a yellow dog-第2章

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disreputable。　　And　this　was　supported　by　another　very　singular

canine　manifestationthe　〃sincere　flattery〃　of　simulation　or

imitation。



〃Uncle　Billy〃　Riley　for　a　short　time　enjoyed　the　position　of　being

the　camp　drunkard；　and　at　once　became　an　object　of　Bones'　greatest

solicitude。　　He　not　only　accompanied　him　everywhere；　curled　at　his

feet　or　head　according　to　Uncle　Billy's　attitude　at　the　moment；

but；　it　was　noticed；　began　presently　to　undergo　a　singular

alteration　in　his　own　habits　and　appearance。　　From　being　an　active；

tireless　scout　and　forager；　a　bold　and　unovertakable　marauder；　he

became　lazy　and　apathetic；　allowed　gophers　to　burrow　under　him

without　endeavoring　to　undermine　the　settlement　in　his　frantic

endeavors　to　dig　them　out；　permitted　squirrels　to　flash　their　tails

at　him　a　hundred　yards　away；　forgot　his　usual　caches；　and　left　his

favorite　bones　unburied　and　bleaching　in　the　sun。　　His　eyes　grew

dull；　his　coat　lusterless；　in　proportion　as　his　companion　became

blear…eyed　and　ragged；　in　running；　his　usual　arrowlike　directness

began　to　deviate；　and　it　was　not　unusual　to　meet　the　pair　together；

zigzagging　up　the　hill。　　Indeed；　Uncle　Billy's　condition　could　be

predetermined　by　Bones'　appearance　at　times　when　his　temporary

master　was　invisible。　　〃The　old　man　must　have　an　awful　jag　on

today；〃　was　casually　remarked　when　an　extra　fluffiness　and

imbecility　was　noticeable　in　the　passing　Bones。　　At　first　it　was

believed　that　he　drank　also；　but　when　careful　investigation　proved

this　hypothesis　untenable；　he　was　freely　called　a　〃derned　time…

servin'；　yaller　hypocrite。〃　　Not　a　few　advanced　the　opinion　that　if

Bones　did　not　actually　lead　Uncle　Billy　astray；　he　at　least

〃slavered　him　over　and　coddled　him　until　the　old　man　got　conceited

in　his　wickedness。〃　　This　undoubtedly　led　to　a　compulsory　divorce

between　them；　and　Uncle　Billy　was　happily　dispatched　to　a

neighboring　town　and　a　doctor。



Bones　seemed　to　miss　him　greatly；　ran　away　for　two　days；　and　was

supposed　to　have　visited　him；　to　have　been　shocked　at　his

convalescence；　and　to　have　been　〃cut〃　by　Uncle　Billy　in　his

reformed　character；　and　he　returned　to　his　old　active　life　again；

and　buried　his　past　with　his　forgotten　bones。　　It　was　said　that　he

was　afterward　detected　in　trying　to　lead　an　intoxicated　tramp　into

camp　after　the　methods　employed　by　a　blind　man's　dog；　but　was

discovered　in　time　by　theof　courseuncorroborated　narrator。



I　should　be　tempted　to　leave　him　thus　in　his　original　and

picturesque　sin；　but　the　same　veracity　which　compelled　me　to

transcribe　his　faults　and　iniquities　obliges　me　to　describe　his

ultimate　and　somewhat　monotonous　reformation；　which　came　from　no

fault　of　his　own。



It　was　a　joyous　day　at　Rattlers　Ridge　that　was　equally　the　advent

of　his　change　of　heart　and　the　first　stagecoach　that　had　been

induced　to　diverge　from　the　highroad　and　stop　regularly　at　our

settlement。　　Flags　were　flying　from　the　post　office　and　Polka

saloon；　and　Bones　was　flying　before　the　brass　band　that　he

detested；　when　the　sweetest　girl　in　the　countyPinkey　Preston

daughter　of　the　county　judge　and　hopelessly　beloved　by　all　Rattlers

Ridge；　stepped　from　the　coach　which　she　had　glorified　by　occupying

as　an　invited　guest。



〃What　makes　him　run　away？〃　she　asked　quickly；　opening　her　lovely

eyes　in　a　possibly　innocent　wonder　that　anything　could　be　found　to

run　away　from　her。



〃He　don't　like　the　brass　band；〃　we　explained　eagerly。



〃How　funny；〃　murmured　the　girl；　〃is　it　as　out　of　tune　as　all　that？〃



This　irresistible　witticism　alone　would　have　been　enough　to　satisfy

uswe　did　nothing　but　repeat　it　to　each　other　all　the　next　day

but　we　were　positively　transported　when　we　saw　her　suddenly　gather

her　dainty　skirts　in　one　hand　and　trip　off　through　the　red　dust

toward　Bones；　who；　with　his　eyes　over　his　yellow　shoulder；　had

halted　in　the　road；　and　half…turned　in　mingled　disgust　and　rage　at

the　spectacle　of　the　descending　trombone。　　We　held　our　breath　as

she　approached　him。　　Would　Bones　evade　her　as　he　did　us　at　such

moments；　or　would　he　save　our　reputation；　and　consent；　for　the

moment；　to　accept　her　as　a　new　kind　of　inebriate？　　She　came　nearer；

he　saw　her；　he　began　to　slowly　quiver　with　excitementhis　stump　of

a　tail　vibrating　with　such　rapidity　that　the　loss　of　the　missing

portion　was　scarcely　noticeable。　　Suddenly　she　stopped　before　him；

took　his　yellow　head　between　her　little　hands；　lifted　it；　and

looked　down　in　his　handsome　brown　eyes　with　her　two　lovely　blue

ones。　　What　passed　between　them　in　that　magnetic　glance　no　one　ever

knew。　　She　returned　with　him；　said　to　him　casually：　〃We're　not

afraid　of　brass　bands；　are　we？〃　to　which　he　apparently　acquiesced；

at　least　stifling　his　disgust　of　them　while　he　was　near　herwhich

was　nearly　all　the　time。



During　the　speechmaking　her　gloved　hand　and　his　yellow　head　were

always　near　together；　and　at　the　crowning　ceremonyher　public

checking　of　Yuba　Bill's　〃waybill〃　on　behalf　of　the　township；　with　a

gold　pencil　presented　to　her　by　the　Stage　CompanyBones'　joy；　far

from　knowing　no　bounds；　seemed　to　know　nothing　but　them；　and　he

witnessed　it　apparently　in　the　air。　　No　one　dared　to　interfere。

For　the　first　time　a　local　pride　in　Bones　sprang　up　in　our　hearts

and　we　lied　to　each　other　in　his　praises　openly　and　shamelessly。



Then　the　time　came　for　parting。　　We　were　standing　by　the　door　of

the　coach；　hats　in　hand；　as　Miss　Pinkey　was　about　to　step　into　it；

Bones　was　waiting　by　her　side；　confidently　looking　into　the

interior；　and　apparently　selecting　his　own　seat　on　the　lap　of　Judge

Preston　in　the　corner；　when　Miss　Pinkey　held　up　the　sweetest　of

admonitory　fingers。　　Then；　taking　his　head　between　her　two　hands；

she　again　looked　into　his　brimming　eyes；　and　said；　simply；　〃GOOD

dog；〃　with　the　gentlest　of　emphasis　on　the　adjective；　and　popped

into　the　coach。



The　six　bay　horses　started　as　one；　the　gorgeous　green　and　gold

vehicle　bounded　forward；　the　red　dust　rose　behind；　and　the　yellow

dog　danced　in　and　out　of　it　to　the　very　outskirts　of　the

settlement。　　And　then　he　soberly　returned。



A　day　or　two　later　he　was　missedbut　the　fact　was　afterward　known

that　he　was　at　Spring　Valley；　the　county　town　where　Miss　Preston

lived；　and　he　was　forgiven。　　A　week　afterward　he　was　missed　again；

but　this　time　for　a　longer　period；　and　then　a　pathetic　letter

arrived　from　Sacramento　for　the　storekeeper's　wife。



〃Would　you　mind；〃　wrote　Miss　Pinkey　Preston；　〃asking　some　of　your

boys　to　come　over　here　to　Sacramento　and　bring　back　Bones？　　I　don't

mind　having　the　dear　dog　walk　out　with　me　at　Spring　Valley；　where

everyone　knows　me；　but　here　he　DOES　make　one　so　noticeable；　on

account　of　HIS　COLOR。　　I've　got　scarcely　a　frock　that　he　agrees

with。　　He　don't　go　with　my　pink　muslin；　and　that　lovely　buff　tint

he　makes　three　shades　lighter。　　You　know　yellow　is　SO　trying。〃



A　consultation　was　quickly　held　by　the　whole　settlement；　and　a

deputation　sent　to　Sacramento　to　relieve　the　unfortunate　girl。　　We

were　all　quite　indignant　with　Bonesbut；　oddly　enough；　I　think　it

was　greatly　tempered　with　our　new　pride　in　him。　　While　he　was　with

us　alone；　his　peculiarities　had　been　scarcely　appreciated；　but　the

recurrent　phrase　〃that　yellow　dog　that　they　keep　at　the　Rattlers〃

gave　us　a　mysterious　importance　along　the　countryside；　as　if　we　had

secured　a　〃mascot〃　in　some　zoological　curiosity。



This　was　further　indicated　by　a　singular　occurrence。　　A　new　church

had　been　built　at　the　crossroads；　and　an　eminent　divine　had　come

from　San　Francisco　to　preach　the　opening　sermon。　　After　a　careful

examination　of　the　camp's　wardrobe；　and　some　felicitous　exchange　of

apparel；　a　few　of　us　were　deputed　to　represent　〃Rattlers〃　at　the

Sunday　service。　　In　our　white　ducks；　straw　hats；　and　flannel

blouses；　we　were　sufficiently　picturesque　and　distinctive　as

〃honest　miners〃　to　be　shown　off　in　one　of　the　front　pews。



Seated　near　the　pretties