a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第3章

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opposite　hill。　　A　whitewashed　fence　replaced　the　rudely…split
rails；　which　had　kept　out　the　wilderness。　　By　degrees；　the　first
evidences　of　cultivationthe　gashes　of　red　soil；　the　piles　of
brush　and　undergrowth；　the　bared　boulders；　and　heaps　of　stone
melted　away；　and　were　lost　under　a　carpet　of　lighter　green；　which
made　an　oasis　in　the　tawny　desert　of　wild　oats　on　the　hillside。
Water　was　the　only　free　boon　denied　this　Garden　of　Eden；　what　was
necessary　for　irrigation　had　to　be　brought　from　a　mining　ditch　at
great　expense；　and　was　of　insufficient　quantity。　　In　this　emergency
Mulrady　thought　of　sinking　an　artesian　well　on　the　sunny　slope
beside　his　house；　not；　however；　without　serious　consultation　and
much　objection　from　his　Spanish　patron。　　With　great　austerity　Don
Ramon　pointed　out　that　this　trifling　with　the　entrails　of　the　earth
was　not　only　an　indignity　to　Nature　almost　equal　to　shaft…sinking
and　tunneling；　but　was　a　disturbance　of　vested　interests。　　〃I　and
my　fathers；　San　Diego　rest　them！〃　said　Don　Ramon；　crossing　himself；
〃were　content　with　wells　and　cisterns；　filled　by　Heaven　at　its
appointed　seasons；　the　cattle；　dumb　brutes　though　they　were；　knew
where　to　find　water　when　they　wanted　it。　　But　thou　sayest　truly；〃
he　added；　with　a　sigh；　〃that　was　before　streams　and　rain　were
choked　with　hellish　engines；　and　poisoned　with　their　spume。　　Go　on；
friend　Mulrady；　dig　and　bore　if　thou　wilt；　but　in　a　seemly　fashion；
and　not　with　impious　earthquakes　of　devilish　gunpowder。〃

With　this　concession　Alvin　Mulrady　began　to　sink　his　first　artesian
shaft。　　Being　debarred　the　auxiliaries　of　steam　and　gunpowder；　the
work　went　on　slowly。　　The　market　garden　did　not　suffer　meantime；　as
Mulrady　had　employed　two　Chinamen　to　take　charge　of　the　ruder
tillage；　while　he　superintended　the　engineering　work　of　the　well。
This　trifling　incident　marked　an　epoch　in　the　social　condition　of
the　family。　　Mrs。　Mulrady　at　once　assumed　a　conscious　importance
among　her　neighbors。　　She　spoke　of　her　husband's　〃men〃；　she　alluded
to　the　well　as　〃the　works〃；　she　checked　the　easy　frontier
familiarity　of　her　customers　with　pretty　Mary　Mulrady；　her
seventeen…year…old　daughter。　　Simple　Alvin　Mulrady　looked　with
astonishment　at　this　sudden　development　of　the　germ　planted　in　all
feminine　nature　to　expand　in　the　slightest　sunshine　of　prosperity。
〃Look　yer；　Malviny；　ain't　ye　rather　puttin'　on　airs　with　the　boys
that　want　to　be　civil　to　Mamie？　　Like　as　not　one　of　'em　may　be
makin'　up　to　her　already。〃　　〃You　don't　mean　to　say；　Alvin　Mulrady；〃
responded　Mrs。　Mulrady；　with　sudden　severity；　〃that　you　ever
thought　of　givin'　your　daughter　to　a　common　miner；　or　that　I'm
goin'　to　allow　her　to　marry　out　of　our　own　set？〃　　〃Our　own　set！〃
echoed　Mulrady　feebly；　blinking　at　her　in　astonishment；　and　then
glancing　hurriedly　across　at　his　freckle…faced　son　and　the　two
Chinamen　at　work　in　the　cabbages。　　〃Oh；　you　know　what　I　mean；〃　said
Mrs。　Mulrady　sharply；　〃the　set　that　we　move　in。　　The　Alvarados　and
their　friends！　　Doesn't　the　old　Don　come　here　every　day；　and　ain't
his　son　the　right　age　for　Mamie？　　And　ain't　they　the　real　first
families　hereall　the　same　as　if　they　were　noblemen？　　No；　leave
Mamie　to　me；　and　keep　to　your　shaft；　there　never　was　a　man　yet　had
the　least　sabe　about　these　things；　or　knew　what　was　due　to　his
family。〃　　Like　most　of　his　larger　minded；　but　feebler　equipped　sex；
Mulrady　was　too　glad　to　accept　the　truth　of　the　latter　proposition；
which　left　the　meannesses　of　life　to　feminine　manipulation；　and
went　off　to　his　shaft　on　the　hillside。　　But　during　that　afternoon
he　was　perplexed　and　troubled。　　He　was　too　loyal　a　husband　not　to
be　pleased　with　this　proof　of　an　unexpected　and　superior　foresight
in　his　wife；　although　he　was；　like　all　husbands；　a　little　startled
by　it。　　He　tried　to　dismiss　it　from　his　mind。　　But　looking　down
from　the　hillside　upon　his　little　venture；　where　gradual　increase
and　prosperity　had　not　been　beyond　his　faculties　to　control　and
understand；　he　found　himself　haunted　by　the　more　ambitious　projects
of　his　helpmate。　　From　his　own　knowledge　of　men；　he　doubted　if　Don
Ramon；　any　more　than　himself；　had　ever　thought　of　the　possibility
of　a　matrimonial　connection　between　the　families。　　He　doubted　if　he
would　consent　to　it。　　And　unfortunately　it　was　this　very　doubt
that；　touching　his　own　pride　as　a　self…made　man；　made　him　first
seriously　consider　his　wife's　proposition。　　He　was　as　good　as　Don
Ramon；　any　day！　　With　this　subtle　feminine　poison　instilled　in　his
veins；　carried　completely　away　by　the　logic　of　his　wife's　illogical
premises；　he　almost　hated　his　old　benefactor。　　He　looked　down　upon
the　little　Garden　of　Eden；　where　his　Eve　had　just　tempted　him　with
the　fatal　fruit；　and　felt　a　curious　consciousness　that　he　was
losing　its　simple　and　innocent　enjoyment　forever。

Happily；　about　this　time　Don　Ramon　died。　　It　is　not　probable　that
he　ever　knew　the　amiable　intentions　of　Mrs。　Mulrady　in　regard　to
his　son；　who　now　succeeded　to　the　paternal　estate；　sadly
partitioned　by　relatives　and　lawsuits。　　The　feminine　Mulradys
attended　the　funeral；　in　expensive　mourning　from　Sacramento；　even
the　gentle　Alvin　was　forced　into　ready…made　broadcloth；　which
accented　his　good…natured　but　unmistakably　common　presence。　　Mrs。
Mulrady　spoke　openly　of　her　〃loss〃；　declared　that　the　old　families
were　dying　out；　and　impressed　the　wives　of　a　few　new　arrivals　at
Red　Dog　with　the　belief　that　her　own　family　was　contemporary　with
the　Alvarados；　and　that　her　husband's　health　was　far　from　perfect。
She　extended　a　motherly　sympathy　to　the　orphaned　Don　Caesar。
Reserved；　like　his　father；　in　natural　disposition；　he　was　still
more　gravely　ceremonious　from　his　loss；　and；　perhaps　from　the
shyness　of　an　evident　partiality　for　Mamie　Mulrady；　he　rarely
availed　himself　of　her　mother's　sympathizing　hospitality。　　But　he
carried　out　the　intentions　of　his　father　by　consenting　to　sell　to
Mulrady；　for　a　small　sum；　the　property　he　had　leased。　　The　idea　of
purchasing　had　originated　with　Mrs。　Mulrady。

〃It'll　be　all　in　the　family；〃　had　observed　that　astute　lady；　〃and
it's　better　for　the　looks　of　the　things　that　we　shouldn't　he　his
tenants。〃

It　was　only　a　few　weeks　later　that　she　was　startled　by　hearing　her
husband's　voice　calling　her　from　the　hillside　as　he　rapidly
approached　the　house。　　Mamie　was　in　her　room　putting　on　a　new　pink
cotton　gown；　in　honor　of　an　expected　visit　from　young　Don　Caesar；
and　Mrs。　Mulrady　was　tidying　the　house　in　view　of　the　same　event。
Something　in　the　tone　of　her　good　man's　voice；　and　the　unusual
circumstance　of　his　return　to　the　house　before　work　was　done；
caused　her；　however；　to　drop　her　dusting　cloth；　and　run　to　the
kitchen　door　to　meet　him。　　She　saw　him　running　through　the　rows　of
cabbages；　his　face　shining　with　perspiration　and　excitement；　a
light　in　his　eyes　which　she　had　not　seen　for　years。　　She　recalled；
without　sentiment；　that　he　looked　like　that　when　she　had　called
hima　poor　farm　hand　of　her　father'sout　of　the　brush　heap　at　the
back　of　their　former　home；　in　Illinois；　to　learn　the　consent　of　her
parents。　　The　recollection　was　the　more　embarrassing　as　he　threw
his　arms　around　her；　and　pressed　a　resounding　kiss　upon　her　sallow
cheek。

〃Sakes　alive！　　Mulrady！〃　she　said；　exorcising　the　ghost　of　a　blush
that　had　also　been　recalled　from　the　past　with　her　housewife's
apron；　〃what　are　you　doin'；　and　company　expected　every　minit？〃

〃Malviny；　I've　struck　it；　and　struck　it　rich！〃

She　disengaged　herself　from　his　arms；　without　excitement；　and
looked　at　him　with　bright　but　shrewdly　observant　eyes。

〃I've　struck　it　in　the　wellthe　regular　vein　that　the　boys　have
been　looking　fer。　　There's　a　fortin'　fer　you　and　Mamie：　thousands
and　tens　of　thousands！〃

〃Wait　a　minit。〃

She　left　him　quickly；　and　went　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs。　　He　could
hear　her　wonderingly　and　distinctly。　　〃Ye　can　take　off　that　new
frock；　Mamie；〃　she　called　out。

There　was　a　sound　of　undisguised　expostulation　from　Mamie。

〃I'm　speaking；〃　said　Mrs。　Mulrady；　emphatically。

The　murmuring　ceased。　　Mrs。　Mulrady　returned　to　her　husband。　　The
interruption　seemed　to　have　taken　off　the　keen　edge　of　his
enjoyment。　　H