a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第10章

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explanation；　and　perhaps　even　news　of　Mamie。　　But　he　would　arraign
Slinn；　and　at　once。　　He　put　the　letter　in　his　pocket；　quickly
retraced　his　steps　to　his　horse；　and；　putting　spurs　to　the　animal；
followed　the　high　road　to　the　gate　of　Mulrady's　pioneer　cabin。

He　remembered　it　well　enough。　　To　a　cultivated　taste；　it　was
superior　to　the　more　pretentious　〃new　house。〃　　During　the　first
year　of　Mulrady's　tenancy；　the　plain　square　log…cabin　had　received
those　additions　and　attractions　which　only　a　tenant　can　conceive
and　actual　experience　suggest；　and　in　this　way　the　hideous　right
angles　were　broken　with　sheds；　〃lean…to〃　extensions；　until　a
certain　picturesqueness　was　given　to　the　irregularity　of　outline；
and　a　home…like　security　and　companionship　to　the　congregated
buildings。　　It　typified　the　former　life　of　the　great　capitalist；　as
the　tall　new　house　illustrated　the　loneliness　and　isolation　that
wealth　had　given　him。　　But　the　real　points　of　vantage　were　the
years　of　cultivation　and　habitation　that　had　warmed　and　enriched
the　soil；　and　evoked　the　climbing　vines　and　roses　that　already　hid
its　unpainted　boards；　rounded　its　hard　outlines；　and　gave
projection　and　shadow　from　the　pitiless　glare　of　a　summer's　long
sun；　or　broke　the　steady　beating　of　the　winter　rains。　　It　was　true
that　pea　and　bean　poles　surrounded　it　on　one　side；　and　the　only
access　to　the　house　was　through　the　cabbage　rows　that　once　were　the
pride　and　sustenance　of　the　Mulradys。　　It　was　this　fact；　more　than
any　other；　that　had　impelled　Mrs。　Mulrady　to　abandon　its　site；　she
did　not　like　to　read　the　history　of　their　humble　origin　reflected
in　the　faces　of　their　visitors　as　they　entered。

Don　Caesar　tied　his　horse　to　the　fence；　and　hurriedly　approached
the　house。　　The　door；　however；　hospitably　opened　when　he　was　a　few
paces　from　it；　and　when　he　reached　the　threshold　he　found　himself
unexpectedly　in　the　presence　of　two　pretty　girls。　　They　were
evidently　Slinn's　sisters；　whom　he　had　neither　thought　of　nor
included　in　the　meeting　he　had　prepared。　　In　spite　of　his
preoccupation；　he　felt　himself　suddenly　embarrassed；　not　only　by
the　actual　distinction　of　their　beauty；　but　by　a　kind　of　likeness
that　they　seemed　to　bear　to　Mamie。

〃We　saw　you　coming；〃　said　the　elder；　unaffectedly。　　〃You　are　Don
Caesar　Alvarado。　　My　brother　has　spoken　of　you。〃

The　words　recalled　Don　Caesar　to　himself　and　a　sense　of　courtesy。
He　was　not　here　to　quarrel　with　these　fair　strangers　at　their　first
meeting；　he　must　seek　Slinn　elsewhere；　and　at　another　time。　　The
frankness　of　his　reception　and　the　allusion　to　their　brother　made
it　appear　impossible　that　they　should　be　either　a　party　to　his
disappointment；　or　even　aware　of　it。　　His　excitement　melted　away
before　a　certain　lazy　ease；　which　the　consciousness　of　their　beauty
seemed　to　give　them。　　He　was　able　to　put　a　few　courteous　inquiries；
and；　thanks　to　the　paragraph　in　the　〃Record；〃　to　congratulate　them
upon　their　father's　improvement。

〃Oh；　pa　is　a　great　deal　better　in　his　health；　and　has　picked　up
even　in　the　last　few　days；　so　that　he　is　able　to　walk　round　with
crutches；〃　said　the　elder　sister。　　〃The　air　here　seems　to
invigorate　him　wonderfully。〃

〃And　you　know；　Esther；〃　said　the　younger；　〃I　think　he　begins　to
take　more　notice　of　things；　especially　when　he　is　out…of…doors。　　He
looks　around　on　the　scenery；　and　his　eye　brightens；　as　if　he　knew
all　about　it；　and　sometimes　he　knits　his　brows；　and　looks　down　so；
as　if　he　was　trying　to　remember。〃

〃You　know；　I　suppose；〃　exclaimed　Esther；　〃that　since　his　seizure
his　memory　has　been　a　blankthat　is；　three　or　four　years　of　his
life　seem　to　have　been　dropped　out　of　his　recollection。〃

〃It　might　be　a　mercy　sometimes；　Senora；〃　said　Don　Caesar；　with　a
grave　sigh；　as　he　looked　at　the　delicate　features　before　him；　which
recalled　the　face　of　the　absent　Mamie。

〃That's　not　very　complimentary；〃　said　the　younger　girl；　laughingly；
〃for　pa　didn't　recognize　us；　and　only　remembered　us　as　little
girls。〃

〃Vashti！〃　interrupted　Esther；　rebukingly；　then；　turning　to　Don
Caesar；　she　added；　〃My　sister；　Vashti；　means　that　father　remembers
more　what　happened　before　he　came　to　California；　when　we　were　quite
young；　than　he　does　of　the　interval　that　elapsed。　　Dr。　Duchesne
says　it's　a　singular　case。　　He　thinks　that；　with　his　present
progress；　he　will　recover　the　perfect　use　of　his　limbs；　though　his
memory　may　never　come　back　again。〃

〃Unless　　You　forget　what　the　doctor　told　us　this　morning；〃
interrupted　Vashti　again；　briskly。

〃I　was　going　to　say　it；〃　said　Esther；　a　little　curtly。　　〃UNLESS　he
has　another　stroke。　　Then　he　will　either　die　or　recover　his　mind
entirely。〃

Don　Caesar　glanced　at　the　bright　faces；　a　trifle　heightened　in
color　by　their　eager　recital　and　the　slight　rivalry　of　narration；
and　looked　grave。　　He　was　a　little　shocked　at　a　certain　lack　of
sympathy　and　tenderness　towards　their　unhappy　parent。　　They　seemed
to　him　not　only　to　have　caught　that　dry；　curious　toleration　of
helplessness　which　characterizes　even　relationship　in　its
attendance　upon　chronic　suffering　and　weakness；　but　to　have
acquired　an　unconscious　habit　of　turning　it　to　account。　　In　his
present　sensitive　condition；　he　even　fancied　that　they　flirted
mildly　over　their　parent's　infirmity。

〃My　brother　Harry　has　gone　to　Red　Dog；〃　continued　Esther；　〃he'll　be
right　sorry　to　have　missed　you。　　Mrs。　Mulrady　spoke　to　him　about
you；　you　seem　to　have　been　great　friends。　　I　s'pose　you　knew　her
daughter；　Mamie；　I　hear　she　is　very　pretty。〃

Although　Don　Caesar　was　now　satisfied　that　the　Slinns　knew　nothing
of　Mamie's　singular　behavior　to　him；　he　felt　embarrassed　by　this
conversation。　　〃Miss　Mulrady　is　very　pretty；〃　he　said；　with　grave
courtesy；　〃it　is　a　custom　of　her　race。　　She　left　suddenly；〃　he
added　with　affected　calmness。

〃I　reckon　she　did　calculate　to　stay　here　longerso　her　mother
said；　but　the　whole　thing　was　settled　a　week　ago。　　I　know　my
brother　was　quite　surprised　to　hear　from　Mr。　Mulrady　that　if　we
were　going　to　decide　about　this　house　we　must　do　it　at　once；　he　had
an　idea　himself　about　moving　out　of　the　big　one　into　this　when　they
left。〃

〃Mamie　Mulrady　hadn't　much　to　keep　her　here；　considerin'　the　money
and　the　good　looks　she　has；　I　reckon；〃　said　Vashti。　　〃She　isn't　the
sort　of　girl　to　throw　herself　away　in　the　wilderness；　when　she　can
pick　and　choose　elsewhere。　　I　only　wonder　she　ever　come　back　from
Sacramento。　　They　talk　about　papa　Mulrady　having　BUSINESS　at　San
Francisco；　and　THAT　hurrying　them　off！　　Depend　upon　it；　that
'business'　was　Mamie　herself。　　Her　wish　is　gospel　to　them。　　If
she'd　wanted　to　stay　and　have　a　farewell　party；　old　Mulrady's
business　would　have　been　nowhere。〃

〃Ain't　you　a　little　rough　on　Mamie；〃　said　Esther；　who　had　been
quietly　watching　the　young　man's　face　with　her　large　languid　eyes；
〃considering　that　we　don't　know　her；　and　haven't　even　the　right　of
friends　to　criticise？〃

〃I　don't　call　it　rough；〃　returned　Vashti；　frankly；　〃for　I'd　do　the
same　if　I　were　in　her　shoesand　they're　four…and…a…halves；　for
Harry　told　me　so。　　Give　me　her　money　and　her　looks；　and　you
wouldn't　catch　me　hanging　round　these　diggingsgoin'　to　choir
meetings　Saturdays；　church　Sundays；　and　buggy…riding　once　a　month
for　society！　　NoMamie's　head　was　levelyou　bet！〃

Don　Caesar　rose　hurriedly。　　They　would　present　his　compliments　to
their　father；　and　he　would　endeavor　to　find　their　brother　at　Red
Dog。　　He；　alas！　had　neither　father；　mother；　nor　sister；　but　if　they
would　receive　his　aunt；　the　Dona　Inez　Sepulvida；　the　next　Sunday；
when　she　came　from　mass；　she　should　be　honored　and　he　would　be
delighted。　　It　required　all　his　self…possession　to　deliver　himself
of　this　formal　courtesy　before　he　could　take　his　leave；　and　on　the
back　of　his　mustang　give　way　to　the　rage；　disgust　and　hatred　of
everything　connected　with　Mamie　that　filled　his　heart。　　Conscious
of　his　disturbance；　but　not　entirely　appreciating　their　own　share
in　it；　the　two　girls　somewhat　wickedly　prolonged　the　interview　by
following　him　into　the　garden。

〃Well；　if　you　MUST　leave　now；〃　said　Esther；　at　last；　languidly；　〃it
ain't　much　out　of　your　way　to　go　down　through　the　garden　a