"They'retakin'stocko'themtwofellerssoastogabbleabout'emwhentheirbacksisturned,"saidJohnMiltongloomilytohimself,withadismalpremonitionoftheprolongedtea-tablegossiphewouldbeobligedtolistentolater.
"Wewereveryfortunatetomakealandingatalllastnight,"saidRice,lookingdownuponthestillswollencurrent,andthenraisinghiseyestoClementina."Stillmorefortunatetomakeitwherewedid.Isupposeitmusthavebeenthesingingthatluredusontothebank,——as,youknow,thesirensusedtolurepeople,——onlywithlessdisastrousconsequences."
JohnMiltonheredetectedthreeglaringerrors;first,itwasNOT
Clementinawhohadsung;secondly,heknewthatneitherofhissistershadeverreadanythingaboutsirens,buthehad;thirdly,thattheyoungsurveyorwasglaringlyignorantoflocalphenomenaandshouldbecorrected.
"It'snothin'butthecurrent,"hesaid,withthatfeverishyouthfulhastethatbetraysafatalexperienceofimpendinginterruption.
"It'salwaysleavin'driftandrubbishfromeverywherehere.Thereain'tanythin'that'schuckedintothecreekabovethatain'tboundtofetchuponthisbank.Why,therewastwosheepandadeadhossherelongaforeYOUthoughtofcoming!"Hedidnotunderstandwhythisshouldprovokethelaughterthatitdid,andtoprovethathehadnoulteriormeaning,addedwithpointedpoliteness,"SoITISN'T
YOURFAULT,youknow——YOUcouldn'thelpit;"supplementingthiswiththedistinctcourtesy,"otherwiseyouwouldn'thavecome."
"Butitwouldseemthatyourvisitorsarenotallasaccidentalasyourbrotherwouldimply,andone,atleast,seemstohavebeenexpectedlastevening.YourememberyouthoughtwewereaMr.
Parmlee,"saidMr.RicelookingatClementina.
Itwouldbestrangeindeed,hethought,ifthebeautifulgirlwerenotsurroundedbyadmirers.Butwithoutatraceofself-
consciousness,oranychangeinherreposefulface,sheindicatedhersisterwithaslightgesture,andsaid:"OneofPhemie'sfriends.Hegavehertheaccordion.She'sverypopular."
"AndIsupposeYOUareveryhardtoplease?"hesaidwithatentativesmile.
Shelookedathimwithherlarge,cleareyes,andthatabsenceofcoquetryorchangedexpressioninherbeautifulfacewhichmighthavestoodforindifferenceordignityasshesaid:"Idon'tknow.
Iamwaitingtosee."
ButhereMissPhemiebrokeinsaucilywiththeassertionthatMr.
Parmleemightnothavearailroadinhispocket,butthatatleasthedidn'thavetowaitfortheFloodtocallonyoungladies,nordidheusuallycomeinpairs,foralltheworldasifhehadbeenletoutofNoah'sArk,butonhorsebackandlikeaChristianbythefrontdoor.Allthisprovokinglyandbewitchinglydelivered,however,andwithasimulatedexaggerationthatwasincitedapparentlymorebyMr.LawrenceGrant'sevidentenjoymentofit,thanbyanydesiretodefendtheabsentParmlee.
"Butwhereisthefrontdoor?"askedGrantlaughingly.
Theyounggirlpointedtoanarrowzigzagpaththatranupthebankbesidethehouseuntilitstoppedatasmallpicketedgateontheleveloftheroadandstore.
"ButIshouldthinkitwouldbeeasiertohaveadoorandprivatepassagethroughthestore,"saidGrant.
"WEdon't,"saidtheyoungladypertly,"wehavenothingtodowiththestore.Igointoseepawsometimeswhenhe'sshuttingupandthere'snobodythere,butClemhasneversetfootinitsincewecame.It'sbadenoughtohaveitandthelazyloafersthathangarounditasneartousastheyare;butpawbuiltthehouseinsuchafashionthatweain'ttroubledbytheirnoise,andwemightbet'othersideofthecreekasfarasourhavingtocomeacrossthem.Andbecausepawhastosellporkandflour,wehaven'tanycalltogothereandwatchhimdoit."
Thetwomenglancedateachother.Thisreserveandfastidiousnessweresomethingrareinapioneercommunity.Harkutt'smannerscertainlydidnotindicatethathewastroubledbythissensitiveness;itmusthavebeensomeindividualtemperamentofhisdaughters.Stephenfelthisrespectincreaseforthegoddess-likeClementina;Mr.LawrenceGrantlookedatMissPhemiewithacriticalsmile.
"Butyoumustbeverylimitedinyourcompany,"hesaid;"orisMr.
Parmleenotacustomerofyourfather's?"
"AsMr.Parmleedoesnotcometousthroughthestore,anddon'ttalktradetome,wedon'tknow,"respondedPhemiesaucily.
"Buthaveyounoladyacquaintances——neighbors——whoalsoavoidthestoreandenteronlyatthestraightandnarrowgateupthere?"
continuedGrantmischievously,regardlessoftheuneasy,half-
reproachfulglancesofRice.
ButPhemie,triumphantlyobliviousofanysatire,answeredpromptly:"IfyoumeanthePikeCountyBillingseswholiveontheturnpikeroadasmuchastheydooffit,orthesixdaughtersofthatGeorgiaCrackerwhowearmen'sbootsandhats,wehaven't."
"AndMr.Parmlee,youradmirer?"suggestedRice."Hasn'theamotherorsistershere?"
"Yes,buttheydon'twanttoknowus,andhavenevercalledhere."
Theembarrassmentofthequestioneratthisunexpectedreply,whichcamefromthefaultlesslipsofClementina,wassomewhatmitigatedbythefactthattheyoungwoman'svoiceandmannerbetrayedneitherannoyancenoranger.
Here,however,Harkuttappearedfromthehousewiththeinformationthathehadsecuredtwohorsesforthesurveyorsandtheirinstruments,andthathewouldhimselfaccompanythemapartofthewayontheirreturntoTasajaraCreek,toshowthemtheroad.Hisusuallistlessdeliberationhadgivenwaytoacertainnervousbutuneasyenergy.Iftheystartedatonceitwouldbebetter,beforetheloungersgatheredatthestoreandconfusedthemwithlazycounselandlanguidcuriosity.HetookitforgrantedthatMr.
Grantwishedtherailroadsurveytobeasecret,andhehadsaidnothing,astheywouldbepesteredwithquestions."Sidonwasinquisitive——andold-fashioned."Thebenefititsinhabitantswouldgetfromtherailroadwouldnotpreventthemfromthrowingobstaclesinitswayatfirst;herememberedthewaytheyhadactedwithaproposedwagonroad,——infact,anideaofhisown,somethingliketherailroad;heknewthemthoroughly,andifhemightadvisethem,itwouldbetosaynothinghereuntilthethingwassettled.
"Heevidentlydoesnotintendtogiveusachance,"saidGrantgood-humoredlytohiscompanion,astheyturnedtopreparefortheirjourney;"wearetobeconductedinsilencetotheoutskirtsofthetownlikehorse-thieves."
"Butyougavehimthetipforhimself,"saidRicereproachfully;
"youcannotblamehimforwantingtokeepit."
"Igaveittohimintrustforhistwoincredibledaughters,"saidGrantwithagrimace."But,hangit!ifIdon'tbelievethefellowhasmoreconcerninitthanIimagined."
"Butisn'tsheperfect?"saidRice,withcharmingabstraction.
"Who?"
"Clementina,andsounlikeherfather."
"Discomposinglyso,"saidGrantquietly."Onefeelsincallingher'MissHarkutt'asifoneweretouchinguponamanifestindiscretion.
ButherecomesJohnMilton.Well,mylad,whatcanIdoforyou?"
Theboy,whohadbeenregardingthemfromadistancewithwistfulandcuriouseyesastheyreplacedtheirinstrumentsforthejourney,hadgraduallyapproachedthem.Afteramoment'stimidhesitationhesaid,lookingatGrant:"Youdon'tknowanybodyinthiskindo'business,"pointingtotheinstruments,"who'dlikeaboy,aboutmysize?"
"I'mafraidnot,J.M.,"saidGrant,cheerfully,withoutsuspendinghisoperation."Thefactis,yousee,it'snotexactlythekindofworkforaboyofyoursize."
JohnMiltonwassilentforamoment,shiftinghimselfslowlyfromonelegtoanotherashewatchedthesurveyor.Afterapausehesaid,"Theredon'tseemtobemuchshowinthisworldforboyso'
mysize.Theredon'tseemtobemuchusefor'emanyway."Thisnotbitterly,butphilosophically,andevenpolitely,asiftorelieveGrant'srejectionofanyincivility.
"Reallyyouquitepainme,JohnMilton,"saidGrant,lookingupashetightenedabuckle."Ineverthoughtofitbefore,butyou'reright."
"Now,"continuedtheboyslowly,"withgirlsit'sjustdifferent.
Girlsofmysizeeverybodydoesthingsfor.There'sClemmy,——she'sonlytwoyearsoldernorme,anddon'tknowhalfthatIdo,andyetshekinlieaboutallday,andhasn'ttogetuptobreakfast.AndPhemie,——who'sjestthesameage,size,andweightasme,——mawandpawletsherdoeverythingshewantsto.Andsodoeseverybody.
Andsowouldyou."
"Butyousurelydon'twanttobelikeagirl?"saidGrant,smiling.
IthereoccurredtoJohnMilton'syouthfulbutnotillogicalmindthatthiswasnotargument,andheturneddisappointedlyaway.Ashisfatherwastoaccompanythestrangersashortdistance,he,JohnMilton,wasto-dayleftinchargeofthestore.Thatduty,however,didnotinvolveanypecuniarytransactions——thetakingofmoneyormakingofchangebutasimplerecordonaslatebehindthecounterofarticlesselectedbythosecustomerswhoseurgentneedscouldnotwaitMr.Harkutt'sreturn.Perhapsonaccountofthisdegradinglimitation,perhapsforotherreasons,theboydidnotfancythetaskimposeduponhim.Thepresenceoftheidleloungerswhousuallyoccupiedthearmchairsnearthestove,andoccasionallythecounter,dissipatedanyromancewithwhichhemighthaveinvestedhischarge;heweariedofthemonotonyoftheirdullgossip,butmostlyheloathedtheattitudeofhypercriticalcounselandinstructionwhichtheysawfittoassumetowardshimatsuchmoments."Insteado'lazin'tharbehindthecounterwhenyourfatherain'theretoseeye,John,"remarkedBillingsfromthedepthsofhisarmchairafewmomentsafterHarkutthadriddenaway,"yeorterbebustlin'round,dustin'theshelves.Ye'llnevercometoanythin'whenyou'reamanefyougoonlikethat.Yeneverheardo'HarryClay——thatwascalled'theMill-boyoftheSlashes'——
sittin'downdoin'nothin'whenhewasaboy."
"Ineverheardofhimloafin'roundinagrocerystorewhenhewasgrownedupeither,"respondedJohnMilton,darkly.
"P'r'apsyoureckonhegottobeagreatmanbystandin'upsassin'
hisfather'scustomers,"saidPeters,angrily."Ikintellye,youngman,ifyouwasmyboy"——
"IfIwasYOURboy,I'dbeplayin'hookeyinsteadofgoin'toschool,jestasyourboyisdoin'now,"interruptedJohnMilton,withaliteralrecollectionofhisquarrelandpursuitoftheyouthinquestionthatmorning.
Anundignifiedsilenceonthepartoftheadultsfollowed,theusualsequeltothosepassages;SidongenerallydecliningtoexposeitselftotheyouthfulHarkutt'sterribleaccuracyofstatement.
ThemenresumedtheirpreviouslazygossipaboutElijahCurtis'sdisappearance,withoccasionalmysteriousallusionsinalowertone,whichtheboyinstinctivelyknewreferredtohisfather,butwhicheitherfromindolenceorcaution,thetwogreatconservatorsofSidon,wereneverformulateddistinctlyenoughforhisrelentlessinterference.Themorningsunshinewasslowlythickeningagaininanindolentmistthatseemedtorisefromthesaturatedplain.Astrayloungershuffledoverfromtheblacksmith'sshoptothestoretotaketheplaceofanotheridlerwhohadjoinedanequallylethargiccirclearoundtheslumberingforge.Adullintermittentsoundofhammeringcameoccasionallyfromthewheelwright'sshed——atsufficientlyprotractedintervalstoindicatetheenfeebledprogressofSidon'svehicularrepair.A
yellowdoglefthispatchofsunlightontheoppositesideofthewayandwalkeddeliberatelyovertowhatappearedtobemoreluxuriousquartersontheveranda;wasmanifestlydisappointedbutnotequaltotheexertionofreturning,andsankdownwithblinkingeyesandaregretfulsighwithoutgoingfurther.Aprocessionofsixducksgotwellintoalineforalaborious"marchpast"thestore,butfelloutatthefirstmudpuddleandgaveitup.A
highlynervousbutrespectablehen,whohadventuredupontheverandaevidentlyagainstherbetterinstincts,walkedpainfullyontiptoetothedoor,apparentlywasmetbylanguagewhichnomotherofafamilycouldlistento,andretiredinstronghysterics.A
littlelaterthesunbecameagainobscured,thewindarose,rainfell,andtheopportunityforgoingindoorsanddoingnothingwasoncemoreavailedofbyallSidon.
ItwasafternoonwhenMr.Harkuttreturned.Hedidnotgointothestore,butenteredthedwellingfromthelittlepicket-gateandsteeppath.Therehecalledafamilycouncilinthesitting-roomasbeingthemostreservedandsecure.Mrs.Harkutt,sympathizingandcheerfullyreadyforanyaffliction,stillholdingadust-clothinherhand,tookherseatbythewindow,withPhemiebreathlessandsparklingatonesideofher,whileClementina,allfaultlessprofileandrepose,satontheother.ToMrs.Harkutt'smotherlyconcernatJohnMilton'sabsence,itwaspointedoutthathewaswantedatthestore,——wasamereboyanyhow,andcouldnotbetrusted.Mr.Harkutt,alittleruddierfromweather,excitement,andtheunusualfortificationofaglassofliquor,alittlemoreruggedinthelinesofhisface,andwithanoddringofdefiantself-assertioninhisvoice,stoodbeforetheminthecentreoftheroom.
Hewantedthemtolistentohimcarefully,torememberwhathesaid,foritwasimportant;itmightbeamatterof"lawing"
hereafter,——andhecouldn'tbealwaysrepeatingittothem,——hewouldhaveenoughtodo.Therewasaheapofitthat,aswomen-
folks,theycouldn'tunderstand,andweren'texpectedto.Buthe'dgotitallclearnow,andwhathewassayingwasgospel.He'dalwaysknowntohimselfthattheonlygoodthatcouldevercometoSidonwouldcomebyrailroad.Whenthosefoolstalkedwagonroadhehadsaidnothing,buthehadhisownideas;hehadworkedforthatideawithoutsayinganythingtoanybody;thatideawastogetpossessionofallthelandalongtheembarcadero,whichnobodycaredfor,and'LigeCurtiswasreadytosellforasong.Well,now,consideringwhathadhappened,hedidn'tmindtellingthemthathehadbeengraduallygettingpossessionofit,littlebylittle,paying'LigeCurtisinadvancesandinstallments,untilitwashisown!Theyhadheardwhatthosesurveyorssaid;howthatitwastheonlyfitterminusfortherailroad.Well,thatland,andthatwater-front,andtheterminuswereHIS!Andallfromhisownforesightandprudence.
Itisneedlesstosaythatthiswasnotthetruth.Butitisnecessarytopointoutthatthisfabricationwastheresultofhislastnight'scogitationsandhismorning'sexperience.Hehadresolveduponaboldcourse.Hehadreflectedthathisneighborswouldbemorereadytobelieveinandtorespectahard,mercenary,andspeculativeforesightinhistakingadvantageof'Lige'snecessitiesthanifhehad——aswasthecase——merelybenefitedbythemthroughanaccidentofcircumstanceandgoodhumor.Inthelattercasehewouldbeenviedandhated;intheformerhewouldbeenviedandfeared.Bylogicofcircumstancethegreaterwrongseemedtobelessobviouslyoffensivethantheminorfault.Itwastruethatitinvolvedthedoingofsomethinghehadnotcontemplated,andthecertaintyofexposureif'Ligeeverreturned,buthewasneverthelessresolved.Thestepfrompassivetoactivewrong-doingisnotonlyeasy,itisoftenarelief;itisthatreturntosinceritywhichweallrequire.Howbeit,itgavethatringofassertiontoDanielHarkutt'svoicealreadynoted,whichmostwomenlike,andonlymenarepronetosuspectorchallenge.Theincompletenessofhisstatementwas,forthesamereason,overlookedbyhisfeminineauditors.
"Andwhatisitworth,dad?"askedPhemieeagerly.
"GrantsaysIoughtergetatleasttenthousanddollarsforthesiteoftheterminusfromthecompany,butofcourseIshallholdontotherestoftheland.Themomenttheygettheterminusthere,andthedepotandwharfbuilt,Icangetmyownpriceandbuyersfortherest.BeforetheyearisoutGrantthinksitoughttogouptenpercentonthevalueoftheterminus,andthatahundredthousand."
"Oh,dad!"gaspedPhemie,franticallyclaspingherkneeswithbothhandsasiftoperfectlyassureherselfofthisgoodfortune.
Mrs.Harkuttaudiblymurmured"PoordearDan'l,"andstood,asitwere,sympatheticallyby,readytocommiseratethepainsandanxietiesofwealthasshehadthoseofpoverty.Clementinaaloneremainedsilent,clear-eyed,andunchanged.
"AndtothinkitallcamethroughTHEM!"continuedPhemie."I
alwayshadanideathatMr.Grantwassmart,dad.Anditwasrealkindofhimtotellyou."
"Ireckonfathercouldhavefounditoutwithoutthem.Idon'tknowwhyweshouldbebeholdentothemparticularly.Ihopeheisn'texpectedtoletthemthinkthatheisboundtoconsiderthemourintimatefriendsjustbecausetheyhappenedtodropinhereatatimewhenhisplanshavesucceeded."
ThevoicewasClementina's,unexpectedbutquiet,unemotionalandconvincing."Itseemed,"asMrs.Harkuttafterwardssaid,"asifthechildhadalreadytouchedthathundredthousand."Phemiereddenedwithasenseofconvictedyouthfulextravagance.
"Youneedn'tfearforme,"saidHarkutt,respondingtoClementina'svoiceasifitwereanechoofhisown,andinstinctivelyrecognizinganunexpectedally."I'vegotmyownideasofthisthing,andwhat'stocomeofit.I'vegotmyownideasofopenin'
upthatpropertyandshowin'itsresources.I'mgoin'torunitmyownway.I'mgoin'tohaveatownalongtheembarcaderothat'lllayoveranytowninContraCosta.I'mgoin'tohavethecourt-
houseandcountyseatthere,andacoupleofhotelsasgoodasanyintheBay.I'mgoin'tobuildthatwagonroadthroughherethatthoselazyloutsslippedupon,andcarryitclearovertoFiveMileCorner,andopenupthewholeTasajaraPlain!"
Theyhadneverseenhimlooksostrong,soresolute,sointelligentandhandsome.Adimlypropheticvisionofhiminablackbroadclothsuitandgoldwatch-chainaddressingavaguemultitude,assherememberedtohaveseentheHon.StanleyRiggsofAlascoatthe"GreatBarbecue,"rosebeforePhemie'sblueenrapturedeyes.
WiththeexceptionofMrs.Harkutt,——equaltoanypossibilitiesonthepartofherhusband,——theyhadhonestlyneverexpecteditofhim.Theywerepleasedwiththeirfather'sattitudeinprosperity,andfeltthatperhapshewasnotunworthyofbeingproudofthemhereafter.
"Butwe'regoin'toleaveSidon,"saidPhemie,"ain'twe,paw?"