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details； how he had lived with an aunt at St。 Jo； and how his stepmother
had procured his passage with the Silsbees to California； where he was to
meet his cousin。 All this with a lack of interest and abstraction that he
was miserably conscious told against him； but he was yet helpless to resist。
The first man remained thoughtful； and then glanced at Clarence's
sunburnt hands。 Presently his large； good…humored smile returned。
〃Well； I suppose you are hungry？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence shyly。 〃But〃
〃But what？〃
〃I should like to wash myself a little；〃 he returned hesitatingly；
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thinking of the clean tent； the clean lady； and Susy's ribbons。
〃Certainly；〃 said his friend； with a pleased look。 〃Come with me。〃
Instead of leading Clarence to the battered tin basin and bar of yellow soap
which had formed the toilet service of the Silsbee party； he brought the
boy into one of the wagons； where there was a washstand； a china basin；
and a cake of scented soap。 Standing beside Clarence； he watched him
perform his ablutions with an approving air which rather embarrassed his
protege。 Presently he said； almost abruptly；
〃Do you remember your father's house at Louisville？〃
〃Yes； sir； but it was a long time ago。〃
Clarence remembered it as being very different from his home at St。
Joseph's； but from some innate feeling of diffidence he would have shrunk
from describing it in that way。 He； however； said he thought it was a
large house。 Yet the modest answer only made his new friend look at
him the more keenly。
〃Your father was Colonel Hamilton Brant； of Louisville； wasn't he？〃
he said； half…confidentially。
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence hopelessly。
〃Well；〃 said his friend cheerfully； as if dismissing an abstruse problem
from his mind； 〃Let's go to supper。〃
When they reached the tent again； Clarence noticed that the supper
was laid only for his host and wife and the second manwho was
familiarly called 〃Harry；〃 but who spoke of the former always as 〃Mr。 and
Mrs。 Peyton〃while the remainder of the party； a dozen men； were at a
second camp fire； and evidently enjoying themselves in a picturesque
fashion。 Had the boy been allowed to choose； he would have joined
them； partly because it seemed more 〃manly；〃 and partly that he dreaded a
renewal of the questioning。
But here； Susy； sitting bolt upright on an extemporized high stool；
happily diverted his attention by pointing to the empty chair beside her。
〃Kla'uns；〃 she said suddenly； with her usual clear and appalling
frankness； 〃they is chickens； and hamanaigs； and hot biksquits； and lasses；
and Mister Peyton says I kin have 'em all。〃
Clarence； who had begun suddenly to feel that he was responsible for
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Susy's deportment and was balefully conscious that she was holding her
plated fork in her chubby fist by its middle； and； from his previous
knowledge of her； was likely at any moment to plunge it into the dish
before her； said softly；
〃Hush！〃
〃Yes； you shall； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； with tenderly beaming
assurance to Susy and a half…reproachful glance at the boy。 〃Eat what
you like； darling。〃
〃It's a fork；〃 whispered the still uneasy Clarence； as Susy now seemed
inclined to stir her bowl of milk with it。
〃'Tain't； now； Kla'uns； it's only a split spoon；〃 said Susy。
But Mrs。 Peyton； in her rapt admiration； took small note of these
irregularities； plying the child with food； forgetting her own meal； and
only stopping at times to lift back the forward straying curls on Susy's
shoulders。 Mr。 Peyton looked on gravely and contentedly。 Suddenly
the eyes of husband and wife met。
〃She'd have been nearly as old as this； John；〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； in 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
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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