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Nevertheless Grant was honestly and sincerely profuse in his
congratulations。 〃You were far cooler and far more self…contained
than I should have been in your place；〃 he said； 〃than in fact I
actually WAS； only as your auditor。 But I suppose you have done it
before？〃
She turned her beautiful eyes on his wonderingly。 〃No；this is
the first time I ever appeared in public；not even at school； for
even there I was always a private pupil。〃
〃You astonish me；〃 said Grant； 〃you seemed like an old hand at it。〃
〃Perhaps I did； or rather as if I didn't think anything of it
myself；and that no doubt is why the audience didn't think
anything of it either。〃
So she HAD noticed her cold reception； and yet there was not the
slightest trace of disappointment； regret； or wounded vanity in her
tone or manner。 〃You must take me to the refreshment room now；〃
she said pleasantly； 〃and help me to look after the young ladies
who are my guests。 I'm afraid there are still more speeches to
come； and father and Mr。 Pilsbury are looking as if they
confidently expected something more would be 'expected' of them。〃
Grant at once threw himself into the task assigned to him； with his
natural gallantry and a certain captivating playfulness which he
still retained。 Perhaps he was the more anxious to please in order
that his companion might share some of his popularity； for it was
undeniable that Miss Harcourt still seemed to excite only a
constrained politeness among those with whom she courteously
mingled。 And this was still more distinctly marked by the contrast
of a later incident。
For some moments the sound of laughter and greeting had risen near
the door of the refreshment room that opened upon the central hall；
and there was a perceptible movement of the crowdparticularly of
youthful male Tasajarain that direction。 It was evident that it
announced the unexpected arrival of some popular resident。
Attracted like the others； Grant turned and saw the company making
way for the smiling； easy； half…saucy； half…complacent entry of a
handsomely dressed young girl。 As she turned from time to time to
recognize with rallying familiarity or charming impertinence some
of her admirers； there was that in her tone and gesture which
instantly recalled to him the past。 It was unmistakably Euphemia！
His eyes instinctively sought Clementina's。 She was gazing at him
with such a grave； penetrating look；half doubting； half wistful；
a look so unlike her usual unruffled calm that he felt strangely
stirred。 But the next moment； when she rejoined him； the look had
entirely gone。 〃You have not seen my sister since you were at
Sidon； I believe？〃 she said quietly。 〃She would be sorry to miss
you。〃 But Euphemia and her train were already passing them on the
opposite side of the long table。 She had evidently recognized
Grant； yet the two sisters were looking intently into each other's
eyes when he raised his own。 Then Euphemia met his bow with a
momentary accession of color； a coquettish wave of her hand across
the table； a slight exaggeration of her usual fascinating
recklessness； and smilingly moved away。 He turned to Clementina；
but here an ominous tapping at the farther end of the long table
revealed the fact that Mr。 Harcourt was standing on a chair with
oratorical possibilities in his face and attitude。 There was
another forward movement in the crowd andsilence。 In that solid；
black…broadclothed； respectable figure； that massive watchchain；
that white waistcoat； that diamond pin glistening in the satin
cravat； Euphemia might have seen the realization of her prophetic
vision at Sidon five years before。
He spoke for ten minutes with a fluency and comprehensive business…
like directness that surprised Grant。 He was not there； he said；
to glorify what had been done by himself； his family； or his
friends in Tasajara。 Others who were to follow him might do that；
or at least might be better able to explain and expatiate upon the
advantages of the institution they had just opened； and its social；
moral； and religious effect upon the community。 He was there as a
business man to demonstrate to themas he had always done and
always hoped to dothe money value of improvement； the profitif
they might choose to call itof well…regulated and properly
calculated speculation。 The plot of land upon which they stood； of
which the building occupied only one eighth； was bought two years
before for ten thousand dollars。 When the plans of the building
were completed a month afterwards； the value of the remaining seven
eighths had risen enough to defray the cost of the entire
construction。 He was in a position to tell them that only that
morning the adjacent property； subdivided and laid out in streets
and building…plots； had been admitted into the corporate limits of
the city； and that on the next anniversary of the building they
would approach it through an avenue of finished dwellings！ An
outburst of applause followed the speaker's practical climax； the
fresh young faces of his auditors glowed with invincible
enthusiasm； the afternoon trade…winds； freshening over the
limitless plain beyond； tossed the bright banners at the windows as
with sympathetic rejoicing； and a few odorous pine shavings；
overlooked in a corner in the hurry of preparation； touched by an
eddying zephyr； crept out and rolled in yellow ringlets across the
floor。
The Reverend Doctor Pilsbury arose in a more decorous silence。 He
had listened approvingly； admiringly； he might say even reverently；
to the preceding speaker。 But although his distinguished friend
had； with his usual modesty； made light of his own services and
those of his charming family； he； the speaker； had not risen to
sing his praises。 No； it was not in this Hall； projected by his
foresight and raised by his liberality； in this town； called into
existence by his energy and stamped by his attributes； in this
county； developed by his genius and sustained by his capital； ay；
in this very State whose grandeur was made possible by such giants
as he；it was not in any of these places that it was necessary to
praise Daniel Harcourt； or that a panegyric of him would be more
than idle repetition。 Nor would he； as that distinguished man had
suggested； enlarge upon the social； moral； and religious benefits
of the improvement they were now celebrating。 It was written on
the happy； innocent faces； in the festive garb； in the decorous
demeanor； in the intelligent eyes that sparkled around him； in the
presence of those of his parishioners whom he could meet as freely
here to…day as in his own church on Sunday。 What then could he
say？ What then was there to say？ Perhaps he should say nothing if
it were not for the presence of the young before him。He stopped
and fixed his eyes paternally on the youthful Johnny Billings； who
with a half dozen other Sunday…school scholars had been marshaled
before the reverend speaker。And what was to be the lesson THEY
were to learn from it？ They had heard what had been achieved by
labor； enterprise； and diligence。 Perhaps they would believe； and
naturally too； that what labor； enterprise； and diligence had done
could be done again。 But was that all？ Was there nothing behind
these qualitieswhich； after all； were within the reach of every
one here？ Had they ever thought that back of every pioneer； every
explorer； every pathfinder； every founder and creator； there was
still another？ There was no terra incognita so rare as to be
unknown to one； no wilderness so remote as to be beyond a greater
ken than theirs； no waste so trackless but that one had already
passed that way！ Did they ever reflect that when the dull sea
ebbed and flowed in the tules over the very spot where they were
now standing； who it was that also foresaw； conceived； and ordained
the mighty change that would take place； who even guided and
directed the feeble means employed to work it； whose spirit moved；
as in still older days of which they had read； over the face of the
stagnant waters？ Perhaps they had。 Who then was the real pioneer
of Tasajara；back of the Harcourts； the Peterses； the Billingses；
and Wingates？ The reverend gentleman gently paused for a reply。
It was given in the clear but startled accents of the half
frightened； half…fascinated Johnny Billings； in three words：
〃'Lige Curtis； sir！〃
CHAPTER VI
The trade wind； that； blowing directly from the Golden Gate； seemed
to concentrate its full force upon the western slope of Russian
Hill； might have dismayed any climber less hopeful and sanguine
than that most imaginative of newspaper reporters and most youthful
of husbands； John Milton Harcourt。 But for all that it was an
honest wind； and its dry； practical energy and salt…pervading
breath only seemed to sting him to greater and more enthusiastic
exertions； until； quite at the summit