a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第18章
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and said； 〃All right； come with me； and I'll show you where to dig。〃
〃Who are you？〃 said Clarence。 〃You called yourself only 'me。'〃
〃Well； you can call me FlynnTom Flynn。〃
〃And you'll show me where I can digmyself？〃
〃I will。〃
〃Do you know；〃 said Clarence timidly； yet with a half…conscious smile；
〃that II kinder bring luck？〃
The man looked down upon him； and said gravely； but； as it struck
Clarence； with a new kind of gravity； 〃I believe you。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence eagerly； as they walked along together； 〃I brought
luck to a man in Sacramento the other day。〃 And he related with great
earnestness his experience in the gambling saloon。 Not content with that…
…the sealed fountains of his childish deep being broken up by some
mysterious sympathyhe spoke of his hospitable exploit with the
passengers at the wayside bar； of the finding of his Fortunatus purse and
his deposit at the bank。 Whether that characteristic old…fashioned
reticence which had been such an important factor for good or ill in his
future had suddenly deserted him； or whether some extraordinary
prepossession in his companion had affected him； he did not know； but by
the time the pair had reached the hillside Flynn was in possession of all the
boy's history。 On one point only was his reserve unshaken。 Conscious
although he was of Jim Hooker's duplicity； he affected to treat it as a
comrade's joke。
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They halted at last in the middle of an apparently fertile hillside。
Clarence shifted his shovel from his shoulders； unslung his pan； and
looked at Flynn。 〃Dig anywhere here； where you like；〃 said his
companion carelessly； 〃and you'll be sure to find the color。 Fill your pan
with the dirt； go to that sluice； and let the water run in on the top of the
panworkin' it round so；〃 he added； illustrating a rotary motion with the
vessel。 〃Keep doing that until all the soil is washed out of it； and you
have only the black sand at the bottom。 Then work that the same way
until you see the color。 Don't be afraid of washing the gold out of the
panyou couldn't do it if you tried。 There； I'll leave you here； and you
wait till I come back。〃 With another grave nod and something like a
smile in the only visible part of his bearded facehis eyeshe strode
rapidly away。
Clarence did not lose time。 Selecting a spot where the grass was less
thick； he broke through the soil and turned up two or three spadefuls of red
soil。 When he had filled the pan and raised it to his shoulder； he was
astounded at its weight。 He did not know that it was due to the red
precipitate of iron that gave it its color。 Staggering along with his burden
to the running sluice； which looked like an open wooden gutter； at the foot
of the hill； he began to carefully carry out Flynn's direction。 The first dip
of the pan in the running water carried off half the contents of the pan in
liquid paint…like ooze。 For a moment he gave way to boyish satisfaction
in the sight and touch of this unctuous solution； and dabbled his fingers in
it。 A few moments more of rinsing and he came to the sediment of fine
black sand that was beneath it。 Another plunge and swilling of water in the
pan； andcould he believe his eyes！a few yellow tiny scales； scarcely
larger than pins' heads； glittered among the sand。 He poured it off。 But
his companion was right； the lighter sand shifted from side to side with the
water； but the glittering points remained adhering by their own tiny
specific gravity to the smooth surface of the bottom。 It was 〃the color〃
gold！
Clarence's heart seemed to give a great leap within him。 A vision of
wealth； of independence； of power； sprang before his dazzled eyes； anda
hand lightly touched him on the shoulder。
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He started。 In his complete preoccupation and excitement； he had not
heard the clatter of horse…hoofs； and to his amazement Flynn was already
beside him； mounted； and leading a second horse。
〃You kin ride？〃 he said shortly。
〃Yes〃 stammered Clarence； 〃but〃
〃BUTwe've only got two hours to reach Buckeye Mills in time to
catch the down stage。 Drop all that； jump up； and come with me！〃
〃But I've just found gold；〃 said the boy excitedly。
〃And I've just found yourcousin。 Come！〃
He spurred his horse across Clarence's scattered implements； half
helped； half lifted； the boy into the saddle of the second horse； and； with a
cut of his riata over the animal's haunches； the next moment they were
both galloping furiously away。
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CHAPTER IX
Torn suddenly from his prospective future； but too much dominated
by the man beside him to protest； Clarence was silent until a rise in the
road； a few minutes later； partly abated their headlong speed； and gave him
chance to recover his breath and courage。
〃Where is my cousin？〃 he asked。
〃In the Southern county； two hundred miles from here。〃
〃Are we going to him？〃
〃Yes。〃
They rode furiously forward again。 It was nearly half an hour before
they came to a longer ascent。 Clarence could see that Flynn was from
time to time examining him curiously under his slouched hat。 This
somewhat embarrassed him； but in his singular confidence in the man no
distrust mingled with it。
〃Ye never saw yourcousin？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 said Clarence； 〃nor he me。 I don't think he knew me much； any
way。
〃How old mout ye be； Clarence？〃
〃Eleven。〃
〃Well； as you're suthin of a pup〃Clarence started； and recalled
Peyton's first criticism of him〃I reckon to tell ye suthin。 Ye ain't goin'
to be skeert； or afeard； or lose yer sand； I kalkilate； for skunkin' ain't in
your breed。 Well； wot ef I told ye that thish yerthish yerCOUSIN o'
yours was the biggest devil onhung； that he'd just killed a man； and had to
lite out elsewhere； and THET'S why he didn't show up in Sacramento
what if I told you that？〃
Clarence felt that this was somehow a little too much。 He was
perfectly truthful； and lifting his frank eyes to Flynn； he said；
〃I should think you were talking a good deal like Jim Hooker！〃
His companion stared； and suddenly reined up his horse； then； bursting
into a shout of laughter； he galloped ahead； from time to time shaking his
head； slapping his legs； and making the dim woods ring with his
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boisterous mirth。 Then as suddenly becoming thoughtful again； he rode
on rapidly for half an hour； only speaking to Clarence to urge him forward；
and assisting his progress by lashing the haunches of his horse。 Luckily；
the boy was a good ridera fact which Flynn seemed to thoroughly
appreciateor he would have been unseated a dozen times。
At last the straggling sheds of Buckeye Mills came into softer purple
view on the opposite mountain。 Then laying his hand on Clarence's
shoulder as he reined in at his side； Flynn broke the silence。
〃There； boy；〃 he said； wiping the mirthful tears from his eyes。 〃I was
only foolin'only tryin' yer grit！ This yer cousin I'm taking you to be as
quiet and soft…spoken and as old…fashioned ez you be。 Why； he's that
wrapped up in books and study that he lives alone in a big adobe rancherie
among a lot o' Spanish； and he don't keer to see his own countrymen！
Why； he's even changed his name； and calles himself Don Juan Robinson！
But he's very rich； he owns three leagues of land and heaps of cattle and
horses； and；〃 glancing approvingly at Clarence's seat in the saddle； 〃I
reckon you'll hev plenty of fun thar。〃
〃But；〃 hesitated Clarence； to whom this proposal seemed only a
repetition of Peyton's charitable offer； 〃I think I'd better stay here and dig
goldWITH YOU。〃
〃And I think you'd better not；〃 said the man； with a gravity that was
very like a settled determination。
〃But my cousin never came for me to Sacramentonor sent； nor even
wrote；〃 persisted Clarence indignantly。
〃Not to YOU； boy； but he wrote to the man whom he reckoned would
bring you thereJack Silsbeeand left it in the care of the bank。 And
Silsbee； being dead； didn't come for the letter； and as you didn't ask for it
when you came； and didn't even mention Silsbee's name； that same letter
was sent back to your cousin through me； because the bank thought we
knew his whereabouts。 It came to the gulch by an express rider； whilst
you were prospectin' on the hillside。 Rememberin' your story； I took the
liberty of opening it； and found out that your cousin had told Silsbee to
bring you straight to him。 So I'm only doin' now what Silsbee would
have done。〃
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Any momentary doubt or suspicion that might have risen in Clarence's
mind vanished as he met his companion's steady and masterful eye。
Even his disappointment was forgotten in the charm of this new…found
friendship and protection。 And as its outset had been marked by an
unusual burst of confidence on Clarence's part； the boy； in his gratitude；
now felt something of the timid sh
