a first family of tasajara-第11章

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declare　that　〃really　that　boy　was　getting　too　low　and　vulgar　for

anything。〃　　Yet　it　struck　him；　that　being　pressed　for　further

explanation；　she　did　NOT　specify　why。　　This　was　〃girls'　meanness！〃



Howbeit　he　lingered　late　in　the　road　that　evening；　hearing　his

father　discuss　with　the　search…party　that　had　followed　the　banks　of

the　creek；　vainly　looking　for　further　traces　of　the　missing　'Lige；

the　possibility　of　his　being　living　or　dead；　of　the　body　having

been　carried　away　by　the　current　to　the　bay　or　turning　up　later　in

some　distant　marsh　when　the　spring　came　with　low　water。　　One　who

had　been　to　his　cabin　beside　the　embarcadero　reported　that　it　was；

as　had　been　long　suspected；　barely　habitable；　and　contained　neither

books；　papers；　nor　records　which　would　indicate　his　family　or

friends。　　It　was　a　God…forsaken；　dreary；　worthless　place；　he

wondered　how　a　white　man　could　ever　expect　to　make　a　living　there。

If　Elijah　never　turned　up　again　it　certainly　would　be　a　long　time

before　any　squatter　would　think　of　taking　possession　of　it。　　John

Milton　knew　instinctively；　without　looking　up；　that　his　father's

eyes　were　fixed　upon　him；　and　he　felt　himself　constrained　to　appear

to　be　abstracted　in　gazing　down　the　darkening　road。　　Then　he　heard

his　father　say；　with　what　he　felt　was　an　equal　assumption　of

carelessness：　〃Yes；　I　reckon　I've　got　somewhere　a　bill　of　sale　of

that　land　that　I　had　to　take　from　'Lige　for　an　old　bill；　but　I

kalkilate　that's　all　I'll　ever　see　of　it。〃



Rain　fell　again　as　the　darkness　gathered；　but　he　still　loitered　on

the　road　and　the　sloping　path　of　the　garden；　filled　with　a　half

resentful　sense　of　wrong；　and　hugging　with　gloomy　pride　an

increasing　sense　of　loneliness　and　of　getting　dangerously　wet。　　The

swollen　creek　still　whispered；　murmured　and　swirled　beside　the

bank。　　At　another　time　he　might　have　had　wild　ideas　of　emulating

the　surveyors　on　some　extempore　raft　and　so　escaping　his　present

dreary　home　existence；　but　since　the　disappearance　of　'Lige；　who

had　always　excited　an　odd　boyish　antipathy　in　his　heart；　although

he　had　never　seen　him；　he　shunned　the　stream　contaminated　with　the

missing　man's　unheroic　fate。　　Presently　the　light　from　the　open

window　of　the　sitting…room　glittered　on　the　wet　leaves　and　sprays

where　he　stood；　and　the　voices　of　the　family　conclave　came　fitfully

to　his　ear。　　They　didn't　want　him　there。　　They　had　never　thought　of

asking　him　to　come　in。　　Well！who　cared？　　And　he　wasn't　going　to

be　bought　off　with　a　candle　and　a　seat　by　the　kitchen　fire。　　No！



Nevertheless　he　was　getting　wet　to　no　purpose。　　There　was　the　tool…

house　and　carpenter's　shed　near　the　bank；　its　floor　was　thickly

covered　with　sawdust　and　pine…wood　shavings；　and　there　was　a　mouldy

buffalo　skin　which　he　had　once　transported　thither　from　the　old

wagon…bed。　　There；　too；　was　his　secret　cache　of　a　candle　in　a

bottle；　buried　with　other　piratical　treasures　in　the　presence　of

the　youthful　Peters；　who　consented　to　be　sacrificed　on　the　spot　in

buccaneering　fashion　to　complete　the　unhallowed　rites。　　He

unearthed　the　candle；　lit　it；　and　clearing　away　a　part　of　the

shavings　stood　it　up　on　the　floor。　　He　then　brought　a　prized；

battered；　and　coverless　volume　from　a　hidden　recess　in　the　rafters；

and　lying　down　with　the　buffalo　robe　over　him；　and　his　cap　in　his

hand　ready　to　extinguish　the　light　at　the　first　footstep　of　a

trespasser；　gave　himself　upas　he　had　given　himself　up；　I　fear；

many　other　timesto　the　enchantment　of　the　page　before　him。



The　current　whispered；　murmured；　and　sang；　unheeded　at　his　side。

The　voices　of　his　mother　and　sisters；　raised　at　times　in　eagerness

or　expectation　of　the　future；　fell　upon　his　unlistening　ears。　　For

with　the　spell　that　had　come　upon　him；　the　mean　walls　of　his

hiding…place　melted　away；　the　vulgar　stream　beside　him　might　have

been　that　dim；　subterraneous　river　down　which　Sindbad　and　his　bale

of　riches　were　swept　out　of　the　Cave　of　Death　to　the　sunlight　of

life　and　fortune；　so　surely　and　so　simply　had　it　transported　him

beyond　the　cramped　and　darkened　limits　of　his　present　life。　　He　was

in　the　better　world　of　boyish　romance；of　gallant　deeds　and　high

emprises；　of　miraculous　atonement　and　devoted　sacrifice；　of　brave

men；　and　those　rarer；　impossible　women；the　immaculate　conception

of　a　boy's　virgin　heart。　　What　mattered　it　that　behind　that

glittering　window　his　mother　and　sisters　grew　feverish　and　excited

over　the　vulgar　details　of　their　real　but　baser　fortune？　　From　the

dark　tool…shed　by　the　muddy　current；　John　Milton；　with　a　battered

dogs'…eared　chronicle；　soared　on　the　wings　of　fancy　far　beyond

their　wildest　ken！





CHAPTER　V。





Prosperity　had　settled　upon　the　plains　of　Tasajara。　　Not　only　had

the　embarcadero　emerged　from　the　tules　of　Tasajara　Creek　as　a

thriving　town　of　steamboat　wharves；　warehouses；　and　outlying　mills

and　factories；　but　in　five　years　the　transforming　railroad　had

penetrated　the　great　plain　itself　and　revealed　its　undeveloped

fertility。　　The　low…lying　lands　that　had　been　yearly　overflowed　by

the　creek；　now　drained　and　cultivated；　yielded　treasures　of　wheat

and　barley　that　were　apparently　inexhaustible。　　Even　the　helpless

indolence　of　Sidon　had　been　surprised　into　activity　and　change。

There　was　nothing　left　of　the　straggling　settlement　to　recall　its

former　aspect。　　The　site　of　Harkutt's　old　store　and　dwelling　was

lost　and　forgotten　in　the　new　mill　and　granary　that　rose　along　the

banks　of　the　creek。　　Decay　leaves　ruin　and　traces　for　the　memory　to

linger　over；　prosperity　is　unrelenting　in　its　complete　and　smiling

obliteration　of　the　past。



But　Tasajara　City；　as　the　embarcadero　was　now　called；　had　no

previous　record；　and　even　the　former　existence　of　an　actual　settler

like　the　forgotten　Elijah　Curtis　was　unknown　to　the　present

inhabitants。　　It　was　Daniel　Harkutt's　idea　carried　out　in　Daniel

Harkutt's　land；　with　Daniel　Harkutt's　capital　and　energy。　　But

Daniel　Harkutt　had　become　Daniel　Harcourt；　and　Harcourt　Avenue；

Harcourt　Square；　and　Harcourt　House；　ostentatiously　proclaimed　the

new　spelling　of　his　patronymic。　　When　the　change　was　made　and　for

what　reason；　who　suggested　it　and　under　what　authority；　were　not

easy　to　determine；　as　the　sign　on　his　former　store　had　borne

nothing　but　the　legend；　Goods　and　Provisions；　and　his　name　did　not

appear　on　written　record　until　after　the　occupation　of　Tasajara；

but　it　is　presumed　that　it　was　at　the　instigation　of　his　daughters；

and　there　was　no　one　to　oppose　it。　　Harcourt　was　a　pretty　name　for

a　street；　a　square；　or　a　hotel；　even　the　few　in　Sidon　who　had

called　it　Harkutt　admitted　that　it　was　an　improvement　quite

consistent　with　the　change　from　the　fever…haunted　tules　and　sedges

of　the　creek　to　the　broad；　level；　and　handsome　squares　of　Tasajara

City。



This　might　have　been　the　opinion　of　a　visitor　at　the　Harcourt

House；　who　arrived　one　summer　afternoon　from　the　Stockton　boat；　but

whose　shrewd；　half…critical；　half…professional　eyes　and　quiet

questionings　betrayed　some　previous　knowledge　of　the　locality。

Seated　on　the　broad　veranda　of　the　Harcourt　House；　and　gazing　out

on　the　well…kept　green　and　young　eucalyptus　trees　of　the　Harcourt

Square　or　Plaza；　he　had　elicited　a　counter　question　from　a

prosperous…looking　citizen　who　had　been　lounging　at　his　side。



〃I　reckon　you　look　ez　if　you　might　have　been　here　before；

stranger。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　stranger　quietly；　〃I　have　been。　　But　it　was　when

the　tules　grew　in　the　square　opposite；　and　the　tide　of　the　creek

washed　them。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　Tasajaran；　looking　curiously　at　the　stranger；　〃I

call　myself　a　pioneer　of　Tasajara。　　My　name's　Peters；of　Peters

and　Co。；and　those　warehouses　along　the　wharf；　where　you　landed

just　now；　are　mine；　but　I　was　the　first　settler　on　Harcourt's　land；

and　built　the　next　cabin　after　him。　　I　helped　to　clear　out　them

tules　and　dredged　the　channels　yonder。　　I　took　the　contract　with

Harcourt　to　build　the　last　fifteen　miles　o'　railroad；　and　put　up

that　depot　for　the　company。　　Perhaps　you　were　here　before　that？〃



〃I　was；〃　returned　the　stranger　quietly。



〃I　say；〃　said　Peters；　hitching　his　chair　a　little　nearer　to　his

companion；　〃you　never　knew　a　kind　of　broken…down　feller；　called

Curtis'Lige　Curtiswho　once　squatted　here　and　sold　his　right　to

Harkutt？　　He　disappeared；　it　was　allowed　he　killed　hisself；　but

they　never　found　his　body；　and；　between　you　and　me；　I　never　took

stock　in　that　story。　　You　know　Harcourt　holds　under　him；　and　all

Tasajara　rests　on　that　title。〃



〃I've　heard　so；〃　assented　the　stranger　carelessly；　〃but　I　never

knew　the　original　settler。　　Then　Harcourt　has　been　lucky？〃



〃You　bet。　　He's　got　three　millions　right　about　HERE；　or　within　this

quarter　section；　to　say　nothing　of　his　outside　speculations。〃



〃And　lives　here？〃



〃Not　for　two　years。　　That's　his　old　house　across　the　plaza；　but　his

women…folks　live　mostly　in　'Frisco　and　New　York；　where　he's　got

houses　too。　　They　say　they　sorter　got　sick　of　Tasajara　after　his

youngest　daughter　ran　off　with　a　feller。〃



〃Hallo！〃　said　the　stranger　with　undisguised　interest。　　〃I　never

heard　of　that！　　You　don't　mean　that　she　eloped〃he　hesitated。



〃Oh；　it　was　a　square　enough　marriage。　　I　reckon　too　square　to　suit

some　folks；　but　the　fellow　hadn't　nothin'；　and　wasn't　worth

shucks；a　sort　of　land　surveyor；　doin'　odd　jobs；　you　know；　and　the

old　man　and　old　woman　were　agin　it；　and　the　tother　daughter　worse

of　all。　　It　was　allowed　hereyou　know　how　women…folks　talk！that

the　surveyor　had　been　sweet　on　Clementina；　but　had　got　tired　of

being　played　by　her；　and　took　up　with　Phemie　out　o'　spite。　　Anyhow

they　got　married；　and　Harcourt　gave　them　to　understand　they

couldn't　expect　anything　from　him。　　P'raps　that's　why　it　didn't

last　long；　for　only　about　two　months　ago　she　got　a　divorce　from

Rice　and　came　back　to　her　family　again。〃



〃Rice？〃　queried　the　stranger。　　〃Was　that　her　husband's　name；

Stephen　Rice？〃



〃I　reckon！　　You　knew　him？〃



〃Yes；when　the　tide　came　up　to　the　tules；　yonder；〃　answered　the

stranger　musingly。　　〃And　the　other　daughter；I　suppose　she　has

made　a　good　match；　being　a　beauty　and　the　sole　heiress？〃



The　Tasajaran　made　a　grimace。　　〃Not　much！　　I　reckon　she's　waitin'

for　the　Angel　Gabriel；there　ain't　another　good　enough　to　suit　her

here。　　They　say　she's　had　most　of　the　big　men　in　California　waitin'

in　a　line　with　their　offers；　like　that　cue　the　fellows　used　to　make

at　the　'Frisco　post…office　steamer　daysand　she　with　nary　a　letter

or　answer　for　any　of　them。〃



〃Then　Harcourt　doesn't　seem　to　have　been　as　fortunate　in　his　family

affairs　as　in　his　speculations？〃



Peters　uttered　a　grim　laugh。　　〃Well；　I　reckon　you　know　all　about

his　son's　stampeding　with　that　girl　last　spring？〃



〃His　son？〃　interrupted　the　stranger。　　〃Do　you　mean　the　boy　they

called　John　Milton？　　Why；　he　was　a　mere　child！〃