and covering his face with his
hands). I am!

Miss Mary. Enough! (Taking flower from her bosom.) Here, I give you back
the flower you gave me this morning. It has faded and died here upon my
breast. But I shall replace it with your foundling,--the child of that
woman, born like that flower in the snow! And I go now, Sandy, and leave
behind me, as you said this morning, the snow and rocks in which it
bloomed. Good-by! Farewell, farewell--forever! (Goes toward schoolhouse
as--)

Enter COL. STARBOTTLE.

Miss Mary (to STARBOTTLE). You are here in season, sir. You must have
come for an answer to your question. You must first give me one to mine.
Who is this man (pointing to SANDY), the man you met upon the rocks this
morning?

Col. Starbottle. Ahem! I am--er--now fully prepared and responsible, I
may say, miss--er--personally responsible, to answer that question. When
you asked it this morning, the ordinary courtesy of the--er--code of
honor threw a--er--cloak around the--er--antecedents of the--er--man
whom I had--er--elected by a demand for personal satisfaction, to the
equality of myself, an--er--gentleman! That--er--cloak is now removed. I
have waited six hours for an apology or a--er--reply to my demand. I am
now free to confess that the--er--person you allude to was first known
by me, three months ago, as an inebriated menial,--a groom in the
household of my friend Don Jose Castro,--by the--er--simple name of
"Diego."

Miss Mary (slowly). I am satisfied. I accept my cousin's invitation.

[Exit slowly, supported by COL. STARBOTTLE, R.

As STARBOTTLE and MISS MARY exeunt R., CONCHO and HOP SING enter
cautiously, L. SANDY slowly rises to his feet, passes his hand across
his forehead, looks around toward exit of STARBOTTLE and MISS MARY.

Sandy (slowly, but with more calmness of demeanor). Gone, gone--forever!
No: I am not mad, nor crazed with drink. My hands no longer tremble.
There is no confusion here. (Feeling his forehead). I heard them all. It
was no dream. I heard her every word. Alexander Morton, yes, they
spoke of Alexander Morton. She is going to him, to my father. She is
going--she, Mary, my cousin--she is going to my father. He has been
seeking me--has found--ah! (Groans.) No, no, Sandy! Be patient, be calm:
you are not crazy--no, no, good Sandy, good old boy! Be patient, be
patient: it is coming, it is coming. Yes, I see: some one has leaped
into my place; some one has leaped into the old man's arms.