sally dows-第21节

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unmarried；　but　there　were　queer　stories　of　his　relations　with　some
of　the　wives　of　prominent　officials；　and　there　was　no　doubt　that　he
used　them　in　some　of　his　political　intrigues。　　He；　Zephas；　would
bet　something　that　it　was　a　woman　who　had　helped　him　off！　　Did　she
speak？

Yes；　she　had　spoken。　　It　made　her　sick　to　sit　there　and　hear　such
stories！　　Because　a　man　did　not　agree　with　some　people　in　politics
it　was　perfectly　awful　to　think　how　they　would　abuse　him　and　take
away　his　character！　　Men　were　so　awfully　jealous；　too；　if　another
man　happened　to　be　superior　and　fine…looking　there　wasn't　anything
bad　enough　for　them　to　say　about　him！　　No！　she　wasn't　a　slavery
sympathizer　either；　and　hadn't　anything　to　do　with　man　politics；
although　she　was　a　Southern　woman；　and　the　MacEwans　had　come　from
Kentucky　and　owned　slaves。　　Of　course；　he；　Zephas；　whose　ancestors
were　Cape　Cod　Quakers　and　had　always　been　sailors；　couldn't
understand。　　She　did　not　know　what　he　meant　by　saying　〃what　a　long
tail　our　cat's　got；〃　but　if　he　meant　to　call　her　a　cat；　and　was
going　to　use　such　language　to　her；　he　had　better　have　stayed　in　San
Francisco　with　his　Vigilance　friends。　　And　perhaps　it　would　have
been　better　if　he　had　stayed　there　before　he　took　her　away　from　her
parents　at　Martinez。　　Then　she　wouldn't　have　been　left　on　a　desert
rock　without　any　chance　of　seeing　the　world；　or　ever　making　any
friends　or　acquaintances！

It　was　their　first　quarrel。　　Discreetly　made　up　by　Mrs。　Bunker　in
some　alarm　at　betraying　herself；　honestly　forgiven　by　Zephas　in　a
rude；　remorseful　consciousness　of　her　limited　life。　　One　or　two
nights　later；　when　he　returned；　it　was　with　a　mingled　air　of
mystery　and　satisfaction。　　〃Well；　Mollie；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　〃it
looks　as　if　your　pets　were　not　as　bad　as　I　thought　them。〃

〃My　pets！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Bunker；　with　a　faint　rising　of　color。

〃Well；　I　call　these　Southern　Chivs　your　pets；　Mollie；　because　you
stuck　up　for　them　so　the　other　night。　　But　never　mind　that　now。
What　do　you　suppose　has　happened？　　Jim　Rider；　you　know；　the
Southern　banker　and　speculator；　who's　a　regular　big　Injin　among　the
'Chivs；'　he　sent　Cap　Simmons　down　to　the　wharf　while　I　was
unloadin'　to　come　up　and　see　him。　　Well；　I　went；　and　what　do　y'u
think？　　He　told　me　he　was　gettin'　up　an　American　Fishin'　Company；
and　wanted　me　to　take　charge　of　a　first…class　schooner　on　shares。
Said　he　heard　of　me　afore；　and　knew　I　was　an　American　and　a　white
man；　and　just　the　chap　ez　could　knock　them　Eytalians　outer　the
market。〃

〃Yes；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Bunker　quickly；　but　emphatically；　〃the
fishing　interest　ought　to　be　American　and　protected　by　the　State；
with　regular　charters　and　treaties。〃

〃I　say；　Mollie；〃　said　her　astonished　but　admiring　husband；　〃you've
been　readin'　the　papers　or　listenin'　to　stump　speakin'　sure。〃

〃Go　on；〃　returned　Mrs。　Bunker　impatiently；　〃and　say　what　happened
next。〃

〃Well；〃　returned　Zephas；　〃I　first　thought；　you　see；　that　it　had
suthin'　to　do　with　that　Marion　business；　particklerly　ez　folks
allowed　he　was　hidin'　somewhere　yet；　and　they　wanted　me　to　run　him
off。　　So　I　thought　Rider　might　as　well　know　that　I　wasn't　to　be
bribed；　so　I　ups　and　tells　him　how　I'd　been　lyin'　off　Saucelito　the
other　day　workin'　for　the　other　side　agin　him。　　With　that　he
laughs；　says　he　didn't　want　any　better　friends　than　me；　but　that　I
must　be　livin'　in　the　backwoods　not　to　know　that　Wynyard　Marion　had
escaped；　and　was　then　at　sea　on　his　way　to　Mexico　or　Central
America。　　Then　we　agreed　to　terms；　and　the　long　and　short　of　it　is；
Mollie；　that　I'm　to　have　the　schooner　with　a　hundred　and　fifty
dollars　a　month；　and　ten　per　cent。　shares　after　a　year！　　Looks　like
biz；　eh；　Mollie；　old　girl？　but　you　don't　seem　pleased。〃

She　had　put　aside　the　arm　with　which　he　was　drawing　her　to　him；　and
had　turned　her　white　face　away　to　the　window。　　So　HE　had　gonethis
strangerthis　one　friend　of　her　lifeshe　would　never　see　him
again；　and　all　that　would　ever　come　of　it　was　this　pecuniary
benefit　to　her　husband；　who　had　done　nothing。　　He　would　not　even
offer　her　money；　but　he　had　managed　to　pay　his　debt　to　her　in　this
way　that　their　vulgar　poverty　would　appreciate。　　And　this　was　the
end　of　her　dream！

〃You　don't　seem　to　take　it　in；　Mollie；〃　continued　the　surprised
Zephas。　　〃It　means　a　house　in　'Frisco　and　a　little　cabin　for　you　on
the　schooner　when　you　like。〃

〃I　don't　want　it！　　I　won't　have　it！　　I　shall　stay　here；〃　she　burst
out　with　a　half…passionate；　half…childish　cry；　and　ran　into　her
bedroom；　leaving　the　astonished　Zephas　helpless　in　his　awkward
consternation。

〃By　Gum！　　I　must　take　her　to　'Frisco　right　off；　or　she'll　be　havin'
the　high　strikes　here　alone。　　I　oughter　knowed　it　would　come　to
this！〃　　But　although　he　consulted　〃Cap〃　Simmons　the　next　day；　who
informed　him　it　was　all　woman's　ways　when　〃struck；〃　and　advised　him
to　pay　out　all　the　line　he　could　at　such　delicate　moments；　she　had
no　recurrence　of　the　outbreak。　　On　the　contrary；　for　days　and　weeks
following　she　seemed　calmer；　older；　and　more　〃growed　up；〃　although
she　resisted　changing　her　seashore　dwelling　for　San　Francisco；　she
accompanied　him　on　one　or　two　of　his　〃deep　sea〃　trips　down　the
coast；　and　seemed　happier　on　their　southern　limits。　　She　had　taken
to　reading　the　political　papers　and　speeches；　and　some　cheap
American　histories。　　Captain　Bunker's　crew；　profoundly　convinced
that　their　skipper's　wife　was　a　〃woman's　rights〃　fanatic；　with　the
baleful　qualities　of　〃sea　lawyer〃　superadded；　marveled　at　his
bringing　her。

It　was　on　returning　home　from　one　of　these　trips　that　they　touched
briefly　at　San　Francisco；　where　the　Secretary　of　the　Fishing
Company　came　on　board。　　Mrs。　Bunker　was　startled　to　recognize　in
him　one　of　the　two　gentlemen　who　had　taken　Mr。　Marion　off　in　the
boat；　but　as　he　did　not　appear　to　recognize　her　even　after　an
awkward　introduction　by　her　husband；　she　would　have　recovered　her
equanimity　but　for　a　singular　incident。　　As　her　husband　turned
momentarily　away；　the　Secretary；　with　a　significant　gesture；
slipped　a　letter　into　her　hand。　　She　felt　the　blood　rush　to　her
face　as；　with　a　smile；　he　moved　away　to　follow　her　husband。　　She
came　down　to　the　little　cabin　and　impatiently　tore　open　the
envelope；　which　bore　no　address。　　A　small　folded　note　contained　the
following　lines：


〃I　never　intended　to　burden　you　with　my　confidence；　but　the
discretion；　tact；　and　courage　you　displayed　on　our　first　meeting；
and　what　I　know　of　your　loyalty　since；　have　prompted　me　to　trust
myself　again　to　your　kindness；　even　though　you　are　now　aware　whom
you　have　helped；　and　the　risks　you　ran。　　My　friends　wish　to
communicate　with　me　and　to　forward　to　me；　from　time　to　time；
certain　papers　of　importance；　which；　owing　to　the　tyrannical
espionage　of　the　Government；　would　be　discovered　and　stopped　in
passing　through　the　express　or　post…office。　　These　papers　will　be
left　at　your　house；　but　here　I　must　trust　entirely　to　your　wit　and
judgment　as　to　the　way　in　which　they　should　be　delivered　to　my
agent　at　the　nearest　Mexican　port。　　To　facilitate　your　action；　your
husband　will　receive　directions　to　pursue　his　course　as　far　south
as　Todos　Santos；　where　a　boat　will　be　ready　to　take　charge　of　them
when　he　is　sighted。　　I　know　I　am　asking　a　great　favor；　but　I　have
such　confidence　in　you　that　I　do　not　even　ask　you　to　commit
yourself　to　a　reply　to　this。　　If　it　can　be　done　I　know　that　you
will　do　it；　if　it　cannot；　I　will　understand　and　appreciate　the
reason　why。　　I　will　only　ask　you　that　when　you　are　ready　to　receive
the　papers　you　will　fly　a　small　red　pennant　from　the　little
flagstaff　among　the　rocks。　　Believe　me；　your　friend　and　grateful
debtor；

〃W。　M。〃


Mrs。　Bunker　cast　a　hasty　glance　around　her；　and　pressed　the　letter
to　her　lips。　　It　was　a　sudden　consummation　of　her　vaguest；　half…
formed　wishes；　the　realization　of　her　wildest　dreams！　　To　be　the
confidante　of　the　gallant　but　melancholy　hero　in　his　lonely　exile
and　persecution　was　to　satisfy　all　the　unformulated　romantic
fancies　of　her　girlish　reading；　to　be　later；　perhaps；　the　Flora
Macdonald　of　a　middle…aged　Prince　Charlie　did　not；　however；　evoke
any　ludicrous　associations　in　her　mind。　　Her　feminine　fancy　exalted
the　escaped　duelist　and　alleged　assassin　into　a　social　martyr。　　His
actual　small　political　intrigues　and　ignoble　aims　of　office　seemed
to　her　little　different　from　those　aspirations　of　royalty　which　she
had　read　aboutas　perhaps　they　were。　　Indeed；　it　is　to　be　feared
that　in　foolish　little　Mrs。　Bunker；　Wynyard　Marion　had　found　the
old　feminine　adoration　of　pretension　and　privilege　which　every
rascal　has　taken　advantage　of　since　the　flood。

Howbeit；　the　next　morning　after　she　had　returned　and　Zephas　had
sailed　away；　she　flew　a　red　bandana　handkerchief　on　the　little
flagstaff　before　the　house。　　A　few　hours　later；　a　boat　appeared
mysteriously　from　around　the　Point。　　Its　only　occupanta　common
sailorasked　her　name；　and　handed　her　a　sealed　package。　　Mrs。
Bunker's　invention　had　already　been　at　work。　　She　had　created　an
aunt　in　Mexico；　for　whom　she　had；　with　some　ostentation；　made　some
small　purchases　while　in　San　Francisco。　　When　her　husband　spoke　of
going　as　f