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disbelieved　Brimmer's　explanation。



〃Well；　as　there's　no　Mister　Montgomery　here；　she's　probably

mistaken；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　with　decision；　〃though　it　strikes　ME

that　she's　very　likely　had　the　same　delusion　on　board　of　some　other

ship。　　Come　along；　James；　perhaps　after　you've　had　a　bath　and　some

clean　clothes；　you　may　come　out　a　little　more　like　the　man　I　once

knew。　　I　don't　know　how　Mrs。　Brimmer　feels；　but　I　feel　more　as　if　I

required　to　be　introduced　to　youthan　your　friend's　friend；　Mrs。

Montgomery。　　At　any　rate；　try　and　look　and　behave　a　little　more

decent　when　you　go　over　to　the　Presidio。〃



With　these　words　she　dragged　him　away。　　Mr。　Brimmer；　after　a　futile

attempt　to　appear　at　his　ease；　promptly　effected　the　usual　marital

diversion　of　carrying　the　war　into　the　enemy's　camp。



〃For　heaven's　sake；　Barbara；〃　he　said；　with　ostentatious

indignation；　〃go　and　dress　yourself　properly。　　Had　you　neither

money　nor　credit　to　purchase　clothes？　　I　declare　I　didn't　know　you

at　first；　and　when　I　did；　I　was　shocked；　before　Mrs。　Markham；　too！〃



〃Mrs。　Markham；　I　fear；　has　quite　enough　to　occupy　her　now；〃　said

Mrs。　Brimmer　shortly；　as　she　turned　away；　with　hysterically　moist

eyes；　leaving　her　husband　to　follow　her。



Oblivious　of　this　comedy；　Richard　Keene　and　Eleanor　had　already

wandered　back；　hand　in　hand；　to　their　days　of　childhood。　　But　even

in　the　joy　that　filled　the　young　girl's　heart　in　the　presence　of

her　only　kinsman；　there　was　a　strange　reservation。　　The　meeting

that　she　had　looked　forward　to　with　eager　longing　had　brought　all

she　expected；　more　than　that；　it　seemed　to　have　been　providentially

anticipated　at　the　moment　of　her　greatest　need；　and　yet　it　was

incomplete。　　She　was　ashamed　that　after　the　first　recognition；　a

wild　desire　to　run　to　Hurlstone　and　tell　HIM　her　happiness　was　her

only　thought。　　She　was　shocked　that　the　bright　joyous　face　of　this

handsome　lovable　boy　could　not　shut　out　the　melancholy　austere

features　of　Hurlstone；　which　seemed　to　rise　reproachfully　between

them。　　When；　for　the　third　and　fourth　time；　they　had　recounted

their　past　history；　exchanged　their　confidences　and　feelings；　Dick；

passing　his　arm　around　his　sister's　waist；　looked　down　smilingly　in

her　eyes。



〃And　so；　after　all；　little　Nell；　everybody　has　been　good　to　you；

and　you　have　been　happy！〃



〃Everybody　has　been　kind　to　me；　Dick；　far　kinder　than　I　deserved。

Even　if　I　had　really　been　the　great　lady　that　little　Dona　Isabel

thought　I　was；　or　the　important　person　the　Commander　believed　me　to

be；　I　couldn't　have　been　treated　more　kindly。　　I　have　met　with

nothing　but　respect　and　attention。　　I　have　been　very　happy；　Dick；

very　happy。〃



And　with　a　little　cry　she　threw　herself　on　her　brother's　neck　and

burst　into　a　childlike　flood　of　inconsistent　tears。



Meantime　the　news　of　the　arrival　of　the　relief…party　had　penetrated

even　the　peaceful　cloisters　of　the　Mission；　and　Father　Esteban　had

been　summoned　in　haste　to　the　Council。　　He　returned　with　an　eager

face　to　Hurlstone；　who　had　been　anxiously　awaiting　him。　　When　the

Padre　had　imparted　the　full　particulars　of　the　event　to　his

companion；　he　added　gravely；



〃You　see；　my　son；　how　Providence；　which　has　protected　you　since　you

first　claimed　the　Church's　sanctuary；　has　again　interfered　to　spare

me　the　sacrifice　of　using　the　power　of　the　Church　in　purely　mundane

passions。　　I　weekly　accept　the　rebuke　of　His　better…ordained　ways；

and　you；　Diego；　may　comfort　yourself　that　this　girl　is　restored

directly　to　her　brother's　care；　without　any　deviousness　of　plan　or

human　responsibility。　　You　do　not　speak；　my　son！〃　continued　the

priest　anxiously；　〃can　it　be　possible　that；　in　the　face　of　this

gracious　approval　of　Providence　to　your　resolution；　you　are

regretting　it？〃



The　young　man　replied；　with　a　half　reproachful　gesture：



〃Do　you；　then；　think　me　still　so　weak？　　No；　Father　Esteban；　I　have

steeled　myself　against　my　selfishness　for　her　sake。　　I　could　have

resigned　her　to　the　escape　you　had　planned；　believing　her　happier

for　it；　and　ignorant　of　the　real　condition　of　the　man　she　had

learnt　totopity。　　But；〃　he　added；　turning　suddenly　and　almost

rudely　upon　the　priest；　〃do　you　know　the　meaning　of　this　irruption

of　the　outer　world　to　ME？　　Do　you　reflect　that　these　men　probably

know　my　miserable　story？that；　as　one　of　the　passengers　of　the

Excelsior；　they　will　be　obliged　to　seek　me　and　to　restore　me；〃　he

added；　with　a　bitter　laugh；　〃to　MY　home；　MY　kindredto　the　world　I

loathe？〃



〃But　you　need　not　follow　them。　　Remain　here。〃



〃Here！with　the　door　thrown　open　to　any　talebearer　OR　PERHAPS　TO

MY　WIFE　HERSELF？　　Never！　　Hear　me；　Father；〃　he　went　on　hurriedly：

〃these　men　have　come　from　San　Franciscohave　been　to　Mazatlan。

Can　you　believe　that　it　is　possible　that　they　have　never　heard　of

this　woman's　search　for　me？　　No！　　The　quest　of　hate　is　as　strong　as

the　quest　of　love；　and　more　merciless　to　the　hunted。〃



〃But　if　that　were　so；　foolish　boy；　she　would　have　accompanied

them。〃



〃You　are　wrong！　　It　would　have　been　enough　for　her　to　have　sent　my

exposure　by　themto　have　driven　me　from　this　refuge。〃



〃This　is　but　futile　fancy；　Diego；〃　said　Father　Esteban；　with　a

simulated　assurance　he　was　far　from　feeling。　　〃Nothing　has　yet　been

saidnothing　may　be　said。　　Wait；　my　child。〃



〃Wait！〃　he　echoed　bitterly。　　〃Ay；　wait　until　the　poor　girl　shall

hearperhaps　from　her　brother's　lipsthe　story　of　my　marriage　as

bandied　about　by　others；　wait　for　her　to　know　that　the　man　who

would　have　made　her　love　him　was　another's；　and　unworthy　of　her

respect？　　No！　it　is　I　who　must　leave　this　place；　and　at　once。〃



〃YOU？〃　echoed　the　Padre。　　〃How？〃



〃By　the　same　means　you　would　have　used　for　her　departure。　　I　must

take　her　place　in　that　ship　you　are　expecting。　　You　will　give　ME

letters　to　your　friends。　　Perhaps；　when　this　is　over；　I　may　return

if　I　still　live。〃



Padre　Esteban　became　thoughtful。



〃You　will　not　refuse　me？〃　said　the　young　man；　taking　the　Padre's

hand。　　〃It　is　for　the　best；　believe　me。　　I　will　remain　secret　here

until　then。　　You　will　invent　some　excuseillness；　or　what　you

liketo　keep　them　from　penetrating　here。　　Above　all；　to　spare　me

from　the　misery　of　ever　reading　my　secret　in　her　face。〃



Father　Esteban　remained　still　absorbed　in　thought。



〃You　will　take　a　letter　from　me　to　the　Archbishop；　and　put　yourself

under　his　care？〃　he　asked　at　last；　after　a　long　pause。　　〃You　will

promise　me　that？〃



〃I　do！〃



〃Then　we　shall　see　what　can　be　done。　　They　talk；　those　Americanos；〃

continued　the　priest；　〃of　making　their　way　up　the　coast　to　Punta

St。　Jago；　where　the　ship　they　have　already　sent　for　to　take　them

away　can　approach　the　shore；　and　the　Comandante　has　orders　to

furnish　them　escort　and　transport　to　that　point。　　It　is　a　foolish

indiscretion　of　the　Government；　and　I　warrant　without　the　sanction

of　the　Church。　　Already　there　is　curiosity；　discontent；　and　wild

talk　among　the　people。　　Ah！　thou　sayest　truly；　my　son；〃　said　the

old　man；　gloomily；　〃the　doors　of　Todos　Santos　are　open。　　The

Comandante　will　speed　these　heretics　quickly　on　their　way；　but　the

doors　by　which　they　came　and　whence　they　go　will　never　close　again。

But　God's　will　be　done！　　And　if　the　open　doors　bring　thee　back；　my

son；　I　shall　not　question　His　will！〃



It　would　seem；　however；　as　if　Hurlstone's　fears　had　been　groundless。

For　in　the　excitement　of　the　succeeding　days；　and　the　mingling　of

the　party　from　San　Antonio　with　the　new…comers；　the　recluse　had　been

forgotten。　　So　habitual；　had　been　his　isolation　from　the　others；

that；　except　for　the　words　of　praise　and　gratitude　hesitatingly

dropped　by　Miss　Keene　to　her　brother；　his　name　was　not　mentioned；

and　it　might　have　been　possible　for　the　relieving　party　to　have　left

him　behindunnoticed。　　Mr。　Brimmer；　for　domestic　reasons；　was　quite

willing　to　allow　the　episode　of　Miss　Montgomery's　connection　with

their　expedition　to　drop　for　the　present。　　Her　name　was　only

recalled　once　by　Miss　Keene。　　When　Dick　had　professed　a　sudden　and

violent　admiration　for　the　coquettish　Dona　Isabel；　Eleanor　had

looked　up　in　her　brother's　face　with　a　half　troubled　air。



〃Who　was　this　queer　Montgomery　woman；　Dick？〃　she　said。



Dick　laugheda　frank；　reassuring；　heart…free　laugh。



〃Perfectly　stunning；　Nell。　　Such　a　figure　in　tights！　　You　ought　to

have　seen　her　dancemy！〃



〃Hush！　　I　dare　say　she　was　horrid！〃



〃Not　at　all！　　She　wasn't　such　a　bad　fellow；　if　you　left　out　her

poetry　and　gush；　which　I　didn't　go　in　for　much；though　the　other

fellows〃he　stopped；　from　a　sudden　sense　of　loyalty　to　Brimmer　and

Markham。　　〃No；　you　see；　Nell；　she　was　regularly　ridiculously　struck

after　that　man　Perkins；whom　she'd　never　seen；a　kind　of

schoolgirl　worship　for　a　pirate。　　You　know　how　you　women　go　in　for

those　fellows　with　a　mystery　about　'em。〃



〃No；　I　don't！〃　said　Miss　Keene　sharply；　with　a　slight　rise　o