ways；　their　strange　instruments　and　stranger　talk；　captured　his
  fancy。　　Kept　in　the　background　by　his　sisters　when　visitors　came；
  as　an　unpresentable　feature　in　the　household；　he　however　managed　to
  linger　near　the　strangers　when；　in　company　with　Euphemia　and
  Clementina；　after　breakfast　they　strolled　beneath　the　sparkling
  sunlight　in　the　rude　garden　inclosure　along　the　sloping　banks　of
  the　creek。　　It　was　with　the　average　brother's　supreme　contempt　that
  he　listened　to　his　sisters'　〃practicin'〃　upon　the　goodness　of　these
  superior　beings；　it　was　with　an　exceptional　pity　that　he　regarded
  the　evident　admiration　of　the　strangers　in　return。　　He　felt　that　in
  the　case　of　Euphemia；　who　sometimes　evinced　a　laudable　curiosity　in
  his　pleasures；　and　a　flattering　ignorance　of　his　reading；　this
  might　be　pardonable；　but　what　any　one　could　find　in　the　useless
  statuesque　Clementina　passed　his　comprehension。　　Could　they　not　see
  at　once　that　she　was　〃just　that　kind　of　person〃　who　would　lie　abed
  in　the　morning；　pretending　she　was　sick；　in　order　to　make　Phemie　do
  the　housework；　and　make　him；　John　Milton；　clean　her　boots　and　fetch
  things　for　her？　　Was　it　not　perfectly　plain　to　them　that　her
  present　sickening　politeness　was　solely　with　a　view　to　extract　from
  them　caramels；　rock…candy；　and　gum　drops；　which　she　would　meanly
  keep　herself；　and　perhaps　some　〃buggy…riding〃　later？　　Alas；　John
  Milton；　it　was　not！　　For　standing　there　with　her　tall；　perfectly…
  proportioned　figure　outlined　against　a　willow；　an　elastic　branch　of
  which　she　had　drawn　down　by　one　curved　arm　above　her　head；　and　on
  which　she　leanedas　everybody　leaned　against　something　in　Sidon
  the　two　young　men　saw　only　a　straying　goddess　in　a　glorified
  rosebud　print。　　Whether　the　clearly…cut　profile　presented　to　Rice；
  or　the　full　face　that　captivated　Grant；　each　suggested　possibilities
  of　position；　pride；　poetry；　and　passion　that　astonished　while　it
  fascinated　them。　　By　one　of　those　instincts　known　only　to　the
  freemasonry　of　the　sex；　Euphemia　lent　herself　to　this　advertisement
  of　her　sister's　charms　by　subtle　comparison　with　her　own
  prettinesses；　and　thus　combined　against　their　common　enemy；　man。
  〃Clementina　certainly　is　perfect；　to　keep　her　supremacy　over　that
  pretty　little　sister；〃　thought　Rice。
  〃What　a　fascinating　little　creature　to　hold　her　own　against　that
  tall；　handsome　girl；〃　thought　Grant。
  〃They're　takin'　stock　o'　them　two　fellers　so　as　to　gabble　about　'em
  when　their　backs　is　turned；〃　said　John　Milton　gloomily　to　himself；
  with　a　dismal　premonition　of　the　prolonged　tea…table　gossip　he
  would　be　obliged　to　listen　to　later。
  〃We　were　very　fortunate　to　make　a　landing　at　all　last　night；〃　said
  Rice；　looking　down　upon　the　still　swollen　current；　and　then　raising
  his　eyes　to　Clementina。　　〃Still　more　fortunate　to　make　it　where　we
  did。　　I　suppose　it　must　have　been　the　singing　that　lured　us　on　to
  the　bank；as；　you　know；　the　sirens　used　to　lure　people；only　with
  less　disastrous　consequences。〃
  John　Milton　here　detected　three　glaring　errors；　first；　it　was　NOT
  Clementina　who　had　sung；　secondly；　he　knew　that　neither　of　his
  sisters　had　ever　read　anything　about　sirens；　but　he　had；　thirdly；
  that　the　young　surveyor　was　glaringly　ignorant　of　local　phenomena
  and　should　be　corrected。
  〃It's　nothin'　but　the　current；〃　he　said；　with　that　feverish　youthful
  haste　that　betrays　a　fatal　experience　of　impending　interruption。
  〃It's　always　leavin'　drift　and　rubbish　from　everywhere　here。　　There
  ain't　anythin'　that's　chucked　into　the　creek　above　that　ain't　bound
  to　fetch　up　on　this　bank。　　Why；　there　was　two　sheep　and　a　dead　hoss
  here　long　afore　YOU　thought　of　coming！〃　　He　did　not　understand　why
  this　should　provoke　the　laughter　that　it　did；　and　to　prove　that　he
  had　no　ulterior　meaning；　added　with　pointed　politeness；　〃So　IT　ISN'T
  YOUR　FAULT；　you　knowYOU　couldn't　help　it；〃　supplementing　this
  with　the　distinct　courtesy；　〃otherwise　you　wouldn't　have　come。〃
  〃But　it　would　seem　that　your　visitors　are　not　all　as　accidental　as
  your　brother　would　imply；　and　one；　at　least；　seems　to　have　been
  expected　last　evening。　　You　remember　you　thought　we　were　a　Mr。
  Parmlee；〃　said　Mr。　Rice　looking　at　Clementina。
  It　would　be　strange　indeed；　he　thought；　if　the　beautiful　girl　were
  not　surrounded　by　admirers。　　But　without　a　trace　of　self…
  consciousness；　or　any　change　in　her　reposeful　face；　she　indicated
  her　sister　with　a　slight　gesture；　and　said：　〃One　of　Phemie's
  friends。　　He　gave　her　the　accordion。　　She's　very　popular。〃
  〃And　I　suppose　YOU　are　very　hard　to　please？〃　he　said　with　a
  tentative　smile。
  She　looked　at　him　with　her　large；　clear　eyes；　and　that　absence　of
  coquetry　or　changed　expression　in　her　beautiful　face　which　might
  have　stood　for　indifference　or　dignity　as　she　said：　〃I　don't　know。
  I　am　waiting　to　see。〃
  But　here　Miss　Phemie　broke　in　saucily　with　the　assertion　that　Mr。
  Parmlee　might　not　have　a　railroad　in　his　pocket；　but　that　at　least
  he　didn't　have　to　wait　for　the　Flood　to　call　on　young　ladies；　nor
  did　he　usually　come　in　pairs；　for　all　the　world　as　if　he　had　been
  let　out　of　Noah's　Ark；　but　on　horseback　and　like　a　Christian　by　the
  front　door。　　All　this　provokingly　and　bewitchingly　delivered；
  however；　and　with　a　simulated　exaggeration　that　was　incited
  apparently　more　by　Mr。　Lawrence　Grant's　evident　enjoyment　of　it；
  than　by　any　desire　to　defend　the　absent　Parmlee。
  〃But　where　is　the　front　door？〃　asked　Grant　laughingly。
  The　young　girl　pointed　to　a　narrow　zigzag　path　that　ran　up　the　bank
  beside　the　house　until　it　stopped　at　a　small　picketed　gate　on　the
  level　of　the　road　and　store。
  〃But　I　should　think　it　would　be　easier　to　have　a　door　and　private
  passage　through　the　store；〃　said　Grant。
  〃WE　don't；〃　said　the　young　lady　pertly；　〃we　have　nothing　to　do　with
  the　store。　　I　go　in　to　see　paw　sometimes　when　he's　shutting　up　and
  there's　nobody　there；　but　Clem　has　never　set　foot　in　it　since　we
  came。　　It's　bad　enough　to　have　it　and　the　lazy　loafers　that　hang
  around　it　as　near　to　us　as　they　are；　but　paw　built　the　house　in
  such　a　fashion　that　we　ain't　troubled　by　their　noise；　and　we　might
  be　t'other　side　of　the　creek　as　far　as　our　having　to　come　across
  them。　　And　because　paw　has　to　sell　pork　and　flour；　we　haven't　any
  call　to　go　there　and　watch　him　do　it。〃
  The　two　men　glanced　at　each　other。　　This　reserve　and　fastidiousness
  were　something　rare　in　a　pioneer　community。　　Harkutt's　manners
  certainly　did　not　indicate　that　he　was　troubled　by　this
  sensitiveness；　it　must　have　been　some　individual　temperament　of　his
  daughters。　　Stephen　felt　his　respect　increase　for　the　goddess…like
  Clementina；　Mr。　Lawrence　Grant　looked　at　Miss　Phemie　with　a
  critical　smile。
  〃But　you　must　be　very　limited　in　your　company；〃　he　said；　〃or　is　Mr。
  Parmlee　not　a　customer　of　your　father's？〃
  〃As　Mr。　Parmlee　does　not　come　to　us　through　the　store；　and　don't
  talk　trade　to　me；　we　don't　know；〃　responded　Phemie　saucily。
  〃But　have　you　no　lady　acquaintancesneighborswho　also　avoid　the
  store　and　enter　only　at　the　straight　and　narrow　gate　up　there？〃
  continued　Grant　mischievously；　regardless　of　the　uneasy；　half…
  reproachful　glances　of　Rice。
  But　Phemie；　triumphantly　oblivious　of　any　satire；　answered
  promptly：　〃If　you　mean　the　Pike　County　Billingses　who　live　on　the
  turnpike　road　as　much　as　they　do　off　it；　or　the　six　daughters　of
  that　Georgia　Cracker　who　wear　men's　boots　and　hats；　we　haven't。〃
  〃And　Mr。　Parmlee；　your　admirer？〃　suggested　Rice。　　〃Hasn't　he　a
  mother　or　sisters　here？〃
  〃Yes；　but　they　don't　want　to　know　us；　and　have　never　called　here。〃
  The　embarrassment　of　the　questioner　at　this　unexpected　reply；　which
  came　from　the　faultless　lips　of　Clementina；　was　somewhat　mitigated
  by　the　fact　that　the　young　woman's　voice　and　manner　betrayed
  neither　annoyance　nor　anger。
  Here；　however；　Harkutt　appeared　from　the　house　with　the　information
  that　he　had　secured　two　horses　for　the　surveyors　and　their
  instruments；　and　that　he　would　himself　accompany　them　a　part　of　the
  way　on　their　return　to　Tasajara　Creek；　to　show　them　the　road。　　His
  usual　listless　deliberation　had　given　way　to　a　certain　nervous　but
  uneasy　energy。　　If　they　started　at　once　it　would　be　better；　before
  the　loungers　gathered　at　the　store　and　confused　them　with　lazy
  counsel　and　languid　curiosity。　　He　took　it　for　granted　that　Mr。
  Grant　wished　the　railroad　survey　to　be　a　secret；　and　he　had　said
  nothing；　as　they　would　be　pestered　with　questions。　　〃Sidon　was
  inquisitiveand　old…fashioned。〃　　The　benefit　its　inhabitants　would
  get　from　the　railroad　would　not　prevent　them　from　throwing
  obstacles　in　its　way　at　first；　he　remembered　the　way　they　had　acted
  with　a　proposed　wagon　road；in　fact；　an　idea　of　his　own；　something
  like　the　railroad；　he　knew　them　thoroughly；　and　if　he　might　advise
  them；　it　would　be　to　say　nothing　here　until　the　thing　was　settled。
  〃He　evidently　does　not　intend