Carmen supposed that she knew little of Mrs. May, and had met her for the
first time at Santa Barbara with Nick. With Nick--motoring! The thought
gave Carmen a strange sensation, as if her blood had turned to little
cold, sharp crystals freezing in her veins.
"Not very young, I suppose?" she hazarded, her lips so dry that she had to
touch them with her tongue. But that was dry, too.
"Oh, about twenty-three or four, and looks nineteen."
There was no hope, then! Nick was with a woman, beautiful, young,
presumably a widow, and evidently in love with him, as Miss Dene said that
she would be here at Rushing River Camp if Nick had come. A deadly
sickness caught Carmen by the throat. Her love for Nick was one with her
life, and had been for years. Always she had believed that some day she
would be happy with Nick, would have him for her own. Anything else would
be impossible--too bad to be true. Even when he went East without asking
her to marry him, though she was free, she had assured herself that he
loved her. Had he not as much as said that the anniversary of her
husband's death was not a lucky night to choose for love-making? Carmen
had made certain that she was the only woman in Nick's life; and he had
laughed when she hinted that "some lovely lady" might persuade him to stay
in New York.
"Where is Mrs. May now?" she asked sharply, past caring much whether or no
Miss Dene saw her agony.
"In San Francisco--unless she's gone to the Yosemite Valley with Mr.
Hilliard."
"With him! Why should she go everywhere with him?"
Theo laughed. "Because she likes his society, I suppose, and he likes
hers. He is supposed to be her unpaid, amateur guide, I believe, and she
trots her maid about with her, to play propriety. Also a cat. Don't you
think a black cat a charmingly original chaperon?"
Carmen did not answer. Anguish and rage in her heart were like vitriol
dashed on a raw wound. No wonder Nick had not written! And she had been
happy, and trusting, while he forgot his debt of gratitude, and ignoring
her existence, travelled about the country with another woman. Only this
morning Carmen had dreamed of meeting him here, and that he had asked for
her invitation, as a favour to himself. She could have screamed, and torn
her flesh, in agony. She suffered too much. Some one else would have to
pay for this! Nick would have to pay, and that woman, that love pirate
sailing from strange seas to steal the treasure of others.
Her one uncontrollable impulse was to go and find them both, to do
something to part them, she did not know what yet, but inspiration would
come. She felt unable to bear any delay. Somehow, she must find an excuse
to get away from this place. She would have to go San Francisco, or
perhaps even to the Yosemite Valley, and find Nick and the woman together.
It occurred to her that she might contrive to telegraph to Simeon Harp,
telling him to wire her that something had gone wrong on the ranch, that
she must return home at once. Mariette could find out how to send
telegrams from here--there was sure to be a way--and get the message off
in secret.
* * * * *
That night a telegram came for Mrs. Gaylor, announcing that there had been
a fire on the ranch. She was needed at home. She showed the bit of paper
to Mrs. Harland and Falconer, and there was much sympathy and regret that
her visit must be broken short.
Next morning she left, having been but twenty-four hours at Rushing River
Camp. And late that night, she arrived in San Francisco. But she was in no
hurry to obey the summons from the Gaylor ranch.