arizona nights-第6部分
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and knew nothing of primogeniture。
〃That is a very interesting piece of family history；〃 said I；
〃but it does not answer my question。〃
He smiled。
〃Well now； I hadn't thought of that；〃 said he； 〃but in a manner
of speaking； it does。 I do nothing。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； unabashed； 〃if you saw me trying to be a younger
son and likely to forget myself and do something without meaning
to； wouldn't you be apt to warn me？〃
〃Well； 'pon honour； you're a queer chap。 What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that if you hire any of those men to guide you in the
mountains； you'll be outrageously cheated； and will be lucky if
you're not gobbled by Apaches。〃
〃Do you do any guiding yourself； now？〃 he asked； most innocent of
manner。
But I flared up。
〃You damn ungrateful pup；〃 I said； 〃go to the devil in your
own way；〃 and turned square on my heel。
But the young man was at my elbow； his hand on my shoulder。
〃Oh； I say now； I'm sorry。 I didn't rightly understand。 Do
wait one moment until I dispose of these boxes of mine； and then
I want the honour of your further acquaintance。〃
He got some Greasers to take his trunks over to the hotel； then
linked his arm in mine most engagingly。
〃Now； my dear chap；〃 said he； 〃let's go somewhere for a B & S；
and find out about each other。〃
We were both young and expansive。 We exchanged views； names；
and confidences； and before noon we had arranged to hunt
together； I to collect the outfit。
The upshot of the matter was that the Honourable Timothy Clare
and I had a most excellent month's excursion； shot several good
bear； and returned to Tucson the best of friends。
At Tucson was Schiefflein and his stories of a big strike down
in the Apache country。 Nothing would do but that we should both
go to see for ourselves。 We joined the second expedition； crept
in the gullies； tied bushes about ourselves when monumenting
corners； and so helped establish the town of Tombstone。 We made
nothing； nor attempted to。 Neither of us knew anything of
mining； but we were both thirsty for adventure； and took a
schoolboy delight in playing the game of life or death with the
Chiricahuas。
In fact； I never saw anybody take to the wild life as eagerly as
the Honourable Timothy Clare。 He wanted to attempt everything。
With him it was no sooner see than try； and he had such an
abundance of enthusiasm that he generally succeeded。 The balloon
pants soon went。 In a month his outfit was irreproachable。 He
used to study us by the hour； taking in every detail of our
equipment； from the smallest to the most important。 Then he
asked questions。 For all his desire to be one of the country； he
was never ashamed to acknowledge his ignorance。
〃Now； don't you chaps think it silly to wear such high heels to
your boots？〃 he would ask。 〃It seems to me a very useless sort
of vanity。〃
〃No vanity about it； Tim；〃 I explained。 〃In the first place； it
keeps your foot from slipping through the stirrup。 In the second
place； it is good to grip on the ground when you're roping
afoot。〃
〃By Jove； that's true！〃 he cried。
So he'd get him a pair of boots。 For a while it was enough to
wear and own all these things。 He seemed to delight in his
six…shooter and his rope just as ornaments to himself and horse。
But he soon got over that。 Then he had to learn to use them。
For the time being； pistol practice； for instance； would absorb
all his thoughts。 He'd bang away at intervals all day； and
figure out new theories all night。
〃That bally scheme won't work；〃 he would complain。 〃I believe if
I extended my thumb along the cylinder it would help that side
jump。〃
He was always easing the trigger…pull； or filing the sights。 In
time he got to be a fairly accurate and very quick shot。
The same way with roping and hog…tying and all the rest。
〃What's the use？〃 I used to ask him。 〃If you were going to be a
buckeroo； you couldn't go into harder training。〃
〃I like it；〃 was always his answer。
He had only one real vice； that I could see。 He would gamble。
Stud poker was his favourite； and I never saw a Britisher yet who
could play poker。 I used to head him off； when I could； and he
was always grateful； but the passion was strong。
After we got back from founding Tombstone I was busted and had to
go to work。
〃I've got plenty；〃 said Tim； 〃and it's all yours。〃
〃I know； old fellow；〃 I told him； 〃but your money wouldn't do for
me。〃
Buck Johnson was just seeing his chance then； and was preparing
to take some breeding cattle over into the Soda Springs Valley。
Everybody laughed at himsaid it was right in the line of the
Chiricahua raids； which was true。 But Buck had been in there
with Agency steers； and thought he knew。 So he collected a trail
crew； brought some Oregon cattle across； and built his home ranch
of three…foot adobe walls with portholes。 I joined the trail
crew； and somehow or another the Honourable Timothy got
permission to go along on his own hook。
The trail was a long one。 We had thirst and heat and stampedes
and some Indian scares。 But in the queer atmospheric conditions
that prevailed that summer； I never saw the desert more
wonderful。 It was like waking to the glory of God to sit up at
dawn and see the colours change on the dry ranges。
At the home ranch； again； Tim managed to get permission to stay
on。 He kept his own mount of horses； took care of them； hunted；
and took part in all the cow work。 We lost some cattle from
Indians； of course； but it was too near the Reservation for them
to do more than pick up a few stray head on their way through。
The troops were always after them full jump； and so they never
had time to round up the beef。 But of course we had to look out
or we'd lose our hair； and many a cowboy has won out to the home
ranch in an almighty exciting race。 This was nuts for the
Honourable Timothy Clare； much better than hunting silver…tips；
and he enjoyed it no limit。
Things went along that way for some time； until one evening as
I was turning out the horses a buckboard drew in； and from it
descended Tony Briggs and a dapper little fellow dressed all
in black and with a plug hat。
〃Which I accounts for said hat reachin' the ranch； because it's
Friday and the boys not in town；〃 Tony whispered to me。
As I happened to be the only man in sight； the stranger addressed
me。
〃I am looking；〃 said he in a peculiar； sing…song manner I have
since learned to be English； 〃for the Honourable Timothy Clare。
Is he here？〃
〃Oh； you're looking for him are you？〃 said I。 〃And who might you
be？〃
You see； I liked Tim； and I didn't intend to deliver him over
into trouble。
The man picked a pair of eye…glasses off his stomach where they
dangled at the end of a chain； perched them on his nose； and
stared me over。 I must have looked uncompromising； for after a
few seconds he abruptly wrinkled his nose so that the glasses
fell promptly to his stomach again； felt his waistcoat pocket；
and produced a card。 I took it； and read：
JEFFRIES CASE； Barrister。
〃A lawyer！〃 said I suspiciously。
〃My dear man；〃 he rejoined with a slight impatience； 〃I am not
here to do your young friend a harm。 In fact； my firm have been
his family solicitors for generations。〃
〃Very well；〃 I agreed； and led the way to the one…room adobe that
Tim and I occupied。
If I had expected an enthusiastic greeting for the boyhood friend
from the old home； I would have been disappointed。 Tim was
sitting with his back to the door reading an old magazine。 When
we entered he glanced over his shoulder。
〃Ah； Case；〃 said he； and went on reading。 After a moment he said
without looking up； 〃Sit down。〃
The little man took it calmly； deposited himself in a chair and
his bag between his feet； and looked about him daintily at our
rough quarters。 I made a move to go； whereupon Tim laid down his
magazine； yawned； stretched his arms over his head； and sighed。
〃Don't go； Harry；〃 he begged。 〃Well； Case；〃 he addressed the
barrister； 〃what is it this time？ Must be something devilish
important to bring youhow many thousand miles is itinto such
a country as this。〃
〃It is important； Mr。 Clare；〃 stated the lawyer in his dry
sing…song tones； 〃but my journey might have been avoided had you
paid some attention to my letters。〃
〃Letters！〃 repeated Tim； opening his eyes。 〃My dear chap； I've
had no letters。〃
〃Addressed as usual to your New York bankers。〃
Tim laughed softly。 〃Where they are； with my last two quarters'
allowance。 I especially instructed them to send me no mail。 One
spends no money in this country。〃 He paused； pulling his
moustache。 〃I'm truly sorry you had to come so far；〃 he
continued； 〃and if your business is； as I suspect； the old one of
inducing me to return to my dear uncle's arms； I assure you the
mission will prove quite fruitless。 Uncle Hillary and I could
never live in the same county； let alone the same house。〃
〃And yet your uncle； the Viscount Mar； was very fond of you；〃
ventured Case。 〃Your allowances〃
〃Oh； I grant you his generosity in MONEY affairs〃
〃He has continued that generosity in the terms of his will； and
those terms I am here to communicate to you。〃
〃Uncle Hillary is dead！〃 cried Tim。
〃He passed away the sixteenth of last June。〃
A slight pause ensued。
〃I am ready to hear you；〃 said Tim soberly； at last。
The barrister stooped and began to fumble with his bag。
〃No； not that！〃 cried Tim； with some impatience。 〃Tell me in
your own words。〃
The lawyer sat back and pressed his finger points together over
his stomach。
〃The late Viscount；〃 said he； 〃has been graciously please
