the crusade of the excelsior-第33章

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At　least；　so　says　that　good　Father　Esteban。〃



But　with　the　exception　of　the　Alcalde　and　Miss　Chubb；　Mrs。

Brimmer's　words　fell　on　unheeding　ears；　and　Miss　Keene　did　not

prejudice　the　triumph　of　her　own　superior　attractions　by　seeming　to

notice　Mrs。　Brimmer's　innuendo。　　She　answered　briefly；　and　entered

into　lively　conversation　with　Crosby　and　the　Secretary；　holding　the

hand　of　Dona　Isabel　in　her　own；　as　if　to　assure　her　that　she　was

guiltless　of　any　design　against　her　former　admirer。　　This　was　quite

unnecessary；　as　the　gentle　Isabel；　after　bidding　Brace；　with　a　rap

on　the　knuckles；　to　〃go　and　play；〃　contented　herself　with　curling

up　like　a　kitten　beside　Miss　Keene；　and　left　that　gentleman　to

wander　somewhat　aimlessly　in　the　patio。



Nevertheless；　Miss　Keene；　whose　eyes　and　ears　were　nervously　alert；

and　who　had　indulged　a　faint　hope　of　meeting　Padre　Esteban　and

hearing　news　of　Hurlstone；　glanced　from　time　to　time　towards　the

entrance　of　the　patio。　　A　singular　presentiment　that　some　outcome

of　this　present　visit　would　determine　her　relations　with　Hurlstone

had　already　possessed　her。　　Consequently　she　was　conscious；　before

it　had　attracted　the　attention　of　the　others；　of　some　vague

stirring　in　the　plaza　beyond。　　Suddenly　the　clatter　of　hoofs　was

heard　before　the　gateway。　　There　was　a　moment's　pause　of

dismounting；　a　gruff　order　given　in　Spanish；　and　the　next　moment

three　strangers　entered　the　patio。



They　were　dressed　in　red　shirts；　their　white　trousers　tucked　in

high　boots；　and　wore　slouched　hats。　　They　were　so　travel…stained；

dusty；　and　unshaven；　that　their　features　were　barely

distinguishable。　　One；　who　appeared　to　be　the　spokesman　of　the

party；　cast　a　perfunctory　glance　around　the　corridor；　and；　in

fluent　Spanish；　began　with　the　mechanical　air　of　a　man　repeating

some　formula；



〃We　are　the　bearers　of　a　despatch　to　the　Comandante　of　Todos　Santos

from　the　Governor　of　Mazatlan。　　The　officer　and　the　escort　who　came

with　us　are　outside　the　gate。　　We　have　been　told　that　the

Comandante　is　in　this　house。　　The　case　is　urgent；　or　we　would　not

intrude〃



He　was　stopped　by　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Markham　from　the　corridor。

〃Well；　I　don't　understand　Spanish　muchI　may　be　a　fool；　or　crazy；

or　perhaps　bothbut　if　that　isn't　James　Markham's　VOICE；　I'll　bet

a　cooky！〃



The　three　strangers　turned　quickly　toward　the　corridor。　　The　next

moment　the　youngest　of　their　party　advanced　eagerly　towards　Miss

Keene；　who　had　arisen　with　a　half　frightened　joy；　and　with　the　cry

of　〃Why；　it's　Nell！〃　ran　towards　her。　　The　third　man　came　slowly

forward　as　Mrs。　Brimmer　slipped　hastily　from　the　hammock　and　stood

erect。



〃In　the　name　of　goodness；　Barbara；〃　said　Mr。　Brimmer；　closing　upon

her；　in　a　slow；　portentous　whisper；　〃where　ARE　your　stockings？〃





CHAPTER　VI。



A　MORE　IMPORTANT　ARRIVAL。






The　Commander　was　the　first　to　recover　his　presence　of　mind。

Taking　the　despatch　from　the　hands　of　the　unlooked…for　husband　of

the　woman　he　loved；　he　opened　it　with　an　immovable　face　and

habitual　precision。　　Then；　turning　with　a　military　salute　to　the

strangers；　he　bade　them　join　him　in　half　an　hour　at　the　Presidio；

and；　bowing　gravely　to　the　assembled　company；　stepped　from　the

corridor。　　But　Mrs。　Markham　was　before　him；　stopped　him　with　a

gesture；　and　turned　to　her　husband。



〃James　Markhamwhere's　your　hand？〃



Markham；　embarrassed　but　subjugated；　disengaged　it　timidly　from　his

wife's　waist。



〃Give　it　to　that　gentlemanfor　a　gentleman　he　is；　from　the　crown

of　his　head　to　the　soles　of　his　boots！　　There！　　Shake　his　hand！

You　don't　get　such　a　chance　every　day。　　You　can　thank　him　again；

later。〃



As　the　two　men's　hands　parted；　after　this　perfunctory　grasp；　and

the　Commander　passed　on；　she　turned　again　to　her　husband。



〃Now；　James；　I　am　ready　to　hear　all　about　it。　　Perhaps　you'll　tell

me　where　you　HAVE　been？〃



There　was　a　moment　of　embarrassing　silence。　　The　Doctor　and

Secretary　had　discreetly　withdrawn；　the　Alcalde；　after　a　brief

introduction　to　Mr。　Brimmer；　and　an　incomprehensible　glance　from

the　wife；　had　retired　with　a　colorless　face。　　Dona　Isabel　had

lingered　last　to　blow　a　kiss　across　her　fan　to　Eleanor　Keene　that

half　mischievously　included　her　brother。　　The　Americans　were　alone。



Thus　appealed　to；　Mr。　Markham　hastily　began　his　story。　　But；　as　he

progressed；　a　slight　incoherency　was　noticeable：　he　occasionally

contradicted　himself；　and　was　obliged　to　be　sustained；　supplemented；

and；　at　times；　corrected；　by　Keene　and　Brimmer。　Substantially；　it

appeared　that　they　had　come　from　San　Francisco　to　Mazatlan；　and；

through　the　influence　of　Mr。　Brimmer　on　the　Mexican　authorities；

their　party；　with　an　escort　of　dragoons；　had　been　transported　across

the　gulf　and　landed　on　the　opposite　shore；　where　they　had　made　a

forced　march　across　the　desert　to　Todos　Santos。　Literally

interpreted；　however；　by　the　nervous　Markham；　it　would　seem　that

they　had　conceived　this　expedition　long　ago；　and　yet　had

difficulties　because　they　only　thought　of　it　the　day　before　the

steamer　sailed；　that　they　had　embarked　for　the　isthmus　of　Nicaragua；

and　yet　had　stopped　at　Mazatlan；　that　their　information　was　complete

in　San　Francisco；　and　only　picked　up　at　Mazatlan；　that　〃friends〃

sometimes　contradictorily　known　as　〃he〃　and　〃she〃had　overpowering

influence　with　the　Mexican　Government；　and　alone　had　helped　them；

and　yet　that　they　were　utterly　dependent　upon　the　efforts　of　Senor

Perkins；　who　had　compromised　matters　with　the　Mexican　Government　and

everybody。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say；　James　Markham；　that　you've　seen　Perkins；　and

it　was　he　who　told　you　we　were　here？〃



〃Nonot　HIM　exactly。〃



〃Let　me　explain；〃　said　Mr。　Brimmer　hastily。　　〃It　appears；〃　he

corrected　his　haste　with　practical　businesslike　precision；　〃that

the　filibuster　Perkins；　after　debarking　you　here；　and　taking　the

Excelsior　to　Quinquinambo；　actually　established　the　Quinquinambo

Government；　and　got　Mexico　and　the　other　confederacies　to　recognize

its　independence。　　Quinquinambo　behaved　very　handsomely；　and　not

only　allowed　the　Mexican　Government　indemnity　for　breaking　the

neutrality　of　Todos　Santos　by　the　seizure；　but　even　compromised

with　our　own　Government　their　claim　to　confiscate　the　Excelsior　for

treaty　violation；　and　paid　half　the　value　of　the　vessel；　besides

giving　information　to　Mexico　and　Washington　of　your　whereabouts。

We　consequently　represent　a　joint　commission　from　both　countries　to

settle　the　matter　and　arrange　for　your　return。〃



〃But　what　I　want　to　know　is　this：　Is　it　to　Senor　Perkins　that　we

ought　to　be　thankful　for　seeing　you　here　at　all？〃　asked　Mrs。

Markham　impatiently。



〃No；　nonot　that；　exactly；〃　stammered　Markham。　　〃Oh；　come　now；

Susannah〃



〃No；〃　said　Richard　Keene　earnestly；　〃by　Jove！　some　thanks　ought　to

go　to　Belle　Montgomery〃He　checked　himself　in　sudden　consternation。



There　was　a　chilly　silence。　　Even　Miss　Keene　looked　anxiously　at

her　brother；　as　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Brimmer　for　the　first　time　broke

the　silence。



〃May　we　be　permitted　to　know　who　is　this　person　to　whom　we　owe　so

great　an　obligation？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Brimmer；　〃She　wasas　I　have　already　intimateda

friend；　possibly；　you　know；〃　he　added；　turning　lightly　to　his

companions；　as　if　to　corroborate　an　impression　that　had　just　struck

him；　〃perhaps　aaa　sweetheart　of　the　Senor　Perkins。〃



〃And　how　was　she　so　interested　in　us；　pray？〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；



〃Well；　you　see；　she　had　an　idea　that　a　former　husband　was　on　board

of　the　Excelsior。〃



He　stopped　suddenly；　remembering　from　the　astonished　faces　of　Keene

and　Markham　that　the　secret　was　not　known　to　them；　while　they；

impressed　with　the　belief　that　the　story　was　a　sudden　invention　of

Brimmer's；　with　difficulty　preserved　their　composure。　　But　the

women　were　quick　to　notice　their　confusion；　and　promptly

disbelieved　Brimmer's　explanation。



〃Well；　as　there's　no　Mister　Montgomery　here；　she's　probably

mistaken；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　with　decision；　〃though　it　strikes　ME

that　she's　very　likely　had　the　same　delusion　on　board　of　some　other

ship。　　Come　along；　James；　perhaps　after　you've　had　a　bath　and　some

clean　clothes；　you　may　come　out　a　little　more　like　the　man　I　once

knew。　　I　don't　know　how　Mrs。　Brimmer　feels；　but　I　feel　more　as　if　I

required　to　be　introduced　to　youthan　your　friend's　friend；　Mrs。

Montgomery。　　At　any　rate；　try　and　look　and　behave　a　little　more

decent　when　you　go　over　to　the　Presidio。〃



With　these　words　she　dragged　him　away。　　Mr。　Brimmer；　after　a　futile

attempt　to　appear　at　his　ease；　promptly　effected　the　usual　marital

diversion　of　carrying　the　war　into　the　enemy's　camp。



〃For　heaven's　sake；　Barbara；〃　he　said；　with　ostentatious

indignation；　〃go　and　dress　yourself　properly。　　Had　you　neither

money　nor　credit　to　purchase　clothes？　　I　declare　I　didn't　know　you

at　first；　and　when　I　did；　I　was　shocked；　before　Mrs。　Markham；　too！〃



〃Mrs。　Markham；　I　fear；　has　quite　enough　to　occupy　her　now；〃　said

Mrs。　Brimmer　shortly；　as　she　turned　away；　with　hysterically　moist

eyes；　leaving　her　husband　to　follow　her。



Oblivious　of　this　comedy；　Richard　Keene　and　Eleanor　had　already

wandered　back；　hand　in　hand；　to　their　days　of　childhood。　　But　even

in　the　joy　that　filled　the　young　girl's　heart　in　the　presence　of

her　only　kinsman；　there　was　a　strange　reservation。　　The　meeting

that　she　had　looked　forward　to　with　eager　longing　had　brought　all

she　expected；　more　than　that；　it　seemed　to　have　been　providentially

anticipated　at　the　moment　of　her　greatest　need；　and　yet　it　was

incomplete。　　She　was　ashamed　that　after　the　first　recognition；　a

wild　desire　to　run　to　Hurlstone　and　tell　HIM　her　happiness　was　her

only　thought。　　She　was　shocked　that　the　bright　joyous　face　of　this

handsome　lovable　boy　could　not　shut　out　the　melancholy　austere

features　of　Hurlstone；　which　seemed　to　rise　reproachfully　between

them。　　When；　for　the　third　and　fourth　time；　they　had　recounted

their　past　history；　exchanged　their　confidences　and　feelings；　Dick；

passing　his　arm　around　his　sister's　waist；　looked　down　smilingly　in

her　eyes。



〃And　so；　after　all；　little　Nell；　everybody　has　been　good　to　you；

and　you　have　been　happy！〃



〃Everybody　has　been　kind　to　me；　Dick；　far　kinder　than　I　deserved。

Even　if　I　had　really　been　the　great　lady　that　little　Dona　Isabel

thought　I　was；　or　the　important　person　the　Commander　believed　me　to

be；　I　couldn't　have　been　treated　more　kindly。　　I　have　met　with

nothing　but　respect　and　attention。　　I　have　been　very　happy；　Dick；

very　happy。〃



And　with　a　little　cry　she　threw　herself　on　her　brother's　neck　and

burst　into　a　childlike　flood　of　inconsistent　tears。



Meantime　the　news　of　the　arrival　of　the　relief…party　had　penetrated

even　the　peaceful　cloisters　of　the　Mission；　and　Father　Esteban　had

been　summoned　in　haste　to　the　Council。　　He　returned　with　an　eager

f