cabin fever-第13部分

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〃Got　something　pretty　good　here；　Budif　she　don't　turn　out　like　that　dang　Burro　Lode　ledge。　Look　here。　Best　looking　quartz　we've　struck　yet。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

He　dumped　the　rock　out　on　the　oilcloth　behind　the　sugar　can　and　directly　under　the　little　square　window　through　which　the　sun　was　pouring　a　lavish　yellow　flood　of　light　before　it　dropped　behind　the　peak。　Bud　set　the　bacon　back　where　it　would　not　burn；　and　bent　over　the　table　to　look。

〃Gee；　but　it's　heavy！〃　he　cried；　picking　up　a　fragment　the　size　of　an　egg；　and　balancing　it　in　his　hands。　〃I　don't　know　a　lot　about　gold…bearing　quartz；　but　she　looks　good　to　me；　all　right。〃

〃Yeah。　It　is　good；　unless　I'm　badly　mistaken。　I'll　test　some　after　supper。　Old　Nelson　couldn't　have　used　powder　at　all；　or　he'd　have　uncovered　enough　of　this；　I　should　think；　to　show　the　rest　what　he　had。　Or　maybe　he　died　just　when　he　had　started　that　hole。　Seems　queer　he　never　struck　pay　dirt　in　this　flat。　Well；　let's　eat　if　it's　ready；　Bud。　Then　we'll　see。〃

〃Seems　kinda　queer；　don't　it；　Cash；　that　nobody　stepped　in　and　filed　on　any　claims　here？〃　Bud　dumped　half　a　kettle　of　boiled　beans　into　a　basin　and　set　it　on　the　table。　〃Want　any　prunes　to…　night；　Cash？〃

Cash　did　not　want　prunes；　which　was　just　as　well；　seeing　there　were　none　cooked。　He　sat　down　and　ate；　with　his　mind　and　his　eyes　clinging　to　the　grayish；　veined　fragments　of　rock　lying　on　the　table　beside　his　plate。

〃We'll　send　some　of　that　down　to　Sacramento　right　away；〃　he　observed；　〃and　have　it　assayed。　And　we　won't　let　out　anything　about　it；　Budgood　or　bad。　I　like　this　flat。　I　don't　want　it　mucked　over　with　a　lot　of　gold…crazy　lunatics。〃

Bud　laughed　and　reached　for　the　bacon。　〃We　ain't　been　followed　up　with　stampedes　so　far；〃　he　pointed　out。　〃Burro　Lode　never　caused　a　ripple　in　the　Bend；　you　recollect。　And　I'll　tell　a　sinful　world　it　looked　awful　good；　too。〃

〃Yeah。　Well；　Arizona's　hard　to　excite。　They've　had　so　dang　much　strenuosity　all　their　lives；　and　then　the　climate's　against　violent　effort；　either　mental　or　physical。　I　was　calm；　perfectly　calm　when　I　discovered　that　big　ledge。　It　is　just　as　well　seeing　how　it　petered　out。〃

〃What'll　you　bet　this　pans　out　the　same？〃　　　〃I　never　bet。　No　one　but　a　fool　will　gamble。〃　Cash　pressed　his　lips　together　in　a　way　that　drove　the　color　from　there。

〃Oh；　yuh　don't！　Say；　you're　the　king　bee　of　all　gamblers。　Been　prospecting　for　fifteen　years；　according　to　youand　then　you've　got　the　nerve　to　say　you　don't　gamble！〃

Cash　ignored　the　charge。　He　picked　up　a　piece　of　rock　and　held　it　to　the　fading　light。　〃It　looks　good；〃　he　said　again。　〃Better　than　that　placer　ground　down　by　the　creek。　That's　all　right；　too。　We　can　wash　enough　gold　there　to　keep　us　going　while　we　develop　this。　That　is；　if　this　proves　as　good　as　it　looks。〃

Bud　looked　across　at　him　enigmatically。　〃Well；　here's　hoping　she's　worth　a　million。　You　go　ahead　with　your　tests；　Cash。　I'll　wash　the　dishes。〃

〃Of　course；〃　Cash　began　to　conserve　his　enthusiasm；　〃there's　nothing　so　sure　as　an　assay。　And　it　was　too　dark　in　the　hole　to　see　how　much　was　uncovered。　This　may　be　just　a　freak　deposit。　There　may　not　be　any　real　vein　of　it。　You　can't　tell　until　it's　developed　further。　But　it　looks　good。　Awful　good。〃

His　makeshift　tests　confirmed　his　opinion。　Bud　started　out　next　day　with　three　different　samples　for　the　assayer；　and　an　air　castle　or　two　to　keep　him　company。　He　would　like　to　find　himself　half　owner　of　a　mine　worth　about　a　million；　he　mused。　Maybe　Marie　would　wish　then　that　she　had　thought　twice　about　quitting　him　just　on　her　mother's　say…so。　He'd　like　to　go　buzzing　into　San　Jose　behind　the　wheel　of　a　car　like　the　one　Foster　had　fooled　him　into　stealing。　And　meet　Marie；　and　her　mother　too；　and　let　them　get　an　eyeful。　He　guessed　the　old　lady　would　have　to　swallow　what　she　had　said　about　him　being　lazyjust　because　he　couldn't　run　an　auto…stage　in　the　winter　to　Big　Basin！　What　was　the　matter　with　the　old　woman；　anyway？　Didn't　he　keep　Maria　in　comfort。　Well；　he'd　like　to　see　her　face　when　he　drove　along　the　street　in　a　big　new　Sussex。　She'd　wish　she　had　let　him　and　Marie　alone。　They　would　have　made　out　all　right　if　they　had　been　let　alone。　He　ought　to　have　taken　Marie　to　some　other　town；　where　her　mother　couldn't　nag　at　her　every　day　about　him。　Marie　wasn't　such　a　bad　kid；　if　she　were　left　alone。　They　might　have　been　happy

He　tried　then　to　shake　himself　free　of　thoughts　of　her。　That　was　the　trouble　with　him；　he　brooded　morosely。　He　couldn't　let　his　thoughts　ride　free；　any　more。　They　kept　heading　straight　for　Marie。　He　could　not　see　why　she　should　cling　so　to　his　memory；　he　had　not　wronged　herunless　it　was　by　letting　her　go　without　making　a　bigger　fight　for　their　home。　Still；　she　had　gone　of　her　own　free　will。　He　was　the　one　that　had　been　wrongedwhy；　hadn't　they　lied　about　him　in　court　and　to　the　gossipy　neighbors？　Hadn't　they　broke　him？　No。　If　the　mine　panned　out　big　as　Cash　seemed　to　think　was　likely；　the　best　thing　he　could　do　was　steer　clear　of　San　Jose。　And　whether　it　panned　out　or　not；　the　best　thing　he　could　do　was　forget　that　such　girl　as　Marie　had　ever　existed。。

Which　was　all　very　well；　as　far　as　it　went。　The　trouble　was　that　resolving　not　to　think　of　Marie；　calling　up　all　the　bitterness　he　could　muster　against　her　memory；　did　no　more　toward　blotting　her　image　from　his　mind　than　did　the　miles　and　the　months　he　had　put　between　them。

He　reached　the　town　in　a　dour　mood　of　unrest；　spite　of　the　promise　of　wealth　he　carried　in　his　pocket。　He　mailed　the　package　and　the　letter；　and　went　to　a　saloon　and　had　a　highball。　He　was　not　a　drinking　manat　least；　he　never　had　been　one；　beyond　a　convivial　glass　or　two　with　his　fellowsbut　he　felt　that　day　the　need　of　a　little　push　toward　optimism。　In　the　back　part　of　the　room　three　men　were　playing　freeze…out。　Bud　went　over　and　stood　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　watched　them；　because　there　was　nothing　else　to　do；　and　because　he　was　still　having　some　trouble　with　his　thoughts。　He　was　lonely；　without　quite　knowing　what　ailed　him。　He　hungered　for　friends　to　hail　him　with　that　cordial；　〃Hello；　Bud！〃　when　they　saw　him　coming。

No　one　in　Alpine　had　said　hello；　Bud；　when　he　came　walking　in　that　day。　The　postmaster　bad　given　him　one　measuring　glance　when　he　had　weighed　the　package　of　ore；　but　he　had　not　spoken　except　to　name　the　amount　of　postage　required。　The　bartender　had　made　some　remark　about　the　weather；　and　had　smiled　with　a　surface　friendliness　that　did　not　deceive　Bud　for　a　moment。　He　knew　too　well　that　the　smile　was　not　for　him；　but　for　his　patronage。

He　watched　the　game。　And　when　the　man　opposite　him　pushed　back　his　chair　and；　looking　up　at　Bud；　asked　if　he　wanted　to　sit　in；　Bud　went　and　sat　down；　buying　a　dollar's　worth　of　chips　as　an　evidence　of　his　intention　to　play。　His　interest　in　the　game　was　not　keen。　He　played　for　the　feeling　it　gave　him　of　being　one　of　the　bunch；　a　man　among　his　friends；　or　if　not　friends；　at　least　acquaintances。　And；　such　was　his　varying　luck　with　the　cards；　he　played　for　an　hour　or　so　without　having　won　enough　to　irritate　his　companions。　Wherefore　he　rose　from　the　table　at　supper　time　calling　one　young　fellow　Frank　quite　naturally。　They　went　to　the　Alpine　House　and　had　supper　together；　and　after　that　they　sat　in　the　office　and　talked　about　automobiles　for　an　hour；　which　gave　Bud　a　comforting　sense　of　having　fallen　among　friends。

Later　they　strolled　over　to　a　picture　show　which　ran　films　two　years　behind　their　first　release；　and　charged　fifteen　cents　for　the　privilege　of　watching　them。　It　was　the　first　theater　Bud　had　entered　since　he　left　San　Jose；　and　at　the　last　minute　he　hesitated；　tempted　to　turn　back。　He　hated　moving　pictures。　They　always　had　love　scenes　somewhere　in　the　story；　and　love　scenes　hurt。　But　Frank　had　already　bought　two　tickets；　and　it　seemed　unfriendly　to　turn　back　now。　He　went　inside　to　the　jangling　of　a　player…piano　in　dire　need　of　a　tuner's　service；　and　sat　down　near　the　back　of　the　hall　with　his　hat　upon　his　lifted　knees　which　could　have　used　more　space　between　the　seats。

While　they　waited　for　the　program　they　talked　in　low　tones；　a　mumble　of　commonplaces。　Bud　forgot　for　the　moment　his　distaste　for　such　places；　and　let　himself　slip　easily　back　into　the　old　thought　channels；　the　old　habits　of　relaxation　after　a　day's　work　was　done。　He　laughed　at　the　one…reel　comedy　that　had　for　its　climax　a　chase　of　housemaids；　policemen；　and　outraged　fruit　vendors　after　a　well…meaning　but　unfortunate　lover。　He　saw　the　lover　pulled　ignominiously　out　of　a　duck　pond　and　soused　relentlessly　into　a　watering　trough；　and　laughed　with　Frank　and　called　it　some　picture。

He　eyed　a　succession　of　〃current　events〃　long　since　gone　stale　out　where　the　world　moved　swifter　than　here　in　the　mountains；　and　he　felt　as　though　he　had　come　once　more　into　close　touch　with　life。　All　the　dull　months　he　had　spent　with　Cash　and　the　burros　dwarfed　into　a　pointless；　irrelevant　incident　of　his　life。　He　felt　that　he　ought　to　be　out　in　the　world；　doing　bigger　things　than　hunting　gold　that　somehow　always　refused　at　the　last　minute　to　be　found。　He　stirred　restlessly。　He　was　freethere　was　nothing　to　hold　him　if　he　wanted　to　go。　The　warhe　believed　he　would　go　over　and　take　a　hand。　He　could　drive　an　ambulance　or　a　truck

Current　Events；　however；　came　abruptly　to　an　end；　and　presently　Bud's　vagrant；　half…formed　desire　for　achievement　merged　into　biting　recollections。　Here　was　a　love　drama；　three　reels　of　it。　At　first　Bud　watched　it　with　only　a　vague；　disquieting　sense　of　familiarity。　Then　abruptly　he　recalled　too　vividly　the　time　and　circumstance　of　his　first　sight　of　the　picture。　It　was　in　San　Jose；　at　the　Liberty。　He　and　Marie　had　been　married　two　days；　and　were　living　in　that　glamorous　world　of　the　honeymoon；　so　poignantly　sweet；　so　marvelousand　so　fleeting。　He　had　whispered　that　the　girl　looked　like　her；　and　she　had　leaned　heavily　against　his　shoulder。　In　the　dusk　of　lowered　lights　their　hands　had　groped　and　found　each　other；　and　clung。

The　girl　did　look　like　Marie。　When　she　turned　her　head　with　that　little　tilt　of　the　chin；　when　she　smiled；　she　was　like　Marie。　Bud　leaned　forward；　staring；　his　brows　drawn　together；　breathing　the　short；　quick　breaths　of　emotio