in the carquinez woods-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　Woods。　　When　he　had　satisfied　himself　that　the　strangers　had
entered　the　settlement；　and　would　not　follow　him　for　further
explanation；　he　quickened　his　pace。　　In　half　an　hour　he　passed
between　two　of　the　gigantic　sentinels　that　guarded　the　entrance
to　a　trail。　　Here　he　paused　to　collect　his　thoughts。　　The　Woods
were　vast　in　extent；　the　trail　dim　and　uncertainat　times
apparently　breaking　off；　or　intersecting　another　trail　as　faint
as　itself。　　Believing　that　Miss　Nellie　had　diverged　from　the
highway　only　as　a　momentary　excursion　into　the　shade；　and　that
she　would　not　dare　to　penetrate　its　more　sombre　and　unknown
recesses；　he　kept　within　sight　of　the　skirting　plain。　　By　degrees
the　sedate　influence　of　the　silent　vaults　seemed　to　depress　him。
The　ardor　of　the　chase　began　to　flag。　　Under　the　calm　of　their
dim　roof　the　fever　of　his　veins　began　to　subside；　his　pace
slackened；　he　reasoned　more　deliberately。　　It　was　by　no　means
probable　that　the　young　woman　in　a　brown　duster　was　Nellie；　it
was　not　her　habitual　traveling　dress；　it　was　not　like　her　to　walk
unattended　in　the　road；　there　was　nothing　in　her　tastes　and
habits　to　take　her　into　this　gloomy　forest；　allowing　that　she　had
even　entered　it；　and　on　this　absolute　question　of　her　identity
the　two　witnesses　were　divided。　　He　stopped　irresolutely；　and
cast　a　last；　long；　half…despairing　look　around　him。　　Hitherto　he
had　given　that　part　of　the　wood　nearest　the　plain　his　greatest
attention。　　His　glance　now　sought　its　darker　recesses。　　Suddenly
he　became　breathless。　　Was　it　a　beam　of　sunlight　that　had　pierced
the　groined　roof　above；　and　now　rested　against　the　trunk　of　one
of　the　dimmer；　more　secluded　giants？　　No；　it　was　moving；　even　as
he　gazed　it　slipped　away；　glanced　against　another　tree；　passed
across　one　of　the　vaulted　aisles；　and　then　was　lost　again。　　Brief
as　was　the　glimpse；　he　was　not　mistakenit　was　the　figure　of　a
woman。

In　another　moment　he　was　on　her　track；　and　soon　had　the
satisfaction　of　seeing　her　reappear　at　a　lesser　distance。　　But
the　continual　intervention　of　the　massive　trunks　made　the　chase
by　no　means　an　easy　one；　and　as　he　could　not　keep　her　always　in
sight　he　was　unable　to　follow　or　understand　the　one　intelligent
direction　which　she　seemed　to　invariably　keep。　　Nevertheless；　he
gained　upon　her　breathlessly；　and；　thanks　to　the　bark…strewn
floor；　noiselessly。　　He　was　near　enough　to　distinguish　and
recognize　the　dress　she　wore；　a　pale　yellow；　that　he　had　admired
when　he　first　saw　her。　　It　was　Nellie；　unmistakably；　if　it　were
she　of　the　brown　duster；　she　had　discarded　it；　perhaps　for
greater　freedom。　　He　was　near　enough　to　call　out　now；　but　a
sudden　nervous　timidity　overcame　him；　his　lips　grew　dry。　　What
should　he　say　to　her？　　How　account　for　his　presence？　　〃Miss
Nellie；　one　moment！〃　he　gasped。　　She　darted　forward　andvanished。

At　this　moment　he　was　not　more　than　a　dozen　yards　from　her。　　He
rushed　to　where　she　had　been　standing；　but　her　disappearance　was
perfect　and　complete。　　He　made　a　circuit　of　the　group　of　trees
within　whose　radius　she　had　last　appeared；　but　there　was　neither
trace　of　her；　nor　a　suggestion　of　her　mode　of　escape。　　He　called
aloud　to　her；　the　vacant　Woods　let　his　helpless　voice　die　in
their　unresponsive　depths。　　He　gazed　into　the　air　and　down　at　the
bark…strewn　carpet　at　his　feet。　　Like　most　of　his　vocation；　he
was　sparing　of　speech；　and　epigrammatic　after　his　fashion。
Comprehending　in　one　swift　but　despairing　flash　of　intelligence
the　existence　of　some　fateful　power　beyond　his　own　weak　endeavor；
he　accepted　its　logical　result　with　characteristic　grimness；
threw　his　hat　upon　the　ground；　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and
said

〃Well；　I'm　dd！〃


CHAPTER　III。


Out　of　compliment　to　Miss　Nellie　Wynn；　Yuba　Bill；　on　reaching
Indian　Spring；　had　made　a　slight　detour　to　enable　him　to
ostentatiously　set　down　his　fair　passenger　before　the　door　of　the
Burnhams。　　When　it　had　closed　on　the　admiring　eyes　of　the
passengers　and　the　coach　had　rattled　away；　Miss　Nellie；　without
any　undue　haste　or　apparent　change　in　her　usual　quiet　demeanor；
managed；　however；　to　dispatch　her　business　promptly；　and；　leaving
an　impression　that　she　would　call　again　before　her　return　to
Excelsior；　parted　from　her　friends　and　slipped　away　through　a
side　street　to　the　General　Furnishing　Store　of　Indian　Spring。　　In
passing　this　emporium；　Miss　Nellie's　quick　eye　had　discovered　a
cheap　brown　linen　duster　hanging　in　its　window。　　To　purchase　it；
and　put　it　over　her　delicate　cambric　dress；　albeit　with　a
shivering　sense　that　she　looked　like　a　badly　folded　brown…paper
parcel；　did　not　take　long。　　As　she　left　the　shop　it　was　with
mixed　emotions　of　chagrin　and　security　that　she　noticed　that　her
passage　through　the　settlement　no　longer　turned　the　heads　of　its
male　inhabitants。　　She　reached　the　outskirts　of　Indian　Spring　and
the　high…road　at　about　the　time　Mr。　Brace　had　begun　his　fruitless
patrol　of　the　main　street。　　Far　in　the　distance　a　faint　olive…
green　table　mountain　seemed　to　rise　abruptly　from　the　plain。　　It
was　the　Carquinez　Woods。　　Gathering　her　spotless　skirts　beneath
her　extemporized　brown　domino；　she　set　out　briskly　towards　them。

But　her　progress　was　scarcely　free　or　exhilarating。　　She　was　not
accustomed　to　walking　in　a　country　where　〃buggy…riding〃　was
considered　the　only　genteel　young…lady…like　mode　of　progression；
and　its　regular　provision　the　expected　courtesy　of　mankind。
Always　fastidiously　booted；　her　low…quartered　shoes　were　charming
to　the　eye；　but　hardly　adapted　to　the　dust　and　inequalities　of
the　highroad。　　It　was　true　that　she　had　thought　of　buying　a
coarser　pair　at　Indian　Spring；　but　once　face　to　face　with　their
uncompromising　ugliness；　she　had　faltered　and　fled。　　The　sun　was
unmistakably　hot；　but　her　parasol　was　too　well　known　and　offered
too　violent　a　contrast　to　the　duster　for　practical　use。　　Once　she
stopped　with　an　exclamation　of　annoyance；　hesitated；　and　looked
back。　　In　half　an　hour　she　had　twice　lost　her　shoe　and　her
temper；　a　pink　flush　took　possession　of　her　cheeks；　and　her　eyes
were　bright　with　suppressed　rage。　　Dust　began　to　form　grimy
circles　around　their　orbits；　with　cat…like　shivers　she　even　felt
it　pervade　the　roots　of　her　blond　hair。　　Gradually　her　breath
grew　more　rapid　and　hysterical；　her　smarting　eyes　became　humid；
and　at　last；　encountering　two　observant　horsemen　in　the　road；　she
turned　and　fled；　until；　reaching　the　wood；　she　began　to　cry。

Nevertheless　she　waited　for　the　two　horsemen　to　pass；　to　satisfy
herself　that　she　was　not　followed；　then　pushed　on　vaguely；　until
she　reached　a　fallen　tree；　where；　with　a　gesture　of　disgust；　she
tore　off　her　hapless　duster　and　flung　it　on　the　ground。　　She　then
sat　down　sobbing；　but　after　a　moment　dried　her　eyes　hurriedly　and
started　to　her　feet。　　A　few　paces　distant；　erect；　noiseless；　with
outstretched　hand；　the　young　solitary　of　the　Carquinez　Woods
advanced　towards　her。　　His　hand　had　almost　touched　hers；　when　he
stopped。

〃What　has　happened？〃　he　asked　gravely。

〃Nothing；〃　she　said；　turning　half　away；　and　searching　the　ground
with　her　eyes；　as　if　she　had　lost　something。　　〃Only　I　must　be
going　back　now。〃

〃You　shall　go　back　at　once；　if　you　wish　it；〃　he　said；　flushing
slightly。　　〃But　you　have　been　crying；　why？〃

Frank　as　Miss　Nellie　wished　to　be；　she　could　not　bring　herself　to
say　that　her　feet　hurt　her；　and　the　dust　and　heat　were　ruining
her　complexion。　　It　was　therefore　with　a　half…confident　belief
that　her　troubles　were　really　of　a　moral　quality　that　she
answered；　〃Nothingnothing；　butbutit's　wrong　to　come　here。〃

〃But　you　did　not　think　it　was　wrong　when　you　agreed　to　come；　at
our　last　meeting；〃　said　the　young　man；　with　that　persistent　logic
which　exasperates　the　inconsequent　feminine　mind。　　〃It　cannot　be
any　more　wrong　to…day。〃

〃But　it　was　not　so　far　off；〃　murmured　the　young　girl；　without
looking　up。

〃Oh；　the　distance　makes　it　more　improper；　then；〃　he　said
abstractedly；　but　after　a　moment's　contemplation　of　her　half…
averted　face；　he　asked　gravely；　〃Has　anyone　talked　to　you　about　me？〃

Ten　minutes　before；　Nellie　had　been　burning　to　unburthen　herself
of　her　father's　warning；　but　now