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！
What do you suppose has happened？ Jim Rider； you know； the
Southern banker and speculator； who's a regular big Injin among the
'Chivs；' he sent Cap Simmons down to the wharf while I was
unloadin' to come up and see him。 Well； I went； and what do y'u
think？ He told me he was gettin' up an American Fishin' Company；
and wanted me to take charge of a first…class schooner on shares。
Said he heard of me afore； and knew I was an American and a white
man； and just the chap ez could knock them Eytalians outer the
market。〃
〃Yes；〃 interrupted Mrs。 Bunker quickly； but emphatically； 〃the
fishing interest ought to be American and protected by the State；
with regular charters and treaties。〃
〃I say； Mollie；〃 said her astonished but admiring husband； 〃you've
been readin' the papers or listenin' to stump speakin' sure。〃
〃Go on；〃 returned Mrs。 Bunker impatiently； 〃and say what happened
next。〃
〃Well；〃 returned Zephas； 〃I first thought； you see； that it had
suthin' to do with that Marion business； particklerly ez folks
allowed he was hidin' somewhere yet； and they wanted me to run him
off。 So I thought Rider might as well know that I wasn't to be
bribed； so I ups and tells him how I'd been lyin' off Saucelito the
other day workin' for the other side agin him。 With that he
laughs； says he didn't want any better friends than me； but that I
must be livin' in the backwoods not to know that Wynyard Marion had
escaped； and was then at sea on his way to Mexico or Central
America。 Then we agreed to terms； and the long and short of it is；
Mollie； that I'm to have the schooner with a hundred and fifty
dollars a month； and ten per cent。 shares after a year！ Looks like
biz； eh； Mollie； old girl？ but you don't seem pleased。〃
She had put aside the arm with which he was drawing her to him； and
had turned her white face away to the window。 So HE had gonethis
strangerthis one friend of her lifeshe would never see him
again； and all that would ever come of it was this pecuniary
benefit to her husband； who had done nothing。 He would not even
offer her money； but he had managed to pay his debt to her in this
way that their vulgar poverty would appreciate。 And this was the
end of her dream！
〃You don't seem to take it in； Mollie；〃 continued the surprised
Zephas。 〃It means a house in 'Frisco and a little cabin for you on
the schooner when you like。〃
〃I don't want it！ I won't have it！ I shall stay here；〃 she burst
out with a half…passionate； half…childish cry； and ran into her
bedroom； leaving the astonished Zephas helpless in his awkward
consternation。
〃By Gum！ I must take her to 'Frisco right off； or she'll be havin'
the high strikes here alone。 I oughter knowed it would come to
this！〃 But although he consulted 〃Cap〃 Simmons the next day； who
informed him it was all woman's ways when 〃struck；〃 and advised him
to pay out all the line he could at such delicate moments； she had
no recurrence of the outbreak。 On the contrary； for days and weeks
following she seemed calmer； older； and more 〃growed up；〃 although
she resisted changing her seashore dwelling for San Francisco； she
accompanied him on one or two of his 〃deep sea〃 trips down the
coast； and seemed happier on their southern limits。 She had taken
to reading the political papers and speeches； and some cheap
American histories。 Captain Bunker's crew； profoundly convinced
that their skipper's wife was a 〃woman's rights〃 fanatic； with the
baleful qualities of 〃sea lawyer〃 superadded； marveled at his
bringing her。
It was on returning home from one of these trips that they touched
briefly at San Francisco； where the Secretary of the Fishing
Company came on board。 Mrs。 Bunker was startled to recognize in
him one of the two gentlemen who had taken Mr。 Marion off in the
boat； but as he did not appear to recognize her even after an
awkward introduction by her husband； she would have recovered her
equanimity but for a singular incident。 As her husband turned
momentarily away； the Secretary； with a significant gesture；
slipped a letter into her hand。 She felt the blood rush to her
face as； with a smile； he moved away to follow her husband。 She
came down to the little cabin and impatiently tore open the
envelope； which bore no address。 A small folded note contained the
following lines：
〃I never intended to burden you with my confidence； but the
discretion； tact； and courage you displayed on our first meeting；
and what I know of your loyalty since； have prompted me to trust
myself again to your kindness； even though you are now aware whom
you have helped； and the risks you ran。 My friends wish to
communicate with me and to forward to me； from time to time；
certain papers of importance； which； owing to the tyrannical
espionage of the Government； would be discovered and stopped in
passing through the express or post…office。 These papers will be
left at your house； but here I must trust entirely to your wit and
judgment as to the way in which they should be delivered to my
agent at the nearest Mexican port。 To facilitate your action； your
husband will receive directions to pursue his course as far south
as Todos Santos； where a boat will be ready to take charge of them
when he is sighted。 I know I am asking a great favor； but I have
such confidence in you that I do not even ask you to commit
yourself to a reply to this。 If it can be done I know that you
will do it； if it cannot； I will understand and appreciate the
reason why。 I will only ask you that when you are ready to receive
the papers you will fly a small red pennant from the little
flagstaff among the rocks。 Believe me； your friend and grateful
debtor；
〃W。 M。〃
Mrs。 Bunker cast a hasty glance around her； and pressed the letter
to her lips。 It was a sudden consummation of her vaguest； half…
formed wishes； the realization of her wildest dreams！ To be the
confidante of the gallant but melancholy hero in his lonely exile
and persecution was to satisfy all the unformulated romantic
fancies of her girlish reading； to be later； perhaps； the Flora
Macdonald of a middle…aged Prince Charlie did not； however； evoke
any ludicrous associations in her mind。 Her feminine fancy exalted
the escaped duelist and alleged assassin into a social martyr。 His
actual small political intrigues and ignoble aims of office seemed
to her little different from those aspirations of royalty which she
had read aboutas perhaps they were。 Indeed； it is to be feared
that in foolish little Mrs。 Bunker； Wynyard Marion had found the
old feminine adoration of pretension and privilege which every
rascal has taken advantage of since the flood。
Howbeit； the next morning after she had returned and Zephas had
sailed away； she flew a red bandana handkerchief on the little
flagstaff before the house。 A few hours later； a boat appeared
mysteriously from around the Point。 Its only occupanta common
sailorasked her name； and handed her a sealed package。 Mrs。
Bunker's invention had already been at work。 She had created an
aunt in Mexico； for whom she had； with some ostentation； made some
small purchases while in San Francisco。 When her husband spok