the crusade of the excelsior- 第44部分

to　the　ladies。



〃The　Commander；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham　briskly；　〃says　it's　against　the

rules；　that　visiting　time　is　up；　and　you've　already　got　a　friend

with　you；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　but　I　told　him　that　I　was

bound　to　see　you；　if　only　to　say　that　if　there's　any　meanness　going

on；　Susannah　and　James　Markham　ain't　in　it！　　No！　　But　we're　going

to　see　you　put　right　and　square　in　the　matter；　and　if　we　can't　do

it　here；　we'll　do　it；　if　we　have　to　follow　you　to　Mexico！that's

all！〃



〃And　I；〃　said　Eleanor；　grasping　the　Senor's　hand；　and　half　blushing

as　she　glanced　at　Hurlstone；　〃see　that　I　have　already　a　friend　here

who　will　help　me　to　put　in　action　all　the　sympathy　I　feel。〃



Senor　Perkins　drew　himself　up；　and　cast　a　faint　look　of　pride

towards　the　Commander。



〃To　HEAR　such　assurances　from　beautiful　and　eloquent　lips　like

those　before　me；〃　he　said；　with　his　old　oratorical　wave　of　the

hand；　but　a　passing　shadow　across　his　mild　eyes；　〃is　more　than

sufficient。　　In　my　experience　of　life　I　have　been　favored；　at

various　emergencies；　by　the　sympathy　and　outspoken　counsel　of　your

noble　sex；　the　last　time　by　Mrs。　Euphemia　M'Corkle；　of　Peoria；

Illinois；　a　lady　of　whom　you　have　heard　me　speakalas！　now　lately

deceased。　　A　few　lines　at　present　lying　on　yonder　tablea　tribute

to　her　geniuswill　be　forwarded　to　you；　dear　Mrs。　Markham。　　But

let　us　change　the　theme。　　You　are　looking　welland　you；　too；　Miss

Keene。　　From　the　roses　that　bloom　on　your　cheeksnourished　by　the

humid　air　of　Todos　SantosI　am　gratified　in　thinking　you　have

forgiven　me　your　enforced　detention　here。〃



At　a　gesture　from　the　Commander　he　ceased；　stepped　back；　bowed

gravely；　and　the　ladies　recognized　that　their　brief　audience　had

terminated。　　As　they　passed　through　the　gateway；　looking　back　they

saw　Perkins　still　standing　with　the　child　on　his　shoulder　and

smiling　affably　upon　them。　　Then　the　two　massive　doors　of　the

gateway　swung　to　with　a　crash；　the　bolts　were　shot；　and　the

courtyard　was　impenetrable。



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A　few　moments　later；　the　three　friends　had　passed　the　outermost

angle　of　the　fortifications；　and　were　descending　towards　the　beach。

By　the　time　they　had　reached　the　sands　they　had　fallen　into　a　vague

silence。



A　noise　like　the　cracking　and　fall　of　some　slight　scaffolding

behind　them　arrested　their　attention。　　Hurlstone　turned　quickly。　　A

light　smoke；　drifting　from　the　courtyard；　was　mingling　with　the

fog。　　A　faint　cry　of　〃Dios　y　Libertad！〃　rose　with　it。



With　a　hurried　excuse　to　his　companions；　Hurlstone　ran　rapidly

back；　and　reached　the　gate　as　it　slowly　rolled　upon　its　hinges　to　a

file　of　men　that　issued　from　the　courtyard。　　The　first　object　that

met　his　eyes　was　the　hat　of　Senor　Perkins　lying　on　the　ground　near

the　wall；　with　a　terrible　suggestion　in　its　helpless　and　pathetic

vacuity。　　A　few　paces　further　lay　its　late　owner；　with　twenty

Mexican　bullets　in　his　breast；　his　benevolent　forehead　bared　meekly

to　the　sky；　as　if　even　then　mutely　appealing　to　the　higher

judgment。　　He　was　dead！　　The　soul　of　the　Liberator　of　Quinquinambo；

and　of　various　other　peoples　more　or　less　distressed　and　more　or

less　ungrateful；　was　itself　liberated！



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With　the　death　of　Senor　Perkins　ended　the　Crusade　of　the　Excelsior。

Under　charge　of　Captain　Bunker　the　vessel　was　sent　to　Mazatlan　by

the　authorities；　bearing　the　banished　and　proscribed　Americans；

Banks；　Brace；　Winslow；　and　Crosby；　and；　by　permission　of　the

Council；　also　their　friends；　Markham　and　Brimmer；　and　the　ladies；

Mrs。　Brimmer；　Chubb；　and　Markham。　　Hurlstone　and　Miss　Keene　alone

were　invited　to　remain；　but；　on　later　representations；　the　Council

graciously　included　Richard　Keene　in　the　invitation；　with　the

concession　of　the　right　to　work　the　mines　and　control　the　ranches

he　and　Hurlstone　had　purchased　from　their　proscribed　countrymen。

The　complacency　of　the　Council　of　Todos　Santos　may　be　accounted　for

when　it　is　understood　that　on　the　day　the　firm　of　Hurlstone　&　Keene

was　really　begun　under　the　title　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hurlstone；　Richard

had　prevailed　upon　the　Alcalde　to　allow　him　to　add　the　piquant　Dona

Isabel　also　to　the　firm　under　the　title　of　Mrs。　Keene。　　Although

the　port　of　Todos　Santos　was　henceforth　open　to　all　commerce；　the

firm　of　Hurlstone　&　Keene　long　retained　the　monopoly　of　trade；　and

was　a　recognized　power　of　intelligent　civilization　and　honest

progress　on　the　Pacific　coast。　　And　none　contributed　more　to　that

result　than　the　clever　and　beautiful　hostess　of　Excelsior　Lodge；

the　charming　country　home　of　James　Hurlstone；　Esq。；　senior　partner

of　the　firm。　　Under　the　truly　catholic　shelter　of　its　veranda　Padre

Esteban　and　the　heretic　stranger　mingled　harmoniously；　and　the

dissensions　of　local　and　central　Government　were　forgotten。



〃I　said　that　you　were　a　dama　de　grandeza；　you　remember；〃　said　the

youthful　Mrs。　Keene　to　Mrs。　Hurlstone；　〃and；　you　see；　you　are！〃











End