In vain did Clarence point out to them there must be some mistake; that the trespassers—­the so-called jumpers—­really belonged to the same party as Hooker, and would have no reason to dispossess him; that, in fact, they were all his, Clarence’s, tenants.  In vain he assured them of Hooker’s perfect security in possession; that he could have driven the intruders away by the simple exhibition of his lease, or that he could have even called a constable from the town of Fair Plains to protect him from mere lawlessness.  In vain did he assure them of his intention to find his missing friend, and reinstate him at any cost.  The conviction that the unfortunate young man had been foully dealt with was fixed in the minds of the two women.  For a moment Clarence himself was staggered by it.

“You see,” said the young girl, with a kindling face, “the day before he came back from Robles, ther’ were some queer men hangin’ round his cabin, but as they were the same kind that went off with him the day the Sisters’ title was confirmed, we thought nothing of it.  But when he came back from you he seemed worried and anxious, and wasn’t a bit like himself.  We thought perhaps he’d got into some trouble there, or been disappointed.  He hadn’t, had he, Mr. Brant?” continued Phoebe, with an appealing look.

“By no means,” said Clarence warmly.  “On the contrary, he was able to do his friends good service there, and was successful in what he attempted.  Mrs. Peyton was very grateful.  Of course he told you what had happened, and what he did for us,” continued Clarence, with a smile.

He had already amused himself on the way with a fanciful conception of the exaggerated account Jim had given of his exploits.  But the bewildered girl shook her head.

“No, he didn’t tell us anything.”

Clarence was really alarmed.  This unprecedented abstention of Hooker’s was portentous.

“He didn’t say anything but what I told you about law and order,” she went on; “but that same night we heard a good deal of talking and shouting in the cabin and around it.  And the next day he was talking with father, and wanting to know how he kept his land without trouble from outsiders.”

“And I said,” broke in Hopkins, “that I guessed folks didn’t bother a man with women folks around, and that I kalkilated that I wasn’t quite as notorious for fightin’ as he was.”

“And he said,” also interrupted Mrs. Hopkins, “and quite in his nat’ral way, too,—­gloomy like, you remember, Cyrus,” appealingly to her husband,—­“that that was his curse.”

The smile that flickered around Clarence’s mouth faded, however, as he caught sight of Phoebe’s pleading, interrogating eyes.  It was really too bad.  Whatever change had come over the rascal it was too evident that his previous belligerent personality had had its full effect upon the simple girl, and that, hereafter, one pair of honest eyes would be wistfully following him.