Now that it was all explained, it seemed to Bennington de Laney to be ridiculously simple. He wondered how he could have been so blind. For the moment, however, all other emotions were swallowed up in intense mortification1 over the density2 he had displayed, and the ridiculous light in which he must have appeared to all the actors in the comedy. His companion perceived this, and kindly3 hastened to relieve it.
"You're wondering how it all happened," said he, "but you don't want to ask about it. I'm going to tell you the story of your life. You see, Bert and I knew the Fays very well in Boston, and we knew also that they were out here in the Hills. That's what tickled4 us so when you said you were coming out to this very place. You know yourself, Ben, that you were pretty green when you were in New York--you must know it, because you have got over it so nicely since--and it struck us, after you talked so much about the 'Wild West,' that it would be a shame if you didn't get some of it. So we wrote Jim that you were coming, and to see to it that you had a time."
Jim chuckled5 a little. "From his letters, I guess you had it. He wrote about that horse he sprung on you, and the time they lynched you, and all the rest of it, and we thought we had done pretty well, especially since Jim wrote he thought you weren't half bad, and had come through in good shape. He wrote, too, that you had run against Bill, and that Bill was fooling you up in some way--way unspecified. He seemed to be a little afraid that Bill was trifling6 with your young affections--how is it Ben, anyway?--but he said that Bill was very haughty7 on the subject, and as he'd never been able to do anything with her before, he didn't believe he'd have much success if he should try now. I suggested that Bill might get in a little deep herself," went on James, watching his listener's face keenly, "but Bert seemed inclined to the opinion that any one as experienced as Bill was perfectly8 able to take care of herself anywhere. She's a mighty9 fine girl, Ben, old man," suddenly concluded this startling youth, holding out his hand, "and I wish you every success in the world in getting her!"
"Thank you, Jeems," replied Bennington simply, without attempting to deny the state of affairs. "I'm sure I'm glad of your good wishes, but I'm afraid I haven't any show now." He sighed deeply.
"I'll give an opinion on that after I see Bill again," observed the artist sagely10.
"It always struck me as being queer that two of the most refined people about here should happen to be living in the same house," commented Bennington, only just aware that it had so struck him.
"Did it, indeed?" said Leslie drolly11. "You're just bursting with sagacity now, aren't you? And your Sherlock-Holmes intellect is seething12 with conjecture13. The lover's soul is far above the sordid14 earthly considerations which interest us ordinary mortals, but I'll bet a hat you are wondering how it comes that a Boston girl is out here without any more restraint on her actions than a careless brother who doesn't bother himself, and why she's out here at all, and a few things like that. 'Fess up."
"Well," acknowledged Bennington a trifle reluctantly, "of course it is a little out of the ordinary, but then it's all right, somehow, I'll swear."
"All right! Of course it's all right! They haven't any father or mother, you know, and they are independent of action, as you've no doubt noticed. Bill kept house for Jim for some time--and they used to keep a great house, I tell you," said James, smacking15 his lips in recollection. "Bert and I used to visit there a good deal. That's why they call me Jeems--to distinguish me from Jim. Then Jim got tired of doing nothing--they possess everlasting16 rocks--you know their lamented17 dad was a sort of amateur Croesus--and he decided18 to monkey with mines. Bert and I were here one summer, so Bill and Jim just pulled up stakes and came along too. They have been here ever since. They're both true sports and like the life, and all that; and, besides, Jim has kept busy monkeying with mining speculation19. They're the salt of the earth, that pair, if they _do_ worry poor old Boston to death with their ways of doing things. That's one reason I like 'em so much. Society has fits over their doings, but it can't get along without them."
"The Fays are a pretty good family, aren't they?" inquired Bennington. He was irresistibly20 impelled21 to ask this question.
"Best going. Mayflower, William the Conqueror22, and all that rot. You must know of the Boston Fays."
"I do. That is, I've heard of them; but I didn't know whether they were the same."
Jeems perceived that the topic interested the young fellow, so he descanted at length concerning the Fays, their belongings23, and their doings. Time passed rapidly. Bennington was surprised to see Jim coming down to them through the afterglow of sunset announcing vociferously24 that the meal was at last prepared.
"I've fed the old lady," he announced, "and unlocked her. She doesn't know what's up anyway. She just sits there like a graven image, scared to death. She doesn't know a relocation from a telegraph pole. I told her to get a move on her and fix us up some bunks25, and I guess she's at it now."
They consulted as to the best means of guarding the prisoners. It was finally agreed that Leslie should stand sentinel until the others had finished supper.
"I want to watch the effect of this light on the hills," he announced positively26, "and I'm not hungry, and Jim ought to cool off before coming out into the air, and Ben's shoulder ought to be taken care of. Get along with ye!"
Bennington accompanied Jim to the meal very cheerfully. The facts as to the latter's persecutions remained the same, but in some way they did not hold the same proportions as heretofore. The mere27 item that Jim Fay was Mary's brother, instead of her lover, made all the difference in the world. He chattered28 in a lively fashion concerning the method of work to be adopted. Suddenly he pulled himself up short.
"I think I must beg your pardon," he said. "I heard about it all from Jim Leslie. I have been very green, and you were quite right. If you still want to do so, let's go into this together as friends."
"No pardon coming to me," responded Fay heartily29. "I've been a little tough on you occasionally, that I'll admit, and if I've done too much, I'm sure I beg _your_ pardon. I saw you had the right stuff in you that day when you stuck to the horse until you rode him, and I've always liked you first-rate since then. And I wouldn't worry about this last matter. You were green to the country, and were put down here without definite instructions. You trusted Davidson, of course, and got fooled in it; but then you just followed Bishop's lead in that. He'd been trusting Davidson before you got here, and if he hadn't trusted him right along, you can bet you'd have had your directions from A to Z. He was as much to blame as you were, and you'll find that he knows it."
"I'm afraid you can't make me feel any better about that," objected Bennington, shaking his head despondently30.
"Well, you'll feel better after a time, and anyway there's no actual harm done."
At this moment Bert Leslie entered.
"Bill's tickled to death," he announced. "She says she's coming up first thing in the morning. She wanted to come right off and cook supper, but I wouldn't let her. She couldn't very well stay here all night, and it's pretty late now. What you got here? Pork? Coffee? Murphies?"
He sat down and began to eat hungrily. Jim arose to relieve the sentinel at the mouth of the shaft31, at the same time advising de Laney to go to bed as soon as possible.
"You're tired," he said, "and need rest. Wet that compress well with Pond's Extract, and we'll dress it again in the morning."
In the kitchen he found the strange sombre woman sitting bolt upright in silence, her arms folded rigidly32 across her flat bosom33. She looked straight in front of her, and rocked slowly to and fro on her chair.
"You mustn't worry, Mrs. Arthur," consoled Fay kindly, pausing for a moment. "There isn't going to be any trouble. It's just a little matter of mining law. We'll have to keep your husband locked up for a few days, but he won't be harmed."
The woman made no reply. Fay looked at her sharply again, and passed out.
"Jeems," he directed that individual at the mouth of the shaft, "go get your grub. Send the kid to bed right off, and then you and Bert come down here and we'll fix up these prairie dogs of ours down the hole."
Jeems and his brother therefore helped the wounded hero to bed, and left him to a much-needed slumber34; after which they returned to the spot of light in the darkness which marked the glow of Fay's pipe. That capable individual issued directions. First of all they lowered, by means of a light cord, food and water to their prisoners. The latter maintained a sullen35 silence, and it was only by the lightening of the burden at the end of the line that those above knew their provisions had been appropriated. Then followed blankets. The Leslies were strongly in favour of as uncomfortable a confinement36 as possible, and so disapproved37 of blankets, but Fay insisted. After that the brothers manned the windlass and let Jim down in a bowline about twenty feet, while he detached and removed two lengths of the shaft ladder. This left no means of ascent38, as the walls of the shaft were smoothly39 timbered; but, to make matters sure, they covered the mouth with inch thick boards on which they piled large chunks40 of ore.
"You don't suppose they'll smother41?" suggested Bert.
"Not much! There's only three of them, and often men drilling will stay down ten or twelve hours at a time without using up the air."
"Sweet dreams, gentlemen!" called the irrepressible Jeems in farewell.
"There's one other thing," said Jim, "and then we can crawl in."
He approached the cabin in which Arthur and his wife were accustomed to sleep, and listened until he had satisfied himself that Mrs. Arthur was inside. Then he softly locked the door, the key of which he had appropriated immediately after supper, and propped42 shut the heavy wooden shutter43 of the window.
"No dramatic escapes in ours, thank you!" he muttered. He drew back and surveyed his work with satisfaction. "Come on, boys, let's turn in. To-morrow we slave."
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1
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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density
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| n.密集，密度，浓度 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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sagely
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| adv. 贤能地，贤明地 | |
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drolly
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| adv.古里古怪地；滑稽地；幽默地；诙谐地 | |
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seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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vociferously
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| adv.喊叫地，吵闹地 | |
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bunks
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| n.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的名词复数 )；空话，废话v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 )；空话，废话 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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despondently
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| adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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disapproved
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| v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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chunks
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| 厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分 | |
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41
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shutter
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| n.百叶窗；(照相机)快门；关闭装置 | |
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