consciousness； it was too late。 Yuba Bill had discharged his
passengers for Indian Spring and driven away。 Miss Nellie was in
the settlement； but where？ As time passed he became more
desperate and bolder。 He walked recklessly up and down the main
street； glancing in at the open doors of shops； and even in the
windows of private dwellings。 It might have seemed a poor
compliment to Miss Nellie； but it was an evidence of his complete
preoccupation； when the sight of a female face at a window； even
though it was plain or perhaps painted； caused his heart to
bound； or the glancing of a skirt in the distance quickened his
feet and his pulses。 Had Jack contented himself with remaining
at Excelsior he might have vaguely regretted； but as soon become
as vaguely accustomed to； Miss Nellie's absence。 But it was not
until his hitherto quiet and passive love took this first step of
action that it fully declared itself。 When he had made the tour
of the town a dozen times unsuccessfully； he had perfectly made
up his mind that marriage with Nellie or the speedy death of
several people； including possibly himself； was the only
alternative。 He regretted he had not accompanied her； he
regretted he had not demanded where she was going； he
contemplated a course of future action that two hours ago would
have filled him with bashful terror。 There was clearly but one
thing to doto declare his passion the instant he met her； and
return with her to Excelsior an accepted suitor； or not to return
at all。
Suddenly he was vexatiously conscious of hearing his name lazily
called； and looking up found that he was on the outskirts of the
town； and interrogated by two horsemen。
〃Got down to walk； and the coach got away from you； Jack； eh？〃
A little ashamed of his preoccupation； Brace stammered something
about 〃collections。〃 He did not recognize the men； but his own
face； name； and business were familiar to everybody for fifty
miles along the stage…road。
〃Well； you can settle a bet for us； I reckon。 Bill Dacre thar
bet me five dollars and the drinks that a young gal we met at the
edge of the Carquinez Woods； dressed in a long brown duster and
half muffled up in a hood； was the daughter of Father Wynn of
Excelsior。 I did not get a fair look at her； but it stands to
reason that a high…toned young lady like Nellie Wynn don't go
trap'sing along the wood like a Pike County tramp。 I took the
bet。 May be you know if she's here or in Excelsior？〃
Mr。 Brace felt himself turning pale with eagerness and
excitement。 But the near prospect of seeing her presently gave
him back his caution； and he answered truthfully that he had left
her in Excelsior； and that in his two hours' sojourn in Indian
Spring he had not met her once。 〃But；〃 he added； with a
Californian's reverence for the sanctity of a bet； 〃I reckon
you'd better make it a stand…off for twenty…four hours； and I'll
find out and let you know。〃 Which； it is only fair to say； he
honestly intended to do。
With a hurried nod of parting； he continued in the direction of
the Woods。 When he had satisfied himself that the strangers had
entered the settlement； and would not follow him for further
explanation； he quickened his pace。 In half an hour he passed
between two of the gigantic sentinels that guarded the entrance
to a trail。 Here he paused to collect his thoughts。 The Woods
were vast in extent； the trail dim and uncertainat times
apparently breaking off； or intersecting another trail as faint
as itself。 Believing that Miss Nellie had diverged from the
highway only as a momentary excursion into the shade； and that
she would not dare to penetrate its more sombre and unknown
recesses； he kept within sight of the skirting plain。 By degrees
the sedate influence of the silent vaults seemed to depress him。
The ardor of the chase began to flag。 Under the calm of their
dim roof the fever of his veins began to subside； his pace
slackened； he reasoned more deliberately。 It was by no means
probable that the young woman in a brown duster was Nellie； it
was not her habitual traveling dress； it was not like her to walk
unattended in the road； there was nothing in her tastes and
habits to take her into this gloomy forest； allowing that she had
even entered it； and on this absolute question of her identity
the two witnesses were divided。 He stopped irresolutely； and
cast a last； long； half…despairing look around him。 Hitherto he
had given that part of the wood nearest the plain his greatest
attention。 His glance now sought its darker recesses。 Suddenly
he became breathless。 Was it a beam of sunlight that had pierced
the groined roof above； and now rested against the trunk of one
of the dimmer； more secluded giants？ No； it was moving； even as
he gazed it slipped away； glanced against another tree； passed
across one of the vaulted aisles； and then was lost again。 Brief
as was the glimpse； he was not mistakenit was the figure of a
woman。
In another moment he was on her track； and soon had the
satisfaction of seeing her reappear at a lesser distance。 But
the continual intervention of the massive trunks made the chase
by no means an easy one； and as he could not keep her always in
sight he was unable to follow or understand the one intelligent
direction which she seemed to invariably keep。 Nevertheless； he
gained upon her breathlessly； and； thanks to the bark…strewn
floor； noiselessly。 He was near enough to distinguish and
recognize the dress she wore； a pale yellow； that he had admired
when he first saw her。 It was Nellie； unmistakably； if it were
she of the brown duster； she had discarded it； perhaps for
greater freedom。 He was near enough to call out now； but a
sudden nervous timidity overcame him； his lips grew dry。 What
should he say to her？ How account for his presence？ 〃Miss
Nellie； one moment！〃 he gasped。 She darted forward andvanished。
At this moment he was not more than a dozen yards from her。 He
rushed to where she had been standing； but her disappearance was
perfect and complete。 He made a circuit of the group of trees
within whose radius she had last appeared； but there was neither
trace of her； nor a suggestion of her mode of escape。 He called
aloud to her； the vacant Woods let his helpless voice die in
their unresponsive depths。 He gazed into the air and down at the
bark…strewn carpet at his feet。 Like most of his vocation； he
was sparing of speech； and epigrammatic after his fashion。
Comprehending in one swift but despairing flash of intelligence
the existence of some fateful power beyond his own weak endeavor；
he accepted its logical result with characteristic grimness；
threw his hat upon the ground； put his hands in his pockets； and
said
〃Well； I'm dd！〃
CHAPTER III。
Out of compliment to Miss Nellie Wynn； Yuba Bill； on reaching
Indian Spring； had made a slight detour to enable him to
ostentatiously set down his fair passenger before the door of the
Burnhams。 When it had closed on the admiring eyes of the
passengers and the coach had rattled away； Miss Nellie； without
any undue haste or apparent change in her usual quiet demeanor；
managed； however； to dispatch her business promptly； and； leaving
an impression that she would call again before her return to
Excelsior； parted from her friends and slipped away through a
side street to the General Furnishing Store of Indian Spring。 In
passing this emporium； Miss Nellie's quick eye had discovered a
cheap brown linen duster hanging in its window。 To purchase it；
and put it over her delicate cambric dress； albeit with a
shivering sense that she looked like a badly folded brown…paper
parcel； did not take long。 As she left the shop it was with
mixed emotions of chagrin and security that she noticed that her
passage through the settlement no longer turned the heads of its
male inhabitants。 She reached the outskirts of Indian Spring and
the high…road at about the time Mr。 Brace had begun his fruitless
patrol of the main street。 Far in the distance a faint olive…
green table mountain seemed to rise abruptly from the plain。 It
was the Carquinez Woods。 Gathering her spotless skirts beneath
her extemporized brown domino； she set out briskly towards them。
But her progress was scarcely free or exhilarating。 She was not
accustomed to walking in a country where 〃buggy…riding〃 was
considered the only genteel young…lady…like mode of progression；
and its regular provision the expected courtesy of mankind。
Always fastidiously booted； her low…quartered shoes were charming
to the eye； but hardly adapted to the dust and inequalities of
the highroad。 It was true that she had thought of buying a
coarser pair at Indian Spring； but once face to face with their
uncompromising ugliness； she had faltered and fled。 The sun was
unmistakably hot； but her parasol was too well known and offered
too violent a contrast to the duster for practical use。 Once she
stopped with an exclamation of annoyance； hesitated； and looked
back。 In half an hour she had twice lost her shoe and her
temper； a pink flush took possession of her cheeks； and her eyes
were bright with suppressed rage。 Dust began to form