The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-08
lCopyrixht sccuredl
BRET HARTE'S NEW ROMANCE.
IN THE CdHOGINEz WOODS-A TALE
or CALIFORNIA.
CHAPTER III,


the udmirng eyes Of tho passengers and the
coach had ratified away. Miss Nellie. without
any undue haste or apparent change in
her usual quiet demcanor. managed. how
over. to despatch her business prompt
ly. and leaving an impression that she
would cnll ngan before her return
to Excelsior. parted from her friends and
Slipped away through n side street to the Gem
ernl Furnishing Store Of Indian Spring. In
passing this emporium on tho coach. Miss
Nellie's quick eye had discovered cheap
brown linen buster hanging In its window.
To purchase II md put II over her delicate
cambria dress. albeit with shivering sense
that abe looked like a badly folded brown
paper parcel did not take long. As she left the
shop 1t wns with mixed emotions OF chagrin
and security that she noticed that her passage
through the settlement no longer turned tho
heads OF its male inhabitants. She reached
the outskirts of Indian Spring and tho high
road at about the time Mr. Brace had begun his
fruitless patrol Of tho main street. Far in the
distance n flint olive green table mountain
seemed to rise abruptly from the plain. 1t
was tho Carquine2 woods. Gathering her
spotlcss skirts beneath her extern porized brown
domino she set out briskly toward them.
But her progress wa, scarcely FREQ or exhil-
arating. She was not accustomed to walking
In n country where buggy riding" was con-
sidcred the only gsnteel young lady like mod.
OF progression. and its regular provision the
expected courtesy of mankind Always fus-
tidiou5y booted her lcw-uuurtered shoes were
charming to the eye. but hardly adapted to tho
dust and Inequalities OF tho high rond. It
was true that she ind thought Of buy
ing conrser mir at Indian Spring but
once face to face with their uncom-
promising ugliness. she had fal,ered md fed
Tho sun was Enthusiastically hot. but her parasol
was too we'll known. ind offered too violent n
contrast to the buster for practical use. Once
she stopped with nm exclamation of annoy
ance. hcsitatcd. and looked back In half an
hour she had twice lost her shoe aud her TOM
per: pink flush took possession Of her cheeks.
and her eyes wcr, bright with suppressed rage
Dust began to form grimy circles around their
orbits: with cat-iike shivers she even felt it
pervude the roots OF her blond hair Gradu-
ally her breath grew moro rapid and ystcrica
her smariing eyes became humid and ut last
sncountering two observant horscmen In tho
road. she turned and fed. until reaching the
wood sho began to cry.
Nevertheless she waited for the two horse
men to pass. to satisfy herself that she was
not followed; then pushed on vaguely. until
she reached n fallen troe whore, with a ges-
ture OF disgust. she tore of her hapless
duster and flung 1t on the ground She
then sat down sobbing. but after n moment
dried her eyes hurriedly and started to her
feet. A few pacos distant erect. noiseless.
with outstretchcd hand. the young solitary OF
the Carluinoz woods advanced toward her.
His hand had almost touched hers when he
stopped.
What has happened" he asked gravely
Nothing" she said. turning half away. and