Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-11
TIE CONSPIRACY OF MRS. BUNKEI
IN THREE PARTs-Br BRET HARTE.
Copyright, 1882, by the Author.

the sea There was something vaguely us
torical in his attitude-or what she thought
might be historical-as of somebody Of
great Importance who had halted on the eve
of some great event at the door Of her hum
BILE cabin.
His apparent Inconsistencies OF her ana
Of his surroundings, his preoccupation with
something far bsyond her ken, far from
piquing her, only excited her interest the
more. And then there was such an odd
sadness in his eyes.
''Are you anxious for your folks comingF
she said at last, following his outlook.
"l-oh, no!'' he returned, quickly recall
ing himself, they'll be sure to come
sooner or later. No fear of that, " he added,
half smilIngly, half YEARLY.
Mrs. Bunker passed into the kitchen,
where, while apparently attending to her
household duties, she could still observe
her singular guest. Left alone, he seated
himself mechanically in the chair, and
gazed fxedly at the fireplace. He remained
long time so quiet and unmoved, in spite
Of the marked ostentatious CHATTER Mrs.
Bunker found it necessary to make with
her dishes, that an odd fancy that he was
scarcely a human yisitant began to take
possession of her. Yet she was not fright
ened. She remembered distinctly after
ward that far from having any concern for
herself, she was only moved by strange
and vague admiration of him.
But her prolonged scrutiny was not with
out effect. Suddenly he raised his dark
eyes and she felt them pierce the obscurity
of her kitchen with quick, suspicious, i'm
patient penetration, which, as they met
hers, gave way, however, to look that she
thought was gently reproachful. Then he
rose, stretched himself to his full height,
and, approaching the kitchen door, leaned
listlesfly against the door post.
81 don't suppose you are ever lonely
here?'
mo, sir"
husband. Nobody interferes with you.
You are contented and happy together"
Mrs. Bunker did not say, what was the
fact, that she had never before connected
the sole companionship of her husband
with her happiness. Perhaps it had never
occurred to her until that moment how
little it had to do with it. She only smiled
gratefully at the change in her guests ab-
straction.s
do you often go to San F'rancisco2" he
continued.
u have never been there at all. Some
day l expect we will go there to live"
Il wouldn't advise you to-" he said, look
ing at her gravely. II don't think it will
pay you You'll never be happy there as
here. You'll never have the independence
and freedom you have here. You'll never
be your own mistress again. But how does
1t happen you never were in San Fran
cisco7" he said suddenly.
If he would not talk of himself, here at
least was a chance for Mrs. Bunker to say
something. She related how her family
had emigrated from Kansas across the
plains and had taken up a location" at
Contra Costa. How she didn't care for it,
and how she came to marry the seafaring
man who brought her here-all with great
simplicity and franknessvand as unre-
servedly as to a superior being-albeit his
attention wandered at times, and rare but
melancholy smile that he had apparently
evoked to meet her conversational advances
became fixed occasionally, Even his dark
eyes, which had obliged Mrs. Bunker to put
up her hair, and button her collar, rested
upon her without seeing her.
''Then your husbands name is Bunker7"
he said when she paused at last. ''That's
one of those Nantucket Quaker names
sailors and whalers for generationS-and
yours, you say, was MacEwan. Well, Mrs.
Bunker, your family came from Kentucky
to Kansas only lately, though I suppose
You ought TO know something of farming
and cattle, for your ancestors were old
Scotch covenanters, who emigrated hun
dred years ago and were great stock rails
ers."
AL this seemed only the natural omni-
science of a superior being. And Mrs.
Bunker perhaps was not panied to learn
that her husbands family was of lower
degree than her own. But the strangers
knowledge did not end there. He talked of
her husbands busincSs-ne explain ed the
vast fishing resources of the bay and coast
He showed her how the large colony of
Italian fishermen were inimical to the in
terests of California and to her lFusband-
particularly as native American trader
10 f11l how 30 4ln ol,r ,.NfX h.,
bay and coast line, of the formation of the
rocky ledge on which she lived. He pointed
out to her its value to the govern
ment for defensive purposes and how
it naturally commanded the entrance
Of the Golden Gate far better than Fort
Point, and that it ought to be in its hands.
If the Federal government did not buy it
of her husband, certainly the state of Cal
ifornia should. And here he fell into an
abstraction as deep and as gloomy as be-
fore. He walked to the window, paced the
floor with his hand in his breast, went to
the door, and finally stepped out of the
cabin, moving along the ledge of rocks to
the Shore where he stood motionless.
Mrs. Bunker had listened to him with
parted lips and eyes of eloquent admiration.
She had never before heard any one talk
like that-she had not believed it possible
that any one could have such knowledge.
Perhaps she could not understand all he
said, but she would try 10 remember it
after he had gone. She could only think
now how kind it was of him that in all this
mystery of his coming and in the singular
sadness that was expressing him he should
try to interest her. And thus looking at
him and wondering, an idea, came to her.
She. went into her bedroom and took
dewn her husbands heavy pilot overcoat
aud sou'weSter and handed them, to her
guest
You'd better put them on If you're going
TO stand there,e She said.
But am5nos cold" he said, wonder
= l.. :; 6as.lhishs p seem" sss
at wss he first suggestion tat nd passed
betwst sSem that AS pseseace tIisse was
a sss5e He looked It her intentlyS then
Be snHed AeSsssid :.,eSs4 tsEislk you'rsfight,
for SSEny reasons,sf puskie blot cot over
his frock coat, renewed hisS hat with the
gesture of OossS HANGED u toeher, and
placed the sou'wester in it's stead. Then
for an instant he hesitated, as if about to
speak, but Mrs. Bunker, with q delicacy
that she could not herself comprehend at
the moment, hurried back to the cabin
without giving him an opportunity.
Nor did she again intrude upon his
meditations. Hidden in his disguise,
which to her eyes did not, however, seem
to conceal his characteristic figure, he
wandered for nearly an hour under the
bluff and along the shore, returning at last
almost mechanically to the cabin, where
oblivions of his surroundings he reseated
himself in silence by the table with his