susy, a story of the plains-第4章

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tremble。　　It's　dreadful！　　They　say　he's　a　real　Briones；and　he

sometimes　says　something　in　Spanish；　ending　with　'senorita；'　but　I

pretend　I　don't　understand。〃



〃And　I　suppose　that　if　anything　should　happen　to　the　ponies；　he'd

just　risk　his　life　to　save　you。〃



〃Yes；and　it　would　be　so　awful；for　I　just　hate　him！〃



〃But　if　I　was　with　you；　dear；　he　couldn't　expect　you　to　be　as

grateful　as　if　you　were　alone。　　Susy！〃　she　continued　after　a　pause；

〃if　you　just　stirred　up　the　ponies　a　little　so　as　to　make　'em　go

fast；　perhaps　he　might　think　they'd　got　away　from　you；　and　come

dashing　down　here。　　It　would　be　so　funny　to　see　him；wouldn't　it？〃



The　two　girls　looked　at　each　other；　their　eyes　sparkled　already　with

a　fearful　joy；they　drew　a　long　breath　of　guilty　anticipation。　　For

a　moment　Susy　even　believed　in　her　imaginary　sketch　of　Pedro's

devotion。



〃Papa　said　I　wasn't　to　use　the　whip　except　in　a　case　of　necessity；〃

she　said；　reaching　for　the　slender　silver…handled　toy；　and　setting

her　pretty　lips　together　with　the　added　determination　of

disobedience。　　〃G'long！〃and　she　laid　the　lash　smartly　on　the

shining　backs　of　the　animals。



They　were　wiry；　slender　brutes　of　Mojave　Indian　blood；　only　lately

broken　to　harness；　and　still　undisciplined　in　temper。　　The　lash　sent

them　rearing　into　the　air；　where；　forgetting　themselves　in　the

slackened　traces　and　loose　reins；　they　came　down　with　a　succession

of　bounds　that　brought　the　light　buggy　leaping　after　them　with　its

wheels　scarcely　touching　the　ground。　　That　unlucky　lash　had　knocked

away　the　bonds　of　a　few　months'　servitude　and　sent　the　half…broken

brutes　instinctively　careering　with　arched　backs　and　kicking　heels

into　the　field　towards　the　nearest　cover。



Mary　Rogers　cast　a　hurried　glance　over　her　shoulder。　　Alas；　they　had

not　calculated　on　the　insidious　levels　of　the　terraced　plain；　and

the　faithful　Pedro　had　suddenly　disappeared；　the　intervention　of　six

inches　of　rising　wild　oats　had　wiped　him　out　of　the　prospect　and

their　possible　salvation　as　completely　as　if　he　had　been　miles　away。

Nevertheless；　the　girls　were　not　frightened；　perhaps　they　had　not

time。　　There　was；　however；　the　briefest　interval　for　the　most

dominant　of　feminine　emotions；　and　it　was　taken　advantage　of　by

Susy。



〃It　was　all　YOUR　fault；　dear！〃　she　gasped；　as　the　forewheels　of　the

buggy；　dropping　into　a　gopher　rut；　suddenly　tilted　up　the　back　of

the　vehicle　and　shot　its　fair　occupants　into　the　yielding　palisades

of　dusty　grain。　　The　shock　detached　the　whiffletree　from　the

splinter…bar；　snapped　the　light　pole；　and；　turning　the　now

thoroughly　frightened　animals　again　from　their　course；　sent　them；

goaded　by　the　clattering　fragments；　flying　down　the　turnpike。　　Half

a　mile　farther　on　they　overtook　the　gleaming　white　canvas　hood　of　a

slowly　moving　wagon　drawn　by　two　oxen；　and；　swerving　again；　the

nearer　pony　stepped　upon　a　trailing　trace　and　ingloriously　ended

their　career　by　rolling　himself　and　his　companion　in　the　dust　at　the

very　feet　of　the　peacefully　plodding　team。



Equally　harmless　and　inglorious　was　the　catastrophe　of　Susy　and　her

friend。　　The　strong；　elastic　stalks　of　the　tall　grain　broke　their

fall　and　enabled　them　to　scramble　to　their　feet；　dusty；　disheveled；

but　unhurt；　and　even　unstunned　by　the　shock。　　Their　first

instinctive　cries　over　a　damaged　hat　or　ripped　skirt　were　followed

by　the　quick　reaction　of　childish　laughter。　　They　were　alone；　the

very　defection　of　Pedro　consoled　them；　in　its　absence　of　any　witness

to　their　disaster；　even　their　previous　slight　attitude　to　each　other

was　forgotten。　　They　groped　their　way；　pushing　and　panting；　to　the

road　again；　where；　beholding　the　overset　buggy　with　its　wheels

ludicrously　in　the　air；　they　suddenly　seized　and　shook　each　other；

and　in　an　outburst　of　hilarious　ecstasy；　fairly　laughed　until　the

tears　came　into　their　eyes。



Then　there　was　a　breathless　silence。



〃The　stage　will　be　coming　by　in　a　moment；〃　composedly　said　Susy。

〃Fix　me；　dear。〃



Mary　Rogers　calmly　walked　around　her　friend；　bestowing　a　practical

shake　there；　a　pluck　here；　completely　retying　one　bow　and　restoring

an　engaging　fullness　to　another；　yet　critically　examining；　with　her

head　on　one　side；　the　fascinating　result。　　Then　Susy　performed　the

same　function　for　Mary　with　equal　deliberation　and　deftness。

Suddenly　Mary　started　and　looked　up。



〃It's　coming；〃　she　said　quickly；　〃and　they've　SEEN　US。〃



The　expression　of　the　faces　of　the　two　girls　instantly　changed。　　A

pained　dignity　and　resignation；　apparently　born　of　the　most

harrowing　experiences　and　controlled　only　by　perfect　good　breeding；

was　distinctly　suggested　in　their　features　and　attitude　as　they

stood　patiently　by　the　wreck　of　their　overturned　buggy　awaiting　the

oncoming　coach。　　In　sharp　contrast　was　the　evident　excitement　among

the　passengers。　　A　few　rose　from　their　seats　in　their　eagerness；　as

the　stage　pulled　up　in　the　road　beside　the　buggy　four　or　five　of　the

younger　men　leaped　to　the　ground。



〃Are　you　hurt；　miss？〃　they　gasped　sympathetically。



Susy　did　not　immediately　reply；　but　ominously　knitted　her　pretty

eyebrows　as　if　repressing　a　spasm　of　pain。　　Then　she　said；　〃Not　at

all；〃　coldly；　with　the　suggestion　of　stoically　concealing　some

lasting　or　perhaps　fatal　injury；　and　took　the　arm　of　Mary　Rogers；

who　had；　in　the　mean　time；　established　a　touching　yet　graceful　limp。



Declining　the　proffered　assistance　of　the　passengers；　they　helped

each　other　into　the　coach；　and　freezingly　requesting　the　driver　to

stop　at　Mr。　Peyton's　gate；　maintained　a　statuesque　and　impressive

silence。　　At　the　gates　they　got　down；　followed　by　the　sympathetic

glances　of　the　others。



To　all　appearance　their　escapade；　albeit　fraught　with　dangerous

possibilities；　had　happily　ended。　　But　in　the　economy　of　human

affairs；　as　in　nature；　forces　are　not　suddenly　let　loose　without

more　or　less　sympathetic　disturbance　which　is　apt　to　linger　after

the　impelling　cause　is　harmlessly　spent。　　The　fright　which　the　girls

had　unsuccessfully　attempted　to　produce　in　the　heart　of　their　escort

had　passed　him　to　become　a　panic　elsewhere。　　Judge　Peyton；　riding

near　the　gateway　of　his　rancho；　was　suddenly　confronted　by　the

spectacle　of　one　of　his　vacqueros　driving　on　before　him　the　two

lassoed　and　dusty　ponies；　with　a　face　that　broke　into　violent

gesticulating　at　his　master's　quick　interrogation。



〃Ah！　　Mother　of　God！　　It　was　an　evil　day！　　For　the　bronchos　had　run

away；　upset　the　buggy；　and　had　only　been　stopped　by　a　brave

Americano　of　an　ox…team；　whose　lasso　was　even　now　around　their

necks；　to　prove　it；　and　who　had　been　dragged　a　matter　of　a　hundred

varas；　like　a　calf；　at　their　heels。　　The　senoritas；ah！　had　he　not

already　said　they　were　safe；　by　the　mercy　of　Jesus！picked　up　by

the　coach；　and　would　be　here　at　this　moment。〃



〃But　where　was　Pedro　all　the　time？　　What　was　he　doing？〃　demanded

Peyton；　with　a　darkened　face　and　gathering　anger。



The　vacquero　looked　at　his　master；　and　shrugged　his　shoulders

significantly。　　At　any　other　time　Peyton　would　have　remembered　that

Pedro；　as　the　reputed　scion　of　a　decayed　Spanish　family；　and

claiming　superiority；　was　not　a　favorite　with　his　fellow…retainers。

But　the　gesture；　half　of　suggestion；　half　of　depreciation；　irritated

Peyton　still　more。



〃Well；　where　is　this　American　who　DID　something　when　there　wasn't　a

man　among　you　all　able　to　stop　a　child's　runaway　ponies？〃　he　said

sarcastically。　　〃Let　me　see　him。〃



The　vacquero　became　still　more　deprecatory。



〃Ah！　　He　had　driven　on　with　his　team　towards　San　Antonio。　　He　would

not　stop　to　be　thanked。　　But　that　was　the　whole　truth。　　He；

Incarnacion；　could　swear　to　it　as　to　the　Creed。　　There　was　nothing

more。〃



〃Take　those　beasts　around　the　back　way　to　the　corral；〃　said　Peyton；

thoroughly　enraged；　〃and　not　a　word　of　this　to　any　one　at　the　casa；

do　you　hear？　　Not　a　word　to　Mrs。　Peyton　or　the　servant