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letter more or less blotted with her tears。 When it was
finished； she begged him to post it at Indian Spring； where in
two days an answer would be returned； under cover； to him。
〃I hope you will be satisfied then；〃 she added。
〃Satisfied with what？〃 queried the young man。
〃You'll see；〃 she replied； giving him her cold hand。 〃Good…night。〃
〃But can't you tell me now？〃 he remonstrated； retaining her hand。
〃Wait two days longerit isn't much；〃 was all she vouchsafed to
answer。
The two days passed。 Their former confidence and good fellowship
were fully restored when the morning came on which he was to
bring the answer from the post…office at Indian Spring。 He had
talked again of his future； and had recorded his ambition to
procure the appointment of naturalist to a Government Surveying
Expedition。 She had even jocularly proposed to dress herself in
man's attire and 〃enlist〃 as his assistant。
〃But you will be safe with your friends； I hope； by that time；〃
responded Low。
〃Safe with my friends；〃 she repeated in a lower voice。 〃Safe
with my friendsyes！〃 An awkward silence followed； Teresa broke
it gayly： 〃But your girl； your sweetheart； my benefactorwill
SHE let you go？〃
〃I haven't told her yet；〃 said Low； gravely； 〃but I don't see why
she should object。〃
〃Object； indeed！〃 interrupted Teresa in a high voice and a sudden
and utterly gratuitous indignation； 〃how should she？ I'd like to
see her do it！〃
She accompanied him some distance to the intersection of the
trail； where they parted in good spirits。 On the dusty plain
without a gale was blowing that rocked the high tree…tops above
her； but； tempered and subdued； entered the low aisles with a
fluttering breath of morning and a sound like the cooing of
doves。 Never had the wood before shown so sweet a sense of
security from the turmoil and tempest of the world beyond； never
before had an intrusion from the outer lifeeven in the shape of
a letterseemed so wicked a desecration。 Tempted by the
solicitation of air and shade； she lingered； with Low's herbarium
slung on her shoulder。
A strange sensation； like a shiver； suddenly passed across her
nerves； and left them in a state of rigid tension。 With every
sense morbidly acute； with every faculty strained to its utmost；
the subtle instincts of Low's woodcraft transformed and possessed
her。 She knew it now！ A new element was in the wooda strange
beinganother lifeanother man approaching！ She did not even
raise her head to look about her； but darted with the precision
and fleetness of an arrow in the direction of her tree。 But her
feet were arrested； her limbs paralzyed； her very existence
suspended； by the sound of a voice：
〃Teresa！〃
It was a voice that had rung in her ears for the last two years
in all phases of intensity； passion； tenderness； and anger； a
voice upon whose modulations； rude and unmusical though they
were； her heart and soul had hung in transport or anguish。 But
it was a chime that had rung its last peal to her senses as she
entered the Carquinez Woods； and for the last week had been as
dead to her as a voice from the grave。 It was the voice of her
loverDick Curson！
CHAPTER V
The wind was blowing towards the stranger； so that he was nearly
upon her when Teresa first took the alarm。 He was a man over six
feet in height； strongly built； with a slight tendency to a
roundness of bulk which suggested reserved rather than impeded
energy。 His thick beard and mustache were closely cropped around
a small and handsome mouth that lisped except when he was
excited； but always kept fellowship with his blue eyes in a
perpetual smile of half…cynical good…humor。 His dress was
superior to that of the locality； his general expression that of
a man of the world； albeit a world of San Francisco； Sacramento；
and Murderer's Bar。 He advanced towards her with a laugh and an
outstretched hand。
〃YOU here！〃 she gasped； drawing back。
Apparently neither surprised nor mortified at this reception； he
answered frankly； 〃Yeth。 You didn't expect me； I know。 But
Doloreth showed me the letter you wrote her； andwellhere I
am； ready to help you； with two men and a thpare horthe waiting
outside the woodth on the blind trail。〃
〃YouYOUhere？〃 she only repeated。
Curson shrugged his shoulders。 〃Yeth。〃 Of courth you never
expected to thee me again； and leatht of all HERE。 I'll admit
that； I'll thay I wouldn't if I'd been in your plathe。 I'll go
further； and thay you didn't want to thee me againanywhere。
But it all cometh to the thame thing； here I am。 I read the
letter you wrote Doloreth。 I read how you were hiding here；
under Dunn'th very nothe； with his whole pothe out； cavorting
round and barkin' up the wrong tree。 I made up my mind to come
down here with a few nathty friends of mine and cut you out under
Dunn'th nothe； and run you over into Yubathat'th all。〃
〃How dared she show you my letterYOU of all men？ How dared she
ask YOUR help？〃 continued Teresa； fiercely。
〃But she didn't athk my help；〃 he responded coolly。 〃Dd if I
don't think she jutht calculated I'd be glad to know you were
being hunted down and thtarving； that I might put Dunn on your
track。〃
〃You lie！〃 said Teresa； furiously； 〃she was my friend。 A better
friend than those who professedmore；〃 she added； with a
contemptuous drawing away of her skirt as if she feared Curson's
contamination。
〃All right。 Thettle that with her when you go back；〃 continued
Curson philosophically。 〃We can talk of that on the way。 The
thing now ith to get up and get out of thethe woods。 Come！〃
Teresa's only reply was a gesture of scorn。
〃I know all that；〃 continued Curson half soothingly； 〃but they're
waiting。〃
〃Let them wait。 I shall not go。〃
〃What will you do？〃
〃Stay heretill the wolves eat me。〃
〃Teresa； listen。 D… it allTeresaTita！ see here；〃 he said
with sudden energy。 〃I swear to God it's all right。 I'm willing
to let by…gones be by…gones and take a new deal。 You shall come
back as if nothing had happened； and take your old place as
before。 I don't mind doing the square thing； all round。 If
that's what you mean； if that's all that stands in the way； why；
look upon the thing as settled。 There； Tita； old girl； come。〃
Careless or oblivious of her stony silence and starting eyes； he
attempted to take her hand。 But she disengaged herself with a
quick movement； drew back； and suddenly crouched like a wild
animal about to spring。 Curson folded his arms as she leaped to
her feet； the little dagger she had drawn from her garter flashed
menacingly in the air； but she stopped。
The man before her remained erect； impassive； and silent； the
great trees around and beyond her remained erect； impassive； and
silent； there was no sound in the dim aisles but the quick
panting of her mad passion； no movement in the calm； motionless
shadow but the trembling of her uplifted steel。 Her arm bent and
slowly sank； her fingers relaxed； the knife fell from her hand。
〃That'th quite enough for a thow；〃 he said； with a return to his
former cynical ease and a perceptible tone of relief in his
voice。 〃It'th the thame old Theretha。 Well； then； if you won't
go with me； go without me； take the led horthe and cut away。
Dick Athley and Petereth will follow you over the county line。
If you want thome money； there it ith。〃 He took a buckskin purse
from his pocket。 〃If you won't take it from mehe hesitated as
she made no reply〃Athley'th flush and ready to lend you thome。〃
She had not seemed to hear him； but had stooped in some
embarrassment； picked up the knife and hastily hid it； then with
averted face and nervous fingers was beginning to tear strips of
loose bark from the nearest trunk。
〃Well； what do you thay？〃
〃I don't want any money； and I shall stay here。〃 She hesitated；
looked around her； and then added； with an effort； 〃I suppose you
meant well。 Be it so！ Let by…gones be by…gones。 You said just
now； 'It's the same old Teresa。' So she is； and seeing she's the
same she's better here than anywhere else。〃
There was enough bitterness in her tone to call for Curson's
half…perfunctory sympathy。
〃That be dd；〃 he responded quickly。 〃Jutht thay you'll come；
Tita； and〃
She stopped his half…spoken sentence with a negative gesture。
〃You don't understand。 I shall stay here。〃
〃But even if they don't theek you here； you can't live here
forever。 The friend that you wrote about who wath tho good to
you； you know； can't keep you here alwayth； and are you thure you
can alwayth trutht her？〃
〃It isn't a woman； it's a man。〃 She stopped short； and colored
to the line of her forehead。 〃Who said it was a woman？〃 she
continued fiercely； as if to cover her confusion with a burst of
gratuitous anger。 〃Is that another of your lies？〃
Curson's lips； which for a moment had completely lost their
smile； were now drawn together in a prolonged whistle。 He gazed
curiously at her gown； at her hat； at the bow of bright ribbon
that tied her black hair； and said； 〃Ah！〃
〃A poor man who has kept my secret；〃 she went on hurriedly〃a
man as friendless and lonely as myself。 Yes；〃 disregarding
Curson's cynica