in the carquinez woods-第13章

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〃Can　you　remember；〃　he　one　day　asked　her；　〃what　time　it　was　when
you　cut　the　riata　and　got　away？〃

Teresa　pressed　her　hands　upon　her　eyes　and　temples。

〃About　three；　I　reckon。〃

〃And　you　were　here　at　seven；　you　could　have　covered　some　ground
in　four　hours？〃

〃PerhapsI　don't　know；〃　she　said；　her　voice　taking　up　its　old
quality　again。　　〃Don't　ask　meI　ran　all　the　way。〃

Her　face　was　quite　pale　as　she　removed　her　hands　from　her　eyes；
and　her　breath　came　as　quickly　as　if　she　had　just　finished　that
race　for　life。

〃Then　you　think　I　am　safe　here？〃　she　added；　after　a　pause。

〃Perfectlyuntil　they　find　you　are　NOT　in　Yolo。　　Then　they'll
look　here。　　And　THAT'S　the　time　for　you　to　go　THERE。〃　　Teresa
smiled　timidly。

〃It　will　take　them　some　time　to　search　Yolounless；〃　she　added；
〃you're　tired　of　me　here。〃　　The　charming　non　sequitur　did　not；
however；　seem　to　strike　the　young　man。　　〃I've　got　time　yet　to
find　a　few　more　plants　for　you；〃　she　suggested。

〃Oh；　certainly！〃

〃And　give　you　a　few　more　lessons　in　cooking。〃

〃Perhaps。〃

The　conscientious　and　literal　Low　was　beginning　to　doubt　if　she
were　really　practical。　　How　otherwise　could　she　trifle　with　such
a　situation？

It　must　be　confessed　that　that　day　and　the　next　she　did　trifle
with　it。　　She　gave　herself　up　to　a　grave　and　delicious　languor
that　seemed　to　flow　from　shadow　and　silence　and　permeate　her
entire　being。　　She　passed　hours　in　a　thoughtful　repose　of　mind
and　spirit　that　seemed　to　fall　like　balm　from　those　steadfast
guardians；　and　distill　their　gentle　ether　in　her　soul；　or
breathed　into　her　listening　ear　immunity　from　the　forgotten　past；
and　security　for　the　present。　　If　there　was　no　dream　of　the
future　in　this　calm；　even　recurrence　of　placid　existence；　so　much
the　better。　　The　simple　details　of　each　succeeding　day；　the
quaint　housekeeping；　the　brief　companionship　and　coming　and　going
of　her　young　hosthimself　at　best　a　crystallized　personification
of　the　sedate　and　hospitable　woodssatisfied　her　feeble
cravings。　　She　no　longer　regretted　the　inferior　position　that　her
fears　had　obliged　her　to　take　the　first　night　she　came；　she　began
to　look　up　to　this　young　manso　much　younger　than　herself
without　knowing　what　it　meant；　it　was　not　until　she　found　that
this　attitude　did　not　detract　from　his　picturesqueness　that　she
discovered　herself　seeking　for　reasons　to　degrade　him　from　this
seductive　eminence。

A　week　had　elapsed　with　little　change。　　On　two　days　he　had　been
absent　all　day；　returning　only　in　time　to　sup　in　the　hollow　tree；
which；　thanks　to　the　final　removal　of　the　dead　bear　from　its
vicinity；　was　now　considered　a　safer　retreat　than　the　exposed
camp…fire。　　On　the　first　of　these　occasions　she　received　him　with
some　preoccupation；　paying　but　little　heed　to　the　scant　gossip　he
brought　from　Indian　Spring；　and　retiring　early　under　the　plea　of
fatigue；　that　he　might　seek　his　own　distant　camp…fire；　which；
thanks　to　her　stronger　nerves　and　regained　courage；　she　no　longer
required　so　near。　　On　the　second　occasion；　he　found　her　writing　a
letter　more　or　less　blotted　with　her　tears。　　When　it　was
finished；　she　begged　him　to　post　it　at　Indian　Spring；　where　in
two　days　an　answer　would　be　returned；　under　cover；　to　him。

〃I　hope　you　will　be　satisfied　then；〃　she　added。

〃Satisfied　with　what？〃　queried　the　young　man。

〃You'll　see；〃　she　replied；　giving　him　her　cold　hand。　　〃Good…night。〃

〃But　can't　you　tell　me　now？〃　he　remonstrated；　retaining　her　hand。

〃Wait　two　days　longerit　isn't　much；〃　was　all　she　vouchsafed　to
answer。

The　two　days　passed。　　Their　former　confidence　and　good　fellowship
were　fully　restored　when　the　morning　came　on　which　he　was　to
bring　the　answer　from　the　post…office　at　Indian　Spring。　　He　had
talked　again　of　his　future；　and　had　recorded　his　ambition　to
procure　the　appointment　of　naturalist　to　a　Government　Surveying
Expedition。　　She　had　even　jocularly　proposed　to　dress　herself　in
man's　attire　and　〃enlist〃　as　his　assistant。

〃But　you　will　be　safe　with　your　friends；　I　hope；　by　that　time；〃
responded　Low。

〃Safe　with　my　friends；〃　she　repeated　in　a　lower　voice。　　〃Safe
with　my　friendsyes！〃　　An　awkward　silence　followed；　Teresa　broke
it　gayly：　〃But　your　girl；　your　sweetheart；　my　benefactorwill
SHE　let　you　go？〃

〃I　haven't　told　her　yet；〃　said　Low；　gravely；　〃but　I　don't　see　why
she　should　object。〃

〃Object；　indeed！〃　interrupted　Teresa　in　a　high　voice　and　a　sudden
and　utterly　gratuitous　indignation；　〃how　should　she？　　I'd　like　to
see　her　do　it！〃

She　accompanied　him　some　distance　to　the　intersection　of　the
trail；　where　they　parted　in　good　spirits。　　On　the　dusty　plain
without　a　gale　was　blowing　that　rocked　the　high　tree…tops　above
her；　but；　tempered　and　subdued；　entered　the　low　aisles　with　a
fluttering　breath　of　morning　and　a　sound　like　the　cooing　of
doves。　　Never　had　the　wood　before　shown　so　sweet　a　sense　of
security　from　the　turmoil　and　tempest　of　the　world　beyond；　never
before　had　an　intrusion　from　the　outer　lifeeven　in　the　shape　of
a　letterseemed　so　wicked　a　desecration。　　Tempted　by　the
solicitation　of　air　and　shade；　she　lingered；　with　Low's　herbarium
slung　on　her　shoulder。

A　strange　sensation；　like　a　shiver；　suddenly　passed　across　her
nerves；　and　left　them　in　a　state　of　rigid　tension。　　With　every
sense　morbidly　acute；　with　every　faculty　strained　to　its　utmost；
the　subtle　instincts　of　Low's　woodcraft　transformed　and　possessed
her。　　She　knew　it　now！　　A　new　element　was　in　the　wooda　strange
beinganother　lifeanother　man　approaching！　　She　did　not　even
raise　her　head　to　look　about　her；　but　darted　with　the　precision
and　fleetness　of　an　arrow　in　the　direction　of　her　tree。　　But　her
feet　were　arrested；　her　limbs　paralzyed；　her　very　existence
suspended；　by　the　sound　of　a　voice：

〃Teresa！〃

It　was　a　voice　that　had　rung　in　her　ears　for　the　last　two　years
in　all　phases　of　intensity；　passion；　tenderness；　and　anger；　a
voice　upon　whose　modulations；　rude　and　unmusical　though　they
were；　her　heart　and　soul　had　hung　in　transport　or　anguish。　　But
it　was　a　chime　that　had　rung　its　last　peal　to　her　senses　as　she
entered　the　Carquinez　Woods；　and　for　the　last　week　had　been　as
dead　to　her　as　a　voice　from　the　grave。　　It　was　the　voice　of　her
loverDick　Curson！


CHAPTER　V


The　wind　was　blowing　towards　the　stranger；　so　that　he　was　nearly
upon　her　when　Teresa　first　took　the　alarm。　　He　was　a　man　over　six
feet　in　height；　strongly　built；　with　a　slight　tendency　to　a
roundness　of　bulk　which　suggested　reserved　rather　than　impeded
energy。　　His　thick　beard　and　mustache　were　closely　cropped　around
a　small　and　handsome　mouth　that　lisped　except　when　he　was
excited；　but　always　kept　fellowship　with　his　blue　eyes　in　a
perpetual　smile　of　half…cynical　good…humor。　　His　dress　was
superior　to　that　of　the　locality；　his　general　expression　that　of
a　man　of　the　world；　albeit　a　world　of　San　Francisco；　Sacramento；
and　Murderer's　Bar。　　He　advanced　towards　her　with　a　laugh　and　an
outstretched　hand。

〃YOU　here！〃　she　gasped；　drawing　back。

Apparently　neither　surprised　nor　mortified　at　this　reception；　he
answered　frankly；　〃Yeth。　　You　didn't　expect　me；　I　know。　　But
Doloreth　showed　me　the　letter　you　wrote　her；　andwellhere　I
am；　ready　to　help　you；　with　two　men　and　a　thpare　horthe　waiting
outside　the　woodth　on　the　blind　trail。〃

〃YouYOUhere？〃　she　only　repeated。

Curson　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Yeth。〃　　Of　courth　you　never
expected　to　thee　me　again；　and　leatht　of　all　HERE。　　I'll　admit
that；　I'll　thay　I　wouldn't　if　I'd　been　in　your　plathe。　　I'll　go
further；　and　thay　you　didn't　want　to　thee　me　againanywhere。
But　it　all　cometh　to　the　thame　thing；　here　I　am。　　I　read　the
letter　you　wrote　Doloreth。　　I　read　how　you　were　hiding　here；
under　Dunn'th　very　nothe；　with　his　whole　pothe　out；　cavorting
round　and　barkin'　up　the　wrong　tree。　　I　made　up　my　mind　to　come
down　here　with　a　few　nathty　friends　of　mine　and　cut　you　out　under
Dunn'th　nothe；　and　run　you　over　into　Yubathat'th　all。〃

〃How　dared　she　show　you　my　letterYOU　of　all　men？　　How　dared　she
ask　YOUR　help？〃　continued　Teresa；　fiercely。

〃But　she　didn't　athk　my　help；〃　he　responded　coolly。　　〃Dd　if　I
don't　think　she　jutht　calculated　I'd　be　glad　to　know　y