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bland deprecation of her hard…set eyes； 〃how distasteful this
promiscuous mingling with the rough and ungodly has always been to
you； and how reluctant you are to be placed in the position of
being liable to hear coarse； vulgar； or irreverent speech。 I
think； too； in our long and pleasant pastoral relations； you have
always found me mindful of it。 I admit I have sometimes regretted
that your late husband had not more generally familiarized you with
the ways of the world。 But so it iswe all have our weaknesses。
If not one thing； another。 And as Envy and Uncharitableness
sometimes find their way in even Christian hearts； I should like
you to undertake this office for the sake of example。 There are
some； dear Sister Argalls； who think that the rich widow who is
most liberal in the endowment of the goods that Providence has
intrusted to her hands claims therefore to be exempt from labor in
the Christian vineyard。 Let us teach them how unjust they are。〃
〃I am willing；〃 said the lady； with a dry； determined air。 〃I
suppose these patients are not professedly bad characters？〃
〃By no means。 A few； perhaps； but the majority are unfortunates
dependent either upon public charity or some small provision made
by their friends。〃
〃Very well。〃
〃And you understand that though they have the privilege of
rejecting your Christian ministrations； dear Sister Argalls； you
are free to judge when you may be patient or importunate with
them？〃
〃I understand。〃
The Pastor was not an unkindly man； and； as he glanced at the
uncompromising look in Mrs。 Argalls's eyes； felt for a moment some
inconsistency between his humane instincts and his Christian duty。
〃Some of them may require； and be benefited by； a stern monitress；
and Sister Robbins； I fear； was weak；〃 he said consolingly to
himself； as he descended the steps again。
At three o'clock Mrs。 Argalls； with a reticule and a few tracts；
was at the door of St。 John's Hospital。 As she displayed her
testimonials and announced that she had taken Mrs。 Robbins's place；
the officials received her respectfully； and gave some instructions
to the attendants； which； however； did not stop some individual
comments。
〃I say； Jim； it doesn't seem the square thing to let that grim old
girl loose among them poor convalescents。〃
〃Well； I don't know： they say she's rich and gives a lot o' money
away； but if she tackles that swearing old Kentuckian in No。 3；
she'll have her hands full。〃
However； the criticism was scarcely fair； for Mrs。 Argalls；
although moving rigidly along from bed to bed of the ward； equipped
with a certain formula of phrases； nevertheless dropped from time
to time some practical common…sense questions that showed an almost
masculine intuition of the patients' needs and requirements。 Nor
did she betray any of that over…sensitive shrinking from coarseness
which the good Pastor had feared； albeit she was quick to correct
its exhibition。 The languid men listened to her with half…
aggressive； half…amused interest； and some of the satisfaction of
taking a bitter but wholesome tonic。 It was not until she reached
the bed at the farther end of the ward that she seemed to meet with
any check。
It was occupied by a haggard man； with a long white moustache and
features that seemed wasted by inward struggle and fever。 At the
first sound of her voice he turned quickly towards her； lifted
himself on his elbow； and gazed fixedly in her face。
〃Kate Howardby the Eternal！〃 he said； in a low voice。
Despite her rigid self…possession the woman started； glanced
hurriedly around； and drew nearer to him。
〃Pendleton！〃 she said； in an equally suppressed voice； 〃What； in
God's name； are you doing here？〃
〃Dying； I reckonsooner or later；〃 he said grimly； 〃that's what
they do here。〃
〃Butwhat；〃 she went on hurriedly； still glancing over her
shoulder as if she suspected some trick〃what has brought you to
this？〃
〃YOU！〃 said the colonel； dropping back exhaustedly on his pillow。
〃You and your daughter。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 she said quickly； yet regarding him with
stern rigidity。 〃You know perfectly well I have NO daughter。 You
know perfectly well that I've kept the word I gave you ten years
ago； and that I have been dead to her as she has been to me。〃
〃I know；〃 said the colonel； 〃that within the last three months I
have paid away my last cent to keep the mouth of an infernal
scoundrel shut who KNOWS that you are her mother； and threatens to
expose her to her friends。 I know that I'm dying here of an old
wound that I got when I shut the mouth of another hound who was
ready to bark at her two years after you disappeared。 I know that
between you and her I've let my old nigger die of a broken heart；
because I couldn't keep him to suffer with me； and I know that I'm
here a pauper on the State。 I know that； Kate； and when I say it I
don't regret it。 I've kept my word to YOU； and； by the Eternal；
your daughter's worth it！ For if there ever was a fair and
peerless creatureit's your child！〃
〃And shea rich womanunless she squandered the fortune I gave
herlets you lie here！〃 said the woman grimly。
〃She don't know it。〃
〃She SHOULD know it！ Have you quarreled？〃 She was looking at him
keenly。
〃She distrusts me； because she half suspects the secret； and I
hadn't the heart to tell her all。〃
〃All？ What does she know？ What does this man know？ What has been
told her？〃 she said rapidly。
〃She only knows that the name she has taken she has no right to。〃
〃Right to？ Why； it was written on the TrustYerba Buena。〃
〃No； not that。 She thought it was a mistake。 She took the name of
Arguello。〃
〃What？〃 said Mrs。 Argalls； suddenly grasping the invalid's wrist
with both hands。 〃What name？〃 her eyes were startled from their
rigid coldness； her lips were colorless。
〃Arguello！ It was some foolish schoolgirl fancy which that hound
helped to foster in her。 Whywhat's the matter； Kate？〃
The woman dropped the helpless man's wrist； then； with an effort；
recovered herself sufficiently to rise； and； with an air of
increased decorum； as if the spiritual character of their interview
excluded worldly intrusion； adjusted the screen around his bed； so
as partly to hide her own face and Pendleton's。 Then； dropping
into the chair beside him； she said； in her old voice； from which
the burden of ten long years seemed to have been lifted；
〃Harry； what's that you're playing on me？〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 said Pendleton amazedly。
〃Do you mean to say you don't know it； and didn't tell her
yourself？〃 she said curtly。
〃What？ Tell her what？〃 he repeated impatiently。
〃That Arguello WAS her father！〃
〃Her father？〃 He tried to struggle to his elbow again； but she
laid her hand masterfully upon his shoulder and forced him back。
〃Her father！〃 he repeated hurriedly。 〃Jose Arguello！ Great God！
are you sure？〃
Quietly and yet mechanically gathering the scattered tracts from
the coverlet； and putting them back； one by one in her reticule；
she closed it and her lips with a snap as she uttered〃Yes。〃
Pendleton remained staring at her silently； 〃Yes；〃 he muttered； 〃it
may have been some instinct of the child's； or some diabolical
fancy of Briones'。 But；〃 he said bitterly； 〃true or not； she has
no right to his name。〃
〃And I say she HAS。〃
She had risen to her feet； with her arms folded across her breast；
in an attitude of such Puritan composure that the distant
spectators might have thought she was delivering an exordium to the
prostrate man。
〃I met Jose Arguello； for the second time； in New Orleans；〃 she
said slowly； 〃eight years ago。 He was still rich； but ruined in
health by dissipation。 I was tired of my way of life。 He proposed
that I should marry him to take care of him and legitimatize our
child。 I was forced to tell him what I had done with her； and that
the Trust could not be disturbed until she was of age and her own
mistress。 He assented。 We married； but he died within a year。 He
died； leaving with me his acknowledgment of her as his child； and
the right to claim her if I chose。〃
〃And？〃interrupted the colonel with sparkling eyes。
〃I DON'T C