drift from two shores(漂流)-第18部分
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blocking up all egress from the church； the sexton obliged him to move on；
and again he was stopped in his conversational career。
But only for a time。 Before long； it was whispered that Captain Dick
had ordered a meeting of the creditors； debtors； and friends of Roger
Catron at Robinson's Hall。 It was suggested； with some show of reason；
that this had been done at the instigation of various practical jokers of
Sandy Bar； who had imposed on the simple directness of the captain； and
the attendance that night certainly indicated something more than a mere
business meeting。 All of Sandy Bar crowded into Robinson's Hall； and
long before Captain Dick made his appearance on the platform； with his
inevitable memorandum…book； every inch of floor was crowded。
The captain began to read the expenditures of Roger Catron with
relentless fidelity of detail。 The several losses by poker； the whisky bills；
and the record of a 〃jamboree〃 at Tooley's； the vague expenses whereof
footed up 275； were received with enthusiastic cheers by the audience。
A single milliner's bill for 125 was hailed with delight； 100 expended in
treating the Vestal Virgin Combination Troupe almost canonized his
memory； 50 for a simple buggy ride with Deacon Fisk brought down the
house； 500 advanced； without security； and unpaid； for the electioneering
expenses of Assemblyman Jones； who had recently introduced a bill to
prevent gambling and the sale of lager beer on Sundays； was received with
an ominous groan。 One or two other items of money loaned occasioned
the withdrawal of several gentlemen from the audience amidst the hisses
or ironical cheers of the others。
At last Captain Dick stopped and advanced to the footlights。
〃Gentlemen and friends；〃 he said； slowly。 〃I foots up 25；000 as
Roger Catron hez MADE； fair and square； in this yer county。 I foots up
27；000 ez he has SPENT in this yer county。 I puts it to you ez men；
far…minded men；ef this man was a pauper and debtor？ I put it to you ez
far…minded men；ez free and easy men；ez political economists；ez this
the kind of men to impoverish a county？〃
An overwhelming and instantaneous 〃No！〃 almost drowned the last
utterance of the speaker。
〃Thar is only one item；〃 said Captain Dick； slowly； 〃only one item；
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that ez men；ez far…minded men；ez political economists；it seems to me
we hez the right to question。 It's this： Thar is an item； read to you by
me； of 2；000 paid to certing San Francisco detectives； paid out o' the
assets o' Roger Catron； for the finding of Roger Catron's body。
Gentlemen of Sandy Bar and friends； I found that body； and yer it is！〃
And Roger Catron； a little pale and nervous； but palpably in the flesh；
stepped upon the platform。
Of course the newspapers were full of it the next day。 Of course； in
due time； it appeared as a garbled and romantic item in the San Francisco
press。 Of course Mrs。 Catron； on reading it； fainted； and for two days
said that this last cruel blow ended all relations between her husband and
herself。 On the third day she expressed her belief that； if he had had the
slightest feeling for her； he would； long since； for the sake of mere
decency； have communicated with her。 On the fourth day she thought
she had been； perhaps； badly advised； had an open quarrel with her
relatives； and intimated that a wife had certain obligations； etc。 On the
sixth day； still not hearing from him； she quoted Scripture； spoke of a
seventy…times…seven forgiveness； and went generally into mild hysterics。
On the seventh； she left in the morning train for Sandy Bar。
And really I don't know as I have anything more to tell。 I dined with
them recently； and； upon my word； a more decorous； correct； conventional；
and dull dinner I never ate in my life。
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〃WHO WAS MY QUIET
FRIEND？〃
〃Stranger！〃
The voice was not loud； but clear and penetrating。 I looked vainly up
and down the narrow； darkening trail。 No one in the fringe of alder ahead；
no one on the gullied slope behind。
〃O！ stranger！〃
This time a little impatiently。 The California classical vocative； 〃O；〃
always meant business。
I looked up； and perceived for the first time on the ledge； thirty feet
above me； another trail parallel with my own； and looking down upon me
through the buckeye bushes a small man on a black horse。
Five things to be here noted by the circumspect mountaineer。 FIRST；
the locality；lonely and inaccessible； and away from the regular faring of
teamsters and miners。 SECONDLY； the stranger's superior knowledge of
the road； from the fact that the other trail was unknown to the ordinary
traveler。 THIRDLY； that he was well armed and equipped。
FOURTHLY； that he was better mounted。 FIFTHLY； that any distrust or
timidity arising from the contemplation of these facts had better be kept to
one's self。
All this passed rapidly through my mind as I returned his salutation。
〃Got any tobacco？〃 he asked。
I had； and signified the fact； holding up the pouch inquiringly。
〃All right； I'll come down。 Ride on； and I'll jine ye on the slide。〃
〃The slide！〃 Here was a new geographical discovery as odd as the
second trail。 I had ridden over the trail a dozen times； and seen no
communication between the ledge and trail。 Nevertheless； I went on a
hundred yards or so； when there was a sharp crackling in the underbrush； a
shower of stones on the trail； and my friend plunged through the bushes to
my side； down a grade that I should scarcely have dared to lead my horse。
There was no doubt he was an accomplished rider；another fact to be
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noted。
As he ranged beside me； I found I was not mistaken as to his size； he
was quite under the medium height； and but for a pair of cold； gray eyes；
was rather commonplace in feature。
〃You've got a good horse there；〃 I suggested。
He was filling his pipe from my pouch； but looked up a little surprised；
and said； 〃Of course。〃 He then puffed away with the nervous eagerness
of a man long deprived of that sedative。 Finally； between the puffs； he
asked me whence I came。
I replied； 〃From Lagrange。〃
He looked at me a few moments curiously； but on my adding that I had
only halted there for a few hours； he said： 〃I thought I knew every man
between Lagrange and Indian Spring； but somehow I sorter disremember
your face and your name。〃
Not particularly caring that he should remember either； I replied half
laughingly； that； as I lived the other side of Indian Spring； it was quite
natural。 He took the rebuff； if such it was； so quietly that as an act of
mere perfunctory politeness I asked him where he came from。
〃Lagrange。〃
〃And you are going to〃
〃Well！ that depends pretty much on how things pan out； and whether I
can make the riffle。〃 He let his hand rest quite unconsciously on the
leathern holster of his dragoon revolver； yet with a strong suggestion to me
of his ability 〃to make the riffle〃 if he wanted to； and added： 〃But just now
I was reck'nin' on taking a little pasear with you。〃
There was nothing offensive in his speech save its familiarity； and the
reflection； perhaps； that whether I objected or not； he was quite able to do
as he said。 I only replied that if our pasear was prolonged beyond
Heavytree Hill； I should have to borrow his beast。 To my surprise he
replied quietly； 〃That's so；〃 adding that the horse was at my disposal when
he wasn't using it； and HALF of it when he was。 〃Dick has carried
double many a time before this；〃 he continued； 〃and kin do it again； when
your mustang gives out I'll give you a lift and room to spare。〃
I could not help smiling at the idea of appearing before the boys at Red
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Gulch en croupe with the stranger； but neither could I help being oddly
affected by the suggestion that his horse had done double duty before。
〃On what occasion； and why？〃 was a question I kept to myself。 We were
ascending the long； rocky flank of the divide； the narrowness of the trail
obliged us to proceed slowly； and in file； so that there was little chance for
conversation； had he been disposed to satisfy my curio
