in the carquinez woods-第5节

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painting；　and　a　natural　and　faultless　taste　in　dress。

The　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn　was　engaged　in　a　characteristic　hearty　parting
with　one　of　his　latest　converts；　upon　his　own　doorstep；　with
admirable　al　fresco　effect。　　He　had　just　clapped　him　on　the
shoulder。　　〃Good…by；　good…by；　Charley；　my　boy；　and　keep　in　the
right　path；　not　up；　or　down；　or　round　the　gulch；　you　knowha；
ha！but　straight　across　lots　to　the　shining　gate。〃　　He　had
raised　his　voice　under　the　stimulus　of　a　few　admiring　spectators；
and　backed　his　convert　playfully　against　the　wall。　　〃You　see！
we're　goin'　in　to　win；　you　bet。　　Good…by！　　I'd　ask　you　to　step　in
and　have　a　chat；　but　I've　got　my　work　to　do；　and　so　have　you。
The　gospel　mustn't　keep　us　from　that；　must　it；　Charley？　　Ha；　ha！〃

The　convert　（who　elsewhere　was　a　profane　expressman；　and　had
become　quite　imbecile　under　Mr。　Wynn's　active　heartiness　and
brotherly　horse…play　before　spectators）　managed；　however；　to
feebly　stammer　with　a　blush　something　about　〃Miss　Nellie。〃

〃Ah；　Nellie。　　She；　too；　is　at　her　taskstrimming　her　lampyou
know；　the　parable　of　the　wise　virgins；〃　continued　Father　Wynn
hastily；　fearing　that　the　convert　might　take　the　illustration
literally。　　〃There；　theregood…by。　　Keep　in　the　right　path。〃
And　with　a　parting　shove　he　dismissed　Charley　and　entered　his　own
house。

That　〃wise　virgin；〃　Nellie；　had　evidently　finished　with　the　lamp；
and　was　now　going　out　to　meet　the　bridegroom；　as　she　was　fully
dressed　and　gloved；　and　had　a　pink　parasol　in　her　hand；　as　her
father　entered　the　sitting…room。　　His　bluff　heartiness　seemed　to
fade　away　as　he　removed　his　soft；　broad…brimmed　hat　and　glanced
across　the　too　fresh…looking　apartment。　　There　was　a　smell　of
mortar　still　in　the　air；　and　a　faint　suggestion　that　at　any
moment　green　grass　might　appear　between　the　interstices　of　the
red…brick　hearth。　　The　room；　yielding　a　little　in　the　point　of
coldness；　seemed　to　share　Miss　Nellie's　fresh　virginity；　and；
barring　the　pink　parasol；　set　her　off　as　in　a　vestal's　cell。

〃I　supposed　you　wouldn't　care　to　see　Brace；　the　expressman；　so　I
got　rid　of　him　at　the　door；〃　said　her　father；　drawing　one　of　the
new　chairs　towards　him　slowly；　and　sitting　down　carefully；　as　if
it　were　a　hitherto　untried　experiment。

Miss　Nellie's　face　took　a　tint　of　interest。　　〃Then　he　doesn't　go
with　the　coach　to　Indian　Spring　to…day？〃

〃No；　why？〃

〃I　thought　of　going　over　myself　to　get　the　Burnham　girls　to　come
to　choir…meeting；〃　replied　Miss　Nellie　carelessly；　〃and　he　might
have　been　company。〃

〃He'd　go　now；　if　he　knew　you　were　going；〃　said　her　father；　〃but
it's　just　as　well　he　shouldn't　be　needlessly　encouraged。　　I
rather　think　that　Sheriff　Dunn　is　a　little　jealous　of　him。　　By
the　way；　the　sheriff　is　much　better。　　I　called　to　cheer　him　up
to…day〃　（Mr。　Wynn　had　in　fact　tumultuously　accelerated　the　sick
man's　pulse）；　〃and　he　talked　of　you；　as　usual。　　In　fact；　he　said
he　had　only　two　things　to　get　well　for。　　One　was　to　catch　and
hang　that　woman　Teresa；　who　shot　him；　the　othercan't　you　guess
the　other？〃　he　added　archly；　with　a　faint　suggestion　of　his　other
manner。

Miss　Nellie　coldly　could　not。

The　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn's　archness　vanished。　　〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　he
said　dryly。　　〃He　wants　to　marry　you；　and　you　know　it。〃

〃Most　of　the　men　here　do；〃　responded　Miss　Nellie；　without　the
least　trace　of　coquetry。　　〃Is　the　wedding　or　the　hanging　to　take
place　first；　or　together；　so　he　can　officiate　at　both？〃

〃His　share　in　the　Union　Ditch　is　worth　a　hundred　thousand
dollars；〃　continued　her　father；　〃and　if　he　isn't　nominated　for
district　judge　this　fall；　he's　bound　to　go　to　the　legislature；
anyway。　　I　don't　think　a　girl　with　your　advantages　and　education
can　afford　to　throw　away　the　chance　of　shining　in　Sacramento；　San
Francisco；　or；　in　good　time；　perhaps　even　Washington。〃

Miss　Nellie's　eyes　did　not　reflect　entire　disapproval　of　this
suggestion；　although　she　replied　with　something　of　her　father's
practical　quality。

〃Mr。　Dunn　is　not　out　of　his　bed　yet；　and　they　say　Teresa's　got
away　to　Arizona；　so　there　isn't　any　particular　hurry。〃

〃Perhaps　not；　but　see　here；　Nellie；　I've　some　important　news　for
you。　　You　know　your　young　friend　of　the　Carquinez　WoodsDorman；
the　botanist；　eh？　　Well；　Brace　knows　all　about　him。　　And　what　do
you　think　he　is？〃

Miss　Nellie　took　upon　herself　a　few　extra　degrees　of　cold；　and
didn't　know。

〃An　Injin！　　Yes；　an　out…and…out　Cherokee。　　You　see　he　calls
himself　DormanLow　Dorman。　　That's　only　French　for　'Sleeping
Water；'　his　Injin　name！'Low　Dorman。'〃

〃You　mean　'L'Eau　Dormante；'〃　said　Nellie。

〃That's　what　I　said。　　The　chief　called　him　'Sleeping　Water'　when
he　was　a　boy；　and　one　of　them　French　Canadian　trappers　translated
it　into　French　when　he　brought　him　to　California　to　school。　　But
he's　an　Injin；　sure。　　No　wonder　he　prefers　to　live　in　the　woods。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Nellie。

〃Well；〃　echoed　her　father　impatiently；　〃he's　an　Injin；　I　tell
you；　and　you　can't　of　course　have　anything　to　do　with　him。　　He
mustn't　come　here　again。〃

〃But　you　forget；〃　said　Nellie　imperturbably；　〃that　it　was　you　who
invited　him　here；　and　were　so　much　exercised　over　him。　　You
remember　you　introduced　him　to　the　Bishop　and　those　Eastern
clergymen　as　a　magnificent　specimen　of　a　young　Californian。　　You
forget　what　an　occasion　you　made　of　his　coming　to　church　on
Sunday；　and　how　you　made　him　come　in　his　buckskin　shirt　and　walk
down　the　street　with　you　after　service！〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn；　hurriedly。

〃And；〃　continued　Nellie　carelessly；　〃how　you　made　us　sing　out　of
the　same　book　'Children　of　our　Father's　Fold；'　and　how　you
preached　at　him　until　he　actually　got　a　color！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　〃but　it　wasn't　known　then　he　was　an
Injin；　and　they　are　frightfully　unpopular　with　those　Southwestern
men　among　whom　we　labor。　　Indeed；　I　am　quite　convinced　that　when
Brace　said　'the　only　good　Indian　was　a　dead　one'　his　expression；
though　extravagant；　perhaps；　really　voiced　the　sentiments　of　the
majority。　　It　would　be　only　kindness　to　the　unfortunate　creature
to　warn　him　from　exposing　himself　to　their　rude　but　conscientious
antagonism。〃

〃Perhaps　you'd　better　tell　him；　then；　in　your　own　popular　way；
which　they　all　seem　to　understand　so　well；〃　responded　the
daughter。　　Mr。　Wynn　cast　a　quick　glance　at　her；　but　there　was　no
trace　of　irony　in　her　facenothing　but　a　half…bored　indifference
as　she　walked　toward　the　window。

〃I　will　go　with　you　to　the　coach…office；〃　said　her　father；　who
generally　gave　these　simple　paternal　duties　the　pronounced
character　of　a　public　Christian　example。

〃It's　hardly　worth　while；〃　replied　Miss　Nellie。　　〃I've　to　stop　at
the　Watsons'；　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　and　ask　after　the　baby；　so
I　shall　go　on　to　the　Crossing　and　pick　up　the　coach　when　it
passes。　　Good…by。〃

Nevertheless；　as　soon　as　Nellie　had　departed；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Wynn
proceeded　to　the　coach…office；　and　publicly　grasping　the　hand　of
Yuba　Bill；　the　driver；　commended　his　daughter　to　his　care　in　the
name　of　the　universal　brotherhood　of　man　and　the　Christian
fraternity。　　Carried　away　by　his　heartiness；　he　forgot　his
previous　caution；　and　confided　to　the　expressman　Miss　Nellie's
regrets　that　she　was　not　to　have　that　gentleman's　company。　　The
result　was　that　Miss　Nellie　found　the　coach　with　its　passengers
awaiting　her　with　uplifted　hats　and　wreathed　smiles　at　the
Crossing；　and　the　box　seat　（from　which　an　unfortunate　stranger；
who　had　expensively　paid　for　it；　had　been　summarily　ejected）　at
her　service　beside　Yuba　Bill；　who　had　thrown　away　his　cigar　and
donned　a　new　pair　of　buckskin　gloves　to　do　her　honor。　　But　a　more
serious　result　to　the　young　beauty　was　the　effect　of　the　Rev。　Mr。
Wynn's　confidences　upon　the　impulsive　heart　of　Jack　Brace；　the
expressman。　　It　has　been　already　intimated　that　it　was　his　〃day
off。〃　　Unable　to　summarily　reassume　his　usual　functions　beside
the　driver　without　some　practical　reason；　and　ashamed　to　go　so
palpably　as　a　mere　passenger；　he　was　forced　to　let　the　coach
proceed　without　him。　　Discomfited　for　the　moment；　he　was　not；
however；　beaten。　　He　had　lost　the　blissful　journey　by　her　side；
which　would　have　been　his　professional　right；　butshe　was　going
to　Indian　Spring！　could　he　not　anticipate　her　there？　　Might　they
not　meet　in　the　most　accidental　manner？　　And　what　might　not　come
from　that　meeting　away　from　the　prying　eyes　of　their　own　town？
Mr。　Brace　did　not　hesitate；　but　saddling　his　fleet　Buckskin；　by
the　time　the　stage…coach　had　passed　the　Crossing　in　the　high…road
he　had　mounted　the　hill　and　was　dashing　along　the　〃cutoff〃　in　the
same　direction；　a　full　mile　in　advance。　　Arriving　at　Indian
Spring；　he　left　his　horse　at　a　Mexican　posada　on　the　confines　of
the　settlement；　and　from　the　piled　debris　of　a　tunnel　excavation
awaited　the　slow　arrival　of　the　coach。　　On　mature　reflection　he
could　give　no　reason　why　he　had　not　boldly　awaited　it　at　the
express　office；　except　a　certain　bashful　consciousness　of　his　own
folly；　and　a　belief　that　it　might　be　glaringly　apparent　to　the
bystanders。　　When　the　coach　arrived　and　he　had　overcome　this
consciousness；　it　was　too　late。　　Yuba　Bill　had　discharged　his
passengers　for　Indian　Spring　and　driven