airer."

Constance Ellsworth turned squarely and gazed hard into the eyes of the
man before her. She drew a breath in sharply between her lips, but it
was a sigh of content. She felt herself safe in this man's hands. Again
she broke into laughter and flung herself upon the convenient frying-pan,
which she proceeded to scrub with sudden vigor. Tom Osby's eyes twinkled.

"Whenever you think that skillet's clean enough, us two will set up and
cook ourselves some breakfast right comfterble. As for them fellers over
there, they don't deserve none."

So presently they two did cook and eat yet again. A strange sense of
peace and content came to Constance, albeit mingled with remorse. She
had suspected Dan Anderson of worshipping at the shrine of an operatic
star, whereas he had made the long journey from Heart's Desire to see
herself! She knew it now.

"I'm goin' to take you up to the hotel, ma'am," said Tom Osby, after
Constance had finished her third breakfast, "and then, after that, I'm
goin' to take Dan Anderson back home to Heart's Desire. We'll see you up
there after a while.

"One thing I want to tell you, ma'am, is this. We've got along without a
railroad, all right, and we ain't tearin' our clothes to have one now.
If that railroad does get into our town, it's more'n half likely that
it'll be because the boys has took a notion to you. I never did see you
before this mornin'; but the folks has told me about you--Curly's wife,
you know, and the rest. We'd like to have you live there, if only we
thought the town was good enough for you. It's been mostly for men, so
far."

CHAPTER XIV

THE GROUND FLOOR AT HEART'S DESIRE

_Proposing Certain Wonders of Modern Progress, as wrought by Eastern
Capital and Able Corporation Counsel_

Tom Osby and Constance walked up the trail toward the hotel, and Dan
Anderson from a distance saw them pass. He watched the gray gown move
through sun and shadow, until it was lost beyond the thickening boles
of mountain pines. She turned once and looked back, but he dared not
appropriate the glance to himself, although it seemed to him that he
must rise and follow, that he must call out to her. She had been
there, close to him. He had felt the very warmth of her hand near to
his own. There flamed up in his soul the fierce male jealousy. He
turned to this newcomer, this man of the States, successful, strong,
fortunate. In his soul was ready the ancient challenge.