UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 ROBERT ERNEST COWAN
 
 SO CZEHSTTS 
 
 rrrTTTiTTn 
 
 1 
 
 2ERALTHA 
 
 BY 
 
 ABEL A\. RAWSON 
 
 1182 
 
 THE AUTHORS' ASSOCIATION 
 
 NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 1893
 
 SAX CARLOS I/O 9 
 
 ROBERT ERNEST COWAN
 
 BY 
 
 ABEL M. RAWSON 
 
 Author of"TheJtmior Partners" 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 AUTHORS' ASSOCIATION 
 
 NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 1893
 
 Copyright, 1893, by 
 DELIA B. RAWSON 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 
 Cavil not, ye sticklers for the formulary of probability. 
 
 Above your plane and beyond your ken lies the realm of 
 
 ' the Incredible, touching the precincts of Impossibility, yet 
 
 ^ In it men and women abide, invisible to your dull search. 
 
 302061
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 GIRL, twenty years of age, stood upon 
 an open sandy space near the summit 
 of a hill that withdrew from the base 
 of Twin Peaks. After a long survey of that 
 part of San Francisco which is known as " The 
 Mission," she turned and looked over the eleva 
 tion behind her, as if in search of an expected 
 object. In that direction lay the mouth of a 
 glen which had been formed in an unfinished 
 attempt to cut a street through a hill, and from 
 a cottage in the glen issued the tall, muscular 
 form of a negress. 
 
 She passed between the moss-covered rocks at 
 the entrance of the glen, appearing suddenly to 
 the full view of the girl upon the sand knoll, 
 who, as though frightened, started rapidly down 
 the hill. Then, stopping suddenly, she turned, 
 and retraced her steps. The look of unconcern 
 which the girl had forced upon her face had no 
 effect upon the negress, who now ran to meet
 
 6 SEBALTHA. 
 
 her with eccentric gesticulations of delight, 
 exclaiming: 
 
 "Here's mah Honey! Lah! lah! Lemme 
 feel yoh hands! Come toh dah house wiv me. 
 Nuffin gwine toh hurt yoh in Lethe St. Pier's 
 house." 
 
 The girl drew away from her with gestures of 
 dissent, and again sat upon the sand knoll, 
 where she nervously toyed with the jointed 
 handle of her parasol, and looked out toward 
 the pall of smoke upon the bay. Lethe stood 
 awhile in deliberation, and then, approaching 
 her, spoke with language free from dialect. 
 
 " Child, you want a good fortune, but you 
 will not go into the house where the spirits 
 come to tell you of it. I wonder they don't 
 refuse to show me the way for you to act. I 
 suppose it is because your fortune is so near, 
 and so easy for you to take, that you would find 
 it without any help, and they only speak to me 
 about you because I have known them so long. 
 They know that I have loved you ever since the 
 day that you told me you did not like common
 
 SEBALTHA. < 
 
 things and would not marry any man in "The 
 Mission." There is something in me that feels 
 just as you spoke. I don't know how it came 
 there, for I am very black. Maybe my soul is 
 shaped right, as my face is, and don't have any 
 black on it, as my face has." 
 
 Lethe laughed outright at this conceit. The 
 girl looked into her face, and smiled in response. 
 Thus encouraged, Lethe sat upon the sand knoll, 
 and resumed her speech: 
 
 " I love you, child, and I don't blame you be 
 cause you would never come to my house again 
 after you came once. It is not because you 
 don't like me, or because you are afraid. You 
 are nervous. That is what the doctor would 
 say if he could see you sometimes 'specially 
 sometimes and it is not your fault. I am 
 going to tell you what the spirits told me about 
 your good fortune, right here if you won't 
 come to my house. When I tell you what the 
 spirits said I know you will come to my house 
 on Pine street. Did the letter tell you about 
 the house?"
 
 SEKALTHA. 
 
 The girl nodded assent, and, taking a letter 
 from her pocket, she opened it and read. When 
 she had ceased her reading, Lethe continued : 
 
 "There will be no owls there, where you can 
 see them, nor any snakes, nor any boxes that 
 look like coffins, nor anything to make you 
 nervous, but everything to make you happy, 
 until until but I will tell you what the spirits 
 said last night. They said 'Her fortune is 
 near, so that she can reach out her hand and 
 take it. A very rich man is coming toward her. 
 He has never loved. She must accept an invi 
 tation that he gives her. If she does she will 
 be happy, for he will take her away from " The 
 Mission," and give her what she longs for.' 
 Then they went away." 
 
 "But I do not wish one to give me anything," 
 said the girl, " unless he will take me unless 
 he will make me his wife; then I would love 
 him. I long to live in elegance, and and I 
 want to get out of ' The Mission/ but I want 
 to do it rightly." 
 
 Bitter tones mingled with these sentences.
 
 SERALTHA. 9 
 
 The girl looked into the face of her companion, 
 who stroked her hand and said: 
 
 " A man will do right by a girl if he loves 
 her. You must make him love you. You must 
 show him that you can love with your whole 
 soul. A man worships a woman who does that 
 way." 
 
 " I have been taught," said the girl, " that I 
 should be reserved, and that when a man meets 
 me who loves me he will approach and win my 
 love." 
 
 " If you do that, nobody will come to you, 
 'cept the men who live down there," responded 
 Lethe, pointing toward " The Mission." " You 
 can't find elegance there. It's yonder, on the 
 hills, or over there in the big hotels." 
 
 The blue in the eyes of the girl deepened to 
 violet shades as they followed the indications of 
 Lethe's finger, and her sight lingered upon the 
 hills, while she continued: 
 
 " If you get there, you've got to do your best. 
 I know young married women who were once as 
 poor as you are, and who now have got servants,
 
 10 SEEALTHA. 
 
 silks and diamonds, but they didn't hide them 
 selves away in "The Mission" or in any such 
 place, when they were girls, but got into society 
 in some way I think, by the way that a society 
 lady, I know, calls * getting into the edges of it.' ' 
 
 "What does she mean by that expression?" 
 the girl asked. 
 
 " She means just what you can do now. He 
 can take you there, and there you can do the 
 rest. You are beautiful. Men love beauty 
 marry for it, die for it. Will you accept? 
 Will you go?" 
 
 The girl hesitated, and looked down upon 
 "The Mission," then again to the hills. She 
 opened her parasol and raised it over her head 
 although the sun was out of sight behind the 
 Peaks. Several moments passed, during which 
 time Lethe did not speak, and the girl sat rigidly 
 upright gazing toward the western hills. 
 
 The parasol slowly lowered, and, falling from 
 her hand, it rolled down the slope of the sand 
 knoll. The face that turned to answer Lethe's 
 questions had become ashen, and the words that
 
 SEBALTHA. 11 
 
 came to her ears seemed as if uttered by one far 
 away : 
 
 " I will accept." 
 
 Lethe caught her hands and excitedly spoke 
 sentences of approval in the dialect of the Plan 
 tation; but t the girl withdrew from her, and, 
 arising, walked a short distance away. Lethe 
 followed, and after a few words, to which the 
 girl gave assent, she went to the glen and dis 
 appeared behind the rocks guarding its entrance. 
 
 The girl returned to the knoll and raised her 
 parasol from the sand. Closing it, she looked 
 out over the city, from the westward hills to the 
 bay, as if to make a parting survey. An Ameri 
 can flag floated above the pall of smoke that 
 covered the waters of the bay, unfurled from a 
 mast upon a distant island and full lighted by 
 the rays of the setting sun shining through a 
 cleft in the westward hills. Scarcely was her 
 attention fixed upon it when the rays gradu 
 ally crept upward from stripe to stripe, leaving 
 a dark patch lying in relief against the heights 
 beyond. This suddenly fell into the pall below,
 
 12 SEBALTHA. 
 
 and a gun on Alcatraz sent its echoes over the 
 hills toward the departed day. 
 
 Awhile she looked thoughtfully at the point 
 where the flag had waved, then downward where 
 her right foot moved about in involuntary 
 action, smoothing the sand. To this, which was 
 of a nervous character, she soon gave attention, 
 and continued to level the sand until she had 
 prepared a narrow strip extending from the 
 place where she had been standing to the base 
 of the sand knoll. With the point of her 
 parasol she wrote upon it two names, one above 
 another. She then looked upon the writing 
 long and thoughtfully. 
 
 Twilight had dimmed the outlines of the hills 
 when she was aroused from her meditation by 
 drifts of evening mist floating against her from 
 the heights above. She hastily drew the point 
 of her parasol through the upper name, leaving 
 the other SERALTHA AMES and walked slowly 
 down the hill. 
 
 The glistening cataract of sun-tipped fog that 
 had poured over the Twin Peaks when she
 
 SEKALTHA. 13 
 
 ascended the slope was now a gray flood, filling 
 the valleys and hiding the city. The old bells 
 of the Mission Dolores were sending their 
 mellow tones abroad, sounding for vespers. 
 " Hail, Mary, full of grace!" "Blessed art thou 
 among women," arose from many lips in the 
 homes below. 
 
 The girl kept on her way in silence.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SLTHOUGH the face and form of Seraltha 
 Ames were of uncommon beauty, her 
 apparel would receive the first notice 
 from a critical observer not because of har 
 mony with her person, but for the reason that 
 the style and trimmings were of recent fashion 
 while the material was out of date. Strips of 
 new, gray-fox fur about the collar and along the 
 front of her half-length cloak showed in contrast 
 to the other material, which had yielded gloss 
 to .time and service, and her gown displayed 
 new braids and laces upon its much-worn brown 
 surface. A brown velvet turban, adorned with 
 a gray plume; new kid gloves, matching in 
 shade the fox-fur of her cloak; well-fitted, fash 
 ionable shoes, covering a shapely foot, and a 
 steel-gray veil, completed the visible portion of 
 her apparel. She had raised the veil from her 
 face and caught it in graceful arrangement 
 against her hat and over thick coils of light 
 
 (14)
 
 SEBALTHA. 15 
 
 brown hair that fell to the fur-trimmed collar 
 in stylish plaits. 
 
 Her tall form showed that muscular symmetry 
 which enchains the admiration of ardent man 
 hood, and which is frequent among women 
 whose maternal ancestors were engaged in man 
 ual labor, but who themselves are accustomed 
 to light physical or intellectual employments. 
 Her shoulders spread slightly beyond the sculp 
 tor's lines of beauty, and her low, firm bust 
 suggested a sinewy development. Her long 
 waist, shapely without the aid of stays, met a 
 lower form that moved with firmness and grace. 
 
 Her features showed the strong jaw of the 
 Gael, modified by the oval of Latin forefathers; 
 a low, broad forehead upon a perfect angle with 
 a thin nose that was slightly aquiline, and 
 heavy, arched brows over eyes set deep and well 
 apart. Her marble complexion expressed deter 
 mination, and was relieved in color by full, 
 scarlet lips, and dark blue eyes that unclosed 
 violet depths when she became interested in 
 observation or conversation.
 
 16 SEBALTHA. 
 
 A cottage home, the only estate of her 
 widowed mother, showed to her view, and her 
 sight rested there after a sweeping over the 
 streets and squares spreading from it. Little 
 of beauty lent attractiveness to its neighbor 
 hood, except the ever-living foliage that nature 
 spreads profusely toward the constant sun of 
 Californian skies; but much of commonplace 
 utility prevailed. Wooden houses of square 
 facade, and cheaply built, overlooked the streets, 
 their monotony being broken by factories, 
 stables and other evidences of the presence of 
 labor. Grammar-schools reared their severe 
 architecture above flat roofs. Infrequent 
 churches rested in quiet amidst the turmoil of 
 industry, all unpretentious, except one that of 
 the Mission Dolores and this conspicuous only 
 from the aid of the convent and the schools. 
 
 The missionary founders called their home 
 Mission Dolores, when sands shifted their 
 drifts along the places where a city now stands ; 
 and they delved there for the wealth of souls 
 when the wealth of the mountains beyond them
 
 SEBALTHA. 17 
 
 was unknown. The magic of gold spread a city 
 before them that enclosed the boundaries of 
 their possessions, and their presence gave name 
 to the section about them. 
 
 This section is known as " The Mission." 
 With limits undefined it stretches away from 
 the Mission Dolores in denser habitations as it 
 blends with the city northward. Upon the 
 south are bunched neighborhoods isolated by 
 sandy or rocky openings. " The Mission " has 
 a character, a positive individuality. It is 
 the " man of all work " in the household of San 
 Francisco. 
 
 An expression of sinister triumph lighted the 
 face of Lethe St. Pier as she watched the form 
 of the girl disappearing in the mists of " The 
 Mission," and it shone through the Senegambian 
 ebon that seemed to veil her features. Lighter 
 patches covering her cheek bones appeared with 
 greater distinctness, and indications of a supe 
 rior blood in her veins were manifest in her 
 glance. Had it not been for the iris of her 
 eyes, which reflected midnight over their white
 
 18 SEKALTHA. 
 
 boundaries, her color would have seemed arti 
 ficial. 
 
 She was born of a slave mother on a sugar 
 plantation in one of the lower parishes of 
 Louisiana, and an early life in the fields had 
 developed her into a muscular machine, with 
 the capability of a slave man. Plantation tra 
 dition had connected her paternity with the 
 name of an eminent planter-politician. As a 
 soldier he fell in battle in Mexico, and when 
 Lethe was fourteen she was taken to New Or 
 leans and placed in service in the family of a 
 physician. Here she was taught the art of 
 nursing women; but her hours of recreation 
 were spent in circles of negro superstition the 
 voodoos, the fortune-tellers, and, later, among 
 the devotees of higher credulities the solvers 
 of dream-puzzles and the subjects of spirit hal 
 lucinations. Fearless from inheritance, she had 
 gathered from the dissecting rooms, the ceme 
 teries and the bayous, grim symbols of the 
 mystic universe. 
 
 At the age of twenty-five she was taken to
 
 SEKALTHA. 19 
 
 San Francisco, where she was left, and where 
 she resumed her occupation of nurse, varied 
 with fortune-telling, match-making in the inter 
 est of ambitious girls, and, likely, darker work 
 for rich men who knew of her intelligence and 
 discretion. After two years she disappeared 
 from her usual haunts and was not accessible to 
 many; it was when she removed to the glen 
 in the hills. Here her visitors were few, but 
 were of high quality, and they came generally 
 at night. 
 
 Through association with persons of refine 
 ment she had acquired a fair command of the 
 English language, but when under the influence 
 of emotion the accent of the parish Plantation 
 would prevail. Though childless, she gave the 
 love of a mother to selected objects of the supe 
 rior race. 
 
 She turned toward the glen, her turban of 
 intertwined handkerchiefs, (one red and the 
 other black,) showing sombre in the gathering 
 shadows. At the closed end of the artificial 
 glen stood Lethe's hut long, low and rudely
 
 20 SERALTHA. 
 
 constructed, and lighted by small windows cut 
 close under the eaves. There were three apart 
 ments. The sole entrance to the hut faced the 
 opening of the glen and admitted to a kitchen 
 whose simple furnishings rested on a clean rock 
 floor. 
 
 A stuffed owl, suspended near the roof, first 
 drew the attention of the visitor by his start 
 ling appearance and position. With neck out 
 stretched and wings half spread, he seemed 
 about to pounce upon some object below him. 
 His staring eyes adjusted obliquely by a care 
 less taxidermist glistened with an uncertain 
 aim that brought greater discomfort to a timid 
 observer than would a well-defined intention; 
 and the winds that swept down from the Peaks 
 and, penetrating the hut, ruffled his feathers, 
 gave him an ominous animation. 
 
 Articles of household comfort crowded the 
 second apartment, among them a tall chiffonier 
 near a corner, which concealed the entrance to 
 the third room. In this latter apartment as in 
 the second, was a canvas ceiling, and, occupying
 
 SERALTHA. 21 
 
 a position like that of the owl in the first room, 
 a large stuffed serpent hung suspended from the 
 canvas by almost invisible threads. Its color 
 was a dingy and mottled brown, and it belonged 
 to a species common in the Southern States. It 
 hung coiled and head downward, as though 
 about to spring upon its victim, the head sway 
 ing gently with the moving of the canvas by 
 the wind. 
 
 During early morning hours strollers about 
 the hills had obtained occasional glimpses 
 through the open door of the hut, and had 
 noticed a man who sat upon one of the wooden 
 stools of the kitchen, or lounged upon a long, 
 coffin-shaped box that lay upon the floor. One 
 stroller had secured a full view of him as he sat 
 near the door, and afterwards told his neighbors 
 in " The Mission " that this man had constantly 
 held a sponge in his mouth, except that some 
 times he would moisten it in water, and, when 
 replaced, one-half of it would protrude from his 
 mouth.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 hour later a carriage halted at the foot 
 of the hill into which the glen pene 
 trated. A man alighted from it who sat upon 
 the driver's seat, carefully taking with him a 
 heavy parcel, and with difficulty he opened the 
 door of the carriage, still holding the parcel. 
 After the single occupant had stepped from the 
 carriage the man placed the parcel upon a seat 
 within it. Withdrawing a short distance, the 
 two engaged in conversation. A few moments 
 afterward the inside passenger walked up the 
 hill. The one who rode on the outside tied the 
 horses to a tree. While ascending the upper 
 slope of the hill the inside passenger lost his 
 direction in the darkness and stumbled upon 
 the sand knoll, his hands plunging deeply into 
 it. His right hand grasped an object, lightly 
 covered beneath its surface. When he arose, he 
 held that in his hand which he had grasped 
 when he fell. After brushing the sand from 
 
 (22)
 
 8EBALTHA. 23 
 
 his garments, he placed the object in an outside 
 pocket of his overcoat. Shuffling around the 
 sand knoll he continued his walk to the glen, 
 and groped his way through its denser dark 
 ness until he arrived at the door of the hut. 
 He stood awhile in an attitude of listening, and, 
 hearing no voices within, he rapped upon the 
 door. 
 
 After a short interval Lethe St. Pier opened 
 the door and led him through the first apart 
 ment into the second, which was dimly lighted 
 by an oil lamp standing upon the dresser, its 
 chimney supporting a shade of purple porce 
 lain. She asked him to be seated in one of the 
 easy chairs, taking the other for her own use. 
 
 Her visitor was Chalmer Grose, President of 
 the Sierra Nevada Mining Association. 
 
 In its earlier existence, although the officers 
 made frequent purchases of ranches, business 
 lots upon central streets and promising mining 
 properties, besides building many structures, 
 the S. N. M. A. was (as the President habitually 
 said regarding it) " in hard luck."
 
 24 SERALTHA. 
 
 Various unfortunate and unforeseen happen 
 ings in the various mines under its control 
 made necessary many assessments that affected 
 the purse and the patience of the heavier out 
 side stockholders, who, after a season of hope 
 succeeded by despair, had put their stock upon 
 open market, ^This action alarmed the multi 
 tude of small holders who hastened to follow 
 their example. 
 
 The officers of the Association, seemingly, 
 had faith in the future prosperity of its affairs, 
 because some of the members continued to pur 
 chase stock all the way down the decline that 
 followed, and at the bottom of its public valua 
 tion they took all that their brokers could find 
 upon sale. That the faith of the officers was 
 well founded soon afterward became evident. 
 The mines began to develop dazzling possibili 
 ties. In one a drift became richer upon an 
 extended opening ; in another a pocket expanded 
 like an inverted balloon, and in others bonanzas 
 appeared ore everywhere, in unheard-of quan 
 tity, in piles and masses.
 
 SEEALTHA. 25 
 
 S. N. M. A. stock advanced several tnousand 
 points. The public was allowed an inning, of 
 which the record showed an unbroken score of 
 errors, indicating a transfer of the former "hard 
 luck " of the Association to the unskillful out 
 siders. Thereafter, the value of S. N. M. A. 
 stock depended wholly upon the purposes of its 
 officers. 
 
 Favored by these conditions, Chalmer Grose 
 made much profit, and engaged in investments 
 and enjoyments. He was middle-aged, unmar 
 ried and small of stature. His movements were 
 suggestive of that very common word, wiry. 
 This quality governed His speech, being mani 
 fested in epigrammatic sentences, to which the 
 wiry muscles of his face moved in emphasis. 
 Short, iron-gray hair covered his head, which 
 inclined to a stiff coarseness, and met strips of 
 side-whisker standing in relief upon his other 
 wise clean-shaved face. His small, sharp, grey 
 eyes, his thin nose, thin lips, strong jaw, and 
 large chin, indicated much determination, and 
 something of the baser qualities.
 
 26 SEEALTHA. 
 
 Both occupants of the second apartment in 
 the hut had remained silent, until Chalmer 
 Grose hecame uneasy in his chair, and had 
 several times shifted his position, when he 
 impatiently said: 
 
 "Well, Mamma St. Pier, what is your answer?" 
 
 " She says, yes." 
 
 " How about her preparations ? " 
 
 " They will he made in the Pine street house. 
 I shall move there to-morrow.' 
 
 He reflected awhile, and then said: 
 
 " You are to hold it five years? " 
 
 " Yes, sir; and everything that is in it." 
 
 "Yes; that was the agreement." 
 
 " That is not all, Chalmer Grose." 
 
 " A visitor will call upon you." He reflected 
 again, and added: "He will call again at a 
 future time, if you fail in your work." He 
 looked at her significantly. 
 
 As if a knowledge of his power had suddenly 
 come to her, showing that she might be made a 
 subject to it, the brave heart of Lethe St. Pier
 
 SEEALTHA. 
 
 27 
 
 felt its first quailings cf fear. She responded to 
 him in the language of her childhood: 
 
 " I'se alias gwine toh do foh yoh. Don't yoh 
 knowdat?" 
 
 " If you don't fail, Mamma St. Pier, I am a 
 good friend to you." 
 
 " I'se nebber gwine toh fail yoh." 
 
 " She will be ready on time? " 
 
 "Yes, sah." 
 
 " The reception is next Wednesday evening 
 just a week." 
 
 " Yes, sir." Fear had quickly fled from its 
 unaccustomed place. 
 
 "The special train for Monterey leaves Third 
 and Townsend streets at noon." 
 
 " Shall she meet you there? " 
 
 " I will call at the Pine Street house at eleven." 
 
 " She will be waiting for you." 
 
 " The handsomest woman at the reception ! " 
 exclaimed Chalmer Grose, the wiry muscles of 
 his face drawing into lines of satisfaction. 
 " And the receptions of the Second Regiment 
 draw the finest. Pretty name, too Seraltha."
 
 28 SEBALTHA. 
 
 " She is a perfect lady, besides being hand 
 some," said Lethe. 
 
 He made no answer to this assertion, but the 
 lines of satisfaction upon his face seemed to 
 extend throughout his body, moving his muscles 
 and causing his hands to caress each other. 
 
 " She has been away from home," continued 
 Lethe, " at school, at Santa Rosa, and she lived 
 there with a good family. She was company 
 for the lady, who is sick, and she got used to 
 nice ways. When she got through school it 
 was a seminary and came home, she could not 
 seem to like the people in "The Mission," espe 
 cially the young men, though she had played 
 with them when she was a child, and they 
 wanted to show her attention. Her mother's 
 house is small and has poor furniture, while the 
 one at Santa Rosa is large, and has fine grounds 
 all around it, and fine furniture in every room. 
 She is afraid that if she marries any young man 
 who works for wages, she will live in the same 
 way her mother does, and she dreads that more." 
 " Good surface indications," interrupted Chal-
 
 SEBALTHA. 29 
 
 mer Grose, who was giving eager attention to 
 Lethe's words, and whose hands had not yet 
 ceased their mutual caresses. 
 
 "Of what, sir?" 
 
 " Of satisfactory results. Go on, Mamma St. 
 Pier." 
 
 " And she dreads that more than nursing in 
 rich families, or teaching school, or " 
 
 " Pooh ! pooh I Does she never think of any 
 thing else than employment? " 
 
 " Yes, she said she would marry, even a man 
 a great deal older than herself, if he was a good 
 man and had money. When I told her that 
 you admired her from the gallery of the Pavilion 
 at the Mechanics' Ball she listened to me, 
 and when I told her about your wealth, and 
 that you went in the best society, she said she 
 would marry such a man if she could love him 
 and he loved her." 
 
 "Love! Marry! Nonsense! Who has said 
 anything about love or marriage?" he exclaimed, 
 giving emphasis with his hand upon the arm of
 
 30 SERALTHA. 
 
 the easy chair. "Notions! notions! Get them 
 out of her head." 
 
 "Me, sir?" 
 
 " You ! " He leaned far forward in his chair 
 and added, " for me ! " 
 
 "Fse gwine toh try, sah," Lethe responded, 
 as if thoughts of his power had again come to 
 her. 
 
 "Try? Do it! Get her in there," (pointing 
 with his thumh toward the wall of the third 
 apartment) " and get the spirits to help you." 
 
 " Dah light's gone out, sah. I lef it foh foh 
 - somebuddy toh tend, en deh doan ermember. 
 Spirits nebber gwine to come in dat room any 
 more." 
 
 "Then start it in the dark room of the Pine- 
 street house, next to the furnace room. You 
 know of it?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Don't use it until after the reception. I will 
 call soon after and give you advice." 
 
 " If you see her in San Francisco in a month 
 after the reception it must be before the third
 
 SERALTHA. 31 
 
 day, for she leaves on Saturday to spend that 
 time with the lady at Santa Rosa Mrs. Abel 
 Hyman is her name. Her husband has a law 
 business in the city, and Seraltha will meet him 
 at the ferry, Saturday, and go with him to his 
 home. She told me about this visit before you 
 spoke of the reception." 
 
 He sprang from his chair and grasped her 
 arm with both hands. She felt his fingers sink 
 into her flesh and saw the muscles of his face 
 setting in lines of anger. She shrank away 
 from him over the further side of her chair 
 and with sudden movement drew her arm from 
 his grasp, his clutch rending the sleeve of her 
 heavy gown. As if awed by this evidence of 
 her superior strength, he retraced his steps and 
 slowly sunk into his chair, the lines of anger in 
 his face sinking behind an aspect of astonish 
 ment. 
 
 The black iris of Lethe's eyes grew smaller, 
 and the bands around them expanded and glis 
 tened in a white flame, tinted with the purple
 
 32 SERALTHA. 
 
 of the porcelain shade. Bending toward him, 
 she demanded 
 
 "Chalmer Grose! Cuz why yoh clutch me ? 
 No white man gwine toh do dat toh Lethe St. 
 Pier. He's gwine to fine hisself choke dead, 
 shuah nuff I" 
 
 "No! No! Not you, Mamma St. Pier, not 
 you," he quickly responded, his speech hearing 
 tones of apology mingled with the discord of 
 anger which escaped in husky quavers, as he 
 continued: "AbeHyman! Abe Hy man! He is 
 the one I could crush!" 
 
 " Cuz why doan you squose Marsa Hyman, 
 den? I'se aint Marsa Hyman. What's agin dat 
 white man? Doan yoh like him?" Assurance 
 that her visitor's conduct meant no ill to her 
 self dispelled her anger, and she resumed her 
 usual demeanor and speech : " Seraltha says 
 he is a grand gentleman, and when he speaks in 
 Court the judge and jury believe what he says, 
 and when he is at home his wife forgets she is 
 sick:" 
 
 A sneering laugh, forcing its escape from
 
 SEBALTHA. 33 
 
 around the set teeth of Chalmer Grose, inter 
 rupted Lethe's speech. Following the laugh 
 came the words, " Desperado! Murderer! " 
 Taking relief for his emotions by a deep breath 
 drawn quickly through his opened mouth, he 
 continued, with dictatorial sentences: " She 
 must not go with him Saturday, or any other 
 day never! She must be kept away from him 
 kept away always away from Santa Rosa. 
 You must keep her from him from Santa 
 Rosa. You must keep her in the city ! " 
 
 "Me, sir?" gasped Lethe, amazed by the 
 difficulties in the way of this new duty. 
 
 " Yes, you! for me." 
 
 " Yes, sir; but I don't think any harm would 
 come from her visit," said Lethe. 
 
 " Everything harmful ! He is prejudiced 
 against me. Do you understand? She might 
 say something that would cause trouble. You 
 must not fail to keep her away from him." 
 
 Arising from his chair and taking his hat, he 
 said, significantly: " The visitor will call soon
 
 34 SEBALTHA. 
 
 after I leave. I know that you will not fail me 
 at any point." 
 
 "\Vlien Chalmer Grose arrived at his carriage, 
 he directed the man in waiting to go on a mis 
 sion to the glen, which was soon accomplished. 
 Returning, the man mounted to the driver's 
 box, and drove northward into the city, finally 
 halting the carriage at the Hotel Havencourt. 
 
 Here Chalmer Grose alighted and went to his 
 suite of rooms. He hastened to examine the 
 object that he had grasped in his fall upon the 
 sand knoll. This object, as he held it under the 
 gas-light with one hand while adjusting his 
 eye-glasses with the other, showed to be a letter, 
 with the name " Seraltha Ames " written upon 
 its envelope in the cramped characters of an 
 unpracticed hand. That he was eager to know 
 its import he showed by haste in withdrawing 
 the sheet from the envelope. Shaking the sand 
 from among its folds, he read aloud, hesitating 
 at times because of misspelling and indistinct 
 writing:
 
 SEBALTHA. 35 
 
 "Miss SEEALTHA: 
 
 " Of you I ask if Wednesday you will meet 
 me on the sand knoll? You are afraid to come 
 in my house, so meet me at six the afternoon 
 on the sand knoll. The gentleman must have 
 his answer if you go to Monterey. I so much 
 love you I will the money pay for new dresses. 
 You will have plenty money sometime, and you 
 pay me then. The gentleman says he not come 
 to your mother's house in ' The Mission.' 
 Everybody in ' The Mission ' say ' poor girl 
 she, rich rnan he shame !' I take a house out 
 Pine street. House mine, furniture mire. You 
 sometime marry a rich man. Wednesday meet 
 me on the sand knoll. You say yes. I much 
 love you. 
 
 " LETHE." 
 
 After reading, Chalmer Grose made com 
 ments: " Sentiments all right; scheme all right; 
 the woman all right; but who is this ignorant 
 fellow who writes letters for her? He will find 
 the drift. My name is not on it, though. 
 Sharp woman!" 
 
 Taking a cigar from his case he lighted it, 
 and, holding the flame of the taper against a
 
 36 8EBALTHA. 
 
 corner of the letter, threw the blazing missive 
 into the grate. 
 
 He passed out of his parlor and went directly 
 to the " cinch-room" of the Hotel Havencourt 
 facetiously called so, because the purses of visit 
 ing stockmen were reduced to small dimensions 
 by resident miners who opposed them in games 
 of cards played therein. When Chalmer Grose 
 entered the cinch-room, the clock by the door 
 struck ten. When he passed out, well toward 
 morning, he took with him the bank check of a 
 etockman from Mendocino county. This check 
 read: "Pay to the order of Chalmer Grose, 
 five thousand dollars." 
 
 Before the expected visitor arrived at the door 
 of Lethe's hut, she had heard his footsteps and 
 held the door open for his entrance. Guided 
 by the glimmering of reflected light upon the 
 walls to the dense darkness of the open door 
 way, and making no response to Lethe's chal 
 lenge, he laid a parcel just within the threshold 
 and walked rapidly away. 
 
 " Foh dah Lawd, dis mighty curus ! " exclaimed
 
 SEBALTHA. 37 
 
 Lethe, who had heard the heavy parcel strike 
 the stone floor, and who, when the visitor's re 
 treating footfalls were no longer heard, began to 
 measure its dimensions with her toe. "Er 
 white man, er yaller man, er black man ? No- 
 buddy knows! Er rock, er gole mine, er din- 
 nymite? Nobuddy fines out! Dahs no spirits 
 done frow dis in dah doh. Massa Chalmer 
 Grose say, 'Visitah.' Dahs no visitah Massa 
 Chalmer Grose knows gwine toh frow dinny- 
 mite in dah doh. I'se gwine to fine out for 
 shuah, what dah visitah done frow in dah doh." 
 Closing the door and securing it, she raised 
 the parcel from the floor, and still speaking in 
 the dialect which she always used in her solilo 
 quies, bore it into the second apartment, and 
 laid it upon the dresser near the lamp. With 
 speech implying the purport of every move 
 ment, she whirled one of the easy chairs before 
 the dresser and sat upon it. During the lapse 
 of several moments she addressed the parcel 
 with questions and comments; then, arising 
 from her chair and approaching it, she pressed 
 
 303061
 
 38 SEBALTHA. 
 
 its surface with her fingers, feeling about the 
 corners and along the edges. No satisfaction 
 resulting from this inspection, she drew a pair 
 of heavy scissors from the dresser and cut the 
 strong cord securing the outer wrapper. When 
 she removed the wrapper, an oblong box of 
 heavy pasteboard came to her view, its cover 
 also secured by a cord. 
 
 She hesitated before this second impediment 
 in the way of her investigation, making in 
 quiries of it regarding its contents, and com 
 ments upon the crushed condition of its corners. 
 She then cut the cord and slowly raised the lid 
 from the box. What met her eyes was a bulg 
 ing bag of heavy buckskin, its opening firmly 
 secured by a strong leather thong. 
 
 Her expanding eyes, her shining teeth, form 
 ing into lengthening ranks, her swelling chest, 
 and her sinewy hands clutching the buckskin 
 bag as they would an escaping bird, showed her 
 comprehension of the convex ridges upon its 
 surface, and her arms twining around it, when
 
 SERALTHA. 39 
 
 she afterwards laid it against her bosom, told of 
 her love for the contents. 
 
 Holding it upon her arm, she lowered the 
 folding bed and reclined upon it. Lying upon 
 her side with her head resting upon a heavy 
 pillow, which she pushed upward beyond her 
 shoulder, she bent forward so that her eyes 
 might rest upon the buckskin bag, which she 
 laid upon the counterpane, near her bosom. 
 
 She could count correctly and knew the value 
 of coins. She stroked the bag awhile, crooning 
 to it like a mother to her child, and then loos 
 ened the heavy thong that secured the opening. 
 A yellow stream poured out upon the red coun 
 terpane of her bed, clinking its melody as it 
 rushed around the mouth of the bag into the 
 depression upon either side. 
 
 She quickly drew the heavy skirt- of her 
 gown over it and listened intently. Hearing a 
 slight noise, she raised herself upon her elbow 
 and peered about the room from side to side. 
 A light breeze from landward had flitted 
 across the bay and pushed a zephyr over the
 
 4:0 SEBALTHA. 
 
 edge of the glen, which fell upon the hut and 
 puffed the canvas lining of the apartment. 
 The serpent in the apex over her head stirred 
 lightly in its meshes. Partly assured by these 
 movements that the wind had caused her fear, 
 she again reclined upon the pillow, yet holding 
 the skirt over her treasure, and soliloquized in 
 low tones: 
 
 " Nobuddy gwine toh tromp on dah hill in 
 dah night time ! Nobuddy 'spex he fine somefin 
 in dis house, 'cep spirits! " 
 
 Turning her head so that sound might enter 
 at both ears, she continued: 
 
 ' Nuffin, 'cep dah wind! Nuffin steps on dem 
 rocks en doan clatter. Wind shuah nuff ! " 
 The canvas lining moved again. 
 
 Arising upon her elbow, she threw the skirt 
 back to its place, and, touching the gold which 
 had flowed from the buckskin bag with light 
 caress, she exclaimed: 
 
 "A'int dey lubly! Dah harp on dah side 
 plays dah lubliest music, 'cep dem heabenly 
 harps. Lemme see more! Draw dat bag
 
 SEBALTHA. 41 
 
 off. Ea-sy ea-sy e&-sy. Sh-h-h! Dem harps 
 playin'agin! Ea-sy ea-sy ea-sy. Dar! Lah! 
 Lah! Look at dat! Jes see it! I'se gwine toh 
 git crazy! I'se crazy now, fob shuah! Lemme 
 holler! Sh-h-h! Ebbary one twenty dollars. 
 Nebber anythin on dis yearth as lubly as dem 
 twenty dollars. Lethe! Lethe St. Pier! Is dis 
 yoh? Lemme feel! Lethe! Is dis yoh? Is dis 
 money yohs? Yes ! for shuah ! Lemme count: 
 One two three four five. One hundred. 
 One two three four five. Two hundred. 
 
 One two three four " Her voice fell to 
 
 silence, but her lips moved in response to the 
 action of her hand silently placing the coins in 
 yellow ribbons of five, clustered in groups of ten. 
 
 Five yellow groups rested within the arc 
 formed by her bended body. With her head 
 upon the pillow and her eyes feasting upon 
 their beauties, Lethe St. Pier waited for the 
 morrow. 
 
 At six, the old bells of the Mission Dolores 
 threw out their peals upon the still morning 
 air, sounding for the "Angelus." "Holy Mary,
 
 42 SERALTHA. 
 
 Mother of God, pray for us, sinners!" ascended 
 in many voices from the city below, and min 
 gled with their tones. Within the hut crouch 
 ing in the glen a woman, wearing the garb of 
 day, lay upon the folding bed asleep, her hands 
 groping among the golden ribbons shining 
 against the red counterpane.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 house on Pine street was situated 
 upon an upper slope of a western hill, 
 well within one of the populous neighborhoods 
 of the city. It stood high above the pavement 
 upon an angle of two streets, and its ample 
 lawns that suggested over-shrubbiness upon 
 their lower slopes were protected in position by 
 heavy stone walls rising from the sidewalks. 
 A long granite stairway gave access to the front, 
 and in the rear a steep driveway led from the 
 side street to a barn. This driveway extended 
 through an arched opening in the barn and con 
 tinued along a broad causeway that crossed a 
 depression in the grounds to the rear porch of 
 the house. 
 
 Above the arched opening in the barn were 
 three sleeping-rooms, one having an exclusive 
 stairway and double windows opening toward 
 the house, the others a stairway in common, 
 ending at a landing that touched the threshold 
 
 (43)
 
 44 SEBALTHA. 
 
 of each. One of the latter opened by a small 
 door into the lofts above the stable-room. This 
 room was windowless and dark, except from the 
 light which sifted through crevices or struggled 
 through the opened door of the lofts. A tele 
 phone hung against the wall of the room front 
 ing the house on Pine street. In this barn 
 Chalmer Grose housed his horses, carriages 
 and their attendants. 
 
 The house was a study in that architectural 
 deformity called "English basement." The 
 interior arrangement of the basement included 
 a hall midway of its width and extending along 
 its length, ending against a landing which con 
 nected with a stone stairway leading to the 
 higher ground of the rear. This stairway was 
 closed by a door of plate iron that swung 
 inwardly a few steps below the outside landing. 
 A dining-room, kitchen, etc., occupied the 
 space upon the right of the hall, while, upon the 
 left, folding doors opened into a reception-room. 
 Beyond were dressing-rooms. No other door
 
 SEBALTHA. 45 
 
 appeared upon that side of the hall, except that 
 of the furnace-room, far to the rear. 
 
 The long stairway leading to the main floor 
 was supported against the left wall. This stair 
 way led to a broad hall, that extended from its 
 upper landing, to the rear porch. Upon the 
 right of the landing, a vestibule spread to twin 
 windows opening to a side veranda. An arched 
 entrance from the vestibule, ornamented with 
 heavy curtains drooping in graceful folds, led to 
 spacious double parlors, extending along the 
 full front of the house. These were separated 
 by tinted scroll work, embossed with vines and 
 leaves carved on its surface. Opposite to the 
 parlor entrance folding doors opened into a 
 family room, en suite with a sleeping-room and 
 others beyond. The same arrangement of 
 rooms appeared upon the opposite side of the 
 house in the rear of the further parlor, but were 
 differently furnished, having articles of gor 
 geous colors; the dressing-room and chamber 
 giving evidence of use as a bachelor's apart-
 
 46 SEBALTHA. 
 
 ments. Other furniture of the house was in 
 good taste. 
 
 The servants' rooms were upon the floor above, 
 and were lighted by windows projecting from a 
 much-gabled roof. 
 
 This house, with its ample grounds, was the 
 least of the properties of Chalmer Grose. 
 Stocks, bonds, mining interests, buildings on 
 central streets, and an immense grain ranch 
 its confines begirding the aborted homes of a 
 thousand families were among the greater. 
 The architecture was in accord with his tastes 
 and the interior with his purposes. Entertain 
 ment, of a society nature, was included, at first, 
 with that of congenial friends and individual 
 acquaintances. Awhile this prospered. Later, 
 society, while holding opened doors for his 
 entrance to its drawing-rooms, sent letters of 
 regret in response to his invitations. This cap 
 rice of society becoming positive in its action, 
 he removed himself to a suite of rooms in the 
 Hotel Havencourt, leaving the house and its 
 furnishings to the care of a housekeeper.
 
 SERALTHA. 47 
 
 This was the situation, when an express de 
 livery ascended the steep driveway, and halted 
 by the rear porch, in the evening following that 
 of the conversation in the hut. The wagon, 
 besides the driver, contained Lethe St. Pier and 
 such of her effects as she desired to place in her 
 new home. Alighting, she passed around the 
 house by way of the lawn and rang the bell of 
 the front door. Her summons was quickly an 
 swered by the housekeeper, who, when she 
 opened the door and saw Lethe's dark face and 
 muscular form, dimly lighted by a single gas jet 
 burning in the hall, shrank back and attempted 
 to close it against the visitor. The door met 
 Lethe's foot, thrust between itself and the cas 
 ing, quickly succeeded by her knee and shoul 
 der. The efforts of the housekeeper were but a 
 feather weight against the strength of Lethe St. 
 Pier, who in an instant stood within the hall 
 way, her eyes flashing in anger and her oppo 
 nent shrinking toward the stairway leading to 
 the upper floor. 
 
 "Cuz why yoh slam dah doh?" Lethe de-
 
 48 SEBALTHA. 
 
 manded. "Cuz why yoh doan say, 'come in?' 
 My mind's workin' fob tah frow yoh down dem 
 front steps, onto dah sidewalk. Cuz why yoh 
 push dah doh ginst dah lady when she's comin 
 toh her own house? " 
 
 "You! your house!" stammered the house 
 keeper, retreating up the stairway several steps 
 and regarding her visitor suspiciously, as if 
 doubting her sanity. 
 
 "Yes'm; my house!" answered Lethe, with 
 strong emphasis on the possessive, " en ebbry- 
 thing that's in it." 
 
 " This house belongs to Mr. Chalmer Grose," 
 responded the housekeeper, taking another step 
 upwards, "and everything that is in it, and I 
 am paid to care for it." 
 
 "Massa Chalmer Grose doan ah gwine toh 
 hab nuffin toh do wiv dis house any moh. He 
 done rent it to me, en ebbrything that's in it. 
 Yob's gwine toh get yoh trumperies outen it, 
 on dah 'spress wagon by dah back doh. Yoh 
 dohs me 'spectable, yoh done stay all night.
 
 SEBALTHA. 49 
 
 Yoh dohs me 'strepulus, yoh's gwine out, dis 
 minit." 
 
 Lethe began a vigorous ascent of the stairs, 
 the housekeeper fleeing before her advance 
 through the upper hall, out at the rear door, 
 and past the express-delivery to the carriage- 
 room of the barn. Lethe did not pursue her 
 beyond the delivery, but halted there and gave 
 the driver orders to deposit his load upon the 
 porch. .The housekeeper took time to regain 
 her composure. She then went to the room 
 fronting the house and conversed through the 
 telephone. What was said in answer to her 
 inquiries appeared to be decisive, and in Lethe's 
 favor; for she stopped upon the way when 
 returning to the house and bargained with the 
 expressman for the transfer of her effects. 
 Lethe, in the meantime, had placed her prop 
 erty near the stairway in the vestibule, and was 
 seated upon one of the larger bundles. The 
 housekeeper hesitated when she entered the 
 hall, and Lethe, noticing her indecision, arose 
 and said:
 
 50 SERALTHA. 
 
 " Come on, ma'am. I am ready to assist 
 you." 
 
 "Wh where is the other one?" stammered 
 the housekeeper, cautiously advancing toward 
 the vestibule. 
 
 " There is no other one. I am Lethe St. Pier, 
 the owner of this house for five years." 
 
 "Yes; yes'm; he said so. I am going." 
 
 The housekeeper, now trembling, and staring 
 at Lethe, entered the vestibule, carefully avoid 
 ing a near approach to her, and passed into the 
 family room, closing the door behind her. 
 Her white teeth, slowly extending their ranks, 
 gave the only evidence that Lethe had noticed 
 the fright of the housekeeper, who, when she 
 was ready for departure, asked the driver of the 
 delivery to aid her in the removal of her effects 
 to his wagon. The driver said to her, after he 
 had turned his horses upon the causeway: 
 
 " It be dangerous if that woman is your enemy. 
 She is stronger than I am." 
 
 Lethe continued her preparations for perma 
 nent occupation of the house far into the night,
 
 SEBALTHA. 61 
 
 placing articles that she had brought, without 
 hesitation, as if she had thought of and decided 
 upon their positions before she came. She was 
 familiar with the house, having been a frequent 
 visitor before the time in which society sent 
 letters of regret. These visits were in the 
 interest of Chalmer Grose, who paid her much 
 money for special service. 
 
 Just before retiring she went to the furnace- 
 room, bearing in one hand a tin oil lamp, and 
 in the other articles of furniture. She went 
 directly to a further corner of the room and 
 opened a section of the wainscoting which acted 
 as a door, yet concealed from sight when closed 
 by the mouldings and cornice. This led to a 
 dark room under the gorgeously furnished 
 chamber on the floor above, and of the same 
 dimensions. The floor was littered with boxes, 
 baskets, empty bottles and broken glassware. 
 A narrow stairway extended to a trap-door 
 opening into the room above. Nothing else was 
 visible in the room, except the aperture of a 
 ventilator in a corner opposite the stairway.
 
 52 SEBALTHA. 
 
 Lethe cleared away the litter in the room and 
 put it in the area under the porch. When she 
 had retired to the sleeping-room of the family 
 suite, a tin oil lamp pushed its dim light over 
 the surface of a small pine table within the dark 
 room, and near by stood a mutilated cane-seated 
 chair waiting in the gloomy shadow. 
 
 Madam Convincia Hitts (fashionable dress 
 maker) and her expert assistants, unfolded cloth, 
 laces, trimmings, etc., upon a table in the 
 family room during the morning following 
 Lethe's occupancy. Three gowns were made 
 from these. 
 
 The material that first came under the scis 
 sors of Madam Hitts was of pearl silk, moire 
 antique, and as she placed it upon Seraltha 
 (she having arrived soon after the advent of 
 Madam Hitts) for the first fitting, exclaimed : 
 
 'The ideal! Just to your style! your com 
 plexion! your form! yourself!"
 
 SEBALTHA. 53 
 
 Upon the second fitting, the skirt was seen to 
 be en train, with deep, white lace foot-ruchings, 
 the revers bordered with swansdown, and the 
 front drawn close to the lower form. Against 
 this deviation from her idea of propriety Ser- 
 altha strongly protested, standing before a mir 
 ror and showing wherefore. 
 
 " Some draw much closer, Miss. After you 
 have worn it an hour in society you will feel 
 that you are a trifle behind the style," said 
 Madam Hitts. 
 
 The skirt was removed and laid aside, bear 
 ing its original stitchings. 
 
 Upon the third fitting, the pointed bodice 
 waist held the swansdown border of its corsage 
 against the curve of her shoulders, nestling its 
 angle far down the revealments spreading 
 between. Madam Hitts noticed the flushed 
 face reflected in the mirror as she stood behind 
 Seraltha. Anticipating objections, she said: 
 
 " A beautiful form, Miss. Such firmness, 
 such tints, I have seldom seen. The corsage
 
 54 SEKALTHA. 
 
 should have been cut square instead of V-shaped. 
 The change is easily made." 
 
 "No, Madam! this is enough too much!" 
 stammered Seraltha, pressing the angle of the 
 swansdown against her bosom. 
 
 " When you see the others," persisted Madam 
 Hitts, " you will feel yourself too much covered, 
 and will regret this decision. None will excel 
 your beauty; few approach it." Moving to 
 unlace the bodice, she continued: "A few 
 moments will suffice to " 
 
 " No, Madam! " interrupted Seraltha, " I 
 would not wear it. I shall wear a cluster of 
 flowers upon this." 
 
 " If you must, Miss, La France roses, by all 
 means. Only three, remember, only three, half 
 blown, with three small buds and four rose- 
 leaves. This dress is fit for a queen's reception, 
 and " (Madam Hitts added, as she looked 
 admiringly upon Seraltha, whose eyes had 
 deepened to violet and the color of her cheeks 
 to scarlet), " you to be the queen." 
 
 The next day Saturday the scissors of
 
 SERALTHA. 55 
 
 Madam. Hitts glided through an enticement in 
 undecided tints, with ashes-of-roses struggling 
 for recognition. Upon the fitting, this fell from 
 Seraltha's shoulders in princess form to a full 
 train of accordeon plaiting, over which splashed 
 double cascades of rich blonde laces that sprang 
 from the low-turned collar in front, and, rip 
 pling in company over the bosom, parted 
 beneath in drooping curves that swept around 
 to the train in widening streams. Another 
 cascade fell to the feet. Cascades also encircled 
 the flowing sleeves, contrasting with the marble 
 purity of her rounded arms, which were revealed 
 well toward her elbows upon every movement. 
 When this gown was completed and Seraltha 
 stood before the mirror for a final approval, she 
 folded her arms across her waist, holding the 
 sleeves close with either hand. Madam Hitts 
 smiled. 
 
 In the morning of the following Monday, the 
 scissors wended their way through a bolt of 
 black surah-silk. Upon the second fitting the 
 skirt from this material showed faintly through
 
 56 SERALTHA. 
 
 a front of graduated black chantilly flounces, 
 headed with cord passementerie. The front was 
 gored and drawn closely to the form, the full 
 back falling gracefully to its length without 
 adornment, yet finished at the bottom by a 
 heavy black cord, which in its movements just 
 escaped the touch of the carpet. Upon a final 
 fitting this costume showed a basque, short over 
 the hips and depending in points between, and 
 ornamented harmoniously, yet in a manner 
 defining the bust by a zouave effect in passe 
 menterie. Madam Hitts again overcame objec 
 tions by reference to styles. 
 
 This costume having afterward become cele 
 brated, the complete outfit will receive mention: 
 An English walking hat of black straw, faced 
 with velvet, edged with gilt, and adorned in 
 front with black ostrich pompons, full aigrette, 
 a plume springing from them and sweeping 
 around the side. A half-face veil of black, dot 
 ted with gold; a parasol of black chantilly laces 
 and a chatelaine satchel with oxidized silver 
 hook and chain, depending from the waist.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 STEAMER trunk rested in the driver's 
 box of a carriage that stood by the rear 
 porch of the house on Pine street, at ten o'clock 
 of the morning preceding a reception of the 
 Second Regiment (National Guard) officers, to 
 be held at Monterey. Within it were seated 
 Chalmer Grose, Seraltha Ames, and upon the 
 front seat, with bundles beside her, Lethe St. 
 Pier, acting lady's maid. Arriving at Third and 
 Townsend streets, they found the waiting special 
 train, being filled with resident soldiers (young 
 fellows of the best society) noticing the ladies, 
 vivacious maidens, also of the best society; 
 lively matrons, society business men, who knew 
 the world and did not notice the ladies in gen 
 eral, but, specifically, Colonel August Garrison, 
 with staff, and Mrs. Katie Twohy. The Colonel 
 knew everybody in the best society, and so did 
 Mrs. Katie Twohy. With her greeting and 
 
 (57)
 
 58 SERALTHA. 
 
 merry-making she hastened the time until the 
 train was in motion and every seat of the car 
 into which she had entered fully occupied, 
 except the one that Lethe St. Pier had taken, 
 which was turned to face Chalmer Grose and 
 Seraltha. This she shared, greeting Chalmer 
 Grose quite icily, and, while taking her seat, 
 glanced inquiringly at his companion. He 
 granted an introduction, also icy. Mrs. Katie 
 Twohy then gave attention to the scenery out 
 side the car. 
 
 She was blondish in complexion ; her eyes 
 were light hlue and inspective, and her form 
 girlish, although she was past thirty. Her man 
 ner was very positive. She had been twice 
 divorced; hut as she had been the plaintiff in 
 both cases, and, from the results, had come into 
 possession of a desirable property, her reputation 
 was not in question and the best society con 
 tinued in extending favors to her, which she 
 accepted as her due, defining divorce : expiation 
 for the sin of mesalliance.
 
 SERALTHA. 59 
 
 Mrs. Katie Twohy stilled her immediate 
 neighborhood by her silence during the entire 
 journey, Chalmer Grose making a few pointless 
 remarks to Seraltha, who responded timidly. 
 The eyes opposite to her seemed at times to 
 listen and then to speak. Only when Colonel 
 August Garrison, who was imposing in stature, 
 courteous and well-bred, came to escort her to 
 the landing at Monterey, did Mrs. Katie Twohy 
 again become cheerful. 
 
 The special train soon stood empty on its 
 track, the passengers wending their several ways 
 toward the hotel or to the beach. An English 
 drag (two chestnut horses tandem) bore Chal 
 mer Grose, Seraltha and her maid to the Hotel 
 del Monte. 
 
 Delightful Monterey ! The soft ocean zephyrs, 
 pushed onward by glistening billows, fan the 
 sanded shore and sob farewells through quiver 
 ing palms. Lingering near their azure birth 
 place, they steal behind the evergreens to caress 
 the blushing pansies nestling on their beds, then 
 stir the lawns with gentle touch and hasten up
 
 60 SEEALTHA. 
 
 the winding walks to greet the terraced roses 
 waving their welcome from the upper' slopes. 
 With lulling whisper they flit among the groves 
 of pine beyond, and, wearied, hide within 
 the cypress groves, where trembling leaves send 
 back an echo of falling tears. The rolling waves 
 break on the sloping beach, and, baffled in their 
 chase, fall back upon the ocean's breast in 
 answering moan. The evening air holds 
 essences of subtle power that whelm the soul 
 and draw to arbored place and quiet nook. 
 Mirth falls into pensive mood, hope dreams, 
 and passion sighs. Alluring Monterey! 
 
 The afternoon sun shone upon merry groups 
 clustered about the sands, upon lines of bathers 
 in the surf; upon gay equipages speeding along 
 the tide lines; upon quiet couples strolling 
 about the grounds and into the hotel verandas. 
 Within one of these, Mrs, Katie Twohy, Colonel 
 August Garrison, and Nathan Rapps of the 
 Investigator, sat in a semi-circle that opened 
 toward and commanded a view of Chalmei 
 Grose and Seraltha, who were seated near a
 
 SEEALTHA. 61 
 
 further column of the veranda, in conversation. 
 
 Nathan Rapps, known in newspaper circles 
 as Nat Rapps, was allowed to feel at ease when 
 in the company of Mrs. Katie Twohy. He was 
 short in stature when standing, but when sitting 
 he seemed to exceed the average man in height 
 and bulk. 
 
 After a long conversation Mrs. Katie Twohy 
 was heard to say: 
 
 " I have given you more information upon 
 this subject, Mr. Rapps, than my observation 
 might justify. Much may be surmised." 
 
 " Mrs. Twohy," responded the reporter, " if 
 one learns more than the truth he gains the 
 truth, so far as it has evolved, and surmise 
 pardon, Mrs. Twohy clever surmise, is the 
 mental region where further facts are found, 
 and in which wisdom delves and gathers for its 
 own. This thought reminds me of an experi 
 ence : While driving in Golden Gate Park one 
 Sunday afternoon last summer no, the summer 
 before a team of grays passed me, speeding 
 toward the Cliff. When a short distance in
 
 62 SEEALTHA. 
 
 advance of my position, the team suddenly 
 halted, a lady stepped from the carriage and 
 walked hastily to the lawn skirting the drive 
 way. The grays were turned, bringing the 
 carriage nearer to the place where she had 
 halted. She stood awhile in conversation with 
 some one within the carriage and shortly after 
 ward re-entered it. It was a barouche, with 
 drawn curtains. The outfit returned to the 
 city. You see, she would not go to the Cliff; 
 but if everything had been all right as it should 
 have been she would not have been riding in 
 the Park behind drawn curtains. I followed, 
 and last summer, a year after, the Investigator 
 published exclusively a full history of the 
 tragedy names, dates, circumstances, and 
 causes in the next morning's issue. He was 
 shot at the Presidio, at nine o'clock of the 
 evening before you remember?" 
 
 As the application of this experience dawned 
 upon the mind of Mrs. Katie Twohy, she sprang 
 from her chair, and standing very near Colonel 
 August Garrison, said, in a manner evidently
 
 SEBALTHA. 63 
 
 intended to be both impressive and resolute, but 
 which lapsed, as she advanced in her speech, to 
 the deference of a victim at bay before a supe 
 rior animal: 
 
 " You have been been Mr. Rapps ! you have 
 no privilege to use society chat for professional 
 purposes; besides you do not dare, and the 
 Investigator dares not to profit by what I have 
 told you. You would not, you could not, 
 especially as I might be be " Here she came 
 to a full stop. Nat Rapps hastened to answer: 
 
 " Certainly not. Society chat also confiden 
 tial. Certainly not. No intentions, such as you 
 indicate. You interested me. I wandered into 
 possibilities. The Investigator has no use for 
 possibilities." 
 
 " Certainly not. Mr. Rapps never betrays 
 confidences, Mrs. Twohy," said Colonel August 
 Garrison, in confirmation. He afterward, at- her 
 request, escorted her toward the beach, giving 
 profuse assurance that information which she 
 had imparted to Nat Rapps would not be used 
 in a professional way. Nevertheless, when they
 
 64: SEBALTHA. 
 
 had come to the beach, Mrs. Katie Twohy was 
 seen to stamp her foot upon the damp sand. 
 Nat Rapps put his feet upon the lower round of 
 his chair and noticed the people upon the 
 veranda, especially those near the further col 
 umn. Presently Seraltha's maid appeared, and 
 after a short conversation she went with her into 
 the hotel, leaving Chalmer Grose sitting alone 
 and evidently annoyed. 
 
 Discomfort to Chalmer Grose had entered the 
 special train with Mrs. Kate Twohy. He had 
 received her letter of regret years before, in 
 response to an invitation to attend a reception 
 at the house on Pine street. 
 
 Discomfort to him entered the Hotel del 
 Monte with Nat Rapps. Especially was it 
 active upon the veranda while that gentleman 
 was in conversation with Mrs. Katie Twohy, 
 and it became more oppressive when he saw 
 that Rapps turned his attention toward the fur 
 ther column, and saw his feet sliding along the 
 lower round of his chair as if in search of some 
 thing hidden. Chalmer Grose had met Nat
 
 8ERALTHA. 65 
 
 Rapps aforetime, and knew that he was held by 
 him in low esteem. 
 
 Discomfort took full possession of Chalmer 
 Grose, while he conversed with Seraltha on 
 the veranda and ventured to turn her thoughts 
 into impure channels. The price paid for social 
 companionship with her took the semblance of 
 a squandered fortune when with modest apology 
 she justified her acceptance of his invitation 
 and denied an evil motive to her action. When 
 she retired with her maid he turned his chair 
 so that Nat Rapps might not see his face, and 
 remained in meditation until dinner. There 
 after, through the festivities of the night, he 
 entertained Seraltha by assuming the solicitude 
 of an admiring friend, for her welfare and en 
 joyment. 
 
 In the evening the parlors and assembly 
 rooms were filled with inspiring music, beauti 
 ful women, handsome men, rustling silks, sil 
 very laughter, gallant compliments, and splen 
 did ornaments. All of these adjectives, and
 
 66 SEBALTHA. 
 
 many more, besides names feminine and mas 
 culine, titles and occupations, Nat Rapps put 
 upon his note book with pleasant comment. 
 
 After completing his notes and telegraphing 
 to the Investigator a report of the Second Regi 
 ment reception, Nat Rapps went to the second 
 story of the hotel and strolled about the corri 
 dors enclosing the suite of rooms occupied by 
 Seraltha and her maid. He had passed the 
 opened door of the parlor several times, hesitat 
 ing as he did so, and was rewarded by the 
 appearance of Lethe and an inquiry from her 
 regarding the object of his search. 
 
 " I was under the impression, madam," he 
 responded, " that this is the parlor reserved for 
 Mrs. Katie Twohy, but not being positive, I 
 hesitated. I ask your pardon, madam." 
 
 "Her suite is further down the hall, sir," 
 answered Lethe, pleased with the smiling gen 
 tleman who had addressed her so courteously; 
 " but she is below now, sir. I saw her go down 
 awhile ago."
 
 SERALTHA. 67 
 
 Xat Rapps expressed regrets because he had 
 committed the error, and ventured to say: 
 
 " I can infer that you assist the beautiful lady 
 in pearl silk who is admired by everyone in the 
 parlors. I saw you with her in the tandem, 
 driving to the hotel from the Special. She is 
 charmingly attired. You must have had much 
 society experience, madam." 
 
 " I have been with society people all my life, 
 sir," responded Lethe, bowing an acknowledg 
 ment to his opinion. 
 
 " 1 have a sister, madam, married, very 
 wealthy, always richly dressed, but never seems 
 to have her gowns put on just right, like that 
 of the lady in your charge to-night. If you are 
 engaged satisfactorily she might, at least, advise 
 with you to her advantage. She can afford to 
 pay handsomely." 
 
 "I'm not waiting on ladies now, 'cept some 
 times " 
 
 "Then she could call upon you, certainly." 
 He put this leader in very positively, although 
 courteously.
 
 68 SERALTHA. 
 
 " Yes yes she might, at my house." 
 
 Soon afterward Nat Rapps went below and 
 upon a page of his diary a paragraph appeared 
 that included the number of the house on Pine 
 street, the name of its occupant, and the names 
 of Chalmer Grose and Seraltha Ames. He then 
 joined in the festivities and moved as a guest 
 until the ending. 
 
 When the special train arrived at Third and 
 Townsend streets, San Francisco, the following 
 afternoon, a carriage awaited it that bore away 
 a steamer trunk and three passengers, as before. 
 It was driven to the house on Pine street, and 
 thence to the Hotel Havencourt, where Chalmer 
 Grose alighted and retired to his rooms. 
 
 To the general observer, familiar with society 
 affairs, this reception presented the same un 
 changing movements that had moulded the 
 previous one, and others going before, to a 
 pleasing monotony. Here a diamond flashing 
 where before a pearl had rested; there a flush 
 ing bosom where before a maiden's bodice had 
 spread its modest laces; colors where tints had
 
 SEEALTHA. 69 
 
 blended, or a void where a face had smiled, are 
 all the variations noticed in these society re 
 unions. This the familiar observer asserts and 
 this the eye confirms. Yet beneath the pene 
 tration of sight are mighty happenings. 
 
 To Seraltha, Monterey was Epocha a cloud 
 behind, a sunburst beyond. Yonder, the com 
 mon-place, the unrefined, " The Mission." Now, 
 and forever, the beautiful, the gentle, " the 
 world." Thoughts of her mother now held a 
 phantasm, toiling for naught. True, this mother 
 was cheerful, and in her youth had pleasures 
 at the lake side, near her home in Scotland, in 
 the wood, and upon the meadows. With delight 
 she had told of merry girls romping about the 
 shores of secluded coves, or splashing through 
 their shallow depths with unstockinged feet, 
 holding the gown secure from a wetting; of 
 laughing troops ranging the wood, begarlanded 
 with leaves and flitting out with happy shouts 
 to join in dances upon the sward. 
 
 These scenes, in Monterey, would spread the 
 smile of scorn and tempt the jibe. Another
 
 70 SEBALTHA. 
 
 world ! Her mother dwelt afar off in a receding 
 distance, and shadows fell between them through 
 which neither could ever pass. Not the shadow 
 of scorn; love burned bright in the heart of the 
 girl as in the mother's breast. Not shame; the 
 daughter's snowy arm upheld to church and fes 
 tival an uncomely form, grasping with knotted 
 hand, toil seamed, and moved unconscious of 
 superior worth; but shades of infinite potenti 
 ality, deep as that cast by Eden's forbidden 
 tree the shadows of the seminary and Mon 
 terey.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Seraltha's use, Lethe St. Pier assigned 
 the gorgeously-furnished chamber and 
 connecting rooms in the house on Pine street. 
 Lethe had feared that she would not give her 
 consent to this, and that she would return to 
 her occupation after the reception; but the 
 shadow of Monterey had fallen upon Seraltha's 
 soul, and all of life, except that phase portrayed 
 by the fragment moving under the gaslights of 
 the Hotel del Monte, seemed to her a scourge 
 from which to flee. Knowing nothing of the 
 ownership or the history of the house she 
 accepted Lethe's hospitality. 
 
 She retired at an early hour, and awoke at 
 sunrise, the accustomed time of her childhood. 
 Looking about the room to verify her presence 
 she yielded to the contentment that whelms the 
 tired soul suddenly freed from the call of duty. 
 
 (7D
 
 72 SEBALTHA. 
 
 In a half somnolence she mingled the scenes at 
 Monterey with fancies of the future in reasoning 
 dreams that impressed their themes upon her 
 willing thoughts until long after a full awaken 
 ing: "He is experienced and spoke to try my 
 strength. This is but right. He knows me not. 
 He has tried my virtue and found it secure. I 
 have parried the first attack. All men attack, as 
 all the world knows. No woman charges heinous 
 offence against him, who thus attacks, and, 
 foiled, retreats, coming again in guise of love. 
 He does love. He is now courteous, gentle and 
 gives me deference. He now sees my better 
 self and would possess it. This is his due. He 
 will give to me, besides love, life's luxuries. 
 He will anchor me to ease, secure from toil and 
 forever away from ' The Mission.' ' 
 
 It was midday when Seraltha entered the 
 dining-room and found Lethe awaiting her with 
 a dainty breakfast. During her repast a mes 
 senger rung the door-bell, which Lethe answered, 
 returning with a note addressed to Seraltha. 
 She unfolded it and read aloud:
 
 SERALTHA. 73 
 
 "Miss SERALTHA: 
 
 " Urgent business will prevent my call 
 this evening, as arranged. I am much dis 
 appointed. I will call Saturday evening, instead, 
 should you consent, by a return note handed to 
 the messenger. I anticipate an enchanting 
 visit when we meet again. 
 
 " Impatiently yours, 
 
 " CHALMER GROSE." 
 
 " But Mr. Hyman will expect me at the ferry 
 to go with him to Santa Rosa," said Seraltha, 
 turning to Lethe with an expression of inquiry 
 upon her face. 
 
 "Must you meet Mr. Hyman?" asked Lethe. 
 
 "No!" responded Seraltha, and retiring to 
 her room she wrote an answer of approval. 
 Giving it to the messenger, she finished her 
 breakfast and went to the parlors. 
 
 She put aside the curtains of the windows, 
 caressing their silken folds. A gilded cage 
 hung behind one, high against the window. 
 She stood upon an ottoman and peered into it. 
 Two love-birds lay beside the empty seed-cup,
 
 74 SERALTHA. 
 
 dead. The frightened housekeeper had for 
 gotten them. She stumbled from the ottoman 
 to a sofa near by and reclined upon it, looking 
 away from the scene. Presently she arose and 
 summoned Lethe, who removed the starved 
 love-birds and the gilded cage. After she had 
 gone away, Seraltha stood by the window and 
 looked up and down the street, then to the place 
 where the cage had hung. Yellow and green 
 feathers upon the window-sash glistened in the 
 sunlight. 
 
 She hastened to her dressing-room and soon 
 reappeared robed in the surah silk gown of 
 graduated flounce and zouave effect. Firmly 
 refusing Lethe's offer to provide a carriage for 
 her use, she went upon the street and walked to 
 Golden Gate Park. 
 
 She avoided the conservatory, passing around 
 it by a secluded pathway to a rustic seat, shrink 
 ing within the shadows of a group of live oak. 
 Partially screened from observation, she took 
 a seat and looked out over the broad parkway 
 stretching toward the ocean cliffs.
 
 SEBALTHA. 75 
 
 Many years had passed since Seraltha first 
 selected this seat for observation of the things 
 she could not possess. Sundays or during holi 
 day outings, she shared it with her mother or 
 with a school-mate silent herself, but listening 
 to the comments of her companion, and, with 
 eyes deepening to violet, followed the move 
 ments of a beautiful saddle horse, or an elegant 
 equipage. 
 
 More often alone, in the closing hours of the 
 day, she would watch straggling teams that 
 loomed up out of the mists and sped by her 
 with whirring wheels. All those who then 
 passed by were to her strange people. They were 
 not of " The Mission/' 
 
 To-day the violet eyes saw equals, moving 
 with familiar purpose. One raised his hat to 
 her, as he flashed by behind a foaming roadster 
 geared to speed with socks and toe-weights. 
 His arm had encircled her waist in a waltz at 
 Monterey. A woman reined her span in swerv 
 ing speed, passing the plodding landau and staid 
 barouche, leaving broad scollops upon the
 
 76 SERALTHA. 
 
 sanded roadway behind her calash. Seraltha 
 had seen her in the centre of an admiring group 
 at Monterey. Familiar faces crowded by, as if 
 in a procession. With all their ambitions Seral- 
 tha's aspirations held even pace. 
 
 The rays of the sun had crept under the live- 
 oaks before she left the rustic seat. Crossing a 
 sloping lawn to a foot-path near the border of 
 the driveway she strolled upon it to the princi 
 pal entrance of the Park. Inviting street cars 
 stood near by; but she entered a barouche the 
 door of which was opened by a courteous livery 
 man. Seraltha was driven to the house on Pine 
 street, where she remained until the time ap 
 pointed for the visit of Chalmer Grose. He 
 had received her note, which read: 
 
 " FRIDAY, 12 M. 
 "Ms. CHALMER GROSE: 
 
 " Please accept my regrets at not meet 
 ing you this evening, and my assurances that 
 your appointed time is agreeable to me. 
 " Sincerely yours, 
 
 " SERALTHA AMES."
 
 SERALTHA. 77 
 
 That there were suggestions lurking within 
 the sentences, which were not agreeable to the 
 desires of Chalmer Grose, was shown by his im 
 patient treatment of the missive after reading 
 it. He crushed it in his hand, together with 
 the envelope, and threw it on the floor; pre 
 sently he picked up the note, and restoring it to 
 its proper form, put it into a pocket of his waist 
 coat. In the evening, just before his departure 
 to keep the appointment with Seraltha, he again 
 read it. 
 
 A letter squares the conduct of a man 
 toward a woman, when spoken words take no 
 effect. In all her conversation at Monterey, 
 Seraltha gave evidence that she firmly adhered 
 to the path of honor; yet Chalmer Grose had 
 not ceased to hope, that her behavior might 
 belie her words she might appear in the guise 
 of the intriguer. The written expression of 
 regret, although commonplace, bore evidence of 
 character. But Seraltha's note promised nothing 
 for the fortune he had squandered upon her. 
 He had hoped for a response to the suggestions
 
 78 SERALTHA. 
 
 in his note; when he saw that they were ig 
 nored, he was full of rage. What resulted, how 
 ever, from a careful reading of the note, was a 
 belief in Seraltha's integrity. During his visit 
 with her his conduct was that of an honorable 
 suitor. 
 
 When his visit was ended, he went down the 
 stone stairway to Pine street. He stood awhile 
 at the corner above the entrance, then turned 
 into the side street and went up the steep drive 
 way to the barn. He then passed along the 
 causeway to the rear porch of the house. Here he 
 met Lethe St. Pier, who conducted him into the 
 family room, the door of which she bolted, and 
 the two sat in conversation until a late hour. 
 
 During the following week, Seraltha received 
 this letter: 
 
 "WEDNESDAY. 
 "DEAR Miss SERALTHA: 
 
 " My interests compel me to spend a few 
 days at mines owned by the Association of 
 which I am the President.
 
 SEKALTHA. 79 
 
 " The mountains are very attractive at this 
 time. I should be pleased if you could enjoy 
 seeing them. A friend, who is also interested in 
 mines, will go with me, accompanied by his 
 wife. We shall establish our headquarters at a 
 hotel in a neighboring city, and from there make 
 occasional trips to the mines. My friend's wife 
 is excellent company, and will be very much 
 pleased to act as your chaperon. I shall also 
 try my best to entertain you. I trust that you 
 will grant our party the pleasure of your com 
 pany. I will call upon you Saturday evening, 
 and hope to be favored with your consent. 
 
 " Sincerely your friend, 
 
 " CHALMER GROSE." 
 
 Seraltha received this note an hour after her 
 return from a visit to her mother. She wore 
 the old suit of blemished brown, trimmed with 
 new furs. She had not told her mother of the 
 business in which she was now engaged, but 
 left her in the belief that she was still in service 
 as companion to an invalid lady whom she had 
 attended during the preceding months; fearing 
 that her mother might misunderstand her
 
 80 SEEALTHA. 
 
 motives and spoil her chance of realizing her 
 aspirations. 
 
 The visit to her mother, the well-worn attire 
 and the familiar scene of "The Mission," had 
 partially restored Seraltha to her former self. 
 The old had not wholly approved of the new; 
 and when she read the letter of Chalmer 
 Grose, it seemed to be rilled with impropri 
 eties; but, when evening came, and the worn at 
 tire was laid aside for the ashes-of-roses gown, 
 the dweller on Pine street assumed superiority 
 over the one of "The Mission," and overcame 
 arguments against the acceptance of this invita 
 tion. Lethe's advice was in the direction of 
 consent, which was secured without the influ 
 ence of her prophecies, to the veracity of which 
 Seraltha yielded an increasing faith. 
 
 She accepted the proposal of Chalmer Grose 
 on the occasion of his appointed visit, and, 
 preparations being duly made, the party began 
 the journey in the morning of the following 
 Monday, travelling by rail. 
 
 The friend mentioned in the letter of invita-
 
 SERALTHA. 81 
 
 tion, and who became one of the party, had 
 formed an acquaintance with Chalmer Grose, 
 several years previous to this time, under pecu 
 liar circumstances. He was then known about 
 town as one of " The Three " from Calaveras. 
 
 In that trio he was the leader. He was taller, 
 by half a head, than the others, they being of 
 equal height, one distinguished by drooping 
 shoulders and the other by excessive erectness. 
 
 Their former history is not essential to the 
 purpose of this narrative; but within two years 
 after their arrival at San Francisco, their triple 
 appearance was noticed about the saloons. They 
 were generally well dressed, impudent, and 
 loudly overestimating the character of Calave 
 ras. After a time they appeared to prosper, 
 and the swell bars even that of the Hotel 
 Havencourt were favored by their patronage. 
 They dressed alike, or nearly so, in striped 
 trousers, black sack coats and embroidered 
 flannel shirts, heavy watch chains with seals, 
 high-heeled boots, and low-crowned white hats. 
 They habitually approached a saloon counter
 
 82 SEBALTHA. 
 
 in a certain order, the taller one leading the 
 way, and the others following in oblique file, 
 he of the drooping shoulders in the rear. 
 
 One evening, something transpired in the 
 Hotel Havencourt which directed their activi 
 ties into different channels. They had entered 
 the bar-room in earnest conversation, and after 
 wards sat around the table of a wine-room near 
 the bar. Here they were served by the bar 
 keeper, who did not close the door of the room 
 when he came out. Standing near the end of 
 the bar, and awaiting other customers, he heard 
 the leader, who was called Hamilton Tucker, 
 saying: 
 
 " It's as easy as picking it up. I'll double our 
 money before 3 o'clock in the morning, and, 
 Chance Neely, if you havn't got the sand to put 
 in your share, draw it out and I'll play mine 
 and Mun's." Here the voice of the speaker 
 lowered. The barkeeper then moved cautiously 
 nearer to the door. 
 
 :< Hold on, Ham; go slow on your talk about 
 sand," he heard Chance Neely say. ""We have
 
 SERALTHA. 83 
 
 been a good while piling up that three thousand, 
 and we're adding something to it 'most every 
 day. It won't be very long before we'll have 
 enough to start a saloon on Market street; then 
 we are 'the People.' That is what we was 
 working for these four years; and now, when 
 we're 'most there, I don't believe in taking 
 chances, especially among men who have got 
 dollars to our cents." 
 
 " They are just the folks to get in with," 
 asserted Hamilton Tucker. " They don't hug 
 their money. I saw " here he tilted his chair 
 backward and closed the door. The barkeeper 
 could hear no more. 
 
 Two hours afterward the leader was sitting in 
 the cinch-room of the Hotel Havencourt, with 
 the combined capital of "The Three" in his 
 pocket and upon the table before him. His en 
 trance had been easily effected and his admit 
 tance to the game readily granted. The game 
 ended as the gray light of the morning crept 
 into the cinch-room. When Hamilton Tucker
 
 84 SERALTHA. 
 
 stepped upon the sidewalk fronting the Hotel 
 Havencourt, he was heard to groan. 
 
 Within the following week, Chance Neely had 
 obtained a situation with a company of private 
 detectives, and a month later betrayed the hid 
 ing place of a former friend, who was now under 
 the shadow of the law; however, not before 
 " The Three " had won every dollar he had at 
 the gaming table. Munroe Chase, whom Ham 
 ilton Tucker had familiarly called " Mun," in 
 the meantime, had accepted a situation as 
 barkeeper in an uptown saloon with the pay of 
 a novice. Hamilton Tucker lodged with him 
 and partook of the luncheon spread in his em 
 ployer's saloon for the enticement of customers, 
 which favors the recipient shared with exceed 
 ing meekness, frequently telling his former part 
 ner that he was " all broke up." 
 
 " You must rustle up something," was the 
 constant response of the new barkeeper, after 
 which Hamilton Tucker would wander upon the 
 streets. 
 
 These rambles often included a visit to the
 
 SERALTHA. 85 
 
 Hotel Havencourt, where he would walk along 
 the corridor until the door of the cinch-room 
 came within his sight. Here he would halt and, 
 for a moment, look intently at the door, then 
 turn back, walk hastily out of the hotel and re 
 sume his rambles on the street. 
 
 Upon one of these occasions, Chalmer Grose 
 met him in the corridor, and, greeting him cor 
 dially, asked about his health and enjoyments. 
 Chalmer Grose was one of the party whose su 
 perior skill had brought disaster to "The Three," 
 and Hamilton Tucker, not being a natural gam 
 bler, although experienced, told him of the re 
 sults of their previous meeting, and cheerfully 
 accepted his sympathy. The conversation in 
 the corridor resulted in his employment, at first 
 as overseer of his employer's stock and stables, 
 afterwards as special messenger to his mines 
 and ranch, and still later, his fidelity being then 
 above suspicion, as a trusted agent in matters 
 requiring secrecy and strict obedience to orders. 
 It was he who dropped the package of gold 
 within the doorway of the hut in the glen, hast-
 
 86 SEBALTHA. 
 
 ening away in the darkness to prevent recogni 
 tion, and it was he who wrote : 
 
 " Chalmer Grose and Lady," 
 " Hamilton Tucker and Lady," 
 
 upon the register of the principal hotel in a 
 mountain city that nestled in the shadow of 
 spurs, upon the slopes of which the mines of 
 the S. N. M. A. were situated. 
 
 The party arrived at the mining town at 
 nine o'clock of the morning following their 
 departure from San Francisco. In the hotel 
 Chalmer Grose found a letter addressed to him 
 by the superintendent of a mine. This let 
 ter requested the President to visit a distant 
 mine upon the earliest date possible, an accident 
 having happened that placed much property in 
 danger of loss. This news was received by Chal 
 mer Grose with impatience, for when he finished 
 the reading, he struck his hand upon the counter 
 of the hotel office with a force that drew the 
 attention of Hamilton Tucker, who, after escort 
 ing the ladies to the parlor and writing on the 
 the register, had become engaged in reading
 
 SERALTHA. 87 
 
 sundry athletic and dramatic posters that hung 
 against the walls. He approached his employer, 
 who gave him the letter to read. 
 
 "Twenty-two miles, and a rough road/' said 
 Hamilton Tucker, after reading; and, looking 
 out through a window toward a distant spur ris 
 ing above the others, he added: " It will take 
 until sundown to climb it with the best team in 
 this town." 
 
 " No accommodations there for the women? " 
 said Ghalmer Grose, in a tone of mingled disap 
 pointment and inquiry. 
 
 " Not a bunk on the slope, except in the mi 
 ners' corral/' the other replied. 
 
 After a consultation, they went to the parlor 
 and informed Seraltha and her chaperon of the 
 summons to the distant mine, and that their 
 absence in response to it would be continued to 
 the late afternoon of the next day. They also 
 suggested methods of entertainment until they 
 should return. Seraltha expressed much regret, 
 but noticed that her chaperon received the 
 information and suggestions with indifference.
 
 88 SERALTHA. 
 
 This was also remarked by Hamilton Tucker, 
 who called her aside and conversed with her in 
 an undertone. 
 
 After a hasty breakfast, Chalmer Grose and 
 Hamilton Tucker started upon their trip to the 
 mine in an open mountain wagon, behind a 
 team of black roadsters. The driver, who was 
 muscular and florid, pushed a heavy pine box 
 under his seat just before he mounted. 
 
 Seraltha and her chaperon had occupied a 
 drawing-room of the sleeping car in which the 
 party rode to the mountain city. Their journey 
 had consumed the time of a day and the suc 
 ceeding night. The two men, whose berths were 
 in the open part of the car, had given gallant 
 attention to their entertainment throughout the 
 day, and bade them good night at an early hour 
 of the evening, retiring to the smoking-room for 
 the enjoyment of cigars and chats with travel 
 ing acquaintances. Shut away from other com 
 panionship in the seclusion of the drawing- 
 room, each woman spread the meshes of in 
 quiry by which to snare the character of the
 
 SERALTHA. 89 
 
 other. In this the elder manifested rare skill. 
 She was several years older than Hamilton 
 Tucker Seraltha had noticed the disparity of 
 ages and slightly wrinkled about the corners 
 of her dark gray eyes. Faint tracings appeared 
 also upon the curves of her full lips, and over 
 her broad dimpled chin. Closer observation 
 showed similar lines shadowed by soft black 
 hair, that pointed upon the middle of a low fore 
 head and receded in heavy waves over either 
 side, sharply contrasting with the creamy white 
 ness of her face and neck, which was, at times, 
 relieved by a slight flush spreading across her 
 cheeks. In conversation the outlines of her 
 rounded form moved in sympathy with her 
 speech and seemed to hold caresses in waiting. 
 
 She had won Seraltha's admiration during 
 the day. An hour of exclusive companionship 
 in the drawing-room was sufficient to secure her 
 confidence, and, artfully prompted by speech 
 and gesture, Seraltha told, at first of Monterey, 
 of its beauties, and of the grand reception, then 
 of her aspirations to become one of those who
 
 90 SERALTHA. 
 
 might dwell in higher places without fear of 
 overthrow. While speaking of Monterey, the 
 contrast " The Mission " came to her thought, 
 and Seraltha told of childhood's poverty; of girl 
 hood struggles to endow herself with decent at 
 tire and provide for mental needs; of uncouth 
 neighbors, primed in boorish narrative; of un 
 congenial suitors, striving to win an unwillng 
 bride and perpetuate her discontent. Her con 
 fidence increasing with its overflow, she told of 
 Chalmer Grose, of his growing love and admira 
 tion, and insinuating that her youth and beauty 
 were but an even compensation for the higher 
 place in life that he could give to her. 
 
 To Seraltha's later confidences her companion 
 had made no response, and now she silently 
 began her preparations for retiring. When both 
 were in their berths, Seraltha said to her com 
 panion : 
 
 " Good-night, Mrs. Tucker!" 
 
 " Not that ! Call me Hermina, always ! Good 
 night! I must sleep," was the response from 
 the opposite berth.
 
 SEBALTHA. 91 
 
 Was it a groan of the engine, toiling around 
 the curves on the steep grade of the mountain 
 gorge; or was it a breath of the night wind 
 sweeping down through the pines above upon 
 the moving train? A low sound, not of the 
 rumbling wheels, nor of the grinding brakes, 
 filled the air in the drawing-room of the sleep 
 ing car, and moaned, and moaned.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PORTION of the canyon through which 
 Chalmer Grose must pass, to approach 
 the mine designated in the letter of the Super 
 intendent, presented scenery remarkable for di 
 versity. The entrance opened toward the city 
 from the east, presenting to the yiew an expanse 
 of pasture land, narrowing to a distant point 
 against pine-covered peaks. It was interspersed 
 with groups of low trees and strips of chaparral 
 that bent around the curves of a mountain 
 stream, lining the roadway from its source near 
 the mine to the principal street of the city. Be 
 yond the peaks a narrow, precipitous pass sprang 
 upward, opening into a plateau covered with 
 boulders of fantastic shapes and variegated tints, 
 the plateau, surrounded by receding cliffs, ter 
 raced to the mists that crept over their verdure- 
 less summits. The mingled stream and road 
 way led through this wilderness to another nar- 
 
 (92)
 
 SEKALTHA. 93 
 
 row pass leading upward to the banks of a small, 
 oblong lake, confined by the masonry of nature 
 and bordered by groves of pine that mounted 
 the slopes upon either side. 
 
 Beyond, the roadway made a sharp ascent 
 against the face of a cliff, winding around its 
 projection and reaching an altitude of three 
 hundred feet. Beneath that point, a series of 
 rapids and waterfalls, with alternating plunge 
 and rush, foamed down the deep, narrow gorge 
 that gradually widened in its descent, and in 
 which, their tops brushing against the narrow 
 roadway, grew pine and other large trees. Be 
 yond these cascades the canyon opened into a 
 broad plain, shaded by oak and chaparral. Cat 
 tle grazed about and upon the edge of the upper 
 slope of the plain. 
 
 Near a gorge opening to the heights above 
 stood a log house, long and low, with out-houses 
 in the rear. This house marked the half-way 
 point between the city and the mine; in it the 
 traveler found rude comforts and fiery liquors. 
 Stories were told in the city of dark deeds per-
 
 94 SEEALTHA. 
 
 petrated hereabout in earlier days; but no evi 
 dence of them now remained. 
 
 A heavy grade, ascending over a stony road 
 strewn with fragments of ore that were shaken 
 from the carts on their way to smelters in the 
 city, was the only feature that attracted the at 
 tention of the traveler after leaving the range 
 house; and this rose before him with increasing 
 steepness to the entrance of the mine. 
 
 Chalmer Grose and his companion arrived 
 at the mine just as the pines were merging into 
 the twilight shadows of the peaks. After sup 
 per and a long consultation with the Superin 
 tendent, they accepted the miner's accommoda 
 tions for the night. The driver spread blankets 
 upon the bed of the mountain wagon, and, after 
 many visits to the pine box, drew the canvas 
 aprons of the seats over himself and slept until 
 aroused at 1 1 o'clock the next day by Hamilton 
 Tucker, who, with Chalmer Grose, had made an 
 examination of the mine, and who now ordered 
 the driver to have the team ready within an 
 hour for a return to the city. The driver's prep-
 
 SERALTHA. 95 
 
 arations for the journey included frequent visits 
 to the pine box, and immediately after their 
 dinner the party began a rapid descent of the 
 mountain. 
 
 After the departure of Chalmer Grose and his 
 companion from the hotel, the ladies took joint 
 possession of one of the two suites of rooms re 
 served for the party. Hermina said: 
 
 " I am unhappy; let us drive." 
 
 Driving in company was one of the methods 
 suggested by Chalmer Grose for their entertain 
 ment during his absence. He had also told 
 them to select a steady horse, and to avoid dan 
 gerous routes. 
 
 An hour later, Hermina and Seraltha, the for 
 mer holding the reins, were seated in a phaeton 
 drawn by a spirited horse. Turning from a 
 street, Hermina drove into the roadway leading 
 to the mine. Seraltha had strongly protested 
 against the use of this horse, for Hermina was 
 a reckless driver, and even now was driving 
 with unusual speed. Seraltha urged her to rein 
 in the horse; but Hermina, her cheeks reddened
 
 96 SEBALTHA. 
 
 by the wind, and her eyes lustrous with excite 
 ment, cried: 
 
 "If he could fly it would be better for us for 
 you! I would turn him from the mountains to 
 ward the ocean, and guide him to its most 
 furious storms, that we might perish." 
 
 Seeing alarm depicted in Seraltha's face, 
 caused by those desperate words, Hermina has 
 tened to say: 
 
 " Never fear; there is no danger. I am only 
 despondent, and would fly away from it. I have 
 driven him often and far up this canyon. My 
 own despondency dictated the words I uttered 
 awhile ago. This canyon is an imagery of 
 my life, and may be of your future. All that 
 you now see is beautiful; the city with its 
 pleasures, over there; here about us, and up to 
 yonder peaks, rich verdure, flowers and spark 
 ling stream; beyond well, go with me. Be not 
 afraid. You will be in little danger. Few 
 women die when they should." 
 
 They were now midway between the city and 
 the point of verdure that disappeared against
 
 SERALTHA. 97 
 
 the peaks. The horse had slowed his pace to a 
 steady amble as the phaeton ascended the 
 grade. 
 
 " I was assured," responded Seraltha, " that 
 this was to be a pleasure trip, and that you 
 you are so different from 'your ways of yester 
 day, Mrs. Hermina and " 
 
 " And, you are not what I supposed you to 
 be. Seraltha, you are a good woman I How 
 long have you known him ? " 
 
 The question expressed by the grey eyes of 
 Hermina was more potent to compel an answer, 
 as they looked steadily into Seraltha's face, than 
 the words from her lips. " How long have you 
 known him ? " the eyes asked. 
 
 " Not a month," answered Seraltha. 
 
 A painful heat entered her body and crept 
 upward, burning her cheeks and ears. 
 
 " And that time has been pleasant, like the 
 scenery below and about us ? " the eyes in 
 quired again. 
 
 " Yes," answered Seraltha.
 
 98 SEKALTHA. 
 
 " Filled also with anticipations of a beautiful 
 future, charming as the view before us? ' 
 
 Seraltha's eyes were now turned toward the 
 landscape, directed from point to point. Her- 
 mina's queries displeased her, for she fancied 
 that they bore an undertone of sarcasm. The 
 grey eyes could not look into her face, and she 
 made no response. 
 
 After a long silence, during which they had 
 arrived near the precipitous pass beyond the 
 peaks, and could hear the stream rushing over 
 the flinty roadway, Hermina said: 
 
 " The beauties below are yours. They were 
 mine. I have known him seven years." 
 
 They had reached the Pass. The horse 
 tossed his head as if assenting to the task 
 before him, and hastened up the declivity, giv 
 ing no heed to the foaming water by his side 
 and about his feet. Seraltha shrunk close to 
 Hermina during the ascent, and closer when 
 they reached the height and she looked upon 
 the tinted desolation of the rocky plateau, and
 
 SERALTHA. 99 
 
 upward toward the mist that hung over the 
 receding cliff above. 
 
 " A wilderness like this is now in my soul," 
 said Hermina. 
 
 She turned the horse upon a broad, flat rock 
 that underlaid the stream, and extended beyond 
 its edge with a gentle upward slope. Serai tha 
 moved away from her, and made no response. 
 Hermina pointed toward a group of rocks rest 
 ing each against the other and against the base 
 of the distant cliff upon her right, and resumed: 
 
 " That seems a grotto, its face festooned with 
 broad tinted ribbons of lilac and saffron. With 
 in is spread a couch, its canopy of sapphire, its 
 yellow coverlet dropping thick folds on emerald 
 rugs. It seems a place of warmth and beauty, 
 its stillness inviting and tranquilizing. I went 
 there once and stood within that grotto. I sat 
 upon the couch. The tinted ribbons that fes 
 toon its face are dull crumbling flakes of rotting 
 stone, the sapphire canopy a dingy rock, and 
 the yellow coverlet a damp sand heap beyond a 
 slimy pool in which newts glide hither and
 
 100 SERALTHA. 
 
 thither. Ah! dear; distance beguiles the view! 
 Thus all my pleasures hoped for proved illu 
 sory." 
 
 Failing to interpret her meaning, Seraltha 
 said: 
 
 " Do you love him ? " and impetuously con 
 tinued: "You have no right to that. You 
 should be unhappy. You should love your hus 
 band." 
 
 " Hush ! he is my husband in name only. 
 He married me for gold, and I I was to be cast 
 aside by Chalmer Grose; yet he gave a trine 
 from his wealth, so that I might be called 'wife' 
 instead of 'wanton.' He purchased a husband 
 for me. Seraltha, do you comprehend ? " 
 
 To Seraltha the receding cliffs seemed slowly 
 closing above, overhanging and about to fall; 
 the rocks upon the plateau drew near around 
 her, and flashed tints in kaleidoscopic circles 
 within her darkening vision. The gasping 
 breath and the hands reaching toward the water 
 splashing by them, told Hermina that she was 
 understood. But, when Seraltha began to rea-
 
 SERALTHA. 101 
 
 son upon what she heard, doubts regarding the 
 integrity of her companion came to her. 
 
 Few women give another one credit for hon 
 esty of purpose in that information which dis 
 turbs ambition; inexperienced women never do. 
 The conceit of knowledge from the promptings 
 of that favored deceiver, intuition, blinds argu 
 ment and wrecks their judgment. Facts become 
 fallacies, and advice impertinence. Yet she lis 
 tened while Hermina continued: 
 
 " I will tell you but first let us leave this 
 hideous place." 
 
 She turned the horse upon the flat stone, and, 
 driving through the plateau, stopped at the 
 oblong lake. The beauties of this mountain 
 gem were unnoticed by them. The sparkling 
 water reflected light that deepened the faint 
 wrinkles upon Hermina's face, and there were 
 tears in her eyes, when she turned toward Ser- 
 altha. 
 
 " My life was like yours before I met him," 
 she said. " When you unveiled your life and 
 aspirations to me in the sleeping-car, I saw
 
 102 SEBALTHA. 
 
 myself in the purity of girlhood, beset by all 
 the dangers which, unavoided, have made my 
 life like the hideous place behind us. We, who 
 were born in lowly homes, and endowed only 
 with health and beauty, yet having the benefits 
 of education, tread the hunting grounds of de 
 signing men. We are sought, we know not why, 
 until we have been ensnared. We exemplify 
 a fable. We are yet of the pheasant while we 
 trill the notes of the nightingale. ' Be cautious ! ' 
 our parents call to us. But where is the dan 
 ger ? Flowers seem to cover the pathway; but 
 they overhang pitfalls and smile alluringly. 
 Do they tell us who would make us their prey? 
 With kindly words they lure us along pleasant 
 paths to our doom. Just where you are I was, 
 seven years ago." 
 
 The tears increased their flow as she uttered 
 the last sentence. She bent her face over her 
 lap, and they fell fast upon the carriage robe. 
 A gust from the mountain breeze swept over the 
 cliffs, and dropped through the pines about the 
 tiny lake, bearing a sigh over its ruffled surface
 
 SERALTHA. 103 
 
 that breathed the heartaches of seven shameful 
 years. 
 
 When in the sleeping-car Seraltha had an 
 irresistible desire to speak of all within her heart. 
 She now felt the same potency of command from 
 the despairing woman, who bent her head over 
 the carriage robe and, without speech, demanded 
 silence; yet, within her being, she felt the im 
 pulse, born when the world was young, to pour 
 blame upon a woman's weakness even at a time 
 when she was struggling in the agonies of mem 
 ory. Had Hermina looked into the violet eyes 
 of her companion at this instant she would have 
 seen resentment and condemnation; and, had 
 she asked for sympathy, she would have heard 
 the unjust words with which women have ago 
 nized the souls of their sister women through 
 the ages: " You tempted him." 
 
 "When the tears had brought relief, Hermina 
 raised her head and continued: " I had finished 
 my studies at an academy. My father had toiled 
 and my mother saved, so that I might remain 
 to the end of the course. Soon afterward I met
 
 104 SEBALTHA. 
 
 him Chalmer Grose. Where I should have re 
 sented, I forgave; and where I should have re 
 fused, I assented. The reputation of sin was 
 upon me, while I was yet pure. It is but a step 
 from disrepute to impurity one suggests the 
 other. I took that course, and you may." 
 
 Seraltha grasped the arm of her companion 
 and angrily exclaimed: "I have honor, Mrs. 
 Tucker! No, this is a word you could not say. 
 This word is a woman's shield." 
 
 Hermina earnestly responded: 
 
 " Men seek to break this shield. But there 
 is another, word of mighty power, the definition 
 of which is not in language, but in the soul of 
 her who hears, and of him who speaks it. In 
 her it may be glorified with a heavenly mean 
 ing; by him it may be spoken in lust; yet, when 
 he utters this word, her soul reads its own tab 
 lets, and while it reads, her shield is broken and 
 her weapon turned aside. This word is Love." 
 
 The force of these sentences was lost upon 
 Seraltha, whose heart had hardened against the 
 one whom she now believed to be a weakling
 
 SEBALTHA. 105 
 
 attempting to discourage an ambition which she 
 herself had failed to gratify. Yet Serai tha made 
 no response. She released Hermina's arm and 
 reclined against the cushioned back of the phae 
 ton seat. Absorbed in thoughts of the past, 
 Hermina continued, still looking upon the lake : 
 
 " After defeat, the flowers never smile, the 
 fields are never beautiful and the forests are 
 ever gloomy. The humble home, once despised, 
 
 now seems to have been a paradise, and" 
 
 A movement of her companion caused Hermina 
 to look toward her. 
 
 Fully impressed with a belief that weakness 
 of purpose was the cause of Hermina's downfall, 
 and that her present intentions were to turn 
 aside one who might win a husband where she 
 had failed, Seraltha determined to close a con 
 versation that had become annoying to her. 
 
 The movement that drew Hermina's attention 
 was a sudden straightening of Seraltha's body 
 from its reclining position to one of rigid up 
 rightness, facing toward her. What Hermina 
 saw, when she turned her head, were violet eyes,
 
 106 SEEALTHA. 
 
 deepening in hue while she looked upon them, 
 and a white face expressing a mingling of pity 
 and determination. She had spoken as to a 
 confiding girl, hut now a woman confronted her 
 with visible self-reliance, and no words were 
 needed to know her wishes. 
 
 Hermina quickly gathered the reins and 
 turned the horse on the road. She drove care 
 fully across the rocky plateau and down the pre 
 cipitous pass, but when they had entered the 
 grassy opening of the canyon she drew the reins 
 tightly and urged the horse to his utmost speed. 
 Seraltha looked apprehensively at the speeding 
 animal until within sight of the hotel and heaved 
 a sigh of relief as she stepped from the phaeton.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 BROKEN tire was seen by Hamilton 
 Tucker to be slipping away from one 
 of the forward wheels of the mountain wagon, 
 and before he could make the driver halt it 
 escaped from its place and rolled down the 
 steep grade of the stony road, just beyond the 
 log house of the cattle range. Chalmer Grose 
 had urged the driver to increasing speed seve 
 ral times during the descent from the mine, and 
 when the log house came in view this speed had 
 reached the danger point. The driver, who 
 seemed to share the impatience of his passen 
 ger, was quite careless in his driving, for the 
 wheels had struck several projecting rocks. 
 
 The tire and the wagon came to a full stop, 
 the one from striking against one of these pro 
 jections, the other from the efforts of Hamilton 
 Tucker, who shot his full length over the driver 
 and pushed the foot-brake taut with his hand. 
 
 (107)
 
 108 SERALTHA. 
 
 Chalmer Grose, in the meantime the noise 
 from the clattering tire having warned him of 
 the situation kept his position by grasping the 
 seat with both hands. 
 
 When the team was brought to a halt, Ham 
 ilton Tucker clambered out to make a survey of 
 the damages. The wheel was not broken, but it 
 could not be used until the tire was welded and 
 re-set. He solved this problem after a visit to 
 the log house below. Having discovered tools 
 in one of the out-houses he went to the dwelling 
 for assistance; but a woman, who appeared at 
 the door, informed him that all the men of the 
 range had gone to the city. He had often wit 
 nessed the operation of setting tires, the woman 
 readily granted permission to use the appliances 
 on the place, besides extending an invitation to 
 partake of the contents of any of the bottles that 
 he saw in rows upon shelves behind a rude 
 counter. Declining the latter courtesy, he re 
 turned to the scene of the accident, and with 
 cheering words directed the drawing of the 
 wagon to the shop. By the combined efforts of
 
 SERALTHA. 109 
 
 the three travelers the tire was firmly set, Ham 
 ilton Tucker performing the more difficult part 
 of the work. " I am a natural blacksmith," he 
 asserted with pride, striking the set tire a sharp 
 rap with the hammer. 
 
 The travelers then took their places in the 
 wagon and the willing team sped down the 
 smooth road of the oak-dotted plain. It was 
 evident that the will of the driver was in har 
 mony with the desire of his passengers to reach 
 the city before sunset, for he constantly urged 
 the horses to greater speed. During the time 
 in which the repairs were being made, he had 
 frequently refreshed himself from the bottles on 
 the shelves behind the counter in the house. 
 
 An hour before sunset Seraltha Ames, who 
 was on an upper balcon} r of the hotel, looking 
 out over the opening of the canyon, saw an ob 
 ject come forth from the shadow of the peaks 
 near the precipitous pass and slowly advance 
 toward the city. Although the nature of this 
 object was not discernible, because of the dis 
 tance, she observed that it did not keep to the
 
 110 SEP.ALTHA. 
 
 roadway, but advanced in a direct line. It 
 came down the opening and disappeared among 
 the groups of low trees that thickly dotted the 
 side of the canyon. She again gave attention 
 to the point of verdure narrowing to the Pass. 
 
 Her association with Hermina had become 
 wearisome. This seemed to be mutual, for Her 
 mina had found an interesting book and was 
 now reclining on a sofa in her chamber, engaged 
 in reading it. Seraltha had at first gone out to 
 the balcony of the floor upon which their suite 
 was situated and noticed the people passing in 
 the street. Tiring of this, she went to the high 
 est balcony, where she obtained a full view of 
 the opening to the canyon, and hoped for the 
 appearance of Chalmer Grose and his party. 
 
 Her thoughts, while waiting and watching, 
 dwelt upon Monterey and the reception, upon 
 the house on Pine street and its pleasant par 
 lors. She then, in thought, saw a palace upon 
 a western hill of San Francisco, overlooking the 
 ocean and the bay, and splendid as the home of 
 a princess. This surely could be, her thoughts
 
 SERALTHA. Ill 
 
 declared; for the man who was coining toward 
 her from the mountains had the power to create, 
 even more marvelous than the structure of her 
 reverie. If he loved her this would be. He must 
 love; it could not be otherwise. She was pure 
 no man had ever touched her lips; beautiful, 
 surpassing any at Monterey; youthful Her- 
 mina's words flashed into her thoughts: "By 
 him it may be spoken in lust." She put her 
 whole being against the thought; her soul re 
 pelled it; her reason seized it and pushed it out. 
 " She could love him." No doubts mingled 
 with this thought. " A woman would be less 
 than her sex who could not love the man who 
 delivered her from the weariness of poverty to 
 the animation of " 
 
 The thought was never completed. She 
 sprang from her seat, and, placing both hands 
 upon a rail of the balustrade, she bent far for 
 ward to bring her eyes nearer to what she now 
 plainly saw moving upon the roadway, far down 
 the opening of the canyon. 
 
 A half hour had passed since the object
 
 112 SEKALTHA. 
 
 which she had been unable to define disappeared 
 among the trees. During that time it had 
 moved unseen, coming suddenly into view from 
 behind a long strip of chaparral that stood half 
 way between the hotel and the peaks, one mile 
 from either. The sinking sun now threw its 
 rays upon the object, which at first appeared a 
 glistening black; but as it moved upon a curve 
 of the roadway, shimmering bands of crimson 
 mingled with the black in flashing contrast. 
 Sometimes it wavered, as if about to fall, and 
 again advanced vigorously, then retarded its 
 movements, but always appeared as if stum 
 bling or hobbling. As it approached nearer, 
 something that seemed to be a burden showed 
 upon its back, secured by heavy bands. Nearer, 
 the heavy bands dragged their ends upon the 
 ground, and the crimson deepened in the rays 
 of the setting sun. 
 
 There are things that shut the light from the 
 eyes of the strongest women. 
 
 The woman in the balcony covered her face 
 with her hands, reeled, and fell to the floor.
 
 SEKALTHA. 113 
 
 No one was near to aid her; but she soon re 
 vived, so that she was able to walk. Slowly she 
 left the place and went down the stairway to 
 the chamber in which Hermina was reading. 
 She touched her upon the shoulder. Hermina 
 looked up and saw a face ghastly in its pallor 
 and white lips moving in stifled speech. The 
 only words audible were: " The horse! " Seral- 
 tha repeated the words and then turned away as 
 if dazed or stunned, yet conscious that Hermina 
 could not comprehend. She groped her way to 
 the office of the hotel. 
 
 Men had gathered there after business hours, 
 who were laughing and chatting. She walked 
 among them and the room became silent. 
 
 " The horse! the horse!" she exclaimed with 
 stifled voice. The men looked at her in aston 
 ishment. No one responded. Her white lips 
 moved in other speech, but "The horse! the 
 horse! " were the only words they heard. Sud 
 denly, with hands upraised and sight straining 
 out through a window, she again reeled and fell 
 to the floor. The sound of footsteps hastening
 
 114: SERALTHA. 
 
 along the sidewalk drew attention from her to 
 the street, and there a story of calamity was read 
 at a glance. 
 
 A black horse of the team that went up the 
 canyon in the morning of the previous day hob 
 bled slowly along the pavement of the street to 
 ward the stables of the hotel. Cruel gashes, 
 bordered by deeper scarlet, seamed his glossy 
 blackness. A thick pine branch had driven its 
 splintered end under his collar, piercing the 
 arch of his neck and holding its green boughs 
 over his back. The broad leather traces dragged 
 upon the ground. 
 
 "The Cascades!" exclaimed a hostler, who 
 met the wounded horse at the entrance of the 
 stables. "The Cascades!" echoed a voice far 
 back in the crowd that had pressed around him. 
 "The Cascades! The Cascades!" was shouted 
 along the street and into the office of the hotel. 
 
 "The Cascades?" gasped Seraltha, as men 
 raised her from the floor and supported her to 
 a seat. She repeated the words in response to 
 the voices in the street; then, looking among
 
 SEKALTHA. 115 
 
 the faces of those who had gathered about her. 
 from one to another, she asked, pleadingly, " Is 
 it a dreadful place? The horse! Will he die? 
 Can nothing live that that ? Is it very deep ? 
 Is it water? Is it rock? The Cascades! Can 
 no one escape? Is he " her head bent forward 
 and through the trembling hands that now cov 
 ered her face tears fell, and a smothered word 
 struggled out with them " dead?" 
 
 The faces made no response, but sympathetic 
 hands aided her to her chamber, where she asked 
 to be left alone. 
 
 No sound of voices on the street had reached 
 the seclusion of Hermina's chamber. She con 
 tinued to read, fully interested in the pleasing 
 book. 
 
 The hasty work of the stablemen had brought 
 before the entrance of the hotel two sturdy teams 
 attached to mountain wagons, like that in which 
 Chalmer Grose had driven to the mine, except 
 that one was longer. From this the two hind 
 most seats had been removed, and blankets, mat 
 tresses and straw filled the box. The driver had
 
 116 SERALTHA. 
 
 brought lanterns from the stables and hung 
 them against his seat. The driver of the other 
 wagon took cases, packages and splints from 
 two surgeons who stood upon the sidewalk, and 
 who immediately afterward put on heavy over 
 coats and hastily climbed to the seat behind 
 him. 
 
 The two sturdy teams galloped swiftly toward 
 the opening of the canyon, men on horseback 
 competing in the race. The clatter of hoofs and 
 the crack of the drivers' whips sounded fainter 
 and fainter in the distance, and then all was still 
 about the hotel still as the chamber where a 
 woman wept silently.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 awaited beside a pleasant home in 
 Santa Rosa, to enter and touch the wife 
 of Abel Hyman. A husband's strong arm was 
 already drawing her face to his, so that he might 
 hear her whispered words. His great heart gave 
 solace in words of strength and hope; hope to 
 her that she might recover, as she had done be 
 fore; words of strength that he might himself 
 hear, for aid to hold the wailings of sorrow that 
 filled his soul, to keep them there until a time 
 when she could not hear. 
 
 Death came and stayed her breath while these 
 faltering words were still upon her lips : 
 
 " Seraltha love her and " 
 
 Abel Hyman was alone. 
 
 His wife had been an invalid for many years, 
 and had often approached very near to death, 
 but had revived to a measure of strength. 
 Especially was this frequent during the years 
 
 (117)
 
 118 SERALTHA. 
 
 in which Seraltha gave her companionship as 
 compensation for a home while in attendance at 
 the seminary. Although showing a constant af 
 fection for Seraltha, when these greater illnesses 
 came upon her, Mrs. Hyman disclosed a love 
 deeper than that of companionship, yet not that 
 of a mother. In her helpless hours she had, in 
 meditation, looked onward to the goodly com 
 pany awaiting her, and in her thoughts would 
 sit amidst it and see the one whom she had left 
 behind, as he moved about his desolate home 
 in loneliness. Then love would breathe wishes 
 that his life might be cheered by the compan 
 ionship of another, and when she felt herself 
 sinking, she would ask that Seraltha might be 
 with her to hear her last words. 
 
 Question not, ye women who have never felt 
 the overflowing love from a noble soul sweeping 
 away your self-preference. You can never com 
 prehend. The heart of the woman who has felt 
 this overflow holds impulses that reason knows 
 not of. 
 
 Seraltha had not made the promised visit, and
 
 SEBALTHA. 119 
 
 no word from her had been received at Santa 
 Rosa. During the day preceding that upon 
 which Mrs. Hyman died, two messengers were 
 sent to the city, instructed to find her. One 
 went to the house of her mother, another to the 
 home of the invalid lady, to whom Seraltha had 
 been long in service. When these two met, 
 after their vain search, one reported that her 
 mother had directed him to the home of the in 
 valid lady, who told the other messenger that 
 Seraltha was with her mother. After consulta 
 tion the two messengers went to the house of 
 her mother, and with their information and sur 
 mises so frightened Mrs. Ames, that she hastened 
 to visit the invalid lady, who multiplied her 
 fears by allusion to recent newspaper accounts 
 of mysterious disappearances, of elopements and 
 of suicides. She advised Mrs. Ames to go 
 directly to the Central Police Station for fur 
 ther information. Unable to give this, the offi 
 cers suggested that she advertise in the daily 
 papers for her missing daughter. 
 
 This advertisement appeared in the evening
 
 120 SERALTHA. 
 
 papers, and was also displayed by the Investi 
 gator in its morning issue : 
 
 " Serai tha, where are you? Come to your 
 mother." 
 
 An obliging clerk in attendance at the first 
 office that she entered suggested other forms; 
 but Mrs. Ames, brushing away tears, insisted 
 upon this as being a full expression of what was 
 uppermost in her heart. 
 
 Nat Rapps was looking over "the paper" 
 while awaiting breakfast at a fashionable family 
 hotel, situated among the western hills near the 
 most pretentious residences of best society. He 
 had ordered generously and had placed his feet 
 upon the lower round of his chair, to aid in his 
 coming gratification. Something in the paper 
 fixed his attention. His feet dropped from 
 their resting-place and remained suspended for 
 an instant, while he folded his paper and then 
 hurriedly left the room. 
 
 The waiter, who arrived soon afterward bear 
 ing Nat Rapps' breakfast, remarked to another 
 who stood beside an opposite table:
 
 SERALTHA. 121 
 
 " Dis de fouf time dis same thing happen 
 since I'se been on dis table, jes' two weeks day 
 fo'yisterday." 
 
 A few moments later Nat Rapps rang the door 
 bell of the house on Pine street. The door was 
 soon opened by Lethe St. Pier, who looked at 
 him suspiciously; but after recognizing him as 
 the courteous gentleman of Monterey, whose 
 sister could not dress properly, she admitted 
 him graciously. 
 
 " My sister, madam/' he said immediately after 
 being seated, "has insisted that I should wait 
 upon you and inquire if you can assist her at a 
 reception to be given to an eminent literary 
 gentleman at the Hotel Havencourt next month. 
 I told her of the beautifully dressed young lady 
 who was at the reception at Monterey Miss 
 Ames. I was introduced to her. A lovely lady, 
 besides being charmingly dressed; and my sister 
 insists that I shall beg you not to refuse. Her 
 husband is very wealthy, and she can pay well 
 even more for your assistance." With some 
 hesitation Lethe answered: " May be, Miss Se-
 
 122 SEEALTHA. 
 
 raltha will attend the same reception. If she 
 does she will want me to wait on her." 
 
 "Miss Seraltha? Yes! That would be unfor 
 tunate for my sister. Can you ask Miss Seral 
 tha if she is to attend? The invitations have 
 been out several days." 
 
 " She is away from the city, sir." 
 
 "A letter would reach her." 
 
 " She is in the mountains." 
 
 " The mails go everywhere. A letter would 
 certainly find her. My sister will pay you well 
 even more," persisted Nat Rapps. 
 
 " I don't know the name of the place only 
 the names of some of the mines," said Lethe, 
 whose self-possession was disturbed by the con 
 sideration of an impossible letter. 
 
 "The El Dorado Consolidated, perhaps? A 
 postofnce right by them," responded Nat Rapps, 
 encouragingly. 
 
 " No. The Hardstone and the Consolation." 
 
 " Nevada! " exclaimed Nat Rapps. 
 
 " Nevada ? " echoed Lethe. " I don't know."
 
 SERALTHA. 123 
 
 " Went with a party," asserted Nat Rapps, 
 quietly. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Pity to disturb her with letters. My sister 
 is unfortunate." 
 
 " She will be at home in a week; then I can 
 ask her about it," said Lethe, with a glance of 
 eagerness. 
 
 " Can't tell. They may decide to stay a month 
 when they arrive there." 
 
 " No. Mr. Chalmer Grose said they would 
 come back in ten days foh shuah." 
 
 In the instant that Lethe spoke the name of 
 Chalmer Grose, she became agitated. Nat Rapps 
 gave no visible attention to this, nor to the fact 
 that she had used the name, but prepared for 
 departure, saying: "My sister will be disap 
 pointed, but she could not wait ten days before 
 securing assistance. Must be secured at least 
 two weeks before the reception. You understand 
 about such things. You will meet her, though, 
 in the future. She wants assistance frequently. 
 I will call upon you hereafter, when she does."
 
 124 SEBALTHA. 
 
 Nat Rapps went from the house on Pine street 
 to the offices of the S. N. M. A., where he gained 
 information of the whereabouts of Chalmer Grose. 
 He afterward put upon his diary: 
 
 " Seraltha found. Nine A. M." 
 
 With anxious heart Mrs. Ames passed the 
 forenoon of this day by looking out at the win 
 dow toward the street, except, at times, when 
 she would go to the sidewalk and strain her 
 sight along its distance upon either hand, then 
 walk to the adjacent corners and look up and 
 down other streets. Returning to her cottage, 
 she sat with folded hands, still looking out at 
 the window, and strove to quiet her fears by 
 thoughts upon possibilities. 
 
 Perhaps Seraltha had found another place, 
 with some other invalid lady, to whom she was 
 now giving companionship, and had forgotten 
 to tell her mother of the change. Perhaps 
 blessed word, that brings to doubt sweet sen 
 tences of cheer, even so that the gates of heaven 
 may be seen through sinfulness. Its sugges 
 tions gave her hope until time passed the noon-
 
 SERALTHA. 125 
 
 hour, and the thought came to her of the wick 
 edness in a great city. "Perhaps" ominous 
 word, that increases the terrors of doubt, even 
 to a certainty of evil. 
 
 She hastily prepared for walking, and during 
 the afternoon called at all places where Seraltha 
 might visit, but found no information. Return 
 ing to her home in the evening, and finding it 
 desolate, she went again to the office of the In 
 vestigator for the purpose of inserting another 
 advertisement. While she was there a group of 
 men stood behind the counter of the office, dis 
 cussing information received by a telegram. Nat 
 Rapps stood among these, and after conclusions 
 were reached regarding future action upon the 
 information, he turned away from the others 
 and approached the counter. 
 
 When a clerk had written the advertisement, 
 Nat Rapps saw the name " Seraltha " upon it. 
 
 " You are her mother," said he, addressing 
 Mrs. Ames in undertone. 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " Seraltha is found," he said, and leaning over
 
 126 SEBALTHA. 
 
 the counter he touched her hand as she uttered 
 an exclamation. "Hush! Not here! Say no 
 word. She wants you. Wants you immediately. 
 She is in the mountains. Hush ! " This checked 
 another exclamation. " The train that will take 
 you to her leaves within an hour. I am going 
 there. You will go with me. She wants you. 
 The Investigator will bear your expenses. Do 
 not ask me any questions. I cannot answer 
 them, but you must go with me. Seraltha wants 
 you. You will see her to-morrow." 
 
 A carriage came to the door soon afterward 
 and stood in waiting. Nat Rapps passed out 
 from behind the counter and assisted the bewil 
 dered woman into it. Arriving at the train, he 
 secured an apartment for her in a sleeping car. 
 For his own accommodation he selected a day 
 car. Within an hour thereafter he was full 
 asleep upon opened seats, and the train was 
 speeding toward the mountain city. Before he 
 slept he drew a paper from his pocket and in 
 the dim light from the oil lamps above him, he 
 read the telegram received by the Investigator :
 
 SERALTHA. 127 
 
 " CITY, WEDNESDAY, , 8 p. M. 
 
 "INVESTIGATOR, 
 
 " San Francisco : 
 
 " A horse, grievously wounded by falling 
 through trees and over rocks, hobbled into this 
 city at sunset. He is of a team that was driven 
 into the mountains by Mr. Chalmer Grose, Pres 
 ident of the Sierra Nevada Mining Association, 
 who, with others, came here yesterday morning, 
 and left soon after to visit a mine upon one 
 of the upper slopes. The condition of the horse 
 and his harness indicates a plunge over the cliff 
 
 above the Cascades of Canyon, together 
 
 with the wagon in which the party rode. The 
 roadway at one point is three hundred feet above 
 the Cascades, and is in all places high, narrow 
 and dangerous. It is feared that there are no 
 survivors of a terrible catastrophe, except this 
 horse. A relief party, with surgeons and their 
 appliances, has gone into the mountains. 
 
 " OPERATOR, WESTERN UNION."
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 > more trouble," exclaimed Ham 
 ilton Tucker, soon after Nat Rapps 
 wrote his name and that of Mrs. Ames on the 
 register of the mountain-city hotel. He had 
 been busily engaged during the entire day in 
 the construction of answers to telegrams of anx 
 ious inquiry from San Francisco and other 
 places, regarding the accident at the Cascades. 
 This strain upon his mind, together with the la 
 bor of going many times to a suite of rooms in 
 the second story of the hotel, and making jour 
 neys to the telegraph office, had brought upon 
 him much fatigue. He stood in a leaning atti 
 tude against the counter of the hotel office for a 
 partial rest, when passengers from the evening 
 express train came into the room. He was thus 
 standing while Nat Rapps wrote on the register. 
 From his position he saw the names plainly. 
 He immediately went away from -the counter to 
 
 (128)
 
 SEEALTHA. 129 
 
 the farther end of the office and dropped wearily 
 into a chair. It was here that the assertion re 
 lating to additional trouble was made, and it 
 was here that he drew his hat over his eyes and 
 feigned sleep as Nat Rapps approached him, af 
 ter a conversation with the clerk of the hotel 
 and a hasty examination of recent entries on 
 the register. During this time Mrs. Ames was 
 conducted to the floor above by a bell-boy. 
 
 A speedy employment of time, besides the 
 gaining of full information, was essential to the 
 purposes of Nat Rapps, for the Investigator 
 should be in receipt of his report at midnight. 
 He approached Hamilton Tucker and tapped 
 him gently on the arm. 
 
 " Nat Rapps, of the Investigator" said the re 
 porter, as Hamilton Tucker raised his hat in 
 response. 
 
 " After news?" asserted Hamilton Tucker, who 
 buttoned his coat over his chest. 
 
 " Information, Mr. Tucker reliable informa 
 tion. Prominent man is Mr. Chalmer Grose. 
 The Investigator is very discreet."
 
 130 SEEALTHA. 
 
 " You want to make a sensation. I have tele 
 graphed everything to friends. Nothing more 
 to say. Don't want a great ado made over it 
 he don't. He got hurt at the Cascades. Lay 
 him up a month. Doing well. Hurt pretty bad, 
 not dangerous. Nothing more to say. Nothing 
 more to it." Hamilton Tucker secured another 
 button of his coat. Nat Rapps took a seat near 
 by him. 
 
 " If fairly treated, Mr. Tucker," said the re 
 porter, " the Investigator avoids sensational work. 
 Competent authority refuses information. We 
 must look elsewhere. General information is 
 always sensational. Not our fault; we do the 
 best we can. Prominent man and his party 
 
 stopping in City. Prominent man seriously 
 
 injured by unusual accident. A full account 
 must go to the Investigator within three hours. 
 I will interview the people about the hotel, con 
 sult the register and infer the rest." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker drew a deep breath, glanced 
 at the opened register lying upon the counter, 
 and loosened two of the four buttons of his coat.
 
 SERALTHA. 131 
 
 At the same time he turned partly toward Nat 
 Rapps and said: 
 
 " Unusual accident! Yes, Mr. er " 
 
 " Rapps, of the Investigator" prompted the 
 reporter. 
 
 " Unusual accident, Mr. Rapps," resumed 
 Hamilton Tucker, now in a perspiration, and 
 unfastening the remaining buttons of his coat. 
 Again repeating the words, he added: " Full ac 
 count of accident. That is what you want. Noth 
 ing else? No business matters? He is up here 
 on business at the mines." 
 
 " His business affairs have no interest to the 
 Investigator, Mr. Tucker. Go on with your ac 
 count of the accident." 
 
 " And you want nothing else? " asked Hamil 
 ton Tucker, suddenly becoming animated. 
 
 " Nothing else. Go on." 
 
 " But her mother came with you! She is up 
 stairs now." 
 
 " On the same train. First news indicated that 
 all of the party were killed or terribly injured. 
 Of course, her mother would naturally come."
 
 132 SEBALTHA. 
 
 " But she did not know that Se that she was 
 out of the city. How did she find that out?" 
 Hamilton Tucker meditated and then, with an 
 air of satisfaction, added : " It is all right, 
 though. She has been with my wife all the 
 time since we left the city. 
 
 Nat Rapps made no response to this, but again 
 said: 
 
 " Go on with your account of the accident." 
 
 " I tell you, it was the fault of that drunken 
 driver." Hamilton Tucker hesitated and looked 
 out through the window, upward toward the 
 mountain, although dense darkness was about 
 it. As if gathering thought from the gloom 
 outside, he continued silent until prompted by 
 the reporter, upon which he turned from the 
 window and, unbuttoning his waistcoat, resumed 
 his narrative. 
 
 " That tire was all correct. The driver had 
 four empty whisky flasks in that box under his 
 seat. Anyway, I found the necks of four with 
 the corks sticking in them, just where the box 
 struck a rock under that big pine tree. That
 
 SERALTHA. 133 
 
 box was smashed to flinders, and so were the 
 flasks, except the necks, and I know they were 
 empty when they struck the rock, because there 
 was no smell of whisky on the splinters of the 
 box nor on the rock. He had five or six doses 
 of that lightning at the range house besides. I 
 tell you, it was the fault of that boozy driver. 
 The tire was all correct." Hamilton Tucker's 
 narrative was here interrupted by generous pro 
 fanity, 
 
 " The brute should have been killed," he con 
 tinued with emphasis, " but he wasn't wasn't 
 even hurt, except just scratched a little. He 
 lodged in that pine tree, way up on a high limb, 
 the other side from where Mr. Chalmer Grose 
 went down. The horses and wagon went down 
 on the side facing the cliff. The driver was 
 shouting for help all the time while I was climb 
 ing the rocks up them Cascades to get to the 
 trouble. When I got there I shouted to him, 
 ' Fly down! ' I couldn't help him. 
 
 " I tell you, it was his fault. The tire was all 
 correct. When we started from the range house
 
 134 SEBALTHA. 
 
 everything was all correct, except him horses 
 all right they had been down that cliff road a 
 thousand times and if he had kept them to 
 the track and not struck any of the outside 
 rocks, Mr. Chalmer Grose wouldn't be laying 
 up stairs with three ribs mashed in, and his 
 left arm broken in two places, and otherwise 
 scratched and bruised, and the hotel wouldn't 
 have one dead horse and another one worse than 
 dead (never can sell him for anything if he does 
 get cured up), and you wouldn't be here." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker again meditated until 
 prompted by the reporter. 
 
 " When the horses started to go over the cliff, 
 you wouldn't have given six bits for the whole 
 outfit, lives and all; yet there is no war so fierce 
 but that some soldiers will escape." 
 
 This epigram was evidently a surprise to 
 Hamilton Tucker himself, for he immediately 
 made an attempt at repetition, but in this his 
 fiction conveyed a different meaning. The sat 
 isfaction of having expressed an idea somewhat 
 outside of the commonplace seemed to govern
 
 SERALTHA. 135 
 
 the remaining portion of his narrative, and to 
 direct it into a dramatic channel. 
 
 " I tell you/' he said again, "it was his fault. 
 We started from the range house in great shape. 
 The blacks flew over the range and the oaks 
 seemed to glide by us. When we struck into 
 the high cut above the Cascades I told him to 
 slack up; but Mr. Chalmer Grose said, ' Set the 
 brakes and go on.' That was all right if the 
 driver had been all right. We had got about 
 half way down where the tops of them big 
 pines touch the cut and the horses were on a 
 stiff trot. Suddenly something crashed. I knew 
 by the way the wagon lurched that a wheel was 
 smashed, and that an end of the forward axle 
 was on the ground. Well, that end on the ground 
 must have struck against a rock, for it swung 
 the horses around, and before I could tell you 
 the forequarters of the near one were over the 
 cliff and the rest of him and the other horse fol 
 lowed. Mr. Chalmer Grose was on the near 
 side, sitting with me on the hind seat, and the 
 driver was on the end of the front seat, corres-
 
 136 SERALTHA. 
 
 ponding with my position. When the axle 
 dropped, the driver shot out over the near side of 
 the wagon and never touched the cliff, but 
 plunged down into one of them pine trees and 
 lodged there. He was drunk the tire was all 
 correct. 
 
 "Circumstances make a difference in how 
 quick a man thinks, and I thought if I was 
 shooting the other way, instead of the driver's 
 way, I would drop in the road instead of in the 
 pines. I can never tell you how I got there, for 
 it was all the way uphill, over the side of the 
 wagon and over the hind wheel ; and that wheel 
 must have been whirling around in the air, be 
 cause when I first got onto it my head was to 
 ward the road. It whirled around at least once, 
 because a second afterward my head was over 
 the wagon box, toward the Cascades, and I just 
 got a glimpse of Mr. Chalmer Grose going the 
 same way the driver did, into them pines. I 
 must have backed off from that wheel, because 
 the next thing I knew I was lying face down 
 across the outside of the road, with my head
 
 SERALTHA. 137 
 
 and one arm. over the cliff. Mr. Investigator, 
 
 I had to lie there. I couldn't get up. I was 
 paralyzed. Mr. Chalmer Grose was rolling over 
 and over down the outside branches of one of 
 them pines. All at once he dropped through, out 
 of sight. It made me sick. I knew what was 
 down there. It is full fifty feet from, the lower 
 limbs of them pines to the ground, and from 
 there down to the Cascade so steep that a grizzly 
 couldn't climb up." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker reflected a moment, looking 
 out through the window toward the mountain, 
 and then continued : 
 
 " But for a sight if you wasn't interested 
 that team and the wagon, going down through 
 the pines, following along after Mr. Chalmer 
 Grose and breaking the limbs as they went, 
 would stay with you longer and come back 
 nights afterward. 
 
 " They didn't go so fast, and you could gather 
 in the incidents. I couldn't see the horses, first 
 sight; the wagon was on top, but the outfit took 
 a roll inward, toward the body of the tree, and
 
 138 SERALTHA. 
 
 the horses were all mixed up in the box of the 
 wagon. The pole was broken off and splinters 
 from the seats and branches from the pine flew 
 in all directions. All at once they struck a big 
 limb that didn't break. The wagon went down 
 one side of it and one horse down the other side. 
 The harness was a new one and it cracked like 
 somebody was pumping on a Remington, when 
 they pulled apart. Mr. Investigator, I've known 
 ever since I began to herd sheep and rode a 
 bronco in Calaveras, that horses were more near 
 relation to human folks than most people sup 
 pose." 
 
 Giving this thought ample time to penetrate 
 the mind of Nat Rapps, he continued: ""Well, 
 sir, that other horse slid down the limb to the 
 tree, and when he stopped his forelegs were over 
 the limb and his body was hanging on the other 
 side. I'm a Greaser if that horse didn't put his 
 hind legs around that tree and try to climb up 
 and sit on the limb. For a horse to climb a 
 
 * 
 
 tree ain't instinctive, as you would call it, and of 
 Bourse that horse reasoned that to get on the
 
 SEBALTHA. 139 
 
 limb was his only salvation. But he couldn't 
 do it. He tried hard enough, and when he gave 
 up he screamed yes, sir, screamed because he 
 knew what was coming if he let go his hold. 
 
 " He had to let go. He went crashing down 
 through the pine tree and I heard him strike 
 below, soft like not as I expected and scram 
 ble up, and then fall and roll over the rocks 
 down to the Cascades. I heard him splashing 
 and scrambling to get up, and then he screamed 
 again. He isn't the one that was killed. When I 
 came to myself, I got up and ran down the road 
 to the foot of the Cascades, near the little lake. 
 I had to. I couldn't get down that cliff any 
 place, to get to where Mr. Chalmer Grose was, 
 and I expected he was killed. 
 
 " When I got to level ground and was turning 
 to go up the gorge, along side of the Cascades, I 
 stopped. I had to. My feet felt as if they were 
 fastened in one of them soft asphaltum side 
 walks. I couldn't lift them. That horse was 
 just coming out of the gorge, hobbling. Mr. 
 Investigator, you go out to the stable and look at
 
 140 SEBALTHA. 
 
 that horse. You can infer the rest. I can never 
 tell you how he looked; but when he saw me he 
 screamed, screamed three times, and then camo 
 toward me. I couldn't stir, and I expect he 
 thought that I was standing there dead, for he 
 turned away and went around the lake, among 
 them painted rocks, toward the city, with that 
 pine branch hanging over his back the stable 
 man will tell you about it; but you can never 
 write up that scream. It filled the canyon, and 
 I heard it echo from away down to the Pass. 
 
 " As soon as the ground let go of my feet I 
 hurried up to where Mr. Chalmer Grose was, 
 and he wasn't dead only three ribs broken and 
 his left arm in two places. That is what the 
 doctors said when they got there. We got him 
 down to the hotel. He is not dangerously hurt, 
 and he is comfortable. That is all you need to 
 say about him. You have got a good account 
 of the accident, and he is a man who don't want 
 much said about his affairs. News is all you 
 want."
 
 SERALTHA. 141 
 
 "Is the driver still in the tree?" inquired 
 Nat Rapps. 
 
 "I forgot about him. When the folks got 
 there from the city, he kept up a steady stream 
 of yelling until they got a rope to him from 
 above. He tied it around himself and was 
 pulled up onto the cliff road. Don't forget to 
 say that he was drunk. The tire was all correct. 
 He has been saying to-day that the tire was 
 brittle as glass, and broke in six pieces when he 
 struck the rock road around the cliff. But we 
 were half way down when the trouble began, 
 and he must have run against a boulder on the 
 side of the track. The tire was all correct." 
 
 An hour later, Nathan Kapps wired a full ac 
 count of this accident to the Investigator, and no 
 mention of Seraltha Ames was made in that dis 
 patch, nor was there any intimation in it that 
 the purposes of Chalmer Grose, during his visit 
 to the mountain city, included other than those 
 of business. 
 
 While Hamilton Tucker was giving his ver 
 sion of the accident to Nat Rapps, another nar-
 
 142 SEBALTHA. 
 
 rative unfolded its surprises in the chamber 
 where Seraltha had mourned the expected death 
 of Chalmer Grose. 
 
 An hour before the return of the relief party, 
 a messenger had arrived from the Cascades, 
 bearing details of the accident. A knock on 
 the door of Seraltha's chamber brought before 
 the messenger a girl who shrank away from the 
 gas-light that poured into her darkened room 
 from the hall-way, and who held a kerchief 
 against her eyes as he began to deliver the 
 message. A woman stood before him in the 
 full light of the hall-way, with strange violet 
 flashes streaming through swollen eyelids, and 
 calmly asking him to repeat his message. She 
 went with him to the office of the hotel, and 
 sought confirmation of his tidings. This given, 
 she directed that the bed be transferred from 
 the chamber assigned to Chalmer Grose to the 
 parlor of his suite. She then went to the porch 
 of the hotel, to remain there until the arrival 
 of the relief party with the helpless man, to
 
 SERALTHA. 143 
 
 whom she had already determined that she 
 would give comfort and care. 
 
 Men who were in the office turned the pages 
 of the register, and, whispering together, strolled 
 out upon the porch to gaze at the woman who 
 watched and waited there. She gave them no 
 heed. The cold night wind that dropped from 
 the mountain and swept down through the city 
 threw loosened strands of brown hair across her 
 face and about her shoulders. The calm face 
 looked wistfully upward in the direction of 
 the mountain, or along the street toward its 
 junction with the canyon road, peering intently 
 through the darkness. 
 
 The return of the relief party had brought 
 her joy, sympathy, and the delusive pretender 
 to kinship with love, pity. She put aside her 
 maiden reserve when she saw her wounded ad 
 mirer prostrate on the mattress in the long 
 mountain wagon, which halted at the entrance 
 of the hotel at midnight of the day of the acci 
 dent. She cautioned those who gently lifted
 
 144 SEBALTHA. 
 
 him from the wagon, and directed them to the 
 spacious parlor. 
 
 When Chalmer Grose was laid upon the bed 
 the vigils of Seraltha Ames began. She re 
 mained by his side or within call during the 
 remainder of the night and the following day, 
 until the arrival of her mother. This being 
 announced to her, she went to the hallway, and, 
 taking the hand of her mother, led her into 
 her chamber. Silently the mother sank into 
 a wicker chair, her hat and wraps unremoved; 
 silently the daughter sat opposite her in rai 
 ment unaccustomed to the mother's eyes. 
 
 When the heart misinterprets another's mean 
 ing, loving sentences clear away perplexities; 
 but when souls are at variance no words can 
 bring understanding. The mother, dressed in 
 the homely street garb of labor, knew only 
 the pleasures from scenes upon the streets, in 
 shops and in the parks. The drudgery of home 
 work had blunted her desires and the cooking- 
 range had shriveled her aspirations. In glaring 
 contrast was her daughter, seated upon a rock-
 
 SEBALTHA. 145 
 
 ing chair in graceful attire. Education had 
 poured the light of thought over her soul, 
 revealing to her the vast possibilities of an 
 expanding life. Between these two souls no 
 dialogue could establish a unity of perceptions. 
 As if both in their differing ways comprehended 
 this truth, Seraltha related the events and 
 movements of the past few weeks to her mo 
 ther, who kept silence until the conclusion. 
 
 " Is it a dream? " Mrs. Ames then asked. 
 
 She put her worn hand outward, groping 
 as if to feel her pillow after an awakening in 
 the darkness of her chamber, and downward 
 along her side, where the bed might be were 
 she lying upon it. 
 
 This question bore within it a measure of dis 
 tance, untraversable between the understanding 
 of the mother and the conduct of the daughter. 
 As if in a dream, Mrs. Ames then went with 
 her daughter to the dining room, and immedi 
 ately after dinner to the chamber assigned to 
 her use. Seraltha resumed her place at the 
 bedside of Chalmer Grose, watching, without
 
 146 SERALTHA. 
 
 sleep, through the second night of his illness. 
 In this semblance of a dream Mrs. Ames strug 
 gled with the incomprehensible, until the rising 
 sun shone into her chamber. She went to the 
 morning train for a return to her home, with 
 the pressure of a daughter's kiss upon her lips 
 and a daughter's farewell words in her ear, 
 accompanied with brave sentences that bore in 
 their decision the logic of self-sacrifice. 
 "He needs me. I will stay by him." 
 Nat Rapps, having completed his duties in 
 the interest of the Investigator, departed on the 
 same train. 
 
 After receiving full instructions from Chal- 
 mer Grose relating to his duties upon a return to 
 San Francisco, Hamilton Tucker took the even 
 ing train for that city in company with his wife. 
 From the time in which Hermina had received 
 information of the accident at the Cascades 
 to that in which she departed from the hotel, 
 she had not shown the slightest interest in the 
 results. She had not spoken to Seraltha, nor 
 had she made inquiries regarding the condition
 
 SEBALTHA. 147 
 
 of Chalmer Grose. She knew nothing of their 
 relations as nurse and patient, and her husband 
 did not inform her. She had finished the read 
 ing of the interesting book and returned it to 
 its place on the parlor table. A traveler, who 
 afterward occupied the suite of rooms in which 
 the table stood, found in the book a passage 
 heavily underscored, which read: 
 
 "We decline, we descend, we fall; we are even 
 overthrown and we hardly perceive it. This always 
 ends, it is true, by an awakening, but a tardy one. 
 In the meantime it seems as though we were neutral 
 in the game which is being played between our 
 good and our ill fortune. We are the stakes"
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 second floor of the hotel in which 
 Chalmer Grose lay grievously wounded, 
 had been arranged and furnished for the enter 
 tainment of patrons to whom prices for comfort 
 and service were of slight concern. These pat 
 ronized the hotel in goodly numbers; some, res 
 ident in the mountain city, made wealthy by 
 the outpouring of the mines thereabout; others 
 transient, from larger cities especially San 
 Francisco who were intent upon the pursuit 
 of profit or pleasure. Broad corridors and an 
 ample court, in which a fountain played over 
 semi-tropic water plants, amply separated each 
 suite of rooms from the others. Sensuous dec 
 orations, yet well within the demands of decent 
 art, embellished the walls and frescoes of the 
 suite parlors. 
 
 In that occupied by Chalmer Grose, which 
 overlooked the court by broad, screened win- 
 
 (148)
 
 SEBALTHA. 149 
 
 dows, a masterpiece in oil hung against the wall 
 upon the right of the bed standing in the center 
 of the room. The painting represented Night, 
 exemplified by a woman draped in black lace 
 that fell over her figure from broad bands 
 of black looped upon white shoulders. She 
 lifted an undraped arm into the dark space 
 above her and touched a golden star. Between 
 the chandeliers, depending from the ceiling near 
 either end of the room, troops of maidens in en 
 ticing disarray fled before pursuing centaurs 
 along an oblong, frescoed course in pretense of 
 alarm. 
 
 Upon the bed beneath the centaurs and flee 
 ing maidens Chalmer Grose had endured the 
 torture of a surgeon's operation. An arm twice 
 broken and three ribs fractured, yet chance was 
 in a kindly mood when he dropped through the 
 yielding foliage of the pine and shot downward 
 fifty feet toward the Cascades. Huge boulders 
 lay underneath the pines in close array, and his 
 life was the penalty had he fallen upon one of 
 them. He fell between two that held within
 
 150 SEBALTHA. 
 
 their enclosure a thick mat of pine burrs and 
 decaying foliage. 
 
 Chance was also kind to the horse that bore 
 the tidings of disaster to Seraltha, inscribed 
 upon his glossy blackness. When his hold was 
 loosened from the limb of the tree, his strug 
 gles threw him outward. The yielding branches 
 aided him to drop upon the mat of burrs and 
 foliage, where Chalmer Grose lay stunned, but 
 not fatally injured. It was the head of the 
 horse that, as he fell upon the mat between the 
 rocks, struck Chalmer Grose, breaking his arm 
 and his ribs. 
 
 Beside this bed Seraltha began her vigil imme 
 diately after the surgeon had performed his op 
 eration. She was in constant attendance during 
 the succeeding day and night, except during the 
 short interval when she was called to see her 
 mother. For the convenience of the surgeon's 
 attendant, who remained in the hotel subject to 
 call, Chalmer Grose rested upon the left side of 
 the broad bed. His injuries were upon his left 
 side. Inflammation from the injured ribs af-
 
 SEEALTHA. 151 
 
 fected the action of his heart. Frequently, dur 
 ing the first thirty-six hours, the attendant was 
 called to apply lotions or to otherwise arrange 
 for his comfort. Becomingly, Seraltha had re 
 tired from the room during these services, but 
 immediately returned when they had been com 
 pleted. 
 
 The disturbed circulation of his blood drove 
 a persistent pain through the brain of Chalmer 
 Grose. He rejected the cooling applications of 
 the attendant to his forehead, but accepted the 
 soft, caressing hand of Seraltha in their place, 
 or the soothing puffs of mountain air gently 
 wafted across his face from her fan. This 
 devotion brought ease to his pains, and in the 
 afternoon of the second day he fell asleep. 
 Seraltha watched over him and plied the cool 
 ing fan until his awakening, which did not occur 
 until after sunset. 
 
 When Chalmer Grose awoke the attendant 
 performed his duties while Seraltha was at din 
 ner. When she returned to the bedside he 
 had retired. The gas-lights beyond the bed
 
 152 SERALTHA. 
 
 were turned low, and a shadow, as of twilight, 
 spread over the bed from the high panels at its 
 head. Informing her that the pain had returned, 
 Chalmer Grose expressed a wish that she might 
 dispel it as before. 
 
 Again Seraltha sat near him; again her 
 soothing hand and cooling fan performed 
 their services. A light evening breeze came 
 through the screened windows from the court, 
 bearing the sound of the fountain pattering on 
 the broad leaves of the semi-tropic water plants. 
 All else was still. 
 
 " If I sleep again," he said, " you can sum 
 mon the attendant and retire to your chamber." 
 
 " If you sleep, I will do so," she responded. 
 
 Her hand continued in its movements on his 
 forehead, the fan kept up its gentle waving, and 
 the water jets splashed upon the broad leaves at 
 the fountain. Five minutes passed. 
 
 " A slight breeze comes through the windows 
 of the court," he then said. 
 
 " It is refreshing," she added. 
 
 She withdrew her hand from his forehead and
 
 SERALTHA. 153 
 
 pressed the fingers against her eyelids. He 
 turned his face suddenly toward her. The 
 movement caused a pain in the broken arm, and 
 a frown came upon his face. Instantly she 
 returned her hand to its duties. 
 
 "Forgive me," she said, "it will not leave 
 your forehead again until you sleep." 
 
 He breathed heavily as the pain coursed along 
 his arm. Seraltha drew closer to him and her 
 hand stroked his forehead more caressingly. 
 When the pain had abated, he said: 
 
 " If the breeze could blow full upon me " 
 He hesitated, as if in thought upon the possible 
 advantages contained in this fancy, or in expec 
 tation that she would devise a method for its 
 realization. 
 
 11 My position keeps it from you," she said; 
 and, arising from her chair, she self-reproach- 
 fully added: "How unthoughtful I have been!" 
 
 The breeze came upon his face, but not sooner 
 than the hand of his uninjured right arm was 
 raised from the counterpane to clasp his fore 
 head where Seraltha had stroked it.
 
 154 SERALTHA. 
 
 " I want the breeze," he said; " it revives me. 
 But I cannot I cannot spare your hand until I 
 sleep." 
 
 He said this pleadingly and with groans. 
 Seraltha hurriedly drew her chair around the 
 bed, and, placing it close by the other side, sat 
 upon it and extended her hand toward his head. 
 
 "I cannot touch your head from this side," 
 she said, making an effort to do so. " The bed 
 is very broad." 
 
 " Recline upon it," he suggested. " I do not 
 need the fan the breeze is strong only your 
 hand upon my forehead. I must have that. 
 Only a little while and I will be asleep. You 
 can then leave me and go to your chamber." 
 
 He extended his right hand toward her. It 
 touched her arm, which rested upon the bed, 
 measuring the vacant interval from her position 
 to his head. He grasped it and held it firmly. 
 It came slowly toward him, and again her hand 
 stroked his forehead. She pushed an unused 
 pillow upward against the head-board and rested
 
 SEBALTHA. 155 
 
 her shoulder upon it, her head upon her open 
 left hand. 
 
 The clock in the dome of the City Hall struck 
 nine. Its mellow tones died away toward the 
 mountain, and no sound came into the parlor, 
 except the pattering of water. in the court foun 
 tain. The soft hand gently stroked his forehead, 
 and the face below it smiled; not a smile of 
 love, for the eyes were turned from her; not 
 of gratitude, for the thin lips, tightly closed, 
 withheld speech; not of relief from pain, for 
 his heated blood had cooled while he slept, but 
 a smile of triumph such as might be on the 
 face of Satan at fallen innocence. He smiled; 
 this was all that she saw; and the soft hand 
 pressed closer upon his forehead in gratitude. 
 
 The smile deepened among the lines of his 
 face. The soft hand still stroked his forehead, 
 yet more slowly than at first. Slowly it moved 
 in devious ways, as if by its own volition. He 
 turned his eyes stealthily toward her. Her 
 hand moved downward and stroked his cheek, 
 slowly and aimlessly. It stopped and rested
 
 156 
 
 SERALTHA. 
 
 there. He saw her eyes close. Her head slipped 
 from the tired hand and fell near to his. He 
 felt her warm hreath on his face I The clock 
 in the dome struck ten.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker returned to San 
 Francisco from the scene of his recent 
 adventures, he bore authority from Chalmer 
 Grose that multiplied his duties. The private 
 interests of his employer were now in his care. 
 
 The grain ranch of Chalmer Grose received 
 first attention. He went there on the second 
 day after his arrival at home, in company with 
 the foreman of the barn on Pine street. Car 
 penters began work on an addition to the ranch 
 stable the next morning, with the foreman as 
 director. Hamilton Tucker returned to the 
 city and spent the remainder of the day, after 
 his arrival there, in a minute survey of interiors 
 of various structures on business streets, con 
 versing in the meantime, with occupants and 
 janitors. 
 
 This he continued through the following day. 
 Finding offices and store-rooms untenanted, he 
 
 (157)
 
 158 SEEALTHA. 
 
 caused placards to be attached to the doors of 
 vacant premises, which read: 
 
 " Far Bent. 
 
 Apply to 
 
 Hamilton Tucker. 
 No. 12 Hotel Havencourt Block." 
 
 At nine in the morning of the following day, 
 Hamilton Tucker eat before his desk, writing a 
 letter of several pages. Seated at another desk, 
 his wife, Hermina, wrote dates and head lines 
 in new account books, then prepared a type 
 writer for service, in the operation of which she 
 seemed familiar. 
 
 Having completed his writing, he turned to 
 ward his wife and, with the letter held out be 
 fore him, exclaimed: 
 
 "Business!" 
 
 Although in speaking this word he had em 
 ployed a louder tone than that usual in his con 
 versation, Hermina, whose face was turned par 
 tially away from him, continued with her prac 
 tice on the typewriter. 
 
 "Business, I say!" He spoke louder than
 
 SEBALTHA. 159 
 
 before, and she quietly turned, looking at him 
 without response, except the inquiry conveyed 
 by her eyes. 
 
 " When I say ' Business ' in this office or any 
 where else that we are together on business, as 
 if that word was somebody's name, I'll always 
 mean you." 
 
 Hermina made no response. He reflected 
 awhile, still holding the letter in his hand, and 
 then continued: 
 
 " A business man don't want everybody to 
 know that his wife is typewriting and book 
 keeping, so I can't say ' Mrs. Tucker.' I can't 
 say ' Hermina/ or ' Mina,' or names of that sort 
 men might think you wasn't particular with 
 your employer. Men are fools, and you are 
 good-looking. It wouldn't be your fault. You 
 don't want any more trouble. You have had 
 one, and you ain't looking for any more. But 
 they might, and then there would be trouble 
 right here in this office. So, when I want you, 
 I'll say 'Business! ' about like that." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker raised one foot upward and
 
 160 SEBALTHA. 
 
 placed it on his desk, at the same time tilting 
 his chair far backward. Hermina still looked at 
 him inquiringly. 
 
 " Yes, there is something more/' he continued. 
 "You didn't act right up there in the mountains, 
 somehow. You and the girl got at outs. You 
 must have said something to her that lacked 
 judgment. Now, I'll tell you, I have got a good 
 job here, tending to them buildings and that 
 ranch, and if you disturb it with any of your 
 nonsense there is going to be trouble. Mr. Chal- 
 mer Grose knows that you are coming in here 
 to keep the books and do typewriting, and he 
 didn't say a word against a hundred a month 
 for you. You ought to have some sense. It 
 was all arranged before we started for the moun 
 tains, and our first month's salary was paid to 
 me. You knew what some of it was for. I mar 
 ried you because I thought you had good sense. 
 He thinks that you have said so the last talk I 
 had with him said you proved it by keeping away 
 from him after he was hurt and giving the girl 
 a clear field to take care of him. I may own a
 
 SERALTHA. 161 
 
 grain ranch if you don't give him a reason to 
 think otherwise. Typewrite this letter." 
 
 She obeyed, and gave her work to him in a 
 complete form, which he enclosed and sealed in 
 an envelope. What Hamilton Tucker saw in 
 her pale face, as she gave the copy to him, he be 
 lieved to be fear. After giving her instructions 
 relating to the mission of possible callers during 
 his absence, he passed out of the office, con 
 tented to think that she was safely within his 
 control. 
 
 After posting the letter, he called a cab and 
 was driven to the barn on Pine street. Dis 
 missing the cabman, he then superintended the 
 transfer of the horses, except three, to the rail 
 way station for shipment to the grain ranch. 
 The carriages were drawn by the three reserved 
 horses to a down-town livery stable, situated a 
 short walking distance from the Hotel Haven- 
 court. A telephone message at the barn brought 
 an auctioneer's van that carried awav bedding 
 
 *> <~j 
 
 and furniture. At noon the barn was deserted,
 
 162 SERALTHA. 
 
 the double doors of the carriage-room gaping 
 open as if inviting sympathy of passers-by to 
 the loneliness within. 
 
 Prosperity favored the' business affairs of No. 
 12 Hotel Havencourt Block. Within ten days 
 Hamilton Tucker had secured tenants for all 
 store-rooms and offices heretofore vacant in the 
 houses over which Chalmer Grose had granted 
 him supervision, except one. Upon this one 
 no " For Kent " placard had been placed. This 
 was upon Market street. 
 
 This thoroughfare pushes its broad surface 
 through the city of San Francisco from the fer 
 ries on the bay to the southwestern limit. Be 
 low this street, to the eastward, all other streets 
 are laid squarely with it, but not in conformity 
 with the four cardinal points of the compass. 
 Beyond its western line proprieties of direction 
 are observed by all the streets, that portion of 
 the city seeming to have been pushed south 
 ward and wrinkled into hills. Market street 
 is not intersected by any other. It inter 
 cepts. It devours. It builds again from itself,
 
 SEBALTHA. 163 
 
 upon the east in right angles, upon the west in 
 acute. It names and numbers from itself, and 
 gives no heed to continuity of passage across 
 and beyond, but ends a street, perhaps, against 
 the middle of an opposite block or within a few 
 doors of its limit, seemingly as chance might 
 have directed. 
 
 In one of these acute angles upon the westerly 
 side of Market street Chalmer Grose had erected 
 a building of four stories and basement, which 
 was, at the time of Hamilton Tucker's advent 
 as agent, partially occupied above the ground 
 floor for office purposes and the remaining space 
 for those of a lodging house. Retail shops of 
 various sorts filled the ground floor of either 
 street, except the space within the apex of the 
 angle, which extended back from the point 
 some thirty feet. This space was protected 
 from intrusion by a rough board screen, which, 
 resting upon the sidewalk, allowed sufficient 
 space for a passage between itself and the build 
 ing. A door secured by a heavy hasp and pad 
 lock gave entrance through the screen. Plate-
 
 164: SERALTHA. 
 
 glass doors opened into a room, occupying this 
 space. This was the room upon which no 
 " For Rent " placard had been placed. Hamil 
 ton Tucker made many figures during spare 
 moments, based upon a rental valuation of this 
 room, found upon a plan of the entire building, 
 which he kept in the cabinet of his desk. 
 
 That this room was of special interest to him, 
 became evident from his frequent visits to it. 
 The first visit he made during the evening of 
 the fourth day after taking possession of the 
 office, 12 Hotel Havencourt Block. Unfasten 
 ing the padlock, he passed inside the screen and 
 along the passage to one of the plate-glass doors. 
 Entering the room, he drew a candle from 
 his pocket and lighted it. Masses of sparkling 
 reflections answered the dim light of the candle 
 from gorgeous chandeliers, and from a deep 
 wainscoting of Mexican onyx about the room. 
 A nickel-plated balustrade guarded a stairway 
 to a basement of the same dimensions as the 
 room above, and of similar appearance. After a 
 full survey of the premises he blew out the
 
 SEKALTHA. 165 
 
 light and went upon the street. The time was 
 nine o'clock. The moon shone full from a sky 
 unblemished by a cloud. 
 
 San Francisco has but one boulevard that of 
 the Park, used only by day; but one promenade, 
 used by shoppers and strangers from morning 
 until nightfall, and by everybody thereafter far 
 into the night the western side of Market and 
 Kearny streets. 
 
 The ocean winds that blow over the city by 
 day, sending a chill through furs and fluttering 
 skirts, change to gentle breezes, that soothe with 
 satin touch, as the sun sinks into the western 
 waters. 
 
 The world is on this promenade from dusk 
 till midnight. The California!! woman unveils 
 her suberb complexion in defiance of a thousand 
 electric lights in shop and street. They of the 
 East walk here, in search of health. Envy 
 spreads over their faces in ghastly white as the 
 native passes by them. The woman who drives 
 by day upon the boulevard walks here in the
 
 166 SERALTHA. 
 
 evening, bringing with her sons and daughters, 
 friends and husband. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker did not walk among the 
 people. He stood upon the edge of the side 
 walk opposite to the vacant room, and counted 
 those who passed by it. He then went two 
 blocks toward the ferries and noticed those who 
 passed before an occupied room of similar 
 shape and position at the junction of the streets. 
 Fewer people passed the vacant room than 
 the occupied one, two blocks below. Many peo 
 ple turned into the side streets from the lower 
 blocks. The vacant room was just above the 
 more desirable localities for trade, and the shops 
 in its vicinity were of a class lower than those 
 below. But the city was growing rapidly toward 
 the southwest. He crossed the street and 
 entered the occupied room. It was a gorgeously- 
 furnished saloon. He there conversed with a 
 barkeeper. 
 
 After several visits to the vacant room, Hamil 
 ton Tucker entered it one evening in company 
 with two men, one wearing a high-crowned hat
 
 SEBALTHA. 167 
 
 and a light overcoat, with velvet lapels thrown 
 far back and extending below the waist. The 
 other man wore a slouch hat and was stoop- 
 shouldered. During the evening the man of 
 the slouch hat considered the speech and fig 
 ures made by the others especially Hamilton 
 Tucker with suspicion. Later on, he gave 
 evidence of interest, and upon leaving the room, 
 at twelve o'clock, the conduct of each one showed 
 a unity of thought and purpose with the others. 
 They went upon the street and walked to the 
 Hotel Havencourt bar, where they called for 
 and were served with the liquors of their choice. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker then raised his glass and 
 turned his face toward his companions, who 
 raised their glasses and turned their faces 
 toward him. 
 
 " Gentlemen," said Hamilton Tucker, im 
 pressively, "it's a proud day." He hesitated. 
 The man who wore a slouch hat lowered his 
 glass to the edge of the bar and looked down 
 into it. Hamilton Tucker saw this move 
 ment, and turning to face the man fully, he
 
 168 SEBALTHA. 
 
 said: " It's a late day, I know; but it's a proud 
 day." Touching the glass that rested upon the 
 edge of the bar with his own, which he then 
 raised to a level with his hat, he added: "Here's 
 to the Calaveras ! May she win us all a grain 
 ranch." 
 
 '"May she win three thousand in six hours," 
 responded the man in the slouch hat, still hold 
 ing his glass upon the edge of the bar. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker involuntarily looked through 
 the open door of the corridor leading to the 
 cinch room. 
 
 " May she pay expenses the first year," said 
 the man of the tall hat and velvet lapels. 
 
 " Huh! " exclaimed Hamilton Tucker. 
 
 "Sense!" responded the man of the slouch 
 hat. 
 
 " Sure!" said the man of the velvet lapels. 
 
 The glasses were raised, the contents drunk. 
 The party filed out at the door in the same 
 order observed upon entering. 
 
 ' The Three ' from Calaveras ! " exclaimed an 
 old patron of the bar, who came in by the way
 
 SEBALTHA. 169 
 
 of an interior door at the instant that the party 
 was filing out. 
 
 " What is that ?" queried the barkeeper, as 
 the patron approached the bar. 
 
 " Before you came," answered the patron. 
 " I'll tell you some other time; too late now. 
 Give me a reposer and I'll go to bed." 
 
 In the evening, just two weeks from the date 
 of the above dialogues, much music from brass 
 instruments poured out from the room hereto 
 fore vacant in the acute angles of Market and 
 
 streets. Ornamented signs above the 
 
 plate-glass doors of either street blazoned the 
 words, " The Calaveras." Within, a bar of 
 curly redwood spread its polished length across 
 the wider end of the room, blending its tints 
 with the Mexican onyx wainscoting and front 
 ing an elaborate sideboard, surmounted by two 
 plate-glass mirrors joined in a gilded frame that 
 touched the frescoes above and the walls upon 
 either side. A collection of meats, sauces and 
 preserves, of fowls, salads and shell-fish covered 
 an ample table placed in the center of the room.
 
 170 SEBALTHA. 
 
 Men who entered singly, in pairs and in groups, 
 partook of things to eat and things to drink, 
 and spoke words of encouragement, between sips 
 and mouthfuls, to a man who stood at one end 
 of the bar giving much attention to the move 
 ments of three barkeepers in service ; he wore a 
 tall hat and a light overcoat with velvet lapels. 
 
 Four rooms had been constructed in the base 
 ment two upon either side of a narrow hall 
 way, ventilated by double windows opening into 
 the sidewalk areas. Soft carpets covered the 
 floors and a lounge invited to repose in each one 
 of the four rooms, and in each stood a heav} r 
 round table covered with a green cloth, upon 
 which rested a call bell. Easy chairs were 
 placed about these. Perforations about two 
 inches in length and one-fourth of an inch in 
 width and adorned with an oblong silver or 
 nickel plate showed through the green cloth 
 cover in the exact centre of the tables. 
 
 Although possessing an equal interest with 
 Monroe Chase in " The Calaveras," neither 
 Hamilton Tucker nor Chance Neely was present
 
 SEBALTHA. 171 
 
 at its opening, nor were they seen thereabout. 
 Upon the books of wholesale liquor dealers the 
 words, " open account " appeared opposite the 
 firm name, " Monroe Chase & Co." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker continued in business at No. 
 12 Hotel Havencourt Block, while Chance Neely 
 pursued the mysterious sinner at his desk in 
 the rooms of the private detective agency. 
 However, during evening hours, both frequented 
 " The Calaveras," bringing with them friends 
 and acquaintances, who drank much over the 
 redwood bar, and played cards at the perforated 
 tables in the basement rooms.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 twelve o'clock of the night, in 
 which the opening of " The Calaveras" 
 was celebrated with music and feasting, a man 
 wearing a heavy sack coat, loosely fitting his 
 waist and shoulders, but tightly buttoned at his 
 neck; brown jean overalls over checkered trous 
 ers upturned around the legs of well-fitting boots 
 with round toes and very high heels, and a broad 
 hat, dingy white, of stiff rim and conical crown, 
 walked about the three apartments of the hut 
 in the artificial glen. 
 
 A knitted scarf of intermingling colors cov 
 ered his lower face in triple folds, and, crossing 
 under his chin, extended upward into the crown 
 of his hat, covering his ears and side face. He 
 made a selection from clothing which hung from 
 the canvas lining of the second apartment, and, 
 taking the articles into the first one, he put 
 them upon blankets that lay half opened on 
 
 (172)
 
 SERALTHA. 173 
 
 the floor. He then went into the third apart 
 ment, and, setting on the rock floor a tin candle 
 stick which held half of a sputtering candle, 
 with his fingers he dug pebbles and fragments 
 of stone from a fissure in the floor. He after 
 ward picked coins from the depth of the fissure, 
 carefully counted them twice, and, wrapping 
 them in a cloth, he returned to the first apart 
 ment. Raising the lid of the coffin-shaped box, 
 he began a search within it. He obtained what 
 he sought, and replaced the lid and sat upon it. 
 He held the object close to the light and looked 
 steadily at it. 
 
 The palm upon which the object rested, his 
 wrists and the backs of his hands, and the nar 
 row strip of face revealed between his hat and 
 scarf, suggested in color a mingling of copper 
 and gold. His hair, concealed in front and 
 upon either side by hat and scarf, was short, 
 coarse and glossy black, and extended far down 
 upon his sinewy neck. 
 
 His attitude at first seemed reposeful, as of 
 one in deliberate examination and deeply inter-
 
 174 SEBALTHA. 
 
 ested. He soon began to turn the object about. 
 His eyes now shone with a deeper brown. He 
 interlaced his fingers, clasping the object within 
 his palms, and, lifting his hands above his head, 
 he sprang from his seat and walked rapidly to 
 and fro over the stone floor of the first apart 
 ment, then into the second and around and 
 about it. Vowel sounds, suggesting the Spanish 
 language, were constantly forced through his 
 scarf as he walked; no labial sounds mingled 
 with them. Thrice he walked in the darkness 
 around the second apartment, and, returning to 
 the first one, he unclasped his hands as he 
 approached the coffin-shaped box. After stamp 
 ing violently upon the rock floor he sat again 
 upon the box and held the object upon the palm 
 of his hand in the light of the candle. 
 
 This object was of lead, its surface corroded 
 by age. It was rounded to half its length, the 
 other half being shattered, flattened and in 
 dented. It had once been a bullet of a Win 
 chester rifle. 
 
 Eleven years had passed since this bullet
 
 SERALTHA. 175 
 
 had served a sinister purpose. A lover 
 clicked it into the cartridge-chamber, and a 
 flash behind it burned murder into the soul 
 of this man. He stood in the doorway of a hut 
 made of logs and adobe and thickly roofed 
 with branches of mountain fir. The hut 
 rested upon a bed of loose rock that had 
 been excavated with pick and lever from the 
 face of a steep declivity in the mountains of 
 Western Nevada. The rock was dark and mot 
 tled. It sparkled in the sunlight as if from tiny 
 drops of dew upon the points of its scabrous 
 surface. While searching the wilderness about 
 him the man in the doorway had found it and 
 then built a hut upon it. It was the outcrop of 
 a silver mine. He had staked out the boundaries 
 of his claim and had posted a notice of discovery 
 and ownership. The notice was in Spanish, and 
 the name underneath was Juan Bermuda. 
 
 Yet Juan Bermuda was not a Spaniard; tints 
 of metallic colors showed upon his face and in 
 his eyes, that of copper prevailing, although he 
 was not an Indian. The proud Castilian and
 
 176 SEEALTHA. 
 
 the complaisant Indian created another race, 
 anomalous and distinct. Juan Bermuda was a 
 Mexican. 
 
 Contentedly he looked oat from the door of 
 his hut at sunset upon his discovery, upon the 
 stakes along the declivity and upon the notice. 
 As he stood there the bullet sped toward him, 
 aimed from, a clump of chaparral growing upon 
 the elevation to his right. He reeled backward 
 and fell to the floor of his hut, blood pouring 
 from his mouth in jets. From the hurt upon 
 his face the slug had passed on. It penetrated 
 the log door casing, and, turned aside by the 
 adobe in the wall, it dropped to the floor beside 
 him, together with fragments of the wall. 
 
 In his agony he grasped about himself, crush 
 ing the fragments of adobe within his hands. 
 Something resisted, cutting the fingers and palm 
 of his right hand. Forgetful of the wound in 
 his face, he sprang to his feet to examine the 
 battered bullet that had caused another pain- 
 He staggered to the doorway, and, stepping out 
 side, turned the missile over and over again with
 
 SEBALTHA. 177 
 
 his uninjured hand in the bright light of the 
 open air. Another bullet whizzing by his ear 
 threw splinters of wood and a shower of adobe 
 from the wall of the hut to the ground before 
 him. The report that followed from the 
 rifle in the clump of chaparral, caused him 
 to look in that direction. He saw a light puff 
 of smoke, whitened by the shadows of approach 
 ing twilight. Still another bullet hissed by him, 
 this time nearer. Other splinters and a shower 
 of adobe pattered upon the ground before him, 
 and then another report came from the clump 
 of chaparral. Juan Bermuda sprang over 
 the low parapet of mottled rocks raised upon 
 the declivity to secure the foundation of his hut 
 and, with the battered bullet in his hand, ran 
 swiftly to the denser shrubbery and pines grow 
 ing below, other messengers from the Winches 
 ter rifle hissing above and around him. 
 
 He who aimed the rifle did not follow, yet 
 Juan Bermuda ran through gorges, over moun 
 tain spurs and across a plain, until midnight. 
 He ran along the way by which he came into
 
 178 SEEALTHA. 
 
 the mountains, and halted beside a stream that 
 hurried from the plain through a steep and nar 
 row gorge in falls and swirls and foaming cas 
 cades. He threw himself down beside the stream, 
 near the verge of the uppermost fall, and bathed 
 his hands, his neck, and the wound in his face. 
 Bending far over the stream, he put his face 
 into it to drink. No water responding to the 
 draught of his lips, he sank his face deeper into 
 the stream. His throat refused its functions; he 
 could not swallow. 
 
 He sprang to his feet, and, clasping his 
 wounded hand over his mouth and the other 
 about his throat, he looked upward into the sky, 
 to the bright full moon directly over him, floated 
 low by the clear mountain air. He reeled, as 
 he had done on the floor of his hut, with his 
 face still upturned toward the sky. A discol 
 ored patch upon the glistening water where his 
 face had touched moved slowly toward the verge 
 of the gorge. 
 
 A death that clutches the throat and chokes 
 with thirst is a demon torture. Smothered in
 
 SEEALTHA. 179 
 
 that which it denies, death comes welcomed. 
 Juan Bermuda reeled to the edge of the shining 
 stream, and, throwing himself into the midst of 
 the dark patch upon its surface, he sank with it 
 over the verge of the waterfall. 
 
 Stifled screams from below arose above the 
 noise of splashing water, and harsh, guttural 
 imprecations, crept downward along the gorge. 
 The fall was slight, yet rounded and slippery 
 boulders lay in the shallow stream, and upon 
 these he had fallen and been rolled among them 
 by the rushing water far down to a merciful, 
 quiet pool. From this he drew himself upon 
 the rocks along its edge, angry, bruised and 
 sore. 
 
 Resting awhile he picked his way along the 
 gorge. He passed by a placid lake, enclosed by 
 terraced pines and among weird painted rocks, 
 to a grass expanse, at the farther side of which 
 stood low buildings of adobe, log and cornstalk 
 walls, and grass or tule roofs covered with dew 
 that sparkled in the sun. 
 
 This was a small Mexican settlement on the
 
 180 SEBALTHA. 
 
 borders of a new mountain town. He rapped 
 upon a door and was admitted. It was a year 
 thereafter when he first emerged from it with 
 his lower face wrapped in a knitted scarf of 
 triple folds, the ends crossing under his chin 
 and secured beneath the crown of his hat. Hot 
 fevers had dried his blood, and his hands were 
 thin and claw-like. Fierce chills had shaken 
 and withered his muscles. The bullet from the 
 Winchester rifle had entered his face at the 
 right corner of his mouth, and, shattering his 
 teeth in its course, had emerged at the left cor 
 ner, passing into the log door-casing. Flying 
 fragments of teeth had cut his lips to shreds, 
 and cruel gangrene had left a cavity, through 
 which he had become enabled to eat and drink, 
 and in which a dampened sponge rested when 
 he was not thus engaged. He had no money, 
 and proper surgery was impossible. Nature 
 and his Mexican friends did their best for him, 
 and patching the evidence of their incompetency 
 with sponge and scarf, he stepped into the world 
 again. He could not converse, except in writing.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 sHEN able to withstand the fatigue Juan 
 Bermuda started upon a journey to 
 his mine in company with a Mexican friend, 
 who had treated him kindly. He had made no 
 mention of his mine during his illness, fearing 
 treachery. This, or revenge, is what the Mexi 
 can looks for behind rock and chaparral, in 
 market, fandango and chamber. 
 
 A wagon road wound through the expanse of 
 green over which he had walked a year before. 
 A wagon road led through the tinted rocks, over 
 which he had painfully clambered, and around 
 the pine-encircled lake. He stood gazing up 
 ward in astonishment as he traced its sharp 
 grade above the cataracts where he had battled 
 with stream and boulder. He walked slowly and 
 thoughtfully as he crossed the plain above, 
 then sat by the road among the spurs in deep 
 meditation; he had found a piece of mottled 
 
 (181)
 
 182 SERALTHA. 
 
 rock that sparkled as with dew upon the points 
 of its surface. 
 
 A wagon road led him to the mine, but his 
 hut was not there, nor its foundation, nor his 
 claim stakes, nor the notice, nor the bunch of 
 chaparral from which puffs of white smoke 
 arose in the twilight a year before. But an 
 engine was there, puffing laboriously as it drew 
 heavy loads of mottled rock out of a deep shaft 
 that pierced the ground where his hut had stood, 
 and men were there who laughed scornful^ 
 when he reproduced the notice on a scrap of 
 paper, and wrote upon another demanding pos 
 session of his mine, signing his name, Juan 
 Bermuda. They showed to him a printed form 
 bearing official signatures that recognized the 
 ownership, and gave possession of the mine to 
 one Chalmer Grose, resident of the city of San 
 Francisco, county of San Francisco, State of 
 California, and a citizen of the United States of 
 America. 
 
 Juan Bermuda copied the names and the im 
 posing array of localities upon a slip of paper,
 
 SEKALTHA. 183 
 
 and he and his companion went away down the 
 declivity where the bullets from the Winchester 
 rifle had hissed about his head a year before, 
 and where fragments of ore from his mine were 
 now strewn over a road that led to smelters in 
 the mountain city. At the foot of the declivity 
 he stopped and looked upward toward the mine. 
 Puffs of steam, fleecy white in the deepening 
 twilight, arose in measured volumes from the 
 engine that drew from his mine, yet labored for 
 another. He took the battered bullet from his 
 pocket, and held it toward the engine with the 
 thumb and finger of his left hand. Lifting his 
 right hand above his head, and with his 
 eyes fixed upon the bullet, he forced harsh 
 guttural sounds through the triple folds of the 
 knitted scarf, that bore the tones of mingled 
 prayer, threat and imprecation. Increasing the 
 vehemence of the muffled sounds, he raised his 
 left hand to a level with his right, and, looking 
 upward into the darkening sky, turned round 
 and round upon the road, stamping his feet and
 
 184 SERALTHA. 
 
 grinding his heels against its flinty surface. 
 His companion made the sign of the Cross. 
 
 Revenge is akin to insanity. It broods upon 
 fixed ideas. Like the hallucination of mania, 
 it creates a figure amidst unchanging scenery 
 and rivets the creation upon the brain. 
 
 Juan Bermuda immediately returned to San 
 Francisco whence he had come into the moun 
 tains two years before the discovery of the 
 mine. Upon the day of his arrival there, he 
 visited the office of a physician who was popu 
 lar among the Mexican people of that city, in 
 the vain hope that the severity of his affliction 
 might be mitigated. In this office he met Lethe 
 St. Pier, who was there in the interest of her 
 calling as nurse, and who gave him kindly 
 notice. When he went upon the street she fol 
 lowed him, and, taking his arm, she walked 
 about with him to various shops and furnishing 
 stores, where he selected clothing of Mexican 
 style and colors, which he wore when they came 
 again upon the street. As he could not con 
 verse intelligibly, and she could not read nor
 
 SEBALTIIA. 185 
 
 write, their methods of communication were 
 adjusted to these conditions. 
 
 On the following da}' he began to work in the 
 glen, and within a week he had completed the 
 hut, building after the manner of his people. 
 Lethe St. Pier went there with him, and, re 
 maining, she cared for him during ten years, 
 until she took possession of the house on Pine 
 street, notwithstanding the fact that she owned 
 valuable property on a popular business street. 
 
 Whenever Juan Bermuda left the hut to go 
 upon the streets he wore the scarf of triple folds. 
 This was not often, and occurred usually be 
 tween eight and twelve in the evening. Chal- 
 mer Grose was the legal owner of the mine that 
 should be his; and to see Chalmer Grose, to 
 know him when they met by night, to feel 
 assured that he should know him in utter dark 
 ness, to know his habits, his coming and going 
 during the night, covered all the purposes of 
 Juan Bermuda when absent from the hut, except 
 that he sometimes went upon journeys to the 
 country, taking with him blankets and provi-
 
 186 SEBALTHA. 
 
 sions. These journeys extended over several 
 days, and included visits to Mexican settlements 
 not far distant from the city. Upon his return 
 to the hut he brought many long hlack hairs 
 from the manes and tails of horses, besides 
 chile peppers and herbs. 
 
 Had he sought revenge by ordinary methods, 
 a score of opportunities had been afforded him 
 during these years for the use of pistol, club or 
 knife on Chalmer Grose, under circumstances 
 favorable to his escape; but revenge had traced 
 a scene upon his brain for him to reproduce in 
 action. He waited. 
 
 While he again sat upon the coffin-shaped 
 box, looking upon the battered bullet, memo 
 ries clustered about the scene that revenge had 
 traced, and a smile lighted his eyes and showed 
 in the moving folds of his scarf, as if that 
 which he had sought was near at hand. Arising, 
 he put tlie bullet into an inner pocket. He 
 then rolled his blankets, together with that 
 which he had laid upon them, and secured them 
 in place with heavy thongs. Lifting an earthen
 
 SEEALTHA. 187 
 
 jug that stood upon the rock floor near the hox, 
 and holding the candle in one hand, he placed 
 the mouth of the jug facing the pine wall of 
 the room, and, walking slowly, poured a fluid 
 from it. This he continued in the three apart 
 ments, encircling each one. He then placed the 
 short candle diagonally within an interstice of 
 the pine hoards where oil from the jug had 
 dripped downward. Throwing the candle-stick 
 down he seized his bundle and hurried from 
 the hut. 
 
 He stood an instant by the door in an attitude 
 of listening, and, leaving it open, he walked rap 
 idly out of the glen by the sand knoll and down 
 the streets below, to the entrance of the church 
 of the Mission Dolores. The time was one 
 o'clock. Dropping his bundle upon the lawn 
 fronting the church, he entered, made a genu 
 flection and knelt on the floor. 
 
 He did not count his rosary the time in 
 which he knelt was not sufficient; besides, his 
 hands were clasped toward the sanctuary. If
 
 183 SEBALTHA. 
 
 he did repeat " Ave Marias " to aid him in his 
 design, the number might have been twenty. 
 
 As he arose, the clangor of gongs sounded 
 faintly from distant streets. Nearer, these sounds 
 mingled with the clatter of hoofs and wheels. 
 Clouds of smoke from hissing fire-engines curled 
 against the stained-glass windows of the church. 
 The engines halted on the street outside, and 
 Juan Bermuda stood motionless where he had 
 knelt. 
 
 The quick firemen unrolled hose to the 
 entrance of the glen. Water gushed out upon 
 the blazing hut, and in a moment darkness 
 filled the glen. Firemen gathered about the 
 coffin, and by the dim light of a lantern they 
 carefully lifted the charred lid away. The ser 
 pent that had hung in the apex of the second 
 apartment now lay along the bed of the coffin, 
 uncoiled. 
 
 "A witch lived here," said a man who peered 
 over the wall of the glen, and who lived in a 
 house upon the elevation above it. He had 
 been awakened by the crackling flames. The
 
 SEBALTHA. 189 
 
 group of firemen looked upward, but saw noth 
 ing in the darkness; then each looked at the 
 others. Separating, they hastily put their appa 
 ratus in order and went away. 
 
 Juan Bermuda still stood where he had knelt. 
 
 In the gray light of the dawning day, he 
 looked out at the door and saw that his bundle 
 was gone. He went upon the deserted streets, 
 and after a careful survey of the smooth lawns 
 that spread about the Mission Dolores, he walked 
 hastily toward the center of the city. A half 
 hour later he rapped gently upon the rear door 
 of the house on Pine street. 
 
 Lethe St. Pier admitted him.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 ^I^^N Investigator reporter, evidently a novice, 
 Spll interviewed the firemen after their 
 return from the glen, and wrote a lurid column 
 of flashing flames, of ghosts, sepulchers, ser 
 pents and a disembodied witch. He made men 
 tion of a bundle found near the Mission Dolores 
 and brought to the engine house. The young 
 reporter did not unroll the bundle. 
 
 As Nat Rapps sat at the breakfast table the 
 following morning, the heading of the column, 
 announcing unusual and mysterious happen 
 ings, drew his attention. A faint smile over 
 spread his face as he glanced down the column, 
 but it disappeared when he read the concluding 
 paragraph. On his way down town he passed 
 the engine house. He did not enter it, but went 
 directly to the Central Police Station, where he 
 made inquiries regarding a bundle found by 
 the firemen on the previous night. An officer 
 
 (190)
 
 SEEALTHA. 191 
 
 brought it out, and, at the request of Nat Rapps, 
 unrolled it. 
 
 Two coarse blankets held a sack coat; a pair of 
 boots, very high-heeled; a long, loosely-knitted 
 scarf of mingled colors and stained at regular 
 intervals, and a soiled Mexican hat with a coni 
 cal crown. * 
 
 "Nothing remarkable; a wandering Greaser's 
 outfit," said the officer, laconically, and he 
 turned to other duties. 
 
 "Very remarkable," soliloquized Nat Rapps, 
 who had found a lariat in a broad inside pocket 
 of the coat. The lariat was very long nearly 
 fifty feet closely plaited and of black horse 
 hair. The portion to which he gave most atten 
 tion formed a noose, the loop being of uncom 
 mon thickness and sliding freely along the 
 lariat until an obstruction was reached that 
 held the noose to a diameter of five inches. 
 Other obstructions, like the first one, were 
 ranged below it, and, equally spaced, extended 
 over six inches of the length within the noose. 
 These obstructions were of black horse-hair,
 
 192 SEBALTHA. 
 
 deftly woven through the lariat, and gradually 
 increasing in thickness downward, each one 
 ended abruptly, the whole forming a series of 
 cones with their apexes pointing toward the 
 coils above. With little effort he pushed the 
 loop along the first cone and over its base; but 
 could not force it back, although he tried with 
 all his strength. The cone spread under a 
 reverse pressure and formed a perfect obstruc 
 tion to the passage of the loop. 
 
 Nat Rapps meditated upon the possible inten 
 tion of the instrument. 
 
 " Now a neck might be held within the noose 
 to a throttling, yet not to death. Inextricable. 
 No hand could break the noose or slip the loop 
 beyond the dilated cone. The man could see 
 and hear, could feel and know, yet he could not 
 cry aloud. He would fall upon the ground and 
 struggle. Memory would taunt him, and fear 
 would paint an Inferno about him. ... A 
 foot against his breast; another cone above the 
 loop. Now a suffocation, yet not of death. He 
 could not hear, but he could see, and breathe
 
 SERALTHA. 193 
 
 slowly; he could feel and know. Seconds would 
 become decades, and minutes ages. Memory 
 would leave him, and all the pains that fear had 
 foretold would now burn upon his brain. . . . 
 A foot upon his neck ; slowly the lower cone 
 draws through the loop, and a knife blade 
 flashes. With naught but noose and loop and 
 cone upon his neck he will die. Let him die 
 alone." 
 
 Having mused about these possibilities, Nat 
 Rapps laid the lariat aside and gave his at 
 tention to other articles. The coat had been 
 much worn, but the exposed parts were not 
 faded. "Worn only by night," was his thought, 
 as he examined the outside pockets. One was 
 empty. From the other he drew a narrow 
 leathern sheath, and from that a steel table 
 knife, the blade having been ground down to 
 half its length and width. Its edge was whetted 
 to the sharpness of a razor. Searching no fur 
 ther, he loosely coiled the lariat and slipped it, 
 together with the knife, into the broad inside 
 
 7
 
 194 SEBALTHA. 
 
 pocket where he had found it. Tying the bun 
 dle securely, he gave it to an officer who tossed 
 it into the store-room. 
 
 Nat Rapps returned to the street and walked 
 slowly toward the office of the Investigatory 
 thinking of the bundle. From his thoughts a 
 painter might have drawn the scene that revenge 
 had stamped upon the brain of Juan Bermuda.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 *HE essence of the thought which had 
 fixed a smile on the face of Chalmer 
 Grose when Seraltha's head rested in sleep 
 upon the pillow near to his, might have entered 
 her brain, and, lurking inert throughout the 
 night, filled it with unpleasant fumes upon her 
 awakening in the morning. The flush of renewed 
 vigor that suffused her face upon returning con 
 sciousness, sank into pallor when her sight fell 
 upon the centaurs pursuing the frightened maid 
 ens in the fresco. 
 
 She turned her eyes from these toward the 
 painting, as if to find confirmation of her debase 
 ment. In the clear light the black robe of Night 
 seemingly hung out from the canvas, like a veil 
 to Immodesty, the figure behind it displaying 
 its outlines through the meshes. 
 
 The measured breathing of Chalmer Grose, 
 by whose side she had rested from her vigils, 
 
 (195)
 
 196 SEBALTHA. 
 
 told her that he was asleep. Blood suffused her 
 face with shame. The centaurs, the maidens, 
 and the symbol of Night became reproachful 
 witnesses. She pressed her hands over her eyes. 
 Scenes swept through her mind in discomfort 
 ing array, and they bore a semblance to the 
 thoughts which had set the smile upon the face 
 of Chalmer Grose when she reclined beside 
 him, stroking to soothe his simulated pain: "The 
 surgeon, sitting by the bedside at midnight with 
 contemptuous smile; the attendant, diligent in 
 his morning service, yet meanwhile looking 
 askance suggestively; a whispering group in the 
 office below, indulging in jest or loud guffaw; a 
 brilliant company at Monterey, pointing scornful 
 fingers; a friend approaching her on the street, 
 who turns before they meet, and, with quicken 
 ing footsteps, enters an unaccustomed shop; an 
 ardent admirer of ' Mission ' days stalking by 
 her, disdainful; herself in vain search of neigh 
 bor and employment." 
 
 Sobs shaking her body, bore the anguish of a 
 violated soul. The clock in the dome of the
 
 SERALTHA. 197 
 
 City Hall began to strike. She sat suddenly 
 upright, and, with face now white, counted the 
 strokes: " One two three four five six 
 seven eight nine ten eleven! " Thirteen 
 hours she had lain unconscious in the guise of 
 frailty ! 
 
 Still sitting, she turned so that she might 
 look upon the place where she had slept. As if 
 aroused to semi-consciousness by her count 
 ing, the sleeping man, moving his uninjured 
 arm, passed his hand along the place where she 
 had been and rested it upon her pillow. He fell 
 again into a deep sleep, and a faint smile flitted 
 over his face. 
 
 The blood returned to her cheeks, but resent 
 ment was now apparent in the deepening violet 
 of her eyes, in the faint wrinkles that sprang 
 from her disordered hair downward over her 
 forehead and in her clenching hands. Her face 
 and the movements of her form showed some 
 thing from within her that had never before 
 appeared. 
 
 She moved from the bed. Her resentment
 
 198 SERALTHA. 
 
 strengthened when she stood beside it and 
 looked upon the sleeping man; not upon the 
 face, nor upon the broken arm resting in splints 
 upon the counterpane, but upon the uninjured 
 hand that rested against her pillow. While she 
 looked, the heavy coils of her brown hair 
 escaped, and, falling over her shoulders and 
 about her waist, spread their lustre in a mantle 
 upon her gown. As her hair fell, a broad pier- 
 glass against the opposite wall flashed a reflec 
 tion that borrowed a golden sheen from the 
 sunlight sifting through the windows, and drew 
 her sight toward it. She saw a maiden with 
 uncoiled hair in an attitude and place appro 
 priate to a wife. 
 
 She left the room hastily and went toward 
 her chamber. At an angle of the corridors she 
 met the attendant, who halted. 
 
 " Go to him carefully," she said, " do not 
 awaken him." 
 
 Quickly passing to her chamber, Seraltha 
 made hurried preparations for a journey, and 
 was then driven, together with her steamer
 
 SEKALTHA. 199 
 
 trunk, to the railway station, where she entered a 
 sleeping-car of the noon train for San Francisco. 
 
 At one o'clock Chalmer Grose awoke. In 
 the meantime Seraltha's departure had become 
 known to the attendant, who immediately in 
 formed him of it. The smile that had covered 
 his face when he awoke gave place to a cloud of 
 anger. He turned his head and looked upon 
 the place where she had slept. Her fan lay 
 half-opened near her pillow. He seized it and 
 crushed it to fragments. 
 
 To Seraltha the train seemed a swift and sure 
 deliverer bearing her homeward, and the soft 
 upholstery of the sleeping-car seemed to move 
 in caressing embrace as she reclined upon it 
 and saw the out-lying streets of the mountain 
 city passing swiftly behind her. Happiness, 
 expectancy and the thankfulness of deliverance 
 kept with her as the train swept on its down 
 ward course through a long mountain gorge 
 beautiful with trees and waterfalls, and emerged 
 upon a rocky plain below. She soon wearied of
 
 200 SEBALTHA. 
 
 the uninviting scenery of the plain and gave 
 notice to the people who journeyed with her. 
 
 In the section behind her a middle-aged 
 gentleman of self-possession met her glance 
 with a respectful air as she turned and looked 
 in his direction. Across the aisle a girl of ten 
 years, who in the full glee of unaccustomed 
 travel, had romped from seat to seat in the 
 vicinity of her sedate mother, became quiet 
 when Seraltha gave her attention and gazed at 
 her with admiration. A well-dressed elderly 
 woman in the section fronting her, who sat in 
 seeming melancholy, moved in cheerful response 
 when Seraltha addressed her. A newly-married 
 couple seated beyond were aiding to enliven 
 the car by their decorous amiabilities. The 
 girl of ten became merry, and her sedate mother 
 animated. The middle-aged gentleman be 
 came gallant and the elderly woman con 
 fidential. 
 
 A greater share of this cheer was granted to 
 Seraltha. In the companionship of those about
 
 SEBALTHA. 201 
 
 her she forgot her experience at the hotel, until 
 the train halted at an eating-house at twilight. 
 When she stepped to the landing, upon her way 
 to the dining-room, a stout man who came from 
 a forward car, walked toward her and kept by 
 her side to the entrance of the station. As they 
 walked she noticed that he constantly regarded 
 her. At the dining-table she saw that from his 
 seat, which he had taken nearly opposite her 
 position, he endeavored by smiles to attract her 
 notice. He was well-dressed, and his face was 
 florid. His table manners were those of a 
 gentleman. 
 
 While he ate he conversed with those beside 
 him. He spoke of recent happenings at the 
 mountain city, and of the mines and mountains 
 thereabout; praising the hotel fare, and signifi 
 cantly added that he was returning to San 
 Francisco, where he hoped to be recognized by 
 a sympathetic person whom he had seen during 
 his absence, and who resided in that city. 
 
 As he conversed Seraltha felt her head droop 
 ing and that her food was becoming tasteless,
 
 202 SEBALTHA. 
 
 although she had taken none since the previous 
 evening. She knew that he was speaking to 
 her. Her indignation was aroused. She raised 
 her head and looked across the table, full into 
 his face. 
 
 "By what right do you insult me? " her eyes 
 asked, and then their glance fell to the table. 
 
 He had leered suggestively as his glance 
 met hers. He was one of those who had 
 raised her from the floor as the black horse 
 entered the hotel stable with his message in 
 blood. 
 
 He knew of her acts. She saw the world's 
 opinion expressed in the eyes of one man. She 
 finished her meal and shrank away to her seat in 
 the sleeper. When the train drew away from 
 the station, the merry little girl of the afternoon 
 stood in the aisle beside Seraltha's seat, with 
 her face full of sympathy; her mother peered 
 over her shoulder from the opposite seat; the 
 elderly woman looked wonderingly over the 
 back of her section; the middle-aged gentleman 
 was silently indignant, and the newly -married
 
 SERALTHA. 203 
 
 man whispered to his bride. Seraltha wa's lying 
 on her seat, weeping convulsively. 
 
 The porter entered and disturbed the scene. 
 He stood beside Seraltha and spoke her name. 
 He handed her an unenveloped note. As she 
 read she slowly arose from her seat, and, stand 
 ing upright in her section, she tore the missive 
 into narrow strips. Breaking these, she laid 
 them in his hand. The porter knew the sig 
 nificance of this action, and returned the torn 
 note to the party who had written it. He who 
 had smiled upon her before, now uttered indig 
 nities, among which her chastity was denied, 
 and in his anger he loudly gave his interpreta 
 tion of her movements in the mountain city. 
 
 When the porter returned to his car, Seral 
 tha asked that her berth should be prepared. 
 As she opened the curtains to retire behind 
 them, the child in the opposite section bade her 
 "good-night." Tears again came to her eyes 
 and suffused her cheeks w r hen she responded. 
 She drew the curtains and threw herself upon 
 the berth. Neither the tearing of the note,
 
 204 SEKAT.THA. 
 
 nor the darkness within the curtains, sufficed to 
 obliterate from her sight the words written upon 
 it. They flamed in a dark abyss, that opened 
 to her eyes as she sank her face deep into the 
 pillow: 
 
 " SERALTHA AMES 
 
 " My silence can be secured. What is 
 }xmr address in the city ? 
 
 " A GUEST AT MONTEREY." 
 
 The envenomed lines seemed a flaming rattle 
 snake, her name its head, and the pseudonym 
 its rattle. The abyss became a gloomy plain, 
 bringing the serpent nearer. She sprang away 
 from it, and, kneeling upon her couch, she saw 
 it in the darkness about her pillow, a malefi 
 cent hallucination. She threw the curtains aside 
 for escape, and the light from without effaced it. 
 
 Fevered and trembling, she again rested her 
 head upon the pillow, and, as the night wore 
 away, her thoughts dwelt upon the humiliation. 
 In the place of welcome, when she would again 
 return to " The Mission," she now saw a leer. 
 It met her everywhere from windows, from
 
 6ERALTHA. 205 
 
 half-closed doors, on the streets, and in the 
 shops. It went with her to the church, and 
 pierced her with a thousand thrusts. Her dire 
 imaginings dwelt upon evil. A classmate came 
 before her who had strayed from propriety; 
 Seraltha saw her stretched upon a marble slab^ 
 water dripping from her hair. Another came 
 who had walked wherever her fancy led. She 
 had fled before the calumny of neighbor and 
 kin and sought employment. Calumny pur 
 sued and took the wages from her hand. She 
 had gone from her home in "The Mission" 
 northward through the city, abiding awhile in 
 seclusion. Her master had cherished her for a 
 season, and then encouraged her to drink. He 
 knew that when a woman is falling, wine will 
 plunge her downward as a clod descends. She 
 became shameless, and he drove her from him. 
 She followed the downward path to the com 
 panionship of those who revel among the ter 
 races of the "Barbary Coast."* Seraltha had 
 
 * A local name given to an immoral section of San Francisco, lying 
 along the northern wharves, and including the slopes of adjacent hills 
 where time-worn wooden houses rise to the view in apparent terraces.
 
 206 SERALTHA. 
 
 been told of her after she had fallen, and once 
 used her best efforts to reform her, but 
 failed. The expanse behind her had uplifted, 
 and the path was vertical. Fancy showed her 
 now, standing with unlaced shoe and tattered 
 gown, her dulled eyes leering across the waters 
 of the bay toward the incoming train. 
 
 The loitering morning came. The rising sun 
 brought a land breeze that pushed the ocean 
 fogs from the Oakland shore, rolled them over the 
 bay and banked them in a mask of pearl against 
 the city beyond. A steamer followed, bearing 
 those who had arrived by the mountain train. 
 As it lay against the dock Seraltha was the first 
 to go on board, hastening as if to escape detec 
 tion. Passing far forward, she bent over the 
 rail and drew deep breaths from the cooling air. 
 Others came about her and observed her dis 
 ordered hair and crumpled raiment. As the 
 steamer drew away from the landing, a watch 
 man approached and warned her of her danger. 
 When she turned, he saw a fevered flush upon 
 her cheeks. He led her to a seat near by and
 
 SERALTHA. 207 
 
 stood beside her. The place where she had 
 been was a vantage-ground for suicide. 
 
 "While she sat she looked out upon the bay. 
 A steamer, in counter passage, plunged out from 
 the bank of fog along the further shore, and 
 trailed broad bands of glistening foam among 
 the ships at anchor in the stream. Far up the 
 bay smaller craft busied the waters with sail or 
 panting steam. Oceanward, swift tugs and 
 careful steamers passed in and out the Golden 
 Gate, through fleets of fishing tartans whose 
 lateen sails dipped the leeward water and rose 
 in crescent white against a pyramid of fog. 
 
 As the steamer neared its dock the land breeze 
 fell, and gusts of sea wind swept through the 
 Heads. Chasing up the bay, they pierced a 
 broad rift in the bank of fog that lay against the 
 city. Seraltha hid her face w r hen her eyes fell 
 upon the moss-covered roofs uprising in terraced 
 outline along the "Barbary Coast." 
 
 The steamer touched its dock. The passen 
 gers pressed forward, and, hastening to the 
 landing, streamed away to waiting street cars
 
 208 SERALTHA. 
 
 and carriages, except Seraltha, who still re 
 mained upon the forward deck slowly walking 
 to and fro. The watchman, now fully aware 
 that she required assistance, asked her where 
 she wished to go. 
 
 " I do not know," she answered drearily. 
 
 He escorted her to the landing, which they 
 had scarcely reached when Lethe St. Pier came 
 toward them from a waiting carriage. When 
 they met, Lethe exclaimed: 
 
 " Here's mah Honey! Lah, lah! Mah eyes see 
 her comin' toh me. Chile, chile ! Speak toh me. 
 Yoh's full ob fever! Has you been 'bused? 
 Chile! Look on me! Come 'long ah me. Chile, 
 chile I Doan yoh see me ? Lethe St. Pier ! Come ! 
 Nobuddy 'buse yoh in Lethe St. Pier's house." 
 
 As she spoke the latter words her earnest face 
 seemed to Seraltha an assurance of deliverance. 
 The watchman stood amazed as she closely 
 encircled Lethe's shoulders with her arms and 
 repeatedly kissed her dusky face. 
 
 They entered the carriage, which was driven 
 to the house on Pine street.
 
 SEBALTHA. 209 
 
 Seraltha went to her bed in the gorgeously- 
 furnished chamber, where she passed a sleepless 
 day. In the evening, Lethe St. Pier called a 
 physician, for Seraltha was then kneeling upon 
 the bed, clutching her hair and looking wildly 
 about her in apparent delirium. 
 
 When the physician arrived, Seraltha still 
 knelt, but her hands were clenched tightly by 
 her side, and her sight was fixed upon her 
 pillow. As he approached the bedside she 
 counted slowly: 
 
 ' ' One two three four five six seven 
 eight nine ten eleven! " 
 
 " It is not in her blood, but in her brain," 
 said the physician. He was an expert in men 
 tal disorders. 

 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 the anger of Chalmer Grose had 
 expended its force in the breaking of 
 Serai tha's fan, he sent the following telegram: 
 
 " HAMILTON TUCKEE, 
 
 San Francisco : 
 
 " S. left angry, noon train. Arrive there 7, 
 morning. Have St. P. meet. Get a carriage. 
 Drive yourself. Take to Pine street. Keep S. 
 there. Hold you responsible. Don't fail." 
 
 Although the message was unsigned, Hamil 
 ton Tucker knew its source and meaning. He 
 was also aware of the importance of the con 
 cluding sentences. A crisis in the affairs of his 
 
 superior had arrived, demanding action. " Take ! 
 Keep! Don't fail!" 
 
 Force could not be considered. Persuasion 
 promised a failure. If she had fled before Csssar, 
 she would evade his retainer. Threats might 
 defeat his purpose. Calumny, having already 
 touched her, might prove unavailing. 
 
 (210)
 
 SEBALTHA. 211 
 
 Hamilton Tucker had reached his limit. He 
 studied the dispatch and solved the problem. 
 He wrote something -upon the message and went 
 to the house on Pine street. He knew of 
 Lethe's illiteracy, and when he read the mes 
 sage to her it declared: 
 
 "LETHE ST. PIER: 
 
 " Seraltha will come to-morrow, 7 in the 
 morning. Meet her at the ferry with a carriage. 
 Take her to the Pine street house. Keep her 
 there. Don't fail. I hold you responsible. 
 
 "CHALMER GROSE." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker employed a man to drive 
 the carriage from the ferry to the house on Pine 
 street, and took a retired position, where he 
 might see, unobserved, the efforts of Lethe St. 
 Pier to meet the demands of Chalmer Grose. 
 When Seraltha met Lethe, he was as much 
 amazed as had been the watchman, when he saw 
 a rapturous meeting and an amiable companion 
 ship on the way to the carriage. 
 
 This occurred in the morning of the day in 
 which he visited the grain ranch. On the even-
 
 212 SERALTHA. 
 
 ing after his return he called at the house on 
 Pine street, and gave evidence of mental relief, 
 when Lethe St. Pier met him at the door with 
 this information: 
 
 " Seraltha is afflicted with intermissive delir 
 ium, which will require many weeks of seclu 
 sion and perfect rest to overcome. That is what 
 the doctor says/' she added. 
 
 " And she can't get up and go out till she gets 
 well," said Hamilton Tucker. 
 
 " An' nobuddy gwine toh take her out long's 
 Lethe St. Pier is livin'. She's been 'bused 
 'bused long anuff." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker took one step backward as 
 the tall form in the doorway seemed to expand. 
 
 " It's all right," he responded, " I know she 
 will be safe with you." 
 
 Nevertheless, after a correspondence between 
 himself and Chalmer Grose, in which this clause 
 appeared in one of his letters " Lethe St. Pier 
 is a friend of the girl" a man of stealthy man 
 ner rented a room in the house opposite to that 
 in which Seraltha had refuge, and watched
 
 SERALTHA. 213 
 
 through the window shutters during the day. 
 Another, like him, walked about the streets, 
 on the steep driveway and over the rear grounds, 
 in the hours of darkness. A man of stooping 
 shoulders, who wore a slouch hat, held an inter= 
 view with each one when he began his under 
 taking. 
 
 After the third night, the man who walked 
 about did not go upon the grounds, and ap 
 proached no nearer to the house than the 
 opposite sidewalk. 
 
 " On this night," he said to a man who inter 
 viewed him, "and about 3 o'clock, after resting 
 upon the low stairway of the rear porch, I went 
 along the causeway toward the barn. I was half 
 way over, at the point where the causeway is 
 highest above the ground, when I heard a rust 
 ling sound, and immediately after was leashed 
 by a rope holding my arms tightly to my body. 
 Before I could make an outcry, I was thrown 
 violently upon the causeway. I was then drawn 
 over the verge, from which I fell a distance of 
 eight feet to the ground below. I then became
 
 214 SEEALTHA. 
 
 unconscious. Upon recovery, I was aware that 
 my arms were freed, and as I sat upright my 
 hand grasped the rope, which I brought away 
 with me as evidence of my adventure." 
 
 He showed the rope to the man who listened 
 to his story. It was new and had been kneaded 
 to pliability. It was nearly four feet in length, 
 and held a spliced loop on one end. On the 
 other end two of its three strands had been sev 
 ered by a sharp knife. The third strand was 
 broken, as if by great violence. The man care 
 fully examined the rope, and then said: 
 
 " You were lassoed. A Mexican did it. He 
 did not come near you. He was on the ground 
 below you, and got your shape against the sky. 
 He got away with the rest of the rope by pull 
 ing the sound strand apart, where he had cut 
 the others." 
 
 The man who made this decision was Chance 
 Neely, of the private detective agency. 
 
 The purpose of Chalmer Grose, resolved when 
 he sent the letter of invitation to Seraltha re 
 questing her presence with himself and friends
 
 SEEALTHA. 215 
 
 on the mountain excursion, had been accom 
 plished, although not in the way he had in 
 tended the ruin of her reputation with the aid 
 of scandal. 
 
 A beautiful girl had forsaken her occupation, 
 and, after flashing her presence before the wealth 
 of Monterey, had gone upon a journey of pleas 
 ure. Conducting herself then with impropriety, 
 she had returned and taken shelter in a house 
 of unsavory history. 
 
 This was the warp that her aspirations had 
 thrown about her, and scandal plied the woof 
 to a robe of deepest dye. No need for her 
 mother to tell her, when she visited her, that 
 her name was a bye-word on the streets of " The 
 Mission," and a reproach in the homes which 
 once she had cheered. She heard the whisper 
 ings in her chamber by night and by day, and 
 heard the rustle of silk, swept aside by scornful 
 hands. In the reveries of convalescence she had 
 found no wish to meet those with whom she 
 had associated, or to see the outside world. As 
 health returned, she shrank more closely within
 
 216 SERALTHA. 
 
 her chamber. The man who walked in dark 
 ness about the streets, and he who watched by 
 day, had no useful occupation. 
 
 Hope never tires in device. If spurned, it 
 returns with other invention. It has a design 
 for every condition of life. It brought one 
 to her as she reclined upon the sofa in her 
 chamber. She was immaculate! Was he so 
 enamored that he would wed to possess her? 
 
 "When this expedient presented itself, her soul 
 turned away from it. Although scorned, it per 
 sistently returned, always with alluring prom 
 ises. " It would uplift, perhaps restore. In fru 
 ition, her pathway would be lighted. He would 
 admire her beauty; he would respect her virtue; 
 he would be gratified for her devotion. Perhaps 
 he would love her." " Love! " She hysterically 
 repeated the word many times, and began the 
 counting : " One two three four five six 
 seven eight nine ten eleven!" As she 
 counted she arose and knelt upon the sofa. 
 Grasping her hair, she looked steadily toward 
 the pillow.
 
 SEEALTHA. 217 
 
 This relapse of her affliction came in the 
 fourth week from that of her arrival from the 
 mountain city, and, being less severe than the 
 first attack, it was restrained within ten days. 
 In the meantime, Chalmer Grose had so far 
 recovered from his injuries that he could be 
 removed to his rooms in the Hotel Havencourt. 
 After his arrival there, being still an invalid 
 and unable to go abroad, he summoned Lethe 
 St. Pier to his apartments. His messenger was 
 Hamilton Tucker, who, on the evening preced 
 ing the day of Lethe's ordered attendance upon 
 her employer rang the door-bell of the house 
 on Pine street with much misgiving; but its 
 scope did not reach to the unexpected, which 
 did happen. 
 
 As he stood by the door in waiting he heard 
 movements within, and saw through the stained 
 glass in the lintels that full light was being 
 given to the hall chandelier, which was sus 
 pended several yards beyond the entrance. The 
 door swung open, and remained stationary at a 
 right angle with its frame. While it was open-
 
 218 SERALTHA. 
 
 ing he stepped inside the hall, but halted as the 
 interior came to his sight. 
 
 Lethe St. Pier stood upon the lower one of 
 the stairs, her left hand resting upon the newel. 
 No other person was in view. She could not 
 have opened the door. In the instant that 
 brought this fact to his mind, Lethe recognized 
 her visitor. Seizing something which stood 
 behind the newel she stepped to the floor of the 
 hall and raised it toward him. He saw far 
 down the double barrels of a sportsman's gun. 
 
 "Don't come!" she said, as she drew the 
 breech against her shoulder; "and don't go! 
 don't move! yes, you may do that," she added. 
 
 He had leaned heavily into the angle of the 
 wall and door-casing as he looked along the 
 barrels of the gun to the hammers, both full 
 drawn. 
 
 " And this is not the only one," she continued. 
 " You can look at the door." 
 
 He looked, and saw double barrels protruding 
 beyond the door, held by some one who stood 
 behind it.
 
 SEBALTHA. 219 
 
 " That," she said, " is for the man who has 
 been prowling 'round my house night times, if 
 he is coming behind you, or anybody else com 
 ing with him. And don't you speak, only to 
 what I am going to say." Hamilton Tucker 
 shrank closer into the angle. " You have come 
 to ask Miss Seraltha to go away with you, and 
 if she won't do that, you have come to take her 
 away. Just that same doings been 'round this 
 house before, but nobody can get a carriage up 
 the back way this time. I've done boarded up 
 the passage through the barn, in and out, and 
 any carriage coming to my house any more 
 stops in the street, right in front, and nobody 
 gets carried away from my house, unless she 
 wants to go; and Miss Seraltha don't." 
 
 " Mrs. St. Pier!" (Hamilton Tucker hesitated 
 and struggled for speech, then continued.) " I 
 don't want Seraltha. I've got no carriage. 
 Nobody's with me. Mr. Chalmer Grose wants 
 you to come to the Hotel Havencourt; he wants 
 to see you to-morrow afternoon at three o'clock.
 
 220 SEKALTHA. 
 
 Put put away the gun, please ! There's no 
 no use for it." 
 
 " I suppose," responded Lethe, stil holding 
 the gun in position, " that you are telling the 
 truth. I am going to let you off, if you will hold 
 up your right hand and promise to find the 
 man who is prowling 'round my house night 
 times, and take him away with you." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker's right hand went up, and 
 the promise was ardently given. The gun still 
 remained in position. 
 
 " And you tell Chalmer Grose if he wants to 
 see Lethe St. Pier, he is welcome to come to her 
 house any day-time, by the front way, and 
 nobody will hurt him. He needn't send for the 
 shotguns, and the two rifles, and the three 
 revolvers in the cupboards up stairs, for the 
 lease of this house says : ' and everything that 
 is in it. 1 Now, you may go." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker departed. As he reached 
 the sidewalk at the foot of the granite steps, he 
 looked upward and saw the light slowly fading 
 from the stained glass of the door. On a street
 
 BEBALTHA. 221 
 
 corner near by he met the man who had walked 
 about in darkness, and conversed with him. 
 After they had separated, the man went to the 
 room of his confederate and peered through the 
 shutters into the dim gaslight that threw misty 
 gleams against the castle of Lethe St. Pier. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker called at the rooms of his 
 employer early the next morning and related 
 the facts to him. He was much astonished, 
 after he had imparted his information, to know 
 that Chalmer Grose received it without evidence 
 of anger. He was further surprised when, upon 
 the completion of his story, he was told to call 
 at the private detective agency and command 
 the withdrawal of the two spies from their 
 stations.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 rooms of the suite occupied by Chal- 
 mer Grose in the Hotel Havencourt 
 numbered six, being a union of two suites by 
 the cutting of a door between. The first room 
 was in an angle against the principal and side 
 street, and the others extended along the side 
 street and a main corridor of the floor upon 
 which they were situated, to an exclusive corri 
 dor, into which the further room opened. The 
 rooms within the angle, and that upon the exclu 
 sive corridor, were spacious parlors. An obser 
 vant visitor, passing through the interior of the 
 rooms from the angle would have noticed, first, 
 a frescoed parlor, gorgeous with inharmonious 
 colors on curtain, divan, and carpet; second, a 
 chamber with greater discord in colors about a 
 canopied bed; third, a dressing-room with simi 
 lar colors reflected in heavy pier glasses; fourth, 
 a dressing-room with harmonious colors, draped 
 
 (222)
 
 SEBALTHA. 223 
 
 easel-mirrors, and a subtle perfume, not of 
 flowers; fifth, an adjoining chamber, with the 
 added purity of white; sixth, a parlor, decorated 
 and with harmonious tints on curtain, divan 
 and carpet. Passing thence into the exclusive 
 corridor, the visitor would have noticed the 
 absence of doors in the wall of the opposite 
 room, and that the suite of rooms through 
 which he had passed were secluded from all 
 others upon the floor. 
 
 During the two weeks following the arrival of 
 Chalmer Grose, he rested, at first upon the 
 canopied bed, and afterward upon easy chairs 
 and couches in the gorgeous parlor. Later, 
 occasional visitors- entered the rooms. These 
 were officers of the Sierra Nevada Mining 
 Association, who gave sympathy and congratu 
 lations, and otherwise aided to break the mono 
 tony of his, convalescence. At the end of the 
 third week he had so far recovered as to be 
 driven abroad in his carriage. After a few days 
 he entered his carriage attended by his valet, 
 and was driven to the house on Pine street.
 
 224 SEBALTHA. 
 
 Lethe St. Pier met him at the door and 
 ushered him into the reception room. As he 
 turned from the hallway to enter this room he 
 furtively glanced into the angle behind the 
 front door. When he was seated he gave the 
 same attention to possible places of concealment 
 about the room. 
 
 " I called to speak with Seraltha," he abruptly 
 said, when Lethe had seated herself near him. 
 
 " Your man said Lethe St. Pier is who you 
 wanted to speak with." Her response gave 
 evidence of opposition. 
 
 "Yes then, about a new mine. Spiritual 
 affair. Wanted to know about what was in it. 
 I will see you some other time. Just as well 
 when this is taken off." He pointed with his 
 right hand to the silken sling in which his 
 injured arm lay. Continuing, he said: "Bad 
 injury side, too. Troubles me now. I shall 
 do no business until I get well. Thought I 
 would, when I sent for you." 
 
 Lethe St. Pier was foiled and the thrusts that
 
 SERALTHA. 225 
 
 she had intended were forefended. She sat a 
 moment in thought, and then said: 
 
 "Miss Seraltha has been very sick crazy- 
 like. Something happened up there in the 
 mountains." She looked intently at him, and, 
 as thoughts of Seraltha's version of the happen 
 ing came to her mind, she again showed opposi 
 tion. 
 
 "Yes, it was terrible," he responded. "Enough 
 to make anyone crazy. Besides, she was awake 
 so long, caring for me. My fault; but I was in 
 great pain. Gave no attention to time. After 
 ward she slept too long. I did not know that it 
 was dangerous for her to do so, until the doctor 
 told me the next day. I coald not bear to 
 awaken her she had been so good to me." 
 
 Lethe was foiled again, and satyr was in 
 transformation to seraph. Hesitating but an 
 instant, she arose from her seat, exclaiming: 
 
 "Dah lubbly chile! She done got mistaken. 
 Dah good Lawd's hearin' me I'se thankful! 
 I'se gwine toh her dis berry minit. She'll say
 
 226 SERALTHA. 
 
 yes. I'se thankful, en dah good Lord's a 
 knowin' ob it!" 
 
 Leaving the reception room she ran up the 
 stairway to the vestibule. He heard her foot 
 steps along the floor of the parlor above him, 
 and in the room beyond. Craftiness came 
 among the wiry muscles of his face. 
 
 After a long delay Lethe came to him with 
 the information that Seraltha would meet him 
 in the parlor. Lethe returned to Seraltha and 
 assisted to dress her in the ashes-of-roses tea- 
 gown, and coiled her hair exquisitely. Long 
 seclusion within her room had effaced the in 
 herited firmness of labor from the outlines of 
 her form, and in its place had bestowed the 
 lithe and delicate grace of luxury and ease. 
 
 The delirium from which she had suffered 
 left a slight impress upon her, manifested by an 
 unrest and by abrupt and emotional speech. 
 Her eyes sometimes deepened in color, and 
 moved their sight rapidly over the person with 
 whom she might be in conversation. She would 
 draw deep inspirations when thus engaged.
 
 SERALTHA. 227 
 
 These manifestations had not been continu 
 ous, and seemed to move upon her as tides 
 move, not diurnally, but with the lunations. 
 She was upon the ebb of this tide yet not at 
 its lowest when Chalmer Grose entered the 
 parlor to converse with her. She sat upon an 
 armless upholstered chair beyond the broad 
 front windows of the parlor furthest from the 
 vestibule. 
 
 As Ghalmer Grose entered he walked with 
 confidence to meet an inexperienced girl; but 
 as he passed under the embossed arch connect 
 ing the parlors, a woman calmly waved her fan 
 toward a sofa placed in a position where the 
 light from the window fell full upon his face. 
 As he sat, he at first looked away from her 
 through the window, toward the shutters where 
 the spy had watched. When he turned his 
 face toward her, he saw the blue within her 
 eyes deepening to violet amidst the shifting 
 flashes that darted upon him from head to foot; 
 and fancy showed him the three revolvers 
 glistening in the chiffonier of his abandoned
 
 228 SERALTHA. 
 
 chamber, which she now occupied. Impelled 
 by this, he arose; but her eyes now calmly met 
 his. 
 
 "I meant the best toward you," he said, 
 hastily, and again took his seat. "There was 
 no harm in your resting by my side. You 
 were good to me; and I loved you. I had 
 resolved to wed you if you would when I 
 was fully well. It was upon the tongue of every 
 body in the mountain city that you were to be 
 my wife, and" He hesitated. She looked 
 intently at him, but, as she made no response, 
 he continued: "It was a pleasant situation, as 
 fair as could be in the midst of calamity. I 
 thought of it in the intervals of my suffering, 
 as you came about me in gentle care. I felt a 
 cheer that soothed the pain when at its greatest 
 violence." 
 
 He spoke the latter sentence looking out at 
 the window; but hearing the sound of a deep 
 inspiration, he turned his face toward her. 
 Another followed, and then a third. He mis 
 took their meaning, and resumed his speech
 
 SEKALTHA. 229 
 
 with ardor. " Your touch and your near pres 
 ence were anodynes to my anguish, and were 
 healing while I was yet bleeding." 
 
 Approaching her, he seized her hand and 
 raised it to his lips. She quickly withdrew it 
 and stood before him, still looking into his eyes, 
 but now as if bewildered. 
 
 They sat again in their respective places, and 
 as Chalmer Grose contemplated the uninjured 
 hand that rested upon his knee, his face showed 
 agitation. This was soon quieted, and he 
 resumed his speech, repeating his first assertion : 
 
 " It was a pleasant situation, as fair as could 
 be in the midst of calamity. It should have 
 remained so to the end. We could then have 
 wedded with propriety if you would and 
 with applause from all the world. No scandal 
 would have sought you. Your devotion to me 
 had disarmed it. 
 
 " You went from me by stealth, it seemed 
 to others as if you tired in the companionship 
 of an invalid. Then men began to talk, in the 
 hotel and in the city men who know the
 
 230 SERAI/THA. 
 
 world and they said: 'She stays with pleasure, 
 but goes from pain. She is not to be his wife 
 she is something else.' What they said came 
 with you upon the train and spread abroad in 
 this city. It grieved me; but grief cannot undo 
 what has been done. I can shield you from 
 further calumny, and honorably. Shall I con 
 tinue?" 
 
 A carriage was passing by, and her sight fol 
 lowed it. When it had disappeared around 
 the corner, she turned quickly toward him 
 and said: 
 
 " You may continue." 
 
 "We can marry, if you wish, and as I shall 
 advise; and time will clear us both from 
 reproach. Society menaces him who would 
 wed where it has defamed, and business men 
 look askance upon him. Should you consent 
 to aid in my protection from these grievances, I 
 can aid you to a restoration of that which has 
 been taken from you." 
 
 He moved upon his seat BO that he might
 
 SERALTHA. 231 
 
 speak toward, yet not fully look upon her, and 
 continued: 
 
 "The Courts of California and justly, too, 
 (for, what two persons may do concerns them 
 none others) concede the privilege of 
 matrimony to those who agree with each other, 
 in writing, to assume that state. This writ 
 ing is a marriage certificate. The marriage 
 may not be known to society for years, if the 
 parties so will, and they may still possess its 
 benefits. We can do this, and remain together 
 in secrecy, as I will explain to you, later on. 
 When society has forgotten your mistake, in its 
 attention to those of others which will follow, 
 we can appear in public as man and wife, with 
 out dishonor. You may be satisfied of the 
 legality of this form of marriage by consulting 
 with any lawyer in San Francisco. I should 
 wish you to be satisfied. I wish to do right by 
 you, and I ask a like consideration for myself." 
 
 "Would society forget?" This inquiry bore 
 a tone of doubt, yet it expressed eagerness and 
 something of hope.
 
 232 SEBALTHA. 
 
 " Society has fads and whims/' he answered, 
 decisively. " They are laid aside and forgotten. 
 This year it makes assertions and the next year 
 denies them. One year may be sufficient for 
 our seclusion." 
 
 "My mother will be happy again!" she 
 exclaimed, almost gleefully, and then sud 
 denly became agitated. 
 
 Chalmer Grose looked at her in astonish 
 ment. This was an involuntary expression of a 
 thought, but he accepted it as a yielding to his 
 proposal. 
 
 ' Your mother should not know until we have 
 made it public. She would not comprehend. 
 She could not keep your secret. We will pro 
 vide for her comfort. This can be arranged. 
 No one should know except Mammy St. Pier, 
 and she should not know the reasons for secrecy. 
 She is your friend and will keep your secret 
 forever, if you tell it to her in a dark room at 
 midnight. Tell her. She will aid us. But do 
 not tell her the reasons. She cannot compre 
 hend "
 
 SERALTHA. 233 
 
 Seraltha had become composed, and inter 
 rupted him : "You are assuming too much. 
 I have not consented." 
 
 " I speak subject to your consent for the 
 benefit of both, it seems to me. This provides 
 a way to free us wholly from difficulties. Upon 
 reflection you will consent, I believe. I will 
 speak further, with your permission." She was 
 silent, and he continued: 
 
 " We can live as befits our station. I com 
 mand in the Hotel Havencourt, and am obeyed. 
 I will be consistent with you. You should 
 know details. I should arrange two suites of 
 rooms as one, opening into separate corridors. 
 Guests of hotels are mindful of their own 
 affairs, and you could occupy, seemingly, your 
 own suite, and I, mine; each passing in and out 
 through separate doors without notice from 
 others. Beautifully furnished they are would 
 be and we can live there pleasantly retired. 
 Every luxury will be ours, except that of 
 society, and of this we shall be deprived only a 
 year or two. It is not what I had thought, but
 
 234 SEEALTHA. 
 
 it is the best that we can do. It is for my good 
 and yours. Seraltha, I love you! I ask you to 
 be my wife! " 
 
 Hermina's words flashed into her memory, 
 and her lips began a repetition: "By him it 
 may be spoken in lust." She cheeked this dem 
 onstration of her affliction, but her eyes wan 
 dered over him. Her words drew his atten 
 tion to her, and fancy again showed him the 
 three revolvers glistening within the chiffonier. 
 This time a certain fear came upon him. He 
 cowered under her glances. 
 
 "What is love? " She leaned far forward in 
 her chair. Her eyes became steady as she 
 added "Your love?" 
 
 " To give good, to do good to one whom I 
 have selected to be my wife from among all 
 others if she will accept." He drew a breath 
 of relief and moved toward her. 
 
 ' The definition of mine," she responded, " is a 
 devotion of myself to one who can bring about 
 me the better things of life. If this is sufficient 
 to you I will accept, under the conditions that
 
 SEBALTHA. 235 
 
 you have made if a marriage by written agree 
 ment is allowed by the law. 
 
 He sprang to her side, as if to embrace her. 
 She shrank from him. He caught her hand 
 and raised it toward his lips. She drew it 
 away.
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 an evening of the week following that in 
 which the promise of Seraltha Ames was 
 given, Hamilton Tucker and his wife Hermina 
 were at their office, No. 12 Hotel Havencourt 
 Block. The curtains of the windows were closely 
 drawn, and after a short conversation he locked 
 the door and put the key in his pocket. He 
 then went near to Hermina, who sat at her desk 
 reading a paper of legal pattern, and, with an 
 imprecation, vehemently said: 
 
 "There's been coaxing enough and there's 
 been nonsense enough on your part. Now you 
 have got to copy that writing in perfect imita 
 tion. You can do it. The right or wrong of it 
 has got nothing to do with you or me." 
 
 " But I shall not copy it," she answered, decis 
 ively. 
 
 '' Then I've got no more use for you neither 
 here nor elsewhere. But I can crush that non- 
 
 (236)
 
 SERALTHA. 237 
 
 sense out of you." He seized her neck and 
 bent her head forward over the desk. His 
 grasp tightened, and his sight rested upon the 
 soft black hair in glossy coils above his thumbs. 
 She did not struggle, and amidst a silence 
 that seemed to force itself into the room 
 and congeal around him, he heard the faint 
 clicking of coins and the almost inaudible 
 voices of men. The cinch-room was beyond, 
 and men were there in numbers. Muffled 
 sounds of footsteps came through the walls; the 
 nearer measured, and the distant blended into 
 a murmur, yet all were hastening with approach 
 ing tread. He looked away from her, toward 
 the cinch-room, and toward the walls behind 
 him and upon either side. He reflected an 
 instant, then loosened his grasp. Kneeling, he 
 drew her face to his, and, stroking her cheek, 
 pleaded for forgiveness. She recovered and 
 drew away from him. 
 
 He arose, and, gathering the papers upon her 
 desk, carefully placed them within his own 
 cabinet. He went with her to their lodgings,
 
 238 SERALTHA. 
 
 and although she was constantly silent he was 
 gallant, attentive, and apparently contrite. As 
 he continued his amiabilities for three days, she 
 began to accept his repeated assertion that his 
 heart was all right, but that his judgment had 
 been overwhelmed by sudden anger. She 
 granted him forgiveness, and as a recompense 
 he proposed that they should close the office for 
 a day and together visit the grain ranch of Chal- 
 mer Grose, where, he said, it was then necessary 
 that he should make a tour of inspection. She 
 assented, and on the following morning they 
 boarded a train which would convey them to a 
 village situated a few miles from the northern 
 boundary of the ranch. 
 
 Arriving there at noon they dined and after 
 ward secured a horse and carriage, by which 
 conveyance they drove toward the grain ranch. 
 On the train Hamilton Tucker had been atten 
 tive and respectful to his wife, and while it 
 did not restore to her a full measure of hap 
 piness, her heart felt light, and the scenery 
 seemed doubly beautiful. They were now in the
 
 SERALTHA. 239 
 
 valley of the San Joaquin and driving toward 
 the south. Other valleys confine the sight to 
 narrow limits, or diffuse it into a dull horizon. 
 Here immensity enthralls the sight. The Sier 
 ras rise in the east, awe-inspiring in their 
 remoteness. Banks of cloud, gathered in mists 
 from the ocean and floating high over Tehachapi, 
 border it in the south ; while an undulating line 
 along the western sky traces the summit of 
 Coast Range. From these the sky arches in 
 unbroken azure. Within lies verdure and broad 
 streams, and the wealth of grain and fruit and 
 flowers. 
 
 After a short drive on the public road, Ham 
 ilton Tucker turned the horse into an unfre 
 quented way, by which they arrived at the limit 
 of the ranch farthest from the dwellings, which 
 were two miles distant, and hidden from sight 
 by a ridge. Another ranch spread in an opposite 
 direction, the distant buildings being hidden 
 behind a similar ridge. A barbed-wire fence 
 enclosed the property of Chalmer Grose, giving 
 admittance through a heavy gate.
 
 240 SERALTHA. 
 
 As they drove through the gate, faint, noxious 
 odors came to them upon the southern hreeze. 
 As they advanced, the odors became stronger, 
 and in the distance dark objects circled about 
 in the air. Advancing farther, they ap 
 proached a deep ravine, its sides covered "with 
 willow and nightshade. He drew the horse to a 
 halt. Hoarse sounds of contention and the 
 rustle of wings arose from the ravine. Above 
 it, shrill screams of alarm came from the beaks 
 of circling vultures. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker descended from the carriage, 
 and, without speaking, detached the horse from 
 it and secured him to a rear wheel. He then 
 went near to Hermina and looked up to her. 
 As if the exponents of death, floating in the air 
 above and contending in the ravine below, had 
 foreboded evil to her, the flush of gratification 
 that had spread over her face, faded, and the 
 faint wrinkles traced by shame and contrition 
 deepened into alarm. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker pointed his finger down 
 the ravine. The deadly fruit of the night-
 
 SERALTHA. 241 
 
 shade clustered in dark bunches along the side, 
 and the willows swayed over them in suggestive 
 drooping. Her eyes followed the motion of his 
 hand. " No one ever goes down there, except 
 those that have died," he said. " No one ever 
 sees them again. They go to the mountains at 
 nightfall with the vultures." 
 
 She looked at the mountains. The wall of 
 the Sierras seemed swiftly to approach, and the 
 cloud over Tehachapi expanded toward her. 
 
 ".I have something for you to do," he con 
 tinued, "if you do it we will go away together. If 
 you don't do it, I shall go alone, and to-morrow, 
 at nightfall, you will go to the mountains with 
 the vultures." He drew from a pocket the 
 manuscript that she had refused to copy, then 
 her pen ; from another a small bottle of ink, 
 together with blank paper of legal pattern and 
 a tablet upon which to write. 
 
 He laid them upon the seat beside her and 
 raised the half-opened canopy of the carriage. 
 Stepping back three paces he commanded 
 her to write. She made no movement. He
 
 242 SEKALTHA. 
 
 folded his arms across his breast, waiting. Her 
 head drooped against the stanchions of the can 
 opy, her eyes closed, and her face became as a 
 lily in whiteness. 
 
 The screams of alarm from above had ceased ; 
 and the sounds of contention and the rustle of 
 wings in the ravine below had increased in 
 volume as she slowly revived to consciousness 
 and looked upon him as he stood, still waiting. 
 
 :< Write! " he said; but she made no response. 
 
 Placing his right hand within his waistcoat 
 he drew a stylet from it. The weapon flashed 
 its beveled surfaces against the sunlight and his 
 chest heaved with gathering determination. 
 She gazed upon it as if fascinated, and then 
 with an effort drew her sight away. She looked 
 rapidly over the slope upon her right, and then 
 to the one upon her left. No one appeared 
 within her sight, and none could hear an outcry. 
 The sun was declining, and the sounds of con 
 tention in the deep ravine were becoming more 
 discordant.
 
 SEEALTHA. 243 
 
 He advanced toward her. She raised the 
 tablet from the seat, and, placing the blank 
 papers upon it, began to write. She did not 
 use the manuscript in copying the words had 
 burned themselves into her brain. 
 
 When her writing was completed he tore the 
 manuscript into shreds and threw them into the 
 ravine. The copy he put into an inside pocket 
 of his waistcoat, together with the stylet. Look 
 ing at his watch, he said : 
 
 " We will now return. There is time to make 
 the evening train by good driving." 
 
 He attached the horse to the carriage and 
 drove rapidly over the unfrequented road toward 
 the village, and they arrived in time for the 
 train to San Francisco. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker had made no tour of inspec 
 tion upon the grain ranch of Chalmer Grose; 
 but, with the aid of the vultures of the moun 
 tains, he had effected that which long afterward 
 was a standing point for vultures of the law as 
 thev tore at the heart of a woman.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 the days passed by, and Seraltha re- 
 fleeted upon the proposal of Chalmer 
 Grose, she became satisfied with, its terms. 
 Socially his position appeared to be far above 
 her plane; that he should strive to protect 
 himself there, seemed proper. Again, she had 
 not kept faith with society in that which it 
 most strenuously required of her a blame 
 less public deportment. She had betrayed it, 
 unwittingly, surely, but nevertheless essentially. 
 Her exclusion from its benefits, for a year or 
 two, in consequence, began to assume the char 
 acter of a suitable penance. Besides, he made 
 her frequent visits, and with regrets, amiabili 
 ties and promises of future happiness, aided to 
 dispel her misgivings. 
 
 "To be sure," he said to her one day, as he 
 sat in the double parlor, " I cannot put all the 
 blame of our discomfort upon you, although I 
 
 (244) 
 
 \
 
 8EBALTHA. 245 
 
 was in great pain and scarcely responsible. 
 While I am forced to assume a part, I still give 
 my thoughts to our future happiness. I see 
 clearly through to the time when all these 
 clouds will have passed away, and we shall be in 
 sunshine. We will aid each other to that end." 
 
 " And I am becoming aware," she responded, 
 " that I was imprudent, and appreciate your 
 generosity." 
 
 After an hour spent in pleasant conversation 
 he arose, and, taking her hand, held it in his. 
 She did not withdraw it. He stooped and kissed 
 her. She returned the kiss coldly. 
 
 He praised her dress for the evening when 
 their agreement should go into effect and went 
 away in a pleasant mood. The ceremony of 
 signing the agreement was appointed for an 
 evening within two weeks from the date of this 
 visit, in the house on Pine street. They were 
 to go thence to the Hotel Havencourt. 
 
 That the affliction which had left slight traces 
 upon Seraltha was wholly mental, became evi 
 dent from the almost total disappearance of its
 
 246 SERALTHA. 
 
 manifestations when she was thus relieved of 
 apprehension. A certain mobility of her eyes 
 when engaged in conversation was all that now 
 remained, and this was of a nature that merely 
 gave animation to her countenance. 
 
 In the manner suggested by Chalmer Grose 
 she had imparted her secret to Lethe St. Pier, 
 who received and buried it under crosses over 
 her heart in Seraltha's chamber at midnight. 
 In her elation that the girl whom she now 
 undoubtedly loved with all the strength of her 
 intense nature was to realize her aspirations, 
 although in an unconventional way, Lethe gave 
 full expression to her emotions. She spoke of 
 the prophecy which was now being fulfilled, and 
 insisted that her powers be applied to a dis 
 covery of methods to insure future good fortune. 
 She spent the remainder of the night in this 
 purpose, while Seraltha slept in the peace of 
 deliverance. 
 
 While waiting upon Seraltha at breakfast the 
 following morning, Lethe gave the information 
 that she had received in the dark room by the
 
 SEKALTHA. 247 
 
 furnace. The prognosis had been pleasant, and 
 she was in ecstacy. 
 
 " I waited, en waited, en bimeby spirits come. 
 Den I whisper toh dem, ' My honey wants her 
 forchin.' Den dey whisper, ' We's dillinatin' 
 spirits. Look in dah flame ob dah lamp, en 
 wait.' Den dey doan speak any moh, but I 
 knows dey was dar, all 'round me. 
 
 " I looked in dah flame, en waited, en waited, 
 en waited; en 'twas so long I'se knowin' some- 
 fin good is coniin' foh shuah. Bimeby dah 
 flame 'gun toh grow, en it growed up, en out. 
 Den a spider come stringin' down froh dah 
 ceilin'! Right onto dah table befo' me! Dahs 
 dah mostes kind ob good forchin when dah 
 spiders come stringin' down. Den I see some- 
 fin colorin', right in dah middle ob dah flame. 
 I whispers, ' Dat's apple-blossom ! ' Den it went 
 away. Musn't whisper when dillinatin' spirits 
 is 'round mus' think. Den I looked more, en 
 waited. Dar 'twas agin! Same like dah firs' 
 time! Den I think, 'What's apple-blossoms gwine
 
 248 SEKALTHA. 
 
 toh do foh my honey?' I 'spected orange- 
 blossoms. 
 
 " Den dah color growed, mostes up en down, 
 en it 'gun toh shine. Den I look, en I think, 
 ' Dats plush ! ' Den it growed, en dah flame got 
 white en glittered on it. Chile ! Chile ! If dem 
 spirits let yoh see dat I'se done call yoh down 
 dar in yoh night-clos', but dey wouldn't. Jes' 
 dah be-u-tifulest dress ebber yoh see! 'cept a 
 shuah-nuif weddin' dress. Dah train reach 'way 
 out, mos' as fur as dah flame, en dah flame jes' 
 as big as dah room. Den pearls come round 
 dah neck ob dah dress, big as dem pebbles on 
 dah sho' where dah water splashes up, en dey 
 shine down on dah dress; en sometime I doan 
 know if it's white, en sometime I doan know if 
 it's pink. Chile! Yoh autoh see it! 
 
 "Den I think, < Whose's dat dress?' Den 
 mah honey's slippers come under it, en dah 
 gold toes peak out in front. Den her arms 
 come in dah puffs on dah shoulders, jes' like 
 marble, en dey fold demseves cross dah waist, 
 en waited. Den a bunch ob apple-blossoms
 
 8EBALTHA. 249 
 
 come in dah right hand! Dey tremble like 
 somebuddy's inside dah dress, en waited, en 
 waited. 
 
 " Den I think, ' Ain't dem dillinatin' spirits 
 gwine toh show me no moh ? Dis is bad forchin 
 for shuah, if dey doan.' Chile! Den mah eyes 
 see dah blessedest face! Jes' like dah spirit 
 ones. Den I knows yoh's dar sister, en dey's 
 gwine toh keer foh yoh. Dat was yoh face ! It 
 'gun toh grow like dah earthly one, en bimeby 
 dah eyes grow so bright dat dah pearls doan 
 shine no moh. Den dah flame went away, 
 all 'cept dah lamp-light dat I was lookin' intoh." 
 
 It was a copy from this vision of apple- 
 blossom plush, and the necklace of pearls, 
 which Lethe insisted Seraltha should wear as a 
 harbinger of good fortune on the evening of the 
 signing of the contract. It was this attire to 
 the wearing of which Chalmer Grose gave 
 approval just after he had placed his first kiss 
 upon the lips of Seraltha Ames. 
 
 Madam Convincia Hitts afterward came to 
 the house on Pine street and made a gown like
 
 250 SEKALTHA. 
 
 that seen by Lethe St. Pier in the flame of the 
 lamp. The necklace of pearls was clasped 
 around Seraltha's neck by Chalmer Grose, just 
 before signing their agreement. 
 
 The appointed evening arrived. Lethe had 
 removed the obstructions from the passage 
 through the barn, and at nine o'clock the car 
 riage of Chalmer Grose stood by the rear porch 
 of the house in waiting. The rains of early 
 autumn, approaching from the sea, threw their 
 fitful outskirts over the sky, veiling the moon 
 in gray and pearl. The southwest wind, laden 
 with the bouquet of ocean sedge and mosses, 
 rustled the trees and shrubbery. Inconstantly 
 the gas lights nickered in the streets, pushing 
 their dim lustre along the verandas. At times 
 it paled, and, wasting its sheen upon the ground 
 below, threw weird shadows of bush and trellis 
 along the lawns. 
 
 The winds increased, the dampness grew 
 heavier, and the shadows deepened. The coach 
 man closed his coat from chin to boot, and waited. 
 "Within the parlors were flowers and foliage,
 
 SEEALTHA. 251 
 
 in vases upon the tables and in festoons along 
 the walls. A horseshoe of smilax and tuberose 
 opened over the curtains that hung at the exit 
 to the vestibule. These had been arranged by 
 Lethe St. Pier, and they filled the parlors with 
 fragrance inappropriate to the scene which trans 
 pired that evening about a mahogany table that 
 reflected the light of a chandelier from its pol 
 ished surface. 
 
 Seraltha sat beside the table, robed in the 
 gown of apple-blossom plush. The pearls of 
 her necklace reflected their pale light upon it as 
 she moved, and her marble arms, tapering into 
 mosquetaire gloves, vied with them in clarity. 
 She was serene and self-contained. She dis 
 cussed with Chalmer Grose the terms of the 
 agreement, a copy of which she held before her. 
 He held a corresponding paper, and upon it was 
 written the word " Original." 
 
 When Matrimony consults a lawyer the blush 
 is taken from its cheek, and to her who is about 
 to enter its chambers a like contact brings au 
 dacity. With a copy of the agreement in her
 
 252 SERALTHA. 
 
 possession, provided for her by Chalmer Grose, 
 Seraltha had consulted authorities in relation 
 to its legality. Intent upon this purpose, she 
 had visited a building where many lawyers had 
 offices, immediately after agreeing to the pro 
 posal of marriage. Selecting at random from 
 among the names displayed upon signs along the 
 corridor, she hesitatingly entered a door. The 
 occupant being temporary absent an usher 
 escorted her to his private office, where she sat 
 awaiting his return. Within a half hour the 
 lawyer arrived. During this interview, the first 
 lesson in duplicity was forced upon her. The 
 lawyer had been one among those of the recep 
 tion at Monterey. 
 
 " A friend," Seraltha said, in answer to his 
 inquiry, " requests me to consult you regarding 
 the legality of this writing." 
 
 She laid it before him. He carefully read 
 and re-read it. He then said: 
 
 11 It is an agreement of marriage. Does your 
 friend wish my opinion upon the advisability 
 of a marriage of this kind? '
 
 SERALTHA. 253 
 
 The words of Chalmer Grose flashed to her 
 thought " What two persons may do concerns 
 them none others " and fortified her against 
 that which might be good to know, but 
 which was foreign to her inquiry. " I want your 
 opinion of its legality and proper wording," 
 she answered. 
 
 "What is the age of your friend?" the law 
 yer asked. 
 
 " I do not know," Seraltha answered, disquieted 
 lest other questions should reveal her position 
 to him. She looked away from him to her 
 hands, which were caressing each other upon 
 her lap. 
 
 " If she is past eighteen," he slowly said, 
 " her signature will be legal and the instrument 
 valid, if both parties are in accord. 
 
 " And the marriage will be the same as any 
 other?" She inclined forward and looked in 
 tently at him as she spoke. 
 
 " Legally," the lawyer answered. 
 
 A faint smile came upon his face, disclosing 
 the nature of his opinion, but which Seraltha
 
 254 SEBALTHA. 
 
 accepted as one of entire approval. Legality 
 to her untaught comprehension included all the 
 rest. 
 
 The lawyer saying no more upon the subject, 
 Seraltha paid his fee and departed. As she 
 walked along the corridor, suspicion suddenly 
 entered her mind. " The lawyer was at 
 Monterey! He saw her there in company with 
 Chalmer Grose. Was he desirous that the form 
 should be approved? Was it not even he who 
 wrote the form? Was he not a counsellor to 
 Chalmer Grose ? He had smiled as he gave his 
 opinion. Was it of satisfaction? Might it not 
 be a trap, yawning with dishonor and shame? " 
 
 She selected another name, far down the cor 
 ridor. It was easy now to enter where before 
 she had hesitated. The occupant showed her 
 to his private office, where she sat beside 
 him. She was not abashed when she told him 
 her mission. She spoke plainly about herself, 
 and calmly discussed with the lawyer the legal 
 questions involved in the marriage agreement. 
 His opinion was in accord with that already
 
 SEBALTHA. 255 
 
 given. When she went again to the corridor 
 there was that upon her which comes to a 
 woman from dalliance with the law deteriora 
 tion. 
 
 While sitting at the mahogany table, Chalmer 
 Grose did not open fully the paper superscribed 
 " Original;" but as he read in response to Seral- 
 tha's comments and inquiries, he closed the 
 folds, except the one upon which the clause in 
 discussion was written. When she announced 
 her satisfaction, he drew a deep breath of relief. 
 
 Seraltha directed Lethe, who sat near by 
 in waiting, to bring writing materials from 
 her dressing-room. When these were placed 
 before them Chalmer Grose opened the lower 
 fold of the " Original " upon the table, and, hold 
 ing the remaining folds together, he wrote his 
 signature upon that which was unfolded before 
 him. This he dried with a blotter, giving it a 
 heavy pressure. He then took the copy, which 
 she had placed upon the table, and signed it as 
 it lay, full opened. He then gave the pen to 
 Seraltha, who wrote her signature upon the copy
 
 256 SERALTHA. 
 
 underneath his. This done, he laid the blotter 
 upon the signature, afterward taking the copy 
 in possession. He then gave her the "Original." 
 She wrote her name under that of Chalmer 
 Grose. Thus Seraltha Ames became Seraltha 
 Ames Grose. 
 
 "Keep the original for yourself," he said; " it 
 is all in my own handwriting, and I will retain 
 the copy. Put on your traveling suit and pre 
 pare your trunk. We will take it with us." 
 
 As Seraltha began these preparations in her 
 dressing-room, with the assistance of Lethe, 
 Chalmer Grose retained his seat at the table. 
 "When they had been absent a short time, he 
 took a slip of paper, that fell to his lap when 
 he removed the blotter from the original, and 
 noiselessly tore it into fragments. He then 
 went to the vestibule, and stepping out upon the 
 veranda, threw the fragments out into the 
 dim gas light. The wind bore them in a snowy 
 scud to the pavement of Pine street. 
 
 The change of dress was completed ; the coach 
 man had placed the steamer trunk on the seat
 
 SEEALTHA. 257 
 
 beside him and covered it with a lap robe. 
 Chalmer Grose escorted Seraltha to the carriage, 
 and, taking a seat beside her, closed the door. 
 The curtains had already been drawn. 
 
 As the carriage turned upon the causeway 
 Lethe St. Pier stood in the rear door of the 
 house, and soliloquized: 
 
 " Foh dah Massah, dat's dah curusess weddin' 
 I'se ebber seed on dis yearth! No cahds, no 
 'gratulations, no ministah, no judge nobuddy! 
 Jes' writing! Nobuddy kiss dah bride he 
 doan kiss her hisself ! Nobody frow things after 
 dah carriage, en it's done gwine to rain." 
 
 Large drops spattering upon the floor of the 
 porch near her feet, and an increasing darkness 
 announced the approach of a storm. " Foh 
 suah, I doan know what dem folks comin' toh. 
 Dah apple-blossom dress dar only salvation. 
 I'se hopin' for dah chile. Chile! Lethe St. 
 Pier's hopin' foh yoh, en dah good Lawd's 
 knowin' ob it." 
 
 The carriage had passed slowly down the steep 
 driveway and along the side street as Lethe was
 
 258 SEEALTHA. 
 
 speaking. It was now out of her sight. Closing 
 the door she went into the parlors and sat upon 
 Seraltha's chair by the mahogany table in 
 deep meditation. 
 
 As the carriage went down the streets toward 
 its destination, the rain increased and formed 
 turbid rills behind the bridal party, strewing 
 dross along the pavement in lieu of rice. 
 
 At eleven o'clock they reached the Hotel 
 Havencourt, and entered their chambers the 
 bride and groom of that espousal which is not 
 of Heaven, nor yet of the good of the earth A 
 Contract Marriage.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 the marriage of Colonel 
 August Garrison and Mrs. Katie 
 Twohy had been celebrated. After a bridal 
 tour they selected a suite of rooms in the 
 Hotel Havencourt. The suite was upon the 
 same floor as that of Chalmer Grose, and 
 directly opposite, across the main corridor. 
 
 About two and one-half years afterward, while 
 sitting in her parlor engaged in needlework, 
 Mrs. Garrison heard sounds of contention from 
 the opposite rooms. Her door was open. A 
 child of twenty months built fortifications of 
 blocks upon a rug before her door, and charged 
 them with drum and feet. Repulsed at times by 
 gravitation, he made renewed attacks, with 
 increasing noise and merriment. Victorious, 
 he built again, and again attacked. 
 
 It was during the intervals of these attacks 
 that she heard the sounds of contention. They 
 
 (259)
 
 260 SERALTHA. 
 
 were subdued in tone by the closed doors and 
 transoms of the room from which they came, 
 yet their nature could be understood. A man 
 was reviling a defiant woman. 
 
 The sounds increased, so that the child ceased 
 the building of his fortifications, and listened. 
 Suddenly the sounds grew fainter, as if trans 
 ferred to another room. The child resumed the 
 building, and prepared his drum for attack. He 
 had made his first breach in the works as a 
 woman's screams came from the corridor. 
 
 The woman advanced rapidly to the main 
 corridor, and the words rang through it dis 
 tinctly: "I am his wife! I am his wife! I 
 am his wife!" until she stood before the fortifi 
 cations of the child shaking out the folds of a 
 paper. The child stepped aside while the 
 woman advanced toward his mother without 
 seeing his fort, and, stumbling over it, she fell 
 heavily along the rug. 
 
 As Mrs. Garrison recognized the prostrate 
 woman she hastened to her side with the inten 
 tion of assisting, and then ordering her from
 
 SEBALTHA. 261 
 
 her parlor. She had reasons for this action; yet 
 when the woman arose, and, unmindful of her 
 fall, gently repeated the words that had rung 
 along the corridor, she felt misgivings of the 
 right of her purpose. Leading her to a seat, 
 she said: 
 
 " Compose yourself before you speak further." 
 Pity is conscious of sex. It is active toward 
 the opposite and passive toward the like. Mrs. 
 Garrison called the nurse, who removed her 
 child, while she resumed her needlework. Her 
 thoughts returned from the cause of her 
 lenity toward the woman, who now sat upon 
 a sofa earnestly endeavoring to quell the tumult 
 in her brain, to the reasons why she should 
 expel her from the parlor. 
 
 These were many, notwithstanding the proba 
 ble truth that she was the wife of Chalmer 
 Grose. She had entered a respectable neighbor 
 hood and had brought reproach upon it. She 
 had been a subject for the tongue of scandal. 
 She had resided there stealthily. She had with 
 held the marriage relation from its social uses
 
 262 SEEALTHA. 
 
 and confined it wholly to selfish ends. She had 
 discovered that her position was an improper 
 one, and was now endeavoring to enter upon the 
 right by the aid of sympathy from those who 
 were established there. 
 
 Especially affecting Mrs. Garrison, her con 
 tinued presence in the Hotel Havencourt had 
 been a taint upon its popularity among the 
 circles of best society. True, she had been 
 unobtrusive. None could have asserted that 
 she was widow, maid or wife, without appeal 
 to surmise, yet the air along that corridor 
 seemed dense with mystery, and many who had 
 visited there remained away because of her 
 presence. 
 
 Yet, all these reasons for her expulsion from 
 the parlor were outweighed in Mrs. Garrison's 
 final decision, by a thought that came to her 
 when she raised the prostrate woman from the 
 floor. "The fortifications which society built 
 against her entrance to the pathway of error 
 were like those the child built before the door;
 
 SEEALTHA. 263 
 
 weak and below her sight, yet sufficient for a 
 tripping and a fall." 
 
 Seraltha Ames Grose had approached tran- 
 quility while Mrs. Garrison reflected, and now 
 came to her side with the paper that she had 
 exhibited at the door. Mrs. Garrison read it 
 carefully. It was the marriage contract, super 
 scribed " Original," which Chalmer Grose had 
 given to Seraltha across the mahogany table in 
 the parlor of the house on Pine street. 
 
 " I consented when this was signed," Seraltha 
 said, after Mrs. Garrison had returned the 
 paper, "that our marriage should be kept a 
 secret for two years. That time has now passed, 
 and he insists upon an extension of this secrecy, 
 its termination to be subject to his will. I will 
 not consent. I am his wife ! I am his wife ! 
 You are not disgraced by my presence here. I 
 cannot live longer and know that you believe 
 me to be in disgrace. I am his wife ! I will 
 inform everybody the ladies who live upon 
 this floor, who turn their faces away from me 
 as I pass by them; their husbands, who look
 
 264 BEBALTHA. 
 
 disrespectfully at me when I. meet them; the 
 men in the office, who gaze after me as I go upon 
 the street, and the men who leer at me as I 
 drive in the park. I will tell them all : 'I am 
 his wife ! I am the wife of Chalmer Grose ! I 
 was his wife when you treated me disrespect 
 fully. Here is the evidence ! ' She unfolded 
 the paper and held it opened above her head. 
 " I will shout to them so that all will hear: ' it 
 is a marriage certificate! It is legal! ' I cannot 
 live another day as I have done for two years. 
 Two years ! It seems an age ! Oh, my Father 
 above ! let time pass by me as it once did I I will 
 tell them all ! Hear me ! " 
 
 She hastened toward the door, but Mrs. Gar 
 rison took her by the arm and gently led her to 
 the sofa. She sat beside her, although uneasy, 
 because of the darkening of Serai tha's eyes, and 
 the rapid movement of their sight from place 
 to place over her person. 
 
 Rational action is the result of a harmonious 
 combination of mental faculties, of desire, im 
 pulse and judgment. Nervous derangement,
 
 SERALTHA. 265 
 
 from that of apprehension to that of mania, 
 destroys judgment and imparts its vigor to 
 impulse. Another mind may supply the 
 deficiency by speech or other influences. Hence 
 hypnotism, which has no control over a fully 
 rational mind. 
 
 Mrs. Garrison unconsciously exerted this 
 power upon Seraltha. Each woman, as she 
 became seated upon the sofa, turned to confront 
 the other. In unison with the movement of her 
 eyes Seraltha's hands opened and closed the 
 marriage contract, the rustle of paper disturbing 
 the quiet of the parlor. Gradually this move 
 ment ceased. Her body inclined towards Mrs. 
 Garrison, and her sight became fixed upon her 
 face. She then sat motionless, except for a 
 slight inclination forward. 
 
 Something of sympathy must have mingled 
 with what she was receiving, for tears began to 
 brim her eyes, and, sinking through the lashes, 
 trickled down her cheeks and splashed upon 
 the marriage contract that now lay folded in 
 her lap. Others followed and spread the ink
 
 266 SEBALTHA. 
 
 among the inner folds. Mrs. Garrison awaited 
 until the flow of tears had ceased, and then said: 
 " The methods that } r our impulses propose are 
 not sufficient for your relief. By their use you 
 will only confirm a belief in your social degrada 
 tion. There is nothing consistent in your 
 marriage, that you should proclaim it to society 
 and wish to continue under its open observation. 
 There is no protector, as nature intended there 
 should be. Your husband holds you forth to 
 the scorn of all, and when you resent this action 
 he reviles you. He has no love for you. Love 
 never conceals its object. Nor can any good 
 accrue to you in the continuance of such a state. 
 Discord in the home is a cancer that destroys 
 the symmetry of society. The dishonor of a 
 loveless marriage outranks the dishonor of 
 Marguerite. And your marriage is loveless, 
 even to you. Love would not submit for a day 
 to what you have endured more than two years. 
 It would rather seek oblivion in suicide. 
 
 "What benefit will you derive going along 
 the corridors, or upon the streets, proclaiming,
 
 SEKALTHA. 267 
 
 'I ain his wife?' You but announce a dishonor 
 equal to that which men have already imputed 
 to you. Better far that you should appear 
 in Court and demand of the Judges, ' Make me 
 again Seraltha Ames. I am now Seraltha Ames 
 Grose, in dishonor. Free me from it.' ' 
 
 Mrs. Garrison's words had a visible effect upon 
 Seraltha; but she was not conscious that she 
 controlled her subject by a power more subtle 
 than language or logic. She gave credit for this 
 result to the force of right, which she felt the 
 words conveyed. Her positive nature demanded 
 action immediately upon a decision, and being 
 by the effects of experience and thought in 
 active sympathy with the means of relief that 
 she had suggested, she strengthened her control 
 by command. 
 
 "You have decided," she said. "You must 
 go immediately to a lawyer. I know of one 
 whom you may trust. I will go with you to 
 him. Go to your rooms and prepare for the 
 streets. I will meet you at your corridor in a 
 few moments."
 
 268 SEKALTHA. 
 
 When Seraltha arose to obey she gave greater 
 evidence of hypnotic control than when seated. 
 The marriage contract dropped unnoticed by her 
 to the floor, and she walked directly toward her 
 dressing-room, encountering with much force 
 the wall near which she had been sitting, after 
 ward returning to Mrs. Garrison, who led her 
 to the door of the parlor. 
 
 Seraltha reached her dressing-room without 
 further difficulty, and was soon attired in the 
 surah silk gown of graduated flounce and zouave 
 effect, together with the English hat, that still 
 bore the ostrich pompons originally placed 
 upon it, and the satchel of oxidized hook and 
 chain. She had worn this costume only upon a 
 few occasions before her marriage, but never 
 afterward, until now. Mrs. Garrison noticed the 
 unfashionable attire, but she was too much 
 engaged in thought to make objection to its 
 appearance upon the street in her company. 
 
 Mrs. Garrison had discovered the marriage 
 contract on the floor. She secured it and car 
 ried it in her hand until they reached the office
 
 SERALTHA. 269 
 
 of the lawyer. When they entered, Mrs. Garri 
 son walked in advance of Seraltha, and approach 
 ing him, as he sat before his desk with his side 
 face toward her, she placed the marriage con 
 tract in his hand and said: 
 
 " A memory of your good services to me 
 in the times of my greatest need for advice has 
 caused me to bring one to you who has found a 
 deeper dishonor than that from which you as 
 sisted my escape. She will ask your aid to free 
 her from it. Mrs. Seraltha Ames Grose, I intro 
 duce you to the Honorable Abel Hyman." 
 
 Mrs. Garrison had stepped aside as she made 
 the presentation. His face came fully to Seral- 
 tha's sight when his name was spoken. Mrs. 
 Garrison's influence upon her was suddenly dis 
 pelled, and Seraltha became oblivious to her 
 presence. Without a word, she knelt by his 
 side and hid her face in her hands, which she 
 rested upon his knee. 
 
 Abel Hyman had made no response to the 
 presentation, nor did he move to disturb her. 
 He unfolded the marriage contract and read.
 
 270 SERALTHA. 
 
 The stain of tears had blurred the words, and he 
 held it close to his eyes, and yet closer after he 
 had finished the reading. Mrs. Garrison softly 
 retired, closing the door as she passed out. 
 
 The half-forehead that showed above the paper 
 which Abel Hyman held before his face rose to 
 iron-gray hair, worn long and pushed directly 
 backward upon the crown, revealing broad open 
 spaces upon either side that showed lines of 
 thought, and the love of grandeur and beauty. 
 The crown extended uncommonly far to a back- 
 head of excessive fullness. As he sat, his figure 
 showed a commanding presence that would 
 stand in towering antagonism when he arose in 
 opposition, and when he lowered the paper, 
 noiselessly folding it, antagonism to that which 
 he had read shone intensely through the mois 
 tened lids of his deep-set black eyes and spread 
 over his smooth-shaved face, which strongly 
 expressed the rigor of his profession, but which 
 inclined to the firmness of equity rather than 
 to the severity of law. The flush of physical 
 vigor overspread his face. There appeared in
 
 SERALTHA. 271 
 
 his movements and attitude an evidence of 
 determination in self-defense not of the quality 
 which covers a retreat, but of that which holds 
 a weapon for an assaulting enemy. 
 
 Chalmer Grose had called him, " Desperado! 
 Murderer!" He was born a Virginian, yet 
 there mingled in his blood the coldness of the 
 Puritan with the heat of the Chevalier. Strong 
 influences had directed his boyhood and con 
 trolled his earlier manhood to finished social 
 conduct. 
 
 "Who steals your purse," said his social 
 monitors to him, " will fall into the chains of 
 the law. Withhold your own hand from him. 
 For him who would despoil your honor with 
 insult the law has no punishment. Be there 
 fore a law unto yourself. The code of the Duel 
 is your remedy for assaults upon your honor." 
 
 The Duel is a midway terrace upon the eleva 
 tion that society is ascending to reach the purity 
 of right above. It overlooks the terraces of War, 
 of Servitude, of Superstition, of Ignorance, and 
 the plane of Animalism. It spreads next below
 
 272 SEBALTHA. 
 
 that of Equity, and upon the fapade between 
 them, rules of civility, of courtesy, and of 
 decency, are deeply engraved upon tablets 
 adorned with barrels of steel and crowned with 
 crossing swords.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Hyman laid the paper on his desk 
 and looked steadily out through a 
 
 ** ^ 
 
 window to the street below, as if an enemy had 
 uprisen there. His face hardened with anger. 
 Low moans escaped from the woman, who still 
 knelt by his side with her face pressed closely 
 against the hands upon his knee. He turned 
 away from the street not to her, but to the 
 paper on his desk. While he yet looked at it 
 he placed his right hand upon her shoulder. 
 The moans increasing, he raised her head from 
 his knee and drew her hands away from her 
 face. There were no tears upon it. As her 
 sight met his she saw kindliness and com 
 passion in his eyes. Her moaning ceased. He 
 assisted her to a seat beside him, which he 
 placed so that the light fell directly upon her 
 face. He said: 
 
 (273)
 
 274 SERALTHA. 
 
 " If you have employed those methods in your 
 relation to another which he has used in his 
 behavior toward you, lay them wholly aside dur 
 ing your conference with me. You have dwelt 
 in hypocrisy more than two years. Your integ 
 rity cannot be less than tainted by this contact. 
 E-eturn to rectitude, and tell me fully of your 
 association with him before and after marriage, 
 and of the incidents, letters and conversations, 
 leading up to your consent to this contract." 
 
 She told him all. Two hours were consumed 
 in the recital. She had spoken without blame 
 to any, except herself and her inglorious aspi 
 rations. 
 
 " He is entirely worthy of me should he now 
 publicly acknowledge me as a wife," she con 
 tinued impulsively. " I am his wife ! Aid me 
 so that the world may know! " 
 
 He sprang to his feet and moved back and 
 forth before his desk as if she had struck him 
 with a heavy weapon. His face gave evidence 
 of contending emotions. When he sat again he 
 asked, composedly:
 
 SERALTHA. 275 
 
 " Why are you inconstant in your purpose? 
 Why did you come to me asking for a divorce, 
 and now ask my aid to strengthen your bonds?" 
 
 " I do not seek a divorce. I have no thought 
 of a divorce." She answered positively, and 
 astonishment covered his face as she continued: 
 " I have not asked for a divorce. I am his wife! 
 The years for secrecy have passed. I want a 
 recognition. I want your aid. I had thought 
 of you, but had no thought of coming to you. 
 Why I came I do not know. I only know that 
 I am here, and that before I came my husband 
 distracted me with threats because I insisted 
 upon the announcement of our true relations. 
 I have spoken truthfully. Aid me. I am his 
 wife ! I am his wife ! I will inform everybody 
 the ladies who turn their faces away from me; 
 their husbands, who look disrespectfully upon 
 me; the men who gaze at me when I go upon 
 the street, and they who leer at me when I drive. 
 I am his wife I I am the wife of Chalmer Grose ! 
 Go with me to tell them this." 
 
 Arising from her seat, she seized his arm and
 
 276 SEBALTHA. 
 
 drew him toward the door. His full strength 
 was required to resist her, and his full powers 
 of persuasion to quiet her. 
 
 Of all the indications of troubles that affect 
 mankind, those revealing the presence of mental 
 disorder are the least understood by people who 
 are not instructed by study or ample observa 
 tion. What Abel Hyman saw, as Seraltha sat be 
 fore him obediently, touched a congenial quality 
 in his own being. In the flashing violet of her 
 eyes he saw determination, and in her deep res 
 piration a preparation for conflict. When she 
 afterward exclaimed: "If not a recognition, 
 then death ! " his soul responded. 
 
 That which did exist behind these demonstra 
 tions was a mind groping among the mists that 
 fall and rise upon the border-land of lunacy. 
 The exclamation foreboded no harm to Chalmer 
 Grose. She saw a rift through the mists by 
 which she might escape. 
 
 " I will aid you," he said, " even to the utmost 
 extremity; but we must proceed with propriety, 
 and within reason. Your declaration of the
 
 SEBALTHA. 277 
 
 marriage will not establish a belief in its exist 
 ence. You have no witness to your marriage, 
 and" 
 
 "Yes!" she exclaimed, "Lethe St. Pier, of 
 whom I have told you." 
 
 He looked at her an instant with an expres 
 sion of pity, and then resumed "and his asser 
 tions will outvalue yours in their influence upon 
 society. He may deny the contract. He may 
 even assert that it is a forgery, and large sums 
 of money will then be required of you to estab 
 lish its genuineness. It is your only proof of 
 marriage. Why did not your witness sign it? " 
 
 " She can neither read nor write, but she saw 
 our signatures made to the contract, and saw us 
 go away together. She knew that we were to 
 be married, and arranged flowers for us in the 
 parlor. It was a marriage. Is it not legal? 
 Lawyers told me that it would be. I consulted 
 them before I gave consent." 
 
 He turned away from her and again looked 
 out through the window toward the street below. 
 She did not disturb him, but respectfully awaited
 
 278 SERALTHA. 
 
 his answer. Her patience had merged into won 
 der, and this into disquiet when he again looked 
 at her. 
 
 Unmindful of her inquiry, he gave directions 
 for her future procedure : 
 
 "Go directly to Chalmer Grose," he said to 
 her, " and quietly demand of him to come with 
 you to my office and confirm this contract to 
 me, and those who may he waiting here as wit 
 nesses. It is now noon. I will remain here 
 until 5 o'clock. Should he refuse, take yourself 
 and your wardrobe from the Hotel Havencourt 
 and seek a shelter among your friends. Remain 
 with them until he requests an interview. Re 
 fuse to meet him, or any one whom he may 
 appoint, until he shall address a letter to you 
 that bears an acknowledgment that you are his 
 wife. Retain this letter should you receive 
 such and submit it to me. I will keep your 
 marriage contract in a secure place. It might 
 be taken from you, even by force. Advise me 
 of your future location. Go now; I must give 
 attention to other affairs."
 
 SERALTHA. 279 
 
 She arose and approached the door. As she 
 stood upon the threshold she impulsively said : 
 
 " He will not allow me to go from him. He 
 will declare me to be his wife." 
 
 " Seraltha, fortify yourself against hope," he 
 responded; "he will not." 
 
 Abel Hyman did not give attention to other 
 affairs during the afternoon, neither did he leave 
 his office. He sat long and thoughtfully after 
 Seraltha had retired, then read and re-read the 
 marriage contract. He afterward arose and paced 
 the floor, sometimes in thought, sometimes in 
 agitation. At 5 o'clock he stood by the window 
 looking steadily out toward a fixed point in the 
 street below.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 PON returning to her rooms in the Hotel 
 Havencourt, Seraltha entered her dress 
 ing-room and removed her hat and the gown of 
 surah-silk. Pushing an ottoman before an easel- 
 mirror, she sat upon it, and, uncoiling her hair, 
 re-arranged it in puffs and waves above her fore 
 head, in broad plaits beyond, caught in inter 
 twining loops that, touching her ears, spread in 
 lustrous masses between them and downward 
 upon her neck. When the liberated coils fell 
 from their restraints, the face in the mirror re 
 flected apprehension; but now confidence spread 
 in smiles below the shining waves, and faith 
 shone steadfastly from her eyes. Her move 
 ments became buoyant and her expressions 
 animated as she made other preparations for a 
 full change of attire. 
 
 From the wardrobe she brought out a long 
 silken bag, equal in length to her height, and 
 
 (280)
 
 SERALTHA. 281 
 
 adorned along its seams with quilled ribbons 
 of pink and blue, and upon the side opening, 
 with buttons of pearl. She laid it upon her 
 dressing-table, and, loosening the buttons, uncov 
 ered the complete attire worn by her on the 
 evening before her departure with Chalmer 
 Grose from the house on Pine street. Delicate 
 garments of agreeing tints nestled within the 
 folds of the gown of apple-blossom plush, and 
 satin slippers with golden toes showed from 
 among them. Disrobing then, she began to 
 clothe herself from the silken bag. 
 
 She soon stood before the easel-mirror and 
 smilingly began the final adornment. She held 
 up the pearl necklace, then, drawing it to a cir 
 cle, she moved it to and fro, watching the con 
 stant lustre. Her lips moved as if she whis 
 pered to it. 
 
 She drew the necklace about her throat, and, 
 passing through other rooms to the parlor of 
 Chalmer Grose, she stood before him, a re-ap 
 pearance of his bride. He had just returned 
 from his noon-day luncheon, and, notwithstand-
 
 282 SEBALTHA. 
 
 ing the quarrel of the morning, he seemed in 
 excellent spirits. From the date of the mar 
 riage contract to that upon which she demanded 
 full recognition of their marriage relations, he 
 had maintained a pleasant demeanor toward 
 Seraltha; but the love, for which she hoped, he 
 had never manifested. He did not even pre 
 tend this by the use of endearing words, although 
 she had persevered with act and language to 
 verify the maxim, " Love is love's reward." 
 
 A condition of mind controlled his deport 
 ment toward her of which she had no compre 
 hension. His soul was not masculine, neither 
 was it feminine. He and the many of his type 
 are unaffected by woman's words or by her 
 tears, by her devotion, or by her love. They 
 look upon her as a thing of utility, and coldly cal 
 culate their speech to her, except when in revile- 
 ment. He was incapable of love for a woman, 
 yet he wished to retain Seraltha to himself. 
 He had heard her anguished words of the morn 
 ing ringing through the corridors, and knew of 
 her conference with Mrs. Garrison, for whom ho
 
 SERALTHA. 283 
 
 fostered an extreme hatred. He also knew of 
 their departure from the hotel in company, and 
 of Seraltha's protracted absence. 
 
 A crisis had arrived. He had given the 
 hours of her absence to thought and a consulta 
 tion with Hamilton Tucker and Chance Neely, 
 whom he summoned to his parlor. Afterward 
 he admitted them to Seraltha's rooms, where 
 they wrote in memorandum books while pass 
 ing through and making observations within 
 them. A half hour after they had retired 
 Chance Neely returned to her rooms, and re 
 mained within them several moments alone. 
 What he then accomplished he afterward dis 
 closed to Chalmer Grose, who smiled approval. 
 He also smiled as if already a conquerer when 
 Seraltha stood before him, arrayed in her bridal 
 attire. 
 
 "I compliment myself," he said, after a full 
 survey of her, " because you are more charming 
 now than upon the night when I clasped the 
 pearl necklace in place. Your beauty rivaled it 
 then; now the pearls are in submission. A
 
 284 SEEALTHA. 
 
 quiet life agrees with you. You would be un 
 wise to disturb it. The greatest disappoint 
 ments of life are brought about by not letting 
 well-enough alone. Be consistent with your 
 situation. Will you be seated?" 
 
 He arose, and, assisting her to the chair that 
 he had occupied, he walked up and down before 
 her as he continued his speech: " It is a pleas 
 ant situation far above that in which you were 
 before you came to me. You are in luxury, and 
 are treated kindly when you do not annoy me 
 with demands. You live at ease, and may 
 continue to do so. You have all the pleasures 
 of life, except the unsubstantial pleasure of 
 society, which now seems to be the object of 
 your ambition and " 
 
 " This is not my ambition," she interrupted 
 calmly, " I will avoid society all my life, and 
 devote myself to you as I have done, if you will 
 go with me and acknowledge me to be your 
 wife, so that the ladies on this floor, and their 
 husbands, the men in the office and upon the 
 streets, will no longer dishonor me. I ask the
 
 SEBALTHA. 285 
 
 honor that you have promised me nothing 
 more." 
 
 A continuation of his interrupted thought 
 would be of no avail against an impulse of 
 honor freed from social ambition. He lapsed 
 into sullenness, scowling as he walked back 
 ward and forward before her in silence. He 
 could construct no argument against her wishes, 
 and command was the only resource remaining. 
 Her eyes followed him as he walked, and calm 
 determination possessed her face when he went 
 to the inner door of his parlor, and, opening it, 
 sternly said: 
 
 " Go to your rooms, and be content that you 
 enjoy them upon my terms: the ceasing of your 
 importunities, and the avoidance of Mrs. August 
 Garrison and her friends." 
 
 Her immediate and silent obedience appeared 
 to him as a submission. The smile that greeted 
 her entrance to his parlor returned. It lingered 
 while he made preparations for a drive to the 
 Cliff", in company with friends and brother offi 
 cers of the Mining Association. Even while
 
 286 SERALTHA. 
 
 there, in the enjoyment of a champagne din 
 ner, the smile returned and aided the wine in 
 spreading the jest around the table. It mingled 
 pleasantly with a flush upon his face when he 
 stood in his dressing-room at a late hour and 
 made preparations for retiring. It vanished 
 when he entered Seraltha's room and found it 
 tenantless. A cloud of anger came in its place 
 like that upon his face while crushing her fan 
 in the mountain city when he discovered that 
 her clothing was gone. 
 
 He lighted the gas jets throughout her rooms 
 and walked about with increasing evidences of 
 anger amidst the silence of the unexpected. 
 After his anger had abated, he began upon an 
 examination within the recesses of bureaus, chif 
 foniers, and the wardrobe closet of Seraltha's 
 dressing-room. During his search, he found 
 three cards in various places, which he read and 
 returned to the places where he had found them. 
 Upon one side the cards read, in printed form, 
 " The Calaveras," also its number upon Market 
 and the diverging street. Upon the other side
 
 SEBALTHA. 287 
 
 the name Monroe Chase appeared, in connec 
 tion with dates that differed upon each card. 
 These dates corresponded with those upon which 
 Chalmer Grose had been absent from the city. 
 
 During the following day Chance Neely en 
 tered Seraltha's rooms from the parlor of Chal 
 mer Grose. He made examination among fur 
 niture, as Chalmer Grose had done, and, finding 
 the cards, he placed them within an envelope, 
 which he put into an inner pocket. 
 
 Upon the evening ensuing, " The Three " sat 
 long in conference around the table in one of 
 the basement rooms of " The Calaveras," the 
 door and area windows being tightly closed, 
 and the conversation low in tone.
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 9 
 
 OOD investments in city lots had made 
 Lethe St. Pier a rich woman. These 
 increasing rapidly in value, and her rentals in 
 proportion, she came into the enjoyment of a 
 large income from them. The house and grounds 
 on Pine street were kept in perfect order, and 
 her occupations were reduced to their care and 
 the practice of pyromancy. At the time of the 
 events last narrated, she had attained to the 
 height of her success. Many people of wealth 
 and some of wisdom, otherwise called upon 
 her for advice, paid her liberally for it, and 
 acted upon it. These visitors never knew of 
 her methods, because she held the consultations 
 in the parlors, afterward retiring to the dark 
 room by the furnace to solve her divinations. 
 These completed, she would return to the wait 
 ing visitor and impressively announce her 
 prophesies. She met her visitors richly dressed, 
 
 (288)
 
 SEBALTHA. 289 
 
 and adorned with heavy gold ornaments, but 
 while she sat in the mutilated cane-seated chair 
 before the oil lamp, she wore a gown of scarlet. 
 
 While in seclusion, Seraltha had made Lethe 
 frequent visits. Her mother to whom Chal- 
 mer Grose had granted a comfortable allowance 
 for support occasionally met her there, al 
 though feeling that she lived in dishonor until 
 Seraltha read the marriage contract to her, at 
 the expiration of the time for which she had 
 promised secrecy. Seraltha had made none of 
 these visits as a patroness of Lethe's arts, yet, 
 through association, and observation of visits 
 by people of gentility, she held to a belief in 
 her pretended skill in divination. The knowl 
 edge of Lethe's increasing love for her gave aid 
 to this effect. 
 
 This love now approached the fierceness that 
 strikes to kill the one who menaces the slightest 
 injury to its object; and when the carriage that 
 bore Seraltha and her trunks from the Hotel 
 Havencourt had turned from the causeway, and 
 halted at the rear porch of her house, she min-
 
 290 SERALTHA. 
 
 gled endearing sentences for Seraltha with fierce 
 denunciations of Chalmer Grose. As she sup 
 ported Seraltha toward the gorgeously furnished 
 chamber, and felt her form trembling, denunci 
 ation strengthened. At the bedside Lethe hast 
 ily removed Seraltha's hat and wraps, and, lift 
 ing her as she might a child, laid her gently 
 upon the bed. When she drew away from her 
 and stood upright, she saw a wildness coming 
 over the face upon the pillow, and violet gleams 
 flashing from the eyes. 
 
 " Doan yoh do that! " she exclaimed. " Doan 
 yoh count dem 'lebbens ! Dey's full ob knives, 
 en day cut toh dah blood in mah heart. Chile ! 
 Honey! Doan do dat! " 
 
 "One two three! " came from the pillow. 
 
 " Stop, Chile ! I'se gwiiie toh kiss dem 'leb 
 bens off yoh lips." 
 
 " Four five six ! " intoned with Lethe's 
 words. She bent over the pillow and pressed 
 her lips against Seraltha's. 
 
 "Seven eight nine!" struggled out, their 
 measures broken by Lethe's kisses.
 
 SEKALTHA. 291 
 
 A smile came upon Seraltha's face and her 
 lips ceased to move. 
 
 " Chile! Chile! dah lebbens gone! Look on 
 me Lethe St. Pier. Yoh's in yoh own home. 
 Yoh's smilin'! I'se thankful, en dah good 
 Lawd's a knowin' ob it; I'se thankful. Come 
 closer toh me." 
 
 She sat upon the bed, and, raising Seraltha's 
 head from the pillow, she rested it upon her 
 lap. Tears glistened on the bosom of her silken 
 gown. 
 
 Information in detail of Seraltha's depart 
 ure from the Hotel Havencourt spread upon 
 a circle, the centre of which was the office 
 of the hotel, and its circumference the widening 
 limits of scandal. Long before this event her 
 name had been whispered toward these limits. 
 Through a long residence in the city the social 
 methods of Chalmer Grose had become widely 
 known as those of one whose conduct toward 
 women was pledged to a special evil pledged 
 by a compact that dishonor had made with 
 desire in the days of his youth. All women to
 
 292 SEBALTHA. 
 
 whom he gave social companionship, and who 
 continued in tolerance of his gallantry, "became 
 like unto him in reputation. This fell with 
 greatest force upon Seraltha, because her beauty, 
 associated with decorous behavior, drew atten 
 tion from the multitude, who marveled to know 
 that apparent chastity dwelt in a chamber of 
 gold, tapestried with scarlet. 
 
 Her name was now notorious. Reporters for 
 the papers knew of her withdrawal from Chal- 
 mer Grose within a day thereafter, (Nat Rapps 
 received his information within the hour), and 
 one wrote a column of mingled facts and fancies 
 unaccompanied by names or indications of 
 locality. His paper published it so that all who 
 read could comprehend the meaning. 
 
 On the third day after the arrival of Seraltha 
 at the house on Pine street, and in the early 
 evening, a caller rang the door-bell, who dis 
 played a smiling face and an attire touching 
 the extreme of fashion, when Lethe St. Pier 
 opened the door and the light from the hallway 
 shone full upon him.
 
 SERALTHA. 293 
 
 " I have got a message," he said, in response 
 to her salutation. "It is for the lady in this 
 house." 
 
 " There are two ladies in this house, sir. 
 Which one is the message for?" Lethe ad 
 vanced toward him in full occupancy of the 
 doorway. 
 
 " It is for the the younger one. It is very 
 important," he responded. 
 
 " Give me the message then, sir, and come to 
 the reception-room." 
 
 She moved aside to allow an entrance, but he 
 looked down the hallway to the darkness beyond 
 the opened door of the area under the rear porch, 
 and receded a step. He said: 
 
 " It is not in writing. It is a personal mes 
 sage. I will wait here until she comes to me." 
 
 A suppressed anger had appeared in Lethe's 
 words when she asked him for the message, 
 which now appeared strongly in her face as she 
 returned to her former position in the doorway. 
 
 " Den yoh done stay dar dah whole year, en 
 tell dah message toh dah birds. Whar's yoh
 
 294 SEBALTHA. 
 
 broten' up wantin' to talk toh dah lady in 
 dah doh?" 
 
 The caller stepped hastily off the landing. 
 He halted from his purpose of descending the 
 granite stairway to the street as she questioned : 
 
 " Who's dah name ob dah lady yoh's wantin' 
 toh talk toh in dar doh? " 
 
 " Seraltha," answered the caller, turning and 
 retracing a step. 
 
 "Who's dah full name? Tell me dat." She 
 stepped out of the doorway to the landing. 
 
 " Seraltha Ames," announced the caller, hesi 
 tatingly, and nervously twirling his hat. 
 
 "Who's else?" demanded Lethe, stepping 
 down from the landing to the walk. 
 
 The caller making no response, she continued : 
 
 " Mrs. Chalmer Grose is dah name ob dah 
 lady here, en she doan want messages foh Seral 
 tha Ames, en she doan want dem foh Seraltha. 
 Dose folks done gone outen 'zistence. She's 
 Massa Chalmer Grose's wife, en Massa Chalmer 
 Grose doan want dah yuther folks to know dat. 
 Yoh message wants Seraltha Ames toh come
 
 SERALTHA. 295 
 
 toh Chalmer Grose, en dah's no lady by dat 
 name to come toh him." Her anger gave place 
 to earnestness: "Tell Chalmer Grose Lethe St. 
 Pier's message: 'Mrs. Chalmer Grose will live 
 in Lethe St. Pier's house until he says, "Mrs. 
 Chalmer Grose, come back to me," ' and he 
 must write the words, and not send messages 
 by folks who don't know the lady's name." 
 
 The caller went away. Meeting Chance Neely 
 on a near street corner he recited what he had 
 said and heard. Chance Neely, by the aid of a 
 street light, wrote this in a memorandum book, 
 together with the day and date of occurrence. 
 The caller was Monroe Chase, of " The Calave- 
 ras." 
 
 An hour later two physicians stood at the 
 bedside of Chalmer Grose in the chamber of 
 his suite. The odor of valerian and other drugs 
 oppressed the air of the rooms, and sounds of 
 groaning, with occasional labored breathing, 
 broke upon their stillness. One physician bent 
 over the bed, and, cutting away inner garments 
 from the chest of the patient, he pressed his ear
 
 296 SERALTHA. 
 
 closely over the heart. His associate adminis 
 tered medicine in frequent doses through a tube. 
 Chalmer Grose was insensible. 
 
 Since his recovery from the injuries received 
 at the Cascades, he had been conscious of an 
 irregularity in the action of his heart, although 
 the symptoms were usually slight and of short 
 duration. Upon one occasion, within a year 
 after his injury, and during a dispute over min 
 ing affairs, he had fallen from his chair. He 
 then received the attention of a physician, who 
 afterward advised the avoidance of all things 
 tending to excite the sufferer. 
 
 Anger being the emotion most common to 
 him, Chalmer Grose began a discipline for it 
 that resulted in a control which allowed revile- 
 ment in a tranquil expression ; but when Chance 
 Neely came to him, after the interview with 
 Monroe Chase, and reported a failure of the 
 scheme to communicate with Seraltha without 
 recourse to correspondence by letter or by a 
 call in person, he lost all self-control in anger 
 toward Lethe St. Pier. He interrupted Chance
 
 SEBALTHA. 297 
 
 Neely in the midst of his report, and walked 
 about the parlor in loud abuse of her. Later, 
 he calmed sufficiently to hear the conclusion. 
 When Chance Neely began upon Lethe's mes 
 sage he stopped and stood before him to the 
 end. Chance Neely looked upward from 
 his memorandum, when he had finished, and 
 saw a face ghastly in its whiteness, that 
 in an instant changed to scarlet. The form 
 below it tottered, and then with an effort re 
 gained its energy. Chalmer Grose turned and 
 walked rapidly toward his chamber door. He 
 fell prone and silent across the threshold. 
 Chance Neely hastened to the hotel office, 
 whence his summons was sent to physicians, 
 who, after arrival and an examination, raised 
 the prostrate man from the floor and placed him 
 upon the bed. 
 
 The physicians were successful in their efforts. 
 At midnight, Chalmer Grose slept peacefully, 
 his heart beating regularly. When he had 
 revived, he requested that Hamilton Tucker be 
 called to remain with him until morning.
 
 298 SERALTHA. 
 
 Chance Neely, acting as messenger, went directly 
 to "The Calaveras," where he found Hamilton 
 Tucker in conversation with Monroe Chase, and 
 in possession of facts connected with the call at 
 the house on Pine street. During the time in 
 which they walked together to the Hotel Haven- 
 court, Chance Neely related what had happened 
 in the rooms of Chalmer Grose, so that upon 
 his arrival there Hamilton Tucker fully under 
 stood the situation.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 a late hour the next morning, Chal- 
 mer Grose awoke as one from a re 
 freshing sleep, bearing no traces of the ordeal 
 through which he had passed. He dressed 
 hastily, and wrote upon a sheet of note paper, 
 which he enclosed in an envelope, leaving it 
 unsealed. 
 
 " Return this to me," he said to Hamilton 
 Tucker, "together with a copy, at twelve o'clock 
 to-day." 
 
 Hamilton. Tucker went away and returned at 
 the appointed time, bringing the document and 
 a copy. Chalmer Grose carefully compared the 
 writing, which appeared as if written by the 
 same hand. These read: 
 
 " FRIDAY. 
 
 " MY DEAR WIFE: 
 
 " While I wish your visit to be pro 
 longed to the extent of your pleasure, I am now 
 
 (299)
 
 300 SEEALTHA. 
 
 hoping that after these several days of absence 
 you may be in pleasant anticipation of an early 
 return to me. 
 
 " I wish that you may be with me before 
 Tuesday next. We will visit Monterey together 
 on that day, and remain there for an undecided 
 time. This will be pleasant to you, and a bene 
 fit to my health. 
 
 " I have not been in the best of spirits while 
 you have been absent from me. Your presence 
 is necessary to my happiness. 
 " Yours, 
 
 " CHALMER. GROSE." 
 
 Chalmer Grose put the copy of this letter into 
 the envelope and gave it to Hamilton Tucker 
 with these instructions: 
 
 " Find a boy one old enough, and who knows 
 enough to do and say what he is told. Go with 
 him until you get within sight of the house. 
 Give him the letter. Show him where to go. 
 Tell him to ring the door-bell. Lethe St. Pier 
 will come to the door. Keep yourself away 
 from her sight. Tell the boy to say, ' Madam, 
 please give this to Mrs. Grose.' He is then to
 
 SEBALTHA. 301 
 
 put it in her hand, turn and walk briskly away. 
 Keep on walking. If she calls after him, pay 
 no attention. Give him gold. Tell him you 
 will, before he starts out, if he obeys instruc 
 tions." 
 
 That afternoon a boy rang the door-bell of the 
 house on Pine street, to which Lethe St. Pier 
 responded. His manner and speech were in 
 full accord with those desired by Chalmer 
 Grose. She took the letter and before she could 
 make an inquiry regarding its author, he was 
 well upon his way down the stairway. She 
 called to him, but he walked briskly on toward 
 the place where Hamilton Tucker awaited him. 
 
 After he had disappeared, Lethe turned the 
 letter in her hands, looking upon it suspiciously. 
 When she closed the door, she had begun a 
 soliloquy: 
 
 " Dah boy says, ' Madam/ Dat's polite. Dah 
 boy says, ' Dis letter's foh Missis Grose.' Dah 
 boy knows dah name on dah letter. If dah 
 letter's froh Chalmer Grose, dah's no politeness 
 if he doan write any moh on dah outside dan
 
 302 SERALTHA. 
 
 ' Missis Grose/ Dah boy's polite he doan hear 
 me when I say, ' Come back.' If dah's any 
 moh on dah letter 'cept ' Missis Grose,' dah 
 boy's done gwine toh read it dat way. Chalmer 
 Grose doan give politeness toh Missis Chalmer 
 Grose." 
 
 She went into the reception room and sat 
 before a table. Bending forward and holding 
 the letter so that she might turn it about, she 
 continued in soliloquy: 
 
 "En dah's no love talk inside dah letter. 
 Mebbe he says ' Missis Chalmer Grose ' inside 
 dah letter, but he doan say, 'Missis Chalmer 
 Grose, I loves yoh.' How I knows dat? He 
 doan stick dah leaf down so dah boy couldn't 
 read inside. Nobuddy says love talk en doan 
 stick dah leaf down. Nobuddy wants dah boy 
 toh read love talk, if 'tis toh dah wife. If dah's 
 love in dar, den dah paper all covered wiv talk 
 mebbe crossways. I'se gwine toh fine dat out, 
 foh shuah." 
 
 She drew the letter from its envelope and 
 examined the writing, and looked among the
 
 SERALTHA. 303 
 
 blank pages. The writing was upon the first 
 page, and covered one-half the surface. 
 
 " One two three four places foh writin', 
 en he doan speak only half a one. No love talk 
 in dis letter, suah 'nuff. Mebbe dis say, ' Missis 
 Chalmer Grose, come back toh me,' but he doan 
 love her jes' wants her." 
 
 She replaced the letter within its envelope 
 and sat long in thought. A half hour had 
 passed when she sprang to her feet, exclaiming: 
 
 "Dah lovely Chile! He's had her toh his 
 self mos' three years, en he doan love her. If 
 dah letter says : ' Missis Chalmer Grose, come 
 toh me,' en dah chile wants toh, den I'se gwine 
 toh fine' a charm foh her dat'll make Chalmer 
 Grose love her. Dah charm got toh be sumfin' 
 most powerful. I doan know, en no yuther 
 mortal folks knows, what's gwine to git love 
 intoh Chalmer Grose. I'se gwine toh ask dem 
 spirits, dis very night, en if dey don't know, den 
 dah poor chile gwine toh live 'thout love all her 
 bohn days. I'se gwine to tell dem spirits dey
 
 304 SEBALTHA. 
 
 urns' fine out dah charm, dis night, so dah chile 
 can hab it to take wiv her toh him." 
 
 Lethe then went to the parlor floor and found 
 Serai tha seated within a veranda, from which 
 she obtained a view of the western limits of the 
 city and of the cemetery on the sandy hills 
 beyond. Lethe gave her the letter, and, sitting 
 in a chair near by, remained in silence while 
 she read it. Seraltha looked out toward the 
 western hills in after-thought. She then folded 
 the letter and returned it to the envelope. 
 It afterward slipped from her hand and fell 
 unnoticed by her to the floor. Her sight had 
 become fixed upon a point in the distance. 
 
 Lethe took the letter from the floor and placed 
 it upon Seraltha's lap, at the same time stand 
 ing before her and obstructing her sight. Very 
 tenderly she said: 
 
 " What's dah letter sayin', honey, dat yoh 
 doan speak, but look straight out dar 'zif yoh 
 see somefin 'twasn't in dah letter, en yoh nebber 
 gwine toh git tired lookin' at it?" 
 
 Seraltha made no answer, and her sight con-
 
 SEUALTHA. 305 
 
 tinued steadily in the same direction that it 
 held while being unobstructed. Lethe pressed 
 closer, and, bending near to Seraltha, said, with 
 increasing tenderness: 
 
 " Lethe St. Pier knows what wasn't in dah 
 letter, chile. 'Twasn't love, en yoh's nebber 
 gwine toh find it 'twil somefin' powerful is done 
 toh chawm dah love into Chalmer Grose. Dis 
 dah matter all dis time he doan love yoh -jes 
 wants yoh. I'se gwine toh fine out dak chawm 
 toh make Chalmer Grose love yoh jes dah same 
 as he wants you. Duz dah letter say, 'Mrs. 
 Chalmer Grose, come toh me? ' Chile! Speak 
 toh me. Yoh's try in' toh look frew me. What's 
 dat yoh's lookin' at, way out dar frew me, en 
 doan fine in dah letter? " 
 
 "The cemetery!" 
 
 Lethe sprung away from before Seraltha when 
 she uttered these words, exclaiming: 
 
 "Dah mercy, chile! Duz yoh see dah ceme 
 tery frew me ? What's dah cemetery showin' 
 toh yoh dat yoh doan fine in dah letter? Doan
 
 306 SEBALTHA. 
 
 dah letter say, ' Missis Chalmer Grose, come 
 toh me?" 
 
 " It says, ' My dear wife, I want you with me.' ' 
 The answer showed a comprehension of the 
 spirit of the letter. 
 
 Dat's what I say," responded Lethe, " when I 
 see dah writin' doan speak only half a place 
 jes' wants yoh. ' My dear wife ! ' Dat means all 
 dah same as Missis Chalmer Grose. ' My dear' ! 
 Dat's a fact, Chalmer Grose knows how toh 
 speak two love words. If dey doan mean nuffin 
 more dan ' I want yoh/ dey done make a little 
 hole down toh his heart, en a powerful chawm 
 gwine toh fill dah heart up frew dah hole. 
 Yoh's lookin' at dah cemetery en thinkin' ceme 
 tery whilst I'se lookin' at yoh en thinkin' 
 chawm for toh make Chalmer Grose love yoh. 
 Dah chawm is somewhar in dah cemetery ! Dah 
 spirits gwine toh fine it foh yoh dis night. 
 Come toh dah parlor." 
 
 Lethe arranged a seat in the parlor for Seral- 
 tha, and, sitting before her, unfolded a scheme 
 to bring Chalmer Grose into the bondage of love.
 
 SERALTHA. 307 
 
 " Honey, dah good Lawd's done give ebbery- 
 buddy dar love when dey's children, en dey git 
 so much dey can't keer foh it by dernselves 
 mus' have somebuddy toh help dem. Some ob 
 dem children grows, en dey keep growin', en 
 doan have nobuddy toh help dem keer foh dah 
 love. Dey keep growin' twil dey grow old, en 
 den dey see somebuddy dey wants toh help keer 
 for dah love, en dey looks 'round foh dah love, 
 en dey doan fine it. It's done got out en 
 slipped away, en dey's got no love wiv dem 
 toh help keer foh. 
 
 " But it's somewhar. Dah good Lawd breaves 
 intoh it when he gives, en it doan nebber gwine 
 toh die. It's a chile spirit, playin' wiv dah 
 yuther childun somewhar dat dey's keered foh. 
 It's happy dar, en if it ebber comes back it's 
 got toh be chawmed back, en dah chawm dat's 
 gwine toh bring one of dem spirit love-childun 
 back dah yuther childun ain't gwine toh pay no 
 'tention toh. I doan know, en dey's no folks 
 knows what chawm's gwine toh bring back dah 
 love-chile toh Chalmer Grose. I know whar
 
 308 SERALTHA. 
 
 dah chawm is. It's in dah cemetery. It's a 
 powerful charm it rims' be foh toh bring back 
 dah love toh Chalmer Grose. Dah spirits dah 
 only ones dat knows jes' what it is, en I'se 
 gwine toh talk wiv dem spirits all night, twil 
 dey tell me. When dah spirits tell me whar 
 dah chawn is mebbe dey'll say, ' Lethe St. Pier, 
 yoh gwine toh be dah one toh git dah chawm/ 
 Mebbe dey'll say, ' Missis Chalmer Grose dah 
 one'. If dey say dat, chile, keep away dah 
 skeer it spiles dah chawm. Mebbe dey'll say, 
 ' Lethe St. Pier, yoh go long wiv her'. If dey 
 say dat, den dah skeer gwine to keep 'way froh 
 you skeer nebber comes 'round Lethe St. Pier. 
 Dis is 'stressin' foh mah honey, but she mus' 
 have dah chawm. Cemetery chawms alluz dah 
 mos' powerful." 
 
 But little persuasion was required by Lethe 
 to obtain the consent of Seraltha to this pro 
 cedure, and also a promise from her to obey the 
 commands of the spirits. 
 
 Seraltha retired early to her chamber with a 
 new hope glimmering through the darkness of
 
 8EBALTHA. 309 
 
 disappointment and misfortune. An hour 
 afterward, Lethe St. Pier went to the door, and, 
 silently opening it, looked within. The sound 
 of measured breathing informed her that Seral- 
 tha slept, and, entering the chamber, she stood 
 at the bedside and looked intently upon her 
 face. A faint tinted light flickered over it from 
 the half- suppressed gas jets burning in crimson 
 globes on the chandelier. 
 
 Lethe was now robed in her scarlet gown, 
 that hung in unbroken folds from her shoulders 
 to the floor, intensified in hue by the contrast 
 of a kerchief turban of yellow and black, and 
 of a white counterpane on Seraltha's bed. 
 Raising her hands to the level of her face she 
 extended her arms and passed them over Seral 
 tha's form in repeated serpentine movements. 
 She then stepped back and waved them in 
 imitation of the wings of birds. Continuing 
 this movement, she turned and looked steadily 
 through a window into the darkness toward the 
 distant cemetery. Her hands then dropped 
 suddenly to her side, and, bending far forward,
 
 310 SERALTHA. 
 
 she peered downward as if searching the depth 
 of a chasm opening at her feet. 
 
 Retiring from the chamber, Lethe went to 
 the dark room by the furnace and sat in the 
 old cane-seated chair before the oil lamp. 
 Bending forward, and with her hands clasped 
 beyond it, she gazed intently into the flame. 
 Hours elapsed, while stillness pervaded the 
 house on Pine street. Midnight had passed, 
 when a loud falsetto voice filled the dark room, 
 and, escaping through the ventilator into the 
 chamber above, awakened Seraltha. She sat 
 upright, bewildered by the first sentence. The 
 voice began the second sentence. Before it had 
 ceased she stood upon the floor, and her eyes 
 wandered in fright to discover the source. When 
 the voice had completed a third utterance, she 
 fled to the parlor and crouched in the furthest 
 corner from her chamber, trembling with fear. 
 
 The voice had repeated the location and nature 
 of the charm. 
 
 Half an hour later Lethe came to the vesti 
 bule, on the way to her chamber, and heard the 
 ominous counting to eleven ringing through
 
 SERALTHA. 3H 
 
 the parlors. Hastening within, and guided 
 through the darkness by Seraltha's voice, she 
 found her kneeling whore she had crouched. 
 She hastily raised Seraltha and carried her 
 toward the chamber from which she had fled. 
 The clenching hands, that had heretofore been 
 held downward by rigid arms while the count 
 ing continued, now struck Lethe's head and 
 face, and fierce threats followed. Neverthe 
 less, Lethe held firmly to her purpose, and 
 after being placed upon her bed Seraltha's vio 
 lence yielded to affectionate persuasion. She 
 afterward consented to act the part assigned to 
 her by Lethe's spirit advisers in the procure 
 ment of the charm. Her full consent, however, 
 was only obtained upon Lethe's assurance that 
 she would be constantly with her. 
 
 During the following day Lethe visited the 
 cemetery and witnessed a burial in its far 
 ther limits; near the angle of a low wall that 
 held the sand from drifting to the valley below. 
 After the ceremonies were ended she counted 
 from the wall along a row of mounds to the 
 place where the burial had been made.
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 HEAVY night fog moved off the storm 
 disturbed ocean, and, smothering the 
 roar of the breakers, spread its dense mantle 
 over the sand dunes along the shore ; over the 
 valley beyond them; over the cemetery, and 
 over the forms of two women, who groped 
 closely along the higher wall toward the low 
 angle verging upon the valley. It muffled their 
 footsteps within the folds of drabbled gowns, 
 and the rays from distant lamps shrank away 
 into narrow disks of light. 
 
 Arriving at the low angle, the taller woman 
 sprang upon the wall, and then lifted the other 
 upon it. As she bent forward, a sharp metallic 
 sound, as of steel instruments, came from a con 
 tact of the stone upon which she stood with ob 
 jects suspended beneath her gown. Lethe St. 
 Pier had guided Seraltha from the house on 
 Pine street to the vicinity of the charm. She 
 
 (312)
 
 SERALTHA. 313 
 
 now led her to an elevation of sand, and, smooth 
 ing it with her hands, said, in low tones: 
 
 <f Set dar, honey, twil I come back foh yoh. 
 When I come back dah chawm is ready foh dah 
 scissors. Doan yoh let dah skeer come, chile. 
 Keep it away. It spiles dah chawm." 
 
 Seraltha responded with brave words; yet, 
 after being seated, tiny streams of sand flowed 
 down the elevation to her feet, loosened by the 
 trembling form upon it. Lethe went from her 
 to the first one of the row of mounds that she 
 had counted in the day, and stooping felt about 
 her. She then walked away from the wall, still 
 stooping and touching the mounds. Seraltha 
 heard the words: 
 
 "Two four six seven nine eleven 
 thirteen! Dar's grass! Dis is wrong!" 
 
 Lethe returned to the wall, and again stoop 
 ing, walked away as before, but with slower 
 movement: 
 
 Two four five! a little one ! six seven 
 nine eleven thirteen! " 
 
 A moment later the dull sound of a shovel
 
 314 SERALTHA. 
 
 pushed firmly into the sand struggled through 
 the fog. Another sound! that was not an echo. 
 Two shovels were plying in the sand. 
 
 Half an hour passed. Subterranean sounds 
 came faintly to Seraltha's ears, and the sand 
 streams increased their flow down the elevation 
 upon which she sat. 
 
 Soon afterward, Lethe St. Pier stood before 
 Seraltha, and whispered: 
 
 " Come chile. Take hold ob mah hand. Keep 
 dah skeer away. It spiles dah chawm." 
 
 They walked through the fog to the place 
 where the shovels had plied. Lethe raised Seral 
 tha in her arms and bore he-r downward into an 
 excavation. When she stood again a light, flash 
 ing from a watchman's lantern suddenly opened 
 by Lethe, shone upon a lock of golden hair rest 
 ing in half curl upon the sand. Lethe whis 
 pered: 
 
 " Bar's dah chawm. Yoh's dah one toh take 
 it." 
 
 Seraltha bent forward and reached her hand 
 to take it. Lethe held her from it.
 
 SERALTHA. 315 
 
 " Doan do dat. Yoh mus' cut it wiv dah scis 
 
 sors/' 
 
 As Seraltha took the scissors from a pocket of 
 her gown the blades clinked rapidly together. 
 
 "Keep away dah skeer! Keep away dah 
 skeert It spiles dah chawm." Lethe spoke 
 with deep earnestness, and, taking Seraltha's 
 hand, she steadily brought the scissors to the 
 lock of hair. A convulsive closing of the 
 blades and the severed lock curled upon itself. 
 " Pick it up, chile, en put it in yoh bosom." 
 
 Seraltha obeyed. The lock moved in still 
 closer curl as she closed her bodice. She reeled, 
 and falling into Lethe's arms, was borne by her 
 to the surface, and hurriedly to the low wall. 
 When they arrived there, she had revived. 
 Lethe did not know that she had been uncon 
 scious. 
 
 When they began their return to the house 
 on Pine street, the sounds of falling sand came 
 faintly through the dense fog. An hour later, 
 Juan Bermuda placed two shovels in the dark 
 room of the stable loft.
 
 316 SEBALTHA. 
 
 These were the words which had filled the 
 incantation room and escaped through the ven 
 tilator to Seraltha's chamber 
 
 " A lock of hair from a head twelve hours 
 under the sand of the cemetery, cut by the 
 woman without fear and put under the pillow 
 of the man at midnight/'
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 ERALTHA, without consulting Abel 
 Hyman, returned to her rooms in the 
 Hotel Havencourt, on the evening of the day 
 after the charm was taken from the cemetery. 
 Chalmer Grose received her pleasantly. After 
 she had used the charm in conformity with 
 Lethe's instructions his manner toward her was 
 so engaging that she had faith in its potency. 
 
 Her expectation of a residence at the Hotel 
 del Monte was not realized, for upon arrival at 
 Monterey, in accord with his letter to her, Chal 
 mer Grose gave private orders to a coachman in 
 waiting, who drove his carriage to a cottage 
 which was nearly hidden from the street by 
 vines and other foliage. 
 
 A man servant waited upon the carriage when 
 it halted at a side veranda, and a woman whom 
 he called Missus, preceded Seraltha to the single 
 parlor of the cottage, and helped to arrange her 
 
 (317)
 
 SERALTHA. 
 
 wardrobe, and that of Chalmer Grose, in an 
 adjoining chamber. 
 
 No visitors were entertained in the cottage. 
 After a month had passed Chalmer Grose began 
 a series of visits to San Francisco, which gradu 
 ally extended in time so that his stay in Mon 
 terey became of the nature of visits, and in the 
 city that of residence. 
 
 Exclusive association with ignorant servants 
 bore more severely upon Seraltha than solitude 
 would have done, for they became objects of her 
 aversion, the display of which escaped her con 
 trol. At the close of the sixth month of her 
 residence in the cottage, the servants refused to 
 serve her longer, and departed. They had been 
 under her sway since her arrival there Chal 
 mer Grose having given no heed to the domestic 
 economy, except to furnish Seraltha money for 
 expenses. He did not correspond with her 
 during his absence, and when the servants 
 departed two weeks had elapsed since his last 
 visit to her. 
 
 The servants left the cottage at an early hour
 
 SEBALTHA. 319 
 
 of the day. Seraltha made no effort to secure 
 others, but packed her trunks and proceeded by 
 an afternoon train to San Francisco, and, upon 
 her arrival there in the evening, to the Hotel 
 Havencourt. An employee obstructed her 
 progress to her rooms when she was about to 
 enter the elevator, and upon an appeal to those 
 in the office, she was informed that she would 
 not be admitted as a guest of the hotel. 
 
 She became violent. Men pressed into the 
 office and assisted the servants in expelling her. 
 These would have placed her in the custody of 
 a police officer, but Nat Rapps, who had arrived 
 there opportunely, rescued her from this humil 
 iation. He escorted her to a carriage, and 
 accompanied her to another hotel. While on 
 their way she expressed a desire to go to the 
 house of Lethe St. Pier; but he gave a reason 
 why she should not dwell there, to which she 
 yielded assent. 
 
 A week later Chalmer Grose received a formal 
 demand from Seraltha Ames Grose, through 
 her attorney, Abel Hyman, for an allotment of
 
 320 BEBALTHA. 
 
 sufficient property to insure her a separate 
 maintenance. To this demand he gave refusal, 
 by attorney, because the answer declared she 
 had dwelt with him as his mistress, and not as 
 his wife. This was also the substance of his 
 answer to her declarations and demands when 
 proceedings for divorce and a division of prop 
 erty were afterward begun by her in a court of 
 law. 
 
 The names of other attorneys appeared with 
 that of Abel Hyman upon the documents intro 
 ducing this contest, and an item published soon 
 afterward in a real estate journal suggested to 
 Chalmer Grose the identity of their retainer. 
 This item announced the sale of valuable prop 
 erty by Lethe St. Pier, and seemed to be of inter 
 est to him, for he made it the subject of a con 
 ference with Hamilton Tucker in the office, No. 
 12 Hotel Havencourt Block. 
 
 On the following evening, immediately after 
 the coming of darkness, Hamilton Tucker rode 
 in a street car to the western limit of the city. 
 After alighting, he walked through obscure 
 neighborhoods to Pine street. He then changed
 
 SEBALTHA. 321 
 
 his direction and kept on his way toward the 
 center of the city, until he arrived at the house 
 of Lethe St. Pier. 
 
 When Lethe opened the door and hade him 
 enter the reception room, she did not recognize 
 her visitor. He wore a light mackintosh, which, 
 being buttoned from neck to feet, concealed his 
 figure. The upturned collar covered his lower 
 face, meeting a driving-cap drawn down over 
 his ears. After he was seated and had removed 
 his cap, she became aware of his identity and 
 began a protest against his visit, because of his 
 relations to Chalmer Grose. Her speech, as she 
 proceeded, was fast becoming a tirade against 
 his employer and all who were in sympathy 
 with him. 
 
 " I have left his service," he said, interrupt 
 ing her. 
 
 " Then he has lost a good man," she instantly 
 responded. 
 
 If Hamilton Tucker noticed the satire con 
 veyed by Lethe's remark, he gave no sign of 
 the fact, for he continued in a formal speech 
 that savored of rehearsal:
 
 322 SEEALTHA. 
 
 " Our opinions upon important subjects are 
 not in accord. We differ regarding the manage 
 ment of certain properties, and we can never 
 become er reconciled. My interests seem to 
 compel me to the action that I have taken, and 
 -er consequently I withdraw. Having accu 
 mulated a large sum of money during my er 
 connection with Mr. Chalmer Grose, I shall 
 now invest it in a business of my own. I have 
 considered mining, and have also considered a 
 grain ranch. I know both; I mean er lam 
 familiar with both, and could not be be called 
 down by anyone after I once got started." 
 
 Hamilton Tucker's memory was evidently 
 treacherous, for he looked toward the ceiling, 
 and perspiration sprang out upon his forehead. 
 He unbuttoned the mackintosh at his throat 
 and chest, and, plying a kerchief vigorously 
 over his face, continued his recital in familiar 
 language : 
 
 " I want your help to show me where the big 
 gest fortune is. I have got a chance at a silver 
 mine, and I have got one at a grain ranch. The 
 mine crops out well, and the soil of the ranch
 
 SEFvALTHA. 323 
 
 is A 1. Your advice has made a fortune for 
 Mr. Chalmer Grose, and several others I know 
 of, and I want you to help me. I want a hun 
 dred dollars' worth to-night. That is for telling 
 me what to do. When I get going, I will give 
 you more to tell me the best way to manage." 
 
 He drew five twenty-dollar gold pieces from 
 his pocket and held them toward Lethe in his 
 open hand. The suspicion regarding his pur 
 pose, which her face had manifested, now gave 
 place to love of gain. She arose from her seat, 
 and, taking the money from his hand, said to 
 him: 
 
 " I believe you, now. Come to the parlor. I 
 will help you." 
 
 Leading the way, Lethe conducted him to the 
 parlor, and, lighting it dimly, gave him a seat. 
 She then inquired minutely regarding his finan 
 ces, business methods and social habits. To all 
 of her questions he made ready answer. She 
 afterwards informed him that she would be ab 
 sent an hour perhaps two; and, requesting him 
 to remain there until her return, she left the 
 room.
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 llpjpETHE had been absent from the parlor 
 l&SK several minutes when Hamilton Tucker 
 
 C'tfTT^^S*^* 
 
 noted the time by his watch and buttoned his 
 mackintosh. Drawing the driving-cap upon his 
 head so as to completely cover his ears, he turned 
 up the collar against it. He then took rubber 
 shoes from an outside pocket and drew them 
 over his boots. These fitted snugly and sup 
 pressed the sound of his footfall as he afterward 
 walked about the parlor. 
 
 The time was past nine o'clock. When he 
 entered the house, scattering drops of rain were 
 falling perpendicularly from clouds drifting 
 lazily from the ocean. As the night advanced, 
 the clouds lowered. Now the rising wind drove 
 oblique floods along the verandas, shaking the 
 house meanwhile with rustling noises. 
 
 He walked in circuits of increasing distances 
 until at one point he passed close by the draperies 
 of the vestibule, bending his head in an attitude 
 
 (324)
 
 SERALTHA. 325 
 
 of listening, and at the opposite point he peered 
 through an open door into the darkness of the 
 dressing-room. At times, as he approached the 
 door, he seemed to shiver in response to the 
 blasts outside, and to falter with weakness. 
 Upon other circuits he boldly trod near its 
 threshold, as if impelled by a sudden dash of 
 courage. During one of these moments of 
 resolution he stepped within the dressing-room. 
 Emerging from it instantly, he walked waver- 
 ingly upon the circuit of his former pathway, 
 and his shivering shoulders rustled the cape of 
 his mackintosh, which he nervously unbuttoned 
 from throat to waist as he walked. He then 
 made three full circuits of the parlors. 
 
 His face showed the weak lines of cowardice, 
 of which his wavering steps and shivering form 
 also gave evidence. He looked about the room, 
 from window to window, as if he saw glances 
 from an eye piercing through the curtains. 
 A change came upon him when he had passed 
 the vestibule upon the third circuit. A fierce 
 expression overspread his face, and his chest 
 swelled against his mackintosh as he rebuttoned
 
 326 SERALTHA. 
 
 it. Drawing the collar to a level with his eyes, 
 he hastened forward, and entered the dressing- 
 room. 
 
 The storm outside seemed to be in complicity 
 with him to suppress all sounds within the 
 house, for he slowly groped along his way to the 
 gorgeous chamber, and, carefully drawing its 
 unsecured carpet away from a corner, he raised 
 the trap door and rested it against the adjoining 
 wall without disturbing the sorceress in the 
 room below. Hastily stepping upon the narrow 
 stairway, he began a forward descent. When 
 his eyes came under the level of the opening, 
 he stopped and looked upon the scene which 
 suddenly appeared to his view. 
 
 By the dim light of a tin oil lamp, standing 
 on a pine table, he saw muscular arms, long 
 and black, moving beckoningly above the flame; 
 sinewy hands reaching with grasping fingers 
 toward their restless shadows upon the white 
 wall beyond; a broad back, ebon as the night, 
 rising long above disheveled folds of scarlet, 
 and a turbaned head moving from side to side, 
 as the eyes, which were turned from him, sought
 
 SERALTHA. 327 
 
 to discover apparitions in the flame of the lamp. 
 
 The five pieces of gold which Lethe had taken 
 from his hand lay in a crescent form upon the 
 table. At times the right hand ceased its 
 beckoning and pointed a finger toward them, 
 while the left continued its movements, and her 
 tongue uttered pleadings to unseen attendants 
 in incessant and uncanny language. The 
 broken cane-seated chair unseen beneath the 
 scarlet gown of the half-disrobed form upon it- 
 croaked rhythms to her gestures that mocked 
 the intonations of a smothering raven. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker shivered, as he had done 
 when walking in the parlor, and his body wav 
 ered, shaking the insecure stairway upon which 
 he stood. He reached above him for support, 
 and, grasping the edge of the upturned door 
 incautiously, he drew it violently downward. 
 In an effort to protect himself from the falling 
 door he lost his balance and fell to the foot of 
 the stairway. 
 
 He sprang to his feet; but, before he was in 
 position to attack, Lethe had pinioned his arms 
 with her own. While struggling to free himself
 
 328 SEKALTHA. 
 
 from her grasp, lie perceived an advantage and 
 pushed her on the stairway. The shock of the 
 fall caused her to release him. 
 
 Hamilton Tucker put one hand against Lethe's 
 shoulder and with the other drew a weapon from 
 the breast pocket of his mackintosh. The 
 weapon had been placed to be readily drawn, 
 for in the instant that his arms were freed his 
 hand was uplifted, holding the stylet which had 
 paled the face of Hermina at the charnel of the 
 grain ranch. 
 
 He moved to strike, and had an ample mark. 
 Lethe's sable breast glistened above the scarlet 
 gown caught in disorder about her waist, and 
 drew his aim. He had come prepared to kill 
 without bearing away a token of his deed. The 
 silent stylet might draw blood upon the imper 
 vious mackintosh, but stripped of it his cloth 
 ing would be clean. He had come to kill. Seral- 
 tha would then be deprived of aid, and his mas 
 ter could rejoice in her defeat. He had come 
 with cheer, for a princely recompense awaited 
 his success. 
 
 Yet, the weapon did not reach its mark.
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 [E trap door had opened noiselessly. As 
 Hamilton Tucker raised the stylet to a 
 poise, a noose sped downward and closed around 
 the upturned collar of his mackintosh. A glossy 
 rope, stretching from his neck into the dark 
 ness of the upper room, threw him along the 
 stairway. The stylet fell from his hand. Before 
 he could arise, a form dropped down by his side 
 that, with a foot against his chest, drew upon 
 the rope and severed it with a knife close to his 
 throat. Stunned and bewildered he staggered 
 to his feet and looked around the room, as 
 one peering through mists to see an approach 
 ing enemy. His hand rose above his head, as 
 if the stylet was yet in its grasp, and then fell 
 to his throat, clutching the cones of the revenge 
 ful lariat of Juan Bermuda, who, without scarf 
 or sponge, now crouched upon the floor and 
 looked upward, a silent laugh spreading in 
 hideous lines of brown and yellow over his face. 
 
 (329;)
 
 330 SERALTHA. 
 
 y 
 
 The man above him, from clutching about his 
 throat, began to grasp the air, and then a husky 
 breath sounded throughout the room, drawn 
 inward by a mighty effort of his chest. Juan 
 Bermuda, still crouching, looked up at his vic 
 tim and laughed until the breath came hissingly 
 out. 
 
 Another breath, drawn slowly inward by his 
 anguished chest, and Hamilton Tucker threw 
 himself against the door of the wainscoting and 
 fell within the furnace-room. Arising, as if he 
 had bounded upward, he ran to the iron door of 
 the basement area. He tore away the bolt with a 
 strength redoubled by despair, and, pushing the 
 door aside, leaped upward to the ground. He 
 sped across the lawn and down the steep drive 
 way to the street. 
 
 The storm beat fast upon him, yet he ran 
 along the street with increasing speed and 
 turned from it to cross a vacant lot. Diagonally 
 across the space the colored urns of a phar 
 macy glimmered through the rain drops. In 
 the center of the lot a mast held an electric
 
 SERALTHA. 331 
 
 light, which illuminated a wet and slippery 
 pathway ascending toward the urns. 
 
 He faltered when he reached the path, and 
 slipping, stumbled; but, pressing his hands 
 against his chest, he rallied and ran swiftly 
 onward. He stopped beneath the electric light. 
 His knees smote together. He raised his hands 
 above his head in an imploring clasp. The 
 latest breath inhaled refused an expiration. 
 He sank slowly to the pathway, and lay with 
 his face toward the dazzling electric light, and 
 with the colored urns of the pharmacy within 
 his vision. * * * 
 
 He saw a red blade spring out from an urn of 
 the pharmacy, beveled like the stylet which he 
 had poised above the form of Lethe St. Pier. 
 It swiftly grew in length, and drove its point 
 into the electric light above him, that now 
 appeared a sun blazing broad and high. Drops 
 of silvery blood fell from the wounded sun, 
 splashing upon the pathway and into his star 
 ing eyes. 
 
 Another blade, of ceruleous blue, aimed its
 
 332 SEEALTHA. 
 
 point along the bevel of the red, and made 
 another wound beside the first. Spangles of 
 fire fell down with the silvery drops, as if the 
 second thrust had pierced a fiery artery. The 
 dazzling sun grew white and pale. 
 
 A yellow blade sped its point with lightning 
 aim along the bevel of the blue. Green flames 
 flashed from the fading sun, consuming the 
 blades and the urns of the pharmacy. 
 
 The horizon turned black. In the zenith 
 a radiant globe appeared, with zones of white 
 and red, of yellow, blue and green, that, slowly 
 rising, shrank to an iridescent star; this, rising 
 still, twinkled in changing colors, from green to 
 blue, to yellow, red and white, then shot aloft 
 through eternal distances and waned to a ray 
 a point an atom: The eyes beneath the visor 
 of the riding-cap saw Death ! 
 
 A workman hastening to a distant shop 
 before the sun dispelled the dense fog which 
 had followed the storm from the ocean and 
 rested still and low upon the pavements of the 
 city, turned from the street into the diagonal
 
 SERALTHA. 333 
 
 pathway leading to the pharmacy. He whistled 
 as he walked, and unseen linnets chirped 
 responses from shadowy bushes upon either 
 side. 
 
 Midway of the path he cried out in alarm. 
 Glassy eyes, beneath the visor of a riding-cap, 
 stared through the fog within a stride of him. 
 His exclamation guided a policeman to where a 
 man had died with a noose around his neck, 
 which seemed to be an endless plaiting of black 
 horsehair with cones distributed along its sur 
 face. No loop was visible. The policeman was 
 a veteran in his occupation, yet, after he had 
 examined the noose, he shivered and drew away, 
 until a screen of fog hid the unaccountable 
 death-weapon from his sight.
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 revolvers, of different sizes, lay 
 within a recess of the chiffonier in the 
 gorgeous chamber of the house on Pine street, 
 left there by Chalmer Grose when he removed 
 to the Hotel Havencourt. A pearl handle orna 
 mented the smaller one, that, although of effect 
 ive caliber, seemed a toy beside its fellows. The 
 one of medium length had a heavy magazine, 
 a polished barrel, thick and short, and an ivory 
 handle. A long hexagonal barrel distinguished 
 the larger one, that in caliber and weight seemed 
 fitted for a trooper's use. All were loaded, and 
 beside each one lay a box of cartridges. 
 
 After his victim had fled from the incantation 
 room Juan Bermuda put the five pieces of gold 
 in his pocket, and, ascending the stairway to the 
 room above, took the large revolver from the 
 chiffonier. When the workman walked through 
 the fog toward the pharmacy, Juan Bermuda 
 
 (334)
 
 SERALTHA. 335 
 
 was many miles beyond the limits of the city, 
 with a roll of blankets on his back, hastening 
 through unfrequented ways toward a Mexican 
 settlement in a canyon of the Coast Mountains. 
 If Nat Rapps had not been informed of the 
 slaying of Hamilton Tucker, the absence of Juan 
 Bermuda from the city would have been unneces 
 sary to his safety from arrest. At the inquest 
 no evidence appeared to reveal the movements 
 of his victim throughout the evening before the 
 discovery of the body. Hamilton Tucker was 
 away from his usual haunts during that time, 
 but had not made the purpose of his absence 
 known to his associates. They could throw no 
 light upon the mystery. Chalmer Grose denied 
 knowledge of his movements, and Hermina 
 seemed cheerful while giving similar testimony. 
 The noose had been cut away by a surgeon, but 
 it unfolded no tale to the detectives, except that 
 of its fitness to produce a silent and lingering 
 death. Alarming stories spread abroad from 
 the Central Police Station of the advent in the 
 city of anarchists who lurked in storm and fog to
 
 336 SEBALTHA. 
 
 kill prosperous citizens with grotesque weapons; 
 and of the presence of assassins who had put 
 aside the knife fearing the tell-tale blood and 
 pounced upon their victims with a noose of 
 horse hair, deftly coned to fit the neck of man 
 or child. 
 
 Nat Rapps, hearing of this weapon, obtained 
 permission to search the store-room of the Police 
 Station, from which he brought the bundle to 
 light that a fireman found upon the lawn of the 
 Mission Dolores. From it the officials learned, 
 with much chagrin, that Hamilton Tucker had 
 died by the hand of a Mexican, who swung an 
 ingenious lariat and cut the line from the noose 
 with a table knife. Investigation, aided by the 
 cleverness of Nat Rapps, materialized the myths 
 of the Police Station to an eccentric individual 
 who walked the streets only by night, with his 
 face muffled as if he were an invalid, and who 
 had lived in the Glen, and later at the house of 
 Lethe St. Pier on Pine street. 
 
 Chance Neely , of the Private Detective Agency, 
 being desirous of the reward then offered for the 
 arrest of the slayer of his friend, and being fur-
 
 SERALTHA. 337 
 
 nished with information from the reports of Nat 
 Rapps in the Investigator, made a visit to the 
 house on Pine street. When he arrived there 
 he read a warrant to Lethe for the arrest of John 
 Doe Mexican. Lethe St. Pier was superior to 
 Chance Neely in craftiness. He searched the 
 house and did not find the dark room hy the 
 furnace. All the effects hy which the recent 
 presence of Juan Bermuda might be proved 
 were in that room. Prompted hy what she said 
 to him, he afterwards journeyed to the distant 
 mountain city where Chalmer Grose had suf 
 fered from the wounds of the Cascades, and 
 searched in the Mexican settlement near its 
 limits, and in the mountains thereabout. Chance 
 Neely being thus mislead, Juan Bermuda rested 
 securely in his hiding place, three hundred miles 
 away. After several days of vain search, Chance 
 Neely returned to. San Francisco, where he 
 immediately became engaged in matters per 
 taining to the interests of the defendant in the 
 divorce case of " Grose versus Grose," which, 
 after many delays, came to a trial before a Judge 
 of untarnished reputation.
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 NEEDY WRITER, walking along the 
 <pp5! street with a sinful story in his reti 
 cule, met a Ready Sale, who took the story from 
 him and began to read aloud. 
 
 A Law Court sitting within a window near 
 by, weighing Equities with a balance-scale, heard 
 the reading and saw the Needy Writer hasten 
 ing away with a large coin in his hand. The 
 Law Court ceased his occupation, and, giving 
 vigorous chase, caught the Needy Writer and 
 brought him into the room where he kept the 
 balance-scale. 
 
 The Law Court took the large coin away from 
 the Needy Writer and threw him into an iron 
 cage, which he locked with multifarous keys. 
 
 The Ready Sale still read the sinful story 
 upon the street and had drawn a large concourse 
 of people about him, who gave much applause. 
 
 In the midst of his reading, a Divorce Case,
 
 8EBALTHA. 339 
 
 in excessive decollete, saluted the Law Court in 
 a loud voice and began to read her History, to 
 which he listened dispassionately. The con 
 course of people deserted the Ready Sale, and, 
 beckoning to others up and down the street, 
 stood beside the window straining their necks 
 to see and hear. 
 
 When the Law Court brought bread and water 
 to the iron cage, the following morning, blushes 
 covered the face of the Needy Writer, congested 
 
 there from the hearing of the History. 
 
 ***** 
 
 The progress of a day had been made upon 
 the case of " Grose versus Grose." During the 
 ensuing evening Seraltha visited Lethe St. Pier 
 in the house on Pine street. In the various 
 parleys and contentions between opposing coun 
 sel, which consumed the entire time of the 
 opening day, the policy of the defense was fore 
 shadowed as being that which is common in 
 contested divorce cases: a convincing of the 
 Court and the public that the biter is the one 
 who has been bitten. References to the plain-
 
 340 SERALTHA. 
 
 tiff were contemptuous, and brought resentment 
 into her face, and the calumny of the answer to 
 her petition drew lines of anger upon it. Her 
 eyes moved rapidly in violet flashing and her 
 hands became tightly clenched. The influence 
 of Abel Hyman, exerted at the critical moment 
 by soothing words, prevented more violent dem 
 onstrations of her derangement ; still, the 
 defense had profited. She was apparently 
 vicious. 
 
 The demeanor of the day still lingered upon 
 her when she entered Lethe's presence. She 
 had laid aside her walking costume of latest 
 fashion and now wore that of the surah-silk 
 gown, even to the old English hat, and the 
 satchel of oxidized hook and chain. 
 
 "What foh yoh wear dah ole cloz, chile?" 
 Lethe questioned, after she had conducted Seral- 
 tha to the parlor. " En dah beautiful back hair 
 lookin' zif 'twasn't had no brush en comb since 
 yoh put dah dress on dah firs' time. En dah 
 hair pins all comin' out!" 
 
 Seraltha made no response to these criti-
 
 SEBALTHA. 341 
 
 cisms upon her apparel, but excitedly re 
 hearsed the readings and sayings uttered 
 before the Court by the defendant's counsel, 
 afterward bewailing her blemished reputation. 
 Lethe listened intently her eyes meanwhile 
 beaming with sympathy until an opportunity 
 was given her to speak. Earnestly, and without 
 the plantation accent she said: 
 
 "Listen to me, child! What I am going to 
 tell }^ou now is nothing that the spirits told me. 
 It is what I see with my own eyes and know by 
 my own finding. Something worse is waiting 
 for you than the spiteful talk of Chalmer Grose 
 and his lawyers something worse, child, than 
 the hurt to your reputation. The reputation 
 won't be hurt when you get your share of the 
 property, and nobody will lock the door when 
 you want to come in the front way; but nothing 
 will give satisfaction if you lose your life. 
 Somebody is scheming to take that without get 
 ting into trouble afterward. I didn't find this 
 out from spirits, child spirits had nothing to 
 do with it. I saw something, myself, and I
 
 342 SERALTHA. 
 
 have read from it, the same as you read from a 
 book, until the story is all told. This is the 
 story: If Lethe St. Pier is killed, then Mrs. 
 Chalmer Grose can't find any money for a 
 divorce from Chalmer Grose. Lethe St. Pier 
 don't get killed, and Mrs. Chalmer Grose can 
 find plenty of money for a divorce, and she can 
 keep it until she gets her money from Chalmer 
 Grose. Then, what? If there was no Mrs. Chal 
 mer Grose if the lady who is Mrs. Chalmer 
 Grose wasn't living anywhere on the earth 
 then Chalmer Grose would be a widower, and 
 nobody would be asking for a divorce or for 
 money. If Mrs. Chalmer Grose dies from poi 
 son, or is found on the street, or anywhere else, 
 with a knife in her bosom and the handle stick 
 ing out on the left side, then the Coroner will 
 say, ' She was ashamed of her life and took the 
 poison/ or, ' She pushed the knife into her 
 bosom with her right hand.' Then, what? Chal 
 mer Grose has got no more trouble. This is a 
 true story, child. Here is the knife that didn't 
 get to the bosom of Lethe St. Pier, and here is
 
 SERALTHA. 343 
 
 the revolver that will kill the man who tries to 
 use another one." 
 
 Lethe drew from a pocket of her gown the 
 stylet that Hamilton Tucker raised above her in 
 the incantation room, and the medium-sized 
 revolver of the chiffonier. 
 
 Seraltha had comprehended the story. The 
 tide of her distraction was now in full flood, and 
 the incidents of the day, together with the 
 probabilities shown in the story, had served to 
 develop another symptom of mental disorder 
 the delusion of persecution. She sprang from 
 her seat, exclaiming: 
 
 '* Yes ! Yes ! I know him ! He watched me 
 throughout the day! Give me both! Both! 
 One I will fix in my corsage with a camlet 
 sheath, and one I will carry by my side, in the 
 satchel." 
 
 Lethe drew away from her, and returned the 
 weapons to her pocket, yet Seraltha continued: 
 
 " He had a thievish face, and, sitting by the 
 railing in the court-room, he gazed at me 
 from between his stooping shoulders, marking
 
 344 SERALTHA. 
 
 the place where he would strike. To-morrow 
 he will sit nearer. Give them to me ! Both ! 
 Both ! I will meet him with them when he 
 springs toward me." 
 
 Seraltha's face now expressed command. 
 Approaching suddenly to Lethe's side, she seized 
 her gown, and, thrusting a hand into its pocket, 
 quickly grasped that within. She drew the 
 stylet from the pocket. Lethe's sinewy fingers 
 clasped her wrist, and for a moment kept the 
 hand that held the weapon to a nerveless quiet- 
 With the knowledge that she was being resisted 
 came the mysterious strength of frenzy that 
 enters a languid form and vamps its flaccid 
 muscles with bands of steel. A cunning comes, 
 out-feating reason. 
 
 Seraltha's eyes shone with purple gleams as 
 she turned the captive wrist with sudden wrench 
 and drove the blade of the stylet deep into 
 Lethe's arm, the hilt escaping from her grasp. 
 The heavy tendons of the arm contracted and 
 held the the blade firmly. The pain of the 
 wound sent a quiver through Lethe's form.
 
 SEEALTHA. 345 
 
 Before reaction came, the free hand of Seraltha 
 had again entered the pocket of Lethe's gown; 
 she saw the gleaming barrel of the revolver and 
 heard the warning click of its hammer, as it 
 rose before her face. 
 
 "Not me! Child! Lethe St. Pier has no 
 thievish face! " 
 
 Lethe spoke gently, and dropped the hand 
 that had held the stylet. The words, their sug 
 gestion, their kindly accents, and the release of 
 the prisoned hand were timely. The weapon 
 wavered an instant, then its aim was changed 
 to a distant point in the room. 
 
 "No I Not Lethe St. Pier ! The man with the 
 thievish face! Is he here?" Lowering the 
 weapon to the level of her waist, and still hold 
 ing it in aim, Seraltha peered over it, waving 
 the freed hand before her face, as if mists had 
 gathered there: "He is sitting by the rail 
 ing!" She moved a step forward. Her hand 
 tightly clenched the handle of the revolver, and 
 an inexperienced finger pressed upon the trigger- 
 guard.
 
 346 SERALTHA. 
 
 She lowered the revolver and advanced toward 
 the point at which she had aimed. She stopped 
 midway the parlor and looked around con 
 fusedly, then again looked toward the place of 
 her aim. 
 
 "He is not there," she whispered. "The 
 railing is in the court-room." 
 
 The revolver fell from tier hand and she sank 
 to the floor beside it. The spell of her frenzy 
 was broken. 
 
 During the time of her occupation as nurse, 
 Lethe had assisted surgeons in important opera 
 tions. She knew of the action of veins and 
 arteries. The absence of blood, except a drop 
 that trickled along her wrist as she raised her 
 arm to examine the hurt, after the aim of the 
 revolver had been withdrawn from her face, 
 showed her that no artery had been touched. 
 Striving resolutely against the pain caused by 
 the stylet, she followed Seraltha when she ad 
 vanced toward the object of her hallucination, 
 and was about to plead for possession of the 
 revolver when Seraltha fell with it to the floor.
 
 SERALTHA. 347 
 
 "Dan pore chile I" Lethe exclaimed, as she 
 stooped and looked upon the prostrate form. 
 " She nebber meant harm toh me. She's crazy 
 froh dah spite of Chalmer Grose. Mebbe she's 
 gwine to die ! " Lethe stooped lower. " Her 
 face done gittin' whiter en whiter! Who helped 
 Chalmer Grose get his hands on her? Who 
 helped him, I say? Lethe St. Pier! If I'se 
 nebber prayed befo' in mah life I'se gwine toh 
 now. Nobuddy ebber tole me how, but I'se 
 gwine toh." 
 
 She knelt and clasped Seraltha's hand within 
 her own. A drop of blood fell from the hilt of 
 the stylet and traced a purple line across the 
 white palm. Lethe wiped it away. Another 
 drop fell and sank into the texture of the car 
 pet. And another. 
 
 " Mebbe dis dah blood ob dah 'tenement dem 
 colored folks shoutin' 'bout on dah plantation. 
 I'se better been listenin' 'sted ob sayin' ' crazy 
 folks.' " She wrapped her neckerhief about the 
 hilt of the stylet and around her arm. Again 
 clasping Seraltha's hand, she continued: "I'se
 
 348 SERALTHA. 
 
 done been dat wicked toh help Chalmer Grose 
 get his hands on dah chile. I'se sorry! Mebhe 
 dat's gwine toh make some diffunce wiv dah 
 Lawd, en He done keep her alive 'till Lethe St. 
 Pier helps her toh get away froh dah trouble. 
 He's gwine toh ! " 
 
 Returning animation showed in Seraltha's 
 face, and from spasmodic movements of her 
 body, yet her frenzy had wasted her energies so 
 that she could not arise without aid. Lethe 
 cautiously secured the revolver and hid it away 
 from sight in the upholstery of a s^ofa. She 
 then raised Seraltha from the floor with the 
 uninjured arm and gave her an unresisted sup 
 port to the bed in the gorgeous chamber, Seral 
 tha gave childlike compliance to Lethe's bid 
 ding that she should retire there, and remain 
 in her care until morning. With Lethe's assist 
 ance she disrobed, and was soon asleep. She knew 
 nothing of the stylet that still rested in its 
 sinewy sheath. The hilt lay close to the fore 
 arm, concealed by folds of the ample kerchief, 
 to which she had given no attention.
 
 SERALTHA. 349 
 
 After Seraltha slept, Lethe hastened to her 
 own chamber. Within a brief time she returned 
 clothed in other garments, and sitting near the 
 bedside, began the vigils of the night. Aided 
 by stoic nerves she had accomplished a surgeon's 
 task. A band of linen, tightly drawn, showed 
 upon her arm within the loose sleeve of a morn 
 ing gown. At times during the night pain 
 sprang from under the band which bore anguish 
 to her face. She would then look at the still 
 form on the bed. 
 
 " Dah blood ob dah 'tenement drippin* in 
 dar," she would whisper, when the pain abated. 
 " Who helped Chalmer Grose get his hands on 
 dah chile ? Lethe St. Pier I "
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 JERALTHA'S manner gave no evidence 
 of distraction when she awoke in the 
 morning following her frenzied conduct with 
 the weapons. Because of this Lethe soon left 
 her, fully assured that she might safely do so. 
 The deep sleep of the night had brought serenity 
 to Seraltha; yet, after reflecting upon the inci 
 dents of the court-room, her thoughts reverted 
 to the story told by Lethe, and a fear of danger 
 followed. 
 
 Her memory of the parlor scene failed where 
 she had attempted to possess the weapons, but 
 she remembered that Lethe had declared the 
 revolver to be an ample protection against 
 future assault. After dressing, she opened the 
 chiffonier and took the small revolver. As she 
 put it in her satchel a look of triumph over 
 spread her face* 
 
 Proceedings of the second day of her case 
 had begun when she arrived at the court-room. 
 
 (350)
 
 SEBALTHA. 351 
 
 Approaching through chambers, she met 
 Chance Neely, who was passing out hurriedly. 
 A case of law books, standing in the centre of 
 the room in which they met, obscured him from 
 her sight, until in turning to pass around it she 
 came abruptly within touch of him. Startled, 
 she exclaimed: 
 
 "The thievish face!" 
 
 Stepping back, Seraltha quickly opened her 
 satchel and plunged a hand within it. As if he 
 felt that an avenger stood before him, he seized 
 her, and, pushing her violently against the 
 book case, ran out through the doorway by which 
 she had entered. Bewildered by the shock, she 
 mistook the direction in which he had fled, and, 
 intent on pursuing him, she sprang through the 
 doorway leading into the court-room. She 
 halted just within the room, her eyes wandering 
 in perplexity from the Judge, who looked down 
 upon her from his bench, to faces in the 
 audience, and among the lawyers and 
 reporters within the railing. A stillness spread 
 about the room that seemed to be in waiting for
 
 352 SEKALTHA. 
 
 a signal to become an uproar. Seraltha now 
 held the revolver fully exposed to view. 
 
 An alert bailiff stepped from his place and 
 wrenched the weapon from her. He had seized 
 her arm, and was pushing her roughly toward 
 the prisoner's dock, when Abel Hyman sprang 
 forward and struck him with a clenched hand. 
 The angered bailiff raised the revolver and 
 pointed it toward the breast of his assailant, the 
 glance of their eyes meeting at the same instant. 
 
 There is power in a resolute eye that is felt 
 alike by the dolt and by the philosopher. Its 
 comprehension pertains to the functions of a 
 sixth sense. The ' muzzle of the weapon was 
 lowered. 
 
 A temporary adjournment of the Court and 
 an investigation made in Chambers, resulted in 
 a fine imposed upon Chance Neely. Abel 
 Hyman was censured and the revolver of his 
 client retained by the Court. 
 
 " Should this occur again, by word or by 
 deed/' said Abel Hyman to Chance Neely, just
 
 SEEALTHA. 353 
 
 before re-entering the court-room, " you will 
 find a bullet or a knife in your body." 
 
 The detective slunk away and stood behind 
 the book-case, against which he had pushed 
 Seraltha, until proceedings were resumed in the 
 court-room. 
 
 The plaintiff's side of the case was soon 
 presented: The marriage contract, accepted in 
 evidence; the letter addressing Seraltha as 
 "My dear wife"; proof of her residence with 
 and maintenance by the defendant for three 
 years, and of her declaration to the Court charg 
 ing cruelty by the defendant's refusal to ac 
 knowledge her publicly as his wife, thus expos 
 ing her to contumely. Still, the day was con 
 sumed and the Court adjourned. 
 
 Soon after the opening of the Court upon the 
 third day of the trial, a man with a studious 
 face occupied the witness seat. A bailiff had 
 placed a table before him, and his long, thin 
 fingers were adjusting a microscope. The attor 
 neys for the defense gathered before the table, 
 showing deep interest in his proceedings, and
 
 354 SERALTHA. 
 
 the large audience arose and stood straining to 
 comprehend the purpose of the man with the 
 microscope. 
 
 Sitting at another table near by, Chalmer 
 Grose wrote upon a sheet of legal cap, similar 
 to that upon which the marriage contract was 
 written, and upon note paper like that of 
 the letter bearing the greeting, " My dear wife." 
 
 Seraltha had become much agitated after 
 reading a morning paper, in which an imagina 
 tive reporter filled two columns in description 
 of the episode of the revolver. She sat among 
 her lawyers near Abel Hyman at the coun 
 sel's table. The table upon which the micro 
 scope rested was only a few steps from her, and 
 a few other steps would reach Chalmer Grose. 
 Chance Neely sat beyond him on a heavy arm 
 chair, tilted back against the railing. The heels 
 of his boots were caught securely among the 
 rounds of his chair; the position bringing his 
 eyes nearly to a level with his stooping shoul 
 ders. 
 
 A bailiff compelled the audience to be seated;
 
 SEKALTHA. 355 
 
 yet, here and there, faces stood out in relief, 
 which reflected the mystery that burdened the 
 air of the room. 
 
 The microscopist adjusted the instrument, 
 and established his competency as an expert 
 witness. He was then given the marriage con 
 tract, which, with the microscope, he scanned 
 letter by letter and line by line. The letter 
 greeting the plaintiff, " My dear wife," received 
 the same careful scrutiny. 
 
 " Were both written by the same hand? " asked 
 the lawyer who had questioned him before. 
 
 The witness answered: "The lines of one 
 show vacillation, as if the hand that wrote was 
 tremulous with emotion. It is the marriage 
 contract." 
 
 A moan broke upon the stillness of the court 
 room. Seraltha sprang from her seat, and, 
 grasping the shoulder of Abel Hyman, looked 
 around upon the audience. A forgotten voice 
 came back to her memory. She exclaimed, 
 with bated breath : 
 
 " The moaning of the sleeping-car Herm ina !"
 
 356 SERALTHA. 
 
 Far to the rear she saw a veil fall over a pallid 
 face. The form below it trembled. 
 
 The voice had touched another ear with 
 memories, and another eye saw the pallid face 
 before the veil fell. While the microscopist 
 continued his examination Chalmer Grose 
 hazily wrote a note, which by his direction 
 Chance Neely gave to the woman who had 
 moaned. Hermina read the note and went 
 hurriedly out of the court-room. 
 
 Juan Bermuda had throttled only one of her 
 masters. 
 
 The microscopist decided that both documents 
 had been written by the same hand. He then 
 placed beneath his instrument the writing that 
 Chalmer Grose had done on the sheet of legal 
 cap; it was a copy of the marriage contract, 
 except the signature of Seraltha Ames. He 
 then inspected the writing of Chalmer Grose 
 upon the note-paper, which was a copy of the 
 letter greeting Seraltha as " My dear wife." 
 
 After a careful comparison of the four papers, 
 the witness voluntarily asserted:
 
 BERALTHA. 357 
 
 'The documents in evidence indicate forg 
 ery!" 
 
 " Forgery! " cried Seraltha. 
 
 She sprang from her seat, and, escaping 
 Abel Hyman's effort to intercept her, ap 
 proached the table of the microscopist, repeat 
 ing the word in mingled inquiry and excl' -na 
 tion. She seized the marriage contract. Hasten 
 ing with it to Chalmer Grose, she held it before 
 him and demanded a denial from him of the 
 assertion made by the witness. Chalmer Grose 
 looked into her face and saw her sight wander 
 ing over his person in violet flashes. There 
 were other revolvers in the chiffonier besides 
 the one of the pearl handle. He arose and drew 
 away from her. Chance Neely hastened to place 
 himself in front to protect him, at the same 
 time advancing toward Seraltha with an evident 
 intention to put his hands upon her. A knife 
 blade glittered before his eyes, long and keen- 
 edged. His arms remained rigidly extended as 
 his eyes followed the movement of the blade 
 upward. Then he dropped heavily to the floor.
 
 358 SEBALTHA. 
 
 From whence the knife was drawn, or where 
 it was replaced the instant that he fell, Chance 
 Neely did not know, but he saw the gleaming 
 eyes of Abel Hyman looking down upon him, 
 and he trembled with fear. The Judge saw the 
 weapon drawn, and moved from his bench 
 toward the dramatic scene. The bailiff saw it 
 at the poise, and, keeping his position, turned 
 .ence, where men were rising to 
 'omen covering their faces. Chal- 
 mer Grose saw every movement of the weapon. 
 He fled beyond the railing and stood among the 
 audience. 
 
 A fine may not be a stigma. Contempt of 
 Court is less than misdemeanor, if barren of 
 intention against the dignity of the Court. 
 
 CJ O / 
 
 The Judge had returned to his bench, and the 
 others to their respective places. One hundred 
 dollars was the judgment rendered against Abel 
 Hyman for drawing a weapon during a session 
 of the Court. He paid the fine. 
 
 " And the possession of your weapon by me
 
 SERALTHA. 359 
 
 until the termination of this trial," the Judge 
 afterward added to his sentence. 
 
 Abel Hyman laid it upon the desk before the 
 Judge. 
 
 " Allow me the sheath in which to keep it 
 safely/' the Judge requested, after a glance at 
 the naked blade. 
 
 " The sheath is a fixture in my waistcoat," 
 responded Abel Hyman. 
 
 Seraltha surrendered the marriage contract 
 with much reluctance, and only upon the earn 
 est persuasion of Abel Hyman, who returned it 
 to the microscopist. Advantages were equalized 
 between the plaintiff and defendant by the recent 
 incidents. The eagerness of the microscopist in 
 testifying betrayed a prejudice that might have 
 been strengthened by the persuasive color of gold. 
 Nevertheless, he gave cogent reasons in detail 
 that supported his decision. Others, expert in 
 his profession, testified in corroboration of him, 
 consuming the time of the Court until the 
 adjournment hour. Cross-examination had 
 failed to weaken their position.
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 table used by the microscopists in 
 their investigations still stood near the 
 witness-seat when proceedings were resumed 
 upon the fourth day. A lawyer of the defense 
 called Chp^~~ ^ ^ the seat with an 
 
 and, producing a 
 i book, lounged against the table. 
 He testified that, in the service of Chalmer 
 Grose as a detective, he discovered three cards 
 in various places in Seraltha's chamber, after 
 her desertion of the rooms in the Hotel Haven- 
 court. The examining lawyer for the defense 
 took these cards from the witness and offered 
 them in evidence. They were accepted by the 
 Court. The lawyer, by skillful questioning, 
 caused Chance Neely to relate that, following 
 the clue afforded by these cards, he had inter 
 viewed the person whose name was written upon 
 them at his place of business, " The Calaveras." 
 
 (360)
 
 SERALTHA. 361 
 
 During this interview, the witness asserted, he 
 had used the arts of his profession so adroitly 
 that Munroe Chase, the man who had written 
 upon the cards, made a confession, although 
 very reluctantly. This confession included an 
 assertion that the differing dates upon the cards 
 corresponded with the absence of Chalmer Grose 
 from the city at various times; during which 
 times Monroe Chase had visited the plaintiff at 
 her rooms by her appointment. 
 
 Objection to this testimony being made by 
 Abel Hyman, the Judge ordered it stricken out, 
 except that part relating to the discovery of the 
 cards and the employment of the witness as a 
 detective in the interest of Chalmer Grose. 
 Chance Neely, then being excused from the wit 
 ness seat, betrayed deep chagrin, for his memo 
 randum book exhibited hearsay evidence volu 
 minously. Nat Rapps, who was reporting the 
 case of " Grose versus Grose " for the Investigator, 
 added to his discomfiture by saying in an un 
 dertone, as he passed the reporters' table, " The 
 private detective is a foe to justice."
 
 362 SEKALTHA. 
 
 " Monroe Chase will take the witness stand," 
 said a lawyer of the defense. No one respond 
 ing, the lawyer arose and looked around. He 
 repeated his request in louder tones. Receiving 
 no response, the lawyer turned toward Chance 
 Neely with a look of inquiry. Chance Neely 
 sprang to his feet and so did Chalmer Grose. 
 Hastily approaching each other, they met heside 
 the reporters' table, and conversed in low 
 tones. Their conversation was indistinct, yet 
 Nat Rapps, who sat near them, heard the words, 
 " Check for two thousand," spoken by Chalmer 
 Grose. 
 
 Nat Rapps knew the banking house of Chal 
 mer Grose. His astonished associates saw him 
 spring from his chair and walk rapidly out of 
 the court-room. A cab conveyed him to the 
 banking house. After conversing a moment 
 with the cashier, who nodded affirmatively to 
 his inquiries, he returned to the cab and was 
 driven with much speed to "The Calaveras." 
 There he made inquiries for the proprietor. A 
 barkeeper called his request to the porter of the
 
 SERALTHA. 363 
 
 basement rooms, and immediately thereafter a 
 man ascended the stairway who was recognized 
 by Nat Rapps as a successful ward politician. 
 In answer to a question made by the reporter, 
 he said: 
 
 " I am the proprietor." 
 
 " Since when? " inquired Nat Rapps. 
 
 " Since last night, at ten o'clock." 
 
 " Bought out the other folks? " 
 
 " Bought out the other man. No folks in the 
 transaction." 
 
 " Monroe Chase and Company. Who were 
 the Company?" 
 
 " Myths," said the politician. 
 
 " A widow, and a private detective," asserted 
 Nat Rapps. 
 
 " Nonsense! I've been a customer of this 
 place three years, and I never saw or heard of 
 anyone having a say here, except Monroe Chase, 
 and there is no partnership agreement on record. 
 I am all right, in any event. Possession covers 
 the right of ownership and sale in this glorious 
 climate."
 
 364 SEEALTHA. 
 
 " Pay him in coin? " 
 
 " Coin in hand. Five thousand dollars." 
 
 "Last night?" 
 
 " Last night, at ten o'clock." 
 
 "You were in a basement room when the 
 money was paid, and Monroe Chase put it into 
 a strong leather satchel," asserted Nat Rapps. 
 
 The ward politician looked at him in aston 
 ishment. Before he recovered, Nat Rapps had 
 entered the cab and was speeding toward the 
 court-house. Upon his way there he met Chance 
 Neely, also in a cab, who visited " The Calave- 
 ras " and afterward the banking house of Chal- 
 mer Grose. Nat Rapps occupied his seat at the 
 reporters' table when Chance Neely returned 
 and again conversed with Chalmer Grose. 
 
 The strong leather satchel held seven thou 
 sand dollars in gold, and at that hour Monroe 
 Chase was far away from the temptations of 
 perjury. 
 
 The information gained by Chance Neely 
 during his absence from the court-room re 
 mained a secret, imparted by him to none,
 
 SERALTHA. 365 
 
 except Chalmer Grose and his lawyers. Never 
 theless, upon the following morning the Investi 
 gator published an account of the flight of Mon 
 roe Chase, of the amount of money in his pos 
 session and the sources from which he had ob 
 tained it. 
 
 The defense, having no other witnesses to tes 
 tify against Seraltha's character, now rested their 
 case. Evidence for the plaintiff, in rebuttal, 
 failed to overthrow the position of the micro- 
 scopists, the only evidence favoring her being 
 given by herself, and this related to the espousal 
 scene at the mahogany table in the parlor of 
 the house on Pine street; to all of which Chal 
 mer Grose testified in denial. 
 
 Arguments of opposing counsel occupied the 
 time of two days, during which Chalmer Grose 
 did not appear in the court-room. Feeling 
 assured of victory, because of the decision of 
 the microscopists that the marriage contract 
 and the letter were forgeries, and also encour 
 aged by the predictions of his counsel, he put
 
 366 SEBALTHA. 
 
 aside thoughts of the unpleasant affair and 
 resumed his usual ways. 
 
 When the arguments were concluded, the 
 Judge announced that a decision would be ren 
 dered the following week. As he did not specify 
 a date, Chance Neely was continued in the ser 
 vice of Chalmer Grose. He was instructed to 
 attend the court daily, and immediately upon a 
 decision being rendered by the Judge to bear 
 its import to his employer. 
 
 During an afternoon of the following week, 
 and in the interval between cases of less impor 
 tance, the Judge summoned the lawyers inter 
 ested in the case of " Grose versus Grose," and 
 read his decision. Chance Neely, who sat among 
 the audience, arose when the Judge ceased read 
 ing and walked slowly out at the door as if op 
 pressed by a heavy burden. He stopped, when 
 outside, and looked up and down the street like 
 one who had lost his bearing. He held his 
 slouch hat under his right arm while sitting in 
 the court-room, and he still kept it there when 
 standing before the door. The hat remained
 
 SEBALTHA. 367 
 
 under his arm, unnoticed by him, when he 
 afterward turned and walked toward the Hotel 
 Havencourt. 
 
 He recovered his self-possession as he walked 
 and placed his hat on his head; but his move 
 ments still suggested the pressure of a burden. 
 He entered the hotel and went directly to the 
 parlor of Chalmer Grose. Arriving at the door, 
 he raised his hand to rap. The sound of laugh 
 ter came faintly to his ears from within; it was 
 the voice of a woman. Chance Neely lowered 
 his hand and stood in waiting. The laughter 
 became hilarious. He tore a leaf from his mem 
 orandum book and, placing it against the wall, 
 wrote upon it. The time was four o'clock in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 Chalmer Grose sat within the parlor, before a 
 table profusely covered with the residue of a 
 savory dinner. A champagne bottle stood 
 within his reach, and from it he had poured 
 the last of the contents into two wine goblets. 
 While the wine sparkled, he set a goblet before 
 a woman who sat opposite to him. He raised
 
 368 SERALTHA. 
 
 the other goblet to his lips, and, after sipping 
 the wine, replaced it upon the table, making 
 facetious mention, as he did so, of a divorce 
 case which he termed " Seraltha versus Grose." 
 The woman responded with the laughter that 
 had stayed the hand of Chance Neely. Flushes 
 of crimson overspread her brunette cheeks, 
 brought there by the wine, and an ecstasy of 
 mirth flashed in her lustrous dark eyes. She 
 had entered the rooms an hour before, by way 
 of the exclusive corridor. Passing through the 
 parlor and chamber to the dressing-room once 
 Seraltha's she removed her cloak and hat. 
 She then went to the parlor of Chalmer Grose 
 and dined with him. 
 
 Chance Neely completed his writing, and, 
 returning to the door, he rapped. The laughter 
 of the woman had then ceased, and before Chal 
 mer Grose opened the door in response to the 
 summons, she hastened to the dressing-room, 
 where she had put aside her hat and cloak. 
 She sat upon a chair before an easel-mirror and 
 waited.
 
 SERALTHA. 369 
 
 When the door was opened, Chalmer Grose 
 took the book-leaf which Chance Neely handed 
 him and read the writing upon it. As he read, 
 anger congested his cheeks and his face drew 
 into wrinkles. He attempted to speak, but the 
 words died in his throat. Clutching the mes 
 sage in his left hand, he approached the dining 
 table, staggering as he walked. He drank the 
 wine remaining in his goblet in a single gulp. 
 Hastening to his chamber with swerving foot 
 steps, he sank upon his bed. His right hand 
 seized the garments over his heart. A shiver 
 crept over his form from head to feet, and when 
 it ceased the scarlet slowly faded from his cheeks. 
 Death covered his face with the hue of ashes. 
 
 The woman, who had waited beside the easel- 
 mirror, arose and went toward the silent parlor 
 that she had left. The lowering sun threw yel 
 low rays against the upper windows of the house 
 across the street, that drew tints from the blue 
 sky above and reflected a sheen of emerald over 
 the form of Chalmer Grose. A dusky pallor 
 drove the crimson from the cheeks of the woman
 
 370 SEBALTHA. 
 
 when she entered his chamber and looked upon 
 his face. With eyes dilated hy fear she sought 
 her hat and cloak, and stealthily left the hotel. 
 
 Chance Neely had expected a calamity when 
 Chalmer Grose staggered to his chamber, and 
 ran to summon a physician. When the phy 
 sician arrived he raised the left hand of the 
 form before him. The relaxing fingers dropped 
 a paper from their grasp. He gently lowered the 
 hand to the bed, and, smoothing the crumpled 
 paper, held it toward the light and read: 
 
 " Decree of divorce granted, and summons 
 issued for defendant to appear in Court and 
 schedule property. The Judge declares that the 
 preponderance of evidence is on the side of the 
 plaintiff, he having decided a question of ver 
 acity in her favor regarding the signing of the 
 marriage contract in the house on Pine street." 
 
 After imparting this information the writer 
 became sympathetic, for he added: 
 
 "The higher Court may reverse this decision. 
 Of course, you will appeal the case."
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 ^BOUT twelve o'clock of a stormy night, 
 a month after the death of Chalmer 
 Grose, Juan Bermuda entered the grounds of 
 the house on Pine street by way of the steep 
 driveway, and stood among the shrubbery. 
 Awhile he listened intently, then stealthily 
 moved along the lawn to a cypress that swayed 
 its dark boughs over a veranda of the house. 
 
 Standing close to the tree, he drew a lariat of 
 black horse-hair from an inner pocket of his 
 coat and wound it into a coil. Again he lis 
 tened, and swung the lariat to and fro. The 
 gurgling of water in the rain-spouts of the 
 veranda, the moaning of wind among the trees 
 and shrubs, and hoarse signals of a fog-horn 
 at the distant Heads, were all the sounds he 
 heard. 
 
 Swinging the lariat about his head, he threw 
 it upward among the branches. Drops of water 
 
 (371)
 
 372 SEKALTHA. 
 
 splashed upon his face from the shaken foliage. 
 Grasping the double line, now hanging from 
 above, he ascended and stepped upon the roof 
 of the veranda. He then drew his lariat from 
 the tree, and, recoiling it, turned toward a 
 dormer-window in the roof. Raising the lower 
 sash, he crept inside and closed the curtain. 
 
 He had scarcely stepped away from the win 
 dow when a door of the room opened. Lethe 
 St. Pier entered bearing a lighted oil lamp, like 
 that in the dark room by the furnace. She 
 looked at him as at one not wholly unexpected, 
 and asked him to be seated. Seating herself 
 near him, still holding the lamp, she gently 
 chided him for venturing into the city. Glances 
 of affection rewarded Lethe's kind words. 
 
 Lethe told Juan Bermuda of the searches 
 made for him throughout the city and in the 
 house in which they were. She then urged him 
 to return to his hiding-place without delay . He 
 shook his head and looked about him, upon the 
 comforts of his former lodging a soft, snowy 
 bed, a hammock slung to view the distant
 
 SEKALTHA. 373 
 
 highlands through open windows, and a broad 
 arm-chair that invited to luxurious repose. 
 Nothing was missing from his room all that 
 he had before enjoyed was there. 
 
 Lethe saw his eyes lingering here and there 
 as he looked about, and, relenting in her pur 
 pose to urge him away, lighted the gas and bade 
 him remain until the storm was over. He went 
 to her side and tried to speak through the folds 
 of his scarf. Divining his meaning, she re 
 turned to her seat and told him of Seraltha; 
 of her successful divorce; of the incidents con 
 nected with it, and lastly told him of the death 
 of Chalmer Grose. 
 
 While Lethe was speaking of Chalmer Grose, 
 Juan Bermuda looked at her as a dead man 
 might, with wide opened eyes. His prey was 
 gone; his only aim in life after his return to 
 the mine of which he had been robbed, was lost. 
 Without a farewell to her, he opened the window 
 and stepped out upon the roof. In a moment he 
 again stood by the cypress, carefully coiling 
 his lariat as he drew it down from the boughs
 
 374 SEEALTHA. 
 
 above him. He did not skulk, as he had done 
 when he approached the house, but walked 
 boldly along the lawn and down the granite 
 stair-way to the side-walk of Pine street. He 
 walked two blocks toward the cemeteries; then, 
 as if impelled by a sudden thought, turned 
 and walked rapidly back, past the stairway to a 
 place in the street beyond, where a row of elm 
 trees shaded the walk. He looked up into the 
 first tree as he came beneath it, and walking 
 around it drew forth his lariat. Sleeping birds, 
 startled by his footfalls plashing in pools of 
 water, flew from the tree, plunging noisily into 
 the nearest tree beyond. He turned away. As 
 he walked along the pavement of the street the 
 frightened birds flew before him from tree to 
 tree. 
 
 Avoiding the sidewalks, Juan Bermuda went 
 on until he came before the Hotel Havencourt. 
 Here he halted and stood like a statue in the 
 middle of the street, gazing into the entrance 
 of the hotel. The first stroke of the hour from 
 a distant bell came faintly to him through the
 
 SERALTHA. 375 
 
 storm. The swerving blasts caught the second 
 and third strokes, and bore them clangorously 
 across the city. As if to move in their com 
 pany, Juan Bermuda sprang forward and ran 
 toward the bay. 
 
 A misty darkness covered the bay and gloomed 
 the shore, hiding the wharf lights at times and 
 anon bearing their broken rays in fitful flashes 
 over the piers, or downward upon dark waves 
 sweeping heavily along the front. Beaching the 
 wharf, and turning from the street, he walked 
 out upon a pier that stretched far into the bay. 
 He halted beside a wharf light that cast a sheen 
 upon the water; it seemed to be the last one on 
 the pier. Looking out over the water below 
 him, he saw his shadow dancing upon the 
 waves, which, turned back by the heavier swells 
 at the limit of the pier, noisily lapped the piling. 
 
 Drawing away, he crossed the pier and looked 
 into the darkness beyond its edge. A fishing 
 tartan, moored to the piling below, swayed its 
 mast toward him from the gloom. He stepped 
 back from the approaching mast, and, looking
 
 376 SEBALTHA. 
 
 out toward the bay, saw the dim rays of another 
 wharf light through a rift in the storm-mist; 
 an instant, only, then it was hidden. As the 
 light flashed again he followed the rays, and, 
 with halts and groping, soon stood beneath it 
 the signal light on the end of the pier. He 
 looked outward into the dense darkness over 
 the bay; then behind him, whence he had come. 
 No sound came to his ears, except of the wind, 
 the falling rain, and the waves splashing against 
 the piling. He took off his hat and laid it 
 down; a gust of wind swept it away; he gave it 
 no heed. Stooping, he gazed downward. 
 
 If he thought of ending his now aimless life, 
 this was an ample place. A million men might 
 lie beneath the dark waves and not a form be 
 seen along their deepest troughs. 
 
 He stooped lower. Touching his finger-tips 
 upon the brink, he swayed backward, then 
 forward; again, to and fro, with increasing 
 energy; again backward: a wrecker shot out 
 from the darkness before him, with stacks 
 belching sparks and valves quivering from
 
 SERALTHA. 377 
 
 escaping steam. As the wrecker rounded to 
 beside the pier, Juan Bermuda hid himself 
 from the sight of those on board. Hoarse com 
 mands, the rustle of ropes and the clangor of 
 iron against iron, came to his ears from the ves 
 sel; then all was in silence, as deep as the dark 
 ness on bay and shore. 
 
 Forty-three hours the wrecker's crew had 
 braved the storm to give aid to disabled ships. 
 Exhausted, the deckmen hastened to their 
 berths, and in a moment slept; the pilot lay 
 behind his wheel; the stoker threw the furnace 
 doors wide open and rested beside the bunkers. 
 
 Juan Bermuda crept to the edge of the pier 
 and looked within the wrecker. It rose toward 
 him upon a swell. The boat-lights showed him 
 the pilot, asleep. The wrecker sank behind the 
 wave. Through a hatchway he saw the opened 
 furnace doors and the fire shining red beyond 
 them. When the wrecker rose again he leaped 
 upon the deck and looked around him. The 
 pilot slept. He hastened down the iron stairs 
 of the furnace-room and stood before the open
 
 378 SEEALTHA. 
 
 furnace doors. Stooping, he looked at the fire 
 within, and then about the room. The stoker 
 lay asleep on the floor a white man grimed 
 with coal dust; naked to his waist. 
 
 Juan Bermuda gazed into the furnace. Slen 
 der tongues of red and white flame shot upward 
 from the bed of burning coal like fiery grasses, 
 consuming as they grew. He approached nearer, 
 and, taking the battered bullet from his pocket, 
 held it close to the furnace light looking upon 
 it as he had done when holding it toward the 
 puffing engine that drew ore from the depths of 
 his mine for Chalmer Grose. Rage shook his 
 frame; his hand closed tightly upon the bullet; 
 blood dripped down, hissing against the furnace 
 front. He threw the bullet upon the bed of fire. 
 It slowly spread and sank among the roots of 
 the fiery grasses. 
 
 From an outside pocket he drew a steel table 
 knife, encased in a leather sheath, and threw 
 it upon the fire. The sheath rolled open like 
 a scroll, and the blade became violet, then crim 
 son, then white.
 
 SEEALTHA. 379 
 
 Drawing the lariat from his pocket, he pushed 
 the loop of the noose beyond the highest cone. 
 A deeper yellow gleamed in his eyes. He 
 pushed the loop beyond another cone, and the 
 yellow deepened. He pushed the loop beyond 
 the lowest cone, then threw the lariat upon the 
 fire beside the knife. It writhed and twisted 
 like a thing alive, and in an instant lay upon 
 the lurid coals, a serpent of white ashes. 
 
 Taking off his steaming coat and his long 
 scarf, he rolled them into a bundle upon the 
 iron floor. From an inner garment he drew 
 forth an object that glistened with the blue of 
 steel as it came into the furnace light the large 
 revolver of the chiffonier. He aimed it at the 
 ashen serpent coiled upon the fire, and crept 
 within the furnace. 
 
 A pistol-shot rang through the furnace doors. 
 The stoker sprang to his feet, and, looking 
 wildly around, saw the shadow of a steaming 
 face against the bunkers. Another pistol shot! 
 It drew him to the furnace. Looking within, 
 he saw a man crouched upon the burning coals,
 
 380 SEEALTHA. 
 
 aiming a revolver at a coiled target in the crim 
 son fire. The stoker sprang upon the iron stair 
 way. Another shot ! With hands and feet he 
 hastened upward. Another shot ! The stoker 
 threw himself from the wrecker to the pier. 
 Another pistol shot! Another! Words came 
 through the furnace door " Dios!" The 
 stoker raised his hands above his head, and 
 fled along the pier to the streets beyond.
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 the death of Chalmer Grose, his 
 heirs came forward to contest the claim 
 of Seraltha Ames Grose in his estate, taking 
 the ground that she was an adventuress and an 
 intriguante. To this end they were aided by a 
 few members of the Press, who, for their 
 purposes, used the unfavorable circumstances 
 against her that the trial had developed. 
 
 After the granting of her decree of divorce, 
 Seraltha lived in retirement at her hotel. An 
 evening paper gave the first notice of the appeal 
 of " Grose versus Grose " as a simple matter of 
 news. The ensuing morning papers contained 
 the same information, and some added clear 
 hints that Seraltha was an adventuress. The 
 effect of these charges soon became manifested. 
 She was serene when she began reading, and 
 her morning attire was tasteful and appropriate; 
 but when she had finished, her demeanor 
 
 (381)
 
 382 SEKALTHA. 
 
 changed to one of uncertainty, and afterward to 
 a positive frenzy. 
 
 She frantically removed her morning gown, 
 throwing it on the floor, and put on the surah- 
 silk. When ready to go upon the street she took 
 the newspapers and held them in a crumpled roll 
 under her arm. Her manner, while passing out 
 of the hotel, showed indecision. She suddenly 
 halted and returned to her rooms, walking 
 slowly as if in thought. Upon arrival there she 
 opened a trunk and took from it the pearl- 
 handled revolver, which she placed in the 
 satchel that hung by her side. After the decree 
 of divorce had been granted the Judge restored 
 the weapon to her. It was loaded. Abel 
 Hyman advised her to carry it when she might 
 go in public places. He also expressed admira 
 tion for her courage in the attempted use of it 
 when Chance Neely assaulted her. 
 
 As Seraltha again left her rooms a smile 
 lighted her face, of a deeper meaning than that 
 which overspread it when she removed the 
 weapon from the chiffonier in the house on
 
 SERALTHA. 383 
 
 Pine street. Although she walked rapidly, she 
 closely observed the people whom she met. 
 Three squares from the hotel, her attention 
 became fixed upon a man who stood before a 
 shop window a few doors beyond her, and who 
 appeared to be interested in the display within. 
 She halted, and, after intently observing him, 
 withdrew into a doorway, from which she peered 
 out at the man before the window, who soon left 
 it and approached her. Withdrawing into the 
 doorway, she opened her satchel and seized the 
 revolver. While awaiting his approach her eyes 
 glistened with a purple light. 
 
 Although she had waited long enough, the 
 man did not pass by. She stepped to the side- 
 w r alk and eagerly sought him. He had entered 
 an intervening shop. He wore a slouch hat, 
 and as he had stood stoopingly at the window, 
 she thought he was Chance Neely. 
 
 Seraltha was greatly excited as she continued 
 her journey to the house on Pine street. Imme 
 diately after being admitted by Lethe St. Pier, 
 she began reviling the man who sat by the rail-
 
 384: 
 
 SEBALTHA. 
 
 ing during the trial of "Grose versus Grose." 
 At times she would cease speaking, and read 
 the papers which alluded to her as an adven 
 turess. Afterward she would assert that the 
 man with the stooping shoulders had caused 
 the publication, and that he was now in search 
 of her to injure or kill her. 
 
 " For," she said to Lethe, in an interval of 
 her reading, "he stood by the window and 
 waited for me with weapons, but ran away when 
 I grasped the revolver with which to protect 
 myself." 
 
 Her conduct was beyond Lethe's understand 
 ing. After neatly arranging the coils of Seral- 
 tha's hair, and chiding her for wearing the old 
 gown of surah-silk, Lethe prevailed upon her to 
 visit Abel Hyman and consult him regarding 
 the publications. Ordering a carriage, Seraltha 
 drove away under this delusion of persecution. 
 
 When she arrived at his office, Abel Hyman 
 was seated at his desk reading the stories that 
 liad so greatly excited her. His indignation 
 equalled her distraction, and increased as she
 
 SERALTHA. 385 
 
 placed a crumpled roll of newspapers upon his 
 desk and knelt by his side, resting her hands 
 upon his knee, and burying her face within 
 them. 
 
 "All who allowed these slanders to be printed," 
 he exclaimed, as he looked down upon her, 
 " should be made to face a pistol ten paces 
 away! The Creator of honor would so aim the 
 weapon that each cowardly traducer would fall." 
 
 He bent forward and placed his hand upon 
 Seraltha's shoulder. She had become calm 
 when she entered his presence, and an intuitive 
 reliance upon his ability to protect her from 
 injustice had caused her to kneel by his side. 
 His passionate speech restored her delusion. 
 She raised her head, and a shade of vindictive- 
 ness overspread her face as her sight met his 
 angry glances. Unclasping her satchel, she 
 grasped the revolver and held it toward him. 
 
 "Take it!" she exclaimed. "He is on the 
 street, watching and waiting for me. He fol 
 lows me whenever I go from my rooms. Take 
 it! You have a knife. Use both! "
 
 386 SERALTHA. 
 
 The weapon, as she held it toward him, 
 pointed at his breast. The hammer was still 
 drawn, yet Abel Hyman took it from her with 
 out evidence of emotion, except an increasing 
 anger. He lowered the hammer, and, placing 
 the weapon in his pocket, arose and assisted 
 Seraltha to her feet. 
 
 " Who is 'he?' What is the name of the 
 man who waits and watches for you, and follows 
 you on the street? " he demanded, still holding 
 her hand, which he had taken when assisting 
 her to arise. 
 
 "The man with the thievish face. Come! I 
 will find him for you." 
 
 Her excitement increased, and she moved 
 toward the door. He resisted her gently, plac 
 ing his arm around her waist. 
 
 " Many men have thievish faces," he re 
 sponded. " Tell me his name. I can then find 
 him without your aid. Do not search for him. 
 That is for me to do." 
 
 She did not move to oppose his request, 
 but, yielding to the control of his arm, looked
 
 SERALTHA.. 387 
 
 downward in meditation. For a moment they 
 stood silent, and then she looked into his eyes. 
 The look was of trust. The lines of anger dis.- 
 appeared from his face, and a light overspread 
 it that was apart from the law and its profession. 
 His head bent nearer to her as he awaited her 
 reply. She had heard the man's name in the 
 court-room, but her recollection of it failed. 
 
 " He sat by the railing," she said, " and gazed 
 at me from between his stooping shoulders. 
 When I was alone he attacked me. He dared 
 not put his hand upon me when you came to 
 my aid. He fell to the floor when you looked 
 down upon-him." 
 
 Abel Hyman felt the touch of her shoulder 
 against his breast, and felt a gentle pressure 
 from the hand that rested in his. He knew 
 whom she meant, yet the light in his face re 
 mained unclouded. 
 
 " Chance Neely! Even vipers pursue her! ' 
 
 He looked upward, as if listening. Long ago 
 words were whispered to him: " Seraltha. Love 
 her and " Obedience to the completed sen-
 
 388 SEKALTHA. 
 
 tence would be a pledge of his life to defend the 
 honor of the woman by his side; to put her in 
 the high place among women held by the one 
 upon whose lips the wish died: " take her as 
 your wife." * * * 
 
 The touch of her shoulder against his breast 
 had become a pressure. A hand moved slowly 
 upward along his arm and rested upon his 
 shoulder. Looking downward, into an upturned 
 face, he saw a reflection of the light upon his 
 own shining in a smile. A steady radiance 
 poured from her eyes. 
 
 " Seraltha," he said, " the Judge, who freed 
 you from an oppressor, can give you a protector, 
 who will be to you a husband and a lover. Go 
 with me to him, and become the wife of Abel 
 Hyman." 
 
 He drew her closer to him, and yet closer, 
 until she heard the beating of his heart. When 
 their lips met she clung to him. 
 
 As Seraltha stood in the court-room by the 
 side of Abel Hyman, and heard the words that 
 made her his wife, she bowed her head, and 
 tears brimmed her eyes.
 
 
 
 IS volume is to be followed by 
 other novels based upon catastro 
 phes in society, which, by reason of 
 the peculiar and tragic circumstances 
 attending their development, and the 
 social eminence of the parties involved, 
 have aroused the deepest attention of 
 the country. 
 
 Tie Authors' Association 
 
 9082
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
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