down the mother lode-第7节

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w　that　this　man　is　actuated　by　the　motive　of　jealousy　？〃

〃The　Mormon　beast！　He　knows　well　that　I　did　not　steal　his　mule。〃

〃No'　naughty　boy；〃　tapping　him　playfully　with　her　fan；　〃'Twas　something　else　you　stole　from　Master　Crow　the　woman　he　wanted。　Often　have　I　noticed　on　the　streets　how　all　women；　every　one；　turn　to　look　after　you。〃

〃I　cared　not　for　her。〃　He　shook　his　tall　and　beautiful　head；　impatient　of　the　silky　black　lock　which　fell　across　his　forehead。

〃Perhaps　then　'tis　your　magnificent　carriage　they　would　admire；〃　laughed　the　girl；　teasingly。

Dick　swept　her　close　to　his　heart。　〃My　golden…throated　dove；　I　cannot　join　in　your　sweet　laughter；　for　I　have　a　boding　heart；　this　day。　I　have　enemies。　They　will　use　my　past　record。　The　courts　are　new；　and　judgments　swift　and　cold。　If　they　should　send　me　again　to　the　penitentiary　I　…　〃

〃Dearest　I　should　know　you　to　be　innocent；　and　I　should　wait　for　you。〃

He　kissed　her　tenderly　on　cheeks；　and　eyes；　and　mouth。　He　took　her　hands　from　his　shoulders；　slipping　off　the　little　silken　mitts　and　putting　them　in　an　inner　pocket；　and　kissed　the　soft；　pink　palms。

〃Ah；　Lady…Bird；　if　I　should　not　return　you'll　remember　me？〃

〃Always。〃

〃My　own　pure　love！　No　breath　of　shame　shall　ever　sully　your　fair　name　through　me。〃

〃Right　well　I　know　that；　Richard。　God　bless　you。　I　will　pray　for　you　every　hour。〃

At　evening　George　Taylor　brought　her　a　note　from　Dick。

〃Oh；　George；〃　she　wailed；　〃they　have　sentenced　him？〃

〃Two　years　in　prison。〃

〃But　he　was　innocent！〃

〃Yes；　and　some　day　it　will　be　proven。〃　He　looked　at　her　strangely；　〃I　must　tell　you　…　Dick　has　broken　jail　and　fled　north　to　Shasta　county；　where　he　will　begin　life　anew。　Then；　if　you　still　wish　it；　he　will　come　to　you。〃

*　*　*　*　*

After　four　years　the　Singer…Lady　returned　for　a　concert　at　the　little　Opera　House　in　Rattlesnake。　She　went　to　her　old　quarters　at　the　Widow　Miller's；　on　the　edge　of　town。

〃Eh；　Dearie；〃　cried　the　good　woman；　〃what　have　they　been　doing　to　ye；　so　to　dim　your　bright　youth；　and　to　bring　the　sad　lines　to　your　mouth？〃

〃Mrs。　Miller；　where　is　he？〃

〃Ah　…　so　that's　the　answer。〃　The　girl's　eyes　filled　with　tears。

〃Four　years　…　and　for　the　last　two；　no　word。　I　must　find　George　Taylor。　Perhaps　he　…　〃

〃Dearie；　George　Taylor　is　with　Dick；　and　the　Skinners　and　Cherokee　Bob　and　Lame　Jim　Driscoll。　They　say；　too；　that　at　times　Dick　rides　with　Tom　Bell's　gang。〃

〃Ah；　he　tried　with　all　a　strong　man's　power　to　win　a　new　name　for　himself　…　and　for　you　…　but　Fate　was　too　strong。　His　false　record　followed　him　up　and　down　the　state　from　every　idle　throat；　casting　a　blight　over　all　he　sought　to；　do。　Every　sheriff　hounded　him　on。　Each　unproven　crime　was　laid　at　his　door。〃

〃But　why　did　he　not　come　to　me？　Oh；　he　had　my　whole　heart；　and　he　knew　it。〃

〃He　did　come　to　you　two　years　ago；　to　ask　if　you　would　return　to　Canada　with　him；　hoping　that　it　was　too　far　for　tales　from　California　to　travel。　As　soon　as　he　reached　San　Francisco　he　was　recognized　by　one　of　the　authorities　and　'shown　up'　by　the　Vigilante　Committee　in　the　Plaza；　as　they　put　up　all　dangerous　characters　for　the　police　and　the　people　to　see。

〃And　whilst　he　was　there　you　passed；　walking　with　another　man；　and　looked　him　in　the　eyes　and　knew　him　not。　'Twas　that　which　broke　his　heart　and　made　him　the　reckless　and　brilliant　devil　that　he　is　today。〃

〃But　…　but；〃　cried　the　Singer…Lady；　recovering　from　the　daze　these　words　had　placed　upon　her；　〃I　did　not　pass。　Oh；　I　should　have　fallen　at　his　feet　…　lost　to　all　maidenly　reserve　…　there　before　the　people。　It　must　have　been　my　sister；　who　had　but　lately　come　from　Boston　and　so　would　not　know　him；〃　and　she　broke　into　uncontrollable　weeping。

〃There；　child；　dry　your　tears。　Try　to　be　brave。　You　care　for　him　still？〃

〃Always。　I　have　never　ceased　to　pray　for　him。　If　I　cannot　become　his；　I　shall　go　lonely　to　my　grave。　Tell　me　everything；　kind　Mrs。　Miller。〃

〃He　robs　the　stages　of　the　Wells…Fargo　box；　but　lets　the　passengers　go　free；　and　he　has　never　been　known　to　take　anything　from　a　woman。　He　says　that　since　all　the　world　is　against　him；　his　hand　is　against　the　world。

〃His　den　is　now　at　Folsom；　they　say；　but　he　ranges　far　afield。　He　robs　the　sluices；　and　the　bullion　trains；　but　he　does　not　take　horses　or　mules　except　to　get　away　with　his　booty。　No　cell　can　hold　him。　He　has　escaped　from　every　jail　in　the　northern　mines。　He　has　been　known　to　say；　'I　shall　never　rot　in　a　prison　as　long　as　a　revolver　can　keep　me　out。〃'

〃Oh；　would　he　…　〃

〃He　would；　indeed；　Dearie；　for　the　sake　of　his　family　name　and　the　love　he　bears　you。　His　last　big　raid　was　upon　George　Barstow's　Wells…Fargo　train　from　Yreka。　They　held　them　up　on　Trinity　Mountain。　Eighty　thousand　dollars　in　bullion；　they　got；　even　with　twenty　men　guarding　it。〃

Mrs。　Miller　tiptoed　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　Coming　back　to　the　girl　she　whispered；　〃The　guards　are　tied　to　trees；　and　the　gang　is　waiting　for　Dick　and　Cy　Skinner　to　get　back　with　new　mules；　as　the　Wells…Fargo　mules　all　are　branded　and　would　give　them　away；　but　if　he　finds　out　that　you　are　here　he　may　…　〃

The　Singer…Lady　sprang　to　her　feet！　From　the　trees　behind　the　house　floated　a　snatch　of　song　in　a　clear　baritone。

〃When　coldness　or　deceit　shall　slight　the　beauty　now　they　prize；　When　hollow　hearts　shall　wear　a　mask；　'twill　break　your　own　to　see。　At　such　a　moment　I　but　ask　that　you'll　remember　me；　you'll　…　〃

By　this　time　the　girl　was　sobbing　in　Dick's　arms；　and　the　misunderstandings　of　four　years　were　soon　explained。

The　Singer…Lady　lifted　her　head　at　last　to　the　sound　of　galloping　horses。　Dick　was　looking　calmly　in　their　direction。　Terror　seized　her。

〃What　is　that？〃

〃You　must　return　to　the　house。　They　must　not　see　you　here。〃

She　clung　to　him　with　the　wail　of　a　breaking　heart。

〃It　is　the　sheriff　and　his　deputies。　This　morning　George　and　I　were　on　the　Folsom　stage。　We　were　stopped　by　a　deputy　sheriff　and　sternly　requested　to　alight。　We　entered　into　conversation　with　the　gentleman　of　the　law　…　whom　I　had　met　several　times　before〃　（with　a　grim　smile）；　〃and　finally　George；　with　due　deference　to　authority；　demanded　to　be　shown　the　warrant　for　our　arrest。

〃Whilst　the　simple　creature　was　fumbling　for　it；　we　opened　fire　and；　springing　from　the　top　of　the　stage；　escaped　across　Harmon　Hill。　The　vain　fellow　carried　only　a　derringer；　and　how　was　one　little　bullet　to　stop　our　race　for　liberty。〃

〃Yet　you　returned　here！　That　was　madness。〃

〃I　heard　of　you　and　the　longing　to　see　you　once　more　overcame　every　other　feeling。〃

〃Do　not　fear；　I　knew　that　they　would　come。　What　was　that　to　pay　for　the　chance　of　seeing　you　again。　They　can　but　put　me　in　Auburn　jail；　and　no　locks　can　hold　me　except　the　shining　ones　on　this　dear　head。　No　prison　can　keep　me　till　I　am　laid　in　that　last　one　beneath　the　grass；　and　there　I　will　wait　for　you　dear　love。　I　shall　not　hear　the　celestian　singing　till　your　sweet　voice　has　joined　the　angel　choir；　and　your　two　hands　…　see；　I　still　carry　the　little　mitts　…　shall　open　the　door　for　me　to　Paradise；　as　they　have　held　all　of　heaven　for　me　on　earth。

〃It　may　be　in　that　last　court；　the　Great　judge　of　all　will　look　into　my　heart　which　strove　to　be　honorable　and　will　dismiss　the　accusations　of　mere；　mortal　man。〃

*　*　*　*　*

As　usual；　Dick　escaped　the　jail　and　with　George　Taylor　attempted　to　get　away；　but　Fate　had　dealt　him　her　last　blow　and　on　the　scroll　of　his　precarious　and　bitter　life　had　written　finis。　A　mile　above　Auburn　they　were　overtaken　by　Assessor　George　W。　Martin　and　Deputy　Sheriffs　Crutcher　and　Johnston。　In　the　terrible　encounter　which　ensued　Martin　was　instantly　killed　and　Dick　mortally　wounded。

They　rode　more　than　a　mile　at　a　furious　pace；　from　the　scene　of　his　last　fight；　before　Dick　lay　down　to　die。　George　put　him　on　his　great　riding　cloak　and　spread　a　saddle　blanket　over　him。　Then　when　he　read　a　fresh　command　in　the　highwayman's　dark　eyes　he　faltered。

〃Dick；　old　friend　…　I　cannot。〃

〃I　am　shot　through　the　breast；　and　again　through　the　side。　You　promised　that　when　I　came　to　this　pass；　you　would　grant　the　liberation　I　seek　in　death。〃

〃I　cannot。　From　any　hand　but　mine　may　you　find　release。〃

〃Very　well〃　answered　Dick；　resolutely；　〃my　own　hand　shall　be　given　the　power　to　save　my　immortal　soul。〃　He　wrote　laboriously　on　a　bit　of　paper；　〃Rattlesnake　Dick　dies　but　never　surrenders；　as　all　true　Britons　do。〃

〃Go；　George；〃　he　said　gently；　〃but　first　give　me　my　pistol。　I　have　in　my　pocket　here　a　letter　from　the　sweetest　of　women。　It　says；　'I　have　grieved　but　never　despaired；　for　I　have　prayed　to　the　Father　that　he　would　restore　you　to　the　paths　of　rectitude；　and　I　say　faithfully；　He　will　save　you。　He　sees　in　your　heart　a　secret　wish　to　be　a　better　man。　'Seek　ye　first　the　kingdom　of　God；　and　all　things　shall　be　added　thereunto。'　He　will　raise　your　head　and　make　of　you　a　new　man'！　I　go　to　Him；　my　brother。〃　And；　raising　his　gun；　with　a　good　woman's　adored　name　on　his　lips；　he　released　his　sorely　tried　heart　from　bondage　into　the　unknown。



Indian　Vengeance

V

〃Those　brave　old　bricks　of　forty…nine！　What　lives　they　lived！　What　deaths　they　died！　Their　ghosts　are　many。　Let　them　keep　Their　vast　possessions