The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-21

She turned, waved her slim white hand
playfully in acknowledgment of Clar-
ence's barred head and moved away.
For the first few moments the young
man tried to find relief in furious riding
and in bullying his spirited horse. Then
ing? What was he going to do? What
foolish, vapid deceit was that he was GO
ing to practice upon that noble. queenly,
confding, generous woman? (He had al
ready forgotten that she had always dis
trusted him. What fool he was not to
meet Susy. But would he have dared to
talk half jokingly to such a woman
on such topic? And would it have
been honorable without disclosing
the whole truth-that they had met Sc
cretly before. And was it fair to Susy
something must be done! It was such
trivial, purposeless deceit, after all, tor
this noble woman. Mrs. Payton-so kind.
so gentle-would never object to his low
ing Susy and-and marrying her. And
they would all live happily together, and
Mrs. Peyton woald never be separated
from them. but always beaming tenderiy
upon them as she did just now in the
gaIden. Yes, he would have serious
understanding with Susy, and-that
would excuse the clandestine meeting to-
day.
his RAPID pace meantime n3u DrOuRuG
him to the imperceptible incline of the ter
race and he was astonished in turning in
the saddle to find that the casa, corral and
Outbuildings had entirely vanished and
that behind him rolled only the long sea
of grain which seemed to have swallowed
them in its following depths. Before him
lay the wooded ravine through which the
stage coach passed, which was also the en-
trance to the rancho. and there, too. prob
ably was tho turning of which Susy had
spoken. But it was still early for the rem
dezvous-indeed he was in no hurry to
meet her in his present discontented
state-and he made a listless cir
discovering the phenomena that had
caused the ranches mysterious disappear
ance. When he had found that it was
the result of the different level, has atten-
ton was arrested by multitude of NOV
ing objects in still more distant field,
In and out among them, circling aimless-
ly, as it seemed to him, appeared two
horsemen apparently performing some
mystic dance. To add to their singular
performance from time to time one of the
flying herd. driven by the horsemen far
beyond the circle OF their companions,
dropped suddenly and unaccountably in
full career. The field closed over them as
if they had been swallowed up. In few
moments they appeared again, trotting
peacefully behind their pursuer. 1t was
some time before Clarence grasped
the meaning of this strange spec
mosphere sharply accented the silhouette
like outlines of the men and horses so
great was the distance that the slender
forty-foot lasso. which in the skiliful hands
of the horsemen had effected this wonder
and overthrown the quarry, was COM
pletely invisible! They were Peytor's
okinO q ha
young horses for the market. He remem-
bered now that Peyton had told him that
he might be obliged to raise money by
sacrificing some of his stock, and the
thought brought back Clarence's uneasi-
ness as he turned again to the trail. In
tryst as he entered the wooded ravine to
seek the madrona tree which was to serve
as guide to his lady's bower.
A few rods further, under the cool vault
filled with woodland splicing. he came
upon it. In its summer harlequin dress of
scarlet and green, with hanging bells of
poly-tinted berries like some personified
sylvan Folly, it seemed a fitting symbol of
Susy's childish masquerade of passion. Its
bizarre beauty-so opposed to the sober
gravity of the sedate pines and hemlocks
made it an unmistakable landmark.
Here he dismounted and picketed his
horse. And here beside it to the right ran
the little trail, crawling over messy
powders, narrow, yellow track through
the carpet of pine needles between
the closest file of trees; an almost
imperceptible wake across the pools
Of chickweed at their roots, and
a brown and ragged swath through the
ferns. As he went on the anxiety and I'M
easiness that had possessed him gave way
to languid intOxication Of the senses; the
mysterious seclusiOn of these woodland
depths recovered the old influence they
had exerted over his boyhood. He was
not returning to Susy as much as to the
older love of his youth, Of which she was
perhaps only an incident. 1t was there
fore with an odd boyish thrill again that
coming suddenly upon a little hollow like
deserted nest, where the lost trail made
him hesitate. he heard the soft crackle of
a starched skirt behind him, was con-
scious of the subtle odor of freshly ironed
and scented muslin, and felt the gentle
pressure OF delicate fingers upon his eyes.
"Susy!"
"You silly boyl where were You blum
S Seu 9s TOT Why didn't you look around
II thought would hear your voices"
'Whose voices? Idiot!''
"YOurs and Mary's," returned Clarence
innocently, looking round for the conf
dante.
80, indeed! Then you wanted to see
Mary? Well-she's looking for me some
where. Perhaps you'll go and find her, or
shall II"
She was offering to pass him when he
laid his hand on hers to detain her. She
instantly evaded it and drew herself up to
her full height-incontestably displaying
the dignity of the added inches to her
skirt All this was charmingly like the
old Susy, but it did not bid fair to help
him to serious interview. And looking
at the pretty. pink hooking face before
him with the witchery of the woodland
still upon him he began to think that he
had better put it off.
''Never mind Mary" he said laugh
ingly. But you said you wanted to see
me. Susy, and here / am"
''Said 1 wanted to see you," repeated
Susy with her blue eyes lifted in celestial
scorn and wonderment. "Said I wanted
to see you? Are you not mistaken, Mr..
Brant? Really imagined that you came
here to see meW
With her fair head upturned and the
leaf of her scarlet lip temptingly curled
over, Clarence began to think this latest
phase of her extravaganza the most
fascinating. He drew nearer to her as he
said gently: "You know what I mean.
Susy. You said yesterday you were
troubled. | Thought you might have some
II should think it was you who might
have something to tell me-after all these
years." she replied, still poutingly vet
here only to see Mary and mother. I'm
sure you let them know that plainly
enough last evening""
But you said -" began the stupefied
Clarence.
HNeyer mind what I said TIE aIr..