"
"You did?" she said, drawing in her breath. A wave of delicate pink
color came up to her very eyes, it seemed to him as quickly and as
innocently as when she was a girl. "And what DID you think, Klarns," she
half whispered--"tell me."
He did not speak, but answered her blue eyes and then her lips, as her
arms slipped quite naturally around his neck.
*****
The dawn was breaking as Clarence and Jim Hooker emerged together from
the gate of the casa. Mr. Hooker looked sleepy. He had found, after his
return from Fair Plains, that his host had an early engagement at
Santa Inez, and he had insisted upon rising to see him off. It was with
difficulty, indeed, that Clarence could prevent his accompanying him.
Clarence had not revealed to Susy the night before the real object of
his journey, nor did Hooker evidently suspect it, yet when the former
had mounted his horse, he hesitated for an instant, extending his hand.
"If I should happen to be detained," he began with a half smile.
But Jim was struggling with a yawn. "That's all right--don't mind us,"
he said, stretching his arms. Clarence's hesitating hand dropped to his
side, and with a light reckless laugh and a half sense of providential
relief he galloped away.
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