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moment； pale yet smiling； against the cross。
〃No； no！〃 she said earnestly； 〃it was not that。 But the children
were frightened； and their alarm terrified me。 There； it is over
now。〃
She let him help her to her seat again as he glanced hurriedly
around him。 It must have been sympathy with her； for he was
conscious of a slight vertigo himself。 The air was very close and
still。 Even the pleasant murmur of the waves had ceased。
〃How very low the tide is！〃 said Eleanor Keene； resting her elbow
on her knees and her round chin upon her hand。 〃I wonder if that
could have frightened those dear little midgets？〃 The tide； in
fact； had left the shore quite bare and muddy for nearly a quarter
of a mile to seaward。
Hurlstone arose； with grave eyes； but a voice that was unchanged。
〃Suppose we inquire？ Lean on my arm； and we'll go up the hill
towards the Mission garden。 Bring your flowers with you。〃
The color had quite returned to her cheek as she leant on his
proffered arm。 Yet perhaps she was really weaker than she knew；
for he felt the soft pressure of her hand and the gentle
abandonment of her figure against his own as they moved on。 But
for some preoccupying thought； he might have yielded more
completely to the pleasure of that innocent contact and have drawn
her closer towards him； yet they moved steadily on； he contenting
himself from time to time with a hurried glance at the downcast
fringes of the eyes beside him。 Presently he stopped； his
attention disturbed by what appeared to be the fluttering of a
black…winged； red…crested bird； in the bushes before him。 The next
moment he discovered it to be the rose…covered head of Dona Isabel；
who was running towards them。 Eleanor withdrew her arm from
Hurlstone's。
〃Ah； imbecile！〃 said Dona Isabel； pouncing upon Eleanor Keene like
an affectionate panther。 〃They have said you were on the seashore；
and I fly for you as a bird。 Tell to me quick；〃 she whispered；
hastily putting her own little brown ear against Miss Keene's
mouth； 〃immediatamente； are you much happy？〃
〃Where is Mr。 Brace？〃 said Miss Keene； trying to effect a
diversion； as she laughed and struggled to get free from her
tormentor。
〃He； the idiot boy！ Naturally； when he is for use； he comes not。
But as a maniacever！ I would that I have him no more。 You will
to me presently give yourbrother！ I have since to…day a
presentimiento that him I shall love！ Ah！〃
She pressed her little brown fist； still tightly clutching her fan；
against her low bodice； as if already transfixed with a secret and
absorbing passion。
〃Well； you shall have Dick then；〃 said Miss Keene； laughing； 〃but
was it for THAT you were seeking me？〃
〃Mother of God！ you know not then what has happened？ You are a
blinda deafto but one thing all the time？ Ah！〃 she said
quickly； unfolding her fan and modestly diving her little head
behind it； 〃I have ashamed for you； Miss Keene。〃
〃But WHAT has happened？〃 said Hurlstone； interposing to relieve his
companion。 〃We fancied something〃
〃Something！ he says something！ah； that something was a temblor！
An earthquake！ The earth has shaken himself。 Look！〃
She pointed with her fan to the shore； where the sea had suddenly
returned in a turbulence of foam and billows that was breaking over
the base of the cross they had just quitted。
Miss Keene drew a quick sigh。 Dona Isabel had ducked again
modestly behind her fan； but this time dragging with her other arm
Miss Keene's head down to share its discreet shadow as she
whispered；
〃Andinfatuated one！you two never noticed it！〃
CHAPTER V。
CLOUDS AND CHANGE。
The earthquake shock； although the first experienced by the
Americans； had been a yearly phenomenon to the people of Todos
Santos； and was so slight as to leave little impression upon either
the low adobe walls of the pueblo or the indolent population。 〃If
it's a provision of Nature for shaking up these Rip Van Winkle
Latin races now and then； it's a dead failure； as far as Todos
Santos is concerned；〃 Crosby had said； with a yawn。 〃Brace； who's
got geology on the brain ever since he struck cinnabar ore； says he
isn't sure the Injins ain't right when they believe that the
Pacific Ocean used to roll straight up to the Presidio； and there
wasn't any channeland that reef of rocks was upheaved in their
time。 But what's the use of it？ it never really waked them up。〃
〃Perhaps they're waiting for another kind of earthquake；〃 Winslow
had responded sententiously。
In six weeks it had been forgotten； except by three peopleMiss
Keene； James Hurlstone； and Padre Esteban。 Since Hurlstone had
parted with Miss Keene on that memorable afternoon he had
apparently lapsed into his former reserve。 Without seeming to
avoid her timid advances； he met her seldom； and then only in the
presence of the Padre or Mrs。 Markham。 Although uneasy at the
deprivation of his society； his present shyness did not affect her
as it had done at first： she knew it was no longer indifference；
she even fancied she understood it from what had been her own
feelings。 If he no longer raised his eyes to hers as frankly as he
had that day； she felt a more delicate pleasure in the
consciousness of his lowered eyelids when they met； and the
instinct that told her when his melancholy glance followed her
unobserved。 The sex of these loversif we may call them so who
had never exchanged a word of loveseemed to be changed。 It was
Miss Keene who now sought him with a respectful and frank
admiration； it was Hurlstone who now tried to avoid it with a
feminine dread of reciprocal display。 Once she had even adverted
to the episode of the cross。 They were standing under the arch of
the refectory door； waiting for Padre Esteban； and looking towards
the sea。
〃Do you think we were ever in any real danger； down there； on the
shorethat day？〃 she said timidly。
〃No； not from the sea；〃 he replied； looking at her with a half
defiant resolution。
〃From what then？〃 she asked； with a naivete that was yet a little
conscious。
〃Do you remember the children giving you their offerings that day？〃
he asked abruptly。
〃I do；〃 she replied； with smiling eyes。
〃Well； it appears that it is the custom for the betrothed couples
to come to the cross to exchange their vows。 They mistook us for
lovers。〃
All the instinctive delicacy of Miss Keene's womanhood resented the
rude infelicity of this speech and the flippant manner of its
utterance。 She did not blush； but lifted her clear eyes calmly to
his。
〃It was an unfortunate mistake；〃 she said coldly； 〃the more so as
they were your pupils。 Ah！ here is Father Esteban；〃 she added；
with a marked tone of relief； as she crossed over to the priest's
side。
When Father Esteban returned to the refectory that evening；
Hurlstone was absent。 When it grew later； becoming uneasy； the
g