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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
face to Hurlstone； who had been anxiously awaiting him。 When the
Padre had imparted the full particulars of the event to his
companion； he added gravely；
〃You see； my son； how Providence； which has protected you since you
first claimed the Church's sanctuary； has again interfered to spare
me the sacrifice of using the power of the Church in purely mundane
passions。 I weekly accept the rebuke of His better…ordained ways；
and you； Diego； may comfort yourself that this girl is restored
directly to her brother's care； without any deviousness of plan or
human responsibility。 You do not speak； my son！〃 continued the
priest anxiously； 〃can it be possible that； in the face of this
gracious approval of Providence to your resolution； you are
regretting it？〃
The young man replied； with a half reproachful gesture：
〃Do you； then； think me still so weak？ No； Father Esteban； I have
steeled myself against my selfishness for her sake。 I could have
resigned her to the escape you had planned； believing her happier
for it； and ignorant of the real condition of the man she had
learnt totopity。 But；〃 he added； turning suddenly and almost
rudely upon the priest； 〃do you know the meaning of this irruption
of the outer world to ME？ Do you reflect that these men probably
know my miserable story？that； as one of the passengers of the
Excelsior； they will be obliged to seek me and to restore me；〃 he
added； with a bitter laugh； 〃to MY home； MY kindredto the world I
loathe？〃
〃But you need not follow them。 Remain here。〃
〃Here！with the door thrown open to any talebearer OR PERHAPS TO
MY WIFE HERSELF？ Never！ Hear me； Father；〃 he went on hurriedly：
〃these men have come from San Franciscohave been to Mazatlan。
Can you believe that it is possible that they have never heard of
this woman's search for me？ No！ The quest of hate is as strong as
the quest of love； and more merciless to the hunted。〃
〃But if that were so； foolish boy； she would have accompanied
them。〃
〃You are wrong！ It would have been enough for her to have sent my
exposure by themto have driven me from this refuge。〃
〃This is but futile fancy； Diego；〃 said Father Esteban； with a
simulated assurance he was far from feeling。 〃Nothing has yet been
saidnothing may be said。 Wait； my child。〃
〃Wait！〃 he echoed bitterly。 〃Ay； wait until the poor girl shall
hearperhaps from her brother's lipsthe story of my marriage as
bandied about by others； wait for her to know that the man who
would have made her love him was another's； and unworthy of her
respect？ No！ it is I who must leave this place； and at once。〃
〃YOU？〃 echoed the Padre。 〃How？〃
〃By the same means you would have used for her departure。 I must
take her place in that ship you are expecting。 You will give ME
letters to your friends。 Perhaps； when this is over； I may return
if I still live。〃
Padre Esteban became thoughtful。
〃You will not refuse me？〃 said the young man； taking the Padre's
hand。 〃It is for the best； believe me。 I will remain secret here
until then。 You will invent some excuseillness； or what you
liketo keep them from penetrating here。 Above all； to spare me
from the misery of ever reading my secret in her face。〃
Father Esteban remained still absorbed in thought。
〃You will take a letter from me to the Archbishop； and put yourself
under his care？〃 he asked at last； after a long pause。 〃You will
promise me that？〃
〃I do！〃
〃Then we shall see what can be done。 They talk； those Americanos；〃
continued the priest； 〃of making their way up the coast to Punta
St。 Jago； where the ship they have already sent for to take them
away can approach the shore； and the Comandante has orders to
furnish them escort and transport to that point。 It is a foolish
indiscretion of the Government； and I warrant without the sanction
of the Church。 Already there is curiosity； discontent； and wild
talk among the people。 Ah！ thou sayest truly； my son；〃 said the
old man； gloomily； 〃the doors of Todos Santos are open。 The
Comandante will speed these heretics quickly on their way； but the
doors by which they came and whence they go will never close again。
But God's will be done！ And if the open doors bring thee back； my
son； I shall not question His will！〃
It would seem； however； as if Hurlstone's fears had been groundless。
For in the excitement of the succeeding days； and the mingling of
the party from San Antonio with the new…comers； the recluse had been
forgotten。 So habitual； had been his isolation from the others；
that； except for the words of praise and gratitude hesitatingly
dropped by Miss Keene to her brother； his name was not mentioned；
and it might have been possible for the relieving party to have left
him behindunnoticed。 Mr。 Brimmer； for domestic reasons； was quite
willing to allow the episode of Miss Montgomery's connection with
their expedition to drop for the present。 Her name was only
recalled once by Miss Keene。 When Dick had professed a sudden and
violent admiration for the coquettish Dona Isabel； Eleanor had
looked up in her brother's face with a half troubled air。
〃Who was this queer Montgomery woman； Dick？〃 she said。
Dick laugheda frank； reassuring； heart…free laugh。
〃Perfectly stunning； Nell。 Such a figure in tights！ You ought to
have seen her dancemy！〃
〃Hush！ I dare say she was horrid！〃
〃Not at all！ She wasn't such a bad fellow； if you left out her
poetry and gush； which I didn't go in for much；though the other
fellows〃he stopped； from a sudden sense of loyalty to Brimmer and
Markham。 〃No； you see； Nell； she was regularly ridiculously struck
after that man Perkins；whom she'd never seen；a kind of
schoolgirl worship for a pirate。 You know how you women go in for
those fellows with a mystery about 'em。〃
〃No； I don't！〃 said Miss Keene sharply； with a slight rise o