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that's what they ALL say！〃 returned Yerba； pettishly。 〃One would
really think it was necessary for me to get married to become
anybody at all； or have any standing whatever。 And； whatever you
do； don't go talking of me as if I were named after a vegetable。
'Yerba Buena' is the name of an island in the bay just off San
Francisco。 I'm named after that。〃
〃But I don't see the difference； dear。 The island was named after
the vine that grows on it。〃
〃YOU don't see the difference？〃 said Yerba； darkly。 〃Well； I do。
But what are you looking at？〃
Her companion had caught her arm； and was gazing intently at the
house。
〃Yerba；〃 she said quickly； 〃there's the Mayor； and uncle； and a
strange gentleman coming down the walk。 They're looking for us。
And； as I live； Yerb！ the strange gentleman is that young senator；
Mr。 Hathaway！〃
〃Mr。 Hathaway？ Nonsense！〃
〃Look for yourself。〃
Yerba glanced at the three gentlemen； who； a hundred yards distant；
were slowly advancing in the direction of the ceanothus…hedge；
behind which the girls had instinctively strayed during their
conversation。
〃What are you going to do？〃 said Milly； eagerly。 〃They're coming
straight this way。 Shall we stay here and let them pass； or make a
run for the house？〃
〃No；〃 said Yerba； to Milly's great surprise。 〃That would look as
if we cared。 Besides； I don't know that Mr。 Hathaway has come to
see ME。 We'll stroll out and meet them accidentally。〃
Milly was still more astonished。 However； she said； 〃Wait a
moment； dear！〃 and； with the instinctive deftness of her sex； in
three small tugs and a gentle hitch； shook Yerba's gown into
perfect folds； passed her fingers across her forehead and over her
ears； securing； however； with a hairpin on their passage three of
the rose petals where they had fallen。 Then； discharging their
faces of any previous expression； these two charming hypocrites
sallied out innocently into the walk。 Nothing could be more
natural than their manner： if a criticism might be ventured upon；
it was that their elbows were slightly drawn inwards and before
them； leaving their hands gracefully advanced in the line of their
figures； an attitude accepted throughout the civilized world of
deportment as indicating fastidious refinement not unmingled with
permissible hauteur。
The three gentlemen lifted their hats at this ravishing apparition；
and halted。 The Mayor advanced with great politeness。
〃I feared you didn't hear me call you； Miss Yerba； so we ventured
to seek you。 As the two girls exchanged almost infantile glances
of surprise； he continued： 〃Mr。 Paul Hathaway has done us the honor
of seeking you here； as he did not find you at the convent。 You
may have forgotten that Mr。 Hathaway is the third one of your
trustees。〃
〃And so inefficient and worthless that I fear he doesn't count；〃
said Paul； 〃but；〃 raising his eyes to Yerba's； 〃I fancy that I have
already had the pleasure of seeing you； and； I fear； the
mortification of having disturbed you and your friends in the
parlor of the Golden Gate Hotel yesterday。〃
The two girls looked at each other with the same childlike
surprise。 Yerba broke the silence by suddenly turning to Milly。
〃Certainly； you remember how greatly interested we were in the
conversation of a party of gentlemen who were there when we came
in。 I am afraid our foolish prattle must have disturbed YOU。 I
know that we were struck with the intelligent and eloquent devotion
of your friends。〃
〃Oh； perfectly；〃 chimed in the loyal but somewhat infelix Milly；
〃and it was so kind and thoughtful of Mr。 Hathaway to take them
away as he did。〃
〃I felt the more embarrassed；〃 continued Hathaway； smiling； but
still critically examining Yerba for an indication of something
characteristic； beyond this palpable conventionality； 〃as I
unfortunately must present my credentials from a gentleman as much
of a stranger as myselfColonel Pendleton。〃
The trade…wind was evidently making itself felt even in this
pastoral retreat； for the two gentlemen appeared to shrink slightly
within themselves； and a chill seemed to have passed over the
group。 The Mayor coughed。 The avuncular Woods gazed abstractedly
at a large cactus。 Even Paul； prepared by previous experience；
stopped short。
〃Colonel Pendleton！ Oh； do tell me all about him！〃 flashed out
Yerba； suddenly； with clasped hands and eager girlish breath。
Paul cast a quick grateful glance at the girl。 Whether assumed or
not； her enthusiastic outburst was effective。 The Mayor looked
uneasily at Woods； and turned to Paul。
〃Ah； yes！ You and he are original co…trustees。 I believe
Pendleton is in reduced circumstances。 Never quite got over that
bank trouble。〃
〃That is only a question of legislative investigation and relief；〃
said Paul lightly； yet with purposely vague official mystery of
manner。 Then； turning quickly to Yerba； as if replying to the only
real question at issue； he continued pointedly； 〃I am sorry to say
the colonel's health is so poor that it keeps him quite a recluse。
I have a letter from him and a message for you。〃 His bright eyes
added plainly〃as soon as we can get rid of those people。〃
〃Then you think that a bill〃began the Mayor； eagerly。
〃I think； my dear sir；〃 said Paul plaintively； 〃that I and my
friends have already tried the patience of these two young ladies
quite enough yesterday with politics and law…making。 I have to
catch the six…o'clock train to San Francisco this evening； and have
already lost the time I hoped to spend with Miss Yerba by missing
her at the convent。 Let me stroll on here； if you like； and if I
venture to monopolize the attention of this young lady for half an
hour； you； my dear Mr。 Mayor； who have more frequent access to her；
I know； will not begrudge it to me。〃
He placed himself beside Yerba and Milly； and began an
entertaining； although； I fear； slightly exaggerated； account of
his reception by the Lady Superior； and her evident doubts of his
identity with the trustee mentioned in Pendleton's letter of
introduction。 〃I confess she frightened me；〃 he continued； 〃when
she remarked that； according to my statement； I could have been
only eighteen years old when I became your guardian； and as much in
want of one as you were。 I think that only her belief that Mr。
Woods and the Mayor would detect me as an impostor provoked her at
last to tell me your whereabouts。〃
〃But why DID they ever make you a trustee； for goodness' sake？〃
said Milly； naively。 〃Was there no one grown up at that time that
they could have called upon？〃
〃Those were the EARLY days of California；〃 responded Paul； with
great gravity； although he was conscious that Yerba was regarding
him narrowly； 〃and I probably looked older and more intelligent
than I really was。 For； candidly；〃 with the consciousness of
Yerba's eyes still upon him； 〃I remember very little about it。 I
dare say I was selected； as you kindly suggest； 'for goodness'
sake。'〃
〃After all；〃 said the volatile Milly； who seemed inclined； as
chaperone； to direct the conversation； 〃there was something pretty
and romantic about it。 You two poor young things taking care of
each other； for of course there were no women here in those days。〃
〃Of course there WERE women here〃 interrupted Yerba； quickly； with
a half…meaning； half…interrogative glance at Paul that made him
instinctively uneasy。 〃You later comers〃to Milly〃always seem
to think that there was nothing here before you！〃 She paused； and
then added； with a naive mixture of reproach and coquetry that was
as charming as it was unexpected； 〃As to taking care of each other；
Mr。 Hathaway very quickly got rid of me； I believe。〃
〃But I left you in better hands； Miss Yerba； and let me thank you
now；〃 he added in a lower tone； 〃for recognizing it as you did a
moment ago。 I'm glad that you instinctively liked Colonel
Pendleton。 Had you known him better； you would have seen how
truthful that instinct was。 His chief fault in the eyes of our
worthy friends is that he reminds them of a great deal they can't
perpetuate and much they would like to forget。〃 He checked himself
abruptly。 〃But here is your letter