concern　of　masculine　Excelsior　in　the　charms　of　womankind。　　The
  few　female　figures　about　at　that　hour；　or　visible　at　window　or
  veranda；　received　his　marked　attention；　he　respectfully　followed
  the　two　auburn…haired　daughters　of　Deacon　Johnson　on　their　way　to
  choir　meeting　to　the　door　of　the　church。　　Not　content　with　that
  act　of　discreet　gallantry；　after　they　had　entered　he　managed　to
  slip　unperceived　behind　them。
  The　memorial　of　the　Excelsior　gamblers'　generosity　was　a　modern
  building；　large　and　pretentious；　for　even　Mr。　Wynn's　popularity；
  and　had　been　good…humoredly　known；　in　the　characteristic　language
  of　the　generous　donors；　as　one　of　the　〃biggest　religious　bluffs〃
  on　record。　　Its　groined　rafters；　which　were　so　new　and　spicy　that
  they　still　suggested　their　native　forest　aisles；　seldom　covered
  more　than　a　hundred　devotees；　and　in　the　rambling　choir；　with　its
  bare　space　for　the　future　organ；　the　few　choristers；　gathered
  round　a　small　harmonium；　were　lost　in　the　deepening　shadow　of
  that　summer　evening。　　The　muleteer　remained　hidden　in　the
  obscurity　of　the　vestibule。　　After　a　few　moments'　desultory
  conversation；　in　which　it　appeared　that　the　unexpected　absence　of
  Miss　Nellie　Wynn；　their　leader；　would　prevent　their　practicing；
  the　choristers　withdrew。　　The　stranger；　who　had　listened　eagerly；
  drew　back　in　the　darkness　as　they　passed　out；　and　remained　for　a
  few　moments　a　vague　and　motionless　figure　in　the　silent　church。
  Then　coming　cautiously　to　the　window；　the　flapping　broad…brimmed
  hat　was　put　aside；　and　the　faint　light　of　the　dying　day　shone　in
  the　black　eyes　of　Teresa！　　Despite　her　face；　darkened　with　dye
  and　disfigured　with　dust；　the　matted　hair　piled　and　twisted
  around　her　head；　the　strange　dress　and　boyish　figure；　one　swift
  glance　from　under　her　raised　lashes　betrayed　her　identity。
  She　turned　aside　mechanically　into　the　first　pew；　picked　up　and
  opened　a　hymn…book。　　Her　eyes　became　riveted　on　a　name　written　on
  the　title…page；　〃Nellie　Wynn。〃　　HER　name；　and　HER　book。　　The
  instinct　that　had　guided　her　here　was　right；　the　slight　gossip　of
  her　fellow…passengers　was　right；　this　was　the　clergyman's
  daughter；　whose　praise　filled　all　mouths。　　This　was　the　unknown
  girl　the　stranger　was　seeking；　but　who　in　turn　perhaps　had　been
  seeking　Lowthe　girl　who　absorbed　his　fancythe　secret　of　his
  absences；　his　preoccupation；　his　coldness！　　This　was　the　girl
  whom　to　see；　perhaps　in　his　arms；　she　was　now　periling　her
  liberty　and　her　life　unknown　to　him！　　A　slight　odor；　some　faint
  perfume　of　its　owner；　came　from　the　book；　it　was　the　same　she　had
  noticed　in　the　dress　Low　had　given　her。　　She　flung　the　volume　to
  the　ground；　and；　throwing　her　arms　over　the　back　of　the　pew
  before　her；　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。
  In　that　light　and　attitude　she　might　have　seemed　some　rapt
  acolyte　abandoned　to　self…communion。　　But　whatever　yearning　her
  soul　might　have　had　for　higher　sympathy　or　deeper　consolation；　I
  fear　that　the　spiritual　Tabernacle　of　Excelsior　and　the　Reverend
  Mr。　Wynn　did　not　meet　that　requirement。　　She　only　felt　the　dry；
  oven…like　heat　of　that　vast　shell；　empty　of　sentiment　and　beauty；
  hollow　in　its　pretense　and　dreary　in　its　desolation。　　She　only
  saw　in　it　a　chief　altar　for　the　glorification　of　this　girl　who
  had　absorbed　even　the　pure　worship　of　her　companion；　and
  converted　and　degraded　his　sublime　paganism　to　her　petty　creed。
  With　a　woman's　withering　contempt　for　her　own　art　displayed　in
  another　woman；　she　thought　how　she　herself　could　have　touched　him
  with　the　peace　that　the　majesty　of　their　woodland　aislesso
  unlike　this　pillared　shamhad　taught　her　own　passionate　heart；
  had　she　but　dared。　　Mingling　with　this　imperfect　theology；　she
  felt　she　could　have　proved　to　him　also　that　a　brunette　and　a
  woman　of　her　experience　was　better　than　an　immature　blonde。　　She
  began　to　loathe　herself　for　coming　hither；　and　dreaded　to　meet
  his　face。　　Here　a　sudden　thought　struck　her。　　What　if　he　had　not
  come　here？　　What　if　she　had　been　mistaken？　　What　if　her　rash
  interpretation　of　his　absence　from　the　wood　that　night　was　simple
  madness？　　What　if　he　should　returnif　he　had　already　returned？
  She　rose　to　her　feet；　whitening　yet　joyful　with　the　thought。　　She
  could　return　at　once；　what　was　the　girl　to　her　now？　　Yet　there
  was　time　to　satisfy　herself　if　he　were　at　HER　house。　　She　had
  been　told　where　it　was；　she　could　find　it　in　the　dark；　an　open
  door　or　window　would　betray　some　sign　or　sound　of　the　occupants。
  She　rose；　replaced　her　hat　over　her　eyes；　knotted　her　flaunting
  scarf　around　her　throat；　groped　her　way　to　the　door；　and　glided
  into　the　outer　darkness。
  CHAPTER　VII
  It　was　quite　dark　when　Mr。　Jack　Brace　stopped　before　Father
  Wynn's　open　door。　　The　windows　were　also　invitingly　open　to　the
  wayfarer；　as　were　the　pastoral　counsels　of　Father　Wynn；　delivered
  to　some　favored　guest　within；　in　a　tone　of　voice　loud　enough　for
  a　pulpit。　　Jack　Brace　paused。　　The　visitor　was　the　convalescent
  sheriff；　Jim　Dunn；　who　had　publicly　commemorated　his　recovery　by
  making　his　first　call　upon　the　father　of　his　inamorata。　　The
  Reverend　Mr。　Wynn　had　been　expatiating　upon　the　unremitting　heat
  of　a　possible　precursor　of　forest　fires；　and　exhibiting　some
  catholic　knowledge　of　the　designs　of　a　Deity　in　that　regard；　and
  what　should　be　the　policy　of　the　Legislature；　when　Mr。　Brace
  concluded　to　enter。　　Mr。　Wynn　and　the　wounded　man；　who　occupied
  an　arm…chair　by　the　window；　were　the　only　occupants　of　the　room。
  But　in　spite　of　the　former's　ostentatious　greeting；　Brace　could
  see　that　his　visit　was　inopportune　and　unwelcome。　　The　sheriff
  nodded　a　quick；　impatient　recognition；　which；　had　it　not　been
  accompanied　by　an　anathema　on　the　heat；　might　have　been　taken　as
  a　personal　insult。　　Neither　spoke　of　Miss　Nellie；　although　it　was
  patent　to　Brace　that　they　were　momentarily　expecting　her。　　All　of
  which　went　far　to　strengthen　a　certain　wavering　purpose　in　his
  mind。
  〃Ah；　ha！　strong　language；　Mr。　Dunn；〃　said　Father　Wynn；　referring
  to　the　sheriff's　adjuration；　〃but　'out　of　the　fullness　of　the
  heart　the　mouth　speaketh。'　　Job；　sir；　cursed；　we　are　told；　and
  even　expressed　himself　in　vigorous　Hebrew　regarding　his　birthday。
  Ha；　ha！　　I'm　not　opposed　to　that。　　When　I　have　often　wrestled
  with　the　spirit　I　confess　I　have　sometimes　said；　'Dn　you。'
  Yes；　sir；　'Dn　you。'〃
  There　was　something　so　unutterably　vile　in　the　reverend
  gentleman's　utterance　and　emphasis　of　this　oath　that　the　two　men；
  albeit　both　easy　and　facile　blasphemers；　felt　shocked；　as　the
  purest　of　actresses　is　apt　to　overdo　the　rakishness　of　a　gay
  Lothario；　Father　Wynn's　immaculate　conception　of　an　imprecation
  was　something　terrible。　　But　he　added；　〃The　law　ought　to
  interfere　with　the　reckless　use　of　camp…fires　in　the　woods　in
  such　weather　by　packers　and　prospectors。〃
  〃It　isn't　so　much　the　work　of　white　men；〃　broke　in　Brace；　〃as　it
  is　of　Greasers；　Chinamen；　and　Diggers；　especially　Diggers。
  There's　that　blasted　Low；　ranges　the　whole　Carquinez　Woods　as　if
  they　were　his。　　I　reckon　he　ain't　particular　just　where　he　throws
  his　matches。〃
  〃But　he's　not　a　Digger；　he's　a　Cherokee；　and　only　a　half…breed　at
  that；〃　interpolated　Wynn。　　〃Unless；〃　he　added；　with　the　artful
  suggestion　of　the　betrayed　trust　of　a　too　credulous　Christian；
  〃he　deceived　me　in　this　as　in　other　things。〃
  In　what　other　things　Low　had　deceived　him　he　did　not　say；　but；　to
  the　astonishment　of　both　men；　Dunn　growled　a　dissent　to　Brace's
  proposition。　　Either　from　some　secret　irritation　with　that
  possible　rival；　or　impatience　at　the　prolonged　absence　of　Nellie；
  he　had　〃had　enough　of　that　sort　of　hog…wash　ladled　out　to　him　for
  genuine　liquor。〃　　As　to　the　Carquinez　Woods；　he　＇Dunn＇　〃didn't
  know　why　Low　hadn't　as　much　right　there　as　if　he'd　grabbed　it
  under　a　preemption　law　and　didn't　live　there。〃　　With　this　hint　at
  certain　speculations　of　Father　Wynn　in　public　lands　for　a
  homestead；　he　added　that　〃If　they　＇Brace　and　Wynn＇　could　bring
  him　along　any　older　American　settler　than　an　Indian；　they　might
  rake　down　his　＇Dunn's＇　pile。〃　　Unprepared　for　this　turn　in　the
  conversation；　Wynn　hastened　to　explain　that　he　did　not　refer　to
  the　pure　aborigine；　whose　gradual　extinction　no　one　regretted
  more　than　himself；　but　to　the　mongrel；　who　inherited　only　the
  vices　of　civilization。　　〃There　should　be　a　law；　sir；　against　the
  mingling　of　races。　　There　are　men；　sir；　who　violate　the　laws　of
  the　Most　High　by　living　with　Indian　womensquaw　men；　sir；　as
  they　are　called。〃
  Dunn　rose　with　a　face　livid　with　weakness　and　passion。　　〃Who
  dares　say　that？　　They　are　a　dd　sight　better　than　sneaking
  Northern　Abolitionists；　who　married　their　daughters　to　buck
  niggers　like〃　　But　a　spasm　of　pain　withheld　this　Parthian　shot
  at　the　politics　of　his　two　companions；　and　he　sank　back
  helplessly　in　his　chair。
  An　awkward　silence　ensued。　　The　three　men　looked　at　each　other　in
  embarrassment　and　confusion。　　Dunn　felt　that　he　had　given　way　to
  a　gratuitous　passion；　Wynn　had　a　vague　presentiment　that　he　had
  said　something　that　imperiled　his　daughter's　prospects；　and　Brace
  was　divided　between　an　angry　retort　and　the　secret　purpose
  already　alluded　to。
  〃It's　all　the　blasted　heat；〃　said　Dunn；　with　a　forced　sm