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the youthful husband brought his work at times to the house to keep

her company。  And a singular change had come over her。  She no

longer talked of the past; nor of his family。  As if the little

life that had passed with that morning mist had represented some

ascending expiatory sacrifice; it seemed to have brought them into

closer communion。



Yet her weak condition made him conceal another trouble that had

come upon him。  It was in the third month of his employment on the

〃Clarion〃 that one afternoon; while correcting some proofs on his

chief's desk; he came upon the following editorial paragraph:



〃The played…out cant of 'pioneer genius' and 'pioneer discovery'

appears to have reached its climax in the attempt of some of our

contemporaries to apply it to Dan Harcourt's new Tasajara Job

before the legislature。  It is perfectly well known in Harcourt's

own district that; far from being a pioneer and settler HIMSELF he

simply succeeded after a fashion to the genuine work of one Elijah

Curtis; an actual pioneer and discoverer; years before; while

Harcourt; we believe; was keeping a frontier doggery in Sidon; and

dispensing 'tanglefoot' and salt junk to the hayfooted Pike

Countians of his precinct。  This would make him as much of the

'pioneer discoverer' as the rattlesnake who first takes up board

and lodgings and then possession in a prairie dog's burrow。  And if

the traveler's tale is true that the rattlesnake sometimes makes a

meal of his landlord; the story told at Sidon may be equally

credible that the original pioneer mysteriously disappeared about

the time that Dan Harcourt came into the property。  From which it

would seem that Harcourt is not in a position for his friends to

invite very deep scrutiny into his 'pioneer' achievements。〃



Stupefaction; a vague terror; and rising anger; rapidly succeeded

each other in the young man's mind as he stood mechanically holding

the paper in his hand。  It was the writing of his chief editor;

whose easy brutality he had sometimes even boyishly admired。

Without stopping to consider their relative positions he sought him

indignantly and laid the proof before him。  The editor laughed。

〃But what's that to YOU?  YOU'RE not on terms with the old man。〃



〃But he is my father!〃 said John Milton hotly。



〃Look here;〃 said the editor good…naturedly; 〃I'd like to oblige

you; but it isn't BUSINESS; you know;and this IS; you

understand;PROPRIETOR'S BUSINESS too!  Of course I see it might

stand in the way of your making up to the old man afterwards and

coming in for a million。  Well! you can tell him it's ME。  Say I

WOULD put it in。  Say I'm nastyand I AM!〃



〃Then it must go in?〃 said John Milton with a white face。



〃You bet。〃



〃Then I must go out!〃  And writing out his resignation; he laid it

before his chief and left。



But he could not bear to tell this to his wife when he climbed the

hill that night; and he invented some excuse for bringing his work

home。  The invalid never noticed any change in his usual buoyancy;

and indeed I fear; when he was fairly installed with his writing

materials at the foot of her bed; he had quite forgotten the

episode。  He was recalled to it by a faint sigh。



〃What is it; dear?〃 he said looking up。



〃I like to see you writing; Milty。  You always look so happy。〃



〃Always so happy; dear?〃



〃Yes。  You are happy; are you not?〃



〃Always。〃  He got up and kissed her。  Nevertheless; when he sat

down to his work again; his face was turned a little more to the

window。



Another serious incidentto be also kept from the invalidshortly

followed。  The article in the 〃Clarion〃 had borne its fruit。  The

third day after his resignation a rival paper sharply retorted。

〃The cowardly insinuations against the record of a justly honored

capitalist;〃 said the 〃Pioneer;〃 〃although quite in keeping with

the brazen 'Clarion;' might attract the attentions of the slandered

party; if it were not known to his friends as well as himself that

it may be traced almost directly to a cast…off member of his own

family; who; it seems; is reduced to haunting the back doors of

certain blatant journals to dispose of his cheap wares。  The

slanderer is secure from public exposure in the superior decency of

his relations; who refrain from airing their family linen upon

editorial lines。〃



This was the journal to which John Milton had hopefully turned for

work。  When he read it there seemed but one thing for him to do

and he did it。  Gentle and optimistic as was his nature; he had

been brought up in a community where sincere directness of personal

offense was followed by equally sincere directness of personal

redress; andhe challenged the editor。  The bearer of his cartel

was one Jack Hamlin; I grieve to say a gambler by profession; but

between whom and John Milton had sprung up an odd friendship of

which the best that can be said is that it was to each equally and

unselfishly unprofitable。  The challenge was accepted; the

preliminaries arranged。  〃I suppose;〃 said Jack carelessly; 〃as the

old man ought to do something for your wife in case of accident;

you've made some sort of a will?〃



〃I've thought of that;〃 said John Milton; dubiously; 〃but I'm

afraid it's no use。  You see〃he hesitated〃I'm not of age。〃



〃May I ask how old you are; sonny?〃 said Jack with great gravity。



〃I'm almost twenty;〃 said John Milton; coloring。



〃It isn't exactly vingt…et…un; but I'd stand on it; if I were you I

wouldn't draw to such a hand;〃 said Jack; coolly。



The young husband had arranged to be absent from his home that

night; and early morning found him; with Jack; grave; but

courageous; in a little hollow behind the Mission Hills。  To them

presently approached his antagonist; jauntily accompanied by

Colonel Starbottle; his second。  They halted; but after the formal

salutation were instantly joined by Jack Hamlin。  For a few moments

John Milton remained awkwardly alonepending a conversation which

even at that supreme moment he felt as being like the general

attitude of his friends towards him; in its complete ignoring of

himself。  The next moment the three men stepped towards him。  〃We

have come; sir;〃 said Colonel Starbottle in his precisest speech

but his jauntiest manner; 〃to offer you a full and ample apologya

personal apologywhich only supplements that full public apology

that my principal; sir; this gentleman;〃 indicating the editor of

the 〃Pioneer;〃 〃has this morning made in the columns of his paper;

as you will observe;〃 producing a newspaper。  〃We have; sir;〃

continued the colonel loftily; 〃only within the last twelve hours

become aware of theerREAL circumstances of the case。  We would

regret that the affair had gone so far already; if it had not given

us; sir; the opportunity of testifying to your gallantry。  We do so

gladly; and iferera FEW YEARS LATER; Mr。 Harcourt; you should

ever needa friend in any matter of this kind; I am; sir; at your

service。〃  John Milton gazed half inquiringly; half uneasily at

Jack。



〃It's all right; Milt;〃 he said sotto voce。  〃Shake hands all round

and let's go to breakfast。  And I rather think that editor wants to

employ you HIMSELF。〃



It was true; for when that night he climbed eagerly the steep

homeward hill he carried with him the written offer of an

engagement on the 〃Pioneer。〃  As he entered the door his wife's

nurse and companion met him with a serious face。  There had been a

strange and unexpected change in the patient's condition; and the

doctor had already been there twice。  As he put aside his coat and

hat and entered her room; it seemed to him that he had forever put

aside all else of essay and ambition beyond those four walls。  And

with the thought a great peace came upon him。  It seemed good to

him to live for her alone。



It was not for long。  As each monotonous day brought the morning

mist and evening fog regularly to the little hilltop where his

whole being was now centred; she seemed to grow daily weaker; and

the little circle of her life narrowed day by day。  One morning

when the usual mist appeared to have been withheld and the sun had

risen with a strange and cruel brightness; when the waves danced

and sparkled on the bay below and light glanced from dazzling

sails; and even the white tombs on Lone Mountain glittered keenly;

when cheery voices hailing each other on the hillside came to him

clearly but without sense or meaning; when earth; sky; and sea

seemed quivering with life and motion;he opened the door of that

one little house on which the only shadow seemed to have fallen;

and went forth again into the world alone。





CHAPTER VII。





Mr。 Daniel Harcourt's town mansion was also on an eminence; but it

was that gentler acclivity of fashion known as Rincon Hill; and

sunned itself on a southern slope of luxury。  It had been described

as 〃princely〃 and 〃fairy…like;〃 by a gratef

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