The record-union., 1892-10-08

two days, camping in the open air during
the intervening night. 1t was necessary
to take water as well as solid provisions.
| Leaving their horses in the care of a
couple of stable boys Meschines and
| Freeman mounted the veranda, and were
! there greeted by General Trednoke.
m afraid We'll have a hot ride of
| it, '~he observed. 1.-THE atmosphere is
rather oppressive. Kamaiakan tells me
there was a touch of earthquake last
night"
II thought noticed some disturbance
returned the Professor, with stealthy
side glance at Freeman-'something in
the nature of an explosion"
Earthquakes are common in this re-
gion, aren't they?' Freeman said.
"They have made it what it is, and may
unmake it again." replied the General.
THE earthquake is the father of the des-
ert as the Indians say, and it may some
| day become the father of more genial
offspring. Veremosr'
"How are the young ladies?" inquired
Freeman.
Miriam has a little headache. | be-
lieve, and l thought Miss Parsloe was
looking trif1e pale this morning. But
you must see for yourself. Here they
come"
Grace, who was little taller than Mi
riam, had thrown one arm round that
young lady'S waist, with a view, per-
w
| should not be the secondary figure. In
fact, they were both of them very pretty,
but Freeman had become blind to any
beauty but Miriam's. Moreover. he was
resolved to have some private conversa-
ton with her during the few minutes
that were available. A conversation with
the Professor, and some meditations OF
his own, had suggested to him a line of
attack upon Grace.
"Pm afraid you were disturbed by the
earthquake last night?'' he said to her.
AN earthquake? Why should you
think so?''
'You look as if you had passed rest
less night. l saw Senor De Mendoza
this morning. He seems to have had a
restless time of it, too. But he is q ro-
mantle person, and probably if an earth
quake did not make him sleepless some
thing else might" He looked at her "a
moment, and then added, with smile,
but perhaps this is not news to you?"
''He didn't GOMEZ didn't see him.
returned Grace, wishing, ere the words
had left her lips, that she had kept her
mouth shut. Freeman continued to
smile. How much did he know? She
felt that it might be inexpedient to con-
tinue the conversation. Casting about
for preteXt for retreat her eyes fell upon
Meschines. ''Oh, there's the dear Pro-
lessor! must speak to him moment"
she exclaimed vivaciously, and she
slipped her arm from Miriam's waist,
and was off, leaving Freeman in possess
sion of the field, and of the monopoly of
| Miriam's society.
Miss Trednoke," said he, gravely, ST
have something to tell you III order to
clear myself from possible misunder-
standing. 1t may happen that I shall
need your vindlcation with your father.
viii you give i2''
What vindication do you need that I
can give9'' asked she, opening her dark
eyes upon him questioningly.
THAT'S what / wish to explain. am
IN difficult position. Would you mind
stepping down into the garden? 1t won't
take minute?"
Curiosity, if not especially feminine.
is at least human. Miriam descended
the steps, Freeman beside her. They
strolled down the path amidst the flow
ers.
"You said, yesterday" he began, that
| would say one thing and be another.
Now | am going to tell you what 1 am.
And afterward Pll tell you why tell it.
In the first place, you know, Pm a civil
engineer, and that includes, in my case, a
good deal of knowledge about geology
and things of that sort. / have some
| times been commissioned to make geo.
logical surveys for Eastern capitalists.
Lately Pve been canal digging on the
lsthmus, but the other day got notifi-
cation from some men in Boston and
New York to come out here on secret
mission"
Secret, Mr.. Freeman?"
Yes; you will understand directly,
Ihese men had heard enough about the
desert valleys of this region to lead them
to think that it might be reclaimed and
so be made very valuable Such lands
can be bought now for next to nothing.
but, if the theories that control these CAP,
italists are correct, they could afterward
be SOLD at a profit of thousands per cent.
So it is indispensable that the object of
my being here should remain unknown;
otherwise, other persons might step in
and anticipate the designs of this com
pany."
IF those are your orders why do you
speak to me?''
There is reason for doing it that out
weighs the reason against it. ] trust you
with the secret, yet do not mean to bind
you to secrecy. You will have perfect
right to tell it; the only result would be
that l should be discredited with my en-
ployers, and there is nothing to warrant
me In supposing that you would be de-
TERED by that.''
II don't ask to know your secret. I
think you had better say no more"
Freeman shook his head, II must
speak" said he. "I don't care what be-
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