yond the stars. Rezanov and
Concha sat on the railing at the end of the "corridor."

"It is a custom--all that very material admiration?" he asked.

"A very old one, but not too often followed. Otherwise we should not
prize it. But when some Favorita outdoes herself then she receives the
greatest reward that man can think of--gold and silver jewels. We do
not dare to return the tributes in common fashion, but they have a way
of appearing where they belong as soon as their owners are supposed to
have forgotten the incident. As you are not a Californian, senor, I
take the liberty of returning this without any foolish subterfuge."
She handed him his contribution. "I thank you all the same. It was a
spontaneous act, and I am very proud."

He accepted the key awkwardly, not daring to press it upon her, with
the obvious banalities. But he felt a sudden desire to give her
something, and, nothing better offering, he gathered half a dozen roses
and laid them on her lap.

"I was disappointed that you did not wear your roses to-night," he
said. "I associate them with you in my thoughts. Will you put one in
your hair?"

She found a place for two and thrust another in the neck of her gown.
The rest she held closely in her hands. Then he noticed that she was
very white, and again she shivered.

"You are cold and tired," he murmured, his eyes melting to hers. "It
was entrancing, but I hope never to see you give so much of yourself to
others again." His hand in arranging the reboso touched hers. It
lingered, and she stared up at him, helplessly, her eyes wide, her lips
parted. She reminded him of a rabbit caught in a trap, and he had a
sudden and violent revulsion of feeling. He rose and offered his arm.
"I should be a brute if I kept you talking out here. Slip off and go
to bed. I shall start the guests, for I am very tired myself."

XI

He did not talk with her again for several days. He called in state,
but remained only a few moments. His officers went to several impromptu
dances at the Presidio and Mission, but he pleaded fatigue, natural in
the damaged state of his constitution, and left the ship only for a
gallop over the hills or down the coast with Luis Arguello.

But he had never felt better. At the end of a week his pallor had
gone, his skin was tanned and fresh. Even his wretched crew were
different men. They were given much leave on shore, and already might
be seen escorting the serving-w