susy, a story of the plains-第21章

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

blackened　with　powder；　and　apparently　glutted　with　rapine；　and　still

holding　a　revolver　in　his　hand；　was　Jim　Hooker！　　As　Clarence

approached；　the　men　quickly　retreated　inside　the　gate　and　closed　it；

but　not　before　he　had　exchanged　a　meaning　glance　with　Jim。　　When　he

reached　the　gate；　a　man　from　within　roughly　demanded　his　business。



〃I　wish　to　see　the　leader　of　this　party；〃　said　Clarence　quietly。



〃I　reckon　you　do；〃　returned　the　man；　with　a　short　laugh。　　〃But　I

kalkilate　HE　don't　return　the　compliment。〃



〃He　probably　will　when　he　reads　this　note　to　his　employer；〃

continued　Clarence　still　coolly；　selecting　a　paper　from　his

pocketbook。　　It　was　addressed　to　Francisco　Robles；　Superintendent　of

the　Sisters'　Title；　and　directed　him　to　give　Mr。　Clarence　Brant　free

access　to　the　property　and　the　fullest　information　concerning　it。

The　man　took　it；　glanced　at　it；　looked　again　at　Clarence；　and　then

passed　the　paper　to　a　third　man　among　the　group　in　the　courtyard。

The　latter　read　it；　and　approached　the　gate　carelessly。



〃Well；　what　do　you　want？〃



〃I　am　afraid　you　have　the　advantage　of　me　in　being　able　to　transact

business　through　bars；〃　said　Clarence；　with　slow　but　malevolent

distinctness；　〃and　as　mine　is　important；　I　think　you　had　better　open

the　gate　to　me。〃



The　slight　laugh　that　his　speech　had　evoked　from　the　bystanders　was

checked　as　the　leader　retorted　angrily：



〃That's　all　very　well；　but　how　do　I　know　that　you're　the　man

represented　in　that　letter？　　Pancho　Robles　may　know　you；　but　I

don't。〃



〃That　you　can　find　out　very　easily；〃　said　Clarence。　　〃There　is　a　man

among　your　party　who　knows　me；Mr。　Hooker。　　Ask　him。〃



The　man　turned；　with　a　quick　mingling　of　surprise　and　suspicion；　to

the　gloomy；　imperturbable　Hooker。　　Clarence　could　not　hear　the　reply

of　that　young　gentleman；　but　it　was　evidently　not　wanting　in　his

usual　dark；　enigmatical　exaggeration。　　The　man　surlily　opened　the

gate。



〃All　the　same；〃　he　said；　still　glancing　suspiciously　at　Hooker；　〃I

don't　see　what　HE'S　got　to　do　with　you。〃



〃A　great　deal；〃　said　Clarence；　entering　the　courtyard；　and　stepping

into　the　veranda；　〃HE'S　ONE　OF　MY　TENANTS。〃



〃Your　WHAT？〃　said　the　man；　with　a　coarse　laugh　of　incredulity。



〃My　tenants；〃　repeated　Clarence；　glancing　around　the　courtyard

carelessly。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　relieved　to　notice　that　the　three

or　four　Mexicans　of　the　party　did　not　seem　to　be　old　retainers　of

the　rancho。　　There　was　no　evidence　of　the　internal　treachery　he　had

feared。



〃Your　TENANTS！〃　echoed　the　man；　with　an　uneasy　glance　at　the　faces

of　the　others。



〃Yes；〃　said　Clarence；　with　business　brevity；　〃and；　for　the　matter　of

that；　although　I　have　no　reason　to　be　particularly　proud　of　it；　SO

ARE　YOU　ALL。　　You　ask　my　business　here。　　It　seems　to　be　the　same　as

yours；to　hold　possession　of　this　house！　　With　this　difference；

however；〃　he　continued；　taking　a　document　from　his　pocket。　　〃Here　is

the　certificate；　signed　by　the　County　Clerk；　of　the　bill　of　sale　of

the　entire　Sisters'　title　to　ME。　　It　includes　the　whole　two　leagues

from　Fair　Plains　to　the　old　boundary　line　of　this　rancho；　which　you

forcibly　entered　this　morning。　　There　is　the　document；　examine　it　if

you　like。　　The　only　shadow　of　a　claim　you　could　have　to　this

property　you　would　have　to　derive　from　ME。　　The　only　excuse　you

could　have　for　this　act　of　lawlessness　would　be　orders　from　ME。　　And

all　that　you　have　done　this　morning　is　only　the　assertion　of　MY

legal　right　to　this　house。　　If　I　disavow　your　act；　as　I　might；　I

leave　you　as　helpless　as　any　tramp　that　was　ever　kicked　from　a

doorstep；as　any　burglar　that　was　ever　collared　on　the　fence　by　a

constable。〃



It　was　the　truth。　　There　was　no　denying　the　authority　of　the

document；　the　facts　of　the　situation；　or　its　ultimate　power　and

significance。　　There　was　consternation；　stupefaction；　and　even　a

half…humorous　recognition　of　the　absurdity　of　their　position　on　most

of　the　faces　around　him。　　Incongruous　as　the　scene　was；　it　was　made

still　more　grotesque　by　the　attitude　of　Jim　Hooker。　　Ruthlessly

abandoning　the　party　of　convicted　trespassers；　he　stalked　gloomily

over　to　the　side　of　Clarence；　with　the　air　of　having　been　all　the

time　scornfully　in　the　secret　and　a　mien　of　wearied　victoriousness；

and　thus　halting；　he　disdainfully　expectorated　tobacco　juice　on　the

ground　between　him　and　his　late　companions；　as　if　to　form　a　line　of

demarcation。　　The　few　Mexicans　began　to　edge　towards　the　gateway。

This　defection　of　his　followers　recalled　the　leader；　who　was　no

coward；　to　himself　again。



〃Shut　the　gate；　there！〃　he　shouted。



As　its　two　sides　clashed　together　again；　he　turned　deliberately　to

Clarence。



〃That's　all　very　well；　young　man；　as　regards　the　TITLE。　　You　may

have　BOUGHT　up　the　land；　and　legally　own　every　square　inch　of

howling　wilderness　between　this　and　San　Francisco；　and　I　wish　you

joy　of　your　dd　fool's　bargain；　you　may　have　got　a　whole　circus

like　that；〃　pointing　to　the　gloomy　Jim；　〃at　your　back。　　But　with　all

your　money　and　all　your　friends　you've　forgotten　one　thing。　　You

haven't　got　possession；　and　we　have。〃



〃That's　just　where　we　differ；〃　said　Clarence　coolly；　〃for　if　you

take　the　trouble　to　examine　the　house；　you　will　see　that　it　is

already　in　possession　of　Mrs。　Peyton；MY　TENANT。〃



He　paused　to　give　effect　to　his　revelations。　　But　he　was；

nevertheless；　unprepared　for　an　unrehearsed　dramatic　situation。

Mrs。　Peyton；　who　had　been　tired　of　waiting；　and　was　listening　in　the

passage；　at　the　mention　of　her　name；　entered　the　gallery；　followed

by　the　young　ladies。　　The　slight　look　of　surprise　upon　her　face　at

the　revelation　she　had　just　heard　of　Clarence's　ownership；　only　gave

the　suggestion　of　her　having　been　unexpectedly　disturbed　in　her

peaceful　seclusion。　　One　of　the　Mexicans　turned　pale；　with　a

frightened　glance　at　the　passage；　as　if　he　expected　the　figure　of

the　dead　man　to　follow。



The　group　fell　back。　　The　game　was　over；and　lost。　　No　one

recognized　it　more　quickly　than　the　gamblers　themselves。　　More　than

that；　desperate　and　lawless　as　they　were；　they　still　retained　the

chivalry　of　Western　men；　and　every　hat　was　slowly　doffed　to　the

three　black　figures　that　stood　silently　in　the　gallery。　　And　even

apologetic　speech　began　to　loosen　the　clenched　teeth　of　the

discomfited　leader。



〃Weweretold　there　was　no　one　in　the　house；〃　he　stammered。



〃And　it　was　the　truth；〃　said　a　pert；　youthful；　yet　slightly　affected

voice。　　〃For　we　climbed　into　the　window　just　as　you　came　in　at　the

gate。〃



It　was　Susy's　words　that　stung　their　ears　again；　but　it　was　Susy's

pretty　figure；　suddenly　advanced　and　in　a　slightly　theatrical

attitude；　that　checked　their　anger。　　There　had　been　a　sudden　ominous

silence；　as　the　whole　plot　of　rescue　seemed　to　be　revealed　to　them

in　those　audacious　words。　　But　a　sense　of　the　ludicrous；　which　too

often　was　the　only　perception　that　ever　mitigated　the　passions　of

such　assemblies；　here　suddenly　asserted　itself。　　The　leader　burst

into　a　loud　laugh；　which　was　echoed　by　the　others；　and；　with　waving

hats；　the　whole　party　swept　peacefully　out　through　the　gate。



〃But　what　does　all　this　mean　about　YOUR　purchasing　the　land；　Mr。

Brant？〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton　quickly；　fixing　her　eyes　intently　on

Clarence。



A　faint　colorthe　useless　protest　of　his　truthful　bloodcame　to

his　cheek。



〃The　house　is　YOURS；　and　yours　alone；　Mrs。　Peyton。　　The　purchase　of

the　sisters'　title　was　a　private　arrangement　between　Mr。　Peyton　and

myself；　in　view　of　an　emergency　like　this。〃



She　did　not；　however；　take　her　proud；　searching　eyes　from　his　face；

and　he　was　forced　to　turn　away。



〃It　was　SO　like　dear；　good；　thoughtful　papa；〃　said　Susy。　　〃Why；

bless　me；〃　in　a　lower　voice；　〃if　that　isn't　that　lying　old　Jim

Hooker　standing　there　by　the　gate！〃





CHAPTER　VIII。





Ju