a first family of tasajara-第31章

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of　the　town；　and　beyond；　the　painted　dome　of　his　last　creation；　the

Free　Library。　　This　was　all　HIS　work；　HIS　planning；　HIS　foresight；

whatever　they　might　say　of　the　wandering　drunkard　from　whose

tremulous　fingers　he　had　snatched　the　opportunity。　　They　could　not

take　THAT　from　him；　however　they　might　follow　him　with　envy　and

reviling；　any　more　than　they　could　wrest　from　him　the　five　years　of

peaceful　possession。　　It　was　with　something　of　the　prosperous

consciousness　with　which　he　had　mounted　the　platform　on　the　opening

of　the　Free　Library；　that　he　now　climbed　into　his　buggy　and　drove

away。



Nevertheless　he　stopped　at　his　Land　Office　as　he　drove　into　town；

and　gave　a　few　orders。　　〃I　want　a　strong　picket　fence　put　around

the　fifty…vara　lot　in　block　fifty…seven；　and　the　ground　cleared　up

at　once。　　Let　me　know　when　the　men　get　to　work；　and　I'll　overlook

them。〃



Re…entering　his　own　house　in　the　square；　where　Mrs。　Harcourt　and

Clementinawho　often　accompanied　him　in　those　business　visits

were　waiting　for　him　with　luncheon；　he　smiled　somewhat　superciliously

as　the　servant　informed　him　that　〃Professor　Grant　had　just　arrived。〃

Really　that　man　was　trying　to　make　the　most　of　his　time　with

Clementina！　　Perhaps　the　rival　attractions　of　that　Boston　swell

Shipley　had　something　to　do　with　it！　　He　must　positively　talk　to

Clementina　about　this。　　In　point　of　fact　he　himself　was　a　little

disappointed　in　Grant；　who；　since　his　offer　to　take　the　task　of

hunting　down　his　calumniators；　had　really　done　nothing。　　He　turned

into　his　study；　but　was　slightly　astonished　to　find　that　Grant；

instead　of　paying　court　to　Clementina　in　the　adjoining　drawing…room；

was　sitting　rather　thoughtfully　in　his　own　armchair。



He　rose　as　Harcourt　entered。　　〃I　didn't　let　them　announce　me　to

the　ladies；〃　he　said；　〃as　I　have　some　important　business　with　you

first；　and　we　may　find　it　necessary　that　I　should　take　the　next

train　back　to　town。　　You　remember　that　a　few　weeks　ago　I　offered　to

look　into　the　matter　of　those　slanders　against　you。　　I　apprehended

it　would　be　a　trifling　matter　of　envy　or　jealousy　on　the　part　of

your　old　associates　or　neighbors　which　could　be　put　straight　with　a

little　good　feeling；　but　I　must　be　frank　with　you；　Harcourt；　and

say　at　the　beginning　that　it　turns　out　to　be　an　infernally　ugly

business。　　Call　it　conspiracy　if　you　like；　or　organized　hostility；

I'm　afraid　it　will　require　a　lawyer　rather　than　an　arbitrator　to

manage　it；　and　the　sooner　the　better。　　For　the　most　unpleasant

thing　about　it　is；　that　I　can't　find　out　exactly　HOW　BAD　it　is！〃



Unfortunately　the　weaker　instinct　of　Harcourt's　nature　was　first

roused；　the　vulgar　rage　which　confounds　the　bearer　of　ill　news　with

the　news　itself　filled　his　breast。　　〃And　this　is　all　that　your

confounded　intermeddling　came　to？〃　he　said　brutally。



〃No；〃　said　Grant　quietly；　with　a　preoccupied　ignoring　of　the　insult

that　was　more　hopeless　for　Harcourt。　　〃I　found　out　that　it　is

claimed　that　this　'Lige　Curtis　was　not　drowned　nor　lost　that　night；

but　that　he　escaped；　and　for　three　years　has　convinced　another　man

that　you　are　wrongfully　in　possession　of　this　land；　that　these　two

naturally　hold　you　in　their　power；　and　that　they　are　only　waiting

for　you　to　be　forced　into　legal　proceedings　for　slander　to　prove

all　their　charges。　　Until　then；　for　some　reason　best　known　to

themselves；　Curtis　remains　in　the　background。〃



〃Does　he　deny　the　deed　under　which　I　hold　the　property？〃　said

Harcourt　savagely。



〃He　says　it　was　only　a　security　for　a　trifling　loan；　and　not　an

actual　transfer。〃



〃And　don't　those　fools　know　that　his　security　could　be　forfeited？〃



〃Yes；　but　not　in　the　way　it　is　recorded　in　the　county　clerk's

office。　　They　say　that　the　record　shows　that　there　was　an

interpolation　in　the　paper　he　left　with　youwhich　was　a　forgery。

Briefly；　Harcourt；　you　are　accused　of　that。　　More；it　is　intimated

that　when　he　fell　into　the　creek　that　night；　and　escaped　on　a　raft

that　was　floating　past；　that　he　had　been　first　stunned　by　a　blow

from　some　one　interested　in　getting　rid　of　him。〃



He　paused　and　glanced　out　of　the　window。



〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　Harcourt　in　a　perfectly　quiet；　steady；　voice。



〃All！〃　replied　Grant；　struck　with　the　change　in　his　companion's

manner；　and　turning　his　eyes　upon　him　quickly。



The　change　indeed　was　marked　and　significant。　　Whether　from　relief

at　knowing　the　worst；　or　whether　he　was　experiencing　the　same

reaction　from　the　utter　falsity　of　this　last　accusation　that　he　had

felt　when　Grant　had　unintentionally　wronged　him　in　his　previous

recollection；　certain　it　is　that　some　unknown　reserve　of　strength

in　his　own　nature；　of　which　he　knew　nothing　before；　suddenly　came

to　his　aid　in　this　extremity。　　It　invested　him　with　an　uncouth

dignity　that　for　the　first　time　excited　Grant's　respect。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Grant；　for　the　hasty　way　I　spoke　to　you　a

moment　ago；　for　I　thank　you；　and　appreciate　thoroughly　and

sincerely　what　you　have　done。　　You　are　right；　it　is　a　matter　for

fighting　and　not　fussing　over。　　But　I　must　have　a　head　to　hit。

Whose　is　it？〃



〃The　man　who　holds　himself　legally　responsible　is　Fletcher；the

proprietor　of　the　'Clarion；'　and　a　man　of　property。〃



〃The　'Clarion'？　　That　is　the　paper　which　began　the　attack？〃　said

Harcourt。



〃Yes；　and　it　is　only　fair　to　tell　you　here　that　your　son　threw　up

his　place　on　it　in　consequence　of　its　attack　upon　you。〃



There　was　perhaps　the　slightest　possible　shrinking　in　Harcourt's

eyelidsthe　one　congenital　likeness　to　his　discarded　sonbut　his

otherwise　calm　demeanor　did　not　change。　　Grant　went　on　more

cheerfully：　〃I've　told　you　all　I　know。　　When　I　spoke　of　an　unknown　

WORST；　I　did　not　refer　to　any　further　accusation；　but　to　whatever

evidence　they　might　have　fabricated　or　suborned　to　prove　any　one　of

them。　　It　is　only　the　strength　and　fairness　of　the　hands　they　hold

that　is　uncertain。　　Against　that　you　have　your　certain　uncontested

possession；　the　peculiar　character　and　antecedents　of　this　'Lige

Curtis；　which　would　make　his　evidence　untrustworthy　and　even　make

it　difficult　for　them　to　establish　his　identity。　　I　am　told　that

his　failure　to　contest　your　appropriation　of　his　property　is

explained　by　the　fact　of　his　being　absent　from　the　country　most　of

the　time；　but　again；　this　would　not　account　for　their　silence　until

within　the　last　six　months；　unless　they　have　been　waiting　for

further　evidence　to　establish　it。　　But　even　then　they　must　have

known　that　the　time　of　recovery　had　passed。　　You　are　a　practical

man；　Harcourt；　I　needn't　tell　you　therefore　what　your　lawyer　will

probably　tell　you；　that　practically；　so　far　as　your　rights　are

concerned；　you　remain　as　before　these　calumnies；　that　a　cause　of

action　unprosecuted　or　in　abeyance　is　practically　no　cause；　and

that　it　is　not　for　you　to　anticipate　one。　　BUT〃



He　paused　and　looked　steadily　at　Harcourt。　　Harcourt　met　his　look

with　a　dull；　ox…like　stolidity。　　〃I　shall　begin　the　suit　at　once；〃

he　said。



〃And　I；〃　said　Grant；　holding　out　his　hand；　〃will　stand　by　you。　　But

tell　me　now　what　you　knew　of　this　man　Curtis；his　character　and

disposition；　it　may　be　some　clue　as　to　what　are　his　methods　and　his

intentions。〃



Harcourt　briefly　sketched　'Lige　Curtis　as　he　knew　him　and

understood　him。　　It　was　another　indication　of　his　reserved　power

that　the　description　was　so　singularly　clear；　practical；

unprejudiced；　and　impartial　that　it　impressed　Grant　with　its

truthfulness。



〃I　can't　make　him　out；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　drawn　a　weak；　but

neither　a　dishonest　nor　malignant　man。　　There　must　have　been

somebody　behind　him。　　Can　you　think　of　any　personal　enemy？〃



〃I　have　been　subjected　to　the　usual　jealousy　and　envy　of　my　old

neighbors；　I　suppose；　but　nothing　more。　　I　have　harmed　no　one

knowingly。〃



Grant　was　silent；　it　had　flashed　across　him　that　Rice　might　have

harbored　revenge　for　his　father…in…law's　interferen