room.Butherehehaltedagainonthethresholdwithaquickreturnofhisoldhabitsofcaution.Thedoorwasslightlyopen;
apparentlyhisangryoutbreakofanhouragohadnotaffectedthespiritsofhisdaughters,forhecouldheartheirhilariousvoicesminglingwiththoseofthestrangers.Theywereevidentlystillfortune-telling,butthistimeitwasthepropheticanddiviningaccentsofMr.RiceaddressedtoClementinawhichwerenowplainlyaudible.
\"Iseeheapsofmoneyandagreatmanyfriendsinthechangethatiscomingtoyou.Dearme!howmanysuitors!ButIcannotpromiseyouanymarriageasbrilliantasmyfriendhasjustofferedyoursister.Youmaybecertain,however,thatyou\'llhaveyourownchoiceinthis,asyouhaveinallthings.\"
\"Thankyoufornothing,\"saidClementina\'svoice.\"Butwhatarethosehorridblackcardsbesidethem?——that\'strouble,I\'msure.\"
\"Notforyou,thoughnearyou.Perhapssomeoneyoudon\'tcaremuchforanddon\'tunderstandwillhaveaheapoftroubleonyouraccount,——yes,onaccountoftheseveryriches;see,hefollowsthetenofdiamonds.Itmaybeasuitor;itmaybesomeonenowinthehouse,perhaps.\"
\"Hemeanshimself,MissClementina,\"struckinGrant\'svoicelaughingly.
\"You\'renotlistening,MissHarkutt,\"saidRicewithhalf-seriousreproach.\"Perhapsyouknowwhoitis?\"
ButMissClementina\'sreplywassimplyahurriedrecognitionofherfather\'spalefacethatheresuddenlyconfrontedherwiththeopeningdoor.
\"Why,it\'sfather!\"
CHAPTERIII.
InhisstrangementalconditioneventhechangefromHarkutt\'sfeeblecandletotheouterdarknessforamomentblindedElijahCurtis,yetitwaspartofthatmentalconditionthathekeptmovingsteadilyforwardasinatranceordream,thoughatfirstpurposelessly.Thenitoccurredtohimthathewasreallylookingforhishorse,andthattheanimalwasnotthere.Thisforamomentconfusedandfrightenedhim,firstwiththesuppositionthathehadnotbroughthimatall,butthatitwaspartofhisdelusion;secondly,withtheconvictionthatwithouthishorsehecouldneitherproceedonthecoursesuggestedbyHarkutt,nortakeanothermorevagueonethatwasdimlyinhismind.Yetinhishopelessvacillationitseemedareliefthatnowneitherwaspracticable,andthatheneeddonothing.Perhapsitwasamysteriousprovidence!
Theexplanation,however,wasmuchsimpler.ThehorsehadbeentakenbytheluxuriousandindolentBillingsunknowntohiscompanions.Overcomeatthedreadfulprospectofwalkinghomeinthatweather,thisperfectproductoflethargicSidonhadartfullyallowedPetersandWingatetoprecedehim,and,cautiouslyunloosingthetetheredanimal,hadsafelypassedtheminthedarkness.Whenhegainedhisowninclosurehehadlazilydismounted,and,withasharpcutonthemustang\'shaunches,senthimgallopingbacktorejoinhismaster,withwhatresulthasbeenalreadytoldbytheunsuspectingPetersintheprecedingchapter.
Yetnoconceptionofthispossibilityentered\'LigeCurtis\'salcoholizedconsciousness,partofwhosemorbidphantasyitwastodistortorexaggerateallnaturalphenomena.HehadavagueideathathecouldnotgobacktoHarkutt\'s;alreadyhisvisitseemedtohavehappenedlong,longago,andcouldnotberepeated.Hewouldwalkon,enwrappedinthisuncompromisingdarknesswhichconcealedeverything,suggestedeverything,andwasresponsibleforeverything.
Itwasverydark,forthewind,havinglulled,nolongerthinnedtheveilofcloudsabove,nordissipatedasteamingmistthatappearedtorisefromthesoddenplain.Yethemovedeasilythroughthedarkness,seemingtobeupheldbyitassomethingtangible,uponwhichhemightlean.Attimeshethoughtheheardvoices,——notaparticularvoicehewasthinkingof,butstrangevoices——ofcourseunrealtohispresentfancy.Andthenheheardoneofthesevoices,unlikeanyvoiceinSidon,andveryfaintandfaroff,askingifit\"wasanywherenearSidon?\"——evidentlysomeonelostlikehimself.Heansweredinavoicethatseemedquiteasunrealandasfaint,andturnedinthedirectionfromwhichitcame.Therewasalightmovinglikeawill-o\'-the-wispfarbeforehim,yetbelowhimasifcomingoutofthedepthsoftheearth.Itmustbefancy,buthewouldsee——ah!
Hehadfallenviolentlyforward,andatthesamemomentfelthisrevolverleapfromhisbreastpocketlikealivingthing,andaninstantafterexplodeupontherockwhereitstruck,blindinglyilluminatingthedeclivitydownwhichhewasplunging.Thesulphurousstingofburningpowderwasinhiseyesandnose,yetinthatswiftrevealingflashhehadtimetoclutchthestemsofatrailingvinebesidehim,butnottosavehisheadfromsharpcontactwiththesamerockyledgethathadcaughthispistol.Thepainandshockgavewaytoasickeningsenseofwarmthattherootsofhishair.Giddyandfaint,hisfingersrelaxed,hefelthimselfsinking,withalanguorthatwashalfacquiescence,down,down,——
until,withanothershock,awildgaspingforair,andaswiftreaction,heawokeinthecold,rushingwater!
Clearandperfectlyconsciousnow,thoughfranticallyfightingforexistencewiththecurrent,hecoulddimlyseeafloatingblackobjectshootingbytheshore,attimesstrikingtheprojectionsofthebank,untilinitsrecoilitswunghalfroundanddriftedbroadsideontowardshim.Hewasnearenoughtocatchthefrayedendsofatrailingropethatfastenedthestructure,whichseemedtobeafewlogs,together.Withaconvulsiveeffortheatlastgainedafootinguponit,andthenfellfaintingalongitslength.
Itwastheraftwhichthesurveyorsfromtheembarcaderohadjustabandoned.
Hedidnotknowthis,norwouldhehavethoughtitotherwisestrangethataraftmightbeapartofthedriftoftheoverflow,evenhadhebeenentirelyconscious;buthissenseswerefailing,thoughhewasstillabletokeepasecurepositionontheraft,andtovaguelybelievethatitwouldcarryhimtosomereliefandsuccor.Howlonghelayunconsciousheneverknew;inhisafter-
recollectionsofthatnight,itseemedtohavebeenhauntedbydreamsofpassingdimbanksandstrangeplaces;ofafaceandvoicethathadbeenpleasanttohim;ofaterrorcominguponhimasheappearedtobenearingaplacelikethathomethathehadabandonedinthelonelytules.Hewasrousedatlastbyaviolentheadache,asifhissoftfelthathadbeenchangedintoatighteningcrownofiron.Liftinghishandtohisheadtotearoffitscovering,hewassurprisedtofindthathewaswearingnohat,butthathismattedhair,stiffenedanddriedwithbloodandooze,wasclinginglikeacaptohisskullinthehotmorningsunlight.Hiseyelidsandlashesweregluedtogetherandweighteddownbythesamesanguinaryplaster.Hecrawledtotheedgeofhisfrailraft,notwithoutdifficulty,foritoscillatedandrockedstrangely,anddippedhishandinthecurrent.Whenhehadclearedhiseyesheliftedthemwithashockofamazement.Creeks,banks,andplainhaddisappeared;hewasaloneonabendofthetossingbayofSanFrancisco!
Hisfirstandonlysense——clearedbyfastingandquickenedbyreaction——wasoneofinfiniterelief.Hewasnotonlyfreefromthevagueterrorsoftheprecedingdaysandnights,buthiswholepastseemedtobelostandsunkforeverinthisillimitableexpanse.ThelowplainofTasajara,withitssteadfastmonotonyoflightandshadow,hadsunkbeneathanotherlevel,butonethatglistened,sparkled,wasinstinctwithvaryinglife,andmovedandevendancedbelowhim.Thelowpalisadesofregularlyrecurringtulesthathadfencedin,impeded,butneverrelievedtheblanknessofhishorizon,wereforeverswallowedupbehindhim.Alltrailofpastdegradation,allrecordofpainandsuffering,allfootprintsofhiswanderingandmisguidedfeetweresmoothlywipedoutinthatobliteratingsea.Hewasphysicallyhelpless,andhefeltit;hewasindanger,andheknewit,——buthewasfree!
Happilytherewasbutlittlewindandtheseawasslight.Theraftwasstillintactsofarashecouldjudge,buteveninhisignoranceheknewitwouldscarcelystandthesurgesofthelowerbay.LikemostCalifornianswhohadpassedthestraitsofCarquinezatnightinasteamer,hedidnotrecognizethelocality,noreventhedistantpeakofTamalpais.Therewereafewdottingsailsthatseemedasremote,asuncertain,andasunfriendlyasseabirds.Theraftwasmotionless,almostasmotionlessashewasinhiscrampedlimbsandsun-dried,stiffenedclothes.Tooweaktokeepanuprightposition,withoutmast,stick,oroartoliftasignalabovethatvastexpanse,itseemedimpossibleforhimtoattractattention.Evenhispistolwasgone.
Suddenly,inanattempttoraisehimself,hewasstruckbyaflashsoblindingthatitseemedtopiercehisachingeyesandbrainandturnedhimsick.Itappearedtocomefromacrevicebetweenthelogsatthefurtherendoftheraft.Creepingpainfullytowardsithesawthatitwasatriangularslipofhighlypolishedmetalthathehadhithertooverlooked.Hedidnotknowthatitwasa\"flashing\"mirrorusedintopographicalobservation,whichhadslippedfromthesurveyors\'instrumentswhentheyabandonedtheraft,buthisexcitedfacultiesinstinctivelydetecteditsvaluetohim.Heliftedit,and,facingthesun,raiseditatdifferentangleswithhisfeeblearms.Buttheeffortwastoomuchforhim;
theraftpresentlyseemedtobewhirlingwithhismovement,andheagainfell
\"Ahoythere!\"
Thevoicewascloseupon——inhisveryears.Heopenedhiseyes.
Theseastillstretchedemptilybeforehim;thedottingsailsstillunchangedanddistant.Yetastrangeshadowlayupontheraft.Heturnedhisheadwithdifficulty.Ontheoppositeside——socloseuponhimastobealmostoverhishead——thegreatwhitesailsofaschoonerhoveredabovehimlikethewingsofsomeenormousseabird.Thenaheavyboomswungacrosstheraft,solowthatitwouldhaveswepthimawayhadhebeeninanuprightposition;thesidesofthevesselgrazedtheraftandshefellslowlyoff.A
terriblefearofabandonmenttookpossessionofhim;hetriedtospeak,butcouldnot.Thevesselmovedfurtheraway,buttheraftfollowed!Hecouldseenowitwasbeingheldbyaboat-hook,——
couldseetheodd,eagercuriosityontwofacesthatwereraisedabovethetaffrail,andwiththatsenseofreliefhiseyesagainclosedinunconsciousness.
Afeelingofchilliness,followedbyagratefulsensationofdrawingcloserundersomewarmcovering,astingingtasteinhismouthoffieryliquorandthearomaticsteamofhotcoffee,werehisfirstreturningsensations.Hisheadandneckwereswathedincoarsebandages,andhisskinstiffenedandsmartingwithsoap.Hewaslyinginarudeberthunderahalf-deckfromwhichhecouldseetheskyandthebellyingsail,andpresentlyabeardedfacefilledwithroughandpracticalconcernthatpeereddownuponhim.
\"Hulloo!comin\'round,eh?Holdon!\"ThenextmomentthestrangerhadleapeddownbesideElijah.Heseemedtobeanoddminglingofthesailorandrancherowiththeshrewdnessofaseaporttrader.
\"Hulloo,boss!Whatwasit?Afreefight,orawash-out?\"
\"Awash-out!\"*Elijahgraspedtheideaasaninspiration.Yes,hiscabinhadbeeninundated,hehadtakentoaraft,hadbeenknockedofftwiceorthrice,andhadlosteverything——evenhisrevolver!
*Aminingtermforthetemporaryinundationofaclaimbyflood;
alsousedforthesterilizingeffectoffloodonfertilesoil.
Themanlookedrelieved.\"Thenitain\'tafreefight,norhavin\'
yourcrustbustedandbein\'robbedbybeachcombers,eh?\"
\"No,\"saidElijah,withhisfirstfaintsmile.
\"Glado\'that,\"saidthemanbluntly.\"Thentharain\'tnopolicebusinesstotieuptoin\'Frisco?Wewerestucktharaweekonce,justbecausewechancedtopickupafellerwho\'dbeenfoundgaggedandthenthrownoverboardbywharfthieves.Hadtodanceattendanceatcourttharandlostourtrip.\"Hestoppedandlookedhalf-patheticallyattheprostrateElijah.\"Lookyer!yeain\'tjustdyin\'togoashoreNOWandseeyerfriendsandsendmessages,areye?\"
Elijahshudderedinwardly,butoutwardlysmiledfaintlyashereplied,\"No!\"
\"Andthetideandwindjestservin\'usnow,yewouldn\'tmindkeepin\'straightonwithusthistrip?\"
\"Whereto?\"askedElijah.
\"SantyBarbara.\"
\"No,\"saidElijah,afteramoment\'spause.\"I\'llgowithyou.\"
Themanleapedtohisfeet,liftedhisheadabovetheupperdeck,shouted\"Lethergofree,Jerry!\"andthenturnedgratefullytohispassenger.\"Lookyer!Awash-outisawash-out,Ireckon,putitanywayyoulike;itdon\'tputanythingbackintotheland,oranythingbackintoyourpocketafterwards,eh?No!Andyerwelloutofit,pardner!Nowthere\'sarightsmartchanceforlocatin\'
jestbackofSantyBarbara,wheretharain\'tnoGod-forsakentulestooverflow;andezfarezthelandandlickerliesye\'needn\'ttakeanywaterinyours\'efyedon\'twantit.Youkinstartfreshthar,pardner,andbrailup.What\'sthematterwithyou,oldman,isonlyfever\'n\'agurketchedinthemtules!Ikinseeitinyoureyes.NowyouholdonwharyoubetillIgoforrardandseeeverythingtaut,andthenI\'llcomebackandwe\'llhaveatalk.\"
Andtheydid.Theresultofwhichwasthatattheendofaweek\'stossingandseasickness,ElijahCurtiswaslandedatSantaBarbara,pale,thin,butself-containedandresolute.AndhavingfoundfavorintheeyesoftheskipperoftheKittyHawk,generaltrader,lumber-dealer,andranch-man,aweeklaterhewaslocatedontheskipper\'slandandinstalledintheskipper\'sservice.Andfromthatday,forfiveyearsSidonandTasajaraknewhimnomore.
CHAPTERIV.
ItwaspartofthefunctionsofJohnMiltonHarkutttotakedowntheearlymorningshuttersandsweepoutthestoreforhisfathereachdaybeforegoingtoschool.Itwasapeculiarityofthisperformancethathewasapttolingeroverit,partlyfromthefactthatitputofftheevilhouroflessons,partlythatheimpartedintotheprocessapurelyimaginativeandromanticelementgatheredfromhislatestnovel-reading.Inthishewasusuallyassistedbyoneortwoschool-fellowsontheirwaytoschool,whoalwaysenviedhimhissuperiormenialoccupation.Togotoschool,itwasfelt,wasacommoncalamityofboyhoodthatcalledintoplayonlythesimplestformsofevasion,whereastotakedownactualshuttersinabonafidestore,andwieldarealbroomthatraisedapalpablecloudofdust,wassomethingthatreallytaxedthenoblestexertions.AnditwasthemorningafterthearrivalofthestrangersthatJohhMiltonstoodontheverandaofthestoreostentatiouslyexaminingthehorizon,withhishandshadinghiseyes,asoneofhiscompanionsappeared.
\"Hollo,Milt!wotyerdoin\'?\"
JohnMiltonstarteddramatically,andthenviolentlydashedatoneoftheshuttersandbegantodetachit.\"Ha!\"hesaidhoarsely.
\"Cleartheshipforaction!Opentheports!Ondeckthere!
Steady,youlubbers!\"Inaninstanthisenthusiasticschool-fellowwasathissideattackinganothershutter.\"Along,lowschoonerbearingdownuponus!Lively,lads,lively!\"continuedJohnMilton,desistingamomenttotakeanotherdramaticlookatthedistantplain.\"Howdoessheheadnow?\"hedemandedfiercely.
\"Sou\'bysou\'east,sir,\"respondedtheotherboy,franticallydancingbeforethewindow.\"Butshe\'llweatherit.\"
Theyeachthenwrestedanothershutteraway,violentlydepositingthem,astheyrantoandfro,inarackatthecorneroftheveranda.Addedtoanextraordinaryandunnecessaryclatteringwiththeirfeet,theyaccompaniedtheirmovementswithasingularhissingsound,supposedtoindicateinonebreaththefuryoftheelements,thebustleoftheeagercrew,andthewildexcitementofthecomingconflict.Whenthelastshutterwasclearedaway,JohnMilton,withthecry\"Manthestarboardguns!\"dashedintothestore,whosefloorwasmarkedbythemuddyfootprintsofyesterday\'sbuyers,seizedabroomandbegantosweepviolently.Acloudofdustarose,intowhichhiscompanionatonceprecipitatedhimselfwithanotherbroomandaloudBANG!toindicatethesomewhatbelatedsoundofcannon.Forafewsecondsthetwoboyspliedtheirbroomsdesperatelyinthatstiflingatmosphere,accompanyingeachlongsweepandpuffofdustoutoftheopendoorwiththereportofexplosionsandloudHA\'S!ofdefiance,untilnotonlythestore,buttheverandawasobscuredwithacloudwhichthemorningsunstruggledvainlytopierce.Inthemidstofthistumultanddustyconfusion——happilyunheardandunsuspectedinthesecludeddomesticinteriorofthebuilding——ashrilllittlevoicearosefromtheroad.
\"Thinkyou\'remightysmart,don\'tye?\"
Thetwonavalheroesstoppedintheirimaginaryfury.and,asthedustofconflictclearedaway,recognizedlittleJohnnyPetersgazingatthemwithmingledinquisitivenessandenvy.
\"Guessyedon\'tknowwhathappeneddowntherunlastnight,\"hecontinuedimpatiently.\"\'LigeCurtisgotkilled,orkilledhisself!Bloodallovertherockdownthar.Seedit,myseff.Dadpickeduphissix-shooter,——onebarrelgoneoff.Mydadwasthefirsttofinditout,andhe\'sbintoSquireKerbytellin\'him.\"
Thetwocompanions,albeitburningwithcuriosity,affectedindifferenceandpre-knowledge.
\"Dadsezyourfatherdruv\'Ligeouterthestorelassnight!Dadsezyourfather\'s\'sponsible.Dadsezyourfatherezgoodezkilledhim.Dadsezthesquire\'llsettheconstableonyourfather.Yah!\"Butherethesmallinsulterincontinentlyfled,pursuedbyboththeboys.Nevertheless,whenhehadmadegoodhisescape,JohnMiltonshowedneitheradispositiontotakeuphisformernauticalrole,nortofollowhiscompaniontovisitthesanguinarysceneofElijah\'sdisappearance.Hewalkedslowlybacktothestoreandcontinuedhisworkofsweepingandputtinginorderwithanabstractedregularity,andnotraceofhisformerexuberantspirits.
Thefirstoneofthoseinstinctivefearswhicharecommontoimaginativechildren,andoftenassumethefunctionsofpremonition,hadtakenpossessionofhim.Theoddityofhisfather\'smannertheeveningbefore,whichhadonlyhalfconsciouslymadeitsindelibleimpressiononhissensitivefancy,hadrecurredtohimwithJohnnyPeters\'sspeech.Hehadnoideaofliterallyacceptingtheboy\'scharges;hescarcelyunderstoodtheirgravity;buthehadamiserablefeelingthathisfather\'sangerandexcitementlastnightwasbecausehehadbeendiscoveredhuntinginthedarkforthatpaperof\'LigeCurtis\'s.ItWAS\'LigeCurtis\'spaper,forhehadseenitlyingthere.Asuddendreadfulconvictioncameoverhimthathemustnever,neverletanyoneknowthathehadseenhisfathertakeupthatpaper;thathemustneveradmitit,eventoHIM.
Itwasnottheboy\'sfirstknowledgeofthatattitudeofhypocrisywhichthegrownupworldassumestowardschildhood,andinwhichtheinnocentvictimseventuallyacquiescewithaMachiavelliansubtletythatatlastavengesthem,——butitwashisfirstknowledgethatthathypocrisymightnotbesoinnocent.Hisfatherhadconcealedsomethingfromhim,becauseitwasnotright.
Butifchildhooddoesnotforget,itseldombroodsandisnotabovebeingdiverted.Andthetwosurveyors——ofwhoseheroicadventinaraftJohnMiltonhadonlyheardthatmorningwiththeirtraveledways,theirstrangeinstrumentsandstrangertalk,capturedhisfancy.Keptinthebackgroundbyhissisterswhenvisitorscame,asanunpresentablefeatureinthehousehold,hehowevermanagedtolingernearthestrangerswhen,incompanywithEuphemiaandClementina,afterbreakfasttheystrolledbeneaththesparklingsunlightintherudegardeninclosurealongtheslopingbanksofthecreek.Itwaswiththeaveragebrother\'ssupremecontemptthathelistenedtohissisters\'\"practicin\'\"uponthegoodnessofthesesuperiorbeings;itwaswithanexceptionalpitythatheregardedtheevidentadmirationofthestrangersinreturn.HefeltthatinthecaseofEuphemia,whosometimesevincedalaudablecuriosityinhispleasures,andaflatteringignoranceofhisreading,thismightbepardonable;butwhatanyonecouldfindintheuselessstatuesqueClementinapassedhiscomprehension.Couldtheynotseeatoncethatshewas\"justthatkindofperson\"whowouldlieabedinthemorning,pretendingshewassick,inordertomakePhemiedothehousework,andmakehim,JohnMilton,cleanherbootsandfetchthingsforher?Wasitnotperfectlyplaintothemthatherpresentsickeningpolitenesswassolelywithaviewtoextractfromthemcaramels,rock-candy,andgumdrops,whichshewouldmeanlykeepherself,andperhapssome\"buggy-riding\"later?Alas,JohnMilton,itwasnot!Forstandingtherewithhertall,perfectly-
proportionedfigureoutlinedagainstawillow,anelasticbranchofwhichshehaddrawndownbyonecurvedarmaboveherhead,andonwhichsheleaned——aseverybodyleanedagainstsomethinginSidon——
thetwoyoungmensawonlyastrayinggoddessinaglorifiedrosebudprint.Whethertheclearly-cutprofilepresentedtoRice,orthefullfacethatcaptivatedGrant,eachsuggestedpossibilitiesofposition,pride,poetry,andpassionthatastonishedwhileitfascinatedthem.Byoneofthoseinstinctsknownonlytothefreemasonryofthesex,Euphemialentherselftothisadvertisementofhersister\'scharmsbysubtlecomparisonwithherownprettinesses,andthuscombinedagainsttheircommonenemy,man.
\"Clementinacertainlyisperfect,tokeephersupremacyoverthatprettylittlesister,\"thoughtRice.
\"Whatafascinatinglittlecreaturetoholdherownagainstthattall,handsomegirl,\"thoughtGrant.
