in the carquinez woods-第17章

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instinct　that　had　guided　her　here　was　right；　the　slight　gossip　of
her　fellow…passengers　was　right；　this　was　the　clergyman's
daughter；　whose　praise　filled　all　mouths。　　This　was　the　unknown
girl　the　stranger　was　seeking；　but　who　in　turn　perhaps　had　been
seeking　Lowthe　girl　who　absorbed　his　fancythe　secret　of　his
absences；　his　preoccupation；　his　coldness！　　This　was　the　girl
whom　to　see；　perhaps　in　his　arms；　she　was　now　periling　her
liberty　and　her　life　unknown　to　him！　　A　slight　odor；　some　faint
perfume　of　its　owner；　came　from　the　book；　it　was　the　same　she　had
noticed　in　the　dress　Low　had　given　her。　　She　flung　the　volume　to
the　ground；　and；　throwing　her　arms　over　the　back　of　the　pew
before　her；　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。

In　that　light　and　attitude　she　might　have　seemed　some　rapt
acolyte　abandoned　to　self…communion。　　But　whatever　yearning　her
soul　might　have　had　for　higher　sympathy　or　deeper　consolation；　I
fear　that　the　spiritual　Tabernacle　of　Excelsior　and　the　Reverend
Mr。　Wynn　did　not　meet　that　requirement。　　She　only　felt　the　dry；
oven…like　heat　of　that　vast　shell；　empty　of　sentiment　and　beauty；
hollow　in　its　pretense　and　dreary　in　its　desolation。　　She　only
saw　in　it　a　chief　altar　for　the　glorification　of　this　girl　who
had　absorbed　even　the　pure　worship　of　her　companion；　and
converted　and　degraded　his　sublime　paganism　to　her　petty　creed。
With　a　woman's　withering　contempt　for　her　own　art　displayed　in
another　woman；　she　thought　how　she　herself　could　have　touched　him
with　the　peace　that　the　majesty　of　their　woodland　aislesso
unlike　this　pillared　shamhad　taught　her　own　passionate　heart；
had　she　but　dared。　　Mingling　with　this　imperfect　theology；　she
felt　she　could　have　proved　to　him　also　that　a　brunette　and　a
woman　of　her　experience　was　better　than　an　immature　blonde。　　She
began　to　loathe　herself　for　coming　hither；　and　dreaded　to　meet
his　face。　　Here　a　sudden　thought　struck　her。　　What　if　he　had　not
come　here？　　What　if　she　had　been　mistaken？　　What　if　her　rash
interpretation　of　his　absence　from　the　wood　that　night　was　simple
madness？　　What　if　he　should　returnif　he　had　already　returned？
She　rose　to　her　feet；　whitening　yet　joyful　with　the　thought。　　She
could　return　at　once；　what　was　the　girl　to　her　now？　　Yet　there
was　time　to　satisfy　herself　if　he　were　at　HER　house。　　She　had
been　told　where　it　was；　she　could　find　it　in　the　dark；　an　open
door　or　window　would　betray　some　sign　or　sound　of　the　occupants。
She　rose；　replaced　her　hat　over　her　eyes；　knotted　her　flaunting
scarf　around　her　throat；　groped　her　way　to　the　door；　and　glided
into　the　outer　darkness。


CHAPTER　VII


It　was　quite　dark　when　Mr。　Jack　Brace　stopped　before　Father
Wynn's　open　door。　　The　windows　were　also　invitingly　open　to　the
wayfarer；　as　were　the　pastoral　counsels　of　Father　Wynn；　delivered
to　some　favored　guest　within；　in　a　tone　of　voice　loud　enough　for
a　pulpit。　　Jack　Brace　paused。　　The　visitor　was　the　convalescent
sheriff；　Jim　Dunn；　who　had　publicly　commemorated　his　recovery　by
making　his　first　call　upon　the　father　of　his　inamorata。　　The
Reverend　Mr。　Wynn　had　been　expatiating　upon　the　unremitting　heat
of　a　possible　precursor　of　forest　fires；　and　exhibiting　some
catholic　knowledge　of　the　designs　of　a　Deity　in　that　regard；　and
what　should　be　the　policy　of　the　Legislature；　when　Mr。　Brace
concluded　to　enter。　　Mr。　Wynn　and　the　wounded　man；　who　occupied
an　arm…chair　by　the　window；　were　the　only　occupants　of　the　room。
But　in　spite　of　the　former's　ostentatious　greeting；　Brace　could
see　that　his　visit　was　inopportune　and　unwelcome。　　The　sheriff
nodded　a　quick；　impatient　recognition；　which；　had　it　not　been
accompanied　by　an　anathema　on　the　heat；　might　have　been　taken　as
a　personal　insult。　　Neither　spoke　of　Miss　Nellie；　although　it　was
patent　to　Brace　that　they　were　momentarily　expecting　her。　　All　of
which　went　far　to　strengthen　a　certain　wavering　purpose　in　his
mind。

〃Ah；　ha！　strong　language；　Mr。　Dunn；〃　said　Father　Wynn；　referring
to　the　sheriff's　adjuration；　〃but　'out　of　the　fullness　of　the
heart　the　mouth　speaketh。'　　Job；　sir；　cursed；　we　are　told；　and
even　expressed　himself　in　vigorous　Hebrew　regarding　his　birthday。
Ha；　ha！　　I'm　not　opposed　to　that。　　When　I　have　often　wrestled
with　the　spirit　I　confess　I　have　sometimes　said；　'Dn　you。'
Yes；　sir；　'Dn　you。'〃

There　was　something　so　unutterably　vile　in　the　reverend
gentleman's　utterance　and　emphasis　of　this　oath　that　the　two　men；
albeit　both　easy　and　facile　blasphemers；　felt　shocked；　as　the
purest　of　actresses　is　apt　to　overdo　the　rakishness　of　a　gay
Lothario；　Father　Wynn's　immaculate　conception　of　an　imprecation
was　something　terrible。　　But　he　added；　〃The　law　ought　to
interfere　with　the　reckless　use　of　camp…fires　in　the　woods　in
such　weather　by　packers　and　prospectors。〃

〃It　isn't　so　much　the　work　of　white　men；〃　broke　in　Brace；　〃as　it
is　of　Greasers；　Chinamen；　and　Diggers；　especially　Diggers。
There's　that　blasted　Low；　ranges　the　whole　Carquinez　Woods　as　if
they　were　his。　　I　reckon　he　ain't　particular　just　where　he　throws
his　matches。〃

〃But　he's　not　a　Digger；　he's　a　Cherokee；　and　only　a　half…breed　at
that；〃　interpolated　Wynn。　　〃Unless；〃　he　added；　with　the　artful
suggestion　of　the　betrayed　trust　of　a　too　credulous　Christian；
〃he　deceived　me　in　this　as　in　other　things。〃

In　what　other　things　Low　had　deceived　him　he　did　not　say；　but；　to
the　astonishment　of　both　men；　Dunn　growled　a　dissent　to　Brace's
proposition。　　Either　from　some　secret　irritation　with　that
possible　rival；　or　impatience　at　the　prolonged　absence　of　Nellie；
he　had　〃had　enough　of　that　sort　of　hog…wash　ladled　out　to　him　for
genuine　liquor。〃　　As　to　the　Carquinez　Woods；　he　＇Dunn＇　〃didn't
know　why　Low　hadn't　as　much　right　there　as　if　he'd　grabbed　it
under　a　preemption　law　and　didn't　live　there。〃　　With　this　hint　at
certain　speculations　of　Father　Wynn　in　public　lands　for　a
homestead；　he　added　that　〃If　they　＇Brace　and　Wynn＇　could　bring
him　along　any　older　American　settler　than　an　Indian；　they　might
rake　down　his　＇Dunn's＇　pile。〃　　Unprepared　for　this　turn　in　the
conversation；　Wynn　hastened　to　explain　that　he　did　not　refer　to
the　pure　aborigine；　whose　gradual　extinction　no　one　regretted
more　than　himself；　but　to　the　mongrel；　who　inherited　only　the
vices　of　civilization。　　〃There　should　be　a　law；　sir；　against　the
mingling　of　races。　　There　are　men；　sir；　who　violate　the　laws　of
the　Most　High　by　living　with　Indian　womensquaw　men；　sir；　as
they　are　called。〃

Dunn　rose　with　a　face　livid　with　weakness　and　passion。　　〃Who
dares　say　that？　　They　are　a　dd　sight　better　than　sneaking
Northern　Abolitionists；　who　married　their　daughters　to　buck
niggers　like〃　　But　a　spasm　of　pain　withheld　this　Parthian　shot
at　the　politics　of　his　two　companions；　and　he　sank　back
helplessly　in　his　chair。

An　awkward　silence　ensued。　　The　three　men　looked　at　each　other　in
embarrassment　and　confusion。　　Dunn　felt　that　he　had　given　way　to
a　gratuitous　passion；　Wynn　had　a　vague　presentiment　that　he　had
said　something　that　imperiled　his　daughter's　prospects；　and　Brace
was　divided　between　an　angry　retort　and　the　secret　purpose
already　alluded　to。

〃It's　all　the　blasted　heat；〃　said　Dunn；　with　a　forced　smile；
pushing　away　the　whisky　which　Wynn　had　ostentatiously　placed
before　him。

〃Of　course；〃　said　Wynn　hastily；　〃only　it's　a　pity　Nellie　ain't
here　to　give　you　her　smelling…salts。　　She　ought　to　be　back　now；〃
he　added；　no　longer　mindful　of　Brace's　presence；　〃the　coach　is
over…due　now；　though　I　reckon　the　heat　made　Yuba　Bill　take　it
easy　at　the　up　grade。〃

〃If　you　mean　the　coach　from　Indian　Spring；〃　said　Brace　quietly；
〃it's　in　already；　but　Miss　Nellie　didn't　come　on　it。〃

〃May　be　she　got　out　at　the　Crossing；〃　said　Wynn　cheerfully；　〃she
sometimes　does。〃

〃She　didn't　take　the　coach　at　Indian　Spring；〃　returned　Brace；
〃because　I　saw　it　leave；　and　passed　it　on　Buckskin　ten　minutes
ago；　coming　up　the　hills。〃

〃She's　stopped　over　at　Burnham's；〃　said　Wynn　reflectively。　　Then；
in　response　to　the　significant　silence　of　his　guests；　he　added；
in　a　tone　of　chagrin　which　his　forced　heartiness　could　not
disguise；　〃Well；　boys；　it's　a　disappointment　all　round；　but　we
must　take　the　lesson　as　it　come