cabin fever-第26部分

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〃Yeah。　Well；　the　trail's　just　as　good　now　as　it　was　when　I　took　it；〃　Cash　hinted　strongly。　〃When　I　go　to　town　again；　it'll　be　because　I've　got　to　go。　And　far　as　I　can　see；　I　won't　have　to　go　for　quite　some　time。〃

So　Bud　rose　before　daylight　the　next　morning；　tied　on　the　makeshift　snowshoes　Cash　had　contrived；　and　made　the　fifteen…mile　trip　to　Alpine　and　back　before　dark。　He　brought　candy　for　Lovin　Child；　tended　that　young　gentleman　through　a　siege　of　indigestion　because　of　the　indulgence；　and　waited　impatiently　until　he　was　fairly　certain　that　the　wardrobe　he　had　ordered　had　arrived　at　the　post…office。　When　he　had　counted　off　the　two　days　required　for　a　round　trip　to　Sacramento；　and　had　added　three　days　for　possible　delay　in　filling　the　order；　he　went　again；　and　returned　in　one　of　the　worst　storms　of　the　winter。

But　he　did　not　grudge　the　hardship；　for　he　carried　on　his　back　a　bulky　bundle　of　clothes　for　Lovin　Child；　enough　to　last　the　winter　through；　and　some　to　spare；　a　woman　would　have　laughed　at　some　of　the　things　he　chose：　impractical；　dainty　garments　that　Bud　could　not　launder　properly　to　save　his　life。　But　there　were　little　really　truly　overalls；　in　which　Lovin　Child　promptly　developed　a　strut　that　delighted　the　men　and　earned　him　the　title　of　Old　Prospector。　And　there　were　little　shirts　and　stockings　and　nightgowns　and　a　pair　of　shoes；　and　a　toy　or　two　that　failed　to　interest　him　at　all；　after　the　first　inspection。

It　began　to　look　as　though　Bud　had　deliberately　resolved　upon　carrying　a　guilty　conscience　all　the　rest　of　his　life。　He　had　made　absolutely　no　effort　to　trace　the　parents　of　Lovin　Child　when　he　was　in　town。　On　the　contrary　he　had　avoided　all　casual　conversation；　for　fear　some　one　might　mention　the　fact　that　a　child　had　been　lost。　He　had　been　careful　not　to　buy　anything　in　the　town　that　would　lead　one　to　suspect　that　he　had　a　child　concealed　upon　his　premises；　and　he　had　even　furnished　what　he　called　an　alibi　when　he　bought　the　candy；　professing　to　own　an　inordinately　sweet　tooth。

Cash　cast　his　eyes　over　the　stock　of　baby　clothes　which　Bud　gleefully　unwrapped　on　his　bunk；　and　pinched　out　a　smile　under　his　beard。

〃Well；　if　the　kid　stays　till　he　wears　out　all　them　clothes；　we'll　just　about　have　to　give　him　a　share　in　the　company；〃　he　said　drily。

Bud　looked　up　in　quick　jealousy。　〃What's　mine's　his；　and　I　own　a　half　interest　in　both　claims。　I　guess　that'll　feed　himif　they　pan　out　anything；〃　he　retorted。　〃Come　here；　Boy；　and　let's　try　this　suit　on。　Looks　pretty　small　to　memarked　three　year；　but　I　reckon　they　don't　grow　'em　as　husky　as　you；　back　where　they　make　all　these　clothes。〃

〃Yeah。　But　you　ought　to　put　it　in　writing；　Bud。　S'pose　anything　happened　to　us　bothand　it　might。　Mining's　always　got　its　risky　side；　even　cutting　out　sickness；　which　we've　had　a　big　sample　of　right　this　winter。　Well；　the　kid　oughta　have　some　security　in　case　anything　did　happen。　Now〃

Bud　looked　thoughtfully　down　at　the　fuzzy　yellow　head　that　did　not　come　much　above　his　knee。

〃Well；　how　yuh　going　to　do　anything　like　that　without　giving　it　away　that　we've　got　him？　Besides；　what　name'd　we　give　him　in　the　company？　No；　sir；　Cash；　he　gets　what　I've　got；　and　I'll　smash　any　damn　man　that　tries　to　get　it　away　from　him。　But　we　can't　get　out　any　legal　papers〃

〃Yeah。　But　we　can　make　our　wills；　can't　we？　And　I　don't　know　where　you　get　the　idea；　Bud；　that　you've　got　the　whole　say　about　him。　We're　pardners；　ain't　we？　Share　and　share　alike。　Mines；　mules；　grubkidsequal　shares　goes。〃

〃That's　where　you're　dead　wrong。　Mines　and　mules　and　grub　is　all　right；　but　when　it　comes　to　this　old　Lovin　Man；　whywho　was　it　found　him；　for　gosh　sake？〃

〃Aw；　git　out！〃　Cash　growled。　〃Don't　you　reckon　I'd　have　grabbed　him　off　that　squaw　as　quick　as　you　did？　I've　humored　you　along；　Bud；　and　let　you　hog　him　nights；　and　feed　him　and　wash　his　clothes；　and　I　ain't　kicked　none；　have　I？　But　when　it　comes　to　prope'ty〃

〃You　ain't　goin'　to　horn　in　there；　neither。　Anyway；　we　ain't　got　so　darn　much　the　kid'll　miss　your　share；　Cash。〃

〃Yeah。　All　the　more　reason　why　he'll　need　it　I　don't　see　how　you're　going　to　stop　me　from　willing　my　share　where　I　please。　And　when　you　come　down　to　facts；　Bud；　whyyou　want　to　recollect　that　I　plumb　forgot　to　report　that　kid；　when　I　was　in　town。　And　I　ain't　a　doubt　in　the　world　but　what　his　folks　would　be　glad　enough〃

〃Forget　that　stuff！〃　Bud's　tone　was　so　sharp　that　Lovin　Child　turned　clear　around　to　look　up　curiously　into　his　face。　〃You　know　why　you　never　reported　him；　doggone　yuh！　You　couldn't　give　him　up　no　easier　than　I　could。　And　I'll　tell　the　world　to　its　face　that　if　anybody　gets　this　kid　now　they've　pretty　near　got　to　fight　for　him。　It　ain't　right；　and　it　ain't　honest。　It's　stealing　to　keep　him；　and　I　never　stole　a　brass　tack　in　my　life　before。　But　he's　mine　as　long　as　I　live　and　can　hang　on　to　him。　And　that's　where　I　stand。　I　ain't　hidin'　behind　no　kind　of　alibi。　The　old　squaw　did　tell　me　his　folks　was　dead；　but　if　you'd　ask　me；　I'd　say　she　was　lying　when　she　said　it。　Chances　are　she　stole　him。　I'm　sorry　for　his　folks；　supposing　he's　got　any。　But　I　ain't　sorry　enough　for　'em　to　give　him　up　if　I　can　help　it。　I　hope　they've　got　more；　and　I　hope　they've　gentled　down　by　this　time　and　are　used　to　being　without　him。　Anyway；　they　can　do　without　him　now　easier　than　what　I　can；　because　。。。〃　Bud　did　not　finish　that　sentence；　except　by　picking　Lovin　Child　up　in　his　arms　and　squeezing　him　as　hard　as　he　dared。　He　laid　his　face　down　for　a　minute　on　Lovin　Child's　head；　and　when　he　raised　it　his　lashes　were　wet。

〃Say；　old…timer；　you　need　a　hair　cut。　Yuh　know　it？〃　he　said；　with　a　huskiness　in　his　voice；　and　pulled　a　tangle　playfully。　Then　his　eyes　swung　round　defiantly　to　Cash。　〃It's　stealing　to　keep　him；　but　I　can't　help　it。　I'd　rather　die　right　here　in　my　tracks　than　give　up　this　little　ole　kid。　And　you　can　take　that　as　it　lays；　because　I　mean　it。〃

Cash　sat　quiet　for　a　minute　or　two；　staring　down　at　the　floor。　〃Yeah。　I　guess　there's　two　of　us　in　that　fix；〃　he　observed　in　his　dry　way；　lifting　his　eyebrows　while　he　studied　a　broken　place　in　the　side　of　his　overshoe。　〃All　the　more　reason　why　we　should　protect　the　kid；　ain't　it？　My　idea　is　that　we　ought　to　both　of　us　make　our　wills　right　here　and　now。　Each　of　us　to　name　the　other　for　guardeen；　in　case　of　accident；　and　each　one　picking　a　name　for　the　kid；　and　giving　him　our　share　in　the　claims　and　anything　else　we　may　happen　to　own。〃　He　stopped　abruptly；　his　jaw　sagging　a　little　at　some　unpleasant　thought。

〃I　don't　knowcome　to　think　of　it；　I　can't　just　leave　the　kid　all　my　property。　II've　got　a　kid　of　my　own；　and　if　she's　aliveI　ain't　heard　anything　of　her　for　fifteen　years　and　more；　but　if　she's　alive　she'd　come　in　for　a　share。　She's　a　woman　grown　by　this　time。　Her　mother　died　when　she　was　a　baby。　I　married　the　woman　I　hired　to　take　care　of　her　and　the　house　like　a　fool。　When　we　parted；　she　took　the　kid　with　her。　She　did　think　a　lot　of　her；　I'll　say　that　much　for　her；　and　that's　all　I　can　say　in　her　favor。　I　drifted　around　and　lost　track　of　'em。　Old　woman；　she　married　again；　and　I　heard　that　didn't　pan　out；　neither。　Anyway；　she　kept　the　girl；　and　gave　her　the　care　and　schooling　that　I　couldn't　give。　I　was　a　drifter。

〃Well；　she　can　bust　the　will　if　I　leave　her　out；　yuh　see。　And　if　the　old　woman　gets　a　finger　in　the　pie；　it'll　be　busted；　all　right。　I　can　write　her　down　for　a　hundred　dollars　perviding　she　don't　contest。　That'll　fix　it。　And　the　rest　goes　to　the　kid　here。　But　I　want　him　to　have　the　use　of　my　name；　understand。　Something…　or…other　Markham　Moore　ought　to　suit　all　hands　well　enough。〃

Bud；　holding　Lovin　Child　on　his　knees；　frowned　a　little　at　first。　But　when　he　looked　at　Cash；　and　caught　the　wistfulness　in　his　eyes；　he　surrendered　warm…heartedly。

〃A　couple　of　old　he…hens　like　uswe　need　a　chick　to　look　after；〃　he　said　whimsically。　〃I　guess　Markham　Moore　ought　to　be　good　enough　for　most　any　kid。　And　if　it　ain't；　by　gosh；　we'll　make　it　good　enough！　If　I　ain't　been　all　I　should　be；　there's　no　law　against　straightening　up。　Markham　Moore　goes　as　it　lays　hey；　Lovins？〃　But　Lovin　Child　had　gone　to　sleep　over　his　foster　fathers'　disposal　of　his　future。　His　little　yellow　head　was　wabbling　on　his　limp　neck；　and　Bud　cradled　him　in　his　arms　and　held　him　so。

〃Yeah。　But　what　are　we　going　to　call　him？〃　Methodical　Cash　wanted　the　whole　matter　settled　at　one　conference；　it　seemed。

〃Call　him？　Why；　what've　we　been　calling　him；　the　last　two　months？　〃

〃That；〃　Cash　retorted；　〃depended　on　what　devilment　he　was　into　when　we　called！〃

〃You　said　it　all；　that　time。　I　guess；　come　to　think　of　it　tell　you　what；　Cash；　let's　call　him　what　the　kid　calls　himself。　That's　fair　enough。　He's　got　some　say　in　the　matter；　and　if　he's　satisfied　with　Lovin；　we　oughta　be。　Lovin　Markam　Moore　ain't　half　bad。　Then　if　he　wants　to　change　it　when　he　grows　up；　he　can。〃

〃Yeah。　I　guess　that's　as　good　as　anything。　I'd　hate　to　see　him　named　Cassius。　Well；　now's　as　good　a　time　as　any　to　make　them　wills；　Bud。　We　oughta　have　a　couple　of　witnesses；　but　we　can　act　for　each　other；　and　I　guess　it'll　pass。　You　lay　the　kid　down；　and　we'll　write　'em　and　have　it　done　with　and　off　our　minds。　I　dunno　I've　got　a　couple　of　lots　in　Phoenix　I'll　leave　to　the　girl。　By　rights　she　should　have　'em。　Lovins；　here；　'll　have　my　share　in　all　mining　claims；　these　two　I'll　name　'specially；　because　I　expect　them　to　develop　into　paying　mines；　the　Blind　Lodge；　anyway。〃

A　twinge　of　jealousy　seized　Bud。　Cash　was　going　ahead　a　little　too　confidently　in　his　plans　for　the　kid。　He　did　not　want　to　hurt　old　Cash's　feelings；　and　of　course　he　needed　Cash's　assistance　if　he　kept　Lovin　Child　for　his　own。　But　Cash　needn't　think　he　was　going　to　claim　the　kid　himself。

〃All　rightput　it　that　way。　Only；　when　you're　writing　it　down；　you　make　it　read　'child　of　Bud　Moore'　or　something　like　that。　You　can　will　him　the　moon；　if　you　want；　and　you　can　have　your　name　sandwiched　in　between　his　and　mine。　But　get　this；　and　get　it　right。　He's　mine；　and　if　we　ever　split　up；　the　kid　goes　with　me。　I'll　tell　the　world　right　now　that　this　kid　belongs　to　me；　and　where　I　go　he　goes。　You　got　that？〃

〃You　don't　have　to　beller　at　the　top　of　your　voice；　do　yuh？　〃　snapped