susy, a story of the plains-第15部分

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her　husband's；　and　to　have　her　French　corrected　in　a　matter　of　fact

way　by　this　recent　pupil　of　the　priests；　was　really　too　bad！

Perhaps　he　even　looked　down　upon　Susy！　　She　smiled　dangerously　but

suavely。



〃You　must　have　worked　so　hard　to　educate　yourself　from　nothing；　Mr。

Brant。　　You　couldn't　read；　I　think；　when　you　first　came　to　us。　　No？

Could　you　really？　　I　know　it　has　been　very　difficult　for　Susy　to　get

on　with　her　studies　in　proportion。　　We　had　so　much　to　first

eradicate　in　the　way　of　manners；　style；　and　habits　of　thought　which

the　poor　child　had　picked　up　from　her　companions；　and　for　which　SHE

was　not　responsible。　　Of　course；　with　a　boy　that　does　not　signify；〃

she　added；　with　feline　gentleness。



But　the　barbed　speech　glanced　from　the　young　man's　smoothly　smiling

abstraction。



〃Ah；　yes。　　But　those　were　happy　days；　Mrs。　Peyton；〃　he　answered；

with　an　exasperating　return　of　his　previous　boyish　enthusiasm；

〃perhaps　because　of　our　ignorance。　　I　don't　think　that　Susy　and　I

are　any　happier　for　knowing　that　the　plains　are　not　as　flat　as　we

believed　they　were；　and　that　the　sun　doesn't　have　to　burn　a　hole　in

them　every　night　when　it　sets。　　But　I　know　I　believed　that　YOU　knew

everything。　　When　I　once　saw　you　smiling　over　a　book　in　your　hand；　I

thought　it　must　be　a　different　one　from　any　that　I　had　ever　seen；

and　perhaps　made　expressly　for　you。　　I　can　see　you　there　still。　　Do

you　know；〃　quite　confidentially；　〃that　you　reminded　meof　course

YOU　were　much　youngerof　what　I　remembered　of　my　mother？〃



But　Mrs。　Peyton's　reply　of　〃Ah；　indeed；〃　albeit　polite；　indicated

some　coldness　and　lack　of　animation。　　Clarence　rose　quickly；　but

cast　a　long　and　lingering　look　around　him。



〃You　will　come　again；　Mr。　Brant；〃　said　the　lady　more　graciously。

〃If　you　are　going　to　ride　now；　perhaps　you　would　try　to　meet　Mr。

Peyton。　　He　is　late　already；　and　I　am　always　uneasy　when　he　is　out

alone；particularly　on　one　of　those　half…broken　horses；　which　they

consider　good　enough　for　riding　here。　　YOU　have　ridden　them　before

and　understand　them；　but　I　am　afraid　that's　another　thing　WE　have

got　to　learn。〃



When　the　young　man　found　himself　again　confronting　the　glittering

light　of　the　courtyard；　he　remembered　the　interview　and　the　soft

twilight　of　the　boudoir　only　as　part　of　a　pleasant　dream。　　There　was

a　rude　awakening　in　the　fierce　wind；　which　had　increased　with　the

lengthening　shadows。　　It　seemed　to　sweep　away　the　half…sensuous

comfort　that　had　pervaded　him；　and　made　him　coldly　realize　that　he

had　done　nothing　to　solve　the　difficulties　of　his　relations　to　Susy。

He　had　lost　the　one　chance　of　confiding　to　Mrs。　Peyton；if　he　had

ever　really　intended　to　do　so。　　It　was　impossible　for　him　to　do　it

hereafter　without　a　confession　of　prolonged　deceit。



He　reached　the　stables　impatiently；　where　his　attention　was

attracted　by　the　sound　of　excited　voices　in　the　corral。　　Looking

within；　he　was　concerned　to　see　that　one　of　the　vacqueros　was

holding　the　dragging　bridle　of　a　blown；　dusty；　and　foam…covered

horse；　around　whom　a　dozen　idlers　were　gathered。　　Even　beneath　its

coating　of　dust　and　foam　and　the　half…displaced　saddle　blanket；

Clarence　immediately　recognized　the　spirited　pinto　mustang　which

Peyton　had　ridden　that　morning。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　Clarence；　from　the　gateway。



The　men　fell　apart；　glancing　at　each　other。　　One　said　quickly　in

Spanish：



〃Say　nothing　to　HIM。　　It　is　an　affair　of　the　house。〃



But　this　brought　Clarence　down　like　a　bombshell　among　them；　not　to

be　overlooked　in　his　equal　command　of　their　tongue　and　of　them。

〃Ah！　come；　now。　　What　drunken　piggishness　is　this？　　Speak！〃



〃The　padron　has　beenperhapsthrown；〃　stammered　the　first　speaker。

〃His　horse　arrives；but　he　does　not。　　We　go　to　inform　the　senora。〃



〃No；　you　don't！　mules　and　imbeciles！　　Do　you　want　to　frighten　her　to

death？　　Mount；　every　one　of　you；　and　follow　me！〃



The　men　hesitated；　but　for　only　a　moment。　　Clarence　had　a　fine

assortment　of　Spanish　epithets；　expletives；　and　objurgations；

gathered　in　his　rodeo　experience　at　El　Refugio；　and　laid　them　about

him　with　such　fervor　and　discrimination　that　two　or　three　mules；

presumably　with　guilty　consciences；　mistaking　their　direction；

actually　cowered　against　the　stockade　of　the　corral　in　fear。　　In

another　moment　the　vacqueros　had　hastily　mounted；　and；　with　Clarence

at　their　head；　were　dashing　down　the　road　towards　Santa　Inez。　　Here

he　spread　them　in　open　order　in　the　grain；　on　either　side　of　the

track；　himself　taking　the　road。



They　did　not　proceed　very　far。　　For　when　they　had　reached　the

gradual　slope　which　marked　the　decline　to　the　second　terrace；

Clarence；　obeying　an　instinct　as　irresistible　as　it　was

unaccountable；　which　for　the　last　few　moments　had　been　forcing

itself　upon　him；　ordered　a　halt。　　The　casa　and　corral　had　already

sunk　in　the　plain　behind　them；　it　was　the　spot　where　the　lasso　had

been　thrown　at　him　a　few　evenings　before！　　Bidding　the　men　converge

slowly　towards　the　road；　he　went　on　more　cautiously；　with　his　eyes

upon　the　track　before　him。　　Presently　he　stopped。　　There　was　a

ragged　displacement　of　the　cracked　and　crumbling　soil　and　the

unmistakable　scoop　of　kicking　hoofs。　　As　he　stooped　to　examine　them；

one　of　the　men　at　the　right　uttered　a　shout。　　By　the　same　strange

instinct　Clarence　knew　that　Peyton　was　found！



He　was；　indeed；　lying　there　among　the　wild　oats　at　the　right　of　the

road；　but　without　trace　of　life　or　scarcely　human　appearance。　　His

clothes；　where　not　torn　and　shredded　away；　were　partly　turned　inside

out；　his　shoulders；　neck；　and　head　were　a　shapeless；　undistinguishable

mask　of　dried　earth　and　rags；　like　a　mummy　wrapping。　　His　left　boot

was　gone。　　His　large　frame　seemed　boneless；　and；　except　for　the

cerements　of　his　mud…stiffened　clothing；　was　limp　and　sodden。



Clarence　raised　his　head　suddenly　from　a　quick　examination　of　the

body；　and　looked　at　the　men　around　him。　　One　of　them　was　already

cantering　away。　　Clarence　instantly　threw　himself　on　his　horse；　and；

putting　spurs　to　the　animal；　drew　a　revolver　from　his　holster　and

fired　over　the　man's　head。　　The　rider　turned　in　his　saddle；　saw　his

pursuer；　and　pulled　up。



〃Go　back；〃　said　Clarence；　〃or　my　next　shot　won't　MISS　you。〃



〃I　was　only　going　to　inform　the　senora；〃　said　the　man　with　a　shrug

and　a　forced　smile。



〃I　will　do　that；〃　said　Clarence　grimly；　driving　him　back　with　him

into　the　waiting　circle；　then　turning　to　them　he　said　slowly；　with

deliberate；　smileless　irony；　〃And　now；　my　brave　gentlemen；knights

of　the　bull　and　gallant　mustang　hunters；I　want　to　inform　YOU　that

I　believe　that　Mr。　Peyton　was　MURDERED；　and　if　the　man　who　killed

him　is　anywhere　this　side　of　hell；　I　intend　to　find　him。　　Good！　　You

understand　me！　　Now　lift　up　the　body；you　two；　by　the　shoulders；

you　two；　by　the　feet。　　Let　your　horses　follow。　　For　I　intend　that

you　four　shall　carry　home　your　master　in　your　arms；　on　foot。　　Now

forward　to　the　corral　by　the　back　trail。　　Disobey　me；　or　step　out　of

line　and〃　　He　raised　the　revolver　ominously。



If　the　change　wrought　in　the　dead　man　before　them　was　weird　and

terrifying；　no　less　distinct　and　ominous　was　the　change　that；　during

the　last　few　minutes；　had　come　over　the　living　speaker。　　For　it　was

no　longer　the　youthful　Clarence　who　sat　there；　but　a　haggard；

prematurely　worn；　desperate…looking　avenger；　lank　of　cheek；　and

injected　of　eye；　whose　white　teeth　glistened　under　the　brown

mustache　and　thin　pale　lips　that　parted　when　his　restrained　breath

now　and　then　hurriedly　escaped　them。



As　the　procession　moved　on；　two　men　slunk　behind　with　the　horses。



〃Mother　of　God！　　Who　is　this　wolf's　whelp？〃　said　Manuel。



〃Hush！〃　said　his　companion　in　a　terrified　whisper。　　〃Have　you　not

heard？　　It　is　the　son　of　Hamilton　Brant；　the　assassin；　the　duelist；

he　who　was　fusiladed　in　Sonora。〃　　He　made　the　sign　of　the　cross

quickly。　　〃Jesus　Maria！　　Let　them　look　out　who　have　cause；　for　the

blood　of　his　father　is　in　him！〃





CHAPTER　VII。





What　other　speech　passed　between　Clarence　and　Peyton's　retainers　was

not　known；　but　not　a　word　of　the　interview　seemed　to　have　been

divulged　by　those　present。　　It　was　generally　believed　and　accepted

that　Judge　Peyton　met　his　death　by　being　thrown　from　his　half…broken

mustang；　and　dragged　at　its　heels；　and　medical　opinion；　hastily

summoned　from　Santa　Inez　after　the　body　had　been　borne　to　the

corral；　and　stripped　of　its　hideous　encasings；　declared　that　the

neck　had　been　broken；　and　death　had　followed　instantaneously。　　An

inquest　was　deemed　unnecessary。



Clarence　had　selected　Mary　to　break　the　news　to　Mrs。　Peyton；　and　the

frightened　young　girl　was　too　much　struck　with　the　change　still

visible　in　his　face；　and　the　half　authority　of　his　manner；　to

decline；　or　even　to　fully　appreciate　the　calamity　that　had　befallen

them。　　After　the　first　benumbing　shock；　Mrs。　Peyton　passed　into　that

strange　exaltation　of　excitement　brought　on　by　the　immediate

necessity　for　action；　followed　by　a　pallid　calm；　which　the　average

spectator　too　often　unfairly　accepts　as　incongruous；　inadequate；　or

artificial。　　There　had　also　occurred　one　of　those　strange

compensations　that　wait　on　Death　or　disrupture　by　catastrophe：　such

as　the　rude　shaking　down　of　an　unsettled　life；　the　forcible

realization　of　what　were　vague　speculations；　the　breaking　of　old

habits　and　traditions；　and　the　unloosing　of　half…conscious　bonds。

Mrs。　Peyton；　without　insensibility　to　her　loss　or　disloyalty　to　her

affections；　nevertheless　felt　a　relief　to　know　that　she　was　now

really　Susy's　guardian；　free　to　order　her　new　life　wherever　and

under　what　conditions　she　chose　as　most　favorable　to　it；　and　that

she　could　dispose　of　this　house　that　was　wearying　to　her　when　Susy

was　away；　and　which　the　girl　herself　had　always　found　insupportable。

She　could　settle　this　question　of　Clarence's　relations　to