down the mother lode-第12章

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nd　reputations；　and　lives　were　bid；　and　shuffled；　and　lost；　as　indiscriminately　as　grains　of　dust　blown　into　the　ever…changing　sea。

The　thirst　for　gold　is　universal。　In　those　half…mad　days　of　delirious　seeking；　the　princeling　rubbed　sleeves　with　the　scoundrel　and　the　clod；　and　each　man's　ability　was　his　only　protection。　Fortune　played　no　favorites。　The　tale　is　told　of　the　judge　who　drove　home　in　his　coach　through　a　shallow　creek。　Ruin　faced　him　for　the　lack　of　a　few　thousand　dollars。　He　took　out　his　derringer　and　shot　himself。

Not　half　an　hour　later　a　Chinaman　crossed　the　creek　under　his　pole　between　two　swinging　baskets。　He　found　a　nugget　there　which　brought　him　over　30；000。

This；　then；　is　the　tale　of　what　Fortune　did　to　Curly　Gillmore。

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〃Whoop…ee！　Ki…yi…ee　hick…ee！　Yi…ee…ee！〃

〃There　comes　Curly；〃　said　Teddy　Karns；〃　never　altering　the　steady　flow　of　the　whiskey　he　was　pouring　into　a　tin　cup　for　Sailor　Jack　to　drink。

〃Made　a　big　strike；　I　hear。〃

〃Yea…ah。　About　25；000；　they　say。　Might　be　a　million；　the　way　the　female　critters　run；〃　Ted　laughed；　as　the　hurdy…gurdy　girls　with　shrieks　of　laughter　pounced　upon　the　noisy　newcomer。

〃Well；　hel…lo；　Nance；　and　Liz；　and　Babe；　and　Bouncin'　Bet；　old　gal！　All　ready　to　help　me　sling　it；　ain't　you？　But　where's　little　pale　Alice？〃

〃Oh；　Allie？　She's　back　in　the　tents。　Sick　tonight。　Awful　bad；　she's　took。　She'll　be　shufflin'　off　'fore　long；　an'　rid　o'　mortal　misery。〃

〃Poor　little　soldier！〃

〃Sweet；　she　was；　an'　born　to　be　good。　Why；　I　remember　（we　came　'round　the　Horn　on　the　same　sailin'　vessel）　that　they　wasn't　a　ailin'　baby　on　board　but　what　Allie　could　get　a　smile　out　of　it；　nor　a　sick　soul　that　didn't　bless　'er　for　'er　kindness　an'　care。　Sick　o'　body；　sick　o'　heart；　Allie　did　for　'em　all；　bless　'er。〃

〃She　was　happy；　then；〃　put　in　Babe。

〃Yes。　Comin'　out　to　Californy　to　'er　lover；　she　were；　all　her　folks　back　in　the　States　bein'　dead。　She'd　took　care　of　'er　mother；　last。　'Twas　why　'er　man　came　on　ahead。　An'　when　she　got　here　…　〃

〃Aw…w；　Bet；　don't　you　cry；〃　said　Babe。　〃Y'　see；　when　we　got　here；　Curly；　we　found　her　boy'd　been　shot　in　a　fight　over　a　mine。　Allie；　she　hadn't　no　money　left；　and　no　gumption　much；　like　Bet　an'　me；　to　fight　her　way；　so　we　took　'er　along　o'　us。　We　tried　to　keep　her　the　little　lady　that　she　was；　but　…　Well；　we　got　snowed　in　last　winter　up　on　the　divide　an'　…　Faro　Sam　…　Well；　it　broke　her　pure　heart；　an'　most　Bet's　an'　mine；　too。　An'　she　ain't　never　got　over　the　cold　she　took；　up　there　in　the　snow。〃

〃Life's　hard　for　a　girl　anyways　you　put　it；　an'　she'll　be　happier　over　the　river　where　there　ain't　no　cold　nor　sorrer。　Bet！　Aw…w；　she'll　sleep　on　a　finer　bed　nor　you　an'　I　could　give　'er；　an'　wake　happy；　with　ever'one　she　loved　best　around　her。　She's　layin'　there　so　white　an'　small　an'　still　it'd　most　break　your　hear　to　see　'er。　Like　a　little　snowdrop　you've　picked；　an'　worn；　an'　slung　away。　So　gentle　…　〃

〃Well；　what's　this；　anyway？　A　wake？〃　broke　in　Faro　Sam's　icy　voice。　〃Do　I　hire　fiddlers　to　play　a　funeral　dirge？　Get　on　with　you；〃　scattering　the　girls　in　the　direction　of　the　card　tables　and　the　dancing　platform。　〃Which　ones　do　you　want；　Curly？〃

〃I　want　Babe　and　Betsy。　Where's　that　little　pale　printer's　devil；　the　one　they　call　the　gambler's　ghost？　I　know　Sam　won't　let　you　girls　leave　here。〃

〃He's　workin'　up　on　the　paper；　I　guess。　They　ran　out　of　coal　oil　and　had　to　fire　up　with　pine　knots。〃

〃He's　comin；　now。　He　ain't　no　gambler's　ghost　tonight；　though；　he's　pot　black！〃

〃Ghost；〃　said　Curly；　〃you　take　this　around　to　Allie。〃　It　was　a　50　octagonal　slug。

〃Yessir。〃

〃And　you　say　that　there's　more；　all　she　wants；　where　that　comes　from。〃

〃Yessir。〃

Then；　shaking　his　mop　of　brown；　curly　hair　as　though　to　relieve　his　head　of　a　burden；　he　took　the　girls　for　what　he　felt　was　a　much…needed　round　of　drinks。

By　midnight　the　place　was　wild！

〃Sam；〃　shouted　Curly；　〃what's　the　limit　on　your　pesky　old　game？〃

〃The　ceiling's　the　limit。〃

〃Well；　I'll　put　up　one　bet！　Bein'　on　Easy　Street　I　was　goin'　back　to　the　States　to　marry　my　girl；　but　I'm　blamed　if　I　don't　put　up　my　swag　for　one　turn　of　the　cards。〃

He　sent　for　his　〃dust；〃　and　piled　the　long；　buckskin　bags　criss…cross　before　Faro　Sam's　table。

〃I'll　copper　the　jack；　gentlemen；〃　he　shouted。　〃All　on　the　jack！〃

Teddy　Karn's　face　turned　a　pasty　hue；　and　the　tip　of　his　tongue　slid　along　his　puffed　lips；　but　the　lines　of　Faro　Sam's　face　never　changed；　and　his　eyes　retained　the　blank　impassivity　of　a　snake's　as　he　slipped　his　cards。　There　was　a　sudden；　tense　silence。　The　girls　pressed　forward　with　hurried　breathing　and　the　men　waited；　rigid　as　stones。

Somebody's　mongrel　paced　to　the　middle　of　the　platform　and　scratched　for　fleas；　with　soft　thumping　on　the　floor。　That　was　all。

Suddenly　a　man　swore！　A　woman's　voice　shrilled　hysterically！　Faro　Sam　rose　to　his　feet　ceremoniously。　〃The　house　is　yours。〃

〃By　Jinks！〃　yelled　Curly；　〃I've　coppered　the　jack！　I've　broken　the　bank！　I've　…　〃

One　of　the　doors　swung　open　quietly。　Silence　dropped　once　more；　with　the　speed　of　tropical　night；　upon　the　blare　of　the　place。

The　gambler's　ghost　stood　there　silhouetted　against　the　light　from　a　log　fire　outside。　There　were　pink　streaks　down　his　dirty　face；　washed　by　tears；　and　his　young　shoulders　drooped　woefully。　The　dog　came　forward　and　licked　his　twitching　fingers。

〃Allie　is　dead；〃　he　whispered。

〃Curly；　I　should　like　to　apply　for　the　position　of　dealer　over　at　your　place；　which　yesterday　was　my　place；〃　said　Faro　Sam；　next　day　at　noon；　meeting　Curly　on　the　street。

〃Sure；　you　can　have　it；　Sam。　Too　bad　it's　the　custom　for　the　house　to　go；　too；　when　somebody　breaks　the　bank。　I've　turned　it　over　to　George　Spellman；　with　a　thousand　to　start　with。　He　and　I　come　from　the　same　place　back　in　the　States。　Great　friends　we　were；　till　we　both　got　to　sparkin'　the　same　girl。　When　she　took　me；　George；　he　got　pretty　ornery；　but　I　guess　he's　all　over　it　by　this　time。　I'm　goin'　home　to　marry　her；　now。

〃I've　just　been　around　to　the　tents　seein'　about　little　Allie's　funeral；　an'　he'll　keep　on　the　girls；　too。　I'm　pullin'　my　freight　for　Hangtown　（Placerville）。　This　town's　a　little　too　small　for　a　fellow　of　my　means。〃

Faro　Sam　looked　after　him　with　a　cynical　light　in　his　narrow　eyes。

〃The　pot　bubbles　loudest　when　the　water's　nearest　the　bottom；〃　he　muttered；　and　turned　to　pick　a　fastidious　way　through　the　mud。

Life　that　night　in　the　gambling　hell　went　on　much　as　usual。　Teddy　Karns　〃poured　the　rye；〃　and　Faro　Sam　〃slipped　the　cards；〃　whilst　Babe　worried　over　Bouncing　Bet's　intoxicated　condition。

〃It's　Allie；　you　know；〃　Babe　confided　to　Red　Shirt　Pete　at　midnight。　〃She　took　it　awful　hard；　and　Spellman；　the　new　boss；　wouldn't　let　'er　off　tonight。　I　bin　tellin'　'er　Allie's　better　off；　but　she　won't　listen　to　nobody。　She's　just　bin　pourin'　'em　down　all　evenin'。　What's　that？〃　at　a　loud　banging　on　the　doors。　Some　one　opened　them　and　Curly　rode　into　the　place　on　the　handsome　horse　he　had　bought　that　morning。

〃Well；　boys；　I'm　cleaned！　Tried　to　copper　the　jack　in　Hangtown　and　the　whole　50；000　went。　George；　I'll　be　askin'　for　this　place　back；　I　guess。〃

〃This　place　belongs　to　me；　Curly　Gillmore。〃

〃Who　says　so？〃

'This　old　lady　says　so；〃　covering　him　with　his　pistol。

Curly　laughed；　not　too　musically。　〃Well；　boys；　what　am　I　bid　for　this　horse？　I　need　a　grubstake。〃

〃Play　you　for　him；〃　said　Faro　Sam；　laconically。

〃Done；〃　said　Curly。　A　moment　later　he　laughed　once　more　and　swung　down　off　the　Spanish　thoroughbred。　〃He's　yours。　Well；　good…night；　boys。〃

No　one　answered。　He　had；　like　Hadji　the　beggar；　become　in　twenty…four　hours　again　a　drifter。

Babe　sneaked　out　after　him。　〃Here；　Curly；〃　she　slipped　her　hand　into　her　bosom　and　held　out　the　octagonal　slug。　〃When　Bet　an'　I　reached　Allie　last　night　she　was　holdin'　it　in　her　little　dead　hand；　an'　there　was　such　a　smile　on　her　face！　You　gave　her　that　happy　smile。　God　bless　you　for　it！　Now；　you　take　this　…　〃

But　Curly　turned　away；　blinking　his　eyes；　and　trying　to　swallow　the　lump　in　his　throat。　Babe　stood　watching　him　through　her　tears　as　he　tramped　down　the　street；　out　of　the　town　on　the　road　to　the　south。

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