Chapter VII

by Bret Harte

　　A few days after the girls had returned to San Francisco, theyreceived a letter from their father. His business, he wrote, woulddetain him in Sacramento some days longer. There was no reason whythey should return to Devil's Ford in the heat of the summer; theirhost had written to beg him to allow them a more extended visit,and, if they were enjoying themselves, he thought it would be wellnot to disoblige an old friend. He had heard they had a pleasantvisit to Mr. Prince's place, and that a certain young banker hadbeen very attentive to Christie."Do you know what all this means, dear?" asked Jessie, who had beenwatching her sister with an unusually grave face.Christie whose thoughts had wandered from the letter, repliedcarelessly,--"I suppose it means that we are to wait here until father sends forus.""It means a good deal more. It means that papa has had anotherreverse; it means that the assay has turned out badly for the mine--that the further they go from the flat the worse it gets--that allthe gold they will probably ever see at Devil's Ford is what theyhave already found or will find on the flat; it means that allDevil's Ford is only a 'pocket,' and not a 'lead.'" She stopped,with unexpected tears in her eyes."Who told you this?" asked Christie breathlessly."Fairfax--Mr. Munroe," stammered her sister, "writes to me as if wealready knew it--tells me not to be alarmed, that it isn't so bad--and all that.""How long has this happened, Jessie?" said Christie, taking herhand, with a white but calm face."Nearly ever since we've been here, I suppose. It must be so, forhe says poor papa is still hopeful of doing something yet.""And Mr. Munroe writes to you?" said Christie abstractedly."Of course," said Jessie quickly. "He feels interested in--us.""Nobody tells me anything," said Christie."Didn't--""No," said Christie bitterly."What on earth did you talk about? But people don't confide in youbecause they're afraid of you. You're so--""So what?""So gently patronizing, and so 'I-don't-suppose-you-can-help-it,-poor-thing,' in your general style," said Jessie, kissing her."There! I only wish I was like you. What do you say if we writeto father that we'll go back to Devil's Ford? Mr. Munroe thinks wewill be of service there just now. If the men are dissatisfied,and think we're spending money--""I'm afraid Mr. Munroe is hardly a disinterested adviser. Atleast, I don't think it would look quite decent for you to fly backwithout your father, at his suggestion," said Christie coldly. "Heis not the only partner. We are spending no money. Besides, wehave engaged to go to Mr. Prince's again next week.""As you like, dear," said Jessie, turning away to hide a faintsmile.Nevertheless, when they returned from their visit to Mr. Prince's,and one or two uneventful rides, Christie looked grave. It wasonly a few days later that Jessie burst upon her one morning."You were saying that nobody ever tells you anything. Well, here'syour chance. Whiskey Dick is below.""Whiskey Dick?" repeated Christie. "What does he want?""You, love. Who else? You know he always scorns me as not beinghigh-toned and elegant enough for his social confidences. He askedfor you only."With an uneasy sense of some impending revelation, Christiedescended to the drawing-room. As she opened the door, a strongflavor of that toilet soap and eau de Cologne with which WhiskeyDick was in the habit of gracefully effacing the traces ofdissipation made known his presence. In spite of a new suit ofclothes, whose pristine folds refused to adapt themselves entirelyto the contour of his figure, he was somewhat subdued by theunexpected elegance of the drawing-room of Christie's host. But aglance at Christie's sad but gracious face quickly reassured him.Taking from his hat a three-cornered parcel, he unfolded a handsomesaffrona rose, which he gravely presented to her. Having thusreestablished his position, he sank elegantly into a tete-a-teteottoman. Finding the position inconvenient to face Christie, whohad seated herself on a chair, he transferred himself to the otherside of the ottoman, and addressed her over its back as from apulpit."Is this really a fortunate accident, Mr. Hall, or did you try tofind us?" said Christie pleasantly."Partly promiskuss, and partly coincident, Miss Christie, one upand t'other down," said Dick lightly. "Work being slack at presentat Devil's Ford, I reck'ned I'd take a pasear down to 'Frisco, anddip into the vortex o' fash'nable society and out again." Helightly waved a new handkerchief to illustrate his swallow-likeintrusion. "This yer minglin' with the bo-tong is apt to bewearisome, ez you and me knows, unless combined with experience andjudgment. So when them boys up there allows that there's a littletoo much fash'nable society and San Francisco capital and high-falutin' about the future goin' on fer square surface mining, Isez, 'Look yere, gentlemen,' sez I, 'you don't see the pint. Thepint is to get the pop'lar eye fixed, so to speak, on Devil's Ford.When a fash'nable star rises above the 'Frisco horizon--like MissCarr--and, so to speak, dazzles the gineral eye, people want toknow who she is. And when people say that's the accomplisheddaughter o' the accomplished superintendent of the Devil's Fordclaim--otherwise known as the Star-eyed Goddess o' Devil's Ford--every eye is fixed on the mine, and Capital, so to speak, tumblesto her.' And when they sez that the old man--excuse my freedom,but that's the way the boys talk of your father, meaning no harm--the old man, instead o' trying to corral rich widders--grass orotherwise--to spend their money on the big works for the gold thatain't there yet--should stay in Devil's Ford and put all his sabeand genius into grindin' out the little gold that is there, I sezto them that it ain't your father's style. 'His style,' sez I, 'ezto go in and build them works.' When they're done he turns roundto Capital, and sez he--'Look yer,' sez he, 'thar's all the worksyou want, first quality--cost a million; thar's all the water youwant, onlimited--cost another million; thar's all the pay gravelyou want in and outer the ground--call it two millions more. Nowmy time's too vally'ble; my professhun's too high-toned to workmines. I make 'em. Hand me over a check for ten millions and callit square, and work it for yourself.' So Capital hands over themoney and waltzes down to run the mine, and you original locatorswalks round with yer hands in yer pockets a-top of your six millionprofit, and you let's Capital take the work and the responsibility."Preposterous as this seemed from the lips of Whiskey Dick, Christiehad a haunting suspicion that it was not greatly unlike thetheories expounded by the clever young banker who had been herescort. She did not interrupt his flow of reminiscent criticism;when he paused for breath, she said, quietly:"I met Mr. George Kearney the other day in the country."Whiskey Dick stopped awkwardly, glanced hurriedly at Christie, andcoughed behind his handkerchief."Mr. Kearney--eh--er--certengly--yes--er--met him, you say. Washe--er--er--well?""In health, yes; but otherwise he has lost everything," saidChristie, fixing her eyes on the embarrassed Dick."Yes--er--in course--in course--" continued Dick, nervouslyglancing round the apartment as if endeavoring to find an openingto some less abrupt statement of the fact."And actually reduced to take some menial employment," addedChristie, still regarding Dick with her clear glance."That's it--that's just it," said Dick, beaming as he suddenlyfound his delicate and confidential opportunity. "That's it, MissChristie; that's just what I was sayin' to the boys. 'Ez it thesquare thing,' sez I, 'jest because George hez happened tohypothecate every dollar he has, or expects to hev, to put intothem works, only to please Mr. Carr, and just because he don't wantto distress that intelligent gentleman by letting him see he's deadbroke--for him to go and demean himself and Devil's Ford by rushingaway and hiring out as a Mexican vaquero on Mexican wages? Look,'sez I, 'at the disgrace he brings upon a high-toned, fash'nablegirl, at whose side he's walked and danced, and passed rings, andsentiments, and bokays in the changes o' the cotillion and themizzourka. And wot,' sez I, 'if some day, prancing along in afash'nable cavalcade, she all of a suddents comes across himdrivin' a Mexican steer?' That's what I said to the boys. And soyou met him, Miss Christie, as usual," continued Dick, endeavoringunder the appearance of a large social experience to conceal aneager anxiety to know the details--"so you met him; and, in course,you didn't let on yer knew him, so to speak, nat'rally, or p'rapsyou kinder like asked him to fix your saddle-girth, and give him afive-dollar piece--eh?"Christie, who had risen and gone to the window, suddenly turned avery pale face and shining eyes on Dick."Mr. Hall," she said, with a faint attempt at a smile, "we are oldfriends, and I feel I can ask you a favor. You once before actedas our escort--it was for a short but a happy time--will you accepta larger trust? My father is busy in Sacramento for the mine: willyou, without saying anything to anybody, take Jessie and me back atonce to Devil's Ford?""Will I? Miss Christie," said Dick, choking between an intensegratification and a desire to keep back its vulgar exhibition, "Ishall be proud!""When I say keep it a secret"--she hesitated--"I don't mean that Iobject to your letting Mr. Kearney, if you happen to know where heis, understand that we are going back to Devil's Ford.""Cert'nly--nat'rally," said Dick, waving his hand gracefully;"sorter drop him a line, saying that bizness of a social anddelicate nature--being the escort of Miss Christie and Jessie Carrto Devil's Ford--prevents my having the pleasure of calling.""That will do very well, Mr. Hall," said Christie, faintly smilingthrough her moist eyelashes. "Then will you go at once and securetickets for to-night's boat, and bring them here? Jessie and Iwill arrange everything else.""Cert'nly," said Dick impulsively, and preparing to take a gracefulleave."We'll be impatient until you return with the tickets," saidChristie graciously.Dick shook hands gravely, got as far as the door, and paused."You think it better to take the tickets now?" he said dubiously."By all means," said Christie impetuously. "I've set my heart ongoing to-night--and unless you secure berths early--""In course--in course," interrupted Dick nervously. "But--""But what?" said Christie impatiently.Dick hesitated, shut the door carefully, and, looking round theroom, lightly shook out his handkerchief, apparently flicked awayan embarrassing suggestion, and said, with a little laugh:"It's ridiklous, perfectly ridiklous, Miss Christie; but not bein'in the habit of carryin' ready money, and havin' omitted to cash adraft on Wells, Fargo & Co.--""Of course," said Christie rapidly. "How forgetful I am! Prayforgive me, Mr. Hall. I didn't think. I'll run up and get it fromour host; he will be glad to be our banker.""One moment, Miss Christie," said Dick lightly, as his thumb andfinger relaxed in his waistcoat pocket over the only piece of moneyin the world that had remained to him after his extravagantpurchase of Christie's saffrona rose, "one moment: in this yermonetary transaction, if you like, you are at liberty to use myname."