in the carquinez woods-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


saddened　face。　　At　last　he　called　in　a　half…embarrassed　voice：

〃Miss　Nellie！〃

The　smile　faded　from　Teresa's　cheek。　　Who　was　〃Miss　Nellie？〃　　She
pressed　her　ear　to　the　opening。　　〃Miss　Wynn！〃　the　voice　again
called；　but　was　lost　in　the　echoless　woods。　　Devoured　with　a　new
gratuitous　curiosity；　in　another　moment　Teresa　felt　she　would
have　disclosed　herself　at　any　risk；　but　the　stranger　rose　and
began　to　retrace　his　steps。　　Long　after　his　tinkling　spurs　were
lost　in　the　distance；　Teresa　remained　like　a　statue；　staring　at
the　place　where　he　had　stood。　　Then　she　suddenly　turned　like　a
mad　woman；　glanced　down　at　the　gown　she　was　wearing；　tore　it　from
her　back　as　if　it　had　been　a　polluted　garment；　and　stamped　upon
it　in　a　convulsion　of　rage。　　And　then；　with　her　beautiful　bare
arms　clasped　together　over　her　head；　she　threw　herself　upon　her
couch　in　a　tempest　of　tears。


CHAPTER　VI


When　Miss　Nellie　reached　the　first　mining　extension　of　Indian
Spring；　which　surrounded　it　like　a　fosse；　she　descended　for　one
instant　into　one　of　its　trenches；　opened　her　parasol；　removed　her
duster；　hid　it　under　a　bowlder；　and　with　a　few　shivers　and　cat…
like　strokes　of　her　soft　hands　not　only　obliterated　all　material
traces　of　the　stolen　cream　of　Carquinez　Woods；　but　assumed　a
feline　demureness　quite　inconsistent　with　any　moral　dereliction。
Unfortunately；　she　forgot　to　remove　at　the　same　time　a　certain
ring　from　her　third　finger；　which　she　had　put　on　with　her　duster
and　had　worn　at　no　other　time。　　With　this　slight　exception；　the
benignant　fate　which　always　protected　that　young　person　brought
her　in　contact　with　the　Burnham　girls　at　one　end　of　the　main
street　as　the　returning　coach　to　Excelsior　entered　the　other；　and
enabled　her　to　take　leave　of　them　before　the　coach　office　with　a
certain　ostentation　of　parting　which　struck　Mr。　Jack　Brace；　who
was　lingering　at　the　doorway；　into　a　state　of　utter　bewilderment。

Here　was　Miss　Nellie　Wynn；　the　belle　of　Excelsior；　calm；　quiet；
self…possessed；　her　chaste　cambric　skirts　and　dainty　shoes　as
fresh　as　when　she　had　left　her　father's　house；　but　where　was　the
woman　of　the　brown　duster；　and　where　the　yellow…dressed
apparition　of　the　woods？　　He　was　feebly　repeating　to　himself　his
mental　adjuration　of　a　few　hours　before　when　he　caught　her　eye；
and　was　taken　with　a　blush　and　a　fit　of　coughing。　　Could　he　have
been　such　an　egregious　fool；　and　was　it　not　plainly　written　on
his　embarrassed　face　for　her　to　read？

〃Are　we　going　down　together？〃　asked　Miss　Nellie　with　an
exceptionally　gracious　smile。

There　was　neither　affectation　nor　coquetry　in　this　advance。　　The
girl　had　no　idea　of　Brace's　suspicion　of　her；　nor　did　any　uneasy
desire　to　placate　or　deceive　a　possible　rival　of　Low's　prompt　her
graciousness。　　She　simply　wished　to　shake　off　in　this　encounter
the　already　stale　excitement　of　the　past　two　hours；　as　she　had
shaken　the　dust　of　the　woods　from　her　clothes。　　It　was
characteristic　of　her　irresponsible　nature　and　transient
susceptibilities　that　she　actually　enjoyed　the　relief　of　change；
more　than　that；　I　fear；　she　looked　upon　this　infidelity　to　a　past
dubious　pleasure　as　a　moral　principle。　　A　mild；　open　flirtation
with　a　recognized　man　like　Brace；　after　her　secret　passionate
tryst　with　a　nameless　nomad　like　Low；　was　an　ethical　equipoise
that　seemed　proper　to　one　of　her　religious　education。

Brace　was　only　too　happy　to　profit　by　Miss　Nellie's　condescension；
he　at　once　secured　the　seat　by　her　side；　and　spent　the　four　hours
and　a　half　of　their　return　journey　to　Excelsior　in　blissful　but
timid　communion　with　her。　　If　he　did　not　dare　to　confess　his　past
suspicions；　he　was　equally　afraid　to　venture　upon　the　boldness　he
had　premeditated　a　few　hours　before。　　He　was　therefore　obliged　to
take　a　middle　course　of　slightly　egotistical　narration　of　his　own
personal　adventures；　with　which　he　beguiled　the　young　girl's　ear。
This　he　only　departed　from　once；　to　describe　to　her　a　valuable
grizzly　bearskin　which　he　had　seen　that　day　for　sale　at　Indian
Spring；　with　a　view　to　divining　her　possible　acceptance　of　it
for　a　〃buggy　robe；〃　and　once　to　comment　upon　a　ring　which　she
had　inadvertently　disclosed　in　pulling　off　her　glove。

〃It's　only　an　old　family　keepsake；〃　she　added；　with　easy
mendacity；　and　affecting　to　recognize　in　Mr。　Brace's　curiosity　a
not　unnatural　excuse　for　toying　with　her　charming　fingers；　she
hid　them　in　chaste　and　virginal　seclusion　in　her　lap；　until　she
could　recover　the　ring　and　resume　her　glove。

A　week　passeda　week　of　peculiar　and　desiccating　heat　for　even
those　dry　Sierra　table…lands。　　The　long　days　were　filled　with
impalpable　dust　and　acrid　haze　suspended　in　the　motionless　air；
the　nights　were　breathless　and　dewless；　the　cold　wind　which
usually　swept　down　from　the　snow　line　was　laid　to　sleep　over　a
dark　monotonous　level；　whose　horizon　was　pricked　with　the　eating
fires　of　burning　forest　crests。　　The　lagging　coach　of　Indian
Spring　drove　up　at　Excelsior；　and　precipitated　its　passengers
with　an　accompanying　cloud　of　dust　before　the　Excelsior　Hotel。
As　they　emerged　from　the　coach；　Mr。　Brace；　standing　in　the
doorway；　closely　scanned　their　begrimed　and　almost　unrecognizable
faces。　　They　were　the　usual　type　of　travelers：　a　single
professional　man　in　dusty　black；　a　few　traders　in　tweeds　and
flannels；　a　sprinkling　of　miners　in　red　and　gray　shirts；　a
Chinaman；　a　negro；　and　a　Mexican　packer　or　muleteer。　　This　latter
for　a　moment　mingled　with　the　crowd　in　the　bar…room；　and　even
penetrated　the　corridor　and　dining…room　of　the　hotel；　as　if
impelled　by　a　certain　semi…civilized　curiosity；　and　then　strolled
with　a　lazy；　dragging　stephalf　impeded　by　the　enormous　leather
leggings；　chains；　and　spurs；　peculiar　to　his　classdown　the　main
street。　　The　darkness　was　gathering；　but　the　muleteer　indulged　in
the　same　childish　scrutiny　of　the　dimly　lighted　shops；　magazines；
and　saloons；　and　even　of　the　occasional　groups　of　citizens　at　the
street　corners。　　Apparently　young；　as　far　as　the　outlines　of　his
figure　could　be　seen；　he　seemed　to　show　even　more　than　the　usual
concern　of　masculine　Excelsior　in　the　charms　of　womankind。　　The
few　female　figures　about　at　that　hour；　or　visible　at　window　or
veranda；　received　his　marked　attention；　he　respectfully　followed
the　two　auburn…haired　daughters　of　Deacon　Johnson　on　their　way　to
choir　meeting　to　the　door　of　the　church。　　Not　content　with　that
act　of　discreet　gallantry；　after　they　had　entered　he　managed　to
slip　unperceived　behind　them。

The　memorial　of　the　Excelsior　gamblers'　generosity　was　a　modern
building；　large　and　pretentious；　for　even　Mr。　Wynn's　popularity；
and　had　been　good…humoredly　known；　in　the　characteristic　language
of　the　generous　donors；　as　one　of　the　〃biggest　religious　bluffs〃
on　record。　　Its　groined　rafters；　which　were　so　new　and　spicy　that
they　still　suggested　their　native　forest　aisles；　seldom　covered
more　than　a　hundred　devotees；　and　in　the　rambling　choir；　with　its
bare　space　for　the　future　organ；　the　few　choristers；　gathered
round　a　small　harmonium；　were　lost　in　the　deepening　shadow　of
that　summer　evening。　　The　muleteer　remained　hidden　in　the
obscurity　of　the　vestibule。　　After　a　few　moments'　desultory
conversation；　in　which　it　appeared　that　the　unexpected　absence　of
Miss　Nellie　Wynn；　their　leader；　would　prevent　their　practicing；
the　choristers　withdrew。　　The　stranger；　who　had　listened　eagerly；
drew　back　in　the　darkness　as　they　passed　out；　and　remained　for　a
few　moments　a　vague　and　motionless　figure　in　the　silent　church。
Then　coming　cautiously　to　the　window；　the　flapping　broad…brimmed
hat　was　put　aside；　and　the　faint　light　of　the　dying　day　shone　in
the　black　eyes　of　Teresa！　　Despite　her　face；　darkened　with　dye
and　disfigured　with　dust；　the　matted　hair　piled　and　twisted
around　her　head；　the　strange　dress　and　boyish　figure；　one　swift
glance　from　under　her　raised　lashes　betrayed　her　identity。

She　turned　aside　mechanically　into　the　first　pew；　picked　up　and
opened　a　hymn…book。　　Her　eyes　became　riveted　on　a　name　written　on
the　title…page；　〃Nellie　Wynn。〃　　HER　name；　and　HER　book。　　The
instinct　that　had　guided　her　here　was　right；　the　slight　gossip　of
her　fellow…passeng