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that was more hopeless for Harcourt。 〃I found out that it is
claimed that this 'Lige Curtis was not drowned nor lost that night；
but that he escaped； and for three years has convinced another man
that you are wrongfully in possession of this land； that these two
naturally hold you in their power； and that they are only waiting
for you to be forced into legal proceedings for slander to prove
all their charges。 Until then； for some reason best known to
themselves； Curtis remains in the background。〃
〃Does he deny the deed under which I hold the property？〃 said
Harcourt savagely。
〃He says it was only a security for a trifling loan； and not an
actual transfer。〃
〃And don't those fools know that his security could be forfeited？〃
〃Yes； but not in the way it is recorded in the county clerk's
office。 They say that the record shows that there was an
interpolation in the paper he left with youwhich was a forgery。
Briefly； Harcourt； you are accused of that。 More；it is intimated
that when he fell into the creek that night； and escaped on a raft
that was floating past； that he had been first stunned by a blow
from some one interested in getting rid of him。〃
He paused and glanced out of the window。
〃Is that all？〃 asked Harcourt in a perfectly quiet； steady； voice。
〃All！〃 replied Grant； struck with the change in his companion's
manner； and turning his eyes upon him quickly。
The change indeed was marked and significant。 Whether from relief
at knowing the worst； or whether he was experiencing the same
reaction from the utter falsity of this last accusation that he had
felt when Grant had unintentionally wronged him in his previous
recollection； certain it is that some unknown reserve of strength
in his own nature； of which he knew nothing before； suddenly came
to his aid in this extremity。 It invested him with an uncouth
dignity that for the first time excited Grant's respect。
〃I beg your pardon； Grant； for the hasty way I spoke to you a
moment ago； for I thank you； and appreciate thoroughly and
sincerely what you have done。 You are right； it is a matter for
fighting and not fussing over。 But I must have a head to hit。
Whose is it？〃
〃The man who holds himself legally responsible is Fletcher；the
proprietor of the 'Clarion；' and a man of property。〃
〃The 'Clarion'？ That is the paper which began the attack？〃 said
Harcourt。
〃Yes； and it is only fair to tell you here that your son threw up
his place on it in consequence of its attack upon you。〃
There was perhaps the slightest possible shrinking in Harcourt's
eyelidsthe one congenital likeness to his discarded sonbut his
otherwise calm demeanor did not change。 Grant went on more
cheerfully： 〃I've told you all I know。 When I spoke of an unknown
WORST； I did not refer to any further accusation； but to whatever
evidence they might have fabricated or suborned to prove any one of
them。 It is only the strength and fairness of the hands they hold
that is uncertain。 Against that you have your certain uncontested
possession； the peculiar character and antecedents of this 'Lige
Curtis； which would make his evidence untrustworthy and even make
it difficult for them to establish his identity。 I am told that
his failure to contest your appropriation of his property is
explained by the fact of his being absent from the country most of
the time； but again； this would not account for their silence until
within the last six months； unless they have been waiting for
further evidence to establish it。 But even then they must have
known that the time of recovery had passed。 You are a practical
man； Harcourt； I needn't tell you therefore what your lawyer will
probably tell you； that practically； so far as your rights are
concerned； you remain as before these calumnies； that a cause of
action unprosecuted or in abeyance is practically no cause； and
that it is not for you to anticipate one。 BUT〃
He paused and looked steadily at Harcourt。 Harcourt met his look
with a dull； ox…like stolidity。 〃I shall begin the suit at once；〃
he said。
〃And I；〃 said Grant； holding out his hand； 〃will stand by you。 But
tell me now what you knew of this man Curtis；his character and
disposition； it may be some clue as to what are his methods and his
intentions。〃
Harcourt briefly sketched 'Lige Curtis as he knew him and
understood him。 It was another indication of his reserved power
that the description was so singularly clear； practical；
unprejudiced； and impartial that it impressed Grant with its
truthfulness。
〃I can't make him out；〃 he said； 〃you have drawn a weak； but
neither a dishonest nor malignant man。 There must have been
somebody behind him。 Can you think of any personal enemy？〃
〃I have been subjected to the usual jealousy and envy of my old
neighbors； I suppose； but nothing more。 I have harmed no one
knowingly。〃
Grant was silent； it had flashed across him that Rice might have
harbored revenge for his father…in…law's interference in his brief
matrimonial experience。 He had also suddenly recalled his
conversation with Billings on the day that he first arrived at
Tasajara。 It would not be strange if this man had some intimation
of the secret。 He would try to find him that evening。 He rose。
〃You will stay to dinner？ My wife and Clementina will expect you。〃
〃Not to…night； I am dining at the hotel；〃 said Grant； smilingly；
〃but I will come in later in the evening if I may。〃 He paused
hesitatingly for a moment。 〃Have your wife and daughter ever
expressed any opinion on this matter？〃
〃No；〃 said Harcourt。 〃Mrs。 Harcourt knows nothing of anything that
does not happen IN the house； Euphemia knows only the things that
happen out of it where she is visitingand I suppose that young
men prefer to talk to her about other things than the slanders of
her father。 And Clementinawell； you know how calm and superior
to these things SHE is。〃
〃For that very reason I thought that perhaps she might be able to
see them more clearly；but no matter！ I dare say you are quite
right in not discussing them at home。〃 This was the fact； although
Grant had not forgotten that Harcourt had put forward his daughters
as a reason for stopping the scandal some weeks before；a reason
which； however； seemed never to have been borne out by any apparent
sensitiveness of the girls themselves。
When Grant had left； Harcourt remained for some moments steadfastly
gazing from the window over the Tasajara plain。 He had not lost
his look of concentrated power； nor his determination to fight。 A
struggle between himself and the phantoms of the past had become
now a necessary stimulus for its own sake；for the sake of his
mental and physical equipoise。 He saw before him the pale；
agitated； irresolute features of 'Lige Curtis；not the man HE had
injured； but the man who had injured HIM； whose spirit was
aimlessly and wantonlyfor he had never attempted to get back his
possessions in his lifetime； nor ever tried to communicate with the
possessorstriking at him in the shadow。 And it was THAT man；
that pale； writhing； frightened wretch whom he had once mercifully
helped！ Yes； whose LIFE he had even saved that night from exposure
and delirium tremens when he had given him the whiskey。 And this
life he had saved； only to have it set in motion a conspiracy to
ruin him！ Who knows that 'Lige had not purposely conceived what
they had believed to be an attempt at suicide； only to cast
suspicion of murder on HIM！ From which it will be perceived that
Harcourt's powers of moral reasoning had not improved in five
years； and that even the impartiality he had just shown in his
description of 'Lige to Grant had been swallowed up in this new
sense of injury。 The founder of Tasajara； whose cool business
logic； unfailing foresight； and practical deductions were never at
fault； was once more childishly adrift in his moral ethics。
And there was Clementina； of whose judgment Grant had spoken so
persistently；could she assist him？ It was true； as he had said；
he had never talked to her of his affairs。 In his sometimes uneasy
consciousness of her superiority he had shrunk from even revealing
his anxieties； much less his actual secret； and from anything that
might prejudice the lofty paternal attitude he had taken towards
his daughters from the beginning of his good fortune。 He was never
quite sure if her acceptance of it was real； he was never entirely
free from a certain jealousy that always mingled with his pride in
her superior rectitude； and yet his feeling was distinct from the
good…natured contempt he had for his wife's loyalty； the anger and
suspicion that his son's opposition had provoked； and the half…
affectionate toleration he had felt for Euphemia's waywardness。
However he would sound Clementina without betraying himself。
He was anticipated by a sli