the three partners-第6章

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this　last　night　of　my　exile；　I　am　confronted　with　only　the

jealousy；　the　doubt；　the　meanness　and　selfishness　that　is　to　come。

Too　late！　　Too　late！〃



The　wondering；　troubled　eyes　that　had　looked　into　his　here　appeared

to　clear　and　brighten　with　a　sweet　prescience。　　Was　it　the　wind

moaning　in　the　chimney　that　seemed　to　whisper　to　him：　〃Too　late；

beloved；　for　ME；　but　not　for　you。　　I　died；　but　Love　still　lives。

Be　happy；　Philip。　　And　in　your　happiness　I　too　may　live　again〃？



He　started。　　In　the　flickering　firelight　the　chair　was　empty。　　The

wind　that　had　swept　down　the　chimney　had　stirred　the　ashes　with　a

sound　like　the　passage　of　a　rustling　skirt。　　There　was　a　chill　in

the　air　and　a　smell　like　that　of　opened　earth。　　A　nervous　shiver

passed　over　him。　　Then　he　sat　upright。　　There　was　no　mistake；　it

was　no　superstitious　fancy；　but　a　faint；　damp　current　of　air　was

actually　flowing　across　his　feet　towards　the　fireplace。　　He　was

about　to　rise　when　he　stopped　suddenly　and　became　motionless。



He　was　actively　conscious　now　of　a　strange　sound　which　had　affected

him　even　in　the　preoccupation　of　his　vision。　　It　was　a　gentle

brushing　of　some　yielding　substance　like　that　made　by　a　soft　broom

on　sand；　or　the　sweep　of　a　gown。　　But　to　his　mountain　ears；　attuned

to　every　woodland　sound；　it　was　not　like　the　gnawing　of　gopher　or

squirrel；　the　scratching　of　wildcat；　nor　the　hairy　rubbing　of　bear。

Nor　was　it　human；　the　long；　deep　respirations　of　his　sleeping

companions　were　distinct　from　that　monotonous　sound。　　He　could　not

even　tell　if　it　were　IN　the　cabin　or　without。　　Suddenly　his　eye

fell　upon　the　pile　in　the　corner。　　The　blanket　that　covered　the

treasure　was　actually　moving！



He　rose　quickly；　but　silently；　alert；　self…contained；　and　menacing。

For　this　dreamer；　this　bereaved　man；　this　scornful　philosopher　of

riches　had　disappeared　with　that　midnight　trespass　upon　the　sacred

treasure。　　The　movement　of　the　blanket　ceased；　the　soft；　swishing

sound　recommenced。　　He　drew　a　glittering　bowie…knife　from　his　boot…

leg；　and　in　three　noiseless　strides　was　beside　the　pile。　　There　he

saw　what　he　fully　expected　to　see；a　narrow；　horizontal　gap

between　the　log　walls　of　the　cabin　and　the　adobe　floor；　slowly

widening　and　deepening　by　the　burrowing　of　unseen　hands　from

without。　　The　cold　outer　air　which　he　had　felt　before　was　now

plainly　flowing　into　the　heated　cabin　through　the　opening。　　The

swishing　sound　recommenced；　and　stopped。　　Then　the　four　fingers　of

a　hand；　palm　downwards；　were　cautiously　introduced　between　the

bottom　log　and　the　denuded　floor。　　Upon　that　intruding　hand　the

bowie…knife　of　Demorest　descended　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　　There

was　no　outcry。　　Even　in　that　supreme　moment　Demorest　felt　a　pang　of

admiration　for　the　stoicism　of　the　unseen　trespasser。　　But　the

maimed　hand　was　quickly　withdrawn；　and　as　quickly　Demorest　rushed

to　the　door　and　dashed　into　the　outer　darkness。



For　an　instant　he　was　dazed　and　bewildered　by　the　sudden　change。

But　the　next　moment　he　saw　a　dodging；　doubling　figure　running

before　him；　and　threw　himself　upon　it。　　In　the　shock　both　men　fell；

but　even　in　that　contact　Demorest　felt　the　tangled　beard　and

alcoholic　fumes　of　Whiskey　Dick；　and　felt　also　that　the　hands　which

were　thrown　up　against　his　breast；　the　palms　turned　outward　with

the　instinctive　movement　of　a　timid；　defenseless　man；　were

unstained　with　soil　or　blood。　　With　an　oath　he　threw　the　drunkard

from　him　and　dashed　to　the　rear　of　the　cabin。　　But　too　late！

There；　indeed；　was　the　scattered　earth；　there　the　widened　burrow　as

it　had　been　excavated　apparently　by　that　mutilated　handbut

nothing　else！



He　turned　back　to　Whiskey　Dick。　　But　the　miserable　man；　although

still　retaining　a　look　of　dazed　terror　in　his　eyes；　had　recovered

his　feet　in　a　kind　of　angry　confidence　and　a　forced　sense　of

injury。　　What　did　Demorest　mean　by　attacking　〃innoshent〃　gentlemen

on　the　trail　outside　his　cabin？　　Yes！　OUTSIDE　his　cabin；　he　would

swear　it！



〃What　were　you　doing　here　at　midnight？〃　demanded　Demorest。



What　was　he　doing？　　What　was　any　gentleman　doing？　　He　wasn't　any

molly…coddle　to　go　to　bed　at　ten　o'clock！　　What　was　he　doing？

Wellhe'd　been　with　men　who　didn't　shut　their　doors　and　turn　the

boys　out　just　in　the　shank　of　the　evening。　　He　wasn't　any　Barker　to

be　wet…nursed　by　Demorest。



〃Some　one　else　was　here！〃　said　Demorest　sternly；　with　his　eyes

fixed　on　Whiskey　Dick。　　The　dull　glaze　which　seemed　to　veil　the

outer　world　from　the　drunkard's　pupils　shifted　suddenly　with　such　a

look　of　direct　horror　that　Demorest　was　fain　to　turn　away　his　own。

But　the　veil　mercifully　returned；　and　with　it　Dick's　worked…up

sense　of　injury。　　Nobody　was　therenot　〃a　shole。〃　　Did　Demorest

think　if　there　had　been　any　of　his　friends　there　they　would　have

stood　by　like　〃dogsh〃　and　seen　him　insulted？



Demorest　turned　away　and　re…entered　the　cabin　as　Dick　lurched

heavily　forward；　still　muttering；　down　the　trail。　　The　excitement

over；　a　sickening　repugnance　to　the　whole　incident　took　the　place

of　Demorest's　resentment　and　indignation。　　There　had　been　a

cowardly　attempt　to　rob　them　of　their　miserable　treasure。　　He　had

met　it　and　frustrated　it　in　almost　as　brutal　a　fashion：　the　gold

was　already　tarnished　with　blood。　　To　his　surprise；　yet　relief；　he

found　his　partners　unconscious　of　the　outrage；　still　sleeping　with

the　physical　immobility　of　over…excited　and　tired　men。　　Should　he

awaken　them？　　No！　　He　should　have　to　awaken　also　their　suspicions

and　desire　for　revenge。　　There　was　no　danger　of　a　further　attack；

there　was　no　fear　that　the　culprit　would　disclose　himself；　and　to…

morrow　they　would　be　far　away。　　Let　oblivion　rest　upon　that　night's

stain　on　the　honor　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill。



He　rolled　a　small　barrel　before　the　opening；　smoothed　the　dislodged

earth；　replaced　the　pan　with　its　treasure；　and　trusted　that　in　the

bustle　of　the　early　morning　departure　his　partners　might　not　notice

any　change。　　Stopping　before　the　bunk　of　Stacy　he　glanced　at　the

sleeping　man。　　He　was　lying　on　his　back；　but　breathing　heavily；　and

his　hands　were　moving　towards　his　chest　as　if；　indeed；　his　strange

fancy　of　the　golden　incubus　were　being　realized。　　Demorest　would

have　wakened　him；　but　presently；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　the　sleeper

turned　over　on　his　side。　　It　was　pleasanter　to　look　at　Barker；

whose　damp　curls　were　matted　over　his　smooth；　boyish　forehead；　and

whose　lips　were　parted　in　a　smile　under　the　silken　wings　of　his

brown　mustache。　　He；　too；　seemed　to　be　trying　to　speak；　and

remembering　some　previous　revelations　which　had　amused　them；

Demorest　leaned　over　him　fraternally　with　an　answering　smile；

waiting　for　the　beloved　one's　name　to　pass　the　young　man's　lips。

But　he　only　murmured；　〃Threehundredthousand　dollars！〃　　The

elder　man　turned　away　with　a　grave　face。　　The　influence　of　the

treasure　was　paramount。



When　he　had　placed　one　of　the　chairs　against　the　unprotected　door

at　an　angle　which　would　prevent　any　easy　or　noiseless　intrusion；

Demorest　threw　himself　on　his　bunk　without　undressing；　and　turned

his　face　towards　the　single　window　of　the　cabin　that　looked　towards

the　east。　　He　did　not　apprehend　another　covert　attempt　against　the

gold。　　He　did　not　fear　a　robbery　with　force　and　arms；　although　he

was　satisfied　that　there　was　more　than　one　concerned　in　it；　but

this　he　attributed　only　to　the　encumbering　weight　of　their　expected

booty。　　He　simply　waited　for　the　dawn。　　It　was　some　time　before　his

eyes　were　greeted　with　the　vague　opaline　brightness　of　the

firmament　which　meant　the　vanishing　of　the　pallid　snow…line　before

the　coming　day。　　A　bird　twittered　on　the　roof。　　The　air　was　chill；

he　drew　his　blanket　around　him。　　Then　he　closed　his　eyes；　he

fancied　only　for　a　moment；　but　when　he　opened　them　the　door　was

standing　open　in　the　strong　daylight。　　He　sprang　to　his　feet；　but

the　next　moment　he　saw　it　was　only　Stacy　who　had　passed　out；　and

was　return