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from the trifling companionship of others； I bade her keep her own
counsel； and seek you at seasons known but to yourselves。〃
〃But 。 。 。 did Nellie 。 。 。 understand you？〃 interrupted Low hastily。
〃I see you read her simple nature。 Understand me？ No； not at first！
Her maidenly instinctperhaps her duty to anothertook the alarm。 I
remember her words。 'But what will Dunn say？' she asked。 'Will he not
be jealous？'〃
〃Dunn！ jealous！ I don't understand；〃 said Low； fixing his eyes on
Wynn。
〃That's just what I said to Nellie。 'Jealous！' I said。 'What； Dunn；
your affianced husband； jealous of a mere frienda teacher； a guide； a
philosopher。 It is impossible。' Well； sir； she was right。 He is jealous。
And； more than that； he has imparted his jealousy to others！ In other
words； he has made a scandal！〃
Low's eyes flashed。 〃Where is your daughter now？〃 he said sternly。
〃At present in bed； suffering from a nervous attack brought on by these
unjust suspicions。 She appreciates your anxiety； and； knowing that you
could not see her； told me to give you this。〃 He handed Low the ring and
the letter。
The climax had been forced； and； it must be confessed； was by no
means the one Mr。 Wynn had fully arranged in his own inner
consciousness。 He had intended to take an ostentatious leave of Low in
the bar…room； deliver the letter with archness； and escape before a possible
explosion。 He consequently backed towards the door for an emergency。
But he was again at fault。 That unaffected stoical fortitude in acute
suffering； which was the one remaining pride and glory of Low's race； was
yet to be revealed to Wynn's civilized eyes。
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The young man took the letter； and read it without changing a muscle；
folded the ring in it； and dropped it into his haversack。 Then he picked up
his blanket； threw it over his shoulder； took his trusty rifle in his hand； and
turned towards Wynn as if coldly surprised that he was still standing there。
〃Are youare yougoing？〃 stammered Wynn。
〃Are you NOT？〃 replied Low dryly； leaning on his rifle for a moment
as if waiting for Wynn to precede him。 The preacher looked at him a
moment； mumbled something； and then shambled feebly and ineffectively
down the staircase before Low； with a painful suggestion to the ordinary
observer of being occasionally urged thereto by the moccasin of the young
man behind him。
On reaching the lower hall； however； he endeavored to create a
diversion in his favor by dashing into the bar…room and clapping the
occupants on the back with indiscriminate playfulness。 But here again he
seemed to be disappointed。 To his great discomfiture； a large man not
only returned his salutation with powerful levity； but with equal
playfulness seized him in his arms； and after an ingenious simulation of
depositing him in the horse…trough set him down in affected amazement。
〃Bleth't if I didn't think from the weight of your hand it wath my old friend；
Thacramento Bill；〃 said Curson apologetically； with a wink at the
bystanders。 〃That'th the way Bill alwayth uthed to tackle hith friendth；
till he wath one day bounthed by a prithe…fighter in Frithco； whom he had
mithtaken for a mithionary。〃 As Mr。 Curson's reputation was of a quality
that made any form of apology from him instantly acceptable； the amused
spectators made way for him as； recognizing Low； who was just leaving
the hotel； he turned coolly from them and walked towards him。
〃Halloo！〃 he said； extending his hand。 〃You're the man I'm waiting
for。 Did you get a book from the exthpreth offithe latht night？〃
〃I did。 Why？〃
〃It'th all right。 Ath I'm rethponthible for it； I only wanted to know。〃
〃Did YOU send it？〃 asked Low； quickly fixing his eyes on his face。
〃Well； not exactly ME。 But it'th not worth making a mythtery of it。
Teretha gave me a commithion to buy it and thend it to you anonymouthly。
That'th a woman'th nonthenth； for how could thee get a retheipt for it？〃
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〃Then it was HER present；〃 said Low gloomily。
〃Of courthe。 It wathn't mine； my boy。 I'd have thent you a Tharp'th
rifle in plathe of that muthle loader you carry； or thomething thenthible。
But； I thay！ what'th up？ You look ath if you had been running all night。〃
Low grasped his hand。 〃Thank you；〃 he said hurriedly； 〃but it's
nothing。 Only I must be back to the woods early。 Good…by。〃
But Curson retained Low's hand in his own powerful grip。
〃I'll go with you a bit further；〃 he said。 〃In fact； I've got thomething
to thay to you； only don't be in thuch a hurry； the woodth can wait till you
get there。〃 Quietly compelling Low to alter his own characteristic Indian
stride to keep pace with his； he went on： 〃I don't mind thaying I rather
cottoned to you from the time you acted like a white manno offentheto
Teretha。 She thayth you were left when a child lying round； jutht ath
promithcuouthly ath she wath； and if I can do anything towardth putting
you on the trail of your people； I'll do it。 I know thome of the voyageurth
who traded with the Cherokeeth； and your father wath one…wathn't he？〃
He glanced at Low's utterly abstracted and immobile face。 〃I thay； you
don't theem to take a hand in thith game； pardner。 What'th the row？ Ith
anything wrong over there？〃 and he pointed to the Carquinez Woods；
which were just looming out of the morning horizon in the distance。
Low stopped。 The last words of his companion seemed to recall him
to himself。 He raised his eyes automatically to the woods and started。
〃There IS something wrong over there；〃 he said breathlessly。 〃Look！〃
〃I thee nothing；〃 said Curson； beginning to doubt Low's sanity；
〃nothing more than I thaw an hour ago。〃
〃Look again。 Don't you see that smoke rising straight up？ It isn't
blown over there from the Divide； it's new smoke！ The fire is in the
woods！〃
〃I reckon that'th so；〃 muttered Curson； shading his eyes with his hand。
〃But； hullo！ wait a minute！ We'll get hortheth。 I say！〃 he shouted；
forgetting his lisp in his excitement〃stop！〃 But Low had already
lowered his head and darted forward like an arrow。
In a few moments he had left not only his companion but the last
straggling houses of the outskirts far behind him； and had struck out in a
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long； swinging trot for the disused 〃cut…off。〃 Already he fancied he heard
the note of clamor in Indian Spring； and thought he distinguished the
sound of hurrying hoofs on the great highway。 But the sunken trail hid it
from his view。 From the column of smoke now plainly visible in the
growing morning light he tried to locate the scene of the conflagration。 It
was evidently not a fire advancing regularly from the outer skirt of the
wood； communicated to it from the Divide； it was a local outburst near its
centre。 It was not in the direction of his cabin in the tree。 There was no
immediate danger to Teresa； unless fear drove her beyond the confines of
the wood into the hands of those who might recognize her。 The
screaming of jays and ravens above his head quickened his speed； as it
heralded the rapid advance of the flames； and the unexpected apparition of
a bounding body； flattened and flying over the yellow plain； told him that
even the secure retreat of the mountain wild…cat had been invaded。 A
sudden recollection of Teresa's uncontrollable terror that first night smote
him with remorse and