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half…audibly。



He　was　standing　before　the　picture　as　she　entered。　　Even　in　the

trying　contiguity　of　that　peerless　work　he　would　have　been　called　a

fine…looking　man。　　As　he　advanced　to　greet　her；　it　was　evident　that

his　military　title　was　not　one　of　the　mere　fanciful　sobriquets　of

the　locality。　　In　his　erect　figure　and　the　disciplined　composure　of

limb　and　attitude　there　were　still　traces　of　the　refined　academic

rigors　of　West　Point。　　The　pliant　adaptability　of　Western

civilization　which　enabled　him；　three　years　before；　to　leave　the

army　and　transfer　his　executive　ability　to　the　more　profitable

profession　of　the　law；　had　loosed　sash　and　shoulder…strap；　but　had

not　entirely　removed　the　restraint　of　the　one；　or　the　bearing　of

the　other。



〃Spencer　is　in　Sacramento；〃　began　Mrs。　Tucker　in　languid

explanation；　after　the　first　greetings　were　over。



〃I　knew　he　was　not　here；〃　replied　Captain　Poindexter　gently；　as　he

drew　the　proffered　chair　towards　her；　〃but　this　is　business　that

concerns　you　both。〃　　He　stopped　and　glanced　upwards　at　the　picture。

〃I　suppose　you　know　nothing　of　his　business？　　Of　course　not；〃　he

added　reassuringly；　〃nothing；　absolutely　nothing；　certainly。〃　　He

said　this　so　kindly；　and　yet　so　positively；　as　if　to　promptly

dispose　of　that　question　before　going　further；　that　she　assented

mechanically。　　〃Well；　then；　he's　taken　some　big　risks　in　the　way　of

business；　andwell；　things　have　gone　bad　with　him；　you　know。　　Very

bad！　　Really；　they　couldn't　be　worse！　　Of　course　it　was　dreadfully

rash　and　all　that；〃　he　went　on；　as　if　commenting　upon　the　amusing

waywardness　of　a　child；　〃but　the　result　is　the　usual　smash…up　of

everything；　money；　credit；　and　all！〃　　He　laughed　and　added：　〃Yes；

he's　got　cut　offmules　and　baggage　regularly　routed　and　dispersed！

I'm　in　earnest。〃　　He　raised　his　eyebrows　and　frowned　slightly；　as

if　to　deprecate　any　corresponding　hilarity　on　the　part　of　Mrs。

Tucker；　or　any　attempt　to　make　TOO　light　of　the　subject；　and　then

rising；　placed　his　hands　behind　his　back；　beamed　half…humorously

upon　her　from　beneath　her　husband's　picture；　and　repeated：　〃That's

so。〃



Mrs。　Tucker　instinctively　knew　that　he　spoke　the　truth；　and　that　it

was　impossible　for　him　to　convey　it　in　any　other　than　his　natural

manner；　but　between　the　shock　and　the　singular　influence　of　that

manner　she　could　at　first　only　say；　〃You　don't　mean　it！〃　fully

conscious　of　the　utter　inanity　of　the　remark；　and　that　it　seemed

scarcely　less　cold…blooded　than　his　own。



Poindexter；　still　smiling；　nodded。



She　arose　with　an　effort。　　She　had　recovered　from　the　first　shock；

and　pride　lent　her　a　determined　calmness　that　more　than　equaled

Poindexter's　easy　philosophy。



〃Where　is　he？〃　she　asked。



〃At　sea；　and　I　hope　by　this　time　where　he　can　not　be　found　or

followed。〃



Was　her　momentary　glimpse　of　the　outgoing　ship　a　coincidence；　or

only　a　vision？　　She　was　confused　and　giddy；　but；　mastering　her

weakness；　she　managed　to　continue　in　a　lower　voice：



〃You　have　no　message　for　me　from　him？　　He　told　you　nothing　to　tell

me？〃



〃Nothing；　absolutely　nothing；〃　replied　Poindexter。　　〃It　was　as　much

as　he　could　do；　I　reckon；　to　get　fairly　away　before　the　crash

came。〃



〃Then　you　did　not　see　him　go？〃



〃Well；　no；〃　said　Poindexter。　　〃I'd　hardly　have　managed　things　in

this　way。〃　　He　checked　himself　and　added；　with　a　forgiving　smile；

〃But　he　was　the　best　judge　of　what　he　needed；　of　course。〃



〃I　suppose　I　will　hear　from　him；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃as　soon　as　he

is　safe。　　He　must　have　had　enough　else　to　think　about；　poor

fellow。〃



She　said　this　so　naturally　and　quietly　that　Poindexter　was

deceived。　　He　had　no　idea　that　the　collected　woman　before　him　was

thinking　only　of　solitude　and　darkness；　of　her　own　room；　and　madly

longing　to　be　there。　　He　said；　〃Yes；　I　dare　say；〃　in　quite　another

voice；　and　glanced　at　the　picture。　　But　as　she　remained　standing；

he　continued　more　earnestly；　〃I　didn't　come　here　to　tell　you　what

you　might　read　in　the　newspapers　to…morrow　morning；　and　what

everybody　might　tell　you。　　Before　that　time　I　want　you　to　do

something　to　save　a　fragment　of　your　property　from　the　ruin；　do　you

understand？　　I　want　you　to　make　a　rally；　and　bring　off　something　in

good　order。〃



〃For　him？〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　with　brightening　eyes。



〃Well；　yes；　of　courseif　you　likebut　as　if　for　yourself。　　Do　you

know　the　Rancho　de　los　Cuervos？〃



〃I　do。〃



〃It's　almost　the　only　bit　of　real　property　your　husband　hasn't

sold；　mortgaged；　or　pledged。　　Why　it　was　exempt；　or　whether　only

forgotten；　I　can't　say。〃



〃I'll　tell　you　why；〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　with　a　slight　return　of

color。　　〃It　was　the　first　land　we　ever　bought；　and　Spencer　always

said　it　should　be　mine　and　he　would　build　a　new　house　on　it。〃



Captain　Poindexter　smiled　and　nodded　at　the　picture。　　〃Oh；　he　did

say　that；　did　he？　　Well；　THAT'S　evidence。　　But　you　see　he　never

gave　you　the　deed；　and　by　sunrise　to…morrow　his　creditors　will

attach　itunless〃



〃Unless〃　repeated　Mrs。　Tucker；　with　kindling　eyes。



〃Unless；〃　continued　Captain　Poindexter；　〃they　happen　to　find　YOU　in

possession。〃



〃I'll　go；〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker。



〃Of　course　you　will；〃　returned　Poindexter；　pleasantly；　〃only；　as

it's　a　big　contract　to　take；　suppose　we　see　how　you　can　fill　it。

It's　forty　miles　to　Los　Cuervos；　and　you　can't　trust　yourself　to

steamboat　or　stage…coach。　　The　steamboat　left　an　hour　ago。〃



〃If　I　had　only　known　this　then！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Tucker。



〃I　knew　it；　but　you　had　company　then；〃　said　Poindexter；　with

ironical　gallantry；　〃and　I　wouldn't　disturb　you。〃　　Without　saying

how　he　knew　it；　he　continued；　〃In　the　stage…coach　you　might　be

recognized。　　You　must　go　in　a　private　conveyance　and　alone；　even　I

can　not　go　with　you；　for　I　must　go　on　before　and　meet　you　there。

Can　you　drive　forty　miles？〃



Mrs。　Tucker　lifted　up　her　abstracted　pretty　lids。　　〃I　once　drove

fiftyat　home；〃　she　returned　simply。



〃Good！　and　I　dare　say　you　did　it　then　for　fun。　　Do　it　now　for

something　real　and　personal；　as　we　lawyers　say。　　You　will　have

relays　and　a　plan　of　the　road。　　It's　rough　weather　for　a　pasear；

but　all　the　better　for　that。　　You'll　have　less　company　on　the

road。〃



〃How　soon　can　I　go？〃　she　asked。



〃The　sooner　the　better。　　I've　arranged　everything　for　you　already；〃

he　continued　with　a　laugh。　　〃Come　now；　that's　a　compliment　to　you；

isn't　it？〃　　He　smiled　a　moment　in　her　steadfast；　earnest　face；　and

then　said；　more　gravely；　〃You'll　do。　　Now　listen。〃



He　then　carefully　detailed　his　plan。　　There　was　so　little　of

excitement　or　mystery　in　their　manner　that　the　servant；　who

returned　to　light　the　gas；　never　knew　that　the　ruin　and　bankruptcy

of　the　house　was　being　told　before　her；　or　that　its　mistress　was

planning　her　secret　flight。



〃Good　afternoon；　I　will　see　you　to…morrow　then；〃　said　Poindexter；

raising　his　eyes　to　hers　as　the　servant　opened　the　door　for　him。



〃Good　afternoon；〃　repeated　Mrs。　Tucker　quietly　answering　his　look。

〃You　need　not　light　the　gas　in　my　room；　Mary；〃　she　continued　in　the

same　tone　of　voice　as　the　door　closed　upon　him；　〃I　shall　lie　down

for　a　few　moments；　and　then　I　may　run　over　to　the　Robinsons　for　the

evening。〃



She　regained　her　room　composedly。　　The　longing　desire　to　bury　her

head　in　her　pillow　and　〃think　out〃　her　position　had　gone。　　She　did

not　apostrophize　her　fate；　she　did　not　weep；　few　real　women　do　in

the　access　of　calamity；　or　when　there　is　anything　else　to　be　done。

She　felt　that　she　knew　it　all；　she　believed　she　had　sounded　the

profoundest　depths　of　the　disaster；　and　seemed　already　so　old　in

her　experience　that　she　almost　fancied　she　had　been　prepared　for

it。　　Perhaps　she　did　not　fully　appreciate　it；　to　a　life　like　hers

it　was　only　an　incident；　the　mere　turning　of　a　page　of　the

illimitable　book　of　youth；　the　breaking　up　of　what　she　now　felt　had

become　a　monotony。　　In　fact；　she　was　not　quite　sure　she　had　ever

been　satisfied　with　their　present　success。　　Had　it　brought　her　all

she　expected？　　She　wanted　to　say　this　to　her　husband；　not　only　to

comfort　him；　poor　fellow；　but　that　they　might　come　to　a　better

understanding　of　life　in　the　future。　　She　was　not　perhaps　different

from　other　loving　women　who；　believing　in　this　unattainable　goal　of

matrimony；　have　sought　it　in　the　various　episodes　of　fortune　or

reverses；　in　the　bearing　of　children；　or　the　loss　of　friends。　　In

her　childless　experience　there　was　no　other　life　that　had　taken

root　in　her　circumstances　and　might　suffer　transplantation；　only

she　and　her　husband　could　lose　or　profit　by　the　change。　　The

〃perfect〃　understanding　would　come　under　other　conditions　than

these。



She　would　have　gone　superstitiously　to　the　window　to　gaze　in　the

direction　of　the　vanished　ship；　but　another　instinct　restrained

her。　　She　would　put　aside　all　yearning　for　him　until　she　had　done

something　to　help　him；　and　earne