in the carquinez woods-第22章
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recovered his seriousness。 〃He'll have as much money from me as he
wants to go into business with。 What's his line of business；
Teresa？〃 asked this prospective father…in…law； in a large； liberal way。
〃He is a botanist！〃 said Teresa； with a sudden childish animation
that seemed to keep up the grim humor of the paternal suggestion；
〃and oh； he is too poor to buy books！ I sent for one or two for
him myself； the other day〃 she hesitated〃it was all the money
I had； but it wasn't enough for him to go on with his studies。〃
Dunn looked at her sparkling eyes and glowing cheeks； and became
thoughtful。 〃Curson must have been a dd fool；〃 he said finally。
Teresa remained silent。 She was beginning to be impatient and
uneasy； fearing some mischance that might delay her dreaded； yet
longed…for meeting with Low。 Yet she could not leave this sick
and exhausted man； HIS FATHER； now bound to her by more than mere
humanity。
〃Couldn't you manage；〃 she said gently； 〃to lean on me a few
steps further； until I could bring you to a cooler spot and
nearer assistance？〃
He nodded。 She lifted him almost like a child to his feet。 A
spasm of pain passed over his face。 〃How far is it？〃 he asked。
〃Not more than ten minutes；〃 she replied。
〃I can make a spurt for that time；〃 he said coolly； and began to
walk slowly but steadily on。 Only his face； which was white and
set； and the convulsive grip of his hand on her arm betrayed the
effort。 At the end of ten minutes she stopped。 They stood
before the splintered； lightning…scarred shaft in the opening of
the woods； where Low had built her first camp…fire。 She
carefully picked up the herbarium； but her quick eye had already
detected in the distance； before she had allowed Dunn to enter
the opening with her； that her note was gone。 Low had been there
before them； he had been warned； as his absence from the cabin
showed； he would not return there。 They were free from
interruptionbut where had he gone？
The sick man drew a long breath of relief as she seated him in
the clover…grown hollow where she had slept the second night of
her stay。 〃It's cooler than those cursed woods；〃 he said。 〃I
suppose it's because it's a little like a grave。 What are you
going to do now？〃 he added； as she brought a cup of water and
placed it at his side。
〃I am going to leave you here for a little while；〃 she said
cheerfully； but with a pale face and nervous hands。 〃I'm going
to leave you while I seek Low。〃
The sick man raised his head。 〃I'm good for a spurt； Teresa；
like that I've just got through； but I don't think I'm up to a
family party。 Couldn't you issue cards later on？〃
〃You don't understand；〃 she said。 〃I'm going to get Low to send
some one of your friends to you here。 I don't think he'll
begrudge leaving HER a moment for that；〃 she added to herself
bitterly。
〃What's that you're saying？〃 he queried； with the nervous
quickness of an invalid。
〃Nothingbut that I'm going now。〃 She turned her face aside to
hide her moistened eyes。 〃Wish me good luck； won't you？〃 she
asked； half sadly； half pettishly。
〃Come here！〃
She came and bent over him。 He suddenly raised his hands； and；
drawing her face down to his own； kissed her forehead。
〃Give that to HIM；〃 he whispered； 〃from ME。〃
She turned and fled； happily for her sentiment； not hearing the
feeble laugh that followed； as Dunn； in sheer imbecility； again
referred to the extravagant ludicrousness of the situation。 〃It
is about the biggest thing in the way of a sell all round；〃 he
repeated； lying on his back； confidentially to the speck of
smoke…obscured sky above him。 He pictured himself repeating it；
not to Nellieher severe propriety might at last overlook the
fact； but would not tolerate the jokebut to her father！ It
would be one of those characteristic Californian jokes Father
Wynn would admire。
To his exhaustion fever presently succeeded； and he began to grow
restless。 The heat too seemed to invade his retreat； and from
time to time the little patch of blue sky was totally obscured by
clouds of smoke。 He amused himself with watching a lizard who
was investigating a folded piece of paper； whose elasticity gave
the little creature lively apprehensions of its vitality。 At
last he could stand the stillness of his retreat and his supine
position no longer； and rolled himself out of the bed of leaves
that Teresa had so carefully prepared for him。 He rose to his
feet stiff and sore； and； supporting himself by the nearest tree；
moved a few steps from the dead ashes of the camp…fire。 The
movement frightened the lizard； who abandoned the paper and fled。
With a satirical recollection of Brace and his 〃ridiculous〃
discovery through the medium of this animal； he stooped and
picked up the paper。 〃Like as not；〃 he said to himself； with
grim irony； 〃these yer lizards are in the discovery business。
P'r'aps this may lead to another mystery；〃 and he began to unfold
the paper with a smile。 But the smile ceased as his eye suddenly
caught his own name。
A dozen lines were written in pencil on what seemed to be a blank
leaf originally torn from some book。 He trembled so that he was
obliged to sit down to read these words：
〃When you get this keep away from the woods。 Dunn and another
man are in deadly pursuit of you and your companion。 I overheard
their plan to surprise you in our cabin。 DON'T GO THERE； and I
will delay them and put them off the scent。 Don't mind me。 God
bless you； and if you never see me again think sometimes of
〃TERESA。〃
His trembling ceased； he did not start； but rose in an abstracted
way； and made a few deliberate steps in the direction Teresa had
gone。 Even then he was so confused that he was obliged to refer
to the paper again； but with so little effect that he could only
repeat the last words； 〃think sometimes of Teresa。〃 He was
conscious that this was not all； he had a full conviction of
being deceived； and knew that he held the proof in his hand； but
he could not formulate it beyond that sentence。 〃Teresa〃yes；
he would think of her。 She would explain it。 And here she was
returning。
In that brief interval her face and manner had again changed。
Her face was pale and quite breathless。 She cast a swift glance
at Dunn and the paper he mechanically held out； walked up to him；
and tore it from his hand。
〃Well；〃 she said hoarsely； 〃what are you going to do about it？〃
He attempted to speak； but his voice failed him。 Even then he
was conscious that if he had spoken he would have only repeated；
〃think sometimes of Teresa。〃 He looked longingly but helplessly
at the spot where she had thrown the paper； as if it had
contained his unuttered words。
〃Yes；〃 she went on to herself； as if he was a mute； indifferent
spectator〃yes； they're gone。 That ends it all。 The game's
played out。 Well！〃 suddenly turning upon him； 〃now you know it
all。 Your Nellie WAS here with him； and is with him now。 Do you
hear？ Make the most of it； you've lost thembut here I am。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said eagerly〃yes； Teresa。〃
She stopped； stared at him； then taking him by the hand led him
like a child back to his couch。 〃Well；〃 she said； in half…savage
explanation； 〃I told you the truth when I said the girl wasn't at
the cabin last night； and that I didn't know her。 What are you
glowerin' at？ No！ I haven't lied to you； I swear to God； except
in one thing。 Did you know what that was？ To save him I took
upon me a shame I don't deserve。 I let you think I was his
mistress。 You think so now； don't you？ Well； before God to…day
and He may take me when He likesI'm no more to him than a
sister！ I reckon your Nellie can't say as much。〃
She turned away； and with the quick； impatient stride of some
caged animal made the narrow circuit of the opening； stopping a
moment mechanically before the sick man； and again； without
looking at him； continuing her monotonous round。 The heat had
become excessive； but she held her shawl with both hands drawn
tightly over her shoulders。 Suddenly a wood…duck darted out of
the covert blindly into the opening； struck against the blasted
trunk； fell half stunned near her fe
