章节正文
"Wasn't it just glorious!" cried Belle, who, after the danger
seemed past, grew enthusiastic. "What a noble animal!"
"Glorious?" echoed the dude. "I don't care much about such
glory. As for the noble animal--I--er--I wish he was hung!
That's the best he deserves."
The dude spoke bitterly, for the spell of terror was still on
him. Had he consulted his own wishes he would have leaped from
the carriage and left the ladies to their fate.
But the thought of the bewitching Belle made him keep his seat,
and he resolved that if he must die he would do it like a martyr.
The horse went on, and at last they neared the end of the short
journey. But here a new obstacle presented itself. There was a
big fence and a gate, and the gate was tight shut.
As they could not enter the grounds without opening the gate, the
dude got down out of the carriage. He did not hand the reins to
either of the ladies but laid them over the dashboard.
The instant the gate was swung open the steed darted forward, and
brought up with a jerk against a post that happened to be in the
way. Here he reared and plunged, causing the young ladies to
scream "murder" at the top of their voices.
"Oh, my! Oh, dear me!" bawled Felix, and took refuge behind a
neighboring hedge. "The horse has gone crazy! He'll bite
somebody next!"
The cries reached some men who were not far off, and they came
running to the assistance of the party. One caught the steed by
the bridle and soon had him quieted down.
"I'll never drive that horse again!" said the dude. "Not for a
million dollars!"
"How are we to get home?" queried Belle.
"I'll drive you," said one of the men. "I know this horse. He
used to belong to Bill Perkins. I know how to handle him."
"Then do so," answered Felix, "and I'll pay you two dollars."
The man was as good as his word, and to Felix's astonishment he
made the horse go back to the hotel without the slightest mishap.
Then the horse was put in the stable, the dude paid the bill, and
the party separated.
"I shall never drive again, never!" declared the dude to himself,
and it may be added that he kept his word.
"I hope you had a nice drive," said Joe, when he met Felix that
evening.
"It was beastly, don't you know," was the answer. "That horse
was a terriblyvicious creature."
"He looked to be gentle enough when he started off."
"I think he is a crazy horse."
"By the way, Mr. Gussing, Mr. Silas Simms was looking for you."
"You mean that lawyer who drives the spotted white horse?"
"Yes."
Felix gave a groan.
"He says he wants damages."
"It wasn't my fault that the horse ran into him."
"Well, he is very angry about it, anyway," said our hero.
Early the next morning Felix Gussing received a communication
from the lawyer. It was in the following terms:--
"MR. GUSSING. Sir:--In consequence of your reckless driving
yesterday, I was thrown from my carriage, receiving a contusion
on my shoulder and other injuries. My carriage was also nearly
ruined. If you choose to make a race-course of the public
highways you must abide the consequences. The damage I have
sustained I cannot estimate at less than one hundred and fifty
dollars. Indemnify me for that and I will go no further.
Otherwise, I shall be compelled to resort to legal action.
"SILAS SIMMS, Atty.
Felix read the letter several times and his knees shook visibly.
He did not want to pay over such an amount, yet it struck him
with terror when he thought he might possibly be arrested for
fast driving. He went to see Mr. Silas Simms.
"I am very sorry," he began.
"Have you come to pay?" demanded the attorney, curtly.
"Well--er--the fact is--don't you think you are asking rather a
stiff price, Mr. Simms?"
"Not at all! Not at all, sir! I ought to have placed the damages
at three hundred!"
"I'll give you fifty dollars and call it square."
"No, sir, a hundred and fifty! Not a penny less, not one penny!
Look at my nose, sir-- all scratched! And my ear! Not a penny
less than one hundred and fifty dollars!" And the lawyer pounded
on his desk with his fist.
"All right then, I'll pay you, but you must give me a receipt in
full," answered the dude.
He had to wait until the bank opened, that he might cash a check,
and then he paid over the amount demanded. The lawyer drew up a
legal paper discharging him from all further obligations. Felix
read it with care and stowed it in his pocket.
"And now let me give you some advice, Mr. Gussing," said the
lawyer, after the transaction was concluded. "Don't drive such a
wild horse again."
"Depend upon it, I never shall," answered the dude. "It costs
too much!" he added, with a faint smile.
"Are you well acquainted with horses?"
"No."
"Then you had better leave them alone altogether."
"I have already made up my mind to do so."
CHAPTER X.
DAVID BALL FROM MONTANA.
Finding that Joe could be depended upon, Mr. Mallison put him in
charge of all of the boats at the hotel, so that our hero had
almost as much work ashore as on the lake.
During the week following, the events just narrated, many
visitors left the hotel and others came in. Among those to go
were Felix Gussing and the two young ladies. The dude bid our
hero a cordial good-bye, for he now knew Joe quite well.
"Good-bye, Mr. Gussing," said Joe. "I hope we meet again."
"Perhaps we shall, although I generally go to a different place
each summer."
"Well, I don't expect to stay in Riverside all my life."
"I see. If you make a move, I hope you do well," returned Felix.
On the day after the dude left, a man came to the hotel who,
somehow, looked familiar to our hero. He came dressed in a light
overcoat and a slouch hat, and carried a valise and a suit case.
"I've seen him before, but where?" Joe asked himself not once but
several times.
The man registered as David Ball, and put down his address as
Butte, Montana. He said he was a miningexpert, but added that
he was sick and the doctors had ordered him to come East for a
rest.
"'ve heard of Riverside being a nice place," said he, "so I came
on right after striking Pittsburg."
"We shall do all we can to make your stay a pleasant one," said
the hotel proprietor, politely.
"All I want is a nice sunny room, where I can get fresh air and
take it easy," said the man.
He was willing to pay a good price, and so obtained one of the
best rooms in the house, one overlooking the river and the lake.
He ate one meal in the dining room, but after that he had his
meals sent to his apartment.
"Is he sick?" asked Joe, after watching the man one day.
"He certainly doesn't seem to be well," answered Andrew Mallison.
"It runs in my mind that I have seen him before, but I can't
place him," went on our hero.
"You must be mistaken, Joe. I questioned him and he says this is
his first trip to the East, although he has frequently visited
St. Louis and Chicago."
On the following day the man called for a physician and Doctor
Gardner was sent for.
"I've got pains here," said the man from the West, and pointed to
his chest. "Do you think I am getting consumption?"
The Riverside physician made a careful examination and then said
the man had probably strained himself.
"Reckon I did," was the ready answer. "I was in the mine and a
big rock came down on me. I had to hold it up for ten minutes
before anybody came to my aid. I thought I was a dead one sure."
"I will give you some medicine and a liniment," said the doctor.
"Perhaps you'll feel better after a good rest." And then he
left.
That afternoon Joe had to go up into the hotel for something and
passed the room of the new boarder. He saw the man standing by
the window, gazing out on the water.
"I'm dead certain I've seen him before," mused our hero. "It is
queer I can't think where."
Doctor Gardner wanted to be taken across the lake and Joe himself
did the job. As he was rowing he asked about the man who had
signed the hotel register as David Ball from Montana."
"Is he very sick, doctor?"
"No, I can't say that he is," was the physician's answer. "He
looks to be as healthy as you or I."
"It's queer he keeps to his room."
"Perhaps something happened out at his mine to unsettle his
nerves. He told me of some sort of an accident."
"Is he a miner?"
"He is a mine owner, so Mr. Mallison told me, but he never heard
of the man before."
The stranger received several letters the next day and then a
telegram. Shortly after that he took to his bed.
"I am feeling worse," said he to the bell boy who answered his
ring. "I want you to send for that doctor again. Ask him to
call about noon."
"Yes, sir," answered the boy, and Doctor Gardner was sent for
without delay. He came and made another examination and left
some medicine.
"I'll take the medicine regularly," said the stranger, who was in
bed. But when the doctor had left he quietly poured half of the
contents of the bottle into the wash bowl, where it speedily
drained from sight!
"Don't catch me drinking such rot," he muttered to himself. "I'd
rather have some good liquor any day," and he took a long pull
from a black bottle he had in his valise.
About noon a carriage drove up to the hotel and two men alighted.
One led the way into the hotel and asked to see the register.
"I'd like to see Mr. David Ball," said he to the clerk.
"Mr. Ball is sick."
"So I have heard and that is why I wish to see him."
"I'll send up your card."
"I don't happen to have a card. Tell him Mr. Anderson is here,
from Philadelphia, with a friend of his."
The message was sent to the sick man's room, and word came down
that he would see the visitors in a few minutes.
"He says he is pretty sick and he can't talk business very long,"
said the bell boy.
"We won't bother him very much," answered the man who had given
his name as Anderson.
Joe happened to be close by during this conversation and he
looked the man called Anderson over with care.
"I've seen that man, too!" he declared to himself. "But where?
I declare he is as much of a mystery as the sick one!"
Our hero's curiosity was now aroused to the highest pitch, and
when the two men walked up to David Ball's room he followed to
the very doorway.
"Come in," came from the room, and a deep groan followed. On the
bed lay the man from Montana, wrapped in several blankets and
with a look of anguish on his features.
"Feeling pretty bad, eh?" said Anderson, as he stalked in. "I am
seemed past, grew enthusiastic. "What a noble animal!"
"Glorious?" echoed the dude. "I don't care much about such
glory. As for the noble animal--I--er--I wish he was hung!
That's the best he deserves."
The dude spoke bitterly, for the spell of terror was still on
him. Had he consulted his own wishes he would have leaped from
the carriage and left the ladies to their fate.
But the thought of the bewitching Belle made him keep his seat,
and he resolved that if he must die he would do it like a martyr.
The horse went on, and at last they neared the end of the short
journey. But here a new obstacle presented itself. There was a
big fence and a gate, and the gate was tight shut.
As they could not enter the grounds without opening the gate, the
dude got down out of the carriage. He did not hand the reins to
either of the ladies but laid them over the dashboard.
The instant the gate was swung open the steed darted forward, and
brought up with a jerk against a post that happened to be in the
way. Here he reared and plunged, causing the young ladies to
scream "murder" at the top of their voices.
"Oh, my! Oh, dear me!" bawled Felix, and took refuge behind a
neighboring hedge. "The horse has gone crazy! He'll bite
somebody next!"
The cries reached some men who were not far off, and they came
running to the assistance of the party. One caught the steed by
the bridle and soon had him quieted down.
"I'll never drive that horse again!" said the dude. "Not for a
million dollars!"
"How are we to get home?" queried Belle.
"I'll drive you," said one of the men. "I know this horse. He
used to belong to Bill Perkins. I know how to handle him."
"Then do so," answered Felix, "and I'll pay you two dollars."
The man was as good as his word, and to Felix's astonishment he
made the horse go back to the hotel without the slightest mishap.
Then the horse was put in the stable, the dude paid the bill, and
the party separated.
"I shall never drive again, never!" declared the dude to himself,
and it may be added that he kept his word.
"I hope you had a nice drive," said Joe, when he met Felix that
evening.
"It was beastly, don't you know," was the answer. "That horse
was a terriblyvicious creature."
"He looked to be gentle enough when he started off."
"I think he is a crazy horse."
"By the way, Mr. Gussing, Mr. Silas Simms was looking for you."
"You mean that lawyer who drives the spotted white horse?"
"Yes."
Felix gave a groan.
"He says he wants damages."
"It wasn't my fault that the horse ran into him."
"Well, he is very angry about it, anyway," said our hero.
Early the next morning Felix Gussing received a communication
from the lawyer. It was in the following terms:--
"MR. GUSSING. Sir:--In consequence of your reckless driving
yesterday, I was thrown from my carriage, receiving a contusion
on my shoulder and other injuries. My carriage was also nearly
ruined. If you choose to make a race-course of the public
highways you must abide the consequences. The damage I have
sustained I cannot estimate at less than one hundred and fifty
dollars. Indemnify me for that and I will go no further.
Otherwise, I shall be compelled to resort to legal action.
"SILAS SIMMS, Atty.
Felix read the letter several times and his knees shook visibly.
He did not want to pay over such an amount, yet it struck him
with terror when he thought he might possibly be arrested for
fast driving. He went to see Mr. Silas Simms.
"I am very sorry," he began.
"Have you come to pay?" demanded the attorney, curtly.
"Well--er--the fact is--don't you think you are asking rather a
stiff price, Mr. Simms?"
"Not at all! Not at all, sir! I ought to have placed the damages
at three hundred!"
"I'll give you fifty dollars and call it square."
"No, sir, a hundred and fifty! Not a penny less, not one penny!
Look at my nose, sir-- all scratched! And my ear! Not a penny
less than one hundred and fifty dollars!" And the lawyer pounded
on his desk with his fist.
"All right then, I'll pay you, but you must give me a receipt in
full," answered the dude.
He had to wait until the bank opened, that he might cash a check,
and then he paid over the amount demanded. The lawyer drew up a
legal paper discharging him from all further obligations. Felix
read it with care and stowed it in his pocket.
"And now let me give you some advice, Mr. Gussing," said the
lawyer, after the transaction was concluded. "Don't drive such a
wild horse again."
"Depend upon it, I never shall," answered the dude. "It costs
too much!" he added, with a faint smile.
"Are you well acquainted with horses?"
"No."
"Then you had better leave them alone altogether."
"I have already made up my mind to do so."
CHAPTER X.
DAVID BALL FROM MONTANA.
Finding that Joe could be depended upon, Mr. Mallison put him in
charge of all of the boats at the hotel, so that our hero had
almost as much work ashore as on the lake.
During the week following, the events just narrated, many
visitors left the hotel and others came in. Among those to go
were Felix Gussing and the two young ladies. The dude bid our
hero a cordial good-bye, for he now knew Joe quite well.
"Good-bye, Mr. Gussing," said Joe. "I hope we meet again."
"Perhaps we shall, although I generally go to a different place
each summer."
"Well, I don't expect to stay in Riverside all my life."
"I see. If you make a move, I hope you do well," returned Felix.
On the day after the dude left, a man came to the hotel who,
somehow, looked familiar to our hero. He came dressed in a light
overcoat and a slouch hat, and carried a valise and a suit case.
"I've seen him before, but where?" Joe asked himself not once but
several times.
The man registered as David Ball, and put down his address as
Butte, Montana. He said he was a miningexpert, but added that
he was sick and the doctors had ordered him to come East for a
rest.
"'ve heard of Riverside being a nice place," said he, "so I came
on right after striking Pittsburg."
"We shall do all we can to make your stay a pleasant one," said
the hotel proprietor, politely.
"All I want is a nice sunny room, where I can get fresh air and
take it easy," said the man.
He was willing to pay a good price, and so obtained one of the
best rooms in the house, one overlooking the river and the lake.
He ate one meal in the dining room, but after that he had his
meals sent to his apartment.
"Is he sick?" asked Joe, after watching the man one day.
"He certainly doesn't seem to be well," answered Andrew Mallison.
"It runs in my mind that I have seen him before, but I can't
place him," went on our hero.
"You must be mistaken, Joe. I questioned him and he says this is
his first trip to the East, although he has frequently visited
St. Louis and Chicago."
On the following day the man called for a physician and Doctor
Gardner was sent for.
"I've got pains here," said the man from the West, and pointed to
his chest. "Do you think I am getting consumption?"
The Riverside physician made a careful examination and then said
the man had probably strained himself.
"Reckon I did," was the ready answer. "I was in the mine and a
big rock came down on me. I had to hold it up for ten minutes
before anybody came to my aid. I thought I was a dead one sure."
"I will give you some medicine and a liniment," said the doctor.
"Perhaps you'll feel better after a good rest." And then he
left.
That afternoon Joe had to go up into the hotel for something and
passed the room of the new boarder. He saw the man standing by
the window, gazing out on the water.
"I'm dead certain I've seen him before," mused our hero. "It is
queer I can't think where."
Doctor Gardner wanted to be taken across the lake and Joe himself
did the job. As he was rowing he asked about the man who had
signed the hotel register as David Ball from Montana."
"Is he very sick, doctor?"
"No, I can't say that he is," was the physician's answer. "He
looks to be as healthy as you or I."
"It's queer he keeps to his room."
"Perhaps something happened out at his mine to unsettle his
nerves. He told me of some sort of an accident."
"Is he a miner?"
"He is a mine owner, so Mr. Mallison told me, but he never heard
of the man before."
The stranger received several letters the next day and then a
telegram. Shortly after that he took to his bed.
"I am feeling worse," said he to the bell boy who answered his
ring. "I want you to send for that doctor again. Ask him to
call about noon."
"Yes, sir," answered the boy, and Doctor Gardner was sent for
without delay. He came and made another examination and left
some medicine.
"I'll take the medicine regularly," said the stranger, who was in
bed. But when the doctor had left he quietly poured half of the
contents of the bottle into the wash bowl, where it speedily
drained from sight!
"Don't catch me drinking such rot," he muttered to himself. "I'd
rather have some good liquor any day," and he took a long pull
from a black bottle he had in his valise.
About noon a carriage drove up to the hotel and two men alighted.
One led the way into the hotel and asked to see the register.
"I'd like to see Mr. David Ball," said he to the clerk.
"Mr. Ball is sick."
"So I have heard and that is why I wish to see him."
"I'll send up your card."
"I don't happen to have a card. Tell him Mr. Anderson is here,
from Philadelphia, with a friend of his."
The message was sent to the sick man's room, and word came down
that he would see the visitors in a few minutes.
"He says he is pretty sick and he can't talk business very long,"
said the bell boy.
"We won't bother him very much," answered the man who had given
his name as Anderson.
Joe happened to be close by during this conversation and he
looked the man called Anderson over with care.
"I've seen that man, too!" he declared to himself. "But where?
I declare he is as much of a mystery as the sick one!"
Our hero's curiosity was now aroused to the highest pitch, and
when the two men walked up to David Ball's room he followed to
the very doorway.
"Come in," came from the room, and a deep groan followed. On the
bed lay the man from Montana, wrapped in several blankets and
with a look of anguish on his features.
"Feeling pretty bad, eh?" said Anderson, as he stalked in. "I am
- bitterly [´bitəli]
ad.悲痛地；憎恨地 (初中英语单词) - terror [´terə] n.恐怖；惊骇 (初中英语单词)
- carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)
- opening [´əupəniŋ] n.开放；开端 a.开始的 (初中英语单词)
- instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)
- refuge [´refju:dʒ] v.&n.避难(所)；庇护 (初中英语单词)
- assistance [ə´sistəns] n.协作；援助；帮助 (初中英语单词)
- astonishment [ə´stɔniʃmənt] n.吃惊；惊异 (初中英语单词)
- stable [´steibəl] n.马棚 a.稳固的 (初中英语单词)
- terribly [´terəbli] ad.可怕地 (初中英语单词)
- lawyer [´lɔ:jə] n.律师；法学家 (初中英语单词)
- consequence [´kɔnsikwəns] n.结果；后果；推断 (初中英语单词)
- estimate [´estimət, ´estimeit] n.估计；评价 vt.估价 (初中英语单词)
- resort [ri´zɔ:t] vi.求助；乞灵；诉诸 (初中英语单词)
- amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)
- attorney [ə´tə:ni] n.代理人；律师 (初中英语单词)
- receipt [ri´si:t] n.收到；收据 (初中英语单词)
- ashore [ə´ʃɔ:] ad.向岸上 (初中英语单词)
- expert [´ekspə:t] n.&a.专家；内行 (初中英语单词)
- striking [´straikiŋ] a.显著的，明显的 (初中英语单词)
- willing [´wiliŋ] a.情愿的，乐意的 (初中英语单词)
- physician [fi´ziʃən] n.(内科)医生 (初中英语单词)
- pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)
- examination [ig,zæmi´neiʃən] n.检查；考试；检验 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- register [´redʒistə] n.&v.登记簿 (初中英语单词)
- healthy [´helθi] a.健康的 (初中英语单词)
- shortly [´ʃɔ:tli] ad.立刻，马上；不久 (初中英语单词)
- liquor [´likə] n.酒类；(溶)液 (初中英语单词)
- bother [´bɔðə] v.打扰 n.麻烦(事) (初中英语单词)
- mystery [´mistəri] n.神秘；秘密；故弄玄虚 (初中英语单词)
- curiosity [,kjuəri´ɔsiti] n.好奇；奇事；珍品 (初中英语单词)
- enthusiastic [inθju:zi´æstik] a.热情的，热心的 (高中英语单词)
- obstacle [´ɔbstəkl] n.障碍(物)；妨碍 (高中英语单词)
- bridle [´braidl] n.(马)笼头；束缚 (高中英语单词)
- reckless [´rekləs] a.不注意的；鲁莽的 (高中英语单词)
- cordial [´kɔ:diəl] a.热忱的；亲切的 (高中英语单词)
- mining [´mainiŋ] n.采矿；矿业 (高中英语单词)
- proprietor [prə´praiətə] n.所有人；业主；经营者 (高中英语单词)
- mistaken [mis´teikən] mistake的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- anguish [´æŋgwiʃ] n.(极度的)痛苦；苦恼 (高中英语单词)
- resolved [ri´zɔlvd] a.决心的；坚定的 (英语四级单词)
- vicious [´viʃəs] a.不道德的；刻毒的 (英语四级单词)
- montana [mɔn´tænə] n.蒙大拿 (英语四级单词)
- boarder [´bɔ:də] n.搭伙者；寄宿者 (英语四级单词)
- beastly [´bi:stli] a.残忍的；卑鄙的 (英语六级单词)
- riverside [´rivəsaid] n.河岸 a.河岸上的 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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