young； and belong to the new school； perhaps。 Well； sir； I've read
your speech； I don't belong to your partymine died ten years ago
but I congratulate you。 George！ Confound it where's that boy
gone？〃
The negro indicated by this youthful title； although he must have
been ten years older than his master； after a hurried shuffling in
the sitting…room eventually appeared at the door。
〃George； champagne and materials for cocktails for the gentleman。
The BEST； you understand。 No new…fangled notions from that new
barkeeper。〃
Paul； who thought he observed a troubled blinking in George's
eyelid； and referred it to a fear of possible excitement for his
patient； here begged his host not to trouble himselfthat he
seldom took anything in the morning。
〃Possibly not； sir； possibly not；〃 returned the colonel； hastily。
〃I know the new ideas are prohibitive； and some other blank thing；
but you're safe here from your constituents； and by gad； sir； I
shan't force you to take it！ It's MY custom； Hathawayan old one
played out； perhaps； like all the others； but a custom
nevertheless； and I'm only surprised that George； who knows it；
should have forgotten it。〃
〃Fack is； Marse Harry；〃 said George； with feverish apology； 〃it bin
gone 'scaped my mind dis mo'nin' in de prerogation ob business； but
I'm goin' now； shuah！〃 and he disappeared。
〃A good boy； sir； but beginning to be contaminated。 Brought him
here from Nashville over ten years ago。 Eight years ago they
proved to him that he was no longer a slave； and made him dd
unhappy until I promised him it should make no difference to him
and he could stay。 I had to send for his wife and childof
course； a dead loss of eighteen hundred dollars when they set foot
in the Statebut I'm blanked if he isn't just as miserable with
them here； for he has to take two hours in the morning and three in
the afternoon every day to be with 'em。 I tried to get him to take
his family to the mines and make his fortune； like those fellows
they call bankers and operators and stockbrokers nowadays； or to go
to Oregon where they'll make him some kind of a mayor or sheriff
but he won't。 He collects my rents on some little property I have
left； and pays my bills； sir； and； if this blank civilization would
only leave him alone； he'd be a good enough boy。〃
Paul couldn't help thinking that the rents George collected were
somewhat inconsistent with those he was evidently mending when he
arrived； but at that moment the jingle of glasses was heard in the
sitting…room； and the old negro reappeared at the door。 Drawing
himself up with ceremonious courtesy； he addressed Paul。 〃Wo'd yo'
mind； sah； taking a glance at de wine for yo' choice？〃 Paul rose；
and followed him into the sitting…room； when George carefully
closed the door。 To his surprise Hathaway beheld a tray with two
glasses of whiskey and bitters； but no wine。 〃Skuse me； sah；〃 said
the old man with dignified apology； 〃but de Kernel won't have any
but de best champagne for hono'ble gemmen like yo'self； and I'se
despaired to say it can't be got in de house or de subburbs。 De
best champagne dat we gives visitors is de Widder Glencoe。 Wo'd
yo' mind； sah； for de sake o' not 'xcitin' de Kernel wid triflin'
culinary matter； to say dat yo' don' take but de one brand？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Paul； smiling。 〃I really don't care for anything
so early；〃 then； returning to the bedroom； he said carelessly；
〃You'll excuse me taking the liberty； colonel； of sending away the
champagne and contenting myself with whiskey。 Even the best brand
the Widow Cliquot〃with a glance at the gratified George〃I find
rather trying so early in the morning。〃
〃As you please； Hathaway；〃 said the colonel； somewhat stiffly。 〃I
dare say there's a new fashion in drinks now； and a gentleman's
stomach is a thing of the past。 Then； I suppose； we can spare the
boy； as this is his time for going home。 Put that tin box with the
Trust papers on the bed； George； and Mr。 Hathaway will excuse your
waiting。〃 As the old servant made an exaggerated obeisance to
each； Paul remarked； as the door closed upon him； 〃George certainly
keeps his style； colonel； in the face of the progress you deplore。〃
〃He was always a 'dandy nigger；'〃 returned Pendleton； his face
slightly relaxing as he glanced after his grizzled henchman； 〃but
his exaggeration of courtesy is a blank sight more natural and
manly than the exaggeration of discourtesy which your superior
civilized 'helps' think is self…respect。 The excuse of servitude
of any kind is its spontaneity and affection。 When you know a man
hates you and serves you from interest； you know he's a cur and
you're a tyrant。 It's your blank progress that's made menial
service degrading by teaching men to avoid it。 Why； sir； when I
first arrived here； Jack Hammersley and myself took turns as cook
to the party。 I didn't consider myself any the worse master for
it。 But enough of this。〃 He paused； and； raising himself on his
elbow； gazed for some seconds half cautiously； half doubtfully；
upon his companion。 〃I've got something to tell you； Hathaway；〃 he
said； slowly。 〃You've had an easy time with this Trust； your share
of the work hasn't worried you； kept you awake nights； or
interfered with your career。 I understand perfectly；〃 he
continued； in reply to Hathaway's deprecating gesture。 〃I accepted
to act as your proxy； and I HAVE。 I'm not complaining。 But it is
time that you should know what I've done； and what you may still
have to do。 Here is the record。 On the day after that interview
in the Mayor's office； the El Dorado Bank； of which I was； and
still am； president； received seventy…five thousand dollars in
trust from Mrs。 Howard。 Two years afterwards； on that same day；
the bank had； by lucky speculations； increased that sum to the
credit of the trust one hundred and fifty thousand dollars； or
double the original capital。 In the following year the bank
suspended payment。〃
CHAPTER II。
In an instant the whole situation and his relations to it flashed
upon Paul with a terrible； but almost grotesque； completeness。
Here he was； at the outset of his career； responsible for the
wasted fortune of the daughter of a social outcast； and saddled
with her support！ He now knew why Colonel Pendleton had wished to
see him； for one shameful moment he believed he also knew why he
had been content to take his proxy！ The questionable character of
the whole transaction； his own carelessness； which sprang from that
very confidence and trust that Pendleton had lately extolledwhat
WOULD； what COULD not be made of it！ He already heard himself
abused by his opponentsperhaps； more terrible still； faintly
excused by his friends。 All this was visible in his pale face and
flashing eyes as he turned them on the helpless invalid。
Colonel Pendleton received his look with the same critical； half…
curious scrutiny that had accompanied his speech。 At last his face
changed slightly； a faint look of disappointment crossed his eyes；
and a sardonic smile deepened the lines of his mouth。
〃There； sir；〃 he said hurriedly； as if dismissing an unpleasant
revelation； 〃don't alarm yourself！ Take a drink of that whiskey。
You look pale。 Well； turn your eyes on those walls。 You don't see
any of that money laid out heredo you？ Look at me。 I don't look
like a man enriched with other people's moneydo I？ Well； let
that content you。 Every dollar of that Trust fund； Hathaway； with
all the interests and profits that have accrued to it； is SAFE！
Every cent of it is locked up in government bonds with Rothschild's
agent。 There are the receipts； dated a week before the bank
suspended。 But enough of THATTHAT isn't what I asked you to come
and see me for。〃
The blood had rushed back to Paul's cheeks uncomfortably。 He saw
now； as impulsively as he had previously suspected his co…trustee；
that the man had probably ruined himself to save the Trust。 He
stammered that he had not questioned the management of the fund nor
asked to withdraw his proxy。
〃No matter； sir；〃 said the colonel； impatiently； 〃you had the
right； and I suppose；〃 he added with half…concealed scorn； 〃it was
your duty。 But let that pass。 The money is safe enough； but； Mr。
Hathaway；and this is the point I want to discuss with you；it
begins to look as if the SECRET was safe no longer！〃 He had raised
himself with some pain and difficulty to draw nearer to Paul； and
had again fixed his eyes eagerly upon him。 But Paul's responsive
glance was so vague that he added quickly； 〃You understand； sir； I
believe that there are houndsI say hounds！who would be able to
blurt out at any moment that that girl at Santa Clara is Kate
Howard's daughter。〃
At any other moment Paul might have questioned the gravity of any
such contingency； but the terrible earnestness of the speaker； his
dominant tone； and a certain respect which had lately sprung up in
his breast for him； checked him； and he only asked with as much
concern as he could master for the moment：
〃What makes you think so？〃
〃That's what I want to tell you； Hathaway； and how I； and I alone；
am responsible for it。 When the bank was in difficulty and I made
up my mind to guard the Trust with my own personal and private
capital； I knew that there might be some comment on my action。 It
was a delicate matter to show any preference or exclusion at such a
moment； and I took two or three of my brother directors whom I
thought I could trust into my confidence。 I told them the whole
story； and how the Trust was sacred。 I made a mistake； sir；〃
continued Pendleton sardonically； 〃a grave mistake。 I did not take
into account that even in three years civilization and religion had
gained ground here。 There was a hound therea blank Judas in the
Trust。 Well； he didn't see it。 I think he talked Scripture and
morality。 He said something about the wages of sin being infamous；
and only worthy of confiscation。 He talked about the sins of the
father being visited upon the children； and justly。 I stopped him。
Well！ Do you know what's the matter with my ankle？ Look！〃 He
stopped and； with some difficulty and invincible gravity； throwing
aside h