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petulantly。
〃Eh？〃 stammered Paul。
〃A name that could be so easily translated；〃 she went on； half
scornfully； 〃and when translated； was no possible title for
anybody？ Think of itMiss Good Herb！ It is too ridiculous for
anything。〃
Paul was not usually wanting in self…possession in an emergency； or
in skill to meet attack。 But he was so convinced of the truth of
the girl's accusation； and now recalled so vividly his own
consternation on hearing the result of his youthful and romantic
sponsorship for the first time from Pendleton； that he was struck
with confusion。
〃But what do you suppose it was intended for？〃 he said at last；
vaguely。 〃It was certainly 'Yerba Buena' in the Trust。 At least；
I suppose so；〃 he corrected himself hurriedly。
〃It is only a supposition；〃 she said quietly； 〃for you know it
cannot be proved。 The Trust was never recorded； and the only copy
could not be found among Mr。 Hammersley's papers。 It is only part
of the name； of which the first is lost。〃
〃Part of the name？〃 repeated Paul； uneasily。
〃Part of it。 It is a corruption of de la Yerba Buena；of the
Yerba Buena；and refers to the island of Yerba Buena in the bay；
and not to the plant。 That island was part of the property of my
familythe Arguellosyou will find it so recorded in the Spanish
grants。 My name is Arguello de la Yerba Buena。〃
It is impossible to describe the timid yet triumphant； the half…
appealing yet complacent； conviction of the girl's utterance。 A
moment before； Paul would have believed it impossible for him to
have kept his gravity and his respect for his companion under this
egregious illusion。 But he kept both。 For a sudden conviction
that she suspected the truth； and had taken this audacious and
original plan of crushing it； overpowered all other sense。 The
Arguellos； it flashed upon him； were an old Spanish family； former
owners of Yerba Buena Island； who had in the last years become
extinct。 There had been a story that one of them had eloped with
an American ship captain's wife at Monterey。 The legendary history
of early Spanish California was filled with more remarkable
incidents； corroborated with little difficulty from Spanish
authorities； who； it was alleged； lent themselves readily to any
fabrication or forgery。 There was no racial pride： on the
contrary； they had shown an eager alacrity to ally themselves with
their conquerors。 The friends of the Arguellos would be proud to
recognize and remember in the American heiress the descendant of
their countrymen。 All this passed rapidly through his mind after
the first moment of surprise； all this must have been the
deliberate reasoning of this girl of seventeen； whose dark eyes
were bent upon him。 Whether she was seeking corroboration or
complicity he could not tell。
〃Have you found this out yourself？〃 he asked； after a pause。
〃Yes。 One of my friends at the convent was Josita Castro； she knew
all the history of the Arguellos。 She is perfectly satisfied。〃
For an instant Paul wondered if it was a joint conception of the
two schoolgirls。 But； on reflection； he was persuaded that Yerba
would commit herself to no accompliceof her own sex。 She might
have dominated the girl； and would make her a firm partisan； while
the girl would be convinced of it herself； and believe herself a
free agent。 He had had such experience with men himself。
〃But why have you not spoken of it beforeand to Colonel
Pendleton？〃
〃He did not choose to tell ME；〃 said Yerba； with feminine
dexterity。 〃I have preferred to keep it myself a secret till I am
of age。〃
〃When Colonel Pendleton and some of the other trustees have no
right to say anything；〃 thought Paul quickly。 She had evidently
trusted him。 Yet； fascinated as he had been by her audacity； he
did not know whether to be pleased； or the reverse。 He would have
preferred to be placed on an equal footing with Josita Castro。 She
anticipated his thoughts by saying； with half…raised eyelids：
〃What do YOU think of it？〃
〃It seems to be so natural and obvious an explanation of the
mystery that I only wonder it was not thought of before；〃 said
Paul； with that perfect sincerity that made his sympathy so
effective。
〃You see；〃still under her pretty eyelids； and the tender promise
of a smile parting her little mouth；〃I'm believing that you tell
the truth when you say you don't know anything about it。〃
It was a desperate moment with Paul； but his sympathetic instincts；
and possibly his luck； triumphed。 His momentary hesitation easily
simulated the caution of a conscientious man； his knit eyebrows and
bright eyes； lowered in an effort of memory； did the rest。 〃I
remember it all so indistinctly；〃 he said； with literal
truthfulness； 〃there was a veiled lady present； tall and dark； to
whom Mayor Hammersley and the colonel showed a singular； and； it
struck me； as an almost superstitious； respect。 I remember now；
distinctly； I was impressed with the reverential way they both
accompanied her to the door at the end of the interview。〃 He
raised his eyes slightly； the young girl's red lips were parted；
that illumination of the skin； which was her nearest approach to
color； had quite transfigured her face。 He felt； suddenly； that
she believed it； yet he had no sense of remorse。 He half believed
it himself； at least； he remembered the nobility of the mother's
self…renunciation and its effect upon the two men。 Why should not
the daughter preserve this truthful picture of her mother's
momentary exaltation？ Which was the most truthfulthat； or the
degrading facts？ 〃You speak of a secret；〃 he added。 〃I can
remember little more than that the Mayor asked me to forget from
that moment the whole occurrence。 I did not know at the time how
completely I should fulfill his request。 You must remember； Miss
Yerba； as your Lady Superior has； that I was absurdly young at the
time。 I don't know but that I may have thought； in my youthful
inexperience； that this sort of thing was of common occurrence。
And then； I had my own future to makeand youth is brutally
selfish。 I was quite friendless and unknown when I left San
Francisco for the mines； at the time you entered the convent as
Yerba Buena。〃
She smiled； and made a slight impulsive gesture； as if she would
have drawn nearer to him； but checked herself； still smiling； and
without embarrassment。 It may have been a movement of youthful
camaraderie； and that occasional maternal rather than sisterly
instinct which sometimes influences a young girl's masculine
friendship； and elevates the favored friend to the plane of the
doll she has outgrown。 As he turned towards her； however； she
rose； shook out her yellow dress； and said with pretty petulance：
〃Then you must go so soonand this your first and last visit as my
guardian？〃
〃No one could regret that more than I；〃 looking at her with
undefined meaning。
〃Yes；〃 she said； with a tantalizing coquetry that might have
suggested an underlying seriousness。 〃I think you HAVE lost a good
deal。 Perhaps； so have I。 We might have been good friends in all
these years。 But that is past。〃
〃Why？ Surely； I hope； my shortcomings with Miss Yerba Buena will
not be remembered by Miss Arguello？〃 sail Paul； earnestly。
〃Ah！ SHE may be a very different person。〃
〃I hope not；〃 said the young man； warmly。 〃But HOW different？〃
〃Well； she may not put herself in the way of receiving such point…
blank compliments as that；〃 said the young girl； demurely。
〃Not from her guardian？〃
〃She will have no guardian then。〃 She said this gravely； but
almost at the same moment turned and sat down again； throwing her
linked hands over her knee； and looked at him mischievously。 〃You
see what you have lost； sir。〃
〃I see；〃 said Paul； but with all the gravity that she had dropped。
〃No； but you don't see all。 I had no brotherno friend。 You
might have been both。 You might have made me what you liked。 You
might have educated me far better than these teachers； or； at least
given me some pride in my studies。 There were so many things I
wanted to know that they couldn't teach me； so many times I wanted
advice from some one that I c