a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第6章

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least　spared　him　the　pain　of　what　might　have　seemed　ingratitude　in
one　more　akin　to　himself。　　〃The　fact　is；　we　ain't　quite　up　to　her
style；〃　was　his　explanation　and　apology。　　A　vague　belief　that　in
another　and　a　better　world　than　this　he　might　approximate　and
understand　this　perfection　somewhat　soothed　and　sustained　him。

It　was　quite　consistent；　therefore；　that　the　embroidered　cambric
dress　which　Mamie　Mulrady　wore　one　summer　afternoon　on　the　hillside
at　Los　Gatos；　while　to　the　critical　feminine　eye　at　once　artistic
and　expensive；　should　not　seem　incongruous　to　her　surroundings　or
to　herself　in　the　eyes　of　a　general　audience。　　It　certainly　did　not
seem　so　to　one　pair　of　frank；　humorous　ones　that　glanced　at　her
from　time　to　time；　as　their　owner；　a　young　fellow　of　five…and…
twenty；　walked　at　her　side。　　He　was　the　new　editor　of　the　〃Rough…
and…Ready　Record；〃　and；　having　been　her　fellow…passenger　from
Sacramento；　had　already　once　or　twice　availed　himself　of　her
father's　invitation　to　call　upon　them。　　Mrs。　Mulrady　had　not
discouraged　this　mild　flirtation。　　Whether　she　wished　to　disconcert
Don　Caesar　for　some　occult　purpose；　or　whether；　like　the　rest　of
her　sex；　she　had　an　overweening　confidence　in　the　unheroic；
unseductive；　and　purely　platonic　character　of　masculine　humor；　did
not　appear。

〃When　I　say　I'm　sorry　you　are　going　to　leave　us；　Miss　Mulrady；〃
said　the　young　fellow；　lightly；　〃you　will　comprehend　my
unselfishness；　since　I　frankly　admit　your　departure　would　be　a
positive　relief　to　me　as　an　editor　and　a　man。　　The　pressure　in　the
Poet's　Corner　of　the　'Record'　since　it　was　mistakingly　discovered
that　a　person　of　your　name　might　be　induced　to　seek　the　'glade'　and
'shade'　without　being　'afraid；'　'dismayed；'　or　'betrayed；'　has　been
something　enormous；　and；　unfortunately；　I　am　debarred　from
rejecting　anything；　on　the　just　ground　that　I　am　myself　an
interested　admirer。〃

〃It's　dreadful　to　be　placarded　around　the　country　by　one's　own　full
name；　isn't　it？〃　said　Mamie；　without；　however；　expressing　much
horror　in　her　face。

〃They　think　it　much　more　respectful　than　to　call　you　'Mamie；'〃　he
responded；　lightly；　〃and　many　of　your　admirers　are　middle…aged　men；
with　a　mediaeval　style　of　compliment。　　I've　discovered　that　amatory
versifying　wasn't　entirely　a　youthful　passion。　　Colonel　Cash　is
about　as　fatal　with　a　couplet　as　with　a　double…barreled　gun；　and
scatters　as　terribly。　　Judge　Butts　and　Dr。　Wilson　have　both
discerned　the　resemblance　of　your　gifts　to　those　of　Venus；　and
their　own　to　Apollo。　　But　don't　undervalue　those　tributes；　Miss
Mulrady；〃　he　added；　more　seriously。　　〃You'll　have　thousands　of
admirers　where　you　are　going；　but　you'll　be　willing　to　admit　in　the
end；　I　think；　that　none　were　more　honest　and　respectful　than　your
subjects　at　Rough…and…Ready　and　Red　Dog。〃　　He　stopped；　and　added　in
a　graver　tone；　〃Does　Don　Caesar　write　poetry？〃

〃He　has　something　better　to　do；〃　said　the　young　lady；　pertly。

〃I　can　easily　imagine　that；〃　he　returned；　mischievously；　〃it　must
be　a　pallid　substitute　for　other　opportunities。〃

〃What　did　you　come　here　for？〃　she　asked；　suddenly。

〃To　see　you。〃

〃Nonsense！　　You　know　what　I　mean。　　Why　did　you　ever　leave
Sacramento　to　come　here？　　I　should　think　it　would　suit　you　so　much
better　than　this　place。〃

〃I　suppose　I　was　fired　by　your　father's　example；　and　wished　to　find
a　gold　mine。〃

〃Men　like　you　never　do；〃　she　said；　simply。

〃Is　that　a　compliment；　Miss　Mulrady？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　But　I　think　that　you　think　that　it　is。〃

He　gave　her　the　pleased　look　of　one　who　had　unexpectedly　found　a
sympathetic　intelligence。　　〃Do　I？　　This　is　interesting。　　Let's　sit
down。〃　　In　their　desultory　rambling　they　had　reached；　quite
unconsciously；　the　large　boulder　at　the　roadside。　　Mamie　hesitated
a　moment；　looked　up　and　down　the　road；　and　then；　with　an　already
opulent　indifference　to　the　damaging　of　her　spotless　skirt；　sat
herself　upon　it；　with　her　furled　parasol　held　by　her　two　little
hands　thrown　over　her　half…drawn…up　knee。　　The　young　editor；　half
sitting；　half　leaning；　against　the　stone；　began　to　draw　figures　in
the　sand　with　his　cane。

〃On　the　contrary；　Miss　Mulrady；　I　hope　to　make　some　money　here。
You　are　leaving　Rough…and…Ready　because　you　are　rich。　　We　are
coming　to　it　because　we　are　poor。〃

〃We？〃　echoed　Mamie；　lazily；　looking　up　the　road。

〃Yes。　　My　father　and　two　sisters。〃

〃I　am　sorry。　　I　might　have　known　them　if　I　hadn't　been　going　away。〃
At　the　same　moment；　it　flashed　across　her　mind　that；　if　they　were
like　the　man　before　her；　they　might　prove　disagreeably　independent
and　critical。　　〃Is　your　father　in　business？〃　she　asked。

He　shook　his　head。　　After　a　pause；　he　said；　punctuating　his
sentences　with　the　point　of　his　stick　in　the　soft　dust；　〃He　is
paralyzed；　and　out　of　his　mind；　Miss　Mulrady。　　I　came　to　California
to　seek　him；　as　all　news　of　him　ceased　three　years　since；　and　I
found　him　only　two　weeks　ago；　alone；　friendlessan　unrecognized
pauper　in　the　county　hospital。〃

〃Two　weeks　ago？　　That　was　when　I　went　to　Sacramento。〃

〃Very　probably。〃

〃It　must　have　been　very　shocking　to　you？〃

〃It　was。〃

〃I　should　think　you'd　feel　real　bad？〃

〃I　do；　at　times。〃　　He　smiled；　and　laid　his　stick　on　the　stone。
〃You　now　see；　Miss　Mulrady；　how　necessary　to　me　is　this　good
fortune　that　you　don't　think　me　worthy　of。　　Meantime　I　must　try　to
make　a　home　for　them　at　Rough…and…Ready。〃

Miss　Mulrady　put　down　her　knee　and　her　parasol。　　〃We　mustn't　stay
here　much　longer；　you　know。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Why；　the　stage…coach　comes　by　at　about　this　time。〃

〃And　you　think　the　passengers　will　observe　us　sitting　here？〃

〃Of　course　they　will。〃

〃Miss　Mulrady；　I　implore　you　to　stay。〃

He　was　leaning　over　her　with　such　apparent　earnestness　of　voice　and
gesture　that　the　color　came　into　her　cheek。　　For　a　moment　she
scarcely　dared　to　lift　her　conscious　eyes　to　his。　　When　she　did　so；
she　suddenly　glanced　her　own　aside　with　a　flash　of　anger。　　He　was
laughing。

〃If　you　have　any　pity　for　me；　do　not　leave　me　now；〃　he　repeated。
〃Stay　a　moment　longer；　and　my　fortune　is　made。　　The　passengers　will
report　us　all　over　Red　Dog　as　engaged。　　I　shall　be　supposed　to　be
in　your　father's　secrets；　and　shall　be　sought　after　as　a　director
of　all　the　new　companies。　　The　'Record'　will　double　its
circulation；　poetry　will　drop　out　of　its　columns；　advertising　rush
to　fill　its　place；　and　I　shall　receive　five　dollars　a　week　more
salary；　if　not　seven　and　a　half。　　Never　mind　the　consequences　to
yourself　at　such　a　moment。　　I　assure　you　there　will　be　none。　　You
can　deny　it　the　next　dayI　will　deny　itnay；　more；　the　'Record'
itself　will　deny　it　in　an　extra　edition　of　one　thousand　copies；　at
ten　cents　each。　　Linger　a　moment　longer；　Miss　Mulrady。　　Fly；　oh　fly
not　yet。　　They're　cominghark！　oh！　　By　Jove；　it's　only　Don
Caesar！〃

It　was；　indeed；　only　the　young　scion　of　the　house　of　Alvarado；
blue…eyed；　sallow…skinned；　and　high…shouldered；　coming　towards　them
on　a　fiery；　half…broken　mustang；　whose　very　spontaneous　lawlessness
seemed　to　accentuate　and　bring　out　the　grave　and　decorous　ease　of
his　rider。　　Even　in　his　burlesque　preoccupation　the　editor　of　the
〃Record〃　did　not　withhold　his　admiration　of　this　perfect
horsemanship。　　Mamie；　who；　in　her　wounded　amour　propre；　would　like
to　have　made　much　of　it　to　annoy　her　companion；　was　thus　estopped
any　ostentatious　compliment。

Don　Caesar　lifted　his　hat　with　sweet　seriousness　to　the　lady；　with
grave　courtesy　to　the　gentleman。　　While　the　lower　half　of　this
Centaur　was　apparently　quivering　with　fury；　and　stamping　the　ground
in　his　evident　desire　to　charge　upon　the　pair；　the　upper　half；　with
natural　dignity；　looked　from　the　one　to　the　other；　as　if　to　leave
the　privilege　of　an　explanation　with　them。　　But　Mamie　was　too　wise；
and　her　companion　too　indifferent；　to　offer　one。　　A　slight　shade
passed　over　Don　Caesar's　face。　　To　complicate　the　situation　at　that
moment；　the　expected　stagecoach　came　rattling　by。　　With　quick
feminine　intuition；　Mamie　caught　in　the　faces　of　the　driver　and　the
expressman；　and　reflected　in　the　mischievous　eyes　of　her　companion；
a　peculiar　interpretation　of　their　meeting；　that　was　not　rem