cabin fever-第15部分

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〃You're　on；　bolet's　go。〃　Bud　had　gauged　him　correctly　Frank　would　follow　any　one　who　would　lead。　He　got　up　and　came　to　the　table　where　Bud　was　dividing　the　money　into　two　equal　sums；　as　nearly　as　he　could　make　change。　What　was　left　overand　that　was　the　three　dollars　and　twenty　centshe　tossed　into　the　can　of　tobacco　on　a　shelf。

〃We'll　let　that　rideto　sober　up　on；　if　we　go　broke；〃　he　grunted。　〃Come　onlet's　get　action。〃

Action；　of　a　sort；　they　proceeded　to　get。　Luck　brought　luck　of　the　same　complexion。　They　won　in　fluctuating　spells　of　good　cards　and　judicious　teamwork。　They　did　not　cheat；　though　Frank　was　ready　if　Bud　had　led　him　that　way。　Frank　was　ready　for　anything　that　Bud　suggested。　He　drank　when　Bud　drank；　went　from　the　first　saloon　to　the　one　farther　down　and　across　the　street；　returned　to　the　first　with　cheerful　alacrity　and　much　meaningless　laughter　when　Bud　signified　a　desire　to　change。　It　soothed　Bud　and　irritated　him　by　turns；　this　ready　acquiescence　of　Frank's。　He　began　to　take　a　malicious　delight　in　testing　that　acquiescence。　He　began　to　try　whether　he　could　not　find　the　end　of　Frank's　endurance　in　staying　awake；　his　capacity　for　drink；　his　good　nature；　his　credulityhe　ran　the　scale　of　Frank's　various　qualifications；　seeking　always　to　establish　a　well…defined　limitation　somewhere。

But　Frank　was　utterly；　absolutely　plastic。　He　laughed　and　drank　when　Bud　suggested　that　they　drink。　He　laughed　and　played　whatever　game　Bud　urged　him　into。　He　laughed　and　agreed　with　Bud　when　Bud　made　statements　to　test　the　credulity　of　anyman。　He　laughed　and　said；〃Sure。　Let's　go！〃　when　Bud　pined　for　a　change　of　scene。

On　the　third　day　Bud　suddenly　stopped　in　the　midst　of　a　game　of　pool　which　neither　was　steady　enough　to　play；　and　gravely　inspected　the　chalked　end　of　his　cue。

〃That's　about　enough　of　this；〃　he　said。　〃We're　drunk。　We're　so　drunk　we　don't　know　a　pocket　from　a　prospect　hole。　I'm　tired　of　being　a　hog。　I'm　going　to　go　get　another　drink　and　sober　up。　And　if　you're　the　dog　Fido　you've　been　so　far；　you'll　do　the　same。〃　He　leaned　heavily　upon　the　table；　and　regarded　Frank　with　stern；　bloodshot　blue　eyes。

Frank　laughed　and　slid　his　cue　the　length　of　the　table。　He　also　leaned　a　bit　heavily。　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　ready；　any　time　you　are。〃

〃Some　of　these　days；〃　Bud　stated　with　drunken　deliberation；　〃they'll　take　and　hang　you；　Frank；　for　being　such　an　agreeable　cuss。〃　He　took　Frank　gravely　by　the　arm　and　walked　him　to　the　bar；　paid　for　two　beers　with　almost　his　last　dollar；　and；　still　holding　Frank　firmly；　walked　him　out　of　doors　and　down　the　street　to　Frank's　cabin。　He　pushed　him　inside　and　stood　looking　in　upon　him　with　a　sour　appraisement。

〃You　are　the　derndest　fool　I　ever　run　acrossbut　at　that　you're　a　good　scout　too；〃　he　informed　Frank。　〃You　sober　up　now；　like　I　said。　You　ought　to　know　better　'n　to　act　the　way　you've　been　acting。　I'm　sure　ashamed　of　you；　Frank。　AdiosI'm　going　to　hit　the　trail　for　camp。〃　With　that　he　pulled　the　door　shut　and　walked　away；　with　that　same　circumspect　exactness　in　his　stride　which　marks　the　drunken　man　as　surely　as　does　a　stagger。

He　remembered　what　it　was　that　had　brought　him　to　town　which　is　more　than　most　men　in　his　condition　would　have　done。　He　went　to　the　pest　office　and　inquired　for　mail；　got　what　proved　to　be　the　assayer's　report；　and　went　on。　He　bought　half　a　dozen　bananas　which　did　not　remind　him　of　that　night　when　he　had　waited　on　the　Oakland　pier　for　the　mysterious　Foster；　though　they　might　have　recalled　the　incident　vividly　to　mind　had　he　been　sober。　He　had　been　wooing　forgetfulness；　and　for　the　time　being　he　had　won。

Walking　up　the　steep；　winding　trail　that　led　to　Nelson　Flat　cleared　a　little　his　fogged　brain。　He　began　to　remember　what　it　was　that　he　had　been　fighting　to　forget。　Marie's　face　floated　sometimes　before　him；　but　the　vision　was　misty　and　remote；　like　distant　woodland　seen　through　the　gray　film　of　a　storm。　The　thought　of　her　filled　him　with　a　vague　discomfort　now　when　his　emotions　were　dulled　by　the　terrific　strain　he　had　wilfully　put　upon　brain　and　body。　Resentment　crept　into　the　foreground　again。　Marie　had　made　him　suffer。　Marie　was　to　blame　for　this　beastly　fit　of　intoxication。　He　did　not　love　Mariehe　hated　her。　He　did　not　want　to　see　her；　he　did　not　want　to　think　of　her。　She　had　done　nothing　for　him　but　bring　him　trouble。　Marie；　forsooth！　（Only；　Bud　put　it　in　a　slightly　different　way。）

Halfway　to　the　flat；　he　met　Cash　walking　down　the　slope　where　the　trail　seemed　tunneled　through　deep　green；　so　thick　stood　the　young　spruce。　Cash　was　swinging　his　arms　in　that　free　stride　of　the　man　who　has　learned　how　to　walk　with　the　least　effort。　He　did　not　halt　when　he　saw　Bud　plodding　slowly　up　the　trail；　but　came　on　steadily；　his　keen；　blue…gray　eyes　peering　sharply　from　beneath　his　forward　tilted　hat　brim。　He　came　up　to　within　ten　feet　of　Bud；　and　stopped。

〃Well！〃　He　stood　eyeing　Bud　appraisingly；　much　as　Bud　had　eyed　Frank　a　couple　of　hours　before。　〃I　was　just　starting　out　to　see　what　had　become　of　you；〃　he　added；　his　voice　carrying　the　full　weight　of　reproach　that　the　words　only　hinted　at。

〃Well；　get　an　eyeful；　if　that's　what　you　come　for。　I'm　here　and　lookin's　cheap。〃　Bud's　anger　flared　at　the　disapproval　he　read　in　Cash's　eyes；　his　voice；　the　set　of　his　lips。

But　Cash　did　not　take　the　challenge。　〃Did　the　report　come？〃　he　asked；　as　though　that　was　the　only　matter　worth　discussing。

Bud　pulled　the　letter　sullenly　from　his　pocket　and　gave　it　to　Cash。　He　stood　moodily　waiting　while　Cash　opened　and　read　and　returned　it。

〃Yeah。　About　what　I　thoughtonly　it　runs　lighter　in　gold；　with　a　higher　percentage　of　copper。　It'll　pay　to　go　on　and　see　what's　at　bed　rock。　If　the　copper　holds　up　to　this　all　along；　we'll　be　figuring　on　the　gold　to　pay　for　getting　the　copper。　This　is　copper　country；　Bud。　Looks　like　we'd　found　us　a　copper　mine。〃　He　turned　and　walked　on　beside　Bud。　〃I　dug　in　to　quite　a　rich　streak　of　sand　while　you　was　gone；〃　he　volunteered　after　a　silence。　〃Coarse　gold；　as　high　as　fifteen　cents　a　pan。　I　figure　we　better　work　that　while　the　weather's　good；　and　run　our　tunnel　in　on　this　other　when　snow　comes。〃

Bud　turned　his　head　and　looked　at　Cash　intently　for　a　minute。　〃I've　been　drunker'n　a　fool　for　three　days；〃　he　announced　solemnly。

〃Yeah。　You　look　it；〃　was　Cash's　dry　retort；　while　he　stared　straight　ahead；　up　the　steep；　shadowed　trail。



CHAPTER　ELEVEN。　THE　FIRST　STAGES

For　a　month　Bud　worked　and　forced　himself　to　cheerfulness；　and　tried　to　forget。　Sometimes　it　was　easy　enough；　but　there　were　other　times　when　he　must　get　away　by　himself　and　walk　and　walk；　with　his　rifle　over　his　shoulder　as　a　mild　pretense　that　he　was　hunting　game。　But　if　he　brought　any　back　camp　it　was　because　the　game　walked　up　and　waited　to　he　shot；　half　the　time　Bud　did　not　know　where　he　was　going；　much　less　whether　there　were　deer　within　ten　rods　or　ten　miles。

During　those　spells　of　heartsickness　he　would　sit　all　the　evening　and　smoke　and　stare　at　some　object　which　his　mind　failed　to　register。　Cash　would　sit　and　watch　him　furtively；　but　Bud　was　too　engrossed　with　his　own　misery　to　notice　it。　Then；　quite　unexpectedly；　reaction　would　come　and　leave　Bud　in　a　peace　that　was　more　than　half　a　torpid　refusal　of　his　mind　to　worry　much　over　anything。

He　worked　then；　and　talked　much　with　Cash；　and　made　plans　for　the　development　of　their　mine。　In　that　month　they　had　come　to　call　it　a　mine；　and　they　had　filed　and　recorded　their　claim；　and　had　drawn　up　an　agreement　of　partnership　in　it。　They　would　〃sit　tight〃　and　work　on　it　through　the　winter；　and　when　spring　came　they　hoped　to　have　something　tangible　upon　which　to　raise　sufficient　capital　to　develop　it　properly。　Or；　times　when　they　had　done　unusually　well　with　their　sandbank；　they　would　talk　optimistically　about　washing　enough　gold　out　of　that　claim　to　develop　the　other；　and　keep　the　title　all　in　their　own　hands。

Then；　one　night　Bud　dreamed　again　of　Marie；　and　awoke　with　an　insistent　craving　for　the　oblivion　of　drunkenness。　He　got　up　and　cooked　the　breakfast；　washed　the　dishes　and　swept　the　cabin；　and　measured　out　two　ounces　of　gold　from　what　they　had　saved。

〃You're　keeping　tabs　on　everything；　Cash；〃　he　said　shortly。　〃Just　charge　this　up　to　me。　I'm　going　to　town。〃

Cash　looked　up　at　him　from　under　a　slanted　eye。　brow。　His　lips　had　a　twist　of　pained　disapproval。

〃Yeah。　I　figured　you　was　about　due　in　town；〃　he　said　resignedly。

〃Aw；　lay　off　that　told…you…so　stuff；〃　Bud　growled。　〃You　never　figured　anything　of　the　kind；　and　you　know　it。〃　He　pulled　his　heavy　sweater　down　off　a　nail　and　put　it　on；　scowling　because　the　sleeves　had　to　be　pulled　in　place　on　his　arms。

〃Too　bad　you　can't　wait　a　day。　I　figured　we'd　have　a　clean…up　to…morrow；　maybe。　She's　been　running　pretty　heavy…〃

〃Well；　go　ahead　and　clean　up；　then。　You　can　do　it　alone。　Or　wait　till　I　get　back。〃

Cash　laughed；　as　a　retort　cutting；　and　not　because　he　was　amused。　Bud　swore　and　went　out；　slamming　the　door　behind　him。

It　was　exactly　five　days　alter　that　when　he　opened　it　again。　Cash　was　mixing　a　batch　of　sour…dough　bread　into　loaves；　and　he　did　not　say　anything　at　all　when　Bud　came　in　and　stood　beside　the　stove；　warming　his　hands　and　glowering　around　the；　room。　He　merely　looked　up；　and　then　went　on　with　his　bread　making。

Bud　was　not　a　pretty　sight。　Four　days　and　nights　of　trying　to　see　how　much　whisky　he　could　drink；　and　how　long　he　could　play　poker　without　going　to　sleep　or　going　broke；　had　left　their　mark　on　his　face　and　his　trembling　hands。　His　eyes　were　puffy　and　red；　and　his　cheeks　were　mottled；　and　his　lips　were　fevered　and　had　lost　any　sign　of　a　humorous　quirk　at　the　corners。　He　looked　ugly；　as　if　he　would　like　nothing　better　than　an　excuse　to　quarrel　with　Cashsince　Cash　was　the　only　person　at　hand　to　quarrel　with。

But　Cash　had　not　knocked　around　the　world　for　nothing。　He　had　seen　men　in　that　mood　before；　and　he　had　no　hankering　for　trouble　which　is　vastly　easier　to　start　than　it　is　to　stop。　He　paid　no　attention　to　Bud。　He　made　his　loaves；　tucked　them　into　the　pan　and　greased　the　top　with　bacon　grease　saved　in　a　tomato　can　for　such　use。　He　set　the　pan　on　a　shelf　behind　the　stove；　covered　it　with　a　clean　flour　sack；　opened　the　stove　door