a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第9章

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abandon　his　helplessness　to　their　feeble　arms。　　He　remembered　that
his　horse　was　still　tied　to　the　garden　fence。　　He　would　fetch　it；
and　carry　the　unfortunate　man　across　the　saddle　to　the　gate。　　He
lifted　him　with　difficulty　to　the　boulder；　and　ran　rapidly　up　the
road　in　the　direction　of　his　tethered　steed。　　He　had　not　proceeded
far　when　he　heard　the　noise　of　wheels　behind　him。　　It　was　the　up
stage　coming　furiously　along。　　He　would　have　called　to　the　driver
for　assistance；　but　even　through　that　fast…sweeping　cloud　of　dust
and　motion　he　could　see　that　the　man　was　utterly　oblivious　of
anything　but　the　speed　of　his　rushing　chariot；　and　had　even　risen
in　his　box　to　lash　the　infuriated　and　frightened　animals　forward。

An　hour　later；　when　the　coach　drew　up　at　the　Red　Dog　Hotel；　the
driver　descended　from　the　box；　white；　but　taciturn。　　When　he　had
swallowed　a　glass　of　whiskey　at　a　single　gulp；　he　turned　to　the
astonished　express　agent；　who　had　followed　him　in。

〃One　of　two　things；　Jim；　hez　got　to　happen；〃　he　said；　huskily。
〃Either　that　there　rock　hez　got　to　get　off　the　road；　or　I　have。
I've　seed　HIM　on　it　agin！〃


CHAPTER　IV


No　further　particulars　of　the　invalid's　second　attack　were　known
than　those　furnished　by　Don　Caesar's　brief　statement；　that　he　had
found　him　lying　insensible　on　the　boulder。　　This　seemed　perfectly
consistent　with　the　theory　of　Dr。　Duchesne；　and　as　the　young
Spaniard　left　Los　Gatos　the　next　day；　he　escaped　not　only　the
active　reporter　of　the　〃Record；〃　but　the　perusal　of　a　grateful
paragraph　in　the　next　day's　paper　recording　his　prompt　kindness　and
courtesy。　　Dr。　Duchesne's　prognosis；　however；　seemed　at　fault；　the
elder　Slinn　did　not　succumb　to　this　second　stroke；　nor　did　he
recover　his　reason。　　He　apparently　only　relapsed　into　his　former
physical　weakness；　losing　the　little　ground　he　had　gained　during
the　last　month；　and　exhibiting　no　change　in　his　mental　condition；
unless　the　fact　that　he　remembered　nothing　of　his　seizure　and　the
presence　of　Don　Caesar　could　be　considered　as　favorable。　　Dr。
Duchesne's　gravity　seemed　to　give　that　significance　to　this
symptom；　and　his　cross…questioning　of　the　patient　was　characterized
by　more　than　his　usual　curtness。

〃You　are　sure　you　don't　remember　walking　in　the　garden　before　you
were　ill？〃　he　said。　　〃Come；　think　again。　　You　must　remember　that。〃
The　old　man's　eyes　wandered　restlessly　around　the　room；　but　he
answered　by　a　negative　shake　of　his　head。　　〃And　you　don't　remember
sitting　down　on　a　stone　by　the　road？〃

The　old　man　kept　his　eyes　resolutely　fixed　on　the　bedclothes　before
him。　　〃No！〃　he　said；　with　a　certain　sharp　decision　that　was　new　to
him。

The　doctor's　eye　brightened。　　〃All　right；　old　man；　then　don't。〃

On　his　way　out　he　took　the　eldest　Miss　Slinn　aside。　　〃He'll　do；〃　he
said；　grimly：　〃he's　beginning　to　lie。〃

〃Why；　he　only　said　he　didn't　remember；〃　responded　Esther。

〃That　was　because　he　didn't　want　to　remember；〃　said　the　doctor；
authoritatively。　　〃The　brain　is　acting　on　some　impression　that　is
either　painful　and　unpleasant；　or　so　vague　that　he　can't　formulate
it；　he　is　conscious　of　it；　and　won't　attempt　it　yet。　　It's　a　heap
better　than　his　old　self…satisfied　incoherency。〃

A　few　days　later；　when　the　fact　of　Slinn's　identification　with　the
paralytic　of　three　years　ago　by　the　stage…driver　became　generally
known；　the　doctor　came　in　quite　jubilant。

〃It's　all　plain　now；〃　he　said；　decidedly。　　〃That　second　stroke　was
caused　by　the　nervous　shock　of　his　coming　suddenly　upon　the　very
spot　where　he　had　the　first　one。　　It　proved　that　his　brain　still
retained　old　impressions；　but　as　this　first　act　of　his　memory　was　a
painful　one；　the　strain　was　too　great。　　It　was　mighty　unlucky；　but
it　was　a　good　sign。〃

〃And　you　think；　then〃　hesitated　Harry　Slinn。

〃I　think；〃　said　Dr。　Duchesne；　〃that　this　activity　still　exists；　and
the　proof　of　it；　as　I　said　before；　is　that　he　is　trying　now　to
forget　it；　and　avoid　thinking　of　it。　　You　will　find　that　he　will
fight　shy　of　any　allusion　to　it；　and　will　be　cunning　enough　to
dodge　it　every　time。〃

He　certainly　did。　　Whether　the　doctor's　hypothesis　was　fairly　based
or　not；　it　was　a　fact　that；　when　he　was　first　taken　out　to　drive
with　his　watchful　physician；　he　apparently　took　no　notice　of　the
boulderwhich　still　remained　on　the　roadside；　thanks　to　the　later
practical　explanation　of　the　stage…driver's　visionand　curtly
refused　to　talk　about　it。　　But；　more　significant　to　Duchesne；　and
perhaps　more　perplexing；　was　a　certain　morose　abstraction；　which
took　the　place　of　his　former　vacuity　of　contentment；　and　an
intolerance　of　his　attendants；　which　supplanted　his　old　habitual
trustfulness　to　their　care；　that　had　been　varied　only　by　the
occasional　querulousness　of　an　invalid。　　His　daughters　sometimes
found　him　regarding　them　with　an　attention　little　short　of
suspicion；　and　even　his　son　detected　a　half…suppressed　aversion　in
his　interviews　with　him。

Referring　this　among　themselves　to　his　unfortunate　malady；　his
children；　perhaps；　justified　this　estrangement　by　paying　very
little　attention　to　it。　　They　were　more　pleasantly　occupied。　　The
two　girls　succeeded　to　the　position　held　by　Mamie　Mulrady　in　the
society　of　the　neighborhood；　and　divided　the　attentions　of　Rough…
and…Ready。　　The　young　editor　of　the　〃Record〃　had　really　achieved；
through　his　supposed　intimacy　with　the　Mulradys；　the　good　fortune
he　had　jestingly　prophesied。　　The　disappearance　of　Don　Caesar　was
regarded　as　a　virtual　abandonment　of　the　field　to　his　rival：　and
the　general　opinion　was　that　he　was　engaged　to　the　millionaire's
daughter　on　a　certain　probation　of　work　and　influence　in　his
prospective　father…in…law's　interests。　　He　became　successful　in　one
or　two　speculations；　the　magic　of　the　lucky　Mulrady's　name
befriending　him。　　In　the　superstition　of　the　mining　community；　much
of　this　luck　was　due　to　his　having　secured　the　old　cabin。

〃To　think；〃　remarked　one　of　the　augurs　of　Red　Dog；　French　Pete；　a
polyglot　jester；　〃that　while　every　fool　went　to　taking　up　claims
where　the　gold　had　already　been　found　no　one　thought　of　stepping
into　the　old　man's　old　choux　in　the　cabbage…garden！〃　　Any　doubt；
however；　of　the　alliance　of　the　families　was　dissipated　by　the
intimacy　that　sprang　up　between　the　elder　Slinn　and　the
millionaire；　after　the　latter's　return　from　San　Francisco。

It　began　in　a　strange　kind　of　pity　for　the　physical　weakness　of　the
man；　which　enlisted　the　sympathies　of　Mulrady；　whose　great　strength
had　never　been　deteriorated　by　the　luxuries　of　wealth；　and　who　was
still　able　to　set　his　workmen　an　example　of　hard　labor；　it　was
sustained　by　a　singular　and　superstitious　reverence　for　his　mental
condition；　which；　to　the　paternal　Mulrady；　seemed　to　possess　that
spiritual　quality　with　which　popular　ignorance　invests　demented
people。

〃Then　you　mean　to　say　that　during　these　three　years　the　vein　o'
your　mind；　so　to　speak；　was　a　lost　lead；　and　sorter　dropped　out　o'
sight　or　follerin'？〃　queried　Mulrady；　with　infinite　seriousness。

〃Yes；〃　returned　Slinn；　with　less　impatience　than　he　usually　showed
to　questions。

〃And　durin'　that　time；　when　you　was　dried　up　and　waitin'　for　rain；
I　reckon　you　kinder　had　visions？〃

A　cloud　passed　over　Slinn's　face。

〃Of　course；　of　course！〃　said　Mulrady；　a　little　frightened　at　his
tenacity　in　questioning　the　oracle。　　〃Nat'rally；　this　was　private；
and　not　to　be　talked　about。　　I　meant；　you　had　plenty　of　room　for
'em　without　crowdin'；　you　kin　tell　me　some　day　when　you're　better；
and　kin　sorter　select　what's　points　and　what　ain't。〃

〃Perhaps　I　may　some　day；〃　said　the　invalid；　gloomily；　glancing　in
the　direction　of　his　preoccupied　daughters；　〃when　we're　alone。〃

When　his　physical　strength　had　improved；　and　his　left　arm　and　side
had　regained　a　feeble　but　slowly　gathering　vitality；　Alvin　Mulrady
one　day　surprised　the　family　by　bringing　the　convalescent　a　pile　of
letters　and　accounts；　and　spreading　them　on　a　board　before　Slinn's
invalid　chair；　with　the　suggestion　that　he　should　look　over；
arrange；　and　docket　them。　　The　idea　seemed　preposterous；　until　it
was　found　that　the　old　man　was　actually　able　to　perform　this
service；　and　exhibited　a　degree　of　intellectual　activity　and
capacity　for　this　kind　of　work　that　was　unsuspected。　　Dr。　Duchesne
was　delighted；　and　divided　with　admiration　between　his　patient's
progress　and　the　millionaire's　sagacity。　　〃And　there　are　envious
people；〃　said　the　enthusiastic　doctor；　〃who　believe　that　a　man　like
him；　who　could　conceive　of　such　a　plan　for　occupying　a　weak
intellect　without　taxing　its　memory　or　judgment；　is　merely　a　lucky
fool！　　Look　here。　　May　be　it　didn't　require　much　brains　to　stumble
on　a　gold　mine；　and　it　is　a　gift　of　Providence。　　But；　in　my
experience；　Providence　don't　go　round　buyin'　up　dd　fools；　or
investin'　in　dead　beats。〃

When　Mr。　Slinn；　finally；　with　the　aid　of　crutches；　was　able　to
hobble　every　day　to　the　imposing　counting…house　and　the　office　of
Mr。　Mulrady；　which　now　occupied　the　lower　part　of　the　new　house；
and　contained　some　of　its　gorgeous　furniture；　he　was　installed　at　a
rosewood　desk　behind　Mr。　Mulrady's　chair；　as　his　confidential　clerk
and　private　secretary。　　The　astonishment　of　Red　Dog　and　Rough…and…
Ready　at　this　singular　innovation　knew　no　bounds；　but　the　boldness
and　novelty　of　the　idea　carried　everything　before　it。　　Judge　Butts；
the　oracle　of　Rough…and…Ready；　delivered　its　decision：　〃He's　got　a
man　who's　physically　incapable　of　running　off　with　his　money；　and
has　no　memory　to　run　off　with　his　ideas。　　How　could　he　do　better？〃
Even　his　own　son；　Harry；　coming　upon　his　father　thus　installed；　was
for　a　moment　struck　with　a　certain　filial　respect；　and　for　a　day　or
two　patronized　him。

In　this　capacity　Slinn　became　the　confidant　not　only　of　Mulrady's
business　secrets；　but　of　his　domestic　affairs。　　He　knew　that　young
Mulrady；　from　a　freckle…faced　slow　country　boy；　had　developed　into
a　freckle…faced　fast　city　man；　with　coarse　habits　of　drink　and
gambling。　　It　was　through　the　old　man's　hands　that　extravagant
bills　and　shameful　claims　passed　on　their　way　to　be　cashed　by
Mulrady；　it　was　he　that　at　last　laid　before　the　father　one　day　his
signature　perfectly　forged　by　the　son。

〃Your　eyes　are　not　ez　good　ez　mine；　you　know；　Slinn；〃　said　Mulrady；
gravely。　　〃It's　all　right。　　I　sometimes　make　my　Y's　like　that。　　I'd
clean　forgot　to　cash　that　check。　　You　must　not　think　you've　got　the
monopoly　of　disremembering；〃　he　added；　with　a　faint　laugh。

Equally　through　Slinn's　hands　passed　the　record　of　the　lavish
expenditure　of　Mrs。　Mulrady　and　the　fair　Mamie；　as　well　as　the
chronicle　of　their　movements　and　fashionable　triumphs。　　As　Mulrady
had　already　noticed　that　Slinn　had　no　confidence　with　his　own
family；　he　did　not　try　to　withhold　from　them　these　domestic
details；　possibly　as　an　offset　to　the　dreary　catalogue　of　his　son's
misdeeds；　but　more　often　in　the　hope　of　gaining　from　the　taciturn
old　man　some　comment　that　might　satisfy　his　innocent　vanity　as
father　and　husband；　and　perhaps　dissipate　some　doubts　that　were
haunting　him。

〃Twelve　hundred　dollars　looks　to　be　a　good　figger　for　a　dress；
ain't　it？　　But　Malviny　knows；　I　reckon；　what　ought　to　be　worn　at
the　Tooil