CHAPTER XI.
THE RETURN OF A FOOTPRINT.
I regret that no detailed account of the reconciliatory visit to Mrs.Conroy has been handed down, and I only gather a hint of it from aftercomments of the actors themselves. When the last words of parting hadbeen said, and Grace and Arthur had taken their seats in the Wingdamcoach, Gabriel bent over his wife's bedside,--
"It kinder seemed ez ef you and Mr. Poinsett recognised each other atfirst, July," said Gabriel.
"I _have_ seen him before--not here! I don't think he'll ever trouble usmuch, Gabriel," said Mrs. Conroy, with a certain triumphant lighting ofthe cold fires of her grey eyes. "But look at the baby. He's laughing!He knows you, I declare!" And in Gabriel's rapt astonishment at thisunprecedented display of intelligence in one so young, the subject wasdropped.
"Why, where did you ever see Mrs. Conroy before?" asked Grace of herhusband, when they had reached Wingdam that night.
"I never saw _Mrs. Conroy_ before," returned Arthur, with legalprecision. "I met a lady in St. Louis years ago under another name, who,I dare say, is now your brother's wife. But--I think, Grace--the less wesee of her--the better."
"Why?"
"By the way, darling, what was that paper that Gabriel gave you?" askedArthur, lightly, avoiding the previous question.
Grace drew the paper from her pocket, blushed slightly, kissed herhusband, and then putting her arms around his neck, laid her face in hisbreast, while he read aloud, in Spanish, the following:--
"This is to give trustworthy statement that on the 18th of May 1848, a young girl, calling herself Grace Conroy, sought shelter and aid at the Presidio of San Geronimo. Being friendless--but of the B. V. M. and the Saints--I adopted her as my daughter, with the name of Dolores Salvatierra. Six months after her arrival, on the 12th of November 1848, she was delivered of a dead child, the son of her affianced husband, one Philip Ashley. Wishing to keep her secret from the world and to prevent recognition by the members of her own race and family, by the assistance and advice of an Indian _peon_, Manuela, she consented that her face and hands should be daily washed by the juice of the _Yokoto_--whose effect is to change the skin to the colour of bronze. With this metamorphosis she became known, by my advice and consent, as the daughter of the Indian Princess Nicata and myself. And as such I have recognised in due form her legal right in the appointment of my estate.
"Given at the Presidio of San Geronimo, this 1st day of December 1848.
"JUAN HERMENIZILDO SALVATIERRA."
"But how did Gabriel get this?" asked Arthur.
"I--don't--know!" said Grace.
"To whom did _you_ give it?"
"To--Padre Felipe."
"Oh, I see!" said Arthur. "Then _you_ are Mr. Dumphy's long-lost wife?"
"I don't know what Father Felipe did," said Grace, tossing her headslightly. "I put the matter in his hands."
"The whole story?"
"I said nothing about you--you great goose!"
Arthur kissed her by way of acknowledging the justice of the epithet.
"But I ought to have told Mrs. Sepulvida the whole story when she saidyou proposed to her. You're sure you didn't?" continued Grace, lookinginto her husband's eyes.
"Never," said the admirable young man, promptly.