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I said I wanted to get well for only two things。 One was to hunt you
down； the other to marry Nellie Wynn。 When I came here I thought that
last thing could never be。 I came here expecting to find her here with
Low； and kill himperhaps kill her too。 I never once thought of you； not
once。 You might have risen up before mebetween me and himand I'd
have passed you by。 And now that I find it's all a mistake； and it was you；
not her； I was looking for； why〃
〃Why；〃 she interrupted bitterly； 〃you'll just take me； of course； to save
your time and earn your salary。 I'm ready。〃
〃But I'M not； just yet；〃 he said faintly。 〃Help me up。〃
She mechanically assisted him to his feet。
〃Now stand where you are；〃 he added； 〃and don't move beyond this
tree till I return。〃
He straightened himself with an effort； clenched his fists until the nails
were nearly buried in his palms； and strode with a firm； steady step in the
direction he had come。 In a few moments he returned and stood before
her。
〃I've sent away my deputythe man who brought me here； the fool
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who thought you were Nellie。 He knows now he made a mistake。 But
who it was he mistook for Nellie he does not know； nor shall ever know；
nor shall any living being know； other than myself。 And when I leave the
wood to…day I shall know it no longer。 You are safe here as far as I am
concerned； but I cannot screen you from others prying。 Let Low take
you away from here as soon as he can。〃
〃Let him take me away？ Ah； yes。 For what？〃
〃To save you；〃 said Dunn。 〃Look here； Teresa！ Without knowing it；
you lifted me out of hell just now； and because of the wrong I might have
done herfor HER sake； I spare you and shirk my duty。〃
〃For her sake！〃 gasped the woman〃for her sake！ Oh； yes！ Go on。〃
〃Well；〃 said Dunn gloomily； 〃I reckon perhaps you'd as lieve left me in
hell； for all the love you bear me。 And may be you've grudge enough
agin me still to wish I'd found her and him together。〃
〃You think so？〃 she said； turning her head away。
〃There； dn it！ I didn't mean to make you cry。 May be you
wouldn't； then。 Only tell that fellow to take you out of this； and not run
away the next time he sees a man coming。〃
〃He didn't run；〃 said Teresa； with flashing eyes。 〃III sent him
away；〃 she stammered。 Then； suddenly turning with fury upon him； she
broke out； 〃Run！ Run from you！ Ha； ha！ You said just now I'd a
grudge against you。 Well； listen； Jim Dunn。 I'd only to bring you in
range of that young man's rifle； and you'd have dropped in your tracks
like〃
〃Like that bar； the other night；〃 said Dunn； with a short laugh。 〃So
THAT was your little game？〃 He checked his laugh suddenlya cloud
passed over his face。 〃Look here； Teresa；〃 he said； with an assumption of
carelessness that was as transparent as it was utterly incompatible with his
frank； open selfishness。 〃What became of that bar？ The skineh？
That was worth something？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Teresa quietly。 〃Low exchanged it and got a ring for me
from that trader Isaacs。 It was worth more； you bet。 And the ring didn't
fit either〃
〃Yes；〃 interrupted Dunn； with an almost childish eagerness。
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〃And I made him take it back； and get the value in money。 I hear that
Isaacs sold it again and made another profit； but that's like those traders。〃
The disingenuous candor of Teresa's manner was in exquisite contrast to
Dunn。 He rose and grasped her hand so heartily she was forced to turn
her eyes away。
〃Good…by！〃 he said。
〃You look tired；〃 she murmured； with a sudden gentleness that
surprised him； 〃let me go with you a part of the way。〃
〃It isn't safe for you just now；〃 he said； thinking of the possible
consequences of the alarm Brace had raised。
〃Not the way YOU came；〃 she replied； 〃but one known only to
myself。〃
He hesitated only a moment。 〃All right； then；〃 he said finally； 〃let us
go at once。 It's suffocating here； and I seem to feel this dead bark crinkle
under my feet。〃
She cast a rapid glance around her； and then seemed to sound with her
eyes the far…off depths of the aisles； beginning to grow pale with the
advancing day； but still holding a strange quiver of heat in the air。 When
she had finished her half…abstracted scrutiny of the distance； she cast one
backward glance at her own cabin and stopped。
〃Will you wait a moment for me？〃 she asked gently。
〃Yesbutno tricks； Teresa！ It isn't worth the time。〃
She looked him squarely in the eyes without a word。
〃Enough；〃 he said； 〃go！〃
She was absent for some moments。 He was beginning to become
uneasy； when she made her appearance again； clad in her old faded black
dress。 Her face was very pale； and her eyes were swollen； but she placed
his hand on her shoulder； and bidding him not to fear to lean upon her； for
she was quite strong； led the way。
〃You look more like yourself now； and yetblast it all！you don't
either；〃 said Dunn； looking down upon her。 〃You've changed in some
way。 What is it？ Is it on account of that Injin？ Couldn't you have found
a white man in his place？〃
〃I reckon he's neither worse nor better for that；〃 she replied bitterly；
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〃and perhaps he wasn't as particular in his taste as a white man might have
been。 But；〃 she added； with a sudden spasm of her old rage； 〃it's a lie；
he's NOT an Indian； no more than I am。 Not unless being born of a
mother who scarcely knew him； of a father who never even saw him； and
being brought up among white men and wild beastsless cruel than they
werecould make him one！〃
Dunn looked at her in surprise not unmixed with admiration。 〃If
Nellie；〃 he thought； 〃could but love ME l