the faith of men(人们的信任)-第12章
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〃How do you know the brother will be willing to make that beastly trip
in here？〃 he demanded。
〃Oh； he'll do it for meand for his sister；〃 Pentfield replied。 〃You see；
he's tenderfoot； and I wouldn't trust her with him alone。 But with you
along it will be an easy trip and a safe one。 As soon as you get out； you'll
go to her and prepare her。 Then you can take your run east to your own
people； and in the spring she and her brother'll be ready to start with you。
You'll like her； I know； right from the jump； and from that； you'll know her
as soon as you lay eyes on her。〃
So saying he opened the back of his watch and exposed a girl's
photograph pasted on the inside of the case。 Corry Hutchinson gazed at
it with admiration welling up in his eyes。
〃Mabel is her name；〃 Pentfield went on。 〃And it's just as well you
should know how to find the house。 Soon as you strike 'Frisco； take a
cab； and just say； 'Holmes's place； Myrdon Avenue'I doubt if the Myrdon
Avenue is necessary。 The cabby'll know where Judge Holmes lives。
〃And say；〃 Pentfield continued； after a pause； 〃it won't be a bad idea
for you to get me a few little things which aer〃
〃A married man should have in his business；〃 Hutchinson blurted out
with a grin。
Pentfield grinned back。
〃Sure； napkins and tablecloths and sheets and pillowslips； and such
things。 And you might get a good set of china。 You know it'll come
hard for her to settle down to this sort of thing。 You can freight them in
by steamer around by Bering Sea。 And； I say； what's the matter with a
piano？〃
Hutchinson seconded the idea heartily。 His reluctance had vanished；
and he was warming up to his mission。
〃By Jove！ Lawrence；〃 he said at the conclusion of the council； as
they both rose to their feet； 〃I'll bring back that girl of yours in style。 I'll
do the cooking and take care of the dogs； and all that brother'll have to do
will be to see to her comfort and do for her whatever I've forgotten。 And
I'll forget damn little； I can tell you。〃
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The next day Lawrence Pentfield shook hands with him for the last
time and watched him； running with his dogs； disappear up the frozen
Yukon on his way to salt water and the world。 Pentfield went back to his
Bonanza mine； which was many times more dreary than before； and faced
resolutely into the long winter。 There was work to be done； men to
superintend； and operations to direct in burrowing after the erratic pay
streak； but his heart was not in the work。 Nor was his heart in any work
till the tiered logs of a new cabin began to rise on the hill behind the mine。
It was a grand cabin； warmly built and divided into three comfortable
rooms。 Each log was hand…hewed and squaredan expensive whim when
the axemen received a daily wage of fifteen dollars； but to him nothing
could be too costly for the home in which Mabel Holmes was to live。
So he went about with the building of the cabin； singing； 〃And oh； my
fair； would I somewhere might house my heart with thee！〃 Also； he had
a calendar pinned on the wall above the table； and his first act each
morning was to check off the day and to count the days that were left ere
his partner would come booming down the Yukon ice in the spring。
Another whim of his was to permit no one to sleep in the new cabin on the
hill。 It must be as fresh for her occupancy as the square…hewed wood
was fresh； and when it stood complete； he put a padlock on the door。 No
one entered save himself； and he was wont to spend long hours there； and
to come forth with his face strangely radiant and in his eyes a glad； warm
light。
In December he received a letter from Corry Hutchinson。 He had just
seen Mabel Holmes。 She was all she ought to be； to be Lawrence
Pentfield's wife； he wrote。 He was enthusiastic； and his letter sent the
blood tingling through Pentfield's veins。 Other letters followed； one on
the heels of another； and sometimes two or three together when the mail
lumped up。 And they were all in the same tenor。 Corry had just come
from Myrdon Avenue； Corry was just going to Myrdon Avenue； or Corry
was at Myrdon Avenue。 And he lingered on and on in San Francisco； nor
even mentioned his trip to Detroit。
Lawrence Pentfield began to think that his partner was a great deal in
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the company of Mabel Holmes for a fellow who was going east to see his
people。 He even caught himself worrying about it at times； though he
would have worried more had he not known Mabel and Corry so well。
Mabel's letters； on the other hand； had a great deal to say about Corry。
Also； a thread of timidity that was near to disinclination ran through them
concerning the trip in over the ice and the Dawson marriage。 Pentfield
wrote back heartily； laughing at her fears； which he took to be the mere
physical ones of danger and hardship rather than those bred of maidenly
reserve。
But the long winter and tedious wait； following upon the two previous
long winters； were telling upon him。 The superintendence of the men
and the pursuit of the pay streak could not break the irk of the daily round；
and the end of January found him making occasional trips to Dawson；
where he could forget his identity for a space at the gambling tables。
Because he could afford to lose； he won； and 〃Pentfield's luck〃 became a
stock phrase among the faro players。
His luck ran with him till the second week in February。 How much
farther it might have run is conjectural； for； after one big game； he never
played again。
It was in the Opera House that it occurred； and for an hour it had
seemed that he could not place his money on a card without making the
card a winner。 In the lull at the end of a deal； while the game…keeper was
shuffling the deck； Nick Inwood the owner of the game； remarked；
apropos of nothing：…
〃I say； Pentfield； I see that partner of yours has been cutting up
monkey…shines on the outside。〃
〃Trust Corry to have a good time；〃 Pentfield had answered； 〃especially
when he has earned it。〃
〃Every man to his taste；〃 Nick Inwood laughed； 〃but I should scarcely
call getting married a good time。〃
〃Corry married！〃 Pentfield cried； incredulous and yet surprised out of
himself for the moment。
'Sure；〃 Inwood said。 〃I saw it in the 'Frisco paper that came in over
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the ice this morning。〃
〃Well； and who's the girl？〃 Pentfield demanded； somewhat with the air
of patient fortitude with which one takes the bait of a catch and is aware at
the time of the large laugh bound to follow at his expense。
