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〃A poor man who has kept my secret；〃 she went on hurriedly〃a
man as friendless and lonely as myself。 Yes；〃 disregarding
Curson's cynical smile； 〃a man who has shared everything〃
〃Naturally；〃 suggested Curson。
〃And turned himself out of his only shelter to give me a roof and
covering；〃 she continued mechanically； struggling with the new
and horrible fancy that his words awakened。
〃And thlept every night at Indian Thpring to save your reputation；〃
said Curson。 〃Of courthe。〃
Teresa turned very white。 Curson was prepared for an outburst of
furyperhaps even another attack。 But the crushed and beaten
woman only gazed at him with frightened and imploring eyes。 〃For
God's sake； Dick； don't say that！〃
The amiable cynic was staggered。 His good…humor and a certain
chivalrous instinct he could not repress got the better of him。
He shrugged his shoulders。 〃What I thay； and what you DO；
Teretha； needn't make us quarrel。 I've no claim on youI know
it。 Only〃 a vivid sense of the ridiculous； powerful in men of
his stamp； completed her victory〃only don't thay anything about
my coming down here to cut you out from thetheTHE SHERIFF。〃
He gave utterance to a short but unaffected laugh； made a slight
grimace； and turned to go。
Teresa did not join in his mirth。 Awkward as it would have been
if he had taken a severer view of the subject； she was mortified
even amidst her fears and embarrassment at his levity。 Just as
she had become convinced that his jealousy had made her over…
conscious； his apparent good…humored indifference gave that over…
consciousness a guilty significance。 Yet this was lost in her
sudden alarm as her companion； looking up； uttered an
exclamation； and placed his hand upon his revolver。 With a
sinking conviction that the climax had come； Teresa turned her
eyes。 From the dim aisles beyond； Low was approaching。 The
catastrophe seemed complete。
She had barely time to utter an imploring whisper： 〃In the name
of God； not a word to him。〃 But a change had already come over
her companion。 It was no longer a parley with a foolish woman；
he had to deal with a man like himself。 As Low's dark face and
picturesque figure came nearer； Mr。 Curson's proposed method of
dealing with him was made audible。
〃Ith it a mulatto or a Thircuth； or both？〃 he asked； with
affected anxiety。
Low's Indian phlegm was impervious to such assault。 He turned to
Teresa； without apparently noticing her companion。 〃I turned
back；〃 he said quietly； 〃as soon as I knew there were strangers
here； I thought you might need me。〃 She noticed for the first
time that； in addition to his rifle； he carried a revolver and
hunting knife in his belt。
〃Yeth；〃 returned Curson； with an ineffectual attempt to imitate
Low's phlegm； 〃but ath I didn't happen to be a sthranger to this
lady； perhaps it wathn't nethethary； particularly ath I had two
friends〃
〃Waiting at the edge of the wood with a led horse；〃 interrupted
Low； without addressing him； but apparently continuing his
explanation to Teresa。 But she turned to Low with feverish
anxiety。
〃That's sohe is an old friend〃 she gave a quick； imploring
glance at Curson〃an old friend who came to help me awayhe is
very kind；〃 she stammered； turning alternately from the one to
the other； 〃but I told him there was no hurryat least to…day
that youwerevery goodtoo； and would hide me a little
longer； until your planyou know YOUR plan；〃 she added； with a
look of beseeching significance to Low〃could be tried。〃 And
then； with a helpless conviction that her excuses； motives； and
emotions were equally and perfectly transparent to both men； she
stopped in a tremble。
〃Perhapth it 'th jutht ath well； then； that the gentleman came
thtraight here； and didn't tackle my two friendth when he pathed
them；〃 observed Curson； half sarcastically。
〃I have not passed your friends； nor have I been near them；〃 said
Low； looking at him for the first time； with the same
exasperating calm； 〃or perhaps I should not be HERE or they
THERE。 I knew that one man entered the wood a few moments ago；
and that two men and four horses remained outside。〃
〃That's true；〃 said Teresa to Curson excitedly〃that's true。 He
knows all。 He can see without looking； hear without listening。
Hehe〃 she stammered； colored； and stopped。
The two men had faced each other。 Curson； after his first good…
natured impulse； had retained no wish to regain Teresa； whom he
felt he no longer loved； and yet who； for that very reason
perhaps； had awakened his chivalrous instincts。 Low； equally on
his side； was altogether unconscious of any feeling which might
grow into a passion； and prevent him from letting her go with
another if for her own safety。 They were both men of a certain
taste and refinement。 Yet； in spite of all this； some vague
instinct of the baser male animal remained with them； and they
were moved to a mutually aggressive attitude in the presence of
the female。
One word more； and the opening chapter of a sylvan Iliad might
have begun。 But this modern Helen saw it coming； and arrested it
with an inspiration of feminine genius。 Without being observed；
she disengaged her knife from her bosom and let it fall as if by
accident。 It struck the ground with the point of its keen blade；
bounded and rolled between them。 The two men started and looked
at each other with a foolish air。 Curson laughed。
〃I reckon she can take care of herthelf；〃 he said； extending his
hand to Low。 〃I'm off。 But if I'm wanted SHE'LL know where to
find me。〃 Low took the proffered hand； but neither of the two
men looked at Teresa。 The reserve of antagonism once broken； a
few words of caution； advice； and encouragement passed between
them； in apparent obliviousness of her presence or her personal
responsibility。 As Curson at last nodded a farewell to her； Low
insisted upon accompanying him as far as the horses； and in
another moment she was again alone。
She had saved a quarrel between them at the sacrifice of herself；
for her vanity was still keen enough to feel that this exhibition
of her old weakness had degraded her in their eyes； and； worse；
had lost the respect her late restraint had won from Low。 They
had treated her like a child or a crazy woman； perhaps even now
were exchanging criticisms upon herperhaps pitying her！ Yet
she had prevented a quarrel； a fight； possibly the death of
either one or the other of these men who despised her； for none
better knew than she the trivial beginning and desperate end of
these encounters。 Would theywould Low ever realize it； and
forgive her？ Her small； dark hands went up to her eyes and she
sank upon the ground。 She looked through tear…veiled lashes upon
the mute and giant witnesses of her deceit and passion； and tried
to draw； from their immovable calm； strength and consolation as
before。 But even they seemed to stand apart； reserved and forbidding。
When Low returned she hoped to gather from his eyes and manner
what had passed between him and her former lover。 But beyond a
mere gentle abstraction at times he retained his usual calm。 She
was at last forced to allude to it herself with simulated
recklessness。
〃I suppose I didn't get a very good character from my last
place？〃 she said； with a laugh。
〃I don't understand you；〃 he replied； in evident sincerity。
She bit her lip and was silent。 But as they were returning home；
she said gently； 〃I hope you were not angry with me for the lie I
told when I spoke of 'your plan。' I could not give the real
reason for not returning withwiththat man。 But it's not all
a lie。 I have a planif you haven't。 When you are ready to go
to Sacramento to take your place； dress me as an Indian boy；
paint my face； and let me go with you。 You can leave methere
you know。〃
〃It's not a bad idea；〃 he responded gravely。 〃We will see。〃
On the next day； and the next； the rencontre seemed to be
forgotten。 The herbarium was already filled with rare specimens。
Teresa had even overcome her feminine repugnance to 〃bugs〃 and
creeping things so far as to assist in his entomological
collection。 He had drawn from a sacred cache in the hollow of a
tree the few worn text…books from which he had studied。
〃They seem very precious；〃 she said； with a smile。
〃Very；〃 he replied gravely。 〃There was one with plates that the
ants ate up； and it will be six months before I can afford to buy
another。〃
Teresa glanced hurriedly over his well…worn buckskin suit； at his
calico shirt with its pattern almost obliterated by countless
washings； and became thoughtful。
〃I suppose you couldn't buy one at Indian Spring？〃 she said
innocently。
For once Low was startled out of his phlegm。 〃Indian Spring！〃 he
ejaculated； 〃perhaps not even in San Francisco。 These came from
the States。〃
〃How did you get them？〃 persisted Teresa。
〃I bought them for skins I got over the ridge。〃
〃I didn't mean thatbut no matter。 Then you mean to sell that
bearskin； don't you？〃 she added。
Low had； in fact； already sold it； the proceeds having been
invested in a gold ring for Miss Nellie； which she scrupulously
did not wear except in his presence。 In his singular
truth