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〃Well； why shouldn't he？〃 she came forward with the same dazzling
smile； and laid her small and clean white hand upon his shoulder。
〃And so you took good care of the dear little thing？ She's such an
angel； isn't she？ and you must love her very much。〃
Clarence colored with delight。 It was true it had never occurred
to him to look at Susy in the light of a celestial visitant； and I
fear he was just then more struck with the fair complimenter than
the compliment to his companion； but he was pleased for her sake。
He was not yet old enough to be conscious of the sex's belief in
its irresistible domination over mankind at all ages； and that
Johnny in his check apron would be always a hopeless conquest of
Jeannette in her pinafore； and that he ought to have been in love
with Susy。
Howbeit； the lady suddenly whisked her away to the recesses of her
own wagon； to reappear later； washed； curled； and beribboned like a
new doll； and Clarence was left alone with the husband and another
of the party。
〃Well； my boy； you haven't told me your name yet。〃
〃Clarence； sir。〃
〃So Susy calls you； but what else？〃
〃Clarence Brant。〃
〃Any relation to Colonel Brant？〃 asked the second man carelessly。
〃He was my father；〃 said the boy； brightening under this faint
prospect of recognition in his loneliness。
The two men glanced at each other。 The leader looked at the boy
curiously； and said；
〃Are you the son of Colonel Brant； of Louisville？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said the boy； with a dim stirring of uneasiness in his
heart。 〃But he's dead now；〃 he added finally。
〃Ah； when did he die？〃 said the man quickly。
〃Oh； a long time ago。 I don't remember him much。 I was very
little；〃 said the boy； half apologetically。
〃Ah； you don't remember him？〃
〃No；〃 said Clarence shortly。 He was beginning to fall back upon
that certain dogged repetition which in sensitive children arises
from their hopeless inability to express their deeper feelings。 He
also had an instinctive consciousness that this want of a knowledge
of his father was part of that vague wrong that had been done him。
It did not help his uneasiness that he could see that one of the
two men； who turned away with a half…laugh； misunderstood or did
not believe him。
〃How did you come with the Silsbees？〃 asked the first man。
Clarence repeated mechanically； with a child's distaste of
practical details； how he had lived with an aunt at St。 Jo； and how
his stepmother had procured his passage with the Silsbees to
California； where he was to meet his cousin。 All this with a lack
of interest and abstraction that he was miserably conscious told
against him； but he was yet helpless to resist。
The first man remained thoughtful； and then glanced at Clarence's
sunburnt hands。 Presently his large； good…humored smile returned。
〃Well； I suppose you are hungry？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence shyly。 〃But〃
〃But what？〃
〃I should like to wash myself a little；〃 he returned hesitatingly；
thinking of the clean tent； the clean lady； and Susy's ribbons。
〃Certainly；〃 said his friend； with a pleased look。 〃Come with me。〃
Instead of leading Clarence to the battered tin basin and bar of
yellow soap which had formed the toilet service of the Silsbee
party； he brought the boy into one of the wagons； where there was a
washstand； a china basin； and a cake of scented soap。 Standing
beside Clarence； he watched him perform his ablutions with an
approving air which rather embarrassed his protege。 Presently he
said； almost abruptly；
〃Do you remember your father's house at Louisville？〃
〃Yes； sir； but it was a long time ago。〃
Clarence remembered it as being very different from his home at St。
Joseph's； but from some innate feeling of diffidence he would have
shrunk from describing it in that way。 He； however； said he
thought it was a large house。 Yet the modest answer only made his
new friend look at him the more keenly。
〃Your father was Colonel Hamilton Brant； of Louisville； wasn't he？〃
he said； half…confidentially。
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence hopelessly。
〃Well；〃 said his friend cheerfully； as if dismissing an abstruse
problem from his mind； 〃Let's go to supper。〃
When they reached the tent again； Clarence noticed that the supper
was laid only for his host and wife and the second manwho was
familiarly called 〃Harry；〃 but who spoke of the former always as
〃Mr。 and Mrs。 Peyton〃while the remainder of the party； a dozen
men； were at a second camp fire； and evidently enjoying themselves
in a picturesque fashion。 Had the boy been allowed to choose； he
would have joined them； partly because it seemed more 〃manly；〃 and
partly that he dreaded a renewal of the questioning。
But here； Susy； sitting bolt upright on an extemporized high stool；
happily diverted his attention by pointing to the empty chair
beside her。
〃Kla'uns；〃 she said suddenly； with her usual clear and appalling
frankness； 〃they is chickens； and hamanaigs； and hot biksquits； and
lasses； and Mister Peyton says I kin have 'em all。〃
Clarence； who had begun suddenly to feel that he was responsible
for Susy's deportment and was balefully conscious that she was
holding her plated fork in her chubby fist by its middle； and； from
his previous knowledge of her； was likely at any moment to plunge
it into the dish before her； said softly；
〃Hush！〃
〃Yes； you shall； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； with tenderly beaming
assurance to Susy and a half…reproachful glance at the boy。 〃Eat
what you like； darling。〃
〃It's a fork；〃 whispered the still uneasy Clarence； as Susy now
seemed inclined to stir her bowl of milk with it。
〃'Tain't； now； Kla'uns； it's only a split spoon；〃 said Susy。
But Mrs。 Peyton； in her rapt admiration； took small note of these
irregularities； plying the child with food； forgetting her own
meal； and only stopping at times to lift back the forward straying
curls on Susy's shoulders。 Mr。 Peyton looked on gravely and
contentedly。 Suddenly the eyes of husband and wife met。
〃She'd have been nearly as old as this； John；〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； in
a faint voice。
John Peyton nodded without speaking； and turned his eyes away into
the gathering darkness。 The man 〃Harry〃 also looked abstractedly
at his plate； as if he was saying grace。 Clarence wondered who
〃she〃 was； and why two little tears dropped from Mrs。 Peyton's
lashes into Susy's milk； and whether Susy might not violently
object to it。 He did not know until later that the Peytons had
lost their only child； and Susy comfortably drained this mingled
cup of a mother's grief and tenderness without suspicion。
〃I suppose we'll come up with their train early tomorrow； if some
of them don't find us to…night；〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； with a long sigh
and a regretful glance at Susy。 〃Perhaps we might travel together
for a little while；〃 she added timidly。
Harry laughed； and Mr。 Peyton replied gravely； 〃I am afraid we
wouldn't travel with them； even for company's sake； and；〃 he added；
in a lower and graver voice； 〃it's rather odd the search party
hasn't come upon us yet； though I'm keeping Pete and Hank
patrolling the trail to meet them。〃
〃It's heartlessso it is！〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； with sudden
indignation。 〃It would be all very well if it was only this boy；
who can take care of himself； but to be so careless of a mere baby
like this； it's shameful！〃
For the first time Clarence tasted the cruelty of discrimination。
All the more keenly that he was beginning to worship； after his
boyish fashion； this sweet…faced； clean； and tender…hearted woman。
Perhaps Mr。 Peyton noticed it； for he came quietly to his aid。
〃Maybe they knew better than we in what careful hands they had left
her；〃 he said； with a cheerful nod towards Clarence。 〃And； again；
they may have been fooled as we were by Injin signs and left the
straight road。〃
This suggestion instantly recalled to Clarence his vision in the
mesquite。 Should he dare tell them？ Would they believe him； or
would they laugh at him before her？ He hesitated； and at last
resolved to tell it privately to the husband。 When the meal was
ended； and he was made happy by Mrs。 Peyton's laughing acceptance
of his offer to help her clear the table and wash the dishes； they
all gathered comfortably in front of the tent before the large camp
fire。 At the other fire the rest of the party were playing cards
and laughing； but Clarence no longer cared to join them。 He was
quite tranquil in the maternal propinquity of his hostess； albeit a
little uneasy as to his reticence about the Indian。
〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy； relieving a momentary pause； in her highest
voice； 〃knows how to speak。 Speak； Kla'uns！〃
It appearing from Clarence's blushing explanation that this gift
was not the ordinary faculty of speech； but a capacity to recite
verse； he was politely pressed by the company for a performance。
〃Speak 'em； Kla'uns； the boy what stood unto the burnin' deck； and
said； 'The boy； oh； where was he？'〃 said Susy； comfortably lying
down on Mrs。 Peyton's lap； and contemplating her bare knees in the
air。 〃It's 'bout a boy；〃 she added confidentially to Mrs。 Peyton；
〃whose father wouldn't never； never stay with him on a burnin'
ship； th