〃A　poor　man　who　has　kept　my　secret；〃　she　went　on　hurriedly〃a
  man　as　friendless　and　lonely　as　myself。　　Yes；〃　disregarding
  Curson's　cynical　smile；　〃a　man　who　has　shared　everything〃
  〃Naturally；〃　suggested　Curson。
  〃And　turned　himself　out　of　his　only　shelter　to　give　me　a　roof　and
  covering；〃　she　continued　mechanically；　struggling　with　the　new
  and　horrible　fancy　that　his　words　awakened。
  〃And　thlept　every　night　at　Indian　Thpring　to　save　your　reputation；〃
  said　Curson。　　〃Of　courthe。〃
  Teresa　turned　very　white。　　Curson　was　prepared　for　an　outburst　of
  furyperhaps　even　another　attack。　　But　the　crushed　and　beaten
  woman　only　gazed　at　him　with　frightened　and　imploring　eyes。　　〃For
  God's　sake；　Dick；　don't　say　that！〃
  The　amiable　cynic　was　staggered。　　His　good…humor　and　a　certain
  chivalrous　instinct　he　could　not　repress　got　the　better　of　him。
  He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃What　I　thay；　and　what　you　DO；
  Teretha；　needn't　make　us　quarrel。　　I've　no　claim　on　youI　know
  it。　　Only〃　a　vivid　sense　of　the　ridiculous；　powerful　in　men　of
  his　stamp；　completed　her　victory〃only　don't　thay　anything　about
  my　coming　down　here　to　cut　you　out　from　thetheTHE　SHERIFF。〃
  He　gave　utterance　to　a　short　but　unaffected　laugh；　made　a　slight
  grimace；　and　turned　to　go。
  Teresa　did　not　join　in　his　mirth。　　Awkward　as　it　would　have　been
  if　he　had　taken　a　severer　view　of　the　subject；　she　was　mortified
  even　amidst　her　fears　and　embarrassment　at　his　levity。　　Just　as
  she　had　become　convinced　that　his　jealousy　had　made　her　over…
  conscious；　his　apparent　good…humored　indifference　gave　that　over…
  consciousness　a　guilty　significance。　　Yet　this　was　lost　in　her
  sudden　alarm　as　her　companion；　looking　up；　uttered　an
  exclamation；　and　placed　his　hand　upon　his　revolver。　　With　a
  sinking　conviction　that　the　climax　had　come；　Teresa　turned　her
  eyes。　　From　the　dim　aisles　beyond；　Low　was　approaching。　　The
  catastrophe　seemed　complete。
  She　had　barely　time　to　utter　an　imploring　whisper：　〃In　the　name
  of　God；　not　a　word　to　him。〃　　But　a　change　had　already　come　over
  her　companion。　　It　was　no　longer　a　parley　with　a　foolish　woman；
  he　had　to　deal　with　a　man　like　himself。　　As　Low's　dark　face　and
  picturesque　figure　came　nearer；　Mr。　Curson's　proposed　method　of
  dealing　with　him　was　made　audible。
  〃Ith　it　a　mulatto　or　a　Thircuth；　or　both？〃　he　asked；　with
  affected　anxiety。
  Low's　Indian　phlegm　was　impervious　to　such　assault。　　He　turned　to
  Teresa；　without　apparently　noticing　her　companion。　　〃I　turned
  back；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃as　soon　as　I　knew　there　were　strangers
  here；　I　thought　you　might　need　me。〃　　She　noticed　for　the　first
  time　that；　in　addition　to　his　rifle；　he　carried　a　revolver　and
  hunting　knife　in　his　belt。
  〃Yeth；〃　returned　Curson；　with　an　ineffectual　attempt　to　imitate
  Low's　phlegm；　〃but　ath　I　didn't　happen　to　be　a　sthranger　to　this
  lady；　perhaps　it　wathn't　nethethary；　particularly　ath　I　had　two
  friends〃
  〃Waiting　at　the　edge　of　the　wood　with　a　led　horse；〃　interrupted
  Low；　without　addressing　him；　but　apparently　continuing　his
  explanation　to　Teresa。　　But　she　turned　to　Low　with　feverish
  anxiety。
  〃That's　sohe　is　an　old　friend〃　she　gave　a　quick；　imploring
  glance　at　Curson〃an　old　friend　who　came　to　help　me　awayhe　is
  very　kind；〃　she　stammered；　turning　alternately　from　the　one　to
  the　other；　〃but　I　told　him　there　was　no　hurryat　least　to…day
  that　youwerevery　goodtoo；　and　would　hide　me　a　little
  longer；　until　your　planyou　know　YOUR　plan；〃　she　added；　with　a
  look　of　beseeching　significance　to　Low〃could　be　tried。〃　　And
  then；　with　a　helpless　conviction　that　her　excuses；　motives；　and
  emotions　were　equally　and　perfectly　transparent　to　both　men；　she
  stopped　in　a　tremble。
  〃Perhapth　it　'th　jutht　ath　well；　then；　that　the　gentleman　came
  thtraight　here；　and　didn't　tackle　my　two　friendth　when　he　pathed
  them；〃　observed　Curson；　half　sarcastically。
  〃I　have　not　passed　your　friends；　nor　have　I　been　near　them；〃　said
  Low；　looking　at　him　for　the　first　time；　with　the　same
  exasperating　calm；　〃or　perhaps　I　should　not　be　HERE　or　they
  THERE。　　I　knew　that　one　man　entered　the　wood　a　few　moments　ago；
  and　that　two　men　and　four　horses　remained　outside。〃
  〃That's　true；〃　said　Teresa　to　Curson　excitedly〃that's　true。　　He
  knows　all。　　He　can　see　without　looking；　hear　without　listening。
  Hehe〃　she　stammered；　colored；　and　stopped。
  The　two　men　had　faced　each　other。　　Curson；　after　his　first　good…
  natured　impulse；　had　retained　no　wish　to　regain　Teresa；　whom　he
  felt　he　no　longer　loved；　and　yet　who；　for　that　very　reason
  perhaps；　had　awakened　his　chivalrous　instincts。　　Low；　equally　on
  his　side；　was　altogether　unconscious　of　any　feeling　which　might
  grow　into　a　passion；　and　prevent　him　from　letting　her　go　with
  another　if　for　her　own　safety。　　They　were　both　men　of　a　certain
  taste　and　refinement。　　Yet；　in　spite　of　all　this；　some　vague
  instinct　of　the　baser　male　animal　remained　with　them；　and　they
  were　moved　to　a　mutually　aggressive　attitude　in　the　presence　of
  the　female。
  One　word　more；　and　the　opening　chapter　of　a　sylvan　Iliad　might
  have　begun。　　But　this　modern　Helen　saw　it　coming；　and　arrested　it
  with　an　inspiration　of　feminine　genius。　　Without　being　observed；
  she　disengaged　her　knife　from　her　bosom　and　let　it　fall　as　if　by
  accident。　　It　struck　the　ground　with　the　point　of　its　keen　blade；
  bounded　and　rolled　between　them。　　The　two　men　started　and　looked
  at　each　other　with　a　foolish　air。　　Curson　laughed。
  〃I　reckon　she　can　take　care　of　herthelf；〃　he　said；　extending　his
  hand　to　Low。　　〃I'm　off。　　But　if　I'm　wanted　SHE'LL　know　where　to
  find　me。〃　　Low　took　the　proffered　hand；　but　neither　of　the　two
  men　looked　at　Teresa。　　The　reserve　of　antagonism　once　broken；　a
  few　words　of　caution；　advice；　and　encouragement　passed　between
  them；　in　apparent　obliviousness　of　her　presence　or　her　personal
  responsibility。　　As　Curson　at　last　nodded　a　farewell　to　her；　Low
  insisted　upon　accompanying　him　as　far　as　the　horses；　and　in
  another　moment　she　was　again　alone。
  She　had　saved　a　quarrel　between　them　at　the　sacrifice　of　herself；
  for　her　vanity　was　still　keen　enough　to　feel　that　this　exhibition
  of　her　old　weakness　had　degraded　her　in　their　eyes；　and；　worse；
  had　lost　the　respect　her　late　restraint　had　won　from　Low。　　They
  had　treated　her　like　a　child　or　a　crazy　woman；　perhaps　even　now
  were　exchanging　criticisms　upon　herperhaps　pitying　her！　　Yet
  she　had　prevented　a　quarrel；　a　fight；　possibly　the　death　of
  either　one　or　the　other　of　these　men　who　despised　her；　for　none
  better　knew　than　she　the　trivial　beginning　and　desperate　end　of
  these　encounters。　　Would　theywould　Low　ever　realize　it；　and
  forgive　her？　　Her　small；　dark　hands　went　up　to　her　eyes　and　she
  sank　upon　the　ground。　　She　looked　through　tear…veiled　lashes　upon
  the　mute　and　giant　witnesses　of　her　deceit　and　passion；　and　tried
  to　draw；　from　their　immovable　calm；　strength　and　consolation　as
  before。　　But　even　they　seemed　to　stand　apart；　reserved　and　forbidding。
  When　Low　returned　she　hoped　to　gather　from　his　eyes　and　manner
  what　had　passed　between　him　and　her　former　lover。　　But　beyond　a
  mere　gentle　abstraction　at　times　he　retained　his　usual　calm。　　She
  was　at　last　forced　to　allude　to　it　herself　with　simulated
  recklessness。
  〃I　suppose　I　didn't　get　a　very　good　character　from　my　last
  place？〃　she　said；　with　a　laugh。
  〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　he　replied；　in　evident　sincerity。
  She　bit　her　lip　and　was　silent。　　But　as　they　were　returning　home；
  she　said　gently；　〃I　hope　you　were　not　angry　with　me　for　the　lie　I
  told　when　I　spoke　of　'your　plan。'　　I　could　not　give　the　real
  reason　for　not　returning　withwiththat　man。　　But　it's　not　all
  a　lie。　　I　have　a　planif　you　haven't。　　When　you　are　ready　to　go
  to　Sacramento　to　take　your　place；　dress　me　as　an　Indian　boy；
  paint　my　face；　and　let　me　go　with　you。　　You　can　leave　methere
  you　know。〃
  〃It's　not　a　bad　idea；〃　he　responded　gravely。　　〃We　will　see。〃
  On　the　next　day；　and　the　next；　the　rencontre　seemed　to　be
  forgotten。　　The　herbarium　was　already　filled　with　rare　specimens。
  Teresa　had　even　overcome　her　feminine　repugnance　to　〃bugs〃　and
  creeping　things　so　far　as　to　assist　in　his　entomological
  collection。　　He　had　drawn　from　a　sacred　cache　in　the　hollow　of　a
  tree　the　few　worn　text…books　from　which　he　had　studied。
  〃They　seem　very　precious；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile。
  〃Very；〃　he　replied　gravely。　　〃There　was　one　with　plates　that　the
  ants　ate　up；　and　it　will　be　six　months　before　I　can　afford　to　buy
  another。〃
  Teresa　glanced　hurriedly　over　his　well…worn　buckskin　suit；　at　his
  calico　shirt　with　its　pattern　almost　obliterated　by　countless
  washings；　and　became　thoughtful。
  〃I　suppose　you　couldn't　buy　one　at　Indian　Spring？〃　she　said
  innocently。
  For　once　Low　was　startled　out　of　his　phlegm。　　〃Indian　Spring！〃　he
  ejaculated；　〃perhaps　not　even　in　San　Francisco。　　These　came　from
  the　States。〃
  〃How　did　you　get　them？〃　persisted　Teresa。
  〃I　bought　them　for　skins　I　got　over　the　ridge。〃
  〃I　didn't　mean　thatbut　no　matter。　　Then　you　mean　to　sell　that
  bearskin；　don't　you？〃　she　added。
  Low　had；　in　fact；　already　sold　it；　the　proceeds　having　been
  invested　in　a　gold　ring　for　Miss　Nellie；　which　she　scrupulously
  did　not　wear　except　in　his　presence。　　In　his　singular
  truth