in the carquinez woods-第6章

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〃Perhaps　not；　but　see　here；　Nellie；　I've　some　important　news　for
you。　　You　know　your　young　friend　of　the　Carquinez　WoodsDorman；
the　botanist；　eh？　　Well；　Brace　knows　all　about　him。　　And　what　do
you　think　he　is？〃

Miss　Nellie　took　upon　herself　a　few　extra　degrees　of　cold；　and
didn't　know。

〃An　Injin！　　Yes；　an　out…and…out　Cherokee。　　You　see　he　calls
himself　DormanLow　Dorman。　　That's　only　French　for　'Sleeping
Water；'　his　Injin　name！'Low　Dorman。'〃

〃You　mean　'L'Eau　Dormante；'〃　said　Nellie。

〃That's　what　I　said。　　The　chief　called　him　'Sleeping　Water'　when
he　was　a　boy；　and　one　of　them　French　Canadian　trappers　translated
it　into　French　when　he　brought　him　to　California　to　school。　　But
he's　an　Injin；　sure。　　No　wonder　he　prefers　to　live　in　the　woods。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Nellie。

〃Well；〃　echoed　her　father　impatiently；　〃he's　an　Injin；　I　tell
you；　and　you　can't　of　course　have　anything　to　do　with　him。　　He
mustn't　come　here　again。〃

〃But　you　forget；〃　said　Nellie　imperturbably；　〃that　it　was　you　who
invited　him　here；　and　were　so　much　exercised　over　him。　　You
remember　you　introduced　him　to　the　Bishop　and　those　Eastern
clergymen　as　a　magnificent　specimen　of　a　young　Californian。　　You
forget　what　an　occasion　you　made　of　his　coming　to　church　on
Sunday；　and　how　you　made　him　come　in　his　buckskin　shirt　and　walk
down　the　street　with　you　after　service！〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn；　hurriedly。

〃And；〃　continued　Nellie　carelessly；　〃how　you　made　us　sing　out　of
the　same　book　'Children　of　our　Father's　Fold；'　and　how　you
preached　at　him　until　he　actually　got　a　color！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　〃but　it　wasn't　known　then　he　was　an
Injin；　and　they　are　frightfully　unpopular　with　those　Southwestern
men　among　whom　we　labor。　　Indeed；　I　am　quite　convinced　that　when
Brace　said　'the　only　good　Indian　was　a　dead　one'　his　expression；
though　extravagant；　perhaps；　really　voiced　the　sentiments　of　the
majority。　　It　would　be　only　kindness　to　the　unfortunate　creature
to　warn　him　from　exposing　himself　to　their　rude　but　conscientious
antagonism。〃

〃Perhaps　you'd　better　tell　him；　then；　in　your　own　popular　way；
which　they　all　seem　to　understand　so　well；〃　responded　the
daughter。　　Mr。　Wynn　cast　a　quick　glance　at　her；　but　there　was　no
trace　of　irony　in　her　facenothing　but　a　half…bored　indifference
as　she　walked　toward　the　window。

〃I　will　go　with　you　to　the　coach…office；〃　said　her　father；　who
generally　gave　these　simple　paternal　duties　the　pronounced
character　of　a　public　Christian　example。

〃It's　hardly　worth　while；〃　replied　Miss　Nellie。　　〃I've　to　stop　at
the　Watsons'；　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　and　ask　after　the　baby；　so
I　shall　go　on　to　the　Crossing　and　pick　up　the　coach　when　it
passes。　　Good…by。〃

Nevertheless；　as　soon　as　Nellie　had　departed；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn
proceeded　to　the　coach…office；　and　publicly　grasping　the　hand　of
Yuba　Bill；　the　driver；　commended　his　daughter　to　his　care　in　the
name　of　the　universal　brotherhood　of　man　and　the　Christian
fraternity。　　Carried　away　by　his　heartiness；　he　forgot　his
previous　caution；　and　confided　to　the　expressman　Miss　Nellie's
regrets　that　she　was　not　to　have　that　gentleman's　company。　　The
result　was　that　Miss　Nellie　found　the　coach　with　its　passengers
awaiting　her　with　uplifted　hats　and　wreathed　smiles　at　the
Crossing；　and　the　box　seat　（from　which　an　unfortunate　stranger；
who　had　expensively　paid　for　it；　had　been　summarily　ejected）　at
her　service　beside　Yuba　Bill；　who　had　thrown　away　his　cigar　and
donned　a　new　pair　of　buckskin　gloves　to　do　her　honor。　　But　a　more
serious　result　to　the　young　beauty　was　the　effect　of　the　Rev。　Mr。
Wynn's　confidences　upon　the　impulsive　heart　of　Jack　Brace；　the
expressman。　　It　has　been　already　intimated　that　it　was　his　〃day
off。〃　　Unable　to　summarily　reassume　his　usual　functions　beside
the　driver　without　some　practical　reason；　and　ashamed　to　go　so
palpably　as　a　mere　passenger；　he　was　forced　to　let　the　coach
proceed　without　him。　　Discomfited　for　the　moment；　he　was　not；
however；　beaten。　　He　had　lost　the　blissful　journey　by　her　side；
which　would　have　been　his　professional　right；　butshe　was　going
to　Indian　Spring！　could　he　not　anticipate　her　there？　　Might　they
not　meet　in　the　most　accidental　manner？　　And　what　might　not　come
from　that　meeting　away　from　the　prying　eyes　of　their　own　town？
Mr。　Brace　did　not　hesitate；　but　saddling　his　fleet　Buckskin；　by
the　time　the　stage…coach　had　passed　the　Crossing　in　the　high…road
he　had　mounted　the　hill　and　was　dashing　along　the　〃cutoff〃　in　the
same　direction；　a　full　mile　in　advance。　　Arriving　at　Indian
Spring；　he　left　his　horse　at　a　Mexican　posada　on　the　confines　of
the　settlement；　and　from　the　piled　debris　of　a　tunnel　excavation
awaited　the　slow　arrival　of　the　coach。　　On　mature　reflection　he
could　give　no　reason　why　he　had　not　boldly　awaited　it　at　the
express　office；　except　a　certain　bashful　consciousness　of　his　own
folly；　and　a　belief　that　it　might　be　glaringly　apparent　to　the
bystanders。　　When　the　coach　arrived　and　he　had　overcome　this
consciousness；　it　was　too　late。　　Yuba　Bill　had　discharged　his
passengers　for　Indian　Spring　and　driven　away。　　Miss　Nellie　was　in
the　settlement；　but　where？　　As　time　passed　he　became　more
desperate　and　bolder。　　He　walked　recklessly　up　and　down　the　main
street；　glancing　in　at　the　open　doors　of　shops；　and　even　in　the
windows　of　private　dwellings。　　It　might　have　seemed　a　poor
compliment　to　Miss　Nellie；　but　it　was　an　evidence　of　his　complete
preoccupation；　when　the　sight　of　a　female　face　at　a　window；　even
though　it　was　plain　or　perhaps　painted；　caused　his　heart　to
bound；　or　the　glancing　of　a　skirt　in　the　distance　quickened　his
feet　and　his　pulses。　　Had　Jack　contented　himself　with　remaining
at　Excelsior　he　might　have　vaguely　regretted；　but　as　soon　become
as　vaguely　accustomed　to；　Miss　Nellie's　absence。　　But　it　was　not
until　his　hitherto　quiet　and　passive　love　took　this　first　step　of
action　that　it　fully　declared　itself。　　When　he　had　made　the　tour
of　the　town　a　dozen　times　unsuccessfully；　he　had　perfectly　made
up　his　mind　that　marriage　with　Nellie　or　the　speedy　death　of
several　people；　including　possibly　himself；　was　the　only
alternative。　　He　regretted　he　had　not　accompanied　her；　he
regretted　he　had　not　demanded　where　she　was　going；　he
contemplated　a　course　of　future　action　that　two　hours　ago　would
have　filled　him　with　bashful　terror。　　There　was　clearly　but　one
thing　to　doto　declare　his　passion　the　instant　he　met　her；　and
return　with　her　to　Excelsior　an　accepted　suitor；　or　not　to　return
at　all。

Suddenly　he　was　vexatiously　conscious　of　hearing　his　name　lazily
called；　and　looking　up　found　that　he　was　on　the　outskirts　of　the
town；　and　interrogated　by　two　horsemen。

〃Got　down　to　walk；　and　the　coach　got　away　from　you；　Jack；　eh？〃

A　little　ashamed　of　his　preoccupation；　Brace　stammered　something
about　〃collections。〃　　He　did　not　recognize　the　men；　but　his　own
face；　name；　and　business　were　familiar　to　everybody　for　fifty
miles　along　the　stage…road。

〃Well；　you　can　settle　a　bet　for　us；　I　reckon。　　Bill　Dacre　thar
bet　me　five　dollars　and　the　drinks　that　a　young　gal　we　met　at　the
edge　of　the　Carquinez　Woods；　dressed　in　a　long　brown　duster　and
half　muffled　up　in　a　hood；　was　the　daughter　of　Father　Wynn　of
Excelsior。　　I　did　not　get　a　fair　look　at　her；　but　it　stands　to
reason　that　a　high…toned　young　lady　like　Nellie　Wynn　don't　go
trap'sing　along　the　wood　like　a　Pike　County　tramp。　　I　took　the
bet。　　May　be　you　know　if　she's　here　or　in　Excelsior？〃

Mr。　Brace　felt　himself　turning　pale　with　eagerness　and
excitement。　　But　the　near　prospect　of　seeing　her　presently　gave
him　back　his　caution；　and　he　answered　truthfully　that　he　had　left
her　in　Excelsior；　and　that　in　his　two　hours'　sojourn　in　Indian
Spring　he　had　not　met　her　once。　　〃But；〃　he　added；　with　a
Californian's　reverence　for　the　sanctity　of　a　bet；　〃I　reckon
you'd　better　make　it　a　stand…off　for　twenty…four　hours；　and　I'll
find　out　and　let　you　know。〃　　Which；　it　is　only　fair　to　say；　he
honestly　intended　to　do。

With　a　hurried　nod　of　parting；　he　continued　in　the　direction　of
the　Woods。　　When　he　had　satisfied　himself　that　the　strangers　had
entered　the　settlement；　and　would　not　foll