a waif of the plains-第15章

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before；　〃that　there　can　be　but　one　toast　here；　gentlemen。　　I　give
you　the　health　of　the　Commodore。　　May　his　shadow　never　be　less。〃

The　health　was　drunk　solemnly。　　Clarence　felt　his　cheeks　tingle　and
in　his　excitement　drank　his　own　health　with　the　others。　　Yet　he　was
disappointed　that　there　was　not　more　joviality；　he　wondered　if　men
always　drank　together　so　stiffly。　　And　it　occurred　to　him　that　it
would　be　expensive。　　Nevertheless；　he　had　his　purse　all　ready
ostentatiously　in　his　hand；　in　fact；　the　paying　for　it　out　of　his
own　money　was　not　the　least　manly　and　independent　pleasure　he　had
promised　himself。　　〃How　much？〃　he　asked；　with　an　affectation　of
carelessness。

The　barkeeper　cast　his　eye　professionally　over　the　barroom。　　〃I
think　you　said　treats　for　the　crowd；　call　it　twenty　dollars　to　make
even　change。〃

Clarence's　heart　sank。　　He　had　heard　already　of　the　exaggeration　of
California　prices。　　Twenty　dollars！　　It　was　half　his　fortune。
Nevertheless；　with　an　heroic　effort；　he　controlled　himself；　and
with　slightly　nervous　fingers　counted　out　the　money。　　It　struck
him；　however；　as　curious；　not　to　say　ungentlemanly；　that　the
bystanders　craned　their　necks　over　his　shoulder　to　look　at　the
contents　of　his　purse；　although　some　slight　explanation　was　offered
by　the　tall　man。

〃The　Commodore's　purse；　gentlemen；　is　really　a　singular　one。
Permit　me；〃　he　said；　taking　it　from　Clarence's　hand　with　great
politeness。　　〃It　is　one　of　the　new　pattern；　you　observe；　quite
worthy　of　inspection。〃　　He　handed　it　to　a　man　behind　him；　who　in
turn　handed　it　to　another；　while　a　chorus　of　〃suthin　quite　new；〃
〃the　latest　style；〃　followed　it　in　its　passage　round　the　room；　and
indicated　to　Clarence　its　whereabouts。　　It　was　presently　handed
back　to　the　barkeeper；　who　had　begged　also　to　inspect　it；　and　who；
with　an　air　of　scrupulous　ceremony　insisted　upon　placing　it　himself
in　Clarence's　side　pocket；　as　if　it　were　an　important　part　of　his
function。　　The　driver　here　called　〃all　aboard。〃　　The　passengers
hurriedly　reseated　themselves；　and　the　episode　abruptly　ended。
For；　to　Clarence's　surprise；　these　attentive　friends　of　a　moment
ago　at　once　became　interested　in　the　views　of　a　new　passenger
concerning　the　local　politics　of　San　Francisco；　and　he　found
himself　utterly　forgotten。　　The　bonnetless　woman　had　changed　her
position；　and　her　head　was　no　longer　visible。　　The　disillusion　and
depression　that　overcame　him　suddenly　were　as　complete　as　his
previous　expectations　and　hopefulness　had　been　extravagant。　　For
the　first　time　his　utter　unimportance　in　the　world　and　his
inadequacy　to　this　new　life　around　him　came　upon　him　crushingly。

The　heat　and　jolting　of　the　stage　caused　him　to　fall　into　a　slight
slumber　and　when　he　awoke　he　found　his　two　neighbors　had　just　got
out　at　a　wayside　station。　　They　had　evidently　not　cared　to　waken
him　to　say　〃Good…by。〃　　From　the　conversation　of　the　other
passengers　he　learned　that　the　tall　man　was　a　well…known　gambler；
and　the　one　who　looked　like　a　farmer　was　a　ship　captain　who　had
become　a　wealthy　merchant。　　Clarence　thought　he　understood　now　why
the　latter　had　asked　him　if　he　came　off　a　voyage；　and　that　the
nickname　of　〃Commodore〃　given　to　him；　Clarence；　was　some　joke
intended　for　the　captain's　understanding。　　He　missed　them；　for　he
wanted　to　talk　to　them　about　his　relative　at　Sacramento；　whom　he
was　now　so　soon　to　see。　　At　last；　between　sleeping　and　waking；　the
end　of　his　journey　was　unexpectedly　reached。　　It　was　dark；　but；
being　〃steamer　night；〃　the　shops　and　business　places　were　still
open；　and　Mr。　Peyton　had　arranged　that　the　stage…driver　should
deliver　Clarence　at　the　address　of　his　relative　in　〃J　Street；〃an
address　which　Clarence　had　luckily　remembered。　　But　the　boy　was
somewhat　discomfited　to　find　that　it　was　a　large　office　or　banking…
house。　　He；　however；　descended　from　the　stage；　and　with　his　small
pack　in　his　hand　entered　the　building　as　the　stage　drove　off；　and；
addressing　one　of　the　busy　clerks；　asked　for　〃Mr。　Jackson　Brant。〃

There　was　no　such　person　in　the　office。　　There　never　had　been　any
such　person。　　The　bank　had　always　occupied　that　building。　　Was
there　not　some　mistake　in　the　number？　　No；　the　name；　number；　and
street　had　been　deeply　engrafted　in　the　boy's　recollection。　　Stop！
it　might　be　the　name　of　a　customer　who　had　given　his　address　at　the
bank。　　The　clerk　who　made　this　suggestion　disappeared　promptly　to
make　inquiries　in　the　counting…room。　　Clarence；　with　a　rapidly
beating　heart；　awaited　him。　　The　clerk　returned。　　There　was　no　such
name　on　the　books。　　Jackson　Brant　was　utterly　unknown　to　every　one
in　the　establishment。

For　an　instant　the　counter　against　which　the　boy　was　leaning　seemed
to　yield　with　his　weight；　he　was　obliged　to　steady　himself　with
both　hands　to　keep　from　falling。　　It　was　not　his　disappointment；
which　was　terrible；　it　was　not　a　thought　of　his　future；　which
seemed　hopeless；　it　was　not　his　injured　pride　at　appearing　to　have
willfully　deceived　Mr。　Peyton；　which　was　more　dreadful　than　all
else；　but　it　was　the　sudden；　sickening　sense　that　HE　himself　had
been　deceived；　tricked；　and　fooled！　　For　it　flashed　upon　him　for
the　first　time　that　the　vague　sense　of　wrong　which　had　always
haunted　him　was　thisthat　this　was　the　vile　culmination　of　a　plan
to　GET　RID　OF　HIM；　and　that　he　had　been　deliberately　lost　and　led
astray　by　his　relatives　as　helplessly　and　completely　as　a　useless
cat　or　dog！

Perhaps　there　was　something　of　this　in　his　face；　for　the　clerk；
staring　at　him；　bade　him　sit　down　for　a　moment；　and　again　vanished
into　the　mysterious　interior。　　Clarence　had　no　conception　how　long
he　was　absent；　or　indeed　anything　but　his　own　breathless　thoughts；
for　he　was　conscious　of　wondering　afterwards　why　the　clerk　was
leading　him　through　a　door　in　the　counter　into　an　inner　room　of
many　desks；　and　again　through　a　glass　door　into　a　smaller　office；
where　a　preternaturally　busy…looking　man　sat　writing　at　a　desk。
Without　looking　up；　but　pausing　only　to　apply　a　blotting…pad　to　the
paper　before　him；　the　man　said　crisply

〃So　you've　been　consigned　to　some　one　who　don't　seem　to　turn　up；
and　can't　be　found；　eh？　　Never　mind　that；〃　as　Clarence　laid
Peyton's　letter　before　him。　　〃Can't　read　it　now。　　Well；　I　suppose
you　want　to　be　shipped　back　to　Stockton？〃

〃No！〃　said　the　boy；　recovering　his　voice　with　an　effort。

〃Eh；　that's　business；　though。　　Know　anybody　here？〃

〃Not　a　living　soul；　that's　why　they　sent　me；〃　said　the　boy；　in
sudden　reckless　desperation。　　He　was　the　more　furious　that　he　knew
the　tears　were　standing　in　his　eyes。

The　idea　seemed　to　strike　the　man　amusingly。　　〃Looks　a　little　like
it；　don't　it？〃　he　said；　smiling　grimly　at　the　paper　before　him。
〃Got　any　money？〃

〃A　little。〃

〃How　much？〃

〃About　twenty　dollars；〃　said　Clarence　hesitatingly。　　The　man　opened
a　drawer　at　his　side；　mechanically；　for　he　did　not　raise　his　eyes；
and　took　out　two　ten…dollar　gold　pieces。　　〃I'll　go　twenty　better；〃
he　said；　laying　them　down　on　the　desk。　　〃That'll　give　you　a　chance
to　look　around。　　Come　back　here；　if　you　don't　see　your　way　clear。〃
He　dipped　his　pen　into　the　ink　with　a　significant　gesture　as　if
closing　the　interview。

Clarence　pushed　back　the　coin。　　〃I'm　not　a　beggar；〃　he　said
doggedly。

The　man　this　time　raised　his　head　and　surveyed　the　boy　with　two
keen　eyes。　　〃You're　not；　hey？　　Well；　do　I　look　like　one？〃

〃No；〃　stammered　Clarence；　as　he　glanced　into　the　man's　haughty
eyes。

〃Yet；　if　I　were　in　your　fix；　I'd　take　that　money　and　be　glad　to　get
it。〃

〃If　you'll　let　me　pay　you　back　again；〃　said　Clarence；　a　little
ashamed；　and　considerably　frightened　at　his　implied　accusation　of
the　man　before　him。

〃You　can；〃　said　the　man；　bending　over　his　desk　again。

Clarence　took　up　the　money　and　awkwardly　drew　out　his　purse。　But　it
was　the　first　time　he　had　touched　it　since　it　was　returned　to　him
in　the　bar…room；　and　it　struck　him　that　it　was　heavy　and　full
indeed；　so　full　that　on　opening　it　a　few　coins　rolled　out　on　to　the
floor。　　The　man　looked　up　abruptly。

〃I　thought　you　said　you　had　only　twenty　dollars？〃　he　remarked
grimly。

〃Mr。　Peyton　gave　me　forty；〃　returned　Clarence；　stupefied　and
blu