at least half the meal
she did not utter a word; and Trennahan, wondering if fate were forcing
him into the permanent role of the garrulous American, a breed for which
he had all the finely bred American's contempt, talked of the weather,
the woods, the climate, the beauty of the Californian women, with little
or no assistance from Magdalena. The moment he paused, and he was
hungry, the catlike tread of the Chinese butlers was the only sound in
the large house; the silence was so oppressive that he reflected with
gratitude that his visit would be done with the morrow's morn.

Finally, Mrs. Yorba left the table and stepping through one of the open
casements walked up and down the verandah. She was very fond of this
little promenade between the last solid course of luncheon and the
griddle-cakes and fruit.

"I am glad you wear flowers in your hair," said Trennahan. "Your head
was made for them. I am certain your Ysabel What's-her-name must have
worn them just so the night her ardent lover conceived the idea of
robbing the Mission of its pearls for her fair sake."

Magdalena's face glowed with its rare smile. "But Ysabel was so
beautiful," she said wistfully,--"the most beautiful woman in
California."

"All women are beautiful, my dear Miss Yorba--when they are young. If
girls could only be made to understand that youth is always beautiful,
they would be even prettier than they are."

Magdalena's eyes were large and radiant for a moment. She was disposed
to believe in him implicitly. She determined that she would think no
more on the beautiful women of her race, but learn to make herself
attractive in other ways. Helena would return soon and would teach her.

"I have read in books that plain women are sometimes more fascinating
than beautiful ones," she said. "How can that be? Of course you must
know."

"A fascinating ugly woman is one who in the same moment sets the teeth
on edge and makes a beauty look like a daub or a statue. Her pitfall is
that she is apt to be lacking in pride: she makes too great an effort to
please. Your pride is magnificent. I say that in strict truth and
without any desire to pay you a compliment. Had fate been so unkind as
to make you an ugly woman, you would not have had a jot less; it is the
finest part of you, to my way of thinking. You are worrying now because
you have less to say than these girls who have travelled and been
educated abroad, and who, moreover, are of lighter make. Do