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wind。



〃I　shall　never　forgive　the　Commander　for　making　the　Presidio　so

attractive　to　you；　dear　Miss　Keene；　that　you　cannot　really　find

time　to　see　your　own　countrymen。　　Though；　of　course；　you're　not　to

blame　for　not　coming　to　see　two　frights　as　we　must　looknot　having

been　educated　to　be　able　to　do　up　our　dresses　in　that　faultless

styleand　perhaps　not　having　the　entire　control　over　an

establishment　like　you；　yet；　I　suppose　that；　even　if　the　Alcalde

did　give　us　carte　blanche　of　the　laundry　HERE；　we　couldn't　do　it；

unaided　even　by　Mrs。　Markham。　　Yes；　dear；　you　must　let　me

compliment　you　on　your　skill；　and　the　way　you　make　things　last。　　As

for　me　and　Miss　Chubb；　we've　only　found　our　things　fit　to　be　given

away　to　the　poor　of　the　Mission。　　But　I　suppose　even　that　charity

would　look　as　shabby　to　you　as　our　clothes；　in　comparison　with　the

really　good　missionary　work　you　and　Mr。　Hurlstoneor　is　it　Mr。

Brace？I　always　confound　your　admirers；　my　dearare　doing　now。

At　least；　so　says　that　good　Father　Esteban。〃



But　with　the　exception　of　the　Alcalde　and　Miss　Chubb；　Mrs。

Brimmer's　words　fell　on　unheeding　ears；　and　Miss　Keene　did　not

prejudice　the　triumph　of　her　own　superior　attractions　by　seeming　to

notice　Mrs。　Brimmer's　innuendo。　　She　answered　briefly；　and　entered

into　lively　conversation　with　Crosby　and　the　Secretary；　holding　the

hand　of　Dona　Isabel　in　her　own；　as　if　to　assure　her　that　she　was

guiltless　of　any　design　against　her　former　admirer。　　This　was　quite

unnecessary；　as　the　gentle　Isabel；　after　bidding　Brace；　with　a　rap

on　the　knuckles；　to　〃go　and　play；〃　contented　herself　with　curling

up　like　a　kitten　beside　Miss　Keene；　and　left　that　gentleman　to

wander　somewhat　aimlessly　in　the　patio。



Nevertheless；　Miss　Keene；　whose　eyes　and　ears　were　nervously　alert；

and　who　had　indulged　a　faint　hope　of　meeting　Padre　Esteban　and

hearing　news　of　Hurlstone；　glanced　from　time　to　time　towards　the

entrance　of　the　patio。　　A　singular　presentiment　that　some　outcome

of　this　present　visit　would　determine　her　relations　with　Hurlstone

had　already　possessed　her。　　Consequently　she　was　conscious；　before

it　had　attracted　the　attention　of　the　others；　of　some　vague

stirring　in　the　plaza　beyond。　　Suddenly　the　clatter　of　hoofs　was

heard　before　the　gateway。　　There　was　a　moment's　pause　of

dismounting；　a　gruff　order　given　in　Spanish；　and　the　next　moment

three　strangers　entered　the　patio。



They　were　dressed　in　red　shirts；　their　white　trousers　tucked　in

high　boots；　and　wore　slouched　hats。　　They　were　so　travel…stained；

dusty；　and　unshaven；　that　their　features　were　barely

distinguishable。　　One；　who　appeared　to　be　the　spokesman　of　the

party；　cast　a　perfunctory　glance　around　the　corridor；　and；　in

fluent　Spanish；　began　with　the　mechanical　air　of　a　man　repeating

some　formula；



〃We　are　the　bearers　of　a　despatch　to　the　Comandante　of　Todos　Santos

from　the　Governor　of　Mazatlan。　　The　officer　and　the　escort　who　came

with　us　are　outside　the　gate。　　We　have　been　told　that　the

Comandante　is　in　this　house。　　The　case　is　urgent；　or　we　would　not

intrude〃



He　was　stopped　by　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Markham　from　the　corridor。

〃Well；　I　don't　understand　Spanish　muchI　may　be　a　fool；　or　crazy；

or　perhaps　bothbut　if　that　isn't　James　Markham's　VOICE；　I'll　bet

a　cooky！〃



The　three　strangers　turned　quickly　toward　the　corridor。　　The　next

moment　the　youngest　of　their　party　advanced　eagerly　towards　Miss

Keene；　who　had　arisen　with　a　half　frightened　joy；　and　with　the　cry

of　〃Why；　it's　Nell！〃　ran　towards　her。　　The　third　man　came　slowly

forward　as　Mrs。　Brimmer　slipped　hastily　from　the　hammock　and　stood

erect。



〃In　the　name　of　goodness；　Barbara；〃　said　Mr。　Brimmer；　closing　upon

her；　in　a　slow；　portentous　whisper；　〃where　ARE　your　stockings？〃





CHAPTER　VI。



A　MORE　IMPORTANT　ARRIVAL。






The　Commander　was　the　first　to　recover　his　presence　of　mind。

Taking　the　despatch　from　the　hands　of　the　unlooked…for　husband　of

the　woman　he　loved；　he　opened　it　with　an　immovable　face　and

habitual　precision。　　Then；　turning　with　a　military　salute　to　the

strangers；　he　bade　them　join　him　in　half　an　hour　at　the　Presidio；

and；　bowing　gravely　to　the　assembled　company；　stepped　from　the

corridor。　　But　Mrs。　Markham　was　before　him；　stopped　him　with　a

gesture；　and　turned　to　her　husband。



〃James　Markhamwhere's　your　hand？〃



Markham；　embarrassed　but　subjugated；　disengaged　it　timidly　from　his

wife's　waist。



〃Give　it　to　that　gentlemanfor　a　gentleman　he　is；　from　the　crown

of　his　head　to　the　soles　of　his　boots！　　There！　　Shake　his　hand！

You　don't　get　such　a　chance　every　day。　　You　can　thank　him　again；

later。〃



As　the　two　men's　hands　parted；　after　this　perfunctory　grasp；　and

the　Commander　passed　on；　she　turned　again　to　her　husband。



〃Now；　James；　I　am　ready　to　hear　all　about　it。　　Perhaps　you'll　tell

me　where　you　HAVE　been？〃



There　was　a　moment　of　embarrassing　silence。　　The　Doctor　and

Secretary　had　discreetly　withdrawn；　the　Alcalde；　after　a　brief

introduction　to　Mr。　Brimmer；　and　an　incomprehensible　glance　from

the　wife；　had　retired　with　a　colorless　face。　　Dona　Isabel　had

lingered　last　to　blow　a　kiss　across　her　fan　to　Eleanor　Keene　that

half　mischievously　included　her　brother。　　The　Americans　were　alone。



Thus　appealed　to；　Mr。　Markham　hastily　began　his　story。　　But；　as　he

progressed；　a　slight　incoherency　was　noticeable：　he　occasionally

contradicted　himself；　and　was　obliged　to　be　sustained；　supplemented；

and；　at　times；　corrected；　by　Keene　and　Brimmer。　Substantially；　it

appeared　that　they　had　come　from　San　Francisco　to　Mazatlan；　and；

through　the　influence　of　Mr。　Brimmer　on　the　Mexican　authorities；

their　party；　with　an　escort　of　dragoons；　had　been　transported　across

the　gulf　and　landed　on　the　opposite　shore；　where　they　had　made　a

forced　march　across　the　desert　to　Todos　Santos。　Literally

interpreted；　however；　by　the　nervous　Markham；　it　would　seem　that

they　had　conceived　this　expedition　long　ago；　and　yet　had

difficulties　because　they　only　thought　of　it　the　day　before　the

steamer　sailed；　that　they　had　embarked　for　the　isthmus　of　Nicaragua；

and　yet　had　stopped　at　Mazatlan；　that　their　information　was　complete

in　San　Francisco；　and　only　picked　up　at　Mazatlan；　that　〃friends〃

sometimes　contradictorily　known　as　〃he〃　and　〃she〃had　overpowering

influence　with　the　Mexican　Government；　and　alone　had　helped　them；

and　yet　that　they　were　utterly　dependent　upon　the　efforts　of　Senor

Perkins；　who　had　compromised　matters　with　the　Mexican　Government　and

everybody。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say；　James　Markham；　that　you've　seen　Perkins；　and

it　was　he　who　told　you　we　were　here？〃



〃Nonot　HIM　exactly。〃



〃Let　me　explain；〃　said　Mr。　Brimmer　hastily。　　〃It　appears；〃　he

corrected　his　haste　with　practical　businesslike　precision；　〃that

the　filibuster　Perkins；　after　debarking　you　here；　and　taking　the

Excelsior　to　Quinquinambo；　actually　established　the　Quinquinambo

Government；　and　got　Mexico　and　the　other　confederacies　to　recognize

its　independence。　　Quinquinambo　behaved　very　handsomely；　and　not

only　allowed　the　Mexican　Government　indemnity　for　breaking　the

neutrality　of　Todos　Santos　by　the　seizure；　but　even　compromised

with　our　own　Government　their　claim　to　confiscate　the　Excelsior　for

treaty　violation；　and　paid　half　the　value　of　the　vessel；　besides

giving　information　to　Mexico　and　Washington　of　your　whereabouts。

We　consequently　represent　a　joint　commission　from　both　countries　to

settle　the　matter　and　arrange　for　your　return。〃



〃But　what　I　want　to　know　is　this：　Is　it　to　Senor　Perkins　that　we

ought　to　be　thankful　for　seeing　you　here　at　all？〃　asked　Mrs。

Markham　impatiently。



〃No；　nonot　that；　exactly；〃　stammered　Markham。　　〃Oh；　come　now；

Susannah〃



〃No；〃　said　Richard　Keene　earnestly；　〃by　Jove！　some　thanks　ought　to

go　to　Belle　Montgomery〃He　checked　himself　in　sudden　consternation。



There　was　a　chilly　silence。　　Even　Miss　Keene　looked　anxiously　at

her　brother；　as　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Brimmer　for　the　first　time　broke

the　silence。



〃May　we　be　permitted　to　know　who　is　this　person　to　whom　we　owe　so

great　an　obligation？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Brimmer；　〃She　wasas　I　have　already　intimateda

friend；　possibly；　you　know；〃　he　added；　turning　lightly　to　his

companions；　as　if　to　corroborate　an　impression　that　had　just　struck

him；　〃perhaps　aaa　sweetheart　of　the　Senor　Perkins。〃



〃And　how　was　she　so　interested　in　us；　pray？〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；



〃Well；　you　see；　she　had　an　idea　that　a　former　husband　was　on　board

of　the　Excelsior。〃



He　stopped　suddenly；　remembering　from　the　astonished　faces　of　Keene

and　Markham　that　the　secret　was　not　known　to　them；　while　they；

impressed　with　the　belief　that　the　story　was　a　sudden　invention　of

Brimmer's；　with　difficulty　preserved　their　composure。　　But　the

women　were　quick　to　notice　their　confusion；　and　promptly

disbelieved　Brimmer's　explanation。



〃Well；　as　there's　no　Mister　Montgom