susy, a story of the plains-第26部分

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them　fellers。　　Now；　either；　as　some　say；　he　was　in　the　fraud　from

the　beginnin'；　and　never　paid　anything；　or　else　he　was　an　all…fired

fool；　and　had　parted　with　his　money　like　one。　　Some　allow　that　the

reason　was　that　he　was　awfully　sweet　on　Mrs。　Peyton's　adopted

daughter；　and　ez　the　parents　didn't　approve　of　him；　he　did　THIS　so

as　to　get　a　holt　over　them　by　the　property。　　But　he's　a　ruined　man；

anyway；　now；　for　they　say　he's　such　a　darned　fool　that　he's　goin'　to

pay　for　all　the　improvements　that　the　folks　who　bought　under　him　put

into　the　land；　and　that'll　take　his　last　cent。　　I　thought　I'd　tell

you　that；　for　I　suppose　YOU'VE　lost　a　heap　in　your　improvements；　and

will　put　in　your　claim？〃



〃I　reckon　I　put　nearly　as　much　into　it　as　Clar　Brant　did；〃　said　Jim

gloomily；　〃but　I　ain't　goin'　to　take　a　cent　from　him；　or　go　back　on

him　now。〃



The　rascal　could　not　resist　this　last　mendacious　opportunity；

although　he　was　perfectly　sincere　in　his　renunciation；　touched　in

his　sympathy；　and　there　was　even　a　film　of　moisture　in　his　shifting

eyes。



Phoebe　was　thrilled　with　the　generosity　of　this　noble　being；　who

could　be　unselfish　even　in　his　superior　condition。　　She　added

softly：



〃And　they　say　that　the　girl　did　not　care　for　him　at　all；　but　was

actually　going　to　run　off　with　Pedro；　when　he　stopped　her　and　sent

for　Mrs。　Peyton。〃



To　her　surprise；　Jim's　face　flushed　violently。



〃It's　all　a　dod…blasted　lie；〃　he　said；　in　a　thick　stage　whisper。

〃It's　only　the　hogwash　them　Greasers　and　Pike　County　galoots　ladle

out　to　each　other　around　the　stove　in　a　county　grocery。　　But；〃

recalling　himself　loftily；　and　with　a　tolerant　wave　of　his　be…

diamonded　hand；　〃wot　kin　you　expect　from　one　of　them　cow　counties？

They　ain't　satisfied　till　they　drive　every　gentleman　out　of　the

darned　gopher…holes　they　call　their　'kentry。'〃



In　her　admiration　of　what　she　believed　to　be　a　loyal　outburst　for

his　friend；　Phoebe　overlooked　the　implied　sneer　at　her　provincial

home。　　But　her　father　went　on　with　a　perfunctory；　exasperating；

dusty　aridity：



〃That　mebbee　ez　mebbee；　Mr。　Hooker；　but　the　story　down　in　our

precinct　goes　that　she　gave　Mrs。　Peyton　the　slip；chucked　up　her

situation　as　adopted　darter；　and　went　off　with　a　queer　sort　of　a

cirkiss　woman；one　of　her　own　KIN；　and　I　reckon　one　of　her　own

KIND。〃



To　this　Mr。　Hooker　offered　no　further　reply　than　a　withering　rebuke

of　the　waiter；　a　genteel　abstraction；　and　a　lofty　change　of　subject。

He　pressed　upon　them　two　tickets　for　the　performance；　of　which　he

seemed　to　have　a　number　neatly　clasped　in　an　india…rubber　band；　and

advised　them　to　come　early。　　They　would　see　him　after　the

performance　and　sup　together。　　He　must　leave　them　now；　as　he　had　to

be　punctually　at　the　theatre；　and　if　he　lingered　he　should　be

pestered　by　interviewers。　　He　withdrew　under　a　dazzling　display　of

cuff　and　white　handkerchief；　and　with　that　inward　swing　of　the　arm

and　slight　bowiness　of　the　leg　generally　recognized　in　his

profession　as　the　lounging　exit　of　high　comedy。



The　mingling　of　awe　and　an　uneasy　sense　of　changed　relations　which

that　meeting　with　Jim　had　brought　to　Phoebe　was　not　lessened　when

she　entered　the　theatre　with　her　father　that　evening；　and　even　Mr。

Hopkins　seemed　to　share　her　feelings。　　The　theatre　was　large；　and

brilliant　in　decoration；　the　seats　were　well　filled　with　the　same

heterogeneous　mingling　she　had　seen　in　the　dining…room　at　the　Placer

Hotel；　but　in　the　parquet　were　some　fashionable　costumes　and

cultivated　faces。　　Mr。　Hopkins　was　not　altogether　so　sure　that　Jim

had　been　〃only　gassing。〃　　But　the　gorgeous　drop　curtain；

representing　an　allegory　of　Californian　prosperity　and　abundance；

presently　uprolled　upon　a　scene　of　Western　life　almost　as　striking

in　its　glaring　unreality。　　From　a　rose…clad　English　cottage　in　a

subtropical　landscape　skipped　〃Rosalie；　the　Prairie　Flower。〃　　The

briefest　of　skirts；　the　most　unsullied　of　stockings；　the　tiniest　of

slippers；　and　the　few　diamonds　that　glittered　on　her　fair　neck　and

fingers；　revealed　at　once　the　simple　and　unpretending　daughter　of

the　American　backwoodsman。　　A　tumult　of　delighted　greeting　broke

from　the　audience。　　The　bright　color　came　to　the　pink；　girlish

cheeks；　gratified　vanity　danced　in　her　violet　eyes；　and　as　she

piquantly　bowed　her　acknowledgments；　this　great　breath　of　praise

seemed　to　transfigure　and　possess　her。　　A　very　young　actor　who

represented　the　giddy　world　in　a　straw　hat　and　with　an　effeminate

manner　was　alternately　petted　and　girded　at　by　her　during　the

opening　exposition　of　the　plot；　until　the　statement　that　a　〃dark

destiny〃　obliged　her　to　follow　her　uncle　in　an　emigrant　train　across

the　plains　closed　the　act；　apparently　extinguished　him；　and　left　HER

the　central　figure。　　So　far；　she　evidently　was　the　favorite。　　A

singular　aversion　to　her　crept　into　the　heart　of　Phoebe。



But　the　second　act　brought　an　Indian　attack　upon　the　emigrant　train；

and　here　〃Rosalie〃　displayed　the　archest　heroism　and　the　pinkest　and

most　distracting　self…possession；　in　marked　contrast　to　the　giddy

worldling　who；　having　accompanied　her　apparently　for　comic　purposes

best　known　to　himself；　cowered　abjectly　under　wagons；　and　was　pulled

ignominiously　out　of　straw；　until　Red　Dick　swept　out　of　the　wings

with　a　chosen　band　and　a　burst　of　revolvers　and　turned　the　tide　of

victory。　　Attired　as　a　picturesque　combination　of　the　Neapolitan

smuggler；　river…bar　miner；　and　Mexican　vacquero；　Jim　Hooker

instantly　began　to　justify　the　plaudits　that　greeted　him　and　the

most　sanguinary　hopes　of　the　audience。　　A　gloomy　but　fascinating

cloud　of　gunpowder　and　dark　intrigue　from　that　moment　hung　about　the

stage。



Yet　in　this　sombre　obscuration　Rosalie　had　passed　a　happy　six

months；　coming　out　with　her　character　and　stockings　equally

unchanged　and　unblemished；　to　be　rewarded　with　the　hand　of　Red　Dick

and　the　discovery　of　her　father；　the　governor　of　New　Mexico；　as　a

white…haired；　but　objectionable　vacquero；　at　the　fall　of　the

curtain。



Through　this　exciting　performance　Phoebe　sat　with　a　vague　and

increasing　sense　of　loneliness　and　distrust。　　She　did　not　know　that

Hooker　had　added　to　his　ordinary　inventive　exaggeration　the　form　of

dramatic　composition。　　But　she　had　early　detected　the　singular　fact

that　such　shadowy　outlines　of　plot　as　the　piece　possessed　were

evidently　based　on　his　previous　narrative　of　his　OWN　experiences；

and　the　saving　of　Susy　Peytonby　himself！　　There　was　the　episode　of

their　being　lost　on　the　plains；　as　he　had　already　related　it　to　her；

with　the　addition　of　a　few　years　to　Susy's　age　and　some　vivid

picturesqueness　to　himself　as　Red　Dick。　　She　was　not；　of　course；

aware　that　the　part　of　the　giddy　worldling　was　Jim's　own　conception

of　the　character　of　Clarence。　　But　what；　even　to　her　provincial

taste；　seemed　the　extravagance　of　the　piece；　she　felt；　in　some　way；

reflected　upon　the　truthfulness　of　the　story　she　had　heard。　　It

seemed　to　be　a　parody　on　himself；　and　in　the　laughter　which　some　of

the　most　thrilling　points　produced　in　certain　of　the　audience；　she

heard　an　echo　of　her　own　doubts。　　But　even　this　she　could　have　borne

if　Jim's　confidence　had　not　been　given　to　the　general　public；　it　was

no　longer　HERS　alone；　she　shared　it　with　them。　　And　this　strange；

bold　girl；　who　acted　with　him；the　〃Blanche　Belville〃　of　the

bills；how　often　he　must　have　told　HER　the　story；　and　yet　how　badly

she　had　learned　it！　　It　was　not　her　own　idea　of　it；　nor　of　HIM。　　In

the　last　extravagant　scene　she　turned　her　weary　and　half…shamed　eyes

from　the　stage　and　looked　around　the　theatre。　　Among　a　group　of

loungers　by　the　wall　a　face　that　seemed　familiar　was　turned　towards

her　own　with　a　look　of　kindly　and　sympathetic　recognition。　　It　was

the　face　of　Clarence　Brant。　　When　the　curtain　fell；　and　she　and　her

father　rose　to　go；　he　was　at　their　side。　　He　seemed　older　and　more

superior　looking　than　she　had　ever　thought　him　before；　and　there　was

a　gentle　yet　sad　wisdom　in　his　eyes　and　voice　that　comforted　her

even　while　it　made　her　feel　like　crying。



〃You　are　satisfied　that　no　harm　has　come　to　our　friend；〃　he　said

pleasantly。　　〃Of　course　you　recognized　him？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　we　met　him　to…day；〃　said　Phoebe。　　Her　provincial　pride

impelled　her　to　keep　up　a　show　of　security　and　indifference。　　〃We

are　going　to　supper　with　him。〃



Clarence　slightly　lifted　his　brows。



〃You　are　more　fortunate　than　I　am；〃　he　said　smilingly。　　〃I　only

arrived　here　at　seven；　and　I　must　leave　at　midnight。〃



Phoebe　hesitated　a　moment；　then　said　with　affected　carelessness：



〃What　do　you　think　of　the　young　girl　who　plays　with　him？　　Do　you

know　her？　　Who　is　she？〃



He　looked　at　her　quickly；　and　then　said；　with　some　surprise：



〃Did　he　not　tell　you？〃



〃She　WAS　the　adopted　daughter　of　Mrs。　Peyton；Miss　Susan　Silsbee；〃

he　said　gravely。



〃Then　she　DID　run　away　from　home　as　they　said；〃　said　Phoebe

impulsively。



〃Not　EXACTLY　as　they　said；〃　said　Clarence　gently。　　〃She　elected　to

make　her　home　with　her　aunt；　Mrs。　McClosky；　who　is　the　wife　of　the

manager　of　this　theatre；　and　she　adopted　the　profession　a　month　ago。

As　it　now　appears　that　there　was　some　informality　in　the　old

articles　of　guardianship；　Mrs。　Peyton　would　have　been　powerless　to

prevent　her　from　doing　either；　even　if　she　had　wished　to。〃



The　infelicity　of　questioning　Clarence　regarding　Susy　suddenly

flashed　upon　the　forgetful　Phoebe；　and　she　colored。　　Yet；　although

sad；　he　did　not　look　like　a　rejected　lover。



〃Of　course；　if　she　is　here　with　her　own　relatives；　that　makes　all

the　difference；〃　she　said　gently。　　〃It　is　protection。〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Clarence。



〃And；〃　continued　Phoebe　hesitatingly；　〃she　is　playing　withwithan

old　friendMr。　Hooker！〃



〃That　is　quite　proper；　too；　considering　their　relations；〃　said

Clarence　tolerantly。



〃Idon'tunderstand；〃　stammered　Phoebe。



The　slig