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The deserted wagon； more rude； disorderly； and slovenly than it had
ever seemed to him before； was now heaped and tumbled with broken
bones； cans； scattered provisions； pots； pans； blankets； and clothing in the
foul confusion of a dust…heap。 But in this heterogeneous mingling the
boy's quick eye caught sight of a draggled edge of calico。
〃That's Mrs。 Silsbee's dress！〃 he cried； and leapt into the wagon。
At first the men stared at each other； but an instant later a dozen hands
were helping him； nervously digging and clearing away the rubbish。
Then one man uttered a sudden cry； and fell back with frantic but furious
eyes uplifted against the pitiless； smiling sky above him。
〃Great God！ look here！〃
It was the yellowish； waxen face of Mrs。 Silsbee that had been
uncovered。 But to the fancy of the boy it had changed； the old familiar
lines of worry； care； and querulousness had given way to a look of remote
peace and statue…like repose。 He had often vexed her in her aggressive
life； he was touched with remorse at her cold； passionless apathy now； and
pressed timidly forward。 Even as he did so； the man； with a quick but
warning gesture； hurriedly threw his handkerchief over the matted locks；
as if to shut out something awful from his view。 Clarence felt himself
drawn back； but not before the white lips of a bystander had whispered a
single word
〃Scalped； too！ by God！〃
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CHAPTER VI
Then followed days and weeks that seemed to Clarence as a dream。
At first； an interval of hushed and awed restraint when he and Susy were
kept apart； a strange and artificial interest taken little note of by him； but
afterwards remembered when others had forgotten it； the burial of Mrs。
Silsbee beneath a cairn of stones； with some ceremonies that； simple
though they were； seemed to usurp the sacred rights of grief from him and
Susy； and leave them cold and frightened； days of frequent and incoherent
childish outbursts from Susy； growing fainter and rarer as time went on；
until they ceased； he knew not when； the haunting by night of that
morning vision of the three or four heaps of ragged clothes on the ground
and a half regret that he had not examined them more closely； a
recollection of the awful loneliness and desolation of the broken and
abandoned wagon left behind on its knees as if praying mutely when the
train went on and left it； the trundling behind of the fateful wagon in
which Mrs。 Silsbee's body had been found； superstitiously shunned by
every one； and when at last turned over to the authorities at an outpost
garrison； seeming to drop the last link from the dragging chain of the past。
The revelation to the children of a new experience in that brief glimpse of
the frontier garrison； the handsome officer in uniform and belted sword； an
heroic； vengeful figure to be admired and imitated hereafter； the sudden
importance and respect given to Susy and himself as 〃survivors〃； the
sympathetic questioning and kindly exaggerations of their experiences；
quickly accepted by Susyall these； looking back upon them afterwards；
seemed to have passed in a dream。
No less strange and visionary to them seemed the real transitions they
noted from the moving train。 How one morning they missed the
changeless； motionless； low； dark line along the horizon； and before noon
found themselves among the rocks and trees and a swiftly rushing river。
How there suddenly appeared beside them a few days later a great gray
cloud…covered ridge of mountains that they were convinced was that same
dark line that they had seen so often。 How the men laughed at them； and
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said that for the last three days they had been CROSSING that dark line；
and that it was HIGHER than the great gray…clouded range before them；
which it had always hidden from their view！ How Susy firmly believed
that these changes took place in her sleep； when she always 〃kinder felt
they were crawlin' up；〃 and how Clarence； in the happy depreciation of
extreme youth； expressed his conviction that they 〃weren't a bit high； after
all。〃 How the weather became cold； though it was already summer； and
at night the camp fire was a necessity； and there was a stove in the tent
with Susy； and yet how all this faded away； and they were again upon a
dazzling； burnt； and sun…dried plain！ But always as in a dream！
More real were the persons who composed the partywhom they
seemed to have always knownand who； in the innocent caprice of
children； had become to them more actual than the dead had even been。
There was Mr。 Peyton； who they now knew owned the train； and who was
so rich that he 〃needn't go to California if he didn't want to； and was going
to buy a great deal of it if he liked it；〃 and who was also a lawyer and
〃policeman〃which was Susy's rendering of 〃politician〃and was called
〃Squire〃 and 〃Judge〃 at the frontier outpost； and could order anybody to
be 〃took up if he wanted to；〃 and who knew everybody by their Christian
names； and Mrs。 Peyton； who had been delicate and was ordered by the
doctor to live in the open air for six months； and 〃never go into a house or
a town agin；〃 and who was going to adopt Susy as soon as her husband
could arrange with Susy's relatives； and draw up the papers！ How
〃Harry〃 was Henry Benham； Mrs。 Peyton's brother； and a kind of partner
of Mr。 Peyton。 And how the scout's name was Gus Gildersleeve； or the
〃White Crow；〃 and how； through his recognized intrepidity； an attack upon
their train was no doubt averted。 Then there was 〃Bill；〃 the stock herder；
and 〃Texas Jim；〃 the vaquerothe latter marvelous and unprecedented in
horsemanship。 Such were their companions； as appeared through the
gossip of the train and their own inexperienced consciousness。 To them；
they were all astounding and important personages。 But； either from
boyish curiosity or some sense of being misunderstood； Clarence was
more attracted by the two individuals of the party who were least kind to
him namely； Mrs。 Peyton and her brother Harry。 I fear that； after the
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fashion of most children； and some grown…up people； he thought less of
the steady kindness of Mr。 Peyton and the others than of the rare tolerance
of Harry or the polite concessions of his sister。 Miserably conscious of this
at times； he quite convinced himself that if he could only win a word of
approbation from Harry； or a smile from Mrs。 Peyton； he would afterwards
revenge himself by 〃running away。〃 Whether he would or not； I cannot
say。 I am writing of a foolish； growing； impressionable boy of eleven； of
whose sentiments nothing could be safely predicted but uncertainty。
It was at this time that he became fascinated by another member of the
party whose position had been too humble and unimportant to be included
in the group already noted。 Of the same appearance as the other
teamsters in size； habits； and apparel； he had not at first exhibited to
Clarence any claim to sympathy。 But it appeared that he was actually a
youth of only sixteena hopeless incorrigible of St。 Joseph； whose parents
had prevailed on Peyton to allow him to join the party； by way of
removing him from evil associations and as a method of reform。 Of this
Clarence was at first ignorant； not from any want of frankness on the part
of the youth； for that ingenious young gentleman later informed him that
he had killed three men in St。 Louis； two in St。 Jo； and that the officers of
justice were after him。 But it was evident that to precocious habits of
drinking； smoking； chewing； and card…playing this overgrown youth added
a strong tendency to ex