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is deceiving us？〃
〃After what I have just told you； Mr。 Hathaway；〃 said the colonel；
with an increased exaggeration of manner which Paul thought must be
apparent even to himself； 〃I should have but one way of dealing
with questions of that kind from anybody but yourself。〃
This culminating extravagancetaken in connection with Pendleton's
passing doubtsactually forced a laugh from Paul in spite of his
bitterness。
Colonel Pendleton's face flushed quickly。 Like most positive one…
idea'd men； he was restricted from any possible humorous
combination； and only felt a mysterious sense of being detected in
some weakness。 He put down his glass。
〃Mr。 Hathaway；〃 he began； with a slight vibration in his usual
dominant accents； 〃you have lately put me under a sense of personal
obligation for a favor which I felt I could accept without
derogation from a younger man； because it seemed to be one not only
of youthful generosity but of justice； and was not unworthy the
exalted ambition of a young man like yourself or the simple deserts
of an old man such as I am。 I accepted it； sir； the more readily；
because it was entirely unsolicited by me； and seemed to be the
spontaneous offering of your own heart。 If I have presumed upon it
to express myself freely on other matters in a way that only
excites your ridicule； I can but offer you an apology； sir。 If I
have accepted a favor I can neither renounce nor return； I must
take the consequences to myself； and even beg YOU； sir； to put up
with them。〃
Remorseful as Paul felt； there was a singular resemblance between
the previous reproachful pose of George and this present attitude
of his master； as if the mere propinquity of personal sacrifice had
made them alike； that struck him with a mingled pathos and
ludicrousness。 But he said warmly； 〃It is I who must apologize； my
dear colonel。 I am not laughing at your conclusions； but at this
singular coincidence with a discovery I have made。〃
〃As how； sir？〃
〃I find in the report of the Chief of the Police for the year 1850
that Kate Howard was under the protection of a man named Arguello。〃
The colonel's exaggeration instantly left him。 He stared blankly
at Paul。 〃And you call this a laughing matter； sir？〃 he said
sternly； but in his more natural manner。
〃Perhaps not； but I don't think； if you will allow me to say so； my
dear colonel； that YOU have been treating the whole affair very
seriously。 I left you two months ago utterly opposed to views
which you are now treating as of no importance。 And yet you wish
me to believe that nothing has happened； and that you have no
further information than you had then。 That this is so； and that
you are really no nearer the FACTS； I am willing to believe from
your ignorance of what I have just told you； and your concern at
it。 But that you have not been influenced in your JUDGMENT of what
you do know； I cannot believe？〃 He drew nearer Pendleton； and laid
his hand upon his arm。 〃I beg you to be frank with me； for the
sake of the person whose interests I see you have at heart。 In
what way will the discovery I have just made affect them？ You are
not so far prejudiced as to be blind to the fact that it may be
dangerous because it seems corroborative。〃
Pendleton coughed； rose； took his stick； and limped up and down the
room； finally dropping into an armchair by the window； with his
cane between his knees； and the drooping gray silken threads of his
long moustache curled nervously between his fingers。
〃Mr。 Hathaway； I WILL be frank with you。 I know nothing of this
blank affairblank it all！but what I've told you。 Your
discovery may be a coincidence； nothing more。 But I HAVE been
influenced； sir；influenced by one of the most perfect goddess…
likeyes； sir； one of the most simple girlish creatures that God
ever sent upon earth。 A woman that I should be proud to claim as
my daughter； a woman that would always be the superior of any man
who dare aspire to be her husband！ A young lady as peerless in her
beauty as she is in her accomplishments； and whose equal don't walk
this planet！ I know； sir； YOU don't follow me； I know； Mr。
Hathaway； your Puritan prejudices； your Church proclivities； your
worldly sense of propriety； and； above all； sir； the blanked
hypocritical Pharisaic doctrines of your partyI mean no offense
to YOU； sir； personallyblind you to that girl's perfections。
She； poor child； herself has seen it and felt it； but never； in her
blameless innocence and purity； suspecting the cause； 'There is；'
she said to me last night； confidentially； 'something strangely
antagonistic and repellent in our natures； some undefined and
nameless barrier between our ever understanding each other。' You
comprehend； Mr。 Hathaway； she does full justice to your intentions
and your unquestioned abilities。 'I am not blind；' she said； 'to
Mr。 Hathaway's gifts； and it is very possible the fault lies with
me。' Her very words； sir。〃
〃Then you believe she is perfectly ignorant of her real mother？〃
asked Paul； with a steady voice； but a whitening face。
〃As an unborn child；〃 said the colonel； emphatically。 〃The snow on
the Sierras is not more spotlessly pure of any trace or
contamination of the mud of the mining ditches； than she of her
mother and her past。 The knowledge of it； the mere breath of
suspicion of it； in her presence would be a profanation； sir！ Look
at her eyeopen as the sky and as clear； look at her face and
figureas clean； sir； as a Blue…Grass thoroughbred！ Look at the
way she carries herself； whether in those white frillings of her
simple school…gown； or that black evening dress that makes her look
like a princess！ And； blank me； if she isn't one！ There's no poor
stock thereno white trashno mixed blood； sir。 Blank it all；
sir； if it comes to THATthe Arguellosif there's a hound of them
livingmight go down on their knees to have their name borne by
such a creature！ By the Eternal； sir； if one of them dared to
cross her path with a word that wasn't abjectyes； sir； ABJECT；
I'd wipe his dust off the earth and send it back to his ancestors
before he knew where he was； or my name isn't Harry Pendleton！〃
Hopeless and inconsistent as all this was； it was a wonderful sight
to see the colonel； his dark stern face illuminated with a zealot's
enthusiasm； his eyes on fire； the ends of his gray moustache
curling around his set jaw； his head thrown back； his legs astride；
and his gold…headed stick held in the hollow of his elbow； like a
lance at rest！ Paul saw it； and knew that this Quixotic
transformation was part of HER triumph； and yet had a miserable
consciousness that the charms of this Dulcinea del Toboso had
scarcely been exaggerated。 He turned his eyes away； and said
quietly；
〃Then you don't think this coincidence will ever awaken any
suspicion in regard to her real mother？〃
〃Not in the least； sirnot in the least；〃 said the colonel； yet；
perhaps； with more doggedness than conviction of accent。 〃Nobody
but yourself would ever notice that police report； and the
connection of that woman's name with his was not notorious； or I
should have known it。〃
〃And you believe；〃 continu