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Spanish！〃
They left the room together； and Clarence turned eagerly to the shelves。
They were old books； some indeed very old； queerly bound； and worm…
eaten。 Some were in foreign languages； but others in clear； bold English
type； with quaint wood…cuts and illustrations。 One seemed to be a
chronicle of battles and sieges； with pictured representations of
combatants spitted with arrows； cleanly lopped off in limb； or toppled over
distinctly by visible cannon…shot。 He was deep in its perusal when he
heard the clatter of a horse's hoofs in the court…yard and the voice of Flynn。
He ran to the window； and was astonished to see his friend already on
horseback； taking leave of his host。
For one instant Clarence felt one of those sudden revulsions of feeling
common to his age； but which he had always timidly hidden under dogged
demeanor。 Flynn； his only friend！ Flynn； his only boyish confidant！
Flynn； his latest hero； was going away and forsaking him without a word
of parting！ It was true that he had only agreed to take him to his guardian；
but still Flynn need not have left him without a word of hope or
encouragement！ With any one else Clarence would probably have taken
refuge in his usual Indian stoicism； but the same feeling that had impelled
him to offer Flynn his boyish confidences on their first meeting now
overpowered him。 He dropped his book； ran out into the corridor； and
made his way to the court…yard； just as Flynn galloped out from the arch。
But the boy uttered a despairing shout that reached the rider。 He
drew rein； wheeled； halted； and sat facing Clarence impatiently。 To add to
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Clarence's embarrassment his cousin had lingered in the corridor； attracted
by the interruption； and a peon； lounging in the archway； obsequiously
approached Flynn's bridle…rein。 But the rider waved him off； and； turning
sternly to Clarence； said：
〃What's the matter now？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Clarence； striving to keep back the hot tears that rose
in his eyes。 〃But you were going away without saying 'good… by。'
You've been very kind to me； andandI want to thank you！〃
A deep flush crossed Flynn's face。 Then glancing suspiciously
towards the corridor； he said hurriedly；
〃Did HE send you？〃
〃No； I came myself。 I heard you going。〃
〃All right。 Good…by。〃 He leaned forward as if about to take
Clarence's outstretched hand； checked himself suddenly with a grim smile；
and taking from his pocket a gold coin handed it to the boy。
Clarence took it； tossed it with a proud gesture to the waiting peon；
who caught it thankfully； drew back a step from Flynn； and saying； with
white cheeks； 〃I only wanted to say good…by；〃 dropped his hot eyes to the
ground。 But it did not seem to be his own voice that had spoken； nor his
own self that had prompted the act。
There was a quick interchange of glances between the departing guest
and his late host； in which Flynn's eyes flashed with an odd； admiring fire；
but when Clarence raised his head again he was gone。 And as the boy
turned back with a broken heart towards the corridor； his cousin laid his
hand upon his shoulder。
〃Muy hidalgamente； Clarence；〃 he said pleasantly。 〃Yes； we shall
make something of you！〃
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CHAPTER X
Then followed to Clarence three uneventful years。 During that
interval he learnt that Jackson Brant； or Don Juan Robinsonfor the tie of
kinship was the least factor in their relations to each other； and after the
departure of Flynn was tacitly ignored by bothwas more Spanish than
American。 An early residence in Lower California； marriage with a rich
Mexican widow； whose dying childless left him sole heir； and some
strange restraining idiosyncrasy of temperament had quite denationalized
him。 A bookish recluse； somewhat superfastidious towards his own
countrymen； the more Clarence knew him the more singular appeared his
acquaintance with Flynn； but as he did not exhibit more
communicativeness on this point than upon their own kinship； Clarence
finally concluded that it was due to the dominant character of his former
friend； and thought no more about it。 He entered upon the new life at El
Refugio with no disturbing past。 Quickly adapting himself to the lazy
freedom of this hacienda existence； he spent the mornings on horseback
ranging the hills among his cousin's cattle； and the afternoons and
evenings busied among his cousin's books with equally lawless and
undisciplined independence。 The easy…going Don Juan； it is true；
attempted to make good his rash promise to teach the boy Spanish； and
actually set him a few tasks； but in a few weeks the quick…witted Clarence
acquired such a colloquial proficiency from his casual acquaintance with
vaqueros and small traders that he was glad to leave the matter in his
young kinsman's hands。 Again； by one of those illogical sequences
which make a lifelong reputation depend upon a single trivial act；
Clarence's social status was settled forever at El Refugio Rancho by his
picturesque diversion of Flynn's parting gift。 The grateful peon to whom
the boy had scornfully tossed the coin repeated the act； gesture； and spirit
of the scene to his companion； and Don Juan's unknown and youthful
relation was at once recognized as hijo de la familia； and undeniably a
hidalgo born and bred。 But in the more vivid imagination of feminine El
Refugio the incident reached its highest poetic form。 〃It is true； Mother
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of God；〃 said Chucha of the Mill； 〃it was Domingo who himself relates it
as it were the Creed。 When the American escort had arrived with the
young gentleman； this escort； look you； being not of the same quality； he is
departing again without a word of permission。 Comes to him at this
moment my little hidalgo。 'You have yourself forgotten to take from me
your demission；' he said。 This escort； thinking to make his peace with a
mere muchacho； gives to him a gold piece of twenty pesos。 The little
hidalgo has taken it SO； and with the words； 'Ah！ you would make of me
your almoner to my cousin's people；' has given it at the moment to
Domingo； and with a grace and fire admirable。〃 But it is certain that
Clarence's singular simplicity and truthfulness； a faculty of being
picturesquely indolent in a way that suggested a dreamy abstraction of
mind rather than any vulgar tendency to bodily ease and comfort； and
possibly the fact that he was a good horseman； made him a popular hero at
El Refugio。 At the end of three years Don Juan found that this
inexperienced and apparently idle boy of fourteen knew more of the
practical ruling of the rancho than he did himself； also that this unlettered
young rustic had devoured nearly all the books in his library with boyish
recklessness of digestion。 He found； too； that in spite of his singular
independence of action； Clarence was possessed of an invincible loyalty of
principle； and that； asking no sentimental affection； and indeed yielding
none； he was； without presuming on his relationship； devoted to his
cousin's interest。 It seemed that from being a glancing ray of sunshine in
the house； evasive but never obtrusive； he had become a daily necessity of
comfort and security to his benefact