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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 pen。 Father
Sobriente； resuming his noiseless pacing； began：
〃On the fertile plains of Guadalajara lived a certain caballero；
possessed of flocks and lands； and a wife and son。 But； being also
possessed of a fiery and roving nature； he did not value them as he
did perilous adventure； feats of arms； and sanguinary encounters。
To this may be added riotous excesses； gambling and drunkenness；
which in time decreased his patrimony； even as his rebellious and
quarrelsome spirit had alienated his family and neighbors。 His
wife； borne down by shame and sorrow； died while her son was still
an infant。 In a fit of equal remorse and recklessness the
caballero married again within the year。 But the new wife was of a
temper and bearing as bitter as her consort。 Violent quarrels
ensued between them； ending in the husband abandoning his wife and
son； and leaving St。 LouisI should say Guadalajarafor ever。
Joining some adventurers in a foreign land； under an assumed name；
he pursued his reckless course； until； by one or two acts of
outlawry； he made his return to civilization impossible。 The
deserted wife and step…mother of his child coldly accepted the
situation； forbidding his name to be spoken again in her presence；
announced that he was dead； and kept the knowledge of his existence
from his own son； whom she placed under the charge of her sister。
But the sister managed to secretly communicate with the outlawed
father； and； under a pretext； arranged between them； of sending the
boy to another relation； actually dispatched the innocent child to
his unworthy parent。 Perhaps stirred by remorse； the infamous man〃
〃Stop！〃 said Clarence suddenly。
He had thrown down his pen； and was standing erect and rigid before
the Father。
〃You are trying to tell me something； Father Sobriente；〃 he said；
with an effort。 〃Speak out； I implore you。 I can stand anything
but this mystery。 I am no longer a child。 I have a right to know
all。 This that you are telling me is no fableI see it in your
face； Father Sobriente； it is the story ofof〃
〃Your father； Clarence！〃 said the priest； in a trembling voice。
The boy drew back； with a white face。 〃My father！〃 he repeated。
〃Living； or dead？〃
〃Living； when you first left your home；〃 said the old man
hurriedly； seizing Clarence's hand； 〃for it was he who in the name
of your cousin sent for you。 Livingyes； while you were here； for
it was he who for the past three years stood in the shadow of this
assumed cousin； Don Juan； and at last sent you to this school。
Living； Clarence； yes； but living under a name and reputation that
would have blasted you！ And now DEADdead in Mexico； shot as an
insurgent and in a still desperate career！ May God have mercy on
his soul！〃
〃Dead！〃 repeated Clarence； trembling； 〃only now？〃
〃The news of the insurrection and his fate came only an hour
since；〃 continued the Padre quickly； 〃his complicity with it and
his identity were known only to Don Juan。 He would have spared you
any knowledge of the truth； even as this dead man would； but I and
my brothers thought otherwise。 I have broken it to you badly； my
son； but forgive me？〃
An hysterical laugh broke from Clarence and the priest recoiled
before him。 〃Forgive YOU！ What was this man to me？〃 he said； with
boyish vehemence。 〃He never LOVED me！ He deserted me； he made my
life a lie。 He never sought me； came near me； or stretched a hand
to me that I could take？〃
〃Hush！ hush！〃 said the priest； with a horrified look； laying his
huge hand upon the boy's shoulder and bearing him down to his seat。
〃You know not what you say。 Thinkthink； Clarence！ Was there
none of all those who have befriended youwho were kind to you in
your wanderingsto whom your heart turned unconsciously？ Think；
Clarence！ You yourself have spoken to me of such a one。 Let your
heart speak again； for his sakefor the sake of the dead。〃
A gentler light suffused the boy's eyes； and he started。 Catching
convulsively at his companion's sleeve； he said in an eager； boyish
whisper； 〃There was one； a wicked； desperate man； whom they all
fearedFlynn； who brought me from the mines。 Yes； I thought that
he was my cousin's loyal friendmore than all the rest； and I told
him everythingall； that I never told the man I thought my cousin；
or anyone； or even you； and I think； I think； Father； I liked him
best of all。 I thought since it was wrong；〃 he continued； with a
trembling smile； 〃for I was foolishly fond even of the way the
others feared him； he that I feared not； and who was so kind to me。
Yet he； too； left me without a word； and when I would have followed
him〃 But the boy broke down； and buried his face in his hands。
〃No； no；〃 said Father Sobriente； with eager persistence； 〃that was
his foolish pride to spare you the knowledge of your kinship with
one so feared； and part of the blind and mistaken penance he had
laid upon himself。 For even at that moment of your boyish
indignation； he never was so fond of you as then。 Yes； my poor
boy； this man； to whom God led your wandering feet at Deadman's
Gulch； the man who brought yo