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a faint voice。
John Peyton nodded without speaking； and turned his eyes away into
the gathering darkness。 The man 〃Harry〃 also looked abstractedly
at his plate； as if he was saying grace。 Clarence wondered who
〃she〃 was； and why two little tears dropped from Mrs。 Peyton's
lashes into Susy's milk； and whether Susy might not violently
object to it。 He did not know until later that the Peytons had
lost their only child； and Susy comfortably drained this mingled
cup of a mother's grief and tenderness without suspicion。
〃I suppose we'll come up with their train early tomorrow； if some
of them don't find us to…night；〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； with a long sigh
and a regretful glance at Susy。 〃Perhaps we might travel together
for a little while；〃 she added timidly。
Harry laughed； and Mr。 Peyton replied gravely； 〃I am afraid we
wouldn't travel with them； even for company's sake； and；〃 he added；
in a lower and graver voice； 〃it's rather odd the search party
hasn't come upon us yet； though I'm keeping Pete and Hank
patrolling the trail to meet them。〃
〃It's heartlessso it is！〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； with sudden
indignation。 〃It would be all very well if it was only this boy；
who can take care of himself； but to be so careless of a mere baby
like this； it's shameful！〃
For the first time Clarence tasted the cruelty of discrimination。
All the more keenly that he was beginning to worship； after his
boyish fashion； this sweet…faced； clean； and tender…hearted woman。
Perhaps Mr。 Peyton noticed it； for he came quietly to his aid。
〃Maybe they knew better than we in what careful hands they had left
her；〃 he said； with a cheerful nod towards Clarence。 〃And； again；
they may have been fooled as we were by Injin signs and left the
straight road。〃
This suggestion instantly recalled to Clarence his vision in the
mesquite。 Should he dare tell them？ Would they believe him； or
would they laugh at him before her？ He hesitated； and at last
resolved to tell it privately to the husband。 When the meal was
ended； and he was made happy by Mrs。 Peyton's laughing acceptance
of his offer to help her clear the table and wash the dishes； they
all gathered comfortably in front of the tent before the large camp
fire。 At the other fire the rest of the party were playing cards
and laughing； but Clarence no longer cared to join them。 He was
quite tranquil in the maternal propinquity of his hostess； albeit a
little uneasy as to his reticence about the Indian。
〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy； relieving a momentary pause； in her highest
voice； 〃knows how to speak。 Speak； Kla'uns！〃
It appearing from Clarence's blushing explanation that this gift
was not the ordinary faculty of speech； but a capacity to recite
verse； he was politely pressed by the company for a performance。
〃Speak 'em； Kla'uns； the boy what stood unto the burnin' deck； and
said； 'The boy； oh； where was he？'〃 said Susy； comfortably lying
down on Mrs。 Peyton's lap； and contemplating her bare knees in the
air。 〃It's 'bout a boy；〃 she added confidentially to Mrs。 Peyton；
〃whose father wouldn't never； never stay with him on a burnin'
ship； though he said； 'Stay； father； stay；' ever so much。〃
With this clear； lucid； and perfectly satisfactory explanation of
Mrs。 Hemans's 〃Casabianca；〃 Clarence began。 Unfortunately； his
actual rendering of this popular school performance was more an
effort of memory than anything else； and was illustrated by those
wooden gestures which a Western schoolmaster had taught him。 He
described the flames that 〃roared around him；〃 by indicating with
his hand a perfect circle； of which he was the axis； he adjured his
father； the late Admiral Casabianca； by clasping his hands before
his chin； as if wanting to be manacled in an attitude which he was
miserably conscious was unlike anything he himself had ever felt or
seen before； he described that father 〃faint in death below；〃 and
〃the flag on high；〃 with one single motion。 Yet something that the
verses had kindled in his active imagination； perhaps； rather than
an illustration of the verses themselves； at times brightened his
gray eyes； became tremulous in his youthful voice； and I fear
occasionally incoherent on his lips。 At times； when not conscious
of his affected art； the plain and all upon it seemed to him to
slip away into the night； the blazing camp fire at his feet to wrap
him in a fateful glory； and a vague devotion to somethinghe knew
not whatso possessed him that he communicated it； and probably
some of his own youthful delight in extravagant voice； to his
hearers； until； when he ceased with a glowing face； he was
surprised to find that the card players had deserted their camp
fires and gathered round the tent。
CHAPTER V
〃You didn't say 'Stay； father； stay；' enough； Kla'uns；〃 said Susy
critically。 Then suddenly starting upright in Mrs。 Peyton's lap；
she continued rapidly； 〃I kin dance。 And sing。 I kin dance High
Jambooree。〃
〃What's High Jambooree； dear？〃 asked Mrs。 Peyton。
〃You'll see。 Lemme down。〃 And Susy slipped to the ground。
The dance of High Jambooree； evidently of remote mystical African
origin； appeared to consist of three small skips to the right and
then to the left； accompanied by the holding up of very short
skirts； incessant 〃teetering〃 on the toes of small feet； the
exhibition of much bare knee and stocking； and a gurgling
accompaniment of childish laughter。 Vehemently applauded； it left
the little performer breathless； but invincible and ready for fresh
conquest。
〃I kin sing； too；〃 she gasped hurriedly； as if unwilling that the
applause should lapse。 〃I kin sing。 Oh； dear！ Kla'uns；〃
piteously； 〃WHAT is it I sing？〃
〃Ben Bolt；〃 suggested Clarence。
〃Oh； yes。 Oh； don't you remember sweet Alers Ben Bolt？〃 began
Susy； in the same breath and the wrong key。 〃Sweet Alers； with
hair so brown； who wept with delight when you giv'd her a smile；
and〃 with knitted brows and appealing recitative； 〃what's er rest
of it； Kla'uns？〃
〃Who trembled with fear at your frown？〃 prompted Clarence。
〃Who trembled with fear at my frown？〃 shrilled Susy。 〃I forget er
rest。 Wait！ I kin sing〃
〃Praise God；〃 suggested Clarence。
〃Yes。〃 Here Susy； a regular attendant in camp and prayer…meetings；
was on firmer ground。
Promptly lifting her high treble； yet with a certain acquired
deliberation； she began； 〃Praise God； from whom all blessings
flow。〃 At the end of the second line the whispering and laughing
ceased。 A deep voice to the right； that of the champion poker
player； suddenly rose on the swell of the third line。 He was
instantly followed by a dozen ringing voices； and by the time the
last line was reached it was given with a full chorus； in which the
dull chant of teamsters and drivers mingled with the soprano of
Mrs。 Peyton and Susy's childish treble。 Again and again it was
repeated； with forgetful eyes and abstracted faces； rising and
falling with the night wind and the leap and gleam of the camp
fires； and fading again like them in the immeasurable mystery of
the darkened plain。
In the deep and embarrassing silence that followed； at last the
party hesitatingly broke up；