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！
around it； although it stirred him with a fearful curiosity； actually shocked
him less hopelessly than their brutish enjoyments and abandonment。
It was in one of these rushes that he had been crushed against a
swinging door； which； giving way to his pressure； disclosed to his
wondering eyes a long； glitteringly adorned； and brightly lit room； densely
filled with a silent； attentive throng in attitudes of decorous abstraction and
preoccupation； that even the shouts and tumult at its very doors could not
disturb。 Men of all ranks and conditions； plainly or elaborately clad；
were grouped together under this magic spell of silence and attention。
The tables before them were covered with cards and loose heaps of gold
and silver。 A clicking； the rattling of an ivory ball； and the frequent；
formal； lazy reiteration of some unintelligible sentence was all that he
heard。 But by a sudden instinct he UNDERSTOOD it all。 It was a
gambling saloon！
Encouraged by the decorous stillness； and the fact that everybody
appeared too much engaged to notice him； the boy drew timidly beside
one of the tables。 It was covered with a number of cards； on which were
placed certain sums of money。 Looking down； Clarence saw that he was
standing before a card that as yet had nothing on it。 A single player at his
side looked up； glanced at Clarence curiously； and then placed half a
dozen gold pieces on the vacant card。 Absorbed in the general aspect of
the room and the players； Clarence did not notice that his neighbor won
twice； and even THRICE； upon that card。 Becoming aware； however；
that the player while gathering in his gains； was smilingly regarding him
he moved in some embarrassment to the other end of the table； where
64
… Page 65…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
there seemed another gap in the crowd。 It so chanced that there was also
another vacant card。 The previous neighbor of Clarence instantly shoved
a sum of money across the table on the vacant card and won！ At this the
other players began to regard Clarence singularly； one or two of the
spectators smiled； and the boy； coloring； moved awkwardly away。 But
his sleeve was caught by the successful player； who； detaining him gently；
put three gold pieces into his hand。
〃That's YOUR share； sonny；〃 he whispered。
〃Sharefor what？〃 stammered the astounded Clarence。
〃For bringing me 'the luck；'〃 said the man。
Clarence stared。 〃Am Itoto play with it？〃 he said； glancing at the
coins and then at the table； in ignorance of the stranger's meaning。
〃No； no！〃 said the man hurriedly； 〃don't do that。 You'll lose it； sonny；
sure！ Don't you see； YOU BRING THE LUCK TO OTHERS； not to
yourself。 Keep it； old man； and run home！〃
〃I don't want it！ I won't have it！〃 said Clarence with a swift
recollection of the manipulation of his purse that morning； and a sudden
distrust of all mankind。
〃There！〃 He turned back to the table and laid the money on the first
vacant card he saw。 In another moment； as it seemed to him； it was raked
away by the dealer。 A sense of relief came over him。
〃There！〃 said the man； with an awed voice and a strange； fatuous look
in his eye。 〃What did I tell you？ You see； it's allus so！ Now；〃 he added
roughly； 〃get up and get out o' this； afore you lose the boots and shirt off
ye。〃
Clarence did not wait for a second command。 With another glance
round the room； he began to make his way through the crowd towards the
front。 But in that parting glance he caught a glimpse of a woman
presiding over a 〃wheel of fortune〃 in a corner； whose face seemed
familiar。 He looked again； timidly。 In spite of an extraordinary head…
dress or crown that she wore as the 〃Goddess of Fortune；〃 he recognized；
twisted in its tinsel； a certain scarlet vine which he had seen before； in
spite of the hoarse formula which she was continually repeating； he
recognized the foreign accent。 It was the woman of the stage…coach！
65
… Page 66…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
With a sudden dread that she might recognize him； and likewise demand
his services 〃for luck；〃 he turned and fled。
Once more in the open air； there came upon him a vague loathing and
horror of the restless madness and feverish distraction of this half…civilized
city。 It was the more powerful that it was vague； and the outcome of
some inward instinct。 He found himself longing for the pure air and
sympathetic loneliness of the plains and wilderness； he began to yearn for
the companionship of his humble associatesthe teamster； the scout
Gildersleeve； and even Jim Hooker。 But above all and before all was the
wild desire to get away from these maddening streets and their
bewildering occupants。 He ran back to the baker's； gathered his purchases
together； took advantage of a friendly doorway to strap them on his boyish
shoulders； slipped into a side street； and struck out at once for the
outskirts。
It had been his first intention to take stage to the nearest mining district；
but the diminution of his small capital forbade that outlay； and he decided
to walk there by the highroad； of whose general direction he had informed
himself。 In half an hour the lights of the flat； struggling city； and their
reflection in the shallow； turbid river before it； had sunk well behind him。
The air was cool and soft； a yellow moon swam in the slight haze that rose
above the tules； in the distance a few scattered cottonwoods and
sycamores marked like sentinels the road。 When he had walked some
distance he sat down beneath one of them to make a frugal supper from
the dry rations in his pack； but in the absence of any spring he was forced
to quench his thirst with a glass of water in a wayside tavern。 Here he
was good…humoredly offered something stronger； which he declined； and
replied to certain curious interrogations by saying that he expected to
overtake his friends in a wagon further on。 A new distrust of mankind
had begun to make the boy an adept in innocent falsehood； the more
deceptive as his careless； cheerful manner； the result of his relief at leaving
the city； and his perfect ease in the loving companionship of night and
nature； certainly gave no indication of his homelessness and poverty。
It was long past midnight； when； weary in body； but still hopeful and
happy in mind； he turned off the dusty road into a vast rolling expanse of
66
… Page 67…
A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
wild oats； with the same sense of security of rest as a traveler to his inn。
Here； completely screened from view by the tall stalks of grain that rose
thickly around him to the height of a man's shoulder； he beat down a few
of them for a bed； on which he deposited his blanket。 Placing his pack
for a pillow； he curled himself up in his blanket； and speedily fell asleep。
He awoke at sunrise； refreshed； invigorated； and hungry。 But he was
forced to defer his first self…prepared breakfast until he had reached water；
and a less dangerous place than the wild…oat field to build his first camp
fire。 This he found a mile further on； near some dwarf willows on the
bank of a half…dry stream。 Of his various efforts to prepare his first meal；
the fire was the most successful； the coffee was somewhat too
substantially thick； and the bacon and herring lacked definiteness of
quality from having been cooked in the same vessel。 In this boyish
picnic he missed Susy； and recalled； perhaps a little bitterly； her coldness
at parting。 But the novelty of his situation； the