There　seemed　to　be　one　or　two　heaps　of　old　clothes　lying　on　the
  ground；　and　further　on；　where　the　men　at　a　command　from　Peyton　had
  laid　down　their　burden；　another。　　In　those　ragged；　dusty　heaps　of
  clothes；　from　which　all　the　majesty　of　life　seemed　to　have　been
  ruthlessly　stamped　out；　only　what　was　ignoble　and　grotesque
  appeared　to　be　left。　　There　was　nothing　terrible　in　this。　　The　boy
  moved　slowly　towards　them；　and；　incredible　even　to　himself；　the
  overpowering　fear　of　them　that　a　moment　before　had　overcome　him
  left　him　as　suddenly。　　He　walked　from　the　one　to　the　other；
  recognizing　them　by　certain　marks　and　signs；　and　mentioning　name
  after　name。　　The　groups　gazed　at　him　curiously；　he　was　conscious
  that　he　scarcely　understood　himself；　still　less　the　same　quiet
  purpose　that　made　him　turn　towards　the　furthest　wagon。
  〃There's　nothing　there；〃　said　Peyton；　〃we've　searched　it。〃　　But　the
  boy；　without　replying；　continued　his　way；　and　the　crowd　followed
  him。
  The　deserted　wagon；　more　rude；　disorderly；　and　slovenly　than　it　had
  ever　seemed　to　him　before；　was　now　heaped　and　tumbled　with　broken
  bones；　cans；　scattered　provisions；　pots；　pans；　blankets；　and
  clothing　in　the　foul　confusion　of　a　dust…heap。　　But　in　this
  heterogeneous　mingling　the　boy's　quick　eye　caught　sight　of　a
  draggled　edge　of　calico。
  〃That's　Mrs。　Silsbee's　dress！〃　he　cried；　and　leapt　into　the　wagon。
  At　first　the　men　stared　at　each　other；　but　an　instant　later　a　dozen
  hands　were　helping　him；　nervously　digging　and　clearing　away　the
  rubbish。　　Then　one　man　uttered　a　sudden　cry；　and　fell　back　with
  frantic　but　furious　eyes　uplifted　against　the　pitiless；　smiling　sky
  above　him。
  〃Great　God！　look　here！〃
  It　was　the　yellowish；　waxen　face　of　Mrs。　Silsbee　that　had　been
  uncovered。　　But　to　the　fancy　of　the　boy　it　had　changed；　the　old
  familiar　lines　of　worry；　care；　and　querulousness　had　given　way　to　a
  look　of　remote　peace　and　statue…like　repose。　　He　had　often　vexed
  her　in　her　aggressive　life；　he　was　touched　with　remorse　at　her
  cold；　passionless　apathy　now；　and　pressed　timidly　forward。　　Even　as
  he　did　so；　the　man；　with　a　quick　but　warning　gesture；　hurriedly
  threw　his　handkerchief　over　the　matted　locks；　as　if　to　shut　out
  something　awful　from　his　view。　　Clarence　felt　himself　drawn　back；
  but　not　before　the　white　lips　of　a　bystander　had　whispered　a　single
  word
  〃Scalped；　too！　by　God！〃
  CHAPTER　VI
  Then　followed　days　and　weeks　that　seemed　to　Clarence　as　a　dream。
  At　first；　an　interval　of　hushed　and　awed　restraint　when　he　and　Susy
  were　kept　apart；　a　strange　and　artificial　interest　taken　little
  note　of　by　him；　but　afterwards　remembered　when　others　had　forgotten
  it；　the　burial　of　Mrs。　Silsbee　beneath　a　cairn　of　stones；　with　some
  ceremonies　that；　simple　though　they　were；　seemed　to　usurp　the
  sacred　rights　of　grief　from　him　and　Susy；　and　leave　them　cold　and
  frightened；　days　of　frequent　and　incoherent　childish　outbursts　from
  Susy；　growing　fainter　and　rarer　as　time　went　on；　until　they　ceased；
  he　knew　not　when；　the　haunting　by　night　of　that　morning　vision　of
  the　three　or　four　heaps　of　ragged　clothes　on　the　ground　and　a　half
  regret　that　he　had　not　examined　them　more　closely；　a　recollection
  of　the　awful　loneliness　and　desolation　of　the　broken　and　abandoned
  wagon　left　behind　on　its　knees　as　if　praying　mutely　when　the　train
  went　on　and　left　it；　the　trundling　behind　of　the　fateful　wagon　in
  which　Mrs。　Silsbee's　body　had　been　found；　superstitiously　shunned
  by　every　one；　and　when　at　last　turned　over　to　the　authorities　at　an
  outpost　garrison；　seeming　to　drop　the　last　link　from　the　dragging
  chain　of　the　past。　　The　revelation　to　the　children　of　a　new
  experience　in　that　brief　glimpse　of　the　frontier　garrison；　the
  handsome　officer　in　uniform　and　belted　sword；　an　heroic；　vengeful
  figure　to　be　admired　and　imitated　hereafter；　the　sudden　importance
  and　respect　given　to　Susy　and　himself　as　〃survivors〃；　the
  sympathetic　questioning　and　kindly　exaggerations　of　their
  experiences；　quickly　accepted　by　Susyall　these；　looking　back　upon
  them　afterwards；　seemed　to　have　passed　in　a　dream。
  No　less　strange　and　visionary　to　them　seemed　the　real　transitions
  they　noted　from　the　moving　train。　　How　one　morning　they　missed　the
  changeless；　motionless；　low；　dark　line　along　the　horizon；　and
  before　noon　found　themselves　among　the　rocks　and　trees　and　a
  swiftly　rushing　river。　　How　there　suddenly　appeared　beside　them　a
  few　days　later　a　great　gray　cloud…covered　ridge　of　mountains　that
  they　were　convinced　was　that　same　dark　line　that　they　had　seen　so
  often。　　How　the　men　laughed　at　them；　and　said　that　for　the　last
  three　days　they　had　been　CROSSING　that　dark　line；　and　that　it　was
  HIGHER　than　the　great　gray…clouded　range　before　them；　which　it　had
  always　hidden　from　their　view！　　How　Susy　firmly　believed　that　these
  changes　took　place　in　her　sleep；　when　she　always　〃kinder　felt　they
  were　crawlin'　up；〃　and　how　Clarence；　in　the　happy　depreciation　of
  extreme　youth；　expressed　his　conviction　that　they　〃weren't　a　bit
  high；　after　all。〃　　How　the　weather　became　cold；　though　it　was
  already　summer；　and　at　night　the　camp　fire　was　a　necessity；　and
  there　was　a　stove　in　the　tent　with　Susy；　and　yet　how　all　this　faded
  away；　and　they　were　again　upon　a　dazzling；　burnt；　and　sun…dried
  plain！　　But　always　as　in　a　dream！
  More　real　were　the　persons　who　composed　the　partywhom　they　seemed
  to　have　always　knownand　who；　in　the　innocent　caprice　of　children；
  had　become　to　them　more　actual　than　the　dead　had　even　been。　　There
  was　Mr。　Peyton；　who　they　now　knew　owned　the　train；　and　who　was　so
  rich　that　he　〃needn't　go　to　California　if　he　didn't　want　to；　and
  was　going　to　buy　a　great　deal　of　it　if　he　liked　it；〃　and　who　was
  also　a　lawyer　and　〃policeman〃which　was　Susy's　rendering　of
  〃politician〃and　was　called　〃Squire〃　and　〃Judge〃　at　the　frontier
  outpost；　and　could　order　anybody　to　be　〃took　up　if　he　wanted　to；〃
  and　who　knew　everybody　by　their　Christian　names；　and　Mrs。　Peyton；
  who　had　been　delicate　and　was　ordered　by　the　doctor　to　live　in　the
  open　air　for　six　months；　and　〃never　go　into　a　house　or　a　town
  agin；〃　and　who　was　going　to　adopt　Susy　as　soon　as　her　husband　could
  arrange　with　Susy's　relatives；　and　draw　up　the　papers！　　How　〃Harry〃
  was　Henry　Benham；　Mrs。　Peyton's　brother；　and　a　kind　of　partner　of
  Mr。　Peyton。　　And　how　the　scout's　name　was　Gus　Gildersleeve；　or　the
  〃White　Crow；〃　and　how；　through　his　recognized　intrepidity；　an
  attack　upon　their　train　was　no　doubt　averted。　　Then　there　was
  〃Bill；〃　the　stock　herder；　and　〃Texas　Jim；〃　the　vaquerothe　latter
  marvelous　and　unprecedented　in　horsemanship。　　Such　were　their
  companions；　as　appeared　through　the　gossip　of　the　train　and　their
  own　inexperienced　consciousness。　　To　them；　they　were　all　astounding
  and　important　personages。　　But；　either　from　boyish　curiosity　or
  some　sense　of　being　misunderstood；　Clarence　was　more　attracted　by
  the　two　individuals　of　the　party　who　were　least　kind　to　him
  namely；　Mrs。　Peyton　and　her　brother　Harry。　　I　fear　that；　after　the
  fashion　of　most　children；　and　some　grown…up　people；　he　thought　less
  of　the　steady　kindness　of　Mr。　Peyton　and　the　others　than　of　the
  rare　tolerance　of　Harry　or　the　polite　concessions　of　his　sister。
  Miserably　conscious　of　this　at　times；　he　quite　convinced　himself
  that　if　he　could　only　win　a　word　of　approbation　from　Harry；　or　a
  smile　from　Mrs。　Peyton；　he　would　afterwards　revenge　himself　by
  〃running　away。〃　　Whether　he　would　or　not；　I　cannot　say。　　I　am
  writing　of　a　foolish；　growing；　impressionable　boy　of　eleven；　of
  whose　sentiments　nothing　could　be　safely　predicted　but　uncertainty。
  It　was　at　this　time　that　he　became　fascinated　by　another　member　of
  the　party　whose　position　had　been　too　humble　and　unimportant　to　be
  included　in　the　group　already　noted。　　Of　the　same　appearance　as　the
  other　teamsters　in　size；　habits；　and　apparel；　he　had　not　at　first
  exhibited　to　Clarence　any　claim　to　sympathy。　　But　it　appeared　that
  he　was　actually　a　youth　of　only　sixteena　hopeless　incorrigible　of
  St。　Joseph；　whose　parents　had　prevailed　on　Peyton　to　allow　him　to
  join　the　party；　by　way　of　removing　him　from　evil　associations　and
  as　a　method　of　reform。　　Of　this　Clarence　was　at　first　ignorant；　not
  from　any　want　of　frankness　on　the　part　of　the　youth；　for　that
  ingenious　young　gentleman　later　informed　him　that　he　had　killed
  three　men　in　St。　Louis；　two　in　St。　Jo；　and　that　the　officers　of
  justice　were　after　him。　　But　it　was　evident　that　to　precocious
  habits　of　drinking；　smoking；　chewing；　and　card…playing　this
  overgrown　youth　added　a　strong　tendency　to　exaggeration　of
  statement。　　Indeed；　he　was　known　as　〃Lying　Jim　Hooker；〃　and　his
  various　qualities　presented　a　problem　to　Clarence　that　was
  attractive　and　inspiring；　doubtful；　but　always　fascinating。　　With
  the　hoarse　voice　of　early　wickedness　and　a　contempt　for　ordinary
  courtesy；　he　had　a　round；　perfectly　good…humored　face；　and　a
  disposition　that　when　not　called　upon　to　act　up　to　his　self…imposed
  role　of　reckless　wickedness；　was　not　unkindly。
  It　was　only　a　few　days　after　the　massacre；　and　while　the　children
  were　still　wrapped　in　the　gloomy　interest　and　frightened　reticence
  which　followed　it；　that　〃Jim　Hooker〃　first　characteristically
  flashed　u