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！
come； neither did his hostess return。 A subdued step in the
passage raised his hopes；it was only the grizzled major domo； to
show him his room that he might prepare for dinner。
He followed mechanically down the long passage to a second
corridor。 There was a chance that he might meet Clementina； but he
reached his room without encountering any one。 It was a large
vaulted apartment with a single window； a deep embrasure in the
thick wall that seemed to focus like a telescope some forgotten；
sequestered part of the leafy garden。 While washing his hands；
gazing absently at the green vignette framed by the dark opening；
his attention was drawn to a movement of the foliage； stirred
apparently by the rapid passage of two half…hidden figures。 The
quick flash of a feminine skirt seemed to indicate the coy flight
of some romping maid of the casa； and the pursuit and struggle of
her vaquero swain。 To a despairing lover even the spectacle of
innocent； pastoral happiness in others is not apt to be soothing；
and Grant was turning impatiently away when he suddenly stopped
with a rigid face and quickly approached the window。 In her
struggles with the unseen Corydon； the clustering leaves seemed to
have yielded at the same moment with the coy Chloris； and parting
disclosed a stolen kiss！ Grant's hand lay like ice against the
wall。 For； disengaging Fletcher's arm from her waist and freeing
her skirt from the foliage； it was the calm； passionless Clementina
herself who stepped out； and moved pensively towards the casa。
CHAPTER XI。
〃Readers of the 'Clarion' will have noticed that allusion has been
frequently made in these columns to certain rumors concerning the
early history of Tasajara which were supposed to affect the pioneer
record of Daniel Harcourt。 It was deemed by the conductors of this
journal to be only consistent with the fearless and independent
duty undertaken by the 'Clarion' that these rumors should be fully
chronicled as part of the information required by the readers of a
first…class newspaper； unbiased by any consideration of the social
position of the parties； but simply as a matter of news。 For this
the 'Clarion' does not deem it necessary to utter a word of
apology。 But for that editorial comment or attitude which the
proprietors felt was justified by the reliable sources of their
information they now consider it only due in honor to themselves；
their readers； and Mr。 Harcourt to fully and freely apologize。 A
patient and laborious investigation enables them to state that the
alleged facts published by the 'Clarion' and copied by other
journals are utterly unsupported by testimony； and the charges
although more or less vaguewhich were based upon them are equally
untenable。 We are now satisfied that one 'Elijah Curtis；' a former
pioneer of Tasajara who disappeared five years ago； and was
supposed to be drowned； has not only made no claim to the Tasajara
property； as alleged； but has given no sign of his equally alleged
resuscitation and present existence； and that on the minutest
investigation there appears nothing either in his disappearance； or
the transfer of his property to Daniel Harcourt； that could in any
way disturb the uncontested title to Tasajara or the unimpeachable
character of its present owner。 The whole story now seems to have
been the outcome of one of those stupid rural hoaxes too common in
California。〃
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 Ashwood； laying aside the 'Clarion' with a
skeptical shrug of her pretty shoulders； as she glanced up at her
brother； 〃I suppose this means that you are going to propose again
to the young lady？〃
〃I have；〃 said Jack Shipley； 〃that's the worst of itand got my
answer before this came out。〃
〃Jack！〃 said Mrs。 Ashwood； thoroughly surprised。
〃Yes！ You see； Conny； as I told you three weeks ago； she said she
wanted time to consider；that she scarcely knew me； and all that！
Well； I thought it wasn't exactly a gentleman's business to seem to
stand off after that last attack on her father； and so； last week；
I went down to San Jose； where she was staying； and begged her not
to keep me in suspense。 And； by Jove！ she froze me with a look；
and said that with these aspersions on her father's character； she
preferred not to be under obligations to any one。〃
〃And you believed her？〃
〃Oh； hang it all！ Look here； Conny；I wish you'd just try for
once to find out some good in that family； besides what that
sentimental young widower John Milton may have。 You seem to think
because they've quarreled with HIM there isn't a virtue left among
them。〃
Far from seeming to offer any suggestion of feminine retaliation；
Mrs。 Ashwood smiled sweetly。 〃My dear Jack； I have no desire to
keep you from trying your luck again with Miss Clementina； if
that's what you mean； and indeed I shouldn't be surprised if a
family who felt a mesalliance as sensitively as the Harcourts felt
that affair of their son's； would be as keenly alive to the
advantages of a good match for their daughter。 As to young Mr。
Harcourt； he never talked to me of the vices of his family； nor has
he lately troubled me much with the presence of his own virtues。
I haven't heard from him since we came here。〃
〃I suppose he is satisfied with the government berth you got for
him；〃 returned her brother dryly。
〃He was very grateful to Senator Flynn； who appreciates his
talents； but who offered it to him as a mere question of fitness；〃
replied Mrs。 Ashwood with great precision of statement。 〃But you
don't seem to know he declined it on account of his other work。〃
〃Preferred his old Bohemian ways； eh？ You can't change those
fellows； Conny。 They can't get over the fascinations of
vagabondage。 Sorry your lady…patroness scheme didn't work。 Pity
you couldn't have promoted him in the line of his profession； as
the Grand Duchess of Girolstein did Fritz。〃
〃For Heaven's sake； Jack； go to Clementina！ You may not be
successful； but there at least the perfect gentlemanliness and
good taste of your illustrations will not be thrown away。〃
〃I think of going to San Francisco tomorrow； anyway；〃 returned Jack
with affected carelessness。 〃I'm getting rather bored with this
wild seaside watering place and its glitter of ocean and hopeless
background of mountain。 It's nothing to me that 'there's no land
nearer than Japan' out there。 It may be very healthful to the
tissues； but it's weariness to the spirit； and I don't see why we
can't wait at San Francisco till the rains send us further south；
as well as here。〃
He had walked to the balcony of their sitting…room in the little
seaside hotel where this conversation took place； and gazed
discontentedly over the curving bay and sandy shore before him。
After a slight pause Mrs。 Ashwood stepped out beside him。
〃Very likely I may go with you；〃 she said； with a perceptible tone
of weariness。 〃We will see after the post arrives。〃
〃By the way； there is a little package for you in my room； that
came this morning。 I brought it up； but forgot to give it to you。
You'll find it on my table。〃
Mrs。 Ashwood abstractedly turned away and entered her brother's
room from the same balcony。 The forgotten parcel； which looked
like a roll of manuscript； was lying on his dressing…table。 She
gazed attentively at the handwriting on the wrapper and then gave a
quick glance around her。 A sudden and subtle change came over her。
She neither flushed nor paled； nor did the delicate lines of
expression in her face quiver or change。 But as she held the
parcel in her hand her whole being seemed to undergo some exquisite
suffusion。 As the medicines which the Arabian physician had
concealed in the hollow handle of the mallet permeated the languid
royal blood of Persia； so some volatile balm of youth seemed to
flow in upon her with the contact of that strange missive and
transform her weary spirit。
〃Jack！〃 she called； in a high clear voice。 But Jack had already
gone from the balcony when she reached it with an elastic step and
a quick youthful swirl and rustling of her skirt。 He was lighting
his cigar in the garden。
〃Jack；〃 she said； leaning half over the railing； 〃come back here in
an hour and we'll talk over that matter of yours again。〃
Jack looked up eagerly and as if he might even come up then； but
she added quickly； 〃In about an hourI must think it over；〃 and
withdrew。
She re…entered the sitting…room； shut the door carefully and locked
it； half pulled down the blind； walking once or twice around the
table on which the parcel lay； with one eye on it like a graceful
cat。 Then she suddenly sat down； took it up with a grave practical
face； examined the postmark curiously； and opened it with severe
deliberation。 It contained a manuscript and a letter of four
closely written pages。 She glanced at the manuscript with bright
appr