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was an early bird； in the habit of picking up the first stirring mining worm；
and a resounding knock brought him half dressed to the street door。 He
was startled at seeing Father Wynn before him； a trifle flushed and
abstracted。
〃Ah ha！ up betimes； I see； and ready。 No sluggards hereha； ha！〃 he
said heartily； slamming the door behind him； and by a series of pokes in
the ribs genially backing his host into his own sitting…room。 〃I'm up； too；
and am here to see Nellie。 She's here； ehof course？〃 he added； darting a
quick look at Burnham。
But Mr。 Burnham was one of those large； liberal Western husbands
who classified his household under the general title of 〃woman folk；〃 for
the integers of which he was not responsible。 He hesitated； and then
propounded over the balusters to the upper story the direct query
〃You don't happen to have Nellie Wynn up there； do ye？〃
There was an interval of inquiry proceeding from half a dozen
reluctant throats； more or less cottony and muffled； in those various
degrees of grievance and mental distress which indicate too early roused
young womanhood。 The eventual reply seemed to be affirmative； albeit
accompanied with a suppressed giggle； as if the young lady had just been
discovered as an answer to an amusing conundrum。
〃All right；〃 said Wynn； with an apparent accession of boisterous
geniality。 〃Tell her I must see her； and I've only got a few minutes to
spare。 Tell her to slip on anything and come down； there's no one here
but myself； and I've shut the front door on Brother Burnham。 Ha； ha！〃
and suiting the action to the word； he actually bundled the admiring
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Brother Burnham out on his own doorstep。 There was a light pattering
on the staircase； and Nellie Wynn； pink with sleep； very tall； very slim；
hastily draped in a white counterpane with a blue border and a general
classic suggestion； slipped into the parlor。 At the same moment her
father shut the door behind her； placed one hand on the knob； and with the
other seized her wrist。
〃Where were you yesterday？〃 he asked。
Nellie looked at him； shrugged her shoulders； and said； 〃Here。〃
〃You were in the Carquinez Woods with Low Dorman； you went there
in disguise； you've met him there before。 He is your clandestine lover；
you have taken pledges of affection from him； you have〃
〃Stop！〃 she said。
He stopped。
〃Did he tell you this？〃 she asked； with an expression of disdain。
〃No； I overheard it。 Dunn and Brace were at the house waiting for
you。 When the coach did not bring you； I went to the office to inquire。
As I left our door I thought I saw somebody listening at the parlor
windows。 It was only a drunken Mexican muleteer leaning against the
house； but if HE heard nothing； I did。 Nellie； I heard Brace tell Dunn
that he had tracked you in your disguise to the woodsdo you hear？ that
when you pretended to be here with the girls you were with Lowalone；
that you wear a ring that Low got of a trader here； that there was a cabin in
the woods〃
〃Stop！〃 she repeated。
Wynn again paused。
〃And what did YOU do？〃 she asked。
〃I heard they were starting down there to surprise you and him
together； and I harnessed up and got ahead of them in my buggy。〃
〃And found me here；〃 she said； looking full into his eyes。
He understood her and returned the look。 He recognized the full
importance of the culminating fact conveyed in her words； and was
obliged to content himself with its logical and worldly significance。 It
was too late now to take her to task for mere filial disobedience； they must
become allies。
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〃Yes；〃 he said hurriedly； 〃but if you value your reputation； if you wish
to silence both these men； answer me fully。〃
〃Go on；〃 she said。
〃Did you go to the cabin in the woods yesterday？〃
〃No。〃
〃Did you ever go there with Low？〃
〃No； I do not know even where it is。〃
Wynn felt that she was telling the truth。 Nellie knew it； but as she
would have been equally satisfied with an equally efficacious falsehood；
her face remained unchanged。
〃And when did he leave you？〃
〃At nine o'clock； here。 He went to the hotel。〃
〃He saved his life； then； for Dunn is on his way to the woods to kill
him。〃
The jeopardy of her lover did not seem to affect the young girl with
alarm； although her eyes betrayed some interest。
〃Then Dunn has gone to the woods？〃 she said thoughtfully。
〃He has；〃 replied Wynn。
〃Is that all？〃 she asked。
〃I want to know what you are going to do？〃
〃I WAS going back to bed。〃
〃This is no time for trifling； girl。〃
〃I should think not；〃 she said； with a yawn； 〃it's too early； or too late。〃
Wynn grasped her wrist more tightly。 〃Hear me！ Put whatever face
you like on this affair； you are compromisedand compromised with a
man you can't marry。〃
〃I don't know that I ever wanted to marry Low； if you mean him；〃 she
said quietly。
〃And Dunn wouldn't marry you now。〃
〃I'm not so sure of that； either。〃
〃Nellie；〃 said Wynn excitedly； 〃do you want to drive me mad？ Have
you nothing to saynothing to suggest？〃
〃Oh； you want me to help you； do you！ Why didn't you say that first？
Well； go and bring Dunn here。〃
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〃Are you mad？ The man has gone already in pursuit of your lover；
believing you with him。〃
〃Then he will the more readily come and talk with me without him。
Will you take the invitationyes or no？〃
〃Yes； but〃
〃Enough。 On your way there you will stop at the hotel and give Low
a letter from me。〃
〃Nellie！〃
〃You shall read it； of course；〃 she said scornfully； 〃for it will be your
text for the conversation you will have with him。 Will you please take
your hand from the lock and open the door？〃
Wynn mechanically opened the door。 The young girl flew up… stairs。
In a very few moments she returned with two notes： one contained a few
lines of formal invitation to Dunn； the other read as follows：
〃DEAR MR。 DORMAN；My father will tell you how deeply I regret
that our recent botanical excursions in the Carquinez Woods have been a
source of serious misapprehensions to those who had a claim to my
consideration； and that I shall be obliged to discontinue them for the future。
At the same time he wishes me to express my gratitude for your valuable
instruction and assistance in that pleasing study； even though approaching
events may compel me to relinquish it for other duties。 May I beg you to
accept the inclosed ring as a slight recognition of my obligations to you？
〃Your grateful pupil；
〃NELLIE WYNN。〃
When he had finished reading the letter； she handed him a ring；
which he took mechanically。 He raised his eyes to hers with perfectly
genuine admiration。 〃You're a good girl； Nellie；〃 he said； and； in a
moment of parental forgetfulness； unconsciously advanced his lips
towards her cheek。 But she drew back in time to recall him to a sense of
that human weakness。
〃I suppose I'll have time for a nap yet；〃 she said； as a gentle hint to her
embarrassed parent。 He nodded and turned towards the door。
〃If I were you；〃 she continued； repressing a yawn； 〃I'd manage to be
seen on good terms with Low at the hotel； so perhaps you need not give
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the letter to him until the last thing。 Good…by。〃
The sitting…room door opened and closed behind her as she slipped up…
stairs； and her father； without the formality of leave…taking； quietly let