a first family of tasajara-第5章

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Clementina　with　a　certain　confidential　air　of　truthfulness。



〃You　see；　ladies；〃　continued　the　surveyor；　appealing　to　them　with

unabashed　rigidity　of　feature；　〃the　cards　don't　lie！　　Luckily　we

are　in　a　position　to　corroborate　them。　　The　road　in　question　is　a

secret　known　only　to　us　and　some　capitalists　in　San　Francisco。　　In

fact　even　THEY　don't　know　that　it　is　feasible　until　WE　report　to

them。　　But　I　don't　mind　telling　you　now；　as　a　slight　return　for

your　charming　hospitality；　that　the　road　is　a　RAILROAD　from　Oakland

to　Tasajara　Creek　of　which　we've　just　made　the　preliminary　survey。

So　you　see　what　the　cards　mean　is　this：　You're　not　far　from

Tasajara　Creek；　in　fact　with　a　very　little　expense　your　father

could　connect　this　stream　with　the　creek；　and　have　a　WATERWAY

STRAIGHT　TO　THE　RAILROAD　TERMINUS。　　That's　the　wealth　the　cards

promise；　and　if　your　father　knows　how　to　take　a　hint　he　can　make

his　fortune！〃



It　was　impossible　to　say　which　was　the　most　dominant　in　the　face　of

the　speaker；　the　expression　of　assumed　gravity　or　the　twinkling　of

humor　in　his　eyes。　　The　two　girls　with　superior　feminine　perception

divined　that　there　was　much　truth　in　what　he　said；　albeit　they

didn't　entirely　understand　it；　and　what　they　did　understandexcept

the　man's　good…humored　motivewas　not　particularly　interesting。

In　fact　they　were　slightly　disappointed。　　What　had　promised　to　be

an　audaciously　flirtatious　declaration；　and　even　a　mischievous

suggestion　of　marriage；　had　resolved　itself　into　something　absurdly

practical　and　business…like。



Not　so　Mr。　Harkutt。　　He　quickly　rose　from　his　chair；　and；　leaning

over　the　table；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　card　as　if　it　really

signified　the　railroad；　repeated　quickly：　〃Railroad；　eh！　　What's

that？　　A　railroad　to　Tasajara　Creek？　　Ye　don't　mean　it！That　is

it　ain't　a　SURE　thing？〃



〃Perfectly　sure。　　The　money　is　ready　in　San　Francisco　now；　and　by

this　time　next　year〃



〃A　railroad　to　Tasajara　Creek！〃　continued　Harkutt　hurriedly。　　〃What

part　of　it？　　Where？〃



〃At　the　embarcadero　naturally；〃　responded　Grant。　　〃There　isn't　but

the　one　place　for　the　terminus。　　There's　an　old　shanty　there　now

belongs　to　somebody。〃



〃Why；　pop！〃　said　Phemie　with　sudden　recollection；　〃ain't　it　'Lige

Curtis's　house？　　The　land　he　offered〃



〃Hush！〃　said　her　father。



〃You　know；　the　one　written　in　that　bit　of　paper；〃　continued　the

innocent　Phemie。



〃Hush！　will　you？　　God　A'mighty！　are　you　goin'　to　mind　me？　　Are　you

goin'　to　keep　up　your　jabber　when　I'm　speakin'　to　the　gentlemen？

Is　that　your　manners？　　What　next；　I　wonder！〃



The　sudden　and　unexpected　passion　of　the　speaker；　the　incomprehensible

change　in　his　voice；　and　the　utterly　disproportionate　exaggeration

of　his　attitude　towards　his　daughters；　enforced　an　instantaneous

silence。　　The　rain　began　to　drip　audibly　at　the　window；　the　rush　of

the　river　sounded　distinctly　from　without；　even　the　shaking　of　the

front　part　of　the　dwelling　by　the　distant　gale　became　perceptible。

An　angry　flash　sprang　for　an　instant　to　the　young　assistant's　eye；

but　it　met　the　cautious　glance　of　his　friend；　and　together　both

discreetly　sought　the　table。　　The　two　girls　alone　remained　white　and

collected。　〃Will　you　go　on　with　my　fortune；　Mr。　Grant？〃　said　Phemie

quietly。



A　certain　respect；　perhaps　not　before　observable；　was　suggested　in

the　surveyor's　tone　as　he　smilingly　replied；　〃Certainly；　I　was　only

waiting　for　you　to　show　your　confidence　in　me；〃　and　took　up　the

cards。



Mr。　Harkutt　coughed。　　〃It　looks　as　if　that　blamed　wind　had　blown

suthin'　loose　in　the　store；〃　he　said　affectedly。　　〃I　reckon　I'll　go

and　see。〃　　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　then　disappeared　in　the

passage。　　Yet　even　here　he　stood　irresolute；　looking　at　the　closed

door　behind　him；　and　passing　his　hand　over　his　still　flushed　face。

Presently　he　slowly　and　abstractedly　ascended　the　flight　of　steps；

entered　the　smaller　passage　that　led　to　the　back　door　of　the　shop

and　opened　it。



He　was　at　first　a　little　startled　at　the　halo　of　light　from　the

still　glowing　stove；　which　the　greater　obscurity　of　the　long　room

had　heightened　rather　than　diminished。　　Then　he　passed　behind　the

counter；　but　here　the　box　of　biscuits　which　occupied　the　centre　and

cast　a　shadow　over　it　compelled　him　to　grope　vaguely　for　what　he

sought。　　Then　he　stopped　suddenly；　the　paper　he　had　just　found

dropping　from　his　fingers；　and　said　sharply；



〃Who's　there？〃



〃Me；　pop。〃



〃John　Milton？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃What　the　devil　are　you　doin'　there；　sir？〃



〃Readin'。〃



It　was　true。　　The　boy　was　half　reclining　in　a　most　distorted

posture　on　two　chairs；　his　figure　in　deep　shadow；　but　his　book　was

raised　above　his　head　so　as　to　catch　the　red　glow　of　the　stove　on

the　printed　page。　　Even　then　his　father's　angry　interruption

scarcely　diverted　his　preoccupation；　he　raised　himself　in　his　chair

mechanically；　with　his　eyes　still　fixed　on　his　book。　　Seeing　which

his　father　quickly　regained　the　paper；　but　continued　his　objurgation。



〃How　dare　you？　　Clear　off　to　bed；　will　you！　　Do　you　hear　me？

Pretty　goin's　on；〃　he　added　as　if　to　justify　his　indignation。

〃Sneakin'　in　here　andand　lyin'　'round　at　this　time　o'　night！

Why；　if　I　hadn't　come　in　here　to〃



〃What？〃　asked　the　boy　mechanically；　catching　vaguely　at　the

unfinished　sentence　and　staring　automatically　at　the　paper　in　his

father's　hand。



〃Nothin'；　sir！　　Go　to　bed；　I　tell　you！　　Will　you？　　What　are　you

standin'　gawpin'　at？〃　continued　Harkutt　furiously。



The　boy　regained　his　feet　slowly　and　passed　his　father；　but　not

without　noticing　with　the　same　listless　yet　ineffaceable　perception

of　childhood　that　he　was　hurriedly　concealing　the　paper　in　his

pocket。　　With　the　same　youthful　inconsequence；　wondering　at　this

more　than　at　the　interruption；　which　was　no　novel　event；　he　went

slowly　out　of　the　room。



Harkutt　listened　to　the　retreating　tread　of　his　bare　feet　in　the

passage　and　then　carefully　locked　the　door。　　Taking　the　paper　from

his　pocket；　and　borrowing　the　idea　he　had　just　objurgated　in　his

son；　he　turned　it　towards　the　dull　glow　of　the　stove　and　attempted

to　read　it。　　But　perhaps　lacking　the　patience　as　well　as　the　keener

sight　of　youth；　he　was　forced　to　relight　the　candle　which　he　had

left　on　the　counter；　and　reperused　the　paper。　　Yes！　there　was

certainly　no　mistake！　　Here　was　the　actual　description　of　the

property　which　the　surveyor　had　just　indicated　as　the　future

terminus　of　the　new　railroad；　and　here　it　was　conveyed　to　him

Daniel　Harkutt！　　What　was　that？　　Somebody　knocking？　　What　did　this

continual　interruption　mean？　　An　odd　superstitious　fear　now　mingled

with　his　irritation。



The　sound　appeared　to　come　from　the　front　shutters。　　It　suddenly

occurred　to　him　that　the　light　might　be　visible　through　the

crevices。　　He　hurriedly　extinguished　it；　and　went　to　the　door。



〃Who's　there？〃



〃Me；Peters。　　Want　to　speak　to　you。〃



Mr。　Harkutt　with　evident　reluctance　drew　the　bolts。　　The　wind；

still　boisterous　and　besieging；　did　the　rest；　and　precipitately

propelled　Peters　through　the　carefully　guarded　opening。　　But　his

surprise　at　finding　himself　in　the　darkness　seemed　to　forestall　any

explanation　of　his　visit。



〃Well；〃　he　said　with　an　odd　mingling　of　reproach　and　suspicion。　　〃I

declare　I　saw　a　light　here　just　this　minit！　　That's　queer。〃



〃Yes；　I　put　it　out　just　now。　　I　was　goin'　away；〃　replied　Harkutt；

with　ill…disguised　impatience。



〃What！　been　here　ever　since？〃



〃No；〃　said　Harkutt　curtly。



〃Well；　I　want　to　speak　to　ye　about　'Lige。　　Seein'　the　candle

shinin'　through　the　chinks　I　thought　he　might　be　still　with　ye。　　If

he　ain't；　it　looks　bad。　　Light　up；　can't　ye！　　I　want　to　show　you

something。〃



There　was　a　peremptoriness　in　his　tone　that　struck　Harkutt

disagreeably；　but　observing　that　he　was　carrying　something　in　his

hand；　he　somewhat　nervously　re…lit　the　candle　and　faced　him。

Peters　had　a　hat　in　his　hand。　　It　was　'Lige's！



〃'Bout　an　hour　after　we　fellers　left　here；〃　said　Peters；　〃I　heard

the　rattlin'　of　hoofs　on　the　road；　and　then　it　seemed　to　stop　just

by　my　house。　　I　went　out　with　a　lantern；　and；　darn　my　skin！　if

there　warn't　'Lige's　hoss；　the　saddle　empty；　and　'Lige　nowhere！　　I

looked　round　and　called　himbut　nothing　were　to　be　seen。　　Thinkin'

he　might　have　slipped　offtho'　ez　a　general　rule　drunken　men

don't；　and　he　is　a　good　riderI　followed　down　the　road；　lookin'

for　him。　　I　kept　on　follerin'　it　down　to　your　run；　half　a　mile

below。〃



〃But；〃　began　Harkutt；　with　a　quick　nervous　laugh；　〃you　don't　reckon

that　because　of　that　he〃



〃Hold　on！〃　said　Peters；　grimly　producing　a　revolver　from　his　side…

pocket　with　the　stock　and　barrel　clogged　and　streaked　with　mud。　　〃I

found　THAT　too；and　look！　one　barrel　discharged！　　And；〃　he　added

hurriedly；　as　approaching　a　climax；　〃look　ye；what　I　nat'rally

took　for　wet　from　the　raininside　that　hatwasblood！〃



〃Nonsense！〃　said　Harkutt；　putting　the　hat　aside　with　a　new

fastidiousness。　　〃You　don't　think〃



〃I　think；〃　said　Peters；　lowering　his　voice；　〃I　think；　by　God！　HE'S

BIN　AND　DONE　IT！〃



〃No！〃



〃Sure！　　Oh；　it's　all　very　well　for　Billings　and　the　rest　of　that

conceited　crowd　to　sneer　and　sling　their　ideas　of　'Lige　gen'rally

as　they　did　jess　now　here；but　I'd　like　'em　to　see　THAT。〃　　It　was

difficult　to　tell　if　Mr。　Peters'　triumphant　delight　in　confuting

his　late　companions'　theories　had　not　even　usurped　in　his　mind　the

importance　of　the　news　he　brought；　as　it　had　of　any　human　sympathy

with　it。



〃Look　here；〃　returned　Harkutt　earnestly；　yet　with　a　singularly

cleared　brow　and　a　more　natural　manner。　　〃You　ought　to　take　them

things　over　to　Squire　Kerby's；　right　off；　and　show　'em　to　him。　　You

kin　tell　him　how　you　left　'Lige　here；　and　say　that　I　can　prove　by

my　daughter　that　he　went　away　about　ten　minutes　after；at　least；

not　more　than　fifteen。〃　　Like　all　unprofessional　humanity；　Mr。

Harkutt　had　an　exaggerated　conception　of　the　majesty　of　unimportant

detail　in　the　eye　of　the　law。　　〃I'd　go　with　you　myself；〃　he　added

quickly；　〃but　I've　got　companystrangershere。〃



〃How　did　he　look　when　he　left；kinder　wild？〃　suggested　Peters。



Harkutt　had　begun　to　feel　the　prudence　of　present　reticence。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　cautiously；　〃YOU　saw　how　he　looked。〃



〃You　wasn't　rough　with　him？that　might　have　sent　him　off；　you

know；〃　said　Peters。



〃No；〃　said　Harkutt；　forgetting　himself　in　a　quick　indignation；　〃no；

I　not　only　treated　him　to　another　drink；　but　gave　him〃he　stopped

suddenly　and　awkwardly。



〃Eh？〃　said　Peters。



〃Some　good　advice；you　know；〃　said　Harkutt；　hastily。　　〃But　come；

you'd　better　hurry　over　to　the　squire's。　　You　know　YOU'VE　made　the

discovery；　YOUR　evidence　is　important；　and　there's　a　law　that

obliges　you　to　give　information　at　once。〃



The　excitement　of　discovery　and　the　triumph　over　his　disput