a first family of tasajara-第17章

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unselfishly　unprofitable。　　The　challenge　was　accepted；　the

preliminaries　arranged。　　〃I　suppose；〃　said　Jack　carelessly；　〃as　the

old　man　ought　to　do　something　for　your　wife　in　case　of　accident；

you've　made　some　sort　of　a　will？〃



〃I've　thought　of　that；〃　said　John　Milton；　dubiously；　〃but　I'm

afraid　it's　no　use。　　You　see〃he　hesitated〃I'm　not　of　age。〃



〃May　I　ask　how　old　you　are；　sonny？〃　said　Jack　with　great　gravity。



〃I'm　almost　twenty；〃　said　John　Milton；　coloring。



〃It　isn't　exactly　vingt…et…un；　but　I'd　stand　on　it；　if　I　were　you　I

wouldn't　draw　to　such　a　hand；〃　said　Jack；　coolly。



The　young　husband　had　arranged　to　be　absent　from　his　home　that

night；　and　early　morning　found　him；　with　Jack；　grave；　but

courageous；　in　a　little　hollow　behind　the　Mission　Hills。　　To　them

presently　approached　his　antagonist；　jauntily　accompanied　by

Colonel　Starbottle；　his　second。　　They　halted；　but　after　the　formal

salutation　were　instantly　joined　by　Jack　Hamlin。　　For　a　few　moments

John　Milton　remained　awkwardly　alonepending　a　conversation　which

even　at　that　supreme　moment　he　felt　as　being　like　the　general

attitude　of　his　friends　towards　him；　in　its　complete　ignoring　of

himself。　　The　next　moment　the　three　men　stepped　towards　him。　　〃We

have　come；　sir；〃　said　Colonel　Starbottle　in　his　precisest　speech

but　his　jauntiest　manner；　〃to　offer　you　a　full　and　ample　apologya

personal　apologywhich　only　supplements　that　full　public　apology

that　my　principal；　sir；　this　gentleman；〃　indicating　the　editor　of

the　〃Pioneer；〃　〃has　this　morning　made　in　the　columns　of　his　paper；

as　you　will　observe；〃　producing　a　newspaper。　　〃We　have；　sir；〃

continued　the　colonel　loftily；　〃only　within　the　last　twelve　hours

become　aware　of　theerREAL　circumstances　of　the　case。　　We　would

regret　that　the　affair　had　gone　so　far　already；　if　it　had　not　given

us；　sir；　the　opportunity　of　testifying　to　your　gallantry。　　We　do　so

gladly；　and　iferera　FEW　YEARS　LATER；　Mr。　Harcourt；　you　should

ever　needa　friend　in　any　matter　of　this　kind；　I　am；　sir；　at　your

service。〃　　John　Milton　gazed　half　inquiringly；　half　uneasily　at

Jack。



〃It's　all　right；　Milt；〃　he　said　sotto　voce。　　〃Shake　hands　all　round

and　let's　go　to　breakfast。　　And　I　rather　think　that　editor　wants　to

employ　you　HIMSELF。〃



It　was　true；　for　when　that　night　he　climbed　eagerly　the　steep

homeward　hill　he　carried　with　him　the　written　offer　of　an

engagement　on　the　〃Pioneer。〃　　As　he　entered　the　door　his　wife's

nurse　and　companion　met　him　with　a　serious　face。　　There　had　been　a

strange　and　unexpected　change　in　the　patient's　condition；　and　the

doctor　had　already　been　there　twice。　　As　he　put　aside　his　coat　and

hat　and　entered　her　room；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　forever　put

aside　all　else　of　essay　and　ambition　beyond　those　four　walls。　　And

with　the　thought　a　great　peace　came　upon　him。　　It　seemed　good　to

him　to　live　for　her　alone。



It　was　not　for　long。　　As　each　monotonous　day　brought　the　morning

mist　and　evening　fog　regularly　to　the　little　hilltop　where　his

whole　being　was　now　centred；　she　seemed　to　grow　daily　weaker；　and

the　little　circle　of　her　life　narrowed　day　by　day。　　One　morning

when　the　usual　mist　appeared　to　have　been　withheld　and　the　sun　had

risen　with　a　strange　and　cruel　brightness；　when　the　waves　danced

and　sparkled　on　the　bay　below　and　light　glanced　from　dazzling

sails；　and　even　the　white　tombs　on　Lone　Mountain　glittered　keenly；

when　cheery　voices　hailing　each　other　on　the　hillside　came　to　him

clearly　but　without　sense　or　meaning；　when　earth；　sky；　and　sea

seemed　quivering　with　life　and　motion；he　opened　the　door　of　that

one　little　house　on　which　the　only　shadow　seemed　to　have　fallen；

and　went　forth　again　into　the　world　alone。





CHAPTER　VII。





Mr。　Daniel　Harcourt's　town　mansion　was　also　on　an　eminence；　but　it

was　that　gentler　acclivity　of　fashion　known　as　Rincon　Hill；　and

sunned　itself　on　a　southern　slope　of　luxury。　　It　had　been　described

as　〃princely〃　and　〃fairy…like；〃　by　a　grateful　reporter；　tourists

and　travelers　had　sung　its　praises　in　letters　to　their　friends　and

in　private　reminiscences；　for　it　had　dispensed　hospitality　to　most

of　the　celebrities　who　had　visited　the　coast。　　Nevertheless　its

charm　was　mainly　due　to　the　ruling　taste　of　Miss　Clementina

Harcourt；　who　had　astonished　her　father　by　her　marvelous　intuition

of　the　nice　requirements　and　elegant　responsibilities　of　their

position；　and　had　thrown　her　mother　into　the　pained　perplexity　of　a

matronly　hen；　who；　among　the　ducks'　eggs　intrusted　to　her　fostering

care；　had　unwittingly　hatched　a　graceful　but　discomposing　cygnet。



Indeed；　after　holding　out　feebly　against　the　siege　of　wealth　at

Tasajara　and　San　Francisco；　Mrs。　Harcourt　had　abandoned　herself

hopelessly　to　the　horrors　of　its　invasion；　had　allowed　herself　to

be　dragged　from　her　kitchen　by　her　exultant　daughters　and　set　up　in

black　silk　in　a　certain　conventional　respectability　in　the　drawing…

room。　　Strange　to　say；　her　commiserating　hospitality；　or　hospital…

like　ministration；　not　only　gave　her　popularity；　but　a　certain　kind

of　distinction。　　An　exaltation　so　sorrowfully　deprecated　by　its

possessor　was　felt　to　be　a　sign　of　superiority。　　She　was　spoken　of

as　〃motherly；〃　even　by　those　who　vaguely　knew　that　there　was

somewhere　a　discarded　son　struggling　in　poverty　with　a　helpless

wife；　and　that　she　had　sided　with　her　husband　in　disinheriting　a

daughter　who　had　married　unwisely。　　She　was　sentimentally　spoken　of

as　a　〃true　wife；〃　while　never　opposing　a　single　meanness　of　her

husband；　suggesting　a　single　active　virtue；　nor　questioning　her

right　to　sacrifice　herself　and　her　family　for　his　sake。　　With

nothing　she　cared　to　affect；　she　was　quite　free　from　affectation；

and　even　the　critical　Lawrence　Grant　was　struck　with　the　dignity

which　her　narrow　simplicity；　that　had　seemed　small　even　in　Sidon；

attained　in　her　palatial　hall　in　San　Francisco。　　It　appeared　to　be

a　perfectly　logical　conclusion　that　when　such　unaffectedness　and

simplicity　were　forced　to　assume　a　hostile　attitude　to　anybody；　the

latter　must　be　to　blame。



Since　the　festival　of　Tasajara　Mr。　Grant　had　been　a　frequent

visitor　at　Harcourt's；　and　was　a　guest　on　the　eve　of　his　departure

from　San　Francisco。　　The　distinguished　position　of　each　made　their

relations　appear　quite　natural　without　inciting　gossip　as　to　any

attraction　in　Harcourt's　daughters。　　It　was　late　one　afternoon　as

he　was　passing　the　door　of　Harcourt's　study　that　his　host　called

him　in。　　He　found　him　sitting　at　his　desk　with　some　papers　before

him　and　a　folded　copy　of　the　〃Clarion。〃　　With　his　back　to　the

fading　light　of　the　window　his　face　was　partly　in　shadow。



〃By　the　way；　Grant；〃　he　began；　with　an　assumption　of　carelessness

somewhat　inconsistent　with　the　fact　that　he　had　just　called　him　in；

〃it　may　be　necessary　for　me　to　pull　up　those　fellows　who　are

blackguarding　me　in　the　'Clarion。'〃



〃Why；　they　haven't　been　saying　anything　new？〃　asked　Grant；

laughingly；　as　he　glanced　towards　the　paper。



〃Nothat　isonly　a　rehash　of　what　they　said　before；〃　returned

Harcourt　without　opening　the　paper。



〃Well；〃　said　Grant　playfully；　〃you　don't　mind　their　saying　that

you're　NOT　the　original　pioneer　of　Tasajara；　for　it's　true；　nor

that　that　fellow　'Lige　Curtis　disappeared　suddenly；　for　he　did；　if

I　remember　rightly。　　But　there's　nothing　in　that　to　invalidate　your

rights　to　Tasajara；　to　say　nothing　of　your　five　years'　undisputed

possession。〃



〃Of　course　there's　no　LEGAL　question；〃　said　Harcourt　almost　sharply。

〃But　as　a　matter　of　absurd　report；　I　may　want　to　contradict　their

insinuations。　　And　YOU　remember　all　the　circumstances；　don't　you？〃



〃I　should　think　so！　　Why；　my　dear　fellow；　I've　told　it　everywhere！

here；　in　New　York；　Newport；　and　in　London；　by　Jove；　it's　one　of　my

best　stories！　　How　a　company　sent　me　out　with　a　surveyor　to　look　up

a　railroad　and　agricultural　possibilities　in　the　wilderness；　how

just　as　I　found　themand　a　rather　big　thing　they　made；　tooI　was

set　afloat　by　a　flood　and　a　raft；　and　drifted　ashore　on　your　bank；

and　practically　demonstrated　to　you　what　you　didn't　know　and　didn't

dare　to　hope　forthat　there　could　be　a　waterway　straight　to　Sidon

from　the　embarcadero。　　I've　told　what　a　charming　evening　we　had

with　you　and　your　daughters　in　the　old　house；　and　how　I　returned

your　hospitality　by　giving　you　a　tip　about　the　railroad；　and　how

you　slipped　out　while　we　were　playing　cards；　to　clinch　the　bargain

for　the　land　with　that　drunken　fellow；　'Lige　Curtis〃



〃What's　that？〃　interrupted　Harcourt；　quickly。



It　was　well　that　the　shadow　hid　from　Grant　the　expression　of

Harcourt's　face；　or　his　reply　might　have　been　sharper。　　As　it　was；

he　answered　a　little　stiffly：



〃I　beg　your　pardon〃



Harcourt　recovered　himself。　　〃You're　all　wrong！〃　he　said；　〃that

bargain　was　made　long　BEFORE；　I　never　saw　'Lige　Curtis　after　you

came　to　the　house。　　It　was　before　that；　in　the　afternoon；〃　he　went

on　hurriedly；　〃that　he　was　last　in　my　store。　　I　can　prove　it。〃

Nevertheless　he　was　so　shocked　and　indignant　at　being　confronted　in

his　own　suppressions　and　falsehoods　by　an　even　greater　and　more

astounding　misconception　of　fact；　that　for　a　moment　he　felt

helpless。　　What；　he　reflected；　if　it　were　alleged　that　'Lige　had

returned　again　after　the　loafers　had　gone；　or　had　never　left　the

store　as　had　been　said？　　Nonsense！　　There　was　John　Milton；　who　had

been　there　reading　all　the　time；　and　who　could　disprove　it。　　Yes；

but　John　Milton　was　his　discarded　son；his　enemy；perhaps　even

his　very　slanderer！



〃But；〃　said　Grant　quietly；　〃don't　you　remember　that　your　daughter

Euphemia　said　something　that　evening　about　the　land　Lige　had

OFFERED　you；　and　you　snapped　up　the　young　lady　rather　sharply　for

letting　out　secrets；　and　THEN　you　went　out？　　At　least　that's　my

impression。〃



It　was；　however；　more　than　an　impression；　with　Grant's　scientific

memory　for　characteristic　details　he　had　noticed　that　particular

circumstance　as　part　of　the　social　phenomena。



〃I　don't　know　what　Phemie　SAID；〃　returned　Harcourt；　impatiently。

〃I　KNOW　there　was　no　offer　pending；　the　land　had　been　sold　to　me

before　I　ever　saw　you。　　Whyyou　must　have　thought　me　up　to　pretty

sharp　practice　with　Curtiseh？〃　he　added；　with　a　forced　laugh。



Grant　smiled；　he　had　been　accustomed　to　hear　of　such　sharp　practice

among　his　business　acquaintance；　although　he　himself　by　nature　and

profession　was　incapable　of　it；　but　he　had　not　deemed　Harcourt　more

scrupulous　than　others。　　〃Perhaps　so；〃　he　said　lightly；　〃but　for

Heaven's　sake　don't　ask　me　to　spoil　my　reputation　as　a　raconteur

for　the　sake　of　a　mere　fact　or　two。　　I　assure　you　it's　a　mighty

taking　story　as　I　tell　itand　it　don't　hurt　you　in　a　business　way。

You're　the　hero　of　ithang　it　all！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Harcourt；　without　noticing　Grant's　half　cynical

superiority；　but　you'll　oblige　me　if　you　won't　tel