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Sacramento。 There was nothing difficult in this； or that need
worry him； only he could have done it just as well an hour ago。
He opened the window again。 The scent of the jessamine came in as
before； but mingled with the cooler breath of the roses。 There was
nothing intoxicating or unreal in it now； rather it seemed a gentle
aromatic stimulantof thought。 Long shadows of unseen poplars
beyond barred the garden lanes and alleys with bands of black and
yellow。 A slanting pencil of sunshine through the trees was for a
moment focussed on a bed of waxen callas before a hedge of
ceanothus； and struck into dazzling relief the cold white chalices
of the flowers and the vivid shining green of their background。
Presently it slid beyond to a tiny fountain； before invisible； and
wrought a blinding miracle out of its flashing and leaping spray。
Yet even as he gazed the fountain seemed to vanish slowly； the
sunbeam slipped on； and beyond it moved the shimmer of white and
yellow dresses。 It was Yerba and Milly returning to the house。
Well； he would not interrupt his reflections by idly watching them；
he would； probably； see a great deal of Yerba that evening； and by
that time he would have come to some conclusion in regard to her。
But he had not taken into consideration her voice； which； always
musical in its Southern intonation and quite audible in the quiet
garden； struck him now as being full of joyous sweetness。 Well；
she was certainly very happyor very thoughtless。 She was
actually romping with Milly； and was now evidently being chased
down the rose…alley by that volatile young woman。 Then these swift
Camillas apparently neared the house； there was the rapid rustle of
skirts； the skurrying of little feet on the veranda； a stumble； a
mouse…like shriek from Milly； and HER voice； exhausted； dying；
happy； broken with half…hushed laughter； rose to him on the breath
of the jessamine and rose。
Surely she WAS a child； and； if a child； how he had misjudged her！
What if all that he had believed was mature deliberation was only
the innocent imaginings of a romantic girl； all that he had taken
seriously only a school…girl's foolish dream！ Instead of combating
it； instead of reasoning with her； instead of trying to interest
her in other things； he had even helped on her illusions。 He had
treated her as if the taint of her mother's worldliness and
knowledge of evil was in her pure young flesh。 He had recognized
her as the daughter of an adventuress； and not as his ward；
appealing to his chivalry through her very ignoranceit might be
her very childish vanity。 He had brought to a question of tender
and pathetic interest only his selfish opinion of the world and the
weaknesses of mankind。 The blood came to his cheekswith all his
experienced self…control； he had not lost the youthful trick of
blushingand he turned away from the window as if it had breathed
a reproach。
But ought he have even contented himself with destroying her
illusionsought he not have gone farther and told her the whole
truth？ Ought he not first have won her confidencehe remembered
bitterly； now； how she had intimated that she had no one to confide
inand； after revealing her mother's history； have still pledged
himself to keep the secret from all others； and assisted her in her
plan？ It would not have altered the state of affairs； except so
far as she was concerned； they could have combined together； his
ready wit would have helped him； and his sympathy would have
sustained her； but
How and in what way could he have told her？ Leaving out the
delicate and difficult periphrase by which her mother's shame would
have to be explained to an innocent school…girlwhat right could
he have assumed to tell it？ As the guardian who had never
counseled or protected her？ As an acquaintance of hardly an hour
ago？ Who would have such a right？ A loveron whose lips it would
only seem a tacit appeal to her gratitude or her fears； and whom no
sensitive girl could accept thereafter？ No。 A husband？ Yes！ He
remembered； with a sudden start； what Pendleton had said to him。
Good Heavens！ Had Pendleton that idea in his mind？ And yetit
seemed the only solution。
A knock at his door was followed by the appearance of Mr。 Woods。
Mr。 Hathaway's portmanteau had come； and Mrs。 Woods had sent a
message； saying that in view of the limited time that Mr。 Hathaway
would have with his ward； Mrs。 Woods would forego her right to keep
him at her side at dinner； and yield her place to Yerba。 Paul
thanked him with a grave inward smile。 What if he made his
dramatic disclosure to her confidentially over the soup and fish？
Yet； in his constantly recurring conviction of the girl's
independence； he made no doubt she would have met his brutality
with unflinching pride and self…possession。 He began to dress
slowly； at times almost forgetting himself in a new kind of
pleasant apathy； which he attributed to the odor of the flowers；
and the softer hush of twilight that had come on with the dying
away of the trade winds； and the restful spice of the bay…trees
near his window。 He presently found himself not so much thinking
of Yerba as of SEEING her。 A picture of her in the summer…house
caressing her cheek with the roses seemed to stand out from the
shadows of the blank wall opposite him。 When he passed into the
dressing…room beyond； it was not his own face he saw in the glass；
but hers。 It was with a start； as if he had heard HER voice； that
he found upon his dressing…table a small vase containing a flower
for his coat； with the penciled words on a card in a school…girl's
hand； 〃From Yerba； with thanks for staying。〃 It must have been
placed there by a servant while he was musing at the window。
Half a dozen people were already in the drawing…room when Paul
descended。 It appeared that Mr。 Woods had invited certain of his
neighborsamong them a Judge Baker and his wife； and Don Caesar
Briones； of the adjacent Rancho of Los Pajaros； and his sister； the
Dona Anna。 Milly and Yerba had not yet appeared。 Don Caesar； a
young man of a toreador build； roundly bland in face and murky in
eye； seemed to notice their absence； and kept his glances towards
the door； while Paul engaged in conversation with Dona Annaif
that word could convey an impression of a conventionality which
that good…humored young lady converted into an animated flirtation
at the second sentence with a single glance and two shakes of her
fan。 And then Milly fluttered ina vision of school…girl
freshness and white tulle； and a moment laterwith a pause of
expectationa tall； graceful figure； that at first Paul scarcely
recognized。
It is a popular conceit of our sex that we are superior to any
effect of feminine adornment； and that a pretty girl is equally
pretty in the simplest frock。 Yet there was not a man in the room
who did not believe that Yerba in her present attire was not only
far prettier than before； but that she indicated a new and more
delicate form of beauty。 It was not the mere revelation of contour
and color of an ordinary decollete dress； it was a perfect
presentment of pure symmetry and carriage。 In this black grenadine
dress； trimmed with jet； not only was the delicate satin sheen of
her skin made clearer by contrast； but she looked every inch her
full height； with an ideal exaltation of breeding and culture。 She
wore no jewelry except a small necklace of pearlsso small it
might have been a child'sthat fitted her slender throat so
tightly that it could scarcely be told from the flesh that it
clasped。 Paul did not know that it was the gift of the mother to
the child that she had forsworn only a few weeks before she parted
from her forever； but he had a vague feeling that； in that sable
dress that seemed like mourning； she walked at the funeral of her
mother's past。 A few white flowers in her corsage； the companions
of the solitary one in his button…hole； were the only relief。
Their eyes met for a single moment； the look of admiration in
Paul's being answered by the naive consciousness in Yerba's of a
woman looking her best； but the next moment she appeared
preoccupied with the others； and the ea