the story of a mine-第3部分

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appeared　that　to　save　trouble；　and　because　his　memory　was　poor；

Concho　had　taken　all　the　powders　in　one　dose。　　The　Doctor　shrugged

his　shoulders　andaltered　his　practice。



〃Well；〃　said　Dr。　Guild；　as　Concho　sank　down　exhaustedly　in　one　of

the　Doctor's　two　chairs；　〃what　now？　　Have　you　been　sleeping　again

in　the　tule　marshes；　or　are　you　upset　with　commissary　whisky？

Come；　have　it　out。〃



But　Concho　declared　that　the　devil　was　in　his　stomach；　that　Judas

Iscariot　had　possessed　himself　of　his　spine；　that　imps　were　in　his

forehead；　and　that　his　feet　had　been　scourged　by　Pontius　Pilate。



〃That　means　'blue　mass；'〃　said　the　Doctor。　　And　gave　it　to　him；a

bolus　as　large　as　a　musket　ball；　and　as　heavy。



Concho　took　it　on　the　spot；　and　turned　to　go。



〃I　have　no　money；　Senor　Medico。〃



〃Never　mind。　　It's　only　a　dollar；　the　price　of　the　medicine。〃



Concho　looked　guilty　at　having　gulped　down　so　much　cash。　　Then　he

said　timidly：



〃I　have　no　money；　but　I　have　got　here　what　is　fine　and　jolly。　　It

is　yours。〃　　And　he　handed　over　the　contents　of　the　precious　tin　can

he　had　brought　with　him。



Tbe　Doctor　took　it；　looked　at　the　shivering　volatile　mass　and　said；

〃Why　this　is　quicksilver！〃



Concho　laughed；　〃Yes；　very　quick　silver；　so！〃　and　he　snapped　his

fingers　to　show　its　sprightliness。



The　Doctor's　face　grew　earnest；　〃Where　did　you　get　this；　Concho？〃

he　finally　asked。



〃It　ran　from　the　pot　in　the　mountains　beyond。〃



The　Doctor　looked　incredulous。　　Then　Concho　related　the　whole

story。



〃Could　you　find　that　spot　again？〃



〃Madre　de　Dios；　yes；I　have　a　mule　there；　may　the　devil　fly　away

with　her！〃



〃And　you　say　your　comrades　saw　this？〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃And　you　say　they　afterwards　left　you；deserted　you？〃



〃They　did；　ingrates！〃



The　Doctor　arose　and　shut　his　office　door。　　〃Hark　ye；　Concho；〃　he

said；　〃that　bit　of　medicine　I　gave　you　just　now　was　worth　a　dollar；

it　was　worth　a　dollar　because　the　material　of　which　it　was　composed

was　made　from　the　stuff　you　have　in　that　can；quicksilver　or

mercury。　　It　is　one　of　the　most　valuable　of　metals；　especially　in　a

gold…mining　country。　　My　good　fellow；　if　you　know　where　to　find

enough　of　it；　your　fortune　is　made。〃



Concho　rose　to　his　feet。



〃Tell　me；　was　the　rock　you　built　your　furnace　of　red？〃



〃Si；　Senor。〃



〃And　brown？〃



〃Si；　Senor。〃



〃And　crumbled　under　the　heat？〃



〃As　to　nothing。〃



〃And　did　you　see　much　of　this　red　rock？〃



〃The　mountain　mother　is　in　travail　with　it。〃



〃Are　you　sure　that　your　comrades　have　not　taken　possession　of　the

mountain　mother？〃



〃As　how？〃



〃By　claiming　its　discovery　under　the　mining　laws；　or　by　pre…emption？〃



〃They　shall　not。〃



〃But　how　will　you；　single…handed；　fight　the　four；　for　I　doubt　not

your　scientific　friend　has　a　hand　in　it？〃



〃I　will　fight。〃



〃Yes；　my　Concho；　but　suppose　I　take　the　fight　off　your　hands。　　Now；

here's　a　proposition：　I　will　get　half　a　dozen　Americanos　to　go　in

with　you。　　You　will　have　to　get　money　to　work　the　mine；you　will

need　funds。　　You　shall　share　half　with　them。　　They　will　take　the

risk；　raise　the　money；　and　protect　you。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Concho；　nodding　his　head　and　winking　his　eyes

rapidly。　　〃Bueno！〃



〃I　will　return　in　ten　minutes；〃　said　the　Doctor；　taking　his　hat。



He　was　as　good　as　his　word。　　In　ten　minutes　he　returned　with　six

original　locaters；　a　board　of　directors；　a　president；　secretary；

and　a　deed　of　incorporation　of　the　'Blue　Mass　Quicksilver　Mining

Co。'　　This　latter　was　a　delicate　compliment　to　the　Doctor；　who　was

popular。　　The　President　added　to　these　necessary　articles　a

revolver。



〃Take　it；〃　he　said；　handing　over　the　weapon　to　Concho。　　〃Take　it；

my　horse　is　outside；　take　that；　ride　like　hl　and　hang　on　to　the

claim　until　we　come！〃



In　another　moment　Concho　was　in　the　saddle。　　Then　the　mining

director　lapsed　into　the　physician。



〃I　hardly　know；〃　said　Dr。　Guild；　doubtfully；　〃if　in　your　present

condition　you　ought　to　travel。　　You　have　just　taken　a　powerful

medicine；〃　and　the　Doctor　looked　hypocritically　concerned。



〃Ah；the　devil！〃　laughed　Concho；　〃what　is　the　quicksilver　that　is

IN　to　that　which　is　OUT？　　Hoopa；　la　Mula！〃　and；　with　a　clatter　of

hoofs　and　jingle　of　spurs；　was　presently　lost　in　the　darkness。



〃You　were　none　too　soon；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　American　Alcalde；　as

he　drew　up　before　the　Doctor's　door。　　〃Another　company　has　just

been　incorporated　for　the　same　location；　I　reckon。〃



〃Who　are　they？〃



〃Three　Mexicans；Pedro；　Manuel；　and　Miguel；　headed　by　that　dd

cock…eyed　Sydney　Duck；　Wiles。〃



〃Are　they　here？〃



〃Manuel　and　Miguel；　only。　　The　others　are　over　at　Tres　Pinos　lally…

gaging　Roscommon　and　trying　to　rope　him　in　to　pay　off　their　whisky

bills　at　his　grocery。〃



〃If　that's　so　we　needn't　start　before　sunrise；　for　they're　sure　to

get　roaring　drunk。〃



And　this　legitimate　successor　of　the　grave　Mexican　Alcaldes；　having

thus　delivered　his　impartial　opinion；　rode　away。



Meanwhile；　Concho　the　redoubtable；　Concho　the　fortunate；　spared

neither　riata　nor　spur。　　The　way　was　dark；　the　trail　obscure　and　at

times　even　dangerous；　and　Concho；　familiar　as　he　was　with　these

mountain　fastnesses；　often　regretted　his　sure…footed　Francisquita。

〃Care　not；　O　Concho；〃　he　would　say　to　himself；　〃'tis　but　a　little

while；　only　a　little　while；　and　thou　shalt　have　another　Francisquita

to　bless　thee。　　Eh；　skipjack；　there　was　a　fine　music　to　thy　dancing。

A　dollar　for　an　ounce；'tis　as　good　as　silver；　and　merrier。〃　　Yet

for　all　his　good　spirits　he　kept　a　sharp　lookout　at　certain　bends　of

the　mountain　trail；　not　for　assassins　or　brigands；　for　Concho　was

physically　courageous；　but　for　the　Evil　One；　who；　in　various　forms；

was　said　to　lurk　in　the　Santa　Cruz　Range；　to　the　great　discomfort　of

all　true　Catholics。　　He　recalled　the　incident　of　Ignacio；　a　muleteer

of　the　Franciscan　Friars；　who；　stopping　at　the　Angelus　to　repeat　the

Credo；　saw　Luzbel　plainly　in　the　likeness　of　a　monstrous　grizzly

bear；　mocking　him　by　sitting　on　his　haunches　and　lifting　his　paws；

clasped　together；　as　if　in　prayer。　　Nevertheless；　with　one　hand

grasping　his　reins　and　his　rosary；　and　the　other　clutching　his

whisky　flask　and　revolver；　he　fared　on　so　rapidly　that　he　reached

the　summit　as　the　earlier　streaks　of　dawn　were　outlining　the　far…off

Sierran　peaks。　　Tethering　his　horse　on　a　strip　of　tableland；　he

descended　cautiously　afoot　until　he　reached　the　bench；　the　wall　of

red　rock　and　the　crumbled　and　dismantled　furnace。　　It　was　as　he　had

left　it　that　morning；　there　was　no　trace　of　recent　human　visitation。

Revolver　in　hand；　Concho　examined　every　cave；　gully；　and　recess；

peered　behind　trees；　penetrated　copses　of　buckeye　and　manzanita；　and

listened。　　There　was　no　sound　but　the　faint　soughing　of　the　wind

over　the　pines　below　him。　　For　a　while　he　paced　backward　and　forward

with　a　vague　sense　of　being　a　sentinel；　but　his　mercurial　nature

soon　rebelled　against　this　monotony；　and　soon　the　fatigues　of　the

day　began　to　tell　upon　him。　　Recourse　to　his　whisky　flask　only　made

him　the　drowsier；　until　at　last　he　was　fain　to　lie　down　and　roll

himself　up　tightly　in　his　blanket。　　The　next　moment　he　was　sound

asleep。



His　horse　neighed　twice　from　the　summit；　but　Concho　heard　him　not。

Then　the　brush　crackled　on　the　ledge　above　him；　a　small　fragment　of

rock　rolled　near　his　feet；　but　he　stirred　not。　　And　then　two　black

figures　were　outlined　on　the　crags　beyond。



〃St…t…t！〃　whispered　a　voice。　　〃There　is　one　lying　beside　the

furnace。〃　　The　speech　was　Spanish；　but　the　voice　was　Wiles's。



The　other　figure　crept　cautiously　to　the　edge　of　the　crag　and　looked

over。　　〃It　is　Concho；　the　imbecile；〃　said　Pedro；　contemptuously。



〃But　if　he　should　not　be　alone；　or　if　he　should　waken？〃



〃I　will　watch　and　wait。　　Go　you　and　affix　the　notification。〃



Wiles　disappeared。　　Pedro　began　to　creep　down　the　face　of　the　rocky

ledge；　supporting　himself　by　chemisal　and　brush…wood。



The　next　moment　Pedro　stood　beside　the　unconscious　man。　　Then　he

looked　cautiously　around。　　The　figure　of　his　companion　was　lost　in

the　shadow　of　the　rocks　above；　only　a　slight　crackle　of　brush

betrayed　his　whereabouts。　　Suddenly　Pedro　flung　his　serape　over　the

sleeper's　head；　and　then　threw　his　powerful　frame　and　tremendous

weight　full　upon　Concho's　upturned　face；　while　his　strong　arms

clasped　the　blanket…pinioned　limbs　of　his　victim。　　There　was　a

momentary　unheaval；　a　spasm；　and　a　struggle；　but　the　tightly…rolled

blanket　clung　to　the　unfortunate　man　like　cerements。



There　was　no　noise；　no　outcry；　no　sound　of　struggle。　　There　was

nothing　to　be　seen　but　the　peaceful；　prostrate　figures　of　the　two

men　darkly　outlined　on　the　ledge。　　They　might　have　been　sleeping　in

each　other's　arms。　　In　the　black　silence　the　stealthy　tread　of

Wiles　in　the　brush　above　was　distinctly　audible。



Gradually　the　struggles　grew　fainter。　　Then　a　whisper　from　the

crags：



〃I　can't　see　you。　　What　are　you　doing？〃



〃Watching！〃



〃Sleeps　he？〃



〃He　sleeps！〃



〃Soundly？〃



〃Soundly。〃



〃After　the　manner　of　the　dead？〃



〃After　the　fashion　of　the　dead！〃



The　last　tremor　had　ceased。　　Pedro　rose　as　Wiles　descended。



〃All　is　ready；〃　said　Wiles；　〃you　are　a　witness　of　my　placing　the

notifications？〃



〃I　am　a　witness。〃



〃But　of　this　one？〃　pointing　to　Concho。　　〃Shall　we　leave　him　here？〃



〃A　drunken　imbecile；why　not？〃



Wiles　turned　his　left　eye　on　the　speaker。　　They　chanced　to　be

standing　nearly　in　the　same　attitude　they　had　stood　the　preceding

night。　　Pedro　uttered　a　cry　and　an　imprecation；　〃Carramba！　　Take

your　devil's　eye　from　me！　　What　see　you？　　Eh；what？〃



〃Nothing；　good　Pedro；〃　said　Wiles；　turning　his　bland　right　cheek　to

Pedro。　　The　infuriated　and　half…frightened　ex…vaquero　returned　the

long　knife　he　had