the restraint and nonchalance upon which Carley prided herself sustained
eclipse.

"Glenn! Look--who's--here!" she called, in voice she could not
have steadied to save her life. This meeting was more than she had
anticipated.

Glenn whirled with an inarticulate cry. He saw Carley. Then--no matter
how unreasonable or exacting had been Carley's longings, they were
satisfied.

"You!" he cried, and leaped at her with radiant face.

Carley not only did not care about the spectators of this meeting, but
forgot them utterly. More than the joy of seeing Glenn, more than
the all-satisfying assurance to her woman's heart that she was still
beloved, welled up a deep, strange, profound something that shook her
to her depths. It was beyond selfishness. It was gratitude to God and to
the West that had restored him.

"Carley! I couldn't believe it was you," he declared, releasing her from
his close embrace, yet still holding her.

"Yes, Glenn--it's I--all you've left of me," she replied, tremulously,
and she sought with unsteady hands to put up her dishevelled hair.
"You--you big sheep herder! You Goliath!"

"I never was so knocked off my pins," he said. "A lady to see me--from
New York!... Of course it had to be you. But I couldn't believe. Carley,
you were good to come."

Somehow the soft, warm look of his dark eyes hurt her. New and strange
indeed it was to her, as were other things about him. Why had she not
come West sooner? She disengaged herself from his hold and moved away,
striving for the composure habitual with her. Flo Hutter was standing
before the fire, looking down. Mrs. Hutter beamed upon Carley.

"Now let's have supper," she said.

"Reckon Miss Carley can't eat now, after that hug Glenn gave her,"
drawled Tom Hutter. "I was some worried. You see Glenn has gained
seventy pounds in six months. An' he doesn't know his strength."

"Seventy pounds!" exclaimed Carley, gayly. "I thought it was more."

"Carley, you must excuse my violence," said Glenn. "I've been hugging
sheep. That is, when I shear a sheep I have to hold him."

They all laughed, and so the moment of readjustment passed. Presently
Carley found herself sitting at table, directly across from Flo. A
pearly whiteness was slowly warming out of the girl's face. Her frank
clear eyes met Carley's and they had nothing to hide. Carley's first
requisite for character in a woman was that she be a thoroughbred. She
lacked it often enough herself to admire