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forgotten shawl； which he had observed on the distant ceanothus
hedge； and which had at first thrilled him with expectation； had
certainly CHANGED ITS POSITION。 Before； it seemed to be near the
summer…house； now it was； undoubtedly； farther away。 Could they；
or SHE alone； have slipped from the house and be awaiting him
there？ With a muttered exclamation at his stupidity he stepped
hastily from the veranda and walked towards it。 But he had
scarcely proceeded a dozen yards before it disappeared。 He reached
the summer…houseit was empty； he followed the line of hedgeno
one was there。 It could not have been her； or she would have
waited； unless he were the victim of a practical joke。 He turned
impatiently back to the house； reentered the drawing…room by the
French window； and was crossing the half…lit apartment； when he
heard a slight rustle in the shadow of the window。 He looked
around quickly； and saw that it was Yerba； in a white； loose gown；
for which she had already exchanged her black evening dress；
leaning back composedly on the sofa； her hands clasped behind her
shapely head。
〃I am waiting for Milly；〃 she said； with a faint smile on her lips。
He fancied； in the moonlight that streamed upon her； that her
beautiful face was pale。 〃She has gone to the other wing to see
one of the servants who is ill。 We thought you were on the veranda
smoking and I should have company； until I saw you start off； and
rush up and down the hedge like mad。〃
Paul felt that he was losing his self…possession； and becoming
nervous in her presence。 〃I thought it was YOU；〃 he stammered。
〃Me！ Out in the garden at this hour； alone； and in the broad
moonlight？ What are you thinking of； Mr。 Hathaway？ Do you know
anything of convent rules； or is that your idea of your ward's
education？〃
He fancied that； though she smiled faintly； her voice was as
tremulous as his own。
〃I want to speak with you；〃 he said； with awkward directness。 〃I
even thought of asking you to stroll with me in the garden。〃
〃Why not talk here？〃 she returned； changing her position； pointing
to the other end of the sofa； and drawing the whole overflow of her
skirt to one side。 〃It is not so very late； and Milly will return
in a few moments。〃
Her face was in shadow now； but there was a glow…worm light in her
beautiful eyes that seemed faintly to illuminate her whole face。
He sank down on the sofa at her side； no longer the brilliant and
ambitious politician； but； it seemed to him； as hopelessly a
dreaming； inexperienced boy as when he had given her the name that
now was all he could think of； and the only word that rose to his
feverish lips。
〃Yerba！〃
〃I like to hear you say it；〃 she said quickly； as if to gloss over
his first omission of her formal prefix； and leaning a little
forward； with her eyes on his。 〃One would think you had created
it。 You almost make me regret to lose it。〃
He stopped。 He felt that the last sentence had saved him。 〃It is
of that I want to speak；〃 he broke out suddenly and almost rudely。
〃Are you satisfied that it means nothing； and can mean nothing； to
you？ Does it awaken no memory in your mindrecall nothing you
care to know？ Think！ I beg you； I implore you to be frank with
me！〃
She looked at him with surprise。
〃I have told you already that my present name must be some absurd
blunder； or some intentional concealment。 But why do you want to
know NOW？〃 she continued； adding her faint smile to the emphasis。
〃To help you！〃 he said； eagerly。 〃For that alone！ To do all I can
to assist you； if you really believe； and want to believe； that you
have another。 To ask you to confide in me； to tell me all you have
been told； all that you know； think you know； or WANT to know about
your relationship to the Arguellosor toany one。 And then to
devote myself entirely to proving what you shall say is your
desire。 You see； I am frank with you； Yerba。 I only ask you to be
as frank with me； to let me know your doubts； that I may counsel
you； your fears； that I may give you courage。〃
〃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 abou