he knew of her
calmly cold nature, that she should be equally uninfluenced by Grant or
Shipley. Had she some steadfast, lofty ideal, or perhaps some already
absorbing passion of which he knew nothing? She was not a girl to betray
it--they would only know it when it was too late. Could it be possible
that there was still something between her and 'Lige that he knew
nothing of? The thought struck a chill to his breast. She was walking
towards the door, when he recalled himself with an effort.

"If you think it advisable to see Fletcher, you might run down to San
Jose for a day or two with your mother, and call on the Ramirez.
They may know him or somebody who does. Of course if YOU meet him and
casually invite him it would be different."

"It's a good idea," she said quickly. "I'll do it, and speak to mother
now."

He was struck by the change in her face and voice; they had both
nervously lightened, as oddly and distinctly as they had before seemed
to grow suddenly harsh and aggressive. She passed out of the room with
girlish brusqueness, leaving him alone with a new and vague fear in his
consciousness.

A few hours later Clementina was standing before the window of the
drawing-room that overlooked the outskirts of the town. The moonlight
was flooding the vast bluish Tasajara levels with a faint lustre, as if
the waters of the creek had once more returned to them. In the shadow of
the curtain beside her Grant was facing her with anxious eyes.

"Then I must take this as your final answer, Clementina?"

"You must. And had I known of these calumnies before, had you been frank
with me even the day we went to San Mateo, my answer would have been as
final then, and you might have been spared any further suspense. I am
not blaming you, Mr. Grant; I am willing to believe that you thought
it best to conceal this from me,--even at that time when you had just
pledged yourself to find out its truth or falsehood,--yet my answer
would have been the same. So long as this stain rests on my father's
name I shall never allow that name to be coupled with yours in marriage
or engagement; nor will my pride or yours allow us to carry on a simple
friendship after this. I thank you for your offer of assistance, but
I cannot even accept that which might to others seem to allow some
contingent claim. I would rather believe that when you proposed this
inquiry and my father permitted it, you both knew that it put an end to
any other relatio