dian--as a reward of
merit! No, you could not love a vagabond.

Miss Mary (very slowly and quietly). No?

Jovita. No! (Passionately.) No, it is impossible. Forgive me, Miss Mary:
you are good; a better girl than I am. But think of me! A year ago my
lover leaped a wall at midnight to fly with me: today, the day that
gives me to him, he writes a few cold lines, saying that he has
business, BUSINESS--you understand--business, and that he shall not see
me until we meet in the presence of--of--of--our fathers.

Miss Mary. Yes; but you will see him at least, perhaps alone. Listen: it
is no formal meeting, but one of festivity. My guardian has told me, in
his quaint scriptural way, it is the killing of the fatted calf, over
his long-lost prodigal. Have patience, little one. Ah! Jovita, we are
of a different race, but we are of one sex; and as a woman I know how to
accept another woman's abuse of her lover. Come, come! [Exeunt MISS MARY
and JOVITA.

SCENE 5.--The drawing-room of MR. MORTON'S villa. Large open arch in
centre, leading to veranda, looking on distant view of San Francisco;
richly furnished,--sofas, arm-chairs, and tete-a-tetes. Enter COL.
STARBOTTLE, C., carrying bouquet, preceded by SERVANT, bowing.

Starbottle. Take my kyard to Miss Morris. [Exit SERVANT.

Starbottle. Star! This is the momentous epoch of your life! It is a
moment for which you--are--I may say alone responsible,--personally
responsible! She will be naturally gratified by the--er--flowers. She
will at once recognize this bouquet as a delicate souvenir of Red Gulch,
and will appreciate your recollection. And the fact, the crushing fact,
that you have overlooked the--er--ungentlemanly conduct of her OWN
cousin Sandy, the real Alexander Morton, that you have--er--assisted
to restore the ex-vaquero to his rights, will--er--er--at once open
the door to--er--mutual confidence and--er--a continuance of
that--er--prepossession I have already noticed. Ahem! here she is.

Enter MISS MARY in full dress.

Miss Mary. You are early, Col. Starbottle. This promptitude does honor
to our poor occasion.

Col. Starbottle. Ged, Miss Mary, promptness with a lady and an adversary
is the first duty of--er--gentleman. I wished that--er--the morning
dew might still be--er--fresh in these flowers. I gathered them myself
(presenting bouquet) at--er--er--flower-stand in the--er--California
market.

Miss Mary (aside). Flowers! I needed no such reminder of poor San