"Herearetwostrangers,"saidMr.Grant,withextraordinarygravitylayingdownthecards,"andhereisa'journey;'thisis'unexpectednews,'andthistenofdiamondsmeans'greatwealth'toyou,whichyouseefollowstheadventofthetwostrangersandissomewayconnectedwiththem."
　　"Oh,indeed,"saidtheyoungladywithgreatpertnessandatossofherhead."Isupposethey'vegotthemoneywiththem."
　　"No,thoughitreachesyouthroughthem,"heansweredwithunflinchingsolemnity."Waitabit,Ihaveit!Isee,I'vemadeamistakewiththiscard.Itsignifiesajourneyoraroad.Queer!
　　isn'tit,Steve?It'sTHEROAD."
　　"Itisqueer,"saidRicewithequalgravity;"butit'sso.Theroad,sure!"NeverthelesshelookedupintothelargeeyesofClementinawithacertainconfidentialairoftruthfulness.
　　"Yousee,ladies,"continuedthesurveyor,appealingtothemwithunabashedrigidityoffeature,"thecardsdon'tlie!Luckilyweareinapositiontocorroboratethem.TheroadinquestionisasecretknownonlytousandsomecapitalistsinSanFrancisco.InfactevenTHEYdon'tknowthatitisfeasibleuntilWEreporttothem.ButIdon'tmindtellingyounow,asaslightreturnforyourcharminghospitality,thattheroadisaRAILROADfromOaklandtoTasajaraCreekofwhichwe'vejustmadethepreliminarysurvey.
　　Soyouseewhatthecardsmeanisthis:You'renotfarfromTasajaraCreek;infactwithaverylittleexpenseyourfathercouldconnectthisstreamwiththecreek,andhaveaWATERWAY
　　STRAIGHTTOTHERAILROADTERMINUS.That'sthewealththecardspromise;andifyourfatherknowshowtotakeahinthecanmakehisfortune!"
　　Itwasimpossibletosaywhichwasthemostdominantinthefaceofthespeaker,theexpressionofassumedgravityorthetwinklingofhumorinhiseyes.Thetwogirlswithsuperiorfeminineperceptiondivinedthattherewasmuchtruthinwhathesaid,albeittheydidn'tentirelyunderstandit,andwhattheydidunderstand——excepttheman'sgood-humoredmotive——wasnotparticularlyinteresting.
　　Infacttheywereslightlydisappointed.Whathadpromisedtobeanaudaciouslyflirtatiousdeclaration,andevenamischievoussuggestionofmarriage,hadresolveditselfintosomethingabsurdlypracticalandbusiness-like.
　　NotsoMr.Harkutt.Hequicklyrosefromhischair,and,leaningoverthetable,withhiseyesfixedonthecardasifitreallysignifiedtherailroad,repeatedquickly:"Railroad,eh!What'sthat?ArailroadtoTasajaraCreek?Yedon'tmeanit!——Thatis——
　　itain'taSUREthing?"
　　"Perfectlysure.ThemoneyisreadyinSanFrancisconow,andbythistimenextyear——"
　　"ArailroadtoTasajaraCreek!"continuedHarkutthurriedly."Whatpartofit?Where?"
　　"Attheembarcaderonaturally,"respondedGrant."Thereisn'tbuttheoneplacefortheterminus.There'sanoldshantytherenowbelongstosomebody."
　　"Why,pop!"saidPhemiewithsuddenrecollection,"ain'tit'LigeCurtis'shouse?Thelandheoffered"——
　　"Hush!"saidherfather.
　　"Youknow,theonewritteninthatbitofpaper,"continuedtheinnocentPhemie.
　　"Hush!willyou?GodA'mighty!areyougoin'tomindme?Areyougoin'tokeepupyourjabberwhenI'mspeakin'tothegentlemen?
　　Isthatyourmanners?Whatnext,Iwonder!"
　　Thesuddenandunexpectedpassionofthespeaker,theincomprehensiblechangeinhisvoice,andtheutterlydisproportionateexaggerationofhisattitudetowardshisdaughters,enforcedaninstantaneoussilence.Therainbegantodripaudiblyatthewindow,therushoftheriversoundeddistinctlyfromwithout,eventheshakingofthefrontpartofthedwellingbythedistantgalebecameperceptible.
　　Anangryflashsprangforaninstanttotheyoungassistant'seye,butitmetthecautiousglanceofhisfriend,andtogetherbothdiscreetlysoughtthetable.Thetwogirlsaloneremainedwhiteandcollected."Willyougoonwithmyfortune,Mr.Grant?"saidPhemiequietly.
　　Acertainrespect,perhapsnotbeforeobservable,wassuggestedinthesurveyor'stoneashesmilinglyreplied,"Certainly,Iwasonlywaitingforyoutoshowyourconfidenceinme,"andtookupthecards.
　　Mr.Harkuttcoughed."Itlooksasifthatblamedwindhadblownsuthin'looseinthestore,"hesaidaffectedly."IreckonI'llgoandsee."Hehesitatedamomentandthendisappearedinthepassage.Yetevenherehestoodirresolute,lookingatthecloseddoorbehindhim,andpassinghishandoverhisstillflushedface.
　　Presentlyheslowlyandabstractedlyascendedtheflightofsteps,enteredthesmallerpassagethatledtothebackdooroftheshopandopenedit.
　　Hewasatfirstalittlestartledatthehalooflightfromthestillglowingstove,whichthegreaterobscurityofthelongroomhadheightenedratherthandiminished.Thenhepassedbehindthecounter,butheretheboxofbiscuitswhichoccupiedthecentreandcastashadowoveritcompelledhimtogropevaguelyforwhathesought.Thenhestoppedsuddenly,thepaperhehadjustfounddroppingfromhisfingers,andsaidsharply,——
　　"Who'sthere?"
　　"Me,pop."
　　"JohnMilton?"
　　"Yes,sir."
　　"Whatthedevilareyoudoin'there,sir?"
　　"Readin'."
　　Itwastrue.Theboywashalfreclininginamostdistortedpostureontwochairs,hisfigureindeepshadow,buthisbookwasraisedabovehisheadsoastocatchtheredglowofthestoveontheprintedpage.Eventhenhisfather'sangryinterruptionscarcelydivertedhispreoccupation;heraisedhimselfinhischairmechanically,withhiseyesstillfixedonhisbook.Seeingwhichhisfatherquicklyregainedthepaper,butcontinuedhisobjurgation.
　　"Howdareyou?Clearofftobed,willyou!Doyouhearme?
　　Prettygoin'son,"headdedasiftojustifyhisindignation.
　　"Sneakin'inhereand——andlyin''roundatthistimeo'night!
　　Why,ifIhadn'tcomeinhereto"——
　　"What?"askedtheboymechanically,catchingvaguelyattheunfinishedsentenceandstaringautomaticallyatthepaperinhisfather'shand.
　　"Nothin',sir!Gotobed,Itellyou!Willyou?Whatareyoustandin'gawpin'at?"continuedHarkuttfuriously.
　　Theboyregainedhisfeetslowlyandpassedhisfather,butnotwithoutnoticingwiththesamelistlessyetineffaceableperceptionofchildhoodthathewashurriedlyconcealingthepaperinhispocket.Withthesameyouthfulinconsequence,wonderingatthismorethanattheinterruption,whichwasnonovelevent,hewentslowlyoutoftheroom.
　　Harkuttlistenedtotheretreatingtreadofhisbarefeetinthepassageandthencarefullylockedthedoor.Takingthepaperfromhispocket,andborrowingtheideahehadjustobjurgatedinhisson,heturnedittowardsthedullglowofthestoveandattemptedtoreadit.Butperhapslackingthepatienceaswellasthekeenersightofyouth,hewasforcedtorelightthecandlewhichhehadleftonthecounter,andreperusedthepaper.Yes!therewascertainlynomistake!Herewastheactualdescriptionofthepropertywhichthesurveyorhadjustindicatedasthefutureterminusofthenewrailroad,andhereitwasconveyedtohim——
　　DanielHarkutt!Whatwasthat?Somebodyknocking?Whatdidthiscontinualinterruptionmean?Anoddsuperstitiousfearnowmingledwithhisirritation.
　　Thesoundappearedtocomefromthefrontshutters.Itsuddenlyoccurredtohimthatthelightmightbevisiblethroughthecrevices.Hehurriedlyextinguishedit,andwenttothedoor.
　　"Who'sthere?"
　　"Me,——Peters.Wanttospeaktoyou."
　　Mr.Harkuttwithevidentreluctancedrewthebolts.Thewind,stillboisterousandbesieging,didtherest,andprecipitatelypropelledPetersthroughthecarefullyguardedopening.Buthissurpriseatfindinghimselfinthedarknessseemedtoforestallanyexplanationofhisvisit.
　　"Well,"hesaidwithanoddminglingofreproachandsuspicion."I
　　declareIsawalightherejustthisminit!That'squeer."
　　"Yes,Iputitoutjustnow.Iwasgoin'away,"repliedHarkutt,withill-disguisedimpatience.
　　"What!beenhereeversince?"
　　"No,"saidHarkuttcurtly.
　　"Well,Iwanttospeaktoyeabout'Lige.Seein'thecandleshinin'throughthechinksIthoughthemightbestillwithye.Ifheain't,itlooksbad.Lightup,can'tye!Iwanttoshowyousomething."
　　TherewasaperemptorinessinhistonethatstruckHarkuttdisagreeably,butobservingthathewascarryingsomethinginhishand,hesomewhatnervouslyre-litthecandleandfacedhim.
　　Petershadahatinhishand.Itwas'Lige's!
　　"'Boutanhourafterwefellerslefthere,"saidPeters,"Iheardtherattlin'ofhoofsontheroad,andthenitseemedtostopjustbymyhouse.Iwentoutwithalantern,and,darnmyskin!iftherewarn't'Lige'shoss,thesaddleempty,and'Ligenowhere!I
　　lookedroundandcalledhim——butnothingweretobeseen.Thinkin'
　　hemighthaveslippedoff——tho'ezageneralruledrunkenmendon't,andheisagoodrider——Ifolloweddowntheroad,lookin'
　　forhim.Ikeptonfollerin'itdowntoyourrun,halfamilebelow."
　　"But,"beganHarkutt,withaquicknervouslaugh,"youdon'treckonthatbecauseofthathe"——
　　"Holdon!"saidPeters,grimlyproducingarevolverfromhisside-
　　pocketwiththestockandbarrelcloggedandstreakedwithmud."I
　　foundTHATtoo,——andlook!onebarreldischarged!And,"headdedhurriedly,asapproachingaclimax,"lookye,——whatInat'rallytookforwetfromtherain——insidethathat——was——blood!"
　　"Nonsense!"saidHarkutt,puttingthehatasidewithanewfastidiousness."Youdon'tthink"——
　　"Ithink,"saidPeters,loweringhisvoice,"Ithink,byGod!HE'S
　　BINANDDONEIT!"
　　"No!"
　　"Sure!Oh,it'sallverywellforBillingsandtherestofthatconceitedcrowdtosneerandslingtheirideasof'Ligegen'rallyastheydidjessnowhere,——butI'dlike'emtoseeTHAT."ItwasdifficulttotellifMr.Peters'triumphantdelightinconfutinghislatecompanions'theorieshadnotevenusurpedinhismindtheimportanceofthenewshebrought,asithadofanyhumansympathywithit.
　　"Lookhere,"returnedHarkuttearnestly,yetwithasingularlyclearedbrowandamorenaturalmanner."YououghttotakethemthingsovertoSquireKerby's,rightoff,andshow'emtohim.Youkintellhimhowyouleft'Ligehere,andsaythatIcanprovebymydaughterthathewentawayabouttenminutesafter,——atleast,notmorethanfifteen."Likeallunprofessionalhumanity,Mr.
　　Harkutthadanexaggeratedconceptionofthemajestyofunimportantdetailintheeyeofthelaw."I'dgowithyoumyself,"headdedquickly,"butI'vegotcompany——strangers——here."
　　"Howdidhelookwhenheleft,——kinderwild?"suggestedPeters.
　　Harkutthadbeguntofeeltheprudenceofpresentreticence.
　　"Well,"hesaid,cautiously,"YOUsawhowhelooked."
　　"Youwasn'troughwithhim?——thatmighthavesenthimoff,youknow,"saidPeters.
　　"No,"saidHarkutt,forgettinghimselfinaquickindignation,"no,Inotonlytreatedhimtoanotherdrink,butgavehim"——hestoppedsuddenlyandawkwardly.
　　"Eh?"saidPeters.
　　"Somegoodadvice,——youknow,"saidHarkutt,hastily."Butcome,you'dbetterhurryovertothesquire's.YouknowYOU'VEmadethediscovery;YOURevidenceisimportant,andthere'salawthatobligesyoutogiveinformationatonce."
　　Theexcitementofdiscoveryandthetriumphoverhisdisputantsbeingspent,Peters,aftertheSidonfashion,evidentlydidnotrelishactivityasaduty."Youknow,"hesaiddubiously,"hemightn'tbedead,afterall."
　　Harkuttbecameatrifledistant."Youknowyourownopinionofthething,"herepliedafterapause."You'vecircumstantialevidenceenoughtoseethesquire,andsetotherstoworkonit;and,"headdedsignificantly,"you'vedoneyoursharethen,andcanwipeyourhandsofit,eh?"
　　"That'sso,"saidPeters,eagerly."I'lljustrunovertothesquire."
　　"Andonaccountofthewomenfolks,youknow,andthestrangershere,I'llsaynothin'aboutitto-night,"addedHarkutt.
　　Petersnoddedhishead,andtakingupthehatoftheunfortunateElijahwithacertainhesitation,asifhefearedithadalreadylostitsdramaticintensityasawitness,disappearedintothestormanddarknessagain.Alurkinggustofwindlyinginambushsomewhereseemedtoswoopdownonhimasiftopreventfurtherindecisionandwhirlhimawayinthedirectionofthejustice'shouse;andMr.Harkuttshutthedoor,boltedit,andwalkedaimlesslybacktothecounter.
　　Fromaslow,deliberateandcautiousman,heseemedtohavechangedwithinanhourtoanirresoluteandcapriciousone.Hetookthepaperfromhispocket,and,unlockingthemoneydrawerofhiscounter,foldedintoasmallcompassthatwhichnowseemedtobethelasttestamentofElijahCurtis,andplaceditinarecess.
　　Thenhewenttothebackdoorandpaused,thenreturned,reopenedthemoneydrawer,tookoutthepaperandagainbuttoneditinhishippocket,standingbythestoveandstaringabstractedlyatthedullglowofthefire.Heevenwentthroughthemechanicalprocessofrakingdowntheashes,——solelytogaintimeandasanexcusefordelayingsomeothernecessaryaction.
　　Hewasthinkingwhatheshoulddo.Hadthequestionofhisrighttoretainandmakeuseofthatpaperbeensquarelyofferedtohimanhourago,hewouldwithoutdoubthavedecidedthatheoughtnottokeepit.Evennow,lookingatitasanabstractprinciple,hedidnotdeceivehimselfintheleast.ButNaturehasthereprehensiblehabitofnotpresentingthesequestionstoussquarelyandfairly,anditisremarkablethatinmostofouroffendingtheabstractprincipleisneverthedirectissue.Mr.
　　Harkuttwasconsciousofhavingbeenunwillinglyledstepbystepintoadifficult,nottosaydishonest,situation,andagainsthisownseeking.HehadneveraskedElijahtosellhimtheproperty;
　　hehaddistinctlydeclinedit;ithadevenbeenforceduponhimassecurityforthepittancehesofreelygavehim.Thisprovedtohimselfthathehimselfwashonest;itwasonlythecircumstancesthatwerequeer.OfcourseifElijahhadlived,he,Harkutt,mighthavetriedtodrivesomebargainwithhimbeforethenewsoftherailroadsurveycameout——forTHATwasonlybusiness.ButnowthatElijahwasdead,whowouldbeapennytheworseorbetterbuthimselfifhechosetoconsiderthewholethingasaluckyspeculation,andhisgiftoffivedollarsasthepricehepaidforit?Nobodycouldthinkthathehadcalculatedupon'Lige'ssuicide,anymorethanthatthepropertywouldbecomevaluable.Infactifitcametothat,if'LigehadreallycontemplatedkillinghimselfasahopelessbankruptaftertakingHarkutt'smoneyasaloan,itwasaswindleonhis——Harkutt's——good-nature.Heworkedhimselfintoarage,whichhefeltwasinnatelyvirtuous,atthistyrannyofcoldprincipleoverhisownwarm-heartedinstincts,butifitcametotheLAW,he'dstandbylawandnotsentiment.He'djustletthem——bywhichhevaguelymeanttheworld,Tasajara,andpossiblyhisownconscience——seethathewasn'tasentimentalfool,andhe'dfreezeontothatpaperandthatproperty!
　　Onlyheoughttohavespokenoutbefore.Heoughttohavetoldthesurveyoratoncethatheownedtheland.Heoughttohavesaid:
　　"Why,that'smyland.Iboughtitofthatdrunken'LigeCurtisforasongandoutofcharity."Yes,thatwastheonlyrealtrouble,andthatcamefromhisowngoodness,hisownextravagantsenseofjusticeandright,——hisowncursedgood-nature.Yet,onsecondthoughts,hedidn'tknowwhyhewasobligedtotellthesurveyor.
　　Timeenoughwhenthecompanywantedtobuytheland.Assoonasitwassettledthat'Ligewasdeadhe'dopenlyclaimtheproperty.
　　Butwhatifhewasn'tdead?ortheycouldn'tfindhisbody?orhehadonlydisappeared?Hisplain,matter-of-factfacecontractedanddarkened.Ofcoursehecouldn'taskthecompanytowaitforhimtosettlethatpoint.Hehadthepowertodisposeofthepropertyunderthatpaper,and——heshoulddoit.If'Ligeturnedup,thatwasanothermatter,andheand'Ligecouldarrangeitbetweenthem.Hewasquitefirmhere,andoddlyenoughquiterelievedingettingridofwhatappearedonlyasimplequestionofdetail.Heneversuspectedthathewascontemplatingtheoneirretrievablestep,andsummarilydismissingthewholeethicalquestion.
　　Heturnedawayfromthestove,openedthebackdoor,andwalkedwithamoredeterminedstepthroughthepassagetothesitting-