"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 acquaintances--neighbors--who 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 inquisitive--and 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 to give us a chance,"said Grant good-humoredly to his companion,as they turned to prepare for their journey;"we are to be conducted in silence to the outskirts of the town like horse-thieves.""But you gave him the tip for himself,"said Rice reproachfully;"you cannot blame him for wanting to keep it.""I gave it to him in trust for his two incredible daughters,"said Grant with a grimace."But,hang it!if I don't believe the fellow has more concern in it than I imagined.""But isn't she perfect?"said Rice,with charming abstraction.
"Who?"
"Clementina,and so unlike her father."
"Discomposingly so,"said Grant quietly."One feels in calling her 'Miss Harkutt'as if one were touching upon a manifest indiscretion.
But here comes John Milton.Well,my lad,what can I do for you?"The boy,who had been regarding them from a distance with wistful and curious eyes as they replaced their instruments for the journey,had gradually approached them.After a moment's timid hesitation he said,looking at Grant:"You don't know anybody in this kind o'business,"pointing to the instruments,"who'd like a boy,about my size?""I'm afraid not,J.M.,"said Grant,cheerfully,without suspending his operation."The fact is,you see,it's not exactly the kind of work for a boy of your size."John Milton was silent for a moment,shifting himself slowly from one leg to another as he watched the surveyor.After a pause he said,"There don't seem to be much show in this world for boys o'my size.There don't seem to be much use for 'em any way."This not bitterly,but philosophically,and even politely,as if to relieve Grant's rejection of any incivility.
"Really you quite pain me,John Milton,"said Grant,looking up as he tightened a buckle."I never thought of it before,but you're right.""Now,"continued the boy slowly,"with girls it's just different.
Girls of my size everybody does things for.There's Clemmy,--she's only two years older nor me,and don't know half that I do,and yet she kin lie about all day,and hasn't to get up to breakfast.And Phemie,--who's jest the same age,size,and weight as me,--maw and paw lets her do everything she wants to.And so does everybody.
And so would you."
"But you surely don't want to be like a girl?"said Grant,smiling.