a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第6部分
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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
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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
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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； though he said； 'Stay； father；
stay；' ever so much。〃
With this clear； lucid； and perfectly satisfactory explanation of Mrs。
Hemans's 〃Casabianca；〃 Clarence began。 Unfortunately； his actual
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rendering of this popular school performance was more an effort of
memory than anything else； and was illustrated by those wooden gestures
which a Western schoolmaster had taught him。 He described the flames
that 〃roared around him；〃 by indicating with his hand a perfect circle； of
which he was the axis； he adjured his father； the late Admiral Casabianca；
by clasping his hands before his chin； as if wanting to be manacled in an
attitude which he was miserably conscious was unlike anything he himself
had ever felt or seen before； he described that father 〃faint in death
below；〃 and 〃the flag on high；〃 with one single motion。 Yet something
that the verses had kindled in his active imagination； perhaps； rather than
an illustration of the verses themselves； at times brightened his gray eyes；
became tremulous in his youthful voice； and I fear occasionally incoherent
on his lips。 At times； when not conscious of his affected art； the plain
and all upon it seemed to him to slip away into the night； the blazing camp
fire at his feet to wrap him in a fateful glory； and a vague devotion to
somethinghe knew not whatso possessed him that he communicated it；
and probably some of his own youthful delight in extravagant voice； to his
hearers； until； when he ceased with a glowing face； he was surprised to
find that the card players had deserted their camp fires and gathered round
the tent。
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CHAPTER V
〃You didn't say 'Stay； father； stay；' enough； Kla'uns；〃 said Susy
critically。 Then suddenly starting upright in Mrs。 Peyton's lap； she
continued rapidly； 〃I kin dance。 And sing。 I kin dance High
Jambooree。〃
〃What's High Jambooree； dear？〃 asked Mrs。 Peyton。
〃You'll see。 Lemme down。〃 And Susy slipped to the ground。
The dance of High Jambooree； evidently of remote
