found at blazing star-第7章

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

you　see；〃　he　added；　〃how　darned　lucky　you　are。　　It　ain't　necessary

for　you　to　produce　the　ring；　so　if　that　old　biled　owl　of　a

Boompointer　don't　giv'　it　back　to　ye；　it's　all　the　same。〃




〃And　they　say　nobody　but　the　finder　need　apply；〃　interrupted

another。　　〃That　shuts　out　Boompointer　or　Kanaka　Joe；　for　the　matter

o'　that。〃



〃It's　clar　that　it　MEANS　you；　Cass；　ez　much　ez　if　they'd　given　your

name；〃　added　a　third。



For　Miss　Porter's　sake　and　his　own　Cass　had　never　told　them　of　the

restoration　of　the　ring；　and　it　was　evident　that　Mountain　Charley

had　also　kept　silent。　　Cass　could　not　speak　now　without　violating　a

secret；　and　he　was　pleased　that　the　ring　itself　no　longer　played　an

important　part　in　the　mystery。　　But　what　was　that　mystery；　and　why

was　the　ring　secondary　to　himself？　　Why　was　so　much　stress　laid

upon　his　finding　it？



〃You　see；〃　said　Drummond；　as　if　answering　his　unspoken　thought；

〃that　'ar　galfor　it　is　a　gal　in　coursehez　read　all　about　it　in

the　papers；　and　hez　sort　o'　took　a　shine　to　ye。　　It　don't　make　a

bit　o'　difference　who　in　thunder　Cass　IS　or　WAZ；　for　I　reckon　she's

kicked　him　over　by　this　time〃



〃Sarved　him　right；　too；　for　losing　the　girl's　ring　and　then　lying

low　and　keeping　dark　about　it；〃　interrupted　a　sympathizer。



〃And　she's　just　weakened　over　the　romantic；　high…toned　way　you

stuck　to　it；〃　continued　Drummond；　forgetting　the　sarcasms　he　had

previously　hurled　at　this　romance。　　Indeed；　the　whole　camp；　by　this

time；　had　become　convinced　that　it　had　fostered　and　developed　a

chivalrous　devotion　which　was　now　on　the　point　of　pecuniary

realization。　　It　was　generally　accepted　that　〃she〃　was　the　daughter

of　this　banker；　and　also　felt　that　in　the　circumstances　the　happy

father　could　not　do　less　than　develop　the　resources　of　Blazing　Star

at　once。　　Even　if　there　were　no　relationship；　what　opportunity

could　be　more　fit　for　presenting　to　capital　a　locality　that　even

produced　engagement　rings；　and；　as　Jim　Fauquier　put　it；　〃the　men　ez

knew　how　to　keep　'em。〃　　It　was　this　sympathetic　Virginian　who　took

Cass　aside　with　the　following　generous　suggestion：　〃If　you　find

that　you　and　the　old　gal　couldn't　hitch　hosses；　owin'　to　your　not

likin'　red　hair　or　a　game　leg〃　（it　may　be　here　recorded　that

Blazing　Star　had；　for　no　reason　whatever；　attributed　these

unprepossessing　qualities　to　the　mysterious　advertiser）；　〃you　might

let　ME　in。　　You　might　say　ez　how　I　used　to　jest　worship　that　ring

with　you；　and　allers　wanted　to　borrow　it　on　Sundays。　　If　anything

comes　of　itwhyWE'RE　PARDNERS！〃



A　serious　question　was　the　outfitting　of　Cass　for　what　now　was　felt

to　be　a　diplomatic　representation　of　the　community。　　His　garments；

it　hardly　need　be　said；　were　inappropriate　to　any　wooing　except

that　of　the　〃maiden　all　forlorn；〃　which　the　advertiser　clearly　was

not。　　〃He　might；〃　suggested　Fauquier；　〃drop　in　jest　as　he　is

kinder　as　if　he'd　got　keerless　of　the　world；　being　lovesick。〃　　But

Cass　objected　strongly；　and　was　borne　out　in　his　objection　by　his

younger　comrades。　　At　last　a　pair　of　white　duck　trousers；　a　red

shirt；　a　flowing　black　silk　scarf；　and　a　Panama　hat　were　procured

at　Red　Chief；　on　credit；　after　a　judicious　exhibition　of　the

advertisement。　　A　heavy　wedding　ring；　the　property　of　Drummond　（who

was　not　married）；　was　also　lent　as　a　graceful　suggestion；　and　at

the　last　moment　Fauquier　affixed　to　Cass's　scarf　an　enormous

specimen　pin　of　gold　and　quartz。　　〃It　sorter　indicates　the

auriferous　wealth　o'　this　yer　region；　and　the　old　man　（the　senior

member　of　Bookham　&　Sons）　needn't　know　I　won　it　at　draw　poker　in

Frisco；〃　said　Fauquier。



〃Ef　you　'pass'　on　the　gal；　you　kin　hand　it　back　to　me　and　I'LL　try

it　on。〃　　Forty　dollars　for　expenses　was　put　into　Cass's　hands；　and

the　entire　community　accompanied　him　to　the　cross　roads　where　he

was　to　meet　the　Sacramento　coach；　which　eventually　carried　him

away；　followed　by　a　benediction　of　waving　hats　and　exploding

revolvers。



That　Cass　did　not　participate　in　the　extravagant　hopes　of　his

comrades；　and　that　he　rejected　utterly　their　matrimonial

speculations　in　his　behalf；　need　not　be　said。　　Outwardly；　he　kept

his　own　counsel　with　good…humored　assent。　　But　there　was　something

fascinating　in　the　situation；　and　while　he　felt　he　had　forever

abandoned　his　romantic　dream；　he　was　not　displeased　to　know　that　it

might　have　proved　a　reality。　　Nor　was　it　distasteful　to　him　to

think　that　Miss　Porter　would　hear　of　it　and　regret　her　late

inability　to　appreciate　his　sentiment。　　If　he　really　were　the

object　of　some　opulent　maiden's　passion；　he　would　show　Miss　Porter

how　he　could　sacrifice　the　most　brilliant　prospects　for　her　sake。

Alone；　on　the　top　of　the　coach；　he　projected　one　of　those

satisfying　conversations　in　which　imaginative　people　delight；　but

which　unfortunately　never　come　quite　up　to　rehearsal。　　〃Dear　Miss

Porter；〃　he　would　say；　addressing　the　back　of　the　driver；　〃if　I

could　remain　faithful　to　a　dream　of　my　youth；　however　illusive　and

unreal；　can　you　believe　that　for　the　sake　of　lucre　I　could　be　false

to　the　one　real　passion　that　alone　supplanted　it。〃　　In　the

composition　and　delivery　of　this　eloquent　statement　an　hour　was

happily　forgotten：　the　only　drawback　to　its　complete　effect　was

that　a　misplace　of　epithets　in　rapid　repetition　did　not　seem　to

make　the　slightest　difference；　and　Cass　found　himself　saying　〃Dear

Miss　Porter；　if　I　could　be　false　to　a　dream　of　my　youth；　etc。；

etc。；　can　you　believe　I　could　be　FAITHFUL　to　the　one　real　passion；

etc。；　etc。；〃　with　equal　and　perfect　satisfaction。　　As　Miss　Porter

was　reputed　to　be　well　off；　if　the　unknown　were　poor；　that　might　be

another　drawback。



The　banking　house　of　Bookham　&　Sons　did　not　present　an　illusive　nor

mysterious　appearance。　　It　was　eminently　practical　and　matter　of

fact；　it　was　obtrusively　open　and　glassy；　nobody　would　have　thought

of　leaving　a　secret　there　that　would　have　been　inevitably

circulated　over　the　counter。　　Cass　felt　an　uncomfortable　sense　of

incongruity　in　himself；　in　his　story；　in　his　treasure；　to　this

temple　of　disenchanting　realism。　　With　the　awkwardness　of　an

embarrassed　man　he　was　holding　prominently　in　his　hand　an　envelope

containing　the　ring　and　advertisement　as　a　voucher　for　his

intrusion；　when　the　nearest　clerk　took　the　envelope　from　his　hand；

opened　it；　took　out　the　ring；　returned　it；　said　briskly；　〃T'other

shop；　next　door；　young　man；〃　and　turned　to　another　customer。



Cass　stepped　to　the　door；　saw　that　〃T'other　shop〃　was　a

pawnbroker's；　and　returned　again　with　a　flashing　eye　and　heightened

color。　　〃It's　an　advertisement　I　have　come　to　answer；〃　he　began

again。



The　clerk　cast　a　glance　at　Cass's　scarf　and　pin。　　〃Place　taken

yesterdayno　room　for　any　more；〃　he　said；　abruptly。



Cass　grew　quite　white。　　But　his　old　experience　in　Blazing　Star

repartee　stood　him　in　good　stead。　　〃If　it's　YOUR　place　you　mean；〃

he　said　coolly；　〃I　reckon　you　might　put　a　dozen　men　in　the　hole

you're　rattlin'　round　inbut　it's　this　advertisement　I'm　after。

If　Bookham　isn't　in；　maybe　you'll　send　me　one　of　the　grown…up

sons。〃　　The　production　of　the　advertisement　and　some　laughter　from

the　bystanders　had　its　effect。　　The　pert　young　clerk　retired；　and

returned　to　lead　the　way　to　the　bank　parlor。　　Cass's　heart　sank

again　as　he　was　confronted　by　a　dark；　iron…gray　manin　dress；

features；　speech；　and　actionuncompromisingly　opposed　to　Casshis

ring　and　his　romance。　　When　the　young　man　had　told　his　story　and

produced　his　treasure　he　paused。　　The　banker　scarcely　glanced　at

it；　but　said；　impatiently；



〃Well；　your　papers？〃



〃My　papers？〃



〃Yes。　　Proof　of　your　identity。　　You　say　your　name　is　Cass　Beard。

Good！　　What　have　you　got　to　prove　it？　　How　can　I　tell　who　you　are？〃



To　a　sensitive　man　there　is　no　form　of　suspicion　that　is　as

bewildering　and　demoralizing　at　the　moment　as　the　question　of　his