susy, a story of the plains-第17章

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evaporated；　yet；　notwithstanding　Mrs。　Peyton's　playful　permission；

he　never　intruded　upon　the　sanctity　of　the　boudoir；　and　kept　it

jealously　locked。



He　was　sitting　in　Peyton's　business　room　one　morning；　when

Incarnacion　entered。　　Clarence　had　taken　a　fancy　to　this　Indian；

half　steward；　half　vacquero；　who　had　reciprocated　it　with　a　certain

dog…like　fidelity；　but　also　a　feline　indirectness　that　was　part　of

his　nature。　　He　had　been　early　prepossessed　with　Clarence　through　a

kinsman　at　El　Refugio；　where　the　young　American's　generosity　had

left　a　romantic　record　among　the　common　people。　　He　had　been　pleased

to　approve　of　his　follies　before　the　knowledge　of　his　profitless　and

lordly　land　purchase　had　commended　itself　to　him　as　corroborative

testimony。　　〃Of　true　hidalgo　blood；　mark　you；〃　he　had　said

oracularly。　　〃Wherefore　was　his　father　sacrificed　by　mongrels！　　As

to　the　others；　believe　me；bah！〃



He　stood　there；　sombrero　in　hand；　murky　and　confidential；　steaming

through　his　soaked　serape　and　exhaling　a　blended　odor　of　equine

perspiration　and　cigarette　smoke。



〃It　was；　perhaps；　as　the　master　had　noticed；　a　brigand's　own　day！

Bullying；　treacherous；　and　wicked！　　It　blew　you　off　your　horse　if

you　so　much　as　lifted　your　arms　and　let　the　wind　get　inside　your

serape；　and　as　for　the　mud；caramba！　in　fifty　varas　your　forelegs

were　like　bears；　and　your　hoofs　were　earthen　plasters！〃



Clarence　knew　that　Incarnacion　had　not　sought　him　with　mere

meteorological　information；　and　patiently　awaited　further

developments。　　The　vacquero　went　on：



〃But　one　of　the　things　this　beast　of　a　weather　did　was　to　wash　down

the　stalks　of　the　grain；　and　to　clear　out　the　trough　and　hollows

between；　and　to　make　level　the　fields；　andlook　you！　to　uncover　the

stones　and　rubbish　and　whatever　the　summer　dust　had　buried。　　Indeed；

it　was　even　as　a　miracle　that　Jose　Mendez　one　day；　after　the　first

showers；　came　upon　a　silver　button　from　his　calzas；　which　he　had

lost　in　the　early　summer。　　And　it　was　only　that　morning　that；

remembering　how　much　and　with　what　fire　Don　Clarencio　had　sought　the

missing　boot　from　the　foot　of　the　Senor　Peyton　when　his　body　was

found；　he；　Incarnacion；　had　thought　he　would　look　for　it　on　the

falda　of　the　second　terrace。　　And　behold；　Mother　of　God　it　was

there！　　Soaked　with　mud　and　rain；　but　the　same　as　when　the　senor　was

alive。　　To　the　very　spur！〃



He　drew　the　boot　from　beneath　his　serape　and　laid　it　before

Clarence。　　The　young　man　instantly　recognized　it；　in　spite　of　its

weather…beaten　condition　and　its　air　of　grotesque　and　drunken

inconsistency　to　the　usually　trim　and　correct　appearance　of　Peyton

when　alive。　　〃It　is　the　same；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Good！〃　said　Incarnacion。　　〃Now；　if　Don　Clarencio　will　examine　the

American　spur；　he　will　seewhat？　　A　few　horse…hairs　twisted　and

caught　in　the　sharp　points　of　the　rowel。　　Good！　　Is　it　the　hair　of

the　horse　that　Senor　rode？　　Clearly　not；　and　in　truth　not。　　It　is

too　long　for　the　flanks　and　belly　of　the　horse；　it　is　not　the　same

color　as　the　tail　and　the　mane。　　How　comes　it　there？　　It　comes　from

the　twisted　horsehair　rope　of　a　riata；　and　not　from　the　braided

cowhide　thongs　of　the　regular　lasso　of　a　vacquero。　　The　lasso　slips

not　much；　but　holds；　the　riata　slips　much　and　strangles。〃



〃But　Mr。　Peyton　was　not　strangled；〃　said　Clarence　quickly。



〃No；　for　the　noose　of　the　riata　was　perhaps　large；who　knows？　　It

might　have　slipped　down　his　arms；　pinioned　him；　and　pulled　him　off。

Truly！such　has　been　known　before。　　Then　on　the　ground　it　slipped

again；　or　he　perhaps　worked　it　off　to　his　feet　where　it　caught　on

his　spur；　and　then　he　was　dragged　until　the　boot　came　off；　and

behold！　he　was　dead。〃



This　had　been　Clarence's　own　theory　of　the　murder；　but　he　had　only

half　confided　it　to　Incarnacion。　　He　silently　examined　the　spur　with

the　accusing　horse…hair；　and　placed　it　in　his　desk。　　Incarnacion

continued：



〃There　is　not　a　vacquero　in　the　whole　rancho　who　has　a　horse…hair

riata。　　We　use　the　braided　cowhide；　it　is　heavier　and　stronger；　it

is　for　the　bull　and　not　the　man。　　The　horse…hair　riata　comes　from

over　the　rangesouth。〃



There　was　a　dead　silence；　broken　only　by　the　drumming　of　the　rain

upon　the　roof　of　the　veranda。　　Incarnacion　slightly　shrugged　his

shoulders。



〃Don　Clarencio　does　not　know　the　southern　county？　　Francisco　Robles；

cousin　of　the　'Sisters；'he　they　call　'Pancho；'comes　from　the

south。　　Surely　when　Don　Clarencio　bought　the　title　he　saw　Francisco；

for　he　was　the　steward？〃



〃I　dealt　only　with　the　actual　owners　and　through　my　bankers　in　San

Francisco；〃　returned　Clarence　abstractedly。



Incarnacion　looked　through　the　yellow　corners　of　his　murky　eyes　at

his　master。



〃Pedro　Valdez；　who　was　sent　away　by　Senor　Peyton；　is　the　foster…

brother　of　Francisco。　　They　were　much　together。　　Now　that　Francisco

is　rich　from　the　gold　Don　Clarencio　paid　for　the　title；　they　come

not　much　together。　　But　Pedro　is　rich；　too。　　Mother　of　God！　　He

gambles　and　is　a　fine　gentleman。　　He　holds　his　head　high；even　over

the　Americanos　he　gambles　with。　　Truly；　they　say　he　can　shoot　with

the　best　of　them。　　He　boasts　and　swells　himself；　this　Pedro！　　He

says　if　all　the　old　families　were　like　him；　they　would　drive　those

western　swine　back　over　the　mountains　again。〃



Clarence　raised　his　eyes；　caught　a　subtle　yellow　flash　from

Incarnacion's；　gazed　at　him　suddenly；　and　rose。



〃I　don't　think　I　have　ever　seen　him；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃Thank　you

for　bringing　me　the　spur。　　But　keep　the　knowledge　of　it　to　yourself；

good　Nascio；　for　the　present。〃



Nascio　nevertheless　still　lingered。　　Perceiving　which；　Clarence

handed　him　a　cigarette　and　proceeded　to　light　one　himself。　　He　knew

that　the　vacquero　would　reroll　his；　and　that　that　always　deliberate

occupation　would　cover　and　be　an　excuse　for　further　confidence。



〃The　Senora　Peyton　does　not　perhaps　meet　this　Pedro　in　the　society

of　San　Francisco？〃



〃Surely　not。　　The　senora　is　in　mourning　and　goes　not　out　in　society；

nor　would　she　probably　go　anywhere　where　she　would　meet　a　dismissed

servant　of　her　husband。〃



Incarnacion　slowly　lit　his　cigarette；　and　said　between　the　puffs；

〃And　the　senoritashe　would　not　meet　him？〃



〃Assuredly　not。〃



〃And；〃　continued　Incarnacion；　throwing　down　the　match　and　putting

his　foot　on　it；　〃if　this　boaster；　this　turkey…cock；　says　she　did；

you　could　put　him　out　like　that？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Clarence；　with　an　easy　confidence　he　was；　however；

far　from　feeling；　〃if　he　really　SAID　itwhich　I　doubt。〃



〃Ah；　truly；〃　said　Incarnacion；　〃who　knows？　　It　may　be　another

Senorita　Silsbee。〃



〃The　senora's　adopted　daughter　is　called　MISS　PEYTON；　friend　Nascio。

You　forget　yourself；〃　said　Clarence　quietly。



〃Ah；　pardon！〃　said　Incarnacion　with　effusive　apology；　〃but　she　was

born　Silsbee。　　Everybody　knows　it；　she　herself　has　told　it　to

Pepita。　　The　Senor　Peyton　bequeathed　his　estate　to　the　Senora

Peyton。　　He　named　not　the　senorita！　　Eh；　what　would　you？　　It　is　the

common　cackle　of　the　barnyard。　　But　I　say　'Mees　Silsbee。'　　For　look

you。　　There　is　a　Silsbee　of　Sacramento；　the　daughter　of　her　aunt；

who　writes　letters　to　her。　　Pepita　has　seen　them！　　And　possibly　it

is　only　that　Mees　of　whom　the　brigand　Pedro　boasts。〃



〃Possibly；〃　said　Clarence；　〃but　as　far　as　this　rancho　is　concerned；

friend　Nascio；　thou　wilt　understandand　I　look　to　thee　to　make　the

others　understandthat　there　is　no　Senorita　SILSBEE　here；　only　the

Senorita　PEYTON；　the　respected　daughter　of　the　senora　thy　mistress！〃

He　spoke　with　the　quaint　mingling　of　familiarity　and　paternal

gravity　of　the　Spanish　mastera　faculty　he　had　acquired　at　El

Refugio　in　a　like　vicarious　position；　and　which　never　failed　as　a

sign　of　authority。　　〃And　now；〃　he　added　gravely；　〃get　out　of　this；

friend；　with　God's　blessing；　and　see　that　thou　rememberest　what　I

told　thee。〃



The　retainer；　with　equal　gravity；　stepped　backwards；　saluted　with

his　sombrero　until　the　stiff　brim　scraped　the　floor；　and　then

solemnly　withdrew。



Left　to　himself；　Clarence　remained　for　an　instant　silent　and

thoughtful　before　the　oven…like　hearth。　　So！　everybody　knew　Susy's

real　relations　to　the　Peytons；　and　everybody　but　Mrs。　Peyton；

perhaps；　knew　that　she　was　secretly　corresponding　with　some　one　of

her　own　family。　　In　other　circumstances　he　might　have　found　some

excuse　for　this　assertion　of　her　independence　and　love　of　her

kindred；　but　in　her　attitude　towards　Mrs。　Peyton　it　seemed

monstrous。　　It　appeared　impossible　that　Mrs。　Peyton　should　not　have

heard　of　it；　or　suspected　the　young　girl's　disaffection。　　Perhaps

she　had；it　was　another　burden　laid　upon　her　shoulders；but　the

proud　woman　had　kept　it　to　herself。　　A　film　of　moisture　came　across

his　eyes。　　I　fear　he　thought　less　of　the　suggestion　of　Susy's　secret

meeting　with　Pedro；　or　Incarnacion's　implied　suspicions　that　Pedro

was　concerned　in　Peyton's　death；　than　of　this　sentimental

possibility。　　He　knew　that　Pedro　had　been　hated　by　the　others　on

account　of　his　position；　he　knew　the　instinctive　jealousies　of　the

race　and　their　predisposition　to　extravagant　misconstruction。　　From

what　he　had　gathered；　and　particularly　from　the　voices　he　had

overheard　on　the　Fair　Plains　Road；　it　seemed　to　him　that　Pedro　was

more　capable　of　mercenary　intrigue　than　physical　revenge。　　He　was

not　aware　of　the　irrevocable　affront　put　upon　Pedro　by　Peyton；　and

he　had　consequently　attached　no　importance　to　Peyton's　own　half…

scornful　intimation　of　the　only　kind　of　retaliation　that　Pedro　would

be　likely　to　take。　　The　unsuccessful　attempt　upon　himself　he　had

always　thought　might　have　been　an　accident；　or　if　it　was　really　a

premeditated　assault；　it　might　have　been　intended　actually　for

HIMSELF　and　not　Peyton；　as　he　had　first　thought；　and　his　old　friend

had　suffered　for　HIM；　through　some　mistake　of　the　assailant。　　The

purpose；　which　alone　seemed　wanting；　might　have　been　to　remove

Clarence　as　a　possible　witness　who　had　overheard　their　conspiracy

how　much　of　it　they　did　not　knowon　the　Fair　Plains　Road　that

night。　　The　only　clue　he　held　to　the　murderer　in　the　spur　locked　in

his　desk；　merely　led　him　beyond　the　confines　of　the　rancho；　but

definitely　nowhere　else。　　It　was；　however；　some　relief　to　know　that

the　crime　was　not　committed　by　one　of　Peyton's　retainers；　nor　the

outcome　of　domestic　treachery。



After　some　consideration　he　resolved　to　seek　Jim　Hooker；　who　might

be　possessed　of　some　information　respecting　Susy's　relations；　either

from　the　young　girl's　own　confidences　or　from　Jim's　personal

knowledge　of　the　old　frontier　families。　　From　a　sense　of　loyalty　to

Susy　and　Mrs。　Peyton；　he　had　never　alluded　to　the　subject　before

him；　but　since　the　young　girl's　own　indiscretion　had　made　it　a

matter　of　common　report；　however　distasteful　it　was　to　his　own

feelings；　he　felt　he　could　not　plead　the