"Yes; but you are here-I see you."

"Do you? At this distance? Don't you want a telescope?"

"You are near enough," she said, laughing.

"I can't talk of anybody but you. What is the use of putting me in this chair like a bad child that must be punished by being roasted alive!"

"Are you too near the fire?"

"And too far from you," said he, rising, and going to sit on a sofa, at the other end of the room. She kept her seat by the fire-place. "Please come here. I have so much to say to you. It will give me a headache to sit so near the fire."

She arose, walked over to where he was, and sat on another arm-chair nearest to the sofa.

"Let us freeze at this end of the room," she said.

"Are you cold? If you are, let us go back to the fire."

She did look a little cold, with her pretty little hands calmly folded on her lap, but she smiled.

He drew a low seat close to hers, and took the soft hands into his, saying in beseeching accents:

"Let me sit by you, please. After so many weary months of absence grant me this happiness. You told me not to send but _bring_ our engagement ring. Here it is. Let me put it on the dear little finger myself."

So saying he put the ring on, and covered the hand with kisses.

Mercedes' face was suffused with blushes, and she did not dare look at the ring.

"I have been longing for this moment of bliss, Mercedes, my own, my precious. You are pledged to me now. Look at me, my sweet wife!"

"What a foolish boy!" she said, covering her face.

"Now you must set the day of our marriage. Let it be the day after we arrive. Let us be married at San Francisco. Why not?"

"You must ask mamma and papa. Talk to Elvira about it."

"I will. She will not object. Particularly as Mechlin intends going to reside in California, and engaging in business there. So you see, it will be just the thing for our marriage to take place as soon as we arrive. I think it would be so nice for all your family, and my mother and Alice and Everett to come to meet us at San Francisco, and we be married there, and I then take you to your house, which will be ready for you."

"I don't know whether mamma would approve-"

"Oh, my precious! Why not? She will, if you say you wish it so. I will write to-day to Hubert. I shall telegraph him to buy the handsome house he told me was for sale. Shall I telegraph?"

She looked down reflectingly. Suddenly she uttered an exclamation of surprise. She had seen the ring for the first time.

"I had not seen this diamond. Is it not too magnificent for an engagement ring?"

"Nothing is too magnificent for you."

"But, really, will it not attract too much attention?"

"I think not. You are not ashamed of it, are you?"

"No, indeed. Only it might be considered too large for an engagement ring," she said. But observing that he looked pained, she added: "It is very beautiful. It is like a big drop of sunlight."

"I am glad you like it. But perhaps it might not be considered in good taste for an engagement ring. Let us go to Tiffany's now and ask your sister. I'll give you all home news as we drive down. But don't you remove the ring. I am superstitious about that."

Mercedes laughed and arose, saying: "I will not touch it. I'll go now to put on my bonnet. Elvira told me I may drive down with you to Tiffany's, if I wished. I won't be gone but two minutes."

"When am I going to have one sweet kiss?" said he, in pleading tones.

"Only one."

"I don't know-I can't tell," she said, running off, eluding him.

The gentle motion of Mrs. Mechlin's luxuriantly cushioned carriage invited conversation, and Elvira soon perceived that her aunt desired to know all about Clarence's family and history and wished to obtain all necessary information in that respect as they drove down Broadway to Tiffany's, Elvira therefore proceeded to enlighten the good lady, remembering, however, that George had cautioned her never to mention that old Darrell had taken land on the rancho in the sincere conviction that by wise enactments of Congress, to rob people of their lands, was and had been made a most honest transaction.

"My aunt will not understand," George had said, "and never realize the effect that our legislation has upon us, as a nation, particularly upon the untraveled, the stay-at-home Americans, and more specially yet, the farmers. She will not believe old Darrell honest in his error, and no matter whether Clarence might be the prince of good fellows, to her he will always be the son of a squatter, of one who _steals land_. No matter under whose sanction-theft is theft to her-and she would snap her fingers at the entire Senate and House of Representatives, if those honorable bodies undertook to prove to her that by getting together and saying that they can authorize American citizens to go and take the property of other citizens (without paying for it) and keep it-and fight for it to keep it-that the proceeding is made honorable and lawful."

Remembering these words of George, Elvira spoke highly of Mrs. Darrell and the other members of the family, but said very little of the head thereof. Still, as there was much to say about Clarence himself, very favorable to that young gentleman, the time was agreeably occupied with his biography, while the two ladies drove through Broadway.

"I noticed last evening that his manners are very good," said Mrs.

Lawrence Mechlin, speaking of Clarence. "You know, my dear, that I have a confirmed dread of bad-mannered people. They spread discord and discomfort wherever they are. And _apropos_ of manners, I must not omit saying that Mercedes' behavior last evening was all that could be desired in a well-bred young lady. A great many quite nice young ladies on such an occasion would have gone into the library, or the little boudoir, or the other parlors, or would have sat on the stairs, anywhere, to have a whispered _tete-a-tete_ with her _fiance_. Your sister remained in the drawing-room, like a lady, though I know well enough her heart was longing to express how glad she was to see him. And he, too, behaved very well. Did not hang about her, but was courteous to all the ladies. I noticed last summer that Mercedes was not fond of running off to have a _tete-a-tete_ with this one, and then with another, as many of our girls do, but I thought she avoided it on account of being engaged. Now, however, I see that her reason is even a better one. That it is inbred self-respect, a lady's sense of decorum."

"I am glad you think so well of my sister, dear aunt; and I think she is naturally refined and lady-like. But as for running off to have _tete-a-tetes_ with gentlemen is a thing never seen among our Spanish girls. I know that we, Spanish people, are criticised and much ridiculed for keeping girls too strictly guarded, and in some instances this may be so, but as a general thing, the girls themselves like to be guarded.

We have all the freedom that is good for us. Now, for instance, I told Mercedes she may receive Clarence alone, and after they had their talk together, that she might drive down and join us here. I know I can trust her."

"That is right. I am glad you told her to come, for I want to give her a Christmas present, and would like to have some idea of her taste in jewelry."

In due time the two ladies arrived at the jeweler's, and very soon after Mercedes and Clarence joined them. The ring was submitted to Mrs.

Mechlin's _dictum_, and she pronounced it superb, not at all inappropriate for an engagement ring. Meantime, however, Clarence had seen another which he liked best, and he bought it at once. It was made of large diamonds, set in a circle, close together, so that the ring looked like a band of light, very beautiful, "and," he said, "just the thing; in fact, symbolical," considering that he wished to surround Mercedes with never-ending brightness and joy.

On Christmas night our Californians attended a _musicale_ at Mrs.

Gunther's. On the 27th, Mrs. Mechlin's grand ball came off (and a grand affair it was). On New Year's Day George took Clarence on an extensive tour of visiting.

"We will have a regular '_rodeo_,'" said George, laughing, as they were about to start; "and wind up our drive by coming home to make a long visit here, at our _corral_."

"We don't want you, if you call your round of visits a '_rodeo_.' Aren't you ashamed to laugh at us Californians like that?" said Elvira, affecting great resentment, which took several kisses from George to pacify.

Clarence was so pleased with the number and character of the acquaintances he made on New Year's, and he was so warmly invited to call again, that he became convinced that New York was just the nicest city on the continent, and even thought he would like it for a residence, provided Mercedes was of the same opinion.

The Mechlins received in grand style on New Year's, and finished the day with a dance and collation.

Next night Mrs. Gunther's ball took place, which was followed by an equally grand affair at the Seldens, on the 6th.

And now it was time to talk about the trip to Washington. George wanted his uncle and aunt to go with him.

"I have no fears that the Solicitor General will give us any trouble,"

said Mr. L. Mechlin; "I think his action in the Alamar case was a _feeler_ only for some ulterior purpose, which he has abandoned. But if I could see how I might help Scott with his Texas Pacific Railroad, I should be most happy to go and try-for his sake, for the sake of the southern people, and for the sake of you people at San Diego. But I don't see what I can do now. The failure of Jay Cook has hurt Scott at the very time when Huntington is getting stronger and his influence in Congress evidently increasing."

"Several persons have told me that a certain railroad man is bribing Congressmen right and left to defeat the Texas Pacific Railroad," said George, "and I believe it."

"Bribery is an ugly word," Mr. Mechlin replied; "and if that is the way railroad men are going to work, it will be a difficult matter for an honest man to compete with them and keep his hands clean. However, I might be able to help Scott in some way. I guess we might go for a week or two. Lizzie, what do you think? Would you like to go to Washington for a week or two?"