in the carquinez woods(在卡圭尼兹森林)-第12章
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IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
four hours？〃
〃PerhapsI don't know；〃 she said； her voice taking up its old quality
again。 〃Don't ask meI ran all the way。〃
Her face was quite pale as she removed her hands from her eyes； and
her breath came as quickly as if she had just finished that race for life。
〃Then you think I am safe here？〃 she added； after a pause。
〃Perfectlyuntil they find you are NOT in Yolo。 Then they'll look
here。 And THAT'S the time for you to go THERE。〃 Teresa smiled
timidly。
〃It will take them some time to search Yolounless；〃 she added；
〃you're tired of me here。〃 The charming non sequitur did not； however；
seem to strike the young man。 〃I've got time yet to find a few more
plants for you；〃 she suggested。
〃Oh； certainly！〃
〃And give you a few more lessons in cooking。〃
〃Perhaps。〃
The conscientious and literal Low was beginning to doubt if she were
really practical。 How otherwise could she trifle with such a situation？
It must be confessed that that day and the next she did trifle with it。
She gave herself up to a grave and delicious languor that seemed to flow
from shadow and silence and permeate her entire being。 She passed
hours in a thoughtful repose of mind and spirit that seemed to fall like
balm from those steadfast guardians； and distill their gentle ether in her
soul； or breathed into her listening ear immunity from the forgotten past；
and security for the present。 If there was no dream of the future in this
calm； even recurrence of placid existence； so much the better。 The
simple details of each succeeding day； the quaint housekeeping； the brief
companionship and coming and going of her young hosthimself at best a
crystallized personification of the sedate and hospitable woodssatisfied
her feeble cravings。 She no longer regretted the inferior position that her
fears had obliged her to take the first night she came； she began to look up
to this young manso much younger than herself without knowing what
it meant； it was not until she found that this attitude did not detract from
his picturesqueness that she discovered herself seeking for reasons to
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IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
degrade him from this seductive eminence。
A week had elapsed with little change。 On two days he had been
absent all day； returning only in time to sup in the hollow tree； which；
thanks to the final removal of the dead bear from its vicinity； was now
considered a safer retreat than the exposed camp…fire。 On the first of
these occasions she received him with some preoccupation； paying but
little heed to the scant gossip he brought from Indian Spring； and retiring
early under the plea of fatigue； that he might seek his own distant camp…
fire； which； thanks to her stronger nerves and regained courage； she no
longer required so near。 On the second occasion； he found her writing a
letter more or less blotted with her tears。 When it was finished； she
begged him to post it at Indian Spring； where in two days an answer would
be returned； under cover； to him。
〃I hope you will be satisfied then；〃 she added。
〃Satisfied with what？〃 queried the young man。
〃You'll see；〃 she replied； giving him her cold hand。 〃Good…night。〃
〃But can't you tell me now？〃 he remonstrated； retaining her hand。
〃Wait two days longerit isn't much；〃 was all she vouchsafed to
answer。
The two days passed。 Their former confidence and good fellowship
were fully restored when the morning came on which he was to bring the
answer from the post…office at Indian Spring。 He had talked again of his
future； and had recorded his ambition to procure the appointment of
naturalist to a Government Surveying Expedition。 She had even
jocularly proposed to dress herself in man's attire and 〃enlist〃 as his
assistant。
〃But you will be safe with your friends； I hope； by that time；〃
responded Low。
〃Safe with my friends；〃 she repeated in a lower voice。 〃Safe with my
friendsyes！〃 An awkward silence followed； Teresa broke it gayly： 〃But
your girl； your sweetheart； my benefactorwill SHE let you go？〃
〃I haven't told her yet；〃 said Low； gravely； 〃but I don't see why she
should object。〃
〃Object； indeed！〃 interrupted Teresa in a high voice and a sudden and
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utterly gratuitous indignation； 〃how should she？ I'd like to see her do it！〃
She accompanied him some distance to the intersection of the trail；
where they parted in good spirits。 On the dusty plain without a gale was
blowing that rocked the high tree…tops above her； but； tempered and
subdued； entered the low aisles with a fluttering breath of morning and a
sound like the cooing of doves。 Never had the wood before shown so
sweet a sense of security from the turmoil and tempest of the world
beyond； never before had an intrusion from the outer lifeeven in the
shape of a letterseemed so wicked a desecration。 Tempted by the
solicitation of air and shade； she lingered； with Low's herbarium slung on
her shoulder。
A strange sensation； like a shiver； suddenly passed across her nerves；
and left them in a state of rigid tension。 With every sense morbidly acute；
with every faculty strained to its utmost； the subtle instincts of Low's
woodcraft transformed and possessed her。 She knew it now！ A new
element was in the wooda strange beinganother lifeanother man
approaching！ She did not even raise her head to look about her； but
darted with the precision and fleetness of an arrow in the direction of her
tree。 But her feet were arrested； her limbs paralzyed； her very existence
suspended； by the sound of a voice：
〃Teresa！〃
It was a voice that had rung in her ears for the last two years in all
phases of intensity； passion； tenderness； and anger； a voice upon whose
modulations； rude and unmusical though they were； her heart and soul had
hung in transport or anguish。 But it was a chime that had rung its last
peal to her senses as she entered the Carquinez Woods； and for the last
week had been as dead to her as a voice from the grave。 It was the voice
of her loverDick Curson！
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IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
CHAPTER V
The wind was blowing towards the stranger； so that he was nearly
upon her when Teresa first took the alarm。 He was a man over six feet in
height； strongly built； with a slight tendency to a roundness of bulk which
suggested reserved rather than impeded energy。 His thick beard and
mustache were closely cropped around a small and handsome mouth that
lisped except when he was excited； but always kept fellowship with his
blue eyes in a perpetual smile of half…cynical good…humor。 His dress was
superior to that of the locality； his general expression that of a man of the
world； albeit a world of San Francisco； Sacramento； and Murderer's Bar。
He advanced towards her with a laugh and an outstretched hand。
〃YOU here！〃 she gasped； drawing back。
Apparently neither surprised nor mortified at this reception； he
answered frankly； 〃Yeth。 You didn't expect me； I know。 But Doloreth
showed me the letter you wrote her； andwellhere I am； ready to help
you； with two men and a thpare horthe waiting outside the woodth on the
blind trail。〃
〃YouYOUhere？〃 she only repeated。
Curson shrugged his shoulders。 〃Yeth。〃 Of courth you never
expected to thee me again； and leatht of all HERE。 I'll admit that； I'll
thay I wouldn't if I'd been in your plathe。 I'll go further； and thay you
didn't want to thee me againanywhere。 But it all cometh to the thame
thing； here I am。 I read the letter you wrote Doloreth。 I read how you
were hiding here； under Dunn'th very nothe； with his whole pothe out；
cavorting round and barkin' up the wrong tree。 I made up my mind to
come down here with a few nathty friends of mine and cut you out under
Dunn'th nothe； and run you over into Yubathat'th all。〃
〃How dared she show you my letterYOU of all men？ How dared
she ask YOUR help？〃 continued Teresa； fiercely。
〃But she didn't athk my help；〃 he responded coolly。 〃Dd if I don't
think she jutht calculated I'd be glad to know you were being hunted down
and thtarving； that I might put Dunn on your track。〃
〃You lie！〃 said Teresa； furiously； 〃she was my friend。 A better friend
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than those who professedmore；〃 she added； with a contemptuous
drawing away of her skirt as if she feared Curson's contamination。
〃All right。 Thettle that with her when you go back；〃 continued
Curson philosophically。 〃We can talk of that on the way。 The thing
now ith to get up and get out of thethe woods。 Come！〃
Teresa's only reply was a gesture of scorn。
〃I know all that；〃 continued Curson half soothingly； 〃but they're
waiting。〃
〃Let them wait。 I shall not go。〃
〃What will you do？〃
