from the Gate； was heading for the bar； but suddenly sheered off
and put away to sea again； as if from some signal from the
headland。 〃Yesthe bluff；〃 interrupted Captain Jennings bitterly；
〃I thought of that； but the old man said it was more diplomatic
just now to PREVENT an attempt than even to successfully resist
it。〃
But when they were alone again in their little cottage； and Zephas'
honest eyeswith no trace of evil knowledge or suspicion in their
homely； neutral lightnesswere looking into hers with his usual
simple trustfulness； Mrs。 Bunker trembled； whimpered； andI grieve
to saybasely funked her boasted confession。 But here the Deity
which protects feminine weakness intervened with the usual miracle。
As he gazed at his wife's troubled face； an apologetic cloud came
over his rugged but open brow； and a smile of awkward deprecating
embarrassment suffused his eyes。 〃I declare to goodness； Mollie；
but I must tell you suthin； although I guess I didn't kalkilate to
say a word about it。 But； darn it all； I can't keep it in。 No！
Lookin' inter that innercent face o' yourn〃pressing her flushing
cheeks between his cool brown hands〃and gazing inter them two
truthful eyes〃they blinked at this moment with a divine modesty
〃and thinkin' of what you've just did for your kentrylike them
revolutionary women o' '76I feel like a darned swab of a traitor
myself。 Well！ what I want ter tell you is this： Ye know； or ye've
heard me tell o' that Mrs。 Fairfax； as left her husband for that
fire…eatin' Marion； and stuck to him through thick and thin； and
stood watch and watch with him in this howlin' Southern rumpus
they're kickin' up all along the coast； as if she was a man
herself。 Well； jes as I hauled up at the wharf at 'Frisco； she
comes aboard。
〃'You're Cap Bunker？' she says。
〃'That's me； ma'am；' I says。
〃'You're a Northern man and you go with your kind；' sez she； 'but
you're a white man； and thar's no cur blood in you。' But you ain't
listenin'； Mollie； you're dead tired； lass；〃with a commiserating
look at her now whitening face；〃and I'll haul in line and wait。
Well； to cut it short； she wanted me to take her down the coast a
bit to where she could join Marion。 She said she'd been shook by
his friends； followed by spiesand； blame my skin； Mollie； ef that
proud woman didn't break down and CRY like a baby。 Now； Mollie；
what got ME in all this； was that them Chivalry folksez was
always jawin' about their 'Southern dames' and their 'Ladye fairs；'
and always runnin' that kind of bilge water outer their scuppers
whenever they careened over on a fair windwas jes the kind to
throw off on a woman when they didn't want her； and I kinder
thought I'd like HER to see the difference betwixt the latitude o'
Charleston and Cape Cod。 So I told her I didn't want the jewelry
and dimons she offered me； but if she would come down to the wharf；
after dark； I'd smuggle her aboard； and I'd allow to the men that
she was YOUR AUNTIE ez I was givin' a free passage to！ Lord！ dear！
think o' me takin' the name o' Mollie Bunker's aunt in vain for
that sort o' woman！ Think o' me；〃 continued Captain Bunker with a
tentative chuckle； 〃sort o' pretendin' to hand yo'r auntie to
Kernel Marion forfor his lady love！ I don't wonder ye's half
frighted and half laffin'；〃 he added； as his wife uttered a
hysterical cry； 〃it WAS awful！ But it worked； and I got her off；
and wot's more I got her shipped to Mazatlan； where she'll join
Marion； and the two are goin' back to Virginy； where I guess they
won't trouble Californy again。 Ye know now； deary；〃 he went on；
speaking with difficulty through Mrs。 Bunker's clinging arms and
fast dripping tears； 〃why I didn't heave to to say 'good…by。' But
it's all over nowI've made a clean breast of it； Mollieand
don't you cry！〃
But it was NOT all over。 For a moment later Captain Bunker began
to fumble in his waistcoat pocket with the one hand that was not
clasping his wife's waist。 〃One thing more； Mollie； when I left
her and refused to take any of her dimons； she put a queer sort o'
ring into my hand； and told me with a kind o' mischievious；
bedevilin' smile； that I must keep it to remember her by。 Here it
iswhy； Mollie lass！ are you crazy？〃
She had snatched it from his fingers and was running swiftly from
the cottage out into the tempestuous night。 He followed closely；
until she reached the edge of the rocks。 And only then； in the
struggling； fast…flying moonlight； she raised a passionate hand；
and threw it far into the sea！
As he led her back to the cottage she said she was jealous； and
honest Captain Bunker； with his arm around her； felt himself the
happiest man in the world！
。 。 。 。 。 。
From that day the flag flew regularly over the rocky shelf； and； in
time； bugles and morning drumbeats were wafted from it to the decks
of passing ships。 For the Federal Government had adjudged the land
for its own use； paid Captain Bunker a handsome sum for its
possession； and had discreetly hidden the little cottage of Mrs。
Bunker and its history forever behind bastion and casemate。
THE TRANSFORMATION OF BUCKEYE CAMP
PART I。
The tiny lights that had been far scattered and intermittent as
fireflies all along the dark stream at last dropped out one by one；
leaving only the three windows of 〃Parks' Emporium〃 to pierce the
profoundly wooded banks of the South Fork。 So all…pervading was
the darkness that the mere opening of the 〃Emporium〃 front door
shot out an illuminating shaft which revealed the whole length of
the little main street of 〃Buckeye；〃 while the simple passing of a
single figure before one of the windows momentarily eclipsed a
third of the settlement。 This undue pre…eminence given to the only
three citizens of Buckeye who were still up at ten o 'clock seemed
to be hardly justified by their outward appearance； which was that
of ordinary long…bearded and long…booted river bar miners。 Two sat
upon the counter with their hands upon their knees； the third
leaned beside the open window。
It was very quiet。 The faint； far barking of a dog； or an
occasional subdued murmur from the river shallows； audible only
when the wind rose slightly； helped to intensify their solitude。
So supreme had it become that when the man at the window at last
continued his conversation meditatively； with his face towards it；
he seemed to be taking all Nature into his confidence。
〃The worst thing about it is； that the only way we can keep her out
of the settlement is by the same illegal methods which we deplore
in other camps。 We have always boasted that Buckeye could get
along without Vigilance Committees or Regulators。〃
〃Yes； and that was because we started it on the principle of
original selection； which we are only proposing to continue；〃
replied one of the men on the counter。 〃So there's nothing wrong
about our sending a deputation to wait upon her； to protest against
her settling here； and give her our reasons。〃
〃Yes； only it has all the impudence without the pluck of the
Regulators。 You demand what you are afraid to enforce。 Come；
Parks； you know she has all the rights on her side。 Look at it
squarely。 She proposes to open a store and sell liquor and cigars；
which she serves herself； in the broken…down tienda which was
regularly given to her people by the Spanish grantee of the land
we're squatting on。 It's not her fault but ours if we've adopted a
line of rules； which don't agree with hers； to govern the settlers
on HER land； nor should she be compelled to follow them。 Nor
because we justify OUR squatting here； on the ground that the
Spanish grant isn't confirmed yet； can we forbid her squatting
under the same right。〃
〃But look at the moral question； Brace。 Consider the example； the
influence of such a shop； kept by such a woman； on the community！
We have the right to protect ourselvesthe majority。〃
〃That's the way the lynchers talk；〃 returned Brace。 〃And I'm not
so sure about there being any moral question yet。 You are assuming
too much。 There is no reason why she shouldn't run the tienda as
decentlybarring the liquor sale； which； however； is legal； and
for which she can get a licenseas a man could； and without
interfering with our morals。〃
〃Then what is the use of our rules？〃
〃They were made for those who consented to adopt them； as we all
did。 They still bind US； and if we don't choose to buy her liquor
or cigars that will dispose of her and her tienda much more
effectually than your protest。 It's a pity she's a lone
unprotected woman。 Now if she only had a husband〃
〃She carries a dagger in her garter。〃
This apparently irrelevant remark came from the man who had not yet
spoken； but who had been listening with the languid unconcern of
one who； relinquishing the labor of argument to others； had
consented to abide by their decision。 It was met with a scornful
smile from each of the disputants； perhaps even by an added shrug
of the shoulders from the woman's previous defender！ HE was
evidently not to be taken in by extraneous sentiment。 Nevertheless；
both listened as the speaker； slowly feeling his knees as if they
were his way to a difficult subject； continued with the same
suggestion of stating general fact； but waiving any argument
himself。 〃Clarkson of Angels allows she's got a free； gaudy；
picter…covered style with the boys； but that she can be gilt…edged
when she wants to。 Rowley Meadehim ez hed his skelp pulled over
his eyes at one stroke； foolin' with a she bear over on Black
Mountainallows it would be rather monotonous in him attemptin' any
familiarities with her。 Bulstrode's brother； ez was in Marysville；
said there was a womanlike to her； but not herez made it lively
for the boys with a game called 'Little Monte；' and he dropped a
hundred dollars there afore he came away。 They do say that about
seven men got shot in Marysville on account o' this one； or from
some oneasiness that happened at her shop。 But then；〃 he went on
slowly and deferentially as the faces of the two others were lowered
and became fixed； 〃SHE says she tired o' drunken rowdies；there's a
sameness about 'em； and i