a first family of tasajara-第24章

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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　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

li