necessities　than　if　he　hadas　was　the　casemerely　benefited　by
  them　through　an　accident　of　circumstance　and　good　humor。　　In　the
  latter　case　he　would　be　envied　and　hated；　in　the　former　he　would　be
  envied　and　feared。　　By　logic　of　circumstance　the　greater　wrong
  seemed　to　be　less　obviously　offensive　than　the　minor　fault。　　It　was
  true　that　it　involved　the　doing　of　something　he　had　not　contemplated；
  and　the　certainty　of　exposure　if　'Lige　ever　returned；　but　he　was
  nevertheless　resolved。　　The　step　from　passive　to　active　wrong…doing
  is　not　only　easy；　it　is　often　a　relief；　it　is　that　return　to
  sincerity　which　we　all　require。　　Howbeit；　it　gave　that　ring　of
  assertion　to　Daniel　Harkutt's　voice　already　noted；　which　most　women
  like；　and　only　men　are　prone　to　suspect　or　challenge。　　The
  incompleteness　of　his　statement　was；　for　the　same　reason；　overlooked
  by　his　feminine　auditors。
  〃And　what　is　it　worth；　dad？〃　asked　Phemie　eagerly。
  〃Grant　says　I　oughter　get　at　least　ten　thousand　dollars　for　the
  site　of　the　terminus　from　the　company；　but　of　course　I　shall　hold
  on　to　the　rest　of　the　land。　　The　moment　they　get　the　terminus
  there；　and　the　depot　and　wharf　built；　I　can　get　my　own　price　and
  buyers　for　the　rest。　　Before　the　year　is　out　Grant　thinks　it　ought
  to　go　up　ten　per　cent　on　the　value　of　the　terminus；　and　that　a
  hundred　thousand。〃
  〃Oh；　dad！〃　gasped　Phemie；　frantically　clasping　her　knees　with　both
  hands　as　if　to　perfectly　assure　herself　of　this　good　fortune。
  Mrs。　Harkutt　audibly　murmured　〃Poor　dear　Dan'l；〃　and　stood；　as　it
  were；　sympathetically　by；　ready　to　commiserate　the　pains　and
  anxieties　of　wealth　as　she　had　those　of　poverty。　　Clementina　alone
  remained　silent；　clear…eyed；　and　unchanged。
  〃And　to　think　it　all　came　through　THEM！〃　continued　Phemie。　　〃I
  always　had　an　idea　that　Mr。　Grant　was　smart；　dad。　　And　it　was　real
  kind　of　him　to　tell　you。〃
  〃I　reckon　father　could　have　found　it　out　without　them。　　I　don't
  know　why　we　should　be　beholden　to　them　particularly。　　I　hope　he
  isn't　expected　to　let　them　think　that　he　is　bound　to　consider　them
  our　intimate　friends　just　because　they　happened　to　drop　in　here　at
  a　time　when　his　plans　have　succeeded。〃
  The　voice　was　Clementina's；　unexpected　but　quiet；　unemotional　and
  convincing。　　〃It　seemed；〃　as　Mrs。　Harkutt　afterwards　said；　〃as　if
  the　child　had　already　touched　that　hundred　thousand。〃　　Phemie
  reddened　with　a　sense　of　convicted　youthful　extravagance。
  〃You　needn't　fear　for　me；〃　said　Harkutt；　responding　to　Clementina's
  voice　as　if　it　were　an　echo　of　his　own；　and　instinctively
  recognizing　an　unexpected　ally。　　〃I've　got　my　own　ideas　of　this
  thing；　and　what's　to　come　of　it。　　I've　got　my　own　ideas　of　openin'
  up　that　property　and　showin'　its　resources。　　I'm　goin'　to　run　it　my
  own　way。　　I'm　goin'　to　have　a　town　along　the　embarcadero　that'll
  lay　over　any　town　in　Contra　Costa。　　I'm　goin'　to　have　the　court…
  house　and　county　seat　there；　and　a　couple　of　hotels　as　good　as　any
  in　the　Bay。　　I'm　goin'　to　build　that　wagon　road　through　here　that
  those　lazy　louts　slipped　up　on；　and　carry　it　clear　over　to　Five
  Mile　Corner；　and　open　up　the　whole　Tasajara　Plain！〃
  They　had　never　seen　him　look　so　strong；　so　resolute；　so　intelligent
  and　handsome。　　A　dimly　prophetic　vision　of　him　in　a　black
  broadcloth　suit　and　gold　watch…chain　addressing　a　vague　multitude；
  as　she　remembered　to　have　seen　the　Hon。　Stanley　Riggs　of　Alasco　at
  the　〃Great　Barbecue；〃　rose　before　Phemie's　blue　enraptured　eyes。
  With　the　exception　of　Mrs。　Harkutt；equal　to　any　possibilities　on
  the　part　of　her　husband；they　had　honestly　never　expected　it　of
  him。　　They　were　pleased　with　their　father's　attitude　in　prosperity；
  and　felt　that　perhaps　he　was　not　unworthy　of　being　proud　of　them
  hereafter。
  〃But　we're　goin'　to　leave　Sidon；〃　said　Phemie；　〃ain't　we；　paw？〃
  〃As　soon　as　I　can　run　up　a　new　house　at　the　embarcadero；〃　said
  Harkutt　peevishly；　〃and　that's　got　to　be　done　mighty　quick　if　I
  want　to　make　a　show　to　the　company　and　be　in　possession。〃
  〃And　that's　easier　for　you　to　do；　dear；　now　that　'Lige's
  disappeared；〃　said　Mrs。　Harkutt　consolingly。
  〃What　do　ye　mean　by　that？　　What　the　devil　are　ye　talkin'　about？〃
  demanded　Harkutt　suddenly　with　unexpected　exasperation。
  〃I　mean　that　that　drunken　'Lige　would　be　mighty　poor　company　for
  the　girls　if　he　was　our　only　neighbor；〃　returned　Mrs。　Harkutt
  submissively。
  Harkutt；　after　a　fixed　survey　of　his　wife；　appeared　mollified。　　The
  two　girls；　who　were　mindful　of　his　previous　outburst　the　evening
  before；　exchanged　glances　which　implied　that　his　manners　needed
  correction　for　prosperity。
  〃You'll　want　a　heap　o'　money　to　build　there；　Dan'l；〃　said　Mrs。
  Harkutt　in　plaintive　diffidence。
  〃Yes！　　Yes！〃　said　Harkutt　impatiently。　　〃I've　kalkilated　all　that；
  and　I'm　goin'　to　'Frisco　to…morrow　to　raise　it　and　put　this　bill　of
  sale　on　record。〃　　He　half　drew　Elijah　Curtis's　paper　from　his
  pocket；　but　paused　and　put　it　back　again。
  〃Then　THAT　WAS　the　paper；　dad；〃　said　Phemie　triumphantly。
  〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　regarding　her　fixedly；　〃and　you　know　now
  why　I　didn't　want　anything　said　about　it　last　nightnor　even　now。〃
  〃And　'Lige　had　just　given　it　to　you！　　Wasn't　it　lucky？〃
  〃He　HADN'T　just　given　it　to　me！〃　said　her　father　with　another
  unexpected　outburst。　　〃God　Amighty！　ain't　I　tellin'　you　all　the
  time　it　was　an　old　matter！　　But　you　jabber；　jabber　all　the　time　and
  don't　listen！　　Where's　John　Milton？〃　　It　had　occurred　to　him　that
  the　boy　might　have　read　the　paperas　his　sister　hadwhile　it　lay
  unheeded　on　the　counter。
  〃In　the　store；you　know。　　You　said　he　wasn't　to　hear　anything　of
  this；　but　I'll　call　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Harkutt；　rising　eagerly。
  〃Never　mind；〃　returned　her　husband；　stopping　her　reflectively；
  〃best　leave　it　as　it　is；　if　it's　necessary　I'll　tell　him。　　But
  don't　any　of　you　say　anything；　do　you　hear？〃
  Nevertheless　a　few　hours　later；　when　the　store　was　momentarily　free
  of　loungers；　and　Harkutt　had　relieved　his　son　of　his　monotonous
  charge；　he　made　a　pretense；　while　abstractedly　listening　to　an
  account　of　the　boy's　stewardship；　to　look　through　a　drawer　as　if　in
  search　of　some　missing　article。
  〃You　didn't　see　anything　of　a　paper　I　left　somewhere　about　here
  yesterday？〃　he　asked　carelessly。
  〃The　one　you　picked　up　when　you　came　in　last　night？〃　said　the　boy
  with　discomposing　directness。
  Harkutt　flushed　slightly　and　drew　his　breath　between　his　set　teeth。
  Not　only　could　he　place　no　reliance　upon　ordinary　youthful
  inattention；　but　he　must　be　on　his　guard　against　his　own　son　as
  from　a　spy！　　But　he　restrained　himself。
  〃I　don't　remember；〃　he　said　with　affected　deliberation；　〃what　it
  was　I　picked　up。　　Do　you？　　Did　you　read　it？〃
  The　meaning　of　his　father's　attitude　instinctively　flashed　upon　the
  boy。　　He　HAD　read　the　paper；　but　he　answered；　as　he　had　already
  determined；　〃No。〃
  An　inspiration　seized　Mr。　Harkutt。　　He　drew　'Lige　Curtis's　bill　of
  sale　from　his　pocket；　and　opening　it　before　John　Milton　said；　〃Was
  it　that？〃
  〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃I　couldn't　tell。〃　　He　walked　away
  with　affected　carelessness；　already　with　a　sense　of　playing　some
  part　like　his　father；　and　pretended　to　whistle　for　the　dog　across
  the　street。　　Harkutt　coughed　ostentatiously；　put　the　paper　back　in
  his　pocket；　set　one　or　two　boxes　straight　on　the　counter；　locked
  the　drawer；　and　disappeared　into　the　back　passage。　　John　Milton
  remained　standing　in　the　doorway　looking　vacantly　out。　　But　he　did
  not　see　the　dull　familiar　prospect　beyond。　　He　only　saw　the　paper
  his　father　had　opened　and　unfolded　before　him。　　It　was　the　same
  paper　he　had　read　last　night。　　But　there　were　three　words　written
  there　THAT　WERE　NOT　THERE　BEFORE！　　After　the　words　〃Value　received〃
  there　had　been　a　blank。　　He　remembered　that　distinctly。　　This　was
  filled　in　by　the　words；　〃Five　hundred　dollars。〃　　The　handwriting
  did　not　seem　like　his　father's；　nor　yet　entirely　like　'Lige
  Curtis's。　　What　it　meant　he　did　not　know；he　would　not　try　to
  think。　　He　should　forget　it；　as　he　had　tried　to　forget　what　had
  happened　before；　and　he　should　never　tell　it　to　any　one！
  There　was　a　feverish　gayety　in　his　sisters'　manner　that　afternoon
  that　he　did　not　understand；　short　colloquies　that　were　suspended
  with　ill　concealed　impatience　when　he　came　near　them；　and　resumed
  when　he　was　sent；　on　equally　palpable　excuses；　out　of　the　room。　　He
  had　been　accustomed　to　this　exclusion　when　there　were　strangers
  present；　but　it　seemed　odd　to　him　now；　when　the　conversation　did
  not　even　turn　upon　the　two　superior　visitors　who　had　been　there；
  and　of　whom　he　confidently　expected　they　would　talk。　　Such
  fragments　as　he　overheard　were　always　in　the　future　tense；　and
  referred　to　what　they　intended　to　do。　　His　mother；　whose　affection
  for　him　had　always　been　shown　in　excessive　and　depressing
  commiseration　of　him　in　even　his　lightest　moments；　th