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succeeded in fixin' it up with Dona Rosita to take her place and just
sell them robbers cheap！ Wa'al； ma'am； yer sold this yer party；
toofor〃he advanced his face close to hers〃I never let on a
word； though I knew it； and although they nearly knocked me off my
hoss in their fuss and fury。 Ha！ ha！ They wanted to know what I
was doin' here； he…he！ Tell 'em； Joan； tell 'em。〃
Demorest gazed from one to another with a troubled face； yet one on
which a faint relief was breaking。
〃What does he mean； Joan？ Speak；〃 he said； almost imploringly。
Joan； whose color was slightly returning； drew herself up with her
old cold Puritan precision。
〃After the scene you made this morning； Richard； when you chose to
accuse your wife of unfaithfulness to her friend； her guest； and
even your reputation； I resolved to go myself with Dona Rosita to
Los Osos and explain the matter to her father。 Some rumor of the
ridiculous farce I have just witnessed reached us through Ezekiel；
and frightened the poor girl so that she declinedand properly； too
to face the hoax which you and some nameless impersonator of a
disgraced fugitive have gotten up for purposes of your own！ I wish
you joy of your work！ If the play is over now； I presume I may be
allowed to proceed on my journey？〃
〃Not yet；〃 said Demorest slowly； with a face over which the chasing
doubts had at last settled in a grayish pallor。 〃Believe what you
like； misunderstand me if you will； laugh at the danger you perhaps
comprehend better than I do； but upon this road； wherever or to
whatever it was leading youto…night you go no further！〃
〃Then I suppose I may return home；〃 she said coldly。 〃Ezekiel will
accompany me back to protect me fromrobbers。 Come； Ezekiel。
Mr。 Demorest and his friends can be safely trusted to take care of
your horse。〃
And as the grinning Ezekiel sprang into the carriage beside her； she
pulled up the glass in the fateful and set face of her once trusting
husband； the carriage turned and drove off； leaving him like a statue
in the road。
。 。 。 。 。 。
The bell of the North Liberty Second Presbyterian Church had just
ceased ringing。 But in the last five years it had rung out the bass
viol and harmonium； and rung in an organ and choir； and the old
austere interior had been subjected at the hands of the rising
generation to an invasion of youthful warmth and color。 Nowhere was
this more apparent than in the choir itself； where the bright spring
sunshine； piercing a newly…opened stained…glass window； picked out
the new spring bonnet of Mrs。 Demorest and settled upon it during the
singing of the hymn。 Perhaps that was the reason why a few eyes were
curiously directed in that direction； and that even the minister
himself strayed from the precise path of doctrine to allude with
ecclesiastical vagueness to certain shining examples of the Christian
virtues that were 〃again in our midst。〃 The shrewd face and white
eyelashes of Ezekiel Corwin； junior partner in the firm of Dilworth &
Dusenberry； of San Francisco； were momentarily raised towards the
choir； and then relapsed into an expression of fatigued self…
righteousness。
When the service was over a few worshipers lingered near the choir
staircase； mindful of the spring bonnet。
〃It looks quite nat'ral；〃 said Deacon Fairchild； 〃ter see Joan
Salisbury attendin' the ministration of the Word agin。 And I ain't
sorry she didn't bring that second husband of hers with her。 It
kinder looks like old timesafore Edward Blandford was gathered to
the Lord。〃
〃That's so；〃 replied his auditor meekly； 〃and they do say ez ha'ow
Demorest got more powerful worldly and unregenerate in that heathen
country； and that Joan ez a professin' Christian had to leave him。
I've heerd tell thet he'd got mixed up； out thar； with some
half…breed outlaw； of the name o' Johnson； ez hez a purty； high…
flyin' Mexican wife。 It was fort'nit for Joan that she found a
friend in grace in Brother Corwin to look arter her share in the
property and bring her back tu hum。〃
〃She's lookin' peart；〃 said Sister Bradley； 〃though to my mind that
bonnet savors still o' heathen vanities。〃
〃Et's the new ideescrept in with that organ；〃 groaned Deacon
Fairchild； 〃butshothar she comes。〃
She shone for an instanta charming visionout of the shadow of the
choir stairs； and then glided primly into the street。
The old sexton； still in waiting with his hand on the half…closed
door； paused and looked after her with a troubled brow。 A singular
and utterly incomprehensible recollection and resemblance had just
crossed his mind。
End