itself　above　the　other　warehouses；　from　the　centre　of　an　enormous
  square　pond；　once　the　plaza；　still　arose　a　〃Liberty　pole；〃　or
  flagstaff；　which　now　supported　a　swinging　lantern；　and　in　the
  distance　appeared　the　glittering　dome　of　some　public　building。
  Grant　recognized　the　scene　at　once。　　It　was　all　that　was　left　of
  the　invincible　youth　of　Tasajara！
  As　this　was　an　objective　point　of　the　scheme　of　survey　and　relief
  for　the　district；　the　boat　was　made　fast　to　the　second　story　of　one
  of　the　warehouses。　　It　was　now　used　as　a　general　store　and　depot；
  and　bore　a　singular　resemblance　in　its　interior　to　Harcourt's
  grocery　at　Sidon。　　This　suggestion　was　the　more　fatefully　indicated
  by　the　fact　that　half　a　dozen　men　were　seated　around　a　stove　in　the
  centre；　more　or　less　given　up　to　a　kind　of　philosophical　and　lazy
  enjoyment　of　their　enforced　idleness。　　And　when　to　this　was　added
  the　more　surprising　coincidence　that　the　party　consisted　of
  Billings；　Peters；　and　Wingate；former　residents　of　Sidon　and　first
  citizens　of　Tasajara；the　resemblance　was　complete。
  They　were　ruined；but　they　accepted　their　common　fate　with　a
  certain　Indian　stoicism　and　Western　sense　of　humor　that　for　the
  time　lifted　them　above　the　vulgar　complacency　of　their　former
  fortunes。　　There　was　a　deep…seated；　if　coarse　and　irreverent
  resignation　in　their　philosophy。　　At　the　beginning　of　the　calamity
  it　had　been　roughly　formulated　by　Billings　in　the　statement　that
  〃it　wasn't　anybody's　fault；　there　was　nobody　to　kill；　and　what
  couldn't　be　reached　by　a　Vigilance　Committee　there　was　no　use
  resolootin'　over。〃　　When　the　Reverend　Doctor　Pilsbury　had　suggested
  an　appeal　to　a　Higher　Power；　Peters　had　replied；　good　humoredly；
  that　〃a　Creator　who　could　fool　around　with　them　in　that　style　was
  above　being　interfered　with　by　prayer。〃　　At　first　the　calamity　had
  been　a　thing　to　fight　against；　then　it　became　a　practical　joke；　the
  sting　of　which　was　lost　in　the　victims'　power　of　endurance　and
  assumed　ignorance　of　its　purport。　　There　was　something　almost
  pathetic　in　their　attempts　to　understand　its　peculiar　humor。
  〃How　about　that　Europ…e…an　trip　o'　yours；　Peters？〃　said　Billings；
  meditatively；　from　the　depths　of　his　chair。　　〃Looks　as　if　those
  Crowned　Heads　over　there　would　have　to　wait　till　the　water　goes
  down　considerable　afore　you　kin　trot　out　your　wife　and　darters
  before　'em！〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Peters；　〃it　rather　pints　that　way；　and　ez　far　ez　I　kin
  see；　Mame　Billings　ain't　goin'　to　no　Saratoga；　neither；　this　year。〃
  〃Reckon　the　boys　won't　hang　about　old　Harcourt's　Free　Library　to
  see　the　girls　home　from　lectures　and　singing…class　much　this　year；〃
  said　Wingate。　　〃Wonder　if　Harcourt　ever　thought　o'　this　the　day　he
  opened　it；　and　made　that　rattlin'　speech　o'　his　about　the　new
  property？　　Clark　says　everything　built　on　that　made　ground　has　got
  to　go　after　the　water　falls。　　Rough　on　Harcourt　after　all　his　other
  losses；　eh？　　He　oughter　have　closed　up　with　that　scientific　chap；
  Grant；　and　married　him　to　Clementina　while　the　big　boom　was　on〃
  〃Hush！〃　said　Peters；　indicating　Grant；　who　had　just　entered
  quietly。
  〃Don't　mind　me；　gentlemen；〃　said　Grant；　stepping　towards　the　group
  with　a　grave　but　perfectly　collected　face；　〃on　the　contrary；　I　am
  very　anxious　to　hear　all　the　news　of　Harcourt's　family。　　I　left　for
  New　York　before　the　rainy　season；　and　have　only　just　got　back。〃
  His　speech　and　manner　appeared　to　be　so　much　in　keeping　with　the
  prevailing　grim　philosophy　that　Billings；　after　a　glance　at　the
  others；　went　on。　　〃Ef　you　left　afore　the　first　rains；〃　said　he；
  〃you　must　have　left　only　the　steamer　ahead　of　Fletcher；　when　he　run
  off　with　Clementina　Harcourt；　and　you　might　have　come　across　them
  on　their　wedding　trip　in　New　York。〃
  Not　a　muscle　of　Grant's　face　changed　under　their　eager　and　cruel
  scrutiny。　　〃No；　I　didn't；〃　he　returned　quietly。　　〃But　why　did　she
  run　away？　　Did　the　father　object　to　Fletcher？　　If　I　remember
  rightly　he　was　rich　and　a　good　match。〃
  〃Yes；　but　I　reckon　the　old　man　hadn't　quite　got　over　the　'Clarion'
  abuse；　for　all　its　eating　humble…pie　and　taking　back　its　yarns　of
  him。　　And　may　be　he　might　have　thought　the　engagement　rather
  sudden。　　They　say　that　she'd　only　met　Fletcher　the　day　afore　the
  engagement。〃
  〃That　be　dd；〃　said　Peters；　knocking　the　ashes　out　of　his　pipe；
  and　startling　the　lazy　resignation　of　his　neighbors　by　taking　his
  feet　from　the　stove　and　sitting　upright。　　〃I　tell　ye；　gentlemen；
  I'm　sick　o'　this　sort　o'　hog…wash　that's　been　ladled　round　to　us。
  That　gal　Clementina　Harcourt　and　that　feller　Fletcher　had　met　not
  only　once；　but　MANY　times　aforeyes！　they　were　old　friends　if　it
  comes　to　that；　a　matter　of　six　years　ago。〃
  Grant's　eyes　were　fixed　eagerly　on　the　speaker；　although　the　others
  scarcely　turned　their　heads。
  〃You　know；　gentlemen；〃　said　Peters；　〃I　never　took　stock　in　this　yer
  story　of　the　drownin'　of　'Lige　Curtis。　　Why？　　Well；　if　you　wanter
  knowin　my　opinionthere　never　was　any　'Lige　Curtis！〃
  Billings　lifted　his　head　with　difficulty；　Wingate　turned　his　face
  to　the　speaker。
  〃There　never　was　a　scrap　o'　paper　ever　found　in　his　cabin　with　the
  name　o'　'Lige　Curtis　on　it；　there　never　was　any　inquiry　made　for
  'Lige　Curtis；　there　never　was　any　sorrowin'　friends　comin'　after
  'Lige　Curtis。　　For　why？There　never　was　any　'Lige　Curtis。　　The　man
  who　passed　himself　off　in　Sidon　under　that　namewas　that　man
  Fletcher。　　That's　how　he　knew　all　about　Harcourt's　title；　that's
  how　he　got　his　best　holt　on　Harcourt。　　And　he　did　it　all　to　get
  Clementina　Harcourt；　whom　the　old　man　had　refused　to　him　in　Sidon。〃
  A　grunt　of　incredulity　passed　around　the　circle。　　Such　is　the　fate
  of　historical　innovation！　　Only　Grant　listened　attentively。
  〃Ye　ought　to　tell　that　yarn　to　John　Milton；〃　said　Wingate
  ironically；　〃it's　about　in　the　style　o'　them　stories　he　slings　in
  the　'Clarion。'〃
  〃He's　made　a　good　thing　outer　that　job。　　Wonder　what　he　gets　for
  them？〃　said　Peters。
  It　was　Billings's　time　to　rise；　and；　under　the　influence　of　some
  strong　cynical　emotion；　to　even　rise　to　his　feet。　　〃Gets　for　'em！
  GETS　for　'em！　　I'll　tell　you　WHAT　he　gets　for　'em！　　It　beats　this
  story　o'　Peters's；it　beats　the　flood。　　It　beats　me！　　Ye　know　that
  boy；　gentlemen；　ye　know　how　he　uster　lie　round　his　father's　store；
  reading　flapdoodle　stories　and　sich！　　Ye　remember　how　I　uster　try
  to　give　him　good　examples　and　knock　some　sense　into　him？　　Ye
  remember　how；　after　his　father's　good　luck；　he　spiled　all　his　own
  chances；　and　ran　off　with　his　father's　waiter　galall　on　account
  o'　them　flapdoodle　books　he　read？　　Ye　remember　how　he　sashayed
  round　newspaper　offices　in　'Frisco　until　he　could　write　a
  flapdoodle　story　himself？　　Ye　wanter　know　what　he　gets　for　'em。
  I'll　tell　you。　　He　got　an　interduction　to　one　of　them　high…toned；
  highfalutin'；　'don't…touch…me'　rich　widders　from　Philadelfy；
  that's　what　he　gets　for　'em！　　He　got　her　dead　set　on　him　and　his
  stories；　that's　what　he　gets　for　'em！　　He　got　her　to　put　him　up
  with　Fletcher　in　the　'Clarion；'that's　what　he　gets　for　'em。　　And
  darn　my　skin！ef　what　they　say　is　true；　while　we　hard…working　men
  are　sittin'　here　like　drowned　ratsthat　air　John　Milton；　ez　never
  did　a　stitch　o'　live　work　like　me　yere；　ez　never　did　anythin'　but
  spin　yarns　about　US　ez　did　WORK；　is　now　'gittin'　for　'em'what？
  Guess！　　Why；　he's　gittin'　THE　RICH　WIDDER　HERSELF　and　HALF　A
  MILLION　DOLLARS　WITH　HER！　　Gentlemen！　lib'ty　is　a　good　thingbut
  thar's　some　things　ye　gets　too　much　lib'ty　of　in　this　countryand
  that's　this　yer　LIB'TY　OF　THE　PRESS！〃
  End