speechless　men；　〃is　it　an　indiscretion　we　are　making　hereor　are
  you　dumb？　　You；　Don　Diego；　are　loud　enough　when　you　and　Don　Jose
  are　together；　at　least　introduce　your　friend。〃
  Grant　quickly　recovered　himself。　　〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　coming
  forward；　〃unless　Miss　Harcourt　does；　that　I　am　a　mere　trespasser　in
  your　house；　Senora。　　I　saw　her　pass　in　your　carriage　a　few　moments
  ago；　and　having　a　message　for　her　I　ventured　to　follow　her　here。〃
  〃It　is　Mr。　Grant；　a　friend　of　my　father's；〃　said　Clementina；
  smiling　with　equanimity；　as　if　just　awakening　from　a　momentary
  abstraction；　yet　apparently　unconscious　of　Grant's　imploring　eyes；
  〃but　the　other　gentleman　I　have　not　the　pleasure　of　knowing。〃
  〃Ah！　　Don　Diego　Fletcher；　a　countryman　of　yours；　and　yet　I　think　he
  knows　you　not。〃
  Clementina's　face　betrayed　no　indication　of　the　presence　of　her
  father's　foe；　and　yet　Grant　knew　that　she　must　have　recognized　his
  name；　as　she　looked　towards　Fletcher　with　perfect　self…possession。
  He　was　too　much　engaged　in　watching　her　to　take　note　of　Fletcher's
  manifest　disturbance；　or　the　evident　effort　with　which　he　at　last
  bowed　to　her。　　That　this　unexpected　double　meeting　with　the
  daughter　of　the　man　he　had　wronged；　and　the　man　who　had　espoused
  the　quarrel；　should　be　confounding　to　him　appeared　only　natural。
  But　he　was　unprepared　to　understand　the　feverish　alacrity　with
  which　he　accepted　Dona　Maria's　invitation　to　chocolate；　or　the
  equally　animated　way　in　which　Clementina　threw　herself　into　her
  hostess's　Spanish　levity。　　He　knew　it　was　an　awkward　situation；
  that　must　be　surmounted　without　a　scene；　he　was　quite　prepared　in
  the　presence　of　Clementina　to　be　civil　to　Fletcher；　but　it　was　odd
  that　in　this　feverish　exchange　of　courtesies　and　compliments　HE；
  Grant；　should　feel　the　greater　awkwardness　and　be　the　most　ill　at
  ease。　　He　sat　down　and　took　his　part　in　the　conversation；　he　let　it
  transpire　for　Clementina's　benefit　that　he　had　been　to　Los　Gatos
  only　on　business；　yet　there　was　no　opportunity　for　even　a
  significant　glance；　and　he　had　the　added　embarrassment　of　seeing
  that　she　exhibited　no　surprise　nor　seemed　to　attach　the　least
  importance　to　his　inopportune　visit。　　In　a　miserable　indecision　he
  allowed　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　the　high…flown　hospitality　of
  his　Spanish　hostess；　and　consented　to　stay　to　an　early　dinner。　　It
  was　part　of　the　infelicity　of　circumstance　that　the　voluble　Dona
  Mariaelecting　him　as　the　distinguished　stranger　above　the
  resident　Fletchermonopolized　him　and　attached　him　to　her　side。
  She　would　do　the　honors　of　her　house；　she　must　show　him　the　ruins
  of　the　old　Mission　beside　the　corral；　Don　Diego　and　Clementina
  would　join　them　presently　in　the　garden。　　He　cast　a　despairing
  glance　at　the　placidly　smiling　Clementina；　who　was　apparently
  equally　indifferent　to　the　evident　constraint　and　assumed　ease　of
  the　man　beside　her；　and　turned　away　with　Mrs。　Ramirez。
  A　silence　fell　upon　the　gallery　so　deep　that　the　receding　voices
  and　footsteps　of　Grant　and　his　hostess　in　the　long　passage　were
  distinctly　heard　until　they　reached　the　end。　　Then　Fletcher　arose
  with　an　inarticulate　exclamation。　　Clementina　instantly　put　her
  finger　to　her　lips；　glanced　around　the　gallery；　extended　her　hand
  to　him；　and　saying　〃Come；〃　half…led；　half…dragged　him　into　the
  passage。　　To　the　right　she　turned　and　pushed　open　the　door　of　a
  small　room　that　seemed　a　combination　of　boudoir　and　oratory；　lit　by
  a　French　window　opening　to　the　garden；　and　flanked　by　a　large　black
  and　white　crucifix　with　a　prie　Dieu　beneath　it。　　Closing　the　door
  behind　them　she　turned　and　faced　her　companion。　　But　it　was　no
  longer　the　face　of　the　woman　who　had　been　sitting　in　the　gallery；
  it　was　the　face　that　had　looked　back　at　her　from　the　mirror　at
  Tasajara　the　night　that　Grant　had　left　hereager；　flushed；
  material　with　commonplace　excitement！
  〃'Lige　Curtis；〃　she　said。
  〃Yes；〃　he　answered　passionately；　〃Lige　Curtis；　whom　you　thought
  dead！　　'Lige　Curtis；　whom　you　once　pitied；　condoled　with　and
  despised！　　'Lige　Curtis；　whose　lands　and　property　have　enriched
  you！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　would　have　shared　it　with　you　freely　at　the
  time；　but　whom　your　father　juggled　and　defrauded　of　it！　　'Lige
  Curtis；　branded　by　him　as　a　drunken　outcast　and　suicide！　　'Lige
  Curtis〃
  〃Hush！〃　　She　clapped　her　little　hand　over　his　mouth　with　a　quick
  but　awkward　schoolgirl　gesture；　inconceivable　to　any　who　had　known
  her　usual　languid　elegance　of　motion；　and　held　it　there。　　He
  struggled　angrily；　impatiently；　reproachfully；　and　then；　with　a
  sudden　characteristic　weakness　that　seemed　as　much　of　a　revelation
  as　her　once　hoydenish　manner；　kissed　it；　when　she　let　it　drop。
  Then　placing　both　her　hands　still　girlishly　on　her　slim　waist　and
  curtseying　grotesquely　before　him；　she　said：　〃'Lige　Curtis！　　Oh；
  yes！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　swore　to　do　everything　for　me！　　'Lige
  Curtis；　who　promised　to　give　up　liquor　for　me；who　was　to　leave
  Tasajara　for　me！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　was　to　reform；　and　keep　his
  land　as　a　nest…egg　for　us　both　in　the　future；　and　then　who　sold　it
  and　himselfand　meto　dad　for　a　glass　of　whiskey！　　'Lige　Curtis；
  who　disappeared；　and　then　let　us　think　he　was　dead；　only　that　he
  might　attack　us　out　of　the　ambush　of　his　grave！〃
  〃Yes；　but　think　what　I　have　suffered　all　these　years；　not　for　the
  cursed　landyou　know　I　never　cared　for　thatbut　for　YOU；you；
  Clementina；YOU　rich；　admired　by　every　one；　idolized；　held　far
  above　me；ME；　the　forgotten　outcast；　the　wretched　suicideand　yet
  the　man　to　whom　you　had　once　plighted　your　troth。　　Which　of　those
  greedy　fortune…hunters　whom　my　moneymy　life…blood　as　you　might
  have　thought　it　wasattracted　to　you；　did　you　care　to　tell　that
  you　had　ever　slipped　out　of　the　little　garden　gate　at　Sidon　to　meet
  that　outcast！　　Do　you　wonder　that　as　the　years　passed　and　YOU　were
  happy；　I　did　not　choose　to　be　so　forgotten？　　Do　you　wonder　that
  when　YOU　shut　the　door　on　the　past　I　managed　to　open　it　againif
  only　a　little　waythat　its　light　might　startle　you？〃
  Yet　she　did　not　seem　startled　or　disturbed；　and　remained　only
  looking　at　him　critically。
  〃You　say　that　you　have　suffered；〃　she　replied　with　a　smile。　　〃You
  don't　look　it！　　Your　hair　is　white；　but　it　is　becoming　to　you；　and
  you　are　a　handsomer　man；　'Lige　Curtis；　than　you　were　when　I　first
  met　you；　you　are　finer；〃　she　went　on；　still　regarding　him；
  〃stronger　and　healthier　than　you　were　five　years　ago；　you　are　rich
  and　prosperous；　you　have　everything　to　make　you　happy；　but〃here
  she　laughed　a　little；　held　out　both　her　hands；　taking　his　and
  holding　his　arms　apart　in　a　rustic；　homely　fashion〃but　you　are
  still　the　same　old　'Lige　Curtis！　　It　was　like　you　to　go　off　and
  hide　yourself　in　that　idiotic　way；　it　was　like　you　to　let　the
  property　slide　in　that　stupid；　unselfish　fashion；　it　was　like　you
  to　get　real　mad；　and　say　all　those　mean；　silly　things　to　dad；　that
  didn't　hurt　himin　your　regular　looney　style；　for　rich　or　poor；
  drunk　or　sober；　ragged　or　elegant；　plain　or　handsome；you're
  always　the　same　'Lige　Curtis！〃
  In　proportion　as　that　material；　practical；　rustic　selfwhich
  nobody　but　'Lige　Curtis　had　ever　seencame　back　to　her；　so　in
  proportion　the　irresolute；　wavering；　weak　and　emotional　vagabond　of
  Sidon　came　out　to　meet　it。　　He　looked　at　her　with　a　vague　smile；
  his　five　years　of　childish　resentment；　albeit　carried　on　the
  shoulders　of　a　man　mentally　and　morally　her　superior；　melted　away。
  He　drew　her　towards　him；　yet　at　the　same　moment　a　quick　suspicion
  returned。
  〃Well；　and　what　are　you　doing　here？　　Has　this　man　who　has　followed
  you　any　right；　any　claim　upon　you？〃
  〃None　but　what　you　in　your　folly　have　forced　upon　him！　　You　have
  made　him　father's　ally。　　I　don't　know　why　he　came　here。　　I　only
  know　why　I　didto　find　YOU！〃
  〃You　suspected　then？〃
  〃I　KNEW！　　Hush！〃
  The　returning　voices　of　Grant　and　of　Mrs。　Ramirez　were　heard　in　the
  courtyard。　　Clementina　made　a　warning　yet　girlishly　mirthful
  gesture；　again　caught　his　hand；　drew　him　quickly　to　the　French
  window；　and　slipped　through　it　with　him　into　the　garden；　where　they
  were　quickly　lost　in　the　shadows　of　a　ceanothus　hedge。
  〃They　have　probably　met　Don　Jose　in　the　orchard；　and　as　he　and　Don
  Diego　have　business　together；　Dona　Clementina　has　without　doubt
  gone　to　her　room　and　left　them。　　For　you　are　not　very　entertaining
  to　the　ladies　to…day；you　two　caballeros！　　You　have　much　politics
  together；　eh？or　you　have　discussed　and　disagreed；　eh？　　I　will
  look　for　the　Senorita；　and　let　you　go；　Don　Distraido！〃
  It　is　to　be　feared　that　Grant's　apologies　and　attempts　to　detain
  her　were　equally　feeble；as　it　seemed　to　him　that　this　was　the
  only　chance　he　might　have　of　seeing　Clementina　except　in　company
  with　Fletcher。　　As　Mrs。　Ramirez　left　he　lit　a　cigarette　and
  listlessly　walked　up　and　down　the　gallery。　　But　Clementina　did　not
  come；　neither　did　his　hostess　return。　　A　subdued