a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第2章

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him　few　acquaintances　and　no　associates。　　And　in　all　his　well…laid
plans　and　patiently…digested　theories　for　finding　the　treasure；　the
means　and　methods　of　working　it　and　disposing　of　it　had　never
entered。

And　now；　at　the　hour　when　he　most　needed　his　faculties；　what　was
the　meaning　of　this　strange　benumbing　of　them！

Patience！　　He　only　wanted　a　little　resta　little　time　to　recover
himself。　　There　was　a　large　boulder　under　a　tree　in　the　highway　of
the　settlementa　sheltered　spot　where　he　had　often　waited　for　the
coming　of　the　stage…coach。　　He　would　go　there；　and　when　he　was
sufficiently　rested　and　composed　he　would　go　on。

Nevertheless；　on　his　way　he　diverged　and　turned　into　the　woods；　for
no　other　apparent　purpose　than　to　find　a　hollow　tree。　　〃A　hollow
tree。〃　　Yes！　that　was　what　Masters　had　said；　he　remembered　it
distinctly；　and　something　was　to　be　done　there；　but　what　it　was；　or
why　it　should　be　done；　he　could　not　tell。　　However；　it　was　done；
and　very　luckily；　for　his　limbs　could　scarcely　support　him　further；
and　reaching　that　boulder　he　dropped　upon　it　like　another　stone。

And　now；　strange　to　say；　the　uneasiness　and　perplexity　which　had
possessed　him　ever　since　he　had　stood　before　his　revealed　wealth
dropped　from　him　like　a　burden　laid　upon　the　wayside。　　A
measureless　peace　stole　over　him；　in　which　visions　of　his　new…found
fortune；　no　longer　a　trouble　and　perplexity；　but　crowned　with
happiness　and　blessing　to　all　around　him；　assumed　proportions　far
beyond　his　own　weak；　selfish　plans。　　In　its　even…handed
benefaction；　his　wife　and　children；　his　friends　and　relations；　even
his　late　poor　companion　of　the　hillside；　met　and　moved　harmoniously
together；　in　its　far…reaching　consequences　there　was　only　the
influence　of　good。　　It　was　not　strange　that　this　poor　finite　mind
should　never　have　conceived　the　meaning　of　the　wealth　extended　to
him；　or　that　conceiving　it　he　should　faint　and　falter　under　the
revelation。　　Enough　that　for　a　few　minutes　he　must　have　tasted　a
joy　of　perfect　anticipation　that　years　of　actual　possession　might
never　bring。

The　sun　seemed　to　go　down　in　a　rosy　dream　of　his　own　happiness；　as
he　still　sat　there。　　Later；　the　shadows　of　the　trees　thickened　and
surrounded　him；　and　still　later　fell　the　calm　of　a　quiet　evening
sky　with　far…spaced　passionless　stars；　that　seemed　as　little
troubled　by　what　they　looked　upon　as　he　was　by　the　stealthy
creeping　life　in　the　grasses　and　underbrush　at　his　feet。　　The　dull
patter　of　soft　little　feet　in　the　soft　dust　of　the　road；　the　gentle
gleam　of　moist　and　wondering　little　eyes　on　the　branches　and　in　the
mossy　edges　of　the　boulder；　did　not　disturb　him。　　He　sat　patiently
through　it　all；　as　if　he　had　not　yet　made　up　his　mind。

But　when　the　stage　came　with　the　flashing　sun　the　next　morning；　and
the　irresistible　clamor　of　life　and　action；　the　driver　suddenly
laid　his　four　spirited　horses　on　their　haunches　before　the　quiet
spot。　　The　express　messenger　clambered　down　from　the　box；　and
approached　what　seemed　to　be　a　heap　of　cast…off　clothes　upon　the
boulder。

〃He　don't　seem　to　be　drunk；〃　he　said；　in　reply　to　a　querulous
interrogation　from　the　passengers。　　〃I　can't　make　him　out。　　His
eyes　are　open；　but　he　cannot　speak　or　move。　　Take　a　look　at　him；
Doc。〃

A　rough　unprofessional…looking　man　here　descended　from　the　inside
of　the　coach；　and；　carelessly　thrusting　aside　the　other　curious
passengers；　suddenly　leant　over　the　heap　of　clothes　in　a
professional　attitude。

〃He　is　dead；〃　said　one　of　the　passengers。

The　rough　man　let　the　passive　head　sink　softly　down　again。　　〃No
such　luck　for　him；〃　he　said　curtly；　but　not　unkindly。　　〃It's　a
stroke　of　paralysisand　about　as　big　as　they　make　'em。　　It's　a
toss…up　if　he　ever　speaks　or　moves　again　as　long　as　he　lives。〃


CHAPTER　I


When　Alvin　Mulrady　announced　his　intention　of　growing　potatoes　and
garden　〃truck〃　on　the　green　slopes　of　Los　Gatos；　the　mining
community　of　that　region；　and　the　adjacent　hamlet　of　〃Rough…and…
Ready；〃　regarded　it　with　the　contemptuous　indifference　usually
shown　by　those　adventurers　towards　all　bucolic　pursuits。　　There　was
certainly　no　active　objection　to　the　occupation　of　two　hillsides；
which　gave　so　little　promise　to　the　prospector　for　gold　that　it　was
currently　reported　that　a　single　prospector；　called　〃Slinn；〃　had
once　gone　mad　or　imbecile　through　repeated　failures。　　The　only
opposition　came；　incongruously　enough；　from　the　original　pastoral
owner　of　the　soil；　one　Don　Ramon　Alvarado；　whose　claim　for　seven
leagues　of　hill　and　valley；　including　the　now　prosperous　towns　of
Rough…and…Ready　and　Red　Dog；　was　met　with　simple　derision　from　the
squatters　and　miners。　　〃Looks　ez　ef　we　woz　goin'　to　travel　three
thousand　miles　to　open　up　his　dd　old　wilderness；　and　then　pay　for
the　increased　valoo　we　give　itdon't　it？　　Oh；　yes；　certainly！〃　was
their　ironical　commentary。　　Mulrady　might　have　been　pardoned　for
adopting　this　popular　opinion；　but　by　an　equally　incongruous
sentiment；　peculiar；　however；　to　the　man；　he　called　upon　Don　Ramon；
and　actually　offered　to　purchase　the　land；　or　〃go　shares〃　with　him
in　the　agricultural　profits。　　It　was　alleged　that　the　Don　was　so
struck　with　this　concession　that　he　not　only　granted　the　land；　but
struck　up　a　quaint　reserved　friendship　for　the　simple…minded
agriculturist　and　his　family。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　add　that
this　intimacy　was　viewed　by　the　miners　with　the　contempt　that　it
deserved。　　They　would　have　been　more　contemptuous；　however；　had
they　known　the　opinion　that　Don　Ramon　entertained　of　their
particular　vocation；　and　which　he　early　confided　to　Mulrady。

〃They　are　savages　who　expect　to　reap　where　they　have　not　sown；　to
take　out　of　the　earth　without　returning　anything　to　it　but　their
precious　carcasses；　heathens；　who　worship　the　mere　stones　they　dig
up。〃　　〃And　was　there　no　Spaniard　who　ever　dug　gold？〃　asked　Mulrady；
simply。　　〃Ah；　there　are　Spaniards　and　Moors；〃　responded　Don　Ramon；
sententiously。　　〃Gold　has　been　dug；　and　by　caballeros；　but　no　good
ever　came　of　it。　　There　were　Alvarados　in　Sonora；　look　you；　who　had
mines　of　SILVER；　and　worked　them　with　peons　and　mules；　and　lost
their　moneya　gold　mine　to　work　a　silver　onelike　gentlemen！　　But
this　grubbing　in　the　dirt　with　one's　fingers；　that　a　little　gold
may　stick　to　them；　is　not　for　caballeros。　　And　then；　one　says
nothing　of　the　curse。〃

〃The　curse！〃　echoed　Mary　Mulrady；　with　youthful　feminine
superstition。　　〃What　is　that？〃

〃You　knew　not；　friend　Mulrady；　that　when　these　lands　were　given　to
my　ancestors　by　Charles　V。；　the　Bishop　of　Monterey　laid　a　curse
upon　any　who　should　desecrate　them。　　Good！　　Let　us　see！　　Of　the
three　Americanos　who　founded　yonder　town；　one　was　shot；　another
died　of　a　feverpoisoned；　you　understand；　by　the　soiland　the
last　got　himself　crazy　of　aguardiente。　　Even　the　scientifico；*　who
came　here　years　ago　and　spied　into　the　trees　and　the　herbs：　he　was
afterwards　punished　for　his　profanation；　and　died　of　an　accident　in
other　lands。　　But；〃　added　Don　Ramon；　with　grave　courtesy；　〃this
touches　not　yourself。　　Through　me；　YOU　are　of　the　soil。〃


*　Don　Ramon　probably　alluded　to　the　eminent　naturalist　Douglas；　who
visited　California　before　the　gold　excitement；　and　died　of　an
accident　in　the　Sandwich　Islands。


Indeed；　it　would　seem　as　if　a　secure　if　not　a　rapid　prosperity　was
the　result　of　Don　Ramon's　manorial　patronage。　　The　potato　patch　and
market　garden　flourished　exceedingly；　the　rich　soil　responded　with
magnificent　vagaries　of　growth；　the　even　sunshine　set　the　seasons
at　defiance　with　extraordinary　and　premature　crops。　　The　salt　pork
and　biscuit　consuming　settlers　did　not　allow　their　contempt　of
Mulrady's　occupation　to　prevent　their　profiting　by　this　opportunity
for　changing　their　diet。　　The　gold　they　had　taken　from　the　soil
presently　began　to　flow　into　his　pockets　in　exchange　for　his　more
modest　treasures。　　The　little　cabin；　which　barely　sheltered　his
familya　wife；　son；　and　daughterwas　enlarged；　extended；　and
refitted；　but　in　turn　abandoned　for　a　more　pretentious　house　on　the
opposite　hill。　　A　whitewashed　fence　replaced　the　rudely…split
rails；　which　had　kept　out　the　wilderness。　　By　degrees；　the