susy, a story of the plains-第15章

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land　and　in　possession。　　What　the　devil　are　you　doing　HERE？〃



〃Yes；but；〃　stammered　Jim；　〃all　the　boys　holding　that　title　moved

up　here　to　'make　the　division'　and　grab　all　they　could。　　And　I

followed。　　And　I　found　out　that　they　were　going　to　grab　Judge

Peyton's　house；　because　it　was　on　the　line；　if　they　could；　and

findin'　you　was　all　away；　by　Gord　THEY　DID！　and　they're　in　it！　　And

I　stoled　out　and　rode　down　here　to　warn　ye。〃



He　stopped；　looked　at　Clarence；　glanced　darkly　around　him　and　then

down　on　his　accoutrements。　　Even　in　that　supreme　moment　of

sincerity；　he　could　not　resist　the　possibilities　of　the　situation。



〃It's　as　much　as　my　life's　worth；〃　he　said　gloomily。　　〃But；〃　with　a

dark　glance　at　his　weapons；　〃I'll　sell　it　dearly。〃



〃Jim！〃　said　Clarence；　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃you're　not　lying　again？〃



〃No；〃　said　Jim　hurriedly。　　〃I　swear　it；　Clarence！　　No！　　Honest　Injin

this　time。　　And　look。　　I'll　help　you。　　They　ain't　expectin'　you　yet；

and　they　think　ye'll　come　by　the　road。　　Ef　I　raised　a　scare　off

there　by　the　corral；　while　you're　creepin'　ROUND　BY　THE　BACK；　mebbe

you　could　get　in　while　they're　all　lookin'　for　ye　in　front；　don't

you　see？　　I'll　raise　a　big　row；　and　they　needn't　know　but　what　ye've

got　wind　of　it　and　brought　a　party　with　you　from　Santa　Inez。〃



In　a　flash　Clarence　had　wrought　a　feasible　plan　out　of　Jim's

fantasy。



〃Good；〃　he　said；　wringing　his　old　companion's　hand。　　〃Go　back

quietly　now；　hang　round　the　corral；　and　when　you　see　the　carriage

climbing　the　last　terrace　raise　your　alarm。　　Don't　mind　how　loud　it

is；　there'll　be　nobody　but　the　servants　in　the　carriages。〃



He　rode　quickly　back　to　the　first　carriage；　at　whose　window　Mrs。

Peyton's　calm　face　was　already　questioning　him。　　He　told　her　briefly

and　concisely　of　the　attack；　and　what　he　proposed　to　do。



〃You　have　shown　yourself　so　strong　in　matters　of　worse　moment　than

this；〃　he　added　quietly；　〃that　I　have　no　fears　for　your　courage。　　I

have　only　to　ask　you　to　trust　yourself　to　me；　to　put　you　back　at

once　in　your　own　home。　　Your　presence　there；　just　now；　is　the　one

important　thing；　whatever　happens　afterwards。〃



She　recognized　his　maturer　tone　and　determined　manner；　and　nodded

assent。　　More　than　that；　a　faint　fire　came　into　her　handsome　eyes；

the　two　girls　kindled　their　own　at　that　flaming　beacon；　and　sat　with

flushed　checks　and　suspended；　indignant　breath。　　They　were　Western

Americans；　and　not　over　much　used　to　imposition。



〃You　must　get　down　before　we　raise　the　hill；　and　follow　me　on　foot

through　the　grain。　　I　was　thinking；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Mrs。

Peyton；　〃of　your　boudoir　window。〃



She　had　been　thinking　of　it；　too；　and　nodded。



〃The　vine　has　loosened　the　bars；〃　he　said。



〃If　it　hasn't；　we　must　squeeze　through　them；〃　she　returned　simply。



At　the　end　of　the　terrace　Clarence　dismounted；　and　helped　them　from

the　carriage。　　He　then　gave　directions　to　the　coachmen　to　follow　the

road　slowly　to　the　corral　in　front　of　the　casa；　and　tied　his　horse

behind　the　second　carriage。　　Then；　with　Mrs。　Peyton　and　the　two

young　girls；　he　plunged　into　the　grain。



It　was　hot；　it　was　dusty；　their　thin　shoes　slipped　in　the　crumbling

adobe；　and　the　great　blades　caught　in　their　crape　draperies；　but

they　uttered　no　complaint。　　Whatever　ulterior　thought　was　in　their

minds；　they　were　bent　only　on　one　thing　at　that　moment；on　entering

the　house　at　any　hazard。　　Mrs。　Peyton　had　lived　long　enough　on　the

frontier　to　know　the　magic　power　of　POSSESSION。　　Susy　already　was

old　enough　to　feel　the　acute　feminine　horror　of　the　profanation　of

her　own　belongings　by　alien　hands。　　Clarence；　more　cognizant　of　the

whole　truth　than　the　others；　was　equally　silent　and　determined；　and

Mary　Rogers　was　fired　with　the　zeal　of　loyalty。



Suddenly　a　series　of　blood…curdling　yells　broke　from　the　direction

of　the　corral；　and　they　stopped。　　But　Clarence　at　once　recognized

the　well…known　war…whoop　imitation　of　Jim　Hooker；infinitely　more

gruesome　and　appalling　than　the　genuine　aboriginal　challenge。　　A

half　dozen　shots　fired　in　quick　succession　had　evidently　the　same

friendly　origin。



〃Now　is　our　time；〃　said　Clarence　eagerly。　　〃We　must　run　for　the

house。〃



They　had　fortunately　reached　by　this　time　the　angle　of　the　adobe

wall　of　the　casa；　and　the　long　afternoon　shadows　of　the　building

were　in　their　favor。　　They　pressed　forward　eagerly　with　the　sounds

of　Jim　Hooker's　sham　encounter　still　in　their　ears；　mingled　with

answering　shouts　of　defiance　from　strange　voices　within　the　building

towards　the　front。



They　rapidly　skirted　the　wall；　even　passing　boldly　before　the　back

gateway；　which　seemed　empty　and　deserted；　and　the　next　moment　stood

beside　the　narrow　window　of　the　boudoir。　　Clarence's　surmises　were

correct；　the　iron　grating　was　not　only　loose；　but　yielded　to　a

vigorous　wrench；　the　vine　itself　acting　as　a　lever　to　pull　out　the

rusty　bars。　　The　young　man　held　out　his　hand；　but　Mrs。　Peyton；　with

the　sudden　agility　of　a　young　girl；　leaped　into　the　window；　followed

by　Mary　and　Susy。　　The　inner　casement　yielded　to　her　touch；　the　next

moment　they　were　within　the　room。　　Then　Mrs。　Peyton's　flushed　and

triumphant　face　reappeared　at　the　window。



〃It's　all　right；　the　men　are　all　in　the　courtyard；　or　in　the　front

of　the　house。　　The　boudoir　door　is　strong；　and　we　can　bolt　them

out。〃



〃It　won't　be　necessary；〃　said　Clarence　quietly；　〃you　will　not　be

disturbed。〃



〃But　are　you　not　coming　in？〃　she　asked　timidly；　holding　the　window

open。



Clarence　looked　at　her　with　his　first　faint　smile　since　Peyton's

death。



〃Of　course　I　am；　but　not　in　THAT　way。　　I　am　going　in　by　THE　FRONT

GATE。〃



She　would　have　detained　him；　but；　with　a　quick　wave　of　his　hand；　he

left　her；　and　ran　swiftly　around　the　wall　of　the　casa　toward　the

front。　　The　gate　was　half　open；　a　dozen　excited　men　were　gathered

before　it　and　in　the　archway；　and　among　them；　whitened　with　dust；

blackened　with　powder；　and　apparently　glutted　with　rapine；　and　still

holding　a　revolver　in　his　hand；　was　Jim　Hooker！　　As　Clarence

approached；　the　men　quickly　retreated　inside　the　gate　and　closed　it；

but　not　before　he　had　exchanged　a　meaning　glance　with　Jim。　　When　he

reached　the　gate；　a　man　from　within　roughly　demanded　his　business。



〃I　wish　to　see　the　leader　of　this　party；〃　said　Clarence　quietly。



〃I　reckon　you　do；〃　returned　the　man；　with　a　short　laugh。　　〃But　I

kalkilate　HE　don't　return　the　compliment。〃



〃He　probably　will　when　he　reads　this　note　to　his　employer；〃

continued　Clarence　still　coolly；　selecting　a　paper　from　his

pocketbook。　　It　was　addressed　to　Francisco　Robles；　Superintendent　of

the　Sisters'　Title；　and　directed　him　to　give　Mr。　Clarence　Brant　free

access　to　the　property　and　the　fullest　information　concerning　it。

The　man　took　it；　glanced　at　it；　looked　again　at　Clarence；　and　then

passed　the　paper　to　a　third　man　among　the　group　in　the　courtyard。

The　latter　read　it；　and　approached　the　gate　carelessly。



〃Well；　what　do　you　want？〃



〃I　am　afraid　you　have　the　advantage　of　me　in　being　able　to　transact

business　through　bars；〃　said　Clarence；　with　slow　but　malevolent

distinctness；　〃and　as　mine　is　important；　I　think　you　had　better　open

the　gate　to　me。〃



The　slight　laugh　that　his　speech　had　evoked　from　the　bystanders　was

checked　as　the　leader　retorted　angrily：



〃That's　all　very　well；　but　how　do　I　know　that　you're　the　man

represented　in　that　letter？　　Pancho　Robles　may　know　you；　but　I

don't。〃



〃That　you　can　find　out　very　easily；〃　said　Clarence。　　〃There　is　a　man

among　your　party　who　knows　me；Mr。　Hooker。　　Ask　him。〃



The　man　turned；　with　a　quick　mingling　of　surprise　and　suspicion；　to

the　gloomy；　imperturbable　Hooker。　　Clarence　could　not　hear　the　reply

of　that　young　gentleman；　but　it　was　evidently　not　wanting　in　his

usual　dark；　enigmatical　exaggeration。　　The　man　surlily　opened　the

gate。



〃All　the　same；〃　he　said；　still　glancing　suspiciously　at　Hooker；　〃I

don't　see　what　HE'S　got　to　do　with　you。〃



〃A　great　deal；〃　said　Clarence；　entering　the　courtyard；　and　stepping

into　the　veranda；　〃HE'S　ONE　OF　MY　TENANTS。〃



〃Your　WHAT？〃　said　the　man；　with　a　coarse　laugh　of　incredulity。



〃My　tenants；〃　repeated　Clarence；　glancing　around　the　courtyard

carelessly。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　relieved　to　notice　that　the　three

or　four　Mexicans　of　the　party　did　not　seem　to　be　old　retainers　of

the　rancho。　　There　was　no　evidence　of　the　internal　treachery　he　had

feared。



〃Your　TENANTS！〃　echoed　the　man；　with　an　uneasy　glance　at　the　faces

of　the　others。



〃Yes；〃　said　Clarence；　with　business　brevity；　〃and；　for　the　matter　of

that；　although　I　have　no　reason　to　be　particularly　proud　of　it；　SO

ARE　YOU　ALL。　　You　ask　my　business　here。　　It　seems　to　be　the　same　as

yours；to　hold　possession　of　this　house！　　With　this　difference；

however；〃　he　continued；　taking　a　document　from　his　pocket。　　〃Here　is

the　certificate；　signed　by　the　County　Clerk；　of　the　bill　of　sale　of

the　entire　Sisters'　title　to　ME。　　It　includes　the　whole　two　leagues

from　Fair　Plains　to　the　old　boundary　line　of　this　rancho；　which　you

forcibly　entered　this　morning。　　There　is　the　document；　examine　it　if

you　like。　　The　only　shadow　of　a　claim　you　could　have　to　this

property　you　would　have　to　derive　from　ME。　　The　only　excuse　you

could　have　for　this　act　of　lawlessness　would　be　orders　from　ME。　　And

all　that　you　have　done　this　morning　is　only　the　assertion　of　MY

legal　right　to　this　house。　　If　I　disavow　your　act；　as　I　might；　I

leave　you　as　helpless　as　any　tramp　that　was　ever　kicked　from　a

doorstep；as　any　burglar　that　was　ever　collared　on　the　fence　by　a

constable。〃



It　was　the　truth。　　There　was　no　denying　the　authority　of　the

document；　the　facts　of　the　situation；　or　its　ultimate　power　and

significance。　　There　was　consternation；　stupefaction；　and　even　a

half…humorous　recognition　of　the　absurdity　of　their　position　on　most

of　the　faces　around　him。　　Incongruous　as　the　scene　was；　it　was　made

still　more　grotesque　by　the　attitude　of　Jim　Hooker。　　Ruthlessly

abandoning　the　party　of　convicted　trespassers；　he　stalked　gloomily

over　to　the　side　of　Clarence；　with　the　air　of　having　been　all　the

time　scornfully　in　the　secret　and　a　mien　of　wearied　victoriousness；

and　thus　halting；　he　disdainfully　expectorated　tobacco　juice　on　the

ground　between　him　and　his　late　companions；　as　if　to　form　a　line　of

demarcation。　　The　few　Mexicans　began　to　edge　towards　the　gateway。

This　defection　of　his　followers　recalled　the　leader；　who　was　no

coward；　to　himself　again。



〃Shut　the　gate；　there！〃　he　shouted。



As　its　two　sides　clashed　together　again；　he　turned　deliberately　to

Clarence。



〃That's　all　very　well；　young　man；　as　regards　the　TITLE。　　You　may

have　BOUGHT　up　the　land；　and　legally　own　every　square　inch　of

howling　wilderness　between　this　and　San　Francisco；　and　I　wish　you

joy　of　your　dd　fool's　barga