第28章

"If you're waiting for that bald-headed fraud to come back with the truth about his daughter,"said Brace coolly,"you'd better send for your things and take up your lodgings here.""What do you mean?"said Dunn sternly.

"I mean that she's not at the Burnhams';I mean that he either does or does not know WHERE she is,and that in either case he is not likely to give you information.But I can.""You can?"

"Yes."

"Then,where is she?"

"In the Carquinez Woods,in the arms of the man you were just defending--Low,the half-breed."The room had become so dark that from the road nothing could be distinguished.Only the momentary sound of struggling feet was heard.

"Sit down,"said Brace's voice,"and don't be a fool.You're too weak,and it ain't a fair fight.Let go your hold.I'm not lying--I wish to God I was!"There was silence,and Brace resumed,"We've been rivals,I know.

May be I thought my chance as good as yours.If what I say ain't truth,we'll stand as we stood before;and if you're on the shoot,I'm your man when you like,where you like,or on sight if you choose.But I can't bear to see another man played upon as I've been played upon--given dead away as I've been.It ain't on the square.

"There,"he continued,after a pause,"that's right,now steady.

Listen.A week ago that girl went down just like this to Indian Spring.It was given out,like this,that she went to the Burnhams'.I don't mind saying,Dunn,that I went down myself,all on the square,thinking I might get a show to talk to her,just as YOU might have done,you know,if you had my chance.Ididn't come across her anywhere.But two men that I met thought they recognized her in a disguise going into the woods.Not suspecting anything,I went after her;saw her at a distance in the middle of the woods in another dress that I can swear to,and was just coming up to her when she vanished--went like a squirrel up a tree,or down like a gopher in the ground,but vanished.""Is that all?"said Dunn's voice."And just because you were a d--d fool,or had taken a little too much whisky,you thought--""Steady.That's just what I said to myself,"interrupted Brace coolly,"particularly when I saw her that same afternoon in another dress,saying 'Good-by'to the Burnhams,as fresh as a rose and as cold as those snow-peaks.Only one thing--she had a ring on her finger she never wore before,and didn't expect me to see.""What if she did?She might have bought it.I reckon she hasn't to consult you,"broke in Dunn's voice sternly.

"She didn't buy it,"continued Brace quietly."Low gave that Jew trader a bearskin in exchange for it,and presented it to her.Ifound that out two days afterwards.I found out that out of the whole afternoon she spent less than an hour with the Burnhams.Ifound out that she bought a duster like the disguise the two men saw her in.I found the yellow dress she wore that day hanging up in Low's cabin--the place where I saw her go--THE RENDEZVOUSWHERE SHE MEETS HIM.Oh,you're listenin',are you?Stop!SITDOWN!

"I discovered it by accident,"continued the voice of Brace when all was again quiet;"it was hidden as only a squirrel or an Injin can hide when they improve upon nature.When I was satisfied that the girl had been in the woods,I was determined to find out where she vanished,and went there again.

Prospecting around,I picked up at the foot of one of the biggest trees this yer old memorandum-book,with grasses and herbs stuck in it.I remembered that I'd heard old Wynn say that Low,like the d--d Digger that he was,collected these herbs;only he pretended it was for science.I reckoned the book was his and that he mightn't be far away.I lay low and waited.Bimeby Isaw a lizard running down the root.When he got sight of me he stopped.""D--n the lizard!What's that got to do with where she is now?""Everything.That lizard had a piece of sugar in his mouth.

Where did it come from?I made him drop it,and calculated he'd go back for more.He did.He scooted up that tree and slipped in under some hanging strips of bark.I shoved 'em aside,and found an opening to the hollow where they do their housekeeping.""But you didn't see her there--and how do you know she is there now?""I determined to make it sure.When she left to-day,I started an hour ahead of her,and hid myself at the edge of the woods.

An hour after the coach arrived at Indian Spring,she came there in a brown duster and was joined by him.I'd have followed them,but the d--d hound has the ears of a squirrel,and though I was five hundred yards from him he was on his guard.""Guard be blessed!Wasn't you armed?Why didn't you go for him?"said Dunn,furiously.