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To The West, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 35. "On My Word Of Honour" |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. "ON MY WORD OF HONOUR" I felt rather startled when we left the valley, for we came suddenly upon a large party of Indians who seemed very different to the quiet, stolid-looking beings we had been accustomed to see with their skin canoes, or busy fishing along the side of the river. These were swarthy, fierce-looking fellows, mounted on sturdy, wiry-looking ponies--steeds which they sat admirably. It might be thought that they would be as much surprised and startled as we were, but they did not make a sign to indicate that they even saw us, but rode slowly along, well armed, and with their long hair, feathers, and gaily-coloured blankets, giving them a brightly picturesque look. "They don't mean mischief, do they?" whispered Esau. "No, they must be friendly Indians," I said; "and look, they've got packs on those other horses. I know: they are taking skins up to the Fort." This proved to be the case, for the party kept right on in the same track as we were taking, halting a short distance from the gate of the Fort; but, though we were pretty close to them all the time, they never made the slightest sign of being aware of our presence; and when we entered, and I glanced back, I could see that they were already beginning to make their little camp, while others were seeing to the laden horses. "What!" said Mr Raydon, when I told him of my discovery. "Gold?" "Yes; and I think in large quantities." "Are you sure it is gold?" he said. I took out what I had found, and placed the little scales before him. He seized them, and examined them carefully, closing his hand over them afterward, and sitting gazing straight before him for some moments, while a chill of dread ran through me. "It is not gold," I thought; and as I gazed at him intently, he looked up. "Well?" he said. "You think it is not gold, sir?" I said. "I am sure it is," he replied, sadly. "Tell me whereabouts you found it;" and I described the place. "Yes," he said; "one of our most lovely valleys. Here, are you tired?" "No." "Are you?" he said, turning to Esau, who replied that he was not the least so. "Stop a moment--to whom have you spoken?" "Spoken, sir?" "How many people about the place have you told about the gold?" "No one, sir." "Neither of you?" he said, with a sharp look at Esau. "We came straight to you," I said, "because I felt that you ought to know about it, and I thought you would give us your advice." He laid his hand on my shoulder, and gripped it fast, speaking very firmly, but in a kindlier tone than I had heard from him before. "That's right," he said, "quite right. We'll go up there at once, and see if this is an important discovery, or only one of the little patches that are found at times." "Then no one saw you there?" he said, after a few minutes' thought. "We did not see a soul, sir, till we came out of the little valley, and found that party of Indians coming here." He stood with his brows knit, thinking deeply, and then he nodded his head sharply. "Yes," he said, "we'll go at once. Come along." He led us to his garden, and out of the shed took a shovel and a shallow wooden basket. "You lads can carry these," he said, "and I'll take my rifle. It will look as if we are going on some pleasure trip. One minute, though, while I give orders about those Indians." He spoke to his second in command, giving him some instructions, whose import I did not understand then; and afterwards we strolled out through the gate slowly enough, and wandered away along the track and down by the lake, Mr Raydon stopping every now and then to pick up some flower or stone to which he drew my attention. This went on till we were out of sight of the Fort, when his whole manner changed. "Now, boys," he said, sharply, "on as fast as you can. How far is it from here?" "About two hours' walk," I said. "Then we shall not be back much before dusk; so best leg foremost." It was quite the two hours before we got to the spot where the tree was blazed, and Mr Raydon's keen eyes detected the sign long before we were abreast of it. "Your mark to show the spot, eh?" he said. "Very ingenious. It would have deceived me. Now wait a few minutes." He walked forward for a few hundred yards, and then returned. "No one has been along here," he said. "There is not a footmark. Now then; to work." He stood his rifle against a tree, stripped off his boots and stockings, and signed to me to do the same. "You, my lad," he said to Esau, "keep watch by my rifle, and at the slightest sign or sound give me warning. Now then, Gordon, in with you and use the shovel." I stepped into the stream, where it was shallow, and in obedience to his instructions plied the tool, and threw three or four spadefuls into the shallow wooden basket, which he held down then in the running water, and rapidly agitated, giving it a curious circular motion, and letting the light sand run with the water over the side. Then he stopped from time to time to pick out stones. "Another shovelful," he said, "from that place. Yes," he continued, as I obeyed him; "now another from as deep as you can. In with it." Thus in the late afternoon, with the sun getting low, and throwing our shadows far over the stream, he worked the basket about in the water somewhat after the manner adopted by Quong, but of course on a large scale, for the basket was heavy with what I had thrown in, and it made the muscles stand out in knots upon his arms where he had rolled his sleeves up to his shoulders; and I remember thinking, as I gazed at his sun-browned face and grey hair, what a fine thing it must be to feel so big and strong and manly. Esau stood resting on the rifle, for he could not resist the temptation of taking hold of it to stand like a sentry, while I, nearly up to my knees in water, raised one foot and rested it on the blade of the shovel, as intent as my companion, and, I am afraid, indulging in all kinds of golden dreams of wealth and position, and of how happy we should all be. It did not take long to arrange what I should do for Mrs John Dempster. I know I had determined upon a carriage and pair, with a very careful coachman, expressly for her use; though how it was to be got out to that wilderness, or used there, I did not stop to think. I only meant her to grow well and strong, and have every luxury, while Mr John could be a perfect country gentleman, and study, and be my friend. That gold was to be regular Arabian Nights wealth, and I felt already quite a prince. These ideas floated rapidly through my brain, while Mr Raydon made a low washing noise with the tiny basket, and discoloured the flowing water as he let the fine sand pass away. All at once he stopped, held the dripping basket--every drop which ran from it turned to ruddy gold by the sinking sun--tightly between his knees, and again rapidly picked out the larger stones, sending them flying about, to fall with a splash in the water. "Can I help you, sir?" "No, my boy, no," he said. "I have done this thing before. One can manage it best." Just then I heard a sigh from Esau, who could not refrain in his anxiety from coming nearer the river. This made Mr Raydon look up sharply, and he smiled. "Hullo, sentry," he said, "you're not keeping a good look out. Mind what you are about with that rifle." "Yes, sir, I'll be very careful," said Esau, "and I am looking out well." "For the gold," said Mr Raydon, in an undertone, which words I caught, as he went on picking and throwing out smaller stones, then washing the basket round again and again, and the more he worked, the more his countenance seemed to change, till it looked older and more careworn than I had ever seen it before. I knew that there were a few scales and beads of gold, for I had seen them glisten in the sunshine as he rapidly moved the basket but directly after I felt horribly disappointed, for he set it right down in the water, the weight of stones within it keeping it at the bottom, and splashed toward me. "Here," he said roughly, "give me the shovel." I gave it into his hand, and he waded half across to where there was an eddy behind a huge mass of rock, and bending down here, he scraped away the stones and sand, as if trying to make a hole, discolouring the water right along the stream. Then, forcing the shovel down as far as he could drive it, he brought up a dripping quantity of sand and small gravel, placed it in the basket, returned for another shovelful, and placed it with the other before handing the shovel to me. "If there is much gold," he said, "it would lie at the bottom of that eddy, where it would be swept when the stream is in flood. Now, then, we shall see." For another ten minutes he went on washing again, while I could see Esau, as he crept nearer and nearer, perspiring with impatience, and glancing up and down what in the setting sun now seemed to be a golden valley, for water, rocks, and the ferns seemed to be tinted of a ruddy yellow, and the tall fir-trees stood up like spires of gold. At last I caught a glimpse of something bright again, but I could not be sure that there was more gold in the basket; it might only be the stones glistening in the wonderful ruddy light that filled the ravine. "Hah!" ejaculated Mr Raydon, and he once more set down the basket beneath the water. "Hard work. What trouble men take to get gold!" "There is some in the basket, isn't there, sir?" I said anxiously, and in no wise prepared for the result. "We'll see directly," he said. "Let's get out of this. The water is bitterly cold." He waded out now with the basket, from which the golden water dripped as if the contents were melting. "Why, there is some," cried Dean, excitedly. "Some?" cried Mr Raydon, bitterly. "Unfortunately, yes. Look!" and he held the basket sidewise in the full blaze of the glowing sun, giving it a shake, so that we could see scales, beads, and tiny nuggets dotted about among the flashing stones, and all looking of that beautiful pure yellow colour which is possessed alone by native gold. "Why, there must be pounds," cried Esau, excitedly. "Pish!" ejaculated Mr Raydon, contemptuously. "How you boys let your imagination go wild! There must be, however, a full ounce--a wonderful washing for the trial." "Then you are not disappointed, sir?" I said, eagerly. "Yes," he cried, turning upon me fiercely; "horribly." "But there must be quantities more, sir." "Yes. I was in hopes that it was a mere patch, but everything points to the fact that the stream is rich, and it may be far better higher up." "But you said you were disappointed, sir?" I said, as he sat down, and began to replace his stockings and boots. "I am boy, horribly." "With all that wealth before us?" "Yes. Do you know what it means?" "Riches for us all, sir," I said, proudly. "Hah! Look here, boy. I have been out in these glorious valleys many years now. The place is a perfect Eden, where nature smiles upon us, and wealth showers her golden gifts. You know my home, and that no troubles come, save some trifle with the Indians now and then. Do you know what would happen if it were known that this ravine teems with gold?" "We should set to work and make fortunes of it, sir, and not let it be known." "Bah! Impossible, Gordon. In one month from now the news would have spread; and as long as the gold lasted, this place would be turned from a Paradise into a horror. The scum of the American population would float here, with all the lawlessness that was in California in its early days. Drinking-bars and gambling-saloons would rise like mushrooms; and where now all is beauty and peace, there would be robbery, violence, murder, drunkenness, and misery too horrible to contemplate." "What!" I cried, incredulously, "because a rich supply of gold is found?" "Yes. I have seen it all, and I know," he cried; "and I have often hoped and prayed that no gold might be found near here. Gold can be made a blessing, but too often it has proved a curse." I looked at Esau, and in spite of my trouble and disappointment as I saw my fortune fading away, and with it Mrs John's carriage and my life of ease and plenty, I could not help smiling, for my companion's face was comic in the extreme. "There, let's get back," said Mr Raydon, stamping his feet in his heavy boots. "But what--" "Am I going to do with the gold?" he said, quickly. "Oh, we'll take it home with us. Dig up a root or two of those ferns to put in the basket, and hide what we have found." "Then you will not work for the gold with us, sir?" I said, as Esau stood holding the rifle, listening eagerly. "No," said Mr Raydon, sternly. "And now listen. I am chief officer of this fort and station. I am, so to speak, almost a king here among these people; and amongst the tribes who come to trade I am their father and chief of chiefs, and my word is law." "Yes, sir, I know," I said. "You two lads were sent out to me by my thoughtless brother-in-law, who is always meaning well and doing ill. You were delighted by the prospect, and did not see what a mad scheme it was. As it happens, all has turned out well, though it is almost a miracle to me that you have both reached me in safety." I thought of Gunson, and how we could not have done it without his help; and as I thought of him, I recalled the object of his visit to this region--prospecting for gold and other metals--and of what he would say to our discovery. "Well," said Mr Raydon, "you reached me safe and sound, and though I was annoyed at your coming and being thrown on my hands as you were, I think I may say I have not treated you unkindly." "Indeed you have not," I cried earnestly, as I held out my hand to him. "You have been very generous to us both, sir, and I am most grateful." "Then prove it," he cried, gripping my hand. "How, sir? What shall I do?" "Hold your tongue. Do not say a word of your discovery to a soul. Above all, that friend of yours, Gunson, the prospector, must never know." "Not tell any one, sir? Not make use of our discovery?" "No," he said, firmly. "Promise." "Oh, I say!" cried Esau. "And you too, sir!" said Mr Raydon. I stood looking at him for a few minutes, thinking as he fixed his eyes on mine, and then I pressed his hand firmly. "Yes, sir; I promise." "On your word of honour as a gentleman's son?" "On my word of honour as a gentleman's son, sir," I said, proudly. "That will do," he said, releasing my hand, and smiling at me warmly. "I like that, Mayne, better than any oaths. Now, Esau Dean, what have you to say?" "Oh, I don't like it at all, sir," said Esau, bluntly; "but him and me's been mates all through, and I won't go back from anything he says. But it is disappointing, now ain't it?" "It seems so to you, my lad," said Mr Raydon, kindly; "but give me your promise, and it may prove of more value to you than your share of the gold. You see I give up my claim, and mine would be a big one if I liked to exercise it, I dare say." "Am I to promise, Mr Gordon, sir?" said Esau. "Yes, just as I have." "All right, I promise too." "I look to you both to keep your words." "I shan't tell nobody unless he does," said Esau, gruffly, as he stood the rifle against a stone. "And he will not," said Mr Raydon. "There, let's get back. I never leave the place as a rule when Indians are about." "Are they dangerous?" I asked. "No; and yet not to be trusted. What savages really are, Gordon? Thanks, my lad," he said, as I dug up and placed a couple of fern-roots with their spreading fronds in the basket, so as to completely cover the fine gravel at the bottom, and the gold. "We must wash it again when we get back," he continued, "and then divide it in two equal portions, for you lads to keep as a memento of to-day's work. Now, Dean, give me my rifle." Esau ran back to where he had stood the rifle, and was coming back, when he tripped and fell. At the same moment it seemed to me that some one struck me a violent blow beneath my left shoulder which drove me partly round, and made me drop the basket just as there was a sharp report, followed by a peculiar ringing in my ears, and then all was blank. _ |
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