of the Bay。 Mrs。 Bunker was seized with a desperate idea。 She
called upon the Secretary of the Fishing Trust。 That gentle man
was business…like； but neither expansive nor communicative。 Her
husband had NOT been ordered out to sea by them； she ought to know
that Captain Bunker was now his own master； choosing his own
fishing grounds； and his own times and seasons。 He was not aware
of any secret service for the Company in which Captain Bunker was
engaged。 He hoped Mrs。 Bunker would distinctly remember that the
little matter of the duel to which she referred was an old bygone
affair； and never anything but a personal matter； in which the
Fishery had no concern whatever； and in which HE certainly should
not again engage。 He would advise Mrs。 Bunker； if she valued her
own good； and especially her husband's； to speedily forget all
about it。 These were ugly times； as it was。 If Mrs。 Bunker's
services had not been properly rewarded or considered it was
certainly a great shame； but really HE could not be expected to
make it good。 Certain parties had cost him trouble enough already。
Besides； really； she must see that his position between her
husband； whom he respected； and a certain other party was a
delicate one。 But Mrs。 Bunker heard no more。 She turned and ran
down the staircase； carrying with her a burning cheek and blazing
eye that somewhat startled the complacent official。
She did not remember how she got home again。 She had a vague
recollection of passing through the crowded streets； wondering if
the people knew that she was an outcast； deserted by her husband；
deceived by her ideal hero； repudiated by her friends！ Men had
gathered in knots before the newspaper offices； excited and
gesticulating over the bulletin boards that had such strange
legends as 〃The Crisis；〃 〃Details of an Alleged Conspiracy to
Overthrow the Government；〃 〃The Assassin of Henderson to the Fore
Again；〃 〃Rumored Arrests on the Mexican Frontier。〃 Sometimes she
thought she understood the drift of them； even fancied they were
the outcome of her visitas if her very presence carried treachery
and suspicion with itbut generally they only struck her benumbed
sense as a dull； meaningless echo of something that had happened
long ago。 When she reached her house； late that night； the
familiar solitude of shore and sea gave her a momentary relief； but
with it came the terrible conviction that she had forfeited her
right to it； that when her husband came back it would be hers no
longer； and that with their meeting she would know it no more。 For
through all her childish vacillation and imaginings she managed to
cling to one steadfast resolution。 She would tell him EVERYTHING；
and know the worst。 Perhaps he would never come； perhaps she
should not be alive to meet him。
And so the days and nights slowly passed。 The solitude which her
previous empty deceit had enabled her to fill with such charming
visions now in her awakened remorse seemed only to protract her
misery。 Had she been a more experienced； though even a more
guilty； woman she would have suffered less。 Without sympathy or
counsel； without even the faintest knowledge of the world or its
standards of morality to guide her； she accepted her isolation and
friendlessness as a necessary part of her wrongdoing。 Her only
criterion was her enemyMrs。 Fairfaxand SHE could seek her
relief by joining her lover； but Mrs。 Bunker knew now that she
herself had never had oneand was alone！ Mrs。 Fairfax had broken
openly with her husband； but SHE had DECEIVED hers； and the
experience and reckoning were still to come。 In her miserable
confession it was not strange that this half child； half woman；
sometimes looked towards that gray sea； eternally waiting for her；
that sea which had taken everything from her and given her nothing
in return；for an obliterating and perhaps exonerating death！
The third day of her waiting isolation was broken upon by another
intrusion。 The morning had been threatening； with an opaque；
motionless； livid arch above； which had taken the place of the
usual flying scud and shaded cloud masses of the rainy season。 The
whole outlying ocean； too； beyond the bar； appeared nearer； and
even seemed to be lifted higher than the Bay itself； and was lit
every now and then with wonderful clearness by long flashes of
breaking foam like summer lightning。 She knew that this meant a
southwester； and began； with a certain mechanical deliberation； to
set her little domain in order against the coming gale。 She drove
the cows to the rude shed among the scrub oaks； she collected the
goats and young kids in the corral； and replenished the stock of
fuel from the woodpile。 She was quite hidden in the shrubbery when
she saw a boat making slow headway against the wind towards the
little cove where but a moment before she had drawn up the dingey
beyond the reach of breaking seas。 It was a whaleboat from
Saucelito containing a few men。 As they neared the landing she
recognized in the man who seemed to be directing the boat the
second friend of Colonel Marionthe man who had come with the
Secretary to take him off； but whom she had never seen again。 In
her present horror of that memory she remained hidden； determined
at all hazards to avoid a meeting。 When they had landed； one of
the men halted accidentally before the shrubbery where she was
concealed as he caught his first view of the cottage； which had
been invisible from the point they had rounded。
〃Look here； Bragg；〃 he said； turning to Marion's friend； in a voice
which was distinctly audible to Mrs。 Bunker。 〃What are we to say
to these people？〃
〃There's only one；〃 returned the other。 〃The man's at sea。 His
wife's here。 She's all right。〃
〃You said she was one of us？〃
〃After a fashion。 She's the woman who helped Marion when he was
here。 I reckon he made it square with her from the beginning； for
she forwarded letters from him since。 But you can tell her as much
or as little as you find necessary when you see her。〃
〃Yes； but we must settle that NOW；〃 said Bragg sharply； 〃and I
propose to tell her NOTHING。 I'm against having any more
petticoats mixed up with our affairs。 I propose to make an
examination of the place without bothering our heads about her。〃
〃But we must give some reason for coming here； and we must ask her
to keep dark； or we'll have her blabbing to the first person she
meets；〃 urged the other。
〃She's not likely to see anybody before night； when the brig will
be in and the men and guns landed。 Move on； and let Jim take
soundings off the cove； while I look along the shore。 It's just as
well that there's a house here； and a little cover like this〃
pointing to the shrubbery〃to keep the men from making too much of
a show until after the earthworks are up。 There are sharp eyes
over at the Fort。〃
〃There don't seem to be any one in the house now；〃 returned the
other after a moment's scrutiny of the cottage； 〃or the woman would
surely come out at the barking of the dog； even if she hadn't seen
us。 Likely she's gone to Saucelito。〃
〃So much the better。 Just as well that she should know nothing
until it happens。 Afterwards we'll settle with the husband for the
price of possession； he has only a squatter's rights。 Come along；
we'll have bad weather before we get back round the Point again；
but so much the better； for it will keep off any inquisitive
longshore cruisers。〃
They moved away。 But Mrs。 Bunker； stung through her benumbed and
brooding consciousness； and made desperate by this repeated
revelation of her former weakness； had heard enough to make her
feverish to hear more。 She knew the intricacies of the shrubbery
thoroughly。 She knew every foot of shade and cover of the
clearing； and creeping like a cat from bush to bush she managed；
without being discovered； to keep the party in sight and hearing
all the time。 It required no great discernment； even for an
inexperienced woman like herself； at the end of an hour； to gather
their real purpose。 It was to prepare for the secret landing of an
armed force； disguised as laborers； who； under the outward show of
quarrying in the bluff； were to throw up breastworks； and fortify
the craggy shelf。 The landing was fixed for that night； and was to
be effected by a vessel now cruising outside the Heads。
She understood it all now。 She remembered Marion's speech about
the importance of the bluff for military purposes； she remembered
the visit of the officers from the Fort opposite。 The strangers
were stealing a march upon the Government； and by night would be in
possession。 It was perhaps an evidence of her newly awakened and
larger comprehension that she took no thought of her loss of home
and property；perhaps there was little to draw her to it now；but
was conscious only of a more terrible catastrophea catastrophe to
which she was partly accessory； of which any other woman would have
warned her husbandor at least those officers of the Fort whose
business it was to Ah； yes！ the officers of the Fortonly just
opposite to her！ She trembled； and yet flushed with an
inspiration。 It was not too late yetwhy not warn them NOW？
But how？ A message sent by Saucelito and the steamboat to San
Franciscothe usual waywould not reach them tonight。 To go
herself； rowing directly across in the dingey； would be the only
security of success。 If she could do it？ It was a long pullthe
sea was getting upbut she would try。
She waited until the last man had stepped into the boat； in nervous
dread of some one remaining。 Then； when the boat had vanished
round the Point again； she ran back to the cottage； arrayed herself
in her husband's pilot coat； hat； and boots； and launched the
dingey。 It was a heavy； slow； but luckily a stanch and seaworthy
boat。 It was not until she was well off shore that she began to
feel the full fury of the wind and waves； and knew the difficulty
and danger of her undertaking。 She had decided that her shortest
and most direct course was within a few points of the wind； but the
quartering of the waves on the broad bluff bows of the boat tended
to throw it to leeward； a movement that； while it retarded her