a first family of tasajara-第18章

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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　tell　it　again　IN

THAT　WAY。　　There　are　men　here　mean　enough　to　make　the　worst　of　it。

It's　nothing　to　me；　of　course；　but　my　familythe　girls；　you　know

are　rather　sensitive。〃



〃I　had　no　idea　they　even　knew　it；much　less　cared　for　it；〃　said

Grant；　with　sudden　seriousness。　　〃I　dare　say　if　those　fellows　in

the　〃Clarion〃　knew　that　they　were　annoying　the　ladies　they'd　drop

it。　　Who's　the　editor？　　Look　hereleave　it　to　me；　I'll　look　into

it。　　Better　that　you　shouldn't　appear　in　the　matter　at　all。〃



〃You　understand　that　if　it　was　a　really　serious　matter；　Grant；〃

said　Harcourt　with　a　slight　attitude；　〃I　shouldn't　allow　any　one　to

take　my　place。〃



〃My　dear　fellow；　there'll　be　nobody　'called　out'　and　no　'shooting

at　sight；'　whatever　is　the　result　of　my　interference；〃　returned

Grant；　lightly。　　〃It'll　be　all　right。〃　　He　was　quite　aware　of　the

power　of　his　own　independent　position　and　the　fact　that　he　had　been

often　appealed　to　before　in　delicate　arbitration。



Harcourt　was　equally　conscious　of　this；　but　by　a　strange

inconsistency　now　felt　relieved　at　the　coolness　with　which　Grant

had　accepted　the　misconception　which　had　at　first　seemed　so

dangerous。　　If　he　were　ready　to　condone　what　he　thought　was　SHARP

PRACTICE；　he　could　not　be　less　lenient　with　the　real　facts　that

might　come　out；of　course　always　excepting　that　interpolated

consideration　in　the　bill　of　sale；　which；　however；　no　one　but　the

missing　Curtis　could　ever　discover。　　The　fact　that　a　man　of　Grant's

secure　position　had　interested　himself　in　this　matter　would　secure

him　from　the　working　of　that　personal　vulgar　jealousy　which　his

humbler　antecedents　had　provoked。　　And　if；　as　he　fancied；　Grant

really　cared　for　Clementina



〃As　you　like；〃　he　said；　with　half…affected　lightness；　〃and　now　let

us　talk　of　something　else。　　Clementina　has　been　thinking　of　getting

up　a　riding　party　to　San　Mateo　for　Mrs。　Ashwood。　　We　must　show　them

some　civility；　and　that　Boston　brother　of　hers；　Mr。　Shipley；　will

have　to　be　invited　also。　　I　can't　get　away；　and　my　wife；　of　course；

will　only　be　able　to　join　them　at　San　Mateo　in　the　carriage。　　I

reckon　it　would　be　easier　for　Clementina　if　you　took　my　place；　and

helped　her　look　after　the　riding　party。　　It　will　need　a　man；　and　I

think　she'd　prefer　youas　you　know　she's　rather　particular

unless；　of　course；　you'd　be　wanted　for　Mrs。　Ashwood　or　Phemie；　or

somebody　else。〃



From　his　shadowed　corner　he　could　see　that　a　pleasant　light　had

sprung　into　Grant's　eyes；　although　his　reply　was　in　his　ordinary

easy　banter。　　〃I　shall　be　only　too　glad　to　act　as　Miss　Clementina's

vaquero；　and　lasso　her　runaways；　or　keep　stragglers　in　the　road。〃



There　seemed　to　be　small　necessity；　however；　for　this　active　co…

operation；　for　when　the　cheerful　cavalcade　started　from　the　house　a

few　mornings　later；　Mr。　Lawrence　Grant's　onerous　duties　seemed　to

be　simply　confined　to　those　of　an　ordinary　cavalier　at　the　side　of

Miss　Clementina；　a　few　paces　in　the　rear　of　the　party。　　But　this

safe　distance　gave　them　the　opportunity　of　conversing　without　being

overheard；an　apparently　discreet　precaution。



〃Your　father　was　so　exceedingly　affable　to　me　the　other　day　that　if

I　hadn't　given　you　my　promise　to　say　nothing；　I　think　I　would　have

fallen　on　my　knees　to　him　then　and　there；　revealed　my　feelings；

asked　for　your　hand　and　his　blessingor　whatever　one　does　at　such

a　time。　　But　how　long　do　you　intend　to　keep　me　in　this　suspense？〃



Clementina　turned　her　clear　eyes　half　abstractedly　upon　him；　as　if

imperfectly　recalling　some　forgotten　situation。　　〃You　forget；〃　she

said；　〃that　part　of　your　promise　was　that　you　wouldn't　even　speak

of　it　to　me　again　without　my　permission。〃



〃But　my　time　is　so　short　now。　　Give　me　some　definite　hope　before　I

go。　　Let　me　believe　that　when　we　meet　in　New　York〃



〃You　will　find　me　just　the　same　as　now！　　Yes；　I　think　I　can　promise

THAT。　　Let　that　suffice。　　You　said　the　other　day　you　liked　me

because　I　had　not　changed　for　five　years。　　You　can　surely　trust

that　I　will　not　alter　in　as　many　months。〃



〃If　I　only　knew〃



〃Ah；　if　I　only　knew；if　WE　ALL　only　knew。　　But　we　don't。　　Come；

Mr。　Grant；　let　it　rest　as　it　is。　　Unless　you　want　to　go　still

further　back　and　have　it　as　it　WAS；　at　Sidon。　　There　I　think　you

fancied　Euphemia　most。〃



〃Clementina！〃



〃That　is　my　name；　and　those　people　ahead　of　us　know　it　already。〃



〃You　are　called　CLEMENTINA；but　you　are　not　merciful！〃



〃You　are　very　wrong；　for　you　might　see　that　Mr。　Shipley　has　twice

checked　his　horse　that　he　might　hear　what　you　are　saying；　and

Phemie　is　always　showing　Mrs。　Ashwood　something　in　the　landscape

behind　us。〃



All　this　was　the　more　hopeless　and　exasperating　to　Grant　since　in

the　young　girl's　speech　and　manner　there　was　not　the　slightest

trace　of　coquetry　or　playfulness。　　He　could　not　help　saying　a

little　bitterly：　〃I　don't　think　that　any　one　would　imagine　from

your　manner　that　you　were　receiving　a　declaration。〃



〃But　they　might　imagine　from　yours　that　you　had　the　right　to

quarrel　with　me；which　would　be　worse。〃



〃We　cannot　part　like　this！　　It　is　too　cruel　to　me。〃



〃We　cannot　part　otherwise　without　the　risk　of　greater　cruelty。〃



〃But　say　at　least；　Clementina；　that　I　have　no　rival。　　There　is　no

other　more　favored　suitor？〃



〃That　is　so　like　a　manand　yet　so　unlike　the　proud　one　I　believed

you　to　be。　　Why　should　a　man　like　you　even　consider　such　a

possibility？　　If　I　were　a　man　I　know　I　couldn't。〃　　She　turned　upon

him　a　glance　so　clear　and　untroubled　by　either　conscious　vanity　or

evasion　that　he　was　hopelessly　convinced　of　the　truth　of　her

statement；　and　she　went　on　in　a　slightly　lowered　tone；　〃You　have　no

right　to　ask　me　such　a　question；but　perhaps　for　that　reason　I　am

willing　to　answer　you。　　There　is　none。　　Hush！　　For　a　good　rider　you

are　setting　a　poor　example　to　the　others；　by　crowding　me　towards

the　bank。　　Go　forward　and　talk　to　Phemie；　and　tell　her　not　to　worry

Mrs。　Ashwood's　horse　nor　race　with　her；　I　don't　think　he's　quite

safe；　and　Mrs。　Ashwood　isn't　accustomed　to　using　the　Spanish　bit。

I　suppose　I　must　say　something　to　Mr。　Shipley；　who　doesn't　seem　to

understand　that　I'M　acting　as　chaperon；　and　YOU　as　captain　of　the

party。〃



She　cantered　forward　as　she　spoke；　and　Grant　was　obliged　to　join

her　sister；　who；　mounted　on　a　powerful　roan；　was　mischievously

exciting　a　beautiful　quaker…colored　mustang　ridden　by　Mrs。　Ashwood；

already　irritated　by　the　unfamiliar　pressure　of　the　Eastern　woman's

hand　upon　his　bit。　　The　thick　dust　which　had　forced　the　party　of

twenty　to　close　up　in　two　solid　files　across　the　road　compelled

them　at　the　first　opening　in　the　roadside　fence　to　take　the　field

in　a　straggling　gallop。　　Grant；　eager　to　escape　from　his　own

discontented　self　by　doing　something　for　others；　reined　in　beside

Euphemia　and　the　fair　stranger。



〃Let　me　take　your　place　until　Mrs。　Ashwood's　horse　is　quieted；〃　he

half　whispered　to　Euphemia。



〃Thank　you；and　I　suppose　it　does　not　make　any　matter　to　Clem　who

quiets　mine；〃　she　said；　with　provoking　eyes　and　a　toss　of　her　head

worthy　of　the　spirited　animal　she　was　riding。



〃She　thinks　you　quite　capable　of　managing　yourself　and　even

others；〃　he　replied　with　a　playful　glance　at　Shipley；　who　was

riding　somewhat　stiffly　on　the　other　side。



〃Don't　be　too　sure；〃　retorted　Phemie　with　another　dangerous　look；

〃I　may　give　you　trouble　yet。〃



They　were　approaching　the　first　undulation　of　the　russet　plain　they

had　emerged　upon；an　umbrageous　slope　that　seemed　suddenly　to

diverge　in　two　defiles　among　the　shaded　hills。　　Grant　had　given　a

few　words　of　practical　advice　to　Mrs。　Ashwood；　and　shown　her　how　to

guide　her　mustang　by　the　merest　caressing　touch　of　the　rein　upon

its　sensitive　neck。　　He　had　not　been　sympathetically　inclined

towards　the　fair　stranger；　a　rich　and　still　youthful　widow；

although　he　could　not　deny　her　unquestioned　good　breeding；　mental

refinement；　and　a　certain　languorous　thoughtfulness　that　was　almost

melancholy；　which　accented　her　blonde　delicacy。　　But　he　had　noticed

that　her　manner　was　politely　reserved　and　slightly　constrained

towards　the　Harcourts；　and　he　had　already　resented　it　with　a　lover's

instinctive　loyalty。　　He　had　at　first　attributed　it　to　a　want　of

sympathy　between　Mrs。　Ashwood's　more　intellectual　sentimentalities

and　the　Harcourts'　undeniable　lack　of　any　sentiment　whatever。　　But

there　was　evidently　some　other　innate　antagonism。　　He　was　very

polite　to　Mrs。　Ashwood；　she　responded　with　a　gentlewoman's　courtesy；

and；　he　was　forced　to　admit；　even　a　broader　comprehension　of　his　own

merits　than　the　Harcourt　girls　had　ever　shown；　but　he　could　still

detect　that　she　was　not　in　accord　with　the　party。



〃I　am　afraid　you　do　not　like　California；　Mrs。　Ashwood？〃　he　said

pleasantly。　　〃You　perhaps　find　the　life　here　too　unrestrained　and

unconventional？〃



She　looked　at　him　in　quick　astonishment。　　〃Are　you　quite　sincere？

Why；　it　strikes　me　that　this　is　just　what　it　is　NOT。　　And　I　have　so

longed　for　something　quite　different。　　From　what　I　have　been　told

about　the　originality　and　adventure　of　everything　here；　and　your

independence　of　old　social　forms　and　customs；　I　am　afraid　I

expected　the　opposite　of　what　I've　seen。　　Why；　this　very　party

except　that　the　ladies　are　prettier　and　more　expensively　gotten　up

is　like　any　party　that　might　have　ridden　out　at　Saratoga　or　New

York。〃



〃And　as　stupid；　you　would　say。〃



〃As　CONVENTIONAL；　Mr。　Grant；　always　excepting　this　lovely　creature

beneath　me；　whom　I　can't　make　out　and　who　doesn't　seem　to　care　that

I　should。　　There！　look！　I　told　you　so！〃



Her　mustang　had　suddenly　bounded　forward；　but　as　Grant　followed　he

could　see　that　the　cause　was　the　example　of　Phemie；　who　had；　in

some　mad　freak；　dashed　out　in　a　frantic　gallop。　　A　half…dozen　of

the　younger　people　hilariously　accepted　the　challenge；　the

excitement　was　communicated　to　the　others；　until　the　whole

cavalcade　was　sweeping　down　the　slope。　　Grant　was　still　at　Mrs。

Ashwood's　side；　restraining　her　mustang　and　his　own　impatient　horse

when　Clementina　joined　them。　　〃Phemie's　mare　has　really　bolted；　I

fear；〃　she　said　in　a　quick　whisper；　〃ride　on；　and　never　mind　us。〃

Grant　looked　quickly　ahead；　Phemie's　roan；　excited　by　the　shouts

behind　her　and　to　all　appearance　ungovernable；　was　fast　disappearing

with　her　rider。　　Without　a　word；　trusting　to　his　own　good

horsemanship　and　better　knowledge　of　the　ground；　he　darted　out　of

the　cavalcade　to　overtake　her。



But　the　unfortunate　result　of　this　was　to　give　further　impulse　to

the　now　racing　horses　as　they　approached　a　point　where　the　slope

terminated　in　two　diverging　canyons。　　Mrs。　Ashwood　gave　a　sharp

pull　upon　her　bit。　　To　her　consternation　the