Indians say； and it may some day become the father of a more genial offspring。 Veremos！〃
〃How are the young ladies？〃 inquired Freeman。
〃Miriam has a little headache； I believe； and I thought Miss Parsloe was looking a trifle pale this morning。 But you must see for yourself。 Here they come。〃
Grace； who was a little taller than Miriam； had thrown one arm round that young lady's waist； with a view； perhaps； to forming a picture in which she 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 conversation 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。
〃I'm 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 a restless night。 I saw Senor de Mendoza this morning。 He seems to have had a restless time of it； too。 But he is a romantic person； and probably； if an earthquake did not make him sleepless； something else might。〃 He looked at her a moment； and then added； with a smile； 〃But perhaps this is not news to you？〃
〃He didn't comeI 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 continue the conversation。 Casting about for a pretext for retreat； her eyes fell upon Meschines。
〃Oh； there's the dear professor！ I must speak to him a moment；〃 she exclaimed； vivaciously； and she slipped her arm from Miriam's waist； and was off； leaving Freeman in possession of the field； and of the monopoly of Miriam's society。
〃Miss Trednoke；〃 said he； gravely； 〃I have something to tell you； in order to clear myself from a possible misunderstanding。 It may happen that I shall need your vindication with your father。 Will you give it？〃
〃What vindication do you need； that I can give？〃 asked she； opening her dark eyes upon him questioningly。
〃That's what I wish to explain。 I am in a difficult position。 Would you mind stepping down into the garden？ It won't take a minute。〃
Curiosity； if not especially feminine； is at least human。 Miriam descended the steps； Freeman beside her。 They strolled down the path； amidst the flowers。
〃You said； yesterday；〃 he began； 〃that I would say one thing and be another。 Now I am going to tell you what I am。 And afterwards I'll tell you why I tell it。 In the first place； you know； I'm a civil engineer； and that includes； in my case； a good deal of knowledge about geology and things of that sort。 I have sometimes been commissioned to make geological surveys for Eastern capitalists。 Lately I've been canal…digging on the Isthmus； but the other day I got a notification from some men in Boston and New York to come out here on a secret mission。〃
〃Secret； Mr。 Freeman？〃
〃Yes： you will understand directly。 These 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 capitalists are correct； they could afterwards be sold at a profit of thousands per cent。 So it's indispensable that the object of my being here should remain unknown； otherwise； other persons might step in and anticipate the designs of this company。〃
〃If those are your orders； why do you speak to me？〃
〃There's a reason for doing it that outweighs the reasons against it。 I trust you with the secret： yet I don't mean to bind you to secrecy。 You will have a perfect right to tell it： the only result would be that I should be discredited with my employers； and there is nothing to warrant me in supposing that you would be deterred by that。〃
〃I don't ask to know your secret： I think you had better say no more。〃
Freeman shook his head。 〃I must speak；〃 said he。 〃I don't care what becomes of me； so long as I stand right in your opinion；your father's and yours。 I am here to find out whether this desert can be flooded；irrigated；whether it's possible； by any means； to bring water upon it。 If my report is favorable； the company will purchase hundreds； or thousands； of square miles； and； incidentally； my own fortune will be made。〃
〃Why； that's the very thing〃 She stopped。
〃The very thing your father had thought of！ Yes； so I imagined； though he has not told me so in so many words。 So I'm in the position of surreptitiously taking away the prospective fortune of a man whom I respect and honor； and who treats me as a friend。〃
Miriam walked on some steps in silence。 〃It is no fault of yours；〃 she said at last。 〃You owe us nothing。 You must carry out your orders。〃
〃Yes； but what is to prevent your father from thinking that I stole his idea and then used it against him？〃
〃You can tell him the truth： he could not complain； and why should you care if he did？ I know that men separate business fromfrom other things。〃
They had now come to the little enclosed space where the fountain basin was； and by tacit consent they seated themselves upon it。 Miriam gave an exclamation of surprise。 〃The water is gone！〃 she said。 〃How strange！〃
〃Perhaps it has gone to meet us at our rendezvous in the desert。No： if I tell your father； I should be unfaithful to my employers。 But there's another alternative： I can resign my appointment； and let my place be taken by another。〃
〃And give up your chance of a fortune？ You mustn't do that。〃
〃What is it to you what becomes of me？〃
〃I wish nothing but good to come to you；〃 said she； in a low voice。
〃I have never wanted to have a fortune until now。 And I must tell you the reason of that； too。 A man without a fortune does very well by himself。 He can knock about； and live from hand to mouth。 But when he wants to live for somebody else；even if he has only a very faint hope of getting the opportunity of doing it；then he must have some settled means of livelihood to justify him。 So I say I am in a difficult position。 For if I give this up； I must go away； and if I go away； I must give up even the little hope I have。〃
〃Don't go away；〃 said Miriam； after a pause。
〃Do you know what you are saying？〃 He hesitated a moment； looking at her as she looked down at the empty basin。 〃My hope was that you might love me； for I love you； to be my wife。〃
The color slowly rose in Miriam's face： at length she hid it in her hands。 〃Oh； what is it？〃 she said； almost in a whisper。 〃I have known you only three days。 But it seems as if I must have known you before。 There is something in me that is not like myself。 But it is the deepest thing in me； and it loves you： yes； I love you！〃
Her hands left her face； and there was a light in her eyes which made Freeman； in the midst of his rejoicing； feel humble and unworthy。 He felt himself in contact with something pure and sacred。 At the same moment； the recollection recurred to him of the figure he had seen the night before； with the features of Miriam。 Was it she indeed？ Was this she？ To doubt the identity of the individual is to lose one's footing on the solid earth。 For the first time it occurred to him that this doubt might affect Miriam herself。 Was she obscurely conscious of two states of being in herself； and did she therefore fear to trust her own impulses？ But； again； love is the master…passion； its fire fuses all things； and gives them unity。 Would not this love that they confessed for each other burn away all that was abnormal and enigmatic； and leave only the unerring human heart； that knows its own and takes it？ These reflections passed through Freeman's mind in an instant of time。 But he was no metaphysician； and he obeyed the sane and wholesome instinct which has ever been man's surest and safest guide through the mysteries and bewilderments of existence。 He took the beautiful woman in his arms and kissed her。
〃This is real and right； if anything is；〃 said he。 〃If there are ghosts about； you and I； at any rate； are flesh and blood； and where we belong。 As to the irrigation scrape； there must be some way out of it： if not； no matter！ You and I love each other； and the world begins from this moment！〃
〃My father must know to…morrow；〃 said Miriam。
〃No doubt we shall all know more to… morrow than we do to…day；〃 returned her lover； not knowing how abundantly his prophecy would be fulfilled： he was over… flowing with the fearless and enormous joy of a young man who has attained at one bound the summit of his desire。 〃There！ they are calling for me。 Good…by； my darling。 Be yourself； and think of nothing but me。〃
A short ride brought the little cavalcade to the borders of the desert。 Here； by common consent； a halt was made； to draw breath； as it were； before taking the final plunge into the fiery furnace。
〃Before we go farther；〃 said General Trednoke； approaching Freeman； as he was tightening his girths； 〃I must tell you what is the object of this expedition。〃
〃It is not necessary； general；〃 replied