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the youthful husband brought his work at times to the house to keep
her company。 And a singular change had come over her。 She no
longer talked of the past； nor of his family。 As if the little
life that had passed with that morning mist had represented some
ascending expiatory sacrifice； it seemed to have brought them into
closer communion。
Yet her weak condition made him conceal another trouble that had
come upon him。 It was in the third month of his employment on the
〃Clarion〃 that one afternoon； while correcting some proofs on his
chief's desk； he came upon the following editorial paragraph：
〃The played…out cant of 'pioneer genius' and 'pioneer discovery'
appears to have reached its climax in the attempt of some of our
contemporaries to apply it to Dan Harcourt's new Tasajara Job
before the legislature。 It is perfectly well known in Harcourt's
own district that； far from being a pioneer and settler HIMSELF he
simply succeeded after a fashion to the genuine work of one Elijah
Curtis； an actual pioneer and discoverer； years before； while
Harcourt； we believe； was keeping a frontier doggery in Sidon； and
dispensing 'tanglefoot' and salt junk to the hayfooted Pike
Countians of his precinct。 This would make him as much of the
'pioneer discoverer' as the rattlesnake who first takes up board
and lodgings and then possession in a prairie dog's burrow。 And if
the traveler's tale is true that the rattlesnake sometimes makes a
meal of his landlord； the story told at Sidon may be equally
credible that the original pioneer mysteriously disappeared about
the time that Dan Harcourt came into the property。 From which it
would seem that Harcourt is not in a position for his friends to
invite very deep scrutiny into his 'pioneer' achievements。〃
Stupefaction； a vague terror； and rising anger； rapidly succeeded
each other in the young man's mind as he stood mechanically holding
the paper in his hand。 It was the writing of his chief editor；
whose easy brutality he had sometimes even boyishly admired。
Without stopping to consider their relative positions he sought him
indignantly and laid the proof before him。 The editor laughed。
〃But what's that to YOU？ YOU'RE not on terms with the old man。〃
〃But he is my father！〃 said John Milton hotly。
〃Look here；〃 said the editor good…naturedly； 〃I'd like to oblige
you； but it isn't BUSINESS； you know；and this IS； you
understand；PROPRIETOR'S BUSINESS too！ Of course I see it might
stand in the way of your making up to the old man afterwards and
coming in for a million。 Well！ you can tell him it's ME。 Say I
WOULD put it in。 Say I'm nastyand I AM！〃
〃Then it must go in？〃 said John Milton with a white face。
〃You bet。〃
〃Then I must go out！〃 And writing out his resignation； he laid it
before his chief and left。
But he could not bear to tell this to his wife when he climbed the
hill that night； and he invented some excuse for bringing his work
home。 The invalid never noticed any change in his usual buoyancy；
and indeed I fear； when he was fairly installed with his writing
materials at the foot of her bed； he had quite forgotten the
episode。 He was recalled to it by a faint sigh。
〃What is it； dear？〃 he said looking up。
〃I like to see you writing； Milty。 You always look so happy。〃
〃Always so happy； dear？〃
〃Yes。 You are happy； are you not？〃
〃Always。〃 He got up and kissed her。 Nevertheless； when he sat
down to his work again； his face was turned a little more to the
window。
Another serious incidentto be also kept from the invalidshortly
followed。 The article in the 〃Clarion〃 had borne its fruit。 The
third day after his resignation a rival paper sharply retorted。
〃The cowardly insinuations against the record of a justly honored
capitalist；〃 said the 〃Pioneer；〃 〃although quite in keeping with
the brazen 'Clarion；' might attract the attentions of the slandered
party； if it were not known to his friends as well as himself that
it may be traced almost directly to a cast…off member of his own
family； who； it seems； is reduced to haunting the back doors of
certain blatant journals to dispose of his cheap wares。 The
slanderer is secure from public exposure in the superior decency of
his relations； who refrain from airing their family linen upon
editorial lines。〃
This was the journal to which John Milton had hopefully turned for
work。 When he read it there seemed but one thing for him to do
and he did it。 Gentle and optimistic as was his nature； he had
been brought up in a community where sincere directness of personal
offense was followed by equally sincere directness of personal
redress； andhe challenged the editor。 The bearer of his cartel
was one Jack Hamlin； I grieve to say a gambler by profession； but
between whom and John Milton had sprung up an odd friendship of
which the best that can be said is that it was to each equally and
unselfishly unprofitable。 The challenge was accepted； the
preliminaries arranged。 〃I suppose；〃 said Jack carelessly； 〃as the
old man ought to do something for your wife in case of accident；
you've made some sort of a will？〃
〃I've thought of that；〃 said John Milton； dubiously； 〃but I'm
afraid it's no use。 You see〃he hesitated〃I'm not of age。〃
〃May I ask how old you are； sonny？〃 said Jack with great gravity。
〃I'm almost twenty；〃 said John Milton； coloring。
〃It isn't exactly vingt…et…un； but I'd stand on it； if I were you I
wouldn't draw to such a hand；〃 said Jack； coolly。
The young husband had arranged to be absent from his home that
night； and early morning found him； with Jack； grave； but
courageous； in a little hollow behind the Mission Hills。 To them
presently approached his antagonist； jauntily accompanied by
Colonel Starbottle； his second。 They halted； but after the formal
salutation were instantly joined by Jack Hamlin。 For a few moments
John Milton remained awkwardly alonepending a conversation which
even at that supreme moment he felt as being like the general
attitude of his friends towards him； in its complete ignoring of
himself。 The next moment the three men stepped towards him。 〃We
have come； sir；〃 said Colonel Starbottle in his precisest speech
but his jauntiest manner； 〃to offer you a full and ample apologya
personal apologywhich only supplements that full public apology
that my principal； sir； this gentleman；〃 indicating the editor of
the 〃Pioneer；〃 〃has this morning made in the columns of his paper；
as you will observe；〃 producing a newspaper。 〃We have； sir；〃
continued the colonel loftily； 〃only within the last twelve hours
become aware of theerREAL circumstances of the case。 We would
regret that the affair had gone so far already； if it had not given
us； sir； the opportunity of testifying to your gallantry。 We do so
gladly； and iferera FEW YEARS LATER； Mr。 Harcourt； you should
ever needa friend in any matter of this kind； I am； sir； at your
service。〃 John Milton gazed half inquiringly； half uneasily at
Jack。
〃It's all right； Milt；〃 he said sotto voce。 〃Shake hands all round
and let's go to breakfast。 And I rather think that editor wants to
employ you HIMSELF。〃
It was true； for when that night he climbed eagerly the steep
homeward hill he carried with him the written offer of an
engagement on the 〃Pioneer。〃 As he entered the door his wife's
nurse and companion met him with a serious face。 There had been a
strange and unexpected change in the patient's condition； and the
doctor had already been there twice。 As he put aside his coat and
hat and entered her room； it seemed to him that he had forever put
aside all else of essay and ambition beyond those four walls。 And
with the thought a great peace came upon him。 It seemed good to
him to live for her alone。
It was not for long。 As each monotonous day brought the morning
mist and evening fog regularly to the little hilltop where his
whole being was now centred； she seemed to grow daily weaker； and
the little circle of her life narrowed day by day。 One morning
when the usual mist appeared to have been withheld and the sun had
risen with a strange and cruel brightness； when the waves danced
and sparkled on the bay below and light glanced from dazzling
sails； and even the white tombs on Lone Mountain glittered keenly；
when cheery voices hailing each other on the hillside came to him
clearly but without sense or meaning； when earth； sky； and sea
seemed quivering with life and motion；he opened the door of that
one little house on which the only shadow seemed to have fallen；
and went forth again into the world alone。
CHAPTER VII。
Mr。 Daniel Harcourt's town mansion was also on an eminence； but it
was that gentler acclivity of fashion known as Rincon Hill； and
sunned itself on a southern slope of luxury。 It had been described
as 〃princely〃 and 〃fairy…like；〃 by a gratef