a phyllis of the sierras-第17章

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pretty　orbs；　I　leave　the　satirical　feminine　reader　to　determine。



It　was　late　when　Bradley　at　last　returned；　bringing　further　and

more　complete　corroboration　of　the　truth　of　Sharpe's　good　fortune。

Two　experts　had　arrived；　one　from　Pine　Flat　and　another　from　the

Summit；　and　upon　this　statement　Richardson　had　offered　to　purchase

an　interest　in　the　discovery　that　would　at　once　enable　the

blacksmith　to　develop　his　mine。　　〃I　shouldn't　wonder；　Mainwaring；〃

he　added　cheerfully；　〃if　he'd　put　you　into　it；　too；　and　make　your

eternal　fortune。〃



〃With　larks　falling　from　the　skies　all　round　you；　it's　a　pity　YOU

couldn't　get　put　into　something；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　straightening

her　pretty　brows。



〃I'm　not　a　gold…miner；　my　dear；〃　said　Bradley；　pleasantly。



〃Nor　a　gold…finder；〃　returned　his　wife；　with　a　cruel　little

depression　of　her　pink　nostrils；　〃but　you　can　work　all　night　in

that　stupid　mill　and　then；〃　she　added　in　a　low　voice；　to　escape

Minty's　attention；　〃spend　the　whole　of　the　next　day　examining　and

following　up　a　boy's　discovery　that　his　own　relations　had　been　too

lazy　and　too　ignorant　to　understand　and　profit　by。　　I　suppose　that

next　you　will　be　hunting　up　a　site　on　the　OTHER　SIDE　of　the　Canyon；

where　somebody　else　can　put　up　a　hotel　and　ruin　your　own　prospects。〃



A　sensitive　shadow　of　pain　quickly　dimmed　Bradley's　glancenot　the

first　or　last　time　evidently；　for　it　was　gradually　bringing　out　a

background　of　sadness　in　his　intelligent　eyes。　　But　the　next　moment

he　turned　kindly　to　Mainwaring；　and　began　to　deplore　the　necessity

of　his　early　departure；　which　Richardson　had　already　made　known　to

him　with　practical　and　satisfying　reasons。



〃I　hope　you　won't　forget；　my　dear　fellow；　that　your　most　really

urgent　business　is　to　look　after　your　health；　and　if；　hereafter；

you'll　only　remember　the　old　Lookout　enough　to　impress　that　fact

upon　you；　I　shall　feel　that　any　poor　service　I　have　rendered　you

has　been　amply　repaid。〃



Mainwaring；　notwithstanding　that　he　winced　slightly　at　this　fateful

echo　of　Louise's　advice；　returned　the　grasp　of　his　friend's　hand

with　an　honest　pressure　equal　to　his　own。　　He　longed　now　only　for

the　coming　of　Richardson；　to　complete　his　scheme　of　grateful

benefaction　to　his　host。



The　banker　came　fortunately　as　the　conversation　began　to　flag；　and

Mrs。　Bradley's　half…coquettish　ill…humor　of　a　pretty　woman；　and

Louise's　abstracted　indifference；　were　becoming　so　noticeable　as　to

even　impress　Minty　into　a　thoughtful　taciturnity。　　The　graciousness

of　his　reception　by　Mrs。　Bradley　somewhat　restored　his　former

ostentatious　gallantry；　and　his　self…satisfied；　domineering　manner

had　enough　masculine　power　in　it　to　favorably　affect　the　three

women；　who；　it　must　be　confessed；　were　a　little　bored　by　the　finer

abstractions　of　Bradley　and　Mainwaring。　　After　a　few　moments；

Mainwaring　rose　and；　with　a　significant　glance　at　Richardson　to

remind　him　of　his　proposed　conference　with　Bradley；　turned　to　leave

the　room。　　He　was　obliged　to　pass　Louise；　who　was　sitting　by　the

table。　　His　attention　was　suddenly　arrested　by　something　in　her

hand　with　which　she　was　listlessly　playing。　　It　was　the　stone　which

he　had　put　on　his　letter　to　her。



As　he　had　not　been　present　when　Bradley　arrived；　he　did　not　know

that　this　fateful　object　had　been　brought　home　by　his　host；　who；

after　receiving　it　from　Richelieu；　had　put　it　in　his　pocket　to

illustrate　his　story　of　the　discovery。　　On　the　contrary；　it　seemed

that　Louise's　careless　exposure　of　his　foolish　stratagem　was

gratuitously　and　purposely　cruel。　　Nevertheless；　he　stopped　and

looked　at　her。



〃That's　a　queer　stone　you　have　there；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　which　she

recognized　as　coldly　and　ostentatiously　civil。



〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　without　looking　up；　〃it's　the　outcrop　of　that

mine。〃　　She　handed　it　to　him　as　if　to　obviate　any　further　remark。

〃I　thought　you　had　seen　it　before。〃



〃The　outcrop；〃　he　repeated　dryly。　　〃That　isititit　is　the

indication　or　sign　of　something　important　that's　below　itisn't

it？〃



Louise　shrugged　her　shoulders　sceptically。　　〃It　don't　follow。　　It's

just　as　likely　to　cover　rubbish；　after　you've　taken　the　trouble　to

look。〃



〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　with　measured　gentleness；　and　passed　quietly　out

of　the　room。



The　moon　had　already　risen　when　Bradley；　with　his　brierwood　pipe；

preceded　Richardson　upon　the　veranda。　　The　latter　threw　his　large

frame　into　Louise's　rocking…chair　near　the　edge　of　the　abyss；

Bradley；　with　his　own　chair　tilted　against　the　side　of　the　house

after　the　national　fashion；　waited　for　him　to　speak。　　The　absence

of　Mainwaring　and　the　stimulus　of　Mrs。　Bradley's　graciousness　had

given　the　banker　a　certain　condescending　familiarity；　which　Bradley

received　with　amused　and　ironical　tolerance　that　his　twinkling　eyes

made　partly　visible　in　the　darkness。



〃One　of　the　things　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about；　Bradley；　was　that

old　affair　of　the　advance　you　asked　for　from　the　Bank。　　We　did　not

quite　see　our　way　to　it　then；　and；　speaking　as　a　business　man；　it

isn't　really　a　matter　of　business　now；　but　it　has　lately　been　put

to　me　in　a　light　that　would　make　the　doing　of　it　possibleyou

understand？　　The　fact　of　the　matter　is　this：　Sir　Robert　Mainwaring；

the　father　of　the　young　fellow　you've　got　in　your　house；　is　one　of

our　directors　and　largest　shareholders；　and　I　can　tell　youif　you

don't　suspect　it　alreadyyou've　been　lucky；　Bradleydeucedly

luckyto　have　had　him　in　your　house　and　to　have　rendered　him　a

service。　　He's　the　heir　to　one　of　the　largest　landed　estates　in　his

country；　one　of　the　oldest　county　families；　and　will　step　into　the

title　some　day。　　But；　ahem！〃　he　coughed　patronizingly；　〃you　knew

all　that！　　No？　　Well；　that　charming　wife　of　yours；　at　least；　does；

for　she's　been　talking　about　it。　　Gad；　Bradley；　it　takes　those

women　to　find　out　anything　of　that　kind；　eh？〃



The　light　in　Bradley's　eyes　and　his　pipe　went　slowly　out　together。



〃Then　we'll　say　that　affair　of　the　advance　is　as　good　as　settled。

It's　Sir　Robert's　wish；　you　understand；　and　this　young　fellow's

wish；and　if　you'll　come　down　to　the　Bank　next　week　we'll　arrange

it　for　you；　I　think　you'll　admit　they're　doing　the　handsome　to　you

and　yours。　　And　therefore；〃　he　lowered　his　voice　confidentially；

〃you'll　see；　Bradley；　that　it　will　only　be　the　honorable　thing　in

you；　you　know；　to　look　upon　the　affair　as　finished；　and；　in　fact；

to　do　all　you　can〃he　drew　his　chair　closer〃tototo　drop　this

other　foolishness。〃



〃I　don't　think　I　quite　understand　you！〃　said　Bradley；　slowly。



〃But　your　wife　does；　if　you　don't；〃　returned　Richardson；　bluntly；

〃I　mean　this　foolish　flirtation　between　Louise　Macy　and　Mainwaring；

which　is　utterly　preposterous。　　Why；　man；　it　can't　possibly　come　to

anything；　and　it　couldn't　be　allowed　for　a　moment。　　Look　at　his

position　and　hers。　　I　should　think；　as　a　practical　man；　it　would

strike　you〃



〃Only　one　thing　strikes　me；　Richardson；〃　interrupted　Bradley；　in　a

singularly　distinct　whisper；　rising；　and　moving　nearer　the　speaker；

〃it　is　that　you're　sitting　perilously　near　the　edge　of　this

veranda。　　For；　by　the　living　God；　if　you　don't　take　yourself　out　of

that　chair　and　out　of　this　house；　I　won't　be　answerable　for　the

consequences！〃



〃Hold　on　there　a　minute；　will　you？〃　said　Mainwaring's　voice　from

the　window。



Both　men　turned　towards　it。　　A　long　leg　was　protruding　from

Mainwaring's　window；　it　was　quickly　followed　by　the　other　leg　and

body　of　the　occupant；　and　the　next　moment　Mainwaring　come　towards

the　two　men；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets。



〃Not　so　loud；〃　he　said；　looking　towards　the　house。



〃Let　that　man　go；〃　said　Bradley；　in　a　repressed　voice。　　〃You　and　I；

Mainwaring；　can　speak　together　afterwards。〃



〃That　man　must　stay　until　he　hears　what　I　have　got　to　say；〃　said

Mainwaring；　stepping　between　them。　　He　was　very　white　and　grave　in

the　moonlight；　but　very　quiet；　and　he　did　no