the twins of table mountain-第16部分

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had　tried　to　impress　upon　her　childhood；　had　faded　from　her　memory。

For；　when　she　had　left；　Mr。　Rightbody　fell　again　to　the　examination
of　his　old　letters。　　This　was　quite　absorbing；　so　much　so；　that　he
did　not　notice　the　footsteps　of　Mrs。　Rightbody；　on　the　staircase　as
she　passed　to　her　chamber；　nor　that　she　had　paused　on　the　landing
to　look　through　the　glass　half…door　on　her　husband；　as　he　sat　there
with　the　letters　beside　him；　and　the　telegram　opened　before　him。
Had　she　waited　a　moment　later；　she　would　have　seen　him　rise；　and
walk　to　the　sofa　with　a　disturbed　air　and　a　slight　confusion；　so
that；　on　reaching　it；　he　seemed　to　hesitate　to　lie　down；　although
pale　and　evidently　faint。　　Had　she　still　waited；　she　would　have
seen　him　rise　again　with　an　agonized　effort；　stagger　to　the　table；
fumblingly　refold　and　replace　the　papers　in　the　cabinet；　and　lock
it；　and；　although　now　but　half…conscious；　hold　the　telegram　over
the　gas…flame　till　it　was　consumed。

For；　had　she　waited　until　this　moment；　she　would　have　flown
unhesitatingly　to　his　aid；　as；　this　act　completed；　he　staggered
again；　reached　his　hand　toward　the　bell；　but　vainly；　and　then　fell
prone　upon　the　sofa。

But　alas！　no　providential　nor　accidental　hand　was　raised　to　save
him；　or　anticipate　the　progress　of　this　story。　　And　when；　half　an
hour　later；　Mrs。　Rightbody；　a　little　alarmed；　and　more　indignant　at
his　violation　of　the　doctor's　rules；　appeared　upon　the　threshold；
Mr。　Rightbody　lay　upon　the　sofa；　dead！

With　bustle；　with　thronging　feet；　with　the　irruption　of　strangers；
and　a　hurrying　to　and　fro；　but；　more　than　all；　with　an　impulse　and
emotion　unknown　to　the　mansion　when　its　owner　was　in　life；　Mrs。
Rightbody　strove　to　call　back　the　vanished　life；　but　in　vain。　　The
highest　medical　intelligence；　called　from　its　bed　at　this　strange
hour；　saw　only　the　demonstration　of　its　theories　made　a　year
before。　　Mr。　Rightbody　was　deadwithout　doubt；　without　mystery；
even　as　a　correct　man　should　dielogically；　and　indorsed　by　the
highest　medical　authority。

But　even　in　the　confusion；　Mrs。　Rightbody　managed　to　speed　a
messenger　to　the　telegraph…office　for　a　copy　of　the　despatch
received　by　Mr。　Rightbody；　but　now　missing。

In　the　solitude　of　her　own　room；　and　without　a　confidant；　she　read
these　words：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃＇Copy。＇

〃To　MR。　ADAMS　RIGHTBODY；　BOSTON；　MASS。

〃Joshua　Silsbie　died　suddenly　this　morning。　　His　last　request　was
that　you　should　remember　your　sacred　compact　with　him　of　thirty
years　ago。
　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃SEVENTY…FOUR。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃SEVENTY…FIVE。〃


In　the　darkened　home；　and　amid　the　formal　condolements　of　their
friends　who　had　called　to　gaze　upon　the　scarcely　cold　features　of
their　late　associate；　Mrs。　Rightbody　managed　to　send　another
despatch。　　It　was　addressed　to　〃Seventy…Four　and　Seventy…Five；〃
Cottonwood。　　In　a　few　hours　she　received　the　following　enigmatical
response：

〃A　horse…thief　named　Josh　Silsbie　was　lynched　yesterday　morning　by
the　Vigilantes　at　Deadwood。〃


PART　II。


The　spring　of　1874　was　retarded　in　the　California　sierras；　so　much
so；　that　certain　Eastern　tourists　who　had　early　ventured　into　the
Yo　Semite　Valley　found　themselves；　one　May　morning；　snow…bound
against　the　tempestuous　shoulders　of　El　Capitan。　　So　furious　was
the　onset　of　the　wind　at　the　Upper　Merced　Canyon；　that　even　so
respectable　a　lady　as　Mrs。　Rightbody　was　fain　to　cling　to　the　neck
of　her　guide　to　keep　her　seat　in　the　saddle；　while　Miss　Alice；
scorning　all　masculine　assistance；　was　hurled；　a　lovely　chaos；
against　the　snowy　wall　of　the　chasm。　　Mrs。　Rightbody　screamed；　Miss
Alice　raged　under　her　breath；　but　scrambled　to　her　feet　again　in
silence。

〃I　told　you　so！〃　said　Mrs。　Rightbody；　in　an　indignant　whisper；　as
her　daughter　again　ranged　beside　her。　　〃I　warned　you　especially；
Alicethatthat〃

〃What？〃　interrupted　Miss　Alice　curtly。

〃That　you　would　need　your　chemiloons　and　high　boots；〃　said　Mrs。
Rightbody；　in　a　regretful　undertone；　slightly　increasing　her
distance　from　the　guides。

Miss　Alice　shrugged　her　pretty　shoulders　scornfully；　but　ignored
her　mother's　implication。

〃You　were　particularly　warned　against　going　into　the　valley　at　this
season；〃　she　only　replied　grimly。

Mrs。　Rightbody　raised　her　eyes　impatiently。

〃You　know　how　anxious　I　was　to　discover　your　poor　father's　strange
correspondent；　Alice。　　You　have　no　consideration。〃

〃But　when　YOU　HAVE　discovered　himwhat　then？〃　queried　Miss　Alice。

〃What　then？〃

〃Yes。　　My　belief　is；　that　you　will　find　the　telegram　only　a　mere
business　cipher；　and　all　this　quest　mere　nonsense。〃

〃Alice！　　Why；　YOU　yourself　thought　your　father's　conduct　that　night
very　strange。　　Have　you　forgotten？〃

The　young　lady　had　NOT；　but；　for　some　far…reaching　feminine　reason；
chose　to　ignore　it　at　that　moment；　when　her　late　tumble　in　the　snow
was　still　fresh　in　her　mind。

〃And　this　woman；　whoever　she　may　be〃　continued　Mrs。　Rightbody。

〃How　do　you　know　there's　a　woman　in　the　case？〃　interrupted　Miss
Alice；　wickedly　I　fear。

〃How　doIknowthere's　a　woman？〃　slowly　ejaculated　Mrs。
Rightbody；　floundering　in　the　snow　and　the　unexpected　possibility
of　such　a　ridiculous　question。　　But　here　her　guide　flew　to　her
assistance；　and　estopped　further　speech。　　And；　indeed；　a　grave
problem　was　before　them。

The　road　that　led　to　their　single　place　of　refugea　cabin；　half
hotel；　half　trading…post；　scarce　a　mile　awayskirted　the　base　of
the　rocky　dome；　and　passed　perilously　near　the　precipitous　wall　of
the　valley。　　There　was　a　rapid　descent　of　a　hundred　yards　or　more
to　this　terrace…like　passage；　and　the　guides　paused　for　a　moment　of
consultation；　cooly　oblivious；　alike　to　the　terrified　questioning
of　Mrs。　Rightbody；　or　the　half…insolent　independence　of　the
daughter。　　The　elder　guide　was　russet…bearded；　stout；　and　humorous：
the　younger　was　dark…bearded；　slight；　and　serious。

〃Ef　you　kin　git　young　Bunker　Hill　to　let　you　tote　her　on　your
shoulders；　I'll　git　the　Madam　to　hang　on　to　me；〃　came　to　Mrs。
Rightbody's　horrified　ears　as　the　expression　of　her　particular
companion。

〃Freeze　to　the　old　gal；　and　don't　reckon　on　me　if　the　daughter
starts　in　to　play　it　alone；〃　was　the　enigmatical　response　of　the
younger　guide。

Miss　Alice　overheard　both　propositions；　and；　before　the　two　men
returned　to　their　side；　that　high…spirited　young　lady　had　urged　her
horse　down　the　declivity。

Alas！　at　this　moment　a　gust　of　whirling　snow　swept　down　upon　her。
There　was　a　flounder；　a　mis…step；　a　fatal　strain　on　the　wrong　rein；
a　fall；　a　few　plucky　but　unavailing　struggles；　and　both　horse　and
rider　slid　ignominiously　down　toward　the　rocky　shelf。　　Mrs。
Rightbody　screamed。　　Miss　Alice；　from　a　confused　debris　of　snow　and
ice；　uplifted　a　vexed　and　coloring　face　to　the　younger　guide；　a
little　the　more　angrily；　perhaps；　that　she　saw　a　shade　of　impatience
on　his　face。

〃Don't　move；　but　tie　one　end　of　the　'lass'　under　your　arms；　and
throw　me　the　other；〃　he　said　quietly。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　'lass'the　lasso？〃　asked　Miss　Alice
disgustedly。

〃Yes；　ma'am。〃

〃Then　why　don't　you　say　so？〃

〃O　Alice！〃　reproachfully　interpolated　Mrs。　Rightbody；　encircled　by
the　elder　guide's　stalwart　arm。

Miss　Alice　deigned　no　reply；　but　drew　the　loop　of　the　lasso　over
her　shoulders；　and　let　it　drop　to　her　round　waist。　　Then　she
essayed　to　throw　the　other　end　to　her　guide。　　Dismal　failure！　　The
first　fling　nearly　knocked　her　off　the　ledge；　the　second　went　all
wild　against　the　rocky　wall；　the　third　caught　in　a　thorn…bush；
twenty　feet　below　her　companion's　feet。　　Miss　Alice's　arm　sunk
helplessly　to　her　side；　at　which　signal　of　unqualified　surrender；
the　younger　guide　threw　himself　half　way　down　the　slope；　worked　his
way　to　the　thorn…bush；　hung　for　a　moment　perilously　over　the
parapet；　secured　the　lasso；　and　then　began　to　pull　away　at　his
lovely　burden。　　Miss　Alice　was　no　dead　weight；　however；　but
steadily　half…scrambled　on　her　hands　and　knees　to　within　a　foot　or
two　of　her　rescuer。　　At　this　too　familiar　proximity；　she　stood　up；
and　leaned　a　little　stiffly　against　the　line；　causing　the　guide　to
give　an　extra　pull；　which　had　the　lamentable　effect　of　landing　her
almost　in　his　arms。

As　it　was；　her　intelligent　forehead　struck　his　nose　sharply；　and　I
regret　to　add；　treating　of　a　romantic　situation；　caused　that
somewhat　prominent　sign　and　token　of　a　hero　to　bleed　freely。　　Miss
Alice　instantly　clapped　a　handful　of　snow　over　his　nostrils。

〃Now　elevate　your　right　arm；〃　she　said　commandingly。

He　did　as　he　was　bidden；　but　sulkily。

〃That　compresses　the　artery。〃

No　man；　with　a　pretty　woman's　hand　and　a　handful　of　snow　over　his
mouth　and　nose；　could　effectively　utter　a　heroic　sentence；　nor；
with　his　arm　elevated　stiffly　over　his　head；　assume　a　heroic
attitude。　　But；　when　his　mouth　was　free　again；　he　said　half…
sulkily；　half…apologetically；

〃I　might　have　known　a　girl　couldn't　throw　worth　a　cent。〃

〃Why？〃　demanded　Miss　Alice　sharply。

〃Becausewhybecauseyou　seethey　haven't　got　the　experience；〃
he　stammered　feebly。

〃Nonsense！　they　haven't　the　CLAVICLEthat's　all！　　It's　because　I'm
a　woman；　and　smaller　in　the　collar…bone；　that　I　haven't　the　play　of
the　fore…arm　which　you　have。　　See！〃　　She　squared　her　shoulders
slightly；　and　turned　the　blaze　of　her　dark　eyes　full　on　his。
〃Experience；　indeed！　　A　girl　can　learn　anything　a　boy　can。〃

Apprehension　took　the　place　of　ill…humor　in　her　hearer。　　He　turned
his　eyes　hastily　away；　and　glanced　above　him。　　The　elder　guide　had
gone　forward　to　catch　Miss　Alice's　horse；　which；　relieved　of　his
rider；　was　floundering　toward　the　trail。　　Mrs。　Rightbody　was
nowhere　to　be　seen。　　And　these　two　were　still　twenty　feet　below　the
trail！

There　was　an　awkward　pause。

〃Shall　I　put　you　up　the　same　way？〃　he　queried。　　Miss　Alice　looked
at　his　nose；　and　hesitated。　　〃Or　will　you　take　my　hand？〃　he　added
in　surly　impatience。　　To　his　surprise；　Miss　Alice　took　his　hand；
and　they　began　the　ascent　together。

But　the　way　was　difficult　and　dangerous。　　Once　or　twice　her　feet
slipped　on　the　smoothly…worn　rock　beneath；　and　she　confessed　to　an
inward　thankfulness　when　her　uncertain　feminine　h