susy, a story of the plains-第25章

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reinstate　him　at　any　cost。　　The　conviction　that　the　unfortunate

young　man　had　been　foully　dealt　with　was　fixed　in　the　minds　of　the

two　women。　　For　a　moment　Clarence　himself　was　staggered　by　it。



〃You　see；〃　said　the　young　girl；　with　a　kindling　face；　〃the　day

before　he　came　back　from　Robles；　ther'　were　some　queer　men　hangin'

round　his　cabin；　but　as　they　were　the　same　kind　that　went　off　with

him　the　day　the　Sisters'　title　was　confirmed；　we　thought　nothing　of

it。　　But　when　he　came　back　from　you　he　seemed　worried　and　anxious；

and　wasn't　a　bit　like　himself。　　We　thought　perhaps　he'd　got　into

some　trouble　there；　or　been　disappointed。　　He　hadn't；　had　he；　Mr。

Brant？〃　continued　Phoebe；　with　an　appealing　look。



〃By　no　means；〃　said　Clarence　warmly。　　〃On　the　contrary；　he　was　able

to　do　his　friends　good　service　there；　and　was　successful　in　what　he

attempted。　　Mrs。　Peyton　was　very　grateful。　　Of　course　he　told　you

what　had　happened；　and　what　he　did　for　us；〃　continued　Clarence；　with

a　smile。



He　had　already　amused　himself　on　the　way　with　a　fanciful　conception

of　the　exaggerated　account　Jim　had　given　of　his　exploits。　　But　the

bewildered　girl　shook　her　head。



〃No；　he　didn't　tell　us　ANYTHING。〃



Clarence　was　really　alarmed。　　This　unprecedented　abstention　of

Hooker's　was　portentous。



〃He　didn't　say　anything　but　what　I　told　you　about　law　and　order；〃

she　went　on；　〃but　that　same　night　we　heard　a　good　deal　of　talking

and　shouting　in　the　cabin　and　around　it。　　And　the　next　day　he　was

talking　with　father；　and　wanting　to　know　how　HE　kept　his　land

without　trouble　from　outsiders。〃



〃And　I　said；〃　broke　in　Hopkins；　〃that　I　guessed　folks　didn't　bother

a　man　with　women　folks　around；　and　that　I　kalkilated　that　I　wasn't

quite　as　notorious　for　fightin'　as　he　was。〃



〃And　he　said；〃　also　interrupted　Mrs。　Hopkins；　〃and　quite　in　his

nat'ral　way；　too；gloomy　like；　you　remember；　Cyrus；〃　appealingly　to

her　husband；〃that　that　was　his　curse。〃



The　smile　that　flickered　around　Clarence's　mouth　faded；　however；　as

he　caught　sight　of　Phoebe's　pleading；　interrogating　eyes。　　It　was

really　too　bad。　　Whatever　change　had　come　over　the　rascal　it　was　too

evident　that　his　previous　belligerent　personality　had　had　its　full

effect　upon　the　simple　girl；　and　that；　hereafter；　one　pair　of　honest

eyes　would　be　wistfully　following　him。



Perplexed　and　indignant；　Clarence　again　closely　questioned　her　as　to

the　personnel　of　the　trespassing　party　who　had　been　seen　once　or

twice　since　passing　over　the　field。　　He　had　at　last　elicited　enough

information　to　identify　one　of　them　as　Gilroy；　the　leader　of　the

party　that　had　invaded　Robles　rancho。　　His　cheek　flushed。　　Even　if

they　had　wished　to　take　a　theatrical　and　momentary　revenge　on　Hooker

for　the　passing　treachery　to　them　which　they　had　just　discovered；

although　such　retaliation　was　only　transitory；　and　they　could　not

hold　the　land；　it　was　an　insult　to　Clarence　himself；　whose　tenant

Jim　was；　and　subversive　of　all　their　legally　acquired　rights。　　He

would　confront　this　Gilroy　at　once；　his　half…wild　encampment　was

only　a　few　miles　away；　just　over　the　boundaries　of　the　Robles

estate。　　Without　stating　his　intention；　he　took　leave　of　the　Hopkins

family　with　the　cheerful　assurance　that　he　would　probably　return

with　some　news　of　Hooker；　and　rode　away。



The　trail　became　more　indistinct　and　unfrequented　as　it　diverged

from　the　main　road；　and　presently　lost　itself　in　the　slope　towards

the　east。　　The　horizon　grew　larger：　there　were　faint　bluish　lines

upon　it　which　he　knew　were　distant　mountains；　beyond　this　a　still

fainter　white　linethe　Sierran　snows。　　Presently　he　intersected　a

trail　running　south；　and　remarked　that　it　crossed　the　highway　behind

him；　where　he　had　once　met　the　two　mysterious　horsemen。　　They　had

evidently　reached　the　terrace　through　the　wild　oats　by　that　trail。

A　little　farther　on　were　a　few　groups　of　sheds　and　canvas　tents　in　a

bare　and　open　space；　with　scattered　cattle　and　horsemen；　exactly

like　an　encampment；　or　the　gathering　of　a　country　fair。　　As　Clarence

rode　down　towards　them　he　could　see　that　his　approach　was　instantly

observed；　and　that　a　simultaneous　movement　was　made　as　if　to

anticipate　him。　　For　the　first　time　he　realized　the　possible

consequences　of　his　visit；　single…handed；　but　it　was　too　late　to

retrace　his　steps。　　With　a　glance　at　his　holster；　he　rode　boldly

forward　to　the　nearest　shed。　　A　dozen　men　hovered　near　him；　but

something　in　his　quiet；　determined　manner　held　them　aloof。　　Gilroy

was　on　the　threshold　in　his　shirtsleeves。　　A　single　look　showed　him

that　Clarence　was　alone；　and　with　a　careless　gesture　of　his　hand　he

warned　away　his　own　followers。



〃You've　got　a　sort　of　easy　way　of　droppin'　in　whar　you　ain't

invited；　Brant；〃　he　said　with　a　grim　smile；　which　was　not；　however；

without　a　certain　air　of　approval。　　〃Got　it　from　your　father；　didn't

you？〃



〃I　don't　know；　but　I　don't　believe　HE　ever　thought　it　necessary　to

warn　twenty　men　of　the　approach　of　ONE；〃　replied　Clarence；　in　the

same　tone。　　〃I　had　no　time　to　stand　on　ceremony；　for　I　have　just

come　from　Hooker's　quarter　section　at　Fair　Plains。〃



Gilroy　smiled　again；　and　gazed　abstractedly　at　the　sky。



〃You　know　as　well　as　I　do；〃　said　Clarence；　controlling　his　voice

with　an　effort；　〃that　what　you　have　done　there　will　have　to　be

undone；　if　you　wish　to　hold　even　those　lawless　men　of　yours

together；　or　keep　yourself　and　them　from　being　run　into　the　brush

like　highwaymen。　　I've　no　fear　for　that。　　Neither　do　I　care　to　know

what　was　your　motive　in　doing　it；　but　I　can　only　tell　you　that　if　it

was　retaliation；　I　alone　was　and　still　am　responsible　for　Hooker's

action　at　the　rancho。　　I　came　here　to　know　just　what　you　have　done

with　him；　and；　if　necessary；　to　take　his　place。〃



〃You're　just　a　little　too　previous　in　your　talk；　I　reckon；　Brant；〃

returned　Gilroy　lazily；　〃and　as　to　legality；　I　reckon　we　stand　on

the　same　level　with　yourself；　just　here。　　Beginnin'　with　what　you

came　for：　as　we　don't　know　where　your　Jim　Hooker　is；　and　as　we　ain't

done　anythin'　to　HIM；　we　don't　exackly　see　what　we　could　do　with　YOU

in　his　place。　　Ez　to　our　motives；well；　we've　got　a　good　deal　to

say　about　THAT。　　We　reckoned　that　he　wasn't　exackly　the　kind　of　man

we　wanted　for　a　neighbor。　　His　pow'ful　fightin'　style　didn't　suit　us

peaceful　folks；　and　we　thought　it　rather　worked　agin　this　new　'law

and　order'　racket　to　have　such　a　man　about；　to　say　nuthin'　of　it

prejudicin'　quiet　settlers。　　He　had　too　many　revolvers　for　one　man

to　keep　his　eye　on；　and　was　altogether　too　much　steeped　in　blood；　so

to　speak；　for　ordinary　washin'　and　domestic　purposes！　　His　hull　get

up　was　too　deathlike　and　clammy；　so　we　persuaded　him　to　leave。　　We

just　went　there；　all　of　us；　and　exhorted　him。　　We　stayed　round　there

two　days　and　nights；　takin'　turns；　talkin'　with　him；　nuthin'　more；

only　selecting　subjects　in　his　own　style　to　please　him；　until　he

left！　　And　then；　as　we　didn't　see　any　use　for　his　house　there；　we

took　it　away。　　Them's　the　cold　facts；　Brant；〃　he　added；　with　a

certain　convincing　indifference　that　left　no　room　for　doubt；　〃and

you　can　stand　by　'em。　　Now；　workin'　back　to　the　first　principle　you

laid　down；that　we'll　have　to　UNDO　what　we've　DONE；we　don't　agree

with　you；　for　we've　taken　a　leaf　outer　your　own　book。　　We've　got　it

here　in　black　and　white。　　We've　got　a　bill　o'　sale　of　Hooker's　house

and　possession；　and　we're　on　the　land　in　place　of　him；AS　YOUR

TENANTS。〃　　He　reentered　the　shanty；　took　a　piece　of　paper　from　a

soap…box　on　the　shell；　and　held　it　out　to　Clarence。　　〃Here　it　is。

It's　a　fair　and　square　deal；　Brant。　　We　gave　him；　as　it　says　here；　a

hundred　dollars　for　it！　　No　humbuggin'；　but　the　hard　cash；　by

Jiminy！　　AND　HE　TOOK　THE　MONEY。〃



The　ring　of　truth　in　the　man's　voice　was　as　unmistakable　as　the

signature　in　Jim's　own　hand。　　Hooker　had　sold　out！　　Clarence　turned

hastily　away。



〃We　don't　know　where　he　went；