a first family of tasajara-第35章

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facts　pertaining　to　it　are　sufficiently　related　to　connect　me　with

the　conspiracy。〃



〃Are　you　not　a　little　hasty　in　your　presumption；　Mr。　Grant？〃　said

Fletcher；　with　unfeigned　surprise。



〃That　is　for　ME　to　judge；　Mr。　Fletcher；〃　returned　Grant；　haughtily。



〃But　the　name　of　Professor　Grant　is　known　to　all　California　as

beyond　the　breath　of　calumny　or　suspicion。〃



〃It　is　because　of　that　fact　that　I　propose　to　keep　it　so。〃



〃And　may　I　ask　in　what　way　you　wish　me　to　assist　you　in　so　doing？〃



〃By　promptly　and　publicly　retracting　in　the　'Clarion'　every　word　of

this　slander　against　Harcourt。〃



Fletcher　looked　steadfastly　at　the　speaker。　　〃And　if　I　decline？〃



〃I　think　you　have　been　long　enough　in　California；　Mr。　Fletcher；　to

know　the　alternative　expected　of　a　gentleman；〃　said　Grant；　coldly。



Mr。　Fletcher　kept　his　gentle　blue　eyesin　which　surprise　still

overbalanced　their　expression　of　pained　concernon　Grant's　face。



〃But　is　not　this　more　in　the　style　of　Colonel　Starbottle　than

Professor　Grant？〃　he　asked；　with　a　faint　smile。



Grant　rose　instantly　with　a　white　face。　　〃You　will　have　a　better

opportunity　of　judging；〃　he　said；　〃when　Colonel　Starbottle　has　the

honor　of　waiting　upon　you　from　me。　　Meantime；　I　thank　you　for

reminding　me　of　the　indiscretion　into　which　my　folly；　in　still

believing　that　this　thing　could　be　settled　amicably；　has　led　me。〃



He　bowed　coldly　and　withdrew。　　Nevertheless；　as　he　mounted　his

horse　and　rode　away；　he　felt　his　cheeks　burning。　　Yet　he　had　acted

upon　calm　consideration；　he　knew　that　to　the　ordinary　Californian

experience　there　was　nothing　quixotic　nor　exaggerated　in　the

attitude　he　had　taken。　　Men　had　quarreled　and　fought　on　less

grounds；　he　had　even　half　convinced　himself　that　he　HAD　been

insulted；　and　that　his　own　professional　reputation　demanded　the

withdrawal　of　the　attack　on　Harcourt　on　purely　business　grounds；

but　he　was　not　satisfied　of　the　personal　responsibility　of　Fletcher

nor　of　his　gratuitous　malignity。　　Nor　did　the　man　look　like　a　tool

in　the　hands　of　some　unscrupulous　and　hidden　enemy。　　However；　he

had　played　his　card。　　If　he　succeeded　only　in　provoking　a　duel　with

Fletcher；　he　at　least　would　divert　the　public　attention　from

Harcourt　to　himself。　　He　knew　that　his　superior　position　would

throw　the　lesser　victim　in　the　background。　　He　would　make　the

sacrifice；　that　was　his　duty　as　a　gentleman；　even　if　SHE　would　not

care　to　accept　it　as　an　earnest　of　his　unselfish　love！



He　had　reached　the　point　where　the　mountain　track　entered　the　Santa

Clara　turnpike　when　his　attention　was　attracted　by　a　handsome　but

old…fashioned　carriage　drawn　by　four　white　mules；　which　passed　down

the　road　before　him　and　turned　suddenly　off　into　a　private　road。

But　it　was　not　this　picturesque　gala　equipage　of　some　local　Spanish

grandee　that　brought　a　thrill　to　his　nerves　and　a　flash　to　his　eye；

it　was　the　unmistakable；　tall；　elegant　figure　and　handsome　profile

of　Clementina；　reclining　in　light　gauzy　wraps　against　the　back

seat！　　It　was　no　fanciful　resemblance；　the　outcome　of　his　reverie；

there　never　was　any　one　like　her！it　WAS　she　herself！　　But　what

was　she　doing　here？



A　vaquero　cantered　from　the　cross　road　where　the　dust　of　the

vehicle　still　hung。　　Grant　hailed　him。　　Ah！　it　was　a　fine　carroza

de　cuatro　mulas　that　he　had　just　passed！　　Si；　Senor；　truly；　it　was

of　Don　Jose　Ramirez；　who　lived　just　under　the　hill。　　It　was

bringing　company　to　the　casa。



Ramirez！　　That　was　where　Fletcher　was　going！　　Had　Clementina　known

that　he　was　one　of　Fletcher's　friends？　　Might　she　not　be　exposed　to

unpleasantness；　marked　coolness；　or　even　insult　in　that　unexpected

meeting？　　Ought　she　not　to　be　warned　or　prepared　for　it？　　She　had

banished　Grant　from　her　presence　until　this　stain　was　removed　from

her　father's　name；　but　could　she　blame　him　for　trying　to　save　her

from　contact　with　her　father's　slanderer？　　No！　　He　turned　his　horse

abruptly　into　the　cross　road　and　spurred　forward　in　the　direction

of　the　casa。



It　was　quite　visible　nowa　low…walled；　quadrangular　mass　of

whitewashed　adobe　lying　like　a　drift　on　the　green　hillside。　　The

carriage　and　four　had　far　preceded　him；　and　was　already　half　up　the

winding　road　towards　the　house。　　Later　he　saw　them　reach　the

courtyard　and　disappear　within。　　He　would　be　quite　in　time　to　speak

with　her　before　she　retired　to　change　her　dress。　　He　would　simply

say　that　while　making　a　professional　visit　to　Los　Gatos　Land

Company　office　he　had　become　aware　of　Fletcher's　connection　with

it；　and　accidentally　of　his　intended　visit　to　Ramirez。　　His　chance

meeting　with　the　carriage　on　the　highway　had　determined　his　course。



As　he　rode　into　the　courtyard　he　observed　that　it　was　also　approached

by　another　road；　evidently　nearer　Los　Gatos；　and　probably　the　older

and　shorter　communication　between　the　two　ranchos。　　The　fact　was

significantly　demonstrated　a　moment　later。　He　had　given　his　horse

to　a　servant；　sent　in　his　card　to　Clementina；　and　had　dropped

listlessly　on　one　of　the　benches　of　the　gallery　surrounding　the

patio；　when　a　horseman　rode　briskly　into　the　opposite　gateway；　and

dismounted　with　a　familiar　air。　　A　waiting　peon　who　recognized　him

informed　him　that　the　Dona　was　engaged　with　a　visitor；　but　that　they

were　both　returning　to　the　gallery　for　chocolate　in　a　moment。　　The

stranger　was　the　man　he　had　left　only　an　hour　beforeDon　Diego

Fletcher！



In　an　instant　the　idiotic　fatuity　of　his　position　struck　him　fully。

His　only　excuse　for　following　Clementina　had　been　to　warn　her　of

the　coming　of　this　man　who　had　just　entered；　and　who　would　now　meet

her　as　quickly　as　himself。　　For　a　brief　moment　the　idea　of　quietly

slipping　out　to　the　corral；　mounting　his　horse　again；　and　flying

from　the　rancho；　crossed　his　mind；　but　the　thought　that　he　would　be

running　away　from　the　man　he　had　just　challenged；　and　perhaps　some

new　hostility　that　had　sprung　up　in　his　heart　against　him；

compelled　him　to　remain。　　The　eyes　of　both　men　met；　Fletcher's　in

half…wondering　annoyance；　Grant's　in　ill…concealed　antagonism。

What　they　would　have　said　is　not　known；　for　at　that　moment　the

voices　of　Clementina　and　Mrs。　Ramirez　were　heard　in　the　passage；

and　they　both　entered　the　gallery。　　The　two　men　were　standing

together；　it　was　impossible　to　see　one　without　the　other。



And　yet　Grant；　whose　eyes　were　instantly　directed　to　Clementina；

thought　that　she　had　noted　neither。　　She　remained　for　an　instant

standing　in　the　doorway　in　the　same　self…possessed；　coldly　graceful

pose　he　remembered　she　had　taken　on　the　platform　at　Tasajara。　　Her

eyelids　were　slightly　downcast；　as　if　she　had　been　arrested　by　some

sudden　thought　or　some　shy　maiden　sensitiveness；　in　her　hesitation

Mrs。　Ramirez　passed　impatiently　before　her。



〃Mother　of　God！〃　said　that　lively　lady；　regarding　the　two

speechless　men；　〃is　it　an　indiscretion　we　are　making　hereor　are

you　dumb？　　You；　Don　Diego；　are　loud　enough　when　you　and　Don　Jose

are　together；　at　least　introduce　your　friend。〃



Grant　quickly　recovered　himself。　　〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　coming

forward；　〃unless　Miss　Harcourt　does；　that　I　am　a　mere　trespasser　in

your　house；　Senora。　　I　saw　her　pass　in　your　carriage　a　few　moments

ago；　and　having　a　message　for　her　I　ventured　to　follow　her　here。〃



〃It　is　Mr。　Grant；　a　friend　of　my　father's；〃　said　Clementina；

smiling　with　equanimity；　as　if　just　awakening　from　a　momentary

abstraction；　yet　apparently　unconscious　of　Grant's　imploring　eyes；

〃but　the　other　gentleman　I　have　not　the　pleasure　of　knowing。〃




〃Ah！　　Don　Diego　Fletcher；　a　countryman　of　yours；　and　yet　I　think　he

knows　you　not。〃



Clementina's　face　betrayed　no　indication　of　the　presence　of　her

father's　foe；　and　yet　Grant　knew　that　she　must　have　recognized　his

name；　as　she　looked　towards　Fletcher　with　perfect　self…possession。

He　was　too　much　engaged　in　watching　her　to　take　note　of　Fletcher's

manifest　disturbance；　or　the　evident