he'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. I didn'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. I fou