down the mother lode-第16章

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〃When　my　name　is　cleared；　I　shall　hope　to　enter　Paradise。　Till　then　I　must　not。　I　cannot　bring　disgrace　upon　you。　I　shall　return　to　my　old　post　of　shotgun　messenger　…　〃

　　〃Rand！　No！　Listen　to　me　one　moment。　Last　evening　Digger　Dan　came　to　this　very　place。　He　told　me　that　if　you　went　back　to　the　stage　you　would　certainly　be　killed。　They　have　been　robbing　all　summer。　It　is　said　that　Joaquin　is　in　the　mountains。〃

〃No；　they　are　Tom　Bell's　men。〃

Jo　glanced　up；　startled。　〃Whoever　it　is；　has　sent　you　a　warning。〃

〃Miz　Halstead；〃　called　a　strident　voice；　〃th'　stage's　jest　in；　an'　you're　paw's　took　awful　sick　up　on　the　Middle　Fork；　at　his　mine。〃

〃I　shall　have　to　go　on　the　morning　stage。　Will　you　not　please　…　〃　to　Rand。

〃Jo；　I　do　not　fear　death。　It　is　dishonor　that　maddens　me；　for　your　sake。　The　snows　have　come。　They　are　already　fitting　runners　to　the　stages。　The　mails　and　the　'dust'　must　get　through　in　spite　of　all。　I　go　out　on　the　first　sleigh；　this　one　you　must　take。　This　winter　I　shall　vindicate　my　name；　if　it　is　humanly　possible　to　do　so。〃　He　kissed　the　end　of　one　long　curl　of　her　hair；　and　was　gone。

Some　weeks　later；　during　a　lull　between　storms；　Rand's　face　lit　up　with　the　feeling　which　but　one　woman　in　the　world　could　inspire；　as　the　stage　pulled　in　to　Middle　Fork。

〃Father　is　not　quite　recovered；　but　I　thought　it　best　to　get　him　out　before　we　were　snowed　in。　Rand；　Digger　Dan　came；〃　she　added；　in　a　whisper；　'the　stage　will　be　stopped　today。　Yet；　it　is　gathering　for　a　storm。　I　dare　not　stay。　What　shall　I　do？〃

〃Come　along。　I　will　protect　you。〃

Two　miles　further；　as　they　topped　a　hill；　Texas；　the　driver；　pulled　the　laboring　six　far　to　the　side。

〃Why？〃　asked　Rand。

〃Cut；　there；〃　answered　Texas；　〃an'　it's　piled　high　with　a　drift。〃

〃Look　out　for　stumps。〃

〃I've　got　'em　spotted；〃　muttered　Tex。

〃What's　that？〃　swinging　his　gun　quickly　to　the　right。　The　horses　plunged；　snorting；　quickly　to　the　left；　the　sleigh　hit　a　snow…covered　stump；　and　it　was　only　Tex's　expert　driving　that　saved　it　from　overturning。

〃Some　animal。　I　saw　his　hide。〃　A　hide　Rand　had　seen；　but　it　was　the　coyote…skin　coat　of　an　Indian　who　had　made　one　sign　and　instantly　vanished。　Very　quickly　the　dreaded　halt　came。

〃Look　out；　Tex！　There's　a　rifle　barrel　from　behind　that　tree　trunk。〃

〃Halt！〃

〃Halt　it　is。　There's　nothing　we　can　do。〃　Was　it　Jo's　presence　in　the　stage　below　that　made　him　give　in　without　a　struggle；　or　did　he　know　that　the　Wells…Fargo　box　had　vanished　from　under　the　driver's　seat？　Or　was　it　knowledge　of　the　horde　of　yelling　Indians　which　rose　from　the　snowy　brush；　and　swooped　down　upon　the　shooting　robbers？　Four　of　them　were　brought；　in　triumph；　to　the　town　on　the　stage。

〃Where　is　the　express　box？〃　asked　the　sheriff。

〃I　do　not　know；〃　answered　Rand；　defiantly。

〃Cached　away　up　on　the　mountain；　I　suppose；　where　the　others　are。〃

〃Sir！〃　thundered　Rand；　〃I　have　brought　in；　the　bandits；　as　I　promised；　to　clear　my　own　namen　…　all　but　Digger　Dan；　who　escaped。　When　I　say　that　I　do　not　know　what　happened　to　the　box；　you　will　please　understand　that　…　〃

〃Here　comes　Digger　Dan　now；　carrying　something。〃

〃No　Indian　ever　carried　anything　in　baskets　slung　on　a　pole！〃

〃Hel…lo；　Missie　Jo；　how　you　do？〃　blandly　remarked　Digger　Dan's　double。

〃Hop　Sing！〃

〃Ketchem　Missa　Land's　money；　nis　bas…a…kit。〃

〃What's　in　the　other　one。

〃Nat　one；　lock　（rock）。　Makern　heap　easy　carry…em。〃

〃Where　did　you　get　the　box？〃

〃You　savvey　place　him　horse　get　scare；　him　wagon；　he　fa'　over　top…side　down。　Him　money；　he　fa'　out。　Him　stop　place　snow　melt　away　by　heap　big　tlee　tlunk。　Me　see。　Missa　Land；　I　know　he　like。　I　ketchem。〃

When　Rand　took　Jo　home　they　were　met　by　a　smiling　Sing　in　a　snowy　white　apron。

〃Where's　the　other　boy？〃　asked　Jo。

〃Him　boy？　I　tellum　get　out　quick；　or　I　killum；　sure！〃

〃Ah　Sing；　how　can　I　ever　thank　you　for　all　the　six　months　you've　spent　in　the　brush？〃

〃He　all…li；　Massa　Land。　You　ketchem　me　come　out　nat　jail。　I　heap　savvey　you　come　see　Missie　Jo。　Missie　papa；　lo…ong　time　now；　he　ketchee　me　no　die。　Missie　Jo；　alla　same　my　girl…o。〃

〃Those　Indians　…　〃

〃Were　Sing's　friends；　dear；　dressed　up。〃

〃Chinamen？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Sing；　where　did　Digger　Dan　go　to？〃

〃He　go　hell；〃　remarked　Sing；　pleasantly。　〃He　lun　away　to　Oustamah　（Indian　village）。　Me　ketchum。　Alla　squaw　ketchern　plenty　tar　on　head；　makern　big　cly　（cry；　Indian　word　for　wake）。　Me　killum　him。　Goo…bye；　me　go　cookem　velly　fine　dinner。　Missie　Jo；　Massa　Land；　you　get　marry　now。　Me　hope　you　ketchem　plenty　boy！〃　From　his　point　of　view　what　greater　blessing　could　he　wish　them？　Later；　he　peeked　in　curiously　from　the　kitchen；　but；　as　kisses　are　not　included　in　the　Chinese　curriculum；　he　failed　to　be　interested　and　returned　to　his　baking。



The　Barstow　Lynching

X

〃This　is　my　story；　sir；　a　trifle；　indeed；　I　assure　you。　Much　more；　perchance；　might　be　said　…　　　　　　but　I　hold　him　of　all　men　most　lightly　Who　swerves　from　the　truth　in　his　tale。　No；　thank　you　Well；　since　you　are　pressing；　Perhaps　I　don't　care　if　I　do：　you　may　give　me　the　same；　Jim　…　no　sugar。〃

…　Bret　Harte。



Contests　of　every　sort　were　the　order　of　the　day　in　'49。　Any　ferocious　encounter　which　would　promulgate　betting　was　countenanced；　and　even　encouraged。　There　were　dog　fights；　bull　fights；　bobcat　or　mountain　lynx　fights；　and　fights　between　game　chickens。

The　tale　is　even　told　of　cootie　fights　during　long；　rainy　winter　evenings　which　must　be　spent　indoors。　The　harborers　of　the　contestants　simply　reached　under　their　shirts；　drew　forth　a　doughty　grey…backed　warrior；　placed　him　on　a　child's　slate　which　was　used　as　an　arena；　and　the　fight　was　on。

A　camp　named　Lousy　Level　is　said　to　have　made　a　specialty　of　this　sort　of　battle。　Thousands　of　dollars　were　sometimes　bet　upon　the　outcome。　Arguments　arising　from　various　combats　often　developed　into　robbing；　murdering　and　lynching。　This；　then；　is　the　tale　of　a　certain　lynching。

*　*　*　*　*

〃Step　up；　gents。　Only　a　dollar　to　see　the　big　fight。　One　little　dollar　to　view　the　greatest　contest　of　the　age。　See　the　champion　fighting　jackass　of　the　state　vanquish　the　biggest　grizzly　in　the　Sierra　mountains。

〃The　unconquerable　battling　jackass　who　has　whipped　two　bulls　down　at　Sonora；　and　caused　a　mountain　lion　to　turn　tail。　Step　up；　gents。　Only　a　dollar　to　get　inside　the　ropes；〃　and　Webfoot　Watson　waved　a　well…kept　hand　toward　the　arena。　It　was　a　pine…staked　palisade；　bound　around　the　top　with　rawhide　thongs。　At　one　end；　the　〃champion　donk〃　was　tethered；　and　at　the　other　the　〃fiercest　grizzly〃　was　confined　in　a　stout　cage　of　solid　planks。

〃Step　in；　gents！　There　are　logs　and　stumps　to　stand　on。　The　show　will　begin　immediately。　We　are　now　loosing　the　lion…eating　jack。　He　…　〃

〃Hey！〃　roared　Swipe…eye　Weller；　pointing　to　the　laden　trees　outside　the　enclosure；　〃ef　you　think　I'm　agoin'　to　pay　a　dollar　for　this　here　show　jest　because　I　ain't　no　tree…climbin'　animal；　you're　pickin'　out　the　wrong　customer。　They　coughs　up　a　screamer　apiece；　or　this　act　don't　begin　actin'。　That's　final！〃

Nothing　loath；　Webfoot　claimed　the　penalty　from　the　crowd　perched　in　the　trees；　in　some　instances　not　without　the　aid　of　his　six…shooter；　and　the　jack　was　then　turned　loose　in　the　palisade。

〃He's　eatin'　grass；〃　piped　up　old　Grease…top　Jamie。　〃Say；　I　can　see　twenty　jackasses　eatin'；　down　to　the　boardin'　house　at　Blue　Tent　any　day；　an'　I　don't　have　to　pay　no　dollar；　neither。　Turn　out　ye'r　baar！〃

〃Hi！　Here　he　comes！　Eat　'im　up；　jack！　Why；　that　ain't　no　grizzly。　Sufferin'　stars；　he's　only　a　little　scared　cinnamon。〃

〃He's　goin'　after　mister…old…donk；　though。〃

〃Ye…aw。　Lookin'　fer　protection。　Hey；　look　at　the　donk　landin'　kicks　on　'is　ribs。　Ride　'im　baar！　Claw　'im　up！　Give　'im　…　〃　but　the　little　cinnamon　bear　reached　the　fence　in　three　jumps；　scaled　it；　and　took　to　the　grease…wood　thickets　in　record　time　in　spite　of　the　yells　and　bullets　of　the　disgruntled　spectators。

Webfoot　had　made　even　better　time　than　the　bear；　and　only　the　placid　jack　remained　as　a　memento　of　the　occasion。　He　was　taken　at　the　head　of　a　long　procession　of　miners　and　made　the　occasion　for　a　call　upon　the　whole　round　of　fandango　houses；　and　dispensaries　of　liq