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succumbed as before to the near contact of her companion。
Looking into her eyes； Low fell into a sweet； selfish lover's
monologue； descriptive of his past and present feelings towards
her； which she accepted with a heightened color； a slight
exchange of sentiment； and a strange curiosity。 The sun had
painted their half…embraced silhouettes against the slanting
tree…trunk； and began to decline unnoticed； the ripple of the
water mingling with their whispers came as one sound to the
listening ear； even their eloquent silences were as deep； and； I
wot； perhaps as dangerous； as the darkened pool that filled so
noiselessly a dozen yards away。 So quiet were they that the
tremor of invading wings once or twice shook the silence； or the
quick scamper of frightened feet rustled the dead grass。 But in
the midst of a prolonged stillness the young man sprang up so
suddenly that Nellie was still half clinging to his neck as he
stood erect。 〃Hush！〃 he whispered； 〃some one is near！〃
He disengaged her anxious hands gently； leaped upon the slanting
tree…trunk； and running half…way up its incline with the agility
of a squirrel； stretched himself at full length upon it and
listened。
To the impatient； inexplicably startled girl； it seemed an age
before he rejoined her。
〃You are safe；〃 he said； 〃he is going by the western trail
towards Indian Spring。〃
〃Who is HE？〃 she asked； biting her lips with a poorly restrained
gesture of mortification and disappointment。
〃Some stranger；〃 replied Low。
〃As long as he wasn't coming here； why did you give me such a
fright？〃 she said pettishly。 〃Are you nervous because a single
wayfarer happens to stray here？〃
〃It was no wayfarer； for he tried to keep near the trail；〃 said
Low。 〃He was a stranger to the wood； for he lost his way every
now and then。 He was seeking or expecting some one； for he
stopped frequently and waited or listened。 He had not walked
far； for he wore spurs that tinkled and caught in the brush； and
yet he had not ridden here； for no horse's hoofs passed the road
since we have been here。 He must have come from Indian Spring。〃
〃And you heard all that when you listened just now？〃 asked Nellie；
half disdainfully。
Impervious to her incredulity Low turned his calm eyes on her
face。 〃Certainly； I'll bet my life on what I say。 Tell me： do
you know anybody in Indian Spring who would likely spy upon you？〃
The young girl was conscious of a certain ill…defined uneasiness；
but answered； 〃No。〃
〃Then it was not YOU he was seeking；〃 said Low thoughtfully。
Miss Nellie had not time to notice the emphasis； for he added；
〃You must go at once； and lest you have been followed I will show
you another way back to Indian Spring。 It is longer； and you
must hasten。 Take your shoes and stockings with you until we are
out of the bush。〃
He raised her again in his arms and strode once more out through
the covert into the dim aisles of the wood。 They spoke but
little； she could not help feeling that some other discordant
element； affecting him more strongly than it did her； had come
between them； and was half perplexed and half frightened。 At the
end of ten minutes he seated her upon a fallen branch； and
telling her he would return by the time she had resumed her shoes
and stockings glided from her like a shadow。 She would have
uttered an indignant protest at being left alone； but he was gone
ere she could detain him。 For a moment she thought she hated
him。 But when she had mechanically shod herself once more； not
without nervous shivers at every falling needle； he was at her side。
〃Do you know anyone who wears a frieze coat like that？〃 he asked；
handing her a few torn shreds of wool affixed to a splinter of bark。
Miss Nellie instantly recognized the material of a certain
sporting coat worn by Mr。 Jack Brace on festive occasions； but a
strange yet infallible instinct that was part of her nature made
her instantly disclaim all knowledge of it。
〃No；〃 she said。
〃Not anyone who scents himself with some doctor's stuff like
cologne？〃 continued Low； with the disgust of keen olfactory
sensibilities。
Again Miss Nellie recognized the perfume with which the gallant
expressman was wont to make redolent her little parlor； but again
she avowed no knowledge of its possessor。 〃Well；〃 returned Low
with some disappointment； 〃such a man has been here。 Be on your
guard。 Let us go at once。〃
She required no urging to hasten her steps； but hurried
breathlessly at his side。 He had taken a new trail by which they
left the wood at right angles with the highway； two miles away。
Following an almost effaced mule track along a slight depression
of the plain； deep enough； however； to hide them from view； he
accompanied her； until； rising to the level again； she saw they
were beginning to approach the highway and the distant roofs of
Indian Spring。 〃Nobody meeting you now；〃 he whispered； 〃would
suspect where you had been。 Good night！ until next weekremember。〃
They pressed each other's hands； and standing on the slight ridge
outlined against the paling sky； in full view of the highway；
parting carelessly； as if they had been chance met travelers。
But Nellie could not restrain a parting backward glance as she
left the ridge。 Low had descended to the deserted trail； and was
running swiftly in the direction of the Carquinez Woods。
CHAPTER IV
Teresa awoke with a start。 It was day already； but how far
advanced the even； unchanging； soft twilight of the woods gave no
indication。 Her companion had vanished； and to her bewildered
senses so had the camp…fire； even to its embers and ashes。 Was
she awake； or had she wandered away unconsciously in the night？
One glance at the tree above her dissipated the fancy。 There was
the opening of her quaint retreat and the hanging strips of bark；
and at the foot of the opposite tree lay the carcass of the bear。
It had been skinned； and； as Teresa thought with an inward
shiver； already looked half its former size。
Not yet accustomed to the fact that a few steps in either
direction around the circumference of those great trunks produced
the sudden appearance or disappearance of any figure； Teresa
uttered a slight scream as her young companion unexpectedly
stepped to her side。 〃You see a change here；〃 he said； 〃the
stamped…out ashes of the camp…fire lie under the brush；〃 and he
pointed to some cleverly scattered boughs and strips of bark
which completely effaced the traces of last night's bivouac。 〃We
can't afford to call the attention of any packer or hunter who
might straggle this way to this particular spot and this
particular tree； the more naturally；〃 he added； 〃as they always
prefer to camp over an old fire。〃 Accepting this explanation
meekly； as partly a reproach for her caprice of the previous
night； Teresa hung her head。
〃I'm very sorry；〃 she said； 〃but wouldn't that；〃 pointing to the
carcass of the bear； 〃have made them curious？〃
But Low's logic was relentless。
〃By this time there would have been little left to excite curiosity；
if you had been willing to leave those beasts to their work。〃
〃I'm very sorry；〃 repeated the woman； her lips quivering。
〃They are the scavengers of the wood；〃 he continued in a lighter
tone； 〃if you stay here you must try to use them to keep your
house clean。〃
Teresa smiled nervously。
〃I mean that they shall finish their work to…night；〃 he added；
〃and I shall build another camp…fire for us a mile from here
until they do。〃
But Teresa caught his sleeve。
〃No；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃don't； please； for me。 You must not
take the trouble； nor the risk。 Hear me； do； please。 I can bear
it； I WILL bear itto…night。 I would have borne it last night；
but it was so strangeand〃she passed her hands over her
forehead〃I think I must have been half mad。 But I am not so
foolish now。〃
She seemed so broken and despondent that he replied reassuringly：
〃Perhaps it would be better that I should find another hiding…
place for you； until I can dispose of that carcass so that it
will not draw dogs after the wolves； and men after THEM。
Besides； your friend the sheriff will probably remember the bear
when he remembers anything； and try to get on its track again。〃
〃He's a conceited fool；〃 broke in Teresa in a high voice； with a
slight return of her old fury； 〃or he'd have guessed where that
shot came from； and；〃 she added in a lower tone； looking down at
her limp and nerveless fingers； 〃he wouldn't have let a poor；
weak； nervous wretch like me get away。〃
〃But his deputy may put two and two together； and connect your
escape with it。〃
Teresa's eyes flashed。 〃It would be like the dog； just to save
his pride； to swear it was an ambush of my friends； and that he
was overpowered by numbers。 Oh yes！ I see it all！〃 she almost
screamed； lashing herself into a rage at the bare contemplation
of this diminution of her glory。 〃That's the dirty lie he tells
everywhere； and is telling now。〃
She stamped her feet and glanced savagely around； as if at any
risk to proclaim the falsehood。 Low turned his impassive；
truthful face towards her。
〃Sheriff Dunn；〃 he began gravely； 〃is a politician；