The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-04


come by the road. Ii 1 raised q scare off
there by the corral while you're creepin'
round by the back, me5bee we could get
In while they're all iookin' tor We in front.
don't you see? I'll raise big row and
they needn't know but what we've got
wind Of it and brought . party with you
from Santa Inez!"
In flash Clarence had wrought FEAST
bic plan out of Jim's fantasy.
Good, he said, wringins his old COM
panion's hand. go back quietly now,
hang round the corral. and when you see
the carriage climbing the last terrace raise
your alarmi Don't mind how lond it is.
there'ii be nobody bu. the servants in the
carriages
He rode quickly back to the first car
riage. at whose window Mrs. Peyton's
calm face was already questioning him.
He told her briefly and concisely OF the
attack and what he proposed to do. You
have shown yourself SO strong in matters
of worse movemen. than this" he added
quietly, that | have no fear for your
courage. l have only to ask you 20 trust
yourself to me. to put you back at once in
your own home. Your presence there
just now Is the one important thing
whatever happens afterward." She recog-
nlzed his maturer tone and determined
manner and nodded assent. More than
that faint fire came into lier handsome
p
that flaming beacon and sat with flushed
cheeks and suspended indignant breath.
They were Western Americans and not
oyermuch used to imposition.
on must get down before we raise the
hill. and follow me on foot through the
grain. was thinking" he added, turn
ing to Mrs. Peyton, "of your boudoir win
dow" She had been thinking of it, too,
and nodded. 1.-THE vine has loosened the
bars" he said.
"If it hasn't we must squeeze through
them" she returned simply.
AT the end of the terrace Clarence dis
mounted and helped them from the car
coachman to follow the road slowly to the
corral in front of the casa, and tied his
horse behind the second carriage. Then
with Mrs. Peyton and the two young
girls he plunged into the grain.
1t was hot; it was dusty: their thin
shoes slipped in the crumbling adobe, the
great blades caught in their Grape draper
les. but they uttered no complaint.
Whatever Interior thought was in their
minds they were bent only on one thing
at that moment--on entering the house at
any hazard. Mrs. Peyton had lived long
enough on the frontier TO know the magic
power of possession. Susy already was
old enough to feel the acute feminine hor-
ror of the PROCLAMATION of her own belong
infant of the whole truth than the others.
was equally silent and determined, and
Mary Rogers was fired with the zeal Of
loyalty.
Suddenly series of blood-curdling
yels broke from the direction of the COR
raj, and they stopped. But Clarence at
once recognized the well-known warwhoop
imitation of Jim Hooker-infinitely more
grewsome and appalling than the genuine
aboriginal challenge. A half dozen shots
fired in quick succession had evidently the
same friendly origin. "Now is our time I"
said Clarence eagerly. 1--WE must run for
the housed"
They had fortunately reached by this
time the angle of the adobe wall of the
casa. and the long afternoon shadows of
the building were in their favor. They
pressed forward eagerly with the sounds
of Jim HOoker's sham encounter still in
their ears, mingled with answering shouts
of defiance from strange voices within the
building toward the front.
They rapidly skirted the wall; even
passing boldly before the back gateway.
which seemed empty and deserted, and
the next minute stood beside the narrow
window of the boudoir. Clarence's sur.
misses were correct; the iron grating was
not only loose, but yielded to vigorous
wrench, the vine itself acting as lever to
pull out the rusty bars. The young man
held out his hand. but Mrs. Peyton, with
the sudden agility of young girl, ieaped
into the window, followed by Mary and
Susy. The inner case =. ent yielded to her
touch; the next moment they were within
the room. Then Mrs. Peyton's flushed
and triumphant face reappeared at the
window. Its all right; the men are all
in the courtyard or in the front of the
house. The boudoir door is strong and we
can bolt them out"
1T won't be necessary" said Clarence.
quietly; you Will not he disturbed"
But are you not coming in ?" she asked.
timidly, holding the window open.
Clarence looked at her with his first
faint smile since Peyton's death. "Of
course l am, but not in that way. lam
going in by the front gate"
She would have detained him. but with
quick wave of his hand he left her and
ran swiftly around the wall of the casa
toward the front. The gate was half omen ::
q dozen excited men were gathered before
ii and in the archwav, and among them,
whitened with dust, blackened with DOW
der and apparently glutted with rapine
and still holding a revolver in his hand,
was Jim Hooker. As Clarence approached
the men quickly retreated inside the gate
and closed 1t, but not before he had ex-
changed meaning glance with Jim.
When he reached the gate man from
within roughly demanded his business.
Il wish to see the leader of this party"
said Clarence quietly.
with short laugh. But l kalkilate he
don't return the compliment"
"He probably will when he reads this
note to his employer" continued Clarence
still Cooliy selecting n paper from his
pocketbook. 1t was addressed to Francisco
Robes, superintendent of THE Sisters
Title" and directed him to give Clarence
Brant free access to the property and the
fullest information concerning it. The
man took it. glanced ut it, looked again at
Clarence, and then passed the paper to a
third man among the group in the court
yard. The latter read il and approached
the gate carelessly. well, what do you
want?"
Il am afraid you have the advantage of
me i'll being able TO transact business
through bars" said Clarence with slow
but malevolent distinctness. land as
mine is important, think you had better
open the gate 10 me-"
The slight laugh that his speech had
evoked from the bystanders was checked
rs the leader rctorted angrily: That's
all very we'll; but how do | know that
You're the man represented in that letter.
Pancho Robes may know you, but
don't"
THAT You can find out very easily"
said Clarence. There is a man among
your party who knows me, Mr.. Hooker
Ask him."
The man turned with quick mingiing
OF surprise and suspicion TO the gloomy
imperturhsble Hooker. Clarence could
not hear the reply Of that Young gentle
man. but II WAS evidently not wanting in
his usual dark, eaigmatical eXaggcration.
The man surIily opened the gate. "All
the same" he said still glanciny susni-
CIousiy at Hooker, II don't see what he's