susy, a story of the plains-第18章

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

feelings；　he　felt　he　could　not　plead　the　sense　of　delicacy　for　her。

He　had　great　hopes　in　what　he　had　always　believed　was　only　her

exaggeration　of　fact　as　well　as　feeling。　　And　he　had　an　instinctive

reliance　on　her　fellow　poseur's　ability　to　detect　it。　　A　few　days

later；　when　he　found　he　could　safely　leave　the　rancho　alone；　he　rode

to　Fair　Plains。



The　floods　were　out　along　the　turnpike　road；　and　even　seemed　to　have

increased　since　his　last　journey。　　The　face　of　the　landscape　had

changed　again。　　One　of　the　lower　terraces　had　become　a　wild　mere　of

sedge　and　reeds。　　The　dry　and　dusty　bed　of　a　forgotten　brook　had

reappeared；　a　full…banked　river；　crossing　the　turnpike　and

compelling　a　long　detour　before　the　traveler　could　ford　it。　　But　as

he　approached　the　Hopkins　farm　and　the　opposite　clearing　and　cabin

of　Jim　Hooker；　he　was　quite　unprepared　for　a　still　more　remarkable

transformation。　　The　cabin；　a　three…roomed　structure；　and　its

cattle…shed　had　entirely　disappeared！　　There　were　no　traces　or　signs

of　inundation。　　The　land　lay　on　a　gentle　acclivity　above　the　farm

and　secure　from　the　effects　of　the　flood；　and　a　part　of　the　ploughed

and　cleared　land　around　the　site　of　the　cabin　showed　no　evidence　of

overflow　on　its　black；　upturned　soil。　　But　the　house　was　gone！　　Only

a　few　timbers　too　heavy　to　be　removed；　the　blighting　erasions　of　a

few　months　of　occupation；　and　the　dull；　blackened　area　of　the　site

itself　were　to　be　seen。　　The　fence　alone　was　intact。



Clarence　halted　before　it；　perplexed　and　astonished。　　Scarcely　two

weeks　had　elapsed　since　he　had　last　visited　it　and　sat　beneath　its

roof　with　Jim；　and　already　its　few　ruins　had　taken　upon　themselves

the　look　of　years　of　abandonment　and　decay。　　The　wild　land　seemed　to

have　thrown　off　its　yoke　of　cultivation　in　a　night；　and　nature

rioted　again　with　all　its　primal　forces　over　the　freed　soil。　　Wild

oats　and　mustard　were　springing　already　in　the　broken　furrows；　and

lank　vines　were　slimily　spreading　over　a　few　scattered　but　still

unseasoned　and　sappy　shingles。　　Some　battered　tin　cans　and　fragments

of　old　clothing　looked　as　remote　as　if　they　had　been　relics　of　the

earliest　immigration。



Clarence　turned　inquiringly　towards　the　Hopkins　farmhouse　across　the

road。　　His　arrival；　however；　had　already　been　noticed；　as　the　door

of　the　kitchen　opened　in　an　anticipatory　fashion；　and　he　could　see

the　slight　figure　of　Phoebe　Hopkins　in　the　doorway；　backed　by　the

overlooking　heads　and　shoulders　of　her　parents。　　The　face　of　the

young　girl　was　pale　and　drawn　with　anxiety；　at　which　Clarence's

simple　astonishment　took　a　shade　of　concern。



〃I　am　looking　for　Mr。　Hooker；〃　he　said　uneasily。　　〃And　I　don't　seem

to　be　able　to　find　either　him　or　his　house。〃



〃And　you　don't　know　what's　gone　of　him？〃　said　the　girl　quickly。



〃No；　I　haven't　seen　him　for　two　weeks。〃



〃There；　I　told　you　so！〃　said　the　girl；　turning　nervously　to　her

parents。　　〃I　knew　it。　　He　hasn't　seen　him　for　two　weeks。〃　　Then；

looking　almost　tearfully　at　Clarence's　face；　she　said；　〃No　more　have

we。〃



〃But；〃　said　Clarence　impatiently；　〃something　must　have　happened。

Where　is　his　house？〃



〃Taken　away　by　them　jumpers；〃　interrupted　the　old　farmer；　〃a　lot　of

roughs　that　pulled　it　down　and　carted　it　off　in　a　jiffy　before　our

very　eyes　without　answerin'　a　civil　question　to　me　or　her。　　But　he

wasn't　there；　nor　before；　nor　since。〃



〃No；〃　added　the　old　woman；　with　flashing　eyes；　〃or　he'd　let　'em　have

what　ther'　was　in　his　six…shooters。〃



〃No；　he　wouldn't；　mother；〃　said　the　girl　impatiently；　〃he'd　CHANGED；

and　was　agin　all　them　ideas　of　force　and　riotin'。　　He　was　for　peace

and　law　all　the　time。　　Why；　the　day　before　we　missed　him　he　was

tellin'　me　California　never　would　be　decent　until　people　obeyed　the

laws　and　the　titles　were　settled。　　And　for　that　reason；　because　he

wouldn't　fight　agin　the　law；　or　without　the　consent　of　the　law；

they've　killed　him；　or　kidnapped　him　away。〃



The　girl's　lips　quivered；　and　her　small　brown　hands　twisted　the

edges　of　her　blue　checked　apron。　　Although　this　new　picture　of　Jim's

peacefulness　was　as　astounding　and　unsatisfactory　as　his　own

disappearance；　there　was　no　doubt　of　the　sincerity　of　poor　Phoebe's

impression。



In　vain　did　Clarence　point　out　to　them　there　must　be　some　mistake；

that　the　trespassersthe　so…called　jumpersreally　belonged　to　the

same　party　as　Hooker；　and　would　have　no　reason　to　dispossess　him；

that；　in　fact；　they　were　all　HIS；　Clarence's；　tenants。　　In　vain　he

assured　them　of　Hooker's　perfect　security　in　possession；　that　he

could　have　driven　the　intruders　away　by　the　simple　exhibition　of　his

lease；　or　that　he　could　have　even　called　a　constable　from　the　town

of　Fair　Plains　to　protect　him　from　mere　lawlessness。　　In　vain　did　he

assure　them　of　his　intention　to　find　his　missing　friend；　and

reinstate　him　at　any　cost。　　The　conviction　that　the　unfortunate

young　man　had　been　foully　dealt　with　was　fixed　in　the　minds　of　the

two　women。　　For　a　moment　Clarence　himself　was　staggered　by　it。



〃You　see；〃　said　the　young　girl；　with　a　kindling　face；　〃the　day

before　he　came　back　from　Robles；　ther'　were　some　queer　men　hangin'

round　his　cabin；　but　as　they　were　the　same　kind　that　went　off　with

him　the　day　the　Sisters'　title　was　confirmed；　we　thought　nothing　of

it。　　But　when　he　came　back　from　you　he　seemed　worried　and　anxious；

and　wasn't　a　bit　like　himself。　　We　thought　perhaps　he'd　got　into

some　trouble　there；　or　been　disappointed。　　He　hadn't；　had　he；　Mr。

Brant？〃　continued　Phoebe；　with　an　appealing　look。



〃By　no　means；〃　said　Clarence　warmly。　　〃On　the　contrary；　he　was　able

to　do　his　friends　good　service　there；　and　was　successful　in　what　he

attempted。　　Mrs。　Peyton　was　very　grateful。　　Of　course　he　told　you

what　had　happened；　and　what　he　did　for　us；〃　continued　Clarence；　with

a　smile。



He　had　already　amused　himself　on　the　way　with　a　fanciful　conception

of　the　exaggerated　account　Jim　had　given　of　his　exploits。　　But　the

bewildered　girl　shook　her　head。



〃No；　he　didn't　tell　us　ANYTHING。〃



Clarence　was　really　alarmed。　　This　unprecedented　abstention　of

Hooker's　was　portentous。



〃He　didn't　say　anything　but　what　I　told　you　about　law　and　order；〃

she　went　on；　〃but　that　same　night　we　heard　a　good　deal　of　talking

and　shouting　in　the　cabin　and　around　it。　　And　the　next　day　he　was

talking　with　father；　and　wanting　to　know　how　HE　kept　his　land

without　trouble　from　outsiders。〃



〃And　I　said；〃　broke　in　Hopkins；　〃that　I　guessed　folks　didn't　bother

a　man　with　women　folks　around；　and　that　I　kalkilated　that　I　wasn't

quite　as　notorious　for　fightin'　as　he　was。〃



〃And　he　said；〃　also　interrupted　Mrs。　Hopkins；　〃and　quite　in　his

nat'ral　way；　too；gloomy　like；　you　remember；　Cyrus；〃　appealingly　to

her　husband；〃that　that　was　his　curse。〃



The　smile　that　flickered　around　Clarence's　mouth　faded；　however；　as

he　caught　sight　of　Phoebe's　pleading；　interrogating　eyes。　　It　was

really　too　bad。　　Whatever　change　had　come　over　the　rascal　it　was　too

evident　that　his　previous　belligerent　personality　had　had　its　full

effect　upon　the　simple　girl；　and　that；　hereafter；　one　pair　of　honest

eyes　would　be　wistfully　following　him。



Perplexed　and　indignant；　Clarence　again　closely　questioned　her　as　to

the　personnel　of　the　trespassing　party　who　had　been　seen　once　or

twice　since　passing　over　the　field。　　He　had　at　last　elicited　enough

information　to　identify　one　of　them　as　Gilroy；　the　leader　of　the

party　that　had　invaded　Robles　rancho。　　His　cheek　flushed。　　Even　if

they　had　wished　to　take　a　theatrical　and　momentary　revenge　on　Hooker

for　the　passing　treachery　to　them　which　they　had　just　discovered；

although　such　retaliation　was　only　transitory；　and　they　could　not

hold　the　land；　it　was　an　insult　to　Clarence　himself；　whose　tenant

Jim　was；　and　subversive　of　all　their　legally　acquired　rights。　　He

would　confront　this　Gilroy　at　once；　his　half…wild　encampment　was

only　a　few　miles　away；　just　over　the　boundaries　of　the　Robles

estate。　　Without　stating　his　intention；　he　took　leave　of　the　Hopkins

family　with　the　cheerful　assurance　that　he　would　probably　return

with　some　news　of　Hooker；　and　rode　away。



The　trail　became　more　indistinct　and　unfrequented　as　it　diverged

from　the　main　road；　and　presently　lost　itself　in　the　slope　towards

the　east。　　The　horizon　grew　larger：　there　were　faint　bluish　lines

upon　it　which　he　knew　were　distant　mountains；　beyond　this　a　still

fainter　white　linethe　Sierran　snows。　　Presently　he　intersected　a

trail　running　south；　and　remarked　that　it　crossed　the　highway　behind

him；　where　he　had　once　met　the　two　mysterious　horsemen。　　They　had

evidently　reached　the　terrace　through　the　wild　oats　by　that　trail。

A　little　farther　on　were　a　few　groups　of　sheds　and　canvas　tents　in　a

bare　and　open　space；　with　scattered　cattle　and　horsemen；　exactly

like　an　encampment；　or　the　gathering　of　a　country　fair。　　As　Clarence

rode　down　towards　them　he　could　see　that　his　approach　was　instantly

observed；　and　that　a　simultaneous　movement　was　made　as　if　to

anticipate　him。　　For　the　first　time　he　realized　the　possible

consequences　of　his　visit；　single…handed；　but　it　was　too　late　to

retrace　his　steps。　　With　a　glance　at　his　holster；　he　rode　boldly

forward　to　the　nearest　shed。　　A　dozen　men　hovered　near　him；　but

something　in　his　quiet；　determined　manner　held　them　aloof。　　Gilroy

was　on　the　threshold　in　his　shirtsleeves。　　A　single　look　showed　him

that　Clarence　was　alone；　and　with　a　careless　gesture　of　his　hand　he

warned　away　his　own　followers。



〃You've　got　a　sort　of　easy　way　of　droppin'　in　whar　you　ain't

invited；　Brant；〃　he　said　with　a　grim　smile；　which　was　not；　however；

without　a　certain　air　of　approval。　　〃Got　it　from　your　father；　didn't

you？〃



〃I　don't　know；　but　I　don't　believe　HE　ever　thought　it　necessary　to

warn　twenty　men　of　the　approach　of　ONE；〃　replied　Clarence；　in　the

same　tone。　　〃I　had　no　time　to　stand　on　ceremony；　for　I　have　just

come　from　Hooker's　quarter　section　at　Fair　Plains。〃



Gilroy　smiled　again；　and　gazed　abstractedly　at　the　sky。



〃You　know　as　well　as　I　do；〃　said　Clarence；　controlling　his　voice

with　an　effort；　〃that　what　you　have　done　there　will　have　to　be

undone；　if　you　wish　to　hold　even　those　lawless　men　of　yours

together；　or　keep　yourself　and　them　from　being　run　into　the　brush

like　highwaymen。　　I've　no　fear　for　that。　　Neither　do　I　care　to　know

what　was　your　motive　in　doing　it；　but　I　can　only　tell　you　that　if　it

was　retaliation；　I　alone　was　and　still　am　responsible　for　Hooker's

action　at　the　rancho。　　I　came　here　to　know　just　what　you　have　done

with　him；　and；　if　necessary；　to　take　his　place。〃



〃You're　just　a　little　too　previous　in　your　talk；　I　reckon；　Brant；〃

returned　Gilroy　lazily；　〃and　as　to　legality；　I　reckon　we　stand　on

the　same　level　with　yourself；　just　here。　　Beginnin'　with　what