The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-22
CHAPTER vi.

When Miss Nollie reached the frst mining
extension OF Indian Spring. which surrounded
it like iosse. she descended for one instant
into one OF it's trenches. opened her parasol.
removed her duster. hid 1t under a boulder.
and. with few shivers and catliko strokes OF
her soft hands. not only obliterated oil material
traces OF tho stolen cream OF CarauineI
Woods. but assumed feline occurrences
quite inconsistent with any moral dereliction
Unfortunately she forgot to remove at the Sumo
time a certain ring from her third finger which
she had put on with her duster and had worn
at no other timo. With this slight exception
the bcnsnnnt fate which always protected that
young person brought hor In contact with the
Durham girls ut one end OF tho main street
as the returning coach to Excelsior entered the
other and enabled her to take leave Of Thorn
before tho coach ONCE with q certain ostenta-
ton OF parting which struck Mr.. Jack Brace.
who was lingering at the doorway. into state
OF utter bewlderment.
Here was Miss Nellie Wynnc. the belle OF Ex-
cosior. calm. quiet. self possessed. her chaste
cambria skirts and dainty Shoes rs fresh as
when she had loft her fathers house; but
whcre was the woman OF the brown duster2
and whore the yellowdressed apparition OF the
woods lie was fceby repeating TO himself his
mental adjurntion OF O few hours before whom
he caught her eyo and was taken with 8blush
and u tit Of coughing. Could he have been
such an egregious iool-and was 1t not plainly
written on his embarrassed face for her to read2
Are we going down togcther?" asked Miss
Nellie. with an exceptionally gracious smile.
Thore was neither ufIectation nor coduetry
in this advance. Tho girl had no idea Of
Braces suspicion Of her. nor did any uneasy
desire to placste or deceive n possible rival Of
T M hf.r Ninna al INN tv
wished to shake OF in this encounter the
already stale excitement OF the past
two hours. rs she had shaken the
dust OF tho woods from her clothes. 1t
was characteristic OF her irresponsible nature
and transient susceptibities that she actually
enjoyed the rcliei OF change; more than that.
fear she looked upon this infidelity to past
dubious pleasure as q moral principle. A mild.
open Irritation with recognized man like
Brown. after her secret passionate tryst with q
nnmoess nomad like Low. was an ethical cQut-
pose that seemed proper to ono OF hor religious
education.
Brace was only too happy to profit BY Miss
Nellie's condescenslon; he at once secured the
seat by her side. and spent tho two hours and
half OF their return journey to Excelsior in
blissful but timid communion with her II he
did not dare to confess his past suspicious he
ness he had premeditated a few hours before
He Was therefore obliged to take middle
course Of slightly eEotistical narration Of his
own personal adventures. with which no
beguiled tho young girls ear This he only
departed from once. to describe to her q
valuable grizzly bear skin which no had seen
that day for sale at Indian Spring. with view
to divining her possible acceptance Of 1t for a
buggy robe :" and once to comment upon q
ring which she had Inadvertently disclosed In
pulling OF her glove.
ITS only an old family keepsake" she ad-
ded with easy msndacity. And affecting to
recognize In Mr.. Braces curiosity not un-
natural excuse for toying with her charming
fingers. she hid them In chaste and virginia.
seclusion In her lap. until she could recover
the ring and resume her glove.
A week passed week OF peculiar and deslc-
eating heat for ev6n those dry Sierra table
lands. The long days were nlled with impa.
pablo dust and acrd haze suspended In the
motionless air; the nights were breathless and
| dswless-the cold wind which usually swept
| down from the snow line was laid to sleep over
| dark monotonous Lowell. whose horizon was
| pricked with the eating fires OF burning forest
| crests. The tagging coach OF Indian Spring
drove up at Excelsior md precipitnted Its pas
songers with an accompany wing cloud OF dust
before the Excelsior Hotel. As they emerged
from the coach. Mr.. Brace. standing In the
doorway. closely scanned their bexrimed and
almost unacceptable faces. They were tho
usual type OF travellers: single professional
man In dirty black. q few traders In tweeds and
nannels, = sprinkling OF miners In red and gray
| shirts. q Chinaman. a negro. and n Mexican
| packer or muleteer. This latter for q moment
mingled with the crowd In the barroom. and
uat rad ha prtA nd nj
| Of the hotel as II impelled BY . certain semi
ciyilizad cuiioaity and than atroilad With n