painting；　and　a　natural　and　faultless　taste　in　dress。
  The　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn　was　engaged　in　a　characteristic　hearty　parting
  with　one　of　his　latest　converts；　upon　his　own　doorstep；　with
  admirable　al　fresco　effect。　　He　had　just　clapped　him　on　the
  shoulder。　　〃Good…by；　good…by；　Charley；　my　boy；　and　keep　in　the
  right　path；　not　up；　or　down；　or　round　the　gulch；　you　knowha；
  ha！but　straight　across　lots　to　the　shining　gate。〃　　He　had
  raised　his　voice　under　the　stimulus　of　a　few　admiring　spectators；
  and　backed　his　convert　playfully　against　the　wall。　　〃You　see！
  we're　goin'　in　to　win；　you　bet。　　Good…by！　　I'd　ask　you　to　step　in
  and　have　a　chat；　but　I've　got　my　work　to　do；　and　so　have　you。
  The　gospel　mustn't　keep　us　from　that；　must　it；　Charley？　　Ha；　ha！〃
  The　convert　（who　elsewhere　was　a　profane　expressman；　and　had
  become　quite　imbecile　under　Mr。　Wynn's　active　heartiness　and
  brotherly　horse…play　before　spectators）　managed；　however；　to
  feebly　stammer　with　a　blush　something　about　〃Miss　Nellie。〃
  〃Ah；　Nellie。　　She；　too；　is　at　her　taskstrimming　her　lampyou
  know；　the　parable　of　the　wise　virgins；〃　continued　Father　Wynn
  hastily；　fearing　that　the　convert　might　take　the　illustration
  literally。　　〃There；　theregood…by。　　Keep　in　the　right　path。〃
  And　with　a　parting　shove　he　dismissed　Charley　and　entered　his　own
  house。
  That　〃wise　virgin；〃　Nellie；　had　evidently　finished　with　the　lamp；
  and　was　now　going　out　to　meet　the　bridegroom；　as　she　was　fully
  dressed　and　gloved；　and　had　a　pink　parasol　in　her　hand；　as　her
  father　entered　the　sitting…room。　　His　bluff　heartiness　seemed　to
  fade　away　as　he　removed　his　soft；　broad…brimmed　hat　and　glanced
  across　the　too　fresh…looking　apartment。　　There　was　a　smell　of
  mortar　still　in　the　air；　and　a　faint　suggestion　that　at　any
  moment　green　grass　might　appear　between　the　interstices　of　the
  red…brick　hearth。　　The　room；　yielding　a　little　in　the　point　of
  coldness；　seemed　to　share　Miss　Nellie's　fresh　virginity；　and；
  barring　the　pink　parasol；　set　her　off　as　in　a　vestal's　cell。
  〃I　supposed　you　wouldn't　care　to　see　Brace；　the　expressman；　so　I
  got　rid　of　him　at　the　door；〃　said　her　father；　drawing　one　of　the
  new　chairs　towards　him　slowly；　and　sitting　down　carefully；　as　if
  it　were　a　hitherto　untried　experiment。
  Miss　Nellie's　face　took　a　tint　of　interest。　　〃Then　he　doesn't　go
  with　the　coach　to　Indian　Spring　to…day？〃
  〃No；　why？〃
  〃I　thought　of　going　over　myself　to　get　the　Burnham　girls　to　come
  to　choir…meeting；〃　replied　Miss　Nellie　carelessly；　〃and　he　might
  have　been　company。〃
  〃He'd　go　now；　if　he　knew　you　were　going；〃　said　her　father；　〃but
  it's　just　as　well　he　shouldn't　be　needlessly　encouraged。　　I
  rather　think　that　Sheriff　Dunn　is　a　little　jealous　of　him。　　By
  the　way；　the　sheriff　is　much　better。　　I　called　to　cheer　him　up
  to…day〃　（Mr。　Wynn　had　in　fact　tumultuously　accelerated　the　sick
  man's　pulse）；　〃and　he　talked　of　you；　as　usual。　　In　fact；　he　said
  he　had　only　two　things　to　get　well　for。　　One　was　to　catch　and
  hang　that　woman　Teresa；　who　shot　him；　the　othercan't　you　guess
  the　other？〃　he　added　archly；　with　a　faint　suggestion　of　his　other
  manner。
  Miss　Nellie　coldly　could　not。
  The　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn's　archness　vanished。　　〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　he
  said　dryly。　　〃He　wants　to　marry　you；　and　you　know　it。〃
  〃Most　of　the　men　here　do；〃　responded　Miss　Nellie；　without　the
  least　trace　of　coquetry。　　〃Is　the　wedding　or　the　hanging　to　take
  place　first；　or　together；　so　he　can　officiate　at　both？〃
  〃His　share　in　the　Union　Ditch　is　worth　a　hundred　thousand
  dollars；〃　continued　her　father；　〃and　if　he　isn't　nominated　for
  district　judge　this　fall；　he's　bound　to　go　to　the　legislature；
  anyway。　　I　don't　think　a　girl　with　your　advantages　and　education
  can　afford　to　throw　away　the　chance　of　shining　in　Sacramento；　San
  Francisco；　or；　in　good　time；　perhaps　even　Washington。〃
  Miss　Nellie's　eyes　did　not　reflect　entire　disapproval　of　this
  suggestion；　although　she　replied　with　something　of　her　father's
  practical　quality。
  〃Mr。　Dunn　is　not　out　of　his　bed　yet；　and　they　say　Teresa's　got
  away　to　Arizona；　so　there　isn't　any　particular　hurry。〃
  〃Perhaps　not；　but　see　here；　Nellie；　I've　some　important　news　for
  you。　　You　know　your　young　friend　of　the　Carquinez　WoodsDorman；
  the　botanist；　eh？　　Well；　Brace　knows　all　about　him。　　And　what　do
  you　think　he　is？〃
  Miss　Nellie　took　upon　herself　a　few　extra　degrees　of　cold；　and
  didn't　know。
  〃An　Injin！　　Yes；　an　out…and…out　Cherokee。　　You　see　he　calls
  himself　DormanLow　Dorman。　　That's　only　French　for　'Sleeping
  Water；'　his　Injin　name！'Low　Dorman。'〃
  〃You　mean　'L'Eau　Dormante；'〃　said　Nellie。
  〃That's　what　I　said。　　The　chief　called　him　'Sleeping　Water'　when
  he　was　a　boy；　and　one　of　them　French　Canadian　trappers　translated
  it　into　French　when　he　brought　him　to　California　to　school。　　But
  he's　an　Injin；　sure。　　No　wonder　he　prefers　to　live　in　the　woods。〃
  〃Well？〃　said　Nellie。
  〃Well；〃　echoed　her　father　impatiently；　〃he's　an　Injin；　I　tell
  you；　and　you　can't　of　course　have　anything　to　do　with　him。　　He
  mustn't　come　here　again。〃
  〃But　you　forget；〃　said　Nellie　imperturbably；　〃that　it　was　you　who
  invited　him　here；　and　were　so　much　exercised　over　him。　　You
  remember　you　introduced　him　to　the　Bishop　and　those　Eastern
  clergymen　as　a　magnificent　specimen　of　a　young　Californian。　　You
  forget　what　an　occasion　you　made　of　his　coming　to　church　on
  Sunday；　and　how　you　made　him　come　in　his　buckskin　shirt　and　walk
  down　the　street　with　you　after　service！〃
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn；　hurriedly。
  〃And；〃　continued　Nellie　carelessly；　〃how　you　made　us　sing　out　of
  the　same　book　'Children　of　our　Father's　Fold；'　and　how　you
  preached　at　him　until　he　actually　got　a　color！〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　〃but　it　wasn't　known　then　he　was　an
  Injin；　and　they　are　frightfully　unpopular　with　those　Southwestern
  men　among　whom　we　labor。　　Indeed；　I　am　quite　convinced　that　when
  Brace　said　'the　only　good　Indian　was　a　dead　one'　his　expression；
  though　extravagant；　perhaps；　really　voiced　the　sentiments　of　the
  majority。　　It　would　be　only　kindness　to　the　unfortunate　creature
  to　warn　him　from　exposing　himself　to　their　rude　but　conscientious
  antagonism。〃
  〃Perhaps　you'd　better　tell　him；　then；　in　your　own　popular　way；
  which　they　all　seem　to　understand　so　well；〃　responded　the
  daughter。　　Mr。　Wynn　cast　a　quick　glance　at　her；　but　there　was　no
  trace　of　irony　in　her　facenothing　but　a　half…bored　indifference
  as　she　walked　toward　the　window。
  〃I　will　go　with　you　to　the　coach…office；〃　said　her　father；　who
  generally　gave　these　simple　paternal　duties　the　pronounced
  character　of　a　public　Christian　example。
  〃It's　hardly　worth　while；〃　replied　Miss　Nellie。　　〃I've　to　stop　at
  the　Watsons'；　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　and　ask　after　the　baby；　so
  I　shall　go　on　to　the　Crossing　and　pick　up　the　coach　when　it
  passes。　　Good…by。〃
  Nevertheless；　as　soon　as　Nellie　had　departed；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn
  proceeded　to　the　coach…office；　and　publicly　grasping　the　hand　of
  Yuba　Bill；　the　driver；　commended　his　daughter　to　his　care　in　the
  name　of　the　universal　brotherhood　of　man　and　the　Christian
  fraternity。　　Carried　away　by　his　heartiness；　he　forgot　his
  previous　caution；　and　confided　to　the　expressman　Miss　Nellie's
  regrets　that　she　was　not　to　have　that　gentleman's　company。　　The
  result　was　that　Miss　Nellie　found　the　coach　with　its　passengers
  awaiting　her　with　uplifted　hats　and　wreathed　smiles　at　the
  Crossing；　and　the　box　seat　（from　which　an　unfortunate　stranger；
  who　had　expensively　paid　for　it；　had　been　summarily　ejected）　at
  her　service　beside　Yuba　Bill；　who　had　thrown　away　his　cigar　and
  donned　a　new　pair　of　buckskin　gloves　to　do　her　honor。　　But　a　more
  serious　result　to　the　young　beauty　was　the　effect　of　the　Rev。　Mr。
  Wynn's　confidences　upon　the　impulsive　heart　of　Jack　Brace；　the
  expressman。　　It　has　been　already　intimated　that　it　was　his　〃day
  off。〃　　Unable　to　summarily　reassume　his　usual　functions　beside
  the　driver　without　some　practical　reason；　and　ashamed　to　go　so
  palpably　as　a　mere　passenger；　he　was　forced　to　let　the　coach
  proceed　without　him。　　Discomfited　for　the　moment；　he　was　not；
  however；　beaten。　　He　had　lost　the　blissful　journey　by　her　side；
  which　would　have　been　his　professional　right；　butshe　was　going
  to　Indian　Spring！　could　he　not　anticipate　her　there？　　Might　they
  not　meet　in　the　most　accidental　manner？　　And　what　might　not　come
  from　that　meeting　away　from　the　prying　eyes　of　their　own　town？
  Mr。　Brace　did　not　hesitate；　but　saddling　his　fleet　Buckskin；　by
  the　time　the　stage…coach　had　passed　the　Crossing　in　the　high…road
  he　had　mounted　the　hill　and　was　dashing　along　the　〃cutoff〃　in　the
  same　direction；　a　full　mile　in　advance。　　Arriving　at　Indian
  Spring；　he　left　his　horse　at　a　Mexican　posada　on　the　confines　of
  the　settlement；　and　from　the　piled　debris　of　a　tunnel　excavation
  awaited　the　slow　arrival　of　the　coach。　　On　mature　reflection　he
  could　give　no　reason　why　he　had　not　boldly　awaited　it　at　the
  express　office；　except　a　certain　bashful　consciousness　of　his　own
  folly；　and　a　belief　that　it　might　be　glaringly　apparent　to　the
  bystanders。　　When　the　coach　arrived　and　he　had　overcome　this
  consciousness；　it　was　too　late。　　Yuba　Bill　had　discharged　his
  passengers　for　Indian　Spring　and　driven