第5章

"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?"