susy, a story of the plains-第26章

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

hastily　away。



〃We　don't　know　where　he　went；〃　continued　Gilroy　grimly；　〃but　I

reckon　you　ain't　over　anxious　to　see　him　NOW。　　And　I　kin　tell　ye

something　to　ease　your　mind；he　didn't　require　much　persuadin'。

And　I　kin　tell　ye　another；　if　ye　ain't　above　takin'　advice　from

folks　that　don't　pertend　to　give　it；〃　he　added；　with　the　same

curious　look　of　interest　in　his　face。　　〃You've　done　well　to　get　shut

of　him；　and　if　you　got　shut　of　a　few　more　of　his　kind　that　you　trust

to；　you'd　do　better。〃



As　if　to　avoid　noticing　any　angry　reply　from　the　young　man；　he

reentered　the　cabin　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。　　Clarence　felt　the

uselessness　of　further　parley；　and　rode　away。



But　Gilroy's　Parthian　arrow　rankled　as　he　rode。　　He　was　not　greatly

shocked　at　Jim's　defection；　for　he　was　always　fully　conscious　of　his

vanity　and　weakness；　but　he　was　by　no　means　certain　that　Jim's

extravagance　and　braggadocio；　which　he　had　found　only　amusing　and；

perhaps；　even　pathetic；　might　not　be　as　provocative　and　prejudicial

to　others　as　Gilroy　had　said。　　But；　like　all　sympathetic　and

unselfish　natures；　he　sought　to　find　some　excuse　for　his　old

companion's　weakness　in　his　own　mistaken　judgment。　　He　had　no

business　to　bring　poor　Jim　on　the　land；　to　subject　his　singular

temperament　to　the　temptations　of　such　a　life　and　such　surroundings；

he　should　never　have　made　use　of　his　services　at　the　rancho。　　He　had

done　him　harm　rather　than　good　in　his　ill…advised；　and；　perhaps；

SELFISH　attempts　to　help　him。　　I　have　said　that　Gilroy's　parting

warning　rankled　in　his　breast；　but　not　ignobly。　　It　wounded　the

surface　of　his　sensitive　nature；　but　could　not　taint　or　corrupt　the

pure；　wholesome　blood　of　the　gentleman　beneath　it。　　For　in　Gilroy's

warning　he　saw　only　his　own　shortcomings。　　A　strange　fatality　had

marked　his　friendships。　　He　had　been　no　help　to　Jim；　he　had　brought

no　happiness　to　Susy　or　Mrs。　Peyton；　whose　disagreement　his　visit

seemed　to　have　accented。　　Thinking　over　the　mysterious　attack　upon

himself；　it　now　seemed　to　him　possible　that；　in　some　obscure　way；

his　presence　at　the　rancho　had　precipitated　the　more　serious　attack

on　Peyton。　　If；　as　it　had　been　said；　there　was　some　curse　upon　his

inheritance　from　his　father；　he　seemed　to　have　made　others　share　it

with　him。　　He　was　riding　onward　abstractedly；　with　his　head　sunk　on

his　breast　and　his　eyes　fixed　upon　some　vague　point　between　his

horse's　sensitive　ears；　when　a　sudden；　intelligent；　forward　pricking

of　them　startled　him；　and　an　apparition　arose　from　the　plain　before

him　that　seemed　to　sweep　all　other　sense　away。



It　was　the　figure　of　a　handsome　young　horseman　as　abstracted　as

himself；　but　evidently　on　better　terms　with　his　own　personality。　　He

was　dark　haired；　sallow　cheeked；　and　blue　eyed；the　type　of　the　old

Spanish　Californian。　　A　burnt…out　cigarette　was　in　his　mouth；　and　he

was　riding　a　roan　mustang　with　the　lazy　grace　of　his　race。　　But　what

arrested　Clarence's　attention　more　than　his　picturesque　person　was

the　narrow；　flexible；　long　coil　of　gray　horse…hair　riata　which　hung

from　his　saddle…bow；　but　whose　knotted　and　silver…beaded　terminating

lash　he　was　swirling　idly　in　his　narrow　brown　hand。　　Clarence　knew

and　instantly　recognized　it　as　the　ordinary　fanciful　appendage　of　a

gentleman　rider；　used　for　tethering　his　horse　on　lonely　plains；　and

always　made　the　object　of　the　most　lavish　expenditure　of　decoration

and　artistic　skill。　　But　he　was　as　suddenly　filled　with　a　blind；

unreasoning　sense　of　repulsion　and　fury；　and　lifted　his　eyes　to　the

man　as　he　approached。　　What　the　stranger　saw　in　Clarence's　blazing

eyes　no　one　but　himself　knew；　for　his　own　became　fixed　and　staring；

his　sallow　cheeks　grew　lanker　and　livid；　his　careless；　jaunty

bearing　stiffened　into　rigidity；　and　swerving　his　horse　to　one　side

he　suddenly　passed　Clarence　at　a　furious　gallop。　　The　young　American

wheeled　quickly；　and　for　an　instant　his　knees　convulsively　gripped

the　flanks　of　his　horse　to　follow。　　But　the　next　moment　he　recalled

himself；　and　with　an　effort　began　to　collect　his　thoughts。　　What　was

he　intending　to　do；　and　for　what　reason！　　He　had　met　hundreds　of

such　horsemen　before；　and　caparisoned　and　accoutred　like　this；　even

to　the　riata。　　And　he　certainly　was　not　dressed　like　either　of　the

mysterious　horsemen　whom　he　had　overheard　that　moonlight　evening。

He　looked　back；　the　stranger　had　already　slackened　his　pace；　and　was

slowly　disappearing。　　Clarence　turned　and　rode　on　his　way。





CHAPTER　IX。





Without　disclosing　the　full　extent　of　Jim's　defection　and　desertion；

Clarence　was　able　to　truthfully　assure　the　Hopkins　family　of　his

personal　safety；　and　to　promise　that　he　would　continue　his　quest；

and　send　them　further　news　of　the　absentee。　　He　believed　it　would　be

found　that　Jim　had　been　called　away　on　some　important　business；　but

that　not　daring　to　leave　his　new　shanty　exposed　and　temptingly

unprotected；　he　had　made　a　virtue　of　necessity　by　selling　it　to　his

neighbors；　intending　to　build　a　better　house　on　its　site　after　his

return。　　Having　comforted　Phoebe；　and　impulsively　conceived　further

plans　for　restoring　Jim　to　her；happily　without　any　recurrence　of

his　previous　doubts　as　to　his　own　efficacy　as　a　special　Providence；

he　returned　to　the　rancho。　　If　he　thought　again　of　Jim's　defection

and　Gilroy's　warning；　it　was　only　to　strengthen　himself　to　a　clearer

perception　of　his　unselfish　duty　and　singleness　of　purpose。　　He

would　give　up　brooding；　apply　himself　more　practically　to　the

management　of　the　property；　carry　out　his　plans　for　the　foundation

of　a　Landlords'　Protective　League　for　the　southern　counties；　become

a　candidate　for　the　Legislature；　and；　in　brief；　try　to　fill　Peyton's

place　in　the　county　as　he　had　at　the　rancho。　　He　would　endeavor　to

become　better　acquainted　with　the　half…breed　laborers　on　the　estate

and　avoid　the　friction　between　them　and　the　Americans；　he　was

conscious　that　he　had　not　made　that　use　of　his　early　familiarity

with　their　ways　and　language　which　he　might　have　done。　　If；

occasionally；　the　figure　of　the　young　Spaniard　whom　he　had　met　on

the　lonely　road　obtruded　itself　on　him；　it　was　always　with　the

instinctive　premonition　that　he　would　meet　him　again；　and　the

mystery　of　the　sudden　repulsion　be　in　some　way　explained。　　Thus

Clarence！　　But　the　momentary　impulse　that　had　driven　him　to　Fair

Plains；　the　eagerness　to　set　his　mind　at　rest　regarding　Susy　and　her

relatives；　he　had　utterly　forgotten。



Howbeit　some　of　the　energy　and　enthusiasm　that　he　breathed　into

these　various　essays　made　their　impression。　　He　succeeded　in　forming

the　Landlords'　League；　under　a　commission　suggested　by　him　the

straggling　boundaries　of　Robles　and　the　adjacent　claims　were

resurveyed；　defined；　and　mutually　protected；　even　the　lawless

Gilroy；　from　extending　an　amused　toleration　to　the　young　administrator；

grew　to　recognize　and　accept　him；　the　peons　and　vacqueros　began　to

have　faith　in　a　man　who　acknowledged　them　sufficiently　to　rebuild

the　ruined　Mission　Chapel　on　the　estate；　and　save　them　the　long

pilgrimage　to　Santa　Inez　on　Sundays　and　saints'　days；　the　San

Francisco　priest　imported　from　Clarence's　old　college　at　San　Jose；

and　an　habitual　guest　at　Clarence's　hospitable　board；　was　grateful

enough　to　fill　his　flock　with　loyalty　to　the　young　padron。



He　had　returned　from　a　long　drive　one　afternoon；　and　had　just　thrown

himself　into　an　easy…chair　with　the　comfortable　consciousness　of　a

rest　fairly　earned。　　The　dull　embers　of　a　fire　occasionally　glowed

in　the　oven…like　hearth；　although　the　open　casement　of　a　window　let

in　the　soft　breath　of　the　southwest　trades。　　The　angelus　had　just

rung　from　the　restored　chapel；　and；　mellowed　by　distance；　seemed　to

Clarence　to　lend　that　repose　to　the　wind…swept　landscape　that　it　had

always　lacked。



Suddenly　his　quick　ear　detected　the　sound　of　wheels　in　the　ruts　of