found at blazing star-第3章

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

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

it　in　lifting　the　unfortunate　remains　of　the　deceased。　　Much

amusement　was　created　in　court　by　the　sentimental　confusion　of　the

claimant；　and　a　certain　partisan　spirit　shown　by　his　fellow…miners

of　Blazing　Star。　　It　appearing；　however；　by　the　admission　of　this

sighing　Strephon　of　the　Foot　hills；　that　he　had　himself　FOUND　this

pledge　of　affection　lying　in　the　highway　six　months　previous；　the

coroner　wisely　placed　it　in　the　safe…keeping　of　the　county　court

until　the　appearance　of　the　rightful　owner。〃



Thus　on　the　13th　of　September；　186…；　the　treasure　found　at　Blazing

Star　passed　out　of　the　hands　of　its　finder。



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Autumn　brought　an　abrupt　explanation　of　the　mystery。　　Kanaka　Joe

had　been　arrested　for　horse　stealing；　but　had　with　noble　candor

confessed　to　the　finer　offense　of　manslaughter。　　That　swift　and

sure　justice　which　overtook　the　horse　stealer　in　these　altitudes

was　stayed　a　moment　and　hesitated；　for　the　victim　was　clearly　the

mysterious　unknown。　　Curiosity　got　the　better　of　an　extempore　judge

and　jury。



〃It　was　a　fair　fight；〃　said　the　accused；　not　without　some　human

vanity；　feeling　that　the　camp　hung　upon　his　words；　〃and　was　settled

by　the　man　az　was　peartest　and　liveliest　with　his　weapon。　　We　had　a

sort　of　unpleasantness　over　at　Lagrange　the　night　afore；　along　of

our　both　hevin'　a　monotony　of　four　aces。　　We　had　a　clinch　and　a

stamp　around；　and　when　we　was　separated　it　was　only　a　question　of

shootin'　on　sight。　　He　left　Lagrange　at　sun　up　the　next　morning；

and　I　struck　across　a　bit　o'　buckeye　and　underbrush　and　came　upon

him；　accidental　like；　on　the　Red　Chief　Road。　　I　drawed　when　I

sighted　him；　and　called　out。　　He　slipped　from　his　mare　and　covered

himself　with　her　flanks；　reaching　for　his　holster；　but　she　rared

and　backed　down　on　him　across　the　road　and　into　the　grass；　where　I

got　in　another　shot　and　fetched　him。〃



〃And　you　stole　his　mare？〃　suggested　the　Judge。



〃I　got　away；〃　said　the　gambler；　simply。



Further　questioning　only　elicited　the　fact　that　Joe　did　not　know

the　name　or　condition　of　his　victim。　　He　was　a　stranger　in　Lagrange。



It　was　a　breezy　afternoon；　with　some　turbulency　in　the　camp；　and

much　windy　discussion　over　this　unwonted　delay　of　justice。　　The

suggestion　that　Joe　should　be　first　hanged　for　horse　stealing　and

then　tried　for　murder　was　angrily　discussed；　but　milder　counsels

were　offeredthat　the　fact　of　the　killing　should　be　admitted　only

as　proof　of　the　theft。　　A　large　party　from　Red　Chief　had　come　over

to　assist　in　judgment；　among　them　the　coroner。



Cass　Beard　had　avoided　these　proceedings；　which　only　recalled　an

unpleasant　experience；　and　was　wandering　with　pick；　pan；　and　wallet

far　from　the　camp。　　These　accoutrements；　as　I　have　before　intimated；

justified　any　form　of　aimless　idleness　under　the　equally　aimless

title　of　〃prospecting。〃　　He　had　at　the　end　of　three　hours'

relaxation　reached　the　highway　to　Red　Chief；　half　hidden　by　blinding

clouds　of　dust　torn　from　the　crumbling　red　road　at　every　gust　which

swept　down　the　mountain　side。　　The　spot　had　a　familiar　aspect　to

Cass；　although　some　freshly…dug　holes　near　the　wayside；　with

scattered　earth　beside　them；　showed　the　presence　of　a　recent

prospector。　　He　was　struggling　with　his　memory；　when　the　dust　was

suddenly　dispersed　and　he　found　himself　again　at　the　scene　of　the

murder。　　He　started：　he　had　not　put　foot　on　the　road　since　the

inquest。　　There　lacked　only　the　helpless　dead　man　and　the

contrasting　figure　of　the　alert　young　woman　to　restore　the　picture。

The　body　was　gone；　it　was　true；　but　as　he　turned　he　beheld　Miss

Porter；　at　a　few　paces　distant；　sitting　on　her　horse　as　energetic

and　observant　as　on　the　first　morning　they　had　met。　　A　superstitious

thrill　passed　over　him　and　awoke　his　old　antagonism。



She　nodded　to　him　slightly。　　〃I　came　here　to　refresh　my　memory；〃

she　said；　〃as　Mr。　Hornsby　thought　I　might　be　asked　to　give　my

evidence　again　at　Blazing　Star。〃



Cass　carelessly　struck　an　aimless　blow　with　his　pick　against　the

sod　and　did　not　reply。



〃And　you？〃　she　queried。



〃I　stumbled　upon　the　place　just　now　while　prospecting；　or　I

shouldn't　be　here。〃



〃Then　it　was　YOU　made　these　holes？〃



〃No；〃　said　Cass；　with　ill…concealed　disgust。　　〃Nobody　but　a

stranger　would　go　foolin'　round　such　a　spot。〃



He　stopped；　as　the　rude　significance　of　his　speech　struck　him；　and

added　surlily；　〃I　meanno　one　would　dig　here。〃



The　girl　laughed　and　showed　a　set　of　very　white　teeth　in　her　square

jaw。　　Cass　averted　his　face。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　every　miner　doesn't　know　that　it's　lucky

to　dig　wherever　human　blood　has　been　spilt？〃



Cass　felt　a　return　of　his　superstition；　but　he　did　not　look　up。　　〃I

never　heard　it　before；〃　he　said；　severely。



〃And　you　call　yourself　a　California　miner？〃



〃I　do。〃



It　was　impossible　for　Miss　Porter　to　misunderstand　his　curt　speech

and　unsocial　manner。　　She　stared　at　him　and　colored　slightly。

Lifting　her　reins　lightly；　she　said：　〃You　certainly　do　not　seem

like　most　of　the　miners　I　have　met。〃



〃Nor　you　like　any　girl　from　the　East　I　ever　met；〃　he　responded。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked；　checking　her　horse。



〃What　I　say；〃　he　answered；　doggedly。　　Reasonable　as　this　reply　was；

it　immediately　struck　him　that　it　was　scarcely　dignified　or　manly。

But　before　he　could　explain　himself　Miss　Porter　was　gone。



He　met　her　again　that　very　evening。　　The　trial　had　been　summarily

suspended　by　the　appearance　of　the　Sheriff　of　Calaveras　and　his

posse；　who　took　Joe　from　that　self…constituted　tribunal　of　Blazing

Star　and　set　his　face　southward　and　toward　authoritative　although

more　cautious　justice。　　But　not　before　the　evidence　of　the　previous

inquest　had　been　read；　and　the　incident　of　the　ring　again　delivered

to　the　public。



It　is　said　the　prisoner　burst　into　an　incredulous　laugh　and　asked

to　see　this　mysterious　waif。　　It　was　handed　to　him。　　Standing　in

the　very　shadow　of　the　gallows　treewhich　might　have　been　one　of

the　pines　that　sheltered　the　billiard　room　in　which　the　Vigilance

Committee　held　their　conclavethe　prisoner　gave　way　to　a　burst　of

merriment；　so　genuine　and　honest　that　the　judge　and　jury　joined　in

automatic　sympathy。　　When　silence　was　restored　an　explanation　was

asked　by　the　Judge。　　But　there　was　no　response　from　the　prisoner

except　a　subdued　chuckle。



〃Did　this　ring　belong　to　you？〃　asked　the　Judge；　severely；　the　jury

and　spectators　craning　their　ears　forward　with　an　expectant　smile

already　on　their　faces。　　But　the　prisoner's　eyes　only　sparkled

maliciously　as　he　looked　around　the　court。



〃Tell　us；　Joe；〃　said　a　sympathetic　and　laughter…loving　juror；　under

his　breath。　　〃Let　it　out　and　we'll　make　it　easy　for　you。〃



〃Prisoner；〃　said　the　Judge；　with　a　return　of　official　dignity；

〃remember　that　your　life　is　in　peril。　　Do　you　refuse？〃



Joe　lazily　laid　his　arm　on　the　back　of　his　chair　with　（to　quote　the

words　of　an　animated　observer）　〃the　air　of　having　a　Christian　hope

and　a　sequence　flush　in　his　hand；〃　and　said：　〃Well；　as　I　reckon　I'm

not　up　yer　for　stealin'　a　ring　that　another　man　lets　on　to　have

found；　and　as　fur　as　I　kin　see；　hez　nothin'　to　do　with　the　case；　I

do！〃　　And　as　it　was　here　that　the　Sheriff　of　Calaveras　made　a

precipitate　entry　into　the　room；　the　mystery　remained　unsolved。



The　effect　of　this　freshly…important　ridicule　on　the　sensitive　mind

of　Cass　might　have　been　foretold　by　Blazing　Star　had　it　ever　taken

that　sensitiveness　into　consideration。　　He　had　lost　the　good　humor

and　easy　pliability　which　had　tempted　him　to　frankness；　and　he　had

gradually　become　bitter　and　hard。　　He　had　at　first　affected

amusement　over　his　own　vanished　day　dreamhiding　his　virgin

disappointment　in　his　own　breast；　but　when　he　b