sally dows-第24章

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benefit　to　her　husband；　who　had　done　nothing。　　He　would　not　even
offer　her　money；　but　he　had　managed　to　pay　his　debt　to　her　in　this
way　that　their　vulgar　poverty　would　appreciate。　　And　this　was　the
end　of　her　dream！

〃You　don't　seem　to　take　it　in；　Mollie；〃　continued　the　surprised
Zephas。　　〃It　means　a　house　in　'Frisco　and　a　little　cabin　for　you　on
the　schooner　when　you　like。〃

〃I　don't　want　it！　　I　won't　have　it！　　I　shall　stay　here；〃　she　burst
out　with　a　half…passionate；　half…childish　cry；　and　ran　into　her
bedroom；　leaving　the　astonished　Zephas　helpless　in　his　awkward
consternation。

〃By　Gum！　　I　must　take　her　to　'Frisco　right　off；　or　she'll　be　havin'
the　high　strikes　here　alone。　　I　oughter　knowed　it　would　come　to
this！〃　　But　although　he　consulted　〃Cap〃　Simmons　the　next　day；　who
informed　him　it　was　all　woman's　ways　when　〃struck；〃　and　advised　him
to　pay　out　all　the　line　he　could　at　such　delicate　moments；　she　had
no　recurrence　of　the　outbreak。　　On　the　contrary；　for　days　and　weeks
following　she　seemed　calmer；　older；　and　more　〃growed　up；〃　although
she　resisted　changing　her　seashore　dwelling　for　San　Francisco；　she
accompanied　him　on　one　or　two　of　his　〃deep　sea〃　trips　down　the
coast；　and　seemed　happier　on　their　southern　limits。　　She　had　taken
to　reading　the　political　papers　and　speeches；　and　some　cheap
American　histories。　　Captain　Bunker's　crew；　profoundly　convinced
that　their　skipper's　wife　was　a　〃woman's　rights〃　fanatic；　with　the
baleful　qualities　of　〃sea　lawyer〃　superadded；　marveled　at　his
bringing　her。

It　was　on　returning　home　from　one　of　these　trips　that　they　touched
briefly　at　San　Francisco；　where　the　Secretary　of　the　Fishing
Company　came　on　board。　　Mrs。　Bunker　was　startled　to　recognize　in
him　one　of　the　two　gentlemen　who　had　taken　Mr。　Marion　off　in　the
boat；　but　as　he　did　not　appear　to　recognize　her　even　after　an
awkward　introduction　by　her　husband；　she　would　have　recovered　her
equanimity　but　for　a　singular　incident。　　As　her　husband　turned
momentarily　away；　the　Secretary；　with　a　significant　gesture；
slipped　a　letter　into　her　hand。　　She　felt　the　blood　rush　to　her
face　as；　with　a　smile；　he　moved　away　to　follow　her　husband。　　She
came　down　to　the　little　cabin　and　impatiently　tore　open　the
envelope；　which　bore　no　address。　　A　small　folded　note　contained　the
following　lines：


〃I　never　intended　to　burden　you　with　my　confidence；　but　the
discretion；　tact；　and　courage　you　displayed　on　our　first　meeting；
and　what　I　know　of　your　loyalty　since；　have　prompted　me　to　trust
myself　again　to　your　kindness；　even　though　you　are　now　aware　whom
you　have　helped；　and　the　risks　you　ran。　　My　friends　wish　to
communicate　with　me　and　to　forward　to　me；　from　time　to　time；
certain　papers　of　importance；　which；　owing　to　the　tyrannical
espionage　of　the　Government；　would　be　discovered　and　stopped　in
passing　through　the　express　or　post…office。　　These　papers　will　be
left　at　your　house；　but　here　I　must　trust　entirely　to　your　wit　and
judgment　as　to　the　way　in　which　they　should　be　delivered　to　my
agent　at　the　nearest　Mexican　port。　　To　facilitate　your　action；　your
husband　will　receive　directions　to　pursue　his　course　as　far　south
as　Todos　Santos；　where　a　boat　will　be　ready　to　take　charge　of　them
when　he　is　sighted。　　I　know　I　am　asking　a　great　favor；　but　I　have
such　confidence　in　you　that　I　do　not　even　ask　you　to　commit
yourself　to　a　reply　to　this。　　If　it　can　be　done　I　know　that　you
will　do　it；　if　it　cannot；　I　will　understand　and　appreciate　the
reason　why。　　I　will　only　ask　you　that　when　you　are　ready　to　receive
the　papers　you　will　fly　a　small　red　pennant　from　the　little
flagstaff　among　the　rocks。　　Believe　me；　your　friend　and　grateful
debtor；

〃W。　M。〃


Mrs。　Bunker　cast　a　hasty　glance　around　her；　and　pressed　the　letter
to　her　lips。　　It　was　a　sudden　consummation　of　her　vaguest；　half…
formed　wishes；　the　realization　of　her　wildest　dreams！　　To　be　the
confidante　of　the　gallant　but　melancholy　hero　in　his　lonely　exile
and　persecution　was　to　satisfy　all　the　unformulated　romantic
fancies　of　her　girlish　reading；　to　be　later；　perhaps；　the　Flora
Macdonald　of　a　middle…aged　Prince　Charlie　did　not；　however；　evoke
any　ludicrous　associations　in　her　mind。　　Her　feminine　fancy　exalted
the　escaped　duelist　and　alleged　assassin　into　a　social　martyr。　　His
actual　small　political　intrigues　and　ignoble　aims　of　office　seemed
to　her　little　different　from　those　aspirations　of　royalty　which　she
had　read　aboutas　perhaps　they　were。　　Indeed；　it　is　to　be　feared
that　in　foolish　little　Mrs。　Bunker；　Wynyard　Marion　had　found　the
old　feminine　adoration　of　pretension　and　privilege　which　every
rascal　has　taken　advantage　of　since　the　flood。

Howbeit；　the　next　morning　after　she　had　returned　and　Zephas　had
sailed　away；　she　flew　a　red　bandana　handkerchief　on　the　little
flagstaff　before　the　house。　　A　few　hours　later；　a　boat　appeared
mysteriously　from　around　the　Point。　　Its　only　occupanta　common
sailorasked　her　name；　and　handed　her　a　sealed　package。　　Mrs。
Bunker's　invention　had　already　been　at　work。　　She　had　created　an
aunt　in　Mexico；　for　whom　she　had；　with　some　ostentation；　made　some
small　purchases　while　in　San　Francisco。　　When　her　husband　spoke　of
going　as　far　south　as　Todos　Santos；　she　begged　him　to　deliver　the
parcel　to　her　aunt's　messenger；　and　even　addressed　it　boldly　to
her。　　Inside　the　outer　wrapper　she　wrote　a　note　to　Marion；　which；
with　a　new　and　amazing　diffidence；　she　composed　and　altered　a　dozen
times；　at　last　addressing　the　following　in　a　large；　school…girl
hand：　〃Sir；　I　obey　your　commands　to　the　last。　　Whatever　your
oppressors　or　enemies　may　do；　you　can　always　rely　and　trust　upon
She　who　in　deepest　sympathy　signs　herself　ever；　Mollie　Rosalie
MacEwan。〃　　The　substitution　of　her　maiden　name　in　full　seemed　in
her　simplicity　to　be　a　delicate　exclusion　of　her　husband　from　the
affair；　and　a　certain　disguise　of　herself　to　alien　eyes。　　The
superscription；　〃To　Mrs。　Marion　MacEwan　from　Mollie　Bunker；　to　be
called　for　by　hand　at　Todos　Santos；〃　also　struck　her　as　a　marvel　of
ingenuity。　　The　package　was　safely　and　punctually　delivered　by
Zephas；　who　brought　back　a　small　packet　directed　to　her；　which　on
private　examination　proved　to　contain　a　letter　addressed　to　〃J。　E。
Kirby；　to　be　called　for；〃　with　the　hurried　line：　〃A　thousand
thanks；　W。　M。〃　　Mrs。　Bunker　drew　a　long；　quick　breath。　　He　might
have　written　more；　he　might　havebut　the　wish　remained　still
unformulated。　　The　next　day　she　ran　up　a　signal；　the　same　boat　and
solitary　rower　appeared　around　the　Point；　and　took　the　package。　　A
week　later；　when　her　husband　was　ready　for　sea；　she　again　hoisted
her　signal。　　It　brought　a　return　package　for　Mexico；　which　she
inclosed　and　readdressed；　and　gave　to　her　husband。　　The　recurrence
of　this　incident　apparently　struck　a　bright　idea　from　the　simple
Zephas。

〃Look　here；　Mollie；　why　don't　you　come　YOURSELF　and　see　your　aunt。
I　can't　go　into　port　without　a　license；　and　them　port　charges　cost
a　heap　o'　red　tape；　for　they've　got　a　Filibuster　scare　on　down
there　just　now；　but　you　can　go　ashore　in　the　boat　and　I'll　get
permission　from　the　Secretary　to　stand　off　and　wait　for　you　there
for　twenty…four　hours。〃　　Mrs。　Bunker　flushed　and　paled　at　the
thought。　　She　could　see　him！　　The　letter　would　be　sufficient
excuse；　the　distrust　suggested　by　her　husband　would　give　color　to
her　delivering　it　in　person。　　There　was　perhaps　a　brief　twinge　of
conscience　in　taking　this　advantage　of　Zephas'　kindness；　but　the
next　moment；　with　that　peculiar　logic　known　only　to　the　sex；　she
made　the　unfortunate　man's　suggestion　a　condonation　of　her　deceit。
SHE　hadn't　asked　to　go；　HE　had　offered　to　take　her。　　He　had　only
himself　to　thank。

Meantime　the　political　excitement　in　which　she　had　become　a
partisan　without　understanding　or　even　conviction；　presently
culminated　with　the　Presidential　campaign　and　the　election　of
Abraham　Lincoln。　　The　intrigues　of　Southern　statesmen　were　revealed
in　open　expression；　and　echoed　in　California　by　those　citizens　of
Southern　birth　and　extraction　who　had　long；　held　place；　power；　and
opinion　there。　　There　were　rumors　of　secession；　of　California
joining　the　South；　or　of　her　founding　an　independent　Pac