the story of a mine-第10部分

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inscription；　'Road　to　the　Blue　Mass　Company's　new　mills　to　the

right；'　and　combine　business　with　art？　　That's　the　fault　of　you

geniuses。　　But　what's　this　blanketed　figure　doing　here；　lying

before　the　furnace？　　You　never　saw　one　of　my　miners　there；and　a

Mexican；　too；　by　his　serape。〃　　〃That；〃　quoth　Mistress　Carmen；

coolly；　〃was　put　in　to　fill　up　the　foreground；I　wanted　something

there　to　balance　the　picture。〃　　〃But；〃　continued　Thatcher；　dropping

into　unconscious　admiration　again；　〃it's　drawn　to　the　life。　　Tell

me；　Miss　De　Haro；　before　I　ask　the　aid　and　counsel　of　Mrs。

Plodgitt；　who　is　my　hated　rival；　and　your　lay　figure　and　model？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Carmen；　with　a　little　sigh；　〃It's　only　poor　Coucho。〃

〃And　where　is　Concho？〃　（a　little　impatiently。）　　〃He's　dead；　Don

Royal。〃　　〃Dead？〃　　〃Of　a　verity；very　dead；murdered　by　your

countrymen。〃　　〃I　see；and　you　know　him？〃　　〃He　was　my　friend。〃



〃Oh！〃



〃Truly。〃



〃But〃　（wickedly）；　〃isn't　this　a　rather　ghastly　advertisement

outside　of　an　illustrated　newspaperof　my　property？〃



〃Ghastly；　Don　Royal。　　Look　you；　he　sleeps。〃



〃Ay〃　（in　Spanish）；　〃as　the　dead。〃



Carmen　（crossing　herself　hastily）；　〃After　the　fashion　of　the　dead。〃



They　were　both　feeling　uncomfortable。　　Carmen　was　shivering。　　But；

being　a　woman；　and　tactful；　she　recovered　her　head　first。　　〃It　is　a

study　for　myself；　Don　Royal；　I　shall　make　you　another。〃



And　she　slipped　away；　as　she　thought；　out　of　the　subject　and　his

presence。



But　she　was　mistaken；　in　the　evening　he　renewed　the　conversation。

Carmen　began　to　fence；　not　from　cowardice　or　deceit；　as　the

masculine　reader　would　readily　infer；　but　from　some　wonderful

feminine　instinct　that　told　her　to　be　cautious。　　But　he　got　from

her　the　fact；　to　him　before　unknown；　that　she　was　the　niece　of　his

main　antagonist；　and；　being　a　gentleman；　so　redoubled　his

attentions　and　his　courtesy　that　Mrs。　Plodgitt　made　up　her　mind

that　it　was　a　foregone　conclusion；　and　seriously　reflected　as　to

what　she　should　wear　on　the　momentous　occasion。　　But　that　night

poor　Carmen　cried　herself　to　sleep；　resolving　that　she　would

hereafter　cast　aside　her　wicked　uncle　for　this　good…hearted

Americano；　yet　never　once　connected　her　innocent　penmanship　with

the　deadly　feud　between　them。　　Womenthe　best　of　themare　strong

as　to　collateral　facts；　swift　of　deduction；　but　vague　as　children

are　to　the　exact　statement　or　recognition　of　premises。　　It　is

hardly　necessary　to　say　that　Carmen　had　never　thought　of　connecting

any　act　of　hers　with　the　claims　of　her　uncle；　and　the　circumstance

of　the　signature　she　had　totally　forgotten。



The　masculine　reader　will　now　understand　Carmen's　confusion　and

blushes；　and　believe　himself　an　ass　to　have　thought　them　a

confession　of　original　affection。　　The　feminine　reader　will；　by

this　time；　become　satisfied　that　the　deceitful　minx's　sole　idea　was

to　gain　the　affections　of　Thatcher。　　And　really　I　don't　know　who　is

right。



Nevertheless　she　painted　a　sketch　of　Thatcher；which　now　adorns

the　Company's　office　in　San　Francisco；in　which　the　property　is

laid　out　in　pleasing　geometrical　lines；　and　the　rosy　promise　of　the

future　instinct　in　every　touch　of　the　brush。　　Then；　having　earned

her　〃wage；〃　as　she　believed；　she　became　somewhat　cold　and　shy　to

Thatcher。　　Whereat　that　gentleman　redoubled　his　attentions；　seeing

only　in　her　presence　a　certain　meprise；　which　concerned　her　more

than　himself。　　The　niece　of　his　enemy　meant　nothing　more　to　him

than　an　interesting　girl；to　be　protected　always；to　be　feared；

never。　　But　even　suspicion　may　be　insidiously　placed　in　noble

minds。



Mistress　Plodgitt；　thus　early　estopped　of　matchmaking；　of　course

put　the　blame　on　her　own　sex；　and　went　over　to　the　stronger　side

the　man's。



〃It's　a　great　pity　gals　should　be　so　curious；〃　she　said；　sotto

voce；　to　Thatcher；　when　Carmen　was　in　one　of　her　sullen　moods。

〃Yet　I　s'pose　it's　in　her　blood。　　Them　Spaniards　is　always

revengeful；like　the　Eyetalians。〃



Thatcher　honestly　looked　his　surprise。



〃Why；　don't　you　see；　she's　thinking　how　all　these　lands　might　have

been　her　uncle's　but　for　you。　　And　instead　of　trying　to　be　sweet

and〃　here　she　stopped　to　cough。



〃Good　God！〃　said　Thatcher　in　great　concern；　〃I　never　thought　of

that。〃　　He　stopped　for　a　moment；　and　then　added　with　decision；　〃I

can't　believe　it；　it　isn't　like　her。〃



Mrs。　P。　was　piqued。　　She　walked　away；　delivering；　however；　this

Parthian　arrow：　〃Well；　I　hope　'TAINT　NOTHING　WORSE。〃



Thatcher　chuckled；　then　felt　uneasy。　　When　he　next　met　Carmen；　she

found　his　grey　eyes　fixed　on　hers　with　a　curious；　half…

inquisitorial　look　she　had　never　noticed　before。　　This　only　added

fuel　to　the　fire。　　Forgetting　their　relations　of　host　and　guest；

she　was　absolutely　rude。　　Thatcher　was　quiet　but　watchful；　got　the

Plodgitt　to　bed　early；　and；　under　cover　of　showing　a　moonlight　view

of　the　〃Lost　Chance　Mill；〃　decoyed　Carmen　out　of　ear…shot；　as　far

as　the　dismantled　furnace。



〃What　is　the　matter；　Miss　De　Haro；　have　I　offended　you？〃



Miss　Carmen　was　not　aware　that　anything　was　the　matter。　　If　Don

Royal　preferred　old　friends；　whose　loyalty　of　course　he　knew；　and

who　were　above　speaking　ill　against　a　gentleman　in　his　adversity

（oh；　Carmen！　fie！）　if　he　preferred　THEIR　company　to　LATER　FRIENDS

why（the　masculine　reader　will　observe　this　tremendous　climax　and

tremble）why　she　didn't　know　why　HE　should　blame　HER。



They　turned　and　faced　each　other。　　The　conditions　for　a　perfect

misunderstanding　could　not　have　been　better　arranged　between　two

people。　　Thatcher　was　a　masculine　reasoner；　Carmen　a　feminine

feeler；if　I　may　be　pardoned　the　expression。　　Thatcher　wanted　to

get　at　certain　facts；　and　argue　therefrom。　　Carmen　wanted　to　get　at

certain　feelings；　and　then　fit　the　facts　to　THEM。



〃But　I　am　NOT　blaming　you；　Miss　Carmen；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃It　WAS

stupid　in　me　to　confront　you　here　with　the　property　claimed　by　your

uncle　and　occupied　by　me；　but　it　was　a　mistake；no！〃　he　added

hastily；　〃it　was　not　a　mistake。　　You　knew　it；　and　I　didn't。　　You

overlooked　it　before　you　came；　and　I　was　too　glad　to　overlook　it

after　you　were　here。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Carmen　pettishly；　〃I　am　the　only　one　to　be

blamed。　　It's　like　you　MEN！〃　　（Mem。　　She　was　just　fifteen；　and

uttered　this　awful　'resume'　of　experience　just　as　if　it　hadn't　been

taught　to　her　in　her　cradle。）



Feminine　generalities　always　stagger　a　man。　　Thatcher　said　nothing。

Carmen　became　more　enraged。



〃Why　did　you　want　to　take　Uncle　Victor's　property；　then？〃　she　asked

triumphantly。



〃I　don't　know　that　it　is　your　uncle's　property。〃



〃Youdon'tknow？　　Have　you　seen　the　application　with　Governor

Micheltorena's　indorsement？　　Have　you　heard　the　witnesses？〃　she

said　passionately。



〃Signatures　may　be　forged　and　witnesses　lie；〃　said　Thatcher

quietly。



〃What　is　it　you　call　'forged'？〃



Thatcher　instantly　recalled　the　fact　that　the　Spanish　language　held

no　synonym　for　〃forgery。〃　　The　act　was　apparently　an　invention　of

el　Diablo　Americano。　　So　he　said；　with　a　slight　smile　in　his　kindly

eyes：



〃Anybody　wicked　enough　and　dexterous　enough　can　imitate　another's

handwriting。　　When　this　is　used　to　benefit　fraud；　we　call　it

'forgery。'　　I　beg　your　pardon；Miss　De　Haro；　Miss　Carmen；what　is

the　matter？〃



She　had　suddenly　lapsed　against　a　tree；　quite　helpless；　nerveless；

and　with　staring　eyes　fixed　on　his。　　As　yet　an　embryo　woman；

inexperienced　and　ignorant；　the　sex's　instinct　was　potential；　she

had　in　one　plunge　fathomed　all　that　his　reason　had　been　years

groping　for。



Thatcher　saw　only　that　she　was　pained；　that　she　was　helpless：　that

was　enough。　　〃It　is　possible　that　your　uncle　may　have　been

deceived；〃　he　began；　〃many　honest　men　have　been　fooled　by　clever

but　deceitful　tricksters；　men　and　women〃



〃Stop！　　Madre　de　Dios！　　WILL　YOU　STOP？〃



Thatcher　for　an　instant　recoiled　from　the　flashing　eyes　and　white

face　of　the　little　figure　that　had；　with　menacing　and　clenched　baby

fingers；　strode　to　his　side。　　He　stopped。　　〃Where　is　this

application；this　forgery？〃　she　asked。　　〃Show　it　to　me！〃



Thatcher　felt　relieved；　and　smiled　the　superior　smile　of　our　sex

over　feminine　ignorance。　　〃You　could　hardly　expect　me　to　be　trusted

with　your　uncle's　vouchers。　　His　papers　of　course　are　in　the　hands

of　his　counsel。〃



〃And　when　can　I　leave　this　place？〃　she　asked　passionately。



〃If　you　consult　my　wishes　you　will　stay；　if　only　long　enough　to

forgive　me。　　But　if　I　have　offended　you　unknowingly；　and　you　are

implacable〃



〃I　can　go　to…morrow　at　sunrise　if　I　like？〃



〃As　you　will；〃　returned　Thatcher　gravely。



〃Gracias；　Senor。〃



They　walked　slowly　back　to　the　house；　Thatcher　with　a　masculine

sense　of　being　unreasonably　afflicted；　Carmen　with　a　woman's

instinct　of　being　hopelessly　crushed。　　No　word　was　spoken　until

they　reached　the　door。　　Then　Carmen　suddenly；　in　her　old；　impulsive

way；　and　in　a　childlike　treble；　sang　out　merrily；　〃Good　night；　O

Don　Royal；　and　pleasant　dreams。　　Hasta　manana。〃



Thatcher　stood　dumb　and　astounded　at　this　capricious　girl。　　She

saw　his　mystification　instantly。　　〃It　is　for　the　old　Cat！〃　she

whispered；　jerking　her　thumb　over　her　shoulder　in　the　direction　of

the　sleeping　Mrs。　P。　　〃Good　night；go！〃



He　went　to　give　orders　for　a　peon　to　attend　the　ladies　and　their

equipage　the　next　day。　　He　awoke　to　find　Miss　De　Haro　gone；　with

her　escort；　towards　Monterey。　　And　without　the　Plodgitt。



He　could　not　conceal　his　surprise　from　the　latter　lady。　　She；　left

alone；a　not　altogether　unavailable　victim　to　the　wiles　of　our

sex；was　embarrassed。　　But　not　so　much　that　she　could　not　say　to

Thatcher：　〃I　told　you　so；gone　to　her　uncle。　。　。　。　　To　tell　him

ALL！〃



〃All。　　Dn　it；　WHAT　can　she　tell　him？〃　roared　Thatcher；　stung　out

of　his　self…control。



〃Nothing；　I　hope；　that　she　should　not；〃　said　Mrs。　P。；　and　chas