a waif of the plains-第24章

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〃But〃　began　Clarence。

〃Oh；　it's　all　right；　the　other　girls　knew　it；　and　helped　me。　　They
don't　start　out　for　half　an　hour　yet；　and　they'll　say　I've　just　run
ahead；　and　when　they　and　the　Sister　get　to　the　hotel　I'll　be　there
alreadydon't　you　see？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clarence　dubiously。

〃And　we'll　go　to　an　ice…cream　saloon　now；　shan't　we？　　There's　a
nice　one　near　the　hotel。　　I've　got　some　money；〃　she　added　quickly；
as　Clarence　looked　embarrassed。

〃So　have　I；〃　said　Clarence；　with　a　faint　accession　of　color。
〃Let's　go！〃　　She　had　relinquished　his　hand　to　smooth　out　her　frock；
and　they　were　walking　side　by　side　at　a　more　moderate　pace。　　〃But；〃
he　continued；　clinging　to　his　first　idea　with　masculine
persistence；　and　anxious　to　assure　his　companion　of　his　power；　of
his　position；　〃I'm　in　the　college；　and　Father　Sobriente；　who　knows
your　lady　superior；　is　a　good　friend　of　mine　and　gives　me
privileges；　andandwhen　he　knows　that　you　and　I　used　to　play
togetherwhy；　he'll　fix　it　that　we　may　see　each　other　whenever　we
want。〃

〃Oh；　you　silly！〃　said　Susy。　　〃WHAT！when　you're〃

〃When　I'm　WHAT？〃

The　young　girl　shot　a　violet　blue　ray　from　under　her　broad　hat。
〃Whywhen　we're　grown　up　now？〃　　Then　with　a　certain　precision；
〃Why；　they're　VERY　particular　about　young　gentlemen！　　Why；
Clarence；　if　they　suspected　that　you　and　I　were〃　　Another　violet
ray　from　under　the　hat　completed　this　unfinished　sentence。

Pleased　and　yet　confused；　Clarence　looked　straight　ahead　with
deepening　color。　　〃Why；〃　continued　Susy；　〃Mary　Rogers；　that　was
walking　with　me；　thought　you　were　ever　so　oldand　a　distinguished
Spaniard！　　And　I；〃　she　said　abruptly〃haven't　I　grown？　　Tell　me；
Clarence；〃　with　her　old　appealing　impatience；　〃haven't　I　grown？　　Do
tell　me！〃

〃Very　much；〃　said　Clarence。

〃And　isn't　this　frock　prettyit's　only　my　second　bestbut　I've　a
prettier　one　with　lace　all　down　in　front；　but　isn't　this　one
pretty；　Clarence；　tell　me？〃

Clarence　thought　the　frock　and　its　fair　owner　perfection；　and　said
so。　　Whereat　Susy；　as　if　suddenly　aware　of　the　presence　of　passers…
by；　assumed　an　air　of　severe　propriety；　dropped　her　hands　by　her
side；　and　with　an　affected　conscientiousness　walked　on；　a　little
further　from　Clarence's　side；　until　they　reached　the　ice…cream
saloon。

〃Get　a　table　near　the　back；　Clarence；〃　she　said；　in　a　confidential
whisper；　〃where　they　can't　see　usand　strawberry；　you　know；　for
the　lemon　and　vanilla　here　are　just　horrid！〃

They　took　their　seats　in　a　kind　of　rustic　arbor　in　the　rear　of　the
shop；　which　gave　them　the　appearance　of　two　youthful　but　somewhat
over…dressed　and　over…conscious　shepherds。　　There　was　an　interval
of　slight　awkwardness；　which　Susy　endeavored　to　displace。　　〃There
has　been；〃　she　remarked；　with　easy　conversational　lightness；　〃quite
an　excitement　about　our　French　teacher　being　changed。　　The　girls　in
our　class　think　it　most　disgraceful。〃

And　this　was　all　she　could　say　after　a　separation　of　four　years！
Clarence　was　desperate；　but　as　yet　idealess　and　voiceless。　　At
last；　with　an　effort　over　his　spoon；　he　gasped　a　floating
recollection：　〃Do　you　still　like　flapjacks；　Susy？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　with　a　laugh；　〃but　we　don't　have　them　now。〃

〃And　Mose〃　（a　black　pointer；　who　used　to　yelp　when　Susy　sang）；
〃does　he　still　sing　with　you？〃

〃Oh；　HE'S　been　lost　ever　so　long；〃　said　Susy　composedly；　〃but　I've
got　a　Newfoundland　and　a　spaniel　and　a　black　pony；〃　and　here；　with
a　rapid　inventory　of　her　other　personal　effects；　she　drifted　into
some　desultory　details　of　the　devotion　of　her　adopted　parents；　whom
she　now　readily　spoke　of　as　〃papa〃　and　〃mamma；〃　with　evidently　no
disturbing　recollection　of　the　dead。　　From　which　it　appeared　that
the　Peytons　were　very　rich；　and；　in　addition　to　their　possessions
in　the　lower　country；　owned　a　rancho　in　Santa　Clara　and　a　house　in
San　Francisco。　　Like　all　children；　her　strongest　impressions　were
the　most　recent。　　In　the　vain　hope　to　lead　her　back　to　this
material　yesterday；　he　said

〃You　remember　Jim　Hooker？〃

〃Oh；　HE　ran　away；　when　you　left。　　But　just　think　of　it！　　The　other
day；　when　papa　and　I　went　into　a　big　restaurant　in　San　Francisco；
who　should　be　there　WAITING　on　the　tableyes；　Clarence；　a　real
waiterbut　Jim　Hooker！　　Papa　spoke　to　him；　but　of　course；〃　with　a
slight　elevation　of　her　pretty　chin；　〃I　couldn't；　you　know；　fancy
a　waiter！〃

The　story　of　how　Jim　Hooker　had　personated　him　stopped　short　upon
Clarence's　lips。　　He　could　not　bring　himself　now　to　add　that
revelation　to　the　contempt　of　his　small　companion；　which；　in　spite
of　its　naivete；　somewhat　grated　on　his　sensibilities。

〃Clarence；〃　she　said；　suddenly　turning　towards　him　mysteriously；
and　indicating　the　shopman　and　his　assistants；　〃I　really　believe
these　people　suspect　us。〃

〃Of　what？〃　said　the　practical　Clarence。

〃Don't　be　silly！　　Don't　you　see　how　they　are　staring？〃

Clarence　was　really　unable　to　detect　the　least　curiosity　on　the
part　of　the　shopman；　or　that　any　one　exhibited　the　slightest
concern　in　him　or　his　companion。　　But　he　felt　a　return　of　the
embarrassed　pleasure　he　was　conscious　of　a　moment　before。

〃Then　you're　living　with　your　father？〃　said　Susy；　changing　the
subject。

〃You　mean　my　COUSIN；〃　said　Clarence；　smiling。　　〃You　know　my　father
died　long　before　I　ever　knew　you。〃

〃Yes；　that's　what　YOU　used　to　say；　Clarence；　but　papa　says　it　isn't
so。〃　　But　seeing　the　boy's　wondering　eyes　fixed　on　her　with　a
troubled　expression；　she　added　quickly；　〃Oh；　then；　he　IS　your
cousin！〃

〃Well；　I　think　I　ought　to　know；〃　said　Clarence；　with　a　smile；　that
was；　however；　far　from　comfortable；　and　a　quick　return　of　his　old
unpleasant　recollections　of　the　Peytons。　　〃Why；　I　was　brought　to
him　by　one　of　his　friends。〃　　And　Clarence　gave　a　rapid　boyish
summary　of　his　journey　from　Sacramento；　and　Flynn's　discovery　of
the　letter　addressed　to　Silsbee。　　But　before　he　had　concluded　he
was　conscious　that　Susy　was　by　no　means　interested　in　these
details；　nor　in　the　least　affected　by　the　passing　allusion　to　her
dead　father　and　his　relation　to　Clarence's　misadventures。　　With　her
rounded　chin　in　her　hand；　she　was　slowly　examining　his　face；　with　a
certain　mischievous　yet　demure　abstraction。　　〃I　tell　you　what；
Clarence；〃　she　said；　when　he　had　finished；　〃you　ought　to　make　your
cousin　get　you　one　of　those　sombreros；　and　a　nice　gold…braided
serape。　　They'd　just　suit　you。　　And　thenthen　you　could　ride　up
and　down　the　Alameda　when　we　are　going　by。〃

〃But　I'm　coming　to　see　you　atat　your　house；　and　at　the　convent；〃
he　said　eagerly。　　〃Father　Sobriente　and　my　cousin　will　fix　it　all
right。〃

But　Susy　shook　her　head；　with　superior　wisdom。　　〃No；　they　must
never　know　our　secret！neither　papa　nor　mamma；　especially　mamma。
And　they　mustn't　know　that　we've　met　againAFTER　THESE　YEARS！〃　　It
is　impossible　to　describe　the　deep　significance　which　Susy's　blue
eyes　gave　to　this　expression。　　After　a　pause　she　went　on

〃No！　　We　must　never　meet　again；　Clarence；　unless　Mary　Rogers　helps。
She　is　my　best；　my　ONLIEST　friend；　and　older　than　I；　having　had
trouble　herself；　and　being　expressly　forbidden　to　see　him　again。
You　can　speak　to　her　about　Suzettethat's　my　name　now；　I　was
rechristened　Suzette　Alexandra　Peyton　by　mamma。　　And　now；
Clarence；〃　dropping　her　voice　and　glancing　shyly　around　the　saloon；
〃you　may　kiss　me　just　once　under　my　hat；　for　good…by。〃　　She
adroitly　slanted　her　broad…brimmed　hat　towards　the　front　of　the
shop；　and　in　its　shadow　advanced　her　fresh　young　cheek　to　Clarence。

Coloring　and　laughing；　the　boy　pressed　his　lips　to　it　twice。　　Then
Susy　arose；　with　the　faintest　affectation　of　a　sigh；　shook　out　her
skirt；　drew　on　her　gloves　with　the　greatest　gravity；　and　saying；
〃Don't　follow　me　further　than　the　doorthey're　coming　now；〃　walked
with　supercilious　dignity　past　the　preoccupied　proprietor　and
waiters　to　the　entrance。　　Here　she　said；　with　marked　civility；
〃Good…afternoon；　Mr。　Brant；〃　and　tripped　away　towards　the　hotel。
Clarence　lingered　for　a　moment　to　look　after　the　lithe　and　elegant
little　figure；　with　its　shining　undulations　of　hair　that　fell　over
the　back　and　shoulders　of　her　white　frock　like　a　golden　mantle；　and
then　turned　away　in　the　opposite　dir