登陆注册
15442300000027

第27章

It was quite dark when Mr.Jack Brace stopped before Father Wynn's open door.The windows were also invitingly open to the wayfarer,as were the pastoral counsels of Father Wynn,delivered to some favored guest within,in a tone of voice loud enough for a pulpit.Jack Brace paused.The visitor was the convalescent sheriff,Jim Dunn,who had publicly commemorated his recovery by making his first call upon the father of his inamorata.The Reverend Mr.Wynn had been expatiating upon the unremitting heat of a possible precursor of forest fires,and exhibiting some catholic knowledge of the designs of a Deity in that regard,and what should be the policy of the Legislature,when Mr.Brace concluded to enter.Mr.Wynn and the wounded man,who occupied an arm-chair by the window,were the only occupants of the room.

But in spite of the former's ostentatious greeting,Brace could see that his visit was inopportune and unwelcome.The sheriff nodded a quick,impatient recognition,which,had it not been accompanied by an anathema on the heat,might have been taken as a personal insult.Neither spoke of Miss Nellie,although it was patent to Brace that they were momentarily expecting her.All of which went far to strengthen a certain wavering purpose in his mind.

"Ah,ha!strong language,Mr.Dunn,"said Father Wynn,referring to the sheriff's adjuration,"but 'out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh.'Job,sir,cursed,we are told,and even expressed himself in vigorous Hebrew regarding his birthday.

Ha,ha!I'm not opposed to that.When I have often wrestled with the spirit I confess I have sometimes said,'D--n you.'

Yes,sir,'D--n you.'"

There was something so unutterably vile in the reverend gentleman's utterance and emphasis of this oath that the two men,albeit both easy and facile blasphemers,felt shocked;as the purest of actresses is apt to overdo the rakishness of a gay Lothario,Father Wynn's immaculate conception of an imprecation was something terrible.But he added,"The law ought to interfere with the reckless use of camp-fires in the woods in such weather by packers and prospectors.""It isn't so much the work of white men,"broke in Brace,"as it is of Greasers,Chinamen,and Diggers,especially Diggers.

There's that blasted Low,ranges the whole Carquinez Woods as if they were his.I reckon he ain't particular just where he throws his matches.""But he's not a Digger;he's a Cherokee,and only a half-breed at that,"interpolated Wynn."Unless,"he added,with the artful suggestion of the betrayed trust of a too credulous Christian,"he deceived me in this as in other things."In what other things Low had deceived him he did not say;but,to the astonishment of both men,Dunn growled a dissent to Brace's proposition.Either from some secret irritation with that possible rival,or impatience at the prolonged absence of Nellie,he had "had enough of that sort of hog-wash ladled out to him for genuine liquor."As to the Carquinez Woods,he [Dunn]"didn't know why Low hadn't as much right there as if he'd grabbed it under a preemption law and didn't live there."With this hint at certain speculations of Father Wynn in public lands for a homestead,he added that "If they [Brace and Wynn]could bring him along any older American settler than an Indian,they might rake down his [Dunn's]pile."Unprepared for this turn in the conversation,Wynn hastened to explain that he did not refer to the pure aborigine,whose gradual extinction no one regretted more than himself,but to the mongrel,who inherited only the vices of civilization."There should be a law,sir,against the mingling of races.There are men,sir,who violate the laws of the Most High by living with Indian women--squaw men,sir,as they are called."Dunn rose with a face livid with weakness and passion."Who dares say that?They are a d--d sight better than sneaking Northern Abolitionists,who married their daughters to buck niggers like--"But a spasm of pain withheld this Parthian shot at the politics of his two companions,and he sank back helplessly in his chair.

An awkward silence ensued.The three men looked at each other in embarrassment and confusion.Dunn felt that he had given way to a gratuitous passion;Wynn had a vague presentiment that he had said something that imperiled his daughter's prospects;and Brace was divided between an angry retort and the secret purpose already alluded to.

"It's all the blasted heat,"said Dunn,with a forced smile,pushing away the whisky which Wynn had ostentatiously placed before him.

"Of course,"said Wynn hastily;"only it's a pity Nellie ain't here to give you her smelling-salts.She ought to be back now,"he added,no longer mindful of Brace's presence;"the coach is over-due now,though I reckon the heat made Yuba Bill take it easy at the up grade.""If you mean the coach from Indian Spring,"said Brace quietly,"it's in already;but Miss Nellie didn't come on it.""May be she got out at the Crossing,"said Wynn cheerfully;"she sometimes does.""She didn't take the coach at Indian Spring,"returned Brace,"because I saw it leave,and passed it on Buckskin ten minutes ago,coming up the hills.""She's stopped over at Burnham's,"said Wynn reflectively.Then,in response to the significant silence of his guests,he added,in a tone of chagrin which his forced heartiness could not disguise,"Well,boys,it's a disappointment all round;but we must take the lesson as it comes.I'll go over to the coach office and see if she's sent any word.Make yourselves at home until I return."When the door had closed behind him,Brace arose and took his hat as if to go.With his hand on the lock,he turned to his rival,who,half hidden in the gathering darkness,still seemed unable to comprehend his ill-luck.

同类推荐
  • 台湾私法债权编

    台湾私法债权编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说诸法勇王经

    佛说诸法勇王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 霏雪录

    霏雪录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说阿弥陀经要解

    佛说阿弥陀经要解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 越绝书

    越绝书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 五行修士异界封神

    五行修士异界封神

    五行修士易临城转世异界,以五行之力重走仙道元神之途,纵横天下,立地成神。火之力,为火神。水之力,为水神。木之力,为森林之神。土之力,为大地之神。金之力,为雷电之神。五行一统,我即混沌,天上地下,我是唯一真神。
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 校园青涩时光

    校园青涩时光

    每个人的校园时光都有一段青涩的旅程,初绿也一样,虽然性子大大咧咧,有时像个男生。但遇到喜欢的男生不敢表白,一说话就脸红心跳这一点绝对是和大多数女生一样的,且看初绿的青涩时光吧。本文小清新,第一次尝试写东西,写的不好,多多包涵
  • 君宠君妃傻妃要逆天

    君宠君妃傻妃要逆天

    她,21世纪的绝顶杀手,可是在晚上熬夜看电视的时候突然穿越了,神马情况,竟然穿越到了一个废材傻公主的身上,而且还同名同姓,最倒霉的事是,皇上要赐婚,为什么她要一穿越就嫁人啊,哥哥,哥哥你在哪?一道道真相的大门就要打开,她的身世之谜有多么离奇,父亲母亲又是谁?她和哥哥真的是孤儿吗?
  • 同情

    同情

    意大利飘的狗血人生。不管你有几年都没再掉过眼泪,我保证这是一个你看完一定会哭的作品。
  • 冥氏记

    冥氏记

    上古时期,女娲赐神鬼之力于冥氏一族。冥氏现任族长自幼看遍人情冷暖,与一神棍相依为命。后又知其父母下落,在找寻答案的过程中获得了很多。她是否能担得起冥氏一族的使命?一切仍是未知数
  • 世界骗局之谜

    世界骗局之谜

    本套书主要介绍古今中外关于人类诸多未解的社会、自然现象,包括《中国自然遗产之谜》、《星球宇宙之谜》、《巨兽异兽之谜》等20个分册。
  • 细雨轻飞

    细雨轻飞

    本书是一本个人诗集,主要内容为对景物、人物、思想感情的描述,抒发个人情感,表达了对美的追求,对生活的向往。
  • 守坟人之鬼谈

    守坟人之鬼谈

    世人皆知坟有守坟人,却以为守坟人既是看坟之人,但两只却又显著之不同,守坟人,非有降鬼驱魔之能者不能胜任。而我,就是一个守坟人。
  • 网游之血腥杀神

    网游之血腥杀神

    一人进入《新世纪》踏上杀神之路。…………若一城与我为敌,我便屠了这座城,若一国与我为敌,我便屠国,若世界与我为敌,我便屠了这世界。