a first family of tasajara-第25章

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perhaps　some　already　absorbing　passion　of　which　he　knew　nothing？

She　was　not　a　girl　to　betray　itthey　would　only　know　it　when　it

was　too　late。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　there　was　still　something

between　her　and　'Lige　that　he　knew　nothing　of？　　The　thought　struck

a　chill　to　his　breast。　　She　was　walking　towards　the　door；　when　he

recalled　himself　with　an　effort。



〃If　you　think　it　advisable　to　see　Fletcher；　you　might　run　down　to

San　Jose　for　a　day　or　two　with　your　mother；　and　call　on　the　Ramirez。

They　may　know　him　or　somebody　who　does。　　Of　course　if　YOU　meet　him

and　casually　invite　him　it　would　be　different。〃



〃It's　a　good　idea；〃　she　said　quickly。　　〃I'll　do　it；　and　speak　to

mother　now。〃



He　was　struck　by　the　change　in　her　face　and　voice；　they　had　both

nervously　lightened；　as　oddly　and　distinctly　as　they　had　before

seemed　to　grow　suddenly　harsh　and　aggressive。　　She　passed　out　of

the　room　with　girlish　brusqueness；　leaving　him　alone　with　a　new　and

vague　fear　in　his　consciousness。





A　few　hours　later　Clementina　was　standing　before　the　window　of　the

drawing…room　that　overlooked　the　outskirts　of　the　town。　　The

moonlight　was　flooding　the　vast　bluish　Tasajara　levels　with　a　faint

lustre；　as　if　the　waters　of　the　creek　had　once　more　returned　to

them。　　In　the　shadow　of　the　curtain　beside　her　Grant　was　facing　her

with　anxious　eyes。



〃Then　I　must　take　this　as　your　final　answer；　Clementina？〃



〃You　must。　　And　had　I　known　of　these　calumnies　before；　had　you　been

frank　with　me　even　the　day　we　went　to　San　Mateo；　my　answer　would

have　been　as　final　then；　and　you　might　have　been　spared　any　further

suspense。　　I　am　not　blaming　you；　Mr。　Grant；　I　am　willing　to　believe

that　you　thought　it　best　to　conceal　this　from　me；even　at　that

time　when　you　had　just　pledged　yourself　to　find　out　its　truth　or

falsehood；yet　my　answer　would　have　been　the　same。　　So　long　as

this　stain　rests　on　my　father's　name　I　shall　never　allow　that　name

to　be　coupled　with　yours　in　marriage　or　engagement；　nor　will　my

pride　or　yours　allow　us　to　carry　on　a　simple　friendship　after　this。

I　thank　you　for　your　offer　of　assistance；　but　I　cannot　even　accept

that　which　might　to　others　seem　to　allow　some　contingent　claim。　　I

would　rather　believe　that　when　you　proposed　this　inquiry　and　my

father　permitted　it；　you　both　knew　that　it　put　an　end　to　any　other

relations　between　us。〃



〃But；　Clementina；　you　are　wrong；　believe　me！　　Say　that　I　have　been

foolish；　indiscreet；　mad；still　the　few　who　knew　that　I　made　these

inquiries　on　your　father's　behalf　know　nothing　of　my　hopes　of　YOU！〃



〃But　I　do；　and　that　is　enough　for　me。〃



Even　in　the　hopeless　preoccupation　of　his　passion　he　suddenly

looked　at　her　with　something　of　his　old　critical　scrutiny。　　But　she

stood　there　calm；　concentrated；　self…possessed　and　upright。　　Yes！

it　was　possible　that　the　pride　of　this　Southwestern　shopkeepers

daughter　was　greater　than　his　own。



〃Then　you　banish　me；　Clementina？〃



〃It　is　we　whom　YOU　have　banished。〃



〃Good…night。〃



〃Good…by。〃



He　bent　for　an　instant　over　her　cold　hand；　and　then　passed　out　into

the　hall。　　She　remained　listening　until　the　front　door　closed

behind　him。　　Then　she　ran　swiftly　through　the　hall　and　up　the

staircase；　with　an　alacrity　that　seemed　impossible　to　the　stately

goddess　of　a　moment　before。　　When　she　had　reached　her　bedroom　and

closed　the　door；　so　exuberant　still　and　so　uncontrollable　was　her

levity　and　action；　that　without　going　round　the　bed　which　stood

before　her　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　she　placed　her　two　hands　upon

it　and　lightly　vaulted　sideways　across　it　to　reach　the　window。

There　she　watched　the　figure　of　Grant　crossing　the　moonlit　square。

Then　turning　back　into　the　half…lit　room；　she　ran　to　the　small

dressing…glass　placed　at　an　angle　on　a　toilet　table　against　the

wall。　　With　her　palms　grasping　her　knees　she　stooped　down　suddenly

and　contemplated　the　mirror。　　It　showed　what　no　one　but　Clementina

had　ever　seen；and　she　herself　only　at　rare　intervals；the

laughing　eyes　and　soul　of　a　self…satisfied；　material…minded；

ordinary　country…girl！





CHAPTER　X。





But　Mr。　Lawrence　Grant's　character　in　certain　circumstances　would

seem　to　have　as　startling　and　inexplicable　contradictions　as

Clementina　Harcourt's；　and　three　days　later　he　halted　his　horse　at

the　entrance　of　Los　Gatos　Rancho。　　The　Home　of　the　Catsso　called

from　the　catamounts　which　infested　the　localitywhich　had　for　over

a　century　lazily　basked　before　one　of　the　hottest　canyons　in　the

Coast　Range；　had　lately　been　stirred　into　some　activity　by　the

American；　Don　Diego　Fletcher；　who　had　bought　it；　put　up　a　saw…mill；

and　deforested　the　canyon。　　Still　there　remained　enough　suggestion

of　a　feline　haunt　about　it　to　make　Grant　feel　as　if　he　had　tracked

hither　some　stealthy　enemy；　in　spite　of　the　peaceful　intimation

conveyed　by　the　sign　on　a　rough　boarded　shed　at　the　wayside；　that

the　〃Los　Gatos　Land　and　Lumber　Company〃　held　their　office　there。



A　cigarette…smoking　peon　lounged　before　the　door。　　Yes；　Don　Diego

was　there；　but　as　he　had　arrived　from　Santa　Clara　only　last　night

and　was　going　to　Colonel　Ramirez　that　afternoon；　he　was　engaged。

Unless　the　business　was　importantbut　the　cool；　determined　manner

of　Grant；　even　more　than　his　words；　signified　that　it　WAS

important；　and　the　servant　led　the　way　to　Don　Diego's　presence。



There　certainly　was　nothing　in　the　appearance　of　this　sylvan

proprietor　and　newspaper　capitalist　to　justify　Grant's　suspicion　of

a　surreptitious　foe。　　A　handsome　man　scarcely　older　than　himself；

in　spite　of　a　wavy　mass　of　perfectly　white　hair　which　contrasted

singularly　with　his　brown　mustache　and　dark　sunburned　face。　　So

disguising　was　the　effect　of　these　contradictions；　that　he　not　only

looked　unlike　anybody　else；　but　even　his　nationality　seemed　to　be　a

matter　of　doubt。　　Only　his　eyes；　light　blue　and　intelligent；　which

had　a　singular　expression　of　gentleness　and　worry；　appeared

individual　to　the　man。　　His　manner　was　cultivated　and　easy。　　He

motioned　his　visitor　courteously　to　a　chair。



〃I　was　referred　to　you；〃　said　Grant；　almost　abruptly；　〃as　the

person　responsible　for　a　series　of　slanderous　attacks　against　Mr。

Daniel　Harcourt　in　the　'Clarion；'　of　which　paper　I　believe　you　are

the　proprietor。　　I　was　told　that　you　declined　to　give　the　authority

for　your　action；　unless　you　were　forced　to　by　legal　proceedings。〃



Fletcher's　sensitive　blue　eyes　rested　upon　Grant's　with　an

expression　of　constrained　pain　and　pity。　　〃I　heard　of　your

inquiries；　Mr。　Grant；　you　were　making　them　on　behalf　of　this　Mr。

Harcourt　or　Harkutt〃he　made　the　distinction　with　intentional

deliberation〃with　a　view；　I　believe；　to　some　arbitration。　　The

case　was　stated　to　you　fairly；　I　think；　I　believe　I　have　nothing　to

add　to　it。〃



〃That　was　your　answer　to　the　ambassador　of　Mr。　Harcourt；〃　said

Grant；　coldly；　〃and　as　such　I　delivered　it　to　him；　but　I　am　here

to…day　to　speak　on　my　own　account。〃



What　could　be　seen　of　Mr。　Fletcher's　lips　appeared　to　curl　in　an

odd　smile。　　〃Indeed；　I　thought　it　wasor　would　beall　in　the

family。〃



Grant's　face　grew　more　stern；　and　his　gray　eyes　glittered。　　〃You'll

find　my　status　in　this　matter　so　far　independent　that　I　don't

propose；　like　Mr。　Harcourt；　either　to　begin　a　suit　or　to　rest

quietly　under　the　calumny。　　Briefly；　Mr。　Fletcher；　as　you　or　your

informant　knows；　I　was　the　surveyor　who　revealed　to　Mr。　Harcourt

the　value　of　the　land　to　which　he　claimed　a　title　from　your　man；

this　Elijah　or　'Lige　Curtis　as　you　call　him；〃he　could　not　resist

this　imitation　of　his　adversary's　supercilious　affectation　of

precise　nomenclature；〃and　it　was　upon　my　representation　of　its

value　as　an　investment　that　he　began　the　improvements　which　have

made　him　wealthy。　　If　this　title　was　fraudulently　obtained；　all　the

facts　pertaining　to　it　are　sufficiently　related　to　connect　me　with

the　conspiracy。〃



〃Are　you　not　a　little　hasty　in　your　presumption；　Mr。　Grant？〃　said

Fletcher；　with　unfeigned　surprise。



〃That　is　for　ME　to　judge；　Mr。　Fletcher；〃　returned　Grant；　haughtily。



〃But　the　name　of　Professor　Grant　is　known　to　all　California　as

beyond　the　breath　of　calumny　or　suspicion。〃



〃It　is　because　of　that　fact　that　I　propose　to　keep　it　so。〃



〃And　may　I　ask　in　what　way　you　wish　me　to　assist　you　in　so　doing？〃



〃By　promptly　and　publicly　retracting　in　the　'Clarion'　every　word　of

this　slander　against　Harcourt。〃



Fletcher　looked　steadfastly　at　the　speaker。　　〃And　if　I　decline？〃



〃I　think　you　have　been　long　enough　in　California；　Mr。　Fletcher；　to

know　the　alternative　expected　of　a　gentleman；〃　said　Grant；　coldly。



Mr。　Fletcher　kept　his　gentle　blue　eyesin　which　surprise　still

overbalanced　their　expression　of　pained　concernon　Grant's　face。



〃But　is　not　this　more　in　the　style　of　Colonel　Starbottle　than

Professor　Grant？〃　he　asked；　with　a　faint　smile。



Grant　rose　instantly　with　a　white　face。　　〃You　will　have　a　better

opportunity　of　judging；〃　he　said；　〃when　Colonel　Starbottle　has　the

honor　of　waiting　upon　you　from　me。　　Meantime；　I　thank　you　for

reminding　me　of　the　indiscretion　into　which　my　folly；　in　still

believing　that　this　thing　could　be　settled　amicably；　has　led　me。〃



He　bowed　coldly　and　withdrew。　　Nevertheless；　as　he　mounted　his

horse　and　rode　away；　he　felt　his　cheeks　burning。　　Yet　he　had　acted

upon　calm　consideration；　he　knew　that　to　the　ordinary　Californian

experience　there　was　nothing　quixotic　nor　exaggerated　in　the

attitude　he　had　taken。　　Men　had　quarreled　and　fought　on　less

grounds；　he　had　even　half　convinced　himself　that　he　HAD　been

insulted；　and　that　his　own　professional　reputation　demanded　the

withdrawal　of　the　attack　on　Harcourt　on　purely　business　grounds；

but　he　was　not　satisfied　of　the　personal　responsibility　of　Fletcher

nor　of　his　gratuitous　malignity。　　Nor　did　the　man　look　like　a　tool

in　the　hands　of　some　unscrupulous　and　hidden　enemy。　　However；　he

had　played　his　card。　　If　he　succeeded　only　in　provoking　a　duel　with

Fletcher；　he　at　least　would　divert　the　public　attention　from

Harcourt　to　himself。　　He　knew　that　his　superior　position　would

throw　the　lesser　victim　in　the　background。　　He　would　make　the

sacrifice；　that　was　his　duty　as　a　gentleman；　even　if　SHE　would　not

care　to　accept　it　as　an　earnest　of　his　unselfish　love！



He　had　reached　the　point　where　the　mountain　track　entered　the　Santa

Clara　turnpike　when　his　attention　was　attracted　by　a　handsome　but

old…fashioned　carriage　drawn　by　four　white　mules；　which　passed　down

the　road　before　him　and　turned　suddenly　off　into　a　private　road。

But　it　was　not　this　picturesque　gala　equipage　of　some　local　Spanish

grandee　that　brought　a　thrill　to　his　nerves　and　a　flash　to　his　eye；

it　was　the　unmistakable；　tall；　elegant　figure　and　handsome　profile

of　Clementina；　reclining　in　light　gauzy　wraps　against　the　back

seat！　　It　was　no　fanciful　resemb