antiquated friendship; "but you must admit it's a little too gorgeous
and theatrical for the sunlight of day and the public highway."
"But why should that make it wrong, if the experience of a people has
shown it to be a garment best fitted for their wants and requirements?"
said Falkner argumentatively.
"But you are not one of those people," said Kate, "and that makes all
the difference. You look differently and act differently, so that there
is something irreconcilable between your clothes and you that makes you
look odd."
"And to look odd, according to your civilized prejudices, is to be
wrong," said Falkner bitterly.
"It is to seem different from what one really is--which IS wrong. Now,
you are a mining superintendent, you tell me. Then you don't want to
look like a Spanish brigand, as you do in that serape. I am sure if you
had ridden up to a stage-coach while I was in it, I'd have handed you my
watch and purse without a word. There! you are not offended?" she added,
with a laugh, which did not, however, conceal a certain earnestness.
"I suppose I ought to have said I would have given it gladly to such
a romantic figure, and perhaps have got out and danced a saraband or
bolero with you--if that is the thing to do nowadays. Well!" she said,
after a dangerous pause, "consider that I've said it."
He had been walking a little before her, with his face turned towards
the distant mountain. Suddenly he stopped and faced her. "You would have
given enough of your time to the highwayman, Miss Scott, as would have
enabled you to identify him for the police--and no more. Like your
brother, you would have been willing to sacrifice yourself for the
benefit of the laws of civilization and good order."
If a denial to this assertion could have been expressed without the
use of speech, it was certainly transparent in the face and eyes of the
young girl at that moment. If Falkner had been less self-conscious he
would have seen it plainly. But Kate only buried her face in her lifted
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