flip-a california romance-第4章

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and　somewhere　from　the　depths　of　the　close…set　pines　a　voice

answered　〃Flip。〃　　There　was　a　pause　of　a　few　moments；　with　some

muttering；　stumbling；　and　crackling　in　the　underbrush；　and　then　the

sudden　appearance　of　〃Dad。〃



Had　Lance　first　met　him　in　the　thicket；　he　would　have　been　puzzled

to　assign　his　race　to　Mongolian；　Indian；　or　Ethiopian　origin。

Perfunctory　but　incomplete　washings　of　his　hands　and　face；　after

charcoal　burning；　had　gradually　ground　into　his　skin　a　grayish

slate…pencil　pallor；　grotesquely　relieved　at　the　edges；　where　the

washing　had　left　off；　with　a　border　of　a　darker　color。　　He　looked

like　an　overworked　Christy　minstrel　with　the　briefest　of　intervals

between　his　performances。　　There　were　black　rims　in　the　orbits　of

his　eyes；　as　if　he　gazed　feebly　out　of　unglazed　spectacles；　which

heightened　his　simian　resemblance；　already　grotesquely　exaggerated

by　what　appeared　to　be　repeated　and　spasmodic　experiments　in　dyeing

his　gray　hair。　　Without　the　slightest　notice　of　Lance；　he　inflicted

his　protesting　and　querulous　presence　entirely　on　his　daughter。



〃Well；　what's　up　now？　　Yer　ye　are　calling　me　from　work　an　hour

before　noon。　　Dog　my　skin；　ef　I　ever　get　fairly　limbered　up　afore

it's　'Dad！'　and　'Oh；　Dad！'〃



To　Lance's　intense　satisfaction　the　girl　received　this　harangue

with　an　air　of　supreme　indifference；　and　when　〃Dad〃　had　relapsed

into　an　unintelligible；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　Lance；　a　half…

frightened　muttering；　she　said　coolly；



〃Ye'd　better　drop　that　axe　and　scoot　round　getten'　this　stranger

some　breakfast　and　some　grub　to　take　with　him。　　He's　one　of　them

San　Francisco　sports　out　here　trout　fishing　in　the　branch。　　He's

got　adrift　from　his　party；　has　lost　his　rod　and　fixins；　and　had　to

camp　out　last　night　in　the　Gin　and　Ginger　Woods。〃



〃That's　just　it；　it's　allers　suthin　like　that；〃　screamed　the　old

man；　dashing　his　fist　on　his　leg　in　a　feeble；　impotent　passion；　but

without　looking　at　Lance。　　〃Why　in　blazes　don't　he　go　up　to　that

there　blamed　hotel　on　the　summit？　　Why　in　thunder〃　　But　here　he

caught　his　daughter's　large；　freckled　eyes　full　in　his　own。　　He

blinked　feebly；　his　voice　fell　into　a　tone　of　whining　entreaty。

〃Now；　look　yer；　Flip；　it's　playing　it　rather　low　down　on　the　old

man；　this　yer　running'　in　o'　tramps　and　desarted　emigrants　and

cast…ashore　sailors　and　forlorn　widders　and　ravin'　lunatics；　on

this　yer　ranch。　　I　put　it　to　you；　Mister；〃　he　said　abruptly；

turning　to　Lance　for　the　first　time；　but　as　if　he　had　already　taken

an　active　part　in　the　conversation；〃I　put　it　as　a　gentleman

yourself；　and　a　fair…minded　sportin'　man；　if　this　is　the　square

thing？〃



Before　Lance　could　reply；　Flip　had　already　begun。　　〃That's　just　it！

D'ye　reckon；　being　a　sportin'　man　and　an　A　1　feller；　he's　goin'　to

waltz　down　inter　that　hotel；　rigged　out　ez　he　is？　　D'ye　reckon　he's

goin'　to　let　his　partners　get　the　laugh　outer　him？　　D'ye　reckon

he's　goin'　to　show　his　head　outer　this　yer　ranch　till　he　can　do　it

square？　　Not　much！　　Go　'long。　　Dad；　you're　talking　silly！〃



The　old　man　weakened。　　He　feebly　trailed　his　axe　between　his　legs

to　a　stump　and　sat　down；　wiping　his　forehead　with　his　sleeve；　and

imparting　to　it　the　appearance　of　a　slate　with　a　difficult　sum

partly　rubbed　out。　　He　looked　despairingly　at　Lance。　　〃In　course；〃

he　said；　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃you　naturally　ain't　got　any　money。　　In

course　you　left　your　pocketbook；　containing　fifty　dollars；　under　a

stone；　and　can't　find　it。　　In　course；〃　he　continued；　as　he　observed

Lance　put　his　hand　to　his　pocket；　〃you've　only　got　a　blank　check　on

Wells；　Fargo　&　Co。　for　a　hundred　dollars；　and　you'd　like　me　to　give

you　the　difference？〃



Amused　as　Lance　evidently　was　at　this；　his　absolute　admiration　for

Flip　absorbed　everything　else。　　With　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　girl；

he　briefly　assured　the　old　man　that　he　would　pay　for　everything　he

wanted。　　He　did　this　with　a　manner　quite　different　from　the

careless；　easy　attitude　he　had　assumed　toward　Flip；　at　least　the

quick…witted　girl　noticed　it；　and　wondered　if　he　was　angry。　　It　was

quite　true　that　ever　since　his　eye　had　fallen　upon　another　of　his

own　sex；　its　glance　had　been　less　frank　and　careless。　　Certain

traits　of　possible　impatience；　which　might　develop　into　man…

slaying；　were　coming　to　the　fore。　　Yet　a　word　or　a　gesture　of

Flip's　was　sufficient　to　change　that　manner；　and　when；　with　the

fretful　assistance　of　her　father；　she　had　prepared　a　somewhat

sketchy　and　primitive　repast；　he　questioned　the　old　man　about

diamond…making。　　The　eye　of　Dad　kindled。



〃I　want　ter　know　how　ye　knew　I　was　making　diamonds；〃　he　asked；　with

a　certain　bashful　pettishness　not　unlike　his　daughter's。



〃Heard　it　in　'Frisco；〃　replied　Lance；　with　glib　mendacity；　glancing

at　the　girl。



〃I　reckon　they're　gettin'　sort　of　skeert　down　therethem

jewelers；〃　chuckled　Dad；　〃yet　it's　in　nater　that　their　figgers　will

have　to　come　down。　　It's　only　a　question　of　the　price　of　charcoal。

I　suppose　they　didn't　tell　you　how　I　made　the　discovery？〃



Lance　would　have　stopped　the　old　man's　narrative　by　saying　that　he

knew　the　story；　but　he　wished　to　see　how　far　Flip　lent　herself　to

her　father's　delusion。



〃Ye　see；　one　night　about　two　years　ago　I　had　a　pit　o'　charcoal

burning　out　there；　and　tho'　it　had　been　a　smouldering　and　a　smoking

and　a　blazing　for　nigh　unto　a　month；　somehow　it　didn't　charcoal

worth　a　cent。　　And　yet；　dog　my　skin；　but　the　heat　o'　that　er　pit

was　suthin　hidyus　and　frightful；　ye　couldn't　stand　within　a　hundred

yards　of　it；　and　they　could　feel　it　on　the　stage　road　three　miles

over　yon；　t'other　side　the　mountain。　　There　was　nights　when　me　and

Flip　had　to　take　our　blankets　up　the　ravine　and　camp　out　all　night；

and　the　back　of　this　yer　hut　shriveled　up　like　that　bacon。　　It　was

about　as　nigh　on　to　hell　as　any　sample　ye　kin　get　here。　　Now；　mebbe

you　think　I　built　that　air　fire？　　Mebbe　you'll　allow　the　heat　was

just　the　nat'ral　burning　of　that　pit？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Lance；　trying　to　see　Flip's　eyes；　which　were

resolutely　averted。



〃Thet's　whar　you'd　be　lyin'！　　That　yar　heat　kem　out　of　the　bowels

of　the　yearth；kem　up　like　out　of　a　chimbley　or　a　blast；　and　kep

up　that　yar　fire。　　And　when　she　cools　down　a　month　after；　and　I　got

to　strip　her；　there　was　a　hole　in　the　yearth；　and　a　spring　o'

bilin'；　scaldin'　water　pourin'　out　of　it　ez　big　as　your　waist。　　And

right　in　the　middle　of　it　was　this　yer。〃　　He　rose　with　the　instinct

of　a　skillful　raconteur；　and　whisked　from　under　his　bunk　a　chamois

leather　bag；　which　he　emptied　on　the　table　before　them。　　It

contained　a　small　fragment　of　native　rock　crystal；　half…fused　upon

a　petrified　bit　of　pine。　　It　was　so　glaringly　truthful；　so　really

what　it　purported　to　be；　that　the　most　unscientific　woodman　or

pioneer　would　have　understood　it　at　a　glance。　　Lance　raised　his

mirthful　eyes　to　Flip。



〃It　was　cooled　suddint；stunted　by　the　water；〃　said　the　girl；

eagerly。　　She　stopped；　and　as　abruptly　turned　away　her　eyes　and　her

reddened　face。



〃That's　it；　that's　just　it；〃　continued　the　old　man。　　〃Thar's　Flip；

thar；　knows　it；　she　ain't　no　fool！〃　　Lance　did　not　speak；　but

turned　a　hard；　unsympathizing　look　upon　the　old　man；　and　rose

almost　roughly。　　The　old　man　clutched　his　coat。　　〃That's　it；　ye

see。　　The　carbon's　just　turning　to　di'mens。　　And　stunted。　　And　why？

'Cos　the　heat　wasn't　kep　up　long　enough。　　Mebbe　yer　think　I　stopped

thar？　　That　ain't　me。　　Thar's　a　pit　out　yar　in　the　woods　ez　hez

been　burning　six　months；　it　hain't；　in　course；　got　the　advantages

o'　the　old　one；　for　it's　nat'ral　heat。　　But　I'm　keeping　that　heat

up。　　I've　got　a　hole　where　I　kin　watch　it　every　four　hours。　　When

the　time　comes；　I'm　thar！　　Don't　you　see？　　That's　me！　that's　David

Fairley；that's　the　old　man；you　bet！〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Lance；　curtly。　　〃And　now；　Mr。　Fairley；　if　you'll

hand　me　over　a　coat　or　a　jacket　till　I　can　get　past　these　fogs　on

the　Monterey　road；　I　won't