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interest。
〃Nor hear it？ Listen！〃
〃You forget I suffer the misfortune of having been brought up
under a roof；〃 she replied coldly。
〃That's true；〃 repeated Low； in all seriousness； 〃it's not your
fault。 But do you know； I sometimes think I am peculiarly
sensitive to water； I feel it miles away。 At night； though I may
not see it or even know where it is； I am conscious of it。 It is
company to me when I am alone； and I seem to hear it in my
dreams。 There is no music as sweet to me as its song。 When you
sang with me that day in church； I seemed to hear it ripple in
your voice。 It says to me more than the birds do； more than the
rarest plants I find。 It seems to live with me and for me。 It
is my earliest recollection； I know it will be my last； for I
shall die in its embrace。 Do you think； Nellie；〃 he continued；
stopping short and gazing earnestly in her face〃do you think
that the chiefs knew this when they called me 'Sleeping Water'？〃
To Miss Nellie's several gifts I fear the gods had not added
poetry。 A slight knowledge of English verse of a select
character； unfortunately； did not assist her in the
interpretation of the young man's speech； nor relieve her from
the momentary feeling that he was at times deficient in
intellect。 She preferred； however； to take a personal view of
the question； and expressed her sarcastic regret that she had not
known before that she had been indebted to the great flume and
ditch at Excelsior for the pleasure of his acquaintance。 This
pert remark occasioned some explanation； which ended in the
girl's accepting a kiss in lieu of more logical argument。
Nevertheless； she was still conscious of an inward irritation
always distinct from her singular and perfectly material passion
which found vent as the difficulties of their undeviating
progress through the underbrush increased。 At last she lost her
shoe again； and stopped short。 〃It's a pity your Indian friends
did not christen you 'Wild Mustard' or 'Clover；'〃 she said
satirically； 〃that you might have had some sympathies and
longings for the open fields instead of these horrid jungles！ I
know we will not get back in time。〃
Unfortunately； Low accepted this speech literally and with his
remorseless gravity。 〃If my name annoys you； I can get it
changed by the legislature； you know； and I can find out what my
father's name was； and take that。 My mother； who died in giving
me birth； was the daughter of a chief。〃
〃Then your mother was really an Indian？〃 said Nellie； 〃and you
are〃 She stopped short。
〃But I told you all this the day we first met；〃 said Low； with
grave astonishment。 〃Don't you remember our long talk coming
from church？〃
〃No；〃 said Nellie coldly； 〃you didn't tell me。〃 But she was
obliged to drop her eyes before the unwavering； undeniable
truthfulness of his。
〃You have forgotten；〃 he said calmly； 〃but it is only right you
should have your own way in disposing of a name that I have cared
little for； and as you're to have a share of it〃
〃Yes； but it's getting late； and if we are not going forward〃
interrupted the girl impatiently。
〃We ARE going forward；〃 said Low imperturbably； 〃but I wanted to
tell you； as we were speaking on THAT subject〃 （Nellie looked at
her watch）； 〃I've been offered the place of botanist and
naturalist in Professor Grant's survey of Mount Shasta； and if I
take itwhy； when I come back； darlingwell〃
〃But you're not going just yet；〃 broke in Nellie； with a new
expression in her face。
〃No。〃
〃Then we need not talk of it now；〃 she said； with animation。
Her sudden vivacity relieved him。 〃I see what's the matter；〃 he
said gently； looking down at her feet； 〃these little shoes were
not made to keep step with a moccasin。 We must try another way。〃
He stooped as if to secure the erring buskin； but suddenly lifted
her like a child to his shoulder。 〃There；〃 he continued； placing
her arm round his neck； 〃you are clear of the ferns and brambles
now； and we can go on。 Are you comfortable？〃 He looked up； read
her answer in her burning eyes and the warm lips pressed to his
forehead at the roots of his straight dark hair； and again moved
onward as in a mesmeric dream。 But he did not swerve from his
direct course； and with a final dash through the undergrowth
parted the leafy curtain before the spring。
At first the young girl was dazzled by the strong light that came
from a rent in the interwoven arches of the wood。 The breach had
been caused by the huge bulk of one of the great giants that had
half fallen； and was lying at a steep angle against one of its
mightiest brethren； having borne down a lesser tree in the arc of
its downward path。 Two of the roots； as large as younger trees；
tossed their blackened and bare limbs high in the air。 The
springthe insignificant cause of this vast disruptiongurgled；
flashed； and sparkled at the base； the limpid baby fingers that
had laid bare the foundations of that fallen column played with
the still clinging rootlets； laved the fractured and twisted
limbs； and； widening； filled with sleeping water the graves from
which they had been torn。
〃It had been going on for years； down there；〃 said Low； pointing
to a cavity from which the fresh water now slowly welled； 〃but it
had been quickened by the rising of the subterranean springs and
rivers which always occurs at a certain stage of the dry season。
I remember that on that very nightfor it happened a little
after midnight； when all sounds are more audibleI was troubled
and oppressed in my sleep by what you would call a nightmare； a
feeling as if I was kept down by bonds and pinions that I longed
to break。 And then I heard a crash in this direction； and the
first streak of morning brought me the sound and scent of water。
Six months afterwards I chanced to find my way here； as I told
you； and gave it your name。 I did not dream that I should ever
stand beside it with you； and have you christen it yourself。〃
He unloosened the cup from his flask； and filling it at the
spring handed it to her。 But the young girl leant over the pool；
and pouring the water idly back said； 〃I'd rather put my feet in
it。 Mayn't I？〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 he said wonderingly。
〃My feet are SO hot and dusty。 The water looks deliciously cool。
May I？〃
〃Certainly。〃
He turned away as Nellie； with apparent unconsciousness； seated
herself on the bank； and removed her shoes and stockings。 When
she had dabbled her feet a few moments in the pool； she said over
her shoulder
〃We can talk just as well； can't we？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Well； then； why didn't you come to church more often； and why
didn't you think of telling father that you were convicted of sin
and wanted to be baptized？〃
〃I don't know；〃 hesitated the young man。
〃Well； you lost the chance of having father convert you； baptize
you； and take you into full church fellowship。〃
〃I never thought〃 he began。
〃You never thought。 Aren't you a Christian？〃
〃I suppose so。〃
〃He supposes so！ Have you no convictionsno profession？〃
〃But； Nellie； I never thought that you〃
〃Never thought that Iwhat？ Do you think that I could ever be
anything to a man who did not believe in justification by faith；
or in the covenant of church fellowship？ Do you think father
would let me？〃
In his eagerness to defend himself he stepped to her side。 But
seeing her little feet shining through the dark water； like
outcroppings of delicately veined quartz； he stopped embarrassed。
Miss Nellie； however； leaped to one foot； and； shaking the other
over the pool； put her hand on his shoulder to steady herself。
〃You haven't got a towelor；〃 she said dubiously； looking at her
small handkerchief； 〃anything to dry them on？〃
But Low did not； as she perhaps expected； offer his own handkerchief。
〃If you take a bath after our fashion；〃 he said gravely； 〃you
must learn to dry yourself after our fashion。〃
Lifting her again lightly in his arms； he carried her a few steps
to the sunny opening； and bade her bury her feet in the dried
mosses and baked withered grasses that were bleaching in a
hollow。 The young girl uttered a cry of childish delight； as the
soft ciliated fibres touched her sensitive skin。
〃It is healing； too；〃 continued Low； 〃a moccasin filled with it
after a day on the trail makes you all right again。〃
But Miss Nellie seemed to be thinking of something else。
〃Is that the way the squaws bathe and dry themselves？〃
〃I don't know； you forget I was a boy when I left them。〃
〃And you're sure you never knew any？〃
〃None。〃
The young girl seemed to derive some satisfaction in moving her
feet up and down for several minutes among the grasses in the
hollow； then； after a pause； said； 〃You are quite certain I am
the first woman that ever touched this spring？〃
〃Not only the first woman； but the first human being； except
myself。〃
〃How nice！〃
They had taken each other's hands； seated side by side； they
leaned against a curving elastic root that half supported； half
encompassed； them。 The girl's capricious； fitful manner
succumbed as before to the near contact of her companion。
Looking into her eyes； Low fell into a sweet； se