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！
with his eyes fixed on the distant crest of Table Mountain。 He
remained motionless for some time； until the bar…keeper； who had
already concocted the conventional welcome of the Mansion House；
appeared with it in a glass； put it upon the table； glanced at the
stranger； and then； thoroughly awake； cried out；
〃Ruth Pinkneyor I'm a Chinaman！〃
The stranger lifted his eyes wearily。 Hollow circles were around
their orbits； haggard lines were in his checks。 But it was Ruth。
He took the glass； and drained it at a single draught。 〃Yes；〃 he
said absently； 〃Ruth Pinkney；〃 and fixed his eyes again on the
distant rosy crest。
〃On your way up home？〃 suggested the bar…keeper； following the
direction of Ruth's eyes。
〃Perhaps。〃
〃Been upon a pasear； hain't yer？ Been havin' a little tear round
Sacramento；seein' the sights？〃
Ruth smiled bitterly。 〃Yes。〃
The bar…keeper lingered； ostentatiously wiping a glass。 But Ruth
again became abstracted in the mountain； and the barkeeper turned
away。
How pure and clear that summit looked to him！ how restful and
steadfast with serenity and calm！ how unlike his own feverish；
dusty； travel…worn self！ A week had elapsed since he had last
looked upon it；a week of disappointment； of anxious fears； of
doubts； of wild imaginings； of utter helplessness。 In his hopeless
quest of the missing Mornie； he had； in fancy； seen this serene
eminence haunting his remorseful； passion…stricken soul。 And now；
without a clew to guide him to her unknown hiding…place； he was
back again； to face the brother whom he had deceived； with only the
confession of his own weakness。 Hard as it was to lose forever the
fierce； reproachful glances of the woman he loved； it was still
harder； to a man of Ruth's temperament； to look again upon the face
of the brother he feared。 A hand laid upon his shoulder startled
him。 It was the bar…keeper。
〃If it's a fair question； Ruth Pinkney； I'd like to ask ye how long
ye kalkilate to hang around the Ferry to…day。〃
〃Why？〃 demanded Ruth haughtily。
〃Because； whatever you've been and done； I want ye to have a square
show。 Ole Nixon has been cavoortin' round yer the last two days；
swearin' to kill you on sight for runnin' off with his darter。
Sabe？ Now； let me ax ye two questions。 FIRST； Are you heeled？〃
Ruth responded to this dialectical inquiry affirmatively by putting
his hand on his revolver。
〃Good！ Now； SECOND； Have you got the gal along here with you？〃
〃No；〃 responded Ruth in a hollow voice。
〃That's better yet；〃 said the man； without heeding the tone of the
reply。 〃A womanand especially THE woman in a row of this kind
handicaps a man awful。〃 He paused； and took up the empty glass。
〃Look yer； Ruth Pinkney； I'm a square man； and I'll be square with
you。 So I'll just tell you you've got the demdest odds agin' ye。
Pr'aps ye know it； and don't keer。 Well； the boys around yer are
all sidin' with the old man Nixon。 It's the first time the old rip
ever had a hand in his favor： so the boys will see fair play for
Nixon； and agin' YOU。 But I reckon you don't mind him！〃
〃So little； I shall never pull trigger on him；〃 said Ruth gravely。
The bar…keeper stared； and rubbed his chin thoughtfully。 〃Well；
thar's that Kanaka Joe； who used to be sorter sweet on Mornie；
he's an ugly devil；he's helpin' the old man。〃
The sad look faded from Ruth's eyes suddenly。 A certain wild
Berserker ragea taint of the blood； inherited from heaven knows
what Old…World ancestry； which had made the twin…brothers'
Southwestern eccentricities respected in the settlementglowed in
its place。 The barkeeper noted it； and augured a lively future for
the day's festivities。 But it faded again； and Ruth； as he rose；
turned hesitatingly towards him。
〃Have you seen my brother Rand lately？〃
〃Nary。〃
〃He hasn't been here； or about the Ferry？〃
〃Nary time。〃
〃You haven't heard；〃 said Ruth； with a faint attempt at a smile；
〃if he's been around here asking after me；sorter looking me up；
you know？〃
〃Not much；〃 returned the bar…keeper deliberately。 〃Ez far ez I
know Rand；that ar brother o' yours；he's one of yer high…toned
chaps ez doesn't drink； thinks bar…rooms is pizen； and ain't the
sort to come round yer； and sling yarns with me。〃
Ruth rose； but the hand that he placed upon the table； albeit a
powerful one； trembled so that it was with difficulty he resumed
his knapsack。 When he did so； his bent figure； stooping shoulders；
and haggard face； made him appear another man from the one who had
sat down。 There was a slight touch of apologetic deference and
humility in his manner as he paid his reckoning； and slowly and
hesitatingly began to descend the steps。
The bar…keeper looked after him thoughtfully。 〃Well； dog my skin！〃
he ejaculated to himself； 〃ef I hadn't seen that manthat same
Ruth Pinkneystraddle a friend's body in this yer very room； and
dare a whole crowd to come on； I'd swar that he hadn't any grit in
him。 Thar's something up！〃
But here Ruth reached the last step； and turned again。
〃If you see old man Nixon； say I'm in town； if you see that
〃 （I regret to say that I cannot repeat his exact； and
brief characterization of the present condition and natal antecedents
of Kanaka Joe）； 〃say I'm looking out for him；〃 and was gone。
He wandered down the road； towards the one long； straggling street
of the settlement。 The few people who met him at that early hour
greeted him with a kind of constrained civility； certain cautious
souls hurried by without seeing him； all turned and looked after
him； and a few followed him at a respectful distance。 A somewhat
notorious practical joker and recognized wag at the Ferry
apparently awaited his coming with something of invitation and
expectation； but； catching sight of Ruth's haggard face and blazing
eyes； became instantly practical； and by no means jocular in his
greeting。 At the top of the hill； Ruth turned to look once more
upon the distant mountain； now again a mere cloud…line on the
horizon。 In the firm belief that he would never again see the sun
rise upon it； he turned aside into a hazel…thicket； and； tearing
out a few leaves from his pocket…book； wrote two letters；one to
Rand； and one to Mornie； but which； as they were never delivered；
shall not burden this brief chronicle of that eventful day。 For；
while transcribing them； he was startled by the sounds of a dozen
pistol…shots in the direction of the hotel he had recently quitted。
Something in the mere sound provoked the old hereditary fighting
instinct； and sent him to his feet with a bound； and a slight
distension of the nostrils； and sniffing of the air； not unknown to
certain men who become half intoxicated by the smell of powder。 He
quickly folded his letters； and addressed them carefully； and；
taking off his knapsack and blanket； methodically arranged them
under a tree； with the letters on top。 Then he examined the lock
of his revolver； and then； with the step of a man ten years
younger； leaped into the road。 He had scarcely done so when he was
seized； and by sheer force dragged into a blacksmith's shop at the
roadside。 He turned his savage face and drawn weapon upon his
assailant； but was surprised to meet the anxious eyes of the bar…
keeper of the Mansion House。
〃Don't be a dd fool；〃 said the man quickly。 〃Thar's fifty
agin' you down thar。 But why in h…ll didn't you wipe out old Nixon
when you had such a good chance？〃
〃Wipe out old Nixon？〃 repeated Ruth。
〃Yes； just now； when you had him covered。〃
〃What！〃
The bar…keeper turned quickly upon Ruth； stared at him； and then
suddenly burst into a fit of laughter。 〃Well； I've knowed you two
were twins； but damn me if I ever thought I'd be sold like this！〃
And he again burst into a roar of laughter。
〃What do you mean？〃 demanded Ruth savagely。
〃What do I mean？〃 returned the barkeeper。 〃Why； I mean this。 I
mean that your brother Rand； as you call him； he'z binfor a young
feller； and a pious fellerdoin' about the tallest kind o'
fightin' to…day that's been done at the Ferry。 He laid out that ar
Kanaka Joe and two of his chums。 He was pitched into on your
quarrel； and he to