in the carquinez woods-第15章

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and　that　two　men　and　four　horses　remained　outside。〃

〃That's　true；〃　said　Teresa　to　Curson　excitedly〃that's　true。　　He
knows　all。　　He　can　see　without　looking；　hear　without　listening。
Hehe〃　she　stammered；　colored；　and　stopped。

The　two　men　had　faced　each　other。　　Curson；　after　his　first　good…
natured　impulse；　had　retained　no　wish　to　regain　Teresa；　whom　he
felt　he　no　longer　loved；　and　yet　who；　for　that　very　reason
perhaps；　had　awakened　his　chivalrous　instincts。　　Low；　equally　on
his　side；　was　altogether　unconscious　of　any　feeling　which　might
grow　into　a　passion；　and　prevent　him　from　letting　her　go　with
another　if　for　her　own　safety。　　They　were　both　men　of　a　certain
taste　and　refinement。　　Yet；　in　spite　of　all　this；　some　vague
instinct　of　the　baser　male　animal　remained　with　them；　and　they
were　moved　to　a　mutually　aggressive　attitude　in　the　presence　of
the　female。

One　word　more；　and　the　opening　chapter　of　a　sylvan　Iliad　might
have　begun。　　But　this　modern　Helen　saw　it　coming；　and　arrested　it
with　an　inspiration　of　feminine　genius。　　Without　being　observed；
she　disengaged　her　knife　from　her　bosom　and　let　it　fall　as　if　by
accident。　　It　struck　the　ground　with　the　point　of　its　keen　blade；
bounded　and　rolled　between　them。　　The　two　men　started　and　looked
at　each　other　with　a　foolish　air。　　Curson　laughed。

〃I　reckon　she　can　take　care　of　herthelf；〃　he　said；　extending　his
hand　to　Low。　　〃I'm　off。　　But　if　I'm　wanted　SHE'LL　know　where　to
find　me。〃　　Low　took　the　proffered　hand；　but　neither　of　the　two
men　looked　at　Teresa。　　The　reserve　of　antagonism　once　broken；　a
few　words　of　caution；　advice；　and　encouragement　passed　between
them；　in　apparent　obliviousness　of　her　presence　or　her　personal
responsibility。　　As　Curson　at　last　nodded　a　farewell　to　her；　Low
insisted　upon　accompanying　him　as　far　as　the　horses；　and　in
another　moment　she　was　again　alone。

She　had　saved　a　quarrel　between　them　at　the　sacrifice　of　herself；
for　her　vanity　was　still　keen　enough　to　feel　that　this　exhibition
of　her　old　weakness　had　degraded　her　in　their　eyes；　and；　worse；
had　lost　the　respect　her　late　restraint　had　won　from　Low。　　They
had　treated　her　like　a　child　or　a　crazy　woman；　perhaps　even　now
were　exchanging　criticisms　upon　herperhaps　pitying　her！　　Yet
she　had　prevented　a　quarrel；　a　fight；　possibly　the　death　of
either　one　or　the　other　of　these　men　who　despised　her；　for　none
better　knew　than　she　the　trivial　beginning　and　desperate　end　of
these　encounters。　　Would　theywould　Low　ever　realize　it；　and
forgive　her？　　Her　small；　dark　hands　went　up　to　her　eyes　and　she
sank　upon　the　ground。　　She　looked　through　tear…veiled　lashes　upon
the　mute　and　giant　witnesses　of　her　deceit　and　passion；　and　tried
to　draw；　from　their　immovable　calm；　strength　and　consolation　as
before。　　But　even　they　seemed　to　stand　apart；　reserved　and　forbidding。

When　Low　returned　she　hoped　to　gather　from　his　eyes　and　manner
what　had　passed　between　him　and　her　former　lover。　　But　beyond　a
mere　gentle　abstraction　at　times　he　retained　his　usual　calm。　　She
was　at　last　forced　to　allude　to　it　herself　with　simulated
recklessness。

〃I　suppose　I　didn't　get　a　very　good　character　from　my　last
place？〃　she　said；　with　a　laugh。

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　he　replied；　in　evident　sincerity。

She　bit　her　lip　and　was　silent。　　But　as　they　were　returning　home；
she　said　gently；　〃I　hope　you　were　not　angry　with　me　for　the　lie　I
told　when　I　spoke　of　'your　plan。'　　I　could　not　give　the　real
reason　for　not　returning　withwiththat　man。　　But　it's　not　all
a　lie。　　I　have　a　planif　you　haven't。　　When　you　are　ready　to　go
to　Sacramento　to　take　your　place；　dress　me　as　an　Indian　boy；
paint　my　face；　and　let　me　go　with　you。　　You　can　leave　methere
you　know。〃

〃It's　not　a　bad　idea；〃　he　responded　gravely。　　〃We　will　see。〃

On　the　next　day；　and　the　next；　the　rencontre　seemed　to　be
forgotten。　　The　herbarium　was　already　filled　with　rare　specimens。
Teresa　had　even　overcome　her　feminine　repugnance　to　〃bugs〃　and
creeping　things　so　far　as　to　assist　in　his　entomological
collection。　　He　had　drawn　from　a　sacred　cache　in　the　hollow　of　a
tree　the　few　worn　text…books　from　which　he　had　studied。

〃They　seem　very　precious；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile。

〃Very；〃　he　replied　gravely。　　〃There　was　one　with　plates　that　the
ants　ate　up；　and　it　will　be　six　months　before　I　can　afford　to　buy
another。〃

Teresa　glanced　hurriedly　over　his　well…worn　buckskin　suit；　at　his
calico　shirt　with　its　pattern　almost　obliterated　by　countless
washings；　and　became　thoughtful。

〃I　suppose　you　couldn't　buy　one　at　Indian　Spring？〃　she　said
innocently。

For　once　Low　was　startled　out　of　his　phlegm。　　〃Indian　Spring！〃　he
ejaculated；　〃perhaps　not　even　in　San　Francisco。　　These　came　from
the　States。〃

〃How　did　you　get　them？〃　persisted　Teresa。

〃I　bought　them　for　skins　I　got　over　the　ridge。〃

〃I　didn't　mean　thatbut　no　matter。　　Then　you　mean　to　sell　that
bearskin；　don't　you？〃　she　added。

Low　had；　in　fact；　already　sold　it；　the　proceeds　having　been
invested　in　a　gold　ring　for　Miss　Nellie；　which　she　scrupulously
did　not　wear　except　in　his　presence。　　In　his　singular
truthfulness　he　would　have　frankly　confessed　it　to　Teresa；　but
the　secret　was　not　his　own。　　He　contented　himself　with　saying
that　he　had　disposed　of　it　at　Indian　Spring。

Teresa　started；　and　communicated　unconsciously　some　of　her
nervousness　to　her　companion。　　They　gazed　in　each　other's　eyes
with　a　troubled　expression。

〃Do　you　think　it　was　wise　to　sell　that　particular　skin；　which
might　be　identified？〃　she　asked　timidly。

Low　knitted　his　arched　brows；　but　felt　a　strange　sense　of　relief。
〃Perhaps　not；〃　he　said　carelessly；　〃but　it's　too　late　now　to　mend
matters。〃

That　afternoon　she　wrote　several　letters；　and　tore　them　up。　　One；
however；　she　retained；　and　handed　it　to　Low　to　post　at　Indian
Spring；　whither　he　was　going。　　She　called　his　attention　to　the
superscription；　being　the　same　as　the　previous　letter；　and　added；
with　affected　gayety；　〃But　if　the　answer　isn't　as　prompt；　perhaps
it　will　be　pleasanter　than　the　last。〃　　Her　quick　feminine　eye
noticed　a　little　excitement　in　his　manner　and　a　more　studious
attention　to　his　dress。　　Only　a　few　days　before　she　would　not
have　allowed　this　to　pass　without　some　mischievous　allusion　to
his　mysterious　sweetheart；　it　troubled　her　greatly　now　to　find
that　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　this　household　pleasantry；
and　that　her　lip　trembled　and　her　eye　grew　moist　as　he　parted
from　her。

The　afternoon　passed　slowly；　he　had　said　he　might　not　return　to
supper　until　late；　nevertheless　a　strange　restlessness　took
possession　of　her　as　the　day　wore　on。　　She　put　aside　her　work；
the　darning　of　his　stockings；　and　rambled　aimlessly　through　the
woods。　　She　had　wandered　she　knew　not　how　far；　when　she　was
suddenly　seized　with　the　same　vague　sense　of　a　foreign　presence
which　she　had　felt　before。　　Could　it　be　Curson　again；　with　a　word
of　warning？　　No！　she　knew　it　was　not　he；　so　subtle　had　her　sense
become　that　she　even　fancied　that　she　detected　in　the　invisible
aura　projected　by　the　unknown　no　significance　or　relation　to
herself　or　Low；　and　felt　no　fear。　　Nevertheless　she　deemed　it
wisest　to　seek　the　protection　of　her　sylvan　bower；　and　hurried
swiftly　thither。

But　not　so　quickly　nor　directly　that　she　did　not　once　or　twice
pause　in　her　flight　to　examine　the　new…comer　from　behind　a
friendly　trunk。　　He　was　a　strangera　young　fellow　with　a　brown
mustache；　wearing　heavy　Mexican　spurs　in　his　riding…boots；　whose
tinkling　he　apparently　did　not　care　to　conceal。　　He　had　perceived
her；　and　was　evidently　pursuing　her；　but　so　awkwardly　and　timidly
that　she　eluded　him　with　ease。　　When　she　had　reached　the　security
of　the　hollow　tree　and　pulled　the　curtain　of　bark　before　the
narrow　opening；　with　her　eye　to　the　interstices；　she　waited　his
coming。　　He　arrived　breathlessly　in　the　open　space　before　the
tree　where　the　bear　once　lay；　the　dazed；　bewildered；　and　half…
awed　expression　of　his　face；　as　he　glanced　around　him　and　through
the　openings　of　the　forest　aisles；　brought　a　faint　smile　to　her
saddened　face。　　At　last　he　called　in　a　half…embarrassed　voice：

〃Miss　Nellie！〃

The　smile　faded　from　Teresa's　cheek。　　Who　w