"After this Se？or Cristoval shook my father's hand，and kissed me—for he was always fond of me—and went away.I never saw him again.My father and I traveled to New York and as I was then eleven years of age I became much troubled over our exile and begged to be told why it was not safe for us to stay in California.He explained to me that he had purchased laces and other goods in Mexico and brought them into the United States secretly，without paying the duty which the robbing government of？cials imposed.For that he said he was liable to be arrested and put in prison，and if I ever allowed the secret to escape me I would be the means of ruining him.I was a very sensitive child，and the importance of this great secret weighed upon me heavily.My father declared he had done no wrong，but I knew that the of？cers of the law were constantly searching for him and it so crushed me and destroyed my happiness that at twelve years of age I was as nervous，as suspicious and evasive as any old woman could be."She paused and gave a little shudder.Said Inez，who hadlistened intently：
"I know now who you are.Your name is Mildred Leighton.""You know that ！"cried Mildred，amazed.
"Of course I know that，when I know your father was thegreat smuggler that the officers never could catch.I am told many stories about Leighton the smuggler，and old Izbel，who kept his house，is my aunt.Old Izbel say Se？or Cristoval give Leighton the money to buy with，and Leighton give Se？or Cristoval，who love money so much，half of all he make.But no one could ever prove that.Leighton was veryclever man.No one could ever catch him."Inez spoke admiringly，as if Mildred's father was a hero and Mildred had gained added prestige by being his daughter.But the other girl frowned and continued her story.
"In New York，"she said，"we lived in a boarding houseand I was sent to school.My father was not kind to me any more.He grew cross and gloomy and often would say if I told his secret he would kill me.I did not tell；I kept the secret safe locked in my heart and suffered agonies of apprehension for his sake，for I still loved him fondly.He now bought a little ship and began to make sea voyages to and from Cuba.He would not let me go with him and he only swore when I tried to get him to give up the wicked and dangerous life he was leading.Often he denounceda Cristoval，who had in his possession valuable goods and money belonging to my father but would not give them up because he knew my father dared not go to California to get them.
"For years father continued to smuggle without being suspected.Then one morning I received a note asking me tocome to the prison to see him.They had caught him at last and seized his ship，and he said there had been a fight in which several of the government agents had been shot，and one killed.My father did not shoot，he told me，but they would blame him for everything.
"He stayed in the prison for a month，and every day I went to see him.Then came the trial and he was sentenced to prison for life.They—they proved that he ordered his men to shoot，"she added，lowering her head as if ashamed.
"Well，that was right，"maintained Inez，cheerfully."Ifthey try to arrest him，Leighton was right to shoot.""No，Inez，he was very wrong，"replied Mildred sadly.
"I would never be allowed to see my father after he was taken away，so they let us talk for the last time.He told me they had taken away all his money and he had nothing to give me，but that if I could manage to get to California old Se？or Cristoval owed him much money and—and other things，and perhaps he would give it to me，although he had refused to give it to my father.Afterward they took him away to Sing Sing prison，and that was the last I ever saw of him，for a year later he died.
"I do not suppose，Inez，any girl was ever left with such a heritage of shame and trouble.You think me hard and cold；but can you blame me？Always I think some one will discover my secret，that they will say I am the daughter of Leighton the smuggler and point the ？nger of shame at me.
"I was a friendless girl with no money.The people at theboarding house would not let me remain and I took my little bundle and wandered out into the street in search of home and employment.It was then that a kind lady，a Mrs.Runyon，had pity on me and put me into a school for nurses.I was ？fteen years old and big and strong for my age.At seventeen I was nursing in a charity hospital，but my father's disgrace had made me an outcast and prevented my obtaining situations with good families.Mrs.Runyon tried to help me but my story was too well known.I changed my name from Leighton to Travers，but even that did not bring me better luck.
"For two years longer I worked for a bare pittancea，and then suddenly a ray of sunshine appeared.Miss De Graf came to the hospital where I was caring for an injured child and offered me a position with her cousin out here in California，where I had known the happiest days of my life.More than that，I found to my joy that I was coming directly to the old Cristoval house，for although Se？or Cristoval was long since dead—as I had found out by writing him—I remembered the secret rooms and hoped I might ？nd at least a part of my father's fortune still hidden there.
"Well，"she added after a pause，"these are the rooms，and there is nothing of value left in them；this is the old Cristoval home，where my father was forced to hide from the law；this is the country where the of？cers hounded the hated smuggler like a dog and ？nally drove him away.And here is thegirl，Inez，who has passed through all these scenes and to—day ？nds nothing in life worth living for."Inez took her hand，shyly but tenderly.
"Meeldred，"she said softly，"perhaps your life will end here.It will be strange，will it not，if that is so？But if we cannot get out，it makes a good story to die in this old den of the smuggler，your father.I will die with you；but I do not mind—much.But Mees Jane—"She broke off with a wail of anguish and Mildred said hastily：
"Inez，we must save the baby ！And，if we do，we shall also save ourselves.Come；you，at least，have much to live for.You will care for the baby after I have gone far away，and you will be glad，then，that the hated Mildred is out of your life.""But I do not hate you any more！"cried the Mexican girl protestingly."I like you now，Meeldred.We will be friends，an'we will be happy together，if—if—""If what，Inez？""If we live to get out of this wall."
