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Dunn looked at her in surprise not unmixed with admiration。 〃If
Nellie；〃 he thought； 〃could but love ME like that！〃 But he only said：
〃For all that； he's an Injin。 Why； look at his name。 It ain't Low。
It's L'Eau Dormante； Sleeping Water； an Injin name。〃
〃And what does that prove？〃 returned Teresa。 〃Only that Indians clap
a nick…name on any stranger； white or red； who may camp with them。
Why； even his own father； a white man； the wretch who begot him and
abandoned him；HE had an Indian nameLoup Noir。〃
〃What name did you say？〃
〃Le Loup Noir； the Black Wolf。 I suppose you'd call him an Indian；
too？ Eh！ What's the matter？ We're walking too fast。 Stop a moment
and rest。 Therethere； lean on me！〃
She was none too soon； for； after holding him upright a moment； his
limbs failed； and stooping gently she was obliged to support him half
reclining against a tree。
〃Its the heat！〃 he said。 〃Give me some whisky from my flask。 Never
mind the water；〃 he added faintly； with a forced laugh； after he had taken a
draught at the strong spirit。 〃Tell me more about the other waterthe
Sleeping Wateryou know。 How do you know all this about him and his…
…father？〃
〃Partly from him and partly from Curson； who wrote to me about
him；〃 she answered with some hesitation。
But Dunn did not seem to notice this incongruity of correspondence
with a former lover。 〃And HE told you？〃
〃Yes； and I saw the name on an old memorandum book he has； which
he says belonged to his father。 It's full of old accounts of some trading
post on the frontier。 It's been missing for a day or two； but it will turn up。
But I can swear I saw it。〃
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Dunn attempted to rise to his feet。 〃Put your hand in my pocket；〃 he
said in a hurried whisper。 〃No； there！bring out a book。 There； I
haven't looked at it yet。 Is that it？〃 he added； handing her the book Brace
had given him a few hours before。
〃Yes；〃 said Teresa； in surprise。 〃Where did you find it？〃
〃Never mind！ Now let me see it； quick。 Open it； for my sight is
failing。 Therethank youthat's all！〃
〃Take more whisky；〃 said Teresa； with a strange anxiety creeping over
her。 〃You are faint again。〃
〃Wait！ Listen； Teresalowerput your ear lower。 Listen！ I came
near killing that chap Low to…day。 Wouldn't it have been ridiculous？〃
He tried to smile； but his head fell back。 He had fainted。
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CHAPTER IX
For the first time in her life Teresa lost her presence of mind in an
emergency。 She could only sit staring at the helpless man； scarcely
conscious of his condition； her mind filled with a sudden prophetic
intuition of the significance of his last words。 In the light of that new
revelation she looked into his pale； haggard face for some resemblance to
Low； but in vain。 Yet her swift feminine instinct met the objection。 〃It's
the mother's blood that would show；〃 she murmured； 〃not this man's。〃
Recovering herself； she began to chafe his hands and temples； and
moistened his lips with the spirit。 When his respiration returned with a
faint color to his cheeks； she pressed his hands eagerly and leaned over
him。
〃Are you sure？〃 she asked。
〃Of what？〃 he whispered faintly。
〃That Low is really your son？〃
〃Who said so？〃 he asked； opening his round eyes upon her。
〃You did yourself； a moment ago；〃 she said quickly。 〃Don't you
remember？〃
〃Did I？〃
〃You did。 Is it not so？〃
He smiled faintly。 〃I reckon。〃
She held her breath in expectation。 But only the ludicrousness of the
discovery seemed paramount to his weakened faculties。 〃Isn't it just about
the ridiculousest thing all round？〃 he said； with a feeble chuckle。 〃First
YOU nearly kill me before you know I am Low's father； then I'm just
spoilin' to kill him before I know he's my son； then that god…forsaken fool
Jack Brace mistakes you for Nellie and Nellie for you。 Ain't it just the
biggest thing for the boys to get hold of？ But we must keep it dark until
after I marry Nellie； don't you see？ Then we'll have a good time all
round； and I'll stand the drinks。 Think of it； Teresha！ You don' no me； I
do' no you； nobody knowsh anybody elsh。 I try kill Lo'。 Lo' wants kill
Nellie。 No thath no ri'〃 but the potent liquor； overtaking his exhausted
senses； thickened； impeded； and at last stopped his speech。 His head
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slipped to her shoulder； and he became once more unconscious。
Teresa breathed again。 In that brief moment she had abandoned
herself to a wild inspiration of hope which she could scarcely define。
Not that it was entirely a wild inspiration； she tried to reason calmly。
What if she revealed the truth to him？ What if she told the wretched man
before her that she had deceived him； that she had overheard his
conversation with Brace； that she had stolen Brace's horse to bring Low
warning； that； failing to find Low in his accustomed haunts； or at the
campfire； she had left a note for him pinned to the herbarium； imploring
him to fly with his companion from the danger that was coming； and that；
remaining on watch； she had seen them bothBrace and Dunn
approaching； and had prepared to meet them at the cabin？ Would this
miserable and maddened man understand her self…abnegation？ Would he
forgive Low and Nellie？she did not ask for herself。 Or would the
revelation turn his brain； if it did not kill him outright？ She looked at the
sunken orbits of his eyes and hectic on his cheek； and shuddered。
Why was this added to the agony she already suffered？ She had been
willing to stand betwee