options-第18章

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eep　to　make　bad　spirits　keep　away。'

〃'You　can't　keep　bad　spirits　away　from　money；'　says　I。

〃'They　say；'　goes　on　McClintock；　'the　Yacuma　fool　them。　　They　raise　　plenty　row。'

〃'Going！　Going！'　says　I。　　'Gold…dust　or　cash　takes　the　entire　stock。　　　The　dust　weighed　before　you；　and　taken　at　sixteen　dollars　the　ounce　the　highest　price　on　the　Gaudymala　coast。'

〃Then　the　crowd　disperses　all　of　a　sudden；　and　I　don't　know　what's　up。　　　Mac　and　me　packs　away　the　hand…mirrors　and　jewelry　they　had　handed　　back　to　us；　and　we　had　the　mules　back　to　the　corral　they　had　set　apart　　for　our　garage。

〃While　we　was　there　we　hear　great　noises　of　shouting；　and　down　across　　the　plaza　runs　Patrick　Shane；　hotfoot；　with　his　clothes　ripped　half　　off；　and　scratches　on　his　face　like　a　cat　had　fought　him　hard　for　　every　one　of　its　lives。

〃'They're　looting　the　treasury；　W。　　D。；'　he　sings　out。　　'They're　going　　to　kill　me　and　you；　too。　　Unlimber　a　couple　of　mules　at　once。　　We'll　　have　to　make　a　get…away　in　a　couple　of　minutes。'

〃'They've　found　out；'　says　I；'　the　truth　about　the　law　of　supply　and　　demand。'

〃'It's　the　women；　mostly；'　says　the　King。　　'And　they　used　to　admire　me　　so！'

〃'They　hadn't　seen　looking…glasses　then；'　says　I。

〃'They've　got　knives　and　hatchets；'　says　Shane；　'hurry　！'

〃'Take　that　roan　mule；'　says　I。　　'You　and　your　law　of　supply！　　I'll　　ride　the　dun；　for　he's　two　knots　per　hour　the　faster。　　The　roan　has　a　　stiff　knee；　but　he　may　make　it；'　says　I。　　'If　you'd　included　　reciprocity　in　your　political　platform　I　might　have　given　you　the　　dun；'　says　I。

〃Shane　and　McClintock　and　me　mounted　our　mules　and　rode　across　the　　rawhide　bridge　just　as　the　Peches　reached　the　other　side　and　began　　firing　stones　and　long　knives　at　us。　　We　cut　the　thongs　that　held　up　　our　end　of　the　bridge　and　headed　for　the　coast。〃

A　tall；　bulky　policeman　came　into　Finch's　shop　at　that　moment　and　leaned　an　elbow　on　the　showcase。　　Finch　nodded　　at　him　friendly。

〃I　heard　down　at　Casey's；〃　said　the　cop；　in　rumbling；　husky　tones；　　〃that　there　was　going　to　be　a　picnic　of　the　Hat…Cleaners'　Union　over　　at　Bergen　Beach；　Sunday。　　Is　that　right？〃

〃Sure；〃　said　Finch。　　〃There'll　be　a　dandy　time。〃

〃Gimme　five　tickets；〃　said　the　cop；　throwing　a　five…dollar　bill　on　the　　showcase。

〃Why；''　said　Finch；　〃ain't　you　going　it　a　little　too〃

〃Go　to　h！〃　said　the　cop。　　〃You　got　'em　to　sell；　ain't　you？　　　Somebody's　got　to　buy　'em。　　Wish　I　could　go　along。〃

I　was　glad　to　See　Finch　so　well　thought　of　in　his　neighborhood。

And　then　in　came　a　wee　girl　of　seven；　with　dirty　face　and　pure　blue　　eyes　and　a　smutched　and　insufficient　dress。

〃Mamma　says；〃　she　recited　shrilly；　〃that　you　must　give　me　eighty　cents　　for　the　grocer　and　nineteen　for　the　milkman　and　five　cents　for　me　to　　buy　hokey…pokey　withbut　she　didn't　say　that；〃　the　elf　concluded；　　with　a　hopeful　but　honest　grin。

Finch　shelled　out　the　money；　counting　it　twice；　but　I　noticed　that　the　　total　sum　that　the　small　girl　received　was　one　dollar　and　four　cents。

〃That's　the　right　kind　of　a　law；〃　remarked　Finch；　as　he　carefully　　broke　some　of　the　stitches　of　my　hatband　so　that　it　would　assuredly　　come　off　within　a　few　days〃the　law　of　supply　and　demand。　　But　　they've　both　got　to　work　together。　　I'll　bet；〃　he　went　on；　with　his　　dry　smile；　〃she'll　get　jelly　beans　with　that　nickelshe　likes　'em。　　　What's　supply　if　there's　no　demand　for　it？〃

〃What　ever　became　of　the　King？〃　I　asked；　curiously。　''Oh；　I　might　have　told　you；〃　said　Finch。　　〃That　was　Shane　came　in　and　　bought　the　tickets。　　He　came　back　with　me；　and　he's　on　the　force　now。〃




BURIED　TREASURE



There　are　many　kinds　of　fools。　　Now；　will　everybody　please　sit　still　　until　they　are　called　upon　specifically　to　rise？

I　had　been　every　kind　of　fool　except　one。　　I　had　expended　my　　patrimony；　pretended　my　matrimony；　played　poker；　lawn…tennis；　and　　bucket…shopsparted　soon　with　my　money　in　many　ways。　　But　there　　remained　one　rule　of　the　wearer　of　cap　and　bells　that　I　had　not　　played。　　That　was　the　Seeker　after　Buried　Treasure。　　To　few　does　the　　delectable　furor　come。　　But　of　all　the　would…be　followers　in　the　hoof…　prints　of　King　Midas　none　has　found　a　pursuit　so　rich　in　pleasurable　　promise。

But；　going　back　from　my　theme　a　whileas　lame　pens　must　doI　was　a　　fool　of　the　sentimental　soft。　　I　saw　May　Martha　Mangum；　and　was　hers。　　　She　was　eighteen；　the　color　of　the　white　ivory　keys　of　a　new　piano；　　beautiful；　and　possessed　by　the　exquisite　solemnity　and　pathetic　　witchery　of　an　unsophisticated　angel　doomed　to　live　in　a　small；　dull；　　Texas　prairie…town。　　She　had　a　spirit　and　charm　that　could　have　　enabled　her　to　pluck　rubies　like　raspberries　from　the　crown　of　Belgium　　or　any　other　sporty　kingdom；　but　she　did　not　know　it；　and　I　did　not　　paint　the　picture　for　her。

You　see；　I　wanted　May　Martha　Mangum　for　to　have　and　to　hold。　　I　wanted　　her　to　abide　with　me；　and　put　my　slippers　and　pipe　away　every　day　in　　places　where　they　cannot　be　found　of　evenings。

May　Martha's　father　was　a　man　hidden　behind　whiskers　and　spectacles。　　　He　lived　for　bugs　and　butterflies　and　all　insects　that　fly　or　crawl　or　　buzz　or　get　down　your　back　or　in　the　butter。　　He　was　an　etymologist；　　or　words　to　that　effect。　　He　spent　his　life　seining　the　air　for　flying　　fish　of　the　June…bug　order；　and　then　sticking　pins　through　'em　and　　calling　'em　names。

He　and　May　Martha　were　the　whole　family。　　He　prized　her　highly　as　a　　fine　specimen　of　the　racibus　humanus　because　she　saw　that　he　had　food　　at　times；　and　put　his　clothes　on　right　side　before；　and　kept　his　　alcohol…bottles　filled。　　Scientists；　they　say；　are　apt　to　be　absent…　minded。

There　was　another　besides　myself　who　thought　May　Martha　Mangum　one　to　　be　desired。　　That　was　Goodloe　Banks；　a　young　man　just　home　from　　college。　　He　had　all　the　attainments　to　be　found　in　booksLatin；　　Greek；　philosophy；　and　especially　the　higher　branches　of　mathematics　　and　logic。

If　it　hadn't　been　for　his　habit　of　pouring　out　this　information　and　　learning　on　every　one　that　he　addressed；　I'd　have　liked　him　pretty　　well。　　But；　even　as　it　was；　he　and　I　were；　you　would　have　thought；　　great　pals。

We　got　together　every　time　we　could　because　each　of　us　wanted　to　pump　　the　other　for　whatever　straws　we　could　to　find　which　way　the　wind　blew　　from　the　heart　of　May　Martha　Mangumrather　a　mixed　metaphor；　Goodloe　　Banks　would　never　have　been　guilty　of　that。　　That　is　the　way　of　　rivals。

You　might　say　that　Goodloe　ran　to　books；　manners；　culture；　rowing；　　intellect；　and　clothes。　　I　would　have　put　you　in　mind　more　of　baseball　　and　Friday…night　debating　societiesby　way　of　cultureand　maybe　of　a　　good　horseback　rider。

But　in　our　talks　together；　and　in　our　visits　and　conversation　with　May　　Martha；　neither　Goodloe　Banks　nor　I　could　find　out　which　one　of　us　she　　preferred。　　May　Martha　was　a　natural…born　non…committal；　and　knew　in　　her　cradle　how　to　keep　people　guessing。

As　I　said；　old　man　Mangum　was　absentminded。　　After　a　long　time　he　　found　out　one　daya　little　butterfly　must　have　told　him…that　two　　young　men　were　trying　to　throw　a　net　over　the　head　of　the　young　　person；　a　daughter；　or　some　such　technical　appendage；　who　looked　after　　his　comforts。

I　never　knew　scientists　could　rise　to　such　occasions。　　Old　Mangum　　orally　labelled　and　classified　Goodloe　and　myself　easily　among　the　　lowest　orders　of　the　vertebrates；　and　in　English；　too；　without　going　　any　further　into　Latin　than　the　simple　references　to　Orgetorix；　Rex　　Helvetiiwhich　is　as　far　as　I　ever　went；　myself。　　And　he　told　us　that　　if　he　ever　caught　us　around　his　house　again　he　would　add　us　to　his　　collection。

Goodloe　Banks　and　I　remained　away　five　days；　expecting　the　storm　to　　subside。　　When　we　dared　to　call　at　the　house　again　May　Martha　Mangum　　and　her　father　were　gone。　　Gone！　　The　house　they　had　rented　was　　closed。　　Their　little　store　of　goods　and　chattels　was　gone　also。

And　not　a　word　of　farewell　to　either　of　us　from　May　Marthanot　a　　white；　fluttering　note　pinned　to　the　hawthorn…bush；　not　a　chalk…mark　　on　the　gate…post　nor　a　post…card　in　the　post…office　to　give　us　a　clew。

For　two　months　Goodloe　Banks　and　Iseparatelytried　every　scheme　we　　could　think　of　to　track　the　runaways。　　We　used　our　friend