第26章

The men,with the exception of the sentinels stationed on the rocky ledge and the one who was guarding the unfortunate Collinson,were drinking and gambling away their perspective gains around a small pile of portmanteaus and saddle-bags,heaped in the centre of the room.They contained the results of their last successes,but one pair of saddle-bags bore the mildewed appearance of having been cached,or buried,some time before.Most of their treasure was in packages of gold dust;and from the conversation that ensued,it appeared that,owing to the difficulties of disposing of it in the mountain towns,the plan was to convey it by ordinary pack mule to the unfrequented valley,and thence by an emigrant wagon,on the old emigrant trail,to the southern counties,where it could be no longer traced.Since the recent robberies,the local express companies and bankers had refused to receive it,except the owners were known and identified.There had been but one box of coin,which had already been speedily divided up among the band.Drafts,bills,bonds,and valuable papers had been usually intrusted to one "Charley,"who acted as a flying messenger to a corrupt broker in Sacramento,who played the role of the band's "fence."It had been the duty of Chivers to control this delicate business,even as it had been his peculiar function to open all the letters and documents.This he had always lightened by characteristic levity and sarcastic comments on the private revelations of the contents.

The rough,ill-spelt letter of the miner to his wife,inclosing a draft,or the more sentimental effusion of an emigrant swain to his sweetheart,with the gift of a "specimen,"had always received due attention at the hands of this elegant humorist.But the operation was conducted to-night with business severity and silence.The two leaders sat opposite to each other,in what might have appeared to the rest of the band a scarcely veiled surveillance of each other's actions.When the examination was concluded,and,the more valuable inclosures put aside,the despoiled letters were carried to the fire and heaped upon the coals.Presently the chimney added its roar to the moaning of the distant hillside,a few sparks leaped up and died out in the midnight air,as if the pathos and sentiment of the unconscious correspondents had exhaled with them.

"That's a d--d foolish thing to do,"growled French Pete over his cards.

"Why?"demanded Chivers sharply.

"Why?--why,it makes a flare in the sky that any scout can see,and a scent for him to follow.""We're four miles from any traveled road,"returned Chivers contemptuously,"and the man who could see that glare and smell that smoke would be on his way here already.""That reminds me that that chap you've tied up--that Collinson--allows he wants to see you,"continued French Pete.

"To see ME!"repeated Chivers."You mean the Captain?""I reckon he means YOU,"returned French Pete;"he said the man who talked so purty."The men looked at each other with a smile of anticipation,and put down their cards.Chivers walked towards the door;one or two rose to their feet as if to follow,but Riggs stopped them peremptorily.

"Sit down,"he said roughly;then,as Chivers passed him,he added to him in a lower tone,"Remember."Slightly squaring his shoulders and opening his coat,to permit a rhetorical freedom,which did not,however,prevent him from keeping touch with the butt of his revolver,Chivers stepped into the open air.Collinson had been moved to the shelter of an overhang of the roof,probably more for the comfort of the guard,who sat cross-legged on the ground near him,than for his own.

Dismissing the man with a gesture,Chivers straightened himself before his captive.

"We deeply regret that your unfortunate determination,my dear sir,has been the means of depriving US of the pleasure of your company,and YOU of your absolute freedom;but may we cherish the hope that your desire to see me may indicate some change in your opinion?"By the light of the sentry's lantern left upon the ground,Chivers could see that Collinson's face wore a slightly troubled and even apologetic expression.