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Virginie；'〃 said Mary doubtfully。
〃I do； sometimes；〃 said Susy calmly。 〃But one has to learn to
suppress one's feelings； dear！〃 Then quickly； 〃I do so hate deceit；
don't you？ Tell me； don't you think deceit perfectly hateful？〃
Without waiting for her friend's loyal assent； she continued
rapidly： 〃And he's just rolling in wealth！ and educated； papa says；
to the highest degree！〃
〃Then；〃 began Mary； 〃if he's coming with your mother's consent； and
if you haven't quarreled； and it is not broken off； I should think
you'd be just delighted。〃
But another quick flash from Susy's eyes dispersed these beatific
visions of the future。 〃Hush！〃 she said； with suppressed dramatic
intensity。 〃You know not what you say！ There's an awful mystery
hangs over him。 Mary Rogers；〃 continued the young girl； approaching
her small mouth to her confidante's ear in an appalling whisper。
〃His father wasa PIRATE！ Yeslived a pirate and was killed a
pirate！〃
The statement； however； seemed to be partly ineffective。 Mary
Rogers was startled but not alarmed； and even protested feebly。
〃But；〃 she said； 〃if the father's dead； what's that to do with
Clarence？ He was always with your papaso you told me； dearor
other people； and couldn't catch anything from his own father。 And
I'm sure； dearest； he always seemed nice and quiet。〃
〃Yes； SEEMED；〃 returned Susy darkly； 〃but that's all you know！ It
was in his BLOOD。 You know it always is；you read it in the
books；you could see it in his eye。 There were times； my dear；
when he was thwarted；when the slightest attention from another
person to me revealed it！ I have kept it to myself；but think；
dearest； of the effects of jealousy on that passionate nature！
Sometimes I tremble to look back upon it。〃
Nevertheless； she raised her hands and threw back her lovely golden
mane from her childish shoulders with an easy； untroubled gesture。
It was singular that Mary Rogers； leaning back comfortably in the
buggy； also accepted these heart…rending revelations with
comfortably knitted brows and luxuriously contented concern。 If she
found it difficult to recognize in the picture just drawn by Susy
the quiet； gentle； and sadly reserved youth she had known； she said
nothing。 After a silence； lazily watching the distant wheeling
vacquero； she said：
〃And your father always sends an outrider like that with you？ How
nice！ So picturesqueand like the old Spanish days。〃
〃Hush！〃 said Susy； with another unutterable glance。
But this time Mary was in full sympathetic communion with her
friend； and equal to any incoherent hiatus of revelation。
〃No！〃 she said promptly； 〃you don't mean it！〃
〃Don't ask me； I daren't say anything to papa； for he'd be simply
furious。 But there are times when we're alone； and Pedro wheels
down so near with SUCH a look in his black eyes； that I'm all in a
tremble。 It's dreadful！ They say he's a real Briones；and he
sometimes says something in Spanish； ending with 'senorita；' but I
pretend I don't understand。〃
〃And I suppose that if anything should happen to the ponies； he'd
just risk his life to save you。〃
〃Yes；and it would be so awful；for I just hate him！〃
〃But if I was with you； dear； he couldn't expect you to be as
grateful as if you were alone。 Susy！〃 she continued after a pause；
〃if you just stirred up the ponies a little so as to make 'em go
fast； perhaps he might think they'd got away from you； and come
dashing down here。 It would be so funny to see him；wouldn't it？〃
The two girls looked at each other； their eyes sparkled already with
a fearful joy；they drew a long breath of guilty anticipation。 For
a moment Susy even believed in her imaginary sketch of Pedro's
devotion。
〃Papa said I wasn't to use the whip except in a case of necessity；〃
she said； reaching for the slender silver…handled toy； and setting
her pretty lips together with the added determination of
disobedience。 〃G'long！〃and she laid the lash smartly on the
shining backs of the animals。
They were wiry； slender brutes of Mojave Indian blood； only lately
broken to harness； and still undisciplined in temper。 The lash sent
them rearing into the air； where； forgetting themselves in the
slackened traces and loose reins； they came down with a succession
of bounds that brought the light buggy leaping after them with its
wheels scarcely touching the ground。 That unlucky lash had knocked
away the bonds of a few months' servitude and sent the half…broken
brutes instinctively careering with arched backs and kicking heels
into the field towards the nearest cover。
Mary Rogers cast a hurried glance over her shoulder。 Alas； they had
not calculated on the insidious levels of the terraced plain； and
the faithful Pedro had suddenly disappeared； the intervention of six
inches of rising wild oats had wiped him out of the prospect and
their possible salvation as completely as if he had been miles away。
Nevertheless； the girls were not frightened； perhaps they had not
time。 There was； however； the briefest interval for the most
dominant of feminine emotions； and it was taken advantage of by
Susy。
〃It was all YOUR fault； dear！〃 she gasped； as the forewheels of the
buggy； dropping into a gopher rut； suddenly tilted up the back of
the vehicle and shot its fair occupants into the yielding palisades
of dusty grain。 The shock detached the whiffletree from the
splinter…bar； snapped the light pole； and； turning the now
thoroughly frightened animals again from their course； sent them；
goaded by the clattering fragments； flying down the turnpike。 Half
a mile farther on they overtook the gleaming white canvas hood of a
slowly moving wagon drawn by two oxen； and； swerving again； the
nearer pony stepped upon a trailing trace and ingloriously ended
their career by rolling himself and his companion in the dust at the
very feet of the peacefully plodding team。
Equally harmless and inglorious was the catastrophe of Susy and her
friend。 The strong； elastic stalks of the tall grain broke their
fall and enabled them to scramble to their feet； dusty； disheveled；
but unhurt； and even unstunned by the shock。 Their first
instinctive cries over a damaged hat or ripped skirt were followed
by the quick reaction of childish laughter。 They were alone； the
very defection of Pedro consoled them； in its absence of any witness
to their disaster； even their previous slight attitude to each other
was forgotten。 They groped their way； pushing and panting； to the
road again； where； beholding the overset buggy with its wheels
ludicrously in the air； they suddenly seized and shook each other；
and in an outburst of hilarious ecstasy； fairly laughed until the
tears came into their eyes。
Then there was a breathless silence。
〃The stage will be coming by in a moment；〃 composedly said Susy。
〃Fix me； dear。〃
Mary Rogers calmly walked around her friend； bestowing a prac