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I have a letter from him and a message for you。〃 His bright eyes
added plainly〃as soon as we can get rid of those people。〃
〃Then you think that a bill〃began the Mayor； eagerly。
〃I think； my dear sir；〃 said Paul plaintively； 〃that I and my
friends have already tried the patience of these two young ladies
quite enough yesterday with politics and law…making。 I have to
catch the six…o'clock train to San Francisco this evening； and have
already lost the time I hoped to spend with Miss Yerba by missing
her at the convent。 Let me stroll on here； if you like； and if I
venture to monopolize the attention of this young lady for half an
hour； you； my dear Mr。 Mayor； who have more frequent access to her；
I know； will not begrudge it to me。〃
He placed himself beside Yerba and Milly； and began an
entertaining； although； I fear； slightly exaggerated； account of
his reception by the Lady Superior； and her evident doubts of his
identity with the trustee mentioned in Pendleton's letter of
introduction。 〃I confess she frightened me；〃 he continued； 〃when
she remarked that； according to my statement； I could have been
only eighteen years old when I became your guardian； and as much in
want of one as you were。 I think that only her belief that Mr。
Woods and the Mayor would detect me as an impostor provoked her at
last to tell me your whereabouts。〃
〃But why DID they ever make you a trustee； for goodness' sake？〃
said Milly； naively。 〃Was there no one grown up at that time that
they could have called upon？〃
〃Those were the EARLY days of California；〃 responded Paul； with
great gravity； although he was conscious that Yerba was regarding
him narrowly； 〃and I probably looked older and more intelligent
than I really was。 For； candidly；〃 with the consciousness of
Yerba's eyes still upon him； 〃I remember very little about it。 I
dare say I was selected； as you kindly suggest； 'for goodness'
sake。'〃
〃After all；〃 said the volatile Milly； who seemed inclined； as
chaperone； to direct the conversation； 〃there was something pretty
and romantic about it。 You two poor young things taking care of
each other； for of course there were no women here in those days。〃
〃Of course there WERE women here〃 interrupted Yerba； quickly； with
a half…meaning； half…interrogative glance at Paul that made him
instinctively uneasy。 〃You later comers〃to Milly〃always seem
to think that there was nothing here before you！〃 She paused； and
then added； with a naive mixture of reproach and coquetry that was
as charming as it was unexpected； 〃As to taking care of each other；
Mr。 Hathaway very quickly got rid of me； I believe。〃
〃But I left you in better hands； Miss Yerba； and let me thank you
now；〃 he added in a lower tone； 〃for recognizing it as you did a
moment ago。 I'm glad that you instinctively liked Colonel
Pendleton。 Had you known him better； you would have seen how
truthful that instinct was。 His chief fault in the eyes of our
worthy friends is that he reminds them of a great deal they can't
perpetuate and much they would like to forget。〃 He checked himself
abruptly。 〃But here is your letter；〃 he resumed； drawing Colonel
Pendleton's missive from his pocket； 〃perhaps you would like to
read it now； in case you have any message to return by me。 Miss
Woods and I will excuse you。〃
They had reached the end of the rose…alley； where a summer…house
that was in itself a rose…bower partly disclosed itself。 The other
gentlemen had lagged behind。 〃I will amuse MYSELF； and console
your other guardian； dear；〃 said the vivacious Milly； with a rapid
exchange of glances with Yerba； 〃until this horrid business is
over。 Besides；〃 she added with cheerful vagueness； 〃after so long
a separation you must have a great deal to say to each other。〃
Paul smiled as she rustled away； and Yerba； entering the summer…
house； sat down and opened the letter。 The young man remained
leaning against the rustic archway； occasionally glancing at her
and at the moving figures in the gardens。 He was conscious of an
odd excitement which he could trace to no particular cause。 It was
true that he had been annoyed at not finding the young girl at the
convent； and at having to justify himself to the Lady Superior for
what he conceived to be an act of gratuitous kindness； nor was he
blind to the fact that his persistence in following her was more an
act of aggression against the enemies of Pendleton than of concern
for Yerba。 She was certainly pretty； he could not remember her
mother sufficiently to trace any likeness； and he had never admired
the mother's pronounced beauty。 She had flashed out for an instant
into what seemed originality and feeling。 But it had passed； and
she had asked no further questions in regard to the colonel。
She had hurriedly skimmed through the letter； which seemed to be
composed of certain figures and accounts。 〃I suppose it's all
right；〃 she said； 〃at least you can say so if he asks you。 It's
only an explanation why he has transferred my money from the bank
to Rothschild's agent years ago。 I don't see why it should
interest me NOW。〃
Paul made no doubt that it was the same transfer that had
shipwrecked the colonel's fortune and alienated his friends； and
could not help replying somewhat pointedly； 〃But I think it should；
Miss Yerba。 I don't know what the colonel explained to you
doubtless； not the whole truth； for he is not a man to praise
himself； but； the fact is； the bank was in difficulties at the time
of that transfer； and； to make it； he sacrificed his personal
fortune； and； I think； awakened some of that ill…feeling you have
just noticed。〃 He checked himself too late： he had again lost not
only his tact and self…control； but had nearly betrayed himself。
He was surprised that the girl's justifiable ignorance should have
irritated him。 Yet she had evidently not noticed； or misunderstood
it； for she said； with a certain precision that was almost
studied：
〃Yes； I suppose it would have been a terrible thing to him to have
been suspected of misappropriating a Trust confided to him by
parties who had already paid him the high compliment of confiding
to his care a secret and a fortune。〃
Paul glanced at her quickly with astonishment。 Was this ignorance；
or suspicion？ Her manner； however； suddenly changed； with the
charming capriciousness of youth and conscious beauty。 〃He speaks
of you in this letter；〃 she said； letting her dark eyes rest on him
provokingly。
〃That accounts for your lack of interest then；〃 said Paul gayly；
relieved to turn a conversation fraught with so much danger。
〃But he speaks very flatteringly；〃 she went on。 〃He seems to be
another one of your admirers。 I'm sure； Mr。 Hathaway； after that
scene in the hotel parlor yesterday； YOU； at least； cannot complain
of having been misrepresented before ME。 To tell you the truth； I
think I hated you a little for it。〃
〃You were quite right；〃 returned Paul。 〃I must have been
insufferable！ And I admit that I was slightly piqued against YOU
for the idolatries showered upon you at the same moment by your
friends。〃
Usually； when two young people have reached the point of
con