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Senor Horncastle surely could find nothing to object to。 Father
Pedro was charmed with him。 A man of affairs； and yet a good
Catholic； too。 It was a Senor Van LooDon Paul the boy called
him； and they talked of the boy's studies in the old days as if
indeed； but for the stranger being a caballero and man of the
worldas if he had been his teacher。〃
It was a proof of the intensity of the father's feelings that they
had passed beyond the power of his usual coarse； brutal expression；
and he only stared at the priest with a dull red face in which the
blood seemed to have stagnated。 Presently he said thickly； 〃When
did he come？〃
〃A few days ago。〃
〃Which way did Eddy go？〃
〃To Brown's Mills； scarcely a league away。 He will be hereeven
nowon the instant。 But the senor will come into the refectory
and take some of the old Mission wine from the Catalan grape；
planted one hundred and fifty years ago； until the dear child
returns。 He will be so happy。〃
〃No！ I'm in a hurry。 I will go on and meet him。〃 He took off his
hat； mopped his crisp； wet hair with his handkerchief； and in a
thick； slow； impeded voice； more suggestive than the outburst he
restrained； said； 〃And as long as my son remains here that man； Van
Loo； must not pass this gate； speak to him； or even see him。 You
hear me？ See to it； you and all the others。 See to it； I say；
or〃 He stopped abruptly； clapped his hat on the swollen veins of
his forehead； turned quickly； passed out without another word
through the archway into the road； and before the good priest could
cross himself or recover from his astonishment the thud of his
horse's hoofs came from the dusty road。
It was ten minutes before his face resumed its usual color。 But in
that ten minutes； as if some of the struggle of his rider had
passed into him； his horse was sweating with exhaustion and fear。
For in that ten minutes； in this new imagination with which he was
cursed； he had killed both Van Loo and his son； and burned the
refectory over the heads of the treacherous priests。 Then； quite
himself again； a voice came to him from the rocky trail above the
road with the hail of 〃Father！〃 He started quickly as a lad of
fifteen or sixteen came bounding down the hillside； and ran towards
him。
〃You passed me and I called to you； but you did not seem to hear；〃
said the boy breathlessly。 〃Then I ran after you。 Have you been
to the Mission？〃
Steptoe looked at him quite as breathlessly； but from a deeper
emotion。 He was； even at first sight； a handsome lad； glowing with
youth and the excitement of his run； and； as the father looked at
him； he could see the likeness to his mother in his clear…cut
features； and even a resemblance to himself in his square； compact
chest and shoulders and crisp； black curls。 A thrill of purely
animal paternity passed over him； the fierce joy of his flesh over
his own flesh！ His own son； by God！ They could not take THAT from
him； they might plot； swindle； fawn； cheat； lie； and steal away his
affections； but there he was； plain to all eyes； his own son； his
very son！
〃Come here；〃 he said in a singular； half…weary and half…protesting
voice； which the boy instantly recognized as his father's accents
of affection。
The boy hesitated as he stood on the edge of the road and pointed
with mingled mischief and fastidiousness to the depths of impalpable
red dust that lay between him and the horseman。 Steptoe saw that he
was very smartly attired in holiday guise； with white duck trousers
and patent leather shoes； and； after the Spanish fashion； wore black
kid gloves。 He certainly was a bit of a dandy； as he had said。 The
father's whole face changed as he wheeled and came before the lad；
who lifted up his arms expectantly。 They had often ridden together
on the same horse。
〃No rides to…day in that toggery； Eddy；〃 he said in the same voice。
〃But I'll get down and we'll go and sit somewhere under a tree and
have some talk。 I've got a bit of a job that's hurrying me； and I
can't waste time。〃
〃Not one of your old jobs； father？ I thought you had quite given
that up？〃
The boy spoke more carelessly than reproachfully； or even
wonderingly； yet； as he dismounted and tethered his horse； Steptoe
answered evasively； 〃It's a big thing； sonny； maybe we'll make our
eternal fortune； and then we'll light out from this hole and have a
gay time elsewhere。 Come along。〃
He took the boy's gloved right hand in his own powerful grasp； and
together they clambered up the steep hillside to a rocky ledge on
which a fallen pine from above had crashed； snapped itself in
twain； and then left its withered crown to hang half down the
slope； while the other half rested on the ledge。 On this they sat；
looking down upon the road and the tethered horse。 A gentle breeze
moved the treetops above their heads； and the westering sun played
hide…and…seek with the shifting shadows。 The boy's face was quick
and alert with all that moved round him； but without thought the
father's face was heavy； except for the eyes that were fixed upon
his son。
〃Van Loo came to the Mission；〃 he said suddenly。
The boy's eyes glittered quickly； like a steel that pierced the
father's heart。 〃Oh；〃 he said simply； 〃then it was the padre told
you？〃
〃How did he know you were here？〃 asked Steptoe。
〃I don't know；〃 said the boy quietly。 〃I think he said something；
but I've forgotten it。 But it was mighty good of him to come； for
I thought； you know； that he did not care to see me after Heavy
Tree； and that he'd gone back on us。〃
〃What did he tell you？〃 continued Steptoe。 〃Did he talk of me or
of your mother？〃
〃No；〃 said the boy； but without any show of interest or sympathy；
〃we talked mostly about old times。〃
〃Tell ME about those old times； Eddy。 You never told me anything
about them。〃
The boy； momentarily arrested more by something in the tone of his
father's voicea weakness he had never noticed beforethan by any
suggestion of his words； said with a laugh； 〃Oh； only about what we
used to do when I was very little and used to call myself his
'little brother；'don't you remember； long before the big strike
on Heavy Tree？ They were gay times we had then。〃
〃And how he used to teach you to imitate other people's
handwriting？〃 said Steptoe。
〃What made you think of that； pop？〃 said the boy； with a slight
wonder in his eyes。 〃Why； that's the very thing we DID talk
about。〃
〃But you didn't do it again； you ain't done it since；〃 said Steptoe
quickly。
〃Lord！ no；〃 said the boy contemptuously。 〃There ain't no chance
now； and there wouldn't be any fun in it。 It isn't like the old
times when him and me were all alone； and we used to write letters
as coming from other people to all the boys round Heavy Tree and
the Bar； and sometimes as far as Boomville； to get them to do
things； and they'd think the letters w