按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
feared； he forgot even the object of their journey in the new
sensations that suddenly thronged upon him； and the boyish vista of
the future that they seemed to open。 He was dazed and intoxicated。
He had never seen so many books before； he had never conceived of
such lovely pictures。 And yet in some vague way he thought he must
have dreamt of them at some time。 He had mounted a chair； and was
gazing spellbound at an engraving of a sea…fight when he heard
Flynn's voice。
His friend had quietly reentered the room； in company with an
oldish； half…foreign…looking man； evidently his relation。 With no
helping recollection； with no means of comparison beyond a vague
idea that his cousin might look like himself； Clarence stood
hopelessly before him。 He had already made up his mind that he
would have to go through the usual cross…questioning in regard to
his father and family； he had even forlornly thought of inventing
some innocent details to fill out his imperfect and unsatisfactory
recollection。 But； glancing up； he was surprised to find that his
elderly cousin was as embarrassed as he was； Flynn； as usual；
masterfully interposed。
〃Of course ye don't remember each other； and thar ain't much that
either of you knows about family matters； I reckon；〃 he said
grimly； 〃and as your cousin calls himself Don Juan Robinson；〃 he
added to Clarence； 〃it's just as well that you let 'Jackson Brant'
slide。 I know him better than you； but you'll get used to him； and
he to you； soon enough。 At least； you'd better；〃 he concluded；
with his singular gravity。
As he turned as if to leave the room with Clarence's embarrassed
relativemuch to that gentleman's apparent reliefthe boy looked
up at the latter and said timidly
〃May I look at those books？〃
His cousin stopped； and glanced at him with the first expression of
interest he had shown。
〃Ah； you read； you like books？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence。 As his cousin remained still looking at him
thoughtfully； he added； 〃My hands are pretty clean； but I can wash
them first； if you like。〃
〃You may look at them；〃 said Don Juan smilingly； 〃and as they are
old books you can wash your hands afterwards。〃 And； turning to
Flynn suddenly； with an air of relief； 〃I tell you what I'll do
I'll teach him Spanish！〃
They left the room together； and Clarence turned eagerly to the
shelves。 They were old books； some indeed very old； queerly bound；
and worm…eaten。 Some were in foreign languages； but others in
clear； bold English type； with quaint wood…cuts and illustrations。
One seemed to be a chronicle of battles and sieges； with pictured
representations of combatants spitted with arrows； cleanly lopped
off in limb； or toppled over distinctly by visible cannon…shot。 He
was deep in its perusal when he heard the clatter of a horse's
hoofs in the court…yard and the voice of Flynn。 He ran to the
window； and was astonished to see his friend already on horseback；
taking leave of his host。
For one instant Clarence felt one of those sudden revulsions of
feeling common to his age； but which he had always timidly hidden
under dogged demeanor。 Flynn； his only friend！ Flynn； his only
boyish confidant！ Flynn； his latest hero； was going away and
forsaking him without a word of parting！ It was true that he had
only agreed to take him to his guardian； but still Flynn need not
have left him without a word of hope or encouragement！ With any
one else Clarence would probably have taken refuge in his usual
Indian stoicism； but the same feeling that had impelled him to
offer Flynn his boyish confidences on their first meeting now
overpowered him。 He dropped his book； ran out into the corridor；
and made his way to the court…yard； just as Flynn galloped out from
the arch。
But the boy uttered a despairing shout that reached the rider。 He
drew rein； wheeled； halted； and sat facing Clarence impatiently。
To add to Clarence's embarrassment his cousin had lingered in the
corridor； attracted by the interruption； and a peon； lounging in
the archway； obsequiously approached Flynn's bridle…rein。 But the
rider waved him off； and； turning sternly to Clarence； said：
〃What's the matter now？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Clarence； striving to keep back the hot tears that
rose in his eyes。 〃But you were going away without saying 'good…
by。' You've been very kind to me； andandI want to thank you！〃
A deep flush crossed Flynn's face。 Then glancing suspiciously
towards the corridor； he said hurriedly；
〃Did HE send you？〃
〃No； I came myself。 I heard you going。〃
〃All right。 Good…by。〃 He leaned forward as if about to take
Clarence's outstretched hand； checked himself suddenly with a grim
smile； and taking from his pocket a gold coin handed it to the boy。
Clarence took it； tossed it with a proud gesture to the waiting
peon； who caught it thankfully； drew back a step from Flynn； and
saying； with white cheeks； 〃I only wanted to say good…by；〃 dropped
his hot eyes to the ground。 But it did not seem to be his own
voice that had spoken； nor his own self that had prompted the act。
There was a quick interchange of glances between the departing
guest and his late host； in which Flynn's eyes flashed with an odd；
admiring fire； but when Clarence raised his head again he was gone。
And as the boy turned back with a broken heart towards the
corridor； his cousin laid his hand upon his shoulder。
〃Muy hidalgamente； Clarence；〃 he said pleasantly。 〃Yes； we shall
make something of you！〃
CHAPTER X
Then followed to Clarence three uneventful years。 During that
interval he learnt that Jackson Brant； or Don Juan Robinsonfor
the tie of kinship was the least factor in their relations to each
other； and after the departure of Flynn was tacitly ignored by
bothwas more Spanish than American。 An early residence in Lower
California； marriage with a rich Mexican widow； whose dying
childless left him sole heir； and some strange restraining
idiosyncrasy of temperament had quite denationalized him。 A
bookish recluse； somewhat superfastidious towards his own
countrymen； the more Clarence knew him the more singular appeared
his acquaintance with Flynn； but as he did not exhibit more
communicativeness on this point than upon their own kinship；
Clarence finally concluded that it was due to the dominant
character of his former friend； and thought no more about it。 He
entered upon the new life at El Refugio with no disturbing past。
Quickly adapting himself to the lazy freedom of this hacienda
existence； he spent the mornings on horseback ranging the hills
among his cousin's cattle； and the afternoons and evenings busied
among his cousin's books with equally lawless and undisciplined
independence。 The easy…going Don Juan； it is true； attempted to
make good his rash promise to teach the boy Spanish； and actually
set him a few tasks； but in a few weeks the quick…witted Clarence
acquired such a colloquial proficiency from his casual acquaintance
with vaqueros and small traders that he was glad to leave the
matter in his young kinsman's hands。 Again； by one of those
illogical sequences which make a lifelong reputation depend upon a
single trivial act； Clarence's social status was settled forever at
El Refugio Rancho by his picturesque diversion of Flynn's parting
gift。 The grateful peon to whom the boy had scornfully tossed the
coin repeated the act； gesture； and spirit of the scene to his
companion； and Don Juan's unknown and youthful relation was at once
recognized as hijo de la familia； and undeniably a hidalgo born and
bred。 But in the more vivid imagination of feminine El Refugio the
incident reached its highest poetic form。 〃It is true； Mother of
God；〃 said Chucha of the Mill； 〃it was Domingo who himself relates
it as it were the Creed。 When the American escort had arrived with
the young gentleman； this escort； look you； being not of the same
quality； he is departing again without a word of permission。 Comes
to him at this moment my little hidalgo。 'You have yourself
forgotten to take from me your demission；' he said。 This escort；
thinking to make his peace with a mere muchacho； gives to him a
gold piece of twenty pesos。 The little hidalgo has taken it SO；
and with the words； 'Ah！ you would make of me your almoner to my
cousin's people；' has given it at the moment to Domingo； and with a
grace and fire admirable。〃 But it is certain that Clarence's
singular simplicity and truthfulness； a faculty of being
picturesquely indolent in a way that suggested a dreamy abstraction
of mind rather than any vulgar tendency to bodily ease and comfort；
and possibly the fact that he was a good horseman； made him a
popular hero at El Refugio。 At the end of three years Don Juan
found that this inexperienced and apparently idle boy of fourteen
knew more of the practical ruling of the rancho than he did
himself； also that this unlettered young rustic had devoured nearly
all the books in his library with boyish recklessness of digestion。
He found； too； that in spite of his singular independence of
action； Clarence was possessed of an invincible loyalty of
principle； and that； asking no sentimental affection； and indeed
yielding non