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better than I doand think how I should feel if I knew that only a wretched
pledge to me kept you from loving them！〃 She stopped； and cast down
her eyes。
It was her first attempt at coquetry； for； in her usual charming
selfishness； she was perfectly frank and open； and it might not have been
her last； but she had gone too far at first； and was not prepared for a recoil
of her own argument。
〃If you admit that it is possiblethat it is possible to you！〃 he said；
quickly。
She saw her mistake。 〃We may not have many opportunities to meet
alone；〃 she answered； quietly； 〃and I am sure we would be happier when
we meet not to accuse each other of impossibilities。 Let us rather see
how we can communicate together； if anything should prevent our meeting。
Remember； it was only by chance that you were able to see me now。 If
ma has believed that she ought to have been consulted； our meeting
together in this secret way will only make matters worse。 She is even
now wondering where I am； and may be suspicious。 I must go back at
once。 At any moment some one may come here looking for me。〃
〃But I have so much to say；〃 he pleaded。 〃Our time has been so
short。〃
〃You can write。〃
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〃But what will your mother think of that？〃 he said； in grave
astonishment。
She colored again as she returned； quickly； 〃Of course； you must not
write to the house。 You can leave a letter somewhere for me say；
somewhere about here。 Stop！〃 she added； with a sudden girlish gayety；
〃see； here's the very place。 Look there！〃
She pointed to the decayed trunk of a blasted sycamore； a few feet
from the trail。 A cavity； breast high； half filled with skeleton leaves and
pine…nuts； showed that it had formerly been a squirrel's hoard； but for
some reason had been deserted。
〃Look！ it's a regular letter…box；〃 she continued； gayly； rising on tip…toe
to peep into its recesses。 Don Caesar looked at her admiringly； it seemed
like a return to their first idyllic love… making in the old days； when she
used to steal out of the cabbage rows in her brown linen apron and sun…
bonnet to walk with him in the woods。 He recalled the fact to her with
the fatality of a lover already seeking to restore in past recollections
something that was wanting in the present。 She received it with the
impatience of youth； to whom the present is all sufficient。
〃I wonder how you could ever have cared for me in that holland
apron；〃 she said； looking down upon her new dress。
〃Shall I tell you why？〃 he said； fondly； passing his arm around her
waist； and drawing her pretty head nearer his shoulder。
〃Nonot now！〃 she said； laughingly； but struggling to free herself。
〃There's not time。 Write it； and put it in the box。 There；〃 she added；
hastily； 〃listen！what's that？〃
〃It's only a squirrel；〃 he whispered reassuringly in her ear。
〃No； it's somebody coming！ I must go！ Please！ Caesar； dear！
There； then〃
She met his kiss half…way； released herself with a lithe movement of
her wrist and shoulder； and the next moment seemed to slip into the woods；
and was gone。
Don Caesar listened with a sigh as the last rustling ceased； cast a look
at the decayed tree as if to fix it in his memory； and then slowly retraced
his steps towards his tethered mustang。
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He was right； however； in his surmise of the cause of that interruption。
A pair of bright eyes had been watching them from the bough of an
adjacent tree。 It was a squirrel； who； having had serious and prior
intentions of making use of the cavity they had discovered； had only
withheld examination by an apparent courteous discretion towards the
intruding pair。 Now that they were gone he slipped down the tree and ran
towards the decayed stump。
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CHAPTER III
Apparently dissatisfied with the result of an investigation； which
proved that the cavity was unfit as a treasure hoard for a discreet squirrel；
whatever its value as a receptacle for the love…tokens of incautious
humanity； the little animal at once set about to put things in order。 He
began by whisking out an immense quantity of dead leaves； disturbed a
family of tree…spiders； dissipated a drove of patient aphides browsing in
the bark； as well as their attendant dairymen； the ants； and otherwise ruled
it with the high hand of dispossession and a contemptuous opinion of the
previous incumbents。 It must not be supposed； however； that his
proceedings were altogether free from contemporaneous criticism； a
venerable crow sitting on a branch above him displayed great interest in
his occupation； and； hopping down a few moments afterwards； disposed of
some worm…eaten nuts； a few larvae； and an insect or two； with languid
dignity and without prejudice。 Certain incumbrances； however； still
resisted the squirrel's general eviction； among them a folded square of
paper with sharply defined edges； that declined investigation； and； owing
to a nauseous smell of tobacco； escaped nibbling as it had apparently
escaped insect ravages。 This； owing to its sharp angles； which persisted
in catching in the soft decaying wood in his whirlwind of house…cleaning；
he allowed to remain。 Having thus； in a general way； prepared for the
coming winter； the self…satisfied little rodent dismissed the subject from
his active mind。
His rage and indignation a few days later may be readily conceived；
when he found； on returning to his new…made home； another square of
paper； folded like the first； but much fresher and whiter； lying within the
cavity； on top of some moss which had evidently been placed there for the
purpose。 This he felt was really more than he could bear； but it was
smaller； and with a few energetic kicks and whisks of his tail he managed
to finally dislodge it through the opening； where it fell ignominiously to
the earth。 The eager eyes of the ever…attendant crow； however； instantly
detected it； he flew to the ground； and； turning it over； examined it gravely。
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It was certainly not edible； but it was exceedingly rare； and； as an old
collector of curios； he felt he could not pass it by。 He lifted it in his beak；
and； with a desperate struggle against the superincumbent weight；
regained the branch with his prize。 Here； by one of those delicious
vagaries of animal nature； he apparently at once discharged his mind of the
whole affair； became utterly oblivious of it； allowed it to drop without the
least concern； and eventually flew away with an abstracted air； as if he had
been another bird entirely。 The paper got into a manzanita bush； where it
remained suspended until the evening； when； being dislodged by a passing
wild…cat on its way to Mulrady's hen…roost； it gave that delicately sensitive
marauder such a turn that she fled into the adjacent county。
But the troubles of the squirrel were not yet over。 On the following
day the young man who had accompanied the young woman returned to
the trunk； and the squirrel had barely time to make his escape before the
impatient visitor approached the opening of the cavity； peered into it； and
even passed his hand through its recesses。 The delight visible upon his
anxious and serious face at the disappearance of the letter； and the
apparent