susy, a story of the plains-第28章

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to　Susy；　upon　HER　Mrs。　Peyton's　happinesshe　believed　he　was

thinking　of　Susy's　alsodepended。　　He　must　take　the　first

opportunity　of　speaking　to　her　alone。



That　opportunity　came　sooner　than　he　had　expected。　　After　dinner；

Mrs。　McClosky　turned　to　Susy；　and　playfully　telling　her　that　she　had

〃to　talk　business〃　with　Mr。　Brant；　bade　her　go　to　the　salon　and

await　her。　　When　the　young　girl　left　the　room；　she　looked　at

Clarence；　and；　with　that　assumption　of　curtness　with　which　coarse

but　kindly　natures　believe　they　overcome　the　difficulty　of　delicate

subjects；　said　abruptly：



〃Well；　young　man；　now　what's　all　this　between　you　and　Susy？　　I'm

looking　after　her　interestssame　as　if　she　was　my　own　girl。　　If

you've　got　anything　to　say；　now's　your　time。　　And　don't　you　shilly…

shally　too　long　over　it；　either；　for　you　might　as　well　know　that　a

girl　like　that　can　have　her　pick　and　choice；　and　be　beholden　to　no

one；　and　when　she　don't　care　to　choose；　there's　me　and　my　husband

ready　to　do　for　her　all　the　same。　　We　mightn't　be　able　to　do　the

anteek　Spanish　Squire；　but　we've　got　our　own　line　of　business；　and

it's　a　comfortable　one。〃



To　have　this　said　to　him　under　the　roof　of　Mrs。　Peyton；　from　whom；

in　his　sensitiveness；　he　had　thus　far　jealously　guarded　his　own

secret；　was　even　more　than　Clarence's　gentleness　could　stand；　and

fixed　his　wavering　resolution。



〃I　don't　think　we　quite　understand　each　other；　Mrs。　McClosky；〃　he

said　coldly；　but　with　glittering　eyes。　　〃I　have　certainly　something

to　say　to　you；　if　it　is　not　on　a　subject　as　pleasant　as　the　one　you

propose；　it　is；　nevertheless；　one　that　I　think　you　and　I　are　more

competent　to　discuss　together。〃



Then；　with　quiet　but　unrelenting　directness；　he　pointed　out　to　her

that　Susy　was　a　legally　adopted　daughter　of　Mrs。　Peyton；　and；　as　a

minor；　utterly　under　her　control；　that　Mrs。　Peyton　had　no　knowledge

of　any　opposing　relatives；　and　that　Susy　had　not　only　concealed　the

fact　from　her；　but　that　he　was　satisfied　that　Mrs。　Peyton　did　not

even　know　of　Susy's　discontent　and　alienation；　that　she　had　tenderly

and　carefully　brought　up　the　helpless　orphan　as　her　own　child；　and

even　if　she　had　not　gained　her　affection　was　at　least　entitled　to

her　obedience　and　respect；　that　while　Susy's　girlish　caprice　and

inexperience　excused　HER　conduct；　Mrs。　Peyton　and　her　friends　would

have　a　right　to　expect　more　consideration　from　a　person　of　Mrs。

McClosky's　maturer　judgment。　　That　for　these　reasons；　and　as　the

friend　of　Mrs。　Peyton；　whom　he　could　alone　recognize　as　Susy's

guardian　and　the　arbiter　of　her　affections；　he　must　decline　to

discuss　the　young　girl　with　any　reference　to　himself　or　his　own

intentions。



An　unmistakable　flush　asserted　itself　under　the　lady's　powder。



〃Suit　yourself；　young　man；　suit　yourself；〃　she　said；　with　equally

direct　resentment　and　antagonism；　〃only　mebbee　you'll　let　me　tell

you　that　Jim　McClosky　ain't　no　fool；　and　mebbee　knows　what　lawyers

think　of　an　arrangement　with　a　sister…in…law　that　leaves　a　real

sister　out！　　Mebbee　that's　a　'Sister's　title'　you　ain't　thought　of；

Mr。　Brant！　　And　mebbee　you'll　find　out　that　your　chance　o'　gettin'

Mrs。　Peyton's　consent　ain't　as　safe　to　gamble　on　as　you　reckon　it

is。　　And　mebbee；　what's　more　to　the　purpose；　if　you　DID　get　it；　it

might　not　be　just　the　trump　card　to　fetch　Susy　with！　　And　to　wind

up；　Mr。　Brant；　when　you　DO　have　to　come　down　to　the　bed…rock　and　me

and　Jim　McClosky；　you　may　find　out　that　him　and　me　have　discovered　a

better　match　for　Susy　than　the　son　of　old　Ham　Brant；　who　is　trying

to　play　the　Spanish　grandee　off　his　father's　money　on　a　couple　of

women。　　And　we　mayn't　have　to　go　far　to　do　itor　to　get　THE　REAL

THING；　Mr。　Brant！〃



Too　heartsick　and　disgusted　to　even　notice　the　slur　upon　himself　or

the　import　of　her　last　words；　Clarence　only　rose　and　bowed　as　she

jumped　up　from　the　table。　　But　as　she　reached　the　door　he　said；　half

appealingly：



〃Whatever　are　your　other　intentions；　Mrs。　McClosky；　as　we　are　both

Susy's　guests；　I　beg　you　will　say　nothing　of　this　to　her　while　we

are　here；　and　particularly　that　you　will　not　allow　her　to　think　for

a　moment　that　I　have　discussed　MY　relations　to　her　with　anybody。〃



She　flung　herself　out　of　the　door　without　a　reply；　but　on　entering

the　dark　low…ceilinged　drawing…room　she　was　surprised　to　find　that

Susy　was　not　there。　　She　was　consequently　obliged　to　return　to　the

veranda；　where　Clarence　had　withdrawn；　and　to　somewhat

ostentatiously　demand　of　the　servants　that　Susy　should　be　sent　to

her　room　at　once。　　But　the　young　girl　was　not　in　her　own　room；　and

was　apparently　nowhere　to　be　found。　　Clarence；　who　had　now　fully

determined　as　a　last　resource　to　make　a　direct　appeal　to　Susy

herself；　listened　to　this　fruitless　search　with　some　concern。　　She

could　not　have　gone　out　in　the　rain；　which　was　again　falling。　　She

might　be　hiding　somewhere　to　avoid　a　recurrence　of　the　scene　she　had

perhaps　partly　overheard。　　He　turned　into　the　corridor　that　led　to

Mrs。　Peyton's　boudoir。　　As　he　knew　that　it　was　locked；　he　was

surprised　to　see　by　the　dim　light　of　the　hanging　lamp　that　a

duplicate　key　to　the　one　in　his　desk　was　in　the　lock。　　It　must　be

Susy's；　and　the　young　girl　had　probably　taken　refuge　there。　　He

knocked　gently。　　There　was　a　rustle　in　the　room　and　the　sound　of　a

chair　being　moved；　but　no　reply。　　Impelled　by　a　sudden　instinct　he

opened　the　door；　and　was　met　by　a　cool　current　of　air　from　some　open

window。　　At　the　same　moment　the　figure　of　Susy　approached　him　from

the　semi…darkness　of　the　interior。



〃I　did　not　know　you　were　here；〃　said　Clarence；　much　relieved；　he

knew　not　why；　〃but　I　am　glad；　for　I　wanted　to　speak　with　you　alone

for　a　few　moments。〃



She　did　not　reply；　but　he　drew　a　match　from　his　pocket　and　lit　the

two　candles　which　he　knew　stood　on　the　table。　　The　wick　of　one　was

still　warm；　as　if　it　had　been　recently　extinguished。　　As　the　light

slowly　radiated；　he　could　see　that　she　was　regarding　him　with　an　air

of　affected　unconcern；　but　a　somewhat　heightened　color。　　It　was　like

her；　and　not　inconsistent　with　his　idea　that　she　had　come　there　to

avoid　an　after　scene　with　Mrs。　McClosky　or　himself；　or　perhaps　both。

The　room　was　not　disarranged　in　any　way。　　The　window　that　was　opened

was　the　casement　of　the　deep　embrasured　one　in　the　rear　wall；　and

the　light　curtain　before　it　still　swayed　occasionally　in　the　night

wind。



〃I'm　afraid　I　had　a　row　with　your　aunt；　Susy；〃　he　began　lightly；　in

his　old　familiar　way；　〃but　I　had　to　tell　her　I　didn't　think　her

conduct　to　Mrs。　Peyton　was　exactly　the　square　thing　towards　one　who

had　been　as　devoted　to　you　as　she　has　been。〃



〃Oh；　for　goodness'　sake；　don't　go　over　all　that　again；〃　said　Susy

impatiently。　　〃I've　had　enough　of　it。〃



Clarence　flashed；　but　recovered　himself。



〃Then　you　overheard　what　I　said；　and　know　what　I　think；〃　he　said

calmly。



〃I　knew　it　BEFORE；〃　said　the　young　girl；　with　a　slight　supercilious

toss　of　the　head；　and　yet　a　certain　abstraction　of　manner　as　she

went　to　the　window　and　closed　it。　　〃Anybody　could　see　it！　　I　know

you　always　wanted　me　to　stay　here　with　Mrs。　Peyton；　and　be　coddled

and　monitored　and　catechised　and　shut　up　away　from　any　one；　until

YOU　had　been　coddled　and　monitored　and　catechised　by　somebody　else

sufficiently　to　suit　her　ideas　of　your　being　a　fit　husband　for　me。

I　told　aunty　it　was　no　use　our　coming　here　toto〃



〃To　do　what？〃　asked　Clarence。



〃To　put　some　spirit　into　you；〃　said　the　young　girl；　turning　upon　him

sharply；　〃to　keep　you　from　being　tied　to　that　woman's　apron…strings。

To　keep　her　from　making　a　slave　of　you　as　she　would　of　me。　　But　it

is　of　no　use。　　Mary　Rogers　was　right　when　she　said　you　had　no　wish

to　please　anybody　but　Mrs。　Peyton；　and　no　eyes　for　anybody　but　her。

And　if　it　hadn't　been　too　ridiculous；　considering　her　age　and　yours；

she'd　say　you　were　dead　in　love　with　her。〃



For　an　instant　Clarence　felt　the