t of the fence could
not be seen as far as the eye could reach. As this gave the roadside
fence the appearance of not inclosing land at all, but rather of
inclosing the traveler as he crossed over the vacant waste from town to
town, the stretch of wire seemed to belong to the road itself as
properly as a hand-rail belongs to a bridge; and this expansive scene,
while it was somewhat rolling, was of so uniform and unaccentuated a
character in the whole, and so lacking in features to arrest the eye,
that the road might be said to pass nothing but its own fence-posts.

For a while Janet's thoughts dwelt upon her experience with the
farmer's family, the final scene of which now impressed her more deeply
as she realized how promptly these good folk had opened their hearts to
receive her, and how genuine was their sorrow at seeing her go; and
this reflection imparted so pleasant a flavor to the world that her
mind kept reenacting that simple scene of leave-taking. But when she
had got well out to sea,--for that is the effect of it except that the
stretch of wire puts the mind in a sort of telegraphic touch with the
world,--she drifted along contemplating the prairie at large, all
putting forth in spring flowers, and for a time she seemed to have
ridden quite out of the Past; but finally, recalling her affairs, her
mind projected itself forward and she fell to wondering what the Future
might have in store.

There was nothing to answer her, and little to interrupt her
speculations. About the middle of the forenoon, or later, she
encountered a fellow-traveler in the person of a cowboy on a bay pony.
At first a mere speck in the distance, he grew steadily on her vision,
and then went riding past, life-size and lifting his sombrero; which
salute she acknowledged pleasantly, smiling and inclining her head. A
very strong fellow, she thought, whoever he might be. A while later,
as she was jogging along with her mind on the horse, whose need of a
drink was now a matter of growing concern to her, she came to where a
wooden gate opened upon the roadside, and here, after a moment of
doubtful consideration, she entered; and having closed it and got into
the saddle again by means of its bars, she struck out across the
prairie with the intention of casting about until she should come upon
one of those spring-fed water-holes which are always to be found, here
and there, upon the cattle range. For a time it looked as if her horse
would