in the carquinez woods-第26章

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and　a　purpose　less　unaltered　than　Low's；　the　wood　would　have　been
impenetrable。　　The　central　fire　was　still　confined　to　the　lofty
tree　tops；　but　the　downward　rush　of　wind　from　time　to　time　drove
the　smoke　into　the　aisles　in　blinding　and　suffocating　volumes。
To　simulate　the　creeping　animals；　and　fall　to　the　ground　on　hands
and　knees；　feel　his　way　through　the　underbrush　when　the　smoke　was
densest；　or　take　advantage　of　its　momentary　lifting；　and　without
uncertainty；　mistake；　or　hesitation　glide　from　tree　to　tree　in
one　undeviating　course；　was　possible　only　to　an　experienced
woodsman。　　To　keep　his　reason　and　insight　so　clear　as　to　be　able
in　the　midst　of　this　bewildering　confusion　to　shape　that　course
so　as　to　intersect　the　wild　and　unknown　tract　of　an　inexperienced；
frightened　wanderer　belonged　to　Low；　and　Low　alone。　　He　was　making
his　way　against　the　wind　towards　the　fire。　　He　had　reasoned　that
she　was　either　in　comparative　safety　to　windward　of　it；　or　he
should　meet　her　being　driven　towards　him　by　it；　or　find　her
succumbed　and　fainting　at　its　feet。　　To　do　this　he　must　penetrate
the　burning　belt；　and　then　pass　under　the　blazing　dome。　　He　was
already　upon　it；　he　could　see　the　falling　fire　dropping　like　rain
or　blown　like　gorgeous　blossoms　of　the　conflagration　across　his
path。　　The　space　was　lit　up　brilliantly。　　The　vast　shafts　of　dull
copper　cast　no　shadow　below；　but　there　was　no　sign　nor　token　of　any
human　being。　　For　a　moment　the　young　man　was　at　fault。　　It　was　true
this　hidden　heart　of　the　forest　bore　no　undergrowth；　the　cool　matted
carpet　of　the　aisles　seemed　to　quench　the　glowing　fragments　as　they
fell。　　Escape　might　be　difficult；　but　not　impossible；　yet　every
moment　was　precious。　　He　leaned　against　a　tree；　and　sent　his　voice
like　a　clarion　before　him：　〃Teresa！〃　　There　was　no　reply。　　He　called
again。　　A　faint　cry　at　his　back　from　the　trail　he　had　just　traversed
made　him　turn。　　Only　a　few　paces　behind　him；　blinded　and　staggering；
but　following　like　a　beaten　and　wounded　animal；　Teresa；　halted；
knelt；　clasped　her　hands；　and　dumbly　held　them　out　before　her。
〃Teresa！〃　he　cried　again；　and　sprang　to　her　side。

She　caught　him　by　the　knees；　and　lifted　her　face　imploringly　to　his。

〃Say　that　again！〃　she　cried；　passionately。　　〃Tell　me　it　was
Teresa　you　called；　and　no　other！　　You　have　come　back　for　me！　　You
would　not　let　me　die　here　alone！〃

He　lifted　her　tenderly　in　his　arms；　and　cast　a　rapid　glance
around　him。　　It　might　have　been　his　fancy；　but　there　seemed　a
dull　glow　in　the　direction　he　had　come。

〃You　do　not　speak！〃　she　said。　　〃Tell　me！　　You　did　not　come　here
to　seek　her？〃

〃Whom？〃　he　said　quickly。

〃Nellie！〃

With　a　sharp　cry　he　let　her　slip　to　the　ground。　　All　the　pent…up
agony；　rage；　and　mortification　of　the　last　hour　broke　from　him　in
that　inarticulate　outburst。　　Then；　catching　her　hands　again；　he
dragged　her　to　his　level。

〃Hear　me！〃　he　cried；　disregarding　the　whirling　smoke　and　the
fiery　baptism　that　sprinkled　them〃hear　me！　　If　you　value　your
life；　if　you　value　your　soul；　and　if　you　do　not　want　me　to　cast
you　to　the　beasts　like　Jezebel　of　old；　nevernever　take　that
accursed　name　again　upon　your　lips。　　Seek　herHER？　　Yes！　　Seek
her　to　tie　her　like　a　witch's　daughter　of　hell　to　that　blazing
tree！〃　　He　stopped。　　〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said　in　a　changed　voice。
〃I'm　mad；　and　forgetting　myself　and　you。　　Come。〃

Without　noticing　the　expression　of　half…savage　delight　that　had
passed　across　her　face；　he　lifted　her　in　his　arms。

〃Which　way　are　you　going？〃　she　asked；　passing　her　hands　vaguely
across　his　breast；　as　if　to　reassure　herself　of　his　identity。

〃To　our　camp　by　the　scarred　tree；〃　he　replied。

〃Not　there；　not　there；〃　she　said；　hurriedly。　　〃I　was　driven　from
there　just　now。　　I　thought　the　fire　began　there　until　I　came　here。〃

Then　it　was　as　he　feared。　　Obeying　the　same　mysterious　law　that
had　launched　this　fatal　fire　like　a　thunderbolt　from　the　burning
mountain　crest　five　miles　away　into　the　heart　of　the　Carquinez
Woods；　it　had　again　leaped　a　mile　beyond；　and　was　hemming　them
between　two　narrowing　lines　of　fire。　　But　Low　was　not　daunted。
Retracing　his　steps　through　the　blinding　smoke；　he　strode　off　at
right　angles　to　the　trail　near　the　point　where　he　had　entered　the
wood。　　It　was　the　spot　where　he　had　first　lifted　Nellie　in　his
arms　to　carry　her　to　the　hidden　spring。　　If　any　recollection　of
it　crossed　his　mind　at　that　moment；　it　was　only　shown　in　his
redoubled　energy。　　He　did　not　glide　through　the　thick　underbrush；
as　on　that　day；　but　seemed　to　take　a　savage　pleasure　in　breaking
through　it　with　sheer　brute　force。　　Once　Teresa　insisted　upon
relieving　him　of　the　burden　of　her　weight；　but　after　a　few　steps
she　staggered　blindly　against　him；　and　would　fain　have　recourse
once　more　to　his　strong　arms。　　And　so；　alternately　staggering；
bending；　crouching；　or　bounding　and　crashing　on；　but　always　in
one　direction；　they　burst　through　the　jealous　rampart；　and　came
upon　the　sylvan　haunt　of　the　hidden　spring。　　The　great　angle　of
the　half…fallen　tree　acted　as　a　harrier　to　the　wind　and　drifting
smoke；　and　the　cool　spring　sparkled　and　bubbled　in　the　almost
translucent　air。　　He　laid　her　down　beside　the　water；　and　bathed
her　face　and　hands。　　As　he　did　so　his　quick　eye　caught　sight　of　a
woman's　handkerchief　lying　at　the　foot　of　the　disrupted　root。
Dropping　Teresa's　hand；　he　walked　towards　it；　and　with　the　toe　of
his　moccasin　gave　it　one　vigorous　kick　into　the　ooze　at　the
overflow　of　the　spring。　　He　turned　to　Teresa；　but　she　evidently
had　not　noticed　the　act。

〃Where　are　you？〃　she　asked；　with　a　smile。

Something　in　her　movement　struck　him！　　He　came　towards　her；　and
bending　down　looked　into　her　face。　　〃Teresa！　　Good　God！look　at
me！　　What　has　happened？〃

She　raised　her　eyes　to　his。　　There　was　a　slight　film　across　them；
the　lids　were　blackened；　the　beautiful　lashes　gone　forever！

〃I　see　you　a　little　now；　I　think；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；
passing　her　hands　vaguely　over　his　face。　　〃It　must　have　happened
when　he　fainted；　and　I　had　to　drag　him　through　the　blazing　brush；
both　my　hands　were　full；　and　I　could　not　cover　my　eyes。〃

〃Drag　whom？〃　said　Low；　quickly。

〃Why；　Dunn。〃

〃Dunn！　　He　here？〃　said　Low；　hoarsely。

〃Yes；　didn't　you　read　the　note　I　left　on　the　herbarium？　　Didn't
you　come　to　the　camp…fire？〃　she　asked　hurriedly；　clasping　his
hands。　　〃Tell　me　quickly！〃

〃No！〃

〃Then　you　were　not　therethen　you　didn't　leave　me　to　die？〃

〃No！　　I　swear　it；　Teresa！〃　the　stoicism　that　had　upheld　his　own
agony　breaking　down　before　her　strong　emotion。

〃Thank　God！〃　　She　threw　her　arms　around　him；　and　hid　her　aching
eyes　in　his　troubled　breast。

〃Tell　me　all；　Teresa；〃　he　whispered　in　her　listening　ear。　　〃Don't
move；　stay　there；　and　tell　me　all。〃

With　her　face　buried　in　his　bosom；　as　if　speaking　to　his　heart
alone；　she　told　him　part；　but　not　all。　　With　her　eyes　filled　with
tears；　but　a　smile　on　her　lips；　radiant　with　new…found　happiness；
she　told　him　how　she　had　overheard　the　plans　of　Dunn　and　Brace；
how　she　had　stolen　their　conveyance　to　warn　him　in　time。　　But
here　she　stopped；　dreading　to　say　a　word　that　would　shatter　the
hope　she　was　building　upon　his　sudden　revulsion　of　feeling　for
Nellie。　　She　could　not　bring　herself　to　repeat　their　interview
that　would　come　later；　when　they　were　safe　and　out　of　danger；　now
not　even　the　secret　of　his　birth　must　come　between　them　with　its
distraction；　to　mar　their　perfect　communion。　　She　faltered　that
Dunn　had　fainted　from　weakness；　and　that　she　had　dragged　him　out
of　danger。　　〃He　will　never　interfere　with　usI　mean；〃　she　said
softly；　〃with　ME　again。　　I　can　promise　you　that　as　well　as　if　he
had　sworn　it。〃

〃Let　him　pass；　now；〃　said　Low；　〃that　will　come　later　on；〃　he
added；　unconsciously　repeating　her　thought　in　a　tone　that　made
her　heart　sick。　　〃But　tell　me；　Teresa；　why　did　you　go　to
Excelsior？〃

She　buried　her　head　still　deeper；　as　if　to　hide　it。　　He　felt　her
broken　heart　beat　against　his　own；　he　was　conscious　of　a　depth　of
feeling　her　rival　had　never　awakened　in　him。　　The　possibility　of
Teresa　loving　him　had　never　occurred　to　his　simple　nature。　　He
bent　his　head　and　kissed　her。　　She　was