a first family of tasajara-第26章

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of　Clementina；　reclining　in　light　gauzy　wraps　against　the　back

seat！　　It　was　no　fanciful　resemblance；　the　outcome　of　his　reverie；

there　never　was　any　one　like　her！it　WAS　she　herself！　　But　what

was　she　doing　here？



A　vaquero　cantered　from　the　cross　road　where　the　dust　of　the

vehicle　still　hung。　　Grant　hailed　him。　　Ah！　it　was　a　fine　carroza

de　cuatro　mulas　that　he　had　just　passed！　　Si；　Senor；　truly；　it　was

of　Don　Jose　Ramirez；　who　lived　just　under　the　hill。　　It　was

bringing　company　to　the　casa。



Ramirez！　　That　was　where　Fletcher　was　going！　　Had　Clementina　known

that　he　was　one　of　Fletcher's　friends？　　Might　she　not　be　exposed　to

unpleasantness；　marked　coolness；　or　even　insult　in　that　unexpected

meeting？　　Ought　she　not　to　be　warned　or　prepared　for　it？　　She　had

banished　Grant　from　her　presence　until　this　stain　was　removed　from

her　father's　name；　but　could　she　blame　him　for　trying　to　save　her

from　contact　with　her　father's　slanderer？　　No！　　He　turned　his　horse

abruptly　into　the　cross　road　and　spurred　forward　in　the　direction

of　the　casa。



It　was　quite　visible　nowa　low…walled；　quadrangular　mass　of

whitewashed　adobe　lying　like　a　drift　on　the　green　hillside。　　The

carriage　and　four　had　far　preceded　him；　and　was　already　half　up　the

winding　road　towards　the　house。　　Later　he　saw　them　reach　the

courtyard　and　disappear　within。　　He　would　be　quite　in　time　to　speak

with　her　before　she　retired　to　change　her　dress。　　He　would　simply

say　that　while　making　a　professional　visit　to　Los　Gatos　Land

Company　office　he　had　become　aware　of　Fletcher's　connection　with

it；　and　accidentally　of　his　intended　visit　to　Ramirez。　　His　chance

meeting　with　the　carriage　on　the　highway　had　determined　his　course。



As　he　rode　into　the　courtyard　he　observed　that　it　was　also　approached

by　another　road；　evidently　nearer　Los　Gatos；　and　probably　the　older

and　shorter　communication　between　the　two　ranchos。　　The　fact　was

significantly　demonstrated　a　moment　later。　He　had　given　his　horse

to　a　servant；　sent　in　his　card　to　Clementina；　and　had　dropped

listlessly　on　one　of　the　benches　of　the　gallery　surrounding　the

patio；　when　a　horseman　rode　briskly　into　the　opposite　gateway；　and

dismounted　with　a　familiar　air。　　A　waiting　peon　who　recognized　him

informed　him　that　the　Dona　was　engaged　with　a　visitor；　but　that　they

were　both　returning　to　the　gallery　for　chocolate　in　a　moment。　　The

stranger　was　the　man　he　had　left　only　an　hour　beforeDon　Diego

Fletcher！



In　an　instant　the　idiotic　fatuity　of　his　position　struck　him　fully。

His　only　excuse　for　following　Clementina　had　been　to　warn　her　of

the　coming　of　this　man　who　had　just　entered；　and　who　would　now　meet

her　as　quickly　as　himself。　　For　a　brief　moment　the　idea　of　quietly

slipping　out　to　the　corral；　mounting　his　horse　again；　and　flying

from　the　rancho；　crossed　his　mind；　but　the　thought　that　he　would　be

running　away　from　the　man　he　had　just　challenged；　and　perhaps　some

new　hostility　that　had　sprung　up　in　his　heart　against　him；

compelled　him　to　remain。　　The　eyes　of　both　men　met；　Fletcher's　in

half…wondering　annoyance；　Grant's　in　ill…concealed　antagonism。

What　they　would　have　said　is　not　known；　for　at　that　moment　the

voices　of　Clementina　and　Mrs。　Ramirez　were　heard　in　the　passage；

and　they　both　entered　the　gallery。　　The　two　men　were　standing

together；　it　was　impossible　to　see　one　without　the　other。



And　yet　Grant；　whose　eyes　were　instantly　directed　to　Clementina；

thought　that　she　had　noted　neither。　　She　remained　for　an　instant

standing　in　the　doorway　in　the　same　self…possessed；　coldly　graceful

pose　he　remembered　she　had　taken　on　the　platform　at　Tasajara。　　Her

eyelids　were　slightly　downcast；　as　if　she　had　been　arrested　by　some

sudden　thought　or　some　shy　maiden　sensitiveness；　in　her　hesitation

Mrs。　Ramirez　passed　impatiently　before　her。



〃Mother　of　God！〃　said　that　lively　lady；　regarding　the　two

speechless　men；　〃is　it　an　indiscretion　we　are　making　hereor　are

you　dumb？　　You；　Don　Diego；　are　loud　enough　when　you　and　Don　Jose

are　together；　at　least　introduce　your　friend。〃



Grant　quickly　recovered　himself。　　〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　coming

forward；　〃unless　Miss　Harcourt　does；　that　I　am　a　mere　trespasser　in

your　house；　Senora。　　I　saw　her　pass　in　your　carriage　a　few　moments

ago；　and　having　a　message　for　her　I　ventured　to　follow　her　here。〃



〃It　is　Mr。　Grant；　a　friend　of　my　father's；〃　said　Clementina；

smiling　with　equanimity；　as　if　just　awakening　from　a　momentary

abstraction；　yet　apparently　unconscious　of　Grant's　imploring　eyes；

〃but　the　other　gentleman　I　have　not　the　pleasure　of　knowing。〃




〃Ah！　　Don　Diego　Fletcher；　a　countryman　of　yours；　and　yet　I　think　he

knows　you　not。〃



Clementina's　face　betrayed　no　indication　of　the　presence　of　her

father's　foe；　and　yet　Grant　knew　that　she　must　have　recognized　his

name；　as　she　looked　towards　Fletcher　with　perfect　self…possession。

He　was　too　much　engaged　in　watching　her　to　take　note　of　Fletcher's

manifest　disturbance；　or　the　evident　effort　with　which　he　at　last

bowed　to　her。　　That　this　unexpected　double　meeting　with　the

daughter　of　the　man　he　had　wronged；　and　the　man　who　had　espoused

the　quarrel；　should　be　confounding　to　him　appeared　only　natural。

But　he　was　unprepared　to　understand　the　feverish　alacrity　with

which　he　accepted　Dona　Maria's　invitation　to　chocolate；　or　the

equally　animated　way　in　which　Clementina　threw　herself　into　her

hostess's　Spanish　levity。　　He　knew　it　was　an　awkward　situation；

that　must　be　surmounted　without　a　scene；　he　was　quite　prepared　in

the　presence　of　Clementina　to　be　civil　to　Fletcher；　but　it　was　odd

that　in　this　feverish　exchange　of　courtesies　and　compliments　HE；

Grant；　should　feel　the　greater　awkwardness　and　be　the　most　ill　at

ease。　　He　sat　down　and　took　his　part　in　the　conversation；　he　let　it

transpire　for　Clementina's　benefit　that　he　had　been　to　Los　Gatos

only　on　business；　yet　there　was　no　opportunity　for　even　a

significant　glance；　and　he　had　the　added　embarrassment　of　seeing

that　she　exhibited　no　surprise　nor　seemed　to　attach　the　least

importance　to　his　inopportune　visit。　　In　a　miserable　indecision　he

allowed　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　the　high…flown　hospitality　of

his　Spanish　hostess；　and　consented　to　stay　to　an　early　dinner。　　It

was　part　of　the　infelicity　of　circumstance　that　the　voluble　Dona

Mariaelecting　him　as　the　distinguished　stranger　above　the

resident　Fletchermonopolized　him　and　attached　him　to　her　side。

She　would　do　the　honors　of　her　house；　she　must　show　him　the　ruins

of　the　old　Mission　beside　the　corral；　Don　Diego　and　Clementina

would　join　them　presently　in　the　garden。　　He　cast　a　despairing

glance　at　the　placidly　smiling　Clementina；　who　was　apparently

equally　indifferent　to　the　evident　constraint　and　assumed　ease　of

the　man　beside　her；　and　turned　away　with　Mrs。　Ramirez。



A　silence　fell　upon　the　gallery　so　deep　that　the　receding　voices

and　footsteps　of　Grant　and　his　hostess　in　the　long　passage　were

distinctly　heard　until　they　reached　the　end。　　Then　Fletcher　arose

with　an　inarticulate　exclamation。　　Clementina　instantly　put　her

finger　to　her　lips；　glanced　around　the　gallery；　extended　her　hand

to　him；　and　saying　〃Come；〃　half…led；　half…dragged　him　into　the

passage。　　To　the　right　she　turned　and　pushed　open　the　door　of　a

small　room　that　seemed　a　combination　of　boudoir　and　oratory；　lit　by

a　French　window　opening　to　the　garden；　and　flanked　by　a　large　black

and　white　crucifix　with　a　prie　Dieu　beneath　it。　　Closing　the　door

behind　them　she　turned　and　faced　her　companion。　　But　it　was　no

longer　the　face　of　the　woman　who　had　been　sitting　in　the　gallery；

it　was　the　face　that　had　looked　back　at　her　from　the　mirror　at

Tasajara　the　night　that　Grant　had　left　hereager；　flushed；

material　with　commonplace　excitement！



〃'Lige　Curtis；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；〃　he　answered　passionately；　〃Lige　Curtis；　whom　you　thought

dead！　　'Lige　Curtis；　whom　you　once　pitied；　condoled　with　and

despised！　　'Lige　Curtis；　whose　lands　and　property　have　enriched

you！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　would　have　shared　it　with　you　freely　at　the

time；　but　whom　your　father　juggled　and　defrauded　of　it！　　'Lige

Curtis；　branded　by　him　as　a　drunken　outcast　and　suicide！　　'Lige

Curtis〃



〃Hush！〃　　She　clapped　her　little　hand　over　his　mouth　with　a　quick

but　awkward　schoolgirl　gesture；　inconceivable　to　any　who　had　known

her　usual　languid　elegance　of　motion；　and　held　it　there。　　He

struggled　angrily；　impatiently；　reproachfully；　and　then；　with　a

sudden　characteristic　weakness　that　seemed　as　much　of　a　revelation

as　her　once　hoydenish　manner；　kissed　it；　when　she　let　it　drop。

Then　placing　both　her　hands　still　girlishly　on　her　slim　waist　and

curtseying　grotesquely　before　him；　she　said：　〃'Lige　Curtis！　　Oh；

yes！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　swore　to　do　everything　for　me！　　'Lige

Curtis；　who　promised　to　give　up　liquor　for　me；who　was　to　leave

Tasajara　for　me！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　was　to　reform；　and　keep　his

land　as　a　nest…egg　for　us　both　in　the　future；　and　then　who　sold　it

and　himselfand　meto　dad　for　a　glass　of　whiskey！　　'Lige　Curtis；

who　disappeared；　and　then　let　us　think　he　was　dead；　only　that　he

might　attack　us　out　of　the　ambush　of　his　grave！〃



〃Yes；　but　think　what　I　have　suffered　all　these　years；　not　for　the

cursed　landyou　know　I　never　cared　for　thatbut　for　YOU；you；

Clementina；YOU　rich；　admired　by　every　one；　idolized；　held　far

above　me；ME；　the　forgotten　outcast；　the　wretched　suicideand　yet

the　man　to　whom　you　had　once　plighted　your　troth。　　Which　of　those

greedy　fortune…hunters　whom　my　moneymy　life…blood　as　you　might

have　thought　it　wasattracted　to　you；　did　you　care　to　tell　that

you　had　ever　slipped　out　of　the　little　garden　gate　at　Sidon　to　meet

that　outcast！　　Do　you　wonder　that　as　the　years　passed　and　YOU　were

happy；　I　did　not　choose　to　be　so　forgotten？　　Do　you　wonder　that

when　YOU　shut　the　door　on　the　past　I　managed　to　open　it　againif

only　a　little　waythat　its　light　might　startle　you？〃



Yet　she　did　not　seem　startled　or　disturbed；　and　remained　only

looking　at　him　critically。



〃You　say　that　you　have　suffered；〃　she　replied　with　a　smile。　　〃You

don't　look　it！　　Your　hair　is　white；　but　it　is　becoming　to　you；　and

you　are　a　handsomer　man；　'Lige　Curtis；　than　you　were　when　I　first

met　you；　you　are　finer；〃　she　went　on；　still　regarding　him；

〃stronger　and　healthier　than　you　were　five　years　ago；　you　are　rich

and　prosperous；　you　have　everything　to　make　you　happy；　but〃here

she　laughed　a　little；　held　out　both　her　hands；　taking　his　and

holding　his　arms　apart　in　a　rustic；　homely　fashion〃but　you　are

still　the　same　old　'Lige　Curtis！　　It　was　like　you　to　go　off　and

hide　yourself　in　that　idiotic　way；　it　was　like　you　to　let　the

property　slide　in　that　stupid；　unselfish　fashion；　it　was　like　you

to　get　real　mad；　and　say　all　those　mean；　silly　things　to　dad；　that

didn't　hurt　himin　your　regular　looney　style；　for　rich　or　poor；

drunk　or　sober；　ragged　or　elegant；　plain