y of southern women--but sixteen! He
had never wasted a moment on a chit before, and although he was a man
of imagination, and notwithstanding her intelligence and dignity, he
could not reconcile properties so conflicting with any sort of feminine
ideal.

And the pressing half of his mission he had confided to her! No man
knew better than he the value of a tactful and witty woman in the
political dilemmas of life; more than one had given him devoted
service, nor ever yet had he made a mistake. After several hours spent
in the society of this clever, politic, dissatisfied girl he had come
to the conclusion that he could trust her, and had told her of the
lamentable condition of the creatures in the employ of the
Russian-American Company; of their chronic state of semi-starvation, of
the scurvy that made them apathetic of brain and body, and eventually
would exterminate them unless he could establish reciprocal trade
relations with California and obtain regular supplies of farinaceous
food; acknowledged that he had brought a cargo of Russian and Boston
goods necessary to the well-being of the Missions and Presidios, and
that he would not return to the wretched people of Sitka, at least,
without a generous exchange of breadstuffs, dried meats, peas, beans,
barley and tallow. Not only had he no longer the courage to witness
their misery, but his fortune and his career were at stake. His entire
capital was invested in the Company he had founded, and he had failed
in his embassy to Japan--to the keen mortification of the Tsar and the
jubilation of his enemies. If he left the Emperor's northeastern
dominions unreclaimed and failed to rescue the Company from its
precarious condition, he hardly should care to return to St. Petersburg.

Dona Concha had listened to this eloquent harangue--they sat alone at
one end of the long sala while Luis at the other toiled over letters to
the Governor and his father advising them of the formidable honor of
the Russian's visit--in exactly the temper he would have chosen. Her
fine eyes had melted and run over at the moving tale of the sufferings
of the servants of the Company--until his own had softened in response
and he had impulsively kissed her hand; they had dilated and flashed as
he spoke of his personal apprehensions; and when he had given her a
practical explanation of his reasons for coming to California she had
given him advice as practical in return.

He must withhold from h