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She nodded； but cast a look of undisguised contempt upon the two
worn； coverless novels he held out to her。 〃You haven't got last week's
'Sacramento Union；' have you？ I hear they have my case all in； only
them lying reporters made it out against me all the time。〃
〃I don't see the papers；〃 he replied curtly。
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〃They say there's a picture of me in the 'Police Gazette；' taken in the
act；〃 and she laughed。
He looked a little abstracted； and turned as if to go。 〃I think you'll do
well to rest a while just now； and keep as close hid as possible until
afternoon。 The trail is a mile away at the nearest point； but some one
might miss it and stray over here。 You're quite safe if you're careful； and
stand by the tree。 You can build a fire here；〃 he stepped under the
chimney…like opening； 〃without its being noticed。 Even the smoke is lost
and cannot be seen so high。〃
The light from above was falling on his head and shoulders； as it had
on hers。 She looked at him intently。
〃You travel a good deal on your figure； pardner； don't you？〃 she said；
with a certain admiration that was quite sexless in its quality； 〃but I don't
see how you pick up a living by it in the Carquinez Woods。 So you're
going； are you？ You might be more sociable。 Good…by。〃
〃Good…by！〃 He leaped from the opening。
〃I say pardner！〃
He turned a little impatiently。 She had knelt down at the entrance； so
as to be nearer his level； and was holding out her hand。 But he did not
notice it； and she quietly withdrew it。
〃If anybody dropped in and asked for you； what name will they say？〃
He smiled。 〃Don't wait to hear。〃
〃But suppose I wanted to sing out for you； what will I call you？〃
He hesitated。 〃Call meLo。〃
〃Lo； the poor Indian？〃*
〃Exactly。〃
* The first word of Pope's familiar apostrophe is humorously used in
the Far West as a distinguishing title for the Indian。
It suddenly occurred to the woman； Teresa； that in the young man's
height； supple； yet erect carriage； color； and singular gravity of demeanor
there was a refined； aboriginal suggestion。 He did not look like any Indian
she had ever seen； but rather as a youthful chief might have looked。
There was a further suggestion in his fringed buckskin shirt and moccasins；
but before she could utter the half…sarcastic comment that rose to her lips
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IN THE CARQUINEZ WOODS
he had glided noiselessly away； even as an Indian might have done。
She readjusted the slips of hanging bark with feminine ingenuity；
dispersing them so as to completely hide the entrance。 Yet this did not
darken the chamber； which seemed to draw a purer and more vigorous
light through the soaring shaft that pierced the roof than that which came
from the dim woodland aisles below。 Nevertheless； she shivered； and
drawing her shawl closely around her began to collect some half…burnt
fragments of wood in the chimney to make a fire。 But the preoccupation
of her thoughts rendered this a tedious process； as she would from time to
time stop in the middle of an action and fall into an attitude of rapt
abstraction； with far…off eyes and rigid mouth。 When she had at last
succeeded in kindling a fire and raising a film of pale blue smoke； that
seemed to fade and dissipate entirely before it reached the top of the
chimney shaft； she crouched beside it； fixed her eyes on the darkest corner
of the cavern； and became motionless。
What did she see through that shadow？
Nothing at first but a confused medley of figures and incidents of the
preceding night； things to be put away and forgotten； things that would not
have happened but for another thingthe thing before which everything
faded！ A ball…room； the sounds of music； the one man she had cared for
insulting her with the flaunting ostentation of his unfaithfulness； herself
despised； put aside； laughed at； or worse； jilted。 And then the moment of
delirium； when the light danced； the one wild act that lifted her； the
despised one； above them allmade her the supreme figure； to be glanced
at by frightened women； stared at by half… startled； half…admiring men！
〃Yes；〃 she laughed； but struck by the sound of her own voice； moved
twice round the cavern nervously； and then dropped again into her old
position。
As they carried him away he had laughed at herlike a hound that he
was； he who had praised her for her spirit； and incited her revenge against
others； he who had taught her to strike when she was insulted； and it was
only fit he should reap what he had sown。 She was what he； what other
men； had made her。 And what was she now？ What had she been once？
She tried to recall her childhood： the man and woman who might have
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been her father and mother； who fought and wrangled over her precocious
little life； abused or caressed her as she sided with either； and then left her
with a circus troupe； where she first tasted the power of her courage； her
beauty； and her recklessness。 She remembered those flashes of triumph
that left a fever in her veinsa fever that when it failed must be stimulated
by dissipation； by anything； by everything that would keep her name a
wonder in men's mouths； an envious fear to women。 She recalled her
transfer to the strolling players； her cheap pleasures； and cheaper rivalries
and hatredbut always Teresa！ the daring Teresa！ the reckless Teresa！
audacious as a woman； invincible as a boy； dancing； flirting； fencing；
shooting； swearing； drinking； smoking； fighting Teresa！ 〃Oh； yes； she
had been loved； perhapswho knows？but always feared。 Why should
she change now？ Ha； he should see。〃
She had lashed herself in a frenzy； as was her wont； with gestures；