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shall christen it yourself。 It will be all yours； and yours alone； for it is so
hidden and secluded that I defy any feet but my own or whoso shall keep
step with mine to find it。 Shall that foot be yours； Nellie？〃
Her face beamed with a bright assent。 〃It may be difficult to track it
from here；〃 he said； 〃but stand where you are a moment； and don't move；
rustle； nor agitate the air in any way。 The woods are still now。〃 He
turned at right angles with the trail； moved a few paces into the ferns and
underbrush； and then stopped with his finger on his lips。 For an instant
both remained motionless； then with his intent face bent forward and both
arms extended； he began to sink slowly upon one knee and one side；
inclining his body with a gentle； perfectly…graduated movement until his
ear almost touched the ground。 Nellie watched his graceful figure
breathlessly； until； like a bow unbent； he stood suddenly erect again； and
beckoned to her without changing the direction of his face。
〃What is it？〃 she asked eagerly。
〃All right； I have found it；〃 he continued； moving forward without
turning his head。
〃But how？ What did you kneel for？〃 He did not reply； but taking
her hand in his continued to move slowly on through the underbrush； as if
obeying some magnetic attraction。 〃How did you find it？〃 again asked
the half…awed girl； her voice unconsciously falling to a whisper。 Still
silent； Low kept his rigid face and forward tread for twenty yards further；
then he stopped and released the girl's half…impatient hand。 〃How did
you find it？〃 she repeated sharply。
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〃With my ears and nose；〃 replied Low gravely。
〃With your nose？〃
〃Yes； I smelt it。〃
Still fresh with the memory of his picturesque attitude； the young
man's reply seemed to involve something more irritating to her feelings
than even that absurd anticlimax。 She looked at him coldly and critically；
and appeared to hesitate whether to proceed。 〃Is it far？〃 she asked。
〃Not more than ten minutes now； as I shall go。〃
〃And you won't have to smell your way again？〃
〃No； it is quite plain now；〃 he answered seriously； the young girl's
sarcasm slipping harmlessly from his Indian stolidity。 〃Don't you smell it
yourself？〃
But Miss Nellie's thin； cold nostrils refused to take that vulgar interest。
〃Nor hear it？ Listen！〃
〃You forget I suffer the misfortune of having been brought up under a
roof；〃 she replied coldly。
〃That's true；〃 repeated Low； in all seriousness； 〃it's not your fault。
But do you know； I sometimes think I am peculiarly sensitive to water； I
feel it miles away。 At night； though I may not see it or even know where
it is； I am conscious of it。 It is company to me when I am alone； and I
seem to hear it in my dreams。 There is no music as sweet to me as its
song。 When you sang with me that day in church； I seemed to hear it
ripple in your voice。 It says to me more than the birds do； more than the
rarest plants I find。 It seems to live with me and for me。 It is my
earliest recollection； I know it will be my last； for I shall die in its embrace。
Do you think； Nellie；〃 he continued； stopping short and gazing earnestly in
her face〃do you think that the chiefs knew this when they called me
'Sleeping Water'？〃
To Miss Nellie's several gifts I fear the gods had not added poetry。 A
slight knowledge of English verse of a select character； unfortunately； did
not assist her in the interpretation of the young man's speech； nor relieve
her from the momentary feeling that he was at times deficient in intellect。
She preferred； however； to take a personal view of the question； and
expressed her sarcastic regret that she had not known before that she had
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been indebted to the great flume and ditch at Excelsior for the pleasure of
his acquaintance。 This pert remark occasioned some explanation； which
ended in the girl's accepting a kiss in lieu of more logical argument。
Nevertheless； she was still conscious of an inward irritation always
distinct from her singular and perfectly material passion which found
vent as the difficulties of their undeviating progress through the
underbrush increased。 At last she lost her shoe again； and stopped short。
〃It's a pity your Indian friends did not christen you 'Wild Mustard' or
'Clover；'〃 she said satirically； 〃that you might have had some sympathies
and longings for the open fields instead of these horrid jungles！ I know
we will not get back in time。〃
Unfortunately； Low accepted this speech literally and with his
remorseless gravity。 〃If my name annoys you； I can get it changed by the
legislature； you know； and I can find out what my father's name was； and
take that。 My mother； who died in giving me birth； was the daughter of a
chief。〃
〃Then your mother was really an Indian？〃 said Nellie； 〃and you are〃
She stopped short。
〃But I told you all this the day we first met；〃 said Low； with grave
astonishment。 〃Don't you remember our long talk coming from church？〃
〃No；〃 said Nellie coldly； 〃you didn't tell me。〃 But she was obliged to
drop her eyes before the unwavering； undeniable truthfulness of his。
〃You have forgotten；〃 he said calmly； 〃but it is only right you should
have your own way in disposing of a name that I have cared little for； and
as you're to have a share of it〃
〃Yes； but it's getting late； and if we are not going forward〃
interrupted the girl impatiently。
〃We ARE going forward；〃 said Low imperturbably； 〃but I wanted to
tell you； as we were speaking on THAT subject〃 （Nellie looked at her
watch）； 〃I've been offered the place of botanist and naturalist in Professor
Grant's survey of Mount Shasta； and if I take itwhy； when I come back；
darlingwell〃
〃But you're not going just yet；〃 broke in Nellie； with a new expression
in her face。