a waif of the plains-第6章

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he　said；　half…confidentially。

〃Yes；〃　said　Clarence　hopelessly。

〃Well；〃　said　his　friend　cheerfully；　as　if　dismissing　an　abstruse
problem　from　his　mind；　〃Let's　go　to　supper。〃

When　they　reached　the　tent　again；　Clarence　noticed　that　the　supper
was　laid　only　for　his　host　and　wife　and　the　second　manwho　was
familiarly　called　〃Harry；〃　but　who　spoke　of　the　former　always　as
〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peyton〃while　the　remainder　of　the　party；　a　dozen
men；　were　at　a　second　camp　fire；　and　evidently　enjoying　themselves
in　a　picturesque　fashion。　　Had　the　boy　been　allowed　to　choose；　he
would　have　joined　them；　partly　because　it　seemed　more　〃manly；〃　and
partly　that　he　dreaded　a　renewal　of　the　questioning。

But　here；　Susy；　sitting　bolt　upright　on　an　extemporized　high　stool；
happily　diverted　his　attention　by　pointing　to　the　empty　chair
beside　her。

〃Kla'uns；〃　she　said　suddenly；　with　her　usual　clear　and　appalling
frankness；　〃they　is　chickens；　and　hamanaigs；　and　hot　biksquits；　and
lasses；　and　Mister　Peyton　says　I　kin　have　'em　all。〃

Clarence；　who　had　begun　suddenly　to　feel　that　he　was　responsible
for　Susy's　deportment　and　was　balefully　conscious　that　she　was
holding　her　plated　fork　in　her　chubby　fist　by　its　middle；　and；　from
his　previous　knowledge　of　her；　was　likely　at　any　moment　to　plunge
it　into　the　dish　before　her；　said　softly；

〃Hush！〃

〃Yes；　you　shall；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton；　with　tenderly　beaming
assurance　to　Susy　and　a　half…reproachful　glance　at　the　boy。　　〃Eat
what　you　like；　darling。〃

〃It's　a　fork；〃　whispered　the　still　uneasy　Clarence；　as　Susy　now
seemed　inclined　to　stir　her　bowl　of　milk　with　it。

〃'Tain't；　now；　Kla'uns；　it's　only　a　split　spoon；〃　said　Susy。

But　Mrs。　Peyton；　in　her　rapt　admiration；　took　small　note　of　these
irregularities；　plying　the　child　with　food；　forgetting　her　own
meal；　and　only　stopping　at　times　to　lift　back　the　forward　straying
curls　on　Susy's　shoulders。　　Mr。　Peyton　looked　on　gravely　and
contentedly。　　Suddenly　the　eyes　of　husband　and　wife　met。

〃She'd　have　been　nearly　as　old　as　this；　John；〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton；　in
a　faint　voice。

John　Peyton　nodded　without　speaking；　and　turned　his　eyes　away　into
the　gathering　darkness。　　The　man　〃Harry〃　also　looked　abstractedly
at　his　plate；　as　if　he　was　saying　grace。　　Clarence　wondered　who
〃she〃　was；　and　why　two　little　tears　dropped　from　Mrs。　Peyton's
lashes　into　Susy's　milk；　and　whether　Susy　might　not　violently
object　to　it。　　He　did　not　know　until　later　that　the　Peytons　had
lost　their　only　child；　and　Susy　comfortably　drained　this　mingled
cup　of　a　mother's　grief　and　tenderness　without　suspicion。

〃I　suppose　we'll　come　up　with　their　train　early　tomorrow；　if　some
of　them　don't　find　us　to…night；〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton；　with　a　long　sigh
and　a　regretful　glance　at　Susy。　　〃Perhaps　we　might　travel　together
for　a　little　while；〃　she　added　timidly。

Harry　laughed；　and　Mr。　Peyton　replied　gravely；　〃I　am　afraid　we
wouldn't　travel　with　them；　even　for　company's　sake；　and；〃　he　added；
in　a　lower　and　graver　voice；　〃it's　rather　odd　the　search　party
hasn't　come　upon　us　yet；　though　I'm　keeping　Pete　and　Hank
patrolling　the　trail　to　meet　them。〃

〃It's　heartlessso　it　is！〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton；　with　sudden
indignation。　　〃It　would　be　all　very　well　if　it　was　only　this　boy；
who　can　take　care　of　himself；　but　to　be　so　careless　of　a　mere　baby
like　this；　it's　shameful！〃

For　the　first　time　Clarence　tasted　the　cruelty　of　discrimination。
All　the　more　keenly　that　he　was　beginning　to　worship；　after　his
boyish　fashion；　this　sweet…faced；　clean；　and　tender…hearted　woman。
Perhaps　Mr。　Peyton　noticed　it；　for　he　came　quietly　to　his　aid。

〃Maybe　they　knew　better　than　we　in　what　careful　hands　they　had　left
her；〃　he　said；　with　a　cheerful　nod　towards　Clarence。　　〃And；　again；
they　may　have　been　fooled　as　we　were　by　Injin　signs　and　left　the
straight　road。〃

This　suggestion　instantly　recalled　to　Clarence　his　vision　in　the
mesquite。　　Should　he　dare　tell　them？　　Would　they　believe　him；　or
would　they　laugh　at　him　before　her？　　He　hesitated；　and　at　last
resolved　to　tell　it　privately　to　the　husband。　　When　the　meal　was
ended；　and　he　was　made　happy　by　Mrs。　Peyton's　laughing　acceptance
of　his　offer　to　help　her　clear　the　table　and　wash　the　dishes；　they
all　gathered　comfortably　in　front　of　the　tent　before　the　large　camp
fire。　　At　the　other　fire　the　rest　of　the　party　were　playing　cards
and　laughing；　but　Clarence　no　longer　cared　to　join　them。　　He　was
quite　tranquil　in　the　maternal　propinquity　of　his　hostess；　albeit　a
little　uneasy　as　to　his　reticence　about　the　Indian。

〃Kla'uns；〃　said　Susy；　relieving　a　momentary　pause；　in　her　highest
voice；　〃knows　how　to　speak。　　Speak；　Kla'uns！〃

It　appearing　from　Clarence's　blushing　explanation　that　this　gift
was　not　the　ordinary　faculty　of　speech；　but　a　capacity　to　recite
verse；　he　was　politely　pressed　by　the　company　for　a　performance。

〃Speak　'em；　Kla'uns；　the　boy　what　stood　unto　the　burnin'　deck；　and
said；　'The　boy；　oh；　where　was　he？'〃　said　Susy；　comfortably　lying
down　on　Mrs。　Peyton's　lap；　and　contemplating　her　bare　knees　in　the
air。　　〃It's　'bout　a　boy；〃　she　added　confidentially　to　Mrs。　Peyton；
〃whose　father　wouldn't　never；　never　stay　with　him　on　a　burnin'
ship；　though　he　said；　'Stay；　father；　stay；'　ever　so　much。〃

With　this　clear；　lucid；　and　perfectly　satisfactory　explanation　of
Mrs。　Hemans's　〃Casabianca；〃　Clarence　began。　　Unfortunately；　his
actual　rendering　of　this　popular　school　performance　was　more　an
effort　of　memory　than　anything　else；　and　was　illustrated　by　those
wooden　gestures　which　a　Western　schoolmaster　had　taught　him。　　He
described　the　flames　that　〃roared　around　him；〃　by　indicating　with
his　hand　a　perfect　circle；　of　which　he　was　the　axis；　he　adjured　his
father；　the　late　Admiral　Casabianca；　by　clasping　his　hands　before
his　chin；　as　if　wanting　to　be　manacled　in　an　attitude　which　he　was
miserably　conscious　was　unlike　anything　he　himself　had　ever　felt　or
seen　before；　he　described　that　father　〃faint　in　death　below；〃　and
〃the　flag　on　high；〃　with　one　single　motion。　　Yet　something　that　the
verses　had　kindled　in　his　active　imagination；　perhaps；　rather　than
an　illustration　of　the　verses　themselves；　at　times　brightened　his
gray　eyes；　became　tremulous　in　his　youthful　voice；　and　I　fear
occasionally　incoherent　on　his　lips。　　At　times；　when　not　conscious
of　his　affected　art；　the　plain　and　all　upon　it　seemed　to　him　to
slip　away　into　the　night；　the　blazing　camp　fire　at　his　feet　to　wrap
him　in　a　fateful　glory；　and　a　vague　devotion　to　somethinghe　knew
not　whatso　possessed　him　that　he　communicated　it；　and　probably
some　of　his　own　youthful　delight　in　extravagant　voice；　to　his
hearers；　until；　when　he　ceased　with　a　glowing　face；　he　was
surprised　to　find　that　the　card　players　had　deserted　their　camp
fires　and　gathered　round　the　tent。


CHAPTER　V


〃You　didn't　say　'Stay；　father；　stay；'　enough；　Kla'uns；〃　said　Susy
critically。　　Then　suddenly　starting　upright　in　Mrs。　Peyton's　lap；
she　continued　rapidly；　〃I　kin　dance。　　And　sing。　　I　kin　dance　High
Jambooree。〃

〃What's　High　Jambooree；　dear？〃　asked　Mrs。　Peyton。

〃You'll　see。　　Lemme　down。〃　　And　Susy　slipped　to　the　ground。

The　dance　of　High　Jambooree；　evidently　of　remote　mystical　African
origin；　appeared　to　consist　of　three　small　skips　to　the　right　and
then　to　the　left；　accompanied　by　the　holding　up　of　very　short
skirts；　incessant　〃teetering〃　on　the　toes　of　small　feet；　the
exhibition　of　much　bare　knee　and　stocking；　and　a　gurgling
accompaniment　of　childish　laughter。　　Vehemently　applauded；　it　left
the　little　performer　breathless；　but　invincible　and　ready　for　fresh
conquest。

〃I　kin　sing；　too；〃　she　gasped　hurriedly；　as　if　unwilling　that　the
applause　should　lapse。　　〃I　kin　sing。　　Oh；　dear！　　Kla'uns；〃
piteously；　〃WHAT　is　it　I　sing？〃

〃Ben　Bolt；〃　suggested　Clarence。

〃Oh；　yes。　　Oh；　don't　you　remember　sweet　Alers　Ben　Bolt？〃　began
Susy；　in　the　same　breath　and　the　wrong　key。　　〃Sweet　Alers；　with
hair　so　brown；　who　wept　with　delight　when　you　giv'd　her　a　smile；
and〃　with　knitted　brows　and　appealing　recitative；　〃what's　er　rest
of　it；　Kla'uns？〃

〃Who　trembled　with　fear　at　your　frown？〃　prompted　Clarence。

〃Who　trembled　with　fear　at　my　frown？〃　shrilled　Susy。