the woman in the alcove-第13部分

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uld　not　stop。　He　was　determined　to　reach　the　camp；　even　after　he　had　been　given　a　sight　of　it　from　the　opposite　mountain。　He　told　them　that　he　had　once　crossed　the　Sierras　in　midwinter。　But　he　wasn't　a　sick　man　then。〃

〃Doctor；　they　don't　know　who　killed　his　wife。〃

〃He　didn't。〃

〃I　know；　but　under　such　circumstances　every　fact　bearing　on　the　event　is　of　immense　importance。　There　is　one　which　Mr。　Fairbrother　only　can　make　clear。　It　can　be　said　in　a　word〃

The　grim　doctor's　eye　flashed　angrily　and　I　stopped。

〃Were　you　a　detective　from　the　district　attorney's　office　in　New　York；　sent　on　with　special　powers　to　examine　him；　I　should　still　say　what　I　am　going　to　say　now。　While　Mr。　Fairbrother's　temperature　and　pulse　remain　where　they　now　are；　no　one　shall　see　him　and　no　one　shall　talk　to　him　save　myself　and　his　nurse。〃

I　turned　with　a　sick　look　of　disappointment　toward　the　road　up　which　I　had　so　lately　come。　　〃Have　I　panted；　sweltered；　trembled；　for　three　mortal　hours　on　the　worst　trail　a　man　ever　traversed　to　go　back　with　nothing　for　my　journey？　That　seems　to　me　hard　lines。　Where　is　the　manager　of　this　mine？〃

The　doctor　pointed　toward　a　man　bending　over　the　edge　of　the　great　hole　from　which；　at　that　moment；　a　line　of　Mexicans　was　issuing；　each　with　a　sack　on　his　back　which　he　flung　down　before　what　looked　like　a　furnace　built　of　clay。

〃That's　he。　Mr。　Haines；　of　Philadelphia。　What　do　you　want　of　him？〃

〃Permission　to　stay　the　night。　Mr。　Fairbrother　may　be　better　to…morrow。〃

〃I　won't　allow　it　and　I　am　master　here；　so　far　as　my　patient　is　concerned。　You　couldn't　stay　here　without　talking；　and　talking　makes　excitement；　and　excitement　is　just　what　he　can　not　stand。　A　week　from　now　I　will　see　about　itthat　is；　if　my　patient　continues　to　improve。　I　am　not　sure　that　he　will。〃

Let　me　spend　that　week　here。　I'll　not　talk　any　more　than　the　dead。　Maybe　the　manager　will　let　me　carry　sacks。〃

〃Look　here；〃　said　the　doctor；　edging　me　farther　and　farther　away　from　the　tent　he　hardly　let　out　of　his　sight　for　a　moment。　〃You're　a　canny　lad；　and　shall　have　your　bite　and　something　to　drink　before　you　take　your　way　back。　But　back　you　go　before　sunset　and　with　this　message：　No　man　from　any　paper　north　or　south　will　be　received　here　till　I　hang　out　a　blue　flag。　I　say　blue；　for　that　is　the　color　of　my　bandana。　When　my　patient　is　in　a　condition　to　discuss　murder　I'll　hoist　it　from　his　tent…top。　It　can　be　seen　from　the　divide；　and　if　you　want　to　camp　there　on　the　lookout；　well　and　good。　As　for　the　police；　that's　another　matter。　I　will　see　them　if　they　come；　but　they　need　not　expect　to　talk　to　my　patient。　You　may　say　so　down　there。　It　will　save　scrambling　up　this　trail　to　no　purpose。〃

〃You　may　count　on　me；〃　said　I；　〃trust　a　New　York　correspondent　to　do　the　right　thing　at　the　right　time　to　head　off　the　boys。　But　I　doubt　if　they　will　believe　me。〃

〃In　that　case　I　shall　have　a　barricade　thrown　up　fifty　feet　down　the　mountain…side；〃　said　he。

〃But　the　mail　and　your　supplies？〃

〃Oh；　the　burros　can　make　their　way　up。　We　shan't　suffer。〃

〃You　are　certainly　master；〃　I　remarked。

All　this　time　I　had　been　using　my　eyes。　There　was　not　much　to　see；　but　what　there　was　was　romantically　interesting。　Aside　from　the　furnace　and　what　was　going　on　there；　there　was　little　else　but　a　sleeping…tent；　a　cooking…tent；　and　the　small　one　I　had　come　on　first；　which；　without　the　least　doubt；　contained　the　sick　man。　This　last　tent　was　of　a　peculiar　construction　and　showed　the　primitive　nature　of　everything　at　this　height。　It　consisted　simply　of　a　cloth　thrown　over　a　thing　like　a　trapeze。　This　cloth　did　not　even　come　to　the　ground　on　either　side；　but　stopped　short　a　foot　or　so　from　the　flat　mound　of　adobe　which　serves　as　a　base　or　floor　for　hut　or　tent　in　New　Mexico。　The　rear　of　the　simple　tent　abutted　on　the　mountain…side；　the　opening　was　toward　the　valley。　I　felt　an　intense　desire　to　look　into　this　opening；so　intense　that　I　thought　I　would　venture　on　an　attempt　to　gratify　it。　Scrutinizing　the　resolute　face　of　the　man　before　me　and　flattering　myself　that　I　detected　signs　of　humor　underlying　his　professional　bruskness；　I　asked；　somewhat　mournfully；　if　he　would　let　me　go　away　without　so　much　as　a　glance　at　the　man　I　had　come　so　far　to　see。　〃A　glimpse　would　satisfy　me　I　assured　him；　as　the　hint　of　a　twinkle　flashed　in　his　eye。　〃Surely　there　will　be　no　harm　in　that。　I'll　take　it　instead　of　supper。〃

He　smiled；　but　not　encouragingly；　and　I　was　feeling　very　despondent；　indeed；　when　the　canvas　on　which　our　eyes　were　fixed　suddenly　shook　and　the　calm　figure　of　a　woman　stepped　out　before　us；　clad　in　the　simplest　garb；　but　showing　in　every　line　of　face　and　form　a　character　of　mingled　kindness　and　shrewdness。　She　was　evidently　on　the　lookout　for　the　doctor；　for　she　made　a　sign　as　she　saw　him　and　returned　instantly　into　the　tent。

〃Mr。　Fairbrother　has　just　fallen　asleep；〃　he　explained。　〃It　isn't　discipline　and　I　shall　have　to　apologize　to　Miss　Serra；　but　if　you　will　promise　not　to　speak　nor　make　the　least　disturbance　I　will　let　you　take　the　one　peep　you　prefer　to　supper。〃

〃I　promise；〃　said　I。

Leading　the　way　to　the　opening；　he　whispered　a　word　to　the　nurse；　then　motioned　me　to　look　in。　The　sight　was　a　simple　one；　but　to　me　very　impressive。　The　owner　of　palaces；　a　man　to　whom　millions　were　as　thousands　to　such　poor　devils　as　myself；　lay　on　an　improvised　bed　of　evergreens；　wrapped　in　a　horse　blanket　and　with　nothing　better　than　another　of　these　rolled　up　under　his　head。　At　his　side　sat　his　nurse　on　what　looked　like　the　uneven　stump　of　a　tree。　Close　to　her　hand　was　a　tolerably　flat　stone；　on　which　I　saw　arranged　a　number　of　bottles　and　such　other　comforts　as　were　absolutely　necessary　to　a　proper　care　of　the　sufferer。

That　was　all。　In　these　few　words　I　have　told　the　whole　story。　To　be　sure；　this　simple　tent；　perched　seven　thousand　feet　and　more　above　sea…level；　had　one　advantage　which　even　his　great　house　in　New　York　could　not　offer　This　was　the　out　look。　Lying　as　he　did　facing　the　valley；　he　had　only　to　open　his　eyes　to　catch　a　full　view　of　the　panorama　of　sky　and　mountain　stretched　out　before　him。　It　was　glorious；　whether　seen　at　morning；　noon　or　night；　glorious。　But　I　doubt　if　he　would　not　gladly　have　exchanged　it　for　a　sight　of　his　home　walls。

As　I　started　to　go；　a　stir　took　place　in　the　blanket　wrapped　about　his　chin；　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　iron…gray　head　and　hollow　cheeks　of　the　great　financier。　He　was　a　very　sick　man。　Even　I　could　see　that。　Had　I　obtained　the　permission　I　sought　and　been　allowed　to　ask　him　one　of　the　many　questions　burning　on　my　tongue；　I　should　have　received　only　delirium　for　reply。　There　was　no　reaching　that　clouded　intelligence　now；　and　I　felt　grateful　to　the　doctor　for　convincing　me　of　it。

I　told　him　so　and　thanked　him　quite　warmly　when　we　were　well　away　from　the　tent；　and　his　answer　was　almost　kindly；　though　he　made　no　effort　to　hide　his　impatience　and　anxiety　to　see　me　go。　The　looks　he　cast　at　the　sun　were　significant；　and；　having　no　wish　to　antagonize　him　and　every　wish　to　visit　the　spot　again；　I　moved　toward　my　horse　with　the　intention　of　untying　him。

To　my　surprise　the　doctor　held　me　back。

〃You　can't　go　to…night；〃　said　he；　〃your　horse　has　hurt　himself。〃

It　was　true。　There　was　something　the　matter　with　the　animal's　left　forefoot。　As　the　doctor　lifted　it；　the　manager　came　up。　He　agreed　with　the　doctor。　I　could　not　make　the　descent　to　Santa　Fe　on　that　horse　that　night。　Did　I　feel　elated？　Rather。　I　had　no　wish　to　descend。　Yet　I　was　far　from　foreseeing　what　the　night　was　to　bring　me。

I　was　turned　over　to　the　manager；　but　not　without　a　final　injunction　from　the　doctor。　〃Not　a　word　to　any　one　about　your　errand！　Not　a　word　about　the　New　York　tragedy；　as　you　value　Mr。　Fairbrother's　life。〃

〃Not　a　word；〃　said　I。

Then　he　left　me。

To　see　the　sun　go　down　and　the　moon　come　up　from　a　ledge　hung；　as　it　were；　in　mid　air！　The　experience　was　novelbut　I　refrain。　I　have　more　important　matters　to　relate。

I　was　given　a　bunk　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　long　sleeping…tent；　and　turned　in　with　the　rest。　I　expected　to　sleep；　but　on　finding　that　I　could　catch　a　sight　of　the　sick　tent　from　under　the　canvas；　I　experienced　such　fascination　in　watching　this　forbidden　spot　that　midnight　came　before　I　had　closed　my　eyes。　Then　all　desire　to　sleep　left　me；　for　the　patient　began　to　moan　and　presently　to　talk；　and；　the　stillness　of　the　solitary　height　being　something　abnormal；　I　could　sometimes　catch　the　very　words。　Devoid　as　they　were　of　all　rational　meaning；　they　excited　my　curiosity　to　the　burning　point；　for　who　could　tell　if　he　might　not　say　something　bearing　on　the　mystery？

But　that　fevered　mind　had　recurred　to　early　scenes　and　the　babble　which　came　to　my　ears　was　all　of　mining　camps　in　the　Rockies　and　the　dicker　of　horses。　Perhaps　the　uneasy　movement　of　my　horse　pulling　at　the　end　of　his　tether　had　disturbed　him。　Perhaps

But　at　the　inner　utterance　of　the　second　〃perhaps〃　I　found　myself　up　on　my　elbow　listening　with　all　my　ears；　and　staring　with　wide…stretched　eyes　at　the　thicket　of　stunted　trees　where　the　road　debouched　on　the　platform。　Something　was　astir　there　besides　my　horse。　I　could　catch　sounds　of　an　unmistakable　nature。　A　rider　was　coming　up　the　trail。

Slipping　back　into　my　place；　I　turned　toward　the　doctor；　who　lay　some　two　or　three　bunks　nearer　the　opening。　He　had　started　up；　too；　and　in　a　moment　was　out　of　the　tent。　I　do　not　think　he　had　observed　my　action；　for　it　was　very　dark　where　I　lay　and　his　back　had　been　turned　toward　me。　As　for　the　others；　they　slept　like　the　dead；　only　they　made　more　noise。

Interestedeverything　is　interesting　at　such　a　heightI　brought　my　eye　to　bear　on　the　ledge；　and　soon　saw　by　the　limpid　light　of　a　full　moon　the　stiff；　short　branches　of　the　trees；　on　which　my　gaze　was　fixed；　give　way　to　an　advancing　horse　and　rider。

〃Halloo！〃　saluted　the　doctor　in　a　whisper；　which　was　in　itself　a　warning。　〃Easy　there！　We　have　sickness　in　this　camp　and　it's　a　late　hour　for　visitors。〃

〃I　know？'

The　answer　was　subdued；　but　earnest。

〃I'm　the　magistrate　of　this　district。　I've　a　question　to　ask　this　sick　man；　on　behalf　of　the　New　York　Chief　of　Police；　who　is　a　personal　friend　of　mine。　It　is　conn