sally dows-第25章
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joining the South； or of her founding an independent Pacific
Empire。 A note from 〃J。 E。 Kirby〃 informed Mrs。 Bunker that she
was to carefully retain any correspondence that might be in her
hands until further orders； almost at the same time that Zephas as
regretfully told her that his projected Southern trip had been
suspended。 Mrs。 Bunker was disappointed； and yet； in some singular
conditions of her feelings； felt relieved that her meeting with
Marion was postponed。 It is to be feared that some dim conviction；
unworthy a partisan； that in the magnitude of political events her
own petty personality might be overlooked by her hero tended
somewhat to her resignation。
Meanwhile the seasons had changed。 The winter rains had set in；
the trade winds had shifted to the southeast； and the cottage；
although strengthened； enlarged； and made more comfortable through
the good fortunes of the Bunkers； was no longer sheltered by the
cliff； but was exposed to the full strength of the Pacific gales。
There were long nights when she could hear the rain fall monotonously
on the shingles； or startle her with a short； sharp reveille en the
windows； there were brief days of flying clouds and drifting
sunshine； and intervals of dull gray shadow； when the heaving white
breakers beyond the Gate slowly lifted themselves and sank before
her like wraiths of warning。 At such times； in her accepted
solitude； Mrs。 Bunker gave herself up to strange moods and singular
visions； the more audacious and more striking it seemed to her from
their very remoteness； and the difficulty she was beginning to have
in materializing them。 The actual personality of Wynyard Marion； as
she knew it in her one interview； had become very shadowy and faint
in the months that passed； yet when the days were heavy she
sometimes saw herself standing by his side in some vague tropical
surroundings； and hailed by the multitude as the faithful wife and
consort of the great Leader； President； Emperorshe knew not what！
Exactly how this was to be managed； and the manner of Zephas'
effacement from the scene； never troubled her childish fancy； and；
it is but fair to say； her woman's conscience。 In the logic before
alluded to； it seemed to her that all ethical responsibility for her
actions rested with the husband who had unduly married her。 Nor
were those visions always roseate。 In the wild declamation of that
exciting epoch which filled the newspapers there was talk of short
shrift with traitors。 So there were days when the sudden onset of a
squall of hail against her window caused her to start as if she had
heard the sharp fusillade of that file of muskets of which she had
sometimes read in history。
One day she had a singular fright。 She had heard the sound of oars
falling with a precision and regularity unknown to her。 She was
startled to see the approach of a large eight…oared barge rowed by
men in uniform； with two officers wrapped in cloaks in the stern
sheets； and before them the glitter of musket barrels。 The two
officers appeared to be conversing earnestly； and occasionally
pointing to the shore and the bluff above。 For an instant she
trembled； and then an instinct of revolt and resistance followed。
She hurriedly removed the ring； which she usually wore when alone；
from her finger； slipped it with the packet under the mattress of
her bed； and prepared with blazing eyes to face the intruders。 But
when the boat was beached； the two officers； with scarcely a glance
towards the cottage； proceeded leisurely along the shore。 Relieved；
yet it must be confessed a little piqued at their indifference； she
snatched up her hat and sallied forth to confront them。
〃I suppose you don't know that this is private property？〃 she said
sharply。
The group halted and turned towards her。 The orderly； who was
following； turned his face aside and smiled。 The younger officer
demurely lifted his cap。 The elder； gray； handsome； in a general's
uniform； after a moment's half…astounded； half…amused scrutiny of
the little figure； gravely raised his gauntleted fingers in a
military salute。
〃I beg your pardon； madam； but I am afraid we never even thought of
that。 We are making a preliminary survey for the Government with a
possible view of fortifying the bluff。 It is very doubtful if you
will be disturbed in any rights you may have； but if you are； the
Government will not fail to make it good to you。〃 He turned
carelessly to the aide beside him。 〃I suppose the bluff is quite
inaccessible from here？〃
〃I don't know about that； general。 They say that Marion； after he
killed Henderson； escaped down this way；〃 said the young man。
〃Indeed； what good was that？ How did he get away from here？〃
〃They say that Mrs。 Fairfax was hanging round in a boat； waiting
for him。 The story of the escape is all out now。〃
They moved away with a slight perfunctory bow to Mrs。 Bunker； only
the younger officer noting that the pert； pretty little Western
woman wasn't as sharp and snappy to his superior as she had at
first promised to be。
She turned back to the cottage astounded； angry； and vaguely
alarmed。 Who was this Mrs。 Fairfax who had usurped her fame and
solitary devotion？ There was no woman in the boat that took him
off； it was equally well known that he went in the ship alone。 If
they had heard that some woman was with him herewhy should they
have supposed it was Mrs。 Fairfax？ Zephas might know something
but he was away。 The thought haunted her that day and the next。
On the third came a more startling incident。
She had been wandering along the edge of her domain in a state of
restlessness which had driven her from the monotony of the house
when she heard the barking of the big Newfoundland dog which Zephas
had lately bought for protection and company。 She looked up and
saw the boat and its solitary rower at the landing。 She ran
quickly to the house to bring the packet。 As she entered she
started back in amazement。 For the sitting…room was already in
possession of a woman who was seated calmly by the table。
The stranger turned on Mrs。 Bunker that frankly insolent glance and
deliberate examination which only one woman can give another。 In
that glance Mrs。 Bunker felt herself in the presence of a superior；
even if her own eyes had not told her that in beauty； attire； and
bearing the intruder was of a type and condition far beyond her
own； or even that of any she had known。 It was the more crushing
that there also seemed to be in this haughty woman the same
incongruousness and sharp contrast to the plain and homely
surroundings of the cottage that she remembered in HIM。
〃Yo' aw Mrs。 Bunker； I believe；〃 she said in languid Southern
accents。 〃How de doh？〃
〃I am Mrs。 Bunker；〃 said Mrs。 Bunker shortly。
〃And so this is where Cunnle Marion stopped when he waited fo' the
boat to take him off；〃 said the stranger； glancing lazily around；
and delaying with smiling insolence the explanation she knew Mrs。
Bunker was expecting。 〃The cunnle said it was a pooh enough place；
but I don't see it。 I reckon； however； he was too worried to judge
and glad enough to get off。 Yo' ought to have made him talkhe
generally don't want much prompting to talk to women； if they're
pooty。〃
〃He didn't seem in a hurry to go；〃 said Mrs。 Bunker indignantly。
The next moment she saw her error； even before the cruel； handsome
smile of her unbidden guest revealed it。
〃I thought so；〃 she said lazily； 〃this IS the place and here's
where the cunnle stayed。 Only yo' oughtn't have given him and
yo'self away to the first stranger quite so easy。 The cunnle might
have taught yo' THAT the two or three hours he was with yo'。〃
〃What do you want with me？〃 demanded Mrs。 Bunker angrily。
〃I want a letter yo' have for me from Cunnle Marion。〃
〃I have nothing for you；〃 said Mrs。 Bunker。 〃I don't know who you
are。〃
〃You ought to； considering you've been acting as messenger between
the cunnle and me；〃 said the lady coolly。
〃That's not true；〃 said Mrs。 Bunker hotly； to combat an inward
sinking。
The lady rose with a lazy； languid grace； walked to the door and
called still lazily； 〃O Pedro！〃
