susy, a story of the plains-第16章

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

made；　these　men　will　push　on　and　claim　the　house　and　everything　on

the　terrace。〃



〃But；〃　said　Clarence　quickly；　〃you　said　their　title　was　only

valuable　where　they　have　got　or　can　give　POSSESSION。　　You　already

have　yours。　　They　can't　take　it　from　you　except　by　force。〃



〃No；〃　said　Peyton　grimly；　〃nor　will　they　dare　to　do　it　as　long　as　I

live　to　fight　them。〃



〃But；〃　persisted　Clarence；　with　the　same　singular　hesitancy　of

manner；　〃why　didn't　you　purchase　possession　of　at　least　that　part　of

the　land　which　lies　so　dangerously　near　your　own　house？〃



〃Because　it　was　held　by　squatters；　who　naturally　preferred　buying

what　might　prove　a　legal　title　to　their　land　from　these　impostors

than　to　sell　out　their　possession　to　ME　at　a　fair　price。〃



〃But　couldn't　you　have　bought　from　them　both？〃　continued　Clarence。



〃My　dear　Clarence；　I　am　not　a　Croesus　nor　a　fool。　　Only　a　man　who

was　both　would　attempt　to　treat　with　these　rascals；　who　would　now；

of　course；　insist　that　THEIR　WHOLE　claim　should　be　bought　up　at

their　own　price；　by　the　man　who　was　most　concerned　in　defeating

them。〃



He　turned　away　a　little　impatiently。　　Fortunately　he　did　not　observe

that　Clarence's　averted　face　was　crimson　with　embarrassment；　and

that　a　faint　smile　hovered　nervously　about　his　mouth。



Since　his　late　rendezvous　with　Susy；　Clarence　had　had　no　chance　to

interrogate　her　further　regarding　her　mysterious　relative。　　That

that　shadowy　presence　was　more　or　less　exaggerated；　if　not　an

absolute　myth；　he　more　than　half　suspected；　but　of　the　discontent

that　had　produced　it；　or　the　recklessness　it　might　provoke；　there

was　no　doubt。　　She　might　be　tempted　to　some　act　of　folly。　　He

wondered　if　Mary　Rogers　knew　it。　　Yet；　with　his　sensitive　ideas　of

loyalty；　he　would　have　shrunk　from　any　confidence　with　Mary

regarding　her　friend's　secrets；　although　he　fancied　that　Mary's　dark

eyes　sometimes　dwelt　upon　him　with　mournful　consciousness　and

premonition。　　He　did　not　imagine　the　truth；　that　this　romantic

contemplation　was　only　the　result　of　Mary's　conviction　that　Susy　was

utterly　unworthy　of　his　love。　　It　so　chanced　one　morning　that　the

vacquero　who　brought　the　post　from　Santa　Inez　arrived　earlier　than

usual；　and　so　anticipated　the　two　girls；　who　usually　made　a　youthful

point　of　meeting　him　first　as　he　passed　the　garden　wall。　　The　letter

bag　was　consequently　delivered　to　Mrs。　Peyton　in　the　presence　of　the

others；　and　a　look　of　consternation　passed　between　the　young　girls。

But　Mary　quickly　seized　upon　the　bag　as　if　with　girlish　and

mischievous　impatience；　opened　it；　and　glanced　within　it。



〃There　are　only　three　letters　for　you；〃　she　said；　handing　them　to

Clarence；　with　a　quick　look　of　significance；　which　he　failed　to

comprehend；　〃and　nothing　for　me　or　Susy。〃



〃But；〃　began　the　innocent　Clarence；　as　his　first　glance　at　the

letters　showed　him　that　one　was　directed　to　Susy；　〃here　is〃



A　wicked　pinch　on　his　arm　that　was　nearest　Mary　stopped　his　speech；

and　he　quickly　put　the　letters　in　his　pocket。



〃Didn't　you　understand　that　Susy　don't　want　her　mother　to　see　that

letter？〃　asked　Mary　impatiently；　when　they　were　alone　a　moment

later。



〃No；〃　said　Clarence　simply；　handing　her　the　missive。



Mary　took　it　and　turned　it　over　in　her　hands。



〃It's　in　a　man's　handwriting；〃　she　said　innocently。



〃I　hadn't　noticed　it；〃　returned　Clarence　with　invincible　naivete；

〃but　perhaps　it　is。〃



〃And　you　hand　it　over　for　me　to　give　to　Susy；　and　ain't　a　bit

curious　to　know　who　it's　from？〃



〃No；〃　returned　Clarence；　opening　his　big　eyes　in　smiling　and

apologetic　wonder。



〃Well；〃　responded　the　young　lady；　with　a　long　breath　of　melancholy

astonishment；　〃certainly；　of　all　things　you　areyou　really　ARE！〃

With　which　incoherencyapparently　perfectly　intelligible　to

herselfshe　left　him。　　She　had　not　herself　the　slightest　idea　who

the　letter　was　from；　she　only　knew　that　Susy　wanted　it　concealed。



The　incident　made　little　impression　on　Clarence；　except　as　part　of

the　general　uneasiness　he　felt　in　regard　to　his　old　playmate。　　It

seemed　so　odd　to　him　that　this　worry　should　come　from　HER；that　she

herself　should　form　the　one　discordant　note　in　the　Arcadian　dream

that　he　had　found　so　sweet；　in　his　previous　imaginings　it　was　the

presence　of　Mrs。　Peyton　which　he　had　dreaded；　she　whose　propinquity

now　seemed　so　full　of　gentleness；　reassurance；　and　repose。　　How

worthy　she　seemed　of　any　sacrifice　he　could　make　for　her！　　He　had

seen　little　of　her　for　the　last　two　or　three　days；　although　her

smile　and　greeting　were　always　ready　for　him。　　Poor　Clarence　did　not

dream　that　she　had　found　from　certain　incontestable　signs　and

tokens；　both　in　the　young　ladies　and　himself；　that　he　did　not

require　watching；　and　that　becoming　more　resigned　to　Susy's

indifference；　which　seemed　so　general　and　passive　in　quality；　she

was　no　longer　tortured　by　the　sting　of　jealousy。



Finding　himself　alone　that　afternoon；　the　young　man　had　wandered

somewhat　listlessly　beyond　the　low　adobe　gateway。　　The　habits　of　the

siesta　obtained　in　a　modified　form　at　the　rancho。　　After　luncheon；

its　masters　and　employees　usually　retired；　not　so　much　from　the

torrid　heat　of　the　afternoon　sun；　but　from　the　first　harrying　of　the

afternoon　trades；　whose　monotonous　whistle　swept　round　the　walls。　　A

straggling　passion　vine　near　the　gate　beat　and　struggled　against　the

wind。　　Clarence　had　stopped　near　it；　and　was　gazing　with　worried

abstraction　across　the　tossing　fields；　when　a　soft　voice　called　his

name。



It　was　a　pleasant　voice；Mrs。　Peyton's。　　He　glanced　back　at　the

gateway；　it　was　empty。　　He　looked　quickly　to　the　right　and　left；　no

one　was　there。



The　voice　spoke　again　with　the　musical　addition　of　a　laugh；　it

seemed　to　come　from　the　passion　vine。　　Ah；　yes；　behind　it；　and　half

overgrown　by　its　branches；　was　a　long；　narrow　embrasured　opening　in

the　wall；　defended　by　the　usual　Spanish　grating；　and　still　further

back；　as　in　the　frame　of　a　picture；　the　half　length　figure　of　Mrs。

Peyton；　very　handsome　and　striking；　too；　with　a　painted

picturesqueness　from　the　effect　of　the　checkered　light　and　shade。



〃You　looked　so　tired　and　bored　out　there；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　afraid

you　are　finding　it　very　dull　at　the　rancho。　　The　prospect　is

certainly　not　very　enlivening　from　where　you　stand。〃



Clarence　protested　with　a　visible　pleasure　in　his　eyes；　as　he　held

back　a　spray　before　the　opening。



〃If　you　are　not　afraid　of　being　worse　bored；　come　in　here　and　talk

with　me。　　You　have　never　seen　this　part　of　the　house；　I　think；my

own　sitting…room。　　You　reach　it　from　the　hall　in　the　gallery。　　But

Lola　or　Anita　will　show　you　the　way。〃



He　reentered　the　gateway；　and　quickly　found　the　hall；a　narrow；

arched　passage；　whose　black；　tunnel…like　shadows　were　absolutely

unaffected　by　the　vivid；　colorless　glare　of　the　courtyard　without；

seen　through　an　opening　at　the　end。　　The　contrast　was　sharp；

blinding；　and　distinct；　even　the　edges　of　the　opening　were　black；

the　outer　light　halted　on　the　threshold　and　never　penetrated　within。

The　warm　odor　of　verbena　and　dried　rose　leaves　stole　from　a　half…

open　door　somewhere　in　the　cloistered　gloom。　　Guided　by　it；　Clarence

presently　found　himself　on　the　threshold　of　a　low…vaulted　room。　　Two

other　narrow　embrasured　windows　like　the　one　he　had　just　seen；　and　a

fourth；　wider　latticed　casement；　hung　with　gauze　curtains；　suffused

the　apartment　with　a　clear；　yet　mysterious　twilight　that　seemed　its

own。　　The　gloomy　walls　were　warmed　by　bright…fringed　bookshelves；

topped　with　trifles　of　light　feminine　coloring　and　adornment。　　Low

easy…chairs　and　a　lounge；　small　fanciful　tables；　a　dainty　desk；

gayly　colored　baskets　of　worsteds　or　mysterious　kaleidoscopic

fragments；　and　vases　of　flowers　pervaded　the　apartment　with　a

mingled　sense　of　grace　and　comfort。　　There　was　a　womanly　refinement

in　i