Hathaway，\"explainedCaptainStidger，naivelyobliviousofanydiscourtesyontheirpart，ashefollowedHathaway\'sglanceandtookhisarmastheymovedaway。\"Nottheleastofourtreasures，sir。Mostofthemdaughtersofpioneers——andallCalifornianbredandeducated。Connoisseurshaveawardedthemthepalm，anddeclarethatforGrace，Intelligence，andWoman\'sHighestCharmstheEastcannotfurnishtheirequal!\"HavingdeliveredthisParthiancomplimentinanoratoricalpassagethroughthedoorway，thecaptaindescended，outside，intofamiliarspeech。\"ButIsupposeyouwillfindthatoutforyourselfifyoustayherelong。SanFranciscomightfurnishafittingbridetoCalifornia\'syoungestsenator。\"
\"Iamafraidthatmystayheremustbebrief，andlimitedtobusiness，\"saidHathaway，whohadmerelynoticedthattheprincipalgirlwashandsomeandoriginal-looking。\"Infact，Iamherepartlytoseeanoldacquaintance——ColonelPendleton。\"
Thethreemenlookedateachothercuriously。\"Oh!HarryPendleton，\"saidMr。Hoskins，incredulously\"Youdon\'tknowHIM?\"
\"Anoldpioneer——ofcourse，\"interposedShear，explanatorilyandapologetically。\"Why，inPaul\'stimethecolonelwasabigmanhere。\"
\"Iunderstandthecolonelhasbeenunfortunate，\"saidHathaway，gravely；\"butinMYtimehewasPresidentoftheElDoradoBank。\"