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ontinent with Professor Meschines； who used to teach geology and botany at Yale College； when he and I were students there。 The professor had come over partly for the fun of the thing； and partly to look for specimens in the line of his profession。 My friend parted from him at San Francisco： the professor was going farther south。〃
〃What has all this to do with the woman who〃
〃It has this to do with it；that the professor is the woman！ He is over sixty years old； and has always been a good friend of mine； but I am not going to marry him。 I am not engaged to him； he is not beautiful； nor even fascinating； except in the way of an elderly man of science。 And he is the only human being； besides yourself； that I know or have ever heard of on the Pacific coast。 Now for your apology！〃
Grace emitted a long breath； and sank back in her seat； with her hands clasped in her lap。 She raised her hands and covered her face with them。 She removed them； sat erect； and bent an open…eyed； intent gaze upon her companion。
After this pantomime； she exclaimed； in the lowest and most musical of tones； 〃Oh！ how hateful you are！〃 Then she cried out with animation； 〃I believe you did it on purpose！〃 Finally； she sank back again； with a soft laugh and sparkling eyes； at the same time stretching out her right arm towards him and placing her hand on his； with a whispered； 〃There； then！〃
Freeman； accepting the hand for the apology； kissed it； and continued to hold it afterwards。
〃Am I not a little goose？〃 she murmured。
〃You certainly are；〃 replied Freeman。
〃You mustn't hold my hand any more。〃
〃Do you mean to withdraw your apology？〃
〃Nno； but it doesn't follow that〃
〃Oh； yes； it does。 Besides； when a man receives such a delicate； refined； graceful； exquisite apology as this；〃here he lifted the hand； looked at it critically； and bestowed another kiss upon it；〃he would be a fool not to make the most of it。〃
〃Ah； I'm afraid you're dangerous。 You are well namedFreeman！〃
〃My name is Harvey： won't you call me by it？〃
〃Oh； I can't！〃
〃Try！ Would it make it easier if I were to call you by yours？〃
〃Mine is Miss Parsloe。〃
〃Pooh！ How can that be your name which you are going to change so soon？ When I look at you； I see your name； when I think of you； I say it to myself；Grace！〃
〃How do you know I am going to change my name soonor ever？〃
〃Whom are you talking to？〃
〃To you；Harvey！ Oh！〃 She snatched her hand away and pressed it over her lips。
〃How do I know you are beautiful； Grace； andirresistible？〃
〃But I'm not！ You're making fun of me！ Besides； I'm twenty。〃
〃How many times have you been engaged？〃
〃Never。 Nobody wants to be engaged to a poor girl。 Oh me！〃
〃Do you know what you are made of； Grace？ Fire and flowers！ Few men in the world are men enough to be a match for you。 But what have you been doing with yourself all this time？ Why do you come to a place like this？〃
〃Maybe I had a presentiment that 。 。 。 What nonsense we are talking！ But what you said reminds me。 It's the strangest coincidence！〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Your Professor Meschines〃
〃On the contrary； he is a most matter… of…fact old gentleman。〃
〃Do be quiet； and listen to me！ When my mamma was a girl in school； there were two boys there；it was a boy…and…girls' school；and they were great friends。 But they both fell in love with my mamma〃
〃I can understand that；〃 put in Freeman。
〃How do you know I am like my mamma？ Well； as I was saying； they both fell in love with her； and quarrelled with each other； and had a fight。 The boy that won the fight is the man to whose house I am going。〃
〃Then he didn't marry your mamma？〃
〃Oh； no； that was only a childish affair； and she married another man。〃
〃The one who got thrashed？〃
〃Of course not。 But the one who got thrashed is your Professor Meschines。〃
〃I see！ The poor old professor！ And he has remained a bachelor all his life。〃
〃Mamma has often told me the story； and that the Trednoke boy went to West Point； and distinguished himself in the Mexican war； and married a Mexican woman； and the Meschines boy became a professor in Yale College。 And now I am going to see one of them； and you to see the other。 Isn't that a coincidence？〃
〃The first of a long series； I trust。 Is this West…Pointer a permanent settler here？〃
〃Yes； for ever so long；twenty years。 He's a widower； but he has a daughter Oh； I know you'll fall in love with her！〃
〃Is she like you？〃
〃I don't know。 I've never seen her； or General Trednoke either。〃
〃Come to think of it； though； nobody is like you； Grace。 Now； will you be so good as to apologize again？〃
〃Don't you think you're rather exacting； Harvey？〃
However； the apology was finally repeated； and continued； more or less； during the rest of the voyage； and Grace quite forgot that she had never made Harvey tell what was really the cause of his coming to California。 But she； on her side； had a secret。 She never allowed him to suspect that the past eighteen months of her life had been passed as employee in a New York dry… goods store。
CHAPTER III。
General Trednoke's house was built by Spanish missionaries in the sixteenth century； and in its main features it was little altered in three hundred years。 In a climate where there is no frost； walls of adobe last as long as granite。 The house consisted； practically； of but one story； for although there were rooms under the roof； they were used only for storage； no one slept in them。 The plan of the building was not unlike that of a train of railway…cars； or； it might be more appropriate to say； of emigrant…wagons。 There was a series of rooms； ranged in a line； access to them being had from a narrow corridor； which opened on the rear veranda。 Several of the rooms also communicated directly with each other； and； through low windows； gave on the veranda in front； for the house was merely a comparatively narrow array of apartments between two broad verandas； where most of the living； including much of the sleeping； was done。
Logically； there can be nothing uglier than a Spanish…American dwelling of this type。 But； as a matter of fact； they appear seductively beautiful。 The thick white walls acquire a certain softness of tone； the surface scales off here and there； and cracks and crevices appear。 In a damp country； like England； they would soon become covered with moss； but moss is not to be had in this region； though one were to offer for it the price of the silk velvet； triple ply； which so much resembles it。 Nevertheless； there are compensations。 The soil is inexhaustibly fertile； and its fertility expresses itself in the most inveterate beauty。 Such colors and varieties of flowers exist nowhere else； and they continue all the year round。 Climbing vines storm the walls； and toss their green ladders all over it； for beauty to walk up and down。 Huge jars； standing on the verandas； emit volcanoes of lovely blossoms； and vases swung from the roof drip and overflow with others； as if water had turned to flowers。 In the garden； which extends over several acres at the front of the house； and； as it were； makes it an island in a gorgeous sea of petals； there are roses； almonds； oranges； vines； pomegranates； and a hundred rivals whose names are unknown to the present historian； marching joyfully and triumphantly through the seasons； as the symphony moves through changes along its central theme。
Everything that is not an animal or a mineral seems to be a flower。 There are too many flowers；or； rather； there is not enough of anything else。 The faculty of appreciation wearies； and at last ceases to take note。 It is like conversing with a person whose every word is an epigram。 The senses have their limitations； and imagination and expectation are half of beauty and delight； and the better half； otherwise we should have no souls。 A single violet； discovered by chance in the by…ways of an April forest in New England； gives a pleasure as poignant as； and more spiritual than； the miles upon miles of Californian splendors。
Monotony is the ruling characteristic； monotony of beauty； monotony of desolation； monotony even of variety。 The glorious blue overhead is monotonous： as for the thermometer； it paces up and down within the narrowest limits； like a prisoner in his cell； or a meadow…lark hopping to and fro in a seven…inch cage。 The plan and aspect of the buildings are monotonous； and so is the way of life of those who inhabit them。 Fortunately； the sun does rise and set in Southern California： otherwise life there would be at an absolute stand…still； with no past and no future。 But； as it is； one can look forward to morning； and remember the evening。
Then； there are the not infrequent but seldom very destructive earthquakes； the occasional cloud…bursts and tornadoes； sudden and violent as a gunpowder…explosion； and； finally； the astounding contrast between the fertile regions and the desert。 There are places where you can stand with one foot planted in everlasting sterility and the other in immortal verdure。 In the midst of an arid and hopeless waste； you come suddenly upon the brink of a narrow ravine； sharply defined as if cut out with an a