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embarrassed pleasure he was conscious of a moment before。
〃Then you're living with your father？〃 said Susy； changing the
subject。
〃You mean my COUSIN；〃 said Clarence； smiling。 〃You know my father
died long before I ever knew you。〃
〃Yes； that's what YOU used to say； Clarence； but papa says it isn't
so。〃 But seeing the boy's wondering eyes fixed on her with a
troubled expression； she added quickly； 〃Oh； then； he IS your
cousin！〃
〃Well； I think I ought to know；〃 said Clarence； with a smile； that
was； however； far from comfortable； and a quick return of his old
unpleasant recollections of the Peytons。 〃Why； I was brought to
him by one of his friends。〃 And Clarence gave a rapid boyish
summary of his journey from Sacramento； and Flynn's discovery of
the letter addressed to Silsbee。 But before he had concluded he
was conscious that Susy was by no means interested in these
details； nor in the least affected by the passing allusion to her
dead father and his relation to Clarence's misadventures。 With her
rounded chin in her hand； she was slowly examining his face； with a
certain mischievous yet demure abstraction。 〃I tell you what；
Clarence；〃 she said； when he had finished； 〃you ought to make your
cousin get you one of those sombreros； and a nice gold…braided
serape。 They'd just suit you。 And thenthen you could ride up
and down the Alameda when we are going by。〃
〃But I'm coming to see you atat your house； and at the convent；〃
he said eagerly。 〃Father Sobriente and my cousin will fix it all
right。〃
But Susy shook her head； with superior wisdom。 〃No； they must
never know our secret！neither papa nor mamma； especially mamma。
And they mustn't know that we've met againAFTER THESE YEARS！〃 It
is impossible to describe the deep significance which Susy's blue
eyes gave to this expression。 After a pause she went on
〃No！ We must never meet again； Clarence； unless Mary Rogers helps。
She is my best； my ONLIEST friend； and older than I； having had
trouble herself； and being expressly forbidden to see him again。
You can speak to her about Suzettethat's my name now； I was
rechristened Suzette Alexandra Peyton by mamma。 And now；
Clarence；〃 dropping her voice and glancing shyly around the saloon；
〃you may kiss me just once under my hat； for good…by。〃 She
adroitly slanted her broad…brimmed hat towards the front of the
shop； and in its shadow advanced her fresh young cheek to Clarence。
Coloring and laughing； the boy pressed his lips to it twice。 Then
Susy arose； with the faintest affectation of a sigh； shook out her
skirt； drew on her gloves with the greatest gravity； and saying；
〃Don't follow me further than the doorthey're coming now；〃 walked
with supercilious dignity past the preoccupied proprietor and
waiters to the entrance。 Here she said； with marked civility；
〃Good…afternoon； Mr。 Brant；〃 and tripped away towards the hotel。
Clarence lingered for a moment to look after the lithe and elegant
little figure； with its shining undulations of hair that fell over
the back and shoulders of her white frock like a golden mantle； and
then turned away in the opposite direction。
He walked home in a state； as it seemed to him； of absurd
perplexity。 There were many reasons why his encounter with Susy
should have been of unmixed pleasure。 She had remembered him of
her own free will； and； in spite of the change in her fortune； had
made the first advances。 Her doubts about her future interviews
had affected him but little； still less； I fear； did he think of
the other changes in her character and disposition； for he was of
that age when they added only a piquancy and fascination to heras
of one who； in spite of her weakness of nature； was still devoted
to him！ But he was painfully conscious that this meeting had
revived in him all the fears； vague uneasiness； and sense of wrong
that had haunted his first boyhood； and which he thought he had
buried at El Refugio four years ago。 Susy's allusion to his father
and the reiteration of Peyton's skepticism awoke in his older
intellect the first feeling of suspicion that was compatible with
his open nature。 Was this recurring reticence and mystery due to
any act of his father's？ But； looking back upon it in after…years；
he concluded that the incident of that day was a premonition rather
than a recollection。
CHAPTER XI
When he reached the college the Angelus had long since rung。 In
the corridor he met one of the Fathers； who； instead of questioning
him； returned his salutation with a grave gentleness that struck
him。 He had turned into Father Sobriente's quiet study with the
intention of reporting himself； when he was disturbed to find him
in consultation with three or four of the faculty； who seemed to be
thrown into some slight confusion by his entrance。 Clarence was
about to retire hurriedly when Father Sobriente； breaking up the
council with a significant glance at the others； called him back。
Confused and embarrassed； with a dread of something impending； the
boy tried to avert it by a hurried account of his meeting with
Susy； and his hopes of Father Sobriente's counsel and assistance。
Taking upon himself the idea of suggesting Susy's escapade； he
confessed the fault。 The old man gazed into his frank eyes with a
thoughtful； half…compassionate smile。 〃I was just thinking of
giving you a holiday withwith Don Juan Robinson。〃 The unusual
substitution of this final title for the habitual 〃your cousin〃
struck Clarence uneasily。 〃But we will speak of that later。 Sit
down； my son； I am not busy。 We shall talk a little。 Father Pedro
says you are getting on fluently with your translations。 That is
excellent； my son； excellent。〃
Clarence's face beamed with relief and pleasure。 His vague fears
began to dissipate。
〃And you translate even from dictation！ Good！ We have an hour to
spare； and you shall give to me a specimen of your skill。 Eh？
Good！ I will walk here and dictate to you in my poor English； and
you shall sit there and render it to me in your good Spanish。 Eh？
So we shall amuse and instruct ourselves。〃
Clarence smiled。 These sporadic moments of instruction and
admonition were not unusual to the good Father。 He cheerfully
seated himself at the Padre's table before a blank sheet of paper；
with a pen in his hand。 Father Sobriente paced the apartment； with
his usual heavy but noiseless tread。 To his surprise； the good
priest； after an exhaustive pinch of snuff； blew his nose； and
began； in his most lugubrious style of pulpit exhortation：
〃It has been written that the sins of the father shall be visited
upon the children； and the unthinking and worldly have sought
refuge from this law by declaring it harsh and cruel。 Miserable
and blind！ For do we not see that the wicked man； who in the pride
of his power and vainglory is willing to risk punishment to
HIMSELFand believes it to be couragemust pause before the awful
mandate that condemns an equal suffering to those he loves； which
he cannot withhold or suffer for？ In the spectacle of these
innocents struggling against disgrace； perhaps disease； poverty； or
desertion； what avails his haughty； all…defying spirit？ Let us
imagine； Clarence。〃
〃Sir？〃 said the literal Clarence； pausing in his exercise。
〃I mean；〃 continued the priest； with a slight cough； 〃let the
thoughtful man picture a father： a desperate； self…willed man； who
scorned the laws of God and societykeeping only faith with a
miserable subterfuge he called 'honor；' and relying only on his own
courage and his knowledge of human weakness。 Imagine him cruel and
bloodya gambler by profession； an outlaw among men； an outcast
from the Church； voluntarily abandoning friends and family；the
wife he should have cherished； the son he should have reared and
educatedfor the gratification of his deadly passions。 Yet
imagine that man suddenly confronted with the thought of that
heritage of shame and disgust which he had brought upon his
innocent offspringto whom he cannot give even his own desperate
recklessness to sustain its vicarious suffering。 What must be the
feelings of a parent〃
〃Father Sobriente；〃 said Clarence softly。
To the boy's surprise； scarcely had he spoken when the soft
protecting palm of the priest was already upon his shoulder； and
the snuffy but kindly upper lip； trembling with some strange
emotion； close beside his cheek。
〃What is it； Clarence？〃 he said hurriedly。 〃Speak； my son； without
fear！ You would ask〃
〃I only wanted to know if 'padre' takes a masculine verb here；〃
replied Clarence naively。
Father Sobriente blew his nose violently。 〃Trulythough used for
either gender； by the context masculine；〃 he responded gravely。
〃Ah；〃 he added； leaning over Clarence； and scanning his work
hastily； 〃Good； very good！ And now； possibly；〃 he continued；
passing his hand like a damp sponge over his heated brow； 〃we shall
reverse our exercise。 I shall deliver to you in Spanish what you
shall render back in English； eh？ Andlet us considerwe shall
make something more familiar and narrative； eh？〃
To this Clarence； somewhat bored by these present solemn
abstractions； assented gladly； and took up his