susy, a story of the plains-第3节

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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　startled　but　not　alarmed；　and　even　protested　feebly。

〃But；〃　she　said；　〃if　the　father's　dead；　what's　that　to　do　with

Clarence？　　He　was　always　with　your　papaso　you　told　me；　dearor

other　people；　and　couldn't　catch　anything　from　his　own　father。　　And

I'm　sure；　dearest；　he　always　seemed　nice　and　quiet。〃



〃Yes；　SEEMED；〃　returned　Susy　darkly；　〃but　that's　all　you　know！　　It

was　in　his　BLOOD。　　You　know　it　always　is；you　read　it　in　the

books；you　could　see　it　in　his　eye。　　There　were　times；　my　dear；

when　he　was　thwarted；when　the　slightest　attention　from　another

person　to　me　revealed　it！　　I　have　kept　it　to　myself；but　think；

dearest；　of　the　effects　of　jealousy　on　that　passionate　nature！

Sometimes　I　tremble　to　look　back　upon　it。〃



Nevertheless；　she　raised　her　hands　and　threw　back　her　lovely　golden

mane　from　her　childish　shoulders　with　an　easy；　untroubled　gesture。

It　was　singular　that　Mary　Rogers；　leaning　back　comfortably　in　the

buggy；　also　accepted　these　heart…rending　revelations　with

comfortably　knitted　brows　and　luxuriously　contented　concern。　　If　she

found　it　difficult　to　recognize　in　the　picture　just　drawn　by　Susy

the　quiet；　gentle；　and　sadly　reserved　youth　she　had　known；　she　said

nothing。　　After　a　silence；　lazily　watching　the　distant　wheeling

vacquero；　she　said：



〃And　your　father　always　sends　an　outrider　like　that　with　you？　　How

nice！　　So　picturesqueand　like　the　old　Spanish　days。〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Susy；　with　another　unutterable　glance。



But　this　time　Mary　was　in　full　sympathetic　communion　with　her

friend；　and　equal　to　any　incoherent　hiatus　of　revelation。



〃No！〃　she　said　promptly；　〃you　don't　mean　it！〃



〃Don't　ask　me；　I　daren't　say　anything　to　papa；　for　he'd　be　simply

furious。　　But　there　are　times　when　we're　alone；　and　Pedro　wheels

down　so　near　with　SUCH　a　look　in　his　black　eyes；　that　I'm　all　in　a

tremble。　　It's　dreadful！　　They　say　he's　a　real　Briones；and　he

sometimes　says　something　in　Spanish；　ending　with　'senorita；'　but　I

pretend　I　don't　understand。〃



〃And　I　suppose　that　if　anything　should　happen　to　the　ponies；　he'd

just　risk　his　life　to　save　you。〃



〃Yes；and　it　would　be　so　awful；for　I　just　hate　him！〃



〃But　if　I　was　with　you；　dear；　he　couldn't　expect　you　to　be　as

grateful　as　if　you　were　alone。　　Susy！〃　she　continued　after　a　pause；

〃if　you　just　stirred　up　the　ponies　a　little　so　as　to　make　'em　go

fast；　perhaps　he　might　think　they'd　got　away　from　you；　and　come

dashing　down　here。　　It　would　be　so　funny　to　see　him；wouldn't　it？〃



The　two　girls　looked　at　each　other；　their　eyes　sparkled　already　with

a　fearful　joy；they　drew　a　long　breath　of　guilty　anticipation。　　For

a　moment　Susy　even　believed　in　her　imaginary　sketch　of　Pedro's

devotion。



〃Papa　said　I　wasn't　to　use　the　whip　except　in　a　case　of　necessity；〃

she　said；　reaching　for　the　slender　silver…handled　toy；　and　setting

her　pretty　lips　together　with　the　added　determination　of

disobedience。　　〃G'long！〃and　she　laid　the　lash　smartly　on　the

shining　backs　of　the　animals。



They　were　wiry；　slender　brutes　of　Mojave　Indian　blood；　only　lately

broken　to　harness；　and　still　undisciplined　in　temper。　　The　lash　sent

them　rearing　into　the　air；　where；　forgetting　themselves　in　the

slackened　traces　and　loose　reins；　they　came　down　with　a　succession

of　bounds　that　brought　the　light　buggy　leaping　after　them　with　its

wheels　scarcely　touching　the　ground。　　That　unlucky　lash　had　knocked

away　the　bonds　of　a　few　months'　servitude　and　sent　the　half…broken

brutes　instinctively　careering　with　arched　backs　and　kicking　heels

into　the　field　towards　the　nearest　cover。



Mary　Rogers　cast　a　hurried　glance　over　her　shoulder。　　Alas；　they　had

not　calculated　on　the　insidious　levels　of　the　terraced　plain；　and

the　faithful　Pedro　had　suddenly　disappeared；　the　intervention　of　six

inches　of　rising　wild　oats　had　wiped　him　out　of　the　prospect　and

their　possible　salvation　as　completely　as　if　he　had　been　miles　away。

Nevertheless；　the　girls　were　not　frightened；　perhaps　they　had　not

time。　　There　was；　however；　the　briefest　interval　for　the　most

dominant　of　feminine　emotions；　and　it　was　taken　advantage　of　by

Susy。



〃It　was　all　YOUR　fault；　dear！〃　she　gasped；　as　the　forewheels　of　the

buggy；　dropping　into　a　gopher　rut；　suddenly　tilted　up　the　back　of

the　vehicle　and　shot　its　fair　occupants　into　the　yielding　palisades

of　dusty　grain。　　The　shock　detached　the　whiffletree　from　the

splinter…bar；　snapped　the　light　pole；　and；　turning　the　now

thoroughly　frightened　animals　again　from　their　course；　sent　them；

goaded　by　the　clattering　fragments；　flying　down　the　turnpike。　　Half

a　mile　farther　on　they　overtook　the　gleaming　white　canvas　hood　of　a

slowly　moving　wagon　drawn　by　two　oxen；　and；　swerving　again；　the

nearer　pony　stepped　upon　a　trailing　trace　and　ingloriously　ended

their　career　by　rolling　himself　and　his　companion　in　the　dust　at　the

very　feet　of　the　peacefully　plodding　team。



Equally　harmless　an