was indicated by a long
wooden 〃flume；〃 or water…way； that alternately appeared and disappeared
on the flank of the mountain opposite。 The cooler and drier air； the grateful
shadow of pine and bay； and the spicy balsamic odors that everywhere
greeted him； thrilled and exhilarated him。 The trail plunging sometimes
into an undisturbed forest； he started the birds before him like a flight of
arrows through its dim recesses； at times he hung breathlessly over the
blue depths of canyons where the same forests were repeated a thousand
feet below。 Towards noon he struck into a rude road evidently the
thoroughfare of the localityand was surprised to find that it； as well as
the adjacent soil wherever disturbed； was a deep Indian red。 Everywhere；
along its sides； powdering the banks and boles of trees with its ruddy stain；
in mounds and hillocks of piled dirt on the road； or in liquid paint…like
pools； when a trickling stream had formed a gutter across it； there was
always the same deep sanguinary color。 Once or twice it became more
vivid in contrast with the white teeth of quartz that peeped through it from
the hillside or crossed the road in crumbled strata。 One of those pieces
Clarence picked up with a quickening pulse。 It was veined and streaked
with shining mica and tiny glittering cubes of mineral that LOOKED like
gold！
The road now began to descend towards a winding stream； shrunken
by drought and ditching； that glared dazzingly in the sunlight from its
white bars of sand； or glistened in shining sheets and channels。 Along its
banks； and even encroaching upon its bed； were scattered a few mud
cabins； strange…looking wooden troughs and gutters； and here and there；
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glancing through the leaves； the white canvas of tents。 The stumps of
felled trees and blackened spaces； as of recent fires； marked the stream
