found at blazing star-第2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！





Staggered　by　this　preemptive　right；　sacred　to　all　miners；　Cass

stopped。



〃Who　is　the　coroner？〃　she　asked。



〃Joe　Hornsby。〃



〃The　tall；　lame　man；　who　was　half　eaten　by　a　grizzly？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　look　now！　　I'll　ride　on　and　bring　him　back　in　half　an　hour。

There！〃



〃But；　Miss！〃



〃Oh；　don't　mind　ME。　　I　never　saw　anything　of　this　kind　before；　and

I　want　to　see　it　ALL。〃



〃Do　you　know　Hornsby？〃　asked　Cass；　unconsciously　a　trifle　irritated。



〃No；　but　I'll　bring　him。〃　　She　wheeled　her　horse　into　the　road。



In　the　presence　of　this　living　energy　Cass　quite　forgot　the

helpless　dead。　　〃Have　you　been　long　in　these　parts；　Miss？〃　he

asked。



〃About　two　weeks；〃　she　answered；　shortly。　　〃Good…by；　just　now。

Look　around　for　the　pistol　or　anything　else　you　can　find；　although

I　have　been　over　the　whole　ground　twice　already。〃



A　little　puff　of　dust　as　the　horse　sprang　into　the　road；　a　muffled

shuffle；　struggle；　then　the　regular　beat　of　hoofs；　and　she　was

gone。



After　five　minutes　had　passed；　Cass　regretted　that　he　had　not

accompanied　her；　waiting　in　such　a　spot　was　an　irksome　task。　　Not

that　there　was　anything　in　the　scene　itself　to　awaken　gloomy

imaginings；　the　bright；　truthful　Californian　sunshine　scoffed　at

any　illusion　of　creeping　shadows　or　waving　branches。　　Once；　in　the

rising　wind；　the　empty　hat　rolled　overbut　only　in　a　ludicrous；

drunken　way。　　A　search　for　any　further　sign　or　token　had　proved

futile；　and　Cass　grew　impatient。　　He　began　to　hate　himself　for

having　stayed；　he　would　have　fled　but　for　shame。　　Nor　was　his　good

humor　restored　when　at　the　close　of　a　weary　half　hour　two　galloping

figures　emerged　from　the　dusty　horizonHornsby　and　the　young　girl。



His　vague　annoyance　increased　as　he　fancied　that　both　seemed　to

ignore　him；　the　coroner　barely　acknowledging　his　presence　with　a

nod。　　Assisted　by　the　young　girl；　whose　energy　and　enthusiasm

evidently　delighted　him；　Hornsby　raised　the　body　for　a　more　careful

examination。　　The　dead　man's　pockets　were　carefully　searched。　　A

few　coins；　a　silver　pencil；　knife；　and　tobacco…box　were　all　they

found。　　It　gave　no　clew　to　his　identity。　　Suddenly　the　young　girl；

who　had；　with　unabashed　curiosity；　knelt　beside　the　exploring

official　hands　of　the　Red　Chief；　uttered　a　cry　of　gratification。



〃Here's　something！　　It　dropped　from　the　bosom　of　his　shirt　on　the

ground。　　Look！〃



She　was　holding　in　the　air；　between　her　thumb　and　forefinger；　a

folded　bit　of　well…worn　newspaper。　　Her　eyes　sparkled。



〃Shall　I　open　it？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes。〃



〃It's　a　little　ring〃　she　said；　〃looks　like　an　engagement　ring。

Something　is　written　on　it。　　Look！　　'May　to　Cass。'〃



Cass　darted　forward。　　〃It's　mine；〃　he　stammered；　〃mine！　　I　dropped

it。　　It's　nothingnothing；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　pause；　embarrassed

and　blushing；　as　the　girl　and　her　companion　both　stared　at　him〃a

mere　trifle。　　I'll　take　it。〃



But　the　coroner　opposed　his　outstretched　hand。　　〃Not　much；〃　he

said；　significantly。



〃But　it's　MINE；〃　continued　Cass；　indignation　taking　the　place　of

shame　at　his　discovered　secret。　　〃I　found　it　six　months　ago　in　the

road。　　Ipicked　it　up。〃



〃With　your　name　already　written　on　it！　　How　handy！〃　said　the

coroner；　grimly。



〃It's　an　old　story〃　said　Cass；　blushing　again　under　the　half…

mischievous；　half…searching　eyes　of　the　girl。　　〃All　Blazing　Star

knows　I　found　it。〃



〃Then　ye'll　have　no　difficulty　in　provin'　it；〃　said　Hornsby；

coolly。　　〃Just　now；　however；　WE'VE　found　it；　and　we　propose　to　keep

it　for　the　inquest。〃



Cass　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　Further　altercation　would　have　only

heightened　his　ludicrous　situation　in　the　girl's　eyes。　　He　turned

away；　leaving　his　treasure　in　the　coroner's　hands。



The　inquest；　a　day　or　two　later；　was　prompt　and　final。　　No　clew　to

the　dead　man's　identity；　no　evidence　sufficiently　strong　to　prove

murder　or　suicide；　no　trace　of　any　kind；　inculpating　any　party；

known　or　unknown；　were　found。　　But　much　publicity　and　interest　were

given　to　the　proceedings　by　the　presence　of　the　principal　witness；

a　handsome　girl。　　〃To　the　pluck；　persistency；　and　intellect　of　Miss

Porter；〃　said　the　〃Red　Chief　Recorder；〃　〃Tuolumne　County　owes　the

recovery　of　the　body。〃



No　one　who　was　present　at　the　inquest　failed　to　be　charmed　with　the

appearance　and　conduct　of　this　beautiful　young　lady。



〃Miss　Porter　has　but　lately　arrived　in　this　district；　in　which；　it

is　hoped；　she　will　become　an　honored　resident；　and　continue　to　set

an　example　to　all　lackadaisical　and　sentimental　members　of　the　so…

called　'sterner　sex。'〃　　After　this　universally　recognized　allusion

to　Cass　Beard；　the　〃Recorder〃　returned　to　its　record：　〃Some

interest　was　excited　by　what　appeared　to　be　a　clew　to　the　mystery

in　the　discovery　of　a　small　gold　engagement　ring　on　the　body。

Evidence　was　afterward　offered　to　show　it　was　the　property　of　a　Mr。

Cass　Beard　of　Blazing　Star；　who　appeared　upon　the　scene　AFTER　the

discovery　of　the　corpse　by　Miss　Porter。　　He　alleged　he　had　dropped

it　in　lifting　the　unfortunate　remains　of　the　deceased。　　Much

amusement　was　created　in　court　by　the　sentimental　confusion　of　the

claimant；　and　a　certain　partisan　spirit　shown　by　his　fellow…miners

of　Blazing　Star。　　It　appearing；　however；　by　the　admission　of　this

sighing　Strephon　of　the　Foot　hills；　that　he　had　himself　FOUND　this

pledge　of　affection　lying　in　the　highway　six　months　previous；　the

coroner　wisely　placed　it　in　the　safe…keeping　of　the　county　court

until　the　appearance　of　the　rightful　owner。〃



Thus　on　the　13th　of　September；　186…；　the　treasure　found　at　Blazing

Star　passed　out　of　the　hands　of　its　finder。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



Autumn　brought　an　abrupt　explanation　of　the　mystery。　　Kanaka　Joe

had　been　arrested　for　horse　stealing；　but　had　with　noble　candor

confessed　to　the　finer　offense　of　manslaughter。　　That　swift　and

sure　justice　which　overtook　the　horse　stealer　in　these　altitudes

was　stayed　a　moment　and　hesitated；　for　the　victim　was　clearly　the

mysterious　unknown。　　Curiosity　got　the　better　of　an　extempore　judge

and　jury。



〃It　was　a　fair　fight；〃　said　the　accused；　not　without　some　human

vanity；　feeling　that　the　camp　hung　upon　his　words；　〃and　was　settled

by　the　man　az　was　peartest　and　liveliest　with　his　weapon。　　We　had　a

sort　of　unpleasantness　over　at　Lagrange　the　night　afore；　along　of

our　both　hevin'　a　monotony　of　four　aces。　　We　had　a　clinch　and　a

stamp　around；　and　when　we　was　separated　it　was　only　a　question　of

shootin'　on　sight。　　He　left　Lagrange　at　sun　up　the　next　morning；

and　I　struck　across　a　bit　o'　buckeye　and　underbrush　and　came　upon

him；　accidental　like；　on　the　Red　Chief　Road。　　I　drawed　when　I

sighted　him；　and　called　out。　　He　slipped　from　his　mare　and　covered

himself　with　her　flanks；　reaching　for　his　holster；　but　she　rared

and　backed　down　on　him　across　the　road　and　into　the　grass；　where　I

got　in　another　shot　and　fetched　him。〃



〃And　you　stole　his　mare？〃　suggested　the　Judge。



〃I　got　away；〃　said　the　gambler；　simply。



Further　questioning　only　elicited　the　fact　that　Joe　did　not　know

the　name　or　condition　of　his　victim。　　He　was　a　stranger　in　Lagrange。



It　was　a　breezy　afternoon；　with　some　turbulency　in　the　camp；　and

much　windy　discussion　over　this　unwonted　delay　of　justice。　　The

suggestion　that　Joe　should　be　first　hanged　for　horse　stealing　and

then　tried　for　murder　was　angrily　discussed；　but　milder　counsels

were　offeredthat　the　fact　of　the　killing　should　be　admitted　only

as　proof　of　the　theft。　　A　large　party　from　Red　Chief　had　come　over

to　assist　in　judgment；　among　them　the　coroner。



Cass　Beard　had　avoided　these　proceedings；　which　only　recalled　an

unpleasant　experience；　and　was　wandering　with　pick；　pan；　and　wallet

far　from　the　camp。　　These　accoutrements；　as　I　have　before　intimated；

justified　any　form　of　aimless　idleness　under　the　equally　aimless

title　of　〃prospecting。〃　　He　had　at　the　end　of　three　hours'

relaxation　reached　the　highway　to　Red　Chief；　half　hidden　by　blinding

clouds　of　dust　torn　from　the　crumbling　red　road　at　every　gust　which

swept　down　the　mountain　side。　　The　spot　had　a　familiar　aspect　to

Cass；　although　some　freshly…dug　holes　near　the　wayside；　with

scattered　earth　beside　them；　showed　the　presence　of　a　recent

prospector。　　He　was　struggling　with　his　memory；　when　the　dust　was

suddenly　dispersed　and　he　found　himself　again　at　the　scene　of　the

murder。　　He　started：　he　had　not　put　foot　on　the　road　since　the

inquest。　　There　lacked　only　the　helpless　dead　man　and　the

contrasting　figure　of　the　alert　young　woman　to　restore　the　picture。

The　body　was　gone；　it　was　true；　but　as　he　turned　he　beheld　Miss

Porter；　at　a　few　paces　distant；　sitting　on　her　horse　as　energetic

and　observant　as　on　the　first　morning　they　had　met。　　A　superstitious

thrill　passed　over　him　and　awoke　his　old　antagonism。



She　nodded　to　him　slightly。　　〃I　came　here　to　refresh　my　memory；〃

she　said；　〃as　Mr。　Hornsby　thought　I　might　be　asked　to　give　my

evidence　again　at　Blazing　Star。〃



Cass　carelessly　struck　an　aimless　blow　with　his　pick　against　the

sod　and　did　not　reply。



〃And　you？〃　she　queried。



〃I　stumbled　upon　the　place　just　now　while　prospecting；　or　I

shouldn't　be　here。〃



〃Then　it　was　YOU　made　these　holes？〃



〃No；〃　said　Cass；　with　ill…concealed　disgust。　　〃Nobody　but　a

stranger　would　go　foolin'　round　such　a　spot。〃



He　stopped；　as　the　rude　significance　of　his　speech　struck　him；　and

added　surlily；　〃I　meanno　one　would　dig　here。〃



The　girl　laughed　and　showed　a　set　of　very　white　teeth　in　her　square

jaw。　　Cass　averted　his　face。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　every　miner　doesn't　know　that　it's　lucky

to　dig　wherever　human　blood　has　been　spilt？〃



Cass　felt　a　return　of　his　superstition；　but　he　did　not　look　up。　　〃I

never　heard　it　before；〃　he　said；　severely。



〃And　you　call　yourself　a　California　miner？〃



〃I　do。〃



It　was　impossible　for　Miss　Porter　to　misunderstand　his　curt　speech

and　unsocial　manner。　　She　stared　at　him　and　colored　slightly。

Lifting　her　reins　lightly；　she　said：　〃You　certainly　do　not　seem

like　most　of　the　miners　I　have　met。〃



〃Nor　you　like　any　girl　from　the　East　I　ever　met；〃　he　responded。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked；　checking　her　horse。



〃What　I　say；〃　he　answered；　doggedly。　　Reasonable　as　this　reply　was；

it　immediately　struck　him　that　it　was　scarcely　dignified　or　manly。

But　before　he　could　explain　himself　Miss　Porter　was　gone。



He　met　her　again　that　very　evening。　　The　trial　had　been　summarily

suspended　by　the　appearance　of　the　Sheriff　of　Calaveras　and　his

posse；　who　took　Joe　from　that　self…constituted　tribunal　of　Blazing

Star　and　set　his　face　southward　and　toward　authoritative　although

more　cautious　justice。　　But　not　before　the　evidence　of　the　previous

inquest　had　been　read；　and　the　incident　of　the　ring　again　delivered

to　th