come；　neither　did　his　hostess　return。　　A　subdued　step　in　the
  passage　raised　his　hopes；it　was　only　the　grizzled　major　domo；　to
  show　him　his　room　that　he　might　prepare　for　dinner。
  He　followed　mechanically　down　the　long　passage　to　a　second
  corridor。　　There　was　a　chance　that　he　might　meet　Clementina；　but　he
  reached　his　room　without　encountering　any　one。　　It　was　a　large
  vaulted　apartment　with　a　single　window；　a　deep　embrasure　in　the
  thick　wall　that　seemed　to　focus　like　a　telescope　some　forgotten；
  sequestered　part　of　the　leafy　garden。　　While　washing　his　hands；
  gazing　absently　at　the　green　vignette　framed　by　the　dark　opening；
  his　attention　was　drawn　to　a　movement　of　the　foliage；　stirred
  apparently　by　the　rapid　passage　of　two　half…hidden　figures。　　The
  quick　flash　of　a　feminine　skirt　seemed　to　indicate　the　coy　flight
  of　some　romping　maid　of　the　casa；　and　the　pursuit　and　struggle　of
  her　vaquero　swain。　　To　a　despairing　lover　even　the　spectacle　of
  innocent；　pastoral　happiness　in　others　is　not　apt　to　be　soothing；
  and　Grant　was　turning　impatiently　away　when　he　suddenly　stopped
  with　a　rigid　face　and　quickly　approached　the　window。　　In　her
  struggles　with　the　unseen　Corydon；　the　clustering　leaves　seemed　to
  have　yielded　at　the　same　moment　with　the　coy　Chloris；　and　parting
  disclosed　a　stolen　kiss！　　Grant's　hand　lay　like　ice　against　the
  wall。　　For；　disengaging　Fletcher's　arm　from　her　waist　and　freeing
  her　skirt　from　the　foliage；　it　was　the　calm；　passionless　Clementina
  herself　who　stepped　out；　and　moved　pensively　towards　the　casa。
  CHAPTER　XI。
  〃Readers　of　the　'Clarion'　will　have　noticed　that　allusion　has　been
  frequently　made　in　these　columns　to　certain　rumors　concerning　the
  early　history　of　Tasajara　which　were　supposed　to　affect　the　pioneer
  record　of　Daniel　Harcourt。　　It　was　deemed　by　the　conductors　of　this
  journal　to　be　only　consistent　with　the　fearless　and　independent
  duty　undertaken　by　the　'Clarion'　that　these　rumors　should　be　fully
  chronicled　as　part　of　the　information　required　by　the　readers　of　a
  first…class　newspaper；　unbiased　by　any　consideration　of　the　social
  position　of　the　parties；　but　simply　as　a　matter　of　news。　　For　this
  the　'Clarion'　does　not　deem　it　necessary　to　utter　a　word　of
  apology。　　But　for　that　editorial　comment　or　attitude　which　the
  proprietors　felt　was　justified　by　the　reliable　sources　of　their
  information　they　now　consider　it　only　due　in　honor　to　themselves；
  their　readers；　and　Mr。　Harcourt　to　fully　and　freely　apologize。　　A
  patient　and　laborious　investigation　enables　them　to　state　that　the
  alleged　facts　published　by　the　'Clarion'　and　copied　by　other
  journals　are　utterly　unsupported　by　testimony；　and　the　charges
  although　more　or　less　vaguewhich　were　based　upon　them　are　equally
  untenable。　　We　are　now　satisfied　that　one　'Elijah　Curtis；'　a　former
  pioneer　of　Tasajara　who　disappeared　five　years　ago；　and　was
  supposed　to　be　drowned；　has　not　only　made　no　claim　to　the　Tasajara
  property；　as　alleged；　but　has　given　no　sign　of　his　equally　alleged
  resuscitation　and　present　existence；　and　that　on　the　minutest
  investigation　there　appears　nothing　either　in　his　disappearance；　or
  the　transfer　of　his　property　to　Daniel　Harcourt；　that　could　in　any
  way　disturb　the　uncontested　title　to　Tasajara　or　the　unimpeachable
  character　of　its　present　owner。　　The　whole　story　now　seems　to　have
  been　the　outcome　of　one　of　those　stupid　rural　hoaxes　too　common　in
  California。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Ashwood；　laying　aside　the　'Clarion'　with　a
  skeptical　shrug　of　her　pretty　shoulders；　as　she　glanced　up　at　her
  brother；　〃I　suppose　this　means　that　you　are　going　to　propose　again
  to　the　young　lady？〃
  〃I　have；〃　said　Jack　Shipley；　〃that's　the　worst　of　itand　got　my
  answer　before　this　came　out。〃
  〃Jack！〃　said　Mrs。　Ashwood；　thoroughly　surprised。
  〃Yes！　　You　see；　Conny；　as　I　told　you　three　weeks　ago；　she　said　she
  wanted　time　to　consider；that　she　scarcely　knew　me；　and　all　that！
  Well；　I　thought　it　wasn't　exactly　a　gentleman's　business　to　seem　to
  stand　off　after　that　last　attack　on　her　father；　and　so；　last　week；
  I　went　down　to　San　Jose；　where　she　was　staying；　and　begged　her　not
  to　keep　me　in　suspense。　　And；　by　Jove！　she　froze　me　with　a　look；
  and　said　that　with　these　aspersions　on　her　father's　character；　she
  preferred　not　to　be　under　obligations　to　any　one。〃
  〃And　you　believed　her？〃
  〃Oh；　hang　it　all！　　Look　here；　Conny；I　wish　you'd　just　try　for
  once　to　find　out　some　good　in　that　family；　besides　what　that
  sentimental　young　widower　John　Milton　may　have。　　You　seem　to　think
  because　they've　quarreled　with　HIM　there　isn't　a　virtue　left　among
  them。〃
  Far　from　seeming　to　offer　any　suggestion　of　feminine　retaliation；
  Mrs。　Ashwood　smiled　sweetly。　　〃My　dear　Jack；　I　have　no　desire　to
  keep　you　from　trying　your　luck　again　with　Miss　Clementina；　if
  that's　what　you　mean；　and　indeed　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　a
  family　who　felt　a　mesalliance　as　sensitively　as　the　Harcourts　felt
  that　affair　of　their　son's；　would　be　as　keenly　alive　to　the
  advantages　of　a　good　match　for　their　daughter。　　As　to　young　Mr。
  Harcourt；　he　never　talked　to　me　of　the　vices　of　his　family；　nor　has
  he　lately　troubled　me　much　with　the　presence　of　his　own　virtues。
  I　haven't　heard　from　him　since　we　came　here。〃
  〃I　suppose　he　is　satisfied　with　the　government　berth　you　got　for
  him；〃　returned　her　brother　dryly。
  〃He　was　very　grateful　to　Senator　Flynn；　who　appreciates　his
  talents；　but　who　offered　it　to　him　as　a　mere　question　of　fitness；〃
  replied　Mrs。　Ashwood　with　great　precision　of　statement。　　〃But　you
  don't　seem　to　know　he　declined　it　on　account　of　his　other　work。〃
  〃Preferred　his　old　Bohemian　ways；　eh？　　You　can't　change　those
  fellows；　Conny。　　They　can't　get　over　the　fascinations　of
  vagabondage。　　Sorry　your　lady…patroness　scheme　didn't　work。　　Pity
  you　couldn't　have　promoted　him　in　the　line　of　his　profession；　as
  the　Grand　Duchess　of　Girolstein　did　Fritz。〃
  〃For　Heaven's　sake；　Jack；　go　to　Clementina！　　You　may　not　be
  successful；　but　there　at　least　the　perfect　gentlemanliness　and
  good　taste　of　your　illustrations　will　not　be　thrown　away。〃
  〃I　think　of　going　to　San　Francisco　tomorrow；　anyway；〃　returned　Jack
  with　affected　carelessness。　　〃I'm　getting　rather　bored　with　this
  wild　seaside　watering　place　and　its　glitter　of　ocean　and　hopeless
  background　of　mountain。　　It's　nothing　to　me　that　'there's　no　land
  nearer　than　Japan'　out　there。　　It　may　be　very　healthful　to　the
  tissues；　but　it's　weariness　to　the　spirit；　and　I　don't　see　why　we
  can't　wait　at　San　Francisco　till　the　rains　send　us　further　south；
  as　well　as　here。〃
  He　had　walked　to　the　balcony　of　their　sitting…room　in　the　little
  seaside　hotel　where　this　conversation　took　place；　and　gazed
  discontentedly　over　the　curving　bay　and　sandy　shore　before　him。
  After　a　slight　pause　Mrs。　Ashwood　stepped　out　beside　him。
  〃Very　likely　I　may　go　with　you；〃　she　said；　with　a　perceptible　tone
  of　weariness。　　〃We　will　see　after　the　post　arrives。〃
  〃By　the　way；　there　is　a　little　package　for　you　in　my　room；　that
  came　this　morning。　　I　brought　it　up；　but　forgot　to　give　it　to　you。
  You'll　find　it　on　my　table。〃
  Mrs。　Ashwood　abstractedly　turned　away　and　entered　her　brother's
  room　from　the　same　balcony。　　The　forgotten　parcel；　which　looked
  like　a　roll　of　manuscript；　was　lying　on　his　dressing…table。　　She
  gazed　attentively　at　the　handwriting　on　the　wrapper　and　then　gave　a
  quick　glance　around　her。　　A　sudden　and　subtle　change　came　over　her。
  She　neither　flushed　nor　paled；　nor　did　the　delicate　lines　of
  expression　in　her　face　quiver　or　change。　　But　as　she　held　the
  parcel　in　her　hand　her　whole　being　seemed　to　undergo　some　exquisite
  suffusion。　　As　the　medicines　which　the　Arabian　physician　had
  concealed　in　the　hollow　handle　of　the　mallet　permeated　the　languid
  royal　blood　of　Persia；　so　some　volatile　balm　of　youth　seemed　to
  flow　in　upon　her　with　the　contact　of　that　strange　missive　and
  transform　her　weary　spirit。
  〃Jack！〃　she　called；　in　a　high　clear　voice。　　But　Jack　had　already
  gone　from　the　balcony　when　she　reached　it　with　an　elastic　step　and
  a　quick　youthful　swirl　and　rustling　of　her　skirt。　　He　was　lighting
  his　cigar　in　the　garden。
  〃Jack；〃　she　said；　leaning　half　over　the　railing；　〃come　back　here　in
  an　hour　and　we'll　talk　over　that　matter　of　yours　again。〃
  Jack　looked　up　eagerly　and　as　if　he　might　even　come　up　then；　but
  she　added　quickly；　〃In　about　an　hourI　must　think　it　over；〃　and
  withdrew。
  She　re…entered　the　sitting…room；　shut　the　door　carefully　and　locked
  it；　half　pulled　down　the　blind；　walking　once　or　twice　around　the
  table　on　which　the　parcel　lay；　with　one　eye　on　it　like　a　graceful
  cat。　　Then　she　suddenly　sat　down；　took　it　up　with　a　grave　practical
  face；　examined　the　postmark　curiously；　and　opened　it　with　severe
  deliberation。　　It　contained　a　manuscript　and　a　letter　of　four
  closely　written　pages。　　She　glanced　at　the　manuscript　with　bright
  appr