in the carquinez woods-第25章

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trifling　companionship　of　others；　I　bade　her　keep　her　own
counsel；　and　seek　you　at　seasons　known　but　to　yourselves。〃

〃But　。　。　。　did　Nellie　。　。　。　understand　you？〃　interrupted　Low
hastily。

〃I　see　you　read　her　simple　nature。　　Understand　me？　　No；　not　at
first！　　Her　maidenly　instinctperhaps　her　duty　to　anothertook
the　alarm。　　I　remember　her　words。　　'But　what　will　Dunn　say？'　she
asked。　　'Will　he　not　be　jealous？'〃

〃Dunn！　jealous！　　I　don't　understand；〃　said　Low；　fixing　his　eyes
on　Wynn。

〃That's　just　what　I　said　to　Nellie。　　'Jealous！'　I　said。　　'What；
Dunn；　your　affianced　husband；　jealous　of　a　mere　frienda
teacher；　a　guide；　a　philosopher。　　It　is　impossible。'　　Well；　sir；
she　was　right。　　He　is　jealous。　　And；　more　than　that；　he　has
imparted　his　jealousy　to　others！　　In　other　words；　he　has　made　a
scandal！〃

Low's　eyes　flashed。　　〃Where　is　your　daughter　now？〃　he　said　sternly。

〃At　present　in　bed；　suffering　from　a　nervous　attack　brought　on　by
these　unjust　suspicions。　　She　appreciates　your　anxiety；　and；
knowing　that　you　could　not　see　her；　told　me　to　give　you　this。〃
He　handed　Low　the　ring　and　the　letter。

The　climax　had　been　forced；　and；　it　must　be　confessed；　was　by　no
means　the　one　Mr。　Wynn　had　fully　arranged　in　his　own　inner
consciousness。　　He　had　intended　to　take　an　ostentatious　leave　of
Low　in　the　bar…room；　deliver　the　letter　with　archness；　and　escape
before　a　possible　explosion。　　He　consequently　backed　towards　the
door　for　an　emergency。　　But　he　was　again　at　fault。　　That
unaffected　stoical　fortitude　in　acute　suffering；　which　was　the
one　remaining　pride　and　glory　of　Low's　race；　was　yet　to　be
revealed　to　Wynn's　civilized　eyes。

The　young　man　took　the　letter；　and　read　it　without　changing　a
muscle；　folded　the　ring　in　it；　and　dropped　it　into　his　haversack。
Then　he　picked　up　his　blanket；　threw　it　over　his　shoulder；　took
his　trusty　rifle　in　his　hand；　and　turned　towards　Wynn　as　if
coldly　surprised　that　he　was　still　standing　there。

〃Are　youare　yougoing？〃　stammered　Wynn。

〃Are　you　NOT？〃　replied　Low　dryly；　leaning　on　his　rifle　for　a
moment　as　if　waiting　for　Wynn　to　precede　him。　　The　preacher
looked　at　him　a　moment；　mumbled　something；　and　then　shambled
feebly　and　ineffectively　down　the　staircase　before　Low；　with　a
painful　suggestion　to　the　ordinary　observer　of　being　occasionally
urged　thereto　by　the　moccasin　of　the　young　man　behind　him。

On　reaching　the　lower　hall；　however；　he　endeavored　to　create　a
diversion　in　his　favor　by　dashing　into　the　bar…room　and　clapping
the　occupants　on　the　back　with　indiscriminate　playfulness。　　But
here　again　he　seemed　to　be　disappointed。　　To　his　great
discomfiture；　a　large　man　not　only　returned　his　salutation　with
powerful　levity；　but　with　equal　playfulness　seized　him　in　his
arms；　and　after　an　ingenious　simulation　of　depositing　him　in　the
horse…trough　set　him　down　in　affected　amazement。　　〃Bleth't　if　I
didn't　think　from　the　weight　of　your　hand　it　wath　my　old　friend；
Thacramento　Bill；〃　said　Curson　apologetically；　with　a　wink　at　the
bystanders。　　〃That'th　the　way　Bill　alwayth　uthed　to　tackle　hith
friendth；　till　he　wath　one　day　bounthed　by　a　prithe…fighter　in
Frithco；　whom　he　had　mithtaken　for　a　mithionary。〃　　As　Mr。
Curson's　reputation　was　of　a　quality　that　made　any　form　of
apology　from　him　instantly　acceptable；　the　amused　spectators　made
way　for　him　as；　recognizing　Low；　who　was　just　leaving　the　hotel；
he　turned　coolly　from　them　and　walked　towards　him。

〃Halloo！〃　he　said；　extending　his　hand。　　〃You're　the　man　I'm
waiting　for。　　Did　you　get　a　book　from　the　exthpreth　offithe　latht
night？〃

〃I　did。　　Why？〃

〃It'th　all　right。　　Ath　I'm　rethponthible　for　it；　I　only　wanted　to
know。〃

〃Did　YOU　send　it？〃　asked　Low；　quickly　fixing　his　eyes　on　his
face。

〃Well；　not　exactly　ME。　　But　it'th　not　worth　making　a　mythtery　of
it。　　Teretha　gave　me　a　commithion　to　buy　it　and　thend　it　to　you
anonymouthly。　　That'th　a　woman'th　nonthenth；　for　how　could　thee
get　a　retheipt　for　it？〃

〃Then　it　was　HER　present；〃　said　Low　gloomily。

〃Of　courthe。　　It　wathn't　mine；　my　boy。　　I'd　have　thent　you　a
Tharp'th　rifle　in　plathe　of　that　muthle　loader　you　carry；　or
thomething　thenthible。　　But；　I　thay！　what'th　up？　　You　look　ath　if
you　had　been　running　all　night。〃

Low　grasped　his　hand。　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　hurriedly；　〃but　it's
nothing。　　Only　I　must　be　back　to　the　woods　early。　　Good…by。〃

But　Curson　retained　Low's　hand　in　his　own　powerful　grip。

〃I'll　go　with　you　a　bit　further；〃　he　said。　　〃In　fact；　I've　got
thomething　to　thay　to　you；　only　don't　be　in　thuch　a　hurry；　the
woodth　can　wait　till　you　get　there。〃　　Quietly　compelling　Low　to
alter　his　own　characteristic　Indian　stride　to　keep　pace　with　his；
he　went　on：　〃I　don't　mind　thaying　I　rather　cottoned　to　you　from
the　time　you　acted　like　a　white　manno　offentheto　Teretha。
She　thayth　you　were　left　when　a　child　lying　round；　jutht　ath
promithcuouthly　ath　she　wath；　and　if　I　can　do　anything　towardth
putting　you　on　the　trail　of　your　people；　I'll　do　it。　　I　know
thome　of　the　voyageurth　who　traded　with　the　Cherokeeth；　and　your
father　wath　one…wathn't　he？〃　　He　glanced　at　Low's　utterly
abstracted　and　immobile　face。　　〃I　thay；　you　don't　theem　to　take　a
hand　in　thith　game；　pardner。　　What'th　the　row？　　Ith　anything
wrong　over　there？〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　Carquinez　Woods；　which
were　just　looming　out　of　the　morning　horizon　in　the　distance。

Low　stopped。　　The　last　words　of　his　companion　seemed　to　recall
him　to　himself。　　He　raised　his　eyes　automatically　to　the　woods
and　started。

〃There　IS　something　wrong　over　there；〃　he　said　breathlessly。
〃Look！〃

〃I　thee　nothing；〃　said　Curson；　beginning　to　doubt　Low's　sanity；
〃nothing　more　than　I　thaw　an　hour　ago。〃

〃Look　again。　　Don't　you　see　that　smoke　rising　straight　up？　　It
isn't　blown　over　there　from　the　Divide；　it's　new　smoke！　　The　fire
is　in　the　woods！〃

〃I　reckon　that'th　so；〃　muttered　Curson；　shading　his　eyes　with　his
hand。　　〃But；　hullo！　wait　a　minute！　　We'll　get　hortheth。　　I　say！〃
he　shouted；　forgetting　his　lisp　in　his　excitement〃stop！〃　　But
Low　had　already　lowered　his　head　and　darted　forward　like　an　arrow。

In　a　few　moments　he　had　left　not　only　his　companion　but　the　last
straggling　houses　of　the　outskirts　far　behind　him；　and　had　struck
out　in　a　long；　swinging　trot　for　the　disused　〃cut…off。〃　　Already
he　fancied　he　heard　the　note　of　clamor　in　Indian　Spring；　and
thought　he　distinguished　the　sound　of　hurrying　hoofs　on　the　great
highway。　　But　the　sunken　trail　hid　it　from　his　view。　　From　the
column　of　smoke　now　plainly　visible　in　the　growing　morning　light
he　tried　to　locate　the　scene　of　the　conflagration。　　It　was
evidently　not　a　fire　advancing　regularly　from　the　outer　skirt　of
the　wood；　communicated　to　it　from　the　Divide；　it　was　a　local
outburst　near　its　centre。　　It　was　not　in　the　direction　of　his
cabin　in　the　tree。　　There　was　no　immediate　danger　to　Teresa；
unless　fear　drove　her　beyond　the　confines　of　the　wood　into　the
hands　of　those　who　might　recognize　her。　　The　screaming　of　jays
and　ravens　above　his　head　quickened　his　speed；　as　it　heralded　the
rapid　advance　of　the　flames；　and　the　unexpected　apparition　of　a
bounding　body；　flattened　and　flying　over　the　yellow　plain；　told
him　that　even　the　secure　retreat　of　the　mountain　wild…cat　had
been　invaded。　　A　sudden　recollection　of　Teresa's　uncontrollable
terror　that　first　night　smote　him　with　remorse　and　redoubled　his
efforts。　　Alone　in　the　track　of　these　frantic　and　bewildered
beasts；　to　what　madness　might　she　not　be　driven！

The　sharp　crack　of　a　rifle　from　the　high　road　turned　his　course
momentarily　in　that　direction。　　The　smoke　was　curling　lazily　over
the　heads　of　the　party　of　men　in　the　road；　while　the　huge　hulk　of
a　grizzly　was　disappearing　in　the　distance。　　A　battue　of　the
escaping　animals　had　commenced！　　In　the　bitterness　of　his　heart
he　caught　at　the　horrible　suggestion；　and　resolved　to　save　her
from　them　or　die　with　her　there。

How　fast　he　ran；　or　the　time　it　took　him　to　reach　the　woods；　has
never　been　known。　　Their　outlines　were　already　hidden　when　he
entered　them。　　To　a　sense　less　keen；　a　courage　less　desperate；
and　a　purpose　less　unaltered　than　Low's；　the　wood　would　have　been
impenetrable。　　The　c