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again。
She drew back still farther。 〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃or I shouldn't be here now。
There！ that must suffice you。 And if you wish me still to believe you； you
will not speak of this again while we are out together。 Come； let us go
back to the horses。〃
He looked at her with all his soul。 She was pale； but composed； and
he could seedetermined。 He followed her without a word。 She accepted
his hand to support her again down the slope without embarrassment or
reminiscent emotion。 The whole scene through which she had just passed
might have been buried in the abyss and ruins behind her。 As she placed
her foot in his hand to remount； and for a moment rested her weight on his
shoulder； her brown eyes met his frankly and without a tremor。
Nor was she content with this。 As Paul at first rode on silently； his
heart filled with unsatisfied yearning； she rallied him mischievously。 Was
it kind in him on this； their first day together； to sulk in this fashion？ Was
it a promise for their future excursions？ Did he intend to carry this
lugubrious visage through the Allee and up to the courtyard of the hotel to
proclaim his sentimental condition to the world？ At least； she trusted he
would not show it to Milly； who might remember that this was only the
SECOND TIME they had met each other。 There was something so sweetly
reasonable in this； and withal not without a certain hopefulness for the
future； to say nothing of the half…mischievous； half…reproachful smile that
accompanied it； that Paul exerted himself； and eventually recovered his
lost gayety。 When they at last drew up in the courtyard； with the flush of
youth and exercise in their faces； Paul felt he was the object of envy to the
loungers； and of fresh gossip to Strudle Bad。 It struck him less pleasantly
that two dark faces； which had been previously regarding him in the
gloom of the corridor and vanished as he approached； reappeared some
moments later in Yerba's salon as Don Caesar and Dona Anna； with a
benignly different expression。 Dona Anna especially greeted him with so
much of the ostentatious archness of a confident and forgiving woman to a
momentarily recreant lover； that he felt absurdly embarrassed in Yerba's
presence。 He was thinking how he could excuse himself； when he noticed
a beautiful basket of flowers on the table and a tiny note bearing a baron's
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crest。 Yerba had put it aside withas it seemed to him at the momentan
almost too pronounced indifferenceand an indifference that was strongly
contrasted to Dona Anna's eagerly expressed enthusiasm over the offering；
and her ultimate supplications to Paul and her brother to admire its
beauties and the wonderful taste of the donor。
All this seemed so incongruous with Paul's feelings； and above all with
the recollection of his scene with Yerba； that he excused himself from
dining with the party； alleging an engagement with his old fellow…traveler
the German officer； whose acquaintance he had renewed。 Yerba did not
press him； he even fancied she looked relieved。 Colonel Pendleton was
coming； Paul was not loath； in his present frame of mind； to dispense with
his company。 A conviction that the colonel's counsel was not the best
guide for Yerba； and that in some vague way their interests were
antagonistic； had begun to force itself upon him。 He had no intention of
being disloyal to her old guardian； but he felt that Pendleton had not been
frank with him since his return from Rosario。 Had he ever been so with
HER？ He sometimes doubted his disclaimer。
He was lucky in finding the General disengaged； and together they
dined at a restaurant and spent the evening at the Kursaal。 Later； at the
Residenz Club； the General leaned over his beer…glass and smilingly
addressed his companion。
〃So I hear you； too； are a conquest of the beautiful South American。〃
For an instant Paul； recognizing only Dona Anna under that epithet；
looked puzzled。
〃Come； my friend；〃 said the General regarding him with some
amusement； 〃I am an older man than you； yet I hardly think I could have
ridden out with such a goddess without becoming her slave。〃
Paul felt his face flush in spite of himself。 〃Ah！ you mean Miss
Arguello；〃 he said hurriedly； his color increasing at his own mention of
that name as if he were imposing it upon his honest companion。 〃She is an
old acquaintance of minefrom my own State California。〃
〃Ah； so；〃 said the General； lifting his eyebrows in profound apology。
〃A thousand pardons。〃
〃Surely；〃 said Paul； with a desperate attempt to recover his equanimity；
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〃YOU ought to know our geography better。〃
〃So； I am wrong。 But still the nameArguellosurely that is not
American？ Still； they say she has no accent； and does not look like a
Mexican。〃
For an instant Paul was superstitiously struck with the fatal infelicity
of Yerba's selection of a foreign name； that now seemed only to invite that
comment and criticism which she should have avoided。 Nor could he
explain it at length to the General without assisting and accenting the
deception； which he was always hoping in some vague way to bring to an
end。 He was sorry he had corrected the General； he was furious that he had
allowed himself to be confused。
Happily his companion had misinterpreted his annoyance； and with
impulsive German friendship threw himself into what he believed to be
Paul's feelings。 〃Donnerwetter！ Your beautiful countrywoman is made the
subject of curiosity just because that stupid baron is persistent in his
serious attentions。 That is quite enough； my good friend； to make
Klatschen here among those animals who do not understand the freedom
of an American girl； or that an heiress may have something else to do with
her money than to expend it on the Baron's mortgages。 But〃he stopped；
and his simple； honest face assumed an air of profound and sagacious
cunning〃I am glad to talk about it with you； who of course are perfectly
familiar with the affair。 I shall now be able to know what to say。 My word；
my friend； has some weight here； and I shall use it。 And now you shall tell
me WHO is our lovely friend； and WHO were her parents and her kindred
in her own home。 Her associates here； you possibly know； are an
impossible colonel and his never…before…approached valet； with some
South American Indian planters； and； I believe； a pork…butcher's daughter。
But of THEMit makes nothing。 Tell me of HER people。〃
With his kindly serious face within a few inches of Paul's； and
sympathizing curiosity beaming from his pince…nez； he obliged the
wretched and conscience…stricken Hathaway to respond with a detailed
account of Yerba's parentage as projected by herself and indorsed by
Colonel Pendleton。 He dwelt somewhat particularly on the romantic
character of the Trust； hoping to draw the General's attention away from
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the question of relationship； but he was chagrined to find that the honest
warrior evidently confounded the Trust with some eleemosynary
institution and sympathetically glossed it over。 〃Of course；〃 he said； 〃the
Mexican Minister at Berlin would know all about the Arguello family： so
there would be no question there。〃
Paul was not sorry when the time came to take leave of his friend； but
once again in the clear moonlight and fresh； balmy air of the Allee； he
forgot the unpleasantness of the interview。 He found himself thinking only
of his ride w