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painting； and a natural and faultless taste in dress。
The Rev。 Mr。 Wynn was engaged in a characteristic hearty parting
with one of his latest converts； upon his own doorstep； with
admirable al fresco effect。 He had just clapped him on the
shoulder。 〃Good…by； good…by； Charley； my boy； and keep in the
right path； not up； or down； or round the gulch； you knowha；
ha！but straight across lots to the shining gate。〃 He had
raised his voice under the stimulus of a few admiring spectators；
and backed his convert playfully against the wall。 〃You see！
we're goin' in to win； you bet。 Good…by！ I'd ask you to step in
and have a chat； but I've got my work to do； and so have you。
The gospel mustn't keep us from that； must it； Charley？ Ha； ha！〃
The convert （who elsewhere was a profane expressman； and had
become quite imbecile under Mr。 Wynn's active heartiness and
brotherly horse…play before spectators） managed； however； to
feebly stammer with a blush something about 〃Miss Nellie。〃
〃Ah； Nellie。 She； too； is at her taskstrimming her lampyou
know； the parable of the wise virgins；〃 continued Father Wynn
hastily； fearing that the convert might take the illustration
literally。 〃There； theregood…by。 Keep in the right path。〃
And with a parting shove he dismissed Charley and entered his own
house。
That 〃wise virgin；〃 Nellie； had evidently finished with the lamp；
and was now going out to meet the bridegroom； as she was fully
dressed and gloved； and had a pink parasol in her hand； as her
father entered the sitting…room。 His bluff heartiness seemed to
fade away as he removed his soft； broad…brimmed hat and glanced
across the too fresh…looking apartment。 There was a smell of
mortar still in the air； and a faint suggestion that at any
moment green grass might appear between the interstices of the
red…brick hearth。 The room； yielding a little in the point of
coldness； seemed to share Miss Nellie's fresh virginity； and；
barring the pink parasol； set her off as in a vestal's cell。
〃I supposed you wouldn't care to see Brace； the expressman； so I
got rid of him at the door；〃 said her father； drawing one of the
new chairs towards him slowly； and sitting down carefully； as if
it were a hitherto untried experiment。
Miss Nellie's face took a tint of interest。 〃Then he doesn't go
with the coach to Indian Spring to…day？〃
〃No； why？〃
〃I thought of going over myself to get the Burnham girls to come
to choir…meeting；〃 replied Miss Nellie carelessly； 〃and he might
have been company。〃
〃He'd go now； if he knew you were going；〃 said her father； 〃but
it's just as well he shouldn't be needlessly encouraged。 I
rather think that Sheriff Dunn is a little jealous of him。 By
the way； the sheriff is much better。 I called to cheer him up
to…day〃 （Mr。 Wynn had in fact tumultuously accelerated the sick
man's pulse）； 〃and he talked of you； as usual。 In fact； he said
he had only two things to get well for。 One was to catch and
hang that woman Teresa； who shot him； the othercan't you guess
the other？〃 he added archly； with a faint suggestion of his other
manner。
Miss Nellie coldly could not。
The Rev。 Mr。 Wynn's archness vanished。 〃Don't be a fool；〃 he
said dryly。 〃He wants to marry you； and you know it。〃
〃Most of the men here do；〃 responded Miss Nellie； without the
least trace of coquetry。 〃Is the wedding or the hanging to take
place first； or together； so he can officiate at both？〃
〃His share in the Union Ditch is worth a hundred thousand
dollars；〃 continued her father； 〃and if he isn't nominated for
district judge this fall； he's bound to go to the legislature；
anyway。 I don't think a girl with your advantages and education
can afford to throw away the chance of shining in Sacramento； San
Francisco； or； in good time； perhaps even Washington。〃
Miss Nellie's eyes did not reflect entire disapproval of this
suggestion； although she replied with something of her father's
practical quality。
〃Mr。 Dunn is not out of his bed yet； and they say Teresa's got
away to Arizona； so there isn't any particular hurry。〃
〃Perhaps not； but see here； Nellie； I've some important news for
you。 You know your young friend of the Carquinez WoodsDorman；
the botanist； eh？ Well； Brace knows all about him。 And what do
you think he is？〃
Miss Nellie took upon herself a few extra degrees of cold； and
didn't know。
〃An Injin！ Yes； an out…and…out Cherokee。 You see he calls
himself DormanLow Dorman。 That's only French for 'Sleeping
Water；' his Injin name！'Low Dorman。'〃
〃You mean 'L'Eau Dormante；'〃 said Nellie。
〃That's what I said。 The chief called him 'Sleeping Water' when
he was a boy； and one of them French Canadian trappers translated
it into French when he brought him to California to school。 But
he's an Injin； sure。 No wonder he prefers to live in the woods。〃
〃Well？〃 said Nellie。
〃Well；〃 echoed her father impatiently； 〃he's an Injin； I tell
you； and you can't of course have anything to do with him。 He
mustn't come here again。〃
〃But you forget；〃 said Nellie imperturbably； 〃that it was you who
invited him here； and were so much exercised over him。 You
remember you introduced him to the Bishop and those Eastern
clergymen as a magnificent specimen of a young Californian。 You
forget what an occasion you made of his coming to church on
Sunday； and how you made him come in his buckskin shirt and walk
down the street with you after service！〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said the Rev。 Mr。 Wynn； hurriedly。
〃And；〃 continued Nellie carelessly； 〃how you made us sing out of
the same book 'Children of our Father's Fold；' and how you
preached at him until he actually got a color！〃
〃Yes；〃 said her father； 〃but it wasn't known then he was an
Injin； and they are frightfully unpopular with those Southwestern
men among whom we labor。 Indeed； I am quite convinced that when
Brace said 'the only good Indian was a dead one' his expression；
though extravagant； perhaps； really voiced the sentiments of the
majority。 It would be only kindness to the unfortunate creature
to warn him from exposing himself to their rude but conscientious
antagonism。〃
〃Perhaps you'd better tell him； then； in your own popular way；
which they all seem to understand so well；〃 responded the
daughter。 Mr。 Wynn cast a quick glance at her； but there was no
trace of irony in her facenothing but a half…bored indifference
as she walked toward the window。
〃I will go with you to the coach…office；〃 said her father； who
generally gave these simple paternal duties the pronounced
character of a public Christian example。
〃It's hardly worth while；〃 replied Miss Nellie。 〃I've to stop at
the Watsons'； at the foot of the hill； and ask after the baby； so
I shall go on to the Crossing and pick up the coach when it
passes。 Good…by。〃
Nevertheless； as soon as Nellie had departed； the Rev。 Mr。 Wynn
proceeded to the coach…office； and publicly grasping the hand of
Yuba Bill； the driver； commended his daughter to his care in the
name of the universal brotherhood of man and the Christian
fraternity。 Carried away by his heartiness； he forgot his
previous caution； and confided to the expressman Miss Nellie's
regrets that she was not to have that gentleman's company。 The
result was that Miss Nellie found the coach with its passengers
awaiting her with uplifted hats and wreathed smiles at the
Crossing； and the box seat （from which an unfortunate stranger；
who had expensively paid for it； had been summarily ejected） at
her service beside Yuba Bill； who had thrown away his cigar and
donned a new pair of buckskin gloves to do her honor。 But a more
serious result to the young beauty was the effect of the Rev。 Mr。
Wynn's confidences upon the impulsive heart of Jack Brace； the
expressman。 It has been already intimated that it was his 〃day
off。〃 Unable to summarily reassume his usual functions beside
the driver without some practical reason； and ashamed to go so
palpably as a mere passenger； he was forced to let the coach
proceed without him。 Discomfited for the moment； he was not；
however； beaten。 He had lost the blissful journey by her side；
which would have been his professional right； butshe was going
to Indian Spring！ could he not anticipate her there？ Might they
not meet in the most accidental manner？ And what might not come
from that meeting away from the prying eyes of their own town？
Mr。 Brace did not hesitate； but saddling his fleet Buckskin； by
the time the stage…coach had passed the Crossing in the high…road
he had mounted the hill and was dashing along the 〃cutoff〃 in the
same direction； a full mile in advance。 Arriving at Indian
Spring； he left his horse at a Mexican posada on the confines of
the settlement； and from the piled debris of a tunnel excavation
awaited the slow arrival of the coach。 On mature reflection he
could give no reason why he had not boldly awaited it at the
express office； except a certain bashful consciousness of his own
folly； and a belief that it might be glaringly apparent to the
bystanders。 When the coach arrived and he had overcome this
consciousness； it was too late。 Yuba Bill had discharged his
passengers for Indian Spring and driven