"'The Attorney General.'

"'Then he was your chief-your superior-when he gave the order to make the dismissal?'

"'But I was not his clerk. You do not know how far it was discretionary with me to execute the order that day or not.'

"'Ah, I see. The chief might issue an order, but the subaltern might only execute it if he deems it proper.'

"'I am not a subaltern-I have as much authority-'

"'Yes, in the absence of the Attorney General.'

"'Always-when absent or present'

"'Then the department has two heads. That is, I suppose, what confused things in my mind. The matter then is to rest as it now is until the Attorney General returns?'

"'Yes, I shall not remand the case, as I might have done; it will wait.'

"I took my leave then, having seen that he understood I saw through the contemptible impertinence of his conduct. That is all the satisfaction I could have then, but next winter, as soon as the Supreme Court convenes, the matter will be settled."

"And will the squatters have to go then?" Elvira asked.

"Not immediately, unless they were to be guided by honorable motives.

The rancho will be surveyed first, and then the patent issued after the survey is approved by the Surveyor General," George replied.

"Ah! The endless red tape," said Elvira.

"Poor papa, he has so much trouble," Mercedes sighed. "In another year all the cattle will have been killed."

"And the squatters will be more murderous, when they learn that their appeal is dismissed," George said.

"Yes, I was thinking what will be the best to do to meet the emergency.

I shall speak about that to Don Mariano on my return," said Clarence.

"Yes, you help him all you can," George said.

"Most undoubtedly. I will be able to do much more if I can persuade my father to take a correct view of the matter. But he might not, for as he has had so much trouble sustaining the rights of squatters, he has got to feel as if he were the champion of a misunderstood cause and much maligned people," Clarence said, smiling sadly.

"No doubt, if Mr. Darrell is to be unfriendly, papa will have much more trouble to manage the others," Elvira said.

"How singular that a man as bright and honorable as he is, can find any reason to justify '_squatterism_,'" said George.

"I think he began by being persuaded to take a claim in the Suscol rancho, honestly thinking it was government land. Afterwards the grant was confirmed, I think, but then he already felt compelled to maintain his position to justify his action, and so he began by a mistake which his pride will not let him acknowledge. I was a little child then, but I know he has had a great deal of trouble. For the last ten years we have been leasing land, but he had been wishing to have a farm of his own, so as not to be putting his labor and time and money to improve some one else's land. Thus he was induced to come south on the representations that there was plenty of vacant government land, and that the Texas Pacific railroad would soon be built and southern California be prosperous," said Clarence, anxious to extenuate his father's errors.

"I shall telegraph to Don Mariano when the appeal is dismissed, so you can prepare the ground the best way you can," said George. "And now young ladies it is near midnight, and is time for well regulated children to be asleep."

"The moon is so lovely I could sit here for hours, watching its flashes on the water," said Mercedes.

"So could I," Clarence exclaimed.

"But I could not allow it, and let you both run the risk of being considered moon struck," said George, laughing.

CHAPTER XIII.-_At San Francisco._

The sun was quite high above the horizon when George joined Clarence on deck; and both began to promenade and talk while waiting for the ladies to come, that the four might go to breakfast together.

"My private opinion is that these young ladies are going to oversleep themselves," George said, as they passed the door of his room, after promenading for half an hour.

"No they are not," Elvira said, coming out as fresh and beautiful as a _rosa de castilla_. "Good morning, Mr. Darrell, I hope you are well."

"I thank you," replied Clarence, "I believe I never felt better. I am delighted to see you so bright and blooming; you are evidently an excellent sailor."

"Oh yes," Elvira answered, "I really enjoy it; but where is the Senorita Mercita; is she not yet up?"

"I think not. She has not come from her room," was Clarence's reply.

"I am going to peep through her window," said Elvira. She did so by turning the slats and pushing aside the curtain just a little. She then motioned to George to come and look.

"By jove, Darrell, you ought to see this picture."

"Hush! you will awake her by speaking so loud," Elvira said, still looking at her sister.

A tiny sunbeam played over Mercedes' forehead, making the little curls over it look like golden threads. Her head was thrown back a little and turned towards the window, displaying her white throat, partially covered by the lace frills of her night dress. Her left arm rested gracefully over her head, with the sleeve pushed off displaying part of the forearm and the perfect curve of her delicate wrist. The right hand rested over the coverlet, and it looked like a child's hand, so dimpled and white and soft. It was a perfect picture of a "sleeping beauty."

"Doesn't she look like a baby? My own sweet sister; I am so glad she is sleeping so sweetly. She has slept very poorly for months," whispered Elvira. "Come away, we mustn't talk near her window, she must have all the sleep she wants."

So saying, she pulled back the curtain, shut down the window slats, and all walked noiselessly away.

As they went down to breakfast, Elvira said:

"I hope no one will come smoking some nasty cigar by her window, poisoning the air and making her miserable, for she cannot bear tobacco smoke when the boat is in motion."

"I thought she was not subject to sea-sickness," George said.

"No, not at all, as long as there are no tobacco fumes near, but it seems that tobacco smoke, combined with the rocking of the sea, make her deathly sick, whereas the tobacco alone or the rocking by itself, will not affect her."

"I understand that well, for I don't like to smoke while sailing either, if there is much motion, and I think no one ought to be allowed to smoke on deck where ladies are," George said.

"I think so too. We have too many rights, and more than our share of privileges," Clarence added.

"Wait until we have woman suffrage. We will make things uncomfortable for inebriates and tobacco smokers," Elvira said, laughing.

Their pleasant voyage came to its end, as all things must in this fleeting life, and the names of Mr. George Mechlin and party, from San Diego, were duly entered in the hotel register.

"I put your name down, Darrell, for we want you with us while in the city," said George.