The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-11
= y;
The Story of a Wait.
BY BRET HARTE.
Copyright. 1892. bv Frnaei, Bret Hayis.
CHAPTER vIII.-CoST1SUED.

-. from Ji.n's personal knowledge OF the old
frontier families. From a sense Of loyalty to
Susy and Mrs. Peyton he had never alluded to
tho subject before him. but since the young
girls own indiscretion had made 1t a matter OF
common report. however distastcful It was TO
his own feelings. he felt he could not plead the
sense OF delicacy for her. He had grent hopes
in what he had always believed was only her
exaCgerntion OF fact as we'll as feeling. And
he had an instructive reliance on her fellow
poss,T's ability to detect 1t. A few days later.
when no found he could safely leave tho rancho
alone. he rode to Fair Plains.
The floods werc out along the turnpike road.
aud oven seemed to nave increased since his
last journey. Tho face OF the landscape had
changed again. One OF the lower terraces had
become n wild mere OF sedge and reeds. the
dry and dusty bed OF n forgotten brook had ro-
appeared. n full banked river. crossing the
turnpike and compelling a long detour before
the traveller could ford 1t. But as ne ap-
preached the Hopkins farm and the opposite
clearing and cabin OF Jim Hooker he was un-
prepared for a more remarkable transforma-
ton. The cabin. a three-room structure. and
its cattle she'd had entirely disappeared! There
were no traces or signs OF inundation! The
land lay on q gentle activity above tho farm
and secure from the effects OF the flood. and q
part OF the plouGhcd and cleared land around
tho site OF the cabin showed no evidence OF
overflow on Its black upturncd soil: but the
house was gone! Only a few timbers. too
heavy to be removed. the blighting erasions Of
O few months OF occupation. and the dull.
blackencd area OF the site itself wore to be
eeen. Tho fence alone was intact.
Clarence halted before 1t, perrlexed and
astonished. Scarcely two weeks had elapsed
since he had visited it and sat beneath its roof
with Jim. and already Its few ruins had
taken upon themselves the look OF years
OF abandonment ana decay. Tho wild
land seemed to have thrown of its yoke
OF cultivation in n night. and nature
rioted again with all its primal forces
over the freed soil. Wild oats and mustard
were sprin:inE in the broken burrows. and
lank vines were slimily spreading over a few
scattered but unseasoned and sappy shingles.
Some battered tin cans and fragments OF old
clothing looked as remote rs II they had been
relics OF the earliest immigration.
Clarence turned inQuirinGly toward the Hop
kins farmhouse across the road. His arrival.
however. had been noticed. as the door OF the
kitchen opened in an anticipatory fashion. and
he could SEQ the slight figure of Phnbe Hop
kins in the doorway. backed by the overlook
ing head and shoulders Of her parents. The
face OF the young girl was pale. and drawn
with anxiety. at which Clarence's simple as
IOnlSnmenC JOCK u Snaue VI cOllCeIH.
II am looking FOR Mr.. Hooker" he said un-
easily. and l don't seem to be able to find
either him or his house."
And you don'tknow what's gone Of him ?"
said tho girl quickly.
mo. l haven't seen him for two weeks"
There! l told you sou said the girl. turn
Ing nervously to her parents. Il knew it!
He hasn't seen him for two weeks" Then
looking almost ~tearfully at Clarence's face. she
snid: mo more have we.'
But" said Clarence. impatisntly, some
thiag must have ha~ppened-where is his
house,"
Taken away by them jumpers" inter-
rupted the old farmer. "a lot OF rouchs. that
pulled it down and carted it of in u jifry be-
fore our very eyes without answerin' a civil
Que stion to me or her. But he wasn't there
nor before nor since"
e."No." added the old woman. with flashing
eyes. "or he'd let EN- have what thar was in
his siX-shooters.'
mo. he wouldn't, mother" said the girl i'm
patiently. He'd changed. and was agin all
them ideas OF force anI riotin'. He was for
peace and law. all the time. Why. the day be-
fore we missed him he was te!lin' ms CalIfor-
mia never would be decent until people obeyed
the laws. and the titles were settled. And for
that reason-because he wouldn't fight agin
ylb luW-OT WllllDlI Ile consent OF IUe INV,
they've killed him. or kidnapped him away."
The girls lip,s Iuivered. and her small, hrown
hands tW Wis 5 tho ,t rdsn ns@ OF her blue e checked
peacefulncSS was rs astounding and unsatis-
factory as his own Iii appearance. there WAS
no doubt Of the sincerity OF poor PhGbe's i'm
In vain did Clarence point out to them that
p 1"sse m HtIe p so. s" a m"'n,nHs ers .""t .t1 !r te.
longei to the same party as Hooker. aud
would have no reason to dispossess him that.
In vain he assured them OF Hooker's, perfect
security in possession. that he could have
S Sition Of tn his in Iaass' Or 4May by t aoa fIdl%h. ny. EVEN s1sn
called n constable from the town Of Fair Plains
TO protect him from mere lawiessn"ss. In
his missing friend and reinstnte him ut any
cost, The CONVICTION that tho Hnfortunats
fxedi In the minds OF the two women. For q
moment CLARENCE himself was staggered hyit.
lin n? fass se sthe ea day the Sst ySsn +. carl asns w paeR ( f ilom
round his cabin, put as they were TIP Same
tiers title was confirmed. we thought nothing
ofit. pat when, he camo back from you he
s e.. iife h MSsriTa n Nd ttRR snsnt n psibn wasn't ho,a 8
IointHI; HS ha'in't-had he. Mr.. Grant" con
by no means" said Clarence warmly. ON
the contrary. he was able to do hi, friends
OF course hn told you what had happened and
a smiir; He had amused hlmself on the way
accounts Jim had given d, his exploits, But
ths hewl,derod girl shook her head. No, he
a!arined. This unpreredented aDstention Of
He ditn't say anything but what ! told
yon-nhout law and order" she went on.
!" But that same night WE heard IL good deal Of
Utalkihs anH scouting IN no cain and around
father. and wanting TO know how he, kept his
land without trouble from outsiirr-."
And ! said broke IN Hopkins. "'thrt /
guess q folks didn't bother n maj with wo-
mon folks around. and that ! kulkilatel that |
Masi,t quite as notorious To-. ishtin' us he
And. he, said" also interrupted Mrs. Hop
kins. ana quite in his nut'ral way too
Ing TO her hus band-" that that was his curse"
Ihs smile that flckered, around ,larcnce's
NOUN lnded. however, as he caught sight OF
lnmoe pleading intcrrogating eyes. 1t was
reaily TOO bad; Whatever change had come
over the RASCAL, 1t was too evident that his
previous hell,seEent, personality had had it's
w sheet upon the simple girl, and that here
sitGr one hnir o. honest eyes would DO visit
,Perplexed and indignant. Clarence again