a ward of the golden gate-第7章

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asked　to　withdraw　his　proxy。

〃No　matter；　sir；〃　said　the　colonel；　impatiently；　〃you　had　the
right；　and　I　suppose；〃　he　added　with　half…concealed　scorn；　〃it　was
your　duty。　　But　let　that　pass。　　The　money　is　safe　enough；　but；　Mr。
Hathaway；and　this　is　the　point　I　want　to　discuss　with　you；it
begins　to　look　as　if　the　SECRET　was　safe　no　longer！〃　　He　had　raised
himself　with　some　pain　and　difficulty　to　draw　nearer　to　Paul；　and
had　again　fixed　his　eyes　eagerly　upon　him。　　But　Paul's　responsive
glance　was　so　vague　that　he　added　quickly；　〃You　understand；　sir；　I
believe　that　there　are　houndsI　say　hounds！who　would　be　able　to
blurt　out　at　any　moment　that　that　girl　at　Santa　Clara　is　Kate
Howard's　daughter。〃

At　any　other　moment　Paul　might　have　questioned　the　gravity　of　any
such　contingency；　but　the　terrible　earnestness　of　the　speaker；　his
dominant　tone；　and　a　certain　respect　which　had　lately　sprung　up　in
his　breast　for　him；　checked　him；　and　he　only　asked　with　as　much
concern　as　he　could　master　for　the　moment：

〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃

〃That's　what　I　want　to　tell　you；　Hathaway；　and　how　I；　and　I　alone；
am　responsible　for　it。　　When　the　bank　was　in　difficulty　and　I　made
up　my　mind　to　guard　the　Trust　with　my　own　personal　and　private
capital；　I　knew　that　there　might　be　some　comment　on　my　action。　　It
was　a　delicate　matter　to　show　any　preference　or　exclusion　at　such　a
moment；　and　I　took　two　or　three　of　my　brother　directors　whom　I
thought　I　could　trust　into　my　confidence。　　I　told　them　the　whole
story；　and　how　the　Trust　was　sacred。　　I　made　a　mistake；　sir；〃
continued　Pendleton　sardonically；　〃a　grave　mistake。　　I　did　not　take
into　account　that　even　in　three　years　civilization　and　religion　had
gained　ground　here。　　There　was　a　hound　therea　blank　Judas　in　the
Trust。　　Well；　he　didn't　see　it。　　I　think　he　talked　Scripture　and
morality。　　He　said　something　about　the　wages　of　sin　being　infamous；
and　only　worthy　of　confiscation。　　He　talked　about　the　sins　of　the
father　being　visited　upon　the　children；　and　justly。　　I　stopped　him。
Well！　　Do　you　know　what's　the　matter　with　my　ankle？　　Look！〃　　He
stopped　and；　with　some　difficulty　and　invincible　gravity；　throwing
aside　his　dressing…gown；　turned　down　his　stocking；　and　exposed　to
Paul's　gaze　the　healed　cicatrix　of　an　old　bullet…wound。　　〃Troubled
me　damnably　near　a　year。　　Where　I　hit　HIMhasn't　troubled　him　at
all　since！

〃I　think；〃　continued　the　colonel；　falling　back　upon　the　pillow　with
an　air　of　relief；　〃that　he　told　othersof　his　own　kidney；　sir；
though　it　was　a　secret　among　gentlemen。　　But　they　have　preferred　to
be　silent　nowthan　AFTERWARDS。　　They　know　that　I'm　ready。　　But　I
can't　keep　this　up　long；　some　time；　you　know；　they're　bound　to
improve　in　practice　and　hit　higher　up！　　As　far　as　I'm　concerned；〃
he　added；　with　a　grim　glance　around　the　faded　walls　and　threadbare
furniture；　〃it　don't　mind；　but　mine　isn't　the　mouth　to　be　stopped。〃
He　paused；　and　then　abruptly；　yet　with　a　sudden　and　pathetic
dropping　of　his　dominant　note；　said：　〃Hathaway；　you're　young；　and
Hammersley　liked　youwhat's　to　be　done？　　I　thought　of　passing　over
my　tools　to　you。　　You　can　shoot；　and　I　hear　you　HAVE。　　But　the　hl
of　it　is　that　if　you　dropped　a　man　or　two　people　would　ask　WHY；　and
want　to　know　what　it　was　about；　while；　when　I　do；　nobody　here
thinks　it　anything　but　MY　WAY！　　I　don't　mean　that　it　would　hurt　you
with　the　crowd　to　wipe　out　one　or　two　of　these　hounds　during　the
canvass；　but　the　trouble　is　that　they　belong　to　YOUR　PARTY；　and；〃
he　added　grimly；　〃that　wouldn't　help　your　career。〃

〃But；〃　said　Paul；　ignoring　the　sarcasm；　are　you　not　magnifying　the
effect　of　a　disclosure？　　The　girl　is　an　heiress；　excellently
brought　up。　　Who　will　bother　about　the　antecedents　of　the　mother；
who　has　disappeared；　whom　she　never　knew；　and　who　is　legally　dead
to　her？〃

〃In　my　day；　sir；　no　one　who　knew　the　circumstances；〃　returned　the
colonel；　quickly。　　〃But　we　are　living　in　a　blessed　era　of　Christian
retribution　and　civilized　propriety；　and　I　believe　there　are　a　lot
of　men　and　women　about　who　have　no　other　way　of　showing　their　own
virtue　than　by　showing　up　another's　vice。　　We're　in　a　reaction　of
reform。　　It's　the　old　drunkards　who　are　always　more　clamorous　for
total　abstinence　than　the　moderately　temperate。　　I　tell　you；
Hathaway；　there　couldn't　be　an　unluckier　moment　for　our　secret
coming　out。〃

〃But　she　will　be　of　age　soon。〃

〃In　two　months。〃

〃And　sure　to　marry。〃

〃Marry！〃　repeated　Pendleton；　with　grim　irony。　　〃Would　YOU　marry
her？〃

〃That's　another　question；〃　said　the　young　man；　promptly；　〃and　one
of　individual　taste；　but　it　does　not　affect　my　general　belief　that
she　could　easily　find　a　husband　as　good　and　better。〃

〃Suppose　she　found　one　BEFORE　the　secret　is　out。　　Ought　he　be
told？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃And　that　would　imply　telling　HER？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Paul；　but　not　so　promptly。　　〃And　you　consider　THAT
fulfilling　the　promise　of　the　Trustthe　pledges　exchanged　with
that　woman？〃　continued　Pendleton；　with　glittering　eyes　and　a　return
to　his　own　dominant　tone。

〃My　dear　colonel；〃　said　Paul；　somewhat　less　positively；　but　still
smiling；　〃you　have　made　a　romantic；　almost　impossible　compact　with
Mrs。　Howard　that；　you　yourself　are　now　obliged　to　admit；
circumstances　may　prevent　your　carrying　out　substantially。　　You
forget；　also；　that　you　have　just　told　me　that　you　have　already
broken　your　pledgeunder　circumstances；　it　is　true；　that　do　you
honorand　that　now　your　desperate　attempts　to　retrieve　it　have
failed。　　Now；　I　really　see　nothing　wrong　in　your　telling　to　a
presumptive　well…wisher　of　the　girl　what　you　have　told　to　her
enemy。〃

There　was　a　dead　silence。　　The　prostrate　man　uttered　a　slight
groan；　as　if　in　pain；　and　drew　up　his　leg　to　change　his　position。
After　a　pause；　he　said；　in　a　restrained　voice；　〃I　differ　from　you；
Mr。　Hathaway；　but　enough　of　this　for　the　present。　　I　have　something
else　to　say。　　It　will　be　necessary　for　one　of　us　to　go　at　once　to
Santa　Clara　and　see　Miss　Yerba　Buena。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　said　Paul；　quickly。　　〃Do　you　call　her　THAT？〃

〃Certainly；　sir。　　You　gave　her　the　name。　　Have　you　forgotten？〃

〃I　only　suggested　it；〃　returned　Paul；　hopelessly；　〃but　no　matter
go　on。〃

〃I　cannot　go　there；　as　you　see；〃　continued　Pendleton；　with　a　weary
gesture　towards　his　crippled　ankle；　〃and　I　should　particularly　like
you　to　see　her　before　we　make　the　joint　disposition　of　her　affairs
with　the　Mayor；　two　months　hence。　　I　have　some　papers　you　can　show
her；　and　I　have　already　written　a　letter　introducing　you　to　the
Lady　Superior　at　the　convent；　and　to　her。　　You　have　never　seen
her？〃

〃No；〃　said　Paul。　　〃But　of　course　you　have？〃

〃Not　for　three　years。〃

Paul's　eyes　evidently　expressed　some　wonder；　for　a　moment　after　the
colonel　added；　〃I　believe；　Hathaway；　I　am　looked　upon　as　a　queer
survival　of　a　rather　lawless　and　improper　past。　　At　least；　I　have
thought　it　better　not　socially　to　compromise　her　by　my　presence。
The　Mayor　goes　thereat　the　examinations　and　exercises；　I　believe；
sir；　they　make　a　sort　of　reception　for　himwith　aabanquet
lemonade　and　speeches。〃

〃I　had　intended　to　leave　for　Sacramento　to…morrow　night；〃　said
Paul；　glancing　curiously　at　the　helpless　man；　〃but　I　will　go　there
if　you　wish。〃

〃Thank　you。　　It　will　be　better。〃

There　were　a　few　words　of　further　explanation　of　the　papers；　and
Pendleton　placed　the　packet　in　his　visitor's　hands。　　Paul　rose。
Somehow；　it　appeared　to　him　that　the　room　looked　more　faded　and
forgotten　than　when　he　entered　it；　and　the　figure　of　the　man　before
him　more　lonely；　helpless；　and　abandoned。　　With　one　of　his
sympathetic　impulses　he　said：

〃I　don't　like　to　leave　you　here　alone。　　Are　you　sure　you　can　help
yourself　without　George？　　Can　I　do　anything　before　I　go？〃

〃I　am　quite　accustomed　to　it；〃　said　Pendleton；　quietly。　　〃It
happens　once　or　twice　a　year；　and　when　I　go　outwellI　miss　more
than　I　do　here。〃

He　took　Paul's　proffered　hand　mechanically；　with　a　slight　return　of
the　critical；　doubting　look　he　had　cast　upon　him　when　he　entered。
his　voice；　too；　had　quite　recovered　its　old　dominance；　as　he　said；
with　half…patronizing　conventionality；　〃You'll　have　to　find　your
way　out　alone。　　Le