按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
courtyard； and with an hysterical outcry rushed back into the
hotel； that there was any sign of panic。
Mrs。 Horncastle； who was standing near； fully dressed as from some
night…long vigil； quickly followed her。 The half…frantic woman was
making directly for her own apartments； whose windows those in the
courtyard could see were already belching smoke。 Suddenly Mrs。
Horncastle stopped with a bitter cry and clasped her forehead。 It
had just flashed upon her that Mrs。 Barker had told her only a few
hours before that Sta had been removed with the nurse to the UPPER
FLOOR！ It was not the forgotten child that Mrs。 Barker was
returning for； but her diamonds！ Mrs。 Horncastle called her； she
did not reply。 The smoke was already pouring down the staircase。
Mrs。 Horncastle hesitated for a moment only； and then； drawing a
long breath； dashed up the stairs。 On the first landing she
stumbled over somethingthe prostrate figure of the nurse。 But
this saved her； for she found that near the floor she could breathe
more freely。 Before her appeared to be an open door。 She crept
along towards it on her hands and knees。 The frightened cry of a
child； awakened from its sleep in the dark； gave her nerve to rise；
enter the room； and dash open the window。 By the flashing light
she could see a little figure rising from a bed。 It was Sta。
There was not a moment to be lost； for the open window was
beginning to draw the smoke from the passage。 Luckily； the boy； by
some childish instinct； threw his arms round her neck and left her
hands free。 Whispering him to hold tight； she clambered out of the
window。 A narrow ledge of cornice scarcely wide enough for her
feet ran along the house to a distant balcony。 With her back to
the house she zigzagged her feet along the cornice to get away from
the smoke； which now poured directly from the window。 Then she
grew dizzy； the weight of the child on her bosom seemed to be
toppling her forward towards the abyss below。 She closed her eyes；
frantically grasping the child with crossed arms on her breast as
she stood on the ledge； until； as seen from below through the
twisting smoke； they might have seemed a figure of the Madonna and
Child niched in the wall。 Then a voice from above called to her；
〃Courage！〃 and she felt the flap of a twisted sheet lowered from an
upper window against her face。 She grasped it eagerly； it held
firmly。 Then she heard a cry from below； saw them carrying a
ladder； and at last was lifted with her burden from the ledge by
powerful hands。 Then only did she raise her eyes to the upper
window whence had come her help。 Smoke and flame were pouring from
it。 The unknown hero who had sacrificed his only chance of escape
to her remained forever unknown。
。 。 。 。 。 。
Only four miles away that night a group of men were waiting for the
dawn in the shadow of a pine near Heavy Tree Bar。 As the sky
glowed redly over the crest between them and Hymettus； Hamlin
said：
〃Another one of those forest fires。 It's this side of Black Spur；
and a big one； I reckon。〃
〃Do you know；〃 said Barker thoughtfully； 〃I was thinking of the
time the old cabin burnt up on Heavy Tree。 It looks to be about in
the same place。〃
〃Hush！〃 said Stacy sharply。
CHAPTER IX。
An abandoned tunnelan irregular orifice in the mountain flank
which looked like a dried…up sewer that had disgorged through its
opening the refuse of the mountain in red slime； gravel； and a
peculiar clay known as 〃cement；〃 in a foul streak down its side； a
narrow ledge on either side； broken up by heaps of quartz；
tailings； and rock； and half hidden in scrub； oak； and myrtle； a
decaying cabin of logs； bark； and cobblestonesthese made up the
exterior of the Marshall claim。 To this defacement of the
mountain； the rude clearing of thicket and underbrush by fire or
blasting； the lopping of tree…boughs and the decapitation of
saplings； might be added the debris and ruins of half…civilized
occupancy。 The ground before the cabin was covered with broken
boxes； tin cans； the staves and broken hoops of casks； and the
cast…off rags of blankets and clothing。 The whole claim in its
unsavory； unpicturesque details； and its vulgar story of sordid；
reckless； and selfish occupancy and abandonment； was a foul blot
on the landscape； which the first rosy dawn only made the more
offending。 Surely the last spot in the world that men should
quarrel and fight for！
So thought George Barker； as with his companions they moved in
single file slowly towards it。 The little party consisted only of
himself； Demorest； and Stacy； Marshall and Hamlinaccording to a
prearranged planwere still in ambush to join them at the first
appearance of Steptoe and his gang。 The claim was yet unoccupied；
they had secured their first success。 Steptoe's followers； unaware
that his design had been discovered； and confident that they could
easily reach the claim before Marshall and the surveyor； had
lingered。 Some of them had held a drunken carouse at their
rendezvous at Heavy Tree。 Others were still engaged in procuring
shovels and picks and pans for their mock equipment as miners； and
this； again； gave Marshall's adherents the advantage。 THEY knew
that their opponents would probably first approach the empty claim
encumbered only with their peaceful implements； while they
themselves had brought their rifles with them。
Stacy； who by tacit consent led the party； on reaching the claim at
once posted Demorest and Barker each behind a separate heap of
quartz tailings on the ledge； which afforded them a capital
breastwork； and stationed himself at the mouth of the tunnel which
was nearest the trail。 It had already been arranged what each man
was to do。 They were in possession。 For the rest they must wait。
What they thought at that moment no one knew。 Their characteristic
appearance had slightly changed。 The melancholy and philosophic
Demorest was alert and bitter。 Barker's changeful face had become
fixed and steadfast。 Stacy alone wore his 〃fighting look；〃 which
the others had remembered。
They had not long to wait。 The sounds of rude laughter； coarse
skylarking； and voices more or less still confused with half…spent
liquor came from the rocky trail。 And then Steptoe appeared with
part of his straggling followers； who were celebrating their easy
invasion by clattering their picks and shovels and beating loudly
upon their tins and prospecting…pans。 The three partners quickly
recognized the stamp of the strangers； in spite of their peaceful
implements。 They were the waifs and strays of San Francisco
wharves； of Sacramento dens； of dissolute mountain towns； and there
was not； probably； a single actual miner among them。 A raging
scorn and contempt took possession of Barker and Demorest； but
Stacy knew their exact value。 As Steptoe passed before the opening
of the tun