A Protegee of Jack Hamlin's and Other Stories by Bret Harte
page 113 of 200 (56%)
page 113 of 200 (56%)
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"That was in our own country," returned the consul hastily, "and was an
indefensible act, even in a lawless frontier civilization. But you are surely not mad enough even to conceive of such a thing HERE!" "Keep your hair on, Jack," said Custer lazily. "What's the matter with constitutional methods, eh? Do you remember the time when we didn't like Pueblo rules, and we laid out Eureka City on their lines, and whooped up the Mexicans and diggers to elect mayor and aldermen, and put the city front on Juanita Creek, and then corraled it for water lots? Seems to me you were county clerk then. Now who's to keep Dick Macgregor and Joe Hamilton, that are both up the Nile now, from droppin' in over here to see Malcolm in his own house? Who's goin' to object to Wallace or Baird, who are on this side, doin' the Eytalian lakes, from comin' here on their way home; or Watson and Moore and Timley, that are livin' over in Paris, from joinin' the boys in givin' Malcolm a housewarmin' in his old home? What's to keep the whole syndicate from gatherin' at Kelpie Island up here off the west coast, among the tombs of Malcolm's ancestors, and fixin' up things generally with the clan?" "Only one thing," said the consul, with a gravity which he nevertheless felt might be a mistaken attitude. "You shouldn't have told ME about it. For if, as your old friend, I cannot keep you from committing an unconceivable folly, as the American consul here it will be my first duty to give notice to our legation, and perhaps warn the authorities. And you may be sure I will do it." To his surprise Custer leaned forward and pressed his hand with an expression of cheerful relief. "That's so, old pard; I reckoned on it. In fact, I told Malcolm that that would be about your gait. Of course you couldn't do otherwise. And it would have been playin' it rather low |
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