plans have
succeeded."

The voice was Clementina's, unexpected but quiet, unemotional and
convincing. "It seemed," as Mrs. Harkutt afterwards said, "as if the
child had already touched that hundred thousand." Phemie reddened with a
sense of convicted youthful extravagance.

"You needn't fear for me," said Harkutt, responding to Clementina's
voice as if it were an echo of his own, and instinctively recognizing
an unexpected ally. "I've got my own ideas of this thing, and what's
to come of it. I've got my own ideas of openin' up that property and
showin' its resources. I'm goin' to run it my own way. I'm goin' to have
a town along the embarcadero that'll lay over any town in Contra Costa.
I'm goin' to have the court-house and county seat there, and a couple
of hotels as good as any in the Bay. I'm goin' to build that wagon road
through here that those lazy louts slipped up on, and carry it clear
over to Five Mile Corner, and open up the whole Tasajara Plain!"

They had never seen him look so strong, so resolute, so intelligent and
handsome. A dimly prophetic vision of him in a black broadcloth suit and
gold watch-chain addressing a vague multitude, as she remembered to
have seen the Hon. Stanley Riggs of Alasco at the "Great Barbecue,"
rose before Phemie's blue enraptured eyes. With the exception of Mrs.
Harkutt,--equal to any possibilities on the part of her husband,--they
had honestly never expected it of him. They were pleased with their
father's attitude in prosperity, and felt that perhaps he was not
unworthy of being proud of them hereafter.

"But we're goin' to leave Sidon," said Phemie, "ain't we, paw?"

"As soon as I can run up a new house at the embarcadero," said Harkutt
peevishly, "and that's got to be done mighty quick if I want to make a
show to the company and be in possession."

"And that's easier for you to do, dear, now that 'Lige's disappeared,"
said Mrs. Harkutt consolingly.

"What do ye mean by that? What the devil are ye talkin' about?" demanded
Harkutt suddenly with unexpected exasperation.

"I mean that that drunken 'Lige would be mighty poor company for the
girls if he was our only neighbor," returned Mrs. Harkutt submissively.

Harkutt, after a fixed survey of his wife, appeared mollified. The two
girls, who were mindful of his previous outburst the evening before,
exchanged glances which implied that his manners needed correction for
prosperity.

"You'll want a heap o' money to build