a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第28章
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〃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？〃
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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 CHOOSE。
〃Hear me！〃 she continued firmly。 〃With his name and my own mistress；
and the girl； as I believed； properly provided for and ignorant of my
existence； I saw no necessity for reopening the past。 I resolved to lead a
new life as his widow。 I came north。 In the little New England town where
I first stopped； the country people contracted my name to Mrs。 Argalls。 I
let it stand so。 I came to New York and entered the service of the Lord and
the bonds of the Church； Henry Pendleton； as Mrs。 Argalls； and have
remained so ever since。〃
〃But you would not object to Yerba knowing that you lived； and
rightly bore her father's name？〃 said Pendleton eagerly。
The woman looked at him with compressed lips。 〃I should。 I have
buried all my past； and all its consequences。 Let me not seek to reopen it
or recall them。〃
〃But if you knew that she was as proud as yourself； and that this very
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uncertainty as to her name and parentage； although she has never known
the whole truth； kept her from taking the name and becoming the wife of a
man whom she loves？〃
〃Whom she loves！〃
〃Yes； one of her guardians…Hathawayto whom you intrusted her
when she was a child。〃
〃Paul Hathawaybut HE knew it。〃
〃Yes。 But SHE does not know he does。 He has kept the secret
faithfully； even when she refused him。〃
She was silent for a moment； and then said；
〃So be it。 I consent。〃
〃And you'll write to her？〃 said the colonel eagerly。
〃No。 But YOU may； and if you want them I will furnish you with such
proofs as you may require。〃
〃Thank you。〃 He held out his hand with such a happy yet childish
gratitude upon his worn face that her own trembled slightly as she took it。
〃Good…by！〃
〃I shall see you soon；〃 she said。
〃I shall be here；〃 he said grimly。
〃I think not；〃 she returned； with the first relaxation of her smileless
face； and moved away。
As she passed out she asked to see the house surgeon。 How soon did
he think the patient she had been conversing with could be removed from
the hospital with safety？ Did Mrs。 Argalls mean 〃far？〃 Mrs。 Argalls meant
as far as THATtendering her card and eminently respectable address。
Ah！perhaps in a week。 Not before？ Perhaps before； unless complications
ensued； the patient had been much run down physically； though； as Mrs。
Argalls had probably noticed； he was singularly strong in nervous will
force。 Mrs。 Argalls HAD noticed it； and considered it an extraordinary
case of conviction worthy of the closest watching and care。 When he was
able to be moved she would send her own carriage and her own physician
to superintend his transfer。 In the mean time he was to want for nothing。
Certainly； he had given very little trouble； and； in fact； wanted very little。
Just now he had only asked for paper； pens； and ink。
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CHAPTER VIII。
As Mrs。 Argalls's carriage rolled into Fifth Avenue； it for a moment
narrowly grazed another carriage； loaded with luggage； driving up to a
hotel。 The abstracted traveler within it was Paul Hathaway； who had
returned from Europe that morning。 Paul entered the hotel； and； going to
the register mechanically； turned its leaves for the previous arrivals； with
the same hopeless patience that had for the last six weeks accompanied
this habitual preliminary performance on his arrival at the principal
European hotels。 For he had lost all trace of Yerba； Pendleton； Milly； and
the Briones from the day of their departure。 The entire party seemed to
have separated at Basle； and； in that eight…hours' start they had of him； to
have disappeared to the four cardinal points。 He had lingered a few days in
London to transact some business； he would linger a few days longer in
New York before returning to San Francisco。
The daily papers already contained his name in the list of the steamer
passengers who arrived that morning。 It might meet HER eye； although he
had been haunted during the voyage by a terrible fancy that she was still in
Europe； and had either hidden herself in some obscure provincial town
with the half…crazy Pendleton； or had entered a convent； or even； in
reckless despair； had accepted the name and title of some penniless
nobleman。 It was this miserable doubt that had made his homeward
journey at times seem like a cruel desertion of her； while at other moments
the conviction that Milly's Californian relatives might give him some clew
to her whereabouts made him feverishly fearful of delaying an hour on his
way to San Francisco。 He did not believe that she had tolerated the
company of Briones a single moment after the scene at the Bad Hof； and
yet he had no confidence in the colonel's attitude towards the Mexican。
Hopeless of the future as her letter seemed； still its naive and tacit
confession of her feelings at the moment was all that sustained him。
Two days passed； and he still lingered aimlessly in New York。 In two
days more the Panama steamer would sailyet in his hesitation he had put
off securing his passage。 He visited the offices of the different European
steamer lines； and examined the recent passenger lists； but there was no
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record of any of the party。 What made his quest seem the more hopeless
was his belief that； after Briones' revelation； she had cast off the name of
Arguello and taken some other。 She might even be in New York under that
new name now。
On the morning of the third day； among his letters was one that bore
the postmark of a noted suburban settlement of wealthy villa… owners on
the Hudson River。 It was from Milly Woods； stating that her father had
read of his arrival in the papers； and begged he would dine and stay the
next night with them at 〃Under Cliff；〃 if he 〃still had any interest in the
fortunes of old friends。 Of course；〃 added the perennially incoherent Milly；
〃if it bores you we sha'n't expect you。〃 The quick color came to Paul's
careworn cheek。 He telegraphed assent； and at sunset that afternoon
stepped off the train at a little private woodland stationso abnormally
rustic and picturesque in its brown…bark walls covered with scarlet
Virginia creepers that it looked like a theatrical erection。
Mr。 Woods's station wagon was in waiting； but Pau
