按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Of course；〃 said Wynn hastily； 〃only it's a pity Nellie ain't here to
give you her smelling…salts。 She ought to be back now；〃 he added； no
longer mindful of Brace's presence； 〃the coach is over…due now； though I
reckon the heat made Yuba Bill take it easy at the up grade。〃
〃If you mean the coach from Indian Spring；〃 said Brace quietly； 〃it's in
already； but Miss Nellie didn't come on it。〃
〃May be she got out at the Crossing；〃 said Wynn cheerfully； 〃she
sometimes does。〃
〃She didn't take the coach at Indian Spring；〃 returned Brace； 〃because
I saw it leave； and passed it on Buckskin ten minutes ago； coming up the
hills。〃
〃She's stopped over at Burnham's；〃 said Wynn reflectively。 Then； in
response to the significant silence of his guests； he added； in a tone of
chagrin which his forced heartiness could not disguise； 〃Well； boys； it's a
disappointment all round； but we must take the lesson as it comes。 I'll go
over to the coach office and see if she's sent any word。 Make yourselves
at home until I return。〃
When the door had closed behind him； Brace arose and took his hat as
if to go。 With his hand on the lock； he turned to his rival； who； half
hidden in the gathering darkness； still seemed unable to comprehend his
ill…luck。
〃If you're waiting for that bald…headed fraud to come back with the
truth about his daughter；〃 said Brace coolly； 〃you'd better send for your
things and take up your lodgings here。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 said Dunn sternly。
〃I mean that she's not at the Burnhams'； I mean that he either does or
does not know WHERE she is； and that in either case he is not likely to
give you information。 But I can。〃
〃You can？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then； where is she？〃
〃In the Carquinez Woods； in the arms of the man you were just
67
… Page 68…
IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
defendingLow； the half…breed。〃
The room had become so dark that from the road nothing could be
distinguished。 Only the momentary sound of struggling feet was heard。
〃Sit down；〃 said Brace's voice； 〃and don't be a fool。 You're too weak；
and it ain't a fair fight。 Let go your hold。 I'm not lyingI wish to God I
was！〃
There was silence； and Brace resumed； 〃We've been rivals； I know。
May be I thought my chance as good as yours。 If what I say ain't truth；
we'll stand as we stood before； and if you're on the shoot； I'm your man
when you like； where you like； or on sight if you choose。 But I can't bear
to see another man played upon as I've been played upongiven dead
away as I've been。 It ain't on the square。
〃There；〃 he continued； after a pause； 〃that's right； now steady。 Listen。
A week ago that girl went down just like this to Indian Spring。 It was
given out； like this； that she went to the Burnhams'。 I don't mind saying；
Dunn； that I went down myself； all on the square； thinking I might get a
show to talk to her； just as YOU might have done； you know； if you had
my chance。 I didn't come across her anywhere。 But two men that I met
thought they recognized her in a disguise going into the woods。 Not
suspecting anything； I went after her； saw her at a distance in the middle
of the woods in another dress that I can swear to； and was just coming up
to her when she vanishedwent like a squirrel up a tree； or down like a
gopher in the ground； but vanished。〃
〃Is that all？〃 said Dunn's voice。 〃And just because you were a dd
fool； or had taken a little too much whisky； you thought〃
〃Steady。 That's just what I said to myself；〃 interrupted Brace coolly；
〃particularly when I saw her that same afternoon in another dress； saying
'Good…by' to the Burnhams； as fresh as a rose and as cold as those snow…
peaks。 Only one thingshe had a ring on her finger she never wore
before； and didn't expect me to see。〃
〃What if she did？ She might have bought it。 I reckon she hasn't to
consult you；〃 broke in Dunn's voice sternly。
〃She didn't buy it；〃 continued Brace quietly。 〃Low gave that Jew
trader a bearskin in exchange for it； and presented it to her。 I found that
68
… Page 69…
IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
out two days afterwards。 I found out that out of the whole afternoon she
spent less than an hour with the Burnhams。 I found out that she bought a
duster like the disguise the two men saw her in。 I found the yellow dress
she wore that day hanging up in Low's cabinthe place where I saw her
goTHE RENDEZVOUS WHERE SHE MEETS HIM。 Oh； you're
listenin'； are you？ Stop！ SIT DOWN！
〃I discovered it by accident；〃 continued the voice of Brace when all
was again quiet； 〃it was hidden as only a squirrel or an Injin can hide
when they improve upon nature。 When I was satisfied that the girl had
been in the woods； I was determined to find out where she vanished； and
went there again。 Prospecting around； I picked up at the foot of one of the
biggest trees this yer old memorandum…book； with grasses and herbs stuck
in it。 I remembered that I'd heard old Wynn say that Low； like the dd
Digger that he was； collected these herbs； only he pretended it was for
science。 I reckoned the book was his and that he mightn't be far away。 I
lay low and waited。 Bimeby I saw a lizard running down the root。
When he got sight of me he stopped。〃
〃Dn the lizard！ What's that got to do with where she is now？〃
〃Everything。 That lizard had a piece of sugar in his mouth。 Where
did it come from？ I made him drop it； and calculated he'd go back for
more。 He did。 He scooted up that tree and slipped in under some
hanging strips of bark。 I shoved 'em aside； and found an opening to the
hollow where they do their housekeeping。〃
〃But you didn't see her thereand how do you know she is there
now？〃
〃I determined to make it sure。 When she left to…day； I started an hour
ahead of her； and hid myself at the edge of the woods。 An hour after the
coach arrived at Indian Spring； she came there in a brown duster and was
joined by him。 I'd have followed them； but the dd hound has the ears of
a squirrel； and though I was five hundred yards from him he was on his
guard。〃
〃Guard be blessed！ Wasn't you armed？ Why didn't you go for
him？〃 said Dunn； furiously。
〃I reckoned I'd leave that for you；〃 said Brace coolly。 〃If he'd killed
69
… Page 70…
IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
me； and if he'd even covered me with his rifle； he'd been sure to let
daylight through me at double the distance。 I shouldn't have been any
better off； nor you either。 If I'd killed HIM； it would have been your duty
as sheriff to put me in jail； and I reckon it wouldn't have broken your heart；
Jim Dunn； to have got rid of TWO rivals instead of one。 Hullo！ Where
are you going？〃
〃Going？〃 said Dunn hoarsely。 〃Going to the Carquinez Woods； by
God！ to kill him before her。 I'LL risk it； if you daren't。 Let me succeed；
and you can hang ME and take the girl yourself。〃
〃Sit down； sit down。 Don't be a fool； Jim Dunn！ You wouldn't keep
the saddle a hundred yards。 Did I say I wouldn't help you？ No。 If
you're willing； we'll run the risk together； but it must be in my way。 Hear
me。 I'll drive you down there in a buggy before daylight； and we'll
surprise them in the cabin or as they leave the wood。 But you must come
as if to arrest him for some offensesay； as an escaped Digger from the
Reservation； a dangerous tramp； a destroyer of public property in the
forests； a suspected road agent； or anything to give you the right to hunt
him。 The exposure of him