Hevariedhisespionagebysubterfuges，whichhisknowledgeoftheoldtownmadeeasy。Hewatchedthedoorofthehotel，himselfunseen，fromthewindowsofabilliardsaloonopposite，whichhehadfrequentedinformerdays。Yethewassurprisedthesameafternoontoseeher，fromhiscoigneofvantage，reenteringthehotel，wherehewassurehehadleftherafewmomentsago。Hadshegoneoutbysomeotherexit，——orhadshebeendisguised？Butonenteringhisroomthateveninghewasconfoundedbyanincidentthatseemedtohimasconvincingofheridentityasitwasaudacious。Lyingonhispillowwereafewdeadleavesofanodorousmountainfern，knownonlytotheSierras。Theyweretiedtogetherbyanarrowblueribbon，andhadevidentlybeenintendedtoattracthisattention。Ashetooktheminhishand，thedistinguishingsubtlearomaofthelittlesylvanhollowinthehillscametohimlikeamemoryandarevelation！Hesummonedthechambermaid;sheknewnothingofthem，orindeedofanyonewhohadenteredhisroom。Hewalkedcautiouslyintothehall;thelady’ssitting-roomdoorwasopen，theroomwasempty。\"Theoccupant，\"
saidthechambermaid，\"hadleftthatafternoon。\"Heheldtheproofofheridentityinhishand，butsheherselfhadvanished！Thatshehadrecognizedhimtherewasnownodoubt：hadshedivinedtherealobjectofhisquest，orhadsheaccepteditasameresentimentalgallantryatthemomentwhensheknewitwashopeless，andsheherselfwasperfectlysafefrompursuit？Ineithereventhehadbeenduped。Hedidnotknowwhethertobepiqued，angry，——
orrelievedofhisirresolutequest。
Nevertheless，hespenttherestofthetwilightandtheearlyeveninginfruitlesslywanderingthroughtheonelongthoroughfareofthetown，untilitmergedintotheboskyAlameda，orspaciousgrove，thatconnecteditwithSantaLuisa。Bydegreeshischagrinanddisappointmentwereforgotteninthememoriesofthepast，evokedbythefamiliarpathway。Themoonwasslowlyridingoverhead，andsilveringthecarriage-waybetweenthestraightebonylinesoftrees，whilethefootpathswerediaperedwithblackandwhitecheckers。Thefainttinklingofatram-carbellinthedistanceapprisedhimofoneofthefewinnovationsofthepast。
Thecarwasapproachinghim，overtookhim，andwaspassing，withitsfaintlyilluminatedwindows，when，glancingcarelesslyup，hebeheldatoneofthemtheprofileofthefacewhichhehadjustthoughthehadlostforever！