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stopped unloading； and moved away one after the othereven the
driver joining in the exodus。 Mrs。 Randolph smiled sarcastically；
it was plain that these people； with all their boasted independence；
were quite amenable to pecuniary considerations。 Nevertheless；
as Dawson remained looking quietly at her； she said：
〃Then I suppose they've concluded to go and see？〃
〃No； I've sent them away so that they couldn't HEAR。〃
〃Hear what？〃
〃What I've got to say to you。〃
She looked at him suddenly。 Then she said； with a disdainful
glance around her： 〃I see I am helpless here； andthanks to your
trickeryalone。 Have a care； sir； I warn you that you will have
to answer to Major Randolph for any insolence。〃
〃I reckon you won't tell Major Randolph what I have to say to you；〃
he returned coolly。
Her lips were nearly a grayish hue； but she said scornfully： 〃And
why not？ Do you know who you are talking to？〃
The man came lazily forward to the carryall； carelessly brushed
aside the slack reins； and resting his elbows on the horse's back；
laid his chin on his hands； as he looked up in the woman's face。
〃Yes； I know who I'm talking to；〃 he said coolly。 〃But as the
major don't； I reckon you won't tell him。〃
〃Stand away from that horse！〃 she said； her whole face taking the
grayish color of her lips； but her black eyes growing smaller and
brighter。 〃Hand me those reins； and let me pass！ What canaille
are you to stop me？〃
〃I thought so；〃 returned the man； without altering his position；
〃you don't know ME。 You never saw ME before。 Well； I'm Jim
Dawson； the nephew of L'Hommadieu； YOUR OLD MASTER！〃
She gripped the iron rail of the seat as if to leap from it； but
checked herself suddenly and leaned back； with a set smile on her
mouth that seemed stamped there。 It was remarkable that with that
smile she flung away her old affectation of superciliousness for an
older and ruder audacity； and that not only the expression； but the
type of her face appeared to have changed。
〃I don't say；〃 continued the man quietly； 〃that he didn't MARRY you
before he died。 But you know as well as I do that the laws of his
State didn't recognize the marriage of a master with his octoroon
slave！ And you know as well as I do that even if he had freed you；
he couldn't change your blood。 Why； if I'd been willing to stay at
Avoyelles to be a nigger…driver like him； the plantation of 'de
Fontanges'whose name you have takenwould have been left to me。
If YOU had stayed there； you might have been my property instead of
YOUR owning a square man like Randolph。 You didn't think of that
when you came here； did you？〃 he said composedly。
〃Oh； mon Dieu！〃 she said； dropping rapidly into a different accent；
with her white teeth and fixed mirthless smile； 〃so it is a claim
for PROPERTY； eh？ You're wanting moneyyou？ Tres bien； you
forget we are in California； where one does not own a slave。 And
you have a fine story there； my poor friend。 Very pretty； but very
hard to prove； m'sieu。 And these peasants are in it； eh； working
it on shares like the farm； eh？〃
〃Well；〃 said Dawson； slightly changing his position； and passing
his hand over the horse's neck with a half…wearied contempt； 〃one
of these men is from Plaquemine； and the other from Coupee。 They
know all the l'Hommadieus' history。 And they know a streak of the
tar brush when they see it。 They took your measure when they came
here last year； and sized you up fairly。 So had I； for the matter
of that； when I FIRST saw you。 And we compared notes。 But the
major is a square man； for all he is your husband； and we reckoned
he had a big enough contract on his hands to take care of you and
l'Hommadieu's half…breeds； and so〃he tossed the reins
contemptuously aside〃we kept this to ourselves。〃
〃And now you wantwhateh？〃
〃We want an end to this foolery；〃 he broke out roughly； stepping
back from the vehicle； and facing her suddenly； with his first
angry gesture。 〃We want an end to these airs and grimaces； and all
this dandy nigger business； we want an end to this 'cake…walking'
through the wheat； and flouting of the honest labor of your
betters。 We want you and your 'de Fontanges' to climb down。 And
we want an end to this roping…in of white folks to suit your little
game； we want an end to your trying to mix your nigger blood with
any one here； and we intend to stop it。 We draw the line at the
major。〃
Lashed as she had been by those words apparently out of all
semblance of her former social arrogance； a lower and more stubborn
resistance seemed to have sprung up in her； as she sat sideways；
watching him with her set smile and contracting eyes。
〃Ah；〃 she said dryly； 〃so SHE IS HERE。 I thought so。 Which of you
is it； eh？ It's a good specMallory's a rich man。 She's not
particular。〃
The man had stopped as if listening； his head turned towards the
road。 Then he turned carelessly； and facing her again； waved his
hand with a gesture of tired dismissal； and said； 〃Go！ You'll find
your driver over there by the tool…shed。 He has heard nothing yet
but I've given you fair warning。 Go！〃
He walked slowly back towards the shed； as the woman； snatching up
the reins； drove violently off in the direction where the men had
disappeared。 But she turned aside； ignoring her waiting driver in
her wild and reckless abandonment of all her old conventional
attitudes； and lashing her horse forward with the same set smile on
her face； the same odd relaxation of figure； and the same squaring
of her elbows。
Avoiding the main road； she pushed into a narrow track that
intersected another nearer the scene of the accident to Rose's
buggy three weeks before。 She had nearly passed it when she was
hailed by a strange voice； and looking up； perceived a horseman
floundering in the mazes of the wheat to one side of the track。
Whatever mean thought of her past life she was flying from；
whatever mean purpose she was flying to； she pulled up suddenly；
and as suddenly resumed her erect； aggressive stiffness。 The
stranger was a middle…aged man； in dress and appearance a dweller
of cities。 He lifted his hat as he perceived the occupant of the
wagon to be a lady。
〃I beg your pardon； but I fear I've lost my way in trying to make a
short cut to the Excelsior Company's Ranch。〃
〃You are in it now；〃 said Mrs。 Randolph； quickly。
〃Thank you； but where can I find the farmhouse？〃
〃There is none；〃 she returned； with her old superciliousness；
〃unless you choose to give that name to the shanties and sheds
where the laborers and servants live； near the road。〃
The stranger looked puzzled。 〃I'm looking for a Mr。 Dawson；〃 he
said reflectively； 〃but I may have made some mistake。 Do you know
Major Randolph's house hereabouts？〃
〃I do。 I am Mrs。 Randolph；〃 she said stiffly。
The stranger's brow cleared； and he smiled pleasantly。 〃Then this
is a fortunate meeting；〃 he said； raising his hat again as he
reined in his horse beside the wagon； 〃for I am Mr。 Mallory； and I
was looking forward to the pleasure of presenting myself to you an
hour or two later。 The fact is； an old acquaintance； Mr。 Dawson；
telegraphed me yesterday to meet him here on urgent business； and I
felt obliged to go there first。〃
Mrs。 Randolph's eyes sparkled with a sudden gratified intelligence；
but her manner seemed rather to increase than abate its grim
precision。
〃Our meeting this morning； Mr。 Mallory； is both fortunate and
unfortunate； for I regret to say that your daughter； who has not
been quite herself since the earthquake； was missing early this
morning and has not yet been found； though we have searched
everywhere。 Understand me；〃 she said； as the stranger started； 〃I
have no fear for her PERSONAL safety； I am only concerned for any
INDISCRETION that she may commit in the presence of these strangers
whose com