in the carquinez woods-第14章

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don't　think　she　jutht　calculated　I'd　be　glad　to　know　you　were
being　hunted　down　and　thtarving；　that　I　might　put　Dunn　on　your
track。〃

〃You　lie！〃　said　Teresa；　furiously；　〃she　was　my　friend。　　A　better
friend　than　those　who　professedmore；〃　she　added；　with　a
contemptuous　drawing　away　of　her　skirt　as　if　she　feared　Curson's
contamination。

〃All　right。　　Thettle　that　with　her　when　you　go　back；〃　continued
Curson　philosophically。　　〃We　can　talk　of　that　on　the　way。　　The
thing　now　ith　to　get　up　and　get　out　of　thethe　woods。　　Come！〃

Teresa's　only　reply　was　a　gesture　of　scorn。

〃I　know　all　that；〃　continued　Curson　half　soothingly；　〃but　they're
waiting。〃

〃Let　them　wait。　　I　shall　not　go。〃

〃What　will　you　do？〃

〃Stay　heretill　the　wolves　eat　me。〃

〃Teresa；　listen。　　D…　it　allTeresaTita！　see　here；〃　he　said
with　sudden　energy。　　〃I　swear　to　God　it's　all　right。　　I'm　willing
to　let　by…gones　be　by…gones　and　take　a　new　deal。　　You　shall　come
back　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　and　take　your　old　place　as
before。　　I　don't　mind　doing　the　square　thing；　all　round。　　If
that's　what　you　mean；　if　that's　all　that　stands　in　the　way；　why；
look　upon　the　thing　as　settled。　　There；　Tita；　old　girl；　come。〃

Careless　or　oblivious　of　her　stony　silence　and　starting　eyes；　he
attempted　to　take　her　hand。　　But　she　disengaged　herself　with　a
quick　movement；　drew　back；　and　suddenly　crouched　like　a　wild
animal　about　to　spring。　　Curson　folded　his　arms　as　she　leaped　to
her　feet；　the　little　dagger　she　had　drawn　from　her　garter　flashed
menacingly　in　the　air；　but　she　stopped。

The　man　before　her　remained　erect；　impassive；　and　silent；　the
great　trees　around　and　beyond　her　remained　erect；　impassive；　and
silent；　there　was　no　sound　in　the　dim　aisles　but　the　quick
panting　of　her　mad　passion；　no　movement　in　the　calm；　motionless
shadow　but　the　trembling　of　her　uplifted　steel。　　Her　arm　bent　and
slowly　sank；　her　fingers　relaxed；　the　knife　fell　from　her　hand。

〃That'th　quite　enough　for　a　thow；〃　he　said；　with　a　return　to　his
former　cynical　ease　and　a　perceptible　tone　of　relief　in　his
voice。　　〃It'th　the　thame　old　Theretha。　　Well；　then；　if　you　won't
go　with　me；　go　without　me；　take　the　led　horthe　and　cut　away。
Dick　Athley　and　Petereth　will　follow　you　over　the　county　line。
If　you　want　thome　money；　there　it　ith。〃　　He　took　a　buckskin　purse
from　his　pocket。　　〃If　you　won't　take　it　from　mehe　hesitated　as
she　made　no　reply〃Athley'th　flush　and　ready　to　lend　you　thome。〃

She　had　not　seemed　to　hear　him；　but　had　stooped　in　some
embarrassment；　picked　up　the　knife　and　hastily　hid　it；　then　with
averted　face　and　nervous　fingers　was　beginning　to　tear　strips　of
loose　bark　from　the　nearest　trunk。

〃Well；　what　do　you　thay？〃

〃I　don't　want　any　money；　and　I　shall　stay　here。〃　　She　hesitated；
looked　around　her；　and　then　added；　with　an　effort；　〃I　suppose　you
meant　well。　　Be　it　so！　　Let　by…gones　be　by…gones。　　You　said　just
now；　'It's　the　same　old　Teresa。'　　So　she　is；　and　seeing　she's　the
same　she's　better　here　than　anywhere　else。〃

There　was　enough　bitterness　in　her　tone　to　call　for　Curson's
half…perfunctory　sympathy。

〃That　be　dd；〃　he　responded　quickly。　　〃Jutht　thay　you'll　come；
Tita；　and〃

She　stopped　his　half…spoken　sentence　with　a　negative　gesture。
〃You　don't　understand。　　I　shall　stay　here。〃

〃But　even　if　they　don't　theek　you　here；　you　can't　live　here
forever。　　The　friend　that　you　wrote　about　who　wath　tho　good　to
you；　you　know；　can't　keep　you　here　alwayth；　and　are　you　thure　you
can　alwayth　trutht　her？〃

〃It　isn't　a　woman；　it's　a　man。〃　　She　stopped　short；　and　colored
to　the　line　of　her　forehead。　　〃Who　said　it　was　a　woman？〃　she
continued　fiercely；　as　if　to　cover　her　confusion　with　a　burst　of
gratuitous　anger。　　〃Is　that　another　of　your　lies？〃

Curson's　lips；　which　for　a　moment　had　completely　lost　their
smile；　were　now　drawn　together　in　a　prolonged　whistle。　　He　gazed
curiously　at　her　gown；　at　her　hat；　at　the　bow　of　bright　ribbon
that　tied　her　black　hair；　and　said；　〃Ah！〃

〃A　poor　man　who　has　kept　my　secret；〃　she　went　on　hurriedly〃a
man　as　friendless　and　lonely　as　myself。　　Yes；〃　disregarding
Curson's　cynical　smile；　〃a　man　who　has　shared　everything〃

〃Naturally；〃　suggested　Curson。

〃And　turned　himself　out　of　his　only　shelter　to　give　me　a　roof　and
covering；〃　she　continued　mechanically；　struggling　with　the　new
and　horrible　fancy　that　his　words　awakened。

〃And　thlept　every　night　at　Indian　Thpring　to　save　your　reputation；〃
said　Curson。　　〃Of　courthe。〃

Teresa　turned　very　white。　　Curson　was　prepared　for　an　outburst　of
furyperhaps　even　another　attack。　　But　the　crushed　and　beaten
woman　only　gazed　at　him　with　frightened　and　imploring　eyes。　　〃For
God's　sake；　Dick；　don't　say　that！〃

The　amiable　cynic　was　staggered。　　His　good…humor　and　a　certain
chivalrous　instinct　he　could　not　repress　got　the　better　of　him。
He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃What　I　thay；　and　what　you　DO；
Teretha；　needn't　make　us　quarrel。　　I've　no　claim　on　youI　know
it。　　Only〃　a　vivid　sense　of　the　ridiculous；　powerful　in　men　of
his　stamp；　completed　her　victory〃only　don't　thay　anything　about
my　coming　down　here　to　cut　you　out　from　thetheTHE　SHERIFF。〃
He　gave　utterance　to　a　short　but　unaffected　laugh；　made　a　slight
grimace；　and　turned　to　go。

Teresa　did　not　join　in　his　mirth。　　Awkward　as　it　would　have　been
if　he　had　taken　a　severer　view　of　the　subject；　she　was　mortified
even　amidst　her　fears　and　embarrassment　at　his　levity。　　Just　as
she　had　become　convinced　that　his　jealousy　had　made　her　over…
conscious；　his　apparent　good…humored　indifference　gave　that　over…
consciousness　a　guilty　significance。　　Yet　this　was　lost　in　her
sudden　alarm　as　her　companion；　looking　up；　uttered　an
exclamation；　and　placed　his　hand　upon　his　revolver。　　With　a
sinking　conviction　that　the　climax　had　come；　Teresa　turned　her
eyes。　　From　the　dim　aisles　beyond；　Low　was　approaching。　　The
catastrophe　seemed　complete。

She　had　barely　time　to　utter　an　imploring　whisper：　〃In　the　name
of　God；　not　a　word　to　him。〃　　But　a　change　had　already　come　over
her　companion。　　It　was　no　longer　a　parley　with　a　foolish　woman；
he　had　to　deal　with　a　man　like　himself。　　As　Low's　dark　face　and
picturesque　figure　came　nearer；　Mr。　Curson's　proposed　method　of
dealing　with　him　was　made　audible。

〃Ith　it　a　mulatto　or　a　Thircuth；　or　both？〃　he　asked；　with
affected　anxiety。

Low's　Indian　phlegm　was　impervious　to　such　assault。　　He　turned　to
Teresa；　without　apparently　noticing　her　companion。　　〃I　turned
back；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃as　soon　as　I　knew　there　were　strangers
here；　I　thought　you　might　need　me。〃　　She　noticed　for　the　first
time　that；　in　addition　to　his　rifle；　he　carried　a　revolver　and
hunting　knife　in　his　belt。

〃Yeth；〃　returned　Curson；　with　an　ineffectual　attempt　to　imitate
Low's　phlegm；　〃but　ath　I　didn't　happen　to　be　a　sthranger　to　this
lady；　perhaps　it　wathn't　nethethary；　particularly　ath　I　had　two
friends〃

〃Waiting　at　the　edge　of　the　wood　with　a　led　horse；〃　interrupted
Low；　without　addressing　him；　but　apparently　continuing　his
explanation　to　Teresa。　　But　she　turned　to　Low　with　feverish
anxiety。

〃That's　sohe　is　an　old　friend〃　she　gave　a　quick；　imploring
glance　at　Curson〃an　old　friend　who　came　to　help　me　awayhe　is
very　kind；〃　she　stammered；　turning　alternately　from　the　one　to
the　other；　〃but　I　told　him　there　was　no　hurryat　least　to…day
that　youwerevery　goodtoo；　and　would　hide　me　a　little
longer；　until　your　planyou　know　YOUR　plan；〃　she　added；　with　a
look　of　beseeching　significance　to　Low〃could　be　tried。〃　　And
then；　with　a　helpless　conviction　that　her　excuses；　motives；　and
emotions　were　equally　and　perfectly　transparent　to　both　men；　she
stopped　in　a　tremble。

〃Perhapth　it　'th　jutht　ath　well；　then；　that　the　gentleman　came
thtraight　here；　and　didn't　tackle　my　two　friendth　when　he　pathed
them；〃　observed　Curson；　half　sarcastically。

〃I　have　not　passed　your　friends；　nor　have　I　been　near　them；〃　said
Low；　looking　at　him　for　the　first　time；　with　the　same
exasperating　calm；　〃or　perhaps　I　should　not　be　HERE　or　they
THERE。　　I　knew　that　one　man　entered　the　wood　a　few　moments　ago；
and　that　two　men　and　four　horses　remained　outside。〃

〃That's　true；〃　said　Teresa　to　Curson　excitedly〃that's　true。