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〃Why not talk here？〃 she returned； changing her position； pointing
to the other end of the sofa； and drawing the whole overflow of her
skirt to one side。 〃It is not so very late； and Milly will return
in a few moments。〃
Her face was in shadow now； but there was a glow…worm light in her
beautiful eyes that seemed faintly to illuminate her whole face。
He sank down on the sofa at her side； no longer the brilliant and
ambitious politician； but； it seemed to him； as hopelessly a
dreaming； inexperienced boy as when he had given her the name that
now was all he could think of； and the only word that rose to his
feverish lips。
〃Yerba！〃
〃I like to hear you say it；〃 she said quickly； as if to gloss over
his first omission of her formal prefix； and leaning a little
forward； with her eyes on his。 〃One would think you had created
it。 You almost make me regret to lose it。〃
He stopped。 He felt that the last sentence had saved him。 〃It is
of that I want to speak；〃 he broke out suddenly and almost rudely。
〃Are you satisfied that it means nothing； and can mean nothing； to
you？ Does it awaken no memory in your mindrecall nothing you
care to know？ Think！ I beg you； I implore you to be frank with
me！〃
She looked at him with surprise。
〃I have told you already that my present name must be some absurd
blunder； or some intentional concealment。 But why do you want to
know NOW？〃 she continued； adding her faint smile to the emphasis。
〃To help you！〃 he said； eagerly。 〃For that alone！ To do all I can
to assist you； if you really believe； and want to believe； that you
have another。 To ask you to confide in me； to tell me all you have
been told； all that you know； think you know； or WANT to know about
your relationship to the Arguellosor toany one。 And then to
devote myself entirely to proving what you shall say is your
desire。 You see； I am frank with you； Yerba。 I only ask you to be
as frank with me； to let me know your doubts； that I may counsel
you； your fears； that I may give you courage。〃
〃Is that all you came here to tell me？〃 she asked quietly。
〃No； Yerba；〃 he said； eagerly； taking her unresisting but
indifferent hand； 〃not all； but all that I must say； all that I
have the right to say； all that you； Yerba； would permit me to tell
you NOW。 But let me hope that the day is not far distant when I
can tell you ALL； when you will understand that this silence has
been the hardest sacrifice of the man who now speaks to you。〃
〃And yet not unworthy of a rising politician；〃 she added； quickly
withdrawing her hand。 〃I agree；〃 she went on； looking towards the
door； yet without appearing to avoid his eager eyes； 〃and when I
have settled upon 'a local habitation and a name' we shall renew
this interesting conversation。 Until then； as my fourth official
guardian used to sayhe was a lawyer； Mr。 Hathaway； like yourself
when he was winding up his conjectures on the subjectall that
has passed is to be considered 'without prejudice。'〃
〃But Yerba〃began Paul； bitterly。
She slightly raised her hand as if to check him with a warning
gesture。 〃Yes； dear；〃 she said suddenly； lifting her musical
voice； with a mischievous side…glance at Paul； as if to indicate
her conception of the irony of a possible application； 〃this way。
Here we are waiting for you。〃 Her listening ear had detected
Milly's step in the passage； and in another moment that cheerful
young woman discreetly stopped on the threshold of the room； with
every expression of apologetic indiscretion in her face。
〃We have finished our talk； and Mr。 Hathaway has been so concerned
about my having no real name that he has been promising me
everything； but his own； for a suitable one。 Haven't you； Mr。
Hathaway？〃 She rose slowly and； going over to Milly； put her arm
around her waist and stood for one instant gazing at him between
the curtains of the doorway。 〃Good night。 My very proper chaperon
is dreadfully shocked at this midnight interview； and is taking me
away。 Only think of it； Milly； he actually proposed to me to walk
in the garden with him！ Good night； or； as my ancestorsdon't
forget； MY ANCESTORSused to say： 'Buena nochehasta manana！'〃
She lingered over the Spanish syllables with an imitation of Dona
Anna's lisp； and with another smile； but more faint and more
ghostlike than before； vanished with her companion。
At eight o'clock the next morning Paul was standing beside his
portmanteau on the veranda。
〃But this is a sudden resolution of yours； Hathaway；〃 said Mr。
Woods。 〃Can you not possibly wait for the next train？ The girls
will be down then； and you can breakfast comfortably。〃
〃I have much to domore than I imaginedin San Francisco before I
return；〃 said Paul； quickly。 〃You must make my excuses to them and
to your wife。〃
〃I hope；〃 said Woods； with an uneasy laugh； 〃you have had no more
words with Don Caesar； or he with you？〃
〃No；〃 said Paul； with a reassuring smile； 〃nothing more； I assure
you。〃
〃For you know you're a devilish quick fellow； Hathaway；〃 continued
Woods； 〃quite as quick as your friend Pendleton。 And； by the way；
Baker is awfully cut up about that absurd speech of his； you know。
Came to me last night and wondered if anybody could think it was
intentional。 I told him it was dd stupid； that was all。 I guess
his wife had been at him。 Ha！ ha！ You see； he remembers the old
times； when everybody talked of these things； and that woman Howard
was quite a character。 I'm told she went off to the States years
ago。〃
〃Possibly；〃 said Paul； carelessly。 After a pause； as the carriage
drove up to the door； he turned to his host。 〃By the way； Woods；
have you a ghost here？〃
〃The house is old enough for one。 But no。 Why？〃
〃I'll swear I saw a figure moving yonder； in the shrubbery； late
last evening； and when I came up to it； it most unaccountably
disappeared。〃
〃One of Don Caesar's servants； I dare say。 There is one of them；
an Indian； prowling about here； I've been told； at all hours。 I'll
put a stop to it。 Well； you must go then？ Dreadfully sorry you
couldn't stop longer！ Good…by！〃
CHAPTER IV。
It was two months later that Mr。 Tony Shear； of Marysville； but
lately confidential clerk to the Hon。 Paul Hathaway； entered his
employer's chambers in Sacramento； and handed the latter a letter。
〃I only got back from San Francisco this morning； but Mr。 Slate
said I was to give you that； and if it satisfied you； and was what
you wanted； you would send it back to him。〃
Paul took the envelope and opened it。 It contained a printer's
proof…slip； which he hurriedly glanced over。 It read as follows：
〃Those of our readers who are familiar with the early history of
San Francisco will be interested to know that an eccentric and
irregular trusteeship； vested for the last eight years in the Mayor
of San Francisco and two of our oldest citizens； was terminated
yesterday by the majority of a beautiful and accomplished young
lady； a pupil of the convent of Santa Clara。 Very few； except the
original trustees； were cognizant of the fact that the
administration of the trustees has been a recognized function of
the successive Mayors of San Francisco during this period； and the
mystery surrounding it has been only lately divulged。 It offers a
touching and romantic instance of a survival of the old patriarchal
duties of the former Alcaldes and the simplicity of pioneer days。
It seems that； in the unsettled conditions of the Mexican land…
titles that followed the American occupation； the consumptive widow
of a scion of one of the oldest Californian families intrusted her
property and the custody of her infant daughter virtually to the
city of San Francisco； as represented by the trustees specified；
until the girl should become of age。 Within a year； the invalid
mother died。 With what loyalty； sagacity； and prudence these
gentlemen fulfilled their trust may be gathered from the fact that
the property left in their charge has not only been secured and
protected； but increased a hundredfold in value； and that the young
lady； who yesterday attained her majority； is not only one of the
richest landed heiresses on the Pacif