a waif of the plains-第18章

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mind。　　Readjusting　his　pack；　he　stepped　on　cheerily。　　At　noon　he
was　overtaken　by　a　teamster；　who　in　return　for　a　match　to　light　his
pipe　gave　him　a　lift　of　a　dozen　miles。　　It　is　to　be　feared　that
Clarence's　account　of　himself　was　equally　fanciful　with　his
previous　story；　and　that　the　teamster　parted　from　him　with　a
genuine　regret；　and　a　hope　that　he　would　soon　be　overtaken　by　his
friends　along　the　road。　　〃And　mind　that　you　ain't　such　a　fool　agin
to　let　'em　make　you　tote　their　dod…blasted　tools　fur　them！〃　he
added　unsuspectingly；　pointing　to　Clarence's　mining　outfit。　　Thus
saved　the　heaviest　part　of　the　day's　journey；　for　the　road　was
continually　rising　from　the　plains　during　the　last　six　miles；
Clarence　was　yet　able　to　cover　a　considerable　distance　on　foot
before　he　halted　for　supper。　　Here　he　was　again　fortunate。　　An
empty　lumber　team　watering　at　the　same　spring；　its　driver　offered
to　take　Clarence's　purchasesfor　the　boy　had　profited　by　his　late
friend's　suggestion　to　personally　detach　himself　from　his
equipmentto　Buckeye　Mills　for　a　dollar；　which　would　also　include
a　〃shakedown　passage〃　for　himself　on　the　floor　of　the　wagon。　　〃I
reckon　you've　been　foolin'　away　in　Sacramento　the　money　yer　parents
give　yer　for　return　stage　fare；　eh？　　Don't　lie；　sonny；〃　he　added
grimly；　as　the　now　artful　Clarence　smiled　diplomatically；　〃I've
been　thar　myself！〃　　Luckily；　the　excuse　that　he　was　〃tired　and
sleepy〃　prevented　further　dangerous　questioning；　and　the　boy　was
soon　really　in　deep　slumber　on　the　wagon　floor。

He　awoke　betimes　to　find　himself　already　in　the　mountains。　　Buckeye
Mills　was　a　straggling　settlement；　and　Clarence　prudently　stopped
any　embarrassing　inquiry　from　his　friend　by　dropping　off　the　wagon
with　his　equipment　as　they　entered　it；　and　hurriedly　saying　〃Good…
by〃　from　a　crossroad　through　the　woods。　　He　had　learned　that　the
nearest　mining　camp　was　five　miles　away；　and　its　direction　was
indicated　by　a　long　wooden　〃flume；〃　or　water…way；　that　alternately
appeared　and　disappeared　on　the　flank　of　the　mountain　opposite。
The　cooler　and　drier　air；　the　grateful　shadow　of　pine　and　bay；　and
the　spicy　balsamic　odors　that　everywhere　greeted　him；　thrilled　and
exhilarated　him。　　The　trail　plunging　sometimes　into　an　undisturbed
forest；　he　started　the　birds　before　him　like　a　flight　of　arrows
through　its　dim　recesses；　at　times　he　hung　breathlessly　over　the
blue　depths　of　canyons　where　the　same　forests　were　repeated　a
thousand　feet　below。　　Towards　noon　he　struck　into　a　rude　road
evidently　the　thoroughfare　of　the　localityand　was　surprised　to
find　that　it；　as　well　as　the　adjacent　soil　wherever　disturbed；　was
a　deep　Indian　red。　　Everywhere；　along　its　sides；　powdering　the
banks　and　boles　of　trees　with　its　ruddy　stain；　in　mounds　and
hillocks　of　piled　dirt　on　the　road；　or　in　liquid　paint…like　pools；
when　a　trickling　stream　had　formed　a　gutter　across　it；　there　was
always　the　same　deep　sanguinary　color。　　Once　or　twice　it　became
more　vivid　in　contrast　with　the　white　teeth　of　quartz　that　peeped
through　it　from　the　hillside　or　crossed　the　road　in　crumbled
strata。　　One　of　those　pieces　Clarence　picked　up　with　a　quickening
pulse。　　It　was　veined　and　streaked　with　shining　mica　and　tiny
glittering　cubes　of　mineral　that　LOOKED　like　gold！

The　road　now　began　to　descend　towards　a　winding　stream；　shrunken　by
drought　and　ditching；　that　glared　dazzingly　in　the　sunlight　from
its　white　bars　of　sand；　or　glistened　in　shining　sheets　and
channels。　　Along　its　banks；　and　even　encroaching　upon　its　bed；　were
scattered　a　few　mud　cabins；　strange…looking　wooden　troughs　and
gutters；　and　here　and　there；　glancing　through　the　leaves；　the　white
canvas　of　tents。　　The　stumps　of　felled　trees　and　blackened　spaces；
as　of　recent　fires；　marked　the　stream　on　either　side。　　A　sudden
sense　of　disappointment　overcame　Clarence。　　It　looked　vulgar；
common；　and　worse　than　allFAMILIAR。　　It　was　like　the　unlovely
outskirts　of　a　dozen　other　prosaic　settlements　he　had　seen　in　less
romantic　localities。　　In　that　muddy　red　stream；　pouring　out　of　a
wooden　gutter；　in　which　three　or　four　bearded；　slouching；　half…
naked　figures　were　raking　like　chiffonniers；　there　was　nothing　to
suggest　the　royal　metal。　　Yet　he　was　so　absorbed　in　gazing　at　the
scene；　and　had　walked　so　rapidly　during　the　past　few　minutes；　that
he　was　startled；　on　turning　a　sharp　corner　of　the　road；　to　come
abruptly　upon　an　outlying　dwelling。

It　was　a　nondescript　building；　half　canvas　and　half　boards。　　The
interior　seen　through　the　open　door　was　fitted　up　with　side
shelves；　a　counter　carelessly　piled　with　provisions；　groceries；
clothing；　and　hardwarewith　no　attempt　at　display　or　even　ordinary
selectionand　a　table；　on　which　stood　a　demijohn　and　three　or　four
dirty　glasses。　　Two　roughly　dressed　men；　whose　long；　matted　beards
and　hair　left　only　their　eyes　and　lips　visible　in　the　tangled
hirsute　wilderness　below　their　slouched　hats；　were　leaning　against
the　opposite　sides　of　the　doorway；　smoking。　　Almost　thrown　against
them　in　the　rapid　momentum　of　his　descent；　Clarence　halted
violently。

〃Well；　sonny；　you　needn't　capsize　the　shanty；〃　said　the　first　man；
without　taking　his　pipe　from　his　lips。

〃If　yer　looking　fur　yer　ma；　she　and　yer　Aunt　Jane　hev　jest　gone
over　to　Parson　Doolittle's　to　take　tea；〃　observed　the　second　man
lazily。　　〃She　allowed　that　you'd　wait。〃

〃I'mI'mgoing　toto　the　mines；〃　explained　Clarence；　with　some
hesitation。　　〃I　suppose　this　is　the　way。〃

The　two　men　took　their　pipes　from　their　lips；　looked　at　each　other；
completely　wiped　every　vestige　of　expression　from　their　faces　with
the　back　of　their　hands；　turned　their　eyes　into　the　interior　of　the
cabin；　and　said；　〃Will　yer　come　yer；　now　WILL　yer？〃　　Thus　adjured；
half　a　dozen　men；　also　bearded　and　carrying　pipes　in　their　mouths；
straggled　out　of　the　shanty；　and；　filing　in　front　of　it；　squatted
down；　with　their　backs　against　the　boards；　and　gazed　comfortably　at
the　boy。　　Clarence　began　to　feel　uneasy。

〃I'll　give；〃　said　one；　taking　out　his　pipe　and　grimly　eying
Clarence；　〃a　hundred　dollars　for　him　as　he　stands。〃

〃And　seein'　as　he's　got　that　bran…new　rig…out　o'　tools；〃　said
another；　〃I'll　give　a　hundred　and　fiftyand　the　drinks。　　I've
been；〃　he　added　apologetically；　〃wantin'　sunthin'　like　this　a　long
time。〃

〃Well；　gen'lemen；〃　said　the　man　who　had　first　spoken　to　him；
〃lookin'　at　him　by　and　large；　takin'　in；　so　to　speak；　the　gin'ral
gait　of　him　in　single　harness；　bearin'　in　mind　the　perfect
freshness　of　him；　and　the　coolness　and　size　of　his　cheekthe　easy
downyness；　previousness；　and　utter　don't…care…a…damnativeness　of
his　coming　yer；　I　think　two　hundred　ain't　too　much　for　him；　and
we'll　call　it　a　bargain。〃

Clarence's　previous　experience　of　this　grim；　smileless　Californian
chaff　was　not　calculated　to　restore　his　confidence。　　He　drew　away
from　the　cabin；　and　repeated　doggedly；　〃I　asked　you　if　this　was　the
way　to　the　mines。〃

〃It　ARE　the　mines；　and　these　yere　are　the　miners；〃　said　the　first
speaker　gravely。　　〃Permit　me　to　interdoose　'em。　　This　yere's　Shasta
Jim；　this　yere's　Shotcard　Billy；　this　is　Nasty　Bob；　and　this
Slumgullion　Dick。　　This　yere's　the　Dook　o'　Chatham　Street；　the
Livin'　Skeleton；　and　me！〃

〃May　we　ask；　fair　young　sir；〃　said　the　Living　Skeleton；　who；
however；　seemed　in　fairly　robust　condition；　〃whence　came　ye　on　the
wings　of　the　morning；　and　whose　Marble　Halls　ye　hev　left　desolate？〃

〃I　came　across　the　plains；　and　got　into　Stockton　two　days　ago　on
Mr。　Peyton's　train；〃　said　Clarence；　indignantly；　seeing　no　reason
now　to　conceal　anything。　　〃I　came　to　Sacramento　to　find　my　cousin；
who　isn't　living　there　any　more。　　I　don't　see　anything　funny　in
THAT！　　I　came　here　to　the　mines　to　dig　goldbecause…because　Mr。
Silsbee；　the　man　who　was　to　bring　me　here　and　might　have　found　my
cousin　for　me；　was　killed　by　Indians。〃

〃Hold　up；　sonny。　　Let　me　help　ye；〃　said　the　first　speaker；　rising
to　his　feet。　　〃YOU　didn't　get　killed　by　Injins　because　you　got　lost
out　of　a　train　with　Silsbee's　infant　darter。　　Peyton　picked　you　up
while　you　was　takin'　care　of　her；　and　two　days　arter　you　kem　up　to
the　broken…down　Silsbee　wagons；　with　all　the　folks　lyin'　there
slartered。