a ward of the golden gate-第10章

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that's　what　they　ALL　say！〃　returned　Yerba；　pettishly。　　〃One　would
really　think　it　was　necessary　for　me　to　get　married　to　become
anybody　at　all；　or　have　any　standing　whatever。　　And；　whatever　you
do；　don't　go　talking　of　me　as　if　I　were　named　after　a　vegetable。
'Yerba　Buena'　is　the　name　of　an　island　in　the　bay　just　off　San
Francisco。　　I'm　named　after　that。〃

〃But　I　don't　see　the　difference；　dear。　　The　island　was　named　after
the　vine　that　grows　on　it。〃

〃YOU　don't　see　the　difference？〃　said　Yerba；　darkly。　　〃Well；　I　do。
But　what　are　you　looking　at？〃

Her　companion　had　caught　her　arm；　and　was　gazing　intently　at　the
house。

〃Yerba；〃　she　said　quickly；　〃there's　the　Mayor；　and　uncle；　and　a
strange　gentleman　coming　down　the　walk。　　They're　looking　for　us。
And；　as　I　live；　Yerb！　the　strange　gentleman　is　that　young　senator；
Mr。　Hathaway！〃

〃Mr。　Hathaway？　　Nonsense！〃

〃Look　for　yourself。〃

Yerba　glanced　at　the　three　gentlemen；　who；　a　hundred　yards　distant；
were　slowly　advancing　in　the　direction　of　the　ceanothus…hedge；
behind　which　the　girls　had　instinctively　strayed　during　their
conversation。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　said　Milly；　eagerly。　　〃They're　coming
straight　this　way。　　Shall　we　stay　here　and　let　them　pass；　or　make　a
run　for　the　house？〃

〃No；〃　said　Yerba；　to　Milly's　great　surprise。　　〃That　would　look　as
if　we　cared。　　Besides；　I　don't　know　that　Mr。　Hathaway　has　come　to
see　ME。　　We'll　stroll　out　and　meet　them　accidentally。〃

Milly　was　still　more　astonished。　　However；　she　said；　〃Wait　a
moment；　dear！〃　and；　with　the　instinctive　deftness　of　her　sex；　in
three　small　tugs　and　a　gentle　hitch；　shook　Yerba's　gown　into
perfect　folds；　passed　her　fingers　across　her　forehead　and　over　her
ears；　securing；　however；　with　a　hairpin　on　their　passage　three　of
the　rose　petals　where　they　had　fallen。　　Then；　discharging　their
faces　of　any　previous　expression；　these　two　charming　hypocrites
sallied　out　innocently　into　the　walk。　　Nothing　could　be　more
natural　than　their　manner：　if　a　criticism　might　be　ventured　upon；
it　was　that　their　elbows　were　slightly　drawn　inwards　and　before
them；　leaving　their　hands　gracefully　advanced　in　the　line　of　their
figures；　an　attitude　accepted　throughout　the　civilized　world　of
deportment　as　indicating　fastidious　refinement　not　unmingled　with
permissible　hauteur。

The　three　gentlemen　lifted　their　hats　at　this　ravishing　apparition；
and　halted。　　The　Mayor　advanced　with　great　politeness。

〃I　feared　you　didn't　hear　me　call　you；　Miss　Yerba；　so　we　ventured
to　seek　you。　　As　the　two　girls　exchanged　almost　infantile　glances
of　surprise；　he　continued：　〃Mr。　Paul　Hathaway　has　done　us　the　honor
of　seeking　you　here；　as　he　did　not　find　you　at　the　convent。　　You
may　have　forgotten　that　Mr。　Hathaway　is　the　third　one　of　your
trustees。〃

〃And　so　inefficient　and　worthless　that　I　fear　he　doesn't　count；〃
said　Paul；　〃but；〃　raising　his　eyes　to　Yerba's；　〃I　fancy　that　I　have
already　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you；　and；　I　fear；　the
mortification　of　having　disturbed　you　and　your　friends　in　the
parlor　of　the　Golden　Gate　Hotel　yesterday。〃

The　two　girls　looked　at　each　other　with　the　same　childlike
surprise。　　Yerba　broke　the　silence　by　suddenly　turning　to　Milly。
〃Certainly；　you　remember　how　greatly　interested　we　were　in　the
conversation　of　a　party　of　gentlemen　who　were　there　when　we　came
in。　　I　am　afraid　our　foolish　prattle　must　have　disturbed　YOU。　　I
know　that　we　were　struck　with　the　intelligent　and　eloquent　devotion
of　your　friends。〃

〃Oh；　perfectly；〃　chimed　in　the　loyal　but　somewhat　infelix　Milly；
〃and　it　was　so　kind　and　thoughtful　of　Mr。　Hathaway　to　take　them
away　as　he　did。〃

〃I　felt　the　more　embarrassed；〃　continued　Hathaway；　smiling；　but
still　critically　examining　Yerba　for　an　indication　of　something
characteristic；　beyond　this　palpable　conventionality；　〃as　I
unfortunately　must　present　my　credentials　from　a　gentleman　as　much
of　a　stranger　as　myselfColonel　Pendleton。〃

The　trade…wind　was　evidently　making　itself　felt　even　in　this
pastoral　retreat；　for　the　two　gentlemen　appeared　to　shrink　slightly
within　themselves；　and　a　chill　seemed　to　have　passed　over　the
group。　　The　Mayor　coughed。　　The　avuncular　Woods　gazed　abstractedly
at　a　large　cactus。　　Even　Paul；　prepared　by　previous　experience；
stopped　short。

〃Colonel　Pendleton！　　Oh；　do　tell　me　all　about　him！〃　flashed　out
Yerba；　suddenly；　with　clasped　hands　and　eager　girlish　breath。

Paul　cast　a　quick　grateful　glance　at　the　girl。　　Whether　assumed　or
not；　her　enthusiastic　outburst　was　effective。　　The　Mayor　looked
uneasily　at　Woods；　and　turned　to　Paul。

〃Ah；　yes！　　You　and　he　are　original　co…trustees。　　I　believe
Pendleton　is　in　reduced　circumstances。　　Never　quite　got　over　that
bank　trouble。〃

〃That　is　only　a　question　of　legislative　investigation　and　relief；〃
said　Paul　lightly；　yet　with　purposely　vague　official　mystery　of
manner。　　Then；　turning　quickly　to　Yerba；　as　if　replying　to　the　only
real　question　at　issue；　he　continued　pointedly；　〃I　am　sorry　to　say
the　colonel's　health　is　so　poor　that　it　keeps　him　quite　a　recluse。
I　have　a　letter　from　him　and　a　message　for　you。〃　　His　bright　eyes
added　plainly〃as　soon　as　we　can　get　rid　of　those　people。〃

〃Then　you　think　that　a　bill〃began　the　Mayor；　eagerly。

〃I　think；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　Paul　plaintively；　〃that　I　and　my
friends　have　already　tried　the　patience　of　these　two　young　ladies
quite　enough　yesterday　with　politics　and　law…making。　　I　have　to
catch　the　six…o'clock　train　to　San　Francisco　this　evening；　and　have
already　lost　the　time　I　hoped　to　spend　with　Miss　Yerba　by　missing
her　at　the　convent。　　Let　me　stroll　on　here；　if　you　like；　and　if　I
venture　to　monopolize　the　attention　of　this　young　lady　for　half　an
hour；　you；　my　dear　Mr。　Mayor；　who　have　more　frequent　access　to　her；
I　know；　will　not　begrudge　it　to　me。〃

He　placed　himself　beside　Yerba　and　Milly；　and　began　an
entertaining；　although；　I　fear；　slightly　exaggerated；　account　of
his　reception　by　the　Lady　Superior；　and　her　evident　doubts　of　his
identity　with　the　trustee　mentioned　in　Pendleton's　letter　of
introduction。　　〃I　confess　she　frightened　me；〃　he　continued；　〃when
she　remarked　that；　according　to　my　statement；　I　could　have　been
only　eighteen　years　old　when　I　became　your　guardian；　and　as　much　in
want　of　one　as　you　were。　　I　think　that　only　her　belief　that　Mr。
Woods　and　the　Mayor　would　detect　me　as　an　impostor　provoked　her　at
last　to　tell　me　your　whereabouts。〃

〃But　why　DID　they　ever　make　you　a　trustee；　for　goodness'　sake？〃
said　Milly；　naively。　　〃Was　there　no　one　grown　up　at　that　time　that
they　could　have　called　upon？〃

〃Those　were　the　EARLY　days　of　California；〃　responded　Paul；　with
great　gravity；　although　he　was　conscious　that　Yerba　was　regarding
him　narrowly；　〃and　I　probably　looked　older　and　more　intelligent
than　I　really　was。　　For；　candidly；〃　with　the　consciousness　of
Yerba's　eyes　still　upon　him；　〃I　remember　very　little　about　it。　　I
dare　say　I　was　selected；　as　you　kindly　suggest；　'for　goodness'
sake。'〃

〃After　all；〃　said　the　volatile　Milly；　who　seemed　inclined；　as
chaperone；　to　direct　the　conversation；　〃there　was　something　pretty
and　romantic　about　it。　　You　two　poor　young　things　taking　care　of
each　other；　for　of　course　there　were　no　women　here　in　those　days。〃

〃Of　course　there　WERE　women　here〃　interrupted　Yerba；　quickly；　with
a　half…meaning；　half…interrogative　glance　at　Paul　that　made　him
instinctively　uneasy。　　〃You　later　comers〃to　Milly〃always　seem
to　think　that　there　was　nothing　here　before　you！〃　　She　paused；　and
then　added；　with　a　naive　mixture　of　reproach　and　coquetry　that　was
as　charming　as　it　was　unexpected；　〃As　to　taking　care　of　each　other；
Mr。　Hathaway　very　quickly　got　rid　of　me；　I　believe。〃

〃But　I　left　you　in　better　hands；　Miss　Yerba；　and　let　me　thank　you
now；〃　he　added　in　a　lower　tone；　〃for　recognizing　it　as　you　did　a
moment　ago。　　I'm　glad　that　you　instinctively　liked　Colonel
Pendleton。　　Had　you　known　him　better；　you　would　have　seen　how
truthful　that　instinct　was。　　His　chief　fault　in　the　eyes　of　our
worthy　friends　is　that　he　reminds　them　of　a　great　deal　they　can't
perpetuate　and　much　they　would　like　to　forget。〃　　He　checked　himself
abruptly。　　〃But　here　is　your　letter