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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 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； ejaculations； oaths； adjurations； and passionate
apostrophes； but with this strange and unexpected result。
Heretofore she had always been sustained and kept up by an
audience of some kind or quality； if only perhaps a humble
companion； there had always been some one she could fascinate or
horrify； and she could read her power mirrored in their eyes。
Even the half…abstracted indifference of her strange host had
been something。 But she was alone now。 Her words fell on
apathetic solitude； she was acting to viewless space。 She rushed
to the opening； dashed the hanging bark aside； and leaped to the
ground。
She ran forward wildly a few steps； and stopped。
〃Hallo！〃 she cried。 〃Look； 'tis I； Teresa！〃
The profound silence remained unbroken。 Her shrillest tones were
lost in an echoless space； even as the smoke of her fire had
faded into pure ether。 She stretched out her clenched fists as
if to defy the pillared austerities of the vaults around her。
〃Come and take me if you dare！〃
The challenge was unheeded。 If she had thrown herself violently
against the nearest tree…trunk； she could not have been stricken
more breathless than she was by the compact； embattled solitude
that encompassed her。 The hopelessness of impressing these cold
and passive vaults with her selfish passion filled her with a
vague fear。 In her rage of the previous night she had not seen
the wood in its profound immobility。 Left alone with the majesty
of those enormous columns； she trembled and turned faint。 The
silence of the hollow tree she had just quitted seemed to her
less awful than the crushing presence of these mute and monstrous
witnesses of her weakness。 Like a wounded quail with lowered
crest and trailing wing； she crept back to her hiding place。
Even then the influence of the wood was still upon her。 She
picked up the novel she had contemptuously thrown aside； only to
let it fall again in utter weariness。 For a moment her feminine
curiosity was excited by the discovery of an old book； in whose
blank leaves were pressed a variety of flowers and woodland
grasses。 As she could not conceive that these had been kept for
any but a sentimental purpose； she was disappointed to find that
underneath each was a sentence in an unknown tongue； that even to
her untutored eye did not appear to be the language of passion。
Finally she rearranged the couch of skins and blankets； and；
imparting to it in three clever shakes an entirely different
character； lay down to pursue her reveries。 But nature asserted
herself； and ere she knew it she was asleep。
So intense and prolonged had been her previous excitement that；
the tension once relieved； she passed into a slumber of
exhaustion so deep that she seemed scarce to breathe。 High noon
succeeded morning； the central shaft received a single ray of
upper sunlight； the afternoon came and went； the shadows gathered
below； the sunset fires began to eat their way through the
groined roof； and she still slept。 She slept even when the bark
hangings of the chamber were put aside； and the young man
reentered。
He laid down a bundle he was carrying and softly approached the
sleeper。 For a moment he was startled from his indifference； she
lay so still and motionless。 But this was not all that struck
him； the face before him was no longer the passionate； haggard
visage that confronted him that morning； the feverish air； the
burning color； the strained muscles of mouth and brow； and the
staring eyes were gone； wiped away； perhaps； by the tears that
still left their traces on cheek and dark eyelash。 It was the
face of a handsome woman of thirty； with even a suggestion of
softness in the contour of the cheek and arching of her upper
lip； no longer rigidly drawn down in anger； but relaxed by sleep
on her white teeth。
With the lithe； soft tread that was habitual to him； the young
man moved about； examining the condition of the little chamber
and its stock of provisions and necessaries； and withdrew
presently； to reappear as noiselessly with a tin bucket of water。
This done； he replenished the little pile of fuel with an armful
of bark and pine cones； cast an approving glance about him； which
included the sleeper； and silently departed。
It was night when she awoke。 She was surrounded by a profound
darkness； except where the shaft…like opening made a nebulous
mist in the corner of her wooden cavern。 Providentially she
struggled back to consciousness slowly； so that the solitude and
silence came upon her gradually； with a growing realization of
the events of the past twenty…four hours； but without a shock。
She was alone here； but safe still； and every hour added to her
chances of ultimate escape。 She remembered to have seen a candle
among the articles on the shelf； and she began to grope her way
towards the matches。 Suddenly she stopped。 What was that panting？
Was it her own breathing； quickened with a sudden nameless
terror？ or was there something outside？ Her heart seemed to stop
beating while she listened。 Yes！ it was a panting outsidea
panting now increased； multiplied； redoubled； mixed with the
sounds of rustling； tearing； craunching； and occasionally a
quick； impatient snarl。 She crept on her hands and knees to the
opening and looked out。 At first the ground seemed to be
undulating between her and the opposite tree。 But a second
glance showed her the black and gray； bristling； tossing backs of
tumbling beasts of prey； charging the carcass of the bear that
lay at its roots； or contesting for the prize with gluttonous；
choked breath； sidelong snarls； arched spines； and recurved
tails。 One of the boldest had leaped upon a buttressing root of
her tree within a foot of the opening。 The excitement； awe； and
terror she had undergone culminated in one wild； maddened scream；
that seemed to pierce even the cold depths of the forest； as she
dropp