susy, a story of the plains-第24章

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friend；　with　God's　blessing；　and　see　that　thou　rememberest　what　I

told　thee。〃



The　retainer；　with　equal　gravity；　stepped　backwards；　saluted　with

his　sombrero　until　the　stiff　brim　scraped　the　floor；　and　then

solemnly　withdrew。



Left　to　himself；　Clarence　remained　for　an　instant　silent　and

thoughtful　before　the　oven…like　hearth。　　So！　everybody　knew　Susy's

real　relations　to　the　Peytons；　and　everybody　but　Mrs。　Peyton；

perhaps；　knew　that　she　was　secretly　corresponding　with　some　one　of

her　own　family。　　In　other　circumstances　he　might　have　found　some

excuse　for　this　assertion　of　her　independence　and　love　of　her

kindred；　but　in　her　attitude　towards　Mrs。　Peyton　it　seemed

monstrous。　　It　appeared　impossible　that　Mrs。　Peyton　should　not　have

heard　of　it；　or　suspected　the　young　girl's　disaffection。　　Perhaps

she　had；it　was　another　burden　laid　upon　her　shoulders；but　the

proud　woman　had　kept　it　to　herself。　　A　film　of　moisture　came　across

his　eyes。　　I　fear　he　thought　less　of　the　suggestion　of　Susy's　secret

meeting　with　Pedro；　or　Incarnacion's　implied　suspicions　that　Pedro

was　concerned　in　Peyton's　death；　than　of　this　sentimental

possibility。　　He　knew　that　Pedro　had　been　hated　by　the　others　on

account　of　his　position；　he　knew　the　instinctive　jealousies　of　the

race　and　their　predisposition　to　extravagant　misconstruction。　　From

what　he　had　gathered；　and　particularly　from　the　voices　he　had

overheard　on　the　Fair　Plains　Road；　it　seemed　to　him　that　Pedro　was

more　capable　of　mercenary　intrigue　than　physical　revenge。　　He　was

not　aware　of　the　irrevocable　affront　put　upon　Pedro　by　Peyton；　and

he　had　consequently　attached　no　importance　to　Peyton's　own　half…

scornful　intimation　of　the　only　kind　of　retaliation　that　Pedro　would

be　likely　to　take。　　The　unsuccessful　attempt　upon　himself　he　had

always　thought　might　have　been　an　accident；　or　if　it　was　really　a

premeditated　assault；　it　might　have　been　intended　actually　for

HIMSELF　and　not　Peyton；　as　he　had　first　thought；　and　his　old　friend

had　suffered　for　HIM；　through　some　mistake　of　the　assailant。　　The

purpose；　which　alone　seemed　wanting；　might　have　been　to　remove

Clarence　as　a　possible　witness　who　had　overheard　their　conspiracy

how　much　of　it　they　did　not　knowon　the　Fair　Plains　Road　that

night。　　The　only　clue　he　held　to　the　murderer　in　the　spur　locked　in

his　desk；　merely　led　him　beyond　the　confines　of　the　rancho；　but

definitely　nowhere　else。　　It　was；　however；　some　relief　to　know　that

the　crime　was　not　committed　by　one　of　Peyton's　retainers；　nor　the

outcome　of　domestic　treachery。



After　some　consideration　he　resolved　to　seek　Jim　Hooker；　who　might

be　possessed　of　some　information　respecting　Susy's　relations；　either

from　the　young　girl's　own　confidences　or　from　Jim's　personal

knowledge　of　the　old　frontier　families。　　From　a　sense　of　loyalty　to

Susy　and　Mrs。　Peyton；　he　had　never　alluded　to　the　subject　before

him；　but　since　the　young　girl's　own　indiscretion　had　made　it　a

matter　of　common　report；　however　distasteful　it　was　to　his　own

feelings；　he　felt　he　could　not　plead　the　sense　of　delicacy　for　her。

He　had　great　hopes　in　what　he　had　always　believed　was　only　her

exaggeration　of　fact　as　well　as　feeling。　　And　he　had　an　instinctive

reliance　on　her　fellow　poseur's　ability　to　detect　it。　　A　few　days

later；　when　he　found　he　could　safely　leave　the　rancho　alone；　he　rode

to　Fair　Plains。



The　floods　were　out　along　the　turnpike　road；　and　even　seemed　to　have

increased　since　his　last　journey。　　The　face　of　the　landscape　had

changed　again。　　One　of　the　lower　terraces　had　become　a　wild　mere　of

sedge　and　reeds。　　The　dry　and　dusty　bed　of　a　forgotten　brook　had

reappeared；　a　full…banked　river；　crossing　the　turnpike　and

compelling　a　long　detour　before　the　traveler　could　ford　it。　　But　as

he　approached　the　Hopkins　farm　and　the　opposite　clearing　and　cabin

of　Jim　Hooker；　he　was　quite　unprepared　for　a　still　more　remarkable

transformation。　　The　cabin；　a　three…roomed　structure；　and　its

cattle…shed　had　entirely　disappeared！　　There　were　no　traces　or　signs

of　inundation。　　The　land　lay　on　a　gentle　acclivity　above　the　farm

and　secure　from　the　effects　of　the　flood；　and　a　part　of　the　ploughed

and　cleared　land　around　the　site　of　the　cabin　showed　no　evidence　of

overflow　on　its　black；　upturned　soil。　　But　the　house　was　gone！　　Only

a　few　timbers　too　heavy　to　be　removed；　the　blighting　erasions　of　a

few　months　of　occupation；　and　the　dull；　blackened　area　of　the　site

itself　were　to　be　seen。　　The　fence　alone　was　intact。



Clarence　halted　before　it；　perplexed　and　astonished。　　Scarcely　two

weeks　had　elapsed　since　he　had　last　visited　it　and　sat　beneath　its

roof　with　Jim；　and　already　its　few　ruins　had　taken　upon　themselves

the　look　of　years　of　abandonment　and　decay。　　The　wild　land　seemed　to

have　thrown　off　its　yoke　of　cultivation　in　a　night；　and　nature

rioted　again　with　all　its　primal　forces　over　the　freed　soil。　　Wild

oats　and　mustard　were　springing　already　in　the　broken　furrows；　and

lank　vines　were　slimily　spreading　over　a　few　scattered　but　still

unseasoned　and　sappy　shingles。　　Some　battered　tin　cans　and　fragments

of　old　clothing　looked　as　remote　as　if　they　had　been　relics　of　the

earliest　immigration。



Clarence　turned　inquiringly　towards　the　Hopkins　farmhouse　across　the

road。　　His　arrival；　however；　had　already　been　noticed；　as　the　door

of　the　kitchen　opened　in　an　anticipatory　fashion；　and　he　could　see

the　slight　figure　of　Phoebe　Hopkins　in　the　doorway；　backed　by　the

overlooking　heads　and　shoulders　of　her　parents。　　The　face　of　the

young　girl　was　pale　and　drawn　with　anxiety；　at　which　Clarence's

simple　astonishment　took　a　shade　of　concern。



〃I　am　looking　for　Mr。　Hooker；〃　he　said　uneasily。　　〃And　I　don't　seem

to　be　able　to　find　either　him　or　his　house。〃



〃And　you　don't　know　what's　gone　of　him？〃　said　the　girl　quickly。



〃No；　I　haven't　seen　him　for　two　weeks。〃



〃There；　I　told　you　so！〃　said　the　girl；　turning　nervously　to　her

parents。　　〃I　knew　it。　　He　hasn't　seen　him　for　two　weeks。〃　　Then；

looking　almost　tearfully　at　Clarence's　face；　she　said；　〃No　more　have

we。〃



〃But；〃　said　Clarence　impatiently；　〃something　must　have　happened。

Where　is　his　house？〃



〃Taken　away　by　them　jumpers；〃　interrupted　the　old　farmer；　〃a　lot　of

roughs　that　pulled　it　down　and　carted　it　off　in　a　jiffy　before　our

very　eyes　without　answerin'　a　civil　question　to　me　or　her。　　But　he

wasn't　there；　nor　before；　nor　since。〃



〃No；〃　added　the　old　woman；　with　flashing　eyes；　〃or　he'd　let　'em　have

what　ther'　was　in　his　six…shooters。〃



〃No；　he　wouldn't；　mother；〃　said　the　girl　impatiently；　〃he'd　CHANGED；

and　was　agin　all　them　ideas　of　force　and　riotin'。　　He　was　for　peace

and　law　all　the　time。　　Why；　the　day　before　we　missed　him　he　was

tellin'　me　California　never　would　be　decent　until　people　obeyed　the

laws　and　the　titles　were　settled。　　And　for　that　reason；　because　he

wouldn't　fight　agin　the　law；　or　without　the　consent　of　the　law；

they've　killed　him；　or　kidnapped　him　away。〃



The　girl's　lips　quivered；　and　her　small　brown　hands　twisted　the

edges　of　her　blue　checked　apron。　　Although　this　new　picture　of　Jim's

peacefulness　was　as　astounding　and　unsatisfactory　as　his　own

disappearance；　there　was　no　doubt　of　the　sincerity　of　poor　Phoebe's

impression。



In　vain　did　Clarence　point　out　to　them　there　must　be　some　mistake；

that　the　trespassersthe　so…called　jumpersreally　belonged　to　the

same　party　as　Hooker；　and　would　have　no　reason　to　dispossess　him；

that；　in　fact；　they　were　all　HIS；　Clarence's；　tenants。　　In　vain　he

assured　them　of　Hooker's　perfect　security　in　possession；　that　he

could　have　driven　the　intruders　away　by　the　simple　exhibition　of　his

lease；　or　that　he　could　have　even　called　a　constable　from　the　town

of　Fair　Plains　to　protect　him　from　mere　lawlessness。　　In　vain　did　he

assure　them　of　his　intention　to　find　his　missing　friend；　and

reinstate　him　at　any　cost。　　The　conviction　that　the　unfortunate

young　man　had　been　fou