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innocently。
For once Low was startled out of his phlegm。 〃Indian Spring！〃 he
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ejaculated； 〃perhaps not even in San Francisco。 These came from the
States。〃
〃How did you get them？〃 persisted Teresa。
〃I bought them for skins I got over the ridge。〃
〃I didn't mean thatbut no matter。 Then you mean to sell that
bearskin； don't you？〃 she added。
Low had； in fact； already sold it； the proceeds having been invested in
a gold ring for Miss Nellie； which she scrupulously did not wear except in
his presence。 In his singular truthfulness he would have frankly
confessed it to Teresa； but the secret was not his own。 He contented
himself with saying that he had disposed of it at Indian Spring。
Teresa started； and communicated unconsciously some of her
nervousness to her companion。 They gazed in each other's eyes with a
troubled expression。
〃Do you think it was wise to sell that particular skin； which might be
identified？〃 she asked timidly。
Low knitted his arched brows； but felt a strange sense of relief。
〃Perhaps not；〃 he said carelessly； 〃but it's too late now to mend matters。〃
That afternoon she wrote several letters； and tore them up。 One；
however； she retained； and handed it to Low to post at Indian Spring；
whither he was going。 She called his attention to the superscription；
being the same as the previous letter； and added； with affected gayety；
〃But if the answer isn't as prompt； perhaps it will be pleasanter than the
last。〃 Her quick feminine eye noticed a little excitement in his manner
and a more studious attention to his dress。 Only a few days before she
would not have allowed this to pass without some mischievous allusion to
his mysterious sweetheart； it troubled her greatly now to find that she
could not bring herself to this household pleasantry； and that her lip
trembled and her eye grew moist as he parted from her。
The afternoon passed slowly； he had said he might not return to supper
until late； nevertheless a strange restlessness took possession of her as the
day wore on。 She put aside her work； the darning of his stockings； and
rambled aimlessly through the woods。 She had wandered she knew not
how far； when she was suddenly seized with the same vague sense of a
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foreign presence which she had felt before。 Could it be Curson again；
with a word of warning？ No！ she knew it was not he； so subtle had her
sense become that she even fancied that she detected in the invisible aura
projected by the unknown no significance or relation to herself or Low；
and felt no fear。 Nevertheless she deemed it wisest to seek the protection
of her sylvan bower； and hurried swiftly thither。
But not so quickly nor directly that she did not once or twice pause in
her flight to examine the new…comer from behind a friendly trunk。 He
was a strangera young fellow with a brown mustache； wearing heavy
Mexican spurs in his riding…boots； whose tinkling he apparently did not
care to conceal。 He had perceived her； and was evidently pursuing her；
but so awkwardly and timidly that she eluded him with ease。 When she
had reached the security of the hollow tree and pulled the curtain of bark
before the narrow opening； with her eye to the interstices； she waited his
coming。 He arrived breathlessly in the open space before the tree where
the bear once lay； the dazed； bewildered； and half… awed expression of his
face； as he glanced around him and through the openings of the forest
aisles； brought a faint smile to her saddened face。 At last he called in a
half…embarrassed voice：
〃Miss Nellie！〃
The smile faded from Teresa's cheek。 Who was 〃Miss Nellie？〃 She
pressed her ear to the opening。 〃Miss Wynn！〃 the voice again called； but
was lost in the echoless woods。 Devoured with a new gratuitous
curiosity； in another moment Teresa felt she would have disclosed herself
at any risk； but the stranger rose and began to retrace his steps。 Long
after his tinkling spurs were lost in the distance； Teresa remained like a
statue； staring at the place where he had stood。 Then she suddenly turned
like a mad woman； glanced down at the gown she was wearing； tore it
from her back as if it had been a polluted garment； and stamped upon it in
a convulsion of rage。 And then； with her beautiful bare arms clasped
together over her head； she threw herself upon her couch in a tempest of
tears。
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CHAPTER VI
When Miss Nellie reached the first mining extension of Indian Spring；
which surrounded it like a fosse； she descended for one instant into one of
its trenches； opened her parasol； removed her duster； hid it under a
bowlder； and with a few shivers and cat… like strokes of her soft hands not
only obliterated all material traces of the stolen cream of Carquinez Woods；
but assumed a feline demureness quite inconsistent with any moral
dereliction。 Unfortunately； she forgot to remove at the same time a certain
ring from her third finger； which she had put on with her duster and had
worn at no other time。 With this slight exception； the benignant fate
which always protected that young person brought her in contact with the
Burnham girls at one end of the main street as the returning coach to
Excelsior entered the other； and enabled her to take leave of them before
the coach office with a certain ostentation of parting which struck Mr。 Jack
Brace； who was lingering at the doorway； into a state of utter
bewilderment。
Here was Miss Nellie Wynn； the belle of Excelsior； calm； quiet； self…
possessed； her chaste cambric skirts and dainty shoes as fresh as when she
had left her father's house； but where