a ward of the golden gate-第33章
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quick footsteps among the fallen leaves of the variegated thicket
through which it stole。 He stopped short； the leafy screen
shivered and parted； and a tall graceful figure； like a draped and
hidden Columbine； burst through its painted foliage。 It was Yerba！
She ran quickly towards him； with parted lips； shining eyes； and a
few scarlet leaves clinging to the stuff of her worsted dress in a
way that recalled the pink petals of Rosario。
〃When I saw you were not in the wagon and knew you were walking I
slipped out to intercept you； as I had something to tell you before
you saw the others。 I thought you wouldn't mind。〃 She stopped；
and suddenly hesitated。
What was this new strange shyness that seemed to droop her eyelids；
her proud head； and even the slim hand that had been so impulsively
and frankly outstretched towards him？ And hePaulwhat was he
doing？ Where was this passionate outburst that had filled his
heart for nights and days？ Where this eager tumultuous questioning
that his feverish lips had rehearsed hour by hour？ Where this
desperate courage that would sweep the whole world away if it stood
between them？ Where； indeed？ He was standing only a few feet from
hercold； silent； and tremulous！
She drew back a step； lifted her head with a quick toss that seemed
to condense the moisture in her shining eyes； and sent what might
have been a glittering dew…drop flying into the loosed tendrils of
her hair。 Calm and erect again； she put her little hand to her
jacket pocket。
〃I only wanted you to read a letter I got yesterday；〃 she said；
taking out an envelope。
The spell was broken。 Paul caught eagerly at the hand that held
the letter； and would have drawn her to him； but she put him aside
gravely but sweetly。
〃Read that letter！〃
〃Tell me of YOURSELF first！〃 he broke out passionately。 〃Why you
fled from me； and why I now find you here； by the merest chance；
without a word of summons from yourself； Yerba？ Tell me who is
with you？ Are you free and your own mistressfree to act for
yourself and me？ Speak； darlingdon't be cruel！ Since that night
I have longed for you； sought for you； and suffered for you every
day and hour。 Tell me if I find you the same Yerba who wrote〃
〃Read that letter！〃
〃I care for none but the one you left me。 I have read and reread
it； Yerbacarried it always with me。 See！ I have it here！〃 He
was in the act of withdrawing it from his breast…pocket； when she
put up her hand piteously。
〃Please； Paul； pleaseread this letter first！〃
There was something in her new supplicating grace； still retaining
the faintest suggestion of her old girlish archness； that struck
him。 He took the letter and opened it。 It was from Colonel
Pendleton。
Plainly； concisely； and formally； without giving the name of his
authority or suggesting his interview with Mrs。 Argalls； he had
informed Yerba that he had documentary testimony that she was the
daughter of the late Jose de Arguello； and legally entitled to bear
his name。 A copy of the instructions given to his wife；
recognizing Yerba Buena； the ward of the San Francisco Trust； as
his child and hers； and leaving to the mother the choice of making
it known to her and others； was inclosed。
Paul turned an unchanged face upon Yerba； who was watching him
eagerly； uneasily； almost breathlessly。
〃And you think this concerns ME！〃 he said bitterly。 〃You think
only of this； when I speak of the precious letter that bade me
hope； and brought me to you？〃
〃Paul；〃 said the girl； with wondering eyes and hesitating lips； 〃do
you mean to say thatthatthis isnothing to you？〃
〃Yesbut forgive me； darling！〃 he broke out again； with a sudden
vague remorsefulness； as he once more sought her elusive hand。 〃I
am a brutean egotist！ I forgot that it might be something to
YOU。〃
〃Paul；〃 continued the girl； her voice quivering with a strange joy；
〃do you say that youYOU yourself； care nothing for this？〃
〃Nothing；〃 he answered； gazing at her transfigured face with
admiring wonder。
〃And〃more timidly； as a faint aurora kindled in her checks〃that
you don't carethatthatI am coming to you WITH A NAME； to give
you inexchange？〃
He started。
〃Yerba； you are not mocking me？ You will be my wife？〃
She smiled； yet moving softly backwards with the grave stateliness
of a vanishing yet beckoning goddess； until she reached the sumach…
bush from which she had emerged。 He followed。 Another backward
step； and it yielded to let her through； but even as it did so she
caught him in her arms； and for a single moment it closed upon them
both； and hid them in its glory。 A still lingering song…bird；
possibly convinced that he had mistaken the season； and that spring
had really come； flew out with a little cry to carry the message
south； but even then Paul and Yerba emerged with such innocent；
childlike gravity； and； side by side； walked so composedly towards
the house； that he thought better of it。
CHAPTER IX。
It was only the THIRD time they had ever metdid Paul consider
that when he thought her cold？ Did he know now why she had not
understood him at Rosario？ Did he understand now how calculating
and selfish he had seemed to her that night？ Could he look her in
the face nowno； he must be quietthey were so near the house；
and everybody could see them！and say that he had ever believed
her capable of making up that story of the Arguellos？ Could he not
have guessed that she had some memory of that name in her childish
recollections； how or where she knew not？ Was it strange that a
daughter should have an instinct of her father？ Was it kind to her
to know all this himself and yet reveal nothing？ Because her
mother and father had quarreled； and her mother had run away with
somebody and left her a ward to strangerswas that to be concealed
from her； and she left without a name？ This； and much more；
tenderly reproachful； bewildering and sweetly illogical； yet
inexpressibly dear to Paul； as they walked on in the gloaming。
More to the purpose； however； the fact that Briones； as far as she
knew； did not know her mother； and never before the night at
Strudle Bad had ever spoken of her。 Still more to the purpose；
that he had disappeared after an interview with the colonel that
night； and that she believed always that the colonel had bought him
off。 It was not with HER money。 She had sometimes thought that
the colonel and he were in confidence； and that was why she had
lately distrusted Pendleton。 But she had refused to take the name
of Arguello again after that scene； and had called herself only by
the name he had given herwould he forgive her for ever speaking
of it as she had？Yerba Buena。 But on shipboard； at Milly's
suggestion； and to keep away from Briones； her name had appeared on
the passenger list as Miss Good； and they had come； not to New
York； but Boston。
It was possible that the colonel had extracted the information he
sent her FROM Briones。 They had parted from Pendleton in London；
as he was grumpy and queer； and； as Milly thought； becoming very
miserly and avaricious as he grew older； for he was always
quarreling over the hotel bills。 But he had Mrs。 Woods's New York
address at Under Cliff； and； of course； guessed where she was。
There was no address on his letter： he had said he would write
again。
Thus much until they reached the steps of the veranda； and Milly；
flying down； was ostentatiously overwhelmed with the unexpected
appearance of Mr。 Paul Hathaway and Yerba； whom she had been
watching from the window for the last ten minutes。 Then the
appearance of Mr。 Woods； Californian and reminiscent； and Mrs。
Woods； metropolitan； languid； and forgetful； and the sudden and
formal retirement of the girls。 An arch and indefinable mystery in
the air whenever Paul and Yerba appeared togetherof which even
the servants were discreetly conscious。
At dinner Mr。 Woods again became retrospective and Californian； and
dwelt upon the changes he had noticed。 It appeared the old
pioneers had in few cases attained a comfortable fortune for their
old age。 〃I know；〃 he added； 〃that your friend Colonel Pendleton
has dropped a good deal of
