a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第4章
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The murmuring ceased。 Mrs。 Mulrady returned to her husband。 The
interruption seemed to have taken off the keen edge of his
enjoyment。 He at once abdicated his momentary elevation as a
discoverer； and waited for her to speak。
〃Ye haven't told any one yet？〃 she asked。
〃No。 I was alone； down in the shaft。 Ye see； Malviny； I wasn't
expectin' of anything。〃 He began； with an attempt at fresh
enjoyment； 〃I was just clearin' out； and hadn't reckoned on
anythin'。〃
〃You see； I was right when I advised you taking the land；〃 she
said； without heeding him。
Mulrady's face fell。 〃I hope Don Caesar won't think〃he began；
hesitatingly。 〃I reckon； perhaps； I oughter make some sorter
compensationyou know。〃
〃Stuff！〃 said Mrs。 Mulrady； decidedly。 〃Don't be a fool。 Any gold
discovery； anyhow； would have been yoursthat's the law。 And you
bought the land without any restrictions。 Besides； you never had
any idea of this！〃she stopped； and looked him suddenly in the
face〃had you？〃
Mulrady opened his honest； pale…gray eyes widely。
〃Why； Malviny！ You know I hadn't。 I could swear！〃
〃Don't swear； and don't let on to anybody but what you DID know it
was there。 Now； Alvin Mulrady； listen to me。〃 Her voice here took
the strident form of action。 〃Knock off work at the shaft； and
send your man away at once。 Put on your things； catch the next
stage to Sacramento at four o'clock； and take Mamie with you。〃
〃Mamie！〃 echoed Mulrady； feebly。
〃You want to see Lawyer Cole and my brother Jim at once；〃 she went
on； without heeding him； 〃and Mamie wants a change and some proper。
clothes。 Leave the rest to me and Abner。 I'll break it to Mamie；
and get her ready。〃
Mulrady passed his hands through his tangled hair； wet with
perspiration。 He was proud of his wife's energy and action； he did
not dream of opposing her； but somehow he was disappointed。 The
charming glamour and joy of his discovery had vanished before he
could fairly dazzle her with it； or； rather； she was not dazzled
with it at all。 It had become like business； and the expression
〃breaking it〃 to Mamie jarred upon him。 He would have preferred to
tell her himself； to watch the color come into her delicate oval
face； to have seen her soft eyes light with an innocent joy he had
not seen in his wife's； and he felt a sinking conviction that his
wife was the last one to awaken it。
〃You ain't got any time to lose；〃 she said； impatiently； as he
hesitated。
Perhaps it was her impatience that struck harshly upon him；
perhaps； if she had not accepted her good fortune so confidently；
he would not have spoken what was in his mind at the time； but he
said gravely； 〃Wait a minit； Malviny； I've suthin' to tell you
'bout this find of mine that's sing'lar。〃
〃Go on；〃 she said； quickly。
〃Lyin' among the rotten quartz of the vein was a pick；〃 he said；
constrainedly； 〃and the face of the vein sorter looked ez if it had
been worked at。 Follering the line outside to the base of the hill
there was signs of there having been an old tunnel； but it had
fallen in； and was blocked up。〃
〃Well？〃 said Mrs。 Mulrady； contemptuously。
〃Well；〃 returned her husband； somewhat disconnectedly； 〃it kinder
looked as if some feller might have discovered it before。〃
〃And went away； and left it for others！ That's likelyain't it？〃
interrupted his wife； with ill…disguised intolerance。 〃Everybody
knows the hill wasn't worth that for prospectin'； and it was
abandoned when we came here。 It's your property and you've paid
for it。 Are you goin' to wait to advertise for the owner； Alvin
Mulrady； or are you going to Sacramento at four o'clock to…day？〃
Mulrady started。 He had never seriously believed in the
possibility of a previous discovery； but his conscientious nature
had prompted him to give it a fair consideration。 She was probably
right。 What he might have thought had she treated it with equal
conscientiousness he did not consider。 〃All right；〃 he said
simply。 〃I reckon we'll go at once。〃
〃And when you talk to Lawyer Cole and Jim； keep that silly stuff
about the pick to yourself。 There's no use of putting queer ideas
into other people's heads because you happen to have 'em yourself。〃
When the hurried arrangements were at last completed； and Mr。
Mulrady and Mamie； accompanied by a taciturn and discreet Chinaman；
carrying their scant luggage； were on their way to the high road to
meet the up stage； the father gazed somewhat anxiously and
wistfully into his daughter's face。 He had looked forward to those
few moments to enjoy the freshness and naivete of Mamie's youthful
delight and enthusiasm as a relief to his wife's practical； far…
sighted realism。 There was a pretty pink suffusion in her delicate
cheek； the breathless happiness of a child in her half…opened
little mouth； and a beautiful absorption in her large gray eyes
that augured well for him。
〃Well； Mamie； how do we like bein' an heiress？ How do we like
layin' over all the gals between this and 'Frisco？〃
〃Eh？〃
She had not heard him。 The tender beautiful eyes were engaged in
an anticipatory examination of the remembered shelves in the 〃Fancy
Emporium〃 at Sacramento； in reading the admiration of the clerks；
in glancing down a little criticisingly at the broad cowhide
brogues that strode at her side； in looking up the road for the
stage…coach； in regarding the fit of her new gloveseverywhere but
in the loving eyes of the man beside her。
He； however； repeated the question； touched with her charming
preoccupation； and passing his arm around her little waist。
〃I like it well enough； pa； you know！〃 she said； slightly
disengaging his arm； but adding a perfunctory little squeeze to his
elbow to soften the separation。 〃I always had an idea SOMETHING
would happen。 I suppose I'm looking like a fright；〃 she added；
〃but ma made me hurry to get away before Don Caesar came。〃
〃And you didn't want to go without seeing him？〃 he added； archly。
〃I didn't want him to see me in this frock；〃 said Mamie； simply。
〃I reckon that's why ma made me change；〃 she added； with a slight
laugh。
〃Well I reckon you're allus good enough for him in any dress；〃 said
Mulrady； watching her attentively； 〃and more than a match for him
NOW；〃 he added； triumphantly。
〃I don't know about that；〃 said Mamie。 〃He's been rich all the
time； and his father and grandfather before him； while we've been
poor and his tenants。〃
His face changed； the look of bewilderment； with which he had
followed her words； gave way to one of pain； and then of anger。
〃Did he get off such stuff as that？〃 he asked； quickly。
〃No。 I'd like to catch him at it；〃 responded Mamie； promptly。
〃There's better nor him to be had for the asking now。〃
They had walked on a few moments in aggrieved silence； and the
Chinaman might have imagined some misfortune had just befallen
them。 But Mamie's teeth shone again between her parted lips。 〃La；
pa！ it ain't that！ He cares everything for me； and I do for him；
and if ma hadn't got new ideas〃 She stopped suddenly。
〃What new ideas？〃 queried her father； anxiously。
〃Oh； nothing！ I wish； pa； you'd put on your other boots！
Everybody can see these are made for the farrows。 And you ain't a
market gardener any more。〃
〃What am I； then？〃 asked Mulrady； with a half…pleased； half…uneasy
laugh。
〃You're a capitalist； I say； but ma says a landed proprietor。〃
Nevertheless； the landed proprietor； when he reached the boulder on
the Red Dog highway； sat down in somewhat moody contemplation； with
his head bowed over the broad cowhide brogues； that seemed to have
already gathered enough of the soil to indicate his right to that
title。 Mamie； who had recovered her spirits； but had not lost her
preoccupation； wandered off by herself in the meadow； or ascended
the hillside； as her occasional impatience at the delay of the
coach； or the following of some ambitious fancy； alternately
prompted her。 She was so far away at one time that the stage…
coach； which finally drew up before Mulrady； was obliged to wait
for her。
When she was deposited safely inside； and Mulrady had climbed to
the box beside the driver； the latter remarked
