susy, a story of the plains-第15章

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found　himself　in　the　long　afternoon　shadows　through　the　thickest　of

the　grain。　　He　was　riding　slowly；　immersed　in　thought；　when　he　was

suddenly　startled　by　a　hissing　noise　at　his　ear；　and　what　seemed　to

be　the　uncoiling　stroke　of　a　leaping　serpent　at　his　side。

Instinctively　he　threw　himself　forward　on　his　horse's　neck；　and　as

the　animal　shied　into　the　grain；　felt　the　crawling　scrape　and　jerk

of　a　horsehair　lariat　across　his　back　and　down　his　horse's　flanks。

He　reined　in　indignantly　and　stood　up　in　his　stirrups。　　Nothing　was

to　be　seen　above　the　level　of　the　grain。　　Beneath　him　the　trailing

riata　had　as　noiselessly　vanished　as　if　it　had　been　indeed　a　gliding

snake。　　Had　he　been　the　victim　of　a　practical　joke；　or　of　the

blunder　of　some　stupid　vacquero？　　For　he　made　no　doubt　that　it　was

the　lasso　of　one　of　the　performers　he　had　watched　that　afternoon。

But　his　preoccupied　mind　did　not　dwell　long　upon　it；　and　by　the　time

he　had　reached　the　wall　of　the　old　garden；　the　incident　was

forgotten。





CHAPTER　VI。





Relieved　of　Clarence　Brant's　embarrassing　presence；　Jim　Hooker　did

not；　however；　refuse　to　avail　himself　of　that　opportunity　to　expound

to　the　farmer　and　his　family　the　immense　wealth；　influence；　and

importance　of　the　friend　who　had　just　left　him。　　Although　Clarence's

plan　had　suggested　reticence；　Hooker　could　not　forego　the　pleasure

of　informing　them　that　〃Clar〃　Brant　had　just　offered　to　let　him　into

an　extensive　land　speculation。　　He　had　previously　declined　a　large

share　or　original　location　in　a　mine　of　Clarence's；　now　worth　a

million；　because　it　was　not　〃his　style。〃　　But　the　land　speculation

in　a　country　of　unsettled　titles　and　lawless　men；　he　need　not　remind

them；　required　some　experience　of　border　warfare。　　He　would　not　say

positively；　although　he　left　them　to　draw　their　own　conclusions　with

gloomy　significance；　that　this　was　why　Clarence　had　sought　him。

With　this　dark　suggestion；　he　took　leave　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hopkins　and

their　daughter　Phoebe　the　next　day；　not　without　some　natural　human

emotion；　and　peacefully　drove　his　team　and　wagon　into　the　settlement

of　Fair　Plains。



He　was　not　prepared；　however；　for　a　sudden　realization　of　his

imaginative　prospects。　　A　few　days　after　his　arrival　in　Fair　Plains；

he　received　a　letter　from　Clarence；　explaining　that　he　had　not　time

to　return　to　Hooker　to　consult　him；　but　had；　nevertheless；　fulfilled

his　promise；　by　taking　advantage　of　an　opportunity　of　purchasing　the

Spanish　〃Sisters'〃　title　to　certain　unoccupied　lands　near　the

settlement。　　As　these　lands　in　part　joined　the　section　already

preempted　and　occupied　by　Hopkins；　Clarence　thought　that　Jim　Hooker

would　choose　that　part　for　the　sake　of　his　neighbor's　company。　　He

inclosed　a　draft　on　San　Francisco；　for　a　sum　sufficient　to　enable

Jim　to　put　up　a　cabin　and　〃stock〃　the　property；　which　he　begged　he

would　consider　in　the　light　of　a　loan；　to　be　paid　back　in

installments；　only　when　the　property　could　afford　it。　　At　the　same

time；　if　Jim　was　in　difficulty；　he　was　to　inform　him。　　The　letter

closed　with　a　characteristic　Clarence…like　mingling　of　enthusiasm

and　older　wisdom。　　〃I　wish　you　luck；　Jim；　but　I　see　no　reason　why

you　should　trust　to　it。　　I　don't　know　of　anything　that　could　keep

you　from　making　yourself　independent　of　any　one；　if　you　go　to　work

with　a　LONG　AIM　and　don't　fritter　away　your　chances　on　short　ones。

If　I　were　you；　old　fellow；　I'd　drop　the　Plains　and　the　Indians　out

of　my　thoughts；　or　at　least　out　of　my　TALK；　for　a　while；　they　won't

help　you　in　the　long　run。　　The　people　who　believe　you　will　be

jealous　of　you；　those　who　don't；　will　look　down　upon　you；　and　if

they　get　to　questioning　your　little　Indian　romances；　Jim；　they'll　be

apt　to　question　your　civilized　facts。　　That　won't　help　you　in　the

ranching　business　and　that's　your　only　real　grip　now。〃　　For　the

space　of　two　or　three　hours　after　this；　Jim　was　reasonably　grateful

and　even　subdued；so　much　so　that　his　employer；　to　whom　he　confided

his　good　fortune；　frankly　confessed　that　he　believed　him　from　that

unusual　fact　alone。　　Unfortunately；　neither　the　practical　lesson

conveyed　in　this　grim　admission；　nor　the　sentiment　of　gratitude；

remained　long　with　Jim。　　Another　idea　had　taken　possession　of　his

fancy。　　Although　the　land　nominated　in　his　bill　of　sale　had　been；

except　on　the　occasion　of　his　own　temporary　halt　there；　always

unoccupied；　unsought；　and　unclaimed；　and　although　he　was　amply

protected　by　legal　certificates；　he　gravely　collected　a　posse　of

three　or　four　idlers　from　Fair　Plains；　armed　them　at　his　own

expense；　and　in　the　dead　of　night　took　belligerent　and　forcible

possession　of　the　peaceful　domain　which　the　weak　generosity　and

unheroic　dollars　of　Clarence　had　purchased　for　him！　　A　martial　camp…

fire　tempered　the　chill　night　winds　to　the　pulses　of　the　invaders；

and　enabled　them　to　sleep　on　their　arms　in　the　field　they　had　won。

The　morning　sun　revealed　to　the　astonished　Hopkins　family　the

embattled　plain　beyond；　with　its　armed　sentries。　　Only　then　did　Jim

hooker　condescend　to　explain　the　reason　of　his　warlike　occupation；

with　dark　hints　of　the　outlying　〃squatters〃　and　〃jumpers；〃　whose

incursions　their　boldness　alone　had　repulsed。　　The　effect　of　this

romantic　situation　upon　the　two　women；　with　the　slight　fascination

of　danger　imported　into　their　quiet　lives；　may　well　be　imagined。

Possibly　owing　to　some　incautious　questioning　by　Mr。　Hopkins；　and

some　doubts　of　the　discipline　and　sincerity　of　his　posse；　Jim

discharged　them　the　next　day；　but　during　the　erection　of　his　cabin

by　some　peaceful　carpenters　from　the　settlement；　he　returned　to　his

gloomy　preoccupation　and　the　ostentatious　wearing　of　his　revolvers。

As　an　opulent　and　powerful　neighbor；　he　took　his　meals　with　the

family　while　his　house　was　being　built；　and　generally　impressed　them

with　a　sense　of　security　they　had　never　missed。



Meantime；　Clarence；　duly　informed　of　the　installation　of　Jim　as　his

tenant；　underwent　a　severe　trial。　　It　was　necessary　for　his　plans

that　this　should　be　kept　a　secret　at　present；　and　this　was　no　easy

thing　for　his　habitually　frank　and　open　nature。　　He　had　once

mentioned　that　he　had　met　Jim　at　the　settlement；　but　the　information

was　received　with　such　indifference　by　Susy；　and　such　marked

disfavor　by　Mrs。　Peyton；　that　he　said　no　more。　　He　accompanied

Peyton　in　his　rides　around　the　rancho；　fully　possessed　himself　of

the　details　of　its　boundaries；　the　debatable　lands　held　by　the

enemy；　and　listened　with　beating　pulses；　but　a　hushed　tongue；　to　his

host's　ill…concealed　misgivings。



〃You　see；　Clarence；　that　lower　terrace？〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　far…

reaching　longitudinal　plain　beyond　the　corral；　〃it　extends　from　my

corral　to　Fair　Plains。　　That　is　claimed　by　the　sisters'　title；　and；

as　things　appear　to　be　going；　if　a　division　of　the　land　is　made　it

will　be　theirs。　　It's　bad　enough　to　have　this　best　grazing　land

lying　just　on　the　flanks　of　the　corral　held　by　these　rascals　at　an

absurd　prohibitory　price；　but　I　am　afraid　that　it　may　be　made　to

mean　something　even　worse。　　According　to　the　old　surveys；　these

terraces　on　different　levels　were　the　natural　divisions　of　the

property；one　heir　or　his　tenant　taking　one；　and　another　taking

another；an　easy　distinction　that　saved　the　necessity　of　boundary

fencing　or　monuments；　and　gave　no　trouble　to　people　who　were　either

kinsmen　or　lived　in　lazy　patriarchal　concord。　　That　is　the　form　of

division　they　are　trying　to　reestablish　now。　　Well；〃　he　continued；

suddenly　lifting　his　eyes　to　the　young　man's　flushed　face；　in　some

unconscious；　sympathetic　response　to　his　earnest　breathlessness；

〃although　my　boundary　line　extends　half　a　mile　into　that　field；　my

house　and　garden　and　corral　ARE　ACTUALLY　UPON　THAT　TERRACE　OR

LEVEL。〃　　They　certainly　appeared　to　Clarence　to　be　on　the　same　line

as　the　long　field　beyond。　　〃If；〃　went　on　Peyton；　〃such　a　decision　is

made；　these　men　will　push　on　and　claim　the　house