按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
missing。
〃Are you not going with us？〃 she asked。
〃No； ma'am。〃
〃Oh； indeed！〃
Miss Alice felt her speech was a feeble conventionalism； but it was
all she could say。 She； however； DID something。 Hitherto it had
been her habit to systematically reject his assistance in mounting
to her seat。 Now she awaited him。 As he approached； she smiled；
and put out her little foot。 He instantly stooped； she placed it
in his hand； rose with a spring； and for one supreme moment
Stanislaus Joe held her unresistingly in his arms。 The next moment
she was in the saddle； but in that brief interval of sixty seconds
she had uttered a volume in a single sentence；
〃I hope you will forgive me！〃
He muttered a reply； and turned his face aside quickly as if to
hide it。
Miss Alice cantered forward with a smile； but pulled her hat down
over her eyes as she joined her mother。 She was blushing。
PART III。
Mr。 Ryder was as good as his word。 A day or two later he entered
Mrs。 Rightbody's parlor at the Chrysopolis Hotel in Stockton； with
the information that he had seen the mysterious senders of the
despatch； and that they were now in the office of the hotel waiting
her pleasure。 Mr。 Ryder further informed her that these gentlemen
had only stipulated that they should not reveal their real names；
and that they be introduced to her simply as the respective
〃Seventy…Four〃 and 〃Seventy…Five〃 who had signed the despatch sent
to the late Mr。 Rightbody。
Mrs。 Rightbody at first demurred to this； but； on the assurance
from Mr。 Ryder that this was the only condition on which an
interview would be granted； finally consented。
〃You will find them square men； even if they are a little rough；
ma'am。 But； if you'd like me to be present； I'll stop； though I
reckon； if ye'd calkilated on that； you'd have had me take care o'
your business by proxy； and not come yourself three thousand miles
to do it。〃
Mrs。 Rightbody believed it better to see them alone。
〃All right； ma'am。 I'll hang round out here； and ef ye should
happen to have a ticklin' in your throat； and a bad spell o'
coughin'； I'll drop in； careless like； to see if you don't want
them drops。 Sabe？〃
And with an exceedingly arch wink； and a slight familiar tap on
Mrs。 Rightbody's shoulder； which might have caused the late Mr。
Rightbody to burst his sepulchre； he withdrew。
A very timid； hesitating tap on the door was followed by the
entrance of two men； both of whom； in general size； strength； and
uncouthness； were ludicrously inconsistent with their diffident
announcement。 They proceeded in Indian file to the centre of the
room； faced Mrs。 Rightbody； acknowledged her deep courtesy by a
strong shake of the hand； and； drawing two chairs opposite to her；
sat down side by side。
〃I presume I have the pleasure of addressing〃 began Mrs。 Rightbody。
The man directly opposite Mrs。 Rightbody turned to the other
inquiringly。
The other man nodded his head； and replied；
〃Seventy…Four。〃
〃Seventy…Five；〃 promptly followed the other。
Mrs。 Rightbody paused； a little confused。
〃I have sent for you；〃 she began again； 〃to learn something more of
the circumstances under which you gentlemen sent a despatch to my
late husband。〃
〃The circumstances；〃 replied Seventy…Four quietly； with a side…
glance at his companion； 〃panned out about in this yer style。 We
hung a man named Josh Silsbie； down at Deadwood； for hoss…stealin'。
When I say WE； I speak for Seventy…Five yer as is present； as well
as representin'； so to speak； seventy…two other gents as is
scattered。 We hung Josh Silsbie on squar； pretty squar； evidence。
Afore he was strung up； Seventy…Five yer axed him； accordin' to
custom； ef ther was enny thing he had to say； or enny request that
he allowed to make of us。 He turns to Seventy…Five yer； and〃
Here he paused suddenly； looking at his companion。
〃He sez； sez he；〃 began Seventy…Five； taking up the narrative；〃he
sez； 'Kin I write a letter？' sez he。 Sez I； 'Not much； ole man：
ye've got no time。' Sez he； 'Kin I send a despatch by telegraph？'
I sez； 'Heave ahead。' He sez；these is his dientikal words；
'Send to Adam Rightbody； Boston。 Tell him to remember his sacred
compack with me thirty years ago。'〃
〃'His sacred compack with me thirty years ago；'〃 echoed Seventy…
Four；〃his dientikal words。〃
〃What was the compact？〃 asked Mrs。 Rightbody anxiously。
Seventy…Four looked at Seventy…Five； and then both arose； and
retired to the corner of the parlor； where they engaged in a slow
but whispered deliberation。 Presently they returned； and sat down
again。
〃We allow；〃 said Seventy…Four； quietly but decidedly； 〃that YOU
know what that sacred compact was。〃
Mrs。 Rightbody lost her temper and her truthfulness together。 〃Of
course；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃I know。 But do you mean to say that
you gave this poor man no further chance to explain before you
murdered him？〃
Seventy…Four and Seventy…Five both rose again slowly； and retired。
When they returned again； and sat down； Seventy…Five； who by this
time； through some subtile magnetism； Mrs。 Rightbody began to
recognize as the superior power； said gravely；
〃We wish to say； regarding this yer murder； that Seventy…Four and
me is equally responsible； that we reckon also to represent； so to
speak； seventy…two other gentlemen as is scattered； that we are
ready； Seventy…Four and me； to take and holt that responsibility；
now and at any time； afore every man or men as kin be fetched agin
us。 We wish to say that this yer say of ours holds good yer in
Californy； or in any part of these United States。〃
〃Or in Canady；〃 suggested Seventy…Four。
〃Or in Canady。 We wouldn't agree to cross the water； or go to
furrin parts； unless absolutely necessary。 We leaves the chise of
weppings to your principal； ma'am； or being a lady； ma'am； and
interested； to any one you may fetch to act for him。 An
advertisement in any of the Sacramento papers； or a playcard or
handbill stuck unto a tree near Deadwood； saying that Seventy…Four
or Seventy…Five will communicate with this yer principal or agent
of yours； will fetch usallers。〃
Mrs。 Rightbody； a little alarmed and desperate； saw her blunder。
〃I mean nothing of the kind；〃 she said hastily。 〃I only expected
that you might have some further details of this interview with
Silsbie； that perhaps you could tell me〃 a bold； bright thought
crossed Mrs。 Rightbody's mind〃something more about HER。〃
The two men looked at each other。
〃I suppose your society have no objection to giving me information
about HER；〃 said Mrs。 Rightbody eagerly。
Another quiet conversation in the corner； and the return of both
men。
〃We want to say that we've no objection。〃
Mrs。 Rightbody's heart beat high。 Her boldness had made her
penetration good。 Yet she felt she must not alarm the men
heedlessly。
〃Will you inform me to what extent Mr。 Rightbody； my late husband；
was interested in her？〃
This time it seemed an age to Mrs。 Rightbody before the men
returned from their solemn consultation in the corner。 She could
both hear and feel that their discussion was more animated than
their previous conferences。 She was a little mortified； however；
when they sat down； to hear Seventy…Four say slowly；
〃We wish to say that we don't allow to say HOW much。〃
〃Do you not think that the 'sacred compact' between Mr。 Rightbody
and Mr。 Silsbie referred to her？〃
〃We reckon it do。〃
Mrs。 Rightbody； flushed and animated； would have given worlds had
her daughter been present to hear this undoubted confirmation of
her theory。 Yet she felt a little nervous and uncomfortable even
on this threshold of discovery。
〃Is she here now？〃
〃She's in Tuolumne；〃 said Seventy…Four。
〃A little better looked arter than formerly；〃 added Seventy…Five。
〃I see。 Then Mr。 Silsbie ENTICED her away？〃
〃Well； ma'am； it WAS allowed as she runned away。 But it wasn't
proved； and it generally wasn't her style。〃
Mrs。 Rightbody trifled with her next question。
〃She was pretty； of course？〃
The eyes of both men brightened。
〃She was THAT！〃 said Seventy…Four emphatically。
〃It would have done you good to see her！〃 added Seve