a ward of the golden gate-第3章

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〃YOU；　Kate；〃　said　the　Mayor。　　〃You　have　given　everything　you
possess　to　this　child。　　What　provision　have　you　made　for　yourself？〃

〃Do　I　look　played　out？〃　she　said；　facing　them。

She　certainly　did　not　look　like　anything　but　a　strong；　handsome；
resolute　woman；　but　the　men　did　not　reply。

〃That　is　not　all；　Kate；〃　continued　the　Mayor；　folding　his　arms　and
looking　down　upon　her。　　〃Have　you　thought　what　this　means？　　It　is
the　complete　renunciation　not　only　of　any　claim　but　any　interest　in
your　child。　　That　is　what　you　have　just　signed；　and　what　it　will　be
our　duty　now　to　keep　you　to。　　From　this　moment　we　stand　between　you
and　her；　as　we　stand　between　her　and　the　world。　　Are　you　ready　to
see　her　grow　up　away　from　you；　losing　even　the　little　recollection
she　has　had　of　your　kindnesspassing　you　in　the　street　without
knowing　you；　perhaps　even　having　you　pointed　out　to　her　as　a　person
she　should　avoid？　　Are　you　prepared　to　shut　your　eyes　and　ears
henceforth　to　all　that　you　may　hear　of　her　new　life；　when　she　is
happy；　rich；　respectable；　a　courted　heiressperhaps　the　wife　of
some　great　man？　　Are　you　ready　to　accept　that　she　will　never　know
that　no　one　will　ever　knowthat　you　had　any　share　in　making　her
so；　and　that　if　you　should　ever　breathe　it　abroad　we　shall　hold　it
our　duty　to　deny　it；　and　brand　the　man　who　takes　it　up　for　you　as　a
liar　and　the　slanderer　of　an　honest　girl？〃

〃That's　what　I　came　here　for；〃　she　said　curtly；　then；　regarding
them　curiously；　and　running　her　ringed　hand　up　and　down　the　railed
back　of　her　chair；　she　added；　with　a　half　laugh；　〃What　are　you
playin'　me　for；　boys？〃

〃But；〃　said　Colonel　Pendleton；　without　heeding　her；　〃are　you　ready
to　know　that　in　sickness　or　affliction　you　will　be　powerless　to
help　her；　that　a　stranger　will　take　your　place　at　her　bedside；　that
as　she　has　lived　without　knowing　you　she　will　die　without　that
knowledge；　or　that　if　through　any　weakness　of　yours　it　came　to　her
then；　it　would　embitter　her　last　thoughts　of　earth　and；　dying；　she
would　curse　you？〃

The　smile　upon　her　half…open　mouth　still　fluttered　around　it；　and
her　curved　fingers　still　ran　up　and　down　the　rails　of　the　chair…
back　as　if　they　were　the　cords　of　some　mute　instrument；　to　which
she　was　trying　to　give　voice。　　Her　rings　once　or　twice　grated　upon
them　as　if　she　had　at　times　gripped　them　closely。　　But　she　rose
quickly　when　he　paused；　said　〃Yes；〃　sharply；　and　put　the　chair　back
against　the　wall。

〃Then　I　will　send　you　copies　of　this　tomorrow；　and　take　an
assignment　of　the　property。〃

〃I've　got　the　check　here　for　it　now；〃　she　said；　drawing　it　from　her
pocket　and　laying　it　upon　the　desk。　　〃There；　I　reckon　that's
finished。　　Good…by！〃

The　Mayor　took　up　his　hat；　Colonel　Pendleton　did　the　same；　both　men
preceded　her　to　the　door；　and　held　it　open　with　grave　politeness
for　her　to　pass。

〃Where　are　you　boys　going？〃　she　asked；　glancing　from　the　one　to　the
other。

〃To　see　you　to　your　carriage；　Mrs。　Howard；〃　said　the　Mayor；　in　a
voice　that　had　become　somewhat　deeper。

〃Through　the　whole　building？　　Past　all　the　people　in　the　hall　and
on　the　stairs？　　Why；　I　passed　Dan　Stewart　as　I　came　in。〃

〃If　you　will　allow　us？〃　he　said；　turning　half　appealing　to　Colonel
Pendleton；　who；　without　speaking；　made　a　low　bow　of　assent。

A　slight　flush　rose　to　her　facethe　first　and　only　change　in　the
even　healthy　color　she　had　shown　during　the　interview。

〃I　reckon　I　won't　trouble　you；　boys；　if　it's　all　the　same　to　you；〃
she　said；　with　her　half…strident　laugh。　　〃YOU　mightn't　mind　being
seenbut　I　would　　Good…by。〃

She　held　out　a　hand　to　each　of　the　men；　who　remained　for　an　instant
silently　holding　them。　　Then　she　passed　out　of　the　door；　slipping
on　her　close　black　veil　as　she　did　so　with　a　half…funereal
suggestion；　and　they　saw　her　tall；　handsome　figure　fade　into　the
shadows　of　the　long　corridor。

〃Paul；〃　said　the　Mayor；　reentering　the　office　and　turning　to　his
secretary；　〃do　you　know　who　that　woman　is？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃She's　one　in　a　million！　　And　now　forget　that　you　have　ever　seen
her。〃


CHAPTER　I。


The　principal　parlor　of　the　New　Golden　Gate　Hotel　in　San　Francisco；
fairly　reported　by　the　local　press　as　being　〃truly　palatial〃　in　its
appointments；　and　unrivaled　in　its　upholstery；　was；　nevertheless；
on　August　5；　1860；　of　that　startling　newness　that　checked　any
familiarity；　and　evidently　had　produced　some　embarrassment　on　the
limbs　of　four　visitors　who　had　just　been　ushered　into　its　glories。
After　hesitating　before　one　or　two　gorgeous　fawn…colored　brocaded
easy…chairs　of　appalling　and　spotless　virginity；　one　of　them　seated
himself　despairingly　on　a　tete…a…tete　sofa　in　marked　and　painful
isolation；　while　another　sat　uncomfortably　upright　on　a　sofa。　　The
two　others　remained　standing；　vaguely　gazing　at　the　ceiling；　and
exchanging　ostentatiously　admiring　but　hollow　remarks　about　the
furniture　in　unnecessary　whispers。　　Yet　they　were　apparently　men　of
a　certain　habit　of　importance　and　small　authority；　with　more　or
less　critical　attitude　in　their　speech。

To　them　presently　entered　a　young　man　of　about　five…and…twenty；
with　remarkably　bright　and　singularly　sympathetic　eyes。　　Having
swept　the　group　in　a　smiling　glance；　he　singled　out　the　lonely
occupier　of　the　tete…a…tete；　and　moved　pleasantly　towards　him。　　The
man　rose　instantly　with　an　eager　gratified　look。

〃Well；　Paul；　I　didn't　allow　you'd　remember　me。　　It's　a　matter　of
four　years　since　we　met　at　Marysville。　　And　now　you're　bein'　a
great　man　you've〃

No　one　could　have　known　from　the　young　man's　smiling　face　that　he
really　had　not　recognized　his　visitor　at　first；　and　that　his
greeting　was　only　an　exhibition　of　one　of　those　happy　instincts　for
which　he　was　remarkable。　　But；　following　the　clew　suggested　by　his
visitor；　he　was　able　to　say　promptly　and　gayly：

〃I　don't　know　why　I　should　forget　Tony　Shear　or　the　Marysville
boys；〃　turning　with　a　half…confiding　smile　to　the　other　visitors；
who；　after　the　human　fashion；　were　beginning　to　be　resentfully
impatient　of　this　special　attention。

〃Well；　no；for　I've　allus　said　that　you　took　your　first　start　from
Marysville。　　But　I've　brought　a　few　friends　of　our　party　that　I
reckoned　to　introduce　to　you。　　Cap'n　Stidger；　Chairman　of　our
Central　Committee；　Mr。　Henry　J。　Hoskins；　of　the　firm　of　Hoskins　and
Bloomer；　and　Joe　Slate；　of　the　'Union　Press；'　one　of　our　most
promising　journalists。　　Gentlemen；〃　he　continued；　suddenly　and
without　warning　lifting　his　voice　to　an　oratorical　plane　in
startling　contrast　to　his　previous　unaffected　utterance；　〃I　needn't
say　that　this　is　the　honorable　Paul　Hathaway；　the　youngest　state
senator　in　the　Legislature。　　You　know　his　record！〃　　Then；
recovering　the　ordinary　accents　of　humanity；　he　added；　〃We　read　of
your　departure　last　night　from　Sacramento；　and　I　thought　we'd　come
early；　afore　the　crowd。〃

〃Proud　to　know　you；　sir；〃　said　Captain　Stidger；　suddenly　lifting
the　conversation　to　the　platform　again。　　〃I　have　followed　your
career；　sir。　　I've　read　your　speech；　Mr。　Hathaway；　and；　as　I　was
telling　our　mutual　friend；　Mr。　Shear；　as　we　came　along；　I　don't
know　any　man　that　could　state　the　real　party　issues　as　squarely。
Your　castigating　exposition　of　so…called　Jeffersonian　principles；
and　your　relentless　indictment　of　the　resolutions　of　'98；　were
were〃coughed　the　captain；　dropping　into　conversation　again〃were
the　biggest　thing　out。　　You　have　only　to　signify　the　day；　sir；　that
you　will　address　us；　and　I　can　promise　you　the　largest　audience　in
San　Francisco。〃

〃I'm　instructed　by　the　proprietor　of　the　'Union　Press；'〃　said　Mr。
Slate；　feeling　for　his　notebook　and　pencil；　〃to　offer　you　its
columns　for　any　explanations　you　may　desire　to　make　in　the　form　of
a　personal　letter　or　an　editorial　in　reply　to　the　'Advertiser's'
strictures　on　your　speech；　or　to　take　any　information　you　may　have
for　the　benefit　of　our　readers　and　the　party。〃

〃If　you　are　ever　down　my　way；　Mr。　Hathaway；〃　said　Mr。　Hoskins；
placing　a　large　business　card　in　Hathaway's　hand；　〃and　will　drop　in
as　a　friend；　I　can　show　you　about　the　largest　business　in　the　way
of　canned　provisions　and　domestic　groceries　in　the　State；　and　give
you　a　look　around　Bat