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Every eye was turned upon the slender throat of the handsome girl。
The excuse was so natural。
Yerba put her hand to her neck with a smile。 〃You are joking； Mrs。
Baker。 I know it is ridiculously small； but it is a child's necklace； and I
wear it because it was a gift from my mother。〃
Paul's heart sank again with consternation。 It was the first time he had
heard the girl distinctly connect herself with her actual mother； and for an
instant he felt as startled as if the forgotten Outcast herself had returned
and taken a seat at the board。
〃I told you it couldn't be so？〃 remarked Mrs。 Baker； to her husband。
Everybody naturally looked inquiringly upon the couple； and Mrs。
Baker explained with a smile： 〃Bob thinks he's seen it before； men are so
obstinate。〃
〃Pardon me； Miss Yerba；〃 said the Judge； blandly； 〃would you mind
showing it to me； if it is not too much trouble？〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Yerba； smiling； and detaching the circlet from her
neck。 〃I'm afraid you'll find it rather old…fashioned。〃
〃That's just what I hope to find it；〃 said Judge Baker； with a triumphant
glance at his wife。 〃It was eight years ago when I saw it in Tucker's
jewelry shop。 I wanted to buy it for my little Minnie； but as the price was
steep I hesitated； and when I did make up my mind he had disposed of it to
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another customer。 Yes；〃 he added； examining the necklace which Yerba
had handed to him。 〃I am certain it is the same： it was unique； like this。
Odd； isn't it？〃
Everybody said it WAS odd； and looked upon the occurrence with that
unreasoning satisfaction with which average humanity receives the most
trivial and unmeaning coincidences。 It was left to Don Caesar to give it a
gallant application。
〃I have not…a the pleasure of knowing…a the Miss Minnie； but the
jewelry； when she arrives； to the throat…a of Miss Yerba； she has not lost
the valuethe beautythe charm。〃
〃No；〃 said Woods； cheerily。 〃The fact is； Baker； you were too slow。
Miss Yerba's folks gobbled up the necklace while you were thinking。 You
were a new…comer。 Old 'forty…niners' did not hesitate over a thing they
wanted。〃
〃You never knew who was your successful rival； eh？〃 said Dona Anna；
turning to Judge Baker with a curious glance at Paul's pale face in passing。
〃No；〃 said Baker； 〃but〃he stopped with a hesitating laugh and some
little confusion。 〃No； I've mixed it up with something else。 It's so long ago。
I never knew； or if I did I've forgotten。 But the necklace I remember。〃 He
handed it back to Yerba with a bow； and the incident ended。
Paul had not looked at Yerba during this conversation； an unreasoning
instinct that he might confuse her； an equally unreasoning dread that he
might see her confused by others； possessing him。 And when he did glance
at her calm； untroubled face； that seemed only a little surprised at his own
singular coldness； he was by no means relieved。 He was only convinced of
one thing。 In the last five minutes he had settled upon the irrevocable
determination that his present relations with the girl could exist no longer。
He must either tell her everything； or see her no more。 There was no
middle course。 She was on the brink of an exposure at any moment； either
through her ignorance or her unhappy pretension。 In his intolerable
position； he was equally unable to contemplate her peril； accept her
defense； or himself defend her。
As if； with some feminine instinct； she had attributed his silence to
some jealousy of Don Caesar's attentions； she more than once turned from
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the Spaniard to Paul with an assuring smile。 In his anxiety； he half
accepted the rather humiliating suggestion； and managed to say to her； in a
lower tone：
〃On this last visit of your American guardian； one would think； you
need not already anticipate your Spanish relations。〃
He was thrilled with the mischievous yet faintly tender pleasure that
sparkled in her eyes as she said；
〃You forget it is my American guardian's FIRST visit； as well as his
last。〃 〃And as your guardian；〃 he went on； with half…veiled seriousness； 〃I
protest against your allowing your treasures； the property of the Trust；〃 he
gazed directly into her beautiful eyes； 〃being handled and commented
upon by everybody。〃
When the ladies had left the table； he was； for a moment； relieved。 But
only for a moment。 Judge Baker drew his chair beside Paul's； and； taking
his cigar from his lips； said； with a perfunctory laugh：
〃I say； Hathaway； I pulled up just in time to save myself from making
an awful speech； just now； to your ward。〃
Paul looked at him with cold curiosity。
〃Yes。 Gad！ Do you know WHO was my rival in that necklace
transaction？〃
〃No；〃 said Paul； with frigid carelessness。
〃Why； Kate Howard！ Fact； sir。 She bought it right under my nose and
overbid me； too。〃
Paul did not lose his self…possession。 Thanks to the fact that Yerba was
not present； and that Don Caesar； who had overheard the speech； moved
forward with a suggestive and unpleasant smile； his agitation congealed
into a coldly placid fury。
〃And I suppose；〃 he returned； with perfect calmness； 〃that； after the
usual habit of this class of women； the necklace very soon found its way
back； through the pawnbroker； to the jeweler again。 It's a common fate。〃
〃Yes； of course；〃 said Judge Baker； cheerfully。 〃You're quite right。
That's undoubtedly the solution of it。 But；〃 with a laugh； 〃I had a narrow
escape from saying somethingeh？〃
〃A very narrow escape from an apparently gratuitous insult；〃 said Paul；
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gravely； but fixing his eyes； now more luminous than ever with anger； not
on the speakers but on the face of Don Caesar； who was standing at his
side。 〃you were about to say；〃
〃Ehohah！ this Kate Howard？ So！ I have heard of heryees！ And
Miss Yerbaahshe is of my countryI think。 Yeswe shall claim herof
a truthyes。〃
〃Your countrymen； I belie