The Crusade of the Excelsior

with an immovable face and habitual precision. Then, turning with a military salute to the strangers, he bade them join him in half an hour at the Presidio; a

ham-where's

bjugated, disengaged it tim

f his head to the soles of his boots! There! Shake his hand! You d

s perfunctory grasp, and the Commander p

r all about it. Perhaps you'll

oduction to Mr. Brimmer, and an incomprehensible glance from the wife, had retired with a colorless face. Dona Isabel had ling

scort of dragoons, had been transported across the gulf and landed on the opposite shore, where they had made a forced march across the desert to Todos Santos. Literally interpreted, however, by the nervous Markham, it would seem that they had conceived this expedition long ago, and yet had difficulties because they only thought of it the day before the steamer sailed; that they had embarked for the isthmus of Nica

, that you've seen Perkins, and it

HIM ex

Mexico and the other confederacies to recognize its independence. Quinquinambo behaved very handsomely, and not only allowed the Mexican Government indemnity for breaking the neutrality of Todos Santos by the seizure, but even compromised with our own Government their claim t

Perkins that we ought to be thankful for seeing

y," stammered Markham. "

! some thanks ought to go to Belle Montgomer

ked anxiously at her brother, as the voice of M

who is this person to whom we

you know," he added, turning lightly to his companions, as if to corroborate an im

nterested in us, pray

dea that a former husband wa

, while they, impressed with the belief that the story was a sudden invention of Brimmer's, with difficulty preserved

e other ship. Come along, James; perhaps after you've had a bath and some clean clothes, you may come out a little more like the man I once knew. I don't know how Mrs. Brimmer feels, but

tile attempt to appear at his ease, promptly effected the usua

yourself properly. Had you neither money nor credit to purchase clothes? I declare I

," said Mrs. Brimmer shortly, as she turned away, with hy

xpected; more than that, it seemed to have been providentially anticipated at the moment of her greatest need, and yet it was incomplete. She was ashamed that after the first recognition, a wild desire to run to Hurlstone and tell HIM her happiness was her only thought. She was shocked that the bright joyous face of this handso

l, everybody has been good to

little Dona Isabel thought I was, or the important person the Commander believed me to be, I couldn't have been

on her brother's neck and burst into a

ther Esteban had been summoned in haste to the Council. He returned with an eager face to Hurlstone, who had been anxi

ne passions. I weekly accept the rebuke of His better-ordained ways, and you, Diego, may comfort yourself that this girl is restored directly to her brother's care, without any deviousness of plan or h

ied, with a half r

f the real condition of the man she had learnt to-to-pity. But," he added, turning suddenly and almost rudely upon the priest, "do you know the meaning of this irruption of the outer world to ME? Do you reflect that the

not follow the

ly: "these men have come from San Francisco-have been to Mazatlan. Can you believe that it is possible that they have never h

foolish boy, she would

gh for her to have sent my exposure by

ith a simulated assurance he was far from feeling. "Nothi

story of my marriage as bandied about by others; wait for her to know that the man who would have made he

oed the Pa

her place in that ship you are expecting. You will give ME letters to

ban became

I will remain secret here until then. You will invent some excuse-illness, or what you like-to keep th

emained still ab

and put yourself under his care?" he asked at las

d

escort and transport to that point. It is a foolish indiscretion of the Government, and I warrant without the sanction of the Church. Already there is curiosity, discontent, and wild talk among the people. Ah! thou sayest truly, my son," said the old man, gloomily; "the d

or the words of praise and gratitude hesitatingly dropped by Miss Keene to her brother, his name was not mentioned, and it might have been possible for the relieving party to have left him behind-unnoticed. Mr. Brimmer, for domestic reasons, was quite willing to allow the episode o

r Montgomery woman

ank, reassuring,

ch a figure in tights! You ou

re say she

topped, from a sudden sense of loyalty to Brimmer and Markham. "No; you see, Nell, she was regularly ridiculously struck after that man Perki

th a slight rise of color; "and I don't se

, Nell; she ain't your style, of course; but you owe a heap to her for giving us points as to where you were. But that's all over now; she left us at Mazatlan, and went on to Nicaragua to meet Pe

y Mr. Montgomery, of

hink that, knowing how correct and all that sort of thing Brimmer is,

" said Miss Kee

al dislike to her. Let her go; she won't trou

you mea

gs she's taken to subdue them-to say nothing of the Panama fever she got last spring. If she don't go reg

twilight, a swift-footed, lightly-clad Indian glided into the sacristy as if he had slipped from the outlying fog, and almost immediat

f the ship has just been made. Her boat will be waiting on the beach two l

sing. "I have been prepare

hand laid upon the table trembled for an instant; with a

t you the trusty messenger of the Church. You will say to him, 'Guadalajara,' and give him these letters. One is to the captain. You will require no other

hair he had just quitted, and for the first time in their intimacy dropped upon his knee before him. The old man, with a faint smile, placed his hand upon his companion's head

gathering a few of the sweet-scented blossoms that crept around its base, placed them in his breast. Then, remounting, he continued his way until he came to the spot designated by Concho as a fitting place to leav

o. Continuing a few hundred paces further, he stopped again; but this time the ghostly figure passed on, and convinced him that it was no shadow, but some one actually following him. With an angry challenge he advanced towards it. It quickly retreated inland, and was lost. Irritated and suspicious he turned back towards the water, and was amazed to see before him, not twenty yards away, the object of his quest-a boat, with two men in it, kept in position by the occasional lazy dip of an oar. In the pursuit of his

approached a black hulk that seemed to have started forward out of the gloom to meet them, his vague recollection began to take a more definite form. As he climbed up the companion-ladder and boarded the vessel, an inexplicable memory came over him. A petty officer on the gangway advanced silently and ush

no idea that YOU were in this affair. But I am del