a ward of the golden gate-第4章

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of　canned　provisions　and　domestic　groceries　in　the　State；　and　give
you　a　look　around　Battery　Street　generally。　　Or　if　you'll　name　your
day；　I've　got　a　pair　of　2。35　Blue　Grass　horses　that'll　spin　you　out
to　the　Cliff　House　to　dinner　and　back。　　I've　had　Governor　Fiske；
and　Senator　Doolan；　and　that　big　English　capitalist　who　was　here
last　year；　and　theywell；　sir；they　were　PLEASED！　　Or　if　you'd
like　to　see　the　townif　this　is　your　first　visitI'm　a　hand　to
show　you。

Nothing　could　exceed　Mr。　Hathaway's　sympathetic　acceptance　of　their
courtesies；　nor　was　there　the　least　affectation　in　it。　　Thoroughly
enjoying　his　fellowmen；　even　in　their　foibles；　they　found　him
irresistibly　attractive。　　〃I　lived　here　seven　years　ago；〃　he　said；
smiling；　to　the　last　speaker。

〃When　the　water　came　up　to　Montgomery　Street；〃　interposed　Mr。
Shear；　in　a　hoarse　but　admiring　aside。

〃When　Mr。　Hammersley　was　mayor；〃　continued　Hathaway。

〃Had　an　official　positionprivate　secretaryafore　he　was　twenty；〃
explained　Shear；　in　perfectly　audible　confidence。

〃Since　then　the　city　has　made　great　strides；　leaping　full…grown；
sir；　in　a　single　night；〃　said　Captain　Stidger；　hastily　ascending
the　rostrum　again　with　a　mixed　metaphor；　to　the　apparent　concern　of
a　party　of　handsomely　dressed　young　ladies　who　had　recently　entered
the　parlor。　　〃Stretching　from　South　Park　to　Black　Point；　and
running　back　to　the　Mission　Dolores　and　the　Presidio；　we　are
building　up　a　metropolis；　sir；　worthy　to　be　placed　beside　the
Golden　Gate　that　opens　to　the　broad　Pacific　and　the　shores　of　far
Cathay！　　When　the　Pacific　Railroad　is　built　we　shall　be　the　natural
terminus　of　the　Pathway　of　Nations！〃

Mr。　Hathaway's　face　betrayed　no　consciousness　that　he　had　heard
something　like　this　eight　years　before；　and　that　much　of　it　had
come　true；　as　he　again　sympathetically　responded。　　Neither　was　his
attention　attracted　by　a　singular　similarity　which　the　attitude　of
the　group　of　ladies　on　the　other　side　of　the　parlor　bore　to　that　of
his　own　party。　　They　were　clustered　around　one　of　their　own　number
a　striking…looking　girlwho　was　apparently　receiving　their
mingled　flatteries　and　caresses　with　a　youthful　yet　critical
sympathy；　which；　singularly　enough；　was　not　unlike　his　own。　　It　was
evident　also　that　an　odd　sort　of　rivalry　seemed　to　spring　up
between　the　two　parties；　and　that；　in　proportion　as　Hathaway's
admirers　became　more　marked　and　ostentatious　in　their　attentions；
the　supporters　of　the　young　girl　were　equally　effusive　and
enthusiastic　in　their　devotion。　　As　usual　in　such　cases；　the　real
contest　was　between　the　partisans　themselves；　each　successive
demonstration　on　either　side　was　provocative　or　retaliatory；　and
when　they　were　apparently　rendering　homage　to　their　idols　they　were
really　distracted　by　and　listening　to　each　other。　　At　last；
Hathaway's　party　being　reinforced　by　fresh　visitors；　a　tall
brunette　of　the　opposition　remarked　in　a　professedly　confidential
but　perfectly　audible　tone：

〃Well；　my　dear；　as　I　don't　suppose　you　want　to　take　part　in　a
political　caucus；　perhaps　we'd　better　return　to　the　Ladies'
Boudoir；　unless　there's　a　committee　sitting　there　too。〃

〃I　know　how　valuable　your　time　must　be；　as　you　are　all　business
men；〃　said　Hathaway；　turning　to　his　party；　in　an　equally　audible
tone；　〃but　before　you　go；　gentlemen；　you　must　let　me　offer　you　a
little　refreshment　in　a　private　room；〃　and　he　moved　naturally
towards　the　door。　　The　rival　fair；　who　had　already　risen　at　their
commander's　suggestion；　here　paused　awkwardly　over　an　embarrassing
victory。　　Should　they　go　or　stay？　　The　object　of　their　devotion；
however；　turned　curiously　towards　Hathaway。　　For　an　instant　their
eyes　met。　　The　young　girl　turned　carelessly　to　her　companions　and
said；　〃No；　stay　hereit's　the　public　parlor；〃　and　her　followers；
evidently　accustomed　to　her　authority；　sat　down　again。

〃A　galaxy　of　young　ladies　from　the　Convent　of　Santa　Clara；　Mr。
Hathaway；〃　explained　Captain　Stidger；　naively　oblivious　of　any
discourtesy　on　their　part；　as　he　followed　Hathaway's　glance　and
took　his　arm　as　they　moved　away。　　〃Not　the　least　of　our　treasures；
sir。　　Most　of　them　daughters　of　pioneersand　all　Californian　bred
and　educated。　　Connoisseurs　have　awarded　them　the　palm；　and　declare
that　for　Grace；　Intelligence；　and　Woman's　Highest　Charms　the　East
cannot　furnish　their　equal！〃　　Having　delivered　this　Parthian
compliment　in　an　oratorical　passage　through　the　doorway；　the
captain　descended；　outside；　into　familiar　speech。　　〃But　I　suppose
you　will　find　that　out　for　yourself　if　you　stay　here　long。　　San
Francisco　might　furnish　a　fitting　bride　to　California's　youngest
senator。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　my　stay　here　must　be　brief；　and　limited　to
business；〃　said　Hathaway；　who　had　merely　noticed　that　the　principal
girl　was　handsome　and　original…looking。　　〃In　fact；　I　am　here　partly
to　see　an　old　acquaintanceColonel　Pendleton。〃

The　three　men　looked　at　each　other　curiously。　　〃Oh！　Harry
Pendleton；〃　said　Mr。　Hoskins；　incredulously　〃You　don't　know　HIM？〃

〃An　old　pioneerof　course；〃　interposed　Shear；　explanatorily　and
apologetically。　　〃Why；　in　Paul's　time　the　colonel　was　a　big　man
here。〃

〃I　understand　the　colonel　has　been　unfortunate；〃　said　Hathaway；
gravely；　〃but　in　MY　time　he　was　President　of　the　El　Dorado　Bank。〃

〃And　the　bank　hasn't　got　through　its　settlement　yet；〃　said　Hoskins
〃I　hope　YOU　ain't　expecting　to　get　anything　out　of　it？〃

〃No；〃　said　Hathaway；　smiling；　〃I　was　a　boy　at　that　time；　and　lived
up　to　my　salary。　　I　know　nothing　of　his　bank　difficulties；　but　it
always　struck　me　that　Colonel　Pendleton　was　himself　an　honorable
man。〃

〃It　ain't　that；〃　said　Captain　Stidger　energetically；　〃but　the
trouble　with　Harry　Pendleton　is　that　he　hasn't　grown　with　the
State；　and　never　adjusted　himself　to　it。　　And　he　won't。　　He　thinks
the　Millennium　was　between　the　fall　of　'49　and　the　spring　of　'50；
and　after　that　everything　dropped。　　He　belongs　to　the　old　days；
when　a　man's　simple　WORD　was　good　for　any　amount　if　you　knew　him；
and　they　say　that　the　old　bank　hadn't　a　scrap　of　paper　for　half
that　was　owing　to　it。　　That　was　all　very　well；　sir；　in　'49　and　'50；
andLuck；　but　it　won't　do　for　'59　and　'60；　andBusiness！　　And　the
old　man　can't　see　it。〃

〃But　he　is　ready　to　fight　for　it　now；　as　in　the　old　time；〃　said　Mr。
Slate；　〃and　that's　another　trouble　with　his　chronology。　　He's　done
more　to　keep　up　dueling　than　any　other　man　in　the　State；　and　don't
know　the　whole　spirit　of　progress　and　civilization　is　against　it。〃

It　was　impossible　to　tell　from　Paul　Hathaway's　face　whether　his
sympathy　with　Colonel　Pendleton's　foibles　or　his　assent　to　the
criticisms　of　his　visitors　was　the　truer。　　Both　were　no　doubt
equally　sincere。　　But　the　party　was　presently　engaged　in　the
absorption　of　refreshment；　which；　being　of　a　purely；　spirituous　and
exhilarating　quality；　tended　to　increase　their　good　humor　with　the
host　till　they　parted。　　Even　then　a　gratuitous　advertisement　of　his
virtues　and　their　own　intentions　in　calling　upon　him　was
oratorically　voiced　from　available　platforms　and　landings；　in　the
halls　and　stairways；　until　it　was　pretty　well　known　throughout　the
Golden　Gate　Hotel　that　the　Hon。　Mr。　Paul　Hathaway　had　arrived　from
Sacramento　and　had　received　a　〃spontaneous　ovation。〃

Meantime　the　object　of　it　had　dropped　into　an　easy…chair　by　the
window　of　his　room；　and　was　endeavoring　to　recall　a　less　profitable
memory。　　The　process　of　human　forgetfulness　is　not　a　difficult　one
between　the　ages　of　eighteen　and　twenty…six；　and　Paul　Hathaway　had
not　only　fulfilled　the　Mayor's　request　by　forgetting　the
particulars　of　a　certain　transfer　that　he　had　witnessed　in　the
Mayor's　office；　but　in　the　year　succeeding　that　request；　being
about　to　try　his　fortunes　in　the　mountains；　he　had　formally
constituted　Colonel　Pendleton　to　act　as　his　proxy　in　the
administration　of　Mrs。　Howard's　singular　Trust；　in　which；　however；
he　had　never　participated　except　yearly　to　sign　his　name。　　He　was；
consequently；　somewhat　astonished　to　have　received　a　letter　a　few
days　before　from　Colonel　Pendleton；　asking　him　to　call　and　see　him
regarding　it。

He　vaguely　remembered　that　it　was　eight　years　ago；　and