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his name。 A copy of the instructions given to his wife；
recognizing Yerba Buena； the ward of the San Francisco Trust； as
his child and hers； and leaving to the mother the choice of making
it known to her and others； was inclosed。
Paul turned an unchanged face upon Yerba； who was watching him
eagerly； uneasily； almost breathlessly。
〃And you think this concerns ME！〃 he said bitterly。 〃You think
only of this； when I speak of the precious letter that bade me
hope； and brought me to you？〃
〃Paul；〃 said the girl； with wondering eyes and hesitating lips； 〃do
you mean to say thatthatthis isnothing to you？〃
〃Yesbut forgive me； darling！〃 he broke out again； with a sudden
vague remorsefulness； as he once more sought her elusive hand。 〃I
am a brutean egotist！ I forgot that it might be something to
YOU。〃
〃Paul；〃 continued the girl； her voice quivering with a strange joy；
〃do you say that youYOU yourself； care nothing for this？〃
〃Nothing；〃 he answered； gazing at her transfigured face with
admiring wonder。
〃And〃more timidly； as a faint aurora kindled in her checks〃that
you don't carethatthatI am coming to you WITH A NAME； to give
you inexchange？〃
He started。
〃Yerba； you are not mocking me？ You will be my wife？〃
She smiled； yet moving softly backwards with the grave stateliness
of a vanishing yet beckoning goddess； until she reached the sumach…
bush from which she had emerged。 He followed。 Another backward
step； and it yielded to let her through； but even as it did so she
caught him in her arms； and for a single moment it closed upon them
both； and hid them in its glory。 A still lingering song…bird；
possibly convinced that he had mistaken the season； and that spring
had really come； flew out with a little cry to carry the message
south； but even then Paul and Yerba emerged with such innocent；
childlike gravity； and； side by side； walked so composedly towards
the house； that he thought better of it。
CHAPTER IX。
It was only the THIRD time they had ever metdid Paul consider
that when he thought her cold？ Did he know now why she had not
understood him at Rosario？ Did he understand now how calculating
and selfish he had seemed to her that night？ Could he look her in
the face nowno； he must be quietthey were so near the house；
and everybody could see them！and say that he had ever believed
her capable of making up that story of the Arguellos？ Could he not
have guessed that she had some memory of that name in her childish
recollections； how or where she knew not？ Was it strange that a
daughter should have an instinct of her father？ Was it kind to her
to know all this himself and yet reveal nothing？ Because her
mother and father had quarreled； and her mother had run away with
somebody and left her a ward to strangerswas that to be concealed
from her； and she left without a name？ This； and much more；
tenderly reproachful； bewildering and sweetly illogical； yet
inexpressibly dear to Paul； as they walked on in the gloaming。
More to the purpose； however； the fact that Briones； as far as she
knew； did not know her mother； and never before the night at
Strudle Bad had ever spoken of her。 Still more to the purpose；
that he had disappeared after an interview with the colonel that
night； and that she believed always that the colonel had bought him
off。 It was not with HER money。 She had sometimes thought that
the colonel and he were in confidence； and that was why she had
lately distrusted Pendleton。 But she had refused to take the name
of Arguello again after that scene； and had called herself only by
the name he had given herwould he forgive her for ever speaking
of it as she had？Yerba Buena。 But on shipboard； at Milly's
suggestion； and to keep away from Briones； her name had appeared on
the passenger list as Miss Good； and they had come； not to New
York； but Boston。
It was possible that the colonel had extracted the information he
sent her FROM Briones。 They had parted from Pendleton in London；
as he was grumpy and queer； and； as Milly thought； becoming very
miserly and avaricious as he grew older； for he was always
quarreling over the hotel bills。 But he had Mrs。 Woods's New York
address at Under Cliff； and； of course； guessed where she was。
There was no address on his letter： he had said he would write
again。
Thus much until they reached the steps of the veranda； and Milly；
flying down； was ostentatiously overwhelmed with the unexpected
appearance of Mr。 Paul Hathaway and Yerba； whom she had been
watching from the window for the last ten minutes。 Then the
appearance of Mr。 Woods； Californian and reminiscent； and Mrs。
Woods； metropolitan； languid； and forgetful； and the sudden and
formal retirement of the girls。 An arch and indefinable mystery in
the air whenever Paul and Yerba appeared togetherof which even
the servants were discreetly conscious。
At dinner Mr。 Woods again became retrospective and Californian； and
dwelt upon the changes he had noticed。 It appeared the old
pioneers had in few cases attained a comfortable fortune for their
old age。 〃I know；〃 he added； 〃that your friend Colonel Pendleton
has dropped a good deal of money over in Europe。 Somebody told me
that he actually was reduced to take a steerage passage home。 It
looks as if he might gambleit's an old Californian complaint。〃
As Paul； who had become suddenly grave again； did not speak； Mrs。
Woods reminded them that she had always doubted the colonel's moral
principles。 Old as he was； he had never got over that freedom of
life and social opinion which he had imbibed in early days。 For
her part； she was very glad he had not returned from Europe with
the girls； though； of course； the presence of Don Caesar and his
sister during their European sojourn was a corrective。 As Paul's
face grew darker during this languid criticism； Yerba； who had been
watching it with a new and absorbing sympathy； seized the first
moment when they left the table to interrogate him with
heartbreaking eyes。
〃You don't think； Paul； that the colonel is really poor？〃
〃God only knows；〃 said Paul。 〃I tremble to think how that
scoundrel may have bled him。〃
〃And all for me！ Paul； dear； you know you were saying in the woods
that you would never； never touch my money。 What〃exultingly〃if
we gave it to him？〃
What answer Paul made did not transpire； for it seemed to have been
indicated by an interval of profound silence。
But the next morning； as he and Mr。 Woods were closeted in the
library； Yerba broke in upon them with a pathetic face and a
telegram in her hand。 〃Oh； PaulMr。 HathawayIT'S TRUE！〃
Paul seized the telegram quickly： it had no signature； only the
line： 〃Colonel Pendleton is dangerously ill at St。 John's
Hospital。〃
〃I must go at once；〃 said Paul； rising。
〃Oh； Paul〃imploringly…〃let me go with you！ I should never
forgive myself ifAND IT'S ADDRESSED TO ME； and what would he
think if I didn't come？〃
Paul hesitated。 〃Mrs。 Woods will let Milly go with us and she can
stay at the hotel。 Say yes；〃 she continued； seeking his eyes
eagerly。
He consented； and in half an hour they were in the train for New
York。 Leaving Mi