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let's go back to Miss Keene。〃
CHAPTER IV。
A GLEAM OF SUNSHINE。
While these various passions had been kindled by her compatriots in
the peaceful ashes of Todos Santos； Eleanor Keene had moved among
them indifferently and； at times； unconsciously。 The stranding of
her young life on that unknown shore had not drawn her towards her
fellow…exiles； and the circumstances which afterwards separated her
from daily contact with them completed the social estrangement。
She found herself more in sympathy with the natives； to whom she
had shown no familiarity； than with her own people； who had mixed
with them more or less contemptuously。 She found the naivete of
Dona Isabel more amusing than the doubtful simplicity of that
married ingenue Mrs。 Brimmer； although she still met the young
girl's advances with a certain reserve。 She found herself often
pained by the practical brusqueness with which Mrs。 Markham put
aside the Comandante's delicate attentions； and she was moved with
a strange pity for his childlike trustfulness； which she knew was
hopeless。 As the months passed； on the few occasions that she
still met the Excelsior's passengers she was surprised to find how
they had faded from her memory； and to discover in them the
existence of qualities that made her wonder how she could have ever
been familiar with them。 She reproached herself with this
fickleness； she wondered if she would have felt thus if they had
completed their voyage to San Francisco together； and she recalled；
with a sad smile； the enthusiastic plans they had formed during the
passage to perpetuate their fellowship by anniversaries and
festivals。 But she； at last； succumbed； and finally accepted their
open alienation as preferable to the growing awkwardness of their
chance encounters。
For a few weeks following the flight of Captain Bunker and her
acceptance of the hospitality and protection of the Council； she
became despondent。 The courage that had sustained her； and the
energy she had shown in the first days of their abandonment；
suddenly gave way； for no apparent reason。 She bitterly regretted
the brother whom she scarcely remembered； she imagined his suspense
and anguish on her account； and suffered for both； she felt the
dumb pain of homesickness for a home she had never known。 Her
loneliness became intolerable。 Her condition at last affected Mrs。
Markham； whose own idleness had been beguiled by writing to her
husband an exhaustive account of her captivity； which had finally
swelled to a volume on Todos Santos； its resources； inhabitants；
and customs。 〃Good heavens！〃 she said； 〃you must do something；
child； to occupy your mindif it is only a flirtation with that
conceited Secretary。〃 But this terrible alternative was happily
not required。 The Comandante had still retained as part of the old
patriarchal government of the Mission the Presidio school； for the
primary instruction of the children of the soldiers；dependants of
the garrison。 Miss Keene； fascinated by several little pairs of
beady black eyes that had looked up trustingly to hers from the
playground on the glacis； offered to teach English to the
Comandante's flock。 The offer was submitted to the spiritual head
of Todos Santos； and full permission given by Padre Esteban to the
fair heretic。 Singing was added to the Instruction； and in a few
months the fame of the gracious Dona Leonor's pupils stirred to
emulation even the boy choristers of the Mission。
Her relations with James Hurlstone during this interval were at
first marked by a strange and unreasoning reserve。 Whether she
resented the singular coalition forced upon them by the Council and
felt the awkwardness of their unintentional imposture when they
met； she did not know； but she generally avoided his society。 This
was not difficult； as he himself had shown no desire to intrude his
confidences upon her； and even in her shyness she could not help
thinking that if he had treated the situation lightly or
humorouslyas she felt sure Mr。 Brace or Mr。 Crosby would have
doneit would have been less awkward and unpleasant。 But his
gloomy reserve seemed to the high…spirited girl to color their
innocent partnership with the darkness of conspiracy。
〃If your conscience troubles you； Mr。 Hurlstone； in regard to the
wretched infatuation of those people；〃 she had once said；
〃undeceive them； if you can； and I will assist you。 And don't let
that affair of Captain Bunker worry you either。 I have already
confessed to the Comandante that he escaped through my
carelessness。〃
〃You could not have done otherwise without sacrificing the poor
Secretary； who must have helped you；〃 Hurlstone returned quietly。
Miss Keene bit her lip and dropped the subject。 At their next
meeting Hurlstone himself resumed it。
〃I hope you don't allow that absurd decree of the Council to
disturb you； I imagine they're quite convinced of their folly。 I
know that the Padre is； and I know that he thinks you've earned a
right to the gratitude of the Council in your gracious task at the
Presidio school that is far beyond any fancied political service。〃
〃I really haven't thought about it at all；〃 said Miss Keene coolly。
〃I thought it was YOU who were annoyed。〃
〃I？ not at all；〃 returned Hurlstone quickly。 〃I have been able to
assist the Padre in arranging the ecclesiastical archives of the
church； and in suggesting some improvement in codifying the
ordinances of the last forty years。 No； I believe I'm earning my
living here； and I fancy they think so。〃
〃Then it isn't THAT that troubles you？〃 said Miss Keene carelessly；
but glancing at him under the shade of her lashes。
〃No；〃 he said coldly； turning away。
Yet unsatisfactory as these brief interviews were； they revived in
Miss Keene the sympathizing curiosity and interest she had always
felt for this singular man； and which had been only held in
abeyance at the beginning of their exile； in fact； she found
herself thinking of him more during the interval when they seldom
saw each other； and apparently had few interests in common； than
when they were together on the Excelsior。 Gradually she slipped
into three successive phases of feeling towards him； each of them
marked with an equal degree of peril to her peace of mind。 She
began with a profound interest in the mystery of his secluded
habits； his strange abstraction； and a recognition of the evident
superiority of a nature capable of such deep feelinguninfluenced
by those baser distractions which occupied Brace； Crosby； and
Winslow。 This phase passed into a settled conviction that some
woman was at the root of his trouble； and responsible for it。 With
an instinctive distrust of her own sex； she was satisfied that it
must be either a misplaced or unworthy attachment； and that the
unknown woman was to blame。 This second phasewhich hovered
between compassion and resentmentsuddenly changed to the latter
the third phase of her feelings。 Miss Keene became convinced that
Mr。 Hurlstone had a settled aversion to HERSELF。 Why and
wherefore； she did not attempt to reason； yet she was satisfied
that from the first he disliked her。 His studious reserve on the
Excelsior； compared with the attentions of the others； ought then
to have convinced her of the fact； and there was no doubt now that
his present discontent could be traced to the unfortunate
circumstances that brought them together。 Having given herself up
to that idea； she vacillated between a strong impulse to inform him
that she knew his real feelings and an equally strong instinct to
avoid him hereafter entirely。 The result was a feeble compromise。
On the ground that Mr。 Hurlstone could 〃scarcely be expected to
admire her inferior performances；〃 she declined to invite him with
Father Esteban to listen to her pupils。 Father Esteban took a huge
pinch of snuff； examined Miss Keene attentively； and smiled a sad
smile。 The next day he begged Hurlstone to take a volume of old
music to Miss Keene with his compliments。 Hurlstone did so； and
for some reason exerted himself to be agreeable。 As he made no
allusion to her rudeness； she presumed he did not know of it； and
speedily forgot it herself。 When he suggested a return visit to
the boy choir； with whom he occasionally practiced； she blushed and
feared she had scarcely the time。 But she came with Mrs。 Markham；
some consciousness； and a visible color！
And then； almost without her knowing how or why； and entirely
unexpected and unheralded； came a day so strangely and
unconsciously happy； so innocently sweet and joyous； that it seemed
as if all the other days of her exile had only gone before to
create it； and as if itand it alonewere a sufficient reason for
her being there。 A day full of gentle intimations； laughing
suggestions； childlike surprises and awakenings； a day delicious
for the very incompleteness o