When he knew that the life and death of his father lay in the scale, would he let his brief, foolish passion for Nellie stand in the way?
Even if he were not influenced by filial affection or mere compassion, would his pride let him stoop to a rivalry with the man who had deserted his youth?
Could he take Dunn's promised bride, who must have coquetted with him to have brought him to this miserable plight?
Was this like the calm, proud young god she knew?
Yet she had an uneasy instinct that calm, proud young gods and goddesses did things like this, and felt the weakness of her reasoning flush her own conscious cheek.
"Teresa!" She started.

Dunn was awake, and was gazing at her curiously.
"I was reckoning it was the only square thing for Low to stop this promiscuous picnicking here and marry you out and out." "Marry me!" said Teresa in a voice that, with all her efforts, she could not make cynical.
"Yes," he repeated, "after I've married Nellie; tote you down to San Angeles, and there take my name like a man, and give it to you.
Nobody'll ask after TERESA, sure--you bet your life.

And if they do, and he can't stop their jaw, just you call on the old man.

It's mighty queer, ain't it, Teresa, to think of your being my daughter-in-law ?" It seemed here as if he was about to lapse again into unconsciousness over the purely ludicrous aspect of the subject, but he haply recovered his seriousness.

"He'll have as much money from me as he wants to go into business with.