Erema; Or, My Father's Sin

by R. D. Blackmore

  CHAPTER XI

  ROVERS

  From Jowler I wanted nothing more. Such matters were too grand forhim. He had beaten the dog of Hercules, who had only brought the purpledye--a thing requiring skill and art and taste to give it value. Butgold does well without all these, and better in their absence. Fromhandling many little nuggets, and hearkening to Suan Isco's tales oftreachery, theft, and murder done by white men for the sake of this, Iknew that here I had found enough to cost the lives of fifty men.

  At present, however, I was not possessed with dread so much as I waswith joy, and even a secret exultation, at the power placed in my hands.For I was too young to moralize or attempt philosophy. Here I had aknowledge which the wisest of mankind might envy, much as they despiseit when they have no chance of getting it. I looked at my father'sgrave, in the shadow of the quiet peach-trees, and I could not helpcrying as I thought that this was come too late for him. Then I calledoff Jowler, who wished (like a man) to have another tug at it; and homeI ran to tell my news, but failing of breath, had time to think.

  It was lucky enough that this was so, for there might have been thegreatest mischief; and sadly excited as I was, the trouble I had seenso much of came back to my beating heart and told me to be careful. Butsurely there could be no harm in trusting Suan Isco. However, I lookedat her several times, and was not quite so sure about it. She waswonderfully true and faithful, and scarcely seemed to concede to goldits paramount rank and influence. But that might only have been becauseshe had never known the want of it, or had never seen a lump worthstealing, which I was sure that this must be; and the unregeneratestate of all who have never been baptized had been impressed on mecontinually. How could I mistrust a Christian, and place confidence inan Indian? Therefore I tried to sleep without telling any one, but wasunable.

  But, as it happened, my good discovery did not keep me so very longawake, for on the following day our troop of horsemen returned fromSan Francisco. Of course I have done very foolish things once and againthroughout my life, but perhaps I never did any thing more absurd thanduring the whole of that day. To begin with, I was up before thesun, and down at the mill, and along the plank, which I had removedovernight, but now replaced as my bridge to the pine-wood pile. ThenI gazed with eager desire and fear--which was the stronger I scarcelyknew--for the yellow under-gleam, to show the safety of my treasure.There it lay, as safe as could be, massive, grand, and beautiful, withtones of varying richness as the ripples varied over it. The pale lightof the morning breathed a dewy lustre down the banks; the sun (althoughunrisen yet) drew furrows through the mountain gaps; the birds fromevery hanging tree addressed the day with melody; the crystal water,purer than religion's brightest dream, went by; and here among them lay,unmoved, unthought of, and inanimate, the thing which to a human beingis worth all the rest put together.

  This contemplation had upon me an effect so noble that here I resolvedto spend my time, for fear of any robbery. I was afraid to gaze morethan could be helped at this grand sight, lest other eyes should spywhat was going on, and long to share it. And after hurrying home tobreakfast and returning in like haste, I got a scare, such as I welldeserved, for being so extremely foolish.

  The carpentry of the mill-wheel had proved so very stanch and steadfastthat even in that raging deluge the whole had held together. It had beenbodily torn from its hold and swept away down the valley; but somewhereit grounded, as the flood ebbed out, and a strong team had tugged itback again. And the Sawyer had vowed that, come what would, his millshould work with the self-same wheel which he with younger hands hadwrought. Now this wheel (to prevent any warp, and save the dry timberfrom the sun) was laid in a little shady cut, where water trickled underit. And here I had taken up my abode to watch my monster nugget.

  I had pulled my shoes and stockings off, and was paddling in the runnel,sheltered by the deep rim of the wheel, and enjoying the water. Littlefish darted by me, and lovely spotted lizards played about, and I wasalmost beginning even to forget my rock of gold. In self-defense it isright to say that for the gold, on my own account, I cared as much as Imight have done for a fig worm-eaten. It was for Uncle Sam, and allhis dear love, that I watched the gold, hoping in his sad disaster torestore his fortunes. But suddenly over the rim of the wheel (laidflat in the tributary brook) I descried across the main river a movingcompany of horsemen.

  These men could have nothing to do with Uncle Sam and his party, forthey were coming from the mountain-side, while he would return by thetrack across the plains. And they were already so near that I could seetheir dress quite plainly, and knew them to be Mexican rovers, mixedwith loose Americans. There are few worse men on the face of the earththan these, when in the humor, and unluckily they seem almost alwaysto be in that humor. Therefore, when I saw their battered sun-hats andbaggy slouching boots, I feared that little ruth, or truth, or mercydwelt between them.

  On this account I shrank behind the shelter of the mill-wheel, and heldmy head in one trembling hand, and with the other drew my wind-tossedhair into small compass. For my blood ran cold at the many dreadfulthings that came into my mind. I was sure that they had not spied meyet, and my overwhelming desire was to decline all introduction.

  I counted fourteen gentlemen, for so they always styled themselves, andwould pistol any man who expressed a contrary opinion. Fourteen of themrode to the brink of the quiet blue river on the other side; and therethey let their horses drink, and some dismounted and filled canteens,and some of longer reach stooped from the saddle and did likewise. Butone, who seemed to be the captain, wanted no water for his rum.

  "Cut it short, boys," I heard him say, with a fine South Californiantwang (which, as well as his free swearing, I will freely omit). "If wemean to have fair play with the gal, now or never's the time for it: oldSam may come home almost any time."

  What miserable cowards! Though there were so many of them, they reallyhad no heart to face an old man known for courage. Frightened as I was,perhaps good indignation helped me to flutter no more, and not faintaway, but watch those miscreants steadily.

  The horses put down their sandy lips over and over again to drink,scarcely knowing when they ought to stop, and seemed to get thickerbefore my eyes. The dribbling of the water from their mouths preparedthem to begin again, till the riders struck the savage unroweled spurinto their refreshment. At this they jerked their noses up, and lookedat one another to say that they expected it, and then they lifted theirweary legs and began to plash through the river.

  It is a pretty thing to see a skillful horse plod through a stream,probing with his eyes the depth, and stretching his head before hisfeet, and at every step he whisks his tail to tell himself that he isright. In my agony of observation all these things I heeded, but onlyknew that I had done so when I thought long afterward. At the moment Iwas in such a fright that my eyes worked better than my mind. However,even so, I thought of my golden millstone, and was aware that theycrossed below, and could not see it.

  They gained the bank upon our side within fifty yards of where Icrouched; and it was not presence of mind, but abject fear, which keptme crouching. I counted them again as they leaped the bank and seemed tolook at me. I could see the dark array of eyes, and could scarcelykeep from shrieking. But my throat was dry and made no sound, and afrightened bird set up a scream, which drew off their attention.

  In perils of later days I often thought of this fear, and almost feltthat the hand of Heaven had been stretched forth on purpose to help myhelplessness.

  For the moment, however, I lay as close as if under the hand of the evilone; and the snorting of the horses passed me, and wicked laughter ofthe men. One was telling a horrible tale, and the rest rejoicing in it;and the bright sun, glowing on their withered skin, discovered perhapsno viler thing in all the world to shine upon. One of them even pointedat my mill-wheel with a witty gibe--at least, perhaps, it was wit tohim--about the Sawyer's misfortune; but the sun was then in his eyes,and my dress was just of the color of the timber. So on they ro
de, andthe pleasant turf (having lately received some rain) softly answered tothe kneading of their hoofs as they galloped away to surround the house.

  I was just at the very point of rising and running up into the dark ofthe valley, when a stroke of arithmetic stopped me. Fourteen men andfourteen horses I had counted on the other side; on this side I couldnot make any more than thirteen of them. I might have made a mistake;but still I thought I would stop just a minute to see. And in thatminute I saw the other man walking slowly on the opposite bank. He hadtethered his horse, and was left as outpost to watch and give warning ofpoor Uncle Sam's return.

  At the thought of this, my frightened courage, in some extraordinaryway, came back. I had played an ignoble part thus far, as almost anygirl might have done. But now I resolved that, whatever might happen,my dear friend and guardian should not be entrapped and lose his lifethrough my cowardice. We had been expecting him all the day; and if heshould come and fall into an ambush, I only might survive to tellthe tale. I ought to have hurried and warned the house, as my bitterconscience told me; but now it was much too late for that. The onlyamends that I could make was to try and warn our travelers.

  Stooping as low as I could, and watching my time to cross the more openplaces when the sentry was looking away from me, I passed up the windingof the little watercourse, and sheltered in the swampy thicket whichconcealed its origin. Hence I could see for miles over the plain--broadreaches of corn land already turning pale, mazy river fringed with reed,hamlets scattered among clustering trees, and that which I chiefly caredto see, the dusty track from Sacramento.

  Whether from ignorance of the country or of Mr. Gundry's plans, thesentinel had been posted badly. His beat commanded well enough thecourse from San Francisco; but that from Sacramento was not equallyclear before him. For a jut of pine forest ran down from the mountainsand cut off a part of his view of it. I had not the sense or thepresence of mind to perceive this great advantage, but having a plain,quick path before me, forth I set upon it. Of course if the watchman hadseen me, he would have leaped on his horse and soon caught me; but ofthat I scarcely even thought, I was in such confusion.

  When I had run perhaps a mile (being at that time very slight, andof active figure), I saw a cloud of dust, about two miles off, risingthrough the bright blue haze. It was rich yellow dust of the fertilesoil, which never seems to cake or clot. Sometimes you may walk formiles without the smallest fear of sinking, the earth is so elastic. Andyet with a slight exertion you may push a walking-stick down through ituntil the handle stops it. My heart gave a jump: that cloud of dust wasa sign of men on horseback. And who could it be but Uncle Sam and Firmand the foreman Martin?

  As soon as it began to show itself, it proved to be these very three,carelessly lounging on their horses' backs, overcome with heat and dustand thirst. But when they saw me there all alone under the fury of thesun, they knew that something must have gone amiss, and were all wideawake in a moment.

  "Well, now," said the Sawyer, when I had told my tale as well as shortbreath allowed, "put this thing over your head, my dear, or you may gaina sun-stroke. I call it too bad of them skunks to drive you in Californynoon, like this."

  "Oh, Uncle Sam, never think of me; think of your house and your goodsand Suan, and all at those bad men's mercy!"

  "The old house ain't afire yet," he answered, looking calmly under hishand in that direction. "And as for Suan, no fear at all. She knowshow to deal with such gallowses; and they will keep her to cook theirdinner. Firm, my lad, let us go and embrace them. They wouldn't 'a mademuch bones of shooting us down if we hadn't known of it, and if they hadgot miss afore the saddle. But if they don't give bail, as soon as theysee me ride up to my door, my name's not Sampson Gundry. Only you keepout of the way, Miss Remy. You go to sleep a bit, that's a dear, in thegraywitch spinny yonder, and wait till you hear Firm sound the horn. Andthen come you in to dinner-time; for the Lord is always over you."

  I hastened to the place which he pointed out--a beautiful covert ofbirch-trees--but to sleep was out of the question, worn out though Iwas with haste and heat, and (worst of all) with horror. In a soft mossynest, where a breeze from the mountains played with the in and out waysof the wood, and the murmurous dream of genial insects now was beginningto drowse upon the air, and the heat of the sun could almost be seenthrilling through the alleys like a cicale's drum--here, in the middleof the languid peace, I waited for the terror of the rifle-crack.

  For though Uncle Sam had spoken softly, and made so little of the perilhe would meet, I had seen in his eyes some token of the deep wrath andstrong indignation which had kept all his household and premises safe.And it seemed a most ominous sign that Firm had never said a word, butgrasped his gun, and slowly got in front of his grandfather.