susy, a story of the plains-第20章

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eyelids　quite　as　effectually　as　if　they　had　welled　from　the　depths

of　her　being。　　Her　black　frock　lent　a　matured　dignity　to　her　figure；

and　paled　her　delicate　complexion　with　the　refinement　of　suffering。

Even　Clarence　was　moved　in　that　dark　and　haggard　abstraction　that

had　settled　upon　him　since　his　strange　outbreak　over　the　body　of　his

old　friend。



The　extent　of　that　change　had　not　been　noticed　by　Mrs。　Peyton；　who

had　only　observed　that　Clarence　had　treated　her　grief　with　a　grave

and　silent　respect。　　She　was　grateful　for　that。　　A　repetition　of　his

boyish　impulsiveness　would　have　been　distasteful　to　her　at　such　a

moment。　　She　only　thought　him　more　mature　and　more　subdued；　and　as

the　only　man　now　in　her　household　his　services　had　been　invaluable

in　the　emergency。



The　funeral　had　taken　place　at　Santa　Inez；　where　half　the　county

gathered　to　pay　their　last　respects　to　their　former　fellow…citizen

and　neighbor；　whose　legal　and　combative　victories　they　had　admired；

and　whom　death　had　lifted　into　a　public　character。　　The　family　were

returning　to　the　house　the　same　afternoon；　Mrs。　Peyton　and　the　girls

in　one　carriage；　the　female　house…servants　in　another；　and　Clarence

on　horseback。　　They　had　reached　the　first　plateau；　and　Clarence　was

riding　a　little　in　advance；　when　an　extraordinary　figure；　rising

from　the　grain　beyond；　began　to　gesticulate　to　him　wildly。　　Checking

the　driver　of　the　first　carriage；　Clarence　bore　down　upon　the

stranger。　　To　his　amazement　it　was　Jim　Hooker。　　Mounted　on　a

peaceful；　unwieldy　plough　horse；　he　was　nevertheless　accoutred　and

armed　after　his　most　extravagant　fashion。　　In　addition　to　a　heavy

rifle　across　his　saddle…bow　he　was　weighted　down　with　a　knife　and

revolvers。　　Clarence　was　in　no　mood　for　trifling；　and　almost　rudely

demanded　his　business。



〃Gord；　Clarence；　it　ain't　foolin'。　　The　Sisters'　title　was　decided

yesterday。〃



〃I　knew　it；　you　fool！　　It's　YOUR　title！　　You　were　already　on　your

land　and　in　possession。　　What　the　devil　are　you　doing　HERE？〃



〃Yes；but；〃　stammered　Jim；　〃all　the　boys　holding　that　title　moved

up　here　to　'make　the　division'　and　grab　all　they　could。　　And　I

followed。　　And　I　found　out　that　they　were　going　to　grab　Judge

Peyton's　house；　because　it　was　on　the　line；　if　they　could；　and

findin'　you　was　all　away；　by　Gord　THEY　DID！　and　they're　in　it！　　And

I　stoled　out　and　rode　down　here　to　warn　ye。〃



He　stopped；　looked　at　Clarence；　glanced　darkly　around　him　and　then

down　on　his　accoutrements。　　Even　in　that　supreme　moment　of

sincerity；　he　could　not　resist　the　possibilities　of　the　situation。



〃It's　as　much　as　my　life's　worth；〃　he　said　gloomily。　　〃But；〃　with　a

dark　glance　at　his　weapons；　〃I'll　sell　it　dearly。〃



〃Jim！〃　said　Clarence；　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃you're　not　lying　again？〃



〃No；〃　said　Jim　hurriedly。　　〃I　swear　it；　Clarence！　　No！　　Honest　Injin

this　time。　　And　look。　　I'll　help　you。　　They　ain't　expectin'　you　yet；

and　they　think　ye'll　come　by　the　road。　　Ef　I　raised　a　scare　off

there　by　the　corral；　while　you're　creepin'　ROUND　BY　THE　BACK；　mebbe

you　could　get　in　while　they're　all　lookin'　for　ye　in　front；　don't

you　see？　　I'll　raise　a　big　row；　and　they　needn't　know　but　what　ye've

got　wind　of　it　and　brought　a　party　with　you　from　Santa　Inez。〃



In　a　flash　Clarence　had　wrought　a　feasible　plan　out　of　Jim's

fantasy。



〃Good；〃　he　said；　wringing　his　old　companion's　hand。　　〃Go　back

quietly　now；　hang　round　the　corral；　and　when　you　see　the　carriage

climbing　the　last　terrace　raise　your　alarm。　　Don't　mind　how　loud　it

is；　there'll　be　nobody　but　the　servants　in　the　carriages。〃



He　rode　quickly　back　to　the　first　carriage；　at　whose　window　Mrs。

Peyton's　calm　face　was　already　questioning　him。　　He　told　her　briefly

and　concisely　of　the　attack；　and　what　he　proposed　to　do。



〃You　have　shown　yourself　so　strong　in　matters　of　worse　moment　than

this；〃　he　added　quietly；　〃that　I　have　no　fears　for　your　courage。　　I

have　only　to　ask　you　to　trust　yourself　to　me；　to　put　you　back　at

once　in　your　own　home。　　Your　presence　there；　just　now；　is　the　one

important　thing；　whatever　happens　afterwards。〃



She　recognized　his　maturer　tone　and　determined　manner；　and　nodded

assent。　　More　than　that；　a　faint　fire　came　into　her　handsome　eyes；

the　two　girls　kindled　their　own　at　that　flaming　beacon；　and　sat　with

flushed　checks　and　suspended；　indignant　breath。　　They　were　Western

Americans；　and　not　over　much　used　to　imposition。



〃You　must　get　down　before　we　raise　the　hill；　and　follow　me　on　foot

through　the　grain。　　I　was　thinking；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Mrs。

Peyton；　〃of　your　boudoir　window。〃



She　had　been　thinking　of　it；　too；　and　nodded。



〃The　vine　has　loosened　the　bars；〃　he　said。



〃If　it　hasn't；　we　must　squeeze　through　them；〃　she　returned　simply。



At　the　end　of　the　terrace　Clarence　dismounted；　and　helped　them　from

the　carriage。　　He　then　gave　directions　to　the　coachmen　to　follow　the

road　slowly　to　the　corral　in　front　of　the　casa；　and　tied　his　horse

behind　the　second　carriage。　　Then；　with　Mrs。　Peyton　and　the　two

young　girls；　he　plunged　into　the　grain。



It　was　hot；　it　was　dusty；　their　thin　shoes　slipped　in　the　crumbling

adobe；　and　the　great　blades　caught　in　their　crape　draperies；　but

they　uttered　no　complaint。　　Whatever　ulterior　thought　was　in　their

minds；　they　were　bent　only　on　one　thing　at　that　moment；on　entering

the　house　at　any　hazard。　　Mrs。　Peyton　had　lived　long　enough　on　the

frontier　to　know　the　magic　power　of　POSSESSION。　　Susy　already　was

old　enough　to　feel　the　acute　feminine　horror　of　the　profanation　of

her　own　belongings　by　alien　hands。　　Clarence；　more　cognizant　of　the

whole　truth　than　the　others；　was　equally　silent　and　determined；　and

Mary　Rogers　was　fired　with　the　zeal　of　loyalty。



Suddenly　a　series　of　blood…curdling　yells　broke　from　the　direction

of　the　corral；　and　they　stopped。　　But　Clarence　at　once　recognized

the　well…known　war…whoop　imitation　of　Jim　Hooker；infinitely　more

gruesome　and　appalling　than　the　genuine　aboriginal　challenge。　　A

half　dozen　shots　fired　in　quick　succession　had　evidently　the　same

friendly　origin。



〃Now　is　our　time；〃　said　Clarence　eagerly。　　〃We　must　run　for　the

house。〃



They　had　fortunately　reached　by　this　time　the　angle　of　the　adobe

wall　of　the　casa；　and　the　long　afternoon　shadows　of　the　building

were　in　their　favor。　　They　pressed　forward　eagerly　with　the　sounds

of　Jim　Hooker's　sham　encounter　still　in　their　ears；　mingled　with

answering　shouts　of　defiance　from　strange　voices　within　the　building

towards　the　front。



They　rapidly　skirted　the　wall；　even　passing　boldly　before　the　back

gateway；　which　seemed　empty　and　deserted；　and　the　next　moment　stood

beside　the　narrow　window　of　the　boudoir。　　Clarence's　surmises　were

correct；　the　iron　grating　was　not　only　loose；　but　yielded　to　a

vigorous　wrench；　the　vine　itself　acting　as　a　lever　to　pull　out　the

rusty　bars。　　The　young　man　held　out　his　hand；　but　Mrs。　Peyton；　with

the　sudden　agility　of　a　young　girl；　leaped　into　the　window；　followed

by　Mary　and　Susy。　　The　inner　casement　yielded　to　her　touch；　the　next

moment　they　were　within　the　room。　　Then　Mrs。　Peyton's　flushed　and

triumphant　face　reappeared　at　the　window。



〃It's　all　right；　the　men　are　all　in　the　courtyard；　or　in　the　front

of　the　house。　　The　boudoir　door　is　strong；　and　we　can　bolt　them

out。〃



〃It　won't　be　necessary；〃　said　Clarence　quietly；　〃you　will　not　be

disturbed。〃



〃But　are　you　not　coming　in？〃　she　asked　timidly；　holding　the　window

open。



Clarence　looked　at　her　with　his　first　faint　smile　since　Peyton's

death。



〃Of　course　I　am；　but　not　in　THAT　way。　　I　am　going　in　by　THE　FRONT

GATE。〃



She　would　have　detained　him；　but；　with　a　quick　wave　of　his　hand；　he

left　her；　and　ran　swiftly　around　the　wall　of　the　casa　toward　the

front。　　The　gate　was　half　open；　a　dozen　excited　men　were　gathered

before　it　and　in　the　archway；　and　among　them；　whitened　with　dust；

blackened　with　powder；　and　a