The Splendid Idle Forties: Stories of Old California

tener down the hill than upon the delicate work which required such attention. She wore a black gown flowered with yellow roses, and a slender ivory cross a

ee; but she, too, looked as if she had not slept, and her straight ol

in the corner was of iron, although a heavy satin coverlet trimmed with lace was on it. A few saints looked down from the walls; the f

g dragon, was heavily outlined. The smoky shadows gathered in the woods. The hoarse boom of the surf came from the beach; the bay was uneasy, and the tide was high: the earth had quaked in the mornin

ead," sa

aid the o

come back to

ru

ong and so dif

t his eyes. Ve

d be soft,

ressed for the ball at t

s coming up the hill. He was gaunt; he was burnt

The indignant due?a also recognized the man, and her position. She trotted to the door and thumped angrily on the panel

t be locked in the dark room. Thou shalt be sent to the rancho. Open! o

was in the sala, and the doors were open. As De la Vega crossed the corridor

and shapes-pearls black and pearls white, pearls pink and pearls faintly blue, pearls like globes and pearls like pears, pearls as big as the lobe of

dream of a lifetime was reality. She was the child who

ressed them to her face; she kissed them with little rapturous cries. She laid them against her breast and watched the

ly the pearls you wanted. It might have be

en she laid the sack on the floor and stood up. She was no lon

. But during many terrible weeks, se?or

hiefest charm sprang to his eyes. He too

rd for one tear. But thou hast shed them

pearls-at least not of

very unhappy

ars burst wide. "Thou art ill! What has happened to thee? Ay, Dios! wh

iss me, Ysabel. Sur

back and sh

t would not release her hand

be married

promise-drive me from you with the curse of the devout woman on your lips. I might invent some excuse to persuade you to fly w

menacing cross, the sacrilegious theft, the deliberate murder; the pictures were painted with blood and fire. She did not interrupt him with cry or gasp, but her expression changed many time

t done th

Ysa

ered thy immort

abe

ess hast thou made me? In whatsoever image it m

roat and broke it in two piece

y damned: but I will go

lf upon him and kis

warm face after a time. "We must go to-night," he said. "I went to General Castro's to change my clothes, and learned that a ship sails for th

will go. You will have a boat below the rocks. You know that the Custom-house is on the rocks at the end of the town, near

to the ball; for with me you can escape m

sa is f

en the rocks of the Custom-house and th

tly. "Wear thy pearls to-night. I wish

d, "I shall we