第26章

Hedeparted；thecompanywasprofoundlyimpressed。

Abouttwentyminuteslater，whenMarcusSchoulerwasentertainingtheguestsbyeatingalmonds，shellsandall，Mr。Sieppestartedtohisfeet，watchinhand。

“Haf-bastelevun，“heshouted。“Attention！Derdimehafarrive，shtopeferyting。Wedepart。“

Thiswasasignalfortremendousconfusion。Mr。Sieppeimmediatelythrewoffhispreviousairofrelaxation，thecalf’sheadwasforgotten，hewasonceagaintheleaderofvastenterprises。

“Tome，tome，“hecried。“Mommer，dertervins，Owgooste。“

Hemarshalledhistribetogether，withtremendouscommandinggestures。Thesleepingtwinsweresuddenlyshakenintoadazedconsciousness；Owgooste，whomthealmond-eatingofMarcusSchoulerhadpetrifiedwithadmiration，wassmackedtoarealizationofhissurroundings。

OldGrannis，withacertaindelicacythatwasoneofhischaracteristics，feltinstinctivelythattheguests——themereoutsiders——shoulddepartbeforethefamilybeganitsleave-takingofTrina。Hewithdrewunobtrusively，afterahastygood-nighttothebrideandgroom。Therestfollowedalmostimmediately。

“Well，Mr。Sieppe，“exclaimedMarcus，“wewon’tseeeachotherforsometime。“MarcushadgivenuphisfirstintentionofjoiningintheSieppemigration。HespokeinalargewayofcertainaffairsthatwouldkeephiminSanFranciscotillthefall。Oflatehehadentertainedambitionsofaranchlife，hewouldbreedcattle，hehadalittlemoneyandwasonlylookingforsomeone“togoinwith。“Hedreamedofacowboy’slifeandsawhimselfinanentrancingvisioninvolvingsilverspursanduntamedbronchos。HetoldhimselfthatTrinahadcasthimoff，thathisbestfriendhad“playedhimforasucker，“thatthe“propercaper“wastowithdrawfromtheworldentirely。

“Ifyouhearofanybodydownthere，“hewenton，speakingtoMr。Sieppe，“thatwantstogoinforranching，whyjustletmeknow。“

“Soh，soh，“answeredMr。Sieppeabstractedly，peeringaboutforOwgooste’scap。

MarcusbadetheSieppesfarewell。HeandHeisewentouttogether。Oneheardthem，astheydescendedthestairs，discussingthepossibilityofFrenna’splacebeingstillopen。

ThenMissBakerdepartedafterkissingTrinaonbothcheeks。

Selinawentwithher。Therewasonlythefamilyleft。

Trinawatchedthemgo，onebyone，withanincreasingfeelingofuneasinessandvagueapprehension。Soontheywouldallbegone。

“Well，Trina，“exclaimedMr。Sieppe，“goot-py；perhapsyougomevisitussomedime。“

Mrs。Siep