susy, a story of the plains-第2章

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manners　and　refined　tastes。　　His　father's　money；　which　they　say　was

an　investment　for　him　in　Carson's　Bank　five　years　ago；　is　as　good　as

any　one's；　and　his　father's　blood　won't　hurt　him　in　California　or

the　Southwest。　　At　least；　he　is　received　everywhere；　and　Don　Juan

Robinson　was　his　guardian。　　Indeed；　as　far　as　social　status　goes；　it

might　be　a　serious　question　if　the　actual　daughter　of　the　late　John

Silsbee；　of　Pike　County；　and　the　adopted　child　of　John　Peyton　was　in

the　least　his　superior。　　As　Father　Sobriente　evidently　knew

Clarence's　former　companionship　with　Susy　and　her　parents；　it　would

be　hardly　politic　for　us　to　ignore　it　or　seem　to　be　ashamed　of　it。

So　I　intrusted　Sobriente　with　an　invitation　to　young　Brant　on　the

spot。〃



Mrs。　Peyton's　impatience；　indignation；　and　opposition；　which　had

successively　given　way　before　her　husband's　quiet；　masterful　good

humor；　here　took　the　form　of　a　neurotic　fatalism。　　She　shook　her

head　with　superstitious　resignation。



〃Didn't　I　tell　you；　John；　that　I　always　had　a　dread　of　something

coming〃



〃But　if　it　comes　in　the　shape　of　a　shy　young　lad；　I　see　nothing

singularly　portentous　in　it。　　They　have　not　met　since　they　were

quite　small；　their　tastes　have　changed；　if　they　don't　quarrel　and

fight　they　may　be　equally　bored　with　each　other。　　Yet　until　then；　in

one　way　or　another；　Clarence　will　occupy　the　young　lady's　vacant

caprice；　and　her　school　friend；　Mary　Rogers；　will　be　here；　you　know；

to　divide　his　attentions；　and；〃　added　Peyton；　with　mock　solemnity；

preserve　the　interest　of　strict　propriety。　　Shall　I　break　it　to

her；or　will　you？〃



〃No；yes；〃　hesitated　Mrs。　Peyton；　〃perhaps　I　had　better。〃



〃Very　well；　I　leave　his　character　in　your　hands；　only　don't

prejudice　her　into　a　romantic　fancy　for　him。〃　　And　Judge　Peyton

lounged　smilingly　away。



Then　two　little　tears　forced　themselves　from　Mrs。　Peyton's　eyes。

Again　she　saw　that　prospect　of　uninterrupted　companionship　with

Susy；　upon　which　each　successive　year　she　had　built　so　many　maternal

hopes　and　confidences；　fade　away　before　her。　　She　dreaded　the　coming

of　Susy's　school　friend；　who　shared　her　daughter's　present　thoughts

and　intimacy；　although　she　had　herself　invited　her　in　a　more

desperate　dread　of　the　child's　abstracted；　discontented　eyes；　she

dreaded　the　advent　of　the　boy　who　had　shared　Susy's　early　life

before　she　knew　her；　she　dreaded　the　ordeal　of　breaking　the　news　and

perhaps　seeing　that　pretty　animation　spring　into　her　eyes；　which　she

had　begun　to　believe　no　solicitude　or　tenderness　of　her　own　ever

again　awakened；and　yet　she　dreaded　still　more　that　her　husband

should　see　it　too。　　For　the　love　of　this　recreated　woman；　although

not　entirely　materialized　with　her　changed　fibre；　had　nevertheless

become　a　coarser　selfishness　fostered　by　her　loneliness　and　limited

experience。　　The　maternal　yearning　left　unsatisfied　by　the　loss　of

her　first…born　had　never　been　filled　by　Susy's　thoughtless

acceptance　of　it；　she　had　been　led　astray　by　the　child's　easy

transference　of　dependence　and　the　forgetfulness　of　youth；　and　was

only　now　dimly　conscious　of　finding　herself　face　to　face　with　an

alien　nature。



She　started　to　her　feet　and　followed　the　direction　that　Susy　had

taken。　　For　a　moment　she　had　to　front　the　afternoon　trade　wind　which

chilled　her　as　it　swept　the　plain　beyond　the　gateway；　but　was

stopped　by　the　adobe　wall；　above　whose　shelter　the　stunted　treetops

through　years　of　exposureslanted　as　if　trimmed　by　gigantic

shears。　　At　first；　looking　down　the　venerable　alley　of　fantastic；

knotted　shapes；　she　saw　no　trace　of　Susy。　　But　half　way　down　the

gleam　of　a　white　skirt　against　a　thicket　of　dark　olives　showed　her

the　young　girl　sitting　on　a　bench　in　a　neglected　arbor。　　In　the

midst　of　this　formal　and　faded　pageantry　she　looked　charmingly

fresh；　youthful；　and　pretty；　and　yet　the　unfortunate　woman　thought

that　her　attitude　and　expression　at　that　moment　suggested　more　than

her　fifteen　years　of　girlhood。　　Her　golden　hair　still　hung

unfettered　over　her　straight；　boy…like　back　and　shoulders；　her　short

skirt　still　showed　her　childish　feet　and　ankles；　yet　there　seemed　to

be　some　undefined　maturity　or　a　vague　womanliness　about　her　that

stung　Mrs。　Peyton's　heart。　　The　child　was　growing　away　from　her；

too！



〃Susy！〃



The　young　girl　raised　her　head　quickly；　her　deep　violet　eyes　seemed

also　to　leap　with　a　sudden　suspicion；　and　with　a　half…mechanical；

secretive　movement；　that　might　have　been　only　a　schoolgirl's

instinct；　her　right　hand　had　slipped　a　paper　on　which　she　was

scribbling　between　the　leaves　of　her　book。　　Yet　the　next　moment；

even　while　looking　interrogatively　at　her　mother；　she　withdrew　the

paper　quietly；　tore　it　up　into　small　pieces；　and　threw　them　on　the

ground。



But　Mrs。　Peyton　was　too　preoccupied　with　her　news　to　notice　the

circumstance；　and　too　nervous　in　her　haste　to　be　tactful。　　〃Susy；

your　father　has　invited　that　boy；　Clarence　Brant；you　know　that

creature　we　picked　up　and　assisted　on　the　plains；　when　you　were　a

mere　baby；to　come　down　here　and　make　us　a　visit。〃



Her　heart　seemed　to　stop　beating　as　she　gazed　breathlessly　at　the

girl。　　But　Susy's　face；　unchanged　except　for　the　alert；　questioning

eyes；　remained　fixed　for　a　moment；　then　a　childish　smile　of　wonder

opened　her　small　red　mouth；　expanded　it　slightly　as　she　said

simply：



〃Lor；　mar！　　He　hasn't；　really！〃



Inexpressibly；　yet　unreasonably　reassured；　Mrs。　Peyton　hurriedly

recounted　her　husband's　story　of　Clarence's　fortune；　and　was　even

joyfully　surprised　into　some　fairness　of　statement。



〃But　you　don't　remember　him　much；　do　you；　dear？　　It　was　so　long　ago；

andyou　are　quite　a　young　lady　now；〃　she　added　eagerly。



The　open　mouth　was　still　fixed；　the　wondering　smile　would　have　been

idiotic　in　any　face　less　dimpled；　rosy；　and　piquant　than　Susy's。

After　a　slight　gasp；　as　if　in　still　incredulous　and　partly

reminiscent　preoccupation；　she　said　without　replying：



〃How　funny！　　When　is　he　coming？〃



〃Day　after　to…morrow；〃　returned　Mrs。　Peyton；　with　a　contented　smile。



〃And　Mary　Rogers　will　be　here；　too。　　It　will　be　real　fun　for　her。〃



Mrs。　Peyton　was　more　than　reassured。　　Half　ashamed　of　her　jealous

fears；　she　drew　Susy's　golden　head　towards　her　and　kissed　it。　　And

the　young　girl；　still　reminiscent；　with　smilingly　abstracted

toleration；　returned　the　caress。





CHAPTER　II。





It　was　not　thought　inconsistent　with　Susy's　capriciousness　that　she

should　declare　her　intention　the　next　morning　of　driving　her　pony

buggy　to　Santa　Inez　to　anticipate　the　stage…coach　and　fetch　Mary

Rogers　from　the　station。　　Mrs。　Peyton；　as　usual；　supported　the　young

lady's　whim　and　opposed　her　husband's　objections。



〃Because　the　stage…coach　happens　to　pass　our　gate；　John；　it　is　no

reason　why　Susy　shouldn't　drive　her　friend　from　Santa　Inez　if　she

prefers　it。　　It's　only　seven　miles；　and　you　can　send　Pedro　to　follow

her　on　horseback　to　see　that　she　comes　to　no　harm。〃



〃But　that　isn't　Pedro's　business；〃　said　Peyton。



〃He　ought　to　be　proud　of　the　privilege；〃　returned　the　lady；　with　a

toss　of　her　head。



Peyton　smiled　grimly；　but　yielded；　and　when　the　stage…coach　drew　up

the　next　afternoon　at　the　Santa　Inez　Hotel；　Susy　was　already　waiting

in　her　pony　carriage　before　it。　　Although　the　susceptible　driver；

expressman；　and　passengers　generally；　charmed　with　this　golden…

haired　vision；　would　have　gladly　protracted　the　meeting　of　the　two

young　friends；　the　transfer　of　Mary　Rogers　from　the　coach　to　the

carriage　was　effected　with　considerable　hauteur　and　youthful　dignity

by　Susy。　　Even　Mary　Rogers；　two　years　Susy's　senior；　a　serious

brunette；　whose　good…humor　did　not；　however；　impair　her　capacity　for

sentiment；　was　impressed　and　even　embarrassed　by　her　demeanor；　but

only　for　a　moment。　　When　they　had　driven　from　the　hotel　and　were

fairly　hidden　again　in　the　dust　of　the　outlying　plain；　with　the

discreet　Pedro　hovering　in　the　distance；　Susy　dropped　the　reins；

and；　grasping　her　companion's　arm；　gasped；　in　tones　of　dramatic

intensity：



〃He's　been　heard　from；　and　is　coming　HERE！〃



〃Who？〃



A　sickening　sense　that　her　old　confidante　had　already　lost　touch

with　herthey　had　been　separated　for　nearly　two　weeksmight　have

passed　through　Susy's　mind。



〃Who？〃　she　repeated；　with　a　vicious　shake　of　Mary's　arm；　〃why；

Clarence　Brant；　of　course。〃



〃No！〃　said　Mary；　vaguely。



Nevertheless；　Susy　went　on　rapidly；　as　if　to　neutralize　the　effect

of　her　comrade's　vacuity。



〃You　never　could　have　imagined　it！　　Never！　　Even　I；　when　mother　told

me；　I　thought　I　should　have　fainted；　and　ALL　would　have　been

revealed！〃



〃But；〃　hesitated　the　still　wondering　confidante；　〃I　thought　that　was

all　over　long　ago。　　You　haven't　seen　him　nor　heard　from　him　since

that　day　you　met　accidentally　at　Santa　Clara；　two　years　ago；　have

you？〃



Susy's　eyes　shot　a　blue　ray　of　dark　but　unutterable　significance

into　Mary's；　and　then　were　carefully　averted。　　Mary　Rogers；　although

perfectly　satisfied　that　Susy　had　never　seen　Clarence　since；

nevertheless　instantly　accepted　and　was　even　thrilled　with　this

artful　suggestion　of　a　clandestine　correspondence。　　Such　was　the

simple　faith　of　youthful　friendship。



〃Mother　knows　nothing　of　it；　of　course；　and　a　word　from　you　or　him

would　ruin　everything；〃　continued　the　breathless　Susy。　　〃That's　why

I　came　to　fetch　you　and　warn　you。　　You　must　see　him　first；　and　warn

him　at　any　cost。　　If　I　hadn't　run　every　risk　to　come　here　to…day；

Heaven　knows　what　might　have　happened！　　What　do　you　think　of　the

ponies；　dear？　　They're　my　own；　and　the　sweetest！　　This　one's　Susy；

that　one　Clarence；but　privately；　you　know。　　Before　the　world　and

in　the　stables　he's　only　Birdie。〃



〃But　I　thought　you　wrote　to　me　that　you　called　them　'Paul　and

Virginie；'〃　said　Mary　doubtfully。



〃I　do；　sometimes；〃　said　Susy　calmly。　　〃But　one　has　to　learn　to

suppress　one's　feelings；　dear！〃　　Then　quickly；　〃I　do　so　hate　deceit；

don't　you？　　Tell　me；　don't　you　think　deceit　perfectly　hateful？〃



Without　waiting　for　her　friend's　loyal　assent；　she　continued

rapidly：　〃And　he's　just　rolling　in　wealth！　and　educated；　papa　says；

to　the　highest　degree！〃



〃Then；〃　began　Mary；　〃if　he's　coming　with　your　mother's　consent；　and

if　you　haven't　quarreled；　and　it　is　not　broken　off；　I　should　think

you'd　be　just　delighted。〃



But　another　quick　flash　from　Susy's　eyes　dispersed　these　beatific

visions　of　the　future。　　〃Hush！〃　she　said；　with　suppressed　dramatic

intensity。　　〃You　know　not　what　you　say！　　There's　an　awful　mystery

hangs　over　him。　　Mary　Rogers；〃　continued　the　young　girl；　approaching

her　small　mouth　to　her　confidante's　ear　in　an　appalling　whisper。

〃His　father　wasa　PIRATE！　Yeslived　a　pirate　and　was　killed　a

pirate！〃



The　statement；　however；　seemed　to　be　partly　ineffective。　　Mary

Rogers　was　star