on the frontier-第33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！





The　Left　Bower　drew　back；　but　his　brother　had　seized　the　barrel

with　both　hands。　　There　was　a　momentary　struggle；　a　flash　through

the　half…lighted　cabin；　and　a　shattering　report。　　The　two　men　fell

back　from　each　other；　the　rifle　dropped　on　the　floor　between　them。



The　whole　thing　was　over　so　quickly　that　the　other　two　partners　had

not　had　time　to　obey　their　common　impulse　to　separate　them；　and

consequently　even　now　could　scarcely　understand　what　had　passed。

It　was　over　so　quickly　that　the　two　actors　themselves　walked　back

to　their　places；　scarcely　realizing　their　own　act。



A　dead　silence　followed。　　The　Judge　and　Union　Mills　looked　at　each

other　in　dazed　astonishment；　and　then　nervously　set　about　their

former　habits；　apparently　in　that　fatuous　belief　common　to　such

natures；　that　they　were　ignoring　a　painful　situation。　　The　Judge

drew　the　barrel　towards　him；　picked　up　the　cards；　and　began

mechanically　to　〃make　a　patience；〃　on　which　Union　Mills　gazed　with

ostentatious　interest；　but　with　eyes　furtively　conscious　of　the

rigid　figure　of　the　Right　Bower　by　the　chimney　and　the　abstracted

face　of　the　Left　Bower　at　the　door。　　Ten　minutes　had　passed　in　this

occupation；　the　Judge　and　Union　Mills　conversing　in　the　furtive

whispers　of　children　unavoidably　but　fascinatedly　present　at　a

family　quarrel；　when　a　light　step　was　heard　upon　the　crackling

brushwood　outside；　and　the　bright　panting　face　of　the　Old　Man

appeared　upon　the　threshold。　　There　was　a　shout　of　joy；　in　another

moment　he　was　half…buried　in　the　bosom　of　the　Right　Bower's　shirt；

half…dragged　into　the　lap　of　the　Judge；　upsetting　the　barrel；　and

completely　encompassed　by　the　Left　Bower　and　Union　Mills。　　With　the

enthusiastic　utterance　of　his　name　the　spell　was　broken。



Happily　unconscious　of　the　previous　excitement　that　had　provoked

this　spontaneous　unanimity　of　greeting；　the　Old　Man；　equally

relieved；　at　once　broke　into　a　feverish　announcement　of　his

discovery。　　He　painted　the　details；　with；　I　fear；　a　slight

exaggeration　of　coloring；　due　partly　to　his　own　excitement；　and

partly　to　justify　their　own。　　But　he　was　strangely　conscious　that

these　bankrupt　men　appeared　less　elated　with　their　personal　interest

in　their　stroke　of　fortune　than　with　his　own　success。　　〃I　told　you

he'd　do　it；〃　said　the　Judge；　with　a　reckless　unscrupulousness　of

statement　that　carried　everybody　with　it；　〃look　at　him！　the　game

little　pup。〃　　〃Oh　no！　he　ain't　the　right　breed；　is　he？〃　echoed　Union

Mills　with　arch　irony；　while　the　Right　and　Left　Bower；　grasping

either　hand；　pressed　a　proud　but　silent　greeting　that　was　half　new

to　him；　but　wholly　delicious。　　It　was　not　without　difficulty　that　he

could　at　last　prevail　upon　them　to　return　with　him　to　the　scene　of

his　discovery；　or　even　then　restrain　them　from　attempting　to　carry

him　thither　on　their　shoulders　on　the　plea　of　his　previous　prolonged

exertions。　　Once　only　there　was　a　momentary　embarrassment。　　〃Then

you　fired　that　shot　to　bring　me　back？〃　said　the　Old　Man；　gratefully。

In　the　awkward　silence　that　followed；　the　hands　of　the　two　brothers

sought　and　grasped　each　other；　penitently。　　〃Yes；〃　interposed　the

Judge；　with　delicate　tact；　〃ye　see　the　Right　and　Left　Bower　almost

quarreled　to　see　which　should　be　the　first　to　fire　for　ye。　　I

disremember　which　did〃〃I　never　touched　the　trigger；〃　said　the　Left

Bower；　hastily。　　With　a　hurried　backward　kick；　the　Judge　resumed；

〃It　went　off　sorter　spontaneous。〃



The　difference　in　the　sentiment　of　the　procession　that　once　more

issued　from　the　Lone　Star　cabin　did　not　fail　to　show　itself　in　each

individual　partner　according　to　his　temperament。　　The　subtle　tact

of　Union　Mills；　however；　in　expressing　an　awakened　respect　for

their　fortunate　partner　by　addressing　him；　as　if　unconsciously；　as

〃Mr。　Ford〃　was　at　first　discomposing；　but　even　this　was　forgotten

in　their　breathless　excitement　as　they　neared　the　base　of　the

mountain。　　When　they　had　crossed　the　creek　the　Right　Bower　stopped

reflectively。



〃You　say　you　heard　the　slide　come　down　before　you　left　the　cabin？〃

he　said；　turning　to　the　Old　Man。



〃Yes；　but　I　did　not　know　then　what　it　was。　　It　was　about　an　hour

and　a　half　after　you　left；〃　was　the　reply。



〃Then　look　here；　boys；〃　continued　the　Right　Bower　with　superstitious

exultation；　〃it　was　the　SLIDE　that　tumbled　into　the　creek；　overflowed

it；　and　helped　US　clear　out　the　race！〃



It　seemed　so　clear　that　Providence　had　taken　the　partners　of　the

Lone　Star　directly　in　hand　that　they　faced　the　toilsome　ascent　of

the　mountain　with　the　assurance　of　conquerors。　　They　paused　only　on

the　summit　to　allow　the　Old　Man　to　lead　the　way　to　the　slope　that

held　their　treasure。　　He　advanced　cautiously　to　the　edge　of　the

crumbling　cliff；　stopped；　looked　bewildered；　advanced　again；　and

then　remained　white　and　immovable。　　In　an　instant　the　Right　Bower

was　at　his　side。



〃Is　anything　the　matter？　　Don'tdon't　look　so；　Old　Man；　for　God's

sake！〃



The　Old　Man　pointed　to　the　dull；　smooth；　black　side　of　the

mountain；　without　a　crag；　break；　or　protuberance；　and　said　with

ashen　lips：



〃It's　gone！〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



And　it　was　gone！　　A　SECOND　slide　had　taken　place；　stripping　the

flank　of　the　mountain；　and　burying　the　treasure　and　the　weak

implement　that　had　marked　its　side　deep　under　a　chaos　of　rock　and

debris　at　its　base。



〃Thank　God！〃　　The　blank　faces　of　his　companions　turned　quickly　to

the　Right　Bower。　　〃Thank　God！〃　he　repeated；　with　his　arm　round　the

neck　of　the　Old　Man。　　〃Had　he　stayed　behind　he　would　have　been

buried　too。〃　　He　paused；　and；　pointing　solemnly　to　the　depths

below；　said；　〃And　thank　God　for　showing　us　where　we　may　yet　labor

for　it　in　hope　and　patience　like　honest　men。〃



The　men　silently　bowed　their　heads　and　slowly　descended　the

mountain。　　But　when　they　had　reached　the　plain　one　of　them　called

out　to　the　others　to　watch　a　star　that　seemed　to　be　rising　and

moving　towards　them　over　the　hushed　and　sleeping　valley。



〃It's　only　the　stage　coach；　boys；〃　said　the　Left　Bower；　smiling；

〃the　coach　that　was　to　take　us　away。〃



In　the　security　of　their　new…found　fraternity　they　resolved　to　wait

and　see　it　pass。　　As　it　swept　by　with　flash　of　light；　beat　of

hoofs；　and　jingle　of　harness；　the　only　real　presence　in　the　dreamy

landscape；　the　driver　shouted　a　hoarse　greeting　to　the　phantom

partners；　audible　only　to　the　Judge；　who　was　nearest　the　vehicle。



〃Did　you　hearDID　you　hear　what　he　said；　boys？〃　he　gasped；　turning

to　his　companions。　　〃No！　　Shake　hands　all　round；　boys！　　God　bless

you　all；　boys！　　To　think　we　didn't　know　it　all　this　while！〃



〃Know　what？〃



〃Merry　Christmas！〃











End