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you two； by the feet。 Let your horses follow。 For I intend that
you four shall carry home your master in your arms； on foot。 Now
forward to the corral by the back trail。 Disobey me； or step out of
line and〃 He raised the revolver ominously。
If the change wrought in the dead man before them was weird and
terrifying； no less distinct and ominous was the change that； during
the last few minutes； had come over the living speaker。 For it was
no longer the youthful Clarence who sat there； but a haggard；
prematurely worn； desperate…looking avenger； lank of cheek； and
injected of eye； whose white teeth glistened under the brown
mustache and thin pale lips that parted when his restrained breath
now and then hurriedly escaped them。
As the procession moved on； two men slunk behind with the horses。
〃Mother of God！ Who is this wolf's whelp？〃 said Manuel。
〃Hush！〃 said his companion in a terrified whisper。 〃Have you not
heard？ It is the son of Hamilton Brant； the assassin； the duelist；
he who was fusiladed in Sonora。〃 He made the sign of the cross
quickly。 〃Jesus Maria！ Let them look out who have cause； for the
blood of his father is in him！〃
CHAPTER VII。
What other speech passed between Clarence and Peyton's retainers was
not known； but not a word of the interview seemed to have been
divulged by those present。 It was generally believed and accepted
that Judge Peyton met his death by being thrown from his half…broken
mustang； and dragged at its heels； and medical opinion； hastily
summoned from Santa Inez after the body had been borne to the
corral； and stripped of its hideous encasings； declared that the
neck had been broken； and death had followed instantaneously。 An
inquest was deemed unnecessary。
Clarence had selected Mary to break the news to Mrs。 Peyton； and the
frightened young girl was too much struck with the change still
visible in his face； and the half authority of his manner； to
decline； or even to fully appreciate the calamity that had befallen
them。 After the first benumbing shock； Mrs。 Peyton passed into that
strange exaltation of excitement brought on by the immediate
necessity for action； followed by a pallid calm； which the average
spectator too often unfairly accepts as incongruous； inadequate； or
artificial。 There had also occurred one of those strange
compensations that wait on Death or disrupture by catastrophe： such
as the rude shaking down of an unsettled life； the forcible
realization of what were vague speculations； the breaking of old
habits and traditions； and the unloosing of half…conscious bonds。
Mrs。 Peyton； without insensibility to her loss or disloyalty to her
affections； nevertheless felt a relief to know that she was now
really Susy's guardian； free to order her new life wherever and
under what conditions she chose as most favorable to it； and that
she could dispose of this house that was wearying to her when Susy
was away； and which the girl herself had always found insupportable。
She could settle this question of Clarence's relations to her
daughter out of hand without advice or opposition。 She had a
brother in the East； who would be summoned to take care of the
property。 This consideration for the living pursued her； even while
the dead man's presence still awed the hushed house； it was in her
thoughts as she stood beside his bier and adjusted the flowers on
his breast； which no longer moved for or against these vanities； and
it stayed with her even in the solitude of her darkened room。
But if Mrs。 Peyton was deficient； it was Susy who filled the popular
idea of a mourner； and whose emotional attitude of a grief…stricken
daughter left nothing to be desired。 It was she who； when the house
was filled with sympathizing friends from San Francisco and the few
near neighbors who had hurried with condolences； was overflowing in
her reminiscences of the dead man's goodness to her； and her own
undying affection； who recalled ominous things that he had said； and
strange premonitions of her own； the result of her ever…present
filial anxiety； it was she who had hurried home that afternoon；
impelled with vague fears of some impending calamity； it was she who
drew a picture of Peyton as a doting and almost too indulgent
parent； which Mary Rogers failed to recognize； and which brought
back vividly to Clarence's recollection her own childish
exaggerations of the Indian massacre。 I am far from saying that she
was entirely insincere or merely acting at these moments； at times
she was taken with a mild hysteria； brought on by the exciting
intrusion of this real event in her monotonous life； by the
attentions of her friends； the importance of her suffering as an
only child； and the advancement of her position as the heiress of
the Robles Rancho。 If her tears were near the surface； they were at
least genuine； and filmed her violet eyes and reddened her pretty
eyelids quite as effectually as if they had welled from the depths
of her being。 Her black frock lent a matured dignity to her figure；
and paled her delicate complexion with the refinement of suffering。
Even Clarence was moved in that dark and haggard abstraction that
had settled upon him since his strange outbreak over the body of his
old friend。
The extent of that change had not been noticed by Mrs。 Peyton； who
had only observed that Clarence had treated her grief with a grave
and silent respect。 She was grateful for that。 A repetition of his
boyish impulsiveness would have been distasteful to her at such a
moment。 She only thought him more mature and more subdued； and as
the only man now in her household his services had been invaluable
in the emergency。
The funeral had taken place at Santa Inez； where half the county
gathered to pay their last respects to their former fellow…citizen
and neighbor； whose legal and combative victories they had admired；
and whom death had lifted into a public character。 The family were
returning to the house the same afternoon； Mrs。 Peyton and the girls
in one carriage； the female house…servants in another； and Clarence
on horseback。 They had reached the first plateau； and Clarence was
riding a little in advance； when an extraordinary figure； rising
from the grain beyond； began to gesticulate to him wildly。 Checking
the driver of the first carriage； Clarence bore down upon the
stranger。 To his amazement it was Jim Hooker。 Mounted on a
peaceful； unwieldy plough horse； he was nevertheless accoutred and
armed after his most extravagant fashion。 In addition to a heavy
rifle across his saddle…bow he was weighted down with a knife and
revolvers。 Clarence was in no mood for trifling； and almost rudely
demanded his business。
〃Gord； Clarence； it ain't foolin'。 The Sisters' title was decided
yesterday。〃
〃I knew it； you fool！ It's YOUR title！ You were already on your
land and in possession。 What the devil are you doing HERE？〃
〃Yes；