the twins of table mountain-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃She　was　THAT！〃　said　Seventy…Four　emphatically。

〃It　would　have　done　you　good　to　see　her！〃　added　Seventy…Five。

Mrs。　Rightbody　inwardly　doubted　it；　but；　before　she　could　ask
another　question；　the　two　men　again　retired　to　the　corner　for
consultation。　　When　they　came　back；　there　was　a　shade　more　of
kindliness　and　confidence　in　their　manner；　and　Seventy…Four　opened
his　mind　more　freely。

〃We　wish　to　say；　ma'am；　looking　at　the　thing；　by　and　large；　in　a
far…minded　way；　that；　ez　YOU　seem　interested；　and　ez　Mr。　Rightbody
was　interested；　and　was；　according　to　all　accounts；　deceived　and
led　away　by　Silsbie；　that　we　don't　mind　listening　to　any
proposition　YOU　might　make；　as　a　ladyallowin'　you　was　ekally
interested。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　Mrs。　Rightbody　quickly。　　〃And　you　will　furnish
me　with　any　papers？〃

The　two　men　again　consulted。

〃We　wish　to　say；　ma'am；　that　we　think　she's　got　papers；　but〃

〃I　MUST　have　them；　you　understand；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Rightbody；　〃at
any　price。

〃We　was　about　to　say；　ma'am；〃　said　Seventy…Four　slowly；　〃that；
considerin'　all　things；and　you　being　a　ladyyou　kin　have　HER；
papers；　pedigree；　and　guaranty；　for　twelve　hundred　dollars。〃

It　has　been　alleged　that　Mrs。　Rightbody　asked　only　one　question
more；　and　then　fainted。　　It　is　known；　however；　that　by　the　next　day
it　was　understood　in　Deadwood　that　Mrs。　Rightbody　had　confessed　to
the　Vigilance　Committee　that　her　husband；　a　celebrated　Boston
millionaire；　anxious　to　gain　possession　of　Abner　Springer's　well…
known　sorrel　mare；　had　incited　the　unfortunate　Josh　Silsbie　to
steal　it；　and　that　finally；　failing　in　this；　the　widow　of　the
deceased　Boston　millionaire　was　now　in　personal　negotiation　with
the　owners。

Howbeit；　Miss　Alice；　returning　home　that　afternoon；　found　her
mother　with　a　violent　headache。

〃We　will　leave　here　by　the　next　steamer；〃　said　Mrs。　Rightbody
languidly。　　〃Mr。　Ryder　has　promised　to　accompany　us。〃

〃But；　mother〃

〃The　climate；　Alice；　is　over…rated。　　My　nerves　are　already
suffering　from　it。　　The　associations　are　unfit　for　you；　and　Mr。
Marvin　is　naturally　impatient。〃

Miss　Alice　colored　slightly。

〃But　your　quest；　mother？〃

〃I've　abandoned　it。〃

〃But　I　have　not；〃　said　Alice　quietly。　　〃Do　you　remember　my　guide　at
the　Yo　Semite；Stanislaus　Joe？　　Well；　Stanislaus　Joe　iswho　do
you　think？〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　was　languidly　indifferent。

〃Well；　Stanislaus　Joe　is　the　son　of　Joshua　Silsbie。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　sat　upright　in　astonishment

〃Yes。　　But　mother；　he　knows　nothing　of　what　we　know。　　His　father
treated　him　shamefully；　and　set　him　cruelly　adrift　years　ago；　and；
when　he　was　hung；　the　poor　fellow；　in　sheer　disgrace；　changed　his
name。〃

〃But；　if　he　knows　nothing　of　his　father's　compact；　of　what　interest
is　this？〃

〃Oh；　nothing！　　Only　I　thought　it　might　lead　to　something。〃

Mrs。　Rightbody　suspected　that　〃something；〃　and　asked　sharply；　〃And
pray　how　did　YOU　find　it　out？　　You　did　not　speak　of　it　in　the
valley。〃

〃Oh！　I　didn't　find　it　out　till　to…day；〃　said　Miss　Alice；　walking　to
the　window。　　〃He　happened　to　be　here；　andtold　me。〃


PART　IV。


If　Mrs。　Rightbody's　friends　had　been　astounded　by　her　singular　and
unexpected　pilgrimage　to　California　so　soon　after　her　husband's
decease；　they　were　still　more　astounded　by　the　information；　a　year
later；　that　she　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　a　Mr。　Ryder；　of　whom
only　the　scant　history　was　known；　that　he　was　a　Californian；　and
former　correspondent　of　her　husband。　　It　was　undeniable　that　the
man　was　wealthy；　and　evidently　no　mere　adventurer；　it　was　rumored
that　he　was　courageous　and　manly：　but　even　those　who　delighted　in
his　odd　humor　were　shocked　at　his　grammar　and　slang。

It　was　said　that　Mr。　Marvin　had　but　one　interview　with　his　father…
in…law　elect；　and　returned　so　supremely　disgusted；　that　the　match
was　broken　off。　　The　horse…stealing　story；　more　or　less　garbled；
found　its　way　through　lips　that　pretended　to　decry　it；　yet　eagerly
repeated　it。　　Only　one　member　of　the　Rightbody　familyand　a　new
onesaved　them　from　utter　ostracism。　　It　was　young　Mr。　Ryder；　the
adopted　son　of　the　prospective　head　of　the　household；　whose
culture；　manners；　and　general　elegance；　fascinated　and　thrilled
Boston　with　a　new　sensation。　　It　seemed　to　many　that　Miss　Alice
should；　in　the　vicinity　of　this　rare　exotic；　forget　her　former
enthusiasm　for　a　professional　life；　but　the　young　man　was　pitied　by
society；　and　various　plans　for　diverting　him　from　any　mesalliance
with　the　Rightbody　family　were　concocted。

It　was　a　wintry　night；　and　the　second　anniversary　of　Mr。　Rightbody's
death；　that　a　light　was　burning　in　his　library。　　But　the　dead　man's
chair　was　occupied　by　young　Mr。　Ryder；　adopted　son　of　the　new
proprietor　of　the　mansion；　and　before　him　stood　Alice；　with　her　dark
eyes　fixed　on　the　table。

〃There　must　have　been　something　in　it；　Joe；　believe　me。　　Did　you
never　hear　your　father　speak　of　mine？〃

〃Never。〃

〃But　you　say　he　was　college…bred；　and　born　a　gentleman；　and　in　his
youth　he　must　have　had　many　friends。〃

〃Alice；〃　said　the　young　man　gravely；　〃when　I　have　done　something　to
redeem　my　name；　and　wear　it　again　before　these　people；　before　YOU；
it　would　be　well　to　revive　the　past。　　But　till　then〃

But　Alice　was　not　to　be　put　down。　　〃I　remember；〃　she　went　on；
scarcely　heeding　him；　〃that；　when　I　came　in　that　night；　papa　was
reading　a　letter；　and　seemed　to　be　disconcerted。〃

〃A　letter？〃

〃Yes；　but；〃　added　Alice；　with　a　sigh；　〃when　we　found　him　here
insensible；　there　was　no　letter　on　his　person。　　He　must　have
destroyed　it。〃

〃Did　you　ever　look　among　his　papers？　　If　found；　it　might　be　a
clew。〃

The　young　man　glanced　toward　the　cabinet。　　Alice　read　his　eyes；　and
answered；

〃Oh；　dear；　no！　　The　cabinet　contained　only　his　papers；　all
perfectly　arranged；you　know　how　methodical　were　his　habits；and
some　old　business　and　private　letters；　all　carefully　put　away。〃

〃Let　us　see　them；〃　said　the　young　man；　rising。

They　opened　drawer　after　drawer；　files　upon　files　of　letters　and
business　papers；　accurately　folded　and　filed。　　Suddenly　Alice
uttered　a　little　cry；　and　picked　up　a　quaint　ivory　paper…knife
lying　at　the　bottom　of　a　drawer。

〃It　was　missing　the　next　day；　and　never　could　be　found：　he　must
have　mislaid　it　here。　　This　is　the　drawer；〃　said　Alice　eagerly。

Here　was　a　clew。　　But　the　lower　part　of　the　drawer　was　filled　with
old　letters；　not　labelled；　yet　neatly　arranged　in　files。　　Suddenly
he　stopped；　and　said；　〃Put　them　back；　Alice；　at　once。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Some　of　these　letters　are　in　my　father's　handwriting。〃

〃The　more　reason　why　I　should　see　them；〃　said　the　girl　imperatively。
〃Here；　you　take　part；　and　I'll　take　part；　and　we'll　get　through
quicker。〃

There　was　a　certain　decision　and　independence　in　her　manner　which
he　had　learned　to　respect。　　He　took　the　letters；　and　in　silence
read　them　with　her。　　They　were　old　college　letters；　so　filled　with
boyish　dreams；　ambitions；　aspirations；　and　utopian　theories；　that　I
fear　neither　of　these　young　people　even　recognized　their　parents　in
the　dead　ashes　of　the　past。　　They　were　both　grave；　until　Alice
uttered　a　little　hysterical　cry；　and　dropped　her　face　in　her　hands。
Joe　was　instantly　beside　her。

〃It's　nothing；　Joe；　nothing。　　Don't　read　it；　please；　please；　don't。
It's　so　funny！　it's　so　very　queer！〃

But　Joe　had；　after　a　slight；　half…playful　struggle；　taken　the
letter　from　the　girl。　　Then　he　read　aloud　the　words　written　by　his
father　thirty　years　ago。

〃I　thank　you；　dear　friend；　for　all　you　say　about　my　wife　and　boy。
I　thank　you　for　reminding　me　of　our　boyish　compact。　　He　will　be
ready　to　fulfil　it；　I　know；　if　he　loves　those　his　father　loves；
even　if　you　should　marry　years　later。　　I　am　glad　for　your　sake；　for
both　our　sakes；　that　it　is　a　boy。　　Heaven　send　you　a　good　wife；
dear　Adams；　and　a　daughter；　to　make　my　son　equally　happy。〃

Joe　Silsbie　looked　down；　took　the　half…laughing；　half…tearful　face
in　his　hands；　kissed　her　forehead；　and；　with　tears　in　his　grave
eyes；　said；　〃Amen！〃

　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

I　am　inclined　to　think　that　this　sentiment　was　echoed　heartily　by
Mrs。　Rightbody's　former　acquaintances；　when；