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〃You don't understand；〃 she said。 〃I'm going to get Low to send
some one of your friends to you here。 I don't think he'll begrudge leaving
HER a moment for that；〃 she added to herself bitterly。
〃What's that you're saying？〃 he queried； with the nervous quickness of
an invalid。
〃Nothingbut that I'm going now。〃 She turned her face aside to hide
her moistened eyes。 〃Wish me good luck； won't you？〃 she asked； half
sadly； half pettishly。
〃Come here！〃
She came and bent over him。 He suddenly raised his hands； and；
drawing her face down to his own； kissed her forehead。
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〃Give that to HIM；〃 he whispered； 〃from ME。〃
She turned and fled； happily for her sentiment； not hearing the feeble
laugh that followed； as Dunn； in sheer imbecility； again referred to the
extravagant ludicrousness of the situation。 〃It is about the biggest thing
in the way of a sell all round；〃 he repeated； lying on his back；
confidentially to the speck of smoke…obscured sky above him。 He
pictured himself repeating it； not to Nellieher severe propriety might at
last overlook the fact； but would not tolerate the jokebut to her father！
It would be one of those characteristic Californian jokes Father Wynn
would admire。
To his exhaustion fever presently succeeded； and he began to grow
restless。 The heat too seemed to invade his retreat； and from time to time
the little patch of blue sky was totally obscured by clouds of smoke。 He
amused himself with watching a lizard who was investigating a folded
piece of paper； whose elasticity gave the little creature lively
apprehensions of its vitality。 At last he could stand the stillness of his
retreat and his supine position no longer； and rolled himself out of the bed
of leaves that Teresa had so carefully prepared for him。 He rose to his
feet stiff and sore； and； supporting himself by the nearest tree； moved a
few steps from the dead ashes of the camp…fire。 The movement
frightened the lizard； who abandoned the paper and fled。 With a satirical
recollection of Brace and his 〃ridiculous〃 discovery through the medium
of this animal； he stooped and picked up the paper。 〃Like as not；〃 he said
to himself； with grim irony； 〃these yer lizards are in the discovery business。
P'r'aps this may lead to another mystery；〃 and he began to unfold the paper
with a smile。 But the smile ceased as his eye suddenly caught his own
name。
A dozen lines were written in pencil on what seemed to be a blank leaf
originally torn from some book。 He trembled so that he was obliged to
sit down to read these words：
〃When you get this keep away from the woods。 Dunn and another
man are in deadly pursuit of you and your companion。 I overheard their
plan to surprise you in our cabin。 DON'T GO THERE； and I will delay
them and put them off the scent。 Don't mind me。 God bless you； and if
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you never see me again think sometimes of
〃TERESA。〃
His trembling ceased； he did not start； but rose in an abstracted way；
and made a few deliberate steps in the direction Teresa had gone。 Even
then he was so confused that he was obliged to refer to the paper again；
but with so little effect that he could only repeat the last words； 〃think
sometimes of Teresa。〃 He was conscious that this was not all； he had a
full conviction of being deceived； and knew that he held the proof in his
hand； but he could not formulate it beyond that sentence。 〃Teresa〃yes；
he would think of her。 She would explain it。 And here she was
returning。
In that brief interval her face and manner had again changed。 Her face
was pale and quite breathless。 She cast a swift glance at Dunn and the
paper he mechanically held out； walked up to him； and tore it from his
hand。
〃Well；〃 she said hoarsely； 〃what are you going to do about it？〃
He attempted to speak； but his voice failed him。 Even then he was
conscious that if he had spoken he would have only repeated； 〃think
sometimes of Teresa。〃 He looked longingly but helplessly at the spot
where she had thrown the paper； as if it had contained his unuttered words。
〃Yes；〃 she went on to herself； as if he was a mute； indifferent
spectator〃yes； they're gone。 That ends it all。 The game's played out。
Well！〃 suddenly turning upon him； 〃now you know it all。 Your Nellie
WAS here with him； and is with him now。 Do you hear？ Make the
most of it； you've lost thembut here I am。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said eagerly〃yes； Teresa。〃
She stopped； stared at him； then taking him by the hand led him like a
child back to his couch。 〃Well；〃 she said； in half…savage explanation； 〃I
told you the truth when I said the girl wasn't at the cabin last night； and
that I didn't know her。 What are you glowerin' at？ No！ I haven't lied
to you； I swear to God； except in one thing。 Did you know what that was？
To save him I took upon me a shame I don't deserve。 I let you think I
was his mistress。 You think so now； don't you？ Well； before God to…
day and He may take me when He likesI'm no more to him than a sister！
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I reckon your Nellie can't say as much。〃
She turned away； and with the quick； impatient stride of some caged
animal made the narrow circuit of the opening； stopping a moment
mechanically before the sick man； and again； without looking at him；
continuing her monotonous round。 The heat had become excessive； but
she held her shawl with both hands drawn tightly over her shoulders。
Suddenly a wood…duck darted out of the covert blindly into the opening；
struck against the blasted trunk； fell half stunned near her feet； and then；
recovering； fluttered away。 She had scarcely completed another circuit
before the irruption was followed by a whirring bevy of quail； a flight of
jays； and a sudden tumult of wings swept through the wood like a tornado。
She turned inquiringly to Dunn； who had risen to his feet； but the next
moment she caught convulsively at his wrist； a wolf had just dashed
through the underbrush not a dozen yards away； and on either side of them
they could hear the scamper and rustle of hurrying feet like the outburst of
a summer shower。 A cold wind arose from the opposite direction； as if to
contest this wild exodus； but it was followed by a blast of sickening heat。
Teresa sank at Dunn's feet in an agony of terror。
〃Don't let them touch me！〃 she gasped； 〃keep them off！ Tell me； for
God's sake； what has happened！〃
He laid his hand firmly on her arm； and lifted her in his turn to her feet
like a child。 In that supreme moment of physical danger； his strength；
reason； and manhood returned in their plenitude of power。 He pointed
coolly to the trail she had quitted； and said；
〃The Carquinez Woods are on fire！〃
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CHAPTER X
The nest of the tuneful Burnhams； although in the suburbs of Indian
Spring； was not in ordinary weather and seasons hidden from the longing
eyes of the youth of that settlement。 That night； however； it was veiled in
the smoke that encompassed the great highway leading to Excelsior。 It is
presumed that the Burnham brood had long since folded their wings； for
there was no sign of life nor movement in the house as a rapidly…driven
horse and buggy pulled up before it。 Fortunately； the paternal Burnham
was an early bird； in the hab