in the carquinez woods-第11章

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will　not　draw　dogs　after　the　wolves；　and　men　after　THEM。
Besides；　your　friend　the　sheriff　will　probably　remember　the　bear
when　he　remembers　anything；　and　try　to　get　on　its　track　again。〃

〃He's　a　conceited　fool；〃　broke　in　Teresa　in　a　high　voice；　with　a
slight　return　of　her　old　fury；　〃or　he'd　have　guessed　where　that
shot　came　from；　and；〃　she　added　in　a　lower　tone；　looking　down　at
her　limp　and　nerveless　fingers；　〃he　wouldn't　have　let　a　poor；
weak；　nervous　wretch　like　me　get　away。〃

〃But　his　deputy　may　put　two　and　two　together；　and　connect　your
escape　with　it。〃

Teresa's　eyes　flashed。　　〃It　would　be　like　the　dog；　just　to　save
his　pride；　to　swear　it　was　an　ambush　of　my　friends；　and　that　he
was　overpowered　by　numbers。　　Oh　yes！　I　see　it　all！〃　she　almost
screamed；　lashing　herself　into　a　rage　at　the　bare　contemplation
of　this　diminution　of　her　glory。　　〃That's　the　dirty　lie　he　tells
everywhere；　and　is　telling　now。〃

She　stamped　her　feet　and　glanced　savagely　around；　as　if　at　any
risk　to　proclaim　the　falsehood。　　Low　turned　his　impassive；
truthful　face　towards　her。

〃Sheriff　Dunn；〃　he　began　gravely；　〃is　a　politician；　and　a　fool
when　he　takes　to　the　trail　as　a　hunter　of　man　or　beast。　　But　he
is　not　a　coward　nor　a　liar。　　Your　chances　would　be　better　if　he
wereif　he　laid　your　escape　to　an　ambush　of　your　friends；　than
if　his　pride　held　you　alone　responsible。〃

〃If　he's　such　a　good　man；　why　do　you　hesitate？〃　she　replied
bitterly。　　〃Why　don't　you　give　me　up　at　once；　and　do　a　service　to
one　of　your　friends？〃

〃I　do　not　even　know　him；〃　returned　Low　opening　his　clear　eyes
upon　her。　　〃I've　promised　to　hide　you　here；　and　I　shall　hide　you
as　well　from　him　as　from　anybody。〃

Teresa　did　not　reply；　but　suddenly　dropping　down　upon　the　ground
buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　began　to　sob　convulsively。　　Low
turned　impassively　away；　and　putting　aside　the　bark　curtain
climbed　into　the　hollow　tree。　　In　a　few　moments　he　reappeared；
laden　with　provisions　and　a　few　simple　cooking　utensils；　and
touched　her　lightly　on　the　shoulder。　　She　looked　up　timidly；　the
paroxysm　had　passed；　but　her　lashes　yet　glittered。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃come　and　get　some　breakfast。　　I　find　you　have
eaten　nothing　since　you　have　been　heretwenty…four　hours。〃

〃I　didn't　know　it；〃　she　said；　with　a　faint　smile。　　Then　seeing
his　burden；　and　possessed　by　a　new　and　strange　desire　for　some
menial　employment；　she　said　hurriedly；　〃Let　me　carry　something
do；　please；〃　and　even　tried　to　disencumber　him。

Half　annoyed；　Low　at　last　yielded；　and　handing　his　rifle　said；
〃There；　then；　take　that；　but　be　carefulit's　loaded！〃

A　cruel　blush　burnt　the　woman's　face　to　the　roots　of　her　hair　as
she　took　the　weapon　hesitatingly　in　her　hand。

〃No！〃　she　stammered；　hurriedly　lifting　her　shame…suffused　eyes　to
his；　〃no！　no！〃

He　turned　away　with　an　impatience　which　showed　her　how　completely
gratuitous　had　been　her　agitation　and　its　significance；　and　said；
〃Well；　then；　give　it　back　if　you　are　afraid　of　it。〃　　But　she　as
suddenly　declined　to　return　it；　and　shouldering　it　deftly；　took
her　place　by　his　side。　　Silently　they　moved　from　the　hollow　tree
together。

During　their　walk　she　did　not　attempt　to　invade　his　taciturnity。
Nevertheless　she　was　as　keenly　alive　and　watchful　of　his　every
movement　and　gesture　as　if　she　had　hung　enchanted　on　his　lips。
The　unerring　way　with　which　he　pursued　a　viewless；　undeviating
path　through　those　trackless　woods；　his　quick　reconnaissance　of
certain　trees　or　openings；　his　mute　inspection　of　some　almost
imperceptible　footprint　of　bird　or　beast；　his　critical
examination　of　certain　plants　which　he　plucked　and　deposited　in
his　deerskin　haversack；　were　not　lost　on　the　quick…witted　woman。
As　they　gradually　changed　the　clear；　unencumbered　aisles　of　the
central　woods　for　a　more　tangled　undergrowth；　Teresa　felt　that
subtle　admiration　which　culminates　in　imitation；　and　simulating
perfectly　the　step；　tread；　and　easy　swing　of　her　companion；
followed　so　accurately　his　lead　that　she　won　a　gratified
exclamation　from　him　when　their　goal　was　reacheda　broken；
blackened　shaft；　splintered　by　long…forgotten　lightning；　in　the
centre　of　a　tangled　carpet　of　wood…clover。

〃I　don't　wonder　you　distanced　the　deputy；〃　he　said　cheerfully；
throwing　down　his　burden；　〃if　you　can　take　the　hunting…path　like
that。　　In　a　few　days；　if　you　stay　here；　I　can　venture　to　trust
you　alone　for　a　little　pasear　when　you　are　tired　of　the　tree。〃

Teresa　looked　pleased；　but　busied　herself　with　arrangements　for
the　breakfast；　while　he　gathered　the　fuel　for　the　roaring　fire
which　soon　blazed　beside　the　shattered　tree。

Teresa's　breakfast　was　a　success。　　It　was　a　revelation　to　the
young　nomad；　whose　ascetic　habits　and　simple　tastes　were　usually
content　with　the　most　primitive　forms　of　frontier　cookery。　　It
was　at　least　a　surprise　to　him　to　know　that　without　extra　trouble
kneaded　flour；　water；　and　saleratus　need　not　be　essentially
heavy；　that　coffee　need　not　be　boiled　with　sugar　to　the
consistency　of　syrup；　that　even　that　rarest　delicacy；　small
shreds　of　venison　covered　with　ashes　and　broiled　upon　the　end　of
a　ramrod　boldly　thrust　into　the　flames；　would　be　better　and　even
more　expeditiously　cooked　upon　burning　coals。　　Moved　in　his
practical　nature；　he　was　surprised　to　find　this　curious　creature
of　disorganized　nerves　and　useless　impulses　informed　with　an
intelligence　that　did　not　preclude　the　welfare　of　humanity　or　the
existence　of　a　soul。　　He　respected　her　for　some　minutes；　until　in
the　midst　of　a　culinary　triumph　a　big　tear　dropped　and　spluttered
in　the　saucepan。　　But　he　forgave　the　irrelevancy　by　taking　no
notice　of　it；　and　by　doing　full　justice　to　that　particular　dish。

Nevertheless；　he　asked　several　questions　based　upon　these
recently　discovered　qualities。　　It　appeared　that　in　the　old　days
of　her　wanderings　with　the　circus　troupe　she　had　often　been
forced　to　undertake　this　nomadic　housekeeping。　　But　she　〃despised
it；〃　had　never　done　it　since；　and　always　had　refused　to　do　it　for
〃him〃the　personal　pronoun　referring；　as　Low　understood；　to　her
lover；　Curson。　　Not　caring　to　revive　these　memories　further；　Low
briefly　concluded：　〃I　don't　know　what　you　were；　or　what　you　may
be；　but　from　what　I　see　of　you　you've　got　all　the　sabe　of　a
frontierman's　wife。〃

She　stopped　and　looked　at　him；　and　then　with　an　impulse　of
imprudence　that　only　half　concealed　a　more　serious　vanity；　asked；
〃Do　you　think　I　might　have　made　a　good　squaw？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　replied　quietly。　　〃I　never　saw　enough　of　them
to　know。〃

Teresa；　confident　from　his　clear　eyes　that　he　spoke　the　truth；
but　having　nothing　ready　to　follow　this　calm　disposal　of　her
curiosity；　relapsed　into　silence。

The　meal　finished；　Teresa　washed　their　scant　table　equipage　in　a
little　spring　near　the　camp…fire；　where；　catching　sight　of　her
disordered　dress　and　collar；　she　rapidly　threw　her　shawl；　after
the　national　fashion；　over　her　shoulder　and　pinned　it　quickly。
Low　cached　the　remaining　provisions　and　the　few　cooking　utensils
under　the　dead　embers　and　ashes；　obliterating　all　superficial
indication　of　their　camp…fire　as　deftly　and　artistically　as　he
had　before。

〃There　isn't　the　ghost　of　a　chance；〃　he　said　in　explanation；
〃that　anybody　but　you　or　I　will　set　foot　here　before　we　come　back
to　supper；　but　it's　well　to　be　on　guard。　　I'll　take　you　back　to
the　cabin　now；　though　I　bet　you　could　find　your　way　there　as　well
as　I　can。〃

On　their　way　back　Teresa　ran　ahead　of　her　companion；　and　plucking
a　few　tiny　leaves　from　a　hidden　oasis　in　the　bark…strewn　trail
brought　them　to　him。

〃That's　the　kind　you're　looking　for；　isn't　it？〃　she　said；　half
timidly。

〃It　is；〃　responded　Low；　in　gratified　surprise；　〃but　how　did　you
know　it？　　You're　not　a　botanist；　are　you？〃

〃I　reckon　not；〃　said　Teresa；　〃but　you　picked　some　when　we　came；
and　I　noticed　what　they　were。〃

Here　was　indeed　another　revelation。　　Low　stopped　and　gazed　at　her
with　such　frank；　open；　utterly　unabashed　curiosity　that　her　black
eyes　fell　before　him。

〃And　do　you　think；〃　he　asked　with　logical　deliberation；　〃that　you
could　find　any　plant　from　another　I　should　give　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Or　from　a　drawing　of　it〃