found at blazing star-第2章

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into　the　bush　and　cut　a　switch　for　my　mare；and；〃leading　him

along　at　a　brisk　trot　by　her　side；〃just　here；　look；　see！　this　is

what　I　found。〃



It　was　scarcely　thirty　feet　from　the　road。　　The　only　object　that

met　Cass's　eye　was　a　man's　stiff；　tall　hat；　lying　emptily　and

vacantly　in　the　grass。　　It　was　new；　shiny；　and　of　modish　shape。

But　it　was　so　incongruous；　so　perkily　smart；　and　yet　so　feeble

and　helpless　lying　there；　so　ghastly　ludicrous　in　its　very

appropriateness　and　incapacity　to　adjust　itself　to　the　surrounding

landscape；　that　it　affected　him　with　something　more　than　a　sense　of

its　grotesqueness；　and　he　could　only　stare　at　it　blankly。



〃But　you're　not　looking　the　right　way；〃　the　girl　went　on　sharply；

〃look　there！〃



Cass　followed　the　direction　of　her　whip。　　At　last；　what　might　have

seemed　a　coat　thrown　carelessly　on　the　ground　met　his　eye；　but

presently　he　became　aware　of　a　white；　rigid；　aimlessly…clinched

hand　protruding　from　the　flaccid　sleeve；　mingled　with　it　in　some

absurd　way　and　half　hidden　by　the　grass；　lay　what　might　have　been　a

pair　of　cast…off　trousers　but　for　two　rigid　boots　that　pointed　in

opposite　angles　to　the　sky。　　It　was　a　dead　man。　　So　palpably　dead

that　life　seemed　to　have　taken　flight　from　his　very　clothes。　　So

impotent；　feeble；　and　degraded　by　them　that　the　naked　subject　of　a

dissecting　table　would　have　been　less　insulting　to　humanity。　　The

head　had　fallen　back；　and　was　partly　hidden　in　a　gopher　burrow；　but

the　white；　upturned　face　and　closed　eyes　had　less　of　helpless　death

in　them　than　those　wretched　enwrappings。　　Indeed；　one　limp　hand

that　lay　across　the　swollen　abdomen　lent　itself　to　the　grotesquely

hideous　suggestion　of　a　gentleman　sleeping　off　the　excesses　of　a

hearty　dinner。



〃Ain't　he　horrid？〃　continued　the　girl；　〃but　what　killed　him？〃



Struggling　between　a　certain　fascination　at　the　girl's　cold…blooded

curiosity　and　horror　of　the　murdered　man；　Cass　hesitatingly　lifted

the　helpless　head。　　A　bluish　hole　above　the　right　temple；　and　a　few

brown　paint…like　spots　on　the　forehead；　shirt　cellar；　and　matted

hair　proved　the　only　record。



〃Turn　him　over　again；〃　said　the　girl；　impatiently；　as　Cass　was

about　to　relinquish　his　burden。　　〃May　be　you'll　find　another

wound。〃



But　Cass　was　dimly　remembering　certain　formalities　that　in　older

civilizations　attend　the　discovery　of　dead　bodies；　and　postponed　a

present　inquest。



〃Perhaps　you'd　better　ride　on；　Miss；　afore　you　get　summoned　as　a

witness。　　I'll　give　warning　at　Red　Chief's　Crossing；　and　send　the

coroner　down　here。〃



〃Let　me　go　with　you；〃　she　said；　earnestly；　〃it　would　be　such　fun。

I　don't　mind　being　a　witness。　　Or；〃　she　added；　without　heeding

Cass's　look　of　astonishment；　〃I'll　wait　here　till　you　come　back。〃



〃But　you　see；　Miss；　it　wouldn't　seem　right〃　began　Cass。



〃But　I　found　him　first；〃　interrupted　the　girl；　with　a　pout。



Staggered　by　this　preemptive　right；　sacred　to　all　miners；　Cass

stopped。



〃Who　is　the　coroner？〃　she　asked。



〃Joe　Hornsby。〃



〃The　tall；　lame　man；　who　was　half　eaten　by　a　grizzly？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　look　now！　　I'll　ride　on　and　bring　him　back　in　half　an　hour。

There！〃



〃But；　Miss！〃



〃Oh；　don't　mind　ME。　　I　never　saw　anything　of　this　kind　before；　and

I　want　to　see　it　ALL。〃



〃Do　you　know　Hornsby？〃　asked　Cass；　unconsciously　a　trifle　irritated。



〃No；　but　I'll　bring　him。〃　　She　wheeled　her　horse　into　the　road。



In　the　presence　of　this　living　energy　Cass　quite　forgot　the

helpless　dead。　　〃Have　you　been　long　in　these　parts；　Miss？〃　he

asked。



〃About　two　weeks；〃　she　answered；　shortly。　　〃Good…by；　just　now。

Look　around　for　the　pistol　or　anything　else　you　can　find；　although

I　have　been　over　the　whole　ground　twice　already。〃



A　little　puff　of　dust　as　the　horse　sprang　into　the　road；　a　muffled

shuffle；　struggle；　then　the　regular　beat　of　hoofs；　and　she　was

gone。



After　five　minutes　had　passed；　Cass　regretted　that　he　had　not

accompanied　her；　waiting　in　such　a　spot　was　an　irksome　task。　　Not

that　there　was　anything　in　the　scene　itself　to　awaken　gloomy

imaginings；　the　bright；　truthful　Californian　sunshine　scoffed　at

any　illusion　of　creeping　shadows　or　waving　branches。　　Once；　in　the

rising　wind；　the　empty　hat　rolled　overbut　only　in　a　ludicrous；

drunken　way。　　A　search　for　any　further　sign　or　token　had　proved

futile；　and　Cass　grew　impatient。　　He　began　to　hate　himself　for

having　stayed；　he　would　have　fled　but　for　shame。　　Nor　was　his　good

humor　restored　when　at　the　close　of　a　weary　half　hour　two　galloping

figures　emerged　from　the　dusty　horizonHornsby　and　the　young　girl。



His　vague　annoyance　increased　as　he　fancied　that　both　seemed　to

ignore　him；　the　coroner　barely　acknowledging　his　presence　with　a

nod。　　Assisted　by　the　young　girl；　whose　energy　and　enthusiasm

evidently　delighted　him；　Hornsby　raised　the　body　for　a　more　careful

examination。　　The　dead　man's　pockets　were　carefully　searched。　　A

few　coins；　a　silver　pencil；　knife；　and　tobacco…box　were　all　they

found。　　It　gave　no　clew　to　his　identity。　　Suddenly　the　young　girl；

who　had；　with　unabashed　curiosity；　knelt　beside　the　exploring

official　hands　of　the　Red　Chief；　uttered　a　cry　of　gratification。



〃Here's　something！　　It　dropped　from　the　bosom　of　his　shirt　on　the

ground。　　Look！〃



She　was　holding　in　the　air；　between　her　thumb　and　forefinger；　a

folded　bit　of　well…worn　newspaper。　　Her　eyes　sparkled。



〃Shall　I　open　it？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes。〃



〃It's　a　little　ring〃　she　said；　〃looks　like　an　engagement　ring。

Something　is　written　on　it。　　Look！　　'May　to　Cass。'〃



Cass　darted　forward。　　〃It's　mine；〃　he　stammered；　〃mine！　　I　dropped

it。　　It's　nothingnothing；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　pause；　embarrassed

and　blushing；　as　the　girl　and　her　companion　both　stared　at　him〃a

mere　trifle。　　I'll　take　it。〃



But　the　coroner　opposed　his　outstretched　hand。　　〃Not　much；〃　he

said；　significantly。



〃But　it's　MINE；〃　continued　Cass；　indignation　taking　the　place　of

shame　at　his　discovered　secret。　　〃I　found　it　six　months　ago　in　the

road。　　Ipicked　it　up。〃



〃With　your　name　already　written　on　it！　　How　handy！〃　said　the

coroner；　grimly。



〃It's　an　old　story〃　said　Cass；　blushing　again　under　the　half…

mischievous；　half…searching　eyes　of　the　girl。　　〃All　Blazing　Star

knows　I　found　it。〃



〃Then　ye'll　have　no　difficulty　in　provin'　it；〃　said　Hornsby；

coolly。　　〃Just　now；　however；　WE'VE　found　it；　and　we　propose　to　keep

it　for　the　inquest。〃



Cass　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　Further　altercation　would　have　only

heightened　his　ludicrous　situation　in　the　girl's　eyes。　　He　turned

away；　leaving　his　treasure　in　the　coroner's　hands。



The　inquest；　a　day　or　two　later；　was　prompt　and　final。　　No　clew　to

the　dead　man's　identity；　no　evidence　sufficiently　strong　to　prove

murder　or　suicide；　no　trace　of　any　kind；　inculpating　any　party；

known　or　unknown；　were　found。　　But　much　publicity　and　interest　were

given　to　the　proceedings　by　the　presence　of　the　principal　witness；

a　handsome　girl。　　〃To　the　pluck；　persistency；　and　intellect　of　Miss

Porter；〃　said　the　〃Red　Chief　Recorder；〃　〃Tuolumne　County　owes　the

recovery　of　the　body。〃



No　one　who　was　present　at　the　inquest　failed　to　be　charmed　with　the

appearance　and　conduct　of　this　beautiful　young　lady。



〃Miss　Porter　has　but　lately　arrived　in　this　district；　in　which；　it

is　hoped；　she　will　become　an　honored　resident；　and　continue　to　set

an　example　to　all　lackadaisical　and　sentimental　members　of　the　so…

called　'sterner　sex。'〃　　After　this　universally　recognized　allusion

to　Cass　Beard；　the　〃Recorder〃　returned　to　its　record：　〃Some

interest　was　excited　by　what　appeared　to　be　a　clew　to　the　mystery

in　the　discovery　of　a　small　gold　engagement　ring　on　the　body。

Evidence　was　afterward　offered　to　show　it　was　the　property　of　a　Mr。

Cass　Beard　of　Blazing　Star；　who　appeared　upon　the　scene　AFTER　the

discovery　of　the　corpse　by　Miss　Porter。　　He　alleged　he　had　dropped

i