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loating delicacy。
Concha pointed to the eastern double cone。 〃That is Monte del Diablo。 Once they say it spouted fire； but that was long ago； and all our volcanoes are dead。 But perhaps not so long ago。 The Indians tell the strange story that their grandfathers remem… bered when this bay was a valley covered with oak trees； and the rivers of the north flowed through and emptied into Lake Merced and a rift by the Fort。 Then came a tremendous earthquake and rent the mountains apart where you came through we call it the Mouth of the Gulf of the Faral… lonesthe valley sank； the sea flowed in； only these hills that are islands now keeping their heads above the flood。 Perhaps it is true； for Drake was close to this bay for a long while and never saw it； and it would have given him a better shelter than the little harbor he found a few miles higher on the coast。 I believe it was not here。 Madre de Dios； I hope California shakes no more。 She wouldis it not true； Excellency？be the most perfect coun… try in all the world did she not have the devil in her。〃
〃Are you afraid of earthquakes？〃 asked Rezanov； who once more had transferred his comprehensive gaze from battery sites to her face。
〃I cross myself。 It is like feeling your grave turn over。 But I fancy the poor old earth is like the people on her； she gets tired of being good and is all the naughtier for having been sober too long。 Don Vincente Rivera is an example； he is cold； haughty； solemn； stern to others and himself； as you see him； but once in a whileMadre de Dios！ The Presidio does not sleep for three nights！〃
Rezanov laughed heartily； then turned abruptly away。 〃Come；〃 he said。 〃I had almost forgotten。 Will you ask the others to go to the cabin； while I give orders that dinner shall be served on your island？〃
In the cabin； Concha forgot him for a few mo… ments。 Her mother； her eyes dwelling fondly upon several shawls she hoped were intended for herself alone； was hushing the baby to sleep in the deep chair of his excellency。 Ana Paula was playing with an Alaskan doll she had appropriated without ceremony。 Rezanov came in when his guests were assembled； and he had a gift for each； curious ob… jects of Alaskan workmanship for the men； minia… ture totem poles and fur…bordered moccasins； but silk and cotton； linen； shawls； and find handker… chiefs for senora and maiden。
〃They are trifles；〃 he said； in response to an en… thusiastic chorus。 〃The cargo I was obliged to take over was a very large one。 You must not protest。 I shall never miss these things。〃 And he knew that he had sown the seeds of a rapacity simi… lar to that implanted in the worthy bosoms of the priests when they had paid him their promised visit。 If the Governor were insensible to diplomacy he would have pressure brought to bear upon his offi… cial integrity from more quarters than one。
〃There are also many of the presents rejected by the Mikado； somewhere；〃 he added carelessly。 〃But I could not find them。 They must have found their way to the bottom of the hold during one of the storms we encountered on our way from Sitka。〃
He certainly looked the fairy godfather； and quite impartial as he distributed his offerings with a chosen word to each； his memory for little char… acteristics was as remarkable as for names and faces。 He had taken off his cap on deck； and the breeze had ruffled his thick fair hair； brought the blood to his thin cheeks。 The lines of his face； cut by privation and anxiety and illness； had almost disappeared with the renewed elasticity of the flesh； and his blue eyes were wide open； and sparkling in sympathy with the pleasure of his guests and the success of his own strategy。 These few insignificant Spaniards dis… lodged； a half…dozen forts in this harbor； and the combined navies of the world might be defied； while a great chain of hungry settlements fattened and prospered exceedingly on the beneficence of the most fertile land in all the Americas。
XII
The eastern mountains looked very close from the crest of La Bellissima and of a singular transpar… ency and variety of hue。 It was as if the white masses of cloud sailing low overhead flung down great splashes of color from prismatic stores stolen from the sun。 There was a vivid pale green on the long sweep of a rounding slope； deep violet and pale purple in dimple and hollow； red showing through green on a tongue of land running down from the north； and on the lower ridges and little islands； pale and dark blue； and the most exquisite fields of lavender。 This last tint was reflected in the water immediately below the ridge； and farther out there were lakelets of pale green； as if the islands； too； had the power to mirror themselves when the sea itself was glass。
Santiago； Davidov； Carolina Xime'no； Delfina Ri… vera； Concha and Rezanov； had climbed to the ridge。 The other young people had given out halfway up the steep and tangled ascent and returned to the beach。 Dona Ignacia immediately after dinner had frankly asked her host for the hospitality of his stateroom。 She and her little ones must have their siesta； and the good lady was convinced that so high and mighty a personage as the Russian Cham… berlain was all the chaperon the proprieties de… manded。
Four of the party strayed along the crest in search of the first wild pansies。 Rezanov and Concha looked under the sloping roof of brittle leaves into dim falling vistas； arches； arbors； caverns； a forest in miniature with natural terraces breaking the pre… cipitous wall of the island。
〃I should like to live here；〃 said Concha defi… nitely。
〃It would make a fine estate for summer lifeor for a honeymoon。〃 He smiled down upon his com… panion； who stood very tall and straight and proud beside him。 〃If you conclude to marry your little Bostonian no doubt he will buy it for you；〃 he said。
If he had hoped to see a look of blank dismay after his hours of devotion he was disappointed。 She made a little face。
〃I do not think I could stand a desert island with the good Weeliam。 For that I should prefer one of my own sortIgnacio； or Fernando。 Better still； I could come here and be a hermit。〃
〃A hermit？〃
〃In some ways that would suit me very well。 All human beings become tiresome； I find。 I shall have a little hut just below the crest where I can look from my window right into the woods that are so quiet and green and beautiful。 That is a thought that has always fascinated me。 And when I walk on the crest I can see all the beauty of mountain and bay。 What more could I want？ What more have you in your world when you know it too well； senor？〃
〃Nothing； but you might tire； too； of this。〃
〃What of it？ It would be the gentle sad ennui of peace； not of disillusion； senor。 How I wish you would tell me all you know of life！〃
〃God forbid。 And do not remind me of ennui and disillusions。 I have forgotten both in California。 Perhaps； after all； I shall not return to St。 Peters… burg。 There is a vast empire here〃
〃But it is not yours or Russia's to rule； Excel… lency；〃 she interrupted him softly。
He did not color nor start； but met her eyes with his deep amused glance。 〃I； too； can dream； seno… rita。 Of a