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of her husband's discovery of her secret。 Secure as she had been
in her dull belief that he had in some way wronged her by marrying
her； she for the first time began to doubt if this condoned the
deceit she had practiced on him。 The tribute Mrs。 Fairfax had paid
himthis appreciation of his integrity and honesty by an enemy and
a woman like herselftroubled her； frightened her； and filled her
with her first jealousy！ What if this woman should tell him all；
what if she should make use of him as Marion had of her！ Zephas
was a strong Northern partisan； but was he proof against the
guileful charms of such a devil？ She had never thought before of
questioning his fidelity to her； she suddenly remembered now some
rough pleasantries of Captain Simmons in regard to the inconstancy
of his calling。 No！ there was but one thing for her to do： she
would make a clean breast to him； she would tell him everything she
had done except the fatal fancy that compelled her to it！ She
began to look for his coming now with alternate hope and fearwith
unabated impatience！ The night that he should have arrived passed
slowly； morning came； but not Zephas。 When the mist had lifted she
ran impatiently to the rocks and gazed anxiously towards the lower
bay。 There were a few gray sails scarce distinguishable above the
grayer waterbut they were not his。 She glanced half mechanically
seaward； and her eyes became suddenly fixed。 There was no mistake！
She knew the rig！she could see the familiar white lap…streak as
the vessel careened on the starboard tackit was her husband's
schooner slowly creeping out of the Golden Gate！
PART III。
Her first wild impulse was to run to the cove； for the little
dingey always moored there； and to desperately attempt to overtake
him。 But the swift consciousness of its impossibility was followed
by a dull； bewildering torpor； that kept her motionless； helplessly
following the vessel with straining eyes； as if they could evoke
some response from its decks。 She was so lost in this occupation
that she did not see that a pilot…boat nearly abreast of the cove
had put out a two…oared gig； which was pulling quickly for the
rocks。 When she saw it； she trembled with the instinct that it
brought her intelligence。 She was right； it was a brief note from
her husband； informing her that he had been hurriedly dispatched on
a short sea cruise； that in order to catch the tide he had not time
to go ashore at the bluff； but he would explain everything on his
return。 Her relief was only partial； she was already experienced
enough in his vocation to know that the excuse was a feeble one。
He could easily have 〃fetched〃 the bluff in tacking out of the Gate
and have signaled to her to board him in her own boat。 The next
day she locked up her house； rowed round the Point to the
Embarcadero； where the Bay steamboats occasionally touched and took
up passengers to San Francisco。 Captain Simmons had not seen her
husband this last trip； indeed； did not know that he had gone out
of the Bay。 Mrs。 Bunker was seized with a desperate idea。 She
called upon the Secretary of the Fishing Trust。 That gentle man
was business…like； but neither expansive nor communicative。 Her
husband had NOT been ordered out to sea by them； she ought to know
that Captain Bunker was now his own master； choosing his own
fishing grounds； and his own times and seasons。 He was not aware
of any secret service for the Company in which Captain Bunker was
engaged。 He hoped Mrs。 Bunker would distinctly remember that the
little matter of the duel to which she referred was an old bygone
affair； and never anything but a personal matter； in which the
Fishery had no concern whatever； and in which HE certainly should
not again engage。 He would advise Mrs。 Bunker； if she valued her
own good； and especially her husband's； to speedily forget all
about it。 These were ugly times； as it was。 If Mrs。 Bunker's
services had not been properly rewarded or considered it was
certainly a great shame； but really HE could not be expected to
make it good。 Certain parties had cost him trouble enough already。
Besides； really； she must see that his position between her
husband； whom he respected； and a certain other party was a
delicate one。 But Mrs。 Bunker heard no more。 She turned and ran
down the staircase； carrying with her a burning cheek and blazing
eye that somewhat startled the complacent official。
She did not remember how she got home again。 She had a vague
recollection of passing through the crowded streets； wondering if
the people knew that she was an outcast； deserted by her husband；
deceived by her ideal hero； repudiated by her friends！ Men had
gathered in knots before the newspaper offices； excited and
gesticulating over the bulletin boards that had such strange
legends as 〃The Crisis；〃 〃Details of an Alleged Conspiracy to
Overthrow the Government；〃 〃The Assassin of Henderson to the Fore
Again；〃 〃Rumored Arrests on the Mexican Frontier。〃 Sometimes she
thought she understood the drift of them； even fancied they were
the outcome of her visitas if her very presence carried treachery
and suspicion with itbut generally they only struck her benumbed
sense as a dull； meaningless echo of something that had happened
long ago。 When she reached her house； late that night； the
familiar solitude of shore and sea gave her a momentary relief； but
with it came the terrible conviction that she had forfeited her
right to it； that when her husband came back it would be hers no
longer； and that with their meeting she would know it no more。 For
through all her childish vacillation and imaginings she managed to
cling to one steadfast resolution。 She would tell him EVERYTHING；
and know the worst。 Perhaps he would never come； perhaps she
should not be alive to meet him。
And so the days and nights slowly passed。 The solitude which her
previous empty deceit had enabled her to fill with such charming
visions now in her awakened remorse seemed only to protract her
misery。 Had she been a more experienced； though even a more
guilty； woman she would have suffered less。 Without sympathy or
counsel； without even the faintest knowledge of the world or its
standards of morality to guide her； she accepted her isolation and
friendlessness as a necessary part of her wrongdoing。 Her only
criterion was her enemyMrs。 Fairfaxand SHE could seek her
relief by joining her lover； but Mrs。 Bunker knew now that she
herself had never had oneand was alone！ Mrs。 Fairfax had broken
openly with her husband； but SHE had DECEIVED hers； and the
experience and reckoning were still to come。 In her miserable
confession it was not strange that this half child； half woman；
sometimes looked towards that gray sea； eternally waiting for her；
that sea which had taken everything from her and given her nothing
in return；for an obliterating and perhaps exonerating death！
The third day of her waiting isolation was broken upon by another
intrusion。 The morning had been threatening； with an opaque；
motionless； livid arch above； which had taken the place of the
usual flying scud and shaded cloud masses of the rainy season。 The
whole outlying ocean； too； beyond the bar； appeared nearer； and
even seemed to be lifted higher than the Bay itself； and was lit
every now and then with wonderful clearness by long flashes of
breaking foam like summer lightning。 She knew that this meant a
southwester； and began； with a certain mechanical deliberation； to
set her little domain in order against the coming gale。 She drove
the cows to the rude shed among the scrub oaks； she collected the
goats and young kids in the corral； and replenished the stock of
fuel from the woodpile。 She was quite hidden in the shrubbery when
she saw a boat making slow headway against the wind towards the
little cove where but a moment before she had drawn up the dingey
beyond the reach of breaking seas。 It was a whaleboat from
Saucelito containing a few men。 As they neared the landing she
recognized in the man who seemed to be directing the boat the
second friend of Colonel Marionthe man who had come with the
Secretary to take him off； but whom she had never seen again。 In
her present horror of that memory she remained hidden； determined
at all hazards to avoid a meeting。 When they had landed； one of
the men halted accidentally before the shrubbery where she was
concealed as he caught his first view of the cottage； which had
been invisible from the point they had rounded。
〃Look here； Bragg；〃 he said； turning to Marion's friend； in a voice
which was distinctly audible to Mrs。 Bunker。 〃What are we to say
to these people？〃
〃There's only one；〃 returned the other。 〃The man's at sea。 His
wife's here。 She's all right。〃
〃You said she was one of us？〃
〃After a fashion。 She's the woman who helped Marion when he was
here。 I reckon he made it square with her from the beginning； for
she forwarded letters from him since。 But you can tell her as much
or as little as you find necessary when you see her。〃
〃Yes； but we must settle that NOW；〃 said Bragg sharply； 〃and I
propose to tell her NOTHING。 I'm against having any more
pe