in the carquinez woods-第20章
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with a strong； firm step walked directly to the tree。 Reaching
it； he planted himself squarely before the opening。
〃Halloo！〃 he said。
There was no reply。 A squirrel scampered away close to his feet。
Brace； far in the distance； after an ineffectual attempt to
distinguish his companion through the intervening trunks； took
off his coat； leaned against a tree； and lit a cigar。
〃Come out of that cabin！〃 continued Dunn； in a clear； resonant
voice。 〃Come out before I drag you out！〃
〃All right； 'Captain Scott。' Don't shoot； and I'll come down；〃
said a voice as clear and as high as his own。 The hanging strips
of bark were dashed aside； and a woman leaped lightly to the
ground。
Dunn staggered back。 〃Teresa！ by the Eternal！〃
It was Teresa！ the old Teresa！ Teresa； a hundred times more
vicious； reckless； hysterical； extravagant； and outrageous than
before。 Teresa； staring with tooth and eye； sunburnt and
embrowned； her hair hanging down her shoulders； and her shawl
drawn tightly around her neck。
〃Teresa it is！ the same old gal！ Here we are again！ Return of
the favorite in her original character！ For two weeks only！
Houp la！ Tshk！〃 and； catching her yellow skirt with her fingers；
she pirouetted before the astounded man； and ended in a pose。
Recovering himself with an effort； Dunn dashed forward and seized
her by the wrist。
〃Answer me； woman！ Is that Low's cabin？〃
〃It is。〃
〃Who occupies it besides？〃
〃I do。〃
〃And who else？〃
〃Well；〃 drawled Teresa slowly； with an extravagant affectation of
modesty； 〃nobody else but us； I reckon。 Two's company； you know；
and three's none。〃
〃Stop！ Will you swear that there isn't a young girl； hishis
sweetheartconcealed there with you？〃
The fire in Teresa's eye was genuine as she answered steadily；
〃Well； it ain't my style to put up with that sort of thing； at
least； it wasn't over at Yolo； and you know it； Jim Dunn； or I
wouldn't be here。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Dunn hurriedly。 〃But I'm a dd fool； or worse；
the fool of a fool。 Tell me； Teresa； is this man Low your lover？〃
Teresa lowered her eyes as if in maidenly confusion。 〃Well； if
I'd known that YOU had any feeling of your own about itif you'd
spoken sooner〃
〃Answer me； you devil！〃
〃He is。〃
〃And he has been with you hereyesterdayto…night？〃
〃He has。〃
〃Enough。〃 He laughed a weak； foolish laugh； and； turning pale；
suddenly lapsed against a tree。 He would have fallen； but with a
quick instinct Teresa sprang to his side； and supported him
gently to a root。 The action over； they both looked astounded。
〃I reckon that wasn't much like either you or me；〃 said Dunn
slowly； 〃was it？ But if you'd let me drop then you'd have
stretched out the biggest fool in the Sierras。〃 He paused； and
looked at her curiously。 〃What's come over you； blessed if I
seem to know you now。〃
She was very pale again； and quiet； that was all。
〃Teresa！ dn it； look here！ When I was laid up yonder in
Excelsior I said I wanted to get well for only two things。 One
was to hunt you down； the other to marry Nellie Wynn。 When I
came here I thought that last thing could never be。 I came here
expecting to find her here with Low； and kill himperhaps kill
her too。 I never once thought of you； not once。 You might have
risen up before mebetween me and himand I'd have passed you
by。 And now that I find it's all a mistake； and it was you； not
her； I was looking for； why〃
〃Why；〃 she interrupted bitterly； 〃you'll just take me； of course；
to save your time and earn your salary。 I'm ready。〃
〃But I'M not； just yet；〃 he said faintly。 〃Help me up。〃
She mechanically assisted him to his feet。
〃Now stand where you are；〃 he added； 〃and don't move beyond this
tree till I return。〃
He straightened himself with an effort； clenched his fists until
the nails were nearly buried in his palms； and strode with a
firm； steady step in the direction he had come。 In a few moments
he returned and stood before her。
〃I've sent away my deputythe man who brought me here； the fool
who thought you were Nellie。 He knows now he made a mistake。
But who it was he mistook for Nellie he does not know； nor shall
ever know； nor shall any living being know； other than myself。
And when I leave the wood to…day I shall know it no longer。 You
are safe here as far as I am concerned； but I cannot screen you
from others prying。 Let Low take you away from here as soon as
he can。〃
〃Let him take me away？ Ah； yes。 For what？〃
〃To save you；〃 said Dunn。 〃Look here； Teresa！ Without knowing
it； you lifted me out of hell just now； and because of the wrong
I might have done herfor HER sake； I spare you and shirk my duty。〃
〃For her sake！〃 gasped the woman〃for her sake！ Oh； yes！ Go on。〃
〃Well；〃 said Dunn gloomily； 〃I reckon perhaps you'd as lieve left
me in hell； for all the love you bear me。 And may be you've
grudge enough agin me still to wish I'd found her and him together。〃
〃You think so？〃 she said； turning her head away。
〃There； dn it！ I didn't mean to make you cry。 May be you
wouldn't； then。 Only tell that fellow to take you out of this；
and not run away the next time he sees a man coming。〃
〃He didn't run；〃 said Teresa； with flashing eyes。 〃III sent
him away；〃 she stammered。 Then； suddenly turning with fury upon
him； she broke out； 〃Run！ Run from you！ Ha； ha！ You said just
now I'd a grudge against you。 Well； listen； Jim Dunn。 I'd only
to bring you in range of that young man's rifle； and you'd have
dropped in your tracks like〃
〃Like that bar； the other night；〃 said Dunn； with a short laugh。
〃So THAT was your little game？〃 He checked his laugh suddenlya
cloud passed over his face。 〃Look here； Teresa；〃 he said； with
an assumption of carelessness that was as transparent as it was
utterly incompatible with his frank； open selfishness。 〃What
became of that bar？ The skineh？ That was worth something？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Teresa quietly。 〃Low exchanged it and got a ring for
me from that trader Isaacs。 It was worth more； you bet。 And the
ring didn't fit either〃
〃Yes；〃 interrupted Dunn； with an almost childish eagerness。
〃And I made him take it back； and get the value in money。 I hear
that Isaacs sold it again and made another profit； but that's
like those traders。〃 The disingenuous candor of Teresa's manner
was in exquisite contrast to Dunn。 He rose and grasped her hand
so heartily she was forced to turn her eyes away。
〃Good…by！〃 he said。
〃You look tired；〃 she murmured； with a sudden gentleness that
surprised him； 〃let me go with you a part of the way。〃
〃It isn't safe for you just now；〃 he said； thinking of the
possible consequences of the alarm Brace had raised。
〃Not the way YOU came；〃 she replied； 〃but one known only to
myself。〃
He hesitated only a moment。 〃All right； then；〃 he said finally；
〃let us go at once。 It's suffocating here； and I seem to feel
this dead bark crinkle under my feet。〃
She cast a rapid glance around her； and then seemed to sound with
her eyes the far…off depths of the aisles； beginning to grow pale
with the advancing day； but still holding a strange quiver of
heat in the air。 When she had finished her half…abstracted
scrutiny of the distance； she cast one backward glance at her own
cabin and stopped。
〃Will you wait a moment for me？〃 she asked gently。
〃Yesbutno tricks； Teresa！ It isn't worth the time。〃
She looked him squarely in the eyes without a word。
〃Enough；〃 he said； 〃go！〃
She was absent for some moments。 He was beginning to become
uneasy； when she made her appearance again； clad in her old faded
black dress。 Her face was very pale； and her eyes were swollen；
but she placed his hand on her shoulder； and bidding him not to
fear to lean upon her； for she was quite strong； led the way。
〃You look more like yourself now； and yetblast it all！you
don't either；〃 said Dunn； looking down upon her。 〃You've changed
in some way。 What is it？ Is it on account of that Injin？
Couldn't you have found a white man in his place？〃
〃I reckon he's neither worse nor better for that；〃 she replied
bitterly； 〃and perhaps he wasn't as particular in his taste as a
white ma
