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panes effected a diversion。 〃Come；〃 he said； with brisk
practicality； 〃you'd better hurry on to Rawlett's before it gets
worse。 Have your clothes dried by his fire； take suthin' to eat；
and you'll be all right。〃 He rubbed his hands cheerfully； as if
summarily disposing of the situation； and incidentally of all
'Lige's troubles； and walked with him to the door。 Nevertheless；
as the man's look remained unchanged； he hesitated a moment with
his hand on the handle； in the hope that he would say something；
even if only to repeat his appeal； but he did not。 Then Harkutt
opened the door； the man moved mechanically out； and at the
distance of a few feet seemed to melt into the rain and darkness。
Harkutt remained for a moment with his face pressed against the
glass。 After an interval he thought he heard the faint splash of
hoofs in the shallows of the road； he opened the door softly and
looked out。
The light had disappeared from the nearest house； only an uncertain
bulk of shapeless shadows remained。 Other remoter and more vague
outlines near the horizon seemed to have a funereal suggestion of
tombs and grave mounds； and onea low shed near the roadlooked
not unlike a halted bier。 He hurriedly put up the shutters in a
momentary lulling of the wind； and re…entering the store began to
fasten them from within。
While thus engaged an inner door behind the counter opened softly
and cautiously； projecting a brighter light into the deserted
apartment from some sacred domestic interior with the warm and
wholesome incense of cooking。 It served to introduce also the
equally agreeable presence of a young girl； who； after assuring
herself of the absence of every one but the proprietor； idly
slipped into the store； and placing her rounded elbows； from which
her sleeves were uprolled； upon the counter； leaned lazily upon
them； with both hands supporting her dimpled chin； and gazed
indolently at him； so indolently that； with her pretty face once
fixed in this comfortable attitude； she was constrained to follow
his movements with her eyes alone； and often at an uncomfortable
angle。 It was evident that she offered the final but charming
illustration of the enfeebling listlessness of Sidon。
〃So those loafers have gone at last；〃 she said； meditatively。
〃They'll take root here some day； pop。 The idea of three strong
men like that lazing round for two mortal hours doin' nothin'。
Well！〃 As if to emphasize her disgust she threw her whole weight
upon the counter by swinging her feet from the floor to touch the
shelves behind her。
Mr。 Harkutt only replied by a slight grunt as he continued to screw
on the shutters。
〃Want me to help you； dad？〃 she said； without moving。
Mr。 Harkutt muttered something unintelligible； which； however；
seemed to imply a negative； and her attention here feebly wandered
to the roll of paper； and she began slowly and lazily to read it
aloud。
〃'For value received； I hereby sell； assign； and transfer to Daniel
D。 Harkutt all my right； titles and interest in； and to the
undivided half of； Quarter Section 4； Range 5； Tasajara Township'
humhum；〃 she murmured； running her eyes to the bottom of the
page。 〃Why； Lord！ It's that 'Lige Curtis！〃 she laughed。 〃The
idea of HIM having property！ Why； dad； you ain't been THAT silly！〃
〃Put down that paper； miss；〃 he said； aggrievedly； 〃bring the
candle here； and help me to find one of these infernal screws
that's dropped。〃
The girl indolently disengaged herself from the counter and Elijah
Curtis's transfer； and brought the candle to her father。 The screw
was presently found and the last fastening secured。 〃Supper
gettin' cold； dad；〃 she said； with a slight yawn。 Her father
sympathetically responded by stretching himself from his stooping
position； and the two passed through the private door into inner
domesticity； leaving the already forgotten paper lying with other
articles of barter on the counter。
CHAPTER II。
With the closing of the little door behind them they seemed to have
shut out the turmoil and vibration of the storm。 The reason became
apparent when； after a few paces； they descended half a dozen steps
to a lower landing。 This disclosed the fact that the dwelling part
of the Sidon General Store was quite below the level of the shop
and the road； and on the slope of the solitary undulation of the
Tasajara plain；a little ravine that fell away to a brawling
stream below。 The only arboreous growth of Tasajara clothed its
banks in the shape of willows and alders that set compactly around
the quaint； irregular dwelling which straggled down the ravine and
looked upon a slope of bracken and foliage on either side。 The
transition from the black； treeless； storm…swept plain to this
sheltered declivity was striking and suggestive。 From the opposite
bank one might fancy that the youthful and original dwelling had
ambitiously mounted the crest； but； appalled at the dreary prospect
beyond； had gone no further； while from the road it seemed as if
the fastidious proprietor had tried to draw a line between the
vulgar trading…post； with which he was obliged to face the coarser
civilization of the place； and the privacy of his domestic life。
The real fact； however； was that the ravine furnished wood and
water； and as Nature also provided one wall of the house；as in
the well…known example of aboriginal cave dwellings；its peculiar
construction commended itself to Sidon on the ground of involving
little labor。
Howbeit； from the two open windows of the sitting…room which they
had entered only the faint pattering of dripping boughs and a
slight murmur from the swollen brook indicated the storm that shook
the upper plain； and the cool breath of laurel； syringa； and alder
was wafted through the neat apartment。 Passing through that
pleasant rural atmosphere they entered the kitchen； a much larger
room； which appeared to serve occasionally as a dining…room； and
where supper was already laid out。 A stout； comfortable…looking
womanwho had； however； a singularly permanent expression of
pained sympathy upon her facewelcomed them in tones of gentle
commiseration。
〃Ah； there you be； you two！ Now sit ye right down； dears； DO。 You
must be tired out； and you； Phemie； love； draw up by your poor
father。 Therethat's right。 You'll be better soon。〃
There was certainly no visible sign of suffering or exhaustion on
the part of either father or daughter； nor the slightest apparent
earthly reason why they should be expected to exhibit any。 But；
as already intimated； it was part of Mrs。 Harkutt's generous
idiosyncrasy to look upon all humanity as suffering and toiling； to
be petted； humored； condoled with； and fed。 It had； in the course
of years； imparted a singularly caressing sadness to her voice； and
given her the habit of ending her sentences with a melancholy cooing
and an unintelligible murmur of agreement。 It was undoubtedly
sincere and sympathetic； but at times inappropriate and distressing。
It had lost her the friendship of the one humorist of Tasajara；
whose best jokes she had received with such heartfelt commiseration
and such pained appreciation of the evident labor involved as to
reduce him to silence。
Accustomed as Mr。 Harkutt was to his wife's peculiarity； he was not
above assuming a certain slightly fatigued attitude befitting it。
〃Yes；〃 he said； with a vague sigh； 〃where's Clemmie？〃
〃Lyin' down since dinner； she reckoned she wouldn't get up to
supper；〃 she returned soothingly。 〃Phemie's goin' to take her up
some sass and tea。 The poor dear child wants a change。〃
〃She wants to go to 'Frisco； and so do I； pop；〃 said Phemie；
leaning her elbow half over her father's plate。 〃Come； pop； say
do；just for a week。〃
〃Only for a week；〃 murmured the commiserating Mrs。 Harkutt。
〃Perhaps；〃 responded Harkutt； with gloomy sarcasm； 〃ye wouldn't
mind tellin' me how you're goin' to get there； and where the
money's comin' from to take you？ There's no teamin' over Tasajara
till the rain stops； and no money comin' in till the ranchmen can
move their stuff。 There ain't a hundred dollars in all Tasajara；
at least there ain't been the first red cent of it paid across my
counter for a fortnit！ Perhaps if you do go you wouldn't mind
takin' me and the store along with ye； and leavin' us there。〃
〃Yes； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Harkutt； with sympathetic but shameless
tergiversation。 〃Don't bother your poor father； Phemie； love；
don't you see he's just tired out？ And you're not eatin' anything；
dad。〃
As Mr。 Harkutt was uneasily conscious that he had been eating
heartily in spite of his financial difficulties； he turned the
subject abruptly。 〃Where's John Milton？〃
Mrs。 Harkutt shaded her eyes with her hand； and gazed meditatively
on the floor before the fire and in the chimney corner for her only
son； baptized un