a ward of the golden gate-第14章

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Sacramento。　　There　was　nothing　difficult　in　this；　or　that　need
worry　him；　only　he　could　have　done　it　just　as　well　an　hour　ago。

He　opened　the　window　again。　　The　scent　of　the　jessamine　came　in　as
before；　but　mingled　with　the　cooler　breath　of　the　roses。　　There　was
nothing　intoxicating　or　unreal　in　it　now；　rather　it　seemed　a　gentle
aromatic　stimulantof　thought。　　Long　shadows　of　unseen　poplars
beyond　barred　the　garden　lanes　and　alleys　with　bands　of　black　and
yellow。　　A　slanting　pencil　of　sunshine　through　the　trees　was　for　a
moment　focussed　on　a　bed　of　waxen　callas　before　a　hedge　of
ceanothus；　and　struck　into　dazzling　relief　the　cold　white　chalices
of　the　flowers　and　the　vivid　shining　green　of　their　background。
Presently　it　slid　beyond　to　a　tiny　fountain；　before　invisible；　and
wrought　a　blinding　miracle　out　of　its　flashing　and　leaping　spray。
Yet　even　as　he　gazed　the　fountain　seemed　to　vanish　slowly；　the
sunbeam　slipped　on；　and　beyond　it　moved　the　shimmer　of　white　and
yellow　dresses。　　It　was　Yerba　and　Milly　returning　to　the　house。
Well；　he　would　not　interrupt　his　reflections　by　idly　watching　them；
he　would；　probably；　see　a　great　deal　of　Yerba　that　evening；　and　by
that　time　he　would　have　come　to　some　conclusion　in　regard　to　her。

But　he　had　not　taken　into　consideration　her　voice；　which；　always
musical　in　its　Southern　intonation　and　quite　audible　in　the　quiet
garden；　struck　him　now　as　being　full　of　joyous　sweetness。　　Well；
she　was　certainly　very　happyor　very　thoughtless。　　She　was
actually　romping　with　Milly；　and　was　now　evidently　being　chased
down　the　rose…alley　by　that　volatile　young　woman。　　Then　these　swift
Camillas　apparently　neared　the　house；　there　was　the　rapid　rustle　of
skirts；　the　skurrying　of　little　feet　on　the　veranda；　a　stumble；　a
mouse…like　shriek　from　Milly；　and　HER　voice；　exhausted；　dying；
happy；　broken　with　half…hushed　laughter；　rose　to　him　on　the　breath
of　the　jessamine　and　rose。

Surely　she　WAS　a　child；　and；　if　a　child；　how　he　had　misjudged　her！
What　if　all　that　he　had　believed　was　mature　deliberation　was　only
the　innocent　imaginings　of　a　romantic　girl；　all　that　he　had　taken
seriously　only　a　school…girl's　foolish　dream！　　Instead　of　combating
it；　instead　of　reasoning　with　her；　instead　of　trying　to　interest
her　in　other　things；　he　had　even　helped　on　her　illusions。　　He　had
treated　her　as　if　the　taint　of　her　mother's　worldliness　and
knowledge　of　evil　was　in　her　pure　young　flesh。　　He　had　recognized
her　as　the　daughter　of　an　adventuress；　and　not　as　his　ward；
appealing　to　his　chivalry　through　her　very　ignoranceit　might　be
her　very　childish　vanity。　　He　had　brought　to　a　question　of　tender
and　pathetic　interest　only　his　selfish　opinion　of　the　world　and　the
weaknesses　of　mankind。　　The　blood　came　to　his　cheekswith　all　his
experienced　self…control；　he　had　not　lost　the　youthful　trick　of
blushingand　he　turned　away　from　the　window　as　if　it　had　breathed
a　reproach。

But　ought　he　have　even　contented　himself　with　destroying　her
illusionsought　he　not　have　gone　farther　and　told　her　the　whole
truth？　　Ought　he　not　first　have　won　her　confidencehe　remembered
bitterly；　now；　how　she　had　intimated　that　she　had　no　one　to　confide
inand；　after　revealing　her　mother's　history；　have　still　pledged
himself　to　keep　the　secret　from　all　others；　and　assisted　her　in　her
plan？　　It　would　not　have　altered　the　state　of　affairs；　except　so
far　as　she　was　concerned；　they　could　have　combined　together；　his
ready　wit　would　have　helped　him；　and　his　sympathy　would　have
sustained　her；　but

How　and　in　what　way　could　he　have　told　her？　　Leaving　out　the
delicate　and　difficult　periphrase　by　which　her　mother's　shame　would
have　to　be　explained　to　an　innocent　school…girlwhat　right　could
he　have　assumed　to　tell　it？　　As　the　guardian　who　had　never
counseled　or　protected　her？　　As　an　acquaintance　of　hardly　an　hour
ago？　　Who　would　have　such　a　right？　　A　loveron　whose　lips　it　would
only　seem　a　tacit　appeal　to　her　gratitude　or　her　fears；　and　whom　no
sensitive　girl　could　accept　thereafter？　　No。　　A　husband？　　Yes！　　He
remembered；　with　a　sudden　start；　what　Pendleton　had　said　to　him。
Good　Heavens！　　Had　Pendleton　that　idea　in　his　mind？　　And　yetit
seemed　the　only　solution。

A　knock　at　his　door　was　followed　by　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Woods。
Mr。　Hathaway's　portmanteau　had　come；　and　Mrs。　Woods　had　sent　a
message；　saying　that　in　view　of　the　limited　time　that　Mr。　Hathaway
would　have　with　his　ward；　Mrs。　Woods　would　forego　her　right　to　keep
him　at　her　side　at　dinner；　and　yield　her　place　to　Yerba。　　Paul
thanked　him　with　a　grave　inward　smile。　　What　if　he　made　his
dramatic　disclosure　to　her　confidentially　over　the　soup　and　fish？
Yet；　in　his　constantly　recurring　conviction　of　the　girl's
independence；　he　made　no　doubt　she　would　have　met　his　brutality
with　unflinching　pride　and　self…possession。　　He　began　to　dress
slowly；　at　times　almost　forgetting　himself　in　a　new　kind　of
pleasant　apathy；　which　he　attributed　to　the　odor　of　the　flowers；
and　the　softer　hush　of　twilight　that　had　come　on　with　the　dying
away　of　the　trade　winds；　and　the　restful　spice　of　the　bay…trees
near　his　window。　　He　presently　found　himself　not　so　much　thinking
of　Yerba　as　of　SEEING　her。　　A　picture　of　her　in　the　summer…house
caressing　her　cheek　with　the　roses　seemed　to　stand　out　from　the
shadows　of　the　blank　wall　opposite　him。　　When　he　passed　into　the
dressing…room　beyond；　it　was　not　his　own　face　he　saw　in　the　glass；
but　hers。　　It　was　with　a　start；　as　if　he　had　heard　HER　voice；　that
he　found　upon　his　dressing…table　a　small　vase　containing　a　flower
for　his　coat；　with　the　penciled　words　on　a　card　in　a　school…girl's
hand；　〃From　Yerba；　with　thanks　for　staying。〃　　It　must　have　been
placed　there　by　a　servant　while　he　was　musing　at　the　window。

Half　a　dozen　people　were　already　in　the　drawing…room　when　Paul
descended。　　It　appeared　that　Mr。　Woods　had　invited　certain　of　his
neighborsamong　them　a　Judge　Baker　and　his　wife；　and　Don　Caesar
Briones；　of　the　adjacent　Rancho　of　Los　Pajaros；　and　his　sister；　the
Dona　Anna。　　Milly　and　Yerba　had　not　yet　appeared。　　Don　Caesar；　a
young　man　of　a　toreador　build；　roundly　bland　in　face　and　murky　in
eye；　seemed　to　notice　their　absence；　and　kept　his　glances　towards
the　door；　while　Paul　engaged　in　conversation　with　Dona　Annaif
that　word　could　convey　an　impression　of　a　conventionality　which
that　good…humored　young　lady　converted　into　an　animated　flirtation
at　the　second　sentence　with　a　single　glance　and　two　shakes　of　her
fan。　　And　then　Milly　fluttered　ina　vision　of　school…girl
freshness　and　white　tulle；　and　a　moment　laterwith　a　pause　of
expectationa　tall；　graceful　figure；　that　at　first　Paul　scarcely
recognized。

It　is　a　popular　conceit　of　our　sex　that　we　are　superior　to　any
effect　of　feminine　adornment；　and　that　a　pretty　girl　is　equally
pretty　in　the　simplest　frock。　　Yet　there　was　not　a　man　in　the　room
who　did　not　believe　that　Yerba　in　her　present　attire　was　not　only
far　prettier　than　before；　but　that　she　indicated　a　new　and　more
delicate　form　of　beauty。　　It　was　not　the　mere　revelation　of　contour
and　color　of　an　ordinary　decollete　dress；　it　was　a　perfect
presentment　of　pure　symmetry　and　carriage。　　In　this　black　grenadine
dress；　trimmed　with　jet；　not　only　was　the　delicate　satin　sheen　of
her　skin　made　clearer　by　contrast；　but　she　looked　every　inch　her
full　height；　with　an　ideal　exaltation　of　breeding　and　culture。　　She
wore　no　jewelry　except　a　small　necklace　of　pearlsso　small　it
might　have　been　a　child'sthat　fitted　her　slender　throat　so
tightly　that　it　could　scarcely　be　told　from　the　flesh　that　it
clasped。　　Paul　did　not　know　that　it　was　the　gift　of　the　mother　to
the　child　that　she　had　forsworn　only　a　few　weeks　before　she　parted
from　her　forever；　but　he　had　a　vague　feeling　that；　in　that　sable
dress　that　seemed　like　mourning；　she　walked　at　the　funeral　of　her
mother's　past。　　A　few　white　flowers　in　her　corsage；　the　companions
of　the　solitary　one　in　his　button…hole；　were　the　only　relief。

Their　eyes　met　for　a　single　moment；　the　look　of　admiration　in
Paul's　being　answered　by　the　naive　consciousness　in　Yerba's　of　a
woman　looking　her　best；　but　the　next　moment　she　appeared
preoccupied　with　the　others；　and　the　ea