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meantime had taken active part in the discussion； whether it was
vaguely understood that the possession of poetical and imaginative
faculties precluded any capacity for business； or whether it was
owing to the apparent superior maturity of Mrs。 Harcourt and the
stranger； it was certain that THEY arranged the practical details
of the engagement； and that the youthful husband sat silent； merely
offering his always hopeful and sanguine consent。
〃You'll take a house nearer to town； I suppose？〃 continued Mr。
Fletcher to the lady； 〃though you've a charming view here。 I
suppose it was quite a change from Tasajara and your father…in…
law's house？ I daresay he had as fine a place thereon his own
homesteadas he has here？〃
Young Harcourt dropped his sensitive eyelids again。 It seemed hard
that he could never get away from these allusions to his father！
Perhaps it was only to that relationship that he was indebted for
his visitor's kindness。 In his simple honesty he could not bear
the thought of such a misapprehension。 〃Perhaps； Mr。 Fletcher； you
do not know；〃 he said； 〃that my father is not on terms with me； and
that we neither expect anything nor could we ever take anything
from him。 Could we； Loo？〃 He added the useless question partly
because he saw that his wife's face betrayed little sympathy with
him； and partly that Fletcher was looking at her curiously； as if
for confirmation。 But this was another of John Milton's trials as
an imaginative reporter； nobody ever seemed to care for his
practical opinions or facts！
〃Mr。 Fletcher is not interested in our little family differences；
Milty；〃 she said； looking at Mr。 Fletcher； however； instead of him。
〃You're Daniel Harcourt's SON whatever happens。〃
The cloud that had passed over the young man's face and eyes did
not； however； escape Mr。 Fletcher's attention； for he smiled； and
added gayly； 〃And I hope my valued lieutenant in any case。〃
Nevertheless John Milton was quite ready to avail himself of an
inspiration to fetch some cigars for his guest from the bar of the
Sea…View House on the slope of the hill beyond； and thereby avoid a
fateful subject。 Once in the fresh air again he promptly recovered
his boyish spirits。 The light flying scud had already effaced the
first rising stars； the lower creeping sea…fog had already blotted
out the western shore and sea； but below him to the east the
glittering lights of the city seemed to start up with a new；
mysterious； and dazzling brilliancy。 It was the valley of diamonds
that Sindbad saw lying almost at his feet！ Perhaps somewhere there
the light of his own fame and fortune was already beginning to
twinkle！
He returned to his humble roof joyous and inspired。 As he entered
the hall he heard his wife's voice and his own name mentioned；
followed by that awkward； meaningless silence on his entrance which
so plainly indicated either that he had been the subject of
conversation or that it was not for his ears。 It was a dismal
reminder of his boyhood at Sidon and Tasajara。 But he was too full
of hope and ambition to heed it to…night； and later； when Mr。
Fletcher had taken his departure； his pent…up enthusiasm burst out
before his youthful partner。 Had she realized that their struggles
were over now； that their future was secure？ They need no longer
fear ever being forced to take bounty from the family； they were
independent of them all！ He would make a name for himself that
should be distinct from his father's as he should make a fortune
that would be theirs alone。 The young wife smiled。 〃But all that
need not prevent you； dear； from claiming your RIGHTS when the time
comes。〃
〃But if I scorn to make the claim or take a penny of his； Loo？〃
〃You say you scorn to take the money you think your father got by a
mere trick；at the best；and didn't earn。 And now you will be
able to show you can live without it； and earn your own fortune。
Well； dear； for that very reason why should you let your father and
others enjoy and waste what is fairly your share？ For it is YOUR
share whether it came to your father fairly or not； and if not； it
is still your duty； believing as you do； to claim it from him； that
at least YOU may do with it what you choose。 You might want to
restore ittotosomebody。〃
The young man laughed。 〃But； my dear Loo！ suppose that I were weak
enough to claim it； do you think my father would give it up？ He
has the right； and no law could force him to yield to me more than
he chooses。〃
〃Not the law； but YOU could。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 he said quickly。
〃You could force him by simply telling him what you once told me。〃
John Milton drew back； and his hand dropped loosely from his
wife's。 The color left his fresh young face； the light quivered
for a moment and then became fixed and set in his eyes。 For that
moment he looked ten years her senior。 〃I was wrong ever to tell
even you that； Loo；〃 he said in a low voice。 〃You are wrong to
ever remind me of it。 Forget it from this moment； as you value our
love and want it to live and be remembered。 And forget； Loo； as I
do；and ever shall；that you ever suggested to me to use my
secret in the way you did just now。〃
But here Mrs。 Harcourt burst into tears； more touched by the
alteration in her husband's manner； I fear； than by any contrition
for wrongdoing。 Of course if he wished to withdraw his confidences
from her； just as he had almost confessed he wished to withdraw his
NAME； she couldn't help it； but it was hard that when she sat there
all day long trying to think what was best for them； she should be
blamed！ At which the quiet and forgiving John Milton smiled
remorsefully and tried to comfort her。 Nevertheless an occasional
odd； indefinable chill seemed to creep across the feverish
enthusiasm with which he was celebrating this day of fortune。 And
yet he neither knew nor suspected until long after that his foolish
wife had that night half betrayed his secret to the stranger！
The next day he presented a note of introduction from Mr。 Fletcher
to the business manager of the 〃Clarion；〃 and the following morning
was duly installed in office。 He did not see his benefactor again；
that single visit was left in the mystery and isolation of an
angelic episode。 It later appeared that other and larger interests
in the San Jose valley claimed his patron's residence and attendance；
only the capital and general purpose of the paperto develop into a
party organ in the interest of his possible senatorial aspirations
in due seasonwas furnished by him。 Grateful as John Milton felt
towards him； he was relieved； it seemed probable that Mr。 Fletcher
HAD selected him on his individual merits； and not as the son of a
millionaire。
He threw himself into his work with his old hopeful enthusiasm； and
perhaps an originality of method that was part of his singular
independence。 Without the student's training or restraint；for
his two years' schooling at Tasajara during his parents' prosperity
came too late to act as a discipline；he was unfettered by any
rules； and guided only by an unerring instinctive taste that became
near being genius。 He was a brilliant and original； if not always
a profound and accurate； reporter。 By degrees he became an
accustomed interest to the readers of the 〃Clarion；〃 then an
influence。 Actors themselves in many a fierce drama； living lives
of devotion； emotion； and picturesque incident； they had satisfied
themselves with only the briefest and most practical daily record
of their adventure； and even at first were dazed and startled to
find that many of them had been heroes and some poets。 The
stealthy boyish reader of romantic chronicle at Sidon had learned
by heart the chivalrous story of the emigration。 The second column
of the 〃Clarion〃 became famous even while the figure of its
youthful writer； unknown and unrecognized； was still nightly
climbing the sands of Russian Hill； and even looking down as before
on the lights of the growing city； without a thought that he had
added to that glittering constellation。
Cheerful and contented with the exercise of work； he would have
been happy but for the gradual haunting of another dread which
presently began to drag him at earlier hours up the steep path to
his little home； to halt him before the door with the quickened
breath of an anxiety he would scarcely confess to himself； and
sometimes hold him aimlessly a whole day beneath his roof。 For the
pretty but delicate Mrs。 Harcourt； like others of her class； had
added a weak and ineffective maternity to their other conjugal
trials； and one early dawn a baby was born that lingered with them
scarcely longer than the morning mist and exhaled with the rising
sun。 The young wife regained her strength slowly；so slowly that
the youthful husband brought his work at times to the house to keep
her company。 And a s