in the carquinez woods-第18章

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disguise；　〃Well；　boys；　it's　a　disappointment　all　round；　but　we
must　take　the　lesson　as　it　comes。　　I'll　go　over　to　the　coach
office　and　see　if　she's　sent　any　word。　　Make　yourselves　at　home
until　I　return。〃

When　the　door　had　closed　behind　him；　Brace　arose　and　took　his　hat
as　if　to　go。　　With　his　hand　on　the　lock；　he　turned　to　his　rival；
who；　half　hidden　in　the　gathering　darkness；　still　seemed　unable
to　comprehend　his　ill…luck。

〃If　you're　waiting　for　that　bald…headed　fraud　to　come　back　with
the　truth　about　his　daughter；〃　said　Brace　coolly；　〃you'd　better
send　for　your　things　and　take　up　your　lodgings　here。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Dunn　sternly。

〃I　mean　that　she's　not　at　the　Burnhams'；　I　mean　that　he　either
does　or　does　not　know　WHERE　she　is；　and　that　in　either　case　he　is
not　likely　to　give　you　information。　　But　I　can。〃

〃You　can？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then；　where　is　she？〃

〃In　the　Carquinez　Woods；　in　the　arms　of　the　man　you　were　just
defendingLow；　the　half…breed。〃

The　room　had　become　so　dark　that　from　the　road　nothing　could　be
distinguished。　　Only　the　momentary　sound　of　struggling　feet　was
heard。

〃Sit　down；〃　said　Brace's　voice；　〃and　don't　be　a　fool。　　You're　too
weak；　and　it　ain't　a　fair　fight。　　Let　go　your　hold。　　I'm　not
lyingI　wish　to　God　I　was！〃

There　was　silence；　and　Brace　resumed；　〃We've　been　rivals；　I　know。
May　be　I　thought　my　chance　as　good　as　yours。　　If　what　I　say　ain't
truth；　we'll　stand　as　we　stood　before；　and　if　you're　on　the
shoot；　I'm　your　man　when　you　like；　where　you　like；　or　on　sight　if
you　choose。　　But　I　can't　bear　to　see　another　man　played　upon　as
I've　been　played　upongiven　dead　away　as　I've　been。　　It　ain't　on
the　square。

〃There；〃　he　continued；　after　a　pause；　〃that's　right；　now　steady。
Listen。　　A　week　ago　that　girl　went　down　just　like　this　to　Indian
Spring。　　It　was　given　out；　like　this；　that　she　went　to　the
Burnhams'。　　I　don't　mind　saying；　Dunn；　that　I　went　down　myself；
all　on　the　square；　thinking　I　might　get　a　show　to　talk　to　her；
just　as　YOU　might　have　done；　you　know；　if　you　had　my　chance。　　I
didn't　come　across　her　anywhere。　　But　two　men　that　I　met　thought
they　recognized　her　in　a　disguise　going　into　the　woods。　　Not
suspecting　anything；　I　went　after　her；　saw　her　at　a　distance　in
the　middle　of　the　woods　in　another　dress　that　I　can　swear　to；　and
was　just　coming　up　to　her　when　she　vanishedwent　like　a　squirrel
up　a　tree；　or　down　like　a　gopher　in　the　ground；　but　vanished。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Dunn's　voice。　　〃And　just　because　you　were　a
dd　fool；　or　had　taken　a　little　too　much　whisky；　you　thought〃

〃Steady。　　That's　just　what　I　said　to　myself；〃　interrupted　Brace
coolly；　〃particularly　when　I　saw　her　that　same　afternoon　in
another　dress；　saying　'Good…by'　to　the　Burnhams；　as　fresh　as　a
rose　and　as　cold　as　those　snow…peaks。　　Only　one　thingshe　had　a
ring　on　her　finger　she　never　wore　before；　and　didn't　expect　me　to
see。〃

〃What　if　she　did？　　She　might　have　bought　it。　　I　reckon　she　hasn't
to　consult　you；〃　broke　in　Dunn's　voice　sternly。

〃She　didn't　buy　it；〃　continued　Brace　quietly。　　〃Low　gave　that　Jew
trader　a　bearskin　in　exchange　for　it；　and　presented　it　to　her。　　I
found　that　out　two　days　afterwards。　　I　found　out　that　out　of　the
whole　afternoon　she　spent　less　than　an　hour　with　the　Burnhams。　　I
found　out　that　she　bought　a　duster　like　the　disguise　the　two　men
saw　her　in。　　I　found　the　yellow　dress　she　wore　that　day　hanging
up　in　Low's　cabinthe　place　where　I　saw　her　goTHE　RENDEZVOUS
WHERE　SHE　MEETS　HIM。　　Oh；　you're　listenin'；　are　you？　　Stop！　　SIT
DOWN！

〃I　discovered　it　by　accident；〃　continued　the　voice　of　Brace　when
all　was　again　quiet；　〃it　was　hidden　as　only　a　squirrel　or　an
Injin　can　hide　when　they　improve　upon　nature。　　When　I　was
satisfied　that　the　girl　had　been　in　the　woods；　I　was　determined
to　find　out　where　she　vanished；　and　went　there　again。
Prospecting　around；　I　picked　up　at　the　foot　of　one　of　the　biggest
trees　this　yer　old　memorandum…book；　with　grasses　and　herbs　stuck
in　it。　　I　remembered　that　I'd　heard　old　Wynn　say　that　Low；　like
the　dd　Digger　that　he　was；　collected　these　herbs；　only　he
pretended　it　was　for　science。　　I　reckoned　the　book　was　his　and
that　he　mightn't　be　far　away。　　I　lay　low　and　waited。　　Bimeby　I
saw　a　lizard　running　down　the　root。　　When　he　got　sight　of　me　he
stopped。〃

〃Dn　the　lizard！　　What's　that　got　to　do　with　where　she　is　now？〃

〃Everything。　　That　lizard　had　a　piece　of　sugar　in　his　mouth。
Where　did　it　come　from？　　I　made　him　drop　it；　and　calculated　he'd
go　back　for　more。　　He　did。　　He　scooted　up　that　tree　and　slipped
in　under　some　hanging　strips　of　bark。　　I　shoved　'em　aside；　and
found　an　opening　to　the　hollow　where　they　do　their　housekeeping。〃

〃But　you　didn't　see　her　thereand　how　do　you　know　she　is　there
now？〃

〃I　determined　to　make　it　sure。　　When　she　left　to…day；　I　started
an　hour　ahead　of　her；　and　hid　myself　at　the　edge　of　the　woods。
An　hour　after　the　coach　arrived　at　Indian　Spring；　she　came　there
in　a　brown　duster　and　was　joined　by　him。　　I'd　have　followed　them；
but　the　dd　hound　has　the　ears　of　a　squirrel；　and　though　I　was
five　hundred　yards　from　him　he　was　on　his　guard。〃

〃Guard　be　blessed！　　Wasn't　you　armed？　　Why　didn't　you　go　for
him？〃　said　Dunn；　furiously。

〃I　reckoned　I'd　leave　that　for　you；〃　said　Brace　coolly。　　〃If　he'd
killed　me；　and　if　he'd　even　covered　me　with　his　rifle；　he'd　been
sure　to　let　daylight　through　me　at　double　the　distance。　　I
shouldn't　have　been　any　better　off；　nor　you　either。　　If　I'd
killed　HIM；　it　would　have　been　your　duty　as　sheriff　to　put　me　in
jail；　and　I　reckon　it　wouldn't　have　broken　your　heart；　Jim　Dunn；
to　have　got　rid　of　TWO　rivals　instead　of　one。　　Hullo！　　Where　are
you　going？〃

〃Going？〃　said　Dunn　hoarsely。　　〃Going　to　the　Carquinez　Woods；　by
God！　to　kill　him　before　her。　　I'LL　risk　it；　if　you　daren't。　　Let
me　succeed；　and　you　can　hang　ME　and　take　the　girl　yourself。〃

〃Sit　down；　sit　down。　　Don't　be　a　fool；　Jim　Dunn！　　You　wouldn't
keep　the　saddle　a　hundred　yards。　　Did　I　say　I　wouldn't　help　you？
No。　　If　you're　willing；　we'll　run　the　risk　together；　but　it　must
be　in　my　way。　　Hear　me。　　I'll　drive　you　down　there　in　a　buggy
before　daylight；　and　we'll　surprise　them　in　the　cabin　or　as　they
leave　the　wood。　　But　you　must　come　as　if　to　arrest　him　for　some
offensesay；　as　an　escaped　Digger　from　the　Reservation；　a
dangerous　tramp；　a　destroyer　of　public　property　in　the　forests；　a
suspected　road　agent；　or　anything　to　give　you　the　right　to　hunt
him。　　The　exposure　of　him　and　Nellie；　don't　you　see；　must　be
accidental。　　If　he　resists；　kill　him　on　the　spot；　and　nobody'll
blame　you；　if　he　goes　peaceably　with　you；　and　you　once　get　him　in
Excelsior　jail；　when　the　story　gets　out　that　he's　taken　the　belle
of　Excelsior　for　his　squaw；　if　you'd　the　angels　for　your　posse
you　couldn't　keep　the　boys　from　hanging　him　to　the　first　tree。
What's　that？〃

He　walked　to　the　window；　and　looked　out　cautiously。

〃If　it　was　the　old　man　coming　back　and　listening；〃　he　said；　after
a　pause；　〃it　can't　he　helped。　　He'll　hear　it　soon　enough；　if　he
don't　suspect　something　already。〃

〃Look　yer；　Brace；〃　broke　in　Dunn　hoarsely。　　〃Dd　if　I　understand
you　or　you　me。　　That　dog　Low　has　got　to　answer　to　ME；　not　to　the
LAW！　　I'll　take　my　risk　of　killing　him；　on　sight　and　on　the
square。　　I　don't　reckon　to　handicap　myself　with　a　warrant；　and　I
am　not　going　to　draw　him　out　with　a　lie。　　You　hear　me？　　That's　me
all　the　time！〃

〃Then　you　calkilate　to　go　down　thar；〃　said　Brace　contemptuously；
〃yell　out　for　him　and　Nellie；　and　let　him　line　you　on　a　rest　from
the　first　tree　as　if　you　were　a　grizzly。〃

There　was　a　pause。　　〃What's　that　you　were　saying　just　now　about　a
bearskin　he　sold？〃　asked　Dunn　slowly；　as　if　reflecting。

〃He　exchanged　a　bearskin；〃　replied　Brace；　〃with　a　single　hole
right　over　the　heart。　　He's　a　dead　shot；　I　tell　you。〃

〃Dn　his　shooting；〃　said　Dunn。　　〃I'm　not　thinking　of　that。　　How
long　ago　did　he　bring　in　that　bearskin？〃

〃About　two　weeks；　I　reckon。　　Why？〃

〃Nothing！　　Look　yer；　Brace；　you　mean　wellthar's　my　hand。　　I'll
go　down　with　you　there；　but　not　as　the　sheriff。　　I'm　going　there
as　Jim　Dunn；　and　you　can　come　along　as　a　white　man；　to　see　things
fixed　on　the