found at blazing star-第5章

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called　his　name。　　It　was　Miss　Porter；　a　resplendent　vision　of　silk；

laces；　and　Easter　flowersyet　actually　running；　with　something　of

her　old　dash　and　freedom；　beside　the　wagon。　　As　the　astonished

teamster　drew　up　before　this　elegant　apparition；　she　panted：



〃Why　did　you　make　me　run　so　far；　and　why　didn't　you　look　up？〃



Cass；　trying　to　hide　the　patches　on　his　knees　beneath　a　newspaper；

stammered　that　he　had　not　seen　her。



〃And　you　did　not　hold　down　your　head　purposely？〃



〃No；〃　said　Cass。



〃Why　have　you　not　been　to　Red　Chief？　　Why　didn't　you　answer　my

message　about　the　ring？〃　she　asked；　swiftly。



〃You　sent　nothing　but　the　ring；〃　said　Cass；　coloring；　as　he　glanced

at　the　teamster。



〃Why；　THAT　was　a　message；　you　born　idiot。〃



Cass　stared。　　The　teamster　smiled。　　Miss　Porter　gazed　anxiously　at

the　wagon。　　〃I　think　I'd　like　a　ride　in　there；　it　looks　awfully

good。〃　　She　glanced　mischievously　around　at　the　lingering　and

curious　congregation。



〃May　I？〃



But　Cass　deprecated　that　proceeding　strongly。　　It　was　dirty；　he　was

not　sure　it　was　even　WHOLESOME；　she　would　be　SO　uncomfortable；　he；

himself；　was　only　going　a　few　rods　farther；　and　in　that　time　she

might　ruin　her　dress



〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said；　a　little　bitterly；　〃certainly；　my　dress　must

be　looked　after。　　Andwhat　else？〃



〃People　might　think　it　strange；　and　believe　I　had　invited　you；〃

continued　Cass；　hesitatingly。



〃When　I　had　only　invited　myself？　　Thank　you。　　Good…by。〃



She　waved　her　hand　and　stepped　back　from　the　wagon。　　Cass　would

have　given　worlds　to　recall　her；　but　he　sat　still；　and　the　vehicle

moved　on　in　moody　silence。　　At　the　first　cross　road　he　jumped　down。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　to　the　teamster。　　〃You're　welcome；〃　returned

that　gentleman；　regarding　him　curiously；　〃but　the　next　time　a　gal

like　that　asks　to　ride　in　this　yer　wagon；　I　reckon　I　won't　take　the

vote　of　any　deadhead　passenger。　　Adios；　young　fellow。　　Don't　stay

out　late；　ye　might　be　run　off　by　some　gal；　and　what　would　your

mother　say？〃　　Of　course　the　young　man　could　only　look　unutterable

things　and　walk　away；　but　even　in　that　dignified　action　he　was

conscious　that　its　effect　was　somewhat　mitigated　by　a　large　patch

from　a　material　originally　used　as　a　flour　sack；　which　had　repaired

his　trousers；　but　still　bore　the　ironical　legend；　〃Best　Superfine。〃



The　summer　brought　warmth　and　promise　and　some　blossom；　if　not

absolute　fruition；　to　Blazing　Star。　　The　long　days　drew　Nature　into

closer　communion　with　the　men；　and　hopefulness　followed　the

discontent　of　their　winter　seclusion。　　It　was　easier；　too；　for

Capital　to　be　wooed　and　won　into　making　a　picnic　in　these　mountain

solitudes　than　when　high　water　stayed　the　fords　and　drifting　snow

the　Sierran　trails。　　At　the　close　of　one　of　these　Arcadian　days

Cass　was　smoking　before　the　door　of　his　lonely　cabin　when　he　was

astounded　by　the　onset　of　a　dozen　of　his　companions。　　Peter

Drummond；　far　in　the　van；　was　waving　a　newspaper　like　a　victorious

banner。　　〃All's　right　now；　Cass；　old　man！〃　he　panted　as　he　stopped

before　Cass　and　shoved　back　his　eager　followers。



〃What's　all　right？〃　asked　Cass；　dubiously。



〃YOU！　　You　kin　rake　down　the　pile　now。　　You're　hunky！　　You're　on

velvet。　　Listen！〃



He　opened　the　newspaper　and　read；　with　annoying　deliberation；　as

follows：



〃LOST。If　the　finder　of　a　plain　gold　ring；　bearing　the　engraved

inscription；　'May　to　Cass；'　alleged　to　have　been　picked　up　on　the

high　road　near　Blazing　Star　on　the　4th　March；　186…；　will　apply　to

Bookham　&　Sons；　bankers；　1007　Y　Street；　Sacramento；　he　will　be

suitably　rewarded　either　for　the　recovery　of　the　ring；　or　for　such

facts　as　may　identify　it；　or　the　locality　where　it　was　found。〃



Cass　rose　and　frowned　savagely　on　his　comrades。　　〃No！　no！〃　cried　a

dozen　voices；　assuringly。　　〃It's　all　right！　　Honest　Injun！　　True　as

gospel！　　No　joke；　Cass！〃



〃Here's　the　paper；　Sacramento　'Union'　of　yesterday。　　Look　for

yourself；〃　said　Drummond；　handing　him　the　well…worn　journal。　　〃And

you　see；〃　he　added；　〃how　darned　lucky　you　are。　　It　ain't　necessary

for　you　to　produce　the　ring；　so　if　that　old　biled　owl　of　a

Boompointer　don't　giv'　it　back　to　ye；　it's　all　the　same。〃




〃And　they　say　nobody　but　the　finder　need　apply；〃　interrupted

another。　　〃That　shuts　out　Boompointer　or　Kanaka　Joe；　for　the　matter

o'　that。〃



〃It's　clar　that　it　MEANS　you；　Cass；　ez　much　ez　if　they'd　given　your

name；〃　added　a　third。



For　Miss　Porter's　sake　and　his　own　Cass　had　never　told　them　of　the

restoration　of　the　ring；　and　it　was　evident　that　Mountain　Charley

had　also　kept　silent。　　Cass　could　not　speak　now　without　violating　a

secret；　and　he　was　pleased　that　the　ring　itself　no　longer　played　an

important　part　in　the　mystery。　　But　what　was　that　mystery；　and　why

was　the　ring　secondary　to　himself？　　Why　was　so　much　stress　laid

upon　his　finding　it？



〃You　see；〃　said　Drummond；　as　if　answering　his　unspoken　thought；

〃that　'ar　galfor　it　is　a　gal　in　coursehez　read　all　about　it　in

the　papers；　and　hez　sort　o'　took　a　shine　to　ye。　　It　don't　make　a

bit　o'　difference　who　in　thunder　Cass　IS　or　WAZ；　for　I　reckon　she's

kicked　him　over　by　this　time〃



〃Sarved　him　right；　too；　for　losing　the　girl's　ring　and　then　lying

low　and　keeping　dark　about　it；〃　interrupted　a　sympathizer。



〃And　she's　just　weakened　over　the　romantic；　high…toned　way　you

stuck　to　it；〃　continued　Drummond；　forgetting　the　sarcasms　he　had

previously　hurled　at　this　romance。　　Indeed；　the　whole　camp；　by　this

time；　had　become　convinced　that　it　had　fostered　and　developed　a

chivalrous　devotion　which　was　now　on　the　point　of　pecuniary

realization。　　It　was　generally　accepted　that　〃she〃　was　the　daughter

of　this　banker；　and　also　felt　that　in　the　circumstances　the　happy

father　could　not　do　less　than　develop　the　resources　of　Blazing　Star

at　once。　　Even　if　there　were　no　relationship；　what　opportunity

could　be　more　fit　for　presenting　to　capital　a　locality　that　even

produced　engagement　rings；　and；　as　Jim　Fauquier　put　it；　〃the　men　ez

knew　how　to　keep　'em。〃　　It　was　this　sympathetic　Virginian　who　took

Cass　aside　with　the　following　generous　suggestion：　〃If　you　find

that　you　and　the　old　gal　couldn't　hitch　hosses；　owin'　to　your　not

likin'　red　hair　or　a　game　leg〃　（it　may　be　here　recorded　that

Blazing　Star　had；　for　no　reason　whatever；　attributed　these

unprepossessing　qualities　to　the　mysterious　advertiser）；　〃you　might

let　ME　in。　　You　might　say　ez　how　I　used　to　jest　worship　that　ring

with　you；　and　allers　wanted　to　borrow　it　on　Sundays。　　If　anything

comes　of　itwhyWE'RE　PARDNERS！〃



A　serious　question　was　the　outfitting　of　Cass　for　what　now　was　felt

to　be　a　diplomatic　representation　of　the　community。　　His　garments；

it　hardly　need　be　said；　were　inappropriate　to　any　wooing　except

that　of　the　〃maiden　all　forlorn；〃　which　the　advertiser　clearly　was

not。　　〃He　might；〃　suggested　Fauquier；　〃drop　in　jest　as　he　is

kinder　as　if　he'd　got　keerless　of　the　world；　being　lovesick。〃　　But

Cass　objected　strongly；　and　was　borne　out　in　his　objection　by　his

younger　comrades。　　At　last　a　pair　of　white　duck　trousers；　a　red

shirt；　a　flowing　black　silk　scarf；　and　a　Panama　hat　were　procured

at　Red　Chief；　on　credit；　after　a　judicious　exhibition　of　the

advertisement。　　A　heavy　wedding　ring；　the　property　of　Drummond　（who

was　not　married）；　was　also　lent　as　a　graceful　suggestion；　and　at

the　last　moment　Fauquier　affixed　to　Cass's　scarf　an　enormous

specimen　pin　of　gold　and　quartz。　　〃It　sorter　indicates　the

auriferous　wealth　o'　this　yer　region；　and　the　old　man　（the　senior

member　of　Bookham　&　Sons）　needn't　know　I　won　it　at　draw　poker　in

Frisco；〃　said　Fauquier。



〃Ef　you　'pass'　on　the　gal；　you　kin　hand　it　back　to　me　and　I'LL　try

it　on。〃　　Forty　dollars　for　expenses　was　put　into　Cass's　hands；　and

the　entire　community　accompanied　him　to　the　cross　roads　where　he

was　to　meet　the　Sacramento　coach；　which　eventually　carried　him

away；　followed　by　a　benediction　of　waving　hats　and　exploding

revolvers。



That　Cass　did　not　participate　in　the　extravagant　hopes　of　his

comrades；　and　that　he　rejected　utterly　their　matrimonial

speculations　in　his　behalf；　need　not　be　said。　　Outwardly；　he　kept

his　own　counsel　with　good…humored　assent。　　But　there　was　something

fascinating　in　the　situation；　and　while　he　felt　he　had　forever

abandoned　his　romantic　dream；　he　was　not　displeased　to　know　that　it

might　have　proved　a　reality。　　Nor　was　it　distasteful　to　him　to

think　that　Miss　Porter　would　hear　of　it　and　regret　her　late

inability　to　appreciate　his　sentiment。　　If　he　really　were　the

object　of　some　opulent　maiden's　passion；　he　would　show　Miss　Porter

how　he　could　sacrifice　the　most　brilliant　prospects　for　her　sake。

Alone；　on　the　top　of　the　coach；　he　projected　one　of　those

satisfying　conversations　in　which　imaginative　people　delight；　but

which　unfortunately　never　come　quite　up　to　rehearsal。　　〃Dear　Miss

Porter；〃　he　would　say；　addressing　the　back　of　the　driver；　〃if　I

could　remain　faithful　to　a　dream　of　my　youth；　however　illusive　and

unreal；　can　you　believe　that　for　the　sake　of　lucre　I　could　be　false

to　the　one　real　passion　that　alone　supplanted　it。〃　　In　the

composition　and　delivery　of　this　eloquent　statement　an　hour　was

happily　forgotten：　the　only　drawback　to　its　complete　effect　was

that　a　misplace　of　epithets　in　rapid　repetition　did　not　seem　to

make　the　slightest　difference；　and　Cass　found　himself　saying　〃Dear

Miss　Porter；　if　I　could　be　false　to　a　dream　of　my　youth；　etc。；

etc。；　can　you　believe　I　could　be　FAITHFUL　to　the　one　real　passion；

etc。；　etc。；〃　with　equal　and　perfect　satisfaction。　　As　Miss　Porter

was　reputed　to　be　well　off；　if　the　unknown　were　poor；　that　might　be

another　drawback。



The　banking　house　of　Bookham　&　Sons　did　not　present　an　illusive　nor

mysterious　appearance。　　It　was　eminently　practical　and　matter　of

fact；　it　was　obtrusively　open　and　glassy；　nobody　would　have　thought

of　leaving　a　secret　there　that　would　have　been　inevitably

circulated　over　the　counter。　　Cass　felt　an　uncomfortable　sense　of

incongruity　in　himself；　in　his　story；　in　his　treasure；　to　this

temple　of　disenchanting　realism。　　With　the　awkwardness　of　an

embarrassed　man　he　was　holding　prominently　in　his　hand　an　envelope

containing　the　ring　and　advertisement　as　a　voucher　for　his

intrusion；　when　the　nearest　clerk　took　the　envelope　from　his　hand；

opened　it；　took　out　the　ring；　returned　it；　said　briskly；　〃T'other

shop；　next　door；　young　man；〃　and　turned　to　another　customer。



Cass　stepped　to　the　door；　saw　that　〃T'other　shop〃　was　a

pawnbroker's；　and　returned　again　with　a　flashing　eye　and　heightened

color。　　〃It's　an　advertisement　I　have　come　to　answer；〃　he　began

again。



The　clerk　cast　a　glance　at　Cass's　scarf　and　pin。　　〃Place　taken

yesterdayno　room　for　any　more；〃　he　said；　abruptly。



Cass　grew　quite　white。　　But　his　old　experience　in　Blazing　Star

repartee　stood　him　in　good　stead