anyon and the howl of the coyotes. She
was most warm in praise of her rescuer, though here too she used few
words and avoided any description of the ride back, merely saying that
the missionary had shown himself a gentleman in every particular, and
had given her every care and attention that her own family could have
done under the circumstances, making the way pleasant with stories of
the country and the people. She said that he was a man of unusual
culture and refinement, she thought, and yet most earnestly devoted to
his work, and then she abruptly changed the subject by asking about
certain plans for their further trip and seeming to have no further
interest in what had befallen her; but all the while she was conscious
of the piercing glance and frowning visage of Milton Hamar watching her,
and she knew that as soon as opportunity offered itself he would
continue the hateful interview begun on the plain. She decided mentally
that she would avoid any such interview if possible, and to that end
excused herself immediately after lunch had been served, saying she
needed a good sleep to make up for the long ride she had taken.

But it was not to sleep that she gave herself when she was at last able
to take refuge in her little apartment again. She looked out at the
passing landscape, beautiful with varied scenery, all blurred with tears
as she thought of how she had but a little while before been out in its
wide free distance with one who loved her. How that thought thrilled and
thrilled her, and brought her a fresh joy each time it repeated itself!
She wondered over the miracle of it. She never had dreamed that love was
like this. She scarce believed it now. She was excited, stirred to the
depths by her unusual experience, put beyond the normal by the
strangeness of the surroundings that had brought this man into her
acquaintance; so said common sense, and warned her that to-morrow, or
the next day, or at most next week, the thrill would all be gone and she
would think of the stranger missionary as one curious detail of her
Western trip. But her heart resented this, and down, deep down,
something else told her this strange new joy would not vanish, that it
would live throughout her life, and that whatever in the years came to
her, she would always know underneath all that this had been the real
thing, the highest fullness of a perfect love for her.

As the miles lengthened and her thoughts grew sad with the distance,
s