a ward of the golden gate-第3节

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The　smile　upon　her　half…open　mouth　still　fluttered　around　it；　and
her　curved　fingers　still　ran　up　and　down　the　rails　of　the　chair…
back　as　if　they　were　the　cords　of　some　mute　instrument；　to　which
she　was　trying　to　give　voice。　　Her　rings　once　or　twice　grated　upon
them　as　if　she　had　at　times　gripped　them　closely。　　But　she　rose
quickly　when　he　paused；　said　〃Yes；〃　sharply；　and　put　the　chair　back
against　the　wall。

〃Then　I　will　send　you　copies　of　this　tomorrow；　and　take　an
assignment　of　the　property。〃

〃I've　got　the　check　here　for　it　now；〃　she　said；　drawing　it　from　her
pocket　and　laying　it　upon　the　desk。　　〃There；　I　reckon　that's
finished。　　Good…by！〃

The　Mayor　took　up　his　hat；　Colonel　Pendleton　did　the　same；　both　men
preceded　her　to　the　door；　and　held　it　open　with　grave　politeness
for　her　to　pass。

〃Where　are　you　boys　going？〃　she　asked；　glancing　from　the　one　to　the
other。

〃To　see　you　to　your　carriage；　Mrs。　Howard；〃　said　the　Mayor；　in　a
voice　that　had　become　somewhat　deeper。

〃Through　the　whole　building？　　Past　all　the　people　in　the　hall　and
on　the　stairs？　　Why；　I　passed　Dan　Stewart　as　I　came　in。〃

〃If　you　will　allow　us？〃　he　said；　turning　half　appealing　to　Colonel
Pendleton；　who；　without　speaking；　made　a　low　bow　of　assent。

A　slight　flush　rose　to　her　facethe　first　and　only　change　in　the
even　healthy　color　she　had　shown　during　the　interview。

〃I　reckon　I　won't　trouble　you；　boys；　if　it's　all　the　same　to　you；〃
she　said；　with　her　half…strident　laugh。　　〃YOU　mightn't　mind　being
seenbut　I　would　　Good…by。〃

She　held　out　a　hand　to　each　of　the　men；　who　remained　for　an　instant
silently　holding　them。　　Then　she　passed　out　of　the　door；　slipping
on　her　close　black　veil　as　she　did　so　with　a　half…funereal
suggestion；　and　they　saw　her　tall；　handsome　figure　fade　into　the
shadows　of　the　long　corridor。

〃Paul；〃　said　the　Mayor；　reentering　the　office　and　turning　to　his
secretary；　〃do　you　know　who　that　woman　is？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃She's　one　in　a　million！　　And　now　forget　that　you　have　ever　seen
her。〃


CHAPTER　I。


The　principal　parlor　of　the　New　Golden　Gate　Hotel　in　San　Francisco；
fairly　reported　by　the　local　press　as　being　〃truly　palatial〃　in　its
appointments；　and　unrivaled　in　its　upholstery；　was；　nevertheless；
on　August　5；　1860；　of　that　startling　newness　that　checked　any
familiarity；　and　evidently　had　produced　some　embarrassment　on　the
limbs　of　four　visitors　who　had　just　been　ushered　into　its　glories。
After　hesitating　before　one　or　two　gorgeous　fawn…colored　brocaded
easy…chairs　of　appalling　and　spotless　virginity；　one　of　them　seated
himself　despairingly　on　a　tete…a…tete　sofa　in　marked　and　painful
isolation；　while　another　sat　uncomfortably　upright　on　a　sofa。　　The
two　others　remained　standing；　vaguely　gazing　at　the　ceiling；　and
exchanging　ostentatiously　admiring　but　hollow　remarks　about　the
furniture　in　unnecessary　whispers。　　Yet　they　were　apparently　men　of
a　certain　habit　of　importance　and　small　authority；　with　more　or
less　critical　attitude　in　their　speech。

To　them　presently　entered　a　young　man　of　about　five…and…twenty；
with　remarkably　bright　and　singularly　sympathetic　eyes。　　Having
swept　the　group　in　a　smiling　glance；　he　singled　out　the　lonely
occupier　of　the　tete…a…tete；　and　moved　pleasantly　towards　him。　　The
man　rose　instantly　with　an　eager　gratified　look。

〃Well；　Paul；　I　didn't　allow　you'd　remember　me。　　It's　a　matter　of
four　years　since　we　met　at　Marysville。　　And　now　you're　bein'　a
great　man　you've〃

No　one　could　have　known　from　the　young　man's　smiling　face　that　he
really　had　not　recognized　his　visitor　at　first；　and　that　his
greeting　was　only　an　exhibition　of　one　of　those　happy　instincts　for
which　he　was　remarkable。　　But；　following　the　clew　suggested　by　his
visitor；　he　was　able　to　say　promptly　and　gayly：

〃I　don't　know　why　I　should　forget　Tony　Shear　or　the　Marysville
boys；〃　turning　with　a　half…confiding　smile　to　the　other　visitors；
who；　after　the　human　fashion；　were　beginning　to　be　resentfully
impatient　of　this　special　attention。

〃Well；　no；for　I've　allus　said　that　you　took　your　first　start　from
Marysville。　　But　I've　brought　a　few　friends　of　our　party　that　I
reckoned　to　introduce　to　you。　　Cap'n　Stidger；　Chairman　of　our
Central　Committee；　Mr。　Henry　J。　Hoskins；　of　the　firm　of　Hoskins　and
Bloomer；　and　Joe　Slate；　of　the　'Union　Press；'　one　of　our　most
promising　journalists。　　Gentlemen；〃　he　continued；　suddenly　and
without　warning　lifting　his　voice　to　an　oratorical　plane　in
startling　contrast　to　his　previous　unaffected　utterance；　〃I　needn't
say　that　this　is　the　honorable　Paul　Hathaway；　the　youngest　state
senator　in　the　Legislature。　　You　know　his　record！〃　　Then；
recovering　the　ordinary　accents　of　humanity；　he　added；　〃We　read　of
your　departure　last　night　from　Sacramento；　and　I　thought　we'd　come
early；　afore　the　crowd。〃

〃Proud　to　know　you；　sir；〃　said　Captain　Stidger；　suddenly　lifting
the　conversation　to　the　platform　again。　　〃I　have　followed　your
career；　sir。　　I've　read　your　speech；　Mr。　Hathaway；　and；　as　I　was
telling　our　mutual　friend；　Mr。　Shear；　as　we　came　along；　I　don't
know　any　man　that　could　state　the　real　party　issues　as　squarely。
Your　castigating　exposition　of　so…called　Jeffersonian　principles；
and　your　relentless　indictment　of　the　resolutions　of　'98；　were
were〃coughed　the　captain；　dropping　into　conversation　again〃were
the　biggest　thing　out。　　You　have　only　to　signify　the　day；　sir；　that
you　will　address　us；　and　I　can　promise　you　the　largest　audience　in
San　Francisco。〃

〃I'm　instructed　by　the　proprietor　of　the　'Union　Press；'〃　said　Mr。
Slate；　feeling　for　his　notebook　and　pencil；　〃to　offer　you　its
columns　for　any　explanations　you　may　desire　to　make　in　the　form　of
a　personal　letter　or　an　editorial　in　reply　to　the　'Advertiser's'
strictures　on　your　speech；　or　to　take　any　information　you　may　have
for　the　benefit　of　our　readers　and　the　party。〃

〃If　you　are　ever　down　my　way；　Mr。　Hathaway；〃　said　Mr。　Hoskins；
placing　a　large　business　card　in　Hathaway's　hand；　〃and　will　drop　in
as　a　friend；　I　can　show　you　about　the　largest　business　in　the　way
of　canned　provisions　and　domestic　groceries　in　the　State；　and　give
you　a　look　around　Battery　Street　generally。　　Or　if　you'll　name　your
day；　I've　got　a　pair　of　2。35　Blue　Grass　horses　that'll　spin　you　out
to　the　Cliff　House　to　dinner　and　back。　　I've　had　Governor　Fiske；
and　Senator　Doolan；　and　that　big　English　capitalist　who　was　here
last　year；　and　theywell；　sir；they　were　PLEASED！　　Or　if　you'd
like　to　see　the　townif　this　is　your　first　visitI'm　a　hand　to
show　you。

Nothing　could　exceed　Mr。　Hathaway's　sympathetic　acceptance　of　their
courtesies；　nor　was　there　the　least　affectation　in　it。　　Thoroughly
enjoying　his　fellowmen；　even　in　their　foibles；　they　found　him
irresistibly　attractive。　　〃I　lived　here　seven　years　ago；〃　he　said；
smiling；　to　the　last　speaker。

〃When　the　water　came　up　to　Montgomery　Street；〃　interposed　Mr。
Shear；　in　a　hoarse　but　admiring　aside。

〃When　Mr。　Hammersley　was　mayor；〃　continued　Hathaway。

〃Had　an　official　positionprivate　secretaryafore　he　was　twenty；〃
explained　Shear；　in　perfectly　audible　confidence。

〃Since　then　the　city　has　made　great　strides；　leaping　full…grown；
sir；　in　a　single　night；〃　said　Captain　Stidger；　hastily　ascending
the　rostrum　again　with　a　mixed　metaphor；　to　the　apparent　concern　of
a　party　of　handsomely　dressed　young　ladies　who　had　recently　entered
the　parlor。　　〃Stretching　from　South　Park　to　Black　Point；　and
running　back　to　the　Mission　Dolores　and　the　Presidio；　we　are
building　up　a　metropolis；　sir；　worthy　to　be　placed　beside　the
Golden　Gate　that　opens　to　the　broad　Pacific　and　the　shores　of　far
Cathay！　　When　the　Pacific　Railroad　is　built　we　shall　be　the　natural
terminus　of　the　Pathway　of　Nations！〃

Mr。　Hathaway's　face　betrayed　no　consciousness　that　he　had　heard
something　like　this　eight　years　before；　and　that　much　of　it　had
come　true；　as　he　again　sympathetically　responded。　　Neither　was　his
attention　attracted　by　a　singular　similarity　which　the　attitude　of
the　group　of　ladies　on　the　other　side　of　the　parlor　bore　to　that　of
his　own　party。　　They　were　clustered　around　one　of　their　own　number
a　striking…looking　girlwho　was　apparently　receiving　their
mingled　flatteries　and　caresses　with　a　youthful　yet　critical
sympathy；　which；　singularly　enough；　was　not　unlike　his　own。　　It　was
evident　also　that　an　odd　sort　of　rivalry　seemed　to　spring　up
between　the　two　parties；　and　that；　in　proportion　as　Hathaway's
admirers　became　more　marked　and　ostentatious　in　their　attentions；
the　supporters　of　the　young　girl　were　equally　effusive　and
enthusiastic　in　their　devotion。　　As　usual　in　such　cases；　the　real
contest　was　between　the　partisans　themselves；　each　successive
demonstration　on　either　side　was　provocative　or　retaliatory；　and
when　they　were　apparently　rendering　homage　to　their　idols　they　were
really　distracted　by　and　listening　to　each　other。　　At　last；
Hathaway's　party　being　reinforced　by　fresh　visitors；　a　tall
brunette　of　the　opposition　remarked　in　a　professedly　confidential
but　perfectly　audible　tone：

〃Well；　my　dear；　as　I　don't　suppose　you　want　to　take　part　in　a
political　caucus；　perhaps　we'd　better　return　to　the　Ladies'
Boudoir；　unless　there's　a　co