The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-07

Hes been heard from-and is coming
herel''
''Who?"
A sickening sense that her old confidante
had already lost touch with her-they had
been separated for nearly two weeks
might have passed through Susy's mind.
'.Who?" she repeated with vicious
shake of Mary's arm. why Clarence Brant
of coursep'
NO" said Mary. vaguely.
Nevertheless Susv went on rapidly as if
to neutralize the effect Of her comrades
1t Never, Even when mother told
me, thought should have fainted-and
all would have been revealed !"
But" hesitated the still wondering
confidante, II thought that was all over
long ago. You haven't seen him nor
heard from him since that day you met ac-
cidentaily at Santa Clara, two years ago.
Have you? ?"
Susy's eyes shot a ray of unutterable and
darby blue significance into Mary's, and
then were carefully averted. Mary Rogers,
although perfectly satisfied that Susy had
never seen Clarence since. nevertheless
instantly accepted and was thrilled with
this artful suggestion of clandestine in.
terest. Such was the simple faith of
youthful friendship.
Mother knows nothing of it, of course,
and a word from you or him would ruin
everything" continued the breathless
Susy. That's why l came to fetch and
warn you. You must see him first and
warn him at any cost. If L hadn't run
knows what might have happened, What
do you think of the ponies, dear? They re
my own-and the sweetest This ones
Susy, that one Clarence-but privately,
you know Before the world and in the
stables he's only Birdie"
but l thought you wrote to me that
you called them Paul and VIrginie," said
Mary doubtfuliy.
81 do sometimes said Susy calmly.
"but one has to learn to suppress ones
| feelings, dearl'' Then quickly: II do so
hate deceit Don't you? Tell NEEDN'T
yuo think deceit perfectly hateful?"
Without waiting for her friends loyal
! just rolling in wealth! And educated
papa says-to the highest degreew
Then" began Mary, ''if he's coming
| with your mothers consent, and if you
| haven't quarrelled and it is not broken
off. l should think you'd be just de-
lighted"
| But another quick flash from Susy's
eyes dispersed the beatitic vision of the
| future. Hush ~ she said with suppressed
dramatic intensity "You know not what
! you say! There's an awful mystery hangs
| over him. Mary Rogers" continued the
young girl, approaching her small mouth
| to her contidante's ear in an appalling
whisper, Ibis father was-a pirate! Yes,
| lived pirate and was killed a pirate!"
| The statement, however, seemed to be
partly ineffective. Mary Rogers was
| startled, but not alarmed. and even pro-
| tested feebly. But" she said, IF the
fathers dead what's that to do with Clar-
| ence? He was always with your papa-so
| you told me, dear--or other people, and
/
father And Pm sure. dearest, he always
seemed nice and quiet"
| Eyes, seemed" returned Susy darby,
| 'but that's all you know! 1t was in his
blood. You know it always is-you'll
read it in the books-you could see it in
| his eye. There were times my dear, when
| he was thwarted-when the slightest at
| tention from another person to ME revealed
| it! l have kept it to myself-but think,
dearest, of the effects of jealousy on that
! passionate nature! Sometimes | tremble
| to look back upon it!'
| Nevertheless she raised her hands and
threw back her lovely golden name from
her childish shoulders with an easy I'M
| troubled gesture. 1t was singular that
Mary Rogers, leaning back comfortably in
| the buggy also accepted these heart-rend-
| ing revelations with comfortably knitted
brows and luxuriously contented concern.
If she found it difficult to recognize in the
| picture just drawn by Susy the quiet.
| gentle and sadly reserved youth she had
known, she said nothing. After silence,
lazily watching the distant wheeling
| vaquero. she said:
| "And your father always sends an out
rider like that with you? How nice. So
| picturesque-and like the old Spanish
days"
HHushv' said Susie with another unut-
terab!e glance.
But this time Mary was in full sympa-
| thetic communion with her friend, and
equal to any incoherent hiatus of revela-
| ton.
No" she said promptly. you don't
mean it,
| Don't ask me. l daren't say anything
to papa, for he is simply furious. But
| there are times when we're alone and
| Pedro wheels down so near me with such
look in his black eyes that I'm all in a
tremble: it's dreadful. They say he's a
real Briones-and he sometimes says
something in Spanish ending with Senior
| tia. but pretend don't understand"
"And | suppose that ii anything should