按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
game； and that's what you don't want。〃
Her voice was as imperious as it had been previously listless。 And
it was the first time he had ever known her to use slang。
It seemed as startling as if it had fallen from the marble lips
above him。
〃But I've promised him that we should go together to my lawyer to…
morrow； and begin a suit against the proprietors of the 'Clarion。'〃
〃Do nothing of the kind。 Get rid of Grant's assistance in this
matter； and see the 'Clarion' proprietor yourself。 What sort of a
man is he？ Can you invite him to your house？〃
〃I have never seen him； I believe he lives at San Jose。 He is a
wealthy man and a large land owner there。 You understand that
after the first article appeared in his paper； and I knew that he
had employed your brotheralthough Grant says that he had nothing
to do with it and left Fletcher on account of itI could have no
intercourse with him。 Even if I invited him he would not come。〃
〃He MUST come。 Leave it to ME。〃 She stopped and resumed her
former impassive manner。 〃I had something to say to you too；
father。 Mr。 Shipley proposed to me the day we went to San Mateo。〃
Her father's eyes lit with an eager sparkle。 〃Well；〃 he said
quickly。
〃I reminded him that I had known him only a few weeks； and that I
wanted time to consider。〃
〃Consider！ Why； Clemmy； he's one of the oldest Boston families；
rich from his father and grandfatherrich when I was a shopkeeper
and your mother〃
〃I thought you liked Grant？〃 she said quietly。
〃Yes； but if YOU have no choice nor feeling in the matter； why
Shipley is far the better man。 And if any of the scandal should
come to his ears〃
〃So much the better that the hesitation should come from me。 But
if you think it better； I can sit down here and write to him at
once declining the offer。〃 She moved towards the desk。
〃No！ No！ I did not mean that；〃 said Harcourt quickly。 〃I only
thought that if he did hear anything it might be said that he had
backed out。〃
〃His sister knows of his offer； and though she don't like it nor
me； she will not deny the fact。 By the way； you remember when she
was lost that day on the road to San Mateo？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； she was with your son； John Milton； all the time； and they
lunched together at Crystal Spring。 It came out quite accidentally
through the hotel…keeper。〃
Harcourt's brow darkened。 〃Did she know him before？〃
〃I can't say； but she does now。〃
Harcourt's face was heavy with distrust。 〃Taking Shipley's offer
and these scandals into consideration； I don't like the look of
this； Clementina。〃
〃I do；〃 said the girl simply。
Harcourt gazed at her keenly and with the shadow of distrust still
upon him。 It seemed to be quite impossible； even with what he knew
of her calmly cold nature； that she should be equally uninfluenced
by Grant or Shipley。 Had she some steadfast； lofty ideal； or
perhaps some already absorbing passion of which he knew nothing？
She was not a girl to betray itthey would only know it when it
was too late。 Could it be possible that there was still something
between her and 'Lige that he knew nothing of？ The thought struck
a chill to his breast。 She was walking towards the door； when he
recalled himself with an effort。
〃If you think it advisable to see Fletcher； you might run down to
San Jose for a day or two with your mother； and call on the Ramirez。
They may know him or somebody who does。 Of course if YOU meet him
and casually invite him it would be different。〃
〃It's a good idea；〃 she said quickly。 〃I'll do it； and speak to
mother now。〃
He was struck by the change in her face and voice； they had both
nervously lightened； as oddly and distinctly as they had before
seemed to grow suddenly harsh and aggressive。 She passed out of
the room with girlish brusqueness； leaving him alone with a new and
vague fear in his consciousness。
A few hours later Clementina was standing before the window of the
drawing…room that overlooked the outskirts of the town。 The
moonlight was flooding the vast bluish Tasajara levels with a faint
lustre； as if the waters of the creek had once more returned to
them。 In the shadow of the curtain beside her Grant was facing her
with anxious eyes。
〃Then I must take this as your final answer； Clementina？〃
〃You must。 And had I known of these calumnies before； had you been
frank with me even the day we went to San Mateo； my answer would
have been as final then； and you might have been spared any further
suspense。 I am not blaming you； Mr。 Grant； I am willing to believe
that you thought it best to conceal this from me；even at that
time when you had just pledged yourself to find out its truth or
falsehood；yet my answer would have been the same。 So long as
this stain rests on my father's name I shall never allow that name
to be coupled with yours in marriage or engagement； nor will my
pride or yours allow us to carry on a simple friendship after this。
I thank you for your offer of assistance； but I cannot even accept
that which might to others seem to allow some contingent claim。 I
would rather believe that when you proposed this inquiry and my
father permitted it； you both knew that it put an end to any other
relations between us。〃
〃But； Clementina； you are wrong； believe me！ Say that I have been
foolish； indiscreet； mad；still the few who knew that I made these
inquiries on your father's behalf know nothing of my hopes of YOU！〃
〃But I do； and that is enough for me。〃
Even in the hopeless preoccupation of his passion he suddenly
looked at her with something of his old critical scrutiny。 But she
stood there calm； concentrated； self…possessed and upright。 Yes！
it was possible that the pride of this Southwestern shopkeepers
daughter was greater than his own。
〃Then you banish me； Clementina？〃
〃It is we whom YOU have banished。〃
〃Good…night。〃
〃Good…by。〃
He bent for an instant over her cold hand； and then passed out into
the hall。 She remained listening until the front door closed
behind him。 Then she ran swiftly through the hall and up the
staircase； with an alacrity that seemed impossible to the stately
goddess of a moment before。 When she had reached her bedroom and
closed the door； so exuberant still and so uncontrollable was her
levity and action； that without going round the bed which stood
before her in the centre of the room； she placed her two hands upon
it and lightly vaulted sideways across it to reach the window。
There she watched the figure of Grant crossing the moonlit square。
Then turning back into the half…lit room； she ran to the small
dressing…glass placed at an angle on a toilet table against the
wall。 With her palms grasping her knees she stooped down suddenly
and contemplated the mirror。 It showed what no one but Clementina
had ever seen；and she herself only at rare intervals；the
laughing eyes and soul of a self…satisfied； material…minded；
ordinary country…girl！
CHAPTER X。
But Mr。 Lawrence Grant's character in certain circumstances would
seem to have as startling and inexplicable contradictions as
Clementina Harcourt's； and three days later he halted his horse at
the entrance of Los Gatos Rancho。 The Home of the Catsso called
from the catamounts which infested the localitywhich had for over
a century lazily basked before one of the hottest canyons in the
Coast Range； had lately been stirred into some activity by the
American； Don Diego Fletcher； who had bought it； put up a saw…mill；
and deforested the canyon。 Still there remained enough suggestion
of a feline haunt about it to make Grant feel as if he had tracked
hither some stealthy enemy； in spite of the peaceful intimation
conveyed by the sign on a rough boarded shed at the wayside； that
the 〃Los Gatos Land and Lumber Company〃 held their office there。
A cigarette…smoking peon lounged before the door。 Yes； Don Diego
was there； but as he had arrived from Santa Clara only last night
and was going to Colonel Ramirez that afternoon； he was engaged。
Unless the business was importantbut the cool； determined manner
of Grant； even more than his words； signified that it WAS
important； and the servant led the way to Don Diego's presence。
There certainly was nothing in the appearance of this sylvan
proprietor and newspaper capitalist to justify Grant's suspicion of
a surreptitious foe。 A handsome man scarcely older than himself；
in spite of a wavy mass of perfectly white hair which contrasted
singularly with his brown mustache and dark sunburned face。 So
disguising was the effect of these contradictions； that he not only
looked unlike anybody else； but even his nationality seemed to be a
matter of doubt。 Only his eyes； light blue and intelligent； which
had a singular expression of gentleness and worry； appeared
indiv