."

"I ain't goin' ter sign no more papers nohow!" Tom broke in.

"I signed our marriage bond with a mark, Tom," she went on evenly, "just
because you couldn't write your name. You've got to learn, I won't give
up!"

"Well, it's too late to-night fur any more lessons, now _ain't_ it?"

"Yes, we'll make up for it next time."

The tired hunter was soon sound asleep dreaming of the life that was the
breath of his nostrils.

Through the still winter's night the young wife lay with wide staring
eyes. Over and over again she weighed her chances in the grim struggle
begun for the mastery of his mind. The longer she asked herself the
question of success or failure the more doubtful seemed the outcome. How
still the world!

The new life within her strong young body suddenly stirred, and a
feeling of awe thrilled her heart. God had suddenly signalled from the
shores of Eternity.

When her husband waked at dawn he stared at her smiling face in
surprise.

"What ye laughin' about, Nancy?" he cried.

She turned toward him with a startled look:

"I had a vision, Tom!"

"A dream, I reckon."

"God had answered the prayer of my heart," she went on breathlessly,
"and sent me a son. I saw him a strong, brave, patient, wise, gentle
man. Thousands hung on his words and great men came to do him homage.
With bowed head he led me into a beautiful home that had shining white
pillars. He bowed low and whispered in my ear: 'This is yours, my angel
mother. I bought it for you with my life. All that I am I owe to you.'"

She paused a moment and whispered:

"O Tom, man, a new song is singing in my soul!"

II

The woman rose quietly and went the rounds of her daily work. She made
her bed to-day in trance-like silence. It was no gilded couch, but it
had been built by the hand of her lover and was sacred. It filled the
space in one corner of the cabin farthest from the fire. A single post
of straight cedar securely fixed in the ground held the poles in place
which formed the side and foot rail. The walls of the cabin formed the
other side and head. Across from the pole were fixed the slender hickory
sticks that formed the springy hammock on which the first mattress of
moss and grass rested. On this was placed a feather bed made from the
wild fowl Tom had killed during the past two years. The pillows were of
the finest feathers from the breasts of ducks. A single quilt of ample
size covered all, and over this was thrown a huge co