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！
course。 It's a matter of〃 he began to fumble in his pockets； and finally
produced a small memorandum… book； which he glanced over〃it's a
matter of 250。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 said Mrs。 Catron； in indignant astonishment。
〃On the 15th of July；〃 said the captain； consulting his memorandum…
book； 〃Roger sold his claim at Nye's Ford for 1；500。 Now； le's see。
Thar was nigh on 350 ez he admitted to me he lost at poker； and we'll add
50 to that for treating； suppers； and drinks gin'rallyput Roger down for
400。 Then there was YOU。 Now you spent 250 on your trip to
'Frisco thet summer； then 200 went for them presents you sent your Aunt
Jane； and thar was 400 for house expenses。 Well； thet foots up 1；250。
Now； what's become of thet other 250？〃
Mrs。 Catron's woman's impulse to retaliate sharply overcame her first
natural indignation at her visitor's impudence。
Therein she lost； woman…like； her ground of vantage。
〃Perhaps the woman he fled with can tell you；〃 she said savagely。
〃Thet；〃 said the captain； slowly； 〃is a good； a reasonable idee。 But it
ain't true； from all I can gather SHE lent HIM money。 It didn't go
THAR。〃
〃Roger Catron left me penniless；〃 said Mrs。 Catron； hotly。
〃Thet's jist what gets me。 You oughter have 250 somewhar lying
round。〃
Mrs。 Catron saw her error。 〃May I ask what right you have to
question me？ If you have any； I must refer you to my lawyer or my
brother…in…law； if you have none； I hope you will not oblige me to call the
servants to put you from the house。〃
〃Thet sounds reasonable and square； too；〃 said the captain；
thoughtfully； 〃I've a power of attorney from Roger Catron to settle up his
affairs and pay his debts； given a week afore them detectives handed ye
over his dead body。 But I thought that you and me might save lawyer's
fees and all fuss and feathers； ef； in a sociable； sad…like way；lookin' back
sorter on Roger ez you and me once knew him；we had a quiet talk
together。〃
62
… Page 63…
DRIFT FROM TWO SHORES
〃Good morning； sir；〃 said Mrs。 Catron； rising stiffly。 The captain
hesitated a moment； a slight flush of color came in his face as he at last
rose as the lady backed out of the room。 〃Good morning； ma'am；〃 said
the captain； and departed。
Very little was known of this interview except the general impression
in the family that Mrs。 Catron had successfully resisted a vague attempt at
blackmail from one of her husband's former dissolute companions。 Yet it
is only fair to say that Mrs。 Catron snapped up； quite savagely； two male
sympathizers on this subject； and cried a good deal for two days afterward；
and once； in the hearing of her sister…in…law； to that lady's great horror；
〃wished she was dead。〃
A week after this interview； as Lawyer Phillips sat in his office； he was
visited by Macleod。 Recognizing； possibly； some practical difference
between the widow and the lawyer； Captain Dick this time first produced
his credentials；a 〃power of attorney。〃 〃I need not tell you；〃 said Phillips；
〃that the death of your principal renders this instrument invalid； and I
suppose you know that； leaving no will； and no property； his estate has not
been administered upon。〃
〃Mebbe it is； and mebbe it isn't。 But I hain't askin' for anythin' but
information。 There was a bit o' prop'ty and a mill onto it； over at
Heavytree； ez sold for 10；000。 I don't see；〃 said the captain； consulting
his memorandum…book； 〃ez HE got anything out of it。〃
〃It was mortgaged for 7；000；〃 said the lawyer； quickly； and the
interest and fees amount to about 3；000 more。〃
〃The mortgage was given as security for a note？〃
〃Yes； a gambling debt；〃 said the lawyer； sharply。
〃Thet's so； and my belief ez that it wasn't a square game。 He
shouldn't hev given no note。 Why； don't ye mind； 'way back in '60； when
you and me waz in Marysville； that night that you bucked agin faro； and
lost seving hundred dollars； and then refoosed to take up your checks；
saying it was fraud and a gambling debt？ And don't ye mind when that
chap kicked ye； and I helped to drag him off ye and〃
〃I'm busy now； Mr。 Macleod；〃 said Phillips； hastily； 〃my clerk will
give you all the information you require。 Good morning。〃
63
… Page 64…
DRIFT FROM TWO SHORES
〃It's mighty queer；〃 said the captain； thoughtfully； as he descended the
stairs； 〃but the moment the conversation gets limber and sociable…like； and
I gets to runnin' free under easy sail； it's always 'Good morning； Captain；'
and we're becalmed。〃
By some occult influence； all the foregoing conversation； slightly
exaggerated； and the whole interview of the captain with the widow with
sundry additions； became the common property of Sandy Bar； to the great
delight of the boys。 There was scarcely a person who had ever had
business or social relations with Roger Catron； whom 〃The Frozen Truth；〃
as Sandy Bar delighted to designate the captain； had not 〃interviewed；〃 as
simply and directly。 It is said that he closed a conversation with one of
the San Francisco detectives； who had found Roger Catron's body； in these
words： 〃And now hevin' got throo' bizness； I was goin' to ask ye what's
gone of Matt。 Jones； who was with ye in the bush in Austraily。 Lord；
how he got me quite interested in ye； telling me how you and him got out
on a ticket…of…leave； and was chased by them milishy guards； and at last
swam out to a San Francisco bark and escaped；〃 but here the inevitable
pressure of previous business always stopped the captain's conversational
flow。 The natural result of this was a singular reaction in favor of the late
Roger Catron in the public sentiment of Sandy Bar； so strong； indeed； as to
induce the Rev。 Mr。 Joshua McSnagly； the next Sunday； to combat it with
the moral of Catron's life。 After the service； he was approached in the
vestibule； and in the hearing of some of his audience； by Captain Dick；
with the following compliment： 〃In many pints ye hed jess got Roger
Catron down to a hair。 I knew ye'd do it： why； Lord love ye； you and him
had pints in common； and when he giv' ye that hundred dollars arter the
fire in Sacramento； to help ye rebuild the parsonage； he said to me；me
not likin' ye on account o' my being on the committee that invited ye to
resign from Marysville all along o' that affair with Deacon Pursell's darter；
and a piece she was； parson！ eh？well； Roger； he ups and sez to me；
'Every man hez his faults；' sez he； and sez he； 'there's no reason why a
parson ain't a human being like us； and that gal o' Pursell's is pizen； ez I
know。' So ye see； I seed that ye was hittin' yourself over Catron's
shoulder； like them early martyrs。〃 But here； as Captain Dick was clearly
64
… Page 65…
DRIFT FROM TWO SHORES
blocking up all egress from the church； the sexton obliged him to move on；
and again he was stopped in his conversational career。
But only for a time。 Before long； it was whispered that Captain Dick
had ordered a meeting of the creditors； debtors； and friends of Roger
Catron at Robinson's Hall。 It was suggested； with some show of reason；
that this had been done at the instigation of various practical jokers of
Sandy Bar； who had imposed on the simple directness of the captain； and
the attendance that night certainly indicated something more than a mere
business meeting。 All of Sandy Bar crowded into Robinson's Hall； and
long before Captain Dick made his appearance on the platform； with his
inevitable memorandum…book； every inch of floor was crowded。
The captain began to read the expenditures of Roger Catron with
relentless fidelity of detail。 Th