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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 THAT WAS the paper； dad；〃 said Phemie triumphantly。
〃Yes；〃 said her father； regarding her fixedly； 〃and you know now
why I didn't want anything said about it last nightnor even now。〃
〃And 'Lige had just given it to you！ Wasn't it lucky？〃
〃He HADN'T just given it to me！〃 said her father with another
unexpected outburst。 〃God Amighty！ ain't I tellin' you all the
time it was an old matter！ But you jabber； jabber all the time and
don't listen！ Where's John Milton？〃 It had occurred to him that
the boy might have read the paperas his sister hadwhile it lay
unheeded on the counter。
〃In the store；you know。 You said he wasn't to hear anything of
this； but I'll call him；〃 said Mrs。 Harkutt； rising eagerly。
〃Never mind；〃 returned her husband； stopping her reflectively；
〃best leave it as it is； if it's necessary I'll tell him。 But
don't any of you say anything； do you hear？〃
Nevertheless a few hours later； when the store was momentarily free
of loungers； and Harkutt had relieved his son of his monotonous
charge； he made a pretense； while abstractedly listening to an
account of the boy's stewardship； to look through a drawer as if in
search of some missing article。
〃You didn't see anything of a paper I left somewhere about here
yesterday？〃 he asked carelessly。
〃The one you picked up when you came in last night？〃 said the boy
with discomposing directness。
Harkutt flushed slightly and drew his breath between his set teeth。
Not only could he place no reliance upon ordinary youthful
inattention； but he must be on his guard against his own son as
from a spy！ But he restrained himself。
〃I don't remember；〃 he said with affected deliberation； 〃what it
was I picked up。 Do you？ Did you read it？〃
The meaning of his father's attitude instinctively flashed upon the
boy。 He HAD read the paper； but he answered； as he had already
determined； 〃No。〃
An inspiration seized Mr。 Harkutt。 He drew 'Lige Curtis's bill of
sale from his pocket； and opening it before John Milton said； 〃Was
it that？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said the boy。 〃I couldn't tell。〃 He walked away
with affected carelessness； already with a sense of playing some
part like his father； and pretended to whistle for the dog across
the street。 Harkutt coughed ostentatiously； put the paper back in
his pocket； set one or two boxes straight on the counter； locked
the drawer； and disappeared into the back passage。 John Milton
remained standing in the doorway looking vacantly out。 But he did
not see the dull familiar prospect beyond。 He only saw the paper
his father had opened and unfolded before him。 It was the same
paper he had read last night。 But there were three words written
there THAT WERE NOT THERE BEFORE！ After the words 〃Value received〃
there had been a blank。 He remembered that distinctly。 This was
filled in by the words； 〃Five hundred dollars。〃 The handwriting
did not seem like his father's； nor yet entirely like 'Lige
Curtis's。 What it meant he did not know；he would not try to
think。 He should forget it； as he had tried to forget what had
happened before； and he should never tell it to any one！
There was a feverish gayety in his sisters' manner that afternoon
that he did not understand； short colloquies that were suspended
with ill concealed impatience when he came near them； and resumed
when he was sent； on equally palpable excuses； out of the room。 He
had been accustomed to this exclusion when there were strangers
present； but it seemed odd to him now； when the conversation did
not even turn upon the two superior visitors who had been there；
and of whom he confidently expected they would talk。 Such
fragments as he overheard were always in the future tense； and
referred to what they intended to do。 His mother； whose affection
for him had always been shown in excessive and depressing
commiseration of him in even his lightest moments； th