as she eyed him from under
her broad hat, "you needn't come with me unless you like. I can run away
by myself,--if I want to! I've thought of it before. One can't stand
everything!"

"But, Susy," said Clarence, with a swift remorseful recollection of her
confidence yesterday, "is there really anything troubles you? Tell me,
dear. What is it?"

"Oh, nothing--EVERYTHING! It's no use,--YOU can't understand! YOU like
it, I know you do. I can see it; it's your style. But it's stupid, it's
awful, Clarence! With mamma snooping over you and around you all day,
with her 'dear child,' 'mamma's pet,' and 'What is it, dear?' and 'Tell
it all to your own mamma,' as if I would! And 'my own mamma,' indeed! As
if I didn't know, Clarence, that she ISN'T. And papa, caring for nothing
but this hideous, dreary rancho, and the huge, empty plains. It's worse
than school, for there, at least, when you went out, you could see
something besides cattle and horses and yellow-faced half-breeds! But
here--Lord! it's only a wonder I haven't run away before!"

Startled and shocked as Clarence was at this revelation, accompanied as
it was by a hardness of manner that was new to him, the influence of
the young girl was still so strong upon him that he tried to evade it as
only an extravagance, and said with a faint smile, "But where would you
run to?"

She looked at him cunningly, with her head on one side, and then said:--

"I have friends, and"--

She hesitated, pursing up her pretty lips.

"And what?"

"Relations."

"Relations?"

"Yes,--an aunt by marriage. She lives in Sacramento. She'd be overjoyed
to have me come to her. Her second husband has a theatre there."

"But, Susy, what does Mrs. Peyton know of this?"

"Nothing. Do you think I'd tell her, and have her buy them up as she has
my other relations? Do you suppose I don't know that I've been bought up
like a nigger?"

She looked indignant, compressing her delicate little nostrils, and yet,
somehow, Clarence had the same singular impression that she was only
acting.

The calling of a far-off voice came faintly through the wood.

"That's Mary, looking for me," said Susy composedly. "You must go, now,
Clarence. Quick! Remember what I said,--and don't breathe a word of
this. Good-by."

But Clarence was standing still, breathless, hopelessly disturbed, and
irresolute. Then he turned away mechanically towards the trail.

"Well, Clarence?"

She was looking at him half reproa