CHAPTER XXVII. A STAR IN THE CLOUD.

 Meanwhile, though things looked dark for Florence and favorable for her persecutor¹, there was one circumstance that threatened failure to the latter's plans. Orton Campbell was a mean man, and his meanness in this instance worked against him. He had promised his confederate, Jones, a thousand dollars as the price of his information and co-operation, but intended all the while to avoid paying it if it were a possible thing. Of this sum seven hundred dollars were still due, besides an extra sum for the services of Jones in making Florence a captive.

 

It was in regard to these sums that Jones called on Mr. Campbell on the evening succeeding the success of the plot.

 

Orton Campbell was about to go out when Jones appeared at his hotel.

 

[Pg 211]"I would like to see you a few minutes, Mr. Orton," said the man respectfully.

 

"You must come some other time, Jones," said Campbell, carelessly; "I've got an engagement."

 

"I must see you now, sir," said Jones, still respectfully, but in a resolute² tone.

 

"'Must'?" repeated Orton Campbell, arching his brows. "You are impertinent."

 

"Call me what you please," said Jones, doggedly³; "I'm not to be put off."

 

"What do you mean?" demanded his employer, angrily.

 

"You know well enough. I want the money you are owing me."

 

"You seem to be in a hurry," said Campbell, with a sneer⁴.

 

"You don't," retorted Jones. "All I ask is that you will keep your promise."

 

"What promise do you refer to?"

 

"'What promise do I refer to?' You said if I would join you in kidnapping—"

 

"Hush⁵!" said Orton looking around, apprehensive⁶ of listeners.

 

[Pg 212]"The young lady," Jones continued, "you would pay me the seven hundred dollars you owed me, and two hundred dollars extra for my help."

 

Now, Orton Campbell knew very well that he had made this promise, but the payment of nine hundred dollars he dreaded⁷ as much as some of my readers would dread⁸ the extraction of half a dozen teeth. He had got all he needed from Jones, and he decided⁹ that it would be safe to throw him off. It might be dishonorable, but for that he cared little.

 

"I suppose you have my promise in writing, Jones?" he said, with a sneer.

 

"No, I haven't, Mr. Campbell."

 

"Then you can't prove that I owe you anything, I take it."

 

"You don't mean to say, Mr. Orton, you'd cheat a poor man out of his hard-earned money?" ejaculated Jones, who, in spite of his knowledge of his employer's character, could hardly believe his ears.

 

"I never intended to give you such an enormous sum for the little you have done for me."

 

[Pg 213]"Didn't you promise it, sir?" demanded Jones, exasperated¹⁰.

 

"Not that I remember," answered Campbell, coolly. "I should have been a fool to promise so large a sum. I paid your expenses out to California and three hundred dollars. That, I take it, is pretty liberal pay for your services for a month."

 

"I'll have justice if I live!" said Jones, furiously.

 

He looked so threatening that Orton Campbell thought it might be best to placate¹¹ him, even at the expense of a small extra sum. "Don't be a fool, Jones," he said. "You know very well that your demands are beyond all reason. I've treated you very liberally already, but I don't mind doing a little more. I'll go so far as to give you fifty dollars down, and a further sum of one hundred dollars on my wedding-day if I marry Florence Douglas, if you'll be content with that."

 

"I won't be content with it, Orton Campbell," said Jones, indignantly; "I won't be content with anything less than the full sum you promised me.[Pg 214] You'd better pay me at once, or you may see trouble."

 

Orton Campbell should have known that it was dangerous to trifle with a man so thoroughly¹² roused as Jones was, but his love of money and dislike to part with it overcame every other consideration, and he said, "You've refused my offer, and I have done with you. You needn't come near me again."

 

"Do you mean this?" asked Jones, slowly.

 

"Of course I do. You have served my purpose, and been paid. I have offered you more, and you have refused it. That ends everything."

 

"I understand you now, Orton Campbell."

 

"Mr. Campbell, if you please," interrupted Campbell, haughtily¹³.

 

"Mr. Campbell, then; and I am sorry I didn't know you better before, but it isn't too late yet."

 

"That's enough: you can go."

 

As Jones walked away Campbell asked himself, "What is the fellow going to do, I wonder? I suppose he will try to annoy me. Never mind: I have saved nine hundred dollars. That will more than cover all the damage he can do me."

 

[Pg 215]It was about the same hour that a party of three, dusty and shabby, entered San Francisco, and made their way to a respectable but not prominent hotel.

 

"We look like three tramps, Ben," said Bradley. "Anywhere but in San Francisco I don't believe we could get lodged¹⁴ in any respectable hotel, but they'll know at once that we are from the mines, and may have a good store of gold-dust in spite of our looks."

 

"If my friends at home could see me now," said Ben, laughingly, "they wouldn't think I had found my trip to California profitable. It would give my friend Sam Sturgis a good deal of pleasure to think that I was a penniless adventurer."

 

"He might be disappointed when he heard that you were worth not far from a thousand dollars, Ben."

 

"He certainly would be. On the other hand, Uncle Job would be delighted. I wish I could walk into his little cottage and tell him all about it."

 

"When you go home, Ben, you must have more money to carry than you have now. A thousand[Pg 216] dollars are all very well, but they are not quite enough to start business on."

 

"A year ago I should have felt immensely rich on a thousand dollars," said Ben, thoughtfully.

 

"No doubt; but you are young enough to wait a little longer. After our friend Dewey has seen his young lady and arranged matters we'll dust back to our friends, the miners who came near giving us a ticket to the next world, and see whether fortune won't favor us a little more."

 

"Agreed!" said Ben; "I shall be ready.—Shall you call on Miss Douglas this evening, Mr. Dewey?" asked Ben.

 

"Yes," answered Dewey. "I cannot bear to feel that I am in the same city and refrain from seeing her."

 

"Will she know you in your present rig?" suggested Bradley.

 

"I shall lose no time in buying a new outfit¹⁵," said Dewey. "There must be shops where all articles of dress can be obtained ready-made."

 

"I was afraid you were going as you are," said Bradley. "Of course she'd be glad to see you, but[Pg 217] she might be sensitive about her friends; and that wouldn't be agreeable to you, I'm thinkin'."

 

"I thank you for your kind suggestion, my good friend," said Dewey; "no doubt you are right."

 

Richard Dewey swallowed a hasty supper, and then sought the clothing shops, where he had no difficulty in procuring¹⁶ a ready-made outfit. So many persons came from the mines in his condition, desiring similar accommodation, that he was not required to go far to secure what he wanted.

 

Then, having obtained from Ben the proper directions, he took his way to the house of Mrs. Armstrong, which he reached about eight o'clock.

 

"Can I see Miss Florence Douglas?" he asked.

 

Mrs. Armstrong, hearing the request, came herself to the door. She was feeling anxious about the prolonged absence of her young friend.

 

"May I ask your name, sir?" she inquired.

 

"Richard Dewey."

 

"'Richard Dewey'?" repeated Mrs. Armstrong, in amazement¹⁷. "Why, I thought you were sick in bed!"

 

[Pg 218]"What made you think so?" asked Dewey, in equal amazement.

 

"Your own note. Miss Douglas, on receiving it, went away at once with the messenger, and has not returned."

 

"I have sent no note, and no messenger has come from me. I don't understand you," said Richard Dewey, bewildered.

 

It was soon explained, and the bitter disappointment of Dewey may well be imagined. This feeling was mingled¹⁸ with one of apprehension¹⁹ for the personal safety of the young lady.

 

"This is indeed alarming," he ejaculated. "Who can have planned such an outrage²⁰?"

 

"I will tell you, sir," said a voice.

 

Turning quickly, Richard Dewey's glance rested upon Jones.

1 persecutor   

n. 迫害者

参考例句：

• My persecutor impervious to the laughter, continued to strike me. 打我的那个人没有受到笑声的影响，继续打着我。
• I am the persecutor of my self in the wild hunt. 我将自己置身于这狂野的追猎。

2 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

3 doggedly   

adv.顽强地，固执地

参考例句：

• He was still doggedly pursuing his studies.他仍然顽强地进行着自己的研究。
• He trudged doggedly on until he reached the flat.他顽强地、步履艰难地走着，一直走回了公寓。

4 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

5 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

6 apprehensive   

adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的

参考例句：

• She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
• He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

7 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

8 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

11 placate   

v.抚慰，平息(愤怒)

参考例句：

• He never attempts to placate his enemy.他从不企图与敌人和解。
• Even a written apology failed to placate the indignant hostess.甚至一纸书面道歉都没能安抚这个怒气冲冲的女主人。

12 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

13 haughtily   

adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地

参考例句：

• She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
• Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯，走到二楼，我刚好站在那儿。

14 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

16 procuring   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句
• She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句

17 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

18 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

19 apprehension   

n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑

参考例句：

• There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。
• She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

20 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。