a ward of the golden gate-第14部分

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〃Is　that　all　you　came　here　to　tell　me？〃　she　asked　quietly。

〃No；　Yerba；〃　he　said；　eagerly；　taking　her　unresisting　but
indifferent　hand；　〃not　all；　but　all　that　I　must　say；　all　that　I
have　the　right　to　say；　all　that　you；　Yerba；　would　permit　me　to　tell
you　NOW。　　But　let　me　hope　that　the　day　is　not　far　distant　when　I
can　tell　you　ALL；　when　you　will　understand　that　this　silence　has
been　the　hardest　sacrifice　of　the　man　who　now　speaks　to　you。〃

〃And　yet　not　unworthy　of　a　rising　politician；〃　she　added；　quickly
withdrawing　her　hand。　　〃I　agree；〃　she　went　on；　looking　towards　the
door；　yet　without　appearing　to　avoid　his　eager　eyes；　〃and　when　I
have　settled　upon　'a　local　habitation　and　a　name'　we　shall　renew
this　interesting　conversation。　　Until　then；　as　my　fourth　official
guardian　used　to　sayhe　was　a　lawyer；　Mr。　Hathaway；　like　yourself
when　he　was　winding　up　his　conjectures　on　the　subjectall　that
has　passed　is　to　be　considered　'without　prejudice。'〃

〃But　Yerba〃began　Paul；　bitterly。

She　slightly　raised　her　hand　as　if　to　check　him　with　a　warning
gesture。　　〃Yes；　dear；〃　she　said　suddenly；　lifting　her　musical
voice；　with　a　mischievous　side…glance　at　Paul；　as　if　to　indicate
her　conception　of　the　irony　of　a　possible　application；　〃this　way。
Here　we　are　waiting　for　you。〃　　Her　listening　ear　had　detected
Milly's　step　in　the　passage；　and　in　another　moment　that　cheerful
young　woman　discreetly　stopped　on　the　threshold　of　the　room；　with
every　expression　of　apologetic　indiscretion　in　her　face。

〃We　have　finished　our　talk；　and　Mr。　Hathaway　has　been　so　concerned
about　my　having　no　real　name　that　he　has　been　promising　me
everything；　but　his　own；　for　a　suitable　one。　　Haven't　you；　Mr。
Hathaway？〃　　She　rose　slowly　and；　going　over　to　Milly；　put　her　arm
around　her　waist　and　stood　for　one　instant　gazing　at　him　between
the　curtains　of　the　doorway。　　〃Good　night。　　My　very　proper　chaperon
is　dreadfully　shocked　at　this　midnight　interview；　and　is　taking　me
away。　　Only　think　of　it；　Milly；　he　actually　proposed　to　me　to　walk
in　the　garden　with　him！　　Good　night；　or；　as　my　ancestorsdon't
forget；　MY　ANCESTORSused　to　say：　'Buena　nochehasta　manana！'〃
She　lingered　over　the　Spanish　syllables　with　an　imitation　of　Dona
Anna's　lisp；　and　with　another　smile；　but　more　faint　and　more
ghostlike　than　before；　vanished　with　her　companion。

At　eight　o'clock　the　next　morning　Paul　was　standing　beside　his
portmanteau　on　the　veranda。

〃But　this　is　a　sudden　resolution　of　yours；　Hathaway；〃　said　Mr。
Woods。　　〃Can　you　not　possibly　wait　for　the　next　train？　　The　girls
will　be　down　then；　and　you　can　breakfast　comfortably。〃

〃I　have　much　to　domore　than　I　imaginedin　San　Francisco　before　I
return；〃　said　Paul；　quickly。　　〃You　must　make　my　excuses　to　them　and
to　your　wife。〃

〃I　hope；〃　said　Woods；　with　an　uneasy　laugh；　〃you　have　had　no　more
words　with　Don　Caesar；　or　he　with　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Paul；　with　a　reassuring　smile；　〃nothing　more；　I　assure
you。〃

〃For　you　know　you're　a　devilish　quick　fellow；　Hathaway；〃　continued
Woods；　〃quite　as　quick　as　your　friend　Pendleton。　　And；　by　the　way；
Baker　is　awfully　cut　up　about　that　absurd　speech　of　his；　you　know。
Came　to　me　last　night　and　wondered　if　anybody　could　think　it　was
intentional。　　I　told　him　it　was　dd　stupid；　that　was　all。　　I　guess
his　wife　had　been　at　him。　　Ha！　ha！　　You　see；　he　remembers　the　old
times；　when　everybody　talked　of　these　things；　and　that　woman　Howard
was　quite　a　character。　　I'm　told　she　went　off　to　the　States　years
ago。〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　Paul；　carelessly。　　After　a　pause；　as　the　carriage
drove　up　to　the　door；　he　turned　to　his　host。　　〃By　the　way；　Woods；
have　you　a　ghost　here？〃

〃The　house　is　old　enough　for　one。　　But　no。　　Why？〃

〃I'll　swear　I　saw　a　figure　moving　yonder；　in　the　shrubbery；　late
last　evening；　and　when　I　came　up　to　it；　it　most　unaccountably
disappeared。〃

〃One　of　Don　Caesar's　servants；　I　dare　say。　　There　is　one　of　them；
an　Indian；　prowling　about　here；　I've　been　told；　at　all　hours。　　I'll
put　a　stop　to　it。　　Well；　you　must　go　then？　　Dreadfully　sorry　you
couldn't　stop　longer！　　Good…by！〃


CHAPTER　IV。


It　was　two　months　later　that　Mr。　Tony　Shear；　of　Marysville；　but
lately　confidential　clerk　to　the　Hon。　Paul　Hathaway；　entered　his
employer's　chambers　in　Sacramento；　and　handed　the　latter　a　letter。

〃I　only　got　back　from　San　Francisco　this　morning；　but　Mr。　Slate
said　I　was　to　give　you　that；　and　if　it　satisfied　you；　and　was　what
you　wanted；　you　would　send　it　back　to　him。〃

Paul　took　the　envelope　and　opened　it。　　It　contained　a　printer's
proof…slip；　which　he　hurriedly　glanced　over。　　It　read　as　follows：

〃Those　of　our　readers　who　are　familiar　with　the　early　history　of
San　Francisco　will　be　interested　to　know　that　an　eccentric　and
irregular　trusteeship；　vested　for　the　last　eight　years　in　the　Mayor
of　San　Francisco　and　two　of　our　oldest　citizens；　was　terminated
yesterday　by　the　majority　of　a　beautiful　and　accomplished　young
lady；　a　pupil　of　the　convent　of　Santa　Clara。　　Very　few；　except　the
original　trustees；　were　cognizant　of　the　fact　that　the
administration　of　the　trustees　has　been　a　recognized　function　of
the　successive　Mayors　of　San　Francisco　during　this　period；　and　the
mystery　surrounding　it　has　been　only　lately　divulged。　　It　offers　a
touching　and　romantic　instance　of　a　survival　of　the　old　patriarchal
duties　of　the　former　Alcaldes　and　the　simplicity　of　pioneer　days。
It　seems　that；　in　the　unsettled　conditions　of　the　Mexican　land…
titles　that　followed　the　American　occupation；　the　consumptive　widow
of　a　scion　of　one　of　the　oldest　Californian　families　intrusted　her
property　and　the　custody　of　her　infant　daughter　virtually　to　the
city　of　San　Francisco；　as　represented　by　the　trustees　specified；
until　the　girl　should　become　of　age。　　Within　a　year；　the　invalid
mother　died。　　With　what　loyalty；　sagacity；　and　prudence　these
gentlemen　fulfilled　their　trust　may　be　gathered　from　the　fact　that
the　property　left　in　their　charge　has　not　only　been　secured　and
protected；　but　increased　a　hundredfold　in　value；　and　that　the　young
lady；　who　yesterday　attained　her　majority；　is　not　only　one　of　the
richest　landed　heiresses　on　the　Pacific　Slope；　but　one　of　the　most
accomplished　and　thoroughly　educated　of　her　sex。　　It　is　now　no
secret　that　this　favored　child　of　Chrysopolis　is　the　Dona　Maria
Concepcion　de　Arguello　de　la　Yerba　Buena；　so　called　from　her
ancestral　property　on　the　island；　now　owned　by　the　Federal
government。　　But　it　is　an　affecting　and　poetic　tribute　to　the
parent　of　her　adoption　that　she　has　preferred　to　pass　under　the
old；　quaintly　typical　name　of　the　city；　and　has　been　known　to　her
friends　simply　as　'Miss　Yerba　Buena。'　　It　is　a　no　less　pleasant　and
suggestive　circumstance　that　our　'youngest　senator；'　the　Honorable
Paul　Hathaway；　formerly　private　secretary　to　Mayor　Hammersley；　is
one　of　the　original　unofficial　trustees；　while　the　chivalry　of　the
older　days　is　perpetuated　in　the　person　of　Colonel　Harry　Pendleton；
the　remaining　trustee。〃

As　soon　as　he　had　finished；　Paul　took　a　pencil　and　crossed　out　the
last　sentence；　but　instead　of　laying　the　proof　aside；　or　returning
it　to　the　waiting　secretary；　he　remained　with　it　in　his　hand；　his
silent；　set　face　turned　towards　the　window。　　Whether　the　merely
human　secretary　was　tired　of　waiting；　or　the　devoted　partisan　saw
something　on　his　young　chief's　face　that　disturbed　him；　he　turned
to　Paul　with　that　exaggerated　respect　which　his　functions　as
secretary　had　grafted　upon　his　affection　for　his　old　associate；　and
said：

〃I　hope　nothing's　wrong；　sir。　　Not　another　of　those　scurrilous
attacks　on　you　for　putting　that　bill　through　to　relieve　Colonel
Pendleton？　　Yet　it　was　a　risky　thing　for　you；　sir。〃

Paul　started；　recovered　himself　as　if　from　some　remote　abstraction；
and；　with　a　smile；　said：　〃No；nothing。　　Quite　the　reverse。　　Write
to　Mr。　Slate；　thank　him；　and　say　that　it　will　do　very　wellwith
the　exception　of　the　lines　I　have　marked　out。　　Then　bring　me　the
letter；　and　I　will　add　this　inclosure。　　Did　you　call　on　Colonel
Pendleton？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　He　was　at　Santa　Clara；　and　had　not　yet　returned；at
least；　that's　what　that　dandy　nigger　of　his　told　me。　　The　airs　and
graces　that　that　creature　puts　on　since　the　colonel's　affairs　have
been　straightened　out　is　a　little　too　much　for　a　white　man　to
stand。　　Why；　sir！　dd　if　he　didn't　want　to　patronize　YOU；　and
allowed　to　me　that　'de　Kernel'　had　a　'fah　ideah'　of　you；　'and
thought　you　a　promisin'　young　man。'　　The　fact　is；　sir；　the　party　is
making　a　big　mistake　trying　to　give　votes　to　that　kind　of　cattle
it　would　only　be　giving　two　votes　to　the　other　side；　for；　slave　or
free；　they're　the　chattels　of　their　old　masters。　　And　as　to　the
masters'　gratitude　for　what　you've　done　affecting　a　single　vote　of
their　partyyou're　mistaken。〃

〃Colonel　Pendleton　belongs　to　no　party；〃　said　Paul；　curtly；　〃but　if
his　old　constituents　ever　try　to　get　into　power　again；　they've　lost
their　only　independent　martyr。〃

He　presently　became　abstracted　again；　and　Shear　produced　from　his
overcoat　pocket　a　series　of　official…looking　documents。

〃I've　brought　the　reports；　sir。〃

〃Eh？〃　said　Paul；　absently。

The　secretary　stared。　　〃The　reports　of　the　San　Francisco　Chief　of
Police　that　you　asked　me　to　get。〃　　His　employer　was　certainly　very
forgetful　to…day。

〃Oh；　yes；　thank　you。　　You　can　lay　them　on　my　desk。　　I'll　look　them
over　in　Committee。　　You　can　go　now；　and　if　any　one　calls　to　see　me
say　I'm　busy。〃

The　secretary　disappeared　in　the　adjoining　room；　and　Paul　leaned
back　in　his　chair；　thinking。　　He　had；　at　last；　effected　the　work　he
had　resolved　upon　when　he　left　Rosario　two　months　ago；　the　article
he　had　just　read；　and　which　would　appear　as　an　editorial　in　the　San
Francisco　paper　the　day　after　tomorrow；　was　the　culmination　of
quietly　persistent　labor；　inquiry；　and　deduction；　and　would　be
accepted；　hereafter；　as　authentic　history；　which；　if　not　thoroughly
established；　at　least　could　not　be　gainsaid。　　Immediately　on
arriving　at　San　Francisco；　he　had　hastened　to　Pendleton's　bedside；
and　laid　the　facts　and　his　plan　before　him。　　To　his　mingled
astonishment　and　chagrin；　the　colonel　had　objected　vehemently　to
this　〃saddling　of　anybody's　offspring　o