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exaggeration with his clothes。 Dusting a chair and offering it to
the visitor； he remained gracefully posed with his hand on the back
of another。
〃Yo' finds us heah yet； Marse Hathaway；〃 he began； elegantly toying
with an enormous silver watch…chain； 〃fo' de Kernel he don' bin
find contagious apartments dat at all approximate； and he don'
build； for his mind's not dat settled dat he ain't goin' to
trabbel。 De place is low down； sah； and de fo'ks is low down； and
dah's a heap o' white trash dat has congested under de roof ob de
hotel since we came。 But we uses it temper'ly； sah； fo' de
present； and in a dissolutory fashion。〃
It struck Paul that the contiguity of a certain barber's shop and
its dangerous reminiscences had something to do with George's lofty
depreciation of his surroundings； and he could not help saying：
〃Then you don't find it necessary to have it convenient to the
barber's shop any more？ I am glad of that； George。〃
The shot told。 The unfortunate George； after an endeavor to
collect himself by altering his pose two or three times in rapid
succession； finally collapsed； and； with an air of mingled pain and
dignity； but without losing his ceremonious politeness or unique
vocabulary； said：
〃Yo' got me dah； sah！ Yo' got me dah！ De infirmities o' human
natcheh； sah； is de common p'operty ob man； and a gemplum like
yo'self； sah； a legislato' and a pow'ful speakah； is de lass one to
hol' it agin de individal pusson。 I confess； sah； de circumstances
was propiskuous； de fees fahly good； and de risks inferior。 De
gemplum who kept de shop was an artess hisself； and had been niggah
to Kernel Henderson of Tennessee； and do gemplum I relieved was a
Mr。 Johnson。 But de Kernel； he wouldn't see it in dat light； sah；
and if yo' don' mind； sah〃
〃I haven't the slightest idea of telling the colonel or anybody；
George；〃 said Paul； smiling； 〃and I am glad to find on your own
account that you are able to put aside any work beyond your duty
here。〃
〃Thank yo'； sah。 If yo' 'll let me introduce yo' to de
refreshment； yo' 'll find it all right now。 De Glencoe is dah。 De
Kernel will be here soon； but he would be pow'ful mo'tified； sah；
if yo' didn't hab something afo' he come。〃 He opened a well…filled
sideboard as he spoke。 It was the first evidence Paul had seen of
the colonel's restored fortunes。 He would willingly have contented
himself with this mere outward manifestation； but in his desire to
soothe the ruffled dignity of the old man he consented to partake
of a small glass of spirits。 George at once became radiant and
communicative。 〃De Kernel bin gone to Santa Clara to see de young
lady dat's finished her edercation dahde Kernel's only ward； sah。
She's one o' dose million…heiresses and highly connected； sah； wid
de old Mexican Gobbermen； I understand。 And I reckon dey's bin big
goin's on doun dar； foh de Mayer kem hisself fo' de Kernel。 Looks
like des might bin a proceshon； sah。 Yo' don' know of a young lady
bin hab a title； sah？ I won't be shuah； his Honah de Mayer or de
Kernel didn't say someting about a 'Donna'〃
〃Very likely；〃 said Paul； turning away with a faint smile。 So it
was already in the air！ Setting aside the old negro's
characteristic exaggeration； there had already been some
conversation between the colonel and the Mayor； which George had
vaguely overheard。 He might be too late； the alternative might be
no longer in his hands。 But his discomposure was heightened a
moment later by the actual apparition of the returning Pendleton。
He was dressed in a tightly buttoned blue frock…coat； which fairly
accented his tall； thin military figure； although the top lappel
was thrown far enough back to show a fine ruffled cambric shirt and
checked gingham necktie； and was itself adorned with a white
rosebud in the button…hole。 Fawn…colored trousers strapped over
narrow patent…leather boots； and a tall white hat； whose broad
mourning…band was a perpetual memory of his mother； who had died in
his boyhood； completed his festal transformation。 Yet his erect
carriage； high aquiline nose； and long gray drooping moustache lent
a distinguishing grace to this survival of a bygone fashion； and
over…rode any irreverent comment。 Even his slight limp seemed to
give a peculiar character to his massive gold…headed stick； and
made it a part of his formal elegance。
Handing George his stick and a military cape he carried easily over
his left arm； he greeted Paul warmly； yet with a return of his old
dominant manner。
〃Glad to see you； Hathaway； and glad to see the boy has served you
better than the last time。 If I had known you were coming； I would
have tried to get back in time to have breakfast with you。 But
your friends at 'Rosario'I think they call it； in my time it was
owned by Colonel Briones； and HE called it 'The Devil's Little
Canyon'detained me with some dd civilities。 Let's seehis
name is Woods； isn't it？ Used to sell rum to runaway sailors on
Long Wharf； and take stores in exchange？ Or was it Baker？Judge
Baker？ I forget which。 Well； sir； they wished to be remembered。〃
It struck Paul； perhaps unreasonably； that the colonel's
indifference and digression were both a little assumed； and he
asked abruptly；
〃And you fulfilled your mission？〃
〃I made the formal transfer； with the Mayor； of the property to
Miss Arguello。〃
〃To Miss Arguello？〃
〃To the Dona Maria Concepcion de Arguello de la Yerba Buenato
speak precisely；〃 said the colonel； slowly。 〃George； you can take
that hat to that blank hatterwhat's his blanked name？ I read it
only yesterday in a list of the prominent citizens hereand tell
him； with my compliments； that I want a GENTLEMAN'S mourning band
around my hat； and not a child's shoelace。 It may be HIS idea of
the value of his own parentsif he ever had anybut I don't care
for him to appraise mine。 Go！〃
As the door closed upon George； Paul turned to the colonel
〃Then am I to understand that you have agreed to her story？〃
The colonel rose； picked up the decanter； poured out a glass of
whiskey； and holding it in his hand； said：
〃My dear Hathaway； let us understand each other。 As a gentleman； I
have made a point through life never to question the age； name； or
family of any lady of my acquaintance。 Miss Yerba Buena came of
age yesterday； and； as she is no longer my ward； she is certainly
entitled to the consideration I have just mentioned。 If she；
therefore； chooses to tack to her name the whole Spanish directory；
I don't see why I shouldn't accept it。〃
Characteristic as this speech appeared to be of the colonel's
ordinary manner； it struck Paul as being only an imitation of his
usual frank independence； and made him uneasily conscious of some
vague desertion on Pendleton's part。 He fixed his bright eyes on
his host； who was ostentatiously sipping his liquor； and said：
〃Am I to understand that you have heard nothing more from Miss
Yerba； either for or against her story？ That you still do not know
whether she has deceived herself； has been deceived by others； or
is deceiving us？〃
〃After what I have just told you； Mr。 Hathaway；〃 said the colonel；