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husband； the guardian of her good name； and the custodian of her
secret。 At times the strains of a dreamy German waltz； played in
the distance； brought back to him the brief moment that his arm had
encircled her waist by the crumbling wall； and his pulses grew
languid； only to leap firmer the next moment with more desperate
resolve。 He would win her； come what may！ He could never have
been in earnest before： he loathed and hated himself for his
previous passive acquiescence to her fate。 He had been a weak tool
of the colonel's from the first： he was even now handicapped by a
preposterous promise he had given him！ Yes； she was right to
hesitateto question his ability to make her happy！ He had found
her here； surrounded by stupidity and cupidityto give it no other
nameso patent that she was the common gossip； and had offered
nothing but a boyish declaration！ As he strode into the hotel that
night it was well that he did not meet the unfortunate colonel on
the staircase！
It was very late； although there was still visible a light in
Yerba's salon； shining on her balcony； which extended before and
included his own window。 From time to time he could hear the
murmur of voices。 It was too late to avail himself of the
invitation to join them； even if his frame of mind had permitted
it。 He was too nervous and excited to go to bed； and； without
lighting his candle； he opened the French window that gave upon the
balcony； drew a chair in the recess behind the curtain； and gazed
upon the night。 It was very quiet； the moon was high； the square
was sleeping in a trance of checkered shadows； like a gigantic
chessboard； with black foreshortened trees for pawns。 The click of
a cavalry sabre； the sound of a footfall on the pavement of the
distant Konigsstrasse； were distinctly audible； a far…off railway
whistle was startling in its abruptness。 In the midst of this calm
the opening of the door of the salon； with the sudden uplifting of
voices in the hall； told Paul that Yerba's guests were leaving。 He
heard Dona Anna's arch accentsarch even to Colonel Pendleton's
monotonous baritone！Milly's high； rapid utterances； the suave
falsetto of Don Caesar； and HER voice； he thought a trifle
wearied；the sound of retiring footsteps； and all was still again。
So still that the rhythmic beat of the distant waltz returned to
him； with a distinctiveness that he could idly follow。 He thought
of Rosario and the rose…breath of the open windows with a strange
longing； and remembered the half…stifled sweetness of her happy
voice rising with it from the veranda。 Why had he ever let it pass
from him then and waft its fragrance elsewhere？ Why What was
that？
The slight turning of a latch！ The creaking of the French window
of the salon； and somebody had slipped softly half out on the
balcony。 His heart stopped beating。 From his position in the
recess of his own window； with his back to the partition of the
salon； he could see nothing。 Yet he did not dare to move。 For
with the quickened senses of a lover he felt the diffused and
perfumed aura of HER presence； of HER garments； of HER flesh； flow
in upon him through the open window； and possess his whole
breathless being！ It was SHE！ Like him； perhaps； longing to enjoy
the perfect nightlike him； perhaps； thinking of
〃So you ar…range to get rid of meha！ lik thees？ To tur…rn me off
from your heels like a dog who have follow youbut without a word
without aathankswithout a 'ope！ Ah！we have ser…rved you
me and my sister； we are the or…range drynow we can go！ Like the
old shoe； we are to be flung away！ Good！ But I am here againyou
see。 I shall speak； and you shall hear…r。〃
Don Caesar's voicealone with her！ Paul gripped his chair and sat
upright。
〃Stop！ Stay where you are！ How dared you return here？〃 It was
Yerba's voice； on the balcony； low and distinct。
〃Shut the window！ I shall speak with you what you will not the
world to hear。〃
〃I prefer to keep where I am； since you have crept into this room
like a thief！〃
〃A thief！ Good！〃 He broke out in Spanish； and； as if no longer
fearful of being overheard； had evidently drawn nearer to the
window。 〃A thief。 Ha！ muy buenobut it is not I； you understand
I； Caesar Briones； who am the thief！ No！ It is that swaggering
espadachinthat fanfarron of a Colonel Pendletonthat pattern of
an official； Mr。 Hathawaythat most beautiful heiress of the
Californias； Miss ARGUELLOthat are thieves！ Yesof a NAMEMiss
Arguelloof a NAME！ The name of Arguello！〃
Paul rose to his feet。
〃Ah； so！ You startyou turn paleyou flash your eyes； senora；
but you think you have deceived me all these years。 You think I
did not see your game at Rosarioyes； even when that foolish
Castro muchacha first put that idea in your head。 Who furnished
you the facts you wanted？ IMother of God！ SUCH FACTS！I； who
knew the Arguello pedigreeI； who know it was as impossible for
you to be a daughter of them aswhat？ let me thinkasas it is
impossible for you to be the wife of that baron whom you would
deceive with the rest！ Ah； yes； it was a high flight for you；
MeesMeesDona Fulanaa noble game for you to bring down！〃
Why did she not speak？ What was she doing？ If she had but uttered
a single word of protest； of angry dismissal； Paul would have flown
to her side。 It could not be the paralysis of personal fear： the
balcony was wide； she could easily pass to the end； she could even
see his open window。
〃Why did I do this？ Because I loved you； senoraand you knew it！
Ah！ you can turn your face away now； you can pretend to
misunderstand me； as you did a moment ago； you can part from me now
like a mere acquaintancebut it was not always so！ No； it was YOU
who brought me here； your eyes that smiled into mineand drove
home the colonel's request that I and my sister should accompany
you。 God！ I was weak then！ You smile； senora； you think you have
succeededyou and your pompous colonel and your clever governor！
You think you have compromised me； and perjured ME； because of
this。 You are wrong！ You think I dare not speak to this puppet of
a baron； and that I have no proofs。 You are wrong！〃
〃And even if you can produce them； what care I？〃 said Yerba
unexpectedly； yet in a voice so free from excitement and passion
that the weariness which Paul had at first noticed seemed to be the
only dominant tone。 〃Suppose you prove that I am not an Arguello。
Good！ you have yet to show that a connection with any of your race
would be anything but a disgrace。〃
〃Ah！ you defy me； little one！ Caramba！ Listen； then！ You do not
know all！ When you thought I was only helping you to fabricate
your claim to the Arguellos' name； I was finding out WHO YOU REALLY
WERE！ Ah！ It was not so difficult as you fondly hope； senora。 We
were not all brutes and fools in the early days； though we stood
aside to let your people run their vulgar course。 It was your
hired bullyyour respected guardianthis dog of an espadachin；
who let out a hint of the secretwith a prick of his bladeand a
scandal。 One of my peon women was a servant at the convent when
you were a child； and recognized the woman who put you there and
came to see you as a friend。 She overheard the Mother Superior say
it was your mother； and saw a necklace that was left for you to
wear。 Ah！ you begin to believe！ When I had put this and that
together I found that Pepita could not identify you with the child
that she had seen。 But you； senora； you YOURSELF supplied the
missing proof！ Yes！ you supplied it with the NECKLACE that you
wore that evening at Rosario； when you wished to do honor to this
young Hathawaythe guardian who had always thrown you off！ Ah！
you now suspect why； perhaps！ It was your mother's necklace that
you wore； and you said so！ That night I sent the good Pepita to
identify it； to watch through the window from the garden when you
were wearing it； to make it sure as the Creed。 I sent her to your
room late that night when you had changed your dress； that she
might examine it among your jewels。 And she did and will swear
look you！SWEAR that it is the one given you as a child by the
woman at the conven