down the mother lode-第14章

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〃　Two　trial　races　were　ridden　and　the　sad　cow　horse　was　outrun　with　apparent　ease。

The　next　morning　as　Patty　went　on　her　daily　stroll　to　〃take　the　air；〃　her　way　was　blocked　by　a　clamoring　crowd　of　undesirables　who　were　baiting　a　miserable　old　cattle　man。

〃I　tell　ye；　gentlemen；　I　was　indisposed。　'Twas　the　liquor　talking。　Surely　you　would　not　take　advantage　of　a　poor　old　man　and　his　honest；　hard…working　little　mount。　Every　day　of　her　life　she　works。　Gentlemen；　I　beg　you　…　〃

〃Begging　will　get　you　nothing　better　than　a　good　drubbing；　you　filthy　cattle　lout！　If　you　don't　pay　up　your　bets；　we'll　take　it　out　of　your　hide。　I；　for　one；　have　a　special　use　for　my　money　at　the　week's　end。〃

It　was　Slick…heels　Saul。　Patty　turned　aside；　sick　at　heart。　This　was　the　creature　in　whose　power　she　was　〃like　to　fall。〃

Upon　her　return　she　found　the　old　cowboy　sitting　dejectedly　under　a　liveoak　bush。　〃Sir；〃　she　began　timidly；　〃you　are　in　trouble。　I　should　like　to　express　my　sympathy。〃

He　rose　with　suspicious　nimbleness。　〃Now；　bless　your　kind　heart；　Miss；　to　stop　to　console　a　sad　old　man。〃

〃I　overheard　what　Mr。　Saul　said　to　you；　sir。　He　is　…　〃

〃Without　doubt；　without　doubt；　he　is　everything　you　mention。　Could　you；　now；　be　Mistress　Patty　Laughton；　of　Kentucky？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃I　knew　your　Grandfather　Laughton；　my　child；　and　since　I　came　here　I　have　heard…of　you；〃　he　finished；　with　innate　delicacy。　Indeed；　who　had　not　heard　her　story？

She　opened　her　silken　reticule　and　drew　forth　a　small；　buckskin　bag。　〃Will　you　not　accept　it？〃　Yesterday；　at　the　claims；　I　panned　it　out　myself。　I　am　sorry　for　your　plight。　I　am　sorry　for　anyone　in　the　clutches　of　Slick…heels　Saul。〃

〃But　…　。　Can　you　…　？〃

〃It　does　not　matter。　Your　extremity　is　greater　than　mine。〃

He　stood　looking　after　the　slim　girl　who　carried　her　head　so　high。　〃How　like　a　Kentucky　Laughton。　Thoroughbred　stock；　all！〃　He　tossed　the　bag　in　his　hand。　〃'Tis　why　they　are　where　they　are　today。〃　Then　his　keen　old　eyes　softened。　〃And　why　they　are　what　they　are；　today。　Bless　her　tender　heart　to　stoop　to　an　old　cattle　man　in　the　mire。　As　for　this　…　I　must　see　Irish　Mike；〃　and　he　hurried　off　with　surprising　speed。

Bets　rose。　Every　gambler　had　been　apprised　of　the　sure　thing　and　flocked　to　the　betting　like　bears　to　a　honey　tree。

〃Have　ye　put　up　ye'r　money；　Eric？〃　asked　Irish　Mike；　late　the　next　night。

〃Yes；〃　said　Eric；　briefly。

〃Ah。　So。〃　Mike's　shrewd　gave　slid　from　the　young　man's　face。

〃They　do　say　that　Slick…heels　Saul　is　beginnin'　to　worry　over　the　20；000　he's　staked。　The　shoestring　gang　have　gathered　in　the　information　fr'm　th'　express　agent　that　the　auld　cattle　man　owns　a　big　Spanish　grant　down　in　the　valley；　and　has　50；00　to　his　credit　in　certificates　of　deposit　from　the　express　company。　'Tis　as　good　as　gold。〃

〃Mike；　have　you　ever　seen　him　before？〃

〃I　never　spile　sport；　me　boy。〃

It　was　the　last　day　of　the　fiesta　and　the　famous　race　was　at　hand。

〃There　is　the　old　cattle　man　with　his　vaqueros。〃

〃Faith；　they're　a　tough　lookin'　lot；　all　armed　with　a　brace　o'　Colts　apiece。　'Tis　fun　they'd　have；　cleanin'　out　a　Fandango　House。〃

〃Patty；　girl；　you　are　pale　today。〃

〃Oh；　Eric；　'tis　the　last　day　of　grace。　Heaven　help　us　if　…　〃

〃See；　Patty；　gir…r…rl；　they're　fixin'　for　the　foot　race　between　Cherokee　Bob　an'　that　Australian　squirt　fr'm　Sacramento。〃

〃Why　are　they　placing　men　with　guns　every　ten　feet　along　the　track？〃

〃The　Indian　can　beat　the　Australian；　but　he　thried　to　sell　the　boys　out；　an'　if　he　slackens　his　gait　by　ever　so　little；　the　b'ys　will　begin　shootin'　sthraight　before　them。　An'　maybe　afther　the　race；　he'd　better　be　runnin'　right　on　into　the　next　county。〃

〃What　next？〃

〃Next　is　a　jackass　fight；　an'　then；　the　race！〃

After　the　billigerent　jacks　had　been　led　away；　Red　Pete　suddenly　took　to　the　brush；　accelerated　by　a　fusillade　of　bullets。

〃Welchin'　his　bets；　he　is；　an'　ivery　man　he　owes　is　lettin'　him　have　it。〃

〃Nary　a　hit！〃　wailed　old　Jack　Horner。　〃The　shootin'　in　this　camp　is　a…gittin'　vile！　Time　we　was　quittin　so　d　…　　much　pick　handlin；　an'　a…practicin'　up。　It's　a　reflection　on　the　community。　Why；　there　ain't　been　a　Chinaman　drilled　with　a　bullet　decent　an'　clean　for　weeks！〃

〃They're　leading　out　the　horses！　Where　did　that　little　nigger　jockey　come　from？　The　mare's　got　more　ginger　today。〃

〃Eric；　surely　your　horse　can　win！〃

〃I　don't　know；　dear。〃

〃He　must！　He　must；　or　…　〃

〃Slick…heels　Saul's　face　is　turnin'　the　color　of　me　native　isle；〃　chuckled　Irish　Mike。　〃Patty；　me　little　ladybird；　'tis　no　time　to　be　faintin'！〃

〃Oh；　you　can't　know　…　〃

〃Faith；　an'　I　know　more　than　you　t'ink。　Bear　up；　Asthore；　the　darkest　hour　is　just　forninst　the　dawn。　Whisht；　now！　They're　off！〃

〃Here　they　come！　The　black　is　ahead！　See；　the　nigger　is　lying　flat　on　the　mare's　neck。　She's　closing　up！　Oh；　they　are　neck　and　neck！　I　cannot　look。　Eric　…　The　black　is　getting　the　whip。　Good　horse！　They　are　even　again！　Ah；　it　is　only　for　a　moment。　The　mare　。。。　is　over　the　line；　first　。。。　It　is　all　ended；　life；　love；　honor；　happiness　。。。　I　cannot　belong　to　that　man！　My　poor　old　father。　Dear　old　。。。　for　his　sake；　I　must。　I　…　〃

〃Patty；　girl。〃

〃Eric；　you　are　not　to　blame。　You　would　wager　on　your　own　horse。　'Tis　but　natural。　I　must　accept　my　fate　with　what　fortitude　I　can　summon。　Please　take　me　home。　All　the　people　staring。　I　cannot　bear　it　long。〃

But　when　Slick…heels　Saul　pressed　forward　to　her　side　at　the　boarding…house　steps；　she　was　as　stately　and　cold　as　the　snow…hooded　rocks　of　Granite　Mountain。

〃I　have　lost　everything；　but　still　I　hold　you　to　your　promise。〃

〃I　made　no　promise；　sir；〃　she　said　haughtily。

〃'But　you　will；〃　he　answered　meaningly；　〃tomorrow。〃

〃Stand　aside！〃　thundered　Eric。

〃Come　awn；〃　soothed　Irish　Mike。　〃Not　with　the　lady　here；　Eric；　b'y。〃

〃Patty；　I　cannot　let　you　go！　I　will　shoot　the　beast　on　sight。〃

〃That　would　not　vindicate　my　father's　honor。　Hush；　he　is　coming。　I　must　remember　that　I　am　a　Laughton。〃

Eric　turned　to　stare　moodily　out　the　dusty　window。　〃There　goes　the　cattle　man　with　his　followers　and　his　strong…box。　What　he　must　have　won！　Here　comes　Mike。　In　a　hurry；　too！　I　wonder　…　〃

Slick…heels　Saul　was　bowing　before　the　girl。

〃Forgive　an　auld　Irishman　for　intrudin'　upon　so　tender　a　scene　…　〃　（Slick…heels　glared　at　him　malevolently）；　〃but　I　have　he…e…re　a　something　for　Mistress　Patty　Laughton；〃　pretending　to　read　the　inscription　on　the　package　he　held　out；　〃from　the　auld　boy；　there；　who　is　just　leavin'　us。〃

〃'Bread　cast　upon　the　waters　of　sweet　charity　shall　be　returned　an　hundred　fold。　Blessed　are　the　pure　in　heart　for　they　are　of　the　children　of　God；'　he　has　written。　Why；　it　is　money！〃　gasped　Patty；　〃and　such　a　large　amount！〃

〃He　had　me　put　up　ye'r　little　bag　o'　gold　on　his　mare。　These　are　y'er　winnings。〃　Mike　smiled　inwardly　at　the　sum　of　money。　〃Sure；　auld　Andy　must　have　put　a　rock　or　two　in　the　wee　buckskin　bag；〃　he　thought；　but　aloud　he　said　；　〃I　never　spile　sport；　an'　I　could　not　tell　ye　before；　but　'tis　auld　Andy　Magee　an'　his　famous　racin'　mare；　the　fastest　quarter　mile　horse　bechune　the　state　of　Missouri　and　the　Pacific　ocean。

〃'Tis　the　same　game　he's　pulled　on　the　gamblin'　crooks　all　the　way　from　the　Oregon　line　to　Mariposa　in　the　south。　Even　gettin'　filled　wit'　tanglefoot　is　part　of　the　dodge。　They　cannot　touch　him　an'　the　vaqueros　protect　him　fr'm　the　shootin'。〃

〃But　what　about　the　tryout？〃

〃Also　in　the　schame。　The　mare　was　cross…shod；　meanin'；　two　of　her　shoes；　the　near　front；　an'　the　off　hind　wans；　were　twice　as　heavy　as　the　others　She　could　not　run　top　speed　in　th'm　f'r　love　nor　gold。　Yesterday　she　was　shod　in　light　racin'　pads；　an'　under　her　own　jockey。　No　horse　on　the　coast　could　catch　her。　An'　always；　the　smart　racin'　gamblers　play　th'　auld　man　for　a　fool。　Such　is　often　the　end　of　greed。

〃Pay　up　the　dad's　gamblin'　debts；　an'　bid　this　Knight　o　'the　Green　Cloth　a　swate　an'　long　fare…ye…well。　Then　go　an'　be　happy；　me　child。〃



The　Dragon　and　the　Tomahawk

IX

〃Which　I　wish　to　remark；　And　my　language　is　plain；　That　for　ways　that　are　dark　And　for　tricks　that　are　vain；　The　heathen　Chinee　is　peculiar；　Which　the　same　I　would　rise　to　explain。〃

…　Bre