ThemorningsunrevealedtotheastonishedHopkinsfamilytheembattledplainbeyond，withitsarmedsentries。OnlythendidJimhookercondescendtoexplainthereasonofhiswarlikeoccupation，withdarkhintsoftheoutlying\"squatters\"and\"jumpers，\"whoseincursionstheirboldnessalonehadrepulsed。Theeffectofthisromanticsituationuponthetwowomen，withtheslightfascinationofdangerimportedintotheirquietlives，maywellbeimagined。
PossiblyowingtosomeincautiousquestioningbyMr。Hopkins，andsomedoubtsofthedisciplineandsincerityofhisposse，Jimdischargedthemthenextday;butduringtheerectionofhiscabinbysomepeacefulcarpentersfromthesettlement，hereturnedtohisgloomypreoccupationandtheostentatiouswearingofhisrevolvers。
Asanopulentandpowerfulneighbor，hetookhismealswiththefamilywhilehishousewasbeingbuilt，andgenerallyimpressedthemwithasenseofsecuritytheyhadnevermissed。
Meantime，Clarence，dulyinformedoftheinstallationofJimashistenant，underwentaseveretrial。Itwasnecessaryforhisplansthatthisshouldbekeptasecretatpresent，andthiswasnoeasythingforhishabituallyfrankandopennature。HehadoncementionedthathehadmetJimatthesettlement，buttheinformationwasreceivedwithsuchindifferencebySusy，andsuchmarkeddisfavorbyMrs。Peyton，thathesaidnomore。HeaccompaniedPeytoninhisridesaroundtherancho，fullypossessedhimselfofthedetailsofitsboundaries，thedebatablelandsheldbytheenemy，andlistenedwithbeatingpulses，butahushedtongue，tohishost’sill—concealedmisgivings。
\"Yousee，Clarence，thatlowerterrace？\"hesaid，pointingtoafar—