sally dows-第20节

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and　in　the　singular　sadness　that　was　oppressing　him；　he　should　try
to　interest　her。　　And　thus　looking　at　him；　and　wondering；　an　idea
came　to　her。

She　went　into　her　bedroom　and　took　down　her　husband's　heavy　pilot
overcoat　and　sou'wester；　and　handed　them　to　her　guest。

〃You'd　better　put　them　on　if　you're　going　to　stand　there；〃　she
said。

〃But　I　am　not　cold；〃　he　said　wonderingly。

〃But　you　might　be　SEEN；〃　she　said　simply。　　It　was　the　first
suggestion　that　had　passed　between　them　that　his　presence　there　was
a　secret。　　He　looked　at　her　intently；　then　he　smiled　and　said；　〃I
think　you're　right；　for　many　reasons；〃　put　the　pilot　coat　over　his
frock　coat；　removed　his　hat　with　the　gesture　of　a　bow；　handed　it　to
her；　and　placed　the　sou'wester　in　its　stead。　　Then　for　an　instant
he　hesitated　as　if　about　to　speak；　but　Mrs。　Bunker；　with　a　delicacy
that　she　could　not　herself　comprehend　at　the　moment；　hurried　back
to　the　cabin　without　giving　him　an　opportunity。

Nor　did　she　again　intrude　upon　his　meditations。　　Hidden　in　his
disguise；　which　to　her　eyes　did　not；　however；　seem　to　conceal　his
characteristic　figure；　he　wandered　for　nearly　an　hour　under　the
bluff　and　along　the　shore；　returning　at　last　almost　mechanically　to
the　cabin；　where；　oblivious　of　his　surroundings；　he　reseated
himself　in　silence　by　the　table　with　his　cheek　resting　on　his　hand。
Presently；　her　quick；　experienced　ear　detected　the　sound　of　oars　in
their　row…locks；　she　could　plainly　see　from　her　kitchen　window　a
small　boat　with　two　strangers　seated　at　the　stern　being　pulled　to
the　shore。　　With　the　same　strange　instinct　of　delicacy；　she
determined　not　to　go　out　lest　her　presence　might　embarrass　her
guest's　reception　of　his　friends。　　But　as　she　turned　towards　the
living　room　she　found　he　had　already　risen　and　was　removing　his　hat
and　pilot　coat。　　She　was　struck；　however；　by　the　circumstance　that
not　only　did　he　exhibit　no　feeling　of　relief　at　his　deliverance；
but　that　a　half…cynical；　half…savage　expression　had　taken　the　place
of　his　former　melancholy。　　As　he　went　to　the　door；　the　two　gentlemen
hastily　clambered　up　the　rocks　to　greet　him。

〃Jim　reckoned　it　was　you　hangin'　round　the　rocks；　but　I　couldn't
tell　at　that　distance。　　Seemed　you　borrowed　a　hat　and　coat。　　Well
it's　all　fixed；　and　we've　no　time　to　lose。　　There's　a　coasting
steamer　just　dropping　down　below　the　Heads；　and　it　will　take　you
aboard。　　But　I　can　tell　you　you've　kicked　up　a　h…ll　of　a　row　over
there。〃　　He　stopped；　evidently　at　some　sign　from　her　guest。　　The
rest　of　the　man's　speech　followed　in　a　hurried　whisper；　which　was
stopped　again　by　the　voice　she　knew。　　〃No。　　Certainly　not。〃　　The
next　moment　his　tall　figure　was　darkening　the　door　of　the　kitchen；
his　hand　was　outstretched。　　〃Good…by；　Mrs。　Bunker；　and　many　thanks
for　your　hospitality。　　My　friends　here；〃　he　turned　grimly　to　the
men　behind　him；　〃think　I　ought　to　ask　you　to　keep　this　a　secret
even　from　your　husband。　　I　DON'T！　　They　also　think　that　I　ought　to
offer　you　money　for　your　kindness。　　I　DON'T！　　But　if　you　will　honor
me　by　keeping　this　ring　in　remembrance　of　it〃he　took　a　heavy　seal
ring　from　his　finger〃it's　the　only　bit　of　jewelry　I　have　about
meI'll　be　very　glad。　　Good…by！〃　　She　felt　for　a　moment　the　firm；
soft　pressure　of　his　long；　thin　fingers　around　her　own；　and　then
he　was　gone。　　The　sound　of　retreating　oars　grew　fainter　and　fainter
and　was　lost。　　The　same　reserve　of　delicacy　which　now　appeared　to
her　as　a　duty　kept　her　from　going　to　the　window　to　watch　the
destination　of　the　boat。　　No；　he　should　go　as　he　came；　without　her
supervision　or　knowledge。

Nor　did　she　feel　lonely　afterwards。　　On　the　contrary；　the　silence
and　solitude　of　the　isolated　domain　had　a　new　charm。　　They　kept　the
memory　of　her　experience　intact；　and　enabled　her　to　refill　it　with
his　presence。　　She　could　see　his　tall　figure　again　pausing　before
her　cabin；　without　the　incongruous　association　of　another
personality；　she　could　hear　his　voice　again；　unmingled　with　one
more　familiar。　　For　the　first　time；　the　regular　absence　of　her
husband　seemed　an　essential　good　fortune　instead　of　an　accident　of
their　life。　　For　the　experience　belonged　to　HER；　and　not　to　him　and
her　together。　　He　could　not　understand　it；　he　would　have　acted
differently　and　spoiled　it。　　She　should　not　tell　him　anything　of
it；　in　spite　of　the　stranger's　suggestion；　which；　of　course；　he　had
only　made　because　he　didn't　know　Zephas　as　well　as　she　did。　　For
Mrs。　Bunker　was　getting　on　rapidly；　it　was　her　first　admission　of
the　conjugal　knowledge　that　one's　husband　is　inferior　to　the
outside　estimate　of　him。　　The　next　stepthe　belief　that　he　was
deceiving　HER　as　he　was　THEMwould　be　comparatively　easy。

Nor　should　she　show　him　the　ring。　　The　stranger　had　certainly　never
said　anything　about　that！　　It　was　a　heavy　ring；　with　a　helmeted
head　carved　on　its　red　carnelian　stone；　and　what　looked　like
strange　letters　around　it。　　It　fitted　her　third　finger　perfectly；
but　HIS　fingers　were　small；　and　he　had　taken　it　from　his　little
finger。　　She　should　keep　it　herself。　　Of　course；　if　it　had　been
money；　she　would　have　given　it　to　Zephas；　but　the　stranger　knew
that　she　wouldn't　take　money。　　How　firmly　he　had　said　that　〃I
don't！〃　　She　felt　the　warm　blood　fly　to　her　fresh　young　face　at　the
thought　of　it。　　He　had　understood　her。　　She　might　be　living　in　a
poor　cabin；　doing　all　the　housework　herself；　and　her　husband　only　a
fisherman；　but　he　had　treated　her　like　a　lady。

And　so　the　afternoon　passed。　　The　outlying　fog　began　to　roll　in　at
the　Golden　Gate；　obliterating　the　headland　and　stretching　a　fleecy
bar　across　the　channel　as　if　shutting　out　from　vulgar　eyes　the　way
that　he　had　gone。　　Night　fell；　but　Zephas　had　not　yet　come。　　This
was　unusual；　for　he　was　generally　as　regular　as　the　afternoon
〃trades〃　which　blew　him　there。　　There　was　nothing　to　detain　him　in
this　weather　and　at　this　season。　　She　began　to　be　vaguely　uneasy；
then　a　little　angry　at　this　new　development　of　his　incompatibility。
Then　it　occurred　to　her；　for　the　first　time　in　her　wifehood；　to
think　what　she　would　do　if　he　were　lost。　　Yet；　in　spite　of　some
pain；　terror；　and　perplexity　at　the　possibility；　her　dominant
thought　was　that　she　would　be　a　free　woman　to　order　her　life　as　she
liked。

It　was　after　ten　before　his　lateen　sail　flapped　in　the　little　cove。
She　was　waiting　to　receive　him　on　the　shore。　　His　good…humored
hirsute　face　was　slightly　apologetic　in　expression；　but　flushed　and
disturbed　with　some　new　excitement　to　which　an　extra　glass　or　two
of　spirits　had　apparently　added　intensity。　　The　contrast　between
his　evident　indulgence　and　the　previous　abstemiousness　of　her　late
guest　struck　her　unpleasantly。　　〃WellI　declare；〃　she　said
indignantly；　〃so　THAT'S　what　kept　you！〃

〃No；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃there's　been　awful　times　over　in　'Frisco！
Everybody　just　wild；　and　the　Vigilance　Committee　in　session。　　Jo
Henderson's　killed！　　Shot　by　Wynyard　Marion　in　a　duel！　　He'll　be
lynched；　sure　as　a　gun；　if　they　ketch　him。〃

〃But　I　thought　men　who　fought　duels　always　went　free。〃

〃Yes；　but　this　ain't　no　common　duel；　they　say　the　whole　thing　was
planned　beforehand　by　them　Southern　fire…eaters　to　get　rid　o'
Henderson　because　he's　a　Northern　man　and　anti…slavery；　and　that
they　picked　out　Colonel　Marion　to　do　it　because　he　was　a　dead　shot。
They　got　him　to　insult　Henderson；　so　he　was　bound　to　challenge
Marion；　and　that　giv'　Marion　the　chyce　of　weppings。　　It　was　a
reg'lar　put　up　job　to　kill　him。〃

〃And　what's　all　this　to　do　with　you？〃　she　asked；　with　irritation。

〃Hold　on；　won't　you！　and　I'll　tell　you。　　I　was　pickin'　up　nets　off
Saucelito　about　noon；　when　I　was　hailed　by　one　of　them　Vigilance
tugs；　and　they　set　me　to　stand　off　and　on　the　shore　and　watch　that
Marion　didn't　get　away；　while　they　were　scoutin'　inland。　　Ye　see
THE　DUEL　TOOK　PLACE　JUST　OVER　THE　BLUFF　THEREBEHIND　YEand　they
allowed　that　Marion　had　struck　away　north　for　Mendocino　to　take
ship　there。　　For　after　overhaulin'　his　second's　boat；　they　found
out　that　they　had　come　away　from　Saucelito　ALONE。　　But　they　sent　a
tug　around　by　sea　to　Mendocino　to　head　him　off　there；　while　they're
closin'　in　around　him　inland。　　They're　bound　to　catch　him　sooner　or
later。　　But　you　ain't　listenin'；　Mollie？〃

She　wasin　every　fibrebut　with　her　head　turned　towards　the
window；　and　the　invisible　Golden　Gate　through　which　the　fugitive
had　escaped。　　For　she　saw　it　all　nowthat　glorious　visionher
high…bred；　handsome　guest　and　Wynyard　Marion　were　one　and　the　same
person。　　And　this　rough；　commonplace　man　before　herher　own
husbandhad　been　basely　set　to　capture　him！


PART　II。


During　that　evening　and　the　next　Mrs。　Bunker；　without　betraying　her
secret；　or　exciting　the　least　suspicion　on　the　part　of　her　husband；
managed　to　extract　from　him　not　only　a　rough　description　of　Marion
which　tallied　with　her　own　impressions；　but　a　short　history　of　his
career。　　He　was　a　famous　politician　who　had　held　high　office　in　the
South；　he　was　an　accomplished　lawyer；　he　had　served　in　the　army；　he
was　a　fiery　speaker；　he　had　a　singular　command　of　men。　　He　was
unmarried；　but　there　were　queer　stories　of　his　relations　with　some
of　the　wives　of　prominent