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life； if you value your soul； and if you do not want me to cast
you to the beasts like Jezebel of old； nevernever take that
accursed name again upon your lips。 Seek herHER？ Yes！ Seek
her to tie her like a witch's daughter of hell to that blazing
tree！〃 He stopped。 〃Forgive me；〃 he said in a changed voice。
〃I'm mad； and forgetting myself and you。 Come。〃
Without noticing the expression of half…savage delight that had
passed across her face； he lifted her in his arms。
〃Which way are you going？〃 she asked； passing her hands vaguely
across his breast； as if to reassure herself of his identity。
〃To our camp by the scarred tree；〃 he replied。
〃Not there； not there；〃 she said； hurriedly。 〃I was driven from
there just now。 I thought the fire began there until I came here。〃
Then it was as he feared。 Obeying the same mysterious law that
had launched this fatal fire like a thunderbolt from the burning
mountain crest five miles away into the heart of the Carquinez
Woods； it had again leaped a mile beyond； and was hemming them
between two narrowing lines of fire。 But Low was not daunted。
Retracing his steps through the blinding smoke； he strode off at
right angles to the trail near the point where he had entered the
wood。 It was the spot where he had first lifted Nellie in his
arms to carry her to the hidden spring。 If any recollection of
it crossed his mind at that moment； it was only shown in his
redoubled energy。 He did not glide through the thick underbrush；
as on that day； but seemed to take a savage pleasure in breaking
through it with sheer brute force。 Once Teresa insisted upon
relieving him of the burden of her weight； but after a few steps
she staggered blindly against him； and would fain have recourse
once more to his strong arms。 And so； alternately staggering；
bending； crouching； or bounding and crashing on； but always in
one direction； they burst through the jealous rampart； and came
upon the sylvan haunt of the hidden spring。 The great angle of
the half…fallen tree acted as a harrier to the wind and drifting
smoke； and the cool spring sparkled and bubbled in the almost
translucent air。 He laid her down beside the water； and bathed
her face and hands。 As he did so his quick eye caught sight of a
woman's handkerchief lying at the foot of the disrupted root。
Dropping Teresa's hand； he walked towards it； and with the toe of
his moccasin gave it one vigorous kick into the ooze at the
overflow of the spring。 He turned to Teresa； but she evidently
had not noticed the act。
〃Where are you？〃 she asked； with a smile。
Something in her movement struck him！ He came towards her； and
bending down looked into her face。 〃Teresa！ Good God！look at
me！ What has happened？〃
She raised her eyes to his。 There was a slight film across them；
the lids were blackened； the beautiful lashes gone forever！
〃I see you a little now； I think；〃 she said； with a smile；
passing her hands vaguely over his face。 〃It must have happened
when he fainted； and I had to drag him through the blazing brush；
both my hands were full； and I could not cover my eyes。〃
〃Drag whom？〃 said Low； quickly。
〃Why； Dunn。〃
〃Dunn！ He here？〃 said Low； hoarsely。
〃Yes； didn't you read the note I left on the herbarium？ Didn't
you come to the camp…fire？〃 she asked hurriedly； clasping his
hands。 〃Tell me quickly！〃
〃No！〃
〃Then you were not therethen you didn't leave me to die？〃
〃No！ I swear it； Teresa！〃 the stoicism that had upheld his own
agony breaking down before her strong emotion。
〃Thank God！〃 She threw her arms around him； and hid her aching
eyes in his troubled breast。
〃Tell me all； Teresa；〃 he whispered in her listening ear。 〃Don't
move； stay there； and tell me all。〃
With her face buried in his bosom； as if speaking to his heart
alone； she told him part； but not all。 With her eyes filled with
tears； but a smile on her lips； radiant with new…found happiness；
she told him how she had overheard the plans of Dunn and Brace；
how she had stolen their conveyance to warn him in time。 But
here she stopped； dreading to say a word that would shatter the
hope she was building upon his sudden revulsion of feeling for
Nellie。 She could not bring herself to repeat their interview
that would come later； when they were safe and out of danger； now
not even the secret of his birth must come between them with its
distraction； to mar their perfect communion。 She faltered that
Dunn had fainted from weakness； and that she had dragged him out
of danger。 〃He will never interfere with usI mean；〃 she said
softly； 〃with ME again。 I can promise you that as well as if he
had sworn it。〃
〃Let him pass； now；〃 said Low； 〃that will come later on；〃 he
added； unconsciously repeating her thought in a tone that made
her heart sick。 〃But tell me； Teresa； why did you go to
Excelsior？〃
She buried her head still deeper； as if to hide it。 He felt her
broken heart beat against his own； he was conscious of a depth of
feeling her rival had never awakened in him。 The possibility of
Teresa loving him had never occurred to his simple nature。 He
bent his head and kissed her。 She was frightened； and unloosed
her clinging arms； but he retained her hand； and said； 〃We will
leave this accursed place； and you shall go with me as you said
you would； nor need you ever leave me； unless you wish it。〃
She could hear the beating of her own heart through his words；
she longed to look at the eyes and lips that told her this； and
read the meaning his voice alone could not entirely convey。 For
the first time she felt the loss of her sight。 She did not know
that it was； in this moment of happiness； the last blessing
vouchsafed to her miserable life。
A few moments of silence followed； broken only by the distant
rumor of the conflagration and the crash of falling boughs。
〃It may be an hour yet；〃 he whispered； 〃before the fire has swept
a path for us to the road below。 We are safe here； unless some
sudden current should draw the fire down upon us。 You are not
frightened？〃 She pressed his hand； she was thinking of the pale
face of Dunn； lying in the secure retreat she had purchased for
him at such a sacrifice。 Yet the possibility of danger to him
now for a moment marred her present happiness and security。 〃You
think the fire will not go north of where you found me？〃 she
asked softly。
〃I think not；〃 he said； 〃but I will reconnoitre。 Stay where you
are。〃
They pressed hands； and parted。 He leaped upon the slanting
trunk and ascended it rapidly。 She waited in mute expectation。
There was a sudden movement of the root on which she sat； a
deafening crash； and she was thrown forward on her face。
The vast bulk of the leaning tree； dislodged from its aerial
support by the gradual sapping of the spring at its roots； or by
the crumbling of the bark from the heat； had slipped； made a half
revolution； and； falling； overbore the lesser trees in its path；
and tore； in its resistless momentum； a broad opening to the
underbrush。
With a cry to Low； Teresa staggered to her feet。 There was an
interval of hideous silence； but no reply。 She called again。
T