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day on the trail makes you all right again。〃
But Miss Nellie seemed to be thinking of something else。
〃Is that the way the squaws bathe and dry themselves？〃
〃I don't know； you forget I was a boy when I left them。〃
〃And you're sure you never knew any？〃
〃None。〃
The young girl seemed to derive some satisfaction in moving her feet
up and down for several minutes among the grasses in the hollow； then；
after a pause； said； 〃You are quite certain I am the first woman that ever
touched this spring？〃
〃Not only the first woman； but the first human being； except myself。〃
〃How nice！〃
They had taken each other's hands； seated side by side； they leaned
against a curving elastic root that half supported； half encompassed； them。
The girl's capricious； fitful manner succumbed as before to the near
contact of her companion。 Looking into her eyes； Low fell into a sweet；
selfish lover's monologue； descriptive of his past and present feelings
towards her； which she accepted with a heightened color； a slight exchange
of sentiment； and a strange curiosity。 The sun had painted their half…
embraced silhouettes against the slanting tree…trunk； and began to decline
unnoticed； the ripple of the water mingling with their whispers came as
one sound to the listening ear； even their eloquent silences were as deep；
and； I wot； perhaps as dangerous； as the darkened pool that filled so
noiselessly a dozen yards away。 So quiet were they that the tremor of
invading wings once or twice shook the silence； or the quick scamper of
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frightened feet rustled the dead grass。 But in the midst of a prolonged
stillness the young man sprang up so suddenly that Nellie was still half
clinging to his neck as he stood erect。 〃Hush！〃 he whispered； 〃some one
is near！〃
He disengaged her anxious hands gently； leaped upon the slanting tree…
trunk； and running half…way up its incline with the agility of a squirrel；
stretched himself at full length upon it and listened。
To the impatient； inexplicably startled girl； it seemed an age before he
rejoined her。
〃You are safe；〃 he said； 〃he is going by the western trail towards
Indian Spring。〃
〃Who is HE？〃 she asked； biting her lips with a poorly restrained
gesture of mortification and disappointment。
〃Some stranger；〃 replied Low。
〃As long as he wasn't coming here； why did you give me such a
fright？〃 she said pettishly。 〃Are you nervous because a single wayfarer
happens to stray here？〃
〃It was no wayfarer； for he tried to keep near the trail；〃 said Low。
〃He was a stranger to the wood； for he lost his way every now and then。
He was seeking or expecting some one； for he stopped frequently and
waited or listened。 He had not walked far； for he wore spurs that tinkled
and caught in the brush； and yet he had not ridden here； for no horse's
hoofs passed the road since we have been here。 He must have come from
Indian Spring。〃
〃And you heard all that when you listened just now？〃 asked Nellie；
half disdainfully。
Impervious to her incredulity Low turned his calm eyes on her face。
〃Certainly； I'll bet my life on what I say。 Tell me： do you know anybody
in Indian Spring who would likely spy upon you？〃
The young girl was conscious of a certain ill…defined uneasiness； but
answered； 〃No。〃
〃Then it was not YOU he was seeking；〃 said Low thoughtfully。 Miss
Nellie had not time to notice the emphasis； for he added； 〃You must go at
once； and lest you have been followed I will show you another way back
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to Indian Spring。 It is longer； and you must hasten。 Take your shoes
and stockings with you until we are out of the bush。〃
He raised her again in his arms and strode once more out through the
covert into the dim aisles of the wood。 They spoke but little； she could
not help feeling that some other discordant element； affecting him more
strongly than it did her； had come between them； and was half perplexed
and half frightened。 At the end of ten minutes he seated her upon a fallen
branch； and telling her he would return by the time she had resumed her
shoes and stockings glided from her like a shadow。 She would have
uttered an indignant protest at being left alone； but he was gone ere she
could detain him。 For a moment she thought she hated him。 But when
she had mechanically shod herself once more； not without nervous shivers
at every falling needle； he was at her side。
〃Do you know anyone who wears a frieze coat like that？〃 he asked；
handing her a few torn shreds of wool affixed to a splinter of bark。
Miss Nellie instantly recognized the material of a certain sporting coat
worn by Mr。 Jack Brace on festive occasions； but a strange yet infallible
instinct that was part of her nature made her instantly disclaim all
knowledge of it。
〃No；〃 she said。
〃Not anyone who scents himself with some doctor's stuff like
cologne？〃 continued Low； with the disgust of keen olfactory sensibilities。
Again Miss Nellie recognized the perfume with which the gallant
expressman was wont to make redolent her little parlor； but again she
avowed no knowledge of its possessor。 〃Well；〃 returned Low with some
disappointment； 〃such a man has been here。 Be on your guard。 Let us
go at once。〃
She required no urging to hasten her steps； but hurried breathlessly at
his side。 He had taken a new trail by which they left the wood at right
angles with the highway； two miles away。 Following an almost effaced
mule track along a slight depression of the plain； deep enough； however； to
hide them from view； he accompanied her； until； rising to the level again；
she saw they were beginning to approach the highway and the distant
roofs of Indian Spring。 〃Nobody meeting you now；〃 he whispered；
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〃would suspect where you had been。 Good night！ until next week
remember。〃 They pressed each other's hands； and standing on the slight
ridge outlined against the paling sky； in full view of the highway； parting
carelessly； as if they had been chance met travelers。 But Nellie could not
restrain a parting backward glance as she left the ridge。 Low had
descended to the deserted trail； and was running swiftly in the direction of
the Carquinez Woods。
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CHAPTER IV
Teresa awoke with a start。 It was day already； but how far advanced
the even； unchanging； soft twilight of the woods gave no indication。 Her
companion had vanished； and to her bewildered senses so had the camp…
fire； even to its embers and ashes。 Was she awake； or had she wandered
away unconsciously in the night？ One glance at the tree above her
dissipated the fancy。 There was the opening of her quaint retreat and the
hanging strips of bark； and at the foot of the opposite tree lay the carcass
of the bear。 It had been skinned； and； as Teresa thought with an inward
shiver； already looked half its former size。
Not yet accustomed to the fact that a few steps in either direction
around the circumference of those great trunks produced the sudden
appearance or disappearance of any figure； Teresa uttered a slight scream
as her young companion unexpectedly stepped to her side。 〃You see a
change here；〃 he said； 〃the stamped…out ashes of the camp…fire lie under
the brush；〃 and he pointed to some cleverly scattered boughs and strips of
bark which completely effaced the traces of