a carefully nurtured daughter of society, until now never
daring to step one inch beyond the line of conventionality, sitting afar
from all her friends and kindred on a wide desert plain, under a bit of
canvas with a strange missionary's arm about her, and sitting as
securely and contentedly, nay happily, as if she had been in her own
cushioned chair in her New York boudoir. It is true the arm was about
her for the purpose of holding down the canvas and keeping out the
rain, but there was a wonderful security and sense of strength in it
that filled her with a strange new joy and made her wish that the
elements of the universe might continue to rage in brilliant display
about her head a little longer, if thereby she might continue to feel
the strength of that fine presence near her and about her. A great
weariness was upon her and this was rest and content, so she put all
other thoughts out of her mind for the time and rested back against the
strong arm in full realization of her safety amidst the disturbance of
the elements.

The missionary wore his upward look. No word passed between them as the
panorama of the storm swept by. Only God knew what was passing in his
soul, and how out of that dear nearness of the beautiful girl a great
longing was born to have her always near him, his right to ever protect
her from the storms of life.

But he was a man of marked self-control. He held even his thoughts in
obedience to a higher power, and while the wild wish of his heart swept
exquisitely over him he stood calmly, and handed it back to heaven as
though he knew it were a wandering wish, a testing of his true self.

At the first instant of relief from necessity he took his arm away. He
did not presume a single second to hold the canvas after the wind had
subsided, and she liked him the better for it, and felt her trust in him
grow deeper as he gently shook the raindrops from their temporary
shelter.

The rain had lasted but a few minutes, and as the clouds cleared the
earth grew lighter for a space. Gently melting into the silver and
amethyst and emerald of the sky the rainbow faded and now they hurried
on, for Brownleigh wished to reach a certain spot where he hoped to find
dry shelter for the night. He saw that the excitement of travel and the
storm had sorely spent the strength of the girl, and that she needed
rest, so he urged the horse forward, and hurried along by his side.

But suddenly he halted the horse and lo