The Gray Dawn

t was after ten o'clock before they were ready to drive up the street. As they turn

oment's calculation. In the unexpectedness

she answered his unspoken thought.

d the horse's h

sion. "We're going on a spree. This i

rifle shocked at his im

remotest idea

also were strange peoples--Turks, Arabs, Negroes, Chinese, Kanakas, East Indians, the gorgeous members of the Spanish races, and nondescript queer people to whom neither Nan nor Keith could assign a native habitat. At every step one or the other called delighted attention to some new exhibit. Most extraordinary were, possibly, the men from the gold mines of the Sierras, These were mostly young, but long haired, bearded, rough, wilder than any mortal man need be. They walked with a wide sw

was generally merry but mixed, though occasionally a good-looking couple had hired an ordinary public conveyance. Horsemen and horsewomen were numerous. Some of these were very dashing indeed, the women with long trailing skirts and high hats from which floated veils; the men with skin-tight trousers strapped under varnished boots, and long split-skirted coats. Others were simply plain a- horseback. The native Califo

ed in the right direc

hemselves in an immense confusion. Screaming signs cried everywhere for attention--advertising bear pits, cock fights, theatrical attractions, side shows, and the like. Innumerable hotels and restaurants, small, cheap, and tawdry, offered their hospitality, th

a place!" crie

by the fashionables, for "the Mission" was at that time in its heyday as a Sunday amusement for

" said Nan, and la

the peninsula. The sun beat down on them in a flood, o

an, recognizing this quality. "One seems to soak

called. On tree tops perched yellow-breasted meadow larks with golden voices. In the bottom of the narrow valley where the road wound were green willow trees an

oad is dusty. By rights it ought to be

laea. A grave, elderly, bearded Spaniard, on horseback, passed them at a smooth shuffling little trot, and gave them a sonorous _buenas dias_, The ro

ried Nan, snuggling

ong at a walk. Nan hung far out watching, fascinated, the smooth, clean sand dividing before th

exclaimed she, sitt

s the flat, until gradually they scattered and dissipated. The horse pricked up his ears, breathed deep of the fresh cool air, expanded his nostrils snorting softly, pretended to shy at the foam wreaths. The wash advanced and drew

lew just inside the line of the breakers, uttering indescribably weird and lonely cries. A long file of pelicans, their wings outspread, sailed close to the surface of the ocean, undulating ov

game--they're having fun!"

forced to wing; yet never did they permit the distance to widen between themselves and the inrushing or outrushing wave. There were also sundry ducks. These swam just inside the breakers, and were carried backward and forward by the surges. Always they faced seaward. At the very last instant, as a great curler bent over them, they dipped their he

for sanderlings to get more than three inches away from the edge of the wash; or for a duck to

the air, wheeled back and forth with instantaneous precision, and

ith; "they play the game for its ow

letely barring the way. Off shore were rocky islets covered with seals and

ith, "but I'm going to take that chap there as a sign p

to an edge. Before them lay an arm of the sea, sweeping and eddying with a strong incoming tide. Over the way stood a great mountain, like a sentin

e!" cried Keith in s

, far-off hills must be Contra Costa; that the distant dim peak was undoubtedly M

. An outpost tent or so marked the distant invisible city over the hills. Keith turned

the dust, fowls picked their way between the horses' legs or over the dogs' recumbent forms. At the sound of wheels several people came from the shadow of the porch into the open. They proved to be Spanish Californians dres

thing to eat he

miably. The elder swept off

," he said, "_pero no hablo

tood the las

o _Espanol_. Hungry." He pointed to N

ept that the Californians looked more pol

murmured Nan; "don't you t

n his open mouth; as an afterthought he rubbed the horse's belly; then, with apparent intention, he advanced toward Nan. A fur

si!_" th

nds. After a moment's hesitation Nan accepted their aid and desc

igh structure behind, filmy _rebosas_ over high combs, and skirts with many flowered flounces. They both had soft, gentle eyes, and they were both so heavily powdered that their complexions were almost blue

here was no constraint, for Keith threw himself with

e Californians told ea

ch other. The women touched smilingly the stuff of Nan's gown, and directly admired her various feminine trappings. She, thus encouraged, begged permission to examine more closely

ee, gazing up at her with searching soft eyes. The older woman cried

?" asked

talk Englis

all the woman had, or she was

a command to one of the numerous ragged small boys standing about. The urchin darted away, to re

arlings!"

terminately through their blue infantile eyes. The mother left her position at Nan's knee to hover over them; turning the

l, tumbling them over on their backs; playfully boxing their

d their teeth are just like needles. No, no, you mustn't! You'll tear my

looked up laughing from beneath her

the Californian wom

arnessed it to the buggy. Keith made a movement to offer payment, but co

as!_" Nan enun

ad picked up the phrase from hearing it used at table. The fat woman came forward, one of the pupp

d, holding the squirmin

abulary. She deposited the puppy in her lap and reached out to shake hands. Keith flicke

!_" he

sts had a be

os!_" they cr

ter, with the instantaneous adaptability of extreme youth, had snuggled down into

est, cutest little thing? You're not a little Spanish dog any more, you know. You're a--what i

he became

f a dog is h

nned sard

an opinion as to that half of him. But on his mother's side he is bloodhoun

asked Na

asserte

over the hills like a flood, reaching long wisps down into the hollows, setting inertly in the flats and valleys, t

to be cold," remarked Keith

ckened. The wide waste hills of the ranchos had been left behind. Here and there were outlying dwellings, or road houses, the ob

th! I sa

Morrell, somewhat out of breath, came alongside. They were a little flushed and elevated, but very

to our house for supper," said M

t suppers are an instituti

. Morrell ought to call, and all that sort of thing, but this is not a convention

company, so thoroughly at ease with one another,