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suggestions； childlike surprises and awakenings； a day delicious
for the very incompleteness of its vague happiness。 And this
remarkable day was simply marked in Mrs。 Markham's diary as
follows：〃Went with E。 to Indian village； met Padre and J。 H。
J。 H。 actually left shell and crawled on beach with E。 E。 chatty。〃
The day itself had been singularly quiet and gracious； even for
that rare climate of balmy days and recuperating nights。 At times
the slight breath of the sea which usually stirred the morning air
of Todos Santos was suspended； and a hush of expectation seemed to
arrest land and water。 When Miss Keene and Mrs。 Markham left the
Presidio； the tide was low； and their way lay along the beach past
the Mission walls。 A walk of two or three miles brought them to
the Indian villageproperly a suburban quarter of Todos Santosa
collection of adobe huts and rudely cultivated fields。 Padre
Esteban and Mr。 Hurlstone were awaiting them in the palm…thatched
veranda of a more pretentious cabin； that served as a school…room。
〃This is Don Diego's design；〃 said the Padre； beaming with a
certain paternal pride on Hurlstone； 〃built by himself and helped
by the heathen； but look you： my gentleman is not satisfied with
it； and wishes now to bring his flock to the Mission school； and
have them mingle with the pure…blooded races on an equality。 That
is the revolutionary idea of this sans culotte reformer；〃 continued
the good Father； shaking his yellow finger with gentle archness at
the young man。 〃Ah； we shall yet have a revolution in Todos Santos
unless you ladies take him in hand。 He has already brought the
half…breeds over to his side； and those heathens follow him like
dumb cattle anywhere。 There； take him away and scold him； Dona
Leonor； while I speak to the Senora Markham of the work that her
good heart and skillful fingers may do for my poor muchachos。〃
Eleanor Keene lifted her beautiful eyes to Hurlstone with an
artless tribute in their depths that brought the blood faintly into
his cheek。 She was not thinking of the priest's admonishing words；
she was thinking of the quiet； unselfish work that this gloomy
misanthrope had been doing while his companions had been engaged in
lower aims and listless pleasures； and while she herself had been
aimlessly fretting and diverting herself。 What were her few hours
of applauded instruction with the pretty Murillo…like children of
the Fort compared to his silent and unrecognized labor！ Yet even
at this moment an uneasy doubt crossed her mind。
〃I suppose Mrs。 Brimmer and Miss Chubb interest themselves greatly
in yourin the Padre's charities？〃
The first playful smile she had seen on Hurlstone's face lightened
in his eyes and lips； and was becoming。
〃I am afraid my barbarians are too low and too near home for Mrs。
Brimmer's missionary zeal。 She and Miss Chubb patronize the
Mexican school with cast…off dresses； old bonnets retrimmed；
flannel petticoats； some old novels and books of poetryof which
the Padre makes an auto…da…feand their own patronizing presence
on fete days。 Providence has given them the vague impression that
leprosy and contagious skin…disease are a peculiarity of the
southern aborigine； and they have left me severely alone。〃
〃I wish you would prevail upon the Padre to let ME help you；〃 said
Miss Keene； looking down。
〃But you already have the Commander's chickenswhich you are
bringing up as swans； by the way；〃 said Hurlstone mischievously。
〃You wouldn't surely abandon the nest again？〃
〃You are laughing at me；〃 said Miss Keene； putting on a slight pout
to hide the vague pleasure that Hurlstone's gayer manner was giving
her。 〃But； really； I've been thinking that the Presidio children
are altogether too pretty and picturesque for me； and that I enjoy
them too much to do them any good。 It's like playing with them；
you know！〃
Hurlstone laughed； but suddenly looking down upon her face he was
struck with its youthfulness。 She had always impressed him before
through her reserve and independenceas older； and more matured
in character。 He did not know how lately she was finding her lost
youth as he asked her； quite abruptly； if she ever had any little
brothers and sisters。
The answer to this question involved the simple story of Miss
Keene's life； which she gave with naive detail。 She told him of
her early childhood； and the brother who was only an indistinct
memory； of her school days； and her friendships up to the moment of
her first step into the great world that was so strangely arrested
at Todos Santos。 He was touched with the almost pathetic blankness
of this virgin page。 Encouraged by his attention； and perhaps
feeling a sympathy she had lately been longing for； she confessed
to him the thousand little things which she had reserved from even
Mrs。 Markham during her first apathetic weeks at Todos Santos。
〃I'm sure I should have been much happier if I had had any one to
talk to；〃 she added； looking up into his face with a naivete of
faint reproach； 〃it's very different for men； you know。 They can
always distract themselves with something。 Although；〃 she
continued hesitatingly； 〃I've sometimes thought YOU would have been
happier if you had had somebody to tell your troubles toI don't
mean the Padre； for； good as he is； he is a foreigner； you know；
and wouldn't look upon things as WE dobut some one in sympathy
with you。〃
She stopped； alarmed at the change of expression in his face。 A
quick flush had crossed his cheek； for an instant he had looked
suspiciously into her questioning eyes。 But the next moment the
idea of his quietly selecting this simple； unsophisticated girl as
the confidant of his miserable marriage； and the desperation that
had brought him there； struck him as being irresistibly ludicrous
and he smiled。 It was the first time that the habitual morbid
intensity of his thoughts on that one subject had ever been
disturbed by reaction； it was the first time that a clear ray of
reason had pierced the gloom in which he had enwrapped it。 Seeing
him smile； the young girl smiled too。 Then they smiled together
vaguely and sympathetically； as over some unspoken confidence。
But； unknown and unsuspected by himself； that smile had completed
his emancipation and triumph。 The next moment； when he sought with
a conscientious sigh to reenter his old mood； he was half shocked
to find it gone。 Whatever gradual influencethe outcome of these
few months of rest and reposemay have already been at work to
dissipate his clouded fancy； he was only vaguely conscious that the
laughing breath of the young girl had blown it away forever。
The perilous point passed； unconsciously to both of them； they fell
into freer conversation； tacitly avoiding the subject of Mr。
Hurlstone's past reserve only as being less interesting。 Hurlstone
did not return Miss Keene's confidencesnot because he wished to
deceive her； b