The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-09-13


ed further plans for restoring JIM 70 her'
happily without any recurrence OF MS pre-
vious doubts as 10 mis- own e1hcacy Us d
special providence-he returned 10 bhe
rancho. If he thought again OF Jim a.
lection and Gilroys. warming, 1t was only
to strengthen himself to q clearer perception
of his unseliish duty and slnglencss Oh pur-
pose. He would give up breeding, Apply
himself more practically to the management
of the property; carry out his plans Tor the
foundation of a Landlords Patriotic League
for the Southern Counties, become cahdl-
date for the legislature, and, IN DrleI' ny
to fill Peytons place IN the county as ne
had at the rancho. He would endeavor TO
become better acquainted with the halI-breu
laborerS on the estate and avoid the frlctloh
between them and the Amerlcai, he was
conscious that he had not made th;t use oi
his early familiarity with their ways ana
language which he might have done. Ii,
occasionally, the figure of the young span,
lard, whom he had met on the lonely Icau
obtrudcd itself upon him, it vas always WIN
the instructive prcmonltlon fhat he Wouiu
meet him again, and the mystery Oh the
sudden repulsion be in some way explained
Thus Clarence! But the mOmentary I'M
pulse that had driven him TO FAR PialhS-
the eagerness to set his mind mt rest re-
gardlng Susy and her relatives, he hau W.
terly forgotten!
Uowbeit some of the energy and cnth1l-
siasm that he breathed into these various
essays made their IMPRESSION. lie succeed
ed in forming the Landlords League; under
q commission suggested by him the stra9-
Cling boundaries of Robes and the adjacent
claims were surveyed, defined and mutually
protected; even the lawless Gilroy. from eX-
tending an amused tolcratlon to the young
administrator, grew to recognize ana accept
him; the poems and vaQuerOS began to nave
faith in a man who acknowledged them SUI,
ticiently to rebuild the ruined mission chapel
on the estate, and save them the long Pill
grimage to Santa lnez on Sundays and
saints' days; the San Francisco priest I'M
ported from Clarence's old college to San
Jose, and an habitual guest at Clarences
hospital board, grateful enough to I'LL
his flock with loyalty to the young patron
He had returned from u long drive one
afternoon, and had just thrown himself IN
to an easy chair with the comfortable con-
seriousness Of rest fairly earned. The
dull embers of fire occasionally gloWed
i'll the oven-like hearth, although the open
easement of q window let i'll the soft breath
of the southwest trades. The anSelus had
just rung from the restored chapel, and,
melowed by distance, seelAed to Clarence
to lend that repose to the wind swept land
scape that it had always lacked: Suddenly
his quick ear detected the sound OF wheels
in the ruts of the carriageway. Usually his
visitors to the casa came on horseback, and
carts and wagons used only the lower road.
As the sound approached nearer an odd
fancy filed his heart with unaccountabe
pleasure Could it be Mrs. Peyton making
his breath. The vehicle was low rolling on
irl, the patio. The CHATTER If hoofs aJ'd a
h;4t were followed by the accents OF Wo
mems voices. One seemed familiar. lie
rose quickly as light footsteps ran along the
corridor, and then the door opened lDpetu-
ously to the laughing face of Susy.
He came toward her hastily, yet with on
~ the simple impulse OF hstonshment. lie
had nc thought of kissing hey, but as hc
approached she threw her charming head
10 .jIn Il
ting Of her brows and Il significant gesture
toward the passage that indicated the prox-
unity of Il stranger and the possibility OF
interruption.
Hush. Mrs McCloskys here" she whis
"McClosly?" repeated Clarence, vaguely.
''Yes-of course-Gmpatently my Aunt
Jane. Silly! We just cut way doWn
the place, and here was a good chance
And your mother-Alrs. Peyton!-h
she-does she?--" stammered Clarence.
Has she? Does she?' mimicksd Susy,
with increasing impatience, why, OF
She thinks I'm visiting Mary Kog"rs at
Oakland-and L am-afterwards. She
laughed. II just wrote to Aunt Jane to
meet me at Alameda and we !ook the stage
to Santa lnez and drove on here III buggy
you don't say anything! Tell ME; wasn't
it real fun"
This was all so like her old, child-lke
charming irresponsible self that Clarence,
troubled and beWildered as he was took her
hands and drew her like child toward
him. ''Of course, she went ON. Yet sop
ping to smell a rosebud in his buttonhole
Il have a perfect right to come TO my own
house, goodness knows. and it l bring my
own aunt-a married womail--With me;
although" Ioftily. there may be q yonng
unmarried gentleman alone there sun IAN
TO see any improperly III 1t.
He was still holding her, but in that in
slant her manner had completely Changed
ped away and evaGcd him, and he was hold
ing only u conscious actress in his arms
Release me, Mr.. Brant please she said,
with a languid, affected glance behind her
I'VE are not alone. Then as the rushing
of q; skirt sounded nearer in the passage she
seemed 10 change back into her Old self once
more and with a lightning fash of slsInh-
cance whispered, She knows everything
To add to Clarence'S confusion, the woman
who entered cast a quick glance of playful
meaning on the separating youthful pair.
She was an ineffective blonde with a GER
tain beauty that seemed to be gradually sue
cumbing to the ravaCeS OF paint and powder,
her dress appeared to have suffered from
an equally uuwise excess of Ornam2ntatlon
and trimming, and she gave the general inn
preston of having been intend III Tor e. M
bition in almost any other light than the
one in which she happened to be: There
were two or tDfec 1llll StitliiS 'll VIC iHN
of her sleeve and underskirt that We're OBJ
trusiyeiy homogeneous. Her Toice. which
had. however a ring of honest intention in
it. was somewhat overstrained, AID c' lGent-
" had not yet adjusted itself 10 the low
pitched conventual-like building.
There children, don't mind me! L know
I'm not OH in this scene, but l got nervous
waiting there in what you call The SALON.
with only those greascr servants staring
round me in a circle like regular chorus!
Nv Int it's anteek here--reg'lar anteek-
Spanish Then, with a glance at Clarence,
$50 this is Clarence Brant-your Clarence?
InterCuce me, Susy.
In his confusion of indignation, pain and
even a certain conception of the grim l,l-
dicrousness of the situation, Clarence grasp
ed despairingly at n single sentence OF
Susy's I'm my own house." Surely, at
least. it was her own home, and as he was
only the business agent of her adopted
mother he had no right to dictate to her
under what circumstances she should re-
turn to it, or whom she should introduce
there. In her independence and caprice
Snsv might easily have gone elsewhere with
This astounding relative. and would Mrs.
Peyton like it better? Clinging to this idea
his instinct of hospitality. asserted itself;
he welcomed Mrs. McClosky with nervous
etfusion. Il am only Mrs Peyton's major
domo here, but any guest of her daughters
is welcome"
Yes" said Mrs. McClosky, with ostenta-
49,. nrobnocc 81 reckon SuSy and I I'M