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speechless men； 〃is it an indiscretion we are making hereor are
you dumb？ You； Don Diego； are loud enough when you and Don Jose
are together； at least introduce your friend。〃
Grant quickly recovered himself。 〃I am afraid；〃 he said； coming
forward； 〃unless Miss Harcourt does； that I am a mere trespasser in
your house； Senora。 I saw her pass in your carriage a few moments
ago； and having a message for her I ventured to follow her here。〃
〃It is Mr。 Grant； a friend of my father's；〃 said Clementina；
smiling with equanimity； as if just awakening from a momentary
abstraction； yet apparently unconscious of Grant's imploring eyes；
〃but the other gentleman I have not the pleasure of knowing。〃
〃Ah！ Don Diego Fletcher； a countryman of yours； and yet I think he
knows you not。〃
Clementina's face betrayed no indication of the presence of her
father's foe； and yet Grant knew that she must have recognized his
name； as she looked towards Fletcher with perfect self…possession。
He was too much engaged in watching her to take note of Fletcher's
manifest disturbance； or the evident effort with which he at last
bowed to her。 That this unexpected double meeting with the
daughter of the man he had wronged； and the man who had espoused
the quarrel； should be confounding to him appeared only natural。
But he was unprepared to understand the feverish alacrity with
which he accepted Dona Maria's invitation to chocolate； or the
equally animated way in which Clementina threw herself into her
hostess's Spanish levity。 He knew it was an awkward situation；
that must be surmounted without a scene； he was quite prepared in
the presence of Clementina to be civil to Fletcher； but it was odd
that in this feverish exchange of courtesies and compliments HE；
Grant； should feel the greater awkwardness and be the most ill at
ease。 He sat down and took his part in the conversation； he let it
transpire for Clementina's benefit that he had been to Los Gatos
only on business； yet there was no opportunity for even a
significant glance； and he had the added embarrassment of seeing
that she exhibited no surprise nor seemed to attach the least
importance to his inopportune visit。 In a miserable indecision he
allowed himself to be carried away by the high…flown hospitality of
his Spanish hostess； and consented to stay to an early dinner。 It
was part of the infelicity of circumstance that the voluble Dona
Mariaelecting him as the distinguished stranger above the
resident Fletchermonopolized him and attached him to her side。
She would do the honors of her house； she must show him the ruins
of the old Mission beside the corral； Don Diego and Clementina
would join them presently in the garden。 He cast a despairing
glance at the placidly smiling Clementina； who was apparently
equally indifferent to the evident constraint and assumed ease of
the man beside her； and turned away with Mrs。 Ramirez。
A silence fell upon the gallery so deep that the receding voices
and footsteps of Grant and his hostess in the long passage were
distinctly heard until they reached the end。 Then Fletcher arose
with an inarticulate exclamation。 Clementina instantly put her
finger to her lips； glanced around the gallery； extended her hand
to him； and saying 〃Come；〃 half…led； half…dragged him into the
passage。 To the right she turned and pushed open the door of a
small room that seemed a combination of boudoir and oratory； lit by
a French window opening to the garden； and flanked by a large black
and white crucifix with a prie Dieu beneath it。 Closing the door
behind them she turned and faced her companion。 But it was no
longer the face of the woman who had been sitting in the gallery；
it was the face that had looked back at her from the mirror at
Tasajara the night that Grant had left hereager； flushed；
material with commonplace excitement！
〃'Lige Curtis；〃 she said。
〃Yes；〃 he answered passionately； 〃Lige Curtis； whom you thought
dead！ 'Lige Curtis； whom you once pitied； condoled with and
despised！ 'Lige Curtis； whose lands and property have enriched
you！ 'Lige Curtis； who would have shared it with you freely at the
time； but whom your father juggled and defrauded of it！ 'Lige
Curtis； branded by him as a drunken outcast and suicide！ 'Lige
Curtis〃
〃Hush！〃 She clapped her little hand over his mouth with a quick
but awkward schoolgirl gesture； inconceivable to any who had known
her usual languid elegance of motion； and held it there。 He
struggled angrily； impatiently； reproachfully； and then； with a
sudden characteristic weakness that seemed as much of a revelation
as her once hoydenish manner； kissed it； when she let it drop。
Then placing both her hands still girlishly on her slim waist and
curtseying grotesquely before him； she said： 〃'Lige Curtis！ Oh；
yes！ 'Lige Curtis； who swore to do everything for me！ 'Lige
Curtis； who promised to give up liquor for me；who was to leave
Tasajara for me！ 'Lige Curtis； who was to reform； and keep his
land as a nest…egg for us both in the future； and then who sold it
and himselfand meto dad for a glass of whiskey！ 'Lige Curtis；
who disappeared； and then let us think he was dead； only that he
might attack us out of the ambush of his grave！〃
〃Yes； but think what I have suffered all these years； not for the
cursed landyou know I never cared for thatbut for YOU；you；
Clementina；YOU rich； admired by every one； idolized； held far
above me；ME； the forgotten outcast； the wretched suicideand yet
the man to whom you had once plighted your troth。 Which of those
greedy fortune…hunters whom my moneymy life…blood as you might
have thought it wasattracted to you； did you care to tell that
you had ever slipped out of the little garden gate at Sidon to meet
that outcast！ Do you wonder that as the years passed and YOU were
happy； I did not choose to be so forgotten？ Do you wonder that
when YOU shut the door on the past I managed to open it againif
only a little waythat its light might startle you？〃
Yet she did not seem startled or disturbed； and remained only
looking at him critically。
〃You say that you have suffered；〃 she replied with a smile。 〃You
don't look it！ Your hair is white； but it is becoming to you； and
you are a handsomer man； 'Lige Curtis； than you were when I first
met you； you are finer；〃 she went on； still regarding him；
〃stronger and healthier than you were five years ago； you are rich
and prosperous； you have everything to make you happy； but〃here
she laughed a little； held out both her hands； taking his and
holding his arms apart in a rustic； homely fashion〃but you are
still the same old 'Lige Curtis！ It was like you to go off and
hide yourself in that idiotic way； it was like you to let the
property slide in that stupid； unselfish fashion； it was like you
to get real mad； and say all those mean； silly things to dad； that
didn't hurt himin your regular looney style； for rich or poor；
drunk or sober； ragged or elegant； plain or handsome；you're
always the same 'Lige Curtis！〃
In proportion as that material； practical； rustic selfwhich
nobody but 'Lige Curtis had ever seencame back to her； so in
proportion the irresolute； wavering； weak and emotional vagabond of
Sidon came out to meet it。 He looked at her with a vague smile；
his five years of childish resentment； albeit carried on the
shoulders of a man mentally and morally her superior； melted away。
He drew her towards him； yet at the same moment a quick suspicion
returned。
〃Well； and what are you doing here？ Has this man who has followed
you any right； any claim upon you？〃
〃None but what you in your folly have forced upon him！ You have
made him father's ally。 I don't know why he came here。 I only
know why I didto find YOU！〃
〃You suspected then？〃
〃I KNEW！ Hush！〃
The returning voices of Grant and of Mrs。 Ramirez were heard in the
courtyard。 Clementina made a warning yet girlishly mirthful
gesture； again caught his hand； drew him quickly to the French
window； and slipped through it with him into the garden； where they
were quickly lost in the shadows of a ceanothus hedge。
〃They have probably met Don Jose in the orchard； and as he and Don
Diego have business together； Dona Clementina has without doubt
gone to her room and left them。 For you are not very entertaining
to the ladies to…day；you two caballeros！ You have much politics
together； eh？or you have discussed and disagreed； eh？ I will
look for the Senorita； and let you go； Don Distraido！〃
It is to be feared that Grant's apologies and attempts to detain
her were equally feeble；as it seemed to him that this was the
only chance he might have of seeing Clementina except in company
with Fletcher。 As Mrs。 Ramirez left he lit a cigarette and
listlessly walked up and down the gallery。 But Clementina did not
come； neither did his hostess return。 A subdued