susy, a story of the plains-第23章

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Valdez；　with　one　unbooted　foot　dangling　within　an　inch　of　the

ground。　　His　head　was　passed　inside　the　grating　and　fixed　as　at　that

moment　when　the　first　spring　of　the　frightened　horse　had　broken　his

neck　between　the　bars　as　in　a　garrote；　and　the　second　plunge　of　the

terrified　animal　had　carried　off　his　boot　in　the　caught　stirrup　when

it　escaped。





CHAPTER　XI。





The　winter　rains　were　over　and　gone；　and　the　whole　long　line　of

Californian　coast　was　dashed　with　color。　　There　were　miles　of　yellow

and　red　poppies；　leagues　of　lupines　that　painted　the　gently　rounded

hills　with　soft　primary　hues；　and　long　continuous　slopes；　like　low

mountain　systems；　of　daisies　and　dandelions。　　At　Sacramento　it　was

already　summer；　the　yellow　river　was　flashing　and　intolerable；　the

tule　and　marsh　grasses　were　lush　and　long；　the　bloom　of　cottonwood

and　sycamore　whitened　the　outskirts　of　the　city；　and　as　Cyrus

Hopkins　and　his　daughter　Phoebe　looked　from　the　veranda　of　the

Placer　Hotel；　accustomed　as　they　were　to　the　cool　trade　winds　of　the

coast　valleys；　they　felt　homesick　from　the　memory　of　eastern　heats。



Later；　when　they　were　surveying　the　long　dinner　tables　at　the　table

d'hote　with　something　of　the　uncomfortable　and　shamefaced　loneliness

of　the　provincial；　Phoebe　uttered　a　slight　cry　and　clutched　her

father's　arm。　　Mr。　Hopkins　stayed　the　play　of　his　squared　elbows　and

glanced　inquiringly　at　his　daughter's　face。　　There　was　a　pretty

animation　in　it；　as　she　pointed　to　a　figure　that　had　just　entered。

It　was　that　of　a　young　man　attired　in　the　extravagance　rather　than

the　taste　of　the　prevailing　fashion；　which　did　not；　however；　in　the

least　conceal　a　decided　rusticity　of　limb　and　movement。　　A　long

mustache；　which　looked　unkempt；　even　in　its　pomatumed　stiffness；　and

lank；　dark　hair　that　had　bent　but　never　curled　under　the　barber's

iron；　made　him　notable　even　in　that　heterogeneous　assembly。



〃That's　he；〃　whispered　Phoebe。



〃Who？〃　said　her　father。



Alas　for　the　inconsistencies　of　love！　　The　blush　came　with　the　name

and　not　the　vision。



〃Mr。　Hooker；〃　she　stammered。



It　was；　indeed；　Jim　Hooker。　　But　the　role　of　his　exaggeration　was

no　longer　the　same；　the　remorseful　gloom　in　which　he　had　been

habitually　steeped　had　changed　into　a　fatigued；　yet　haughty；

fastidiousness　more　in　keeping　with　his　fashionable　garments。　　He

was　more　peaceful；　yet　not　entirely　placable；　and；　as　he　sat　down　at

a　side　table　and　pulled　down　his　striped　cuffs　with　his　clasped

fingers；　he　cast　a　glance　of　critical　disapproval　on　the　general

company。　　Nevertheless；　he　seemed　to　be　furtively　watchful　of　his

effect　upon　them；　and　as　one　or　two　whispered　and　looked　towards

him；　his　consciousness　became　darkly　manifest。



All　of　which　might　have　intimidated　the　gentle　Phoebe；　but　did　not

discompose　her　father。　　He　rose；　and　crossing　over　to　Hooker's

table；　clapped　him　heartily　on　the　back。



〃How　do；　Hooker？　　I　didn't　recognize　you　in　them　fine　clothes；　but

Phoebe　guessed　as　how　it　was　you。〃



Flushed；　disconcerted；　irritated；　but　always　in　wholesome　awe　of　Mr。

Hopkins；　Jim　returned　his　greeting　awkwardly　and　half　hysterically。

How　he　would　have　received　the　more　timid　Phoebe　is　another

question。　　But　Mr。　Hopkins；　without　apparently　noticing　these

symptoms；　went　on：



〃We're　only　just　down；　Phoebe　and　me；　and　as　I　guess　we'll　want　to

talk　over　old　times；　we'll　come　alongside　o'　you。　　Hold　on；　and　I'll

fetch　her。〃



The　interval　gave　the　unhappy　Jim　a　chance　to　recover　himself；　to

regain　his　vanished　cuffs；　display　his　heavy　watch…chain；　curl　his

mustache；　and　otherwise　reassume　his　air　of　blase　fastidiousness。

But　the　transfer　made；　Phoebe；　after　shaking　hands；　became

speechless　under　these　perfections。　　Not　so　her　father。



〃If　there's　anything　in　looks；　you　seem　to　be　prospering；〃　he　said

grimly；　〃unless　you're　in　the　tailorin'　line；　and　you're　only

showin'　off　stock。　　What　mout　ye　be　doing？〃



〃Ye　ain't　bin　long　in　Sacramento；　I　reckon？〃　suggested　Jim；　with

patronizing　pity。



〃No；　we　only　came　this　morning；〃　returned　Hopkins。



〃And　you　ain't　bin　to　the　theatre？〃　continued　Jim。



〃No。〃



〃Nor　moved　much　iningin'ral　fash'nable　sassiety？〃



〃Not　yet；〃　interposed　Phoebe；　with　an　air　of　faint　apology。



〃Nor　seen　any　of　them　large　posters　on　the　fences；　of　'The　Prairie

Flower；　or；　Red…handed　Dick；'three…act　play　with　five　tableaux；

just　the　biggest　sensation　out；runnin'　for　forty　nights；money

turned　away　every　night；standin'　room　only？〃　continued　Jim；　with

prolonged　toleration。



〃No。〃



〃Well；　I　play　Red…handed　Dick。　　I　thought　you　might　have　seen　it　and

recognized　me。　　All　those　people　over　there；〃　darkly　indicating　the

long　table；　〃know　me。　　A　fellow　can't　stand　it；　you　know；　being

stared　at　by　such　a　vulgar；　low…bred　lot。　　It's　gettin'　too　fresh

here。　　I'll　have　to　give　the　landlord　notice　and　cut　the　whole

hotel。　　They　don't　seem　to　have　ever　seen　a　gentleman　and　a

professional　before。〃



〃Then　you're　a　play…actor　now？〃　said　the　farmer；　in　a　tone　which　did

not；　however；　exhibit　the　exact　degree　of　admiration　which　shone　in

Phoebe's　eyes。



〃For　the　present；〃　said　Jim；　with　lofty　indifference。　　〃You　see　I

was　inin　partnership　with　McClosky；　the　manager；　and　I　didn't　like

the　style　of　the　chump　that　was　doin'　Red…handed　Dick；　so　I　offered

to　take　his　place　one　night　to　show　him　how。　　And　by　Jinks！　the

audience；　after　that　night；　wouldn't　let　anybody　else　play　it；

wouldn't　stand　even　the　biggest；　highest…priced　stars　in　it！　　I

reckon；〃　he　added　gloomily；　〃I'll　have　to　run　the　darned　thing　in

all　the　big　towns　in　Californy；if　I　don't　have　to　go　East　with　it

after　all；　just　for　the　business。　　But　it's　an　awful　grind　on　a

man；leaves　him　no　time；　along　of　the　invitations　he　gets；　and　what

with　being　run　after　in　the　streets　and　stared　at　in　the　hotels　he

don't　get　no　privacy。　　There's　men；　and　women；　too；　over　at　that

table；　that　just　lie　in　wait　for　me　here　till　I　come；　and　don't　lift

their　eyes　off　me。　　I　wonder　they　don't　bring　their　opery…glasses

with　them。〃



Concerned；　sympathizing；　and　indignant；　poor　Phoebe　turned　her　brown

head　and　honest　eyes　in　that　direction。　　But　because　they　were

honest；　they　could　not　help　observing　that　the　other　table　did　not

seem　to　be　paying　the　slightest　attention　to　the　distinguished

impersonator　of　Red…handed　Dick。　　Perhaps　he　had　been　overheard。



〃Then　that　was　the　reason　ye　didn't　come　back　to　your　location。　　I

always　guessed　it　was　because　you'd　got　wind　of　the　smash…up　down

there；　afore　we　did；〃　said　Hopkins　grimly。



〃What　smash…up？〃　asked　Jim；　with　slightly　resentful　quickness。



〃Why；　the　smash…up　of　the　Sisters'　title；didn't　you　hear　that？〃



There　was　a　slight　movement　of　relief　and　a　return　of　gloomy　hauteur

in　Jim's　manner。



〃No；　we　don't　know　much　of　what　goes　on　in　the　cow　counties；　up

here。〃



〃Ye　mout；　considerin'　it　concerns　some　o'　your　friends；〃　returned

Hopkins　dryly。　　〃For　the　Sisters'　title　went　smash　as　soon　as　it　was

known　that　Pedro　Valdezthe　man　as　started　ithad　his　neck　broken

outside　the　walls　o'　Robles　Rancho；　and　they　do　say　as　this　yer

Brant；　YOUR　friend；　had　suthin'　to　do　with　the　breaking　of　it；

though　it　was　laid　to　the　ghost　of　old　Peyton。　　Anyhow；　there　was

such　a　big　skeer　that　one　of　the　Greaser　gang；　who　thought　he'd　seen

the　ghost；　being　a　Papist；　to　save　his　everlasting　soul　went　to　the

priest　and　confessed。　　But　the　priest　wouldn't　give　him　absolution

until　he'd　blown　the　hull　thing；　and　made　it　public。　　And　then　it

turned　out　that　all　the　dockyments　for　the　title；　and　even　the

custom…house　paper；　were　FORGED　by　Pedro　Valdez；　and　put　on　the

market　by　his　confederates。　　And　that's　just　where　YOUR　friend；

Clarence　Brant；　comes　in；　for　HE　had　bought　up　the　whole　title　from

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　hi