the story of a mine-第5部分

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no　clue　to　the　real　culprits　here；　and　that　any　attempt　by　threats

would　meet　violent　opposition。　　Nevertheless　the　Doctor　was

persistent：



〃When　did　you　see　these　men　last？〃



〃When　did　I　see　them；　is　it？　　Bedad；　what　with　sarvin　up　the　liquor

and　keeping　me　counters　dry　and　swate；　I　never　see　them　at　all。〃



〃That's　so；　Ross；〃　chorused　the　crowd　again；　to　whom　the　whole

proceeding　was　delightfully　farcical。



〃Then　I　can　tell　you；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　Doctor；　stiffly；　〃that

they　were　in　Monterey　last　night；　that　they　did　not　return　on　that

trail　this　morning；　and　that　they　must　have　passed　here　at

daybreak。〃



With　these　words；　which　the　Doctor　regretted　as　soon　as　delivered；

the　party　rode　away。



Mr。　Roscommon　resumed　his　service　and　counter　wiping。　　But　late

that　night；　when　the　bar　was　closed　and　the　last　loiterer　was

summarily　ejected；　Mr。　Roscommon；　in　the　conjugal　privacy　of　his

chamber；　produced　a　legal…looking　paper。　　〃Read　it；　Maggie；

darlint；　for　it's　meself　never　had　the　larning　nor　the　parts。〃



Mistress　Roscommon　took　the　paper：



〃Shure；　it's　law　papers；　making　over　some　property　to　yis。　　O　Moike！

ye　havn't　been　spekilating！〃



〃Whist！　and　fwhotz　that　durty　gray　paper　wid　the　sales　and

flourishes？〃



〃Faix；　it　bothers　me　intoirely。　　Shure　it　oin't　in　English。〃



〃Whist！　Maggie；　it's　a　Spanish　grant！〃



〃A　Spanish　grant？　　O　Moike；　and　what　did　ye　giv　for　it？〃



Mr。　Roscommon　laid　his　finger　beside　his　nose　and　said　softly；

〃Whishky！〃







PART　II。IN　THE　COURTS





CHAPTER　VI



HOW　A　GRANT　WAS　GOT　FOR　IT





While　the　Blue　Mass　Company；　with　more　zeal　than　discretion；　were

actively　pursuing　Pedro　and　Wiles　over　the　road　to　Tres　Pinos；

Senors　Miguel　and　Manuel　were　comfortably　seated　in　a　fonda　at

Monterey；　smoking　cigarritos　and　discussing　their　late　discovery。

But　they　were　in　no　better　mood　than　their　late　companions；　and　it

appeared　from　their　conversation　that　in　an　evil　moment　they　had

sold　out　their　interest　in　the　alleged　silver　mine　to　Wiles　and

Pedro　for　a　few　hundred　dollars；succumbing　to　what　they　were

assured　would　be　an　active　opposition　on　the　part　of　the　Americanos。

The　astute　reader　will　easily　understand　that　the　accomplished　Mr。

Wiles　did　not　inform　them　of　its　value　as　a　quicksilver　mine；

although　he　was　obliged　to　impart　his　secret　to　Pedro　as　a　necessary

accomplice　and　reckless　coadjutor。　　That　Pedro　felt　no　qualms　of

conscience　in　thus　betraying　his　two　comrades　may　be　inferred　from

his　recent　direct　and　sincere　treatment　of　Concho；　and　that　he

would；　if　occasion　offered　or　policy　made　it　expedient；　as　calmly

obliterate　Mr。　Wiles；　that　gentleman　himself　never　for　a　moment

doubted。



〃If　we　had　waited　but　a　little　he　would　have　given　more；this

cock…eye！〃　regretted　Manuel　querulously。



〃Not　a　peso；〃　said　Miguel；　firmly。



〃And　why；　my　Miguel？　　Thou　knowest　we　could　have　worked　the　mine

ourselves。〃



〃Good；　and　lost　even　that　labor。　　Look　you；　little　brother。　　Show

to　me　now　the　Mexican　that　has　ever　made　a　real　of　a　mine　in

California。　　How　many；　eh？　　None！　　Not　a　one。　　Who　owns　the

Mexican's　mine；　eh？　　Americanos！　　Who　takes　the　money　from　the

Mexican's　mine？　　Americanos！　　Thou　rememberest　Briones；　who　spent　a

gold　mine　to　make　a　silver　one？　　Who　has　the　lands　and　house　of

Briones？　　Americanos！　　Who　has　the　cattle　of　Briones？　　Americanos！

Who　has　the　mine　of　Briones？　　Americanos！　　Who　has　the　silver

Briones　never　found？　　Americanos！　　Always　the　same！　　Forever！　　Ah！

carramba！〃



Then　the　Evil　One　evidently　took　it　into　his　head　and　horns　to

worry　and　toss　these　mencomparatively　innocent　as　they　were

still　further；　for　a　purpose。　　For　presently　to　them　appeared　one

Victor　Garcia；　whilom　a　clerk　of　the　Ayuntamiento；　who　rallied　them

over　aguardiente；　and　told　them　the　story　of　the　quicksilver

discovery；　and　the　two　mining　claims　taken　out　that　night　by　Concho

and　Wiles。　　Whereat　Manuel　exploded　with　profanity　and　burnt　blue

with　sulphurous　malediction；　but　Miguel；　the　recent　ecclesiastic；

sat　livid　and　thoughtful。



Finally　came　a　pause　in　Manuel's　bombardment；　and　something　like

this　conversation　took　place　between　the　cooler　actors：



Miguel　（thoughtfully）。　　〃When　was　it　thou　didst　petition　for　lands

in　the　valley；　friend　Victor？〃



Victor　（amazedly）。　　〃Never！　　It　is　a　sterile　waste。　　Am　I　a　fool？〃



Miguel　（softly）。　　〃Thou　didst。　　Of　thy　Governor；　Micheltorena。　　I

have　seen　the　application。〃



Victor　（beginning　to　appreciate　a　rodential　odor）。　　〃Si！　　I　had

forgotten。　　Art　thou　sure　it　was　in　the　valley？〃



Miguel　（persuasively）。　　〃In　the　valley　and　up　the　falda。〃*





*　Falda；　or　valda；　i。　e。；　that　part　of　the　skirt　of　a　woman's　robe

that　breaks　upon　the　ground；　and　is　also　applied　to　the　final　slope

of　a　hill；　from　the　angle　that　it　makes　upon　the　level　plain。





Victor　（with　decision）。　　〃Certainly。　　Of　a　verity；the　falda

likewise。〃



Miguel　（eying　Victor）。　　〃And　yet　thou　hadst　not　the　grant。　　Painful

is　it　that　it　should　have　been　burned　with　the　destruction　of　the

other　archives；　by　the　Americanos　at　Monterey。〃



Victor　（cautiously　feeling　his　way）。　　〃Possiblemente。〃



Miguel。　　〃It　might　be　wise　to　look　into　it。〃



Victor　（bluntly）。　　〃As　why？〃



Miguel。　　〃For　our　good　and　thine；　friend　Victor。　　We　bring　thee　a

discovery；　thou　bringest　us　thy　skill；　thy　experience；　thy

government　knowledge；thy　Custom　House　paper。〃*





*　Grants；　applications；　and　official　notifications；　under　the

Spanish　Government；　were　drawn　on　a　stamped　paper　known　as　custom

House　paper。





Manuel　（breaking　in　drunkenly）。　　〃But　for　what？　　We　are　Mexicans。

Are　we　not　fated？　　We　shall　lose。　　Who　shall　keep　the　Americanos

off？〃



Miguel。　　〃We　shall　take　ONE　American　in！　　Ha！　seest　thou？　　This

American　comrade　shall　bribe　his　courts；　his　corregidores。　　After　a

little　he　shall　supply　the　men　who　invent　the　machine　of　steam；　the

mill；　the　furnace；　eh？〃



Victor。　　〃But　who　is　he；not　to　steal？〃



Miguel。　　〃He　is　that　man　of　Ireland；　a　good　Catholic；　at　Tres　Pinos。〃



Victor　and　Manuel　（omnes）。　　〃Roscommon？〃



Miguel。　　〃Of　the　same。　　We　shall　give　him　a　share　for　the

provisions；　for　the　tools；　for　the　aguardiente。　　It　is　of　the　Irish

that　the　Americanos　have　great　fear。　　It　is　of　them　that　the　votes

are　made；that　the　President　is　chosen。　　It　is　of　him　that　they

make　the　Alcalde　in　San　Francisco。　　And　we　are　of　the　Church　like

him。〃



They　said　〃Bueno〃　altogether；　and　for　the　moment　appeared　to　be

upheld　by　a　religious　enthusiasm；a　joint　confession　of　faith　that

meant　death；　destruction；　and　possibly　forgery；　as　against　the　men

who　thought　otherwise。



This　spiritual　harmony　did　away　with　all　practical　consideration

and　doubt。　　〃I　have　a　little　niece；〃　said　Victor；　〃whose　work　with

the　pen　is　marvellous。　　If　one　says　to　her；　'Carmen；　copy　me　this；

or　the　other　one；'even　if　it　be　copper…plate；look　you　it　is

done；　and　you　cannot　know　of　which　is　the　original。　　Madre　de　Dios！

the　other　day　she　makes　me　a　rubric*　of　the　Governor；　Pio　Pico；　the

same；　identical。　　Thou　knowest　her；　Miguel。　　She　asked　concerning

thee　yesterday。〃





*　The　Spanish　〃rubric〃　is　the　complicated　flourish　attached　to　a

signature；　and　is　as　individual　and　characteristic　as　the

handwriting。





With　the　embarrassment　of　an　underbred　man；　Miguel　tried　to　appear

unconcerned；　but　failed　dismally。　　Indeed；　I　fear　that　the　black

eyes　of　Carmen　had　already　done　their　perfect　and　accepted　work；

and　had　partly　induced　the　application　for　Victor's　aid。　　He；

however；　dissembled　so　far　as　to　ask：



〃But　will　she　not　know？〃



〃She　is　a　child。〃



〃But　will　she　not　talk？〃



〃Not　if　I　say　nay；　and　if　thoueh；　Miguel？〃



This　bit　of　flattery　（which；　by　the　way；　was　a　lie；　for　Victor's

niece　did　not　incline　favorably　to　Miguel；　had　its　effect。　　They

shook　hands　over　the　table。　　〃But；〃　said　Miguel；　〃what　is　to　be

done　must　be　done　now。〃　　〃At　the　moment；〃　said　Victor；　〃and　thou

shalt　see　it　done。　　Eh？　　Does　it　content　thee？　then　come！〃



Miguel　nodded　to　Manuel。　　〃We　will　return　in　an　hour；　wait　thou

here。〃



They　filed　out　into　the　dark；　irregular　street。　　Fate　led　them　to

pass　the　office　of　Dr。　Guild　at　the　moment　that　Concho　mounted　his

horse。　　The　shadows　concealed　them　from　their　rival；　but　they

overheard　the　last　injunctions　of　the　President　to　the　unlucky

Concho。



〃Thou　hearest？〃　said　Miguel；　clutching　his　companion's　arm。



〃Yes；〃　said　Victor。　　〃But　let　him　ride；　my　friend；　in　one　hour　we

shall　have　that　that　shall　arrive　YEARS　before　him；〃　and　with　a

complacent　chuckle　they　passed　unseen　and　unheard　until；　abruptly

turning　a　corner；　they　stopped　before　a　low　adobe　house。



It　had　once　been　a　somewhat　pretentious　dwelling；　but　had　evidently

followed　the　fortunes　of　its　late　owner；　Don　Juan　Briones；　who　had

offered　it　as　a　last　sop　to　the　three…headed　Cerberus　that　guarded

the　El　Refugio　Plutonean　treasures；　and　who　had　swallowed　it　in　a

single　gulp。　　It　was　in　very　bad　case。　　The　furrows　of　its　red…

tiled　roof　looked　as　if　they　were　the　results　of　age　and　decrepitude。

Its　best　room　had　a　musty　smell；　there　was　the　dampness　of

deliquescence　in　its　slow　decay；　but　the　Spanish　Californians　were

sensible　architects；　and　its　massive　walls　and　partitions　defied　the

earthquake　thrill；　and　all　the　year　round　kept　an　even　temperature

within。



Victor　led　Miguel　through　a　low　anteroom　into　a　plainly…furnished

chamber；　where　Carmen　sat　painting。



Now　Mistress　Carmen　was　a　bit　of　a　painter；　in　a　pretty　little　way；

with　all　the　vague　longings　of　an　artist；　but　without；　I　fear；　the

artist's　steadfast　soul。　　She　recognized　beauty　and　form　as　a　child

might；　without　understanding　their　meaning；　and　somehow　failed　to

make　them　even　interpret　her　woma