found at blazing star-第6章

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interference　between　him　and　his　enemy？　　He　would　go　home　and　send

her　back　the　handkerchief　she　had　given　him。　　But　here　the

unromantic　reflection　that　although　he　had　washed　it　that　very

afternoon　in　the　solitude　of　his　own　cabin；　he　could　not　possibly

iron　it；　but　must　send　it　〃rough　dried；〃　stayed　his　indignant　feet。



Two　or　three　days；　a　week；　a　fortnight　even；　of　this　hopeless

resentment　filled　Cass's　breast。　　Then　the　news　of　Kanaka　Joe's

acquittal　in　the　State　Court　momentarily　revived　the　story　of　the

ring；　and　revamped　a　few　stale　jokes　in　the　camp。　　But　the　interest

soon　flagged；　the　fortunes　of　the　little　community　of　Blazing　Star

had　been　for　some　months　failing；　and　with　early　snows　in　the

mountain　and　wasted　capital　in　fruitless　schemes　on　the　river；

there　was　little　room　for　the　indulgence　of　that　lazy　and　original

humor　which　belonged　to　their　lost　youth　and　prosperity。　　Blazing

Star　truly；　in　the　grim　figure　of　their　slang；　was　〃played　out。〃

Not　dug　out；　worked　out；　or　washed　out；　but　dissipated　in　a　year　of

speculation　and　chance。



Against　this　tide　of　fortune　Cass　struggled　manfully；　and　even

evoked　the　slow　praise　of　his　companions。　　Better　still；　he　won　a

certain　praise　for　himself；　in　himself；　in　a　consciousness　of

increased　strength；　health；　power；　and　self…reliance。　　He　began　to

turn　his　quick　imagination　and　perception　to　some　practical

account；　and　made　one　or　two　discoveries　which　quite　startled　his

more　experienced　but　more　conservative　companions。　　Nevertheless；

Cass's　discoveries　and　labors　were　not　of　a　kind　that　produced

immediate　pecuniary　realization；　and　Blazing　Star；　which　consumed

so　many　pounds　of　pork　and　flour　daily；　did　not　unfortunately

produce　the　daily　equivalent　in　gold。　　Blazing　Star　lost　its

credit。　　Blazing　Star　was　hungry；　dirty；　and　ragged。　　Blazing　Star

was　beginning　to　set。



Participating　in　the　general　ill　luck　of　the　camp；　Cass　was　not

without　his　own　individual　mischances。　　He　had　resolutely

determined　to　forget　Miss　Porter　and　all　that　tended　to　recall　the

unlucky　ring；　but；　cruelly　enough；　she　was　the　only　thing　that

refused　to　be　forgottenwhose　undulating　figure　reclined　opposite

to　him　in　the　weird　moonlight　of　his　ruined　cabin；　whose　voice

mingled　with　the　song　of　the　river　by　whose　banks　he　toiled；　and

whose　eyes　and　touch　thrilled　him　in　his　dreams。　　Partly　for　this

reason；　and　partly　because　his　clothes　were　beginning　to　be　patched

and　torn；　he　avoided　Red　Chief　and　any　place　where　he　would　be

likely　to　meet　her。　　In　spite　of　this　precaution　he　had　once　seen

her　driving　in　a　pony　carriage；　but　so　smartly　and　fashionably

dressed　that　he　drew　back　in　the　cover　of　a　wayside　willow　that　she

might　pass　without　recognition。　　He　looked　down　upon　his　red…

splashed　clothes　and　grimy；　soil…streaked　hands；　and　for　a　moment

half　hated　her。　　His　comrades　seldom　spoke　of　herinstinctively

fearing　some　temptation　that　might　beset　his　Spartan　resolutions；

but　he　heard　from　time　to　time　that　she　had　been　seen　at　balls　and

parties；　apparently　enjoying　those　very　frivolities　of　her　sex　she

affected　to　condemn。



It　was　a　Sabbath　morning　in　early　spring　that　he　was　returning　from

an　ineffectual　attempt　to　enlist　a　capitalist　at　the　county　town　to

redeem　the　fortunes　of　Blazing　Star。　　He　was　pondering　over　the

narrowness　of　that　capitalist；　who　had　evidently　but　illogically

connected　Cass's　present　appearance　with　the　future　of　that

struggling　camp；　when　he　became　so　foot…sore　that　he　was　obliged　to

accept　a　〃lift〃　from　a　wayfaring　teamster。　　As　the　slowly　lumbering

vehicle　passed　the　new　church　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town；　the

congregation　were　sallying　forth。　　It　was　too　late　to　jump　down　and

run　away；　and　Cass　dared　not　ask　his　new…found　friend　to　whip　up

his　cattle。　　Conscious　of　his　unshorn　beard　and　ragged　garments；　he

kept　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　road。　　A　voice　that　thrilled　him

called　his　name。　　It　was　Miss　Porter；　a　resplendent　vision　of　silk；

laces；　and　Easter　flowersyet　actually　running；　with　something　of

her　old　dash　and　freedom；　beside　the　wagon。　　As　the　astonished

teamster　drew　up　before　this　elegant　apparition；　she　panted：



〃Why　did　you　make　me　run　so　far；　and　why　didn't　you　look　up？〃



Cass；　trying　to　hide　the　patches　on　his　knees　beneath　a　newspaper；

stammered　that　he　had　not　seen　her。



〃And　you　did　not　hold　down　your　head　purposely？〃



〃No；〃　said　Cass。



〃Why　have　you　not　been　to　Red　Chief？　　Why　didn't　you　answer　my

message　about　the　ring？〃　she　asked；　swiftly。



〃You　sent　nothing　but　the　ring；〃　said　Cass；　coloring；　as　he　glanced

at　the　teamster。



〃Why；　THAT　was　a　message；　you　born　idiot。〃



Cass　stared。　　The　teamster　smiled。　　Miss　Porter　gazed　anxiously　at

the　wagon。　　〃I　think　I'd　like　a　ride　in　there；　it　looks　awfully

good。〃　　She　glanced　mischievously　around　at　the　lingering　and

curious　congregation。



〃May　I？〃



But　Cass　deprecated　that　proceeding　strongly。　　It　was　dirty；　he　was

not　sure　it　was　even　WHOLESOME；　she　would　be　SO　uncomfortable；　he；

himself；　was　only　going　a　few　rods　farther；　and　in　that　time　she

might　ruin　her　dress



〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said；　a　little　bitterly；　〃certainly；　my　dress　must

be　looked　after。　　Andwhat　else？〃



〃People　might　think　it　strange；　and　believe　I　had　invited　you；〃

continued　Cass；　hesitatingly。



〃When　I　had　only　invited　myself？　　Thank　you。　　Good…by。〃



She　waved　her　hand　and　stepped　back　from　the　wagon。　　Cass　would

have　given　worlds　to　recall　her；　but　he　sat　still；　and　the　vehicle

moved　on　in　moody　silence。　　At　the　first　cross　road　he　jumped　down。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　to　the　teamster。　　〃You're　welcome；〃　returned

that　gentleman；　regarding　him　curiously；　〃but　the　next　time　a　gal

like　that　asks　to　ride　in　this　yer　wagon；　I　reckon　I　won't　take　the

vote　of　any　deadhead　passenger。　　Adios；　young　fellow。　　Don't　stay

out　late；　ye　might　be　run　off　by　some　gal；　and　what　would　your

mother　say？〃　　Of　course　the　young　man　could　only　look　unutterable

things　and　walk　away；　but　even　in　that　dignified　action　he　was

conscious　that　its　effect　was　somewhat　mitigated　by　a　large　patch

from　a　material　originally　used　as　a　flour　sack；　which　had　repaired

his　trousers；　but　still　bore　the　ironical　legend；　〃Best　Superfine。〃



The　summer　brought　warmth　and　promise　and　some　blossom；　if　not

absolute　fruition；　to　Blazing　Star。　　The　long　days　drew　Nature　into

closer　communion　with　the　men；　and　hopefulness　followed　the

discontent　of　their　winter　seclusion。　　It　was　easier；　too；　for

Capital　to　be　wooed　and　won　into　making　a　picnic　in　these　mountain

solitudes　than　when　high　water　stayed　the　fords　and　drifting　snow

the　Sierran　trails。　　At　the　close　of　one　of　these　Arcadian　days

Cass　was　smoking　before　the　door　of　his　lonely　cabin　when　he　was

astounded　by　the　onset　of　a　dozen　of　his　companions。　　Peter

Drummond；　far　in　the　van；　was　waving　a　newspaper　like　a　victorious

banner。　　〃All's　right　now；　Cass；　old　man！〃　he　panted　as　he　stopped

before　Cass　and　shoved　back　his　eager　followers。



〃What's　all　right？〃　asked　Cass；　dubiously。



〃YOU！　　You　kin　rake　down　the　pile　now。　　You're　hunky！　　You're　on

velvet。　　Listen！〃



He　opened　the　newspaper　and　read；　with　annoying　deliberation；　as

follows：



〃LOST。If　the　finder　of　a　plain　gold　ring；　bearing　the　engraved

inscription；　'May　to　Cass；'　alleged　to　have　been　picked　up　on　the

high　road　near　Blazing　Star　on　the　4th　March；　186…；　will　apply　to

Bookham　&　Sons；　bankers；　1007　Y　Street；　Sacramento；　he　will　be

suitably　rewarded　either　for　the　recovery　of　the　ring；　or　for　such

facts　as　may　identify　it；　or　the　locality　where　it　was　found。〃



Cass　rose　and　frowned　savagely　on　his　comrades。　　〃No！　no！〃　cried　a

dozen　voices；　assuringly。　　〃It's　all　right！　　Honest　Injun！　　True　as

gospel！　　No　joke；　Cass！〃



〃Here's　the　paper；　Sacramento　'Union'　of　yesterday。　　Look　for

yourself；〃　said　Drummond；　handing　him　the　well…worn　journal