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discovered qualities。 It appeared that in the old days of her wanderings
with the circus troupe she had often been forced to undertake this nomadic
housekeeping。 But she 〃despised it；〃 had never done it since； and always
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had refused to do it for 〃him〃the personal pronoun referring； as Low
understood； to her lover； Curson。 Not caring to revive these memories
further； Low briefly concluded： 〃I don't know what you were； or what you
may be； but from what I see of you you've got all the sabe of a
frontierman's wife。〃
She stopped and looked at him； and then with an impulse of
imprudence that only half concealed a more serious vanity； asked； 〃Do you
think I might have made a good squaw？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he replied quietly。 〃I never saw enough of them to
know。〃
Teresa； confident from his clear eyes that he spoke the truth； but
having nothing ready to follow this calm disposal of her curiosity； relapsed
into silence。
The meal finished； Teresa washed their scant table equipage in a little
spring near the camp…fire； where； catching sight of her disordered dress
and collar； she rapidly threw her shawl； after the national fashion； over her
shoulder and pinned it quickly。 Low cached the remaining provisions and
the few cooking utensils under the dead embers and ashes； obliterating all
superficial indication of their camp…fire as deftly and artistically as he had
before。
〃There isn't the ghost of a chance；〃 he said in explanation； 〃that
anybody but you or I will set foot here before we come back to supper； but
it's well to be on guard。 I'll take you back to the cabin now； though I bet
you could find your way there as well as I can。〃
On their way back Teresa ran ahead of her companion； and plucking a
few tiny leaves from a hidden oasis in the bark…strewn trail brought them
to him。
〃That's the kind you're looking for； isn't it？〃 she said； half timidly。
〃It is；〃 responded Low； in gratified surprise； 〃but how did you know it？
You're not a botanist； are you？〃
〃I reckon not；〃 said Teresa； 〃but you picked some when we came； and
I noticed what they were。〃
Here was indeed another revelation。 Low stopped and gazed at her
with such frank； open； utterly unabashed curiosity that her black eyes fell
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before him。
〃And do you think；〃 he asked with logical deliberation； 〃that you could
find any plant from another I should give you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Or from a drawing of it〃
〃Yes； perhaps even if you described it to me。〃
A half…confidential； half…fraternal silence followed。
〃I tell you what。 I've got a book〃
〃I know it；〃 interrupted Teresa； 〃full of these things。〃
〃Yes。 Do you think you could〃
〃Of course I could；〃 broke in Teresa； again。
〃But you don't know what I mean；〃 said the imperturbable Low。
〃Certainly I do。 Why； find 'em； and preserve all the different ones for
you to write underthat's it； isn't it？〃
Low nodded his head； gratified but not entirely convinced that she had
fully estimated the magnitude of the endeavor。
〃I suppose；〃 said Teresa； in the feminine postscriptum voice which it
would seem entered even the philosophical calm of the aisles they were
treading〃I suppose that SHE places great value on them？〃
Low had indeed heard Science personified before； nor was it at all
impossible that the singular woman walking by his side had also。 He
said 〃Yes；〃 but added； in mental reference to the Linnean Society of San
Francisco； that 〃THEY were rather particular about the rarer kinds。〃
Content as Teresa had been to believe in Low's tender relations with
some favored ONE of her sex； this frank confession of a plural devotion
staggered her。
〃They？〃 she repeated。
〃Yes；〃 he continued calmly。 〃The Botanical Society I correspond
with are more particular than the Government Survey。〃
〃Then you are doing this for a society？〃 demanded Teresa； with a
stare。
〃Certainly。 I'm making a collection and classification of specimens。
I intendbut what are you looking at？〃
Teresa had suddenly turned away。 Putting his hand lightly on her
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shoulder； the young man brought her face to face him again。
She was laughing。
〃I thought all the while it was for a girl；〃 she said； 〃and〃 But here the
mere effort of speech sent her off into an audible and genuine outburst of
laughter。 It was the first time he had seen her even smile other than
bitterly。 Characteristically unconscious of any humor in her error； he
remained unembarrassed。 But he could not help noticing a change in the
expression of her face； her voice； and even her intonation。 It seemed as if
that fit of laughter had loosed the last ties that bound her to a self…imposed
character； had swept away the last barrier between her and her healthier
nature； had dispossessed a painful unreality； and relieved the morbid
tension of a purely nervous attitude。 The change in her utterance and the
resumption of her softer Spanish accent seemed to have come with her
confidences； and Low took leave of her before their sylvan cabin with a
comrade's heartiness； and a complete forgetfulness that her voice had ever
irritated him。
When he returned that afternoon he was startled to find the cabin
empty。 But instead of bearing any appearance of disturbance or hurried
flight； the rude interior seemed to have magically assumed a decorous
order and cleanliness unknown before。 Fresh bark hid the inequalities of
the floor。 The skins and blankets were folded in the corners； the rude
shelves were carefully arranged； even a few tall ferns and bright but
quickly fading flowers were disposed around the blackened chimney。
She had evidently availed herself of the change of clothing he had brought
her； for her late garments were hanging from the hastily… devised wooden
pegs driven in the wall。 The young man gazed around him with mixed
feelings of gratification and uneasiness。 His presence had been
dispossessed in a single hour； his ten years of lonely habitation had left no
trace that this woman had not effaced with a deft move of her hand。
More than that； it looked as if she had always occupied it； and it was with
a singular conviction that even when she should occupy it no longer it
would only revert to him as her dwelling that he dropped the bark shutters
athwart the opening； and left it to follow her。
To his quick ear； fine eye； and abnormal senses； this was easy enough。
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She had gone in the direction of this morning's camp。 Once or twice he
paused with a half…gesture of recognition and a characteristic 〃Good！〃 at
the place where she had stopped； but was surprised to find that her main
course had been as direct as his own。 Deviating from this direct line with
Indian precaution； he first made a circuit of the camp； and approached the
shattered trunk from the opposite direction。 He consequently came upon
Teresa unawares。 But the momentary astonishment and embarrassment
were his alone。
He scarcely recognized her。 She was wearing the garments he had
brought her the day beforea certain discarded gown of Miss Nellie Wynn；
which he had hurriedly begged from her under the pretext of clothing the
wife of a distressed overland emigrant then on the way to the mines。
Although he had satisfied his conscience with the intention of confessing
the pious fraud to her when Teresa was gone and safe from pursuit； it was
not without a sense of remorse that he witnessed the sacrilegious
transformation。 The t