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himand he〃
〃You know perfectly what I mean； Mr。 Grant。 I speak of the conduct
of the mother and father and those two sisters！〃
Grant slightly elevated his eyebrows。 〃But you forget； Mrs。
Ashwood。 It was young Harcourt and his wife's own act。 They
preferred to take their own path and keep it。〃
〃I think；〃 said Mrs。 Ashwood authoritatively； 〃that the idea of
leaving those two unfortunate children to suffer and struggle on
aloneout thereon the sand hills of San Franciscowas simply
disgraceful！〃
Later that evening she was unreasonably annoyed to find that her
brother； Mr。 John Shipley； had taken advantage of the absence of
Grant to pay marked attention to Clementina； and had even prevailed
upon that imperious goddess to accompany him after dinner on a
moonlight stroll upon the veranda and terraces of Los Pajaros。
Nevertheless she seemed to recover her spirits enough to talk
volubly of the beautiful scenery she had discovered in her late
perilous abandonment in the wilds of the Coast Range； to aver her
intention to visit it again； to speak of it in a severely practical
way as offering a far better site for the cottages of the young
married couples just beginning life than the outskirts of towns or
the bleak sand hills of San Francisco； and thence by graceful
degrees into a dissertation upon popular fallacies in regard to
hasty marriages； and the mistaken idea of some parents in not
accepting the inevitable and making the best of it。 She still
found time to enter into an appreciative and exhaustive criticism
upon the literature and journalistic enterprise of the Pacific
Coast with the proprietor of the 〃Pioneer；〃 and to cause that
gentleman to declare that whatever people might say about rich and
fashionable Eastern women； that Mrs。 Ashwood's head was about as
level as it was pretty。
The next morning found her more thoughtful and subdued； and when
her brother came upon her sitting on the veranda； while the party
were preparing to return； she was reading a newspaper slip that she
had taken from her porte…monnaie； with a face that was partly
shadowed。
〃What have you struck there； Conny？〃 said her brother gayly。 〃It
looks too serious for a recipe。〃
〃Something I should like you to read some time； Jack；〃 she said；
lifting her lashes with a slight timidity； 〃if you would take the
trouble。 I really wonder how it would impress you。〃
〃Pass it over；〃 said Jack Shipley good…humoredly； with his cigar
between his lips。 〃I'll take it now。〃
She handed him the slip and turned partly away； he took it； glanced
at it sideways； turned it over； and suddenly his look grew
concentrated； and he took the cigar from his lips。
〃Well；〃 she said playfully； turning to him again。 〃What do you
think of it？〃
〃Think of it？〃 he said with a rising color。 〃I think it's
infamous！ Who did it？〃
She stared at him； then glanced quickly at the slip。 〃What are you
reading？〃 she said。
〃This； of course；〃 he said impatiently。 〃What you gave me。〃 But
he was pointing to THE OTHER SIDE of the newspaper slip。
She took it from him impatiently and read for the first time the
printing on the reverse side of the article she had treasured so
long。 It was the concluding paragraph of an apparently larger
editorial。 〃One thing is certain； that a man in Daniel Harcourt's
position cannot afford to pass over in silence accusations like the
above； that affect not only his private character； but the
integrity of his title to the land that was the foundation of his
fortune。 When trickery； sharp practice； and even criminality in
the past are more than hinted at； they cannot be met by mere
pompous silence or allusions to private position； social prestige；
or distinguished friends in the present。〃
Mrs。 Ashwood turned the slip over with scornful impatience； a
pretty uplifting of her eyebrows and a slight curl of her lip。 〃I
suppose none of those people's beginnings can bear looking into
and they certainly should be the last ones to find fault with
anybody。 But； good gracious； Jack！ what has this to do with you？〃
〃With me？〃 said Shipley angrily。 〃Why； I proposed to Clementina
last night！〃
CHAPTER IX。
The wayfarers on the Tasajara turnpike； whom Mr。 Daniel Harcourt
passed with his fast trotting mare and sulky； saw that their great
fellow…townsman was more than usually preoccupied and curt in his
acknowledgment of their salutations。 Nevertheless as he drew near
the creek； he partly checked his horse； and when he reached a
slight acclivity of the interminable plainwhich had really been
the bank of the creek in bygone dayshe pulled up； alighted； tied
his horse to a rail fence； and clambering over the inclosure made
his way along the ridge。 It was covered with nettles； thistles；
and a few wiry dwarf larches of native growth； dust from the
adjacent highway had invaded it； with a few scattered and torn
handbills； waste paper； rags； empty provision cans； and other
suburban debris。 Yet it was the site of 'Lige Curtis's cabin； long
since erased and forgotten。 The bed of the old creek had receded；
the last tules had been cleared away； the channel and embarcadero
were half a mile from the bank and log whereon the pioneer of
Tasajara had idly sunned himself。
Mr。 Harcourt walked on； occasionally turning over the scattered
objects with his foot； and stopping at times to examine the ground
more closely。 It had not apparently been disturbed since he
himself； six years ago； had razed the wretched shanty and carried
off its timbers to aid in the erection of a larger cabin further
inland。 He raised his eyes to the prospect before him；to the
town with its steamboats lying at the wharves； to the grain
elevator； the warehouses； the railroad station with its puffing
engines； the flagstaff of Harcourt House and the clustering roofs
of the town； and beyond； the painted dome of his last creation； the
Free Library。 This was all HIS work； HIS planning； HIS foresight；
whatever they might say of the wandering drunkard from whose
tremulous fingers he had snatched the opportunity。 They could not
take THAT from him； however they might follow him with envy and
reviling； any more than they could wrest from him the five years of
peaceful possession。 It was with something of the prosperous
consciousness with which he had mounted the platform on the opening
of the Free Library； that he now climbed into his buggy and drove
away。
Nevertheless he stopped at his Land Office as he drove into town；
and gave a few orders。 〃I want a strong picket fence put around
the fifty…vara lot in block fifty…seven； and the ground cleared up
at once。 Let me know when the men get to work； and I'll overlook
them。〃
Re…entering his own house in the square； where Mrs。 Harcourt and
Clementinawho often accompanied him in those business visits
were waiting for him with luncheon； he smiled somewhat superciliously
as the servant informed him that 〃Professor Grant had just arrived。〃
Really that man was trying to make the most of his time with
Clementina！ Perhaps the rival attractions of that Boston swell
Shipley had something to do with it！ He must positively talk to
Clementina about this。 In point of fact he himself was a little
disappointed in Grant； who； since his offer to take the task of
hunting down his calumniators； had really done nothing。 He turned
into his study； but was slightly astonished to find that Grant；
instead of paying court to Clementina in the adjoining drawing…room；
was sitting rather thoughtfully in his own armchair。
He rose as Harcourt entered。 〃I didn't let them announce me to
the ladies；〃 he said； 〃as I have some important business with you
first； and we may find it necessary that I should take the next
train back to town。 You remember that a few weeks ago I offered to
look into the matter of those slanders against you。 I apprehended
it would be a trifling matter of envy or jealousy on the part of
your old associates or neighbors which could be put straight with a
little good feeling； but I must be frank with you； Harcourt； and
say at the beginning that it turns out to be an infernally ugly
business。 Call it conspiracy if you like； or organized hostility；
I'm afraid it will require a lawyer rather than an arbitrator to
manage it； and the sooner the better。 For the most unpleasant
thing about it is； that I can't find out exactly HOW BAD it is！〃
Unfortunately the weaker instinct of Harcourt's nature was first
roused； the vulgar rage which confounds the bearer of ill news with
the news itself filled his breast。 〃And this is all that your
confounded intermeddling came to？〃 he said brutally。
〃No；〃 said Grant quietly； with a preoccupied ignoring of the insult
that was more hopeless for Harcourt。 〃I found out that it is
claimed that this 'Lige Curtis was not drowned nor lost that night；