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ways； their strange instruments and stranger talk； captured his
fancy。 Kept in the background by his sisters when visitors came；
as an unpresentable feature in the household； he however managed to
linger near the strangers when； in company with Euphemia and
Clementina； after breakfast they strolled beneath the sparkling
sunlight in the rude garden inclosure along the sloping banks of
the creek。 It was with the average brother's supreme contempt that
he listened to his sisters' 〃practicin'〃 upon the goodness of these
superior beings； it was with an exceptional pity that he regarded
the evident admiration of the strangers in return。 He felt that in
the case of Euphemia； who sometimes evinced a laudable curiosity in
his pleasures； and a flattering ignorance of his reading； this
might be pardonable； but what any one could find in the useless
statuesque Clementina passed his comprehension。 Could they not see
at once that she was 〃just that kind of person〃 who would lie abed
in the morning； pretending she was sick； in order to make Phemie do
the housework； and make him； John Milton； clean her boots and fetch
things for her？ Was it not perfectly plain to them that her
present sickening politeness was solely with a view to extract from
them caramels； rock…candy； and gum drops； which she would meanly
keep herself； and perhaps some 〃buggy…riding〃 later？ Alas； John
Milton； it was not！ For standing there with her tall； perfectly…
proportioned figure outlined against a willow； an elastic branch of
which she had drawn down by one curved arm above her head； and on
which she leanedas everybody leaned against something in Sidon
the two young men saw only a straying goddess in a glorified
rosebud print。 Whether the clearly…cut profile presented to Rice；
or the full face that captivated Grant； each suggested possibilities
of position； pride； poetry； and passion that astonished while it
fascinated them。 By one of those instincts known only to the
freemasonry of the sex； Euphemia lent herself to this advertisement
of her sister's charms by subtle comparison with her own
prettinesses； and thus combined against their common enemy； man。
〃Clementina certainly is perfect； to keep her supremacy over that
pretty little sister；〃 thought Rice。
〃What a fascinating little creature to hold her own against that
tall； handsome girl；〃 thought Grant。
〃They're takin' stock o' them two fellers so as to gabble about 'em
when their backs is turned；〃 said John Milton gloomily to himself；
with a dismal premonition of the prolonged tea…table gossip he
would be obliged to listen to later。
〃We were very fortunate to make a landing at all last night；〃 said
Rice； looking down upon the still swollen current； and then raising
his eyes to Clementina。 〃Still more fortunate to make it where we
did。 I suppose it must have been the singing that lured us on to
the bank；as； you know； the sirens used to lure people；only with
less disastrous consequences。〃
John Milton here detected three glaring errors； first； it was NOT
Clementina who had sung； secondly； he knew that neither of his
sisters had ever read anything about sirens； but he had； thirdly；
that the young surveyor was glaringly ignorant of local phenomena
and should be corrected。
〃It's nothin' but the current；〃 he said； with that feverish youthful
haste that betrays a fatal experience of impending interruption。
〃It's always leavin' drift and rubbish from everywhere here。 There
ain't anythin' that's chucked into the creek above that ain't bound
to fetch up on this bank。 Why； there was two sheep and a dead hoss
here long afore YOU thought of coming！〃 He did not understand why
this should provoke the laughter that it did； and to prove that he
had no ulterior meaning； added with pointed politeness； 〃So IT ISN'T
YOUR FAULT； you knowYOU couldn't help it；〃 supplementing this
with the distinct courtesy； 〃otherwise you wouldn't have come。〃
〃But it would seem that your visitors are not all as accidental as
your brother would imply； and one； at least； seems to have been
expected last evening。 You remember you thought we were a Mr。
Parmlee；〃 said Mr。 Rice looking at Clementina。
It would be strange indeed； he thought； if the beautiful girl were
not surrounded by admirers。 But without a trace of self…
consciousness； or any change in her reposeful face； she indicated
her sister with a slight gesture； and said： 〃One of Phemie's
friends。 He gave her the accordion。 She's very popular。〃
〃And I suppose YOU are very hard to please？〃 he said with a
tentative smile。
She looked at him with her large； clear eyes； and that absence of
coquetry or changed expression in her beautiful face which might
have stood for indifference or dignity as she said： 〃I don't know。
I am waiting to see。〃
But here Miss Phemie broke in saucily with the assertion that Mr。
Parmlee might not have a railroad in his pocket； but that at least
he didn't have to wait for the Flood to call on young ladies； nor
did he usually come in pairs； for all the world as if he had been
let out of Noah's Ark； but on horseback and like a Christian by the
front door。 All this provokingly and bewitchingly delivered；
however； and with a simulated exaggeration that was incited
apparently more by Mr。 Lawrence Grant's evident enjoyment of it；
than by any desire to defend the absent Parmlee。
〃But where is the front door？〃 asked Grant laughingly。
The young girl pointed to a narrow zigzag path that ran up the bank
beside the house until it stopped at a small picketed gate on the
level of the road and store。
〃But I should think it would be easier to have a door and private
passage through the store；〃 said Grant。
〃WE don't；〃 said the young lady pertly； 〃we have nothing to do with
the store。 I go in to see paw sometimes when he's shutting up and
there's nobody there； but Clem has never set foot in it since we
came。 It's bad enough to have it and the lazy loafers that hang
around it as near to us as they are； but paw built the house in
such a fashion that we ain't troubled by their noise； and we might
be t'other side of the creek as far as our having to come across
them。 And because paw has to sell pork and flour； we haven't any
call to go there and watch him do it。〃
The two men glanced at each other。 This reserve and fastidiousness
were something rare in a pioneer community。 Harkutt's manners
certainly did not indicate that he was troubled by this
sensitiveness； it must have been some individual temperament of his
daughters。 Stephen felt his respect increase for the goddess…like
Clementina； Mr。 Lawrence Grant looked at Miss Phemie with a
critical smile。
〃But you must be very limited in your company；〃 he said； 〃or is Mr。
Parmlee not a customer of your father's？〃
〃As Mr。 Parmlee does not come to us through the store； and don't
talk trade to me； we don't know；〃 responded Phemie saucily。
〃But have you no lady acquaintancesneighborswho also avoid the
store and enter only at the straight and narrow gate up there？〃
continued Grant mischievously； regardless of the uneasy； half…
reproachful glances of Rice。
But Phemie； triumphantly oblivious of any satire； answered
promptly： 〃If you mean the Pike County Billingses who live on the
turnpike road as much as they do off it； or the six daughters of
that Georgia Cracker who wear men's boots and hats； we haven't。〃
〃And Mr。 Parmlee； your admirer？〃 suggested Rice。 〃Hasn't he a
mother or sisters here？〃
〃Yes； but they don't want to know us； and have never called here。〃
The embarrassment of the questioner at this unexpected reply； which
came from the faultless lips of Clementina； was somewhat mitigated
by the fact that the young woman's voice and manner betrayed
neither annoyance nor anger。
Here； however； Harkutt appeared from the house with the information
that he had secured two horses for the surveyors and their
instruments； and that he would himself accompany them a part of the
way on their return to Tasajara Creek； to show them the road。 His
usual listless deliberation had given way to a certain nervous but
uneasy energy。 If they started at once it would be better； before
the loungers gathered at the store and confused them with lazy
counsel and languid curiosity。 He took it for granted that Mr。
Grant wished the railroad survey to be a secret； and he had said
nothing； as they would be pestered with questions。 〃Sidon was
inquisitiveand old…fashioned。〃 The benefit its inhabitants would
get from the railroad would not prevent them from throwing
obstacles in its way at first； he remembered the way they had acted
with a proposed wagon road；in fact； an idea of his own； something
like the railroad； he knew them thoroughly； and if he might advise
them； it would be to say nothing here until the thing was settled。
〃He evidently does not intend