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〃YOU； Kate；〃 said the Mayor。 〃You have given everything you
possess to this child。 What provision have you made for yourself？〃
〃Do I look played out？〃 she said； facing them。
She certainly did not look like anything but a strong； handsome；
resolute woman； but the men did not reply。
〃That is not all； Kate；〃 continued the Mayor； folding his arms and
looking down upon her。 〃Have you thought what this means？ It is
the complete renunciation not only of any claim but any interest in
your child。 That is what you have just signed； and what it will be
our duty now to keep you to。 From this moment we stand between you
and her； as we stand between her and the world。 Are you ready to
see her grow up away from you； losing even the little recollection
she has had of your kindnesspassing you in the street without
knowing you； perhaps even having you pointed out to her as a person
she should avoid？ Are you prepared to shut your eyes and ears
henceforth to all that you may hear of her new life； when she is
happy； rich； respectable； a courted heiressperhaps the wife of
some great man？ Are you ready to accept that she will never know
that no one will ever knowthat you had any share in making her
so； and that if you should ever breathe it abroad we shall hold it
our duty to deny it； and brand the man who takes it up for you as a
liar and the slanderer of an honest girl？〃
〃That's what I came here for；〃 she said curtly； then； regarding
them curiously； and running her ringed hand up and down the railed
back of her chair； she added； with a half laugh； 〃What are you
playin' me for； boys？〃
〃But；〃 said Colonel Pendleton； without heeding her； 〃are you ready
to know that in sickness or affliction you will be powerless to
help her； that a stranger will take your place at her bedside； that
as she has lived without knowing you she will die without that
knowledge； or that if through any weakness of yours it came to her
then； it would embitter her last thoughts of earth and； dying； she
would curse you？〃
The smile upon her half…open mouth still fluttered around it； and
her curved fingers still ran up and down the rails of the chair…
back as if they were the cords of some mute instrument； to which
she was trying to give voice。 Her rings once or twice grated upon
them as if she had at times gripped them closely。 But she rose
quickly when he paused； said 〃Yes；〃 sharply； and put the chair back
against the wall。
〃Then I will send you copies of this tomorrow； and take an
assignment of the property。〃
〃I've got the check here for it now；〃 she said； drawing it from her
pocket and laying it upon the desk。 〃There； I reckon that's
finished。 Good…by！〃
The Mayor took up his hat； Colonel Pendleton did the same； both men
preceded her to the door； and held it open with grave politeness
for her to pass。
〃Where are you boys going？〃 she asked； glancing from the one to the
other。
〃To see you to your carriage； Mrs。 Howard；〃 said the Mayor； in a
voice that had become somewhat deeper。
〃Through the whole building？ Past all the people in the hall and
on the stairs？ Why； I passed Dan Stewart as I came in。〃
〃If you will allow us？〃 he said； turning half appealing to Colonel
Pendleton； who； without speaking； made a low bow of assent。
A slight flush rose to her facethe first and only change in the
even healthy color she had shown during the interview。
〃I reckon I won't trouble you； boys； if it's all the same to you；〃
she said； with her half…strident laugh。 〃YOU mightn't mind being
seenbut I would Good…by。〃
She held out a hand to each of the men； who remained for an instant
silently holding them。 Then she passed out of the door； slipping
on her close black veil as she did so with a half…funereal
suggestion； and they saw her tall； handsome figure fade into the
shadows of the long corridor。
〃Paul；〃 said the Mayor； reentering the office and turning to his
secretary； 〃do you know who that woman is？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃She's one in a million！ And now forget that you have ever seen
her。〃
CHAPTER I。
The principal parlor of the New Golden Gate Hotel in San Francisco；
fairly reported by the local press as being 〃truly palatial〃 in its
appointments； and unrivaled in its upholstery； was； nevertheless；
on August 5； 1860； of that startling newness that checked any
familiarity； and evidently had produced some embarrassment on the
limbs of four visitors who had just been ushered into its glories。
After hesitating before one or two gorgeous fawn…colored brocaded
easy…chairs of appalling and spotless virginity； one of them seated
himself despairingly on a tete…a…tete sofa in marked and painful
isolation； while another sat uncomfortably upright on a sofa。 The
two others remained standing； vaguely gazing at the ceiling； and
exchanging ostentatiously admiring but hollow remarks about the
furniture in unnecessary whispers。 Yet they were apparently men of
a certain habit of importance and small authority； with more or
less critical attitude in their speech。
To them presently entered a young man of about five…and…twenty；
with remarkably bright and singularly sympathetic eyes。 Having
swept the group in a smiling glance； he singled out the lonely
occupier of the tete…a…tete； and moved pleasantly towards him。 The
man rose instantly with an eager gratified look。
〃Well； Paul； I didn't allow you'd remember me。 It's a matter of
four years since we met at Marysville。 And now you're bein' a
great man you've〃
No one could have known from the young man's smiling face that he
really had not recognized his visitor at first； and that his
greeting was only an exhibition of one of those happy instincts for
which he was remarkable。 But； following the clew suggested by his
visitor； he was able to say promptly and gayly：
〃I don't know why I should forget Tony Shear or the Marysville
boys；〃 turning with a half…confiding smile to the other visitors；
who； after the human fashion； were beginning to be resentfully
impatient of this special attention。
〃Well； no；for I've allus said that you took your first start from
Marysville。 But I've brought a few friends of our party that I
reckoned to introduce to you。 Cap'n Stidger； Chairman of our
Central Committee； Mr。 Henry J。 Hoskins； of the firm of Hoskins and
Bloomer； and Joe Slate； of the 'Union Press；' one of our most
promising journalists。 Gentlemen；〃 he continued； suddenly and
without warning lifting his voice to an oratorical plane in
startling contrast to his previous unaffected utterance； 〃I needn't
say that this is the honorable Paul Hathaway； the youngest state
senator in the Legislature。 You know his record！〃 Then；
recovering the ordinary accents of humanity； he added； 〃We read of
your departure last night from Sacramento； and I thought we'd come
early； afore the crowd。〃
〃Proud to know you； sir；〃 said Captain Stidger； suddenly lifting
the conversation to the platform again。 〃I have followed your
career； sir。 I've read your speech； Mr。 Hathaway； and； as I was
telling our mutual friend； Mr。 Shear； as we came along； I don't
know any man that could state the real party issues as squarely。
Your castigating exposition of so…called Jeffersonian principles；
and your relentless indictment of the resolutions of '98； were
were〃coughed the captain； dropping into conversation again〃were
the biggest thing out。 You have only to signify the day； sir； that
you will address us； and I can promise you the largest audience in
San Francisco。〃
〃I'm instructed by the proprietor of the 'Union Press；'〃 said Mr。
Slate； feeling for his notebook and pencil； 〃to offer you its
columns for any explanations you may desire to make in the form of
a personal letter or an editorial in reply to the 'Advertiser's'
strictures on your speech； or to take any information you may have
for the benefit of our readers and the party。〃
〃If you are ever down my way； Mr。 Hathaway；〃 said Mr。 Hoskins；
placing a large business card in Hathaway's hand； 〃and will drop in
as a friend； I can show you about the largest business in the way
of canned provisions and domestic groceries in the State； and give
you a look around Bat