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！
asked； half sadly； half pettishly。
〃Come here！〃
She came and bent over him。 He suddenly raised his hands； and；
drawing her face down to his own； kissed her forehead。
〃Give that to HIM；〃 he whispered； 〃from ME。〃
She turned and fled； happily for her sentiment； not hearing the
feeble laugh that followed； as Dunn； in sheer imbecility； again
referred to the extravagant ludicrousness of the situation。 〃It
is about the biggest thing in the way of a sell all round；〃 he
repeated； lying on his back； confidentially to the speck of
smoke…obscured sky above him。 He pictured himself repeating it；
not to Nellieher severe propriety might at last overlook the
fact； but would not tolerate the jokebut to her father！ It
would be one of those characteristic Californian jokes Father
Wynn would admire。
To his exhaustion fever presently succeeded； and he began to grow
restless。 The heat too seemed to invade his retreat； and from
time to time the little patch of blue sky was totally obscured by
clouds of smoke。 He amused himself with watching a lizard who
was investigating a folded piece of paper； whose elasticity gave
the little creature lively apprehensions of its vitality。 At
last he could stand the stillness of his retreat and his supine
position no longer； and rolled himself out of the bed of leaves
that Teresa had so carefully prepared for him。 He rose to his
feet stiff and sore； and； supporting himself by the nearest tree；
moved a few steps from the dead ashes of the camp…fire。 The
movement frightened the lizard； who abandoned the paper and fled。
With a satirical recollection of Brace and his 〃ridiculous〃
discovery through the medium of this animal； he stooped and
picked up the paper。 〃Like as not；〃 he said to himself； with
grim irony； 〃these yer lizards are in the discovery business。
P'r'aps this may lead to another mystery；〃 and he began to unfold
the paper with a smile。 But the smile ceased as his eye suddenly
caught his own name。
A dozen lines were written in pencil on what seemed to be a blank
leaf originally torn from some book。 He trembled so that he was
obliged to sit down to read these words：
〃When you get this keep away from the woods。 Dunn and another
man are in deadly pursuit of you and your companion。 I overheard
their plan to surprise you in our cabin。 DON'T GO THERE； and I
will delay them and put them off the scent。 Don't mind me。 God
bless you； and if you never see me again think sometimes of
〃TERESA。〃
His trembling ceased； he did not start； but rose in an abstracted
way； and made a few deliberate steps in the direction Teresa had
gone。 Even then he was so confused that he was obliged to refer
to the paper again； but with so little effect that he could only
repeat the last words； 〃think sometimes of Teresa。〃 He was
conscious that this was not all； he had a full conviction of
being deceived； and knew that he held the proof in his hand； but
he could not formulate it beyond that sentence。 〃Teresa〃yes；
he would think of her。 She would explain it。 And here she was
returning。
In that brief interval her face and manner had again changed。
Her face was pale and quite breathless。 She cast a swift glance
at Dunn and the paper he mechanically held out； walked up to him；
and tore it from his hand。
〃Well；〃 she said hoarsely； 〃what are you going to do about it？〃
He attempted to speak； but his voice failed him。 Even then he
was conscious that if he had spoken he would have only repeated；
〃think sometimes of Teresa。〃 He looked longingly but helplessly
at the spot where she had thrown the paper； as if it had
contained his unuttered words。
〃Yes；〃 she went on to herself； as if he was a mute； indifferent
spectator〃yes； they're gone。 That ends it all。 The game's
played out。 Well！〃 suddenly turning upon him； 〃now you know it
all。 Your Nellie WAS here with him； and is with him now。 Do you
hear？ Make the most of it； you've lost thembut here I am。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said eagerly〃yes； Teresa。〃
She stopped； stared at him； then taking him by the hand led him
like a child back to his couch。 〃Well；〃 she said； in half…savage
explanation； 〃I told you the truth when I said the girl wasn't at
the cabin last night； and that I didn't know her。 What are you
glowerin' at？ No！ I haven't lied to you； I swear to God； except
in one thing。 Did you know what that was？ To save him I took
upon me a shame I don't deserve。 I let you think I was his
mistress。 You think so now； don't you？ Well； before God to…day
and He may take me when He likesI'm no more to him than a
sister！ I reckon your Nellie can't say as much。〃
She turned away； and with the quick； impatient stride of some
caged animal made the narrow circuit of the opening； stopping a
moment mechanically before the sick man； and again； without
looking at him； continuing her monotonous round。 The heat had
become excessive； but she held her shawl with both hands drawn
tightly over her shoulders。 Suddenly a wood…duck darted out of
the covert blindly into the opening； struck against the blasted
trunk； fell half stunned near her feet； and then； recovering；
fluttered away。 She had scarcely completed another circuit
before the irruption was followed by a whirring bevy of quail； a
flight of jays； and a sudden tumult of wings swept through the
wood like a tornado。 She turned inquiringly to Dunn； who had
risen to his feet； but the next moment she caught convulsively at
his wrist； a wolf had just dashed through the underbrush not a
dozen yards away； and on either side of them they could hear the
scamper and rustle of hurrying feet like the outburst of a summer
shower。 A cold wind arose from the opposite direction； as if to
contest this wild exodus； but it was followed by a blast of
sickening heat。 Teresa sank at Dunn's feet in an agony of terror。
〃Don't let them touch me！〃 she gasped； 〃keep them off！ Tell me；
for God's sake； what has happened！〃
He laid his hand firmly on her arm； and lifted her in his turn to
her feet like a child。 In that supreme moment of physical
danger； his strength； reason； and manhood returned in their
plenitude of power。 He pointed coolly to the trail she had
quitted； and said；
〃The Carquinez Woods are on fire！〃
CHAPTER X
The nest of the tuneful Burnhams； although in the suburbs of
Indian Spring； was not in ordinary weather and seasons hidden
from the longing eyes of the youth of that settlement。 That
night； however； it was veiled in the smoke that encompassed the
great highway leading to Excelsior。 It is presumed that the
Burnham brood had long since folded their wings； for there was no
sign of life nor movement in the house as a rapidly…driven horse
and buggy pulled up before it。 Fortunately； the paternal Burnham
was an early bird； in the habit of picking up the first stirring
mining worm； and a resounding knock brought him half dressed to
the street door。 He was startled at seeing Father Wynn before
him； a trifle flushed and abstracted。
〃Ah ha！ up betimes； I see； and ready。 No sluggards hereha；
ha！〃 he said heartily； slamming the door behind him； and by a
series of pokes in the ribs genially backing his host into his
own sitting…room。 〃I'm up； too； and am here to see Nellie。
She's here； ehof course？〃 he added； darting a quick look at
Burnham。
But Mr。 Burnham was one of those large； liberal Western husbands
who classified his household under the general title of 〃woman
folk；〃 for the integers of which he was not responsible。 He
hesitated； and then propounded over the balusters to the upper
story the direct query
〃You don't happen to have Nellie Wynn up there； do ye？〃
There was an interval of inquiry proceeding from half a dozen
reluctant throats； more or less cottony and muffled； in those
various degrees of grievance and mental distress which indicate
too early roused young womanhood。 The eventual reply seemed to
be affirmative； albeit accompanied with a suppressed giggle； as
if the young lady had just been discovered as an answer to an
amusing conundrum。
〃All right；〃 said Wynn； with an apparent accession of boisterous
geniality。 〃Tell her I must see her； and I've only got a few
minutes to spare。 Tell her to slip on anything and come down；
there's no one here but myself； and I've shut the front door on
Brother Burnham。 Ha； ha！〃 and suiting the action to the word； he
actually bundled the admiring Brother Burnham out on his own
doorstep。 There was a light pattering on the staircase； and
Nellie Wynn； pink with sleep； very tall； very slim； hastily
draped in a white counterpane with a blue border and a general
classic suggestion； slipped into the parlor。 At the same moment
her father shut the door behind her； placed one hand on the knob；
and with the other seized her wrist。
〃Where were you yesterday？〃 he asked。
Nellie looked at him； shrugged her shoulders； and said； 〃Here。〃
〃You were in the Carquinez Woods with Low Dorman； you went there
in disguise； you've met him there before。 He is your clandestine
lover； you have taken pledges of affection from him； you have〃
〃Stop！〃 she said。
He stopped。
〃Did he tell you this？〃 she asked； with an expression