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those fellows with a mystery about 'em。〃
〃No； I don't！〃 said Miss Keene sharply； with a slight rise of
color； 〃and I don't see what that's got to do with you and her。〃
〃Everything！ She was in correspondence with Perkins； and knows
about the Excelsior affair； and wants to help him get out of it
with clean hands； don't you see！ That's why she made up to us。
There； Nell； she ain't your style； of course； but you owe a heap to
her for giving us points as to where you were。 But that's all over
now； she left us at Mazatlan； and went on to Nicaragua to meet
Perkins somewhere therefor the fellow has always got some Central
American revolution on hand； it appears。 Until they garrote or
shoot him some day； he'll go on in the liberating business forever。〃
〃Then there wasn't any Mr。 Montgomery； of course？〃 said Eleanor。
〃Oh； Mr。 Montgomery；〃 said Dick； hesitating。 〃Well； you see； Nell；
I think that； knowing how correct and all that sort of thing
Brimmer is； she sort of invented the husband to make her interest
look more proper。〃
〃It's shameful！〃 said Miss Keene indignantly。
〃Come； Nell； one would think you had a personal dislike to her。
Let her go； she won't trouble younor； I reckon； ANYBODY； much
longer。〃
〃What do you mean； Dick？〃
〃I mean she has regularly exhausted and burnt herself out with her
hysterics and excitements； and the drugs she's taken to subdue
themto say nothing of the Panama fever she got last spring。 If
she don't go regularly crazy at last she'll have another attack of
fever； hanging round the isthmus waiting for Perkins。〃
Meanwhile； undisturbed by excitement or intrusion of the outer
world； the days had passed quietly at the Mission。 But one
evening； at twilight； a swift…footed； lightly…clad Indian glided
into the sacristy as if he had slipped from the outlying fog； and
almost immediately as quietly glided away again and disappeared。
The next moment Father Esteban's gaunt and agitated face appeared
at Hurlstone's door。
〃My son； God has been merciful； and cut short your probation。 The
signal of the ship has just been made。 Her boat will be waiting on
the beach two leagues from here an hour hence。 Are you ready？ and
are you still resolved？〃
〃I am；〃 said Hurlstone； rising。 〃I have been prepared since you
first assented。〃
The old man's lips quivered slightly； and the great brown hand laid
upon the table trembled for an instant； with a strong effort he
recovered himself； and said hurriedly；
〃Concho's mule is saddled and ready for you at the foot of the
garden。 You will follow the beach a league beyond the Indians'
cross。 In the boat will await you the trusty messenger of the
Church。 You will say to him； 'Guadalajara；' and give him these
letters。 One is to the captain。 You will require no other
introduction。〃 He laid the papers on the table； and； turning to
Hurlstone； lifted his tremulous hands in the air。 〃And now； my
son； may the grace of God〃
He faltered and stopped； his uplifted arms falling helplessly on
Hurlstone's shoulders。 For an instant the young man supported him
in his arms； then placed him gently in the chair he had just
quitted； and for the first time in their intimacy dropped upon his
knee before him。 The old man； with a faint smile； placed his hand
upon his companion's head。 A breathless pause followed； Father
Esteban's lips moved silently。 Suddenly the young man rose；
pressed his lips hurriedly to the Father's hand； and passed out
into the night。
The moon was already suffusing the dropping veil of fog above him
with that nebulous； mysterious radiance he had noticed the first
night he had approached the Mission。 When he reached the cross he
dismounted； and gathering a few of the sweet…scented blossoms that
crept around its base； placed them in his breast。 Then；
remounting； he continued his way until he came to the spot
designated by Concho as a fitting place to leave his tethered mule。
This done； he proceeded on foot about a mile further along the
hard； wet sand； his eyes fixed on the narrow strip of water and
shore before him that was yet uninvaded by the fog on either side。
The misty； nebulous light； the strange silence； broken only by the
occasional low hurried whisper of some spent wave that sent its
film of spume across his path； or filled his footprints behind him；
possessed him with vague presentiments and imaginings。 At times he
fancied he heard voices at his side； at times indistinct figures
loomed through the mist before him。 At last what seemed to be his
own shadow faintly impinged upon the mist at one side impressed him
so strongly that he stopped； the apparition stopped too。
Continuing a few hundred paces further； he stopped again； but this
time the ghostly figure passed on； and convinced him that it was no
shadow； but some one actually following him。 With an angry
challenge he advanced towards it。 It quickly retreated inland； and
was lost。 Irritated and suspicious he turned back towards the
water； and was amazed to see before him； not twenty yards away； the
object of his questa boat； with two men in it； kept in position
by the occasional lazy dip of an oar。 In the pursuit of his
mysterious shadow he had evidently overlooked it。 As his own
figure emerged from the fog； the boat pulled towards him。 The
priest's password was upon his lips； when he perceived that the TWO
men were common foreign sailors； the messenger of the Church was
evidently not there。 Could it have been he who had haunted him？
He paused irresolutely。 〃Is there none other coming？〃 he asked。
The two men looked at each other。 One said； 〃Quien sabe！〃 and
shrugged his shoulders。 Hurlstone without further hesitation
leaped aboard。
The same dull wall of vaporat times thickening to an almost
impenetrable barrier； and again half suffocating him in its soft
embracewhich he had breasted on the night he swam ashore； carried
back his thoughts to that time； now so remote and unreal。 And
when； after a few moments' silent rowing； the boat approached a
black hulk that seemed to have started forward out of the gloom to
meet them； his vague recollection began to take a more definite
form。 As he climbed up the companion…ladder and boarded the
vessel； an inexplicable memory came over him。 A petty officer on
the gangway advanced silently and ushered him； half dazed and
bewildered； into the cabin。 He glanced hurriedly around： the door
of a state…room opened； and disclosed the indomitable and affable
Senor Perkins！ A slight expression of surprise； however； crossed
the features of the Liberator of Quinquinambo as he advanced with
outstretched hand。
〃This is really a surprise； my dear fellow！ I had no idea that YOU
were in this affair。 But I am delighted to welcome you once more
to the Excelsior！〃
CHAPTER VII。
THE RETURN OF THE EXCELSIOR。
Amazed and disconcerted； Hurlstone； nevertheless； retained his
presence of mind。
〃There must be some mistake；〃 he said coolly； 〃I am certainly not
the person you seem to be expecting。〃
〃Were you not sent here by Winslow？〃 demanded Perkins。
〃No。 The person you are looking for is probably one I saw on the
shore。 He no doubt became alarmed at my approach； and has allowed
me quite unwittingly to take his place in the boat。〃
Perkins examined Hurlstone keenly for a moment； stepped to the
door； gave a brief order； and returned。
〃Then； if you did not intend the honor of this visit for me；〃 he
resumed； with a smile； 〃may I ask； my dear fellow； whom you
expected to meet； and on what ship？ There are not so many at Todos
Santos； if my memory serves me right； as to create confusion。〃
〃I must decline to answer that question；〃 said Hurlstone curtly。
The Senor smiled； with an accession of his old gentleness。
〃My dear young friend；〃 he said； 〃have you forgotten that on a far
more important occasion to YOU； I showed no desire to pry into your
secret？〃 Hurlstone made a movement of deprecation。 〃Nor have I
any such desire now。 But for the sake of our coming to an
understanding as friends； let me answer the question for you。 You
are here； my dear fellow； as a messenger from the Mission of Todos
Santos to the Ecclesiastical Commission from Guadalajara； whose
ship touches here every three years。 It is now due。 You have
mistaken this vessel for theirs。〃
Hurlstone remained silent。
〃It is no secret；〃 continued Senor Perkins blandly； 〃nor shall I
pretend to conceal MY purpose here； which is on the invitation of
certain distressed patriots of Todos Santos； to assist them in
their deliverance from the effete tyranny of the Church and its
Government。 I have been fortunate enough to anticipate the arrival
of your vessel； as you were fortunate enough to anticipate the
arrival of my messenger。 I am doubly fortunate； as it gives me the
pleasure of