CormcHT, tiM. iy Btjif iuK
Even in her attitude there m run-
hiisccnce of her willful childhood, 41
thoujfh still blended with the previa
cial actress whom he hid Men on the
stag only an bear ago. - ; '
Thoroughly alarmed at her threats,
In his efforts to conceal his feelings he
wm not a bo re a weak retaliation.
Stepping bock he affected to regard
her with a critical admiration that was
onlv half simulated, and said, with a
amile: "Very well done but you hate
fos-rrotteu the flag." Shedldnotflinoh.
ItaUier accepting the sarcasm asatriDj
utc toiler art she went on with increas
ing exaggeration: : ' '-.-..&tXBQ
"No, it is you who hare forgotten the
flag forgotten your country, your
people, your manhood everything for
that high-toned, double-dyed old spy
and traitress! For while you are stand
ing here your wife is gathering under
her roof at Hobles a gang of spies and
; traitors like herself secession leaden
and their bloated, drunken 'chivalry.'
"Yes! You may smile your superior
smile, but I tell you, Clarence Brant,
that with all your smartness and book
learning you know no more of what
govs on around you than a child. But
others do! This conspiracy is known
to the government, the federal officers
have been warned; Gen. Sumner has
been scut out here and his first act
was to change the command at Fort
Alcatrez and send your wife's southern
friend Capt. Pinkney to the right
about! Yes everything is known but
one thing and that is where and how
this precious crew meet! That I alone
know, and that I have told you."
"And I suppose," said Clarence, with
an unchanged smile, "that this valua
ble information come from your hus
bandmy old friend, Jim Booker?"
"No," she answered, sharply. "It
comes from Cenelio-one of your own
peons, who is more true to you and the
old ltuncho than you have ever been.
Be saw what was going on and came to
me to warn you."
."But why not to me directly?" said
Clarence, with affected incredulity.
"Ask him!" she said, viciously. "Per
haps ho didn't want to warn the master
against the mistress. Perhaps he
thought wo are still friends. Perhaps
" she hesitated; with a lower voice
and n forced smile, "perhaps he used to
see ua -together in the old times."
"Very likely," said Clarence, quietly,
"and for the sake of these old times,
Susy," be went on with a singular gen
llciiess that vas quite distinct from his
paling face ami set eyes, "I am go
ing to forget all that you have said of
ine and mine, in all the old willfulness
and impatience that 1 see you still keep
with nHijour oldprettiness." He took
his hat from the table and gravely held
out his hand.
She was frightened for a moment
with hit inijMKsive abstraction. Inthe
old rlayn she bud known it had be
lieved it was his dogged "obstinacy"
but she knew the hopelessness of op
posing It. Yet, with feminine persis
- tency. she again threw herself against
it, as a will.
"You don't believe me! . Well, go and
ee for yourself. They are at Eobles
now! If you enter! the early morning
stage at Santa Clare, you will come
upon them before they disperse. Dare
you try it?"
"Wliatever I do," he returned, smil
ingly, "I shall always be grateful to
yon for giving me this opportunity of
leciug you again as you were! Make
my excuses to your husband. Good
night!"
"Clarence!" ,
llufchehad already closed the door be
hind him. His face did not relax its
expression, nor change as he looked
again at the tray with its broken viands
before the.door, the worn, stained hall
carpet, or the waiter who shuffled past
.him. ' ' : ; .
He was apparently as critically con
scious of them and of the close doors of
the hall and the atmosphere of listless
decay and faded extravagance around
him as before the interview.
Had the woman he had lust parted
from watched him she would have sup
posed he still utterly disbelieved her
story. But he was conscious that all
that he saw was a part of his degrada
tion, for he had believed every word she
had uttered. ' ' '
Through all' her extravagance, envy
and revengefulness, he saw the central
truth that he had been deceived, not
by bis wife, but by himself. He had
suspected all this before this was
what had been really troubling him.
this was what he had put aside, rather
than his faith, not in her, but In bis
ideal.
passed between her and Capt. Pinkney
letters that she had openly sent to no
torious southern leaders, her nervous
anxiety to remain at the raucho, the in
uuendoes' and significant glances of
friends which he put aside as he had
tbiB woman's message!
Susy had told him nothing new of his
wife, but the truth of himself. And the
revelation came from people whom he
was conscious, were the inferiors of
himself and his wife. - To an independ
ent, proud and self-made man it was the
culminating stroke, v s r , ,
In the same abstracted voice he told
the coachman to drive home.
The return seemed interminable,
though he nevtr shifts bjs aflttUen,
vh;n ho diew up at his own door
and looked at his watch he found he
had been absent only half an hour.
Only half an hour! As he entered the
house he turned with the same abstrac
tion toward a mirror in the hall as if he
had expected to see some outward and
visible change in himself at that time.
Dismissing his servants to bed, ho.
went into his dressing-room, completel
changed hiB attire, put on a pair T
long riding boots, and throwing a scr-!
upe over his shoulders, paused a mo
ment, took a pair of small derringer
pistols from a box, put them in his pock
ets, and then slipped, cautiously down
the staircase. , '
A lock of confidence in his own do
mestics had invaded him for the first
time. The lights were out. f He silent
y opened the door and was'iinJthe
treet. ' m, j,;,.
He walked hastily a few squares to a
livery stable, whose proprietor he
knew. His first inquiry was for one
Itedskin particular horse; the see-
ond.'for its proprietor. Happily both
were in. The proprietor asked no queaj.
t ion of a customer of Clarence's condition.-
- . - - -' - .-
The horse, half Spanish, powerful
liul irascible, was quickly saddled. As
Clarence mounted, the man, in an im
pulse of sociability, said: 1
"Saw you at the theater to-night,
sir." -i s3fy-; r-
Ah!" returned Clarence, quietly
gatering up the reins. -
Rather a smart trick of that woman
with the flag," he said, tentatively.
Then, with a possible doubt of his cus
tomer s politics, he auaea, wun a iorceu
smile: "1 reckon it's all party fuss,
though thar ain't any real danger."
But fast as Clarence might ride the
words lingered in his ears. He saw
through the man s hesitation he, too,
had probably heard that Clarence
Hr.mt wcukly sympathized with his
wife's sentiments and dared not speak
fullv. And he understood the cowardly
suggestion that there was "no real dan-
:rer."
It had been Clarence's one fallacy. He
had believed the public excitement was
only a temporary outbreak of partisan
feeling soon to subside, liven now he
was conscious that he was less doubtful
of the integrity of the union than of his
own household. It was not the devo
tion of the patriot, buttthe indignation
of an outraged husband that was Spur
ring him on.
He knew that if he reached Woodvllle
by five o'clock he would get ferried
across the bay to the embarcado and
catch the down coach to Fair Plains,
whence he could ride to the rancho.
As the coach did not connect directly
with San Francisco, the chance of his
surprising them was greater.
Once clear of the city outskirts lie
bullied Redskin into irascible speed,
and plunged into the rainy darkness
of the high road. The way was famil
iar. - .
For awhile he was content to ltd
the buffeting, caused by his rapid pace,
of wind and rain against his depressed
head and shoulders, in a sheer brutal
sense of opposition and power; or to
relieve his pent-up excitement by dash
ing through overflowed gullies in the
road, or across the quaggy, sodden
edges of meadow land, until he had con
trolled Redskin's rebellious extrava
gance into a long, steady stride.
Then he raised his head and straight
ened himself on the saddle to think.
But to no purpose. He had' no plan;
everything -would depend upon the sit
uation; the thought of forestalling any
action of the conspirators, by warning
or calling in the aid of the authorities,
for an instant crossed his mind, but
was as instantly dismissed.
He had but an instinct, to'see with
his own eyes what his reason told him
was true.
Day was breaking through drifting
scud and pewter-colored clouds as he
reached . Woodville ferry, checkered
with splashes of the soil and the spume
of his horse, from whose neck and.
flanks the sweat rolled" like lather. -
Yet he was not conscious how intent
had been hia purpose until he felt
sudden instinctive shock on seeing thai
the ferryboat wan gone! Foraninstiml
his wonderful self-possession aban
doned him; he could only gaxevacantlj
at the leaden-colored bay without a
thought or expedient but in another
moment he saw that the boat was re
turning from the distance. Had he lost
his only chance? '
He glanced hurriedly at his watch;
he bad come quicker than he imagined;
there would still be time. He beckoned
impatiently to the ferryman. The boat,
a ship's pinnace, with two men in it,
crept in with exasperating slowness,
At last the two rowers sullenly leaped
ashore. .- , ... . - , ?
"Ye might have come before with the
other passenger. We don't -reckon to
run lightnin' trips on this ferry."
But Clarence was himself again.
"Twenty dollars for two more oars in
that boat," he said, quietly, "and $50
if you get me over in time to catch the
down stage."
The man glanced' at Clarence's eyes.
"Bun up and rouse our Jake and Sam,"
he said to the other boatman; then
more-leisurely, gazing at his customer's
travel-stained equipment, be said:
'"There must have been a heap 0' pas
sengers got left by last night's boat.
You're the second man that took this
I fMtt la , -
At any -other time the -coincidence
nilfht luivo struct Uateueo. Hut lie.
uly im-.v.oml curtly! "Unless wo tin-
mulor wry m wn mmuies you win
ilnd I am not the second man, and that
our bargain's off."
But here two mi'U emerged from the
shanty beside the frryhouEe and turn-
bled sleepily into the boat,
Chm-uce seiaed nn extra puirof sculU
that v. eve standing njraiiict the shed
and threw ( Item into I lie stern. "1 don't
mind taking a hand myself for exer
cise," ho snid, quietly.
The- ferryman glaaccu again at Clar
ence's travel-worn figure and deter
mined eyes with mingled approval aud
surprise. He lingered a moment with
his ours lifted, lookiugathis passenger.
H Blunted IBM tbe rainy darkness of t! hurk
- t -rood.
i ... -.v
"It ain't no business o mine, 'young
mail," he said, deliberately, "but I
reckon you understand me when I say
that I've just taken another man over
there. .
"I do," said Clarence, impatiently.
"And you still weutto go?"
"Certainly," said Clarence, with a cold
stare, taking upbisoor.
The man Bhrugged his shoulders, bent
himself tor a stroke and the boat sprang
forward. The others rowed strongly
and rapidly, the tough ashen blades
springing like steel from the water, the
heavy bout seeming to leap m succes
sive bounds until they were fairly be.
yocd the curving inshore current and
clearing the placid, misty surface of the
bay.
Clarence did not Bpeak, but bent ab
stractedly to his oar; the ferryman and
his crew rowed in equal panting silence,
a few startled ducks whirred before
them, but dropped again to rest.
In half an hour they were ntthe Em
barcailo. The time was fairly up;
Clarence's eyes were eagerly bent for
the first appearance of the stage coach
around the little promotory ; the ferry
man was as eagerly scanning the bare,
empty street of the still sleeping settle,
ment.
"I don't see him anywhere," said the
ferryman with a glance, half of aston
ishment and half of curiosity, at his
solitary passenger.
"See whom?" said Clarence, careless
ly as he handed the man his promised
fee. - . .
"The other man I ferried over to
catch the stage. He must have gone on
withoutwaiting. You're in luck, young
fellow." .
"I don't understand you," said Clar
ence, impatiently. "What has your
previous passenger to do with me?
"Well, I reckon you know best, lie's
the kind of man, gin'rnlly speaking,
that other men in a powerful hurry
don't care to meet, and as a rule I
don't foller arter. It's gin'rally the
other way. v
"What do yon mean?" said Clarence,
sternly. "Who are you speaking of?
"The chief of police of San Francis
co! : . ..
CHAPTER H
The laugh that instinctively broke
from Clareuce's lips was so sincere and
unaffected that the man was discon
certed, and at last joined in it, a little
shamefacedly. The grotesque blunder
of being taken as a fugitive from jus
tice relieved Clarence's mind from its
acute tension, he was momentarily dl
verted, and it was not until the boat
man had departed and he was again
alone that it seemed to have any col
lateral significance.
Then an uneasy recollection of Susy's
threat that she had the power to put
his wife in Fort Alcatrez came across
him.
Could she have already warned the
municipal authorities, and this man
but he quickly remembered any action
from such a warning could only have
been taken by the United States
marshal, and not by a civic official, and
dismissed the idea.
Nevertheless, when the stage with its
half-spent lamps still burning dimly
against the morning light swept round
the curve and rolled heavily up to the
lice, be became watchful.
A single yawning individual in its
tloorwny received a few letters and par
cels, but Clarence was evidently the
only waiting passenger. Any hope that
he might have entertained that his mys
terious predecessor would emerge from
some seclusion at that moment, was
disappointed.
As he entered the coach he made
rapid survey of his fellow-travelers, but
satisfied himself 'that the stranger was
not among, them. They were mainly
small traders or fanners, a miner or
two, and apparently a Spanish-Amer
ican of better degree and personality
Possibly the circumstance that men
of this clasB usually preferred to travel
on horseback and were rarely seen in
public conveyances attracted his atten
tion, and their eyes met more than once,
in mutual curiosity. :
Presently Clarence addressed a re
mark to him in Spanish. He replied flu
ently and courteously, but at the next
stopping place he asked a question of
the expressman in an unmistakable
Missouri accent.
Clarence's curiosity was satisfied; he
was evidently one of those early Amer
ican settlers who had been so long domi
ciled in southern California as to adopt
the speech as well M the habiliments
01 UuSptnlafSj
The conversation fell upon tlio politi
cal news of the previous niglit, or rather
seemed to bo lazily continued from
nine previous nioreexoitliif discussion,
In which one of the contestants, u red
bearded miner, had subsided into an oc
casional growl of surly dissent,
It struck Clarence that the JIissou rlon
hod been an amused auditor, nud even,
judging from a twinkle in his eye, a
mischievous instigator of the contro
versy. He was not surprised, therefore,
when the man turned to him with a
certain courtesy and said:
"And what, sir, is the political feeling
in your district?"
But Clarence wus In no mooa to tie
drawn, and replied, almost curtly, that
as ho had come only from San Fruucis-
eo, they were probably as well Infurnicil
on that subject aa himself.
A quick and searching glnuce from
the stranger's eyee made him regret it,
but in the silence that ensued the-rod-bearded
passenger, evidently xtlll ruuK
liug at heart, saw hiB opportunity. -
Slapping his hugo hands on his nieen
And leaned far forward, until t.
ueomed to plunge his flaming be:: id :
like a firebrand into the eontroverui
lie said grimly:
Well, 1 km tell you genTmeu tli.f
It ain't goln' to be no matter wot's I !i
lolitlcal feeling here or thar It ain
'ain' to be no matter wot's state -
righta and wot's fed'ral rights it uiu';
mm' to be no question whether tin
Kov'nient's got the right to relieve it.'
own soldiers that those uecesh is be
sieging in Fort Sumter, or whclli"
they haven't but the first gun tliat'i
fired at the flog blows the chains on
every blamed nigger south of Mason
and Dixon's line! You hear me! I'm
shoutin't And whether you call your
selves 'secesh,' or 'union,' or 'copper
head,' or 'peace men,' you got to face it ! "
There was an angry start in one or
two of the seats; one man caught at
the swinging side strap and half rose, a
husky voice began: "It's a eonfound-
d ," and then all aa suddenly sub
sided.
very aye was turned to an insignifi
cant figure in the back seat It was a
woman holding a child on her lap and
gazing out of the window with her
sex's profound unconcern in politics.
(To be continued.)
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