it was the boy who took the lead. Flynn, who during the past two days
seemed to have fallen into a mood of watchful reserve, nodded his
approbation. "This sort of thing's yer best holt, boy," he said. "Men
and cities ain't your little game."
At the next stopping-place Clarence had a surprise. They had again
entered a town at nightfall, and lodged with another friend of Flynn's
in rooms which from vague sounds appeared to be over a gambling saloon.
Clarence woke late in the morning, and, descending into the street to
mount for the day's journey, was startled to find that Flynn was not on
the other horse, but that a well-dressed and handsome stranger had taken
his place. But a laugh, and the familiar command, "Jump up, boy,"
made him look again. It WAS Flynn, but completely shaven of beard and
mustache, closely clipped of hair, and in a fastidiously cut suit of
black!
"Then you didn't know me?" said Flynn.
"Not till you spoke," replied Clarence.
"So much the better," said his friend sententiously, as he put spurs to
his horse. But as they cantered through the street, Clarence, who had
already become accustomed to the stranger's hirsute adornment, felt a
little more awe of him. The profile of the mouth and chin now exposed to
his sidelong glance was hard and stern, and slightly saturnine. Although
unable at the time to identify it with anybody he had ever known, it
seemed to the imaginative boy to be vaguely connected with some sad
experience. But the eyes were thoughtful and kindly, and the boy later
believed that if he had been more familiar with the face he would have
loved it better. For it was the last and only day he was to see it, as,
late that afternoon, after a dusty ride along more traveled highways,
they reached their journey's end.
It was a low-walled house, with red-tiled roofs showing against the dark
green of venerable pear and fig trees, and a square court-yard in the
centre, where they had dismounted. A few words in Spanish from Flynn to
one of the lounging peons admitted them to a wooden corridor, and thence
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