The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-25
Y;
The Story of a Wait.
BY BRET r
d,rtsAs 1895. " Ttanes sra Kars..
p XII.

o7s-sh 1895. " Naneh sra HsrA.
CHAPTER XII
Nowhere had the long season OF flower,
brought suoh glory a. to the broad plain,
and slopes Of Robes Rancho. By some for
tuitous chance Of soil or flood or drifting pol
len each Of the three terraces had taken . dis.
tinct and separate blossom and tint Of color
The ~straeglinG line OF corral. the crumblinp
wall OF the old garden. the outlying chapel
N even the brown walls OF the casa itsel
were half sunken In the tail racemes OF crowd.
ing ~lupines until. from q distance. they seemed
to be slowly settling In the profundlty OF the
dAsk-blus sea. The second terrace was q
leagus-long now Of gray and gold daisies. in
which tho cattle dazedly wandered mld.leG
deer. A perpetual sunshine Of yellow dande.
lions lay upon the third. The gentle slope to
the dark-green canada was q broad cataract
OF crimson poppies. Where water had stood
great patches OF color had taken its place. II
seemed - II the rains had ceased only that the
broksn heavens might drop flowers.
Never before had It's beauty-a beauty that
seemed built upon q cruel. youthful. obliterat-
Ing forgetfulness OF the %past-struck Clarence
% keenly - whom no had made up his mind
chat he must leave the place forever. For the
tale Of his mischance and Ill fortune as told by
Hopkins was unfortunately true. Whom no
discovered that In his desire to save Peyton's
house by the purchase Of the Sisters Title. he
himself had been the victim OF a gigantic
fraud. he accepted the loss Of the greater part
Of his fortune with resignation. and was even
satisfied By the thought that he had at least
effected the possession OF the property for Mrs.
Psyton. But when he found that those OF his
tenants who had bought under him had &C.
quired only q dubious possession of their
lands and no title. he had unhesitatingly re-
lmbursed them for their improvements.
with the last OF his capital. Only tho
lawless Gilroy had good .humoredly declined.
Ths quiet accordance OF the others did not,
unfortunately. preclude their settled belief
chat Clarence had participated in the fraud.
and that even now his restitution was making
. dangerous precedent. subversive OF the best
interests OF tho State. and discouraEing to i'm
migration. Some doubted his sanity. Only
one. struck with the sincerity OF his motive.
hesltated to take the money with a look Of
administration on his face. Are you not
satisfied" asked Clarence. smiling. Yes.
but" But what p "Nothin'. only I was
thinkin' that a man like you must feel awful
lonesome in Californy!"
Lonely he was. indeed. but his lonelines was
not caused by the loss OF fortune or what it
might bring. Perhaps he had never fully real
lied his wealth. 1t had been an accident
rather than q custom OF his life. and when it
had failed In the only test no had made OF its
power. 1t is to be feared that he only senti-
mentally regretted it 1t was too early yet for
him to comprehend the yelled blessings OF
catastrophe in its merciful disruption OF hab-
its and ways Of life: his loneliness was still
the hopeless solitude left by vanished ideals
and overthrown idols. He was satisfied that
he had never cared for Susy. but he still cared
for the belief that he had.
After the discovery Of Pedro's body that fatal
morning . brief but emphatic interview be-
tween himself and Mrs. McClosky had fol-
lowed. He had insisted upon her Immediately
Accommodating Susy md himself to Mrs. Pey-
Ton In San Francisco. Horror-stricken and
clarified at the catastrophe, and frightened by
the strange looks Of the excited servants. they
did not dare to disobey him. He had left them
with Mrs Peyton In the briefest prelimi-
nary interview. during which he spoke only of
the catastrophe. shielding the woman from
the presumption Of having provoked it. and
urging only the importance Of settling the
question OF guardianship at once. 1t was odd
that Mrs Peyton had been less disturbed than
he imagined she would be at even his charita-
BILE version OF Susy's unfaithfulness to her: it
even seemed to him that she had already sus-
pectsd It: but as he was about to withdraw to
leave her to meet them alone. she had stopped
him suddenly.
What would you advise me to do ?"
Il was his first interview with her since the
revelation Of This own feelings. He looked into
che pleading. TROUBLED eyes OF the woman he
now know he had loved. and stammered:
"You alone can judge. Only you must remem-
Der that ono cannot force an affection any
more than one can prevent it." He felt himself
blushing and conscious OF the construction OF
his words: he even fancied that she was dis
pleased.
Then you have no preferencep' she said. a
little impatiently.
None"
She made q slight gesture with her hand
como shoulders. But she only said: II
should like to have pleased you in this" and
turned coldly away. He had left without
knowing the result OF the interview. But q
few days later he had received q letter from
her stating that sho had allowed Susy to re-
turn to her, aunt and that she had resigned all
8 aHn ior % nss S Saalia.aiosh"'p she " wr scenes san 10
Although cannot think such q change will be
TT her permanent nam wslfare, It is her present
teHal question to interfere with my judgment.
t SstiseU ss1 o asE lra Spon t Rss sst sasE 81 th Ssr sa set lon.
but At the same time. in the event OF
1or suitable marriage. l should. try to
fsyton's wished" There were few lines OF
postscript 1T seems to me that the change
World iesys you NOR, FREQ 70 consult your
friendship With Susy. and upon such q footing
aSo .P,I P Sssssrs ySH; l t ISuae sb frg b.i1 Mrs Nc;
thoHght you we're only doing your duty In re:
nhd not altered the good terms in which You
y. Carsnes had dropped the letter with a burn
ing INDIGNATION that seemed TO sting his eyes
{{SRts him. What might not spsy have said?
capable OF suggssting2 He recalled Mrs. Nc
CQeky. and remembered, her easy acceptance
Of HIN rs Susy's lover. What had they told
Mrs. ~Peyton,,what must DO her opinion OF his
bear this before no knew he loved her.it was
when abe suggested that he should renew his
old farms with Susy: 1t was for him that this
III -diaguised. ~scornful generosity in regard to |
&Hsy.s pecpnisry expectations was Intended
and Indignantly deny any clandestine affection
for Susy. But could he do that-in honor-in
t,nthf@lns:sI Would It not bs better to write
fortunAtAly for hia still hoyish imDulsiya-