第 6 节
作者:淘气      更新:2024-07-17 14:41      字数:9322
  〃What man?〃
  〃One…armed Pete they call him out thereout in the Cherokee country I
  mean。  Robbed the bank in Tahlequah。〃
  〃Do they have banks in Tahlequah?〃
  〃Yesa bank; anyway。  He was suspected of robbing it。  Whoever did it
  got away with more than twenty thousand dollars。  They offered a reward
  of five thousand。  I believe I saw that very man; on my way east。〃
  〃Nois that so?
  〃I certainly saw a man on the train; the first day I struck the railroad;
  that answered the description pretty exactlyat least as to clothes and
  a lacking arm。〃
  〃Why don't you get him arrested and claim the reward?〃
  〃I couldn't。  I had to get a requisition; of course。  But I meant to stay
  by him till I got my chance。〃
  〃Well?〃
  〃Well; he left the train during the night some time。〃
  〃Oh; hang it; that's too bad。〃
  〃Not so very bad; either。〃
  〃Why?〃
  〃Because he came down to Baltimore in the very train I was in; though I
  didn't know it in time。  As we moved out of the station I saw him going
  toward the iron gate with a satchel in his hand。〃
  〃Good; we'll catch him。  Let's lay a plan。〃
  〃Send description to the Baltimore police?〃
  〃Why; what are you talking about?  No。  Do you want them to get the
  reward?〃
  〃What shall we do; then?〃
  The Colonel reflected。
  〃I'll tell you。  Put a personal in the Baltimore Sun。  Word it like this:
  A。 DROP ME A LINE; PETE。
  〃Hold on。  Which arm has he lost?〃
  〃The right。〃
  〃Good。  Now then
  A。 DROP ME A LINE; PETE; EVEN IF YOU HAVE to write with your left hand。
  Address X。 Y。 Z。; General Postoffice; Washington。  From YOU KNOW WHO。
  〃There… that'll fetch him。〃
  〃But he won't know whowill he?〃
  〃No; but he'll want to know; won't he?〃
  〃Why; certainlyI didn't think of that。  What made you think of it?〃
  〃Knowledge of human curiosity。  Strong trait; very strong trait。〃
  〃Now I'll go to my room and write it out and enclose a dollar and tell
  them to print it to the worth of that。〃
  CHAPTER IV。
  The day wore itself out。  After dinner the two friends put in a long and
  harassing evening trying to decide what to do with the five thousand
  dollars reward which they were going to get when they should find One…
  Armed Pete; and catch him; and prove him to be the right person; and
  extradite him; and ship him to Tahlequah in the Indian Territory。  But
  there were so many dazzling openings for ready cash that they found it
  impossible to make up their minds and keep them made up。  Finally; Mrs。
  Sellers grew very weary of it all; and said:
  〃What is the sense in cooking a rabbit before it's caught?〃
  Then the matter was dropped; for the time being; and all went to bed。
  Next morning; being persuaded by Hawkins; the colonel made drawings and
  specifications and went down and applied for a patent for his toy puzzle;
  and Hawkins took the toy itself and started out to see what chance there
  might be to do something with it commercially。  He did not have to go
  far。  In a small old wooden shanty which had once been occupied as a
  dwelling by some humble negro family he found a keen…eyed Yankee engaged
  in repairing cheap chairs and other second…hand furniture。  This man
  examined the toy indifferently; attempted to do the puzzle; found it not
  so easy as he had expected; grew more interested; and finally
  emphatically so; achieved a success at last; and asked:
  〃Is it patented?〃
  〃Patent applied for。〃
  〃That will answer。  What do you want for it?〃
  〃What will it retail for?〃
  〃Well; twenty … five cents; I should think。〃
  〃What will you give for the exclusive right?〃
  〃I couldn't give twenty dollars; if I had to pay cash down; but I'll tell
  you what I'll do。 I'll make it and market it; and pay you five cents
  royalty on each one。〃
  Washington sighed。  Another dream disappeared; no money in the thing。
  So he said:
  〃All right; take it at that。  Draw me a paper。  He went his way with the
  paper; and dropped the matter out of his mind dropped it out to make room
  for further attempts to think out the most promising way to invest his
  half of the reward; in case a partnership investment satisfactory to both
  beneficiaries could not be hit upon。
  He had not been very long at home when Sellers arrived sodden with grief
  and booming with glad excitementworking both these emotions
  successfully; sometimes separately; sometimes together。  He fell on
  Hawkins's neck sobbing; and said:
  〃Oh; mourn with me my friend; mourn for my desolate house: death has
  smitten my last kinsman and I am Earl of Rossmorecongratulate me!〃
  He turned to his wife; who had entered while this was going on; put his
  arms about her and said 〃You will bear up; for my sake; my ladyit had
  to happen; it was decreed。〃
  She bore up very well; and said:
  〃It's no great loss。  Simon Lathers was a poor well…meaning useless thing
  and no account; and his brother never was worth shucks。〃
  The rightful earl continued:
  〃I am too much prostrated by these conflicting griefs and joys to be able
  to concentrate my mind upon affairs; I will ask our good friend here to
  break the news by wire or post to the Lady Gwendolen and instruct her
  to〃
  〃What Lady Gwendolen?〃
  〃Our poor daughter; who; alas!〃
  〃Sally Sellers?  Mulberry Sellers; are you losing your mind?〃
  〃There…please do not forget who you are; and who I am; remember your own
  dignity; be considerate also of mine。  It were best to cease from using
  my family name; now; Lady Rossmore。〃
  〃Goodness gracious; well; I never!  What am I to call you then?〃
  〃In private; the ordinary terms of endearment will still be admissible;
  to some degree; but in public it will be more becoming if your ladyship
  will speak to me as my lord; or your lordship; and of me as Rossmore; or
  the Earl; or his Lordship; and〃
  〃Oh; scat!  I can't ever do it; Berry。〃
  〃But indeed you must; my lovewe must live up to our altered position
  and submit with what grace we may to its requirements。〃
  〃Well; all right; have it your own way; I've never set my wishes against
  your commands yet; Mulmy lord; and it's late to begin now; though to my
  mind it's the rottenest foolishness that ever was。〃
  〃Spoken like my own true wife!  There; kiss and be friends again。〃
  〃But…Gwendolen!  I don't know how I am ever going to stand that name。
  Why; a body wouldn't know Sally Sellers in it。  It's too large for her;
  kind of like a cherub in an ulster; and it's a most outlandish sort of a
  name; anyway; to my mind。〃
  〃You'll not hear her find fault with it; my lady。〃
  〃That's a true word。  She takes to any kind of romantic rubbish like she
  was born to it。  She never got it from me; that's sure。  And sending her
  to that silly college hasn't helped the matter anyjust the other way。
  〃Now hear her; Hawkins!  Rowena…Ivanhoe College is the selectest and most
  aristocratic seat of learning for young ladies in our country。  Under no
  circumstances can a girl get in there unless she is either very rich and
  fashionable or can prove four generations of what may be called American
  nobility。  Castellated college…buildingstowers and turrets and an
  imitation moatand everything about the place named out of Sir Walter
  Scott's books and redolent of royalty and state and style; and all the
  richest girls keep phaetons; and coachmen in livery; and riding…horses;
  with English grooms in plug hats and tight…buttoned coats; and top…boots;
  and a whip…handle without any whip to it; to ride sixty…three feet behind
  them〃
  〃And they don't learn a blessed thing; Washington Hawkins; not a single
  blessed thing but showy rubbish and un…american pretentiousness。  But
  send for the Lady Gwendolendo; for I reckon the peerage regulations
  require that she must come home and let on to go into seclusion and mourn
  for those Arkansas blatherskites she's lost。〃
  〃My darling!  Blatherskites?  Remembernoblesse oblige。〃
  〃There; theretalk to me in your own tongue; Rossyou don't know any
  other; and you only botch it when you try。  Oh; don't stareit was a
  slip; and no crime; customs of a life…time can't be dropped in a second。
  Rossmorethere; now; be appeased; and go along with you and attend to
  Gwendolen。  Are you going to write; Washington?or telegraph?〃
  〃He will telegraph; dear。〃
  〃I thought as much;〃 my lady muttered; as she left the room。  〃Wants it
  so the address will have to appear on the envelop。  It will just make a
  fool of that child。  She'll get it; of course; for if there are any other
  Sellerses there they'll not be able to claim it。  And just leave her
  alone to show it around and make the most of it。  Well; maybe she's
  forgivable for that。  She's so poor and they're so rich; of course she's
  had her share of snubs from the livery…flunkey sort; and I reckon it's
  only human to want to get even。〃
  Uncle Dan'l was sent with the telegram; for although a conspicuous object
  in a corner of the drawing…room was a telephone hanging on a transmitter;
  Washington found all attempts to raise the central office vain。  The
  Colonel grumbled something about its being 〃always out of order when
  you've got particular and especial use for it;〃  but he didn't explain
  that one of the reasons for this was that the thing was only a dummy and
  hadn't any wire attache