a first family of tasajara-第13章

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highly　nervous　but　respectable　hen；　who　had　ventured　upon　the

veranda　evidently　against　her　better　instincts；　walked　painfully　on

tiptoe　to　the　door；　apparently　was　met　by　language　which　no　mother

of　a　family　could　listen　to；　and　retired　in　strong　hysterics。　　A

little　later　the　sun　became　again　obscured；　the　wind　arose；　rain

fell；　and　the　opportunity　for　going　indoors　and　doing　nothing　was

once　more　availed　of　by　all　Sidon。



It　was　afternoon　when　Mr。　Harkutt　returned。　　He　did　not　go　into　the

store；　but　entered　the　dwelling　from　the　little　picket…gate　and

steep　path。　　There　he　called　a　family　council　in　the　sitting…room

as　being　the　most　reserved　and　secure。　　Mrs。　Harkutt；　sympathizing

and　cheerfully　ready　for　any　affliction；　still　holding　a　dust…cloth

in　her　hand；　took　her　seat　by　the　window；　with　Phemie　breathless

and　sparkling　at　one　side　of　her；　while　Clementina；　all　faultless

profile　and　repose；　sat　on　the　other。　　To　Mrs。　Harkutt's　motherly

concern　at　John　Milton's　absence；　it　was　pointed　out　that　he　was

wanted　at　the　store；was　a　mere　boy　anyhow；　and　could　not　be

trusted。　　Mr。　Harkutt；　a　little　ruddier　from　weather；　excitement；

and　the　unusual　fortification　of　a　glass　of　liquor；　a　little　more

rugged　in　the　lines　of　his　face；　and　with　an　odd　ring　of　defiant

self…assertion　in　his　voice；　stood　before　them　in　the　centre　of　the

room。



He　wanted　them　to　listen　to　him　carefully；　to　remember　what　he

said；　for　it　was　important；　it　might　be　a　matter　of　〃lawing〃

hereafter；and　he　couldn't　be　always　repeating　it　to　them；he

would　have　enough　to　do。　　There　was　a　heap　of　it　that；　as　women…

folks；　they　couldn't　understand；　and　weren't　expected　to。　　But　he'd

got　it　all　clear　now；　and　what　he　was　saying　was　gospel。　　He'd

always　known　to　himself　that　the　only　good　that　could　ever　come　to

Sidon　would　come　by　railroad。　　When　those　fools　talked　wagon　road

he　had　said　nothing；　but　he　had　his　own　ideas；　he　had　worked　for

that　idea　without　saying　anything　to　anybody；　that　idea　was　to　get

possession　of　all　the　land　along　the　embarcadero；　which　nobody

cared　for；　and　'Lige　Curtis　was　ready　to　sell　for　a　song。　　Well；

now；　considering　what　had　happened；　he　didn't　mind　telling　them

that　he　had　been　gradually　getting　possession　of　it；　little　by

little；　paying　'Lige　Curtis　in　advances　and　installments；　until　it

was　his　own！　　They　had　heard　what　those　surveyors　said；　how　that　it

was　the　only　fit　terminus　for　the　railroad。　　Well；　that　land；　and

that　water…front；　and　the　terminus　were　HIS！　　And　all　from　his　own

foresight　and　prudence。



It　is　needless　to　say　that　this　was　not　the　truth。　　But　it　is

necessary　to　point　out　that　this　fabrication　was　the　result　of　his

last　night's　cogitations　and　his　morning's　experience。　　He　had

resolved　upon　a　bold　course。　　He　had　reflected　that　his　neighbors

would　be　more　ready　to　believe　in　and　to　respect　a　hard；　mercenary；

and　speculative　foresight　in　his　taking　advantage　of　'Lige's

necessities　than　if　he　hadas　was　the　casemerely　benefited　by

them　through　an　accident　of　circumstance　and　good　humor。　　In　the

latter　case　he　would　be　envied　and　hated；　in　the　former　he　would　be

envied　and　feared。　　By　logic　of　circumstance　the　greater　wrong

seemed　to　be　less　obviously　offensive　than　the　minor　fault。　　It　was

true　that　it　involved　the　doing　of　something　he　had　not　contemplated；

and　the　certainty　of　exposure　if　'Lige　ever　returned；　but　he　was

nevertheless　resolved。　　The　step　from　passive　to　active　wrong…doing

is　not　only　easy；　it　is　often　a　relief；　it　is　that　return　to

sincerity　which　we　all　require。　　Howbeit；　it　gave　that　ring　of

assertion　to　Daniel　Harkutt's　voice　already　noted；　which　most　women

like；　and　only　men　are　prone　to　suspect　or　challenge。　　The

incompleteness　of　his　statement　was；　for　the　same　reason；　overlooked

by　his　feminine　auditors。



〃And　what　is　it　worth；　dad？〃　asked　Phemie　eagerly。



〃Grant　says　I　oughter　get　at　least　ten　thousand　dollars　for　the

site　of　the　terminus　from　the　company；　but　of　course　I　shall　hold

on　to　the　rest　of　the　land。　　The　moment　they　get　the　terminus

there；　and　the　depot　and　wharf　built；　I　can　get　my　own　price　and

buyers　for　the　rest。　　Before　the　year　is　out　Grant　thinks　it　ought

to　go　up　ten　per　cent　on　the　value　of　the　terminus；　and　that　a

hundred　thousand。〃



〃Oh；　dad！〃　gasped　Phemie；　frantically　clasping　her　knees　with　both

hands　as　if　to　perfectly　assure　herself　of　this　good　fortune。



Mrs。　Harkutt　audibly　murmured　〃Poor　dear　Dan'l；〃　and　stood；　as　it

were；　sympathetically　by；　ready　to　commiserate　the　pains　and

anxieties　of　wealth　as　she　had　those　of　poverty。　　Clementina　alone

remained　silent；　clear…eyed；　and　unchanged。



〃And　to　think　it　all　came　through　THEM！〃　continued　Phemie。　　〃I

always　had　an　idea　that　Mr。　Grant　was　smart；　dad。　　And　it　was　real

kind　of　him　to　tell　you。〃



〃I　reckon　father　could　have　found　it　out　without　them。　　I　don't

know　why　we　should　be　beholden　to　them　particularly。　　I　hope　he

isn't　expected　to　let　them　think　that　he　is　bound　to　consider　them

our　intimate　friends　just　because　they　happened　to　drop　in　here　at

a　time　when　his　plans　have　succeeded。〃



The　voice　was　Clementina's；　unexpected　but　quiet；　unemotional　and

convincing。　　〃It　seemed；〃　as　Mrs。　Harkutt　afterwards　said；　〃as　if

the　child　had　already　touched　that　hundred　thousand。〃　　Phemie

reddened　with　a　sense　of　convicted　youthful　extravagance。



〃You　needn't　fear　for　me；〃　said　Harkutt；　responding　to　Clementina's

voice　as　if　it　were　an　echo　of　his　own；　and　instinctively

recognizing　an　unexpected　ally。　　〃I've　got　my　own　ideas　of　this

thing；　and　what's　to　come　of　it。　　I've　got　my　own　ideas　of　openin'

up　that　property　and　showin'　its　resources。　　I'm　goin'　to　run　it　my

own　way。　　I'm　goin'　to　have　a　town　along　the　embarcadero　that'll

lay　over　any　town　in　Contra　Costa。　　I'm　goin'　to　have　the　court…

house　and　county　seat　there；　and　a　couple　of　hotels　as　good　as　any

in　the　Bay。　　I'm　goin'　to　build　that　wagon　road　through　here　that

those　lazy　louts　slipped　up　on；　and　carry　it　clear　over　to　Five

Mile　Corner；　and　open　up　the　whole　Tasajara　Plain！〃



They　had　never　seen　him　look　so　strong；　so　resolute；　so　intelligent

and　handsome。　　A　dimly　prophetic　vision　of　him　in　a　black

broadcloth　suit　and　gold　watch…chain　addressing　a　vague　multitude；

as　she　remembered　to　have　seen　the　Hon。　Stanley　Riggs　of　Alasco　at

the　〃Great　Barbecue；〃　rose　before　Phemie's　blue　enraptured　eyes。

With　the　exception　of　Mrs。　Harkutt；equal　to　any　possibilities　on

the　part　of　her　husband；they　had　honestly　never　expected　it　of

him。　　They　were　pleased　with　their　father's　attitude　in　prosperity；

and　felt　that　perhaps　he　was　not　unworthy　of　being　proud　of　them

hereafter。



〃But　we're　goin'　to　leave　Sidon；〃　said　Phemie；　〃ain't　we；　paw？〃



〃As　soon　as　I　can　run　up　a　new　house　at　the　embarcadero；〃　said

Harkutt　peevishly；　〃and　that's　got　to　be　done　mighty　quick　if　I

want　to　make　a　show　to　the　company　and　be　in　possession。〃



〃And　that's　easier　for　you　to　do；　dear；　now　that　'Lige's

disappeared；〃　said　Mrs。　Harkutt　consolingly。



〃What　do　ye　mean　by　that？　　What　the　devil　are　ye　talkin'　about？〃

demanded　Harkutt　suddenly　with　unexpected　exasperation。



〃I　mean　that　that　drunken　'Lige　would　be　mighty　poor　company　for

the　girls　if　he　was　our　only　neighbor；〃　returned　Mrs。　Harkutt

submissively。



Harkutt；　after　a　fixed　survey　of　his　wife；　appeared　mollified。　　The

two　girls；　who　were　mindful　of　his　previous　outburst　the　evening

before；　exchanged　glances　which　implied　that　his　manners　needed

correction　for　prosperity。



〃You'll　want　a　heap　o'　money　to　build　there；　Dan'l；〃　said　Mrs。

Harkutt　in　plaintive　diffidence。



〃Yes！　　Yes！〃　said　Harkutt　impatiently。　　〃I've　kalkilated　all　that；

and　I'm　goin'　to　'Frisco　to…morrow　to　raise　it　and　put　this　bill　of

sale　on　record。〃　　He　half　drew　Elijah　Curtis's　paper　from　his

pocket；　but　paused　and　put　it　back　again。



〃Then