sally dows-第22节

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small　purchases　while　in　San　Francisco。　　When　her　husband　spoke　of
going　as　far　south　as　Todos　Santos；　she　begged　him　to　deliver　the
parcel　to　her　aunt's　messenger；　and　even　addressed　it　boldly　to
her。　　Inside　the　outer　wrapper　she　wrote　a　note　to　Marion；　which；
with　a　new　and　amazing　diffidence；　she　composed　and　altered　a　dozen
times；　at　last　addressing　the　following　in　a　large；　school…girl
hand：　〃Sir；　I　obey　your　commands　to　the　last。　　Whatever　your
oppressors　or　enemies　may　do；　you　can　always　rely　and　trust　upon
She　who　in　deepest　sympathy　signs　herself　ever；　Mollie　Rosalie
MacEwan。〃　　The　substitution　of　her　maiden　name　in　full　seemed　in
her　simplicity　to　be　a　delicate　exclusion　of　her　husband　from　the
affair；　and　a　certain　disguise　of　herself　to　alien　eyes。　　The
superscription；　〃To　Mrs。　Marion　MacEwan　from　Mollie　Bunker；　to　be
called　for　by　hand　at　Todos　Santos；〃　also　struck　her　as　a　marvel　of
ingenuity。　　The　package　was　safely　and　punctually　delivered　by
Zephas；　who　brought　back　a　small　packet　directed　to　her；　which　on
private　examination　proved　to　contain　a　letter　addressed　to　〃J。　E。
Kirby；　to　be　called　for；〃　with　the　hurried　line：　〃A　thousand
thanks；　W。　M。〃　　Mrs。　Bunker　drew　a　long；　quick　breath。　　He　might
have　written　more；　he　might　havebut　the　wish　remained　still
unformulated。　　The　next　day　she　ran　up　a　signal；　the　same　boat　and
solitary　rower　appeared　around　the　Point；　and　took　the　package。　　A
week　later；　when　her　husband　was　ready　for　sea；　she　again　hoisted
her　signal。　　It　brought　a　return　package　for　Mexico；　which　she
inclosed　and　readdressed；　and　gave　to　her　husband。　　The　recurrence
of　this　incident　apparently　struck　a　bright　idea　from　the　simple
Zephas。

〃Look　here；　Mollie；　why　don't　you　come　YOURSELF　and　see　your　aunt。
I　can't　go　into　port　without　a　license；　and　them　port　charges　cost
a　heap　o'　red　tape；　for　they've　got　a　Filibuster　scare　on　down
there　just　now；　but　you　can　go　ashore　in　the　boat　and　I'll　get
permission　from　the　Secretary　to　stand　off　and　wait　for　you　there
for　twenty…four　hours。〃　　Mrs。　Bunker　flushed　and　paled　at　the
thought。　　She　could　see　him！　　The　letter　would　be　sufficient
excuse；　the　distrust　suggested　by　her　husband　would　give　color　to
her　delivering　it　in　person。　　There　was　perhaps　a　brief　twinge　of
conscience　in　taking　this　advantage　of　Zephas'　kindness；　but　the
next　moment；　with　that　peculiar　logic　known　only　to　the　sex；　she
made　the　unfortunate　man's　suggestion　a　condonation　of　her　deceit。
SHE　hadn't　asked　to　go；　HE　had　offered　to　take　her。　　He　had　only
himself　to　thank。

Meantime　the　political　excitement　in　which　she　had　become　a
partisan　without　understanding　or　even　conviction；　presently
culminated　with　the　Presidential　campaign　and　the　election　of
Abraham　Lincoln。　　The　intrigues　of　Southern　statesmen　were　revealed
in　open　expression；　and　echoed　in　California　by　those　citizens　of
Southern　birth　and　extraction　who　had　long；　held　place；　power；　and
opinion　there。　　There　were　rumors　of　secession；　of　California
joining　the　South；　or　of　her　founding　an　independent　Pacific
Empire。　　A　note　from　〃J。　E。　Kirby〃　informed　Mrs。　Bunker　that　she
was　to　carefully　retain　any　correspondence　that　might　be　in　her
hands　until　further　orders；　almost　at　the　same　time　that　Zephas　as
regretfully　told　her　that　his　projected　Southern　trip　had　been
suspended。　　Mrs。　Bunker　was　disappointed；　and　yet；　in　some　singular
conditions　of　her　feelings；　felt　relieved　that　her　meeting　with
Marion　was　postponed。　　It　is　to　be　feared　that　some　dim　conviction；
unworthy　a　partisan；　that　in　the　magnitude　of　political　events　her
own　petty　personality　might　be　overlooked　by　her　hero　tended
somewhat　to　her　resignation。

Meanwhile　the　seasons　had　changed。　　The　winter　rains　had　set　in；
the　trade　winds　had　shifted　to　the　southeast；　and　the　cottage；
although　strengthened；　enlarged；　and　made　more　comfortable　through
the　good　fortunes　of　the　Bunkers；　was　no　longer　sheltered　by　the
cliff；　but　was　exposed　to　the　full　strength　of　the　Pacific　gales。
There　were　long　nights　when　she　could　hear　the　rain　fall　monotonously
on　the　shingles；　or　startle　her　with　a　short；　sharp　reveille　en　the
windows；　there　were　brief　days　of　flying　clouds　and　drifting
sunshine；　and　intervals　of　dull　gray　shadow；　when　the　heaving　white
breakers　beyond　the　Gate　slowly　lifted　themselves　and　sank　before
her　like　wraiths　of　warning。　　At　such　times；　in　her　accepted
solitude；　Mrs。　Bunker　gave　herself　up　to　strange　moods　and　singular
visions；　the　more　audacious　and　more　striking　it　seemed　to　her　from
their　very　remoteness；　and　the　difficulty　she　was　beginning　to　have
in　materializing　them。　　The　actual　personality　of　Wynyard　Marion；　as
she　knew　it　in　her　one　interview；　had　become　very　shadowy　and　faint
in　the　months　that　passed；　yet　when　the　days　were　heavy　she
sometimes　saw　herself　standing　by　his　side　in　some　vague　tropical
surroundings；　and　hailed　by　the　multitude　as　the　faithful　wife　and
consort　of　the　great　Leader；　President；　Emperorshe　knew　not　what！
Exactly　how　this　was　to　be　managed；　and　the　manner　of　Zephas'
effacement　from　the　scene；　never　troubled　her　childish　fancy；　and；
it　is　but　fair　to　say；　her　woman's　conscience。　　In　the　logic　before
alluded　to；　it　seemed　to　her　that　all　ethical　responsibility　for　her
actions　rested　with　the　husband　who　had　unduly　married　her。　　Nor
were　those　visions　always　roseate。　　In　the　wild　declamation　of　that
exciting　epoch　which　filled　the　newspapers　there　was　talk　of　short
shrift　with　traitors。　　So　there　were　days　when　the　sudden　onset　of　a
squall　of　hail　against　her　window　caused　her　to　start　as　if　she　had
heard　the　sharp　fusillade　of　that　file　of　muskets　of　which　she　had
sometimes　read　in　history。

One　day　she　had　a　singular　fright。　　She　had　heard　the　sound　of　oars
falling　with　a　precision　and　regularity　unknown　to　her。　　She　was
startled　to　see　the　approach　of　a　large　eight…oared　barge　rowed　by
men　in　uniform；　with　two　officers　wrapped　in　cloaks　in　the　stern
sheets；　and　before　them　the　glitter　of　musket　barrels。　　The　two
officers　appeared　to　be　conversing　earnestly；　and　occasionally
pointing　to　the　shore　and　the　bluff　above。　　For　an　instant　she
trembled；　and　then　an　instinct　of　revolt　and　resistance　followed。
She　hurriedly　removed　the　ring；　which　she　usually　wore　when　alone；
from　her　finger；　slipped　it　with　the　packet　under　the　mattress　of
her　bed；　and　prepared　with　blazing　eyes　to　face　the　intruders。　　But
when　the　boat　was　beached；　the　two　officers；　with　scarcely　a　glance
towards　the　cottage；　proceeded　leisurely　along　the　shore。　　Relieved；
yet　it　must　be　confessed　a　little　piqued　at　their　indifference；　she
snatched　up　her　hat　and　sallied　forth　to　confront　them。

〃I　suppose　you　don't　know　that　this　is　private　property？〃　she　said
sharply。

The　group　halted　and　turned　towards　her。　　The　orderly；　who　was
following；　turned　his　face　aside　and　smiled。　　The　younger　officer
demurely　lifted　his　cap。　　The　elder；　gray；　handsome；　in　a　general's
uniform；　after　a　moment's　half…astounded；　half…amused　scrutiny　of
the　little　figure；　gravely　raised　his　gauntleted　fingers　in　a
military　salute。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　madam；　but　I　am　afraid　we　never　even　thought　of
that。　　We　are　making　a　preliminary　survey　for　the　Government　with　a
possible　view　of　fortifying　the　bluff。　　It　is　very　doubtful　if　you
will　be　disturbed　in　any　rights　you　may　have；　but　if　you　are；　the
Government　will　not　fail　to　make　it　good　to　you。〃　　He　turned
carelessly　to　the　aide　beside　him。　　〃I　suppose　the　bluff　is　quite
inaccessible　from　here？〃

〃I　don't　know　about　that；　general。　　They　say　that　Marion；　after　he
killed　Henderson；　escaped　down　this　way；〃　said　the　young　man。

〃Indeed；　what　good　was　that？　　How　did　he　get　away　from　here？〃

〃They　say　that　Mrs。　Fairfax　was　hanging　round　in　a　boat；　waiting
for　him。　　The　story　of　the　escape　is　all　out　now。〃

They　moved　away　with　a　slight　perfunctory　bow　to　Mrs。　Bunker；　only
the　younger　officer　noting　that　the　pert；　pretty　little　Western
woman　wasn't　as　sharp　and　snappy　to　his　superior　as　she　had　at
first　promised　to　be。

She　turned　back　to　the　cottage　astounded；　angry；　and　vaguely
alarmed。　　Who　was　this　Mrs。　Fairfax　who　had　usurped　her　fame　and
solitary　devotion？　　There　was　no　woman　in　the　boat　that　took　him
off；　it　was　equally　well　known　that　he　went　in　the　ship　alone。　　If
they　had　heard　that　some　woman　was　with　him　herewhy　should　they
have　supposed　it　was　Mrs。　Fairfax？　　Zephas　might　know　something
but　he　was　away。　　The　thought　haunted　her　that　day　and　the　next。
On　the　third　came　a　more　startling　incident。

She　had　been　wandering　along　the　edge　of　her　domain　in　a　state　of
restlessness　which　had　driven　her　from　the　monotony　of　the　house
when　she　heard　the　barking　of　the　big　Newfoundland　dog　which　Zephas
had　lately　bought　for　protection　and　company。　　She　looked　up　and
saw　the　boat　and　its　solitary　rower　at　the　landing。　　She　ran
quickly　to　the　house　to　bring　the　packet。　　As　she　entered　she
started　back　in　amazement。　　For　the　sitting…room　was　already　in
possession　of　a　woman　who　was　seated　calmly　by　the　table。

The　stranger　turned　on　Mrs。　Bunker　that　frankly　insolent　glance　and
deliberate　examination　whic