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?"