a ward of the golden gate-第34章

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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　money　over　in　Europe。　　Somebody　told　me
that　he　actually　was　reduced　to　take　a　steerage　passage　home。　　It
looks　as　if　he　might　gambleit's　an　old　Californian　complaint。〃
As　Paul；　who　had　become　suddenly　grave　again；　did　not　speak；　Mrs。
Woods　reminded　them　that　she　had　always　doubted　the　colonel's　moral
principles。　　Old　as　he　was；　he　had　never　got　over　that　freedom　of
life　and　social　opinion　which　he　had　imbibed　in　early　days。　　For
her　part；　she　was　very　glad　he　had　not　returned　from　Europe　with
the　girls；　though；　of　course；　the　presence　of　Don　Caesar　and　his
sister　during　their　European　sojourn　was　a　corrective。　　As　Paul's
face　grew　darker　during　this　languid　criticism；　Yerba；　who　had　been
watching　it　with　a　new　and　absorbing　sympathy；　seized　the　first
moment　when　they　left　the　table　to　interrogate　him　with
heartbreaking　eyes。

〃You　don't　think；　Paul；　that　the　colonel　is　really　poor？〃

〃God　only　knows；〃　said　Paul。　　〃I　tremble　to　think　how　that
scoundrel　may　have　bled　him。〃

〃And　all　for　me！　　Paul；　dear；　you　know　you　were　saying　in　the　woods
that　you　would　never；　never　touch　my　money。　　What〃exultingly〃if
we　gave　it　to　him？〃

What　answer　Paul　made　did　not　transpire；　for　it　seemed　to　have　been
indicated　by　an　interval　of　profound　silence。

But　the　next　morning；　as　he　and　Mr。　Woods　were　closeted　in　the
library；　Yerba　broke　in　upon　them　with　a　pathetic　face　and　a
telegram　in　her　hand。　　〃Oh；　PaulMr。　HathawayIT'S　TRUE！〃

Paul　seized　the　telegram　quickly：　it　had　no　signature；　only　the
line：　〃Colonel　Pendleton　is　dangerously　ill　at　St。　John's
Hospital。〃

〃I　must　go　at　once；〃　said　Paul；　rising。

〃Oh；　Paul〃imploringly…〃let　me　go　with　you！　　I　should　never
forgive　myself　ifAND　IT'S　ADDRESSED　TO　ME；　and　what　would　he
think　if　I　didn't　come？〃

Paul　hesitated。　　〃Mrs。　Woods　will　let　Milly　go　with　us　and　she　can
stay　at　the　hotel。　　Say　yes；〃　she　continued；　seeking　his　eyes
eagerly。

He　consented；　and　in　half　an　hour　they　were　in　the　train　for　New
York。　　Leaving　Milly　at　the　hotel；　ostensibly　in　deference　to　the
Woods's　prejudices；　but　really　to　save　the　presence　of　a　third
party　at　this　meeting；　Paul　drove　with　Yerba　rapidly　to　the
hospital。　　They　were　admitted　to　an　anteroom。　　The　house　surgeon
received　them　respectfully；　but　doubtingly。　　The　patient　was　a
little　better　this　morning；　but　very　weak。　　There　was　a　lady　now
with　hima　member　of　a　religious　and　charitable　guild；　who　had
taken　the　greatest　interest　in　himindeed；　she　had　wished　to　take
him　to　her　own　homebut　he　had　declined　at　first；　and　now　he　was
too　weak　to　be　removed。

〃But　I　received　this　telegram：　it　must　have　been　sent　at　his
request；〃　protested　Yerba。

The　house　surgeon　looked　at　the　beautiful　face。　　He　was　mortal。　　He
would　see　if　the　patient　was　able　to　stand　another　interview；
possibly　the　regular　visitor　might　withdraw。

When　he　had　gone；　an　attendant　volunteered　the　information　that　the
old　gentleman　was　perhaps　a　little　excited　at　times。　　He　was　a
wonderful　man；　he　had　seen　a　great　deal；　he　talked　much　of
California　and　the　early　days；　he　was　very　interesting。　　Ah；　it
would　be　all　right　now　if　the　doctor　found　him　well　enough；　for　the
lady　was　already　goingthat　was　she；　coming　through　the　hall。

She　came　slowly　towards　themerect；　gray；　grima　still　handsome
apparition。　　Paul　started。　　To　his　horror；　Yerba　ran　impulsively
forward；　and　said　eagerly：　〃Is　he　better？　　Can　he　see　us　now？〃

The　woman　halted　an　instant；　seemed　to　gather　the　prayer…book　and
reticule　she　was　carrying　closer　to　her　breast；　but　was　otherwise
unchanged。　　Replying　to　Paul　rather　than　the　young　girl；　she　said
rigidly：　〃The　patient　is　able　to　see　Mr。　Hathaway　and　Miss　Yerba
Buena；〃　and　passed　slowly　on。　　But　as　she　reached　the　door　she
unloosed　her　black　mourning　veil　from　her　bonnet；　and　seemed　to
drop　it　across　her　face　with　the　gesture　that　Paul　remembered　she
had　used　twelve　years　ago。

〃She　frightens　me！〃　said　Yerba；　turning　a　suddenly　startled　face　on
Paul。　　〃Oh；　Paul；　I　hope　it　isn't　an　omen；　but　she　looked　like　some
one　from　the　grave！〃

〃Hush！〃　said　Paul；　turning　away　a　face　that　was　whiter　than　her
own。　　〃They　are　coming　now。〃

The　house　surgeon　had　returned　a　trifle　graver。　　They　might　see　him
now；　but　they　must　be　warned　that　he　wandered　at　times　a　little；
and；　if　he　might　suggest；　if　it　was　anything　of　family　importance；
they　had　better　make　the　most　of　their　time　and　his　lucid
intervals。　　Perhaps　if　they　were　old　friendsVERY　old　friendshe
would　recognize　them。　　He　was　wandering　much　in　the　pastalways　in
the　past。

They　found　him　in　the　end　of　the　ward；　but　so　carefully　protected
and　partitioned　off　by　screens　that　the　space　around　his　cot　had
all　the　privacy　and　security　of　an　apartment。　　He　was　very　much
changed；　they　would　scarcely　have　known　him；　but　for　the　delicately
curved　aquiline　profile　and　the　long　white　moustachenow　so　faint
and　etherealized　as　to　seem　a　mere　spirit　wing　that　rested　on　his
pillow。　　To　their　surprise　he　opened　his　eyes　with　a　smile　of
perfect　recognition；　and；　with　thin　fingers　beyond　the　coverlid；
beckoned　to　them　to　approach。　　Yet　there　was　still　a　shadow　of　his
old　reserve　in　his　reception　of　Paul；　and；　although　one　hand
interlocked　the　fingers　of　Yerbawho　had　at　first　rushed
impulsively　forward　and　fallen　on　her　knees　beside　the　bedand　the
other　softly　placed　itself　upon　her　head；　his　eyes　were　fixed　upon
the　young　man's　with　the　ceremoniousness　due　to　a　stranger。

〃I　am　glad　to　see；　sir；〃　he　began　in　a　slow；　broken；　but　perfectly
audible　voice；　〃that　now　you　aresatisfied　with　the　rightof　this
young　ladyto　bear　the　name　ofArguelloand　her　relationship
sirto　one　of　the　oldest〃

〃But；　my　dear　old　friend；〃　broke　out　Paul；　earnestly；　〃I　NEVER
cared　for　thatI　beg　you　to　believe〃

〃He　nevernevercared　for　itdear；　dear　colonel；〃　sobbed　Yerba；
passionately：　〃it　was　all　my　faulthe　thought　only　of　meyou
wrong　him！〃

〃I　think　otherwise；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　grim　and　relentless
deliberation。　　〃I　have　a　vividimpressionsirof　aninterview　I
had　with　youat　the　St。　Charleswhere　you　said〃　　He　was　silent
for　a　moment；　and　then　in　a　quite　different　voice　called　faintly

〃George！〃

Paul　and　Yerba　glanced　quickly　at　each　other。

〃George；　set　out　some　refreshment　for　the　Honorable　Paul　Hathaway。
The　best；　siryou　understand。　。　。　。　　A　good　nigger；　sira　good
boy；　and　he　never　leaves　me；　sir。　　Only；　by　gad！　sir；　he　will
starve　himself　and　his　family　to　be　with　me。　　I　brought　him　with　me
to　California　away　back　in　the　fall　of　'forty…nine。　　Those　were　the
early　days；　sirthe　early　days。〃

His　head　had　fallen　back　quite　easily　on　the　pillow　now；　but　a
slight　film　seemed　to　be　closing　over　his　dark　eyes；　like　the　inner
lid　of　an　eagle　when　it　gazes　upon　the　sun。

〃They　were　the　old　days；　sirthe　days　of　Menwhen　a　man's　WORD
was　enough　for　anything；　and　his　trigger…finger　settled　any　doubt。
When　the　Trust　that　he　took　from　Man；　Woman；　or　Child　was　never
broken。　　When　the　tide；　sir；　that　swept　through　the　Golden　Gate
came　up　as　far　as　Montgomery　Street。〃

He　did　not　speak　again。　　But　they　who　stood　beside　him　knew　that
the　tide　had　once　more　come　up　to　Montgomery　Street；　and　was
carrying　Harry　Pendleton　away　with　it。





End