sally dows-第23章

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finger。　　She　should　keep　it　herself。　　Of　course；　if　it　had　been
money；　she　would　have　given　it　to　Zephas；　but　the　stranger　knew
that　she　wouldn't　take　money。　　How　firmly　he　had　said　that　〃I
don't！〃　　She　felt　the　warm　blood　fly　to　her　fresh　young　face　at　the
thought　of　it。　　He　had　understood　her。　　She　might　be　living　in　a
poor　cabin；　doing　all　the　housework　herself；　and　her　husband　only　a
fisherman；　but　he　had　treated　her　like　a　lady。

And　so　the　afternoon　passed。　　The　outlying　fog　began　to　roll　in　at
the　Golden　Gate；　obliterating　the　headland　and　stretching　a　fleecy
bar　across　the　channel　as　if　shutting　out　from　vulgar　eyes　the　way
that　he　had　gone。　　Night　fell；　but　Zephas　had　not　yet　come。　　This
was　unusual；　for　he　was　generally　as　regular　as　the　afternoon
〃trades〃　which　blew　him　there。　　There　was　nothing　to　detain　him　in
this　weather　and　at　this　season。　　She　began　to　be　vaguely　uneasy；
then　a　little　angry　at　this　new　development　of　his　incompatibility。
Then　it　occurred　to　her；　for　the　first　time　in　her　wifehood；　to
think　what　she　would　do　if　he　were　lost。　　Yet；　in　spite　of　some
pain；　terror；　and　perplexity　at　the　possibility；　her　dominant
thought　was　that　she　would　be　a　free　woman　to　order　her　life　as　she
liked。

It　was　after　ten　before　his　lateen　sail　flapped　in　the　little　cove。
She　was　waiting　to　receive　him　on　the　shore。　　His　good…humored
hirsute　face　was　slightly　apologetic　in　expression；　but　flushed　and
disturbed　with　some　new　excitement　to　which　an　extra　glass　or　two
of　spirits　had　apparently　added　intensity。　　The　contrast　between
his　evident　indulgence　and　the　previous　abstemiousness　of　her　late
guest　struck　her　unpleasantly。　　〃WellI　declare；〃　she　said
indignantly；　〃so　THAT'S　what　kept　you！〃

〃No；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃there's　been　awful　times　over　in　'Frisco！
Everybody　just　wild；　and　the　Vigilance　Committee　in　session。　　Jo
Henderson's　killed！　　Shot　by　Wynyard　Marion　in　a　duel！　　He'll　be
lynched；　sure　as　a　gun；　if　they　ketch　him。〃

〃But　I　thought　men　who　fought　duels　always　went　free。〃

〃Yes；　but　this　ain't　no　common　duel；　they　say　the　whole　thing　was
planned　beforehand　by　them　Southern　fire…eaters　to　get　rid　o'
Henderson　because　he's　a　Northern　man　and　anti…slavery；　and　that
they　picked　out　Colonel　Marion　to　do　it　because　he　was　a　dead　shot。
They　got　him　to　insult　Henderson；　so　he　was　bound　to　challenge
Marion；　and　that　giv'　Marion　the　chyce　of　weppings。　　It　was　a
reg'lar　put　up　job　to　kill　him。〃

〃And　what's　all　this　to　do　with　you？〃　she　asked；　with　irritation。

〃Hold　on；　won't　you！　and　I'll　tell　you。　　I　was　pickin'　up　nets　off
Saucelito　about　noon；　when　I　was　hailed　by　one　of　them　Vigilance
tugs；　and　they　set　me　to　stand　off　and　on　the　shore　and　watch　that
Marion　didn't　get　away；　while　they　were　scoutin'　inland。　　Ye　see
THE　DUEL　TOOK　PLACE　JUST　OVER　THE　BLUFF　THEREBEHIND　YEand　they
allowed　that　Marion　had　struck　away　north　for　Mendocino　to　take
ship　there。　　For　after　overhaulin'　his　second's　boat；　they　found
out　that　they　had　come　away　from　Saucelito　ALONE。　　But　they　sent　a
tug　around　by　sea　to　Mendocino　to　head　him　off　there；　while　they're
closin'　in　around　him　inland。　　They're　bound　to　catch　him　sooner　or
later。　　But　you　ain't　listenin'；　Mollie？〃

She　wasin　every　fibrebut　with　her　head　turned　towards　the
window；　and　the　invisible　Golden　Gate　through　which　the　fugitive
had　escaped。　　For　she　saw　it　all　nowthat　glorious　visionher
high…bred；　handsome　guest　and　Wynyard　Marion　were　one　and　the　same
person。　　And　this　rough；　commonplace　man　before　herher　own
husbandhad　been　basely　set　to　capture　him！


PART　II。


During　that　evening　and　the　next　Mrs。　Bunker；　without　betraying　her
secret；　or　exciting　the　least　suspicion　on　the　part　of　her　husband；
managed　to　extract　from　him　not　only　a　rough　description　of　Marion
which　tallied　with　her　own　impressions；　but　a　short　history　of　his
career。　　He　was　a　famous　politician　who　had　held　high　office　in　the
South；　he　was　an　accomplished　lawyer；　he　had　served　in　the　army；　he
was　a　fiery　speaker；　he　had　a　singular　command　of　men。　　He　was
unmarried；　but　there　were　queer　stories　of　his　relations　with　some
of　the　wives　of　prominent　officials；　and　there　was　no　doubt　that　he
used　them　in　some　of　his　political　intrigues。　　He；　Zephas；　would
bet　something　that　it　was　a　woman　who　had　helped　him　off！　　Did　she
speak？

Yes；　she　had　spoken。　　It　made　her　sick　to　sit　there　and　hear　such
stories！　　Because　a　man　did　not　agree　with　some　people　in　politics
it　was　perfectly　awful　to　think　how　they　would　abuse　him　and　take
away　his　character！　　Men　were　so　awfully　jealous；　too；　if　another
man　happened　to　be　superior　and　fine…looking　there　wasn't　anything
bad　enough　for　them　to　say　about　him！　　No！　she　wasn't　a　slavery
sympathizer　either；　and　hadn't　anything　to　do　with　man　politics；
although　she　was　a　Southern　woman；　and　the　MacEwans　had　come　from
Kentucky　and　owned　slaves。　　Of　course；　he；　Zephas；　whose　ancestors
were　Cape　Cod　Quakers　and　had　always　been　sailors；　couldn't
understand。　　She　did　not　know　what　he　meant　by　saying　〃what　a　long
tail　our　cat's　got；〃　but　if　he　meant　to　call　her　a　cat；　and　was
going　to　use　such　language　to　her；　he　had　better　have　stayed　in　San
Francisco　with　his　Vigilance　friends。　　And　perhaps　it　would　have
been　better　if　he　had　stayed　there　before　he　took　her　away　from　her
parents　at　Martinez。　　Then　she　wouldn't　have　been　left　on　a　desert
rock　without　any　chance　of　seeing　the　world；　or　ever　making　any
friends　or　acquaintances！

It　was　their　first　quarrel。　　Discreetly　made　up　by　Mrs。　Bunker　in
some　alarm　at　betraying　herself；　honestly　forgiven　by　Zephas　in　a
rude；　remorseful　consciousness　of　her　limited　life。　　One　or　two
nights　later；　when　he　returned；　it　was　with　a　mingled　air　of
mystery　and　satisfaction。　　〃Well；　Mollie；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　〃it
looks　as　if　your　pets　were　not　as　bad　as　I　thought　them。〃

〃My　pets！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Bunker；　with　a　faint　rising　of　color。

〃Well；　I　call　these　Southern　Chivs　your　pets；　Mollie；　because　you
stuck　up　for　them　so　the　other　night。　　But　never　mind　that　now。
What　do　you　suppose　has　happened？　　Jim　Rider；　you　know；　the
Southern　banker　and　speculator；　who's　a　regular　big　Injin　among　the
'Chivs；'　he　sent　Cap　Simmons　down　to　the　wharf　while　I　was
unloadin'　to　come　up　and　see　him。　　Well；　I　went；　and　what　do　y'u
think？　　He　told　me　he　was　gettin'　up　an　American　Fishin'　Company；
and　wanted　me　to　take　charge　of　a　first…class　schooner　on　shares。
Said　he　heard　of　me　afore；　and　knew　I　was　an　American　and　a　white
man；　and　just　the　chap　ez　could　knock　them　Eytalians　outer　the
market。〃

〃Yes；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Bunker　quickly；　but　emphatically；　〃the
fishing　interest　ought　to　be　American　and　protected　by　the　State；
with　regular　charters　and　treaties。〃

〃I　say；　Mollie；〃　said　her　astonished　but　admiring　husband；　〃you've
been　readin'　the　papers　or　listenin'　to　stump　speakin'　sure。〃

〃Go　on；〃　returned　Mrs。　Bunker　impatiently；　〃and　say　what　happened
next。〃

〃Well；〃　returned　Zephas；　〃I　first　thought；　you　see；　that　it　had
suthin'　to　do　with　that　Marion　business；　particklerly　ez　folks
allowed　he　was　hidin'　somewhere　yet；　and　they　wanted　me　to　run　him
off。　　So　I　thought　Rider　might　as　well　know　that　I　wasn't　to　be
bribed；　so　I　ups　and　tells　him　how　I'd　been　lyin'　off　Saucelito　the
other　day　workin'　for　the　other　side　agin　him。　　With　that　he
laughs；　says　he　didn't　want　any　better　friends　than　me；　but　that　I
must　be　livin'　in　the　backwoods　not　to　know　that　Wynyard　Marion　had
escaped；　and　was　then　at　sea　on　his　way　to　Mexico　or　Central
America。　　Then　we　agreed　to　terms；　and　the　long　and　short　of　it　is；
Mollie；　that　I'm　to　have　the　schooner　with　a　hundred　and　fifty
dollars　a　month；　and　ten　per　cent。　shares　after　a　year！　　Looks　like
biz；　eh；　Mollie；　old　girl？　but　you　don't　seem　pleased。〃

She　had　put　aside　the　arm　with　which　he　was　drawing　her　to　him；　and
had　turned　her　white　face　away　to　the　window。　　So　HE　had　gonethis
strangerthis　one　friend　of　her　lifeshe　would　never　see　him
again；　and　all　that　would　ever　come　of　it　was　this　pecuniary
benefit　to　her　husband；　who　had　done　nothing。　　He　would　not　even
offer　her　money；　but　he　had　managed　to　p