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for。〃
Rosita had become slightly pale again in the presence of her
friend。 Joan quietly pushed Ezekiel aside and put her arm around
her。 〃Are you frightened again？〃 she asked； in a low whisper。
〃Not mooch；〃 returned Rosita； without lifting her eyes。
〃It was only some peon； trespassing to pick blossoms for his
sweetheart；〃 she said significantly； with a glance towards Ezekiel。
〃Let us go in。〃
She passed her hand through Rosita's passive arm and led her
towards the house； Ezekiel's penetrating eyes still following
Rosita with an expression of gratified doubt。
For once； however； that astute observer was wrong。 When Mrs。
Demorest had reached the house she slipped into her own room； and；
bolting the door； drew from her bosom a letter which SHE had picked
from the cactus thorn； and read it with a flushed face and eager
eyes。
It may have been the effect of the phenomenal weather； but the next
day a malign influence seemed to pervade the Demorest household。
Dona Rosita was confined to her room by an attack of languid
nerves； superinduced； as she was still voluble enough to declare；
by the narcotic effect of some unknown herb which the lunatic
Ezekiel had no doubt mysteriously administered to her with a view
of experimenting on its properties。 She even avowed that she must
speedily return to Los Osos； before Ezekiel should further
compromise her reputation by putting her on a colored label in
place of the usual Celestial Distributer of the Panacea。 Ezekiel
himself； who had been singularly abstracted and reticent； and had
absolutely foregone one or two opportunities of disagreeable
criticism； had gone to the pueblo early that morning。 The house
was comparatively silent and deserted when Demorest walked into his
wife's boudoir。
It was a pretty room； looking upon the garden； furnished with a
singular mingling of her own inherited formal tastes and the more
sensuous coloring and abandon of her new life。 There were a great
many rugs and hangings scattered in disorder around the room； and
apparently purposeless； except for color； there was a bamboo lounge
as large as a divan； with two or three cushions disposed on it； and
a low chair that seemed the incarnation of indolence。 Opposed to
this； on the wall； was the rigid picture of her grandfather； who
had apparently retired with his volume further into the canvas
before the spectacle of this ungodly opulence； a large Bible on a
funereal trestle…like stand； and the primmest and barest of
writing…tables； before which she was standing as at a sacrificial
altar。 With an almost mechanical movement she closed her portfolio
as her husband entered； and also shut the lid of a small box with a
slight snap。 This suggested exclusion of him from her previous
occupation； whatever it might have been； caused a faint shadow of
pain to pass across his loving eyes。 He cast a glance at his wife
as if mutely asking her to sit beside him； but she drew a chair to
the table； and with her elbow resting on the box； resignedly
awaited his speech。
〃I don't mean to disturb you； darling；〃 he said； gently； 〃but as we
were alone； I thought we might have one of our old…fashioned talks；
and〃
〃Don't let it be so old…fashioned as to include North Liberty
again；〃 she interrupted； wearily。 〃We've had quite enough of that
since I returned。〃
〃I thought you found fault with me then for forgetting the past。
But let that pass； dear； it is not OUR affairs I wanted to talk to
you about now；〃 he said； stifling a sigh； 〃it's about your friend。
Please don't misunderstand what I am going to say； nor that I
interpose except from necessity。〃
She turned her dark brown eyes in his direction； but her glance
passed abstractedly over his head into the garden。
〃It's a matter perfectly well known to meand； I fear； to all our
servants alsothat somebody is making clandestine visits to our
garden。 I would not trouble you before； until I ascertained the
object of these visits。 It is quite plain to me now that Dona
Rosita is that object； and that communications are secretly carried
on between her and some unknown stranger。 He has been here once or
twice before； he was here again yesterday。 Ezekiel saw him and saw
her。〃
〃Together？〃 asked Mrs。 Demorest； sharply。
〃No； but it was evident that there was some understanding； and that
some communication passed between them。〃
〃Well？〃 said Mrs。 Demorest； with repressed impatience。
〃It is equally evident； Joan； that this stranger is a man who does
not dare to approach your friend in her own house； nor more openly
in this； but who； with her connivance； uses us to carry on an
intrigue which may be perfectly innocent； but is certainly
compromising to all concerned。 I am quite willing to believe that
Dona Rosita is only romantic and reckless； but that will not
prevent her from becoming a dupe of some rascal who dare not face
us openly； and who certainly does not act as her equal。〃
〃Well； Rosita is no chicken； and you are not her guardian。〃
There was a vague heartlessness； more in her voice than in her
words； that touched him as her cold indifference to himself had
never done； and for an instant stung his crushed spirit to revolt。
〃No〃 he said； sternly； 〃but I am her father's FRIEND； and I shall
not allow his daughter to be compromised under my roof。〃
Her eyes sprang up to meet his in hatred as promptly as they once
had met in love。 〃And since when； Richard Demorest； have you
become so particular？〃 she began； with dry asperity。 〃Since you
lured ME from the side of my wedded husband？ Since you met ME
clandestinely in trains and made love to ME under an assumed name？
Since you followed ME to my house under the pretext of being my
husband's friend； and forced meyes； forced meto see you
secretly under my mother's roof？ Did you think of compromising ME
then？ Did you think of ruining my reputation； of driving my
husband from his home in despair？ Did you call yourself a rascal
then？ Did you〃
〃Stop！〃 he said； in a voice that shook the rafters； 〃I command you；
stop！〃
She had gradually worked herself from a deliberately insulting
precision into an hysterical； and it is to be feared a virtuous；
conviction of her wrongs。 Beginning only with the instinct to
taunt and wound the man before her； she had been led by a secret
consciousness of something else he did not know to anticipate his
reproach and justify herself in a wild feminine abandonment of
emotion。 But she stopped at his words。 For a moment she was even
thrilled again by the strength and imperiousness she had loved。
They were facing each other after five years of mistaken passion；
even as they had faced each other that night in her mother's
kitchen。 But the grave of that dead passion yawned between them。
It was Joan who broke the silence； that after her single outburst
seemed to fill and oppress the room。
〃As far as Rosita is concerned；〃 she said； with affected calmness；
〃she is going to…night。 And you probably will not be troubled any
longer by your mysterious visitor。〃
Whether he heeded the sarcastic significance of her last sentence；
or even heard her at all； he did not reply。 For a moment he turned
his blazing eyes full upon her； and then without a word strode from
the room。
She walked to the door and stood uneasily listening in the passage
until she heard the clatter of hoofs in the paved patio； and knew
that he had ordered his horse。 Then she turned back relieved to
her room。
It was already sunset when Demorest drew rein again at the entrance
of the corral； and the last stroke of the Angelus was ringing from
the Mission tower。 He looked haggard and exhausted； and his horse
was flecked with foam and dirt。 Wherever he had been； or for what
object； or whether； objectless and dazed； he had simply sought to
lose himself in aimlessly wandering over the dry yellow hills or in
careering furiously among his own wild cattle on the arid； brittle
plain； whether he had beaten all thought from his brain with the
jarring leap of his horse； or whether he had pursued some vague and
elusive determination to his own door； is not essential to this
brief chronicle。 Enough that wh