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House； who arrived one summer afternoon from the Stockton boat； but
whose shrewd； half…critical； half…professional eyes and quiet
questionings betrayed some previous knowledge of the locality。
Seated on the broad veranda of the Harcourt House； and gazing out
on the well…kept green and young eucalyptus trees of the Harcourt
Square or Plaza； he had elicited a counter question from a
prosperous…looking citizen who had been lounging at his side。
〃I reckon you look ez if you might have been here before；
stranger。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the stranger quietly； 〃I have been。 But it was when
the tules grew in the square opposite； and the tide of the creek
washed them。〃
〃Well；〃 said the Tasajaran； looking curiously at the stranger； 〃I
call myself a pioneer of Tasajara。 My name's Peters；of Peters
and Co。；and those warehouses along the wharf； where you landed
just now； are mine； but I was the first settler on Harcourt's land；
and built the next cabin after him。 I helped to clear out them
tules and dredged the channels yonder。 I took the contract with
Harcourt to build the last fifteen miles o' railroad； and put up
that depot for the company。 Perhaps you were here before that？〃
〃I was；〃 returned the stranger quietly。
〃I say；〃 said Peters； hitching his chair a little nearer to his
companion； 〃you never knew a kind of broken…down feller； called
Curtis'Lige Curtiswho once squatted here and sold his right to
Harkutt？ He disappeared； it was allowed he killed hisself； but
they never found his body； and； between you and me； I never took
stock in that story。 You know Harcourt holds under him； and all
Tasajara rests on that title。〃
〃I've heard so；〃 assented the stranger carelessly； 〃but I never
knew the original settler。 Then Harcourt has been lucky？〃
〃You bet。 He's got three millions right about HERE； or within this
quarter section； to say nothing of his outside speculations。〃
〃And lives here？〃
〃Not for two years。 That's his old house across the plaza； but his
women…folks live mostly in 'Frisco and New York； where he's got
houses too。 They say they sorter got sick of Tasajara after his
youngest daughter ran off with a feller。〃
〃Hallo！〃 said the stranger with undisguised interest。 〃I never
heard of that！ You don't mean that she eloped〃he hesitated。
〃Oh； it was a square enough marriage。 I reckon too square to suit
some folks； but the fellow hadn't nothin'； and wasn't worth
shucks；a sort of land surveyor； doin' odd jobs； you know； and the
old man and old woman were agin it； and the tother daughter worse
of all。 It was allowed hereyou know how women…folks talk！that
the surveyor had been sweet on Clementina； but had got tired of
being played by her； and took up with Phemie out o' spite。 Anyhow
they got married； and Harcourt gave them to understand they
couldn't expect anything from him。 P'raps that's why it didn't
last long； for only about two months ago she got a divorce from
Rice and came back to her family again。〃
〃Rice？〃 queried the stranger。 〃Was that her husband's name；
Stephen Rice？〃
〃I reckon！ You knew him？〃
〃Yes；when the tide came up to the tules； yonder；〃 answered the
stranger musingly。 〃And the other daughter；I suppose she has
made a good match； being a beauty and the sole heiress？〃
The Tasajaran made a grimace。 〃Not much！ I reckon she's waitin'
for the Angel Gabriel；there ain't another good enough to suit her
here。 They say she's had most of the big men in California waitin'
in a line with their offers； like that cue the fellows used to make
at the 'Frisco post…office steamer daysand she with nary a letter
or answer for any of them。〃
〃Then Harcourt doesn't seem to have been as fortunate in his family
affairs as in his speculations？〃
Peters uttered a grim laugh。 〃Well； I reckon you know all about
his son's stampeding with that girl last spring？〃
〃His son？〃 interrupted the stranger。 〃Do you mean the boy they
called John Milton？ Why； he was a mere child！〃
〃He was old enough to run away with a young woman that helped in
his mother's house； and marry her afore a justice of the peace。
The old man just snorted with rage； and swore he'd have the
marriage put aside； for the boy was under age。 He said it was a
put…up job of the girl's； that she was older by two years； and only
wanted to get what money might be comin' some day； but that they'd
never see a red cent of it。 Then； they say； John Milton up and
sassed the old man to his face； and allowed that he wouldn't take
his dirty money if he starved first； and that if the old man broke
the marriage he'd marry her again next year； that true love and
honorable poverty were better nor riches； and a lot more o' that
stuff he picked out o' them ten…cent novels he was allus reading。
My women…folks say that he actually liked the girl； because she was
the only one in the house that was ever kind to him； they say the
girls were just ragin' mad at the idea o' havin' a hired gal who
had waited on 'em as a sister…in…law； and they even got old Mammy
Harcourt's back up by sayin' that John's wife would want to rule
the house； and run her out of her own kitchen。 Some say he shook
THEM； talked back to 'em mighty sharp； and held his head a heap
higher nor them。 Anyhow； he's livin' with his wife somewhere in
'Frisco； in a shanty on a sand lot； and workin' odd jobs for the
newspapers。 No！ takin' it by and largeit don't look as if
Harcourt had run his family to the same advantage that he has his
land。〃
〃Perhaps he doesn't understand them as well；〃 said the stranger
smiling。
〃Mor'n likely the material ain't thar； or ain't as vallyble for a
new country；〃 said Peters grimly。 〃I reckon the trouble is that he
lets them two daughters run him； and the man who lets any woman or
women do that； lets himself in for all their meannesses； and all he
gets in return is a woman's result；show！〃
Here the stranger； who was slowly rising from his chair with the
polite suggestion of reluctantly tearing himself from the speaker's
spell； said： 〃And Harcourt spends most of his time in San
Francisco； I suppose？〃
〃Yes！ but to…day he's here to attend a directors' meeting and the
opening of the Free Library and Tasajara Hall。 I saw the windows
open； and the blinds up in his house across the plaza as I passed
just now。〃
The stranger had by this time quite effected his courteous
withdrawal。 〃Good…afternoon； Mr。 Peters；〃 he said； smilingly
lifting his hat； and turned away。
Peters； who was obliged to take his legs off the chair； and half
rise to the stranger's politeness； here reflected that he did not
know his interlocutor's name and business； and that he had really
got nothing in return for his information。 This must be remedied。
As the stranger passed through the hall into the street； followed
by the unwonted civilities of the spruce hotel clerk and the
obsequious attentions of the negro porter； Peters stepped to the
window of the office。 〃Who was that man who just passed out？〃 he
asked。
The clerk stared in undisguised astonishment。 〃You don't mean to
say you didn't know WHO he wasall the while you were talking to
him？〃
〃No；〃 returned Peters； impatiently。
〃Why； that was Professor Lawrence Grant！THE Lawrence Grantdon't
you know？the biggest scientific man and recognized expert on the
Pacific slope。 Why； that's the man whose single word is enough to
make or break the biggest mine or claim going！ That man！why；
that's the man whose opinion's worth thousands； for it carries
millions with itand can't be bought。 That's him who knocked the
bottom outer El Dorado last year； and next day sent Eureka up
booming！ Ye remember that； sure？〃
〃Of coursebut〃stammered Peters。
〃And to think you didn't know him！〃 repeated the hotel clerk
wonderingly。 〃And here I was reckoning you were getting points
from him all the time！ Why； some men would have given a thousand
dollars for your chance of talking to himyes！of even being SEEN
talking to him。 Why； old Wingate once got a tip on his Prairie
Flower lead worth five thousand dollars while just changing seats
with him in the cars and passing the time of day； sociable like。
Why； what DID you talk about？〃
Peters； with a miserable conviction that he had thrown away a
valuable opportunity in mere idle gossip； nevertheless endeavored
to look mysterious as he replied； 〃Oh； business gin'rally。〃 Then
in the faint hope of yet retrieving his blunder he inquired； 〃How
long will he be here？〃
〃Don't know。 I reckon he and Harcourt's got something on hand。 He
just asked if he was likely to be at home or at his office。 I told
him I reckoned at the house； for some of the familyI didn't get
to see who they weredrove up in a carriage from the 3。40 train
while you were sitting there。〃
Meanwhile the subject of this discussion； quite unconscious of the