第 9 节
作者:理性的思索      更新:2024-09-11 20:30      字数:9322
  cival Saint Clair; an ex…sheep…herder of the Rancho  Chiquito; might have been seen; with a hundred and nine dollarswages  and blood…moneyin his pocket; riding south on another horse  belonging to said ranch。〃
  The red…faced man paused and listened。  The whistle of a coming  freight…train sounded far away among the low hills。
  The fat; seedy man at his side sniffed; and shook his frowzy head  slowly and disparagingly。
  〃What is it; Snipy?〃 asked the other。  〃Got the blues again?〃
  〃No; I ain't〃 said the seedy one; sniffing again。  〃But I don't like  your talk。  You and me have been friends; off and on; for fifteen  year; and I never yet knew or heard of you giving anybody up to the  lawnot no one。  And here was a man whose saleratus you had et and at  whose table you had played games of cardsif casino can be so called。   And yet you inform him to the law and take money for it。  It never was  like you; I say。〃
  〃This H。  Ogden;〃 resumed the red…faced man; 〃through a lawyer; proved  himself free by alibis and other legal terminalities; as I so heard  afterward。  He never suffered no harm。  He did me favors; and I hated  to hand him over。〃
  〃How about the bills they found in his pocket?〃 asked the seedy man。
  〃I put 'em there;〃 said the red…faced man; 〃while he was asleep; when  I saw the posse riding up。  I was Black Bill。  Look out; Snipy; here  she comes!  We'll board her on the bumpers when she takes water at the  tank。〃
  SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS
  I
  Old Jerome Warren lived in a hundred…thousand…dollar house at 35 East  Fifty…Soforth Street。  He was a down…town broker; so rich that he  could afford to walkfor his healtha few blocks in the direction of  his office every morning; and then call a cab。
  He had an adopted son; the son of an old friend named GilbertCyril  Scott could play him nicelywho was becoming a successful painter as  fast as he could squeeze the paint out of his tubes。  Another member  of the household was Barbara Ross; a stepniece。  Man is born to  trouble; so; as old Jerome had no family of his own; he took up the  burdens of others。
  Gilbert and Barbara got along swimmingly。  There was a tacit and  tactical understanding all round that the two would stand up under a  floral bell some high noon; and promise the minister to keep old  Jerome's money in a state of high commotion。  But at this point  complications must be introduced。
  Thirty years before; when old Jerome was young Jerome; there was a  brother of his named Dick。  Dick went West to seek his or somebody  else's fortune。  Nothing was heard of him until one day old Jerome had  a letter from his brother。  It was badly written on ruled paper that  smelled of salt bacon and coffee…grounds。  The writing was asthmatic  and the spelling St。  Vitusy。
  It appeared that instead of Dick having forced Fortune to stand and  deliver; he had been held up himself; and made to give hostages to the  enemy。  That is; as his letter disclosed; he was on the point of  pegging out with a complication of disorders that even whiskey had  failed to check。  All that his thirty years of prospecting had netted  him was one daughter; nineteen years old; as per invoice; whom he was  shipping East; charges prepaid; for Jerome to clothe; feed; educate;  comfort; and cherish for the rest of her natural life or until  matrimony should them part。
  Old Jerome was a board…walk。  Everybody knows that the world is  supported by the shoulders of Atlas; and that Atlas stands on a rail… fence; and that the rail…fence is built on a turtle's back。  Now; the  turtle has to stand on something; and that is a board…walk made of men  like old Jerome。
  I do not know whether immortality shall accrue to man; but if not so;  I would like to know when men like old Jerome get what is due them?
  They met Nevada Warren at the station。  She was a little girl; deeply  sunburned and wholesomely good…looking; with a manner that was frankly  unsophisticated; yet one that not even a cigar…drummer would intrude  upon without thinking twice。  Looking at her; somehow you would expect  to see her in a short skirt and leather leggings; shooting glass balls  or taming mustangs。  But in her plain white waist and black skirt she  sent you guessing again。  With an easy exhibition of strength she  swung along a heavy valise; which the uniformed porters tried in vain  to wrest from her。
  〃I am sure we shall be the best of friends;〃 said Barbara; pecking at  the firm; sunburned cheek。
  〃I hope so;〃 said Nevada。
  〃Dear little niece;〃 said old Jerome; 〃you are as welcome to my home  as if it were your father's own。〃
  〃Thanks;〃 said Nevada。
  〃And I am going to call you 'cousin;'〃 said Gilbert; with his charming  smile。
  〃Take the valise; please;〃 said Nevada。  〃It weighs a million pounds。   It's got samples from six of dad's old mines in it;〃 she explained to  Barbara。  〃I calculate they'd assay about nine cents to the thousand  tons; but I promised him to bring them along。〃
  II
  It is a common custom to refer to the usual complication between one  man and two ladies; or one lady and two men; or a lady and a man and a  nobleman; orwell; any of those problemsas the triangle。  But they  are never unqualified triangles。  They are always isoscelesnever  equilateral。  So; upon the coming of Nevada Warren; she and Gilbert  and Barbara Ross lined up into such a figurative triangle; and of that  triangle Barbara formed the hypotenuse。
  One morning old Jerome was lingering long after breakfast over the  dullest morning paper in the city before setting forth to his down… town fly…trap。  He had become quite fond of Nevada; finding in her  much of his dead brother's quiet independence and unsuspicious  frankness。
  A maid brought in a note for Miss Nevada Warren。
  〃A messenger…boy delivered it at the door; please;〃 she said。  〃He's  waiting for an answer。〃
  Nevada; who was whistling a Spanish waltz between her teeth; and  watching  the carriages and autos roll by in the street; took the  envelope。  She knew it was from Gilbert; before she opened it; by the  little gold palette in the upper left…hand corner。
  After tearing it open she pored over the contents for a while;  absorbedly。  Then; with a serious face; she went and stood at her  uncle's elbow。
  〃Uncle Jerome; Gilbert is a nice boy; isn't he?〃
  〃Why; bless the child!〃 said old Jerome; crackling his paper loudly;  〃of course he is。  I raised him myself。〃
  〃He wouldn't write anything to anybody that wasn't exactlyI mean  that everybody couldn't know and read; would he?〃
  〃I'd just like to see him try it;〃 said uncle; tearing a handful from  his newspaper。  〃Why; what〃
  〃Read this note he just sent me; uncle; and see if you think it's all  right and proper。  You see; I don't know much about city people and  their ways。〃
  Old Jerome threw his paper down and set both his feet upon it。  He  took Gilbert's note and fiercely perused it twice; and then a third  time。
  〃Why; child;〃 said he; 〃you had me almost excited; although I was sure  of that boy。  He's a duplicate of his father; and he was a gilt…edged  diamond。  He only asks if you and Barbara will be ready at four  o'clock this afternoon for an automobile drive over to Long Island。  I  don't see anything to criticise in it except the stationery。  I always  did hate that shade of blue。〃
  〃Would it be all right to go?〃 asked Nevada; eagerly。
  〃Yes; yes; yes; child; of course。  Why not?  Still; it pleases me to  see you so careful and candid。  Go; by all means。〃
  〃I didn't know;〃 said Nevada; demurely。  〃I thought I'd ask you。   Couldn't you go with us; uncle?〃
  〃I?  No; no; no; no!  I've ridden once in a car that boy was driving。   Never again! But it's entirely proper for you and Barbara to go。  Yes;  yes。  But I will not。  No; no; no; no!〃
  Nevada flew to the door; and said to the maid:
  〃You bet we'll go。  I'll answer for Miss Barbara。  Tell the boy to say  to Mr。  Warren; 'You bet we'll go。'〃
  〃Nevada;〃 called old Jerome; 〃pardon me; my dear; but wouldn't it be  as well to send him a note in reply?  Just a line would do。〃
  〃No; I won't bother about that;〃 said Nevada; gayly。  〃Gilbert will  understandhe always does。  I never rode in an automobile in my life;  but I've paddled a canoe down Little Devil River through the Lost  Horse Canon; and if it's any livelier than that I'd like to know!〃
  III
  Two months are supposed to have elapsed。
  Barbara sat in the study of the hundred…thousand…dollar house。  It was  a good place for her。  Many places are provided in the world where men  and women may repair for the purpose of extricating themselves from  divers difficulties。  There are cloisters;  wailing…places; watering… places; confessionals; hermitages; lawyer's offices; beauty parlors;  air…ships; and studies; and the greatest of these are studies。
  It usually takes a hypotenuse a long time to discover that it is the  longest side of a triangle。  But it's a long  line that has no turning。
  Barbara was alone。  Uncle Jerome and Nevada had gone to the theatre。   Barbara had not cared to go。  She wanted to stay at home and study in  the study。  If you; miss; were a stunning New York girl; and saw every  day that a brown; ingenuous Wester