inating power. Were all young men of wealth like Van Shaw? Would it
never be possible for her to marry wealth and virtue together? And again
there was that strange commingling of shame and exultation as she
realised what a power she possessed to attract even such an one as Van
Shaw, and try as hard as she would she did not drive out the scene of
his declaration that morning. At any rate, it was genuine. Let him be
what he had been, might she not awaken all the latent good in his nature
and save him--her mother's ideas were very strict and serious. They were
perhaps puritanical. But after all------

So she restlessly went back and forth in her argument and only fell
asleep towards morning, her heart and mind wearied with the whole thing.
Before she fell asleep she resolved to have a talk with Miss Gray and
make her tell what she knew. She said to herself she would at least not
dismiss Van Shaw entirely until she knew even more than her mother had
been able to tell her about him.

But before the opportunity came for Miss Gray's confidence, several
unexpected events occurred that made Helen wonder if she were in a land
of enchantment. After what had already become a part of her history in
this strange land, she might be pardoned, if, with her highly romantic
temperament, she felt excited to an unusual degree.

In the first place, Mr. Masters had word, that next morning after the
snake dance, that he was needed imperatively at Tolchaco on account of
the illness of Ansa, old Begwoettins' grandchild. This was Miss Gray's
favourite, and she was eager to return to the mission with Mr. and Mrs.
Masters as soon as possible. Accordingly the fastest team and the
lightest outfit were pressed into service and a short time after
breakfast Mr. and Mrs. Masters and Miss Gray were ready to take the road
by the Oraibi Wash, hoping to make Tolchaco by the next afternoon.
Elijah Clifford wanted to go but it seemed necessary for him to remain
with Mr. and Mrs. Douglas and help pack up for the return trip. Besides,
two of the chuck wagon teams had broken their hobbles in the night and
wandered off into the "indefinite nowhere," as Clifford said, and until
they were found and brought back, it was impossible for the rest of the
party to hitch in and leave Oraibi.

As if Providence had come to the special help of Walter, just before
Masters had finished his preparations to leave, the Navajo runner who
had brought word of Ansa's illness went s