sunned　itself　on　a　southern　slope　of　luxury。　　It　had　been　described
  as　〃princely〃　and　〃fairy…like；〃　by　a　grateful　reporter；　tourists
  and　travelers　had　sung　its　praises　in　letters　to　their　friends　and
  in　private　reminiscences；　for　it　had　dispensed　hospitality　to　most
  of　the　celebrities　who　had　visited　the　coast。　　Nevertheless　its
  charm　was　mainly　due　to　the　ruling　taste　of　Miss　Clementina
  Harcourt；　who　had　astonished　her　father　by　her　marvelous　intuition
  of　the　nice　requirements　and　elegant　responsibilities　of　their
  position；　and　had　thrown　her　mother　into　the　pained　perplexity　of　a
  matronly　hen；　who；　among　the　ducks'　eggs　intrusted　to　her　fostering
  care；　had　unwittingly　hatched　a　graceful　but　discomposing　cygnet。
  Indeed；　after　holding　out　feebly　against　the　siege　of　wealth　at
  Tasajara　and　San　Francisco；　Mrs。　Harcourt　had　abandoned　herself
  hopelessly　to　the　horrors　of　its　invasion；　had　allowed　herself　to
  be　dragged　from　her　kitchen　by　her　exultant　daughters　and　set　up　in
  black　silk　in　a　certain　conventional　respectability　in　the　drawing…
  room。　　Strange　to　say；　her　commiserating　hospitality；　or　hospital…
  like　ministration；　not　only　gave　her　popularity；　but　a　certain　kind
  of　distinction。　　An　exaltation　so　sorrowfully　deprecated　by　its
  possessor　was　felt　to　be　a　sign　of　superiority。　　She　was　spoken　of
  as　〃motherly；〃　even　by　those　who　vaguely　knew　that　there　was
  somewhere　a　discarded　son　struggling　in　poverty　with　a　helpless
  wife；　and　that　she　had　sided　with　her　husband　in　disinheriting　a
  daughter　who　had　married　unwisely。　　She　was　sentimentally　spoken　of
  as　a　〃true　wife；〃　while　never　opposing　a　single　meanness　of　her
  husband；　suggesting　a　single　active　virtue；　nor　questioning　her
  right　to　sacrifice　herself　and　her　family　for　his　sake。　　With
  nothing　she　cared　to　affect；　she　was　quite　free　from　affectation；
  and　even　the　critical　Lawrence　Grant　was　struck　with　the　dignity
  which　her　narrow　simplicity；　that　had　seemed　small　even　in　Sidon；
  attained　in　her　palatial　hall　in　San　Francisco。　　It　appeared　to　be
  a　perfectly　logical　conclusion　that　when　such　unaffectedness　and
  simplicity　were　forced　to　assume　a　hostile　attitude　to　anybody；　the
  latter　must　be　to　blame。
  Since　the　festival　of　Tasajara　Mr。　Grant　had　been　a　frequent
  visitor　at　Harcourt's；　and　was　a　guest　on　the　eve　of　his　departure
  from　San　Francisco。　　The　distinguished　position　of　each　made　their
  relations　appear　quite　natural　without　inciting　gossip　as　to　any
  attraction　in　Harcourt's　daughters。　　It　was　late　one　afternoon　as
  he　was　passing　the　door　of　Harcourt's　study　that　his　host　called
  him　in。　　He　found　him　sitting　at　his　desk　with　some　papers　before
  him　and　a　folded　copy　of　the　〃Clarion。〃　　With　his　back　to　the
  fading　light　of　the　window　his　face　was　partly　in　shadow。
  〃By　the　way；　Grant；〃　he　began；　with　an　assumption　of　carelessness
  somewhat　inconsistent　with　the　fact　that　he　had　just　called　him　in；
  〃it　may　be　necessary　for　me　to　pull　up　those　fellows　who　are
  blackguarding　me　in　the　'Clarion。'〃
  〃Why；　they　haven't　been　saying　anything　new？〃　asked　Grant；
  laughingly；　as　he　glanced　towards　the　paper。
  〃Nothat　isonly　a　rehash　of　what　they　said　before；〃　returned
  Harcourt　without　opening　the　paper。
  〃Well；〃　said　Grant　playfully；　〃you　don't　mind　their　saying　that
  you're　NOT　the　original　pioneer　of　Tasajara；　for　it's　true；　nor
  that　that　fellow　'Lige　Curtis　disappeared　suddenly；　for　he　did；　if
  I　remember　rightly。　　But　there's　nothing　in　that　to　invalidate　your
  rights　to　Tasajara；　to　say　nothing　of　your　five　years'　undisputed
  possession。〃
  〃Of　course　there's　no　LEGAL　question；〃　said　Harcourt　almost　sharply。
  〃But　as　a　matter　of　absurd　report；　I　may　want　to　contradict　their
  insinuations。　　And　YOU　remember　all　the　circumstances；　don't　you？〃
  〃I　should　think　so！　　Why；　my　dear　fellow；　I've　told　it　everywhere！
  here；　in　New　York；　Newport；　and　in　London；　by　Jove；　it's　one　of　my
  best　stories！　　How　a　company　sent　me　out　with　a　surveyor　to　look　up
  a　railroad　and　agricultural　possibilities　in　the　wilderness；　how
  just　as　I　found　themand　a　rather　big　thing　they　made；　tooI　was
  set　afloat　by　a　flood　and　a　raft；　and　drifted　ashore　on　your　bank；
  and　practically　demonstrated　to　you　what　you　didn't　know　and　didn't
  dare　to　hope　forthat　there　could　be　a　waterway　straight　to　Sidon
  from　the　embarcadero。　　I've　told　what　a　charming　evening　we　had
  with　you　and　your　daughters　in　the　old　house；　and　how　I　returned
  your　hospitality　by　giving　you　a　tip　about　the　railroad；　and　how
  you　slipped　out　while　we　were　playing　cards；　to　clinch　the　bargain
  for　the　land　with　that　drunken　fellow；　'Lige　Curtis〃
  〃What's　that？〃　interrupted　Harcourt；　quickly。
  It　was　well　that　the　shadow　hid　from　Grant　the　expression　of
  Harcourt's　face；　or　his　reply　might　have　been　sharper。　　As　it　was；
  he　answered　a　little　stiffly：
  〃I　beg　your　pardon〃
  Harcourt　recovered　himself。　　〃You're　all　wrong！〃　he　said；　〃that
  bargain　was　made　long　BEFORE；　I　never　saw　'Lige　Curtis　after　you
  came　to　the　house。　　It　was　before　that；　in　the　afternoon；〃　he　went
  on　hurriedly；　〃that　he　was　last　in　my　store。　　I　can　prove　it。〃
  Nevertheless　he　was　so　shocked　and　indignant　at　being　confronted　in
  his　own　suppressions　and　falsehoods　by　an　even　greater　and　more
  astounding　misconception　of　fact；　that　for　a　moment　he　felt
  helpless。　　What；　he　reflected；　if　it　were　alleged　that　'Lige　had
  returned　again　after　the　loafers　had　gone；　or　had　never　left　the
  store　as　had　been　said？　　Nonsense！　　There　was　John　Milton；　who　had
  been　there　reading　all　the　time；　and　who　could　disprove　it。　　Yes；
  but　John　Milton　was　his　discarded　son；his　enemy；perhaps　even
  his　very　slanderer！
  〃But；〃　said　Grant　quietly；　〃don't　you　remember　that　your　daughter
  Euphemia　said　something　that　evening　about　the　land　Lige　had
  OFFERED　you；　and　you　snapped　up　the　young　lady　rather　sharply　for
  letting　out　secrets；　and　THEN　you　went　out？　　At　least　that's　my
  impression。〃
  It　was；　however；　more　than　an　impression；　with　Grant's　scientific
  memory　for　characteristic　details　he　had　noticed　that　particular
  circumstance　as　part　of　the　social　phenomena。
  〃I　don't　know　what　Phemie　SAID；〃　returned　Harcourt；　impatiently。
  〃I　KNOW　there　was　no　offer　pending；　the　land　had　been　sold　to　me
  before　I　ever　saw　you。　　Whyyou　must　have　thought　me　up　to　pretty
  sharp　practice　with　Curtiseh？〃　he　added；　with　a　forced　laugh。
  Grant　smiled；　he　had　been　accustomed　to　hear　of　such　sharp　practice
  among　his　business　acquaintance；　although　he　himself　by　nature　and
  profession　was　incapable　of　it；　but　he　had　not　deemed　Harcourt　more
  scrupulous　than　others。　　〃Perhaps　so；〃　he　said　lightly；　〃but　for
  Heaven's　sake　don't　ask　me　to　spoil　my　reputation　as　a　raconteur
  for　the　sake　of　a　mere　fact　or　two。　　I　assure　you　it's　a　mighty
  taking　story　as　I　tell　itand　it　don't　hurt　you　in　a　business　way。
  You're　the　hero　of　ithang　it　all！〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Harcourt；　without　noticing　Grant's　half　cynical
  superiority；　but　you'll　oblige　me　if　you　won't　tell　it　again　IN
  THAT　WAY。　　There　are　men　here　mean　enough　to　make　the　worst　of　it。
  It's　nothing　to　me；　of　course；　but　my　familythe　girls；　you　know
  are　rather　sensitive。〃
  〃I　had　no　idea　they　even　knew　it；much　less　cared　for　it；〃　said
  Grant；　with　sudden　seriousness。　　〃I　dare　say　if　those　fellows　in
  the　〃Clarion〃　knew　that　they　were　annoying　the　ladies　they'd　drop
  it。　　Who's　the　editor？　　Look　hereleave　it　to　me；　I'll　look　into
  it。　　Better　that　you　shouldn't　appear　in　the　matter　at　all。〃
  〃You　understand　that　if　it　was　a　really　serious　matter；　Grant；〃
  said　Harcourt　with　a　slight　attitude；　〃I　shouldn't　allow　any　one　to
  take　my　place。〃
  〃My　dear　fellow；　there'll　be　nobody　'called　out'　and　no　'shooting
  at　sight；'　whatever　is　the　result　of　my　interference；〃　returned
  Grant；　lightly。　　〃It'll　be　all　right。〃　　He　was　quite　aware　of　the
  power　of　his　own　independent　position　and　the　fact　that　he　had　been
  often　appealed　to　before　in　delicate　arbitration。
  Harcourt　was　equally　conscious　of　this；　but　by　a　strange
  inconsistency　now　felt　relieved　at　the　coolness　with　which　Grant
  had　accepted　the　misconception　which　had　at　first　seemed　so
  dangerous。　　If　he　were　ready　to　condone　what　he　thought　was　SHARP
  PRACTICE；　he　could　not　be　less　lenient　with　the　real　facts　that
  might　come　out；of　course　always　excepting　that　interpolated
  consideration　in　the　bill　of　sale；　which；　however；　no　one　but　the
  missing　Curtis　could　ever　discover。　　The　fact　that　a　man　of　Grant's
  secure　position　had　interested　himself　in　this　matter　would　secure
  him　from　the　working　of　that　personal　vulgar　jealousy　which　his
  humbler　antecedents　had　provoked。　　And　if；　as　he　fancied；　Grant
  really　cared　for　Clementina
  〃As　you　like；〃　he　said；　with　half…affected　lightness；　〃and　now　let
  us　talk　of　something　else。　　Clementina　has　been　thinking　of　getting
  up　a　riding　party　to　San　Mateo　for　Mrs。　Ashwood。　　We　must　show　them