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She recognized the gray…haired； handsome man who had come ashore
at her house。 With a touch of indignation at her treatment； she
briefly told her story。 But the general listened coldly and
gravely with his eyes fixed upon her face。
〃You say you recognized in the leader of the party a man you had
seen before。 Under what circumstances？〃
Mrs。 Bunker hesitated with burning cheeks。 〃He came to take
Colonel Marion from our place。〃
〃When you were hiding him；yes； we've heard the story。 Now； Mrs。
Bunker； may I ask you what you； as a Southern sympathizer； expect
to gain by telling me this story？〃
But here Mrs。 Bunker burst out。 〃I am not a Southern sympathizer！
Never！ Never！ Never！ I'm a Union woman；wife of a Northern man。
I helped that man before I knew who he was。 Any Christian；
Northerner or Southerner； would have done the same！〃
Her sincerity and passion were equally unmistakable。 The general
rose； opened the door of the adjoining room； said a few words to an
orderly on duty； and returned。 〃What you are asking of me； Mrs。
Bunker； is almost as extravagant and unprecedented as your story。
You must understand； as well as your husband； that if I land a
force on your property it will be to TAKE POSSESSION of it in the
name of the Government； for Government purposes。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Mrs。 Bunker eagerly； 〃I know that。 I am willing；
Zephas will be willing。〃
〃And；〃 continued the general； fixing his eyes on her face； 〃you
will also understand that I may be compelled to detain you here as
a hostage for the safety of my men。〃
〃Oh no！ no！ please！〃 said Mrs。 Bunker； springing up with an
imploring feminine gesture； 〃I am expecting my husband。 He may
be coming back at any moment； I must be there to see him FIRST！
Please let me go back； sir； with your men； put me anywhere ashore
between them and those men that are coming。 Lock me up； keep me a
prisoner in my own home； do anything else if you think I am
deceiving you； but don't keep me here to miss him when he comes！〃
〃But you can see him later；〃 said the general。
〃But I must see him FIRST；〃 said Mrs。 Bunker desperately。 〃I must
see him first； forforHE KNOWS NOTHING OF THIS。 He knows
nothing of my helping Colonel Marion； he knows nothing ofhow
foolish I have been； andhe must not know it from others！ There！〃
It was out at last。 She was sobbing now； but her pride was gone。
She felt relieved； and did not even notice the presence of two or
three other officers； who had entered the room； exchanged a few
hurried words with their superior； and were gazing at her in
astonishment。
The general's brow relaxed； and he smiled。 〃Very well； Mrs。
Bunker； it shall be as you like； then。 You shall go and meet your
husband with Captain Jennings here；〃indicating one of the
officers；〃who will take charge of you and the party。〃
〃And；〃 said Mrs。 Bunker； looking imploringly through her wet but
pretty lashes at the officer； 〃he won't say anything to Zephas；
either？〃
〃Not a syllable；〃 said Captain Jennings gravely。 〃But while the
tug is getting ready； general； hadn't Mrs。 Bunker better go to Mrs。
Flanigan？〃
〃I think not；〃 said the general； with a significant look at the
officer as he gallantly offered his arm to the astonished Mrs。
Bunker； 〃if she will allow me the pleasure of taking her to my
wife。〃
There was an equally marked respect in the manner of the men and
officers as Mrs。 Bunker finally stepped on board the steam tug that
was to convey the party across the turbulent bay。 But she heeded
it not； neither did she take any concern of the still furious gale；
the difficult landing； the preternatural activity of the band of
sappers； who seemed to work magic with their picks and shovels； the
shelter tents that arose swiftly around her； the sheds and bush
inclosures that were evoked from the very ground beneath her feet；
the wonderful skill； order； and discipline that in a few hours
converted her straggling dominion into a formal camp； even to the
sentinel； who was already calmly pacing the rocks by the landing as
if he had being doing it for years！ Only one thing thrilled her
the sudden outburst； fluttering and snapping of the national flag
from her little flagstaff。 He would see itand perhaps be
pleased！
And indeed it seemed as if the men had caught the infection of her
anxiety； for when her strained eyes could no longer pierce the
murky twilight settling over the Gate； one came running to her to
say that the lookout had just discovered through his glass a close…
reefed schooner running in before the wind。 It was her husband；
and scarcely an hour after night had shut in the schooner had
rounded to off the Point； dropped her boat； and sped away to
anchorage。 And then Mrs。 Bunker； running bareheaded down the
rocks； breaking in upon the hurried explanation of the officer of
the guard； threw herself upon her husband's breast； and sobbed and
laughed as if her heart would break！
Nor did she scarcely hear his hurried comment to the officer and
unconscious corroboration of her story： how a brig had raced them
from the Gate； was heading for the bar； but suddenly sheered off
and put away to sea again； as if from some signal from the
headland。 〃Yesthe bluff；〃 interrupted Captain Jennings bitterly；
〃I thought of that； but the old man said it was more diplomatic
just now to PREVENT an attempt than even to successfully resist
it。〃
But when they were alone again in their little cottage； and Zephas'
honest eyeswith no trace of evil knowledge or suspicion in their
homely； neutral lightnesswere looking into hers with his usual
simple trustfulness； Mrs。 Bunker trembled； whimpered； andI grieve
to saybasely funked her boasted confession。 But here the Deity
which protects feminine weakness intervened with the usual miracle。
As he gazed at his wife's troubled face； an apologetic cloud came
over his rugged but open brow； and a smile of awkward deprecating
embarrassment suffused his eyes。 〃I declare to goodness； Mollie；
but I must tell you suthin； although I guess I didn't kalkilate to
say a word about it。 But； darn it all； I can't keep it in。 No！
Lookin' inter that innercent face o' yourn〃pressing her flushing
cheeks between his cool brown hands〃and gazing inter them two
truthful eyes〃they blinked at this moment with a divine modesty
〃and thinkin' of what you've just did for your kentrylike them
revolutionary women o' '76I feel like a darned swab of a traitor
myself。 Well！ what I want ter tell you is this： Ye know； or ye've
heard me tell o' that Mrs。 Fairfax； as left her husband for that
fire…eatin' Marion； and stuck to him through thick and thin； and
stood watch and watch with him in this howlin' Southern rumpus
they're kickin' up all along the coast； as if she was a man
herself。 Well； jes as I hauled up at the wharf at 'Frisco； she
comes aboard。
〃'You're Cap Bunker？' she says。
〃'That's me； ma'am；' I says。
〃'You're a Northern man and you go with your kind；' sez she； 'but
you're a white man； and thar's no cur blood in you。' But you ain't
listenin'； Mollie； you're dead tired； lass；〃with a commiserating
look at her now whitening face；〃and I'll haul in line and wait。
Well； to cut it short； she wanted me to take her down the coast a
bit to where she could join Marion。 She said she'd been shook by
his friends； followed by spiesand； blame my skin； Mollie； ef that
proud woman didn't break down and CRY like a baby。 Now； Mollie；
what got ME in all this； was that them Chivalry folksez was
always jawin' about their 'Southern dames' and their 'Ladye fairs；'
and always runnin' that kind of bilge water outer their scuppers
whenever they careened over on a fair windwas jes the kind to
throw off on a woman when they didn't want her； and I kinder
thought I'd like HER to see the difference betwixt the latitude o'
Charleston and Cape Cod。 So I told her I didn't want the jewelry
and dimons she offered me； but if she would come down to the wharf；
after dark； I'd smuggle her aboard； and I'd allow to the men that
she was YOUR AUNTIE ez I was givin' a free passage to！ Lord！ dear！
think o' me takin' the name o' Mollie Bunker's aunt in vain for
that sort o' woman！ Think o' me；〃 continued Captain Bunker with a
tentative chuckle； 〃sort o' pretendin' to hand yo'r auntie to
Kernel Marion forfor his lady love！ I don't wonder ye's half
frighted and half laffin'；〃 he added； as his wife uttered a
hysterical cry； 〃it WAS awful！ But it worked； and I got her off；
and wot's more I got her shipped to Mazatlan； where she'll join
Marion； and the two are goin' back to Virginy； where I guess they
won't trouble Californy again。 Ye know now； deary；〃 he went on；
speaking with difficulty through Mrs。 Bunker's clinging arms and
fast dripping tears； 〃why I didn't heave to to say 'good…by。' But
it's all over nowI've made a clean breast of it； Mollieand
don't you cry！〃
But it was NOT all over。 For a moment later Captain Bunker began
to fumble in his waistcoat pocket with the one hand that was not
clasping his wife's waist。 〃One thing more； Mollie； when I left
her and refused to take any of her dimons； she put a queer sort o'
ring into my hand； and told me with a kind o' m