up　a　riding　party　to　San　Mateo　for　Mrs。　Ashwood。　　We　must　show　them
  some　civility；　and　that　Boston　brother　of　hers；　Mr。　Shipley；　will
  have　to　be　invited　also。　　I　can't　get　away；　and　my　wife；　of　course；
  will　only　be　able　to　join　them　at　San　Mateo　in　the　carriage。　　I
  reckon　it　would　be　easier　for　Clementina　if　you　took　my　place；　and
  helped　her　look　after　the　riding　party。　　It　will　need　a　man；　and　I
  think　she'd　prefer　youas　you　know　she's　rather　particular
  unless；　of　course；　you'd　be　wanted　for　Mrs。　Ashwood　or　Phemie；　or
  somebody　else。〃
  From　his　shadowed　corner　he　could　see　that　a　pleasant　light　had
  sprung　into　Grant's　eyes；　although　his　reply　was　in　his　ordinary
  easy　banter。　　〃I　shall　be　only　too　glad　to　act　as　Miss　Clementina's
  vaquero；　and　lasso　her　runaways；　or　keep　stragglers　in　the　road。〃
  There　seemed　to　be　small　necessity；　however；　for　this　active　co…
  operation；　for　when　the　cheerful　cavalcade　started　from　the　house　a
  few　mornings　later；　Mr。　Lawrence　Grant's　onerous　duties　seemed　to
  be　simply　confined　to　those　of　an　ordinary　cavalier　at　the　side　of
  Miss　Clementina；　a　few　paces　in　the　rear　of　the　party。　　But　this
  safe　distance　gave　them　the　opportunity　of　conversing　without　being
  overheard；an　apparently　discreet　precaution。
  〃Your　father　was　so　exceedingly　affable　to　me　the　other　day　that　if
  I　hadn't　given　you　my　promise　to　say　nothing；　I　think　I　would　have
  fallen　on　my　knees　to　him　then　and　there；　revealed　my　feelings；
  asked　for　your　hand　and　his　blessingor　whatever　one　does　at　such
  a　time。　　But　how　long　do　you　intend　to　keep　me　in　this　suspense？〃
  Clementina　turned　her　clear　eyes　half　abstractedly　upon　him；　as　if
  imperfectly　recalling　some　forgotten　situation。　　〃You　forget；〃　she
  said；　〃that　part　of　your　promise　was　that　you　wouldn't　even　speak
  of　it　to　me　again　without　my　permission。〃
  〃But　my　time　is　so　short　now。　　Give　me　some　definite　hope　before　I
  go。　　Let　me　believe　that　when　we　meet　in　New　York〃
  〃You　will　find　me　just　the　same　as　now！　　Yes；　I　think　I　can　promise
  THAT。　　Let　that　suffice。　　You　said　the　other　day　you　liked　me
  because　I　had　not　changed　for　five　years。　　You　can　surely　trust
  that　I　will　not　alter　in　as　many　months。〃
  〃If　I　only　knew〃
  〃Ah；　if　I　only　knew；if　WE　ALL　only　knew。　　But　we　don't。　　Come；
  Mr。　Grant；　let　it　rest　as　it　is。　　Unless　you　want　to　go　still
  further　back　and　have　it　as　it　WAS；　at　Sidon。　　There　I　think　you
  fancied　Euphemia　most。〃
  〃Clementina！〃
  〃That　is　my　name；　and　those　people　ahead　of　us　know　it　already。〃
  〃You　are　called　CLEMENTINA；but　you　are　not　merciful！〃
  〃You　are　very　wrong；　for　you　might　see　that　Mr。　Shipley　has　twice
  checked　his　horse　that　he　might　hear　what　you　are　saying；　and
  Phemie　is　always　showing　Mrs。　Ashwood　something　in　the　landscape
  behind　us。〃
  All　this　was　the　more　hopeless　and　exasperating　to　Grant　since　in
  the　young　girl's　speech　and　manner　there　was　not　the　slightest
  trace　of　coquetry　or　playfulness。　　He　could　not　help　saying　a
  little　bitterly：　〃I　don't　think　that　any　one　would　imagine　from
  your　manner　that　you　were　receiving　a　declaration。〃
  〃But　they　might　imagine　from　yours　that　you　had　the　right　to
  quarrel　with　me；which　would　be　worse。〃
  〃We　cannot　part　like　this！　　It　is　too　cruel　to　me。〃
  〃We　cannot　part　otherwise　without　the　risk　of　greater　cruelty。〃
  〃But　say　at　least；　Clementina；　that　I　have　no　rival。　　There　is　no
  other　more　favored　suitor？〃
  〃That　is　so　like　a　manand　yet　so　unlike　the　proud　one　I　believed
  you　to　be。　　Why　should　a　man　like　you　even　consider　such　a
  possibility？　　If　I　were　a　man　I　know　I　couldn't。〃　　She　turned　upon
  him　a　glance　so　clear　and　untroubled　by　either　conscious　vanity　or
  evasion　that　he　was　hopelessly　convinced　of　the　truth　of　her
  statement；　and　she　went　on　in　a　slightly　lowered　tone；　〃You　have　no
  right　to　ask　me　such　a　question；but　perhaps　for　that　reason　I　am
  willing　to　answer　you。　　There　is　none。　　Hush！　　For　a　good　rider　you
  are　setting　a　poor　example　to　the　others；　by　crowding　me　towards
  the　bank。　　Go　forward　and　talk　to　Phemie；　and　tell　her　not　to　worry
  Mrs。　Ashwood's　horse　nor　race　with　her；　I　don't　think　he's　quite
  safe；　and　Mrs。　Ashwood　isn't　accustomed　to　using　the　Spanish　bit。
  I　suppose　I　must　say　something　to　Mr。　Shipley；　who　doesn't　seem　to
  understand　that　I'M　acting　as　chaperon；　and　YOU　as　captain　of　the
  party。〃
  She　cantered　forward　as　she　spoke；　and　Grant　was　obliged　to　join
  her　sister；　who；　mounted　on　a　powerful　roan；　was　mischievously
  exciting　a　beautiful　quaker…colored　mustang　ridden　by　Mrs。　Ashwood；
  already　irritated　by　the　unfamiliar　pressure　of　the　Eastern　woman's
  hand　upon　his　bit。　　The　thick　dust　which　had　forced　the　party　of
  twenty　to　close　up　in　two　solid　files　across　the　road　compelled
  them　at　the　first　opening　in　the　roadside　fence　to　take　the　field
  in　a　straggling　gallop。　　Grant；　eager　to　escape　from　his　own
  discontented　self　by　doing　something　for　others；　reined　in　beside
  Euphemia　and　the　fair　stranger。
  〃Let　me　take　your　place　until　Mrs。　Ashwood's　horse　is　quieted；〃　he
  half　whispered　to　Euphemia。
  〃Thank　you；and　I　suppose　it　does　not　make　any　matter　to　Clem　who
  quiets　mine；〃　she　said；　with　provoking　eyes　and　a　toss　of　her　head
  worthy　of　the　spirited　animal　she　was　riding。
  〃She　thinks　you　quite　capable　of　managing　yourself　and　even
  others；〃　he　replied　with　a　playful　glance　at　Shipley；　who　was
  riding　somewhat　stiffly　on　the　other　side。
  〃Don't　be　too　sure；〃　retorted　Phemie　with　another　dangerous　look；
  〃I　may　give　you　trouble　yet。〃
  They　were　approaching　the　first　undulation　of　the　russet　plain　they
  had　emerged　upon；an　umbrageous　slope　that　seemed　suddenly　to
  diverge　in　two　defiles　among　the　shaded　hills。　　Grant　had　given　a
  few　words　of　practical　advice　to　Mrs。　Ashwood；　and　shown　her　how　to
  guide　her　mustang　by　the　merest　caressing　touch　of　the　rein　upon
  its　sensitive　neck。　　He　had　not　been　sympathetically　inclined
  towards　the　fair　stranger；　a　rich　and　still　youthful　widow；
  although　he　could　not　deny　her　unquestioned　good　breeding；　mental
  refinement；　and　a　certain　languorous　thoughtfulness　that　was　almost
  melancholy；　which　accented　her　blonde　delicacy。　　But　he　had　noticed
  that　her　manner　was　politely　reserved　and　slightly　constrained
  towards　the　Harcourts；　and　he　had　already　resented　it　with　a　lover's
  instinctive　loyalty。　　He　had　at　first　attributed　it　to　a　want　of
  sympathy　between　Mrs。　Ashwood's　more　intellectual　sentimentalities
  and　the　Harcourts'　undeniable　lack　of　any　sentiment　whatever。　　But
  there　was　evidently　some　other　innate　antagonism。　　He　was　very
  polite　to　Mrs。　Ashwood；　she　responded　with　a　gentlewoman's　courtesy；
  and；　he　was　forced　to　admit；　even　a　broader　comprehension　of　his　own
  merits　than　the　Harcourt　girls　had　ever　shown；　but　he　could　still
  detect　that　she　was　not　in　accord　with　the　party。
  〃I　am　afraid　you　do　not　like　California；　Mrs。　Ashwood？〃　he　said
  pleasantly。　　〃You　perhaps　find　the　life　here　too　unrestrained　and
  unconventional？〃
  She　looked　at　him　in　quick　astonishment。　　〃Are　you　quite　sincere？
  Why；　it　strikes　me　that　this　is　just　what　it　is　NOT。　　And　I　have　so
  longed　for　something　quite　different。　　From　what　I　have　been　told
  about　the　originality　and　adventure　of　everything　here；　and　your
  independence　of　old　social　forms　and　customs；　I　am　afraid　I
  expected　the　opposite　of　what　I've　seen。　　Why；　this　very　party
  except　that　the　ladies　are　prettier　and　more　expensively　gotten　up
  is　like　any　party　that　might　have　ridden　out　at　Saratoga　or　New
  York。〃
  〃And　as　stupid；　you　would　say。〃
  〃As　CONVENTIONAL；　Mr。　Grant；　always　excepting　this　lovely　creature
  beneath　me；　whom　I　can't　make　out　and　who　doesn't　seem　to　care　that
  I　should。　　There！　look！　I　told　you　so！〃
  Her　mustang　had　suddenly　bounded　forward；　but　as　Grant　followed　he
  could　see　that　the　cause　was　the　example　of　Phemie；　who　had；　in
  some　mad　freak；　dashed　out　in　a　frantic　gallop。　　A　half…dozen　of
  the　younger　people　hilariously　accepted　the　challenge；　the
  excitement　was　communicated　to　the　others；　until　the　whole
  cavalcade　was　sweeping　down　the　slope。　　Grant　was　still　at　Mrs。
  Ashwood's　side；　restraining　her　mustang　and　his　own　impatient　horse
  when　Clementina　joined　them。　　〃Phemie's　mare　has　really　bolted；　I
  fear；〃　she　said　in　a　quick　whisper；　〃ride　on；　and　never　mind　us。〃
  Grant　looked　quickly　ahead；　Phemie's　roan；　excited　by　the　shouts
  behind　her　and　to　all　appearance　ungovernable；　was　fast　disappearing
  with　her　rider。　　Without　a　word；　trusting　to　his　own　good
  horsemanship　and　better　knowledge　of　the　ground；　he　darted　out　of
  the　cavalcade　to　overtake　her。
  But　the　unfortunate　result　of　this　was　to　give　further　impulse　to
  the　now　racing　horses　as　they　approached　a　point　where　the　slope
  terminated　in　two　diverging　canyons。　　Mrs。　Ashwood　gave　a　sharp
  pull　upon　her　bit。　　To　her　consternation　the　mustang　stopped　short
  almost　i