' * : ' ; ' . ;: li ! iiii 
 
University of California Berkeley 
 
IN THE 
 LAND OF EXTREMES 
 
 BY 
 
 MARIE COTTRELL 
 
 Cochrane Publishing Company 
 
 Tribune Building 
 
 New York 
 
 1909 
 
Copyright, 1909, 
 
 BY 
 COCHRANE PUBLISHING Co. 
 
To my dear father, who developed my love for books, 
 this work is lovingly dedicated. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
AUTHOR'S NOTE. 
 
 *fT HOLD that no person should impose his thoughts 
 
 upon the public unless he feels that the message 
 
 which he has to^ deliver is one that the public needs. 
 
 Authors are surely born and not made. The born 
 writer feels the love of the pen stirring within his being 
 during the days of childhood; with the pen he finds 
 the one mode of expression which satisfies his inner 
 being and soul. Such is the writer's excuse for pre- 
 senting the following pages. 
 
 The author of this work simply wishes to give to the 
 public a truer idea of life as it is to-day, " in her 
 country;" wishes to correct false impressions which the 
 recent writings of certain well-known knights of the 
 quill have planted in the minds of the people concerning 
 Arizona. No doubt some of these stories have been 
 true of a past period, but even such portray only camp, 
 ranch or mining life, and this is by no means the 
 whole of life in "my country." Arizona has well been 
 called "a lotus land of charm." Those who have lived 
 or visited within her borders have felt this charm, but 
 few have been able to express or analyze it. This charm 
 is something vague, elusive, mystic. 
 
 Arizona is utterly different from any other part of the 
 United States. You can find some State to compare 
 
 5 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 with every other State in the Union, with the single 
 exception of Arizona. It is a world by itself and is 
 governed by altogether different influences from those 
 that prevail in the average commonwealth. It is said 
 to resemble Palestine, and the San Pedro river is her- 
 alded as a duplicate of the historic river Jordan. 
 
 I say that no person should attempt to portray life 
 in any country unless he loves that country, and I think 
 it would be better if he had been in that country once, 
 at least, though he placed but one foot across the bor- 
 der. I have in mind certain " famous" stories which 
 have been written about Arizona recently. Any citi- 
 zen of Arizona who reads these stories will know that 
 the authors of the same did not know life in Arizona, 
 though they may have lived there. Nothing could be 
 more untrue of life in "my country" than some of these 
 narratives. The tales themselves are clever enough, 
 once you dig down beneath the filth of dialect which those 
 authors seem to think represents the vernacular of Ari- 
 zona. I admire the authors of those stories in a way; 
 they must have been as difficult to write as they are to 
 read. I may be doing injustice to the authors of some of 
 these Arizona stories, but if I trusted to my judgment to 
 guide me, I should aver that the Bowery in New York is 
 as near to Arizona as they have ever been. They must 
 have gathered their slang from the " East Side," if in- 
 deed they gathered it from any place at all. Such au- 
 thors should be classed with the long line of " Nature 
 fakirs," whom President Roosevelt has pointed out. 
 
 Many of the people of Arizona use slang and much 
 good live slang is born among us, but there is no Ari- 
 zona slang of the sort that has appeared in some books. 
 
 6 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 The author of this story is not a native of Arizona. It 
 is her land by adoption; however, she is insulted when 
 it is misrepresented or abused. She has lived in many 
 different parts of Arizona for many years and has studied 
 its life closely, but she has never heard such language 
 used in any section of the Territory by any class of peo- 
 ple as these authors put into the mouths of Arizona 
 people. It is nauseating to intelligence. 
 
 Great tragedies of the heart take place in this land 
 of extremes, and most of the incidents related in the fol- 
 lowing pages transpired in Arizona, and came to the 
 knowledge of the writer. 
 
 The pen and the sword are closely allied, and perhaps 
 this is why I rise up in arms to defend "my country." 
 
Part L Experience 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IT was not so many years ago that Fate commenced 
 playing the contrary tricks of which I am to write. It all 
 occurred in that land of extremes, where wastes are wide 
 and waterless, where river valleys are verdant, and 
 where the shimmering sun shines as resplendently in 
 February as in August. In other words, it all happened 
 in Arizona. 
 
 I am glad it was in those days when the young girl 
 heroine was yet a favorite, for I fear I could not write 
 eulogies concerning a saucy widow or about the unhappy 
 married women who are so popular in the fiction of the 
 present. 
 
 The crowd of aimless loungers about the Prescott 
 depot, who were watching the morning train pull in from 
 Phoenix, opened their eyes with interest as a girl came 
 from a Pullman coach, and, after looking about uncer- 
 tainly, entered the 'bus for the Burk Hotel. The porter, 
 who always came to meet the trains as runner, looked at 
 the driver and winked, nodding his head in the direc- 
 tion of the girl. The driver answered this indication by 
 shutting one eye in a ridiculous squint and drawing in 
 
 9 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 a long breath. But before the 'bus drove away from the 
 platform, several impertinent fellows, Fred Harmon for 
 one, perched themselves within the vehicle opposite the 
 interesting stranger, with no better purpose than to be 
 able to stare at the newcomer. Both porter and driver 
 made efforts to show off "smart/' but the girl was not 
 minding these fellows. She was looking over the ram- 
 shackle array of wooden structures, for such was Prescott 
 in those days, before the big fire, which laid the town 
 in a bed of ashes, and out of which has sprung a beau- 
 tiful city of stone. 
 
 This girl was looking with interested eyes ; being like 
 all other young creatures who set out alone for the first 
 time in the wide, wide world, she was expecting only good 
 and profitable happenings to come her way. There was 
 no foreshadow of aught that was harmful or evil in her 
 thought. As yet she had proven nothing to her own 
 satisfaction of this world and all its tangles; life lay 
 before her an untried experiment. But she was eager 
 to investigate all things. For this purpose she had 
 come West, like other restless seekers, after a 
 change. As yet her mind was without any def- 
 inite purpose. She was eager to meet whatever 
 came her way in the line of experience. In after 
 years, no doubt, when her life should have de- 
 veloped into a firm purpose, she would look back upon 
 this first journey when her soul sang, " Westward, ho ! " 
 and shudder at the risks she ran. To-day her innocence 
 of all pitfalls was her safeguard. She was dwelling in 
 the sunshine of perpetual expectation, and was looking 
 about the town eagerly. It all seemed strange and un- 
 known to her, but so interesting. Perhaps she would 
 
 10 
 
. In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 spy a mounted cowboy and fall in love with him at first 
 sight. This was the event she wished for, from the first 
 day she set her foot in the Territory, having just read 
 the " Virginian." How she longed for this, but some- 
 how it would not happen, and yet she had seen a 
 number of cowboys, mounted and otherwise. But this 
 was almost what she had come West for. Alas, the 
 things we "cut and dry" in our prognostications are sel- 
 dom if ever the things which transpire; it is the unex- 
 pected that always happens. 
 
 While the 'bus moved along the street, the girl searched 
 the town with her eyes, trying to adjust her thoughts to 
 the new condition, but all the while she was conscious of 
 some compelling influence hovering near, that pulled 
 her musings in a direction opposite that of her own voli- 
 tion. In an attempt to master this, she found herself 
 looking into the eyes of Fred Harmon. 
 
 When at length the girl was helped from the 'bus by 
 a willing but awkward fellow, and had entered the office 
 of the hotel, there was a perceptible stir among all pres- 
 ent. The clerk at the desk was politeness personified 
 as he swung the register around and gave her the pen, 
 and when she had affixed her dainty signature to the page, 
 he curtly dismissed the bell boy, and himself conducted 
 her to one of the best rooms in the house. 
 
 " Who is the young lady in number six," asked the 
 night clerk as he reported for duty at the usual hour. 
 
 " Don't know any more than this, Kelly," answered 
 the day clerk, placing his finger on the page before him 
 " Registers from Nova Scotia, name is Myrnie Leston, 
 takes the room for a month." 
 
 ii 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " From Nova Scotia ? Wonder if she wishes she was 
 in Halifax now?" 
 
 " Can't say. She's sure in Arizona now. Seen her, 
 Kelly?" 
 
 " Yes, saw her getting a drink at the end of the hall. 
 Went past her a time or two and was planning to give her 
 some kind of information about the house, but she hur- 
 ried into her room and would not look at me. There she 
 is now, coming down for supper. Gee Whiz! Look, 
 Joe Mower, good sight for sore eyes." 
 
 Fred Harmon was sitting in a secluded corner of the 
 lobby, but he, too, saw the girl coming consciously down 
 the stairway, and at once sitting straight in his chair, 
 he stared hard, but when her eyes met his, drawn as they 
 were by his direct gaze, he was compelled to look away. 
 When she had passed into the dining room, he walked 
 leisurely over to the desk, and looked over the day's ar- 
 rivals again for about the sixth time that day. A certain 
 name scrawled slenderly upon the page was attractive to 
 him. He next went to a window and looked outside; 
 with his hands in his pockets, he whistled a slow love 
 tune; then, as though he had nothing better to do, he 
 sauntered into the dining room, and so "happened" to 
 seat himself as to have a front view of the face which 
 at that minute seemed the one object of attraction to the 
 whole roomful of guests. The reason for this was obvi- 
 ous. Myrnie Leston was not of ordinary appearance. 
 She was a beauty of rare type, and wherever did a 
 pretty girl exist who did not attract attention ? 
 
 Miss Leston paid no heed to people's staring. She had 
 been stared at ever since leaving Nova Scotia, and 
 thought it only the rudeness of Western people. Her 
 
 12 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 wonderful mass of hair was brown, and yet when the 
 sun shone on it, as it did now through an open window, 
 it was all dotted and lighted up with gold. And her 
 eyes, perhaps some thought they were black. No, they 
 were violet, and violet of the deepest hue. The long 
 lashes which fringed them in were much darker than her 
 hair, and this is what made her bright eyes appear black 
 in certain lights. But when her dress was blue, as it 
 now was, her eyes were liquid and clear and sparkling in 
 violet depths, brighter than heaven's own stars. A com- 
 plexion of almost unknown fairness, cheeks as pink as 
 roses, and lips like the ripest cherries ; these were some of 
 the things which made people stare. She was of medium 
 height, round and graceful, but gave the impression of 
 being smaller than she really was, so perfectly wa$ she 
 moulded. Her bust being a little large, she had tried 
 to crowd it into a tight corset cover, but without much 
 success, and flat-chested women made jeering remarks 
 (envious things) while the men stared in open admiration. 
 A small waist-line and fine hips were set off by the 
 daintiest, high-instepped feet. But I wish you could 
 have seen her neck. It is seldom one finds the perfect 
 neck. Her's was round and white and smooth and long 
 enough to curve gracefully. A tiny chestnut curl or two 
 fell down from the hair behind. Her ears were noticeable 
 in their delicate perfection, being like little pink shells 
 protruding from her ringlets. One feature of her face, 
 however, slightly marred its perfection. This was the 
 high, broad forehead. It was an exceedingly fine fore- 
 head, intellectually considered, but for a girl of her type 
 seemed hardly befitting; still, when the fluffy hair was 
 
 13 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 dressed low in front, the overprominent effect of the fore- 
 head was quite eliminated. 
 
 It may seem incredible that this girl was unaware of 
 her extraordinary charm, but such was the truth. She 
 was yet young, and had not discovered her beauty, for 
 she had never been allowed to spend much time or 
 thought on personal appearance; instead, the sternest of 
 morals and strict habits of industry were drilled into her. 
 Then, too, she had been reared in Nova Scotia, where 
 beautiful women are as plentiful as flowers in California. 
 In Arizona, where girls even of a plain type are scarce, 
 a beauty attracts as promptly as a magnet placed into 
 a group of tacks. 
 
 Several times during this meal Fred Harmon's eyes 
 met the girl's, but it was always she who looked away. 
 Once his admiration was so apparent that she blushed a 
 little, looking down into her plate. This sent little elec- 
 trical shocks tingling through the man's every vein. But 
 the blush came and went quickly, as did the army of 
 little dimples which played in circles about her mouth, 
 like little whirlpools on a tiny lake. She knew that she 
 had blushed, and this knowledge sent defiance through 
 her every fiber, and she looked at the gentleman before 
 her spitefully and tried to decide that she disliked him 
 very much. 
 
 After the meal she wandered aimlessly through the 
 halls, looking out this window and that. Again a feel- 
 ing of rebellion and repugnance went through her as she 
 felt that same strange despotic will taunting her. Look- 
 ing up she saw Fred Harmon observing her from a dim 
 corner of the hall. Promptly she went into her room and 
 slammed the door. 
 
 14 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Myrnie was not long a stranger in this Western town, 
 where convention and formality are dispensed with as 
 much as possible. Joe Mower and Kelly were among 
 the first to make themselves known to her. Fred Har- 
 mon boasted of being the very first, and carried the boast 
 about on his shoulders as though the first always has the 
 best chance, but his boast was not an audible one. The 
 married ladies and the few unmarried ladies in the house, 
 along with the young widow who tended the cigar stand 
 in the office, met her and welcomed her as one of their 
 number, but the motive that impelled them to seek her 
 acquaintance was different from that which impelled her 
 male admirers. Before she had been in Prescott a fort- 
 night, she had received invitations to some of the select 
 parties, and had actually attended one. Needless to say, 
 she was not a wallflower. 
 
 It was May, and the position which she had secured 
 at Phoenix would not call her till September, hence there 
 was nothing for her to do now but to abandon herself to 
 Prescott's summer season. 
 
 One morning after a thunderstorm, Myrnie was stand- 
 ing upon the balcony upon which her room opened, view- 
 ing the freshened landscape, that glistened like a jewel 
 in the clear sunshine. In Arizona a thunderstorm seems 
 to burst abruptly from a clear sky, rages fiercely, passes 
 quickly and leaves a serene, fragrant atmosphere and 
 smiling firmament. Rivers rise and run dry again, all in 
 the space of a few hours. 
 
 The girl felt the influence of eyes fastened upon her. 
 She looked about her nervously, but, seeing no one, con- 
 tinued to look over the brilliant hills. Presently some- 
 thing, perhaps a slight noise overhead, caused her to look 
 
 15 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 upward, and there, from the balcony above, she beheld 
 a pair of the most admiring eyes bent upon her. The 
 eyes smiled, and Myrnie, after hesitating for a moment, 
 smiled too ; she had looked into these eyes before. 
 
 " Better view from up here," Fred Harmon called 
 down to her. " Come up and I shall be pleased to point 
 out to you some of Prescott's interesting features." She 
 ran to the end of the balcony where the stairway was, but 
 before ascending hesitated an instant. Should she go 
 or should she not? Something within her free will said 
 " No," but soon this free will fled from her and she went 
 up to him. She had been duly warned and had made her 
 choice. This was the last time this warning voice should 
 speak. 
 
 A pleasant conversation ensued, in which Fred learned 
 that Myrnie had come to Arizona to teach school, 
 because better salaries are paid in the Territory than 
 elsewhere in the country. " Besides," she confided to 
 him, " girls of my age can scarcely secure good positions 
 in the East, experienced teachers are so plentiful." 
 
 " But do you not feel awfully alone here in this strange 
 land so far from home with no trusted friends near ? " 
 he asked her. 
 
 " No, I feel free. There is such excessive freedom 
 here, so much air, so much sky, so much space. Freedom, 
 freedom of the right sort, freedom of thought. I think 
 I should always stay young here. There is nothing that 
 binds. This life brings enthusiasm and enthusiasm is 
 youth. I am going to forget my birthdays and always 
 remain as I am." 
 
 They laughed at this, and Fred spoke, " If it was 
 known this climate could produce that effect on the 
 
 16 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 gentler sex, I fear all the women of creation would at- 
 tempt to crowd within our borders, and that would be 
 more disastrous than has been the dearth of women in 
 this country. Few girls, out alone in the world as you 
 are, could confront so much freedom without a guiding 
 hand. I wonder that your relatives permit it." 
 
 " My friends think I am with friends of the family, 
 and I did not tell them that these friends went to Cali- 
 fornia soon after I came here; but please, Mr. Harmon, 
 do not commence to preach. I have been preached at all 
 my life. I came West to get away from it." 
 
 " But you do need some one to help you in this wide- 
 open place." 
 
 " I do not think I should object to a guiding hand, but 
 I do object to a certain kind of restraint, that which 
 keeps me from putting forth the best that is in me. I 
 have no parents, no brothers, no sisters, nobody. I was 
 reared by a kind and considerate aunt, but she had a 
 family of her own and there really never was any place 
 for me. So as soon as I could command the little inher- 
 itance left me I started out to do for myself." 
 
 "And came to dry, warped Arizona," he said, looking 
 at her earnestly. 
 
 " Yes, it does seem dry and warped in some places, but 
 I am learning to like it, really. I must like it. It is 
 not one bit like Nova Scotia, and when I first came to 
 Phoenix, I thought I should die for a glimpse of some- 
 thing beautiful." 
 
 " Why did you not look into your mirror ? " he asked, 
 smiling slyly. 
 
 " Yes, that might have done for a sight of something 
 green. Every woman looks into her mirror often 
 
 17 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 enough, men say, but really I think I shall grow fond of 
 Arizona. I am beginning to see that the much-abused 
 land has a rare kind of beauty of her own. There is 
 such dearth of moisture and verdure in some parts of 
 this country, as to make the naked aridity positively at- 
 tractive. Think of the stretches and waste of desert, 
 these severe and barren mountains, the misty distances 
 and the mirage." 
 
 Fred's eyes were fastened upon her as she thus ran 
 on in her vivacious way. He listened, charmed at her 
 perfect English and well modulated voice, so different 
 from the twang in the speech of the Western girls. " You 
 have discovered a great deal, little girl," he said. 
 " Many people live here for a lifetime and never find so 
 much. But look, out there the rainbow is bending over 
 Pilot knob. Can Nova Scotia excel that?" 
 
 "Nova Scotia?" she asked. "Humph, Nova Scotia 
 can excel every other place." The tears stood in her 
 eyes and Fred knew that he had before him a little, 
 homesick girl. 
 
 " I have travelled in many parts of the country, not in 
 Nova Scotia, however, but Arizona always calls me back. 
 There is fascination here, something that lures and draws 
 me. I guess I am a genuine Hassayamper." 
 
 "And what is a Hassayamper?" she asked, looking 
 at him queerly. 
 
 Fred laughed, as every one always does in Arizona 
 when he speaks of the Hassayamper. " A Hassayamper ? 
 Well, a Hassayamper is any person who has drank the 
 water of the Hassayampa river. They say here in this 
 country that if you have ever drank that water you can 
 never permanently leave the territory." 
 
 18 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Mercy ! I hope I shall never be compelled to drink 
 it. Have you been so unfortunate, Mr. Harmon ? " 
 
 " Unfortunate ? I once rode all day in order to do 
 so. No one misses it out here. But the water has even 
 worse effects I am told." 
 
 " What else ? What could be worse ? " 
 
 " Well, after you have tasted this water you become 
 very careless in handling the truth, in fact can scarcely 
 tell the truth." 
 
 " Mercy me, I shall certainly beware the Hassayampa. 
 And you have drank it ? I shall be careful of you." 
 
 " Since you are to teach in Phoenix, you can avoid 
 the Hassayampa, but you cannot escape me in that way." 
 
 " I am to teach a mile outside of Phoenix on the Yuma 
 road." 
 
 " That is called the Umbrella district, because of all 
 those umbrella trees which surround the school house. 
 I know the place well. I make my headquarters at 
 Phoenix during the winter. We shall be neighbors." 
 
 Fred's duty took him away at this point, and his men- 
 tal comment, as he went down the stair, was " this will 
 never, never do. What a damned fool I am anyway." 
 
 " Maybe not so bad after all," was what the girl said. 
 But after this conversation, Fred, who had been accus- 
 tomed to giving his thoughts to problems of a more sober 
 nature, met with the groups of friendly loggers who con- 
 gregated on the upper balconies of evenings. Days 
 were growing warm and rooms were none too cool of 
 nights, and is it not a known fact that the inhabitants of 
 the West spend their summers, and indeed most of their 
 winters, out of doors? Besides it was light moon light 
 moon in Arizona, if you know what that means. These 
 
 19 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 were the excuses Harmon allowed himself. Myrnie was 
 with these light-hearted groups. Can any one imagine 
 how pleasant were these evenings? Think of the most 
 carefree hour you ever spent and compare them. Still 
 you could hardly have an accurate idea then, unless your 
 happy hour was spent in the Southwest. For this is the 
 land where bargained-for customs are set aside, where 
 jealousy does not nourish, and where woman to woman 
 is honest, as well as man to man or woman to man. The 
 scattered inhabitants cherish fellowship in a bond of 
 equality, of simple brotherhood. These people love their 
 country. Governor Tritles once voiced public sentiment 
 from the speaker's platform when he said, " If you find 
 a man who will not speak up for his country, kill him 
 just as quick as you can, and if any jury in this Territory 
 convicts that man, I promise to write his pardon." 
 
 Although Myrnie was by far the most lovely of the 
 women present at these evening gatherings, no one 
 seemed jealous of her, unless it was the widow who 
 tended the cigar stand in the office, and of that I am not 
 sure. Rare women ! One thing did puzzle them though, 
 and that was what she was doing when she locked herself 
 in her room all the forenoon and politely informed them 
 that she did not care to be molested. You cannot expect 
 them to have been without curiosity, for they were 
 women. 
 
 " What is she doing in there ? " they would quiz the 
 chambermaid. 
 
 " Don't know, seems to write or something. Guess 
 she left a passel of sweethearts behind." 
 
 I may as well tell you what she was doing. The little 
 silly had literary notions, and wished to make some extra 
 
 20 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 pocket money in that way. She was trying to write sto- 
 ries, but all her copy was returned to her as "unavail- 
 able," being too void of experience to be classed as liter- 
 ature. 
 
 Mr. Harmon again came upon the little Nova Scotian, 
 when she sat alone in a hammock swinging aimlessly. 
 Her hair was in disorder, and her general aspect was 
 that of one who does not "give a twopenny damn" for 
 anything. Perhaps she had forgotten just then that she 
 had grown into a young lady and was no longer a little 
 girl. Some girls do that at intervals, till they have had 
 years enough of womanhood's cares to establish a habit. 
 Fred was surprised. She had before this time repre- 
 sented all that was staid and proper to him. He need 
 not have been surprised, however, for in the years that 
 should stretch before them, he had yet to come in contact 
 with many of her moods. 
 
 " To what nationality might you belong, Miss Les- 
 ton ? " was the first question. 
 
 " I might be Irish, but I am not," was her careless an- 
 swer, still swinging. 
 
 " Oh, really ; how disappointing." 
 
 " Disappointing? " 
 
 " Yes, quite. I am partial to the Irish." 
 
 " Irish always loves Irish, but how they do fight ! If 
 I had any Irish I would not admit it." 
 
 " Oh, you are bitter now, mere prejudice. But tell me, 
 what are you ? " 
 
 " Well, I am Scotch, Scotch, Mr. Irish ; do not forget 
 it." She put her face contemptuously close to his. That 
 dainty perfume which always hung around her was in 
 his nostrils. It was hard for the man to bear. 
 
 21 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Of course, I might have known that you are Scotch." 
 
 " Scotch I am sir ; my father was a poor fisherman 
 who dwelt at Port Hawkesbury, and my mother was a 
 bonnie lassie living at Port Mulgrave just across the 
 Gut of Canso from father's port. They met one day 
 when mother was out with her father on his fishing smack 
 on the great Bras d' or. As soon as mother spied father 
 she saw the love light in his een. Soon after 
 this he took to crossing the Gut of Canso daily. 
 Sometimes when there was no other way he 
 swam the Gut, and they met at a secret trysting 
 place among the rocks and cliffs along the shore. 
 His smack was wrecked near that treacherous, 
 sandy Isle of Sable, and he was lost. Mother died 
 grieving for him, soon after my birth. They were both 
 born in Scotland, but I was born in Nova Scotia. I can 
 speak Scotch like a real bonnie lassie. 
 
 She put her face dangerously close to his again and 
 asked, " Dinna ye think I can, Mr. Irish ? " She hastened 
 on, without waiting for a reply ; " I was reared by an 
 English aunt who lived at Grand Pre on the basin of 
 Minas." 
 
 " You are Evangeline, then. Are you now on your 
 search for Gabriel ? If you are, I am Gabriel." 
 
 " You are too old for Gabriel ; he was young." 
 
 The bitter truth of his increasing years went to the 
 man's heart like a knife. He would gladly have given 
 all but one year of his life at that moment if he could 
 have been young with this girl. But he answered smil- 
 ing, " But Gabriel was old when Evangeline found him." 
 
 She saw his hurt look, and enjoyed it and felt for him 
 at the same time, but spoke impetuously : " Oh, Mr. Har- 
 
 22 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 mon, I am so homesick, so homesick, so lonesome for 
 Nova Scotia. There is no person in all the West, I be- 
 lieve, who has ever been there. If someone would only 
 talk about it with me, even though he only pretended to 
 have been there, I think I should continually seek his 
 society. But no, these Western people know nothing 
 but Hassayampa." 
 
 Whereupon Fred commenced to search through geo- 
 graphies and to haunt the library, where encyclopedias 
 were to be found. Soon he knew the peninsula of Nova 
 Scotia from end to end, and could talk intelligently on 
 the subject. Maybe his mining interests suffered a little 
 in these days, but he knew Nova Scotia, and that proves 
 that Emerson was right when he said, " For every loss 
 there is a gain and for every gain there is a loss." 
 
 Fred did not realize that he was making a ninny of him- 
 self to please this girl. He was only eager to have this 
 creature continually seek his society. This she never 
 did. She did not need to, for he kept on seeking her. 
 Fred Harmon was what both men and women call a 
 fine fellow. Rather handsome he was, in his broad- 
 shouldered strength, his frank grey eyes and his well- 
 kept blonde moustache. How plainly his high-topped 
 boots of yellow leather bespoke his occupation, and gave 
 to him the flavor of the mountains. Everybody knew 
 Fred. He was a mining man of some repute in the lo- 
 cality, and some of his recent reports on gold and copper 
 properties had brought good luck to those who had been 
 wise enough to take advantage of his judgment. His 
 name was well known in mining circles throughout the 
 Territory, and it was a common thing to hear him 
 quoted among miners and prospectors. He was a man 
 
 23 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of perhaps thirty-six years, but one who showed no signs 
 of that age, being of that type which trouble does not 
 mar. A good cigar or a cold bottle with a friend levelled 
 all the high places. " Never cry for spilt milk," was 
 his favorite axiom. He was a man who had gone 
 through life with a certain self-assertiveness which had 
 enabled him to get about what he wanted, whether it was 
 rightfully his or not, obstacles not counting. Any 
 student of human nature will know that this is the man 
 to follow his desires and not the one to conceal an emotion 
 or passion. 
 
 24 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 ONE evening in the early part of June, it was Harmon's 
 good fortune to find Miss Leston alone again. After a 
 few preliminary remarks he mentioned that it was a pleas- 
 ant stroll to Forte Whipple or to the Pines. 
 
 " I have been to the Forte," she told him. " Let us 
 walk to the Pines." 
 
 They loitered along in the cool evening, feeling satis- 
 fied with life. They were coming to the place where 
 people began to tell each other all about themselves. Myr- 
 nie had told Fred about her life at previous meetings 
 and, always eager to learn more about her, he had not 
 been slow to ask questions. She had told him that one 
 of the faults her English aunt had found with her 
 was that she had always preferred the society of boys 
 and men to that of girls or ladies ; also that she refused 
 to grow up and become dignified as befitted a lady, but 
 seemed to cling always to some of her most childish 
 habits. She also recounted that once, when her aunt 
 took her to a public gathering to see the Governor-general 
 and his wife, the lady (seeing the pretty child) had 
 wished to kiss her, but the little girl exclaimed, " Don't 
 ikes to tiss womens, dest ikes to tiss mens ! " Of course, 
 the good-natured Governor promptly kissed the child. 
 
 Myrnie had learned little about Fred, except that he 
 
 25 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 had been reared in Ohio, that he had followed mining for 
 the last ten years, and had as yet not made a great deal 
 of money, but that recently his affairs were so shaping 
 themselves as to make his holdings in certain copper 
 properties promise to be very valuable. 
 
 They climbed up to the top of one of the cliffs, that 
 jut in such abundance from the hillsides out west of the 
 town, and sat down on a huge, round boulder. Silence 
 held them for a time, as they took in the restful scene. 
 Pine needles were falling all about them, and that spicy 
 fragrance of pine woods was everywhere. The sounds 
 of evening came up from the village, and the influences 
 of peace crept into both their hearts. 
 
 Fred knew well enough what he was going to say, 
 but he was in no hurry about it. Presently he began. 
 
 " It's fine sailing on the Bras d' or, isn't it? " 
 
 She almost fell off the rock, but she understood him 
 at once. That vivid, fleeting blush came to her face and 
 her eyes danced. 
 
 " Oh, isn't it, though," but she was laughing so at the 
 fraud of the thing that she could hardly speak. But 
 nevertheless, she meant to perform her part and went on. 
 " The water is so smooth and calm." 
 
 " That is because it is a dear imprisoned sea," he told 
 her knowingly. 
 
 " Oh, you dear," burst from her in a whisper, and she 
 forgot herself and squeezed his arm with both hands, 
 but she drew away quickly, and smiling archly went on 
 wagging her head, " It's pretty cold in winter, don't you 
 think?" 
 
 " Yes, but you know we never used to mind that. We 
 were dressed for it. But I have always thought that the 
 
 26 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Valley of Annapolis was the garden spot of Nova Scotia. 
 It is mild and fine there, and the scenery is so grand. 
 And the fruit and vegetables raised there, my, my, so 
 fine. The apples are famed for their keeping proper- 
 ties. Most of them are shipped to England." 
 
 " And do you remember the salmon that come from the 
 St. Mary's River ? " she asked, enjoying herself im- 
 mensely. 
 
 "Do I ? well I should say I do. And many's the time 
 I've roved through those splendid forests of spruce, hem- 
 lock and pine. Good moose and elk hunting, but the wolf 
 is there no more; poor Mr. Wolf is extinct. I used to 
 love to meet the Indians in those dense, mossy labyrinths, 
 the Micmacs and the Malicites." 
 
 She laughed and gurgled in glee; she twisted about, 
 being unable to sit still, but she wished to have him go on, 
 and to draw him out she continued, " Yes, but many of 
 the fine forests have been removed." 
 
 "That was to satisfy the commercial instincts of the 
 white man. The tanning barks were too valuable to be 
 left where they were, and the great, hardwood trees must 
 be felled to build ships ; but they have taken so many of 
 the trees that shipbuilding has declined." 
 
 " I love the flowers that grow in the valleys. Some 
 of those varieties do not grow elsewhere in the world." 
 
 " Yes, the valleys are fine in their way, but best of all 
 are the lofty hills that surround the Basin of Minas." 
 
 This was more than Myrnie could endure silently. She 
 sprang to her feet and hopped about on the top of the 
 boulder. Her glee was that of a child. Fred sat con- 
 vulsed at her juvenile excitement, but presently went on, 
 " The Basin of Minas is the most remarkable of the arms 
 
 27 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of the Bay of Fundy. It extends inland sixty miles and 
 the tides rush in with savage impetuosity, sometimes as 
 high as sixty feet, while in Halifax harbor they scarcely 
 rise eight feet." 
 
 Now she came and sat so close to him that his arm 
 pressed against her soft, round bosom. At this he 
 thought it better to change the subject, but he knew that 
 he now held the key to unlock the dormant interest in 
 her mind. 
 
 " Tell me more about your life in Nova Scotia," he 
 said, moving away from her. 
 
 " I have told you all about myself ; it is your turn to 
 give me your history." There was a vexed tone in her 
 voice, as though she understood that he had moved away 
 to check her rush of feeling. How dare he presume to 
 guard over her in this way? 
 
 " Oh, my life has been so plain that you could scarcely 
 call it history. Never had any Governors kissing me," 
 he laughingly threw at her. " Besides, you have told me 
 very little about your own history." 
 
 "Pray, what have I left out? There was just the 
 plain life of toil and study, with a little chafing at the 
 bands that bound, yes, and my ungratified longing for 
 some expression of myself music, art or something fine, 
 something better than just everyday things." 
 
 " I do not know why you say ungratified. I can find 
 no fault with your music ; I call it excellent." 
 
 " My music is a sickly failure, falling all too short of 
 my ideal." 
 
 " Everything falls short of ideals in this world, unless 
 it is the grossly material, a good dinner or a bottle of 
 
 28 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 champagne. But what of all those sweethearts and 
 broken hearts left behind in Nova Scotia ? " 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Harmon, you always joke about everything. 
 There were no sweethearts in Nova Scotia." 
 
 " Come, come; it is you who are joking now." 
 
 " There were none, I swear," she sighed, looking up 
 from the moss her delicate fingers were pulling from the 
 rock. " My aunt would never allow me to have that 
 kind of company. I was too young, and I had my part 
 of the housework to perform. My aunt could keep only 
 one servant. But they could never make me cook. My 
 cousins practiced music, and could not have their hands 
 spoiled by housework. Most of my musical efforts are 
 mere imitations of what they did and that is why I am 
 dissatisfied with them.'* 
 
 " A Cinderella you must have been as well as an 
 Evangeline." 
 
 " Yes, a real one without a fairy Godmother. My aunt 
 gave me an education and I am grateful for that." 
 
 " She deserves thanks. But I still believe there must 
 have been some schoolgirl amours. You told me your- 
 self that your aunt's one great task with you was your 
 preference for the male sex." 
 
 " Yes, but I did not want them for sweethearts. I 
 only like men to talk to ; I like the things they talk about. 
 Women will be talking about the kitchen, and who is 
 sick, and such dull, small things. The professors at 
 school were too strict. No girl could have a fellow 
 unless she crept out of windows at night, and that is 
 too risky. They always get caught." 
 
 They both laughed at this remark, and Fred contin- 
 
 29 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ued, " A girl like you with no lover, that's a miracle." 
 However, he seemed highly elated over the discovery. 
 
 " But you, you have had sweethearts ; tell me of 
 them," she said. 
 
 " Yes," he replied, looking into her inquiring eyes, " I 
 have had many, but I do not believe, that I ever truly 
 loved one of them." 
 
 " Oh, here you are joking again, you cruel man." 
 
 " No, I am not joking. I was sincere enough at the 
 time. Yes, I thought I was sincerely in love. But I 
 want to tell you that a fellow may have imagined him- 
 self madly in love many times and all at once, when he 
 is past the fickle age, meet some one who proves to him 
 that he has never before really loved." 
 
 " Oh, no, no, Mr. Harmon." 
 
 " Oh, yes, yes, yes, Miss Leston," firmly. 
 
 " Then you are a fickle flirt," she told him frankly. 
 
 " The majority of men who have not yet found that 
 great love are flirts. I have been looking for a love all 
 my life that would put an end to my desire to flirt, but 
 I know you can not comprehend that," he added apolo- 
 getically. 
 
 She looked at him Wonderingly and said, " Then you 
 must believe in affinities." 
 
 " I think I do believe in affinities now, although it is 
 a theory I have always poohooed until recently. I have 
 always argued that the affinity doctrine was an halluci- 
 nation liable to find lodgment in the fanciful minds of 
 the very young. But one changes his theories suddenly 
 sometimes." 
 
 " Affinities ? Why, of course, there are affinities. My 
 father and mother were affinities. I have a whole lot 
 
 30 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of love letters which they wrote after they were married 
 that prove it." Her fine eyes wandered dreamily over 
 the hills as she continued, deliberately, " And how I have 
 wished to meet my affinity, but I never have, and I should 
 think a girl of twenty would have, if she was ever going 
 to, don't you?" 
 
 He laughed good naturedly at her, shaking his head 
 as he remarked, " Perhaps some people do meet the affi- 
 nity at such an early age, but it usually comes later in 
 life, after they have experienced a great deal." 
 
 She broke in abruptly, her face aglow in so venture- 
 some a conversation. " I have always heard that you 
 know the person to be your affinity the moment the eyes 
 meet. Do you think that is true ? " Her hands were 
 clasped over her breast tensely during these last words, 
 and her eyes sparkled. 
 
 Fred Harmon was quite overcome. How plainly her 
 words proclaimed her untried stainlessness. His de- 
 sire was to reach out and take her in his arms. 
 
 " I do not think that is necessarily true always," he 
 said, still looking at her. 
 
 " Well, tell me, have you ever met a person whom 
 you thought was your affinity ? " 
 
 " I have met one whom I know is my affinity," he said 
 firmly, knowing that he was all kinds of a fool the 
 minute the speech was uttered. 
 
 " Oh, please do tell me about her." But his ardent 
 gaze feasting upon her face, as it were, with softened 
 eyes, caused her to look down quickly, and she blushed 
 that same vivid, fleeting blush. Fred for a moment sat 
 motionless, while he looked at her. He then turned and 
 gazed dejectedly down the canon. 
 
 31 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " No, I will tell you of a girl whom I once thought I 
 loved, but found my mistake too late." 
 
 She dropped the twisted moss and drew a quick breath, 
 sitting erect, expectant. 
 
 " It was in Ohio, fifteen years ago." He changed his 
 position and continued, " I was a young fellow then, and 
 more thoughtless and impulsive than I am now. I was 
 reckless, spending my money and getting into scrapes. 
 My father urged me to marry. ' Marry some nice girl 
 and settle down/ he kept saying to me. My father be- 
 lieved in early marriages, simply because his marriage 
 had been an early and a successful one. At that time 
 he wanted a partner in a wholesale lumber business and, 
 naturally wishing to give me a start, told me that if I 
 would settle, or in other words marry, he would give me 
 a half interest in the business. I did not think much of 
 his offer, because I did not care to marry, not knowing 
 at that time a girl whom I could love as a wife. But 
 father kept at me with his talk of marriage, telling me of 
 all the advantages over and over, till I commenced to see 
 things his way. I had always placed great faith in my 
 father's judgment. Soon I met a rather nice little girl 
 of about my own age. She was engaged to be married 
 to a fellow who was no friend of mine ; in fact, we were 
 rivals in more ways than one. Tom Mason was his 
 name. I went in for Tom's girl just for pure cussed- 
 ness, and was much elated to find that I was making some 
 headway in the affair. In course of time, I saw that 
 she preferred me to my rival, and since it was cutting 
 him up so badly, I carried things to a successful finish. 
 After a very short courtship we were married, on the 
 same day set for her marriage to his Nibs." 
 
 32 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Fred glanced at Myrnie occasionally during his nar- 
 rative. She had been listening breathlessly, till he said, 
 ' We were married,' then she paled, flushed and crushed 
 the moss between her fingers. 
 
 " She was not my affinity," he continued, in an altered 
 voice. " And after a month of married life I found my 
 mistake was a very great one. I did not love her. It 
 had been but the spirit of conquest that led me to win 
 and marry her. She seemed to care enough for me. The 
 other fellow left the country utterly heart-broken. He 
 died a year or two afterwards. But I think I have been 
 the unlucky man of the two. I decided to cover my mis- 
 take and to live it down. I respected my wife. I went 
 into business with father and made money, and they all 
 thought me happy. Father thought he had done me a 
 good turn, but I am glad he never knew what it cost 
 me." 
 
 " That's all right, Mr. Harmon. You need not con- 
 fide in me further. Just keep the remainder of your 
 story to yourself." The girl's face was very decided. A 
 forbidding frown passed over her features, an injured 
 look through and through. Something of a sneer 
 marred her usually serene expression. 
 
 " Why are you offended ? " he asked in surprise. 
 
 " Why did you not tell me this before? " 
 
 " I am telling you now." 
 
 "Well, that is all right, then. Only see, it grows 
 late. The pine tree's shadows lay far ahead of us. 
 There, the sun is gone." 
 
 " But this is the best part of the day. Let us wait 
 awhile." 
 
 " I prefer to go now. It is growing chilly." Her 
 
 33 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 voice was certainly chilly, and so conclusive that he 
 argued no further, but helped her down from the high 
 rock in silence. He rather followed her home than ac- 
 companied her. She walked a little in advance of him, 
 as if to say, " I could easily go home alone." Even his 
 remark that this reminded him of evenings he had spent 
 in dear old Nova Scotia, only sent her head higher into 
 the air, as she smiled coldly. 
 
 She did not bid him a very cordial good-night at the 
 head of the stair, and once inside her room, she tore her 
 things off carelessly and went to bed early, feeling that 
 the world was pretty much of a sham. " He is just a big 
 cheat. I will let him entirely alone." 
 
 Fred Harmon did not retire early. He went out and 
 strolled about the town, wandering from place to place, 
 but every scene was distasteful to him. He heard the 
 voluminous tones of the girls singing in the saloons 
 along Whiskey Row, passed by their doors and saw these 
 women in evening gowns leading men to the bar and 
 enticing them to drink. Harmon had often entered these 
 places to hear these women sing. The majority of them 
 possessed good voices, being as they mostly were, girls 
 from Eastern homes, who, having gone astray, had wan- 
 dered West, and finding seven dollars a night an induce- 
 ment, had taken these positions in saloons to earn a live- 
 lihood. Beautiful girls, some of them, filling the homes 
 of some of Arizona's rich men to-day. 
 
 But the saloon singer is a thing of the past. Women 
 were scarce in those days. I remember one of those 
 singers who went by the name of Dimples, who was as 
 pretty as a pansy. She married a wealthy doctor. An- 
 other, called Bronco Nell, married a man who afterwards 
 
 34 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 became Governor of the Territory. Much as you may 
 be surprised, they made good wives. 
 
 But Fred did not enter these places to-night. His soul 
 turned sick at the sight of a woman intoxicated, each 
 arm around the neck of a man. Heretofore, he had only 
 shrugged his shoulders at this condition of Western life, 
 with a muttered thought. " Takes all kinds of people to 
 make a world," but his ideals were very high to-night. 
 He went into an ice cream parlor and met a group of 
 mining men who insisted that he come back to the hotel 
 and play a game of solo. They played till past midnight. 
 Harmon lost heavily; Fate was against him. 
 
 Next morning, when he tried to converse with Myrnie, 
 she only answered him in monosyllables and left him. 
 For several days she eluded him, dividing her time pretty 
 evenly between Kelly and Joe Mower. He wrote her a 
 polite note, asking the privilege of explaining further, 
 suggesting that he thought an explanation would benefit 
 them both, and asking her to drive with him that evening. 
 But she sent him word that she had another and a pre- 
 vious engagement for the evening, that she was going 
 out with Mr. Kelly. Now, Kelly did not know that she 
 had an engagement with him for that evening. She had 
 not replied to the invitation he had given her the day 
 before, She now went to him and told him that she 
 could go. 
 
 After they had ridden for an hour, discussing a great 
 many light subjects, there being no one topic common 
 to them, Kelly ventured upon that which had lain next 
 his heart all the evening. 
 
 " There is one little fact I would like to put you wise 
 to, Miss Leston, if you will pardon the seeming cheek." 
 
 35 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Why, certainly ; what is it ? " 
 
 " Well, it's that gent, Mr. Harmon. Guess he is a 
 decent sort of chap, all right, but still I do not believe 
 you are next to him on every proposition. Joe was tell- 
 ing me last week that one of us ought to put you next. 
 We both hated to chip in, as second-hand goods of that 
 kind are not always the real thing, but I told Joe that for 
 your sake I'd brace up this evening and give you a little 
 nudge. I know he has a smooth tongue and can give 
 slick dope, but I don't think he has come out flat-footed 
 with you on every proposition." 
 
 " Indeed he has, Mr. Kelly," tossing her head inde- 
 pendently, her color rising, " He, he really he has told 
 me everything, there is a perfect understanding between 
 us." 
 
 " Oh, he was white enough to do the clean thing was 
 he? Well, I notice that you have cut him out of late." 
 
 " No, he has been busy of evenings, but we are the best 
 of friends, and I am going out with him to-morrow." 
 
 " The hell you say ! No, excuse me miss, I used the 
 wrong word. But you see you see well it is like 
 this" 
 
 The girl was laughing merrily at his confusion, and as- 
 sured him that she was not offended. 
 
 "Well, you see when a girl like you hits the burg, 
 fellows like Joe and I feel that we ought to have a show 
 for the white alley, and we sure do get wrathy when an 
 old codger like Harmon gets in his work." 
 " I should not call Mr. Harmon so old." 
 " No, only about old enough to be an ancestor of yours. 
 But, of course, if he has explained himself, and you still 
 
 36 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 think he is O. K., I guess we may as well change our 
 chewing/' 
 
 " I see no necessity of discussing this question fur- 
 ther," was her tart reply. 
 
 Kelly saw his finish, as he told Joe that night. " No 
 show for us. We may as well vamoose the ranch. I 
 sure barked up the wrong tree this time. She's plumb 
 salomed on the old guy. Gee, but she flew off the han- 
 dle something fierce ; thought I was giving her a con game 
 I guess. She sure handed me a bunch." 
 
 " Have you ever seen the old boy disguised in liquor, 
 Kelly ? Go at her with that. Maybe you can make that 
 stick/' 
 
 " No, siree. I don't want to see her dander up 
 again. It's too dangerous, besides I do not think he hits 
 booze much. I've seen him with a small skate on ; guess 
 he gets pretty well teed sometimes, but I am sure he is 
 not the kind that gets paralyzed." 
 
 " But she's sure a swell proposition," Joe lamented. 
 
 " Yes, and when I think of him being the whole cheese 
 with her I'd like to knock his damn block off. But I 
 guess we will have to face the music; say one word 
 against him to her and she sure bawls you out proper." 
 
 After this drive with Kelly, Myrnie hurriedly wrote a 
 letter and instructed the bell boy to give it to Harmon 
 upon the first opportunity. Fred Harmon's hand shook 
 nervously as he read, 
 
 " Dear Mr. Harmon : 
 
 I shall be pleased to have you explain those things of 
 which you spoke in your last communication, and for that 
 
 37 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 purpose will accompany you upon any excursion you may 
 plan for to-morrow afternoon. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 Myrnie Leston." 
 
 Harmon was knocking at her door in a few minutes. 
 She was a little frustrated and surprised when she opened 
 the door. 
 
 " I wish to thank you for the pleasure this has given 
 me," still holding the note paper in his hand. " I wish 
 to take you to a favorite spot of mine. It is five miles 
 from town, and we can easily go after dinner to-morrow ; 
 makes a fine drive." 
 
 " I shall be delighted," was her smiling reply. 
 
 Harmon was not so comfortable over this success as 
 one might suppose. He dreaded to lay before the eyes 
 of this unsophisticated girl that which it was his duty 
 to tell her, since the simple statement of an early mar- 
 riage had so upset her. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE next day was Sunday such as we remember 
 long afterward. It seemed to start right with everybody. 
 People sprang from their beds on the moment of awaken- 
 ing, deliciously refreshed from a night of restful sleep, 
 ran their fingers through their hair, and rubbed the 
 drowsiness from their eyes, while they luxuriated in the 
 invigorating ozone with which they filled their lungs as 
 it crowded into rooms through open windows; enjoyed 
 the bite in the morning air as they bathed in sparkling, 
 cold water and thanked their Creator that they were alive. 
 Those who seldom gave a thought to nature, in her var- 
 ious forms of wonder, marveled at the glorious sun, as 
 he peeped all golden and fiery through the green of 
 eastern pines, smiled at the flowers, few as they were, 
 if any chanced to grow by their windows, and listened 
 with rapture to the music of the lark, that world-wide 
 songster ; dressed themselves in their most becoming gar- 
 ments and sallied forth, bent on helping to make a West- 
 ern holiday, for at that time Sunday in Prescott was 
 observed as little else by the majority of its people. 
 
 There were churches in Prescott, and they were all 
 well enough filled. But do people go to church to wor- 
 ship God ? Some people go to church to learn to worship 
 God, but few really worship there. God is worshipped 
 
 39 
 
In the Land of Exiremes. 
 
 in the deeps of the secret soul. Everybody worships 
 God, but they do not all know it. The Western cowboy, 
 the least religious soul in the world you say, worships 
 him, but he does it inside no cathedral walls. He wor- 
 ships in the open air of the great plains, when his soul 
 is lifted up by that lofty sense of happiness which comes 
 to him in his life of unbounded freedom. He knows it, 
 but his reticence prevents his confession to his taciturn 
 comrades. 
 
 Every living creature worships God; the fowls of the 
 air, the fish of the sea, the beasts of the field; God is 
 universal. Is not the fulfilling of His purpose worship 
 of Him ? Oh, narrow thoughted man, who falls upon his 
 knees, muttering lip-service, 'tis he alone, indeed, who 
 worships God. 
 
 Myrnie Leston also caught the spirit of the day, and 
 came forth her brightest. She was a little curious to 
 know the result of the afternoon drive. Still, she had 
 enjoyed other like excursions among the rocky hills on 
 fine, clear days, and knew already the perfect abandon- 
 ment of the natural self known only to the Westerner; 
 she knew the exhilarating pleasure which ensues when 
 hour after hour goes by, and it is difficult to decide which 
 is uppermost, the spirit or the flesh ; when care is thrown 
 to the winds and the memory of childhood comes back 
 with a force that brings one almost to tears. She was 
 impatient for the hour to arrive and grew restless. She 
 wondered if this spot out in the hills would not be a 
 little like Nova Scotia. She closed her eyes and sat 
 dreaming. Before she knew it, Fred had arrived and 
 was telling her that it was time to go. 
 
 He had not been so eager for the hour to come. His 
 
 40 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 nerves were tense, and when the time drew near he 
 wished it hours away, that he might still speculate on the 
 joys to come, without experiencing the consequences 
 which he feared. Neither was he unaware of the extra- 
 ordinary charms of this particular day, but to him it 
 meant more than mere beauty. To his mind, all this 
 harmory pointed to the dual nature in the entity of crea- 
 tion which causes a plant to spring from its seed, to 
 bud, bloom and bear fruit; which causes a bird to sing 
 so joyously to his mate in springtime, or which makes the 
 heart of man to beat so violently at the thought of a 
 maiden. And all this for the one subtle purpose. Na- 
 ture has her axe to grind and her device is alluring in the 
 extreme. " Go forth, multiply and replenish the earth," 
 is the Supreme command. 
 
 As Fred had gone about during the forenoon, the bur- 
 den of his thought had expressed itself thus : " Oh, the 
 sky is so blue and the grass is so green. Why is one 
 green and the other blue, and how can the birds sing so ? 
 Sing on, birds, and express for me that which I can find 
 no voice to speak." But before he realized it, he had 
 been driving for some time, the lines actually in his 
 hands and the girl beside him. How wonderfully trans- 
 formed we become when we are picked up by love and 
 carried up among the clouds. Why try to prevent or 
 curb the course of love? It is a raging flood which 
 carries everything along by a resistless power. 
 
 It was a long time before Fred could find anything to 
 say, and Myrnie remained silent from choice. After a 
 mile or two of silence, except the remarks he addressed 
 to the horse, he managed to speak. 
 
 " Isn't it just a charming day? " 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " It is." 
 
 After another mile or two of muteness, he resumed. 
 
 " I think June is the most charming month in Pres- 
 cott; earlier, it is a little raw, and later, too warm; but 
 at this particular time of the year the air is balmy and 
 most refreshing. The hills are covered with their best 
 flowers now. The wild orchids must be in bloom where 
 we are going. I passed there a week ago and a great 
 many were budded. There are some large trees there, 
 near a bluff of rocks, and the place is damp and shady. 
 Rare flowers seek secluded places, you know. Not far 
 from Lynx Creek, now this is the Lynx Creek road. It 
 is not wonderful that Arizona produces a greater variety 
 of flora than other sections of the Union, because there 
 are so many different climates in the Territory. There 
 are four hundred distinct species of grass within our 
 borders, I am told." But when he found that botany, 
 which he knew to be one of her favorite topics, did not 
 make her communicative, he tried a different method. 
 
 " I have noticed, though, that the flowers in this dry 
 climate lack the fragrance of those in dear, old Nova 
 Scotia." 
 
 She laughed out merrily, and seemed in the best of 
 humor as they again carried on a lively, farce argument 
 about this land of which she was always dreaming. 
 
 " I thought, Mr. Harmon, that you had something to 
 explain to me," she said. 
 
 He almost dropped the lines. " Yes, yes, but this road 
 is bad, and this pesky horse takes all my time now. He 
 is as hard-mouthed as sin. I was going to tell you more 
 about the place where we are going. It is quite an oasis, 
 one might say, for this country. A little lake fills a 
 
 42 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 hollow up, till the first of July, and the lake is actually 
 fringed about with young fir trees and brake. A round 
 knoll overlooks the lake, and one might almost think he 
 was among the lakes of Nova Scotia. We shall soon be 
 there now. Nice grass to sit on, fine place to come to 
 understandings," he answered nervously. 
 
 When they arrived at the place described, Myrnie was 
 lifted from the buggy, and the horse was allowed to 
 graze. All coldness and reserve were instantly banished, 
 so great was the girl's delight in the freshness and beauty 
 of the place. Fred stood by and watched her every 
 pleased motion and expression. They walked to the knoll 
 and sat down on the grass, their faces toward the water. 
 
 " You seemed rather disconcerted the other day," he 
 began after a while," when I told you that I married the 
 woman I was telling you about." 
 
 " Yes," she answered without hesitation, " It seemed 
 strange to me that we had known each other these several 
 weeks, we had been out together so often, and you had 
 told me nothing about it. Besides there was all your talk 
 about your life being too plain to be called history. But 
 perhaps it does not matter perhaps it is the way of 
 men. Say no more about it it is a thing of the past. 
 I am a bit unused to Western ways as yet, and many little 
 things like that have upset me since I came out here." 
 
 " There is nothing particularly Western about this 
 affair. You evidently are utterly unacquainted with the 
 world." 
 
 " I think I am learning pretty fast in Arizona," she re- 
 torted, warmly. 
 
 " In ten years from now you will look at life from a 
 
 43 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 different viewpoint and will not think of taking exception 
 to such a trifle." 
 
 " I hope never to reach such a callous mental state, 
 and I do not see that the years necessarily bring it," she 
 said in the same voice. " My aunt in Nova Scotia is 
 more than ten years my senior and she thinks such things 
 are perfectly terrible." 
 
 Again they sat for a time without speaking, Myrnie 
 wearing a serene, exalted expression, Fred the picture 
 of dire discontent. But still he had something to be 
 thankful for he did not know her aunt in Nova Scotia. 
 
 "I suppose, that is, well the lady died?" She al- 
 most whispered the last few words, a red spot burning in 
 each cheek. 
 
 He shook his head three or four times as though 
 scarcely conscious of what he did. He had grown pale. 
 An awkward embarrassment took possession of them 
 both ; presently, he faced her, and spoke in resolute tones, 
 
 " No, she did not die, and there is no divorce. The 
 lady lives in Phoenix, and is known to the world as my 
 wife. I seldom go there, except to see Wallace, my little 
 son." 
 
 It would be difficult to describe the changes of expres- 
 sion on the face of Myrnie, as she listened to these coldly 
 uttered words; utter incredulity, pity, resentment, pride, 
 anger. Then she sat staring at him with a hurt, appeal- 
 ing face. 
 
 " Oh, I know you think I am a brute," he said with a 
 little ironical laugh, " Perhaps I have not been exactly 
 fair, but when you have heard all, I am sure you will 
 find forgiveness in your heart for me." 
 
 " I do not intend to hear all. Say no more about it," 
 
 44 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 she finally stammered. " Let us gather some of the 
 orchids and go home. I do not care about your affair. 
 That is your secret, and why should I embarrass you by 
 prying into it ? " 
 
 " No," he spoke very firmly, " I want you to hear. I 
 brought you here to give you a full explanation, and I 
 must beg you to listen. I tried to tell you before, but 
 you would not listen. I mean *o tell you the whole story 
 now." He was looking squarely at her. 
 
 " But why should you tell me ? This does not concern 
 me at all. I refuse to listen." 
 
 " You are unjust to me, unless you listen. The part 
 of my story which you have heard puts me in a false 
 light." 
 
 " But, Mr. Harmon, we have had a pleasant enough 
 friendship. No harm has come of it, but let this be an 
 end of it. I now wish to return to Prescott. Will you 
 take me there ? " She used a casual, indifferent tone, 
 which seemed to madden him. 
 
 " After a few minutes' conversation, yes." 
 
 " Then I shall walk." And, springing up quickly, she 
 went to the road, swinging her body independently, her 
 head in the air. 
 
 Fred sat and watched her. He could not help laughing 
 to himself at her helpless independence. He went to her 
 and stood in front of her, smiling. 
 
 " This road does not go to Prescott. It leads off among 
 those mountains and black canons. You are going in a 
 wrong direction. Don't you see that you would be lost 
 out here in the mountains, if you started home alone? 
 The mountain lions would eat you sure." 
 
 Notwithstanding the tenseness of the moment they 
 
 45 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 both laughed; and that made them seem less like stran- 
 gers. She gave up the idea of walking the five miles 
 through the beast-infested mountains, and very reluc- 
 tantly suffered herself to be led back to the lake, where 
 they seated themselves again. 
 
 " I told you before/' launching into his story with- 
 out spirit, " that my father urged me to marry the girl, 
 and brought every influence to bear on that one thing, 
 and that I did not love her. Her mother wisely tried 
 to discourage the union, telling me that her daughter 
 was unhealthy, always had been and always should be, 
 as she firmly believed; but I was thoughtless, and did 
 not realize that marriage is for a lifetime. Few young 
 people ever do think of such things. But I have been 
 duly recompensed for my thoughtlessness. She has been 
 an invalid since Wallace was born, and bound to her bed 
 most of the time. I am sure the woman has suffered. 
 She has never cared for another man, little as she has 
 cared for me." 
 
 The girl sat so still, with such a passive, expressionless 
 face, the narrator could not warm to his story. He was 
 not sure that she was listening to him. Never a word, 
 a sigh or a glance cast in his direction. 
 
 " I have devoted my entire time to her comfort," he 
 plunged on with bull-dog tenacity. " She has lacked 
 nothing, and it has taken all I have made. She has had 
 her nurse constantly by her side, and has gone from 
 climate to climate, seeking ease and comfort. On ac- 
 count of her nervous condition, she has been most peev- 
 ish and impossible to please. She worships Wallace, and 
 never denies him a wish. I see him becoming dreadfully 
 spoiled, but I dare not say one word. She never gives 
 
 46 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 me a civil word or look, and often I feel sure that she 
 hates me. I do not mean to complain. No doubt this 
 is what I deserve. We usually do get what we deserve 
 in this world, but does it not seem that I have paid the 
 utmost farthing for a boy's folly? I go to her when 
 she calls me, or when it is necessary, but I have tried 
 to keep my unhappy mistake from her, and from the 
 world. You are the only person I have ever told. There 
 would be no kindness in telling her." 
 
 " And so you have deceived her," Myrnie said quietly. 
 
 " It would have been wrong to worry her with my 
 troubles, and since I never cared for any one else, it was 
 not deceiving her." 
 
 " Oh, excuse me. I misunderstood you. I thought 
 you said you had met your affinity." She was smiling 
 a mean little smile. 
 
 " I did say that. But I suppose I shall have to sacri- 
 fice the affinity," he answered wearily. 
 
 " Your child deserves some consideration, I should 
 think." 
 
 " He is the only one who makes life bearable for me. 
 I love the little fellow with all the strength of my being." 
 
 " Fatherly feeling, of course." 
 
 " Well," he raised his voice as though in anger, " A 
 man wants more than that a man in his full strength 
 and vigor. He wants love, love reciprocated." Her 
 mocking laugh rang out like a clear bell. He did not 
 note the nervous tremor in it. 
 
 " Do I deserve no credit, no sympathy for the part I 
 have been forced to play ? " he asked, in the same voice. 
 
 " Oh, it bees sympathy yez bees lookin' afther ? " This 
 time her laugh was more nervous, as she went on, " I 
 
 47 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 think your wife deserves all the sympathy, all the pity 
 and credit," looking him fearlessly in the face. 
 
 " Oh, you do? I might have expected that from you." 
 
 He looked into the lake despondently. When he 
 turned toward her again, he saw that tears were in her 
 eyes. There was no change in her expression, no draw- 
 ing of any of the muscles about her mouth. It still kept 
 its calm, serene outline, but the tears coursed down her 
 cheeks in numbers and fell on her hands and lap. Fred 
 had never seen a woman crying thus ; he was used to the 
 kind that make a great whining and thrashing around. 
 The sight of tears falling silently unmanned him. He 
 lay his face down on the grass and struggled hard with 
 himself. He felt that he was a mean, cruel wretch. But 
 when he looked at her again there were no tears. The 
 face was tranquil and collected. He put up a hand and 
 touched her very gently, as if to ascertain if she were 
 human. 
 
 After a little, they arose and with a common impulse, 
 went to where the orchids grew in large numbers in the 
 cool, mossy places, protected from the sun's strong rays. 
 Myrnie danced with childish joy, as she gathered her 
 arms full of them, so great was her delight in the deli- 
 cate, moccasin-like flowers, commonly known as the 
 " lady-slipper/' 
 
 The distance back to town was travelled almost in 
 silence- Fred was completely absorbed in his own dark 
 reflections. Myrnie looked straight ahead, occasionally 
 holding the flowers to her face. When they had traveled 
 about half the distance, Fred brought himself to say, 
 
 " There is one thing that I wish you would accept from 
 me, Miss Leston; it is this bit of advice. You do not 
 
 48 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 know this Western country well. It is so different from 
 Nova Scotia. There are many dangers here for a girl 
 like you. I shudder to think of your being here alone, 
 and you go about, with this one and that one, in a most 
 promiscuous way." , 
 
 " I want experience, I crave it. I want almost tragedy, 
 it seems to awaken something that seems to slumber with- 
 in me/' She spoke excitedly. 
 
 " That desire is a very, very wrong one. It is a 
 great mistake, and is liable to lead you into a lot of 
 trouble. You need some older person to guide you. This 
 desire of yours is simply a desire for self development, 
 and is all right, but the development of an intense nature 
 like yours ought to be very carefully guided." 
 
 Never before had he wanted her so much as now. 
 Her speech proved what he had thought. She had feel- 
 ing, passion, poetry, gentleness and self honesty. 
 
 She paused before replying. "Don't you think, Mr. 
 Harmon, that I am pretty capable of taking care of my- 
 self?" 
 
 He flinched a little at the words, but continued speak- 
 ing, " I am sure your intentions are pure and good. No 
 one could know that better than I do, you have always 
 been closely protected, and never put on your own respon- 
 sibility before." 
 
 " But I wanted to get away by myself, where I could 
 live my own life on my own lines. My relatives always 
 held me down, and would not let me discover anything." 
 
 Fred laughed, and putting his hand under her chin 
 said, " Oh, you little chick." 
 
 " Don't," she said, drawing away angrily. 
 
 49 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 He sobered quickly and asked, " Then you do not real- 
 ize that you need some one by you ? " 
 
 " There is no one at hand and I must go alone," was 
 her curt reply. 
 
 " I wish you would look upon me as that person. And 
 remember that you can come to me at any time, and with 
 anything, and I will do all I can to aid you." Fred's 
 voice was tender and fatherly. Her reply was unex- 
 pected. 
 
 " Thank you, but, but but Mr. Harmon, I do not 
 think you are a very nice man." 
 
 " No ? " This one word choked him so that he could 
 say no more, as they drove back to town in silence. 
 
 The sun shone all red and yellow in a western, clouded 
 sky, throwing its radiance into their faces, and giving 
 to them an imitation of happiness. But the sun soon 
 dropped behind the hill, and when they reached the hotel, 
 the lights were aglow in the lobby. They said good-night 
 in coldly polite way, and she went into the hall. Fred 
 stood and watched her with a sinking heart, wonder- 
 ing when he should see her again, knowing that when she 
 awoke the next morning, he should be far from Prescott. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THOSE who live in country places know that the Fourth 
 of July, next to Christmas, is the one great holiday of the 
 year. Prescott celebrates this day with all pomp due to the 
 honor of a great nation. The patriotism in such rural 
 districts is more genuine than that evinced in great cities. 
 The country people are simpler of heart, more natural in 
 the expression of their feelings, and, therefore, more sin- 
 cere in any kind of demonstration. 
 
 Flags, bands of music and red lemonade are everyday 
 luxuries to the city bred. In Prescott, where the majority 
 of people who enjoy these celebrations, pour in from the 
 smaller towns or from the mere country itself, a drink of 
 lemonade is a treat; the strains from a band, be it ever 
 so poor an excuse for music, lift the soul of the rustic 
 to the sky ; the child, the youth, the maiden are awakened 
 by it. It even stirs the elderly from their contented ease. 
 But when the Stars and Stripes float on the breeze, are 
 not all eyes turned heavenward? Are not the victories 
 of Washington, the woes of Lincoln, the sacrifices of 
 Davis, and the honors of Grant, bound up in its sacred 
 folds? Ah, the Fourth of July is a glorious day to the 
 rustics. It means as much to Aunt Miranda, with her 
 basket full of good things under the wagon seat, as it 
 does to young Susan, with her cheap challie dress and 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 new fan ; as much to Uncle Hiram, by way of memories, 
 as it does to little Willie, with his peanuts and fire- 
 crackers. 
 
 This particular celebration of which I speak, was 
 neither superior, nor inferior, to many of its predeces- 
 sors in Prescott, but it surged madly to and fro, as though 
 its like had never been known before. It mattered not 
 that Prescott did not afford an ideal spot for such an 
 observance, no dense grove of trees, no grassy carpet, no 
 cool, shady places for the lemonade stands and speaker's 
 platform; no, it was just as glorious an affair, in the 
 midst of the hilly streets, hot and dusty, as though it 
 possessed all. Nothing can dampen the ardor of the 
 sturdy Westerner. 
 
 The "merry-go-round" was under a stretched canvas 
 on the plaza. The egg race, potato race, the sack race, 
 the burro race, and the young Squaw race, were to take 
 place in Main Street, while the balloon ascension was 
 billed to occur on the summit of Cordez Hill. 
 
 If you had been in Prescott on that day, you would 
 have wondered where all these people came from. If, 
 on the other hand, you could have been poised high 
 enough above the town, early that morning to command 
 a distinct view of the surrounding country, your ques- 
 tion would have been answered satisfactorily. Roads 
 from every direction led to Prescott, and all were teem- 
 ing with moving throngs bound for that city. 
 
 They came from a hundred miles or more heavy farm 
 wagons, completely filled; chairs behind the seat, or 
 planks laid across the wagon bed, to serve as seats. There 
 were sometimes as many as fifteen persons in one of 
 these wagons. Perhaps two or three families, from the 
 
 52 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 upper Verde, clubbed together and came in a party. They 
 started the day before, and after a long but jolly ride, 
 camped a mile or two outside of town, in order to get 
 in early the next day. 
 
 A dozen young men on horseback came dashing along 
 at full gallop. They were a band of cowboys from 
 Brown's Springs and Cherry Creek. They had risen at 
 3 A. M. that morning and, having no mercy on horse- 
 flesh, were due in Prescott by 10 o'clock. What cared 
 they for horseflesh this day? Did they not give espec- 
 ial attention to their horses at most times, and were their 
 tough ponies not hard yet from the late Spring round-up ? 
 Their pockets jingled with the earnings of the last three 
 months. They had prepared for this occasion, and meant 
 there should be "something doing." It would be a shame 
 to save the money. Prescott was a wide open town in 
 those days, with a Whiskey Row a half mile long and 
 some times even then, there was a man for breakfast. 
 But most of the jokes that this lusty band threw at each 
 other on that strenuous ride, contained some allusion 
 to Granite Street. Their minds ran in such currents at 
 such times. 
 
 " Say, Sour-dough," calls out Silvertip, " I hear they 
 have been having camp meetings in town. Some new 
 Sky-pilots have swarmed the place." 
 
 " Let them swarm," says Sour-dough, " what do such 
 as we care for those devil-dodgers ? " 
 
 " But," puts in Dug Bremister, " maybe a moral wave 
 has hit the burg, and maybe we can't cavort around as we 
 used to." 
 
 "Don't you never fear," confides Doc Mannart, "I 
 
 53 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 savy those fire-escapes; just grease their paw sufficient 
 and mum is the word." 
 
 " How much of the long green have you for Granite 
 Street, John Alex ? " asks the man of the premature 
 silvery locks. 
 
 " That's accordin' to what kind of propositions I find 
 on Granite Street," answered John Alexander promptly. 
 
 " He's lookin' for charcoal blossoms," chimes in Awk 
 Bremister. 
 
 " Now don't be so funny, Awk, a senorita is good 
 enough for me. But I'll bet I have as much of the 
 chink for any proposition as you have, and will cough 
 up as plentiful too." 
 
 " Ther's one thing dead sure," ventures Sour-dough, 
 " if Prescott don't give us a free swing, we can pull up 
 stakes and make a bee line for another village on a keen 
 trot." 
 
 " Have no fear for Prescott," Doc Manhart confides, 
 "she's beyond recall; let the shy-pilots do their wenie- 
 worst. It will be a cold day in Juvember before she is 
 anything but a dead sport's town." 
 
 Grin had kept his peace during this conversation, which 
 they threw at each other as they sped along, but he knew 
 in his clean heart that none of his hard earned wad should 
 go for any of these things. 
 
 " I should like to hear some real good music, though," 
 he commented to himself. And thus they galloped on. 
 
 There were scores of Mexican families bound for 
 Prescott, hailing from their scant ranches all over the 
 country, wherever there were to be found a spring and 
 a cottonwood tree. Their rickety old wagons rattled 
 merrily along, drawn by thin, old mangy horses, the har- 
 
 54 
 
In the Land of 'Extremes. 
 
 ness having scarcely the strength to draw the load of par- 
 ents, and seven or eight muchachos; being spliced and 
 bound up with bailing wire and strings. Here and 
 there, one or two of the little lean, brown boys who 
 could not find room in the wagon, came jogging along 
 behind, on lazy burros which they were compelled to 
 beat unmercifully at every step, to make them move at 
 all, until the little arms were tired almost past motion. 
 
 American fathers, or gringoes, as the Mexicans say, 
 headed some of these outfits; little dried-up, parched- 
 looking men in every case the only type that marries the 
 squaw or the senorita. His beard may be grizzled and 
 stiff, though his haggard-looking spouse may not be over 
 thirty. 
 
 The senorita marries at fifteen, and is an old woman 
 at thirty. Such groups as these sailed into town with the 
 greatest pretense, joyous in their bright-colored, cheap 
 clcthes, covered with dust, and all unconscious of the 
 spectacle they made. Patriotism, was it, they evinced? 
 
 Then, there were the respectable families, ranchers and 
 miners, who lived near town. They came in buggies, with 
 good horses and decent apparel. 
 
 The roads presented continuous streaks of foggy dust 
 from all directions. The trains from Phoenix emptied 
 their hordes, which had been picked up at small towns all 
 along the way. Not many came from Phoenix, how- 
 ever, being too jealous of Prescott for many of her peo- 
 ple to make holiday there. Trains from the north brought 
 visitors from Flagstaff, Jerome, Wilcox, Holbrook and 
 Ash Fork. The "jerk-water" steam cars from Mayer 
 brought those from Big Bug, Poland and Cordes. 
 
 At last the crowd has assembled. The band plays in 
 
 55 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the plaza, and the sun burns down hot. A stray breeze 
 shifts about, and blows dust into everybody's eyes. 
 Speaking and a musical program from the platform in 
 front of the Courthouse, facing the plaza, occupy the 
 whole of the forenoon. This part of the day interests the 
 men. 
 
 The women are eager to spread their feasts, and have 
 the remainder of the day free. The races of the afternoon 
 are now beginning, which are of interest to everyone. 
 All goes smoothly until the Squaw race is called. Every- 
 one is on the tiptoe of expectation, for this is one of the 
 novelties. But, when the glittering band of hill-nymphs 
 is brought forward, decked in beads, fringed buckskin 
 and paint, they refuse to run, and hang back, giggling 
 and covering their spreading mouths with their hands. 
 Naughty, timid, blushing maidens! At the first oppor- 
 tunity, they break for liberty, running for the hills and 
 woods like frightened doe, and there is no Squaw race 
 that day. 
 
 The hordes surge and mingle in cosmopolitan variety. 
 Irishmen, of which Prescott has a generous share, are 
 red-faced and garrulous, not very good-natured, bat 
 ready to laugh if they see the prospect of a fight between 
 two or more of their less sober fellows, urging it on, if 
 they think it is going to fail. They tell their cronies that 
 the parade reminds them of St. Patrick's Day, on Fifth 
 Avenue, New York, years ago when they "came over." 
 
 Negroes, not a few, independent and strutting, as they 
 are everywhere, except in the South. Mexicans, greasy 
 and trifling, as they are always, everywhere, under all 
 circumstances. Jews but I need not describe the Jew; 
 everybody knows " Ikey," with his palms turned up. 
 
 Girls from Granite street, dressed showily, the gown 
 
 56 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of the saloon singer exceeding all others; housewives, 
 who are robbed of their liberty because of the brood of 
 children they must herd; waitresses and chambermaids, 
 tightly laced and enjoying a social rating, accorded them 
 no place else under the sun; troops of pretty working 
 girls, stenographers, book-keepers, saleswomen and cash- 
 iers, holding themselves above their sisters, the chamber- 
 maids and waitresses, for a reason I never could compre- 
 hend. School teachers, in twos and threes, each with a 
 male escort, for if you think the teachers of Arizona do 
 not enjoy the company of men, you are mistaken. They 
 are no superannuated set, severely prim, extremely long 
 waisted, flat-chested, old maids, those teachers of Ari- 
 zona ; no ! They keep their trustees constantly searching 
 for substitutes so frequently do they resign their schools 
 in midwinter to wed. Let a spinster come from Boston 
 to Arizona; she soon becomes rejuvenated, loses her re- 
 serve, and lives as she should have lived at sixteen or 
 twenty. She becomes natural; something in the atmos- 
 phere of Arizona making people honest, candid and 
 frank. To these attractive and capable women, represent- 
 ing many Eastern colleges and normals, is due all praise 
 and credit for the splendid educational system of Ari- 
 zona. They are universally bright, pretty and attractive, 
 worthy the place they hold in the esteem of the people. 
 
 Myrnie Leston was helping to celebrate on this par- 
 ticular 1 National Birthday in Prescott. She was not with 
 Joe, nor Kelly, nor even with Mr. Harmon, having given 
 each of them the " Nova Scotian turn-down." She was 
 with another teacher, a pretty brunette. These girls were 
 friends, principally because they were being waited upon 
 by the " little operators," who were friends also. This 
 friendship was cemented by another common bond 
 
 57 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Bessie was a native of Manitoba, and lived with a mar- 
 ried sister in Prescott. 
 
 The " little operators" were busy at the wires during 
 the day, and could not be with them until six, at which 
 time they were to be accorded the honor of escorting the 
 girls to the ball in Odd Fellows' Hall. 
 
 Bessie was a pretty girl, after the fashion of brunettes, 
 but Myrnie's Edna-May style of beauty was even more 
 charming, having about her that which, in a woman, we 
 call "sweet." 
 
 These girls had put in a jolly day, sitting by and com- 
 menting on the queer individuals who passed, for they 
 were good students of human nature. They had been 
 " treated" and "swung" by all the young men they knew ; 
 had even ridden the merry-go-round with a big, country 
 lad, out of which they had a great deal of sport. 
 
 Toward the close of the afternoon, Myrnie saw a well- 
 known figure standing some distance from her, leaning 
 against the band-stand and looking steadily at her. As 
 soon as his eye caught hers, he came over to her, looking 
 pale but handsome, in his summer suit and Panama. 
 Myrnie smiled, and introduced him to her friend, a little 
 nervously. If she had not seen him for some time, he 
 always exerted a strange, compelling influence over her. 
 Just then some one came for Bessie, who would not be 
 refused, and Fred Harmon and Myrnie were left to 
 themselves. 
 
 " Yes/' remarked Fred, taking a seat beside her, with- 
 out being invited, " I sent the family to Los Angeles for 
 the summer. Just returned to Phoenix three days ago, 
 and, having business in Prescott, was glad to spend to- 
 day here." 
 
 58 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Should think Los Angeles a much pleasanter place 
 to spend the Fourth of July," she said. 
 
 " No, as I once told you, I am a genuine ' Hassayam- 
 per' and love to wander back to the land of enchant- 
 ment ; love to answer the call to the desert, and the 'call 
 of the wild.' But, how fine you are looking. Got one or 
 two freckles on your nose, though," he went on. " How 
 is Prescott treating you ? " 
 
 " Wonderfully well," she told him. " Why, Mr. Har- 
 mon, I am growing to love it. Bessie and I have lovely 
 times, I am living with her at her sister's house now, 
 and that is better than hotel life for me." 
 
 " It is indeed, and I am glad to hear that ; I have 
 thought about you a lot and worried about you " 
 
 She cut him off with, " Oh, Mr. Harmon, you make 
 me very tired, really." He laughed good-naturedly, 
 touching her under the chin with the small flag he held, 
 while she continued, 
 
 " I like the Western people. I like the women of Ari- 
 zona, and I find them equal in most ways, and superior 
 in some, to the Eastern women. Their manners may 
 shock their Eastern sisters occasionally, but the customs 
 are different. I think the women here are more honest 
 with themselves, and think on broader lines. There are 
 as many homes of culture here, in proportion to the pop- 
 ulation, as there are in the East." 
 
 " Whew ! You are becoming a strong champion for 
 the West," he exclaimed. "But I think, myself, that 
 your deductions are not far from correct. It appears that 
 you have been thinking- a little for yourself already 
 been observing, discovering." 
 
 " I cannot understand why Arizona has not been given 
 Statehood," she put in, " She is certainly entitled to it" 
 
 59 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Speak on, oh, wise and gentle sage, but you will have 
 to go to the G. O. P. for the answer to that," said he, 
 placing one hand on her shoulder. " I cannot answer 
 your question because I am one of those fool Democrats. 
 But, come with me and have something cold, and let us 
 not have such strong sentiments on the Fourth of July ; it 
 is too warm." 
 
 They went toward an ice cream parlor, entered and 
 found empty seats. Harmon was beaming with a radiant 
 happiness. Nothing seemed to matter now, but the pres- 
 ent. The worn, wan look left his face, and in its stead 
 came a smile and a pair of bright eyes, which rested 
 upon her every minute. 
 
 " Seems awfully good to see you, it has been so long. 
 How well you manage to look all the time. Yes, it has 
 been a long time." 
 
 " Well, where have you kept yourself all this time ? " 
 he was delighted to have her ask. 
 
 " Oh, I left town the next day the next day after I 
 last saw you. Business took me away, but I did not think 
 you wanted to see me again," he added, looking at her 
 nervously. 
 
 Her sympathy expressed itself in a smile, which he 
 mistook for encouragement, and again became himself. 
 
 After fifteen minutes of conversation on topics per- 
 sonal and otherwise, a bell boy from the hotel hurriedly 
 interrupted. 
 
 " Found you at last, Mr. Harmon. Been searching 
 for you everywhere for the last half Hour. Mr. Burke 
 told me I must find you, for he said this message was 
 important." 
 
 The boy tossed him the sealed envelope and ran away, 
 before Harmon could ask him a word. There was noth- 
 
 60 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ing to do but consult the telegram, which he did, growing 
 haggard the while. 
 
 He arose, still reading the telegram, " Bad news from 
 Los Angeles; will just have time to catch the west 
 bound passenger. Good bye." 
 
 Myrnie sat stunned for a moment, then, collecting her 
 senses, read what was on the yellow paper left in her 
 lap. " If you wish to see Amy alive, come at once. 
 
 Mother." 
 
 She crushed the paper in her fingers, threw it down 
 and ground it under her heel. " I wonder why he thinks 
 I care about him and his affairs ? " 
 
 She arose and went to seek Bessie, smiling and talk- 
 ative as usual, but, in the background of her mind, ran a 
 train of thought, which, put into words, would have run 
 something like this ; " Pretends not to care for her. I 
 notice he rushes headlong, pale and trembling after her, 
 on the least mention of her name. O, world of deceit ! " 
 
 The spice of the day's enjoyment seemed to have van- 
 ished for Myrnie. The Indian war dance, which com- 
 menced at dusk in the plaza, held little charm for her, 
 though it had been the one feature of the day to which 
 she had looked forward with greatest interest. 
 
 There were over a hundred Indians seventy-five 
 braves the remainder women and children, who had 
 been paid to come from the Post at Camp Verde to per- 
 form this novel spectacle. Myrnie stood with the rest, 
 watching the weird dance for hours, her thoughts far 
 away in a maze of imaginative romance. 
 
 The would-be warriors, with bodies stripped to the 
 waists, were gaily painted, and much bedecked with 
 fancy articles and feathers. They began the dance by 
 forming a circle of about ten men ; these circled from 
 
 61 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 left to right, from right to left, singing and grunting a 
 wild refrain. Each time, when they finished the song, 
 they opened the circle and let in another buck ; thus they 
 continued till the whole number, including women and 
 children, were circling and grinding the earth into a 
 well-defined path beneath their moccasined feet. At 
 times the song became shrill and high, and the men broke 
 into a war whoop which sent the blood racing wildly 
 through their veins. After this, the bucks took from 
 their belts imitations of human scalps, and waved them 
 above their heads, the squaws alone yelling and cheer- 
 ing. This festivity lasted far into the night, the Red men 
 seeming to forget they had been paid to amuse the Pale 
 Face, but entering into the warlike spirit of it, and 
 becoming so hilarious that by midnight some of the 
 more excited had to be locked up. 
 
 The dance in Odd Fellows' Hall also lacked the spirit 
 of previous occasions to Myrnie. When she and Bessie 
 were retiring that night, at the hour of 2 A. M., she 
 said irritably, 
 
 " Do you know, Bessie, I am tired of that operator." 
 
 " Oh, no, you are not honey; he is just cute." 
 
 " He is not the kind of fellow I like. His head is too 
 small and his feet are too small; his hands are so weak 
 looking. He never could be anything but a salary man." 
 
 Bessie laughed heartily at this description, and said 
 she never saw such a girl, but Myrnie continued. 
 
 " He seems so inexperienced with girls ; is really half 
 bashful when we are alone. Does not know how to pay 
 anyone a compliment. I like experienced men, who dote 
 on you and pour out pretty speeches and compliments." 
 
 " Oh, come now, honey. You will not spoil all , our 
 fun by throwing the operator over. I know the kind 
 
 62 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 you speak of are more interesting, but they are not often 
 so sincere as the more silent kind. Really fine men are 
 not often found outside of books." 
 
 " I have met such men, though, one now and then, 
 outside of books." These last words were spoken in 
 a drawl, for the girls were now in bed and half asleep. 
 
 Two days later Myrnie received a letter. It was from 
 Mr. Harmon and ran : 
 
 " Dear Miss Leston : 
 
 I wish to apologize for leaving you so abruptly in 
 Prescott the other day. I presume you read the message 
 I left in your lap. When I reached the city, I found Mrs. 
 Harmon's health much improved, in fact she seems in 
 better health now than she has been for a long time. 
 But that is the way she always is. One day you think 
 she is dying, and the next day she is well. I hope to 
 come back to my enchanted land soon. I hope to see 
 you, too. Sincerely, 
 
 Fred Harmon." 
 
 If Myrnie had tried, she could not have accounted for 
 the anger which filled her as she read this letter. There 
 seemed to rise up within her a demon of gigantic pro- 
 portions, which controlled her. She tried to analyze her 
 varied emotions, that she might understand herself, and 
 consequently read others, but this feeling of rage she 
 could not analyze. 
 
 " I wonder what he thinks I care for all that ? " And 
 she relieved her mood by tearing the paper into frag- 
 ments, and casting it from her. 
 
 63 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 ABOUT a mile out of Phoenix on the Yuma road, stands 
 a neat little school house. It is September, but is still 
 very hot in the Salt River Valley. The umbrella 
 trees which surround the building were meant to pro- 
 tect it from the burning rays of the most torrid sun in 
 the United States, but they serve only to check any 
 wandering current of air, which might, by some odd 
 chance, happen to stray in that direction. The atmos- 
 phere within the room and without is sweltering. The 
 doors at each end of the room are wide open. The three 
 windows on each side of the house are also open, but 
 not a single breeze is felt within. 
 
 The little school mistress stands rather proudly before 
 a class of small children. This is her first experience in 
 real school teaching, but one would never think so to see 
 Myrnie Leston now. She has perfect command of self; 
 how confident she is of every statement she makes ; what 
 perfect English she uses ; she knows exactly what to do 
 next, for her work has been planned in every detail. To 
 be sure there is no reason why she should not be confi- 
 dent. She has no tousel-headed, big boys in her school ; 
 there is not a child in the room more than twelve years 
 old and the hearts of her twenty pupils were hers from 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the first day, worshipping her blindly, and vicing with 
 each other to win her praise. 
 
 Such a picture she makes in the plain school room; 
 her wonderful hair does not fall low over the high fore- 
 head now. It is too warm, and is parted, brushed plainly 
 back, and made into two big braids which crown her head 
 and give her an intellectual, queenly bearing. 
 
 The heat keeps her skin velvety with moisture, and the 
 bloom ever fresh on her cheeks. So serene, so intel- 
 lectual, so incorporeal she appears, and her thoughts are 
 as free from guile as the minds of the little children 
 about her. Teaching, with Myrnie Leston, is not drudg- 
 ery, but a very lofty occupation. 
 
 Already Phoenix has noticed her, and has tried to 
 make friends with her, but she keeps herself aloof. She 
 is absorbed in her work, and does not need a host of 
 friends. In her school days even, she did not care to 
 have many close friends, often saying there was enough 
 in one's own mind to keep one from loneliness. Life 
 had now assumed new proportions and was new and 
 wonderful enough to her to keep her satisfied within 
 the circle of her own interests. 
 
 Several young men have tried to attract her attention, 
 but they have failed. The women and girls of Phoenix 
 generally have said they do not care for her. 
 
 " She is too much of a prig, and is altogether too un- 
 usual. Guess she thinks people who come from Nova 
 Scotia are better than those in the wild and woolly West. 
 Well, I find it a good plan to leave eccentric people to 
 themselves," are some of the comments of the women. 
 
 It is quite noticeable, though, that the County Super- 
 intendent has visited the school twice already. In former 
 
 65 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 years, he paid one of the two visits, which the law re- 
 quired of him during the first half of the year, and the 
 second one toward the close of the term, and the teacher 
 saw no more of him. But, in this case, it was plain 
 that Mr. Fullerton meant to become acquainted with 
 Miss Leston. 
 
 " Teacher," whispered a little girl who came to have 
 a word pronounced, " If here doesn't come Grandmammy 
 Fullerton again." 
 
 Myrnie looked up to see the round, fat face of the 
 Superintendent at the door. She arose and went to meet 
 him. He supposed her laughter indicated her pleasure 
 at seeing him, little dreaming that her amusement was 
 at his expense. 
 
 " I could not resist the temptation of visiting this 
 model, little school as I passed by," he explained, mop- 
 ping his smooth, pink face with his handkerchief. 
 
 " Yes, this is a good place to get a cold drink," she 
 answered. " There is no better water than hangs in our 
 olla. It is always filled the night before, and by morn- 
 ing is as cold as ice." 
 
 He went to the olla and drank rapidly of its refreshing, 
 cold water. Oh, the cool, dripping olla which hung in 
 the dense shade of an umbrella tree, and dripped and 
 'dripped. The ground under, and around it was patted 
 down hard by the little feet of many school years, for 
 the children sought the olla often. I am sorry for those 
 who do not know what the olla, is for no "old, oaken 
 bucket" was ever so tempting. The olla is the Indian's 
 water jug, but, because of its convenience, is used even by 
 the rich in Arizona. It is made of clay, well mixed with 
 powdered buffalo chips, moulded and shaped by the 
 
 66 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 hand of the squaw, and burnt in a kiln till it is hard and 
 red like tile. The powdered manure is consumed dur- 
 ing the process of burning, and thus the jug is left por- 
 ous, and, when filled with water, leaks sufficiently to cause 
 continual evaporation. In a dry climate like Arizona, 
 the water within is as cold as ice. Eastern people mis- 
 understand and discredit this fact, even when they be- 
 hold the wonder with their own eyes, but every West- 
 erner is well acquainted with the blessed olla. 
 
 " There are so few schools in this county," the 
 Superintendent told her, as soon as he could breathe after 
 such rapid drinking, " of which as a Superintendent I 
 can feel proud; and when I come to one like this, I just 
 have a desire to enter, and sit, and sit, and watch the 
 clock-work go on. It is such a rest to my tired, over- 
 worked nerves to find this crowning glory of my efforts 
 here." 
 
 " I am just ready to close," she told him, still laugh- 
 ing. He was one at whom it was easy to laugh. " You 
 are just in time to give my girls and boys a talk." 
 
 The children winked at one another and smiled, know- 
 ing there was a good laugh in store, for Fullerton always 
 said things to make them laugh. Once seated inside the 
 room, he looked into all the little faces, then at the 
 teacher. His sides were shaking with suppressed merri- 
 ment. Every one in the room was soon laughing, till 
 the tears ran down their cheeks, and no one knew why, 
 unless it was at the toad-like appearance of the Superin- 
 tendent, as he sat huddled on a chair too small for him. 
 But this was the effect he invariably produced on chil- 
 dren, whom he loved and understood perfectly. 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 At length he arose, and, shaking his head by way of 
 pause, said with deliberation, 
 
 " Children, I feel safe in saying that you do not ap- 
 preciate your good fortune in having this little lady for 
 your teacher/' 
 
 " Yes, we do, we do," interrupted several voices. 
 
 At this the Superintendent enjoyed a hearty laugh, and 
 looked slyly at Myrnie, remarking in an undertone, 
 " Even they know a good thing when they see it." 
 
 He saw instantly that he had made a mistake, for the 
 girl threw up her head sarcastically, so he made an at- 
 tempt to soothe her. 
 
 " It is well if you do. I visit all the schools in this 
 county, and I think I ought to know who the good teach- 
 ers are. You are indeed fortunate. Franklin, Lincoln or 
 Greely, had no such opportunity as this. All the teachers 
 in those days were stern masters, who were never seen 
 without a big stick ; that was their only means of control, 
 but your teacher rules by love, pure and gentle." 
 
 There was moisture in the Superintendent's eyes. He 
 was a sentimental old fellow, and loved to plunge from 
 one extreme of emotion into another. The children 
 looked very sober, many of them dropping their eyes 
 while the speaker continued. 
 
 "Now look about you." The children all looked. 
 " There is no big stick in sight anywhere, unless indeed,, 
 it be me." 
 
 At this the children roared, jumping up and down in 
 their seats, and breaking into wild disorder. Fullerton 
 sat convulsed, holding his fat sides. How he loved chil- 
 dren, and at no other time so much as when they were 
 
 68 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 capricious, and turned into the outlaw that every child is 
 at times. 
 
 Myrnie made no attempt to bring discipline out of this 
 chaos. No teacher ever could preserve order when Ful- 
 lerton was about. He was a jolly old bachelor, and loved 
 his joke. I am told that he made a similar speech at 
 every school he visited, his purpose being to make the 
 teachers his allies, their voices counting for him at elec- 
 tion times. He likewise had strings on the children's 
 hearts. He played with them at their recesses, or at the 
 noon intermission, if he happened along at such times. 
 " Pussy wants a corner," and " Aunty over," were favor- 
 ite games. The mirth of the children when he ran, or 
 when he flopped to the ground, if about to be caught, was 
 very great, and, of course, every child chose him, trying 
 to catch him, and make him " It." 
 
 But the game in which he most delighted, was a rol- 
 licking affair of his own invention, which he called 
 " Hounds and Bruin." In this, he was the bear, and all 
 the boys a pack of hounds. From quarter to quarter they 
 chased him, bringing him to bay at frequent intervals, 
 when he, on all fours, boxed them when they came too 
 near the savage monster. Often they got a knock that 
 would have sent them post haste in tears to the teacher, 
 if anyone else had dealt the blow. But scratches don't 
 count when Hounds are chasing Bear. At times, the 
 whole pack of baying beasts would take him from behind 
 and in front, and pin him to the ground. Then the bear 
 was dead. 
 
 Fullerton made a ridiculous spectacle during this esca- 
 pade, but what cared he for that ? He would come out 
 of it exhausted and perspiring, but would sit and shake 
 
 69 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 his sides for hours afterwards, in memory of the rare 
 sport. 
 
 This also counted for him on election days, the chil- 
 dren always reminding their fathers, when starting for 
 the polls " Be sure to vote for Fullerton, papa." 
 
 Some student of human nature had dubbed him 
 " Grandmammy Fullerton," and, in the way such things 
 spread, it had reached the farthermost limits of his ter- 
 ritory. No one loved him the less for it; he knew of it 
 himself, and enjoyed the distinction, it gave him. He 
 had been elected to the office of County Superintendent 
 for four consecutive terms, and stood a fair chance to 
 hold the position for the remainder of fiis days. He was 
 an indefatigable worker, and would not have changed 
 places with the President of the United States. 
 
 The days wore on into late autumn. It grew cooler. 
 A few untimely frosts had fallen, biting the alfalfa fields 
 and spotting them with brown. The long rows of cot- 
 tonwood trees, which abound about Phoenix, following 
 the canal banks and cutting the country into squares, 
 were dropping their leaves, and spreading their webs 
 of cotton over everything. The summer haze, which had 
 dimmed the distant mountains, had cleared away, re- 
 vealing a clear, crisp atmosphere, and making the Gamers 
 Back seem only a few miles distant, when in truth it is 
 fifteen miles away. Still, the sun shone serenely, giving 
 to Phoenix her three hundred and sixty-five days of sun- 
 shine. 
 
 These solemn days set Myrnie thinking, and her 
 thoughts at such times were liable to drift into melan- 
 choly ways. She commenced looking about her to find 
 diversion for her idle hours at home, school work tak- 
 ing little of her time, outside of the school room. 
 
 70 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Mrs. Long, the widow with whom Myrnie lived, told 
 her of one Alfred Stiner, master of the pianoforte and 
 of the violin, and informed her that he was the ablest 
 musician in Phoenix. ' Myrnie went to see him, and ar- 
 ranged to take instruction on the violin, the one instru- 
 ment with which she was already familiar. 
 
 Stiner was a dark-complexioned, Philadelphia-born Ger- 
 man, who had been educated in the fatherland where he 
 had also married, but he was a lunger and had been or- 
 dered West by his physician. He had lived in Arizona 
 for five years, and although apparently restored in health 
 he dared not leave, lest the dread disease return. Dur- 
 ing this time, he had once returned Hast for a visit, but 
 the old soreness came back to his chest, the familiar 
 cough was heard again, so back to his "sunland" he hur- 
 ried, where he was wise enough to remain. His wife, 
 and their two children, would not cross the ocean, and 
 come to the far country of wild men; to live apart was 
 their only alternative. 
 
 Mr. Stiner was a man of fine intellect; a dreamer, a 
 typical musician, with dark, passionate eyes and long 
 hair. His long, shapely fingers instantly reminded one 
 of beautiful strains of music. 
 
 Myrnie and this man seemed strangely drawn to- 
 gether. There existed between them a mental bond, 
 such as highly attuned intellects understand. There was 
 also that physical attraction which exists between cer- 
 tain types of blondes and brunettes. 
 
 Mr. Stiner lived in apartments in a big house on 
 Adams street, with a pretty garden in front. After the 
 lesson, he w r ould accompany Myrnie along the rose- 
 lined path to the gate, or they sometimes sat in the gar- 
 den and conversed, Stiner always leading the conversa- 
 
 71 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 tion and the girl proving to be a good listener. At such 
 times, he either told her of his home in Leipzig, or of 
 some musician and his work. Often he dwelt upon his 
 loneliness and chafed at his life apart from his family. 
 
 "Ah, my wife and my sweet babies," he would say, 
 " life is not worth much here, as I am. May as well go 
 back to Germany and die." 
 
 Myrnie comforted him at these times seeming es- 
 pecially fitted for the task. How easily she found her 
 way to the heart of every man without effort, and in 
 a way natural to her. They began looking forward to 
 these visits. Alfred Stiner was the one person in all 
 Phoenix who was really interesting to Myrnie, and she 
 seemed more companionable to him than any person he 
 knew in the West. 
 
 After she had gone, he would say to himself, " Her 
 understanding of the heart's deep needs is wonderful, 
 and she so young; her tender sympathy and reciproca- 
 tion." 
 
 Myrnie walked into town of an evening to take her 
 lessons. This walk led her past the house where Super- 
 intendent Fullerton lived. If that jolly, old "grand- 
 mammy" saw her pass, as he invariably did, he ran out 
 to meet her, with a joke or two. This delayed, as well 
 as annoyed, the girl. Perhaps it was a bit of motherly 
 advice he had to offer, a warning against some bad char- 
 acter with whom he had seen her talking, or may be he 
 wished to shower praise upon her. Not infrequently he 
 spoke of himself. 
 
 " Do you know," he would say, " I cannot bear to see 
 a little child suffer. It gives me pain; now I do not 
 mean figurative pain, but real physical pain about my 
 
 72 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 heart. If I am angry, my arms ache, and grief deprives 
 me of the use of my legs. I find myself so different 
 from other men. I have lain awake all night often, 
 suffering from one or more of these pains. I remem- 
 ber several years ago, when I was teaching in Mesa, I 
 had a pupil a thin, little boy who seemed ill; I studied 
 the child closely and I found that he was really starving. I 
 then took more lunch than I wanted, and used to call him 
 in and feed him, under the pretense that I could not eat 
 all I had. I got him to looking fine. His mother found 
 it out, but instead of blessing me, as a good mother 
 should, she let her foolish pride control her, and took 
 him out of school. Yes, you know I find myself so dif- 
 ferent from other men. The men laugh and say to me, 
 1 Fullerton, we believe you are a monstrosity ;' they laugh 
 at me and call me 'old woman' and 'grandmammy' and 
 say, ' We think you are unnatural/ Here he laughed 
 covertly. * Why don't you get married ?' and ' We have 
 come to the conclusion that you are made wrong.' More 
 sly laughter, and a wink at Myrnie. " But the truth is, 
 Miss Leston, that I find so few women who are good 
 enough for me. I deserve a pure girl. My system is as 
 pure as gold. The doctor, in examining a drop of my 
 blood, said, ' Fullerton, your blood is as pure as an in- 
 fant's. There is no hint of any kind of disease in your 
 system.' I am proud of this, Miss Leston, and I hold 
 myself high and dear on account of it." 
 
 Myrnie wondered often what the Superintendent 
 meant by this. She could not make him out. This did 
 not ring true, and her woman's instinct warned her 
 against him. She was not bothered with sympathy in 
 this case, but such talk sent a sickening qualm through 
 her every nerve. 
 
 73 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ANOTHER evening, when Myrnie was taking her cus- 
 tomary walk into town, she was overtaken by a buggy, 
 carrying a single occupant, before she had gone any 
 distance. The man drew rein, and she saw that he was 
 tipping his hat to her. 
 
 " Pardon my seeming rudeness, Miss," he said, smil- 
 ing. " If you are going to Phoenix, I shall be glad to 
 give you a ride." His hat was not placed on his head 
 till he had finished speaking. His appearance and his 
 manners were equally in good form. 
 
 " Thank you," she responded, as she went toward the 
 vehicle. " I am late this evening, and can profit by a 
 ride." 
 
 He sprang from the buggy, and helped her into the 
 seat. This is a common custom in Arizona, where weary 
 pedestrians make long journeys, and where the sun's ex- 
 treme heat makes walking difficult. The hearts of men 
 are warm and merciful to one another, in this isolated 
 land. This kindness is called giving a fellow a " lift," 
 and no offence is taken, be it man or woman to whom it 
 is proffered. These " lifts" on the road are sometimes 
 the beginning of enduring friendships. The inhabitants 
 of the Territory, being cosmopolitan here today and 
 gone tomorrow find it convenient and pleasant to 
 
 74 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 make friends and acquaintances easily. This accounts 
 perhaps, in a measure, for the unrestrained and straight- 
 forward manner of Western people. 
 
 Myrnie noticed that her companion was a man of mid- 
 dle age. His hair, in particular, attracted her atten- 
 tinn. Once of raven hue, now half white, it presented 
 that silver luster which is the crown of a man's maturer 
 years and formed a series of regular waves, which 
 added to its beauty. 
 
 " I go into town twice during the week for my music 
 lesson, and it is not often that I get a ride," she told him. 
 
 " I surmised some such fact, when I saw that you 
 carried a violin case. Do you live out this way? You 
 must be a stranger in this neighborhood." 
 
 " No, not exactly a stranger. I teach the Umbrella 
 school, and have been here since September." 
 
 " Hum," and the gentleman smiled, pondering over 
 pleasant memories. " Well, well, I used to teach school 
 myself. But I have not taught since leaving Boston, 
 where I taught for six years." 
 
 " Boston," she exclaimed. " I attended college in Bos- 
 ton, and know every foot of that ground almost, it 
 seems to me." 
 
 This bit of common knowledge served as an intro- 
 duction, and they were still more delighted to find they 
 had a mutual friend or two in Boston. When you are a 
 stranger in a strange land, this goes a long way toward 
 friendship. Indeed, in Arizona, relationship is some- 
 times claimed on the strength of it. 
 
 They talked of the East, and of the West, discussing 
 the merits and demerits of each, finding they were agreed 
 on most things, and beginning to feel like old friends. 
 
 75 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " I presume your family is here with you ? " Myrnie 
 returned. 
 
 " No, Miss Leston, I have the misfortune of being a 
 divorced man." 
 
 " Ah/' she exclaimed under her breath, and then re- 
 mained silent. 
 
 " This is Tuesday," Mr. Adams said. " I presume 
 you take your next lesson on Saturday/* 
 
 She told him she did, and was not a little surprised 
 when he overtook her at about the same place that day. 
 As before, they talked of things present and past, and 
 when they reached Professor Stiner's apartments, he 
 helped her from the buggy, remarking: 
 
 "I hope we may see more of each other. I have 
 horses and carriages, and would love to show you some 
 of the surrounding country." 
 
 Myrnie was puzzled. She liked this man well enough, 
 but she did not know whether she ought to ride with 
 him or not, since he was a divorced man. When she 
 reached home, she asked Mrs. Long if such a ride 
 would be improper, relating her experience with Mr. 
 Adams. 
 
 " Why, no, child," was the answer. " You are such 
 a little goose. Take all the rides you can get." 
 
 After this, Mr. Adams overtook her often, accident- 
 ally, of course, but she always found reasons to refuse 
 the rides he proposed, other than those " lifts" on the 
 road. 
 
 " Shall I drive around for you on Sunday evening?" 
 he asked her. " I am going to take two young ladies 
 from Glendale both are teachers out to the orange 
 grove, and we would be pleased to have you go with us." 
 
 76 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 She would be delighted, she told him, as she had never 
 seen an orange orchard, and would also be glad to meet 
 new friends. On Sunday evening Mr. Adams came, 
 but alone. The young ladies had, for some reason, he 
 explained, been unable to keep the appointment. Myrnie 
 tried to find some excuse also, but Mrs. Long was pres- 
 ent, and insisted that she go. There was no dodging Mrs. 
 Long. 
 
 The trip was a pleasant one, and she returned with 
 her arms full of orange blossoms, while the ripe fruit 
 filled her lap. 
 
 " He seems like a father or an uncle, and is very nice 
 and kind/' she told Mrs. Long, when she had returned. 
 " He is very interesting company." 
 
 " It's not like the uncle or father he's feeling toward 
 you, though," the widow laughingly told her. 
 
 " I am sure a man of his age would never think of me 
 in any other light," the girl pouted. 
 
 " Oh, now, don't be too sure of that, Miss Innocence," 
 answered the jolly widow. 
 
 " What do you mean, Mrs. Long ? " she asked, looking 
 surprised and hurt. 
 
 " Oh, nothing much. Only you just look out and ' saw 
 wood/ You never can tell what those divorced men 
 are thinking." 
 
 " You urged me to go with him yourself, and would 
 not let me off. Now I think it is very unkind of you 
 to say such things." 
 
 " Little goose," the lady consoled, " lose that baby in- 
 nocence of yours. You amuse me more than any girl I 
 know. You will never get on at all, if you don't learn 
 how to meet the world any better than you do now. I 
 
 77 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 have been a widow for three years, and I know the ropes. 
 Girls do all sorts of things now, and nothing is thought 
 of it. For my part, I think the more experience a girl 
 can have with the ' Lords of Creation/ the better pre- 
 pared she is for life." 
 
 " What kind of experience do you mean, Mrs. Long? " 
 Myrnie asked. 
 
 " Oh, I am not particular. Most any kind that hap- 
 pens to come along will serve. Ha, ha, ha, little goose. 
 Get next. Anything you can get out of a man is l all to 
 the mustard.' Like ole Mis Means used to say, l While 
 you are a-gittin' git a plenty.' There is not a girl in 
 Phoenix who has not had her experience. The world 
 today is quite different from what it was twenty years 
 ago. The very nicest people do things today that would 
 have ostracised them utterly then. And this condition 
 exists everywhere in good society. Don't I read it in 
 all the papers ? " Mrs. Long was a devout peruser of 
 the Hearst newspapers, and was exceedingly well 
 posted. 
 
 " Mrs. Long, you have no right to say, 'all the girls in 
 Phoenix/ for you can't know about that. Besides, time 
 has not changed the rules and laws of morality. What 
 was bad twenty years ago, is bad now. I think it is as 
 you look at life what you seek in life. You and I seem 
 to look at life differently. My desire is to make a suc- 
 cess of life." 
 
 But the elder lady was not abashed. She gave a 
 brazen little laugh, and added : 
 
 " Oh, well, I see that you have a lot to learn yet. 
 You'll see things different when you are older. Young 
 people always do start out in life with their wagon 
 
 78 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 hitched to a star, but they find in time that life is not the 
 honest affair they thought it was. I was once like that, 
 too, but I've learned the plain hard truth. Being a 
 widow ' puts the blocks to you/ But I intend to stay a 
 widow. A burnt child shuns the fire, you know." 
 
 Myrnie said nothing to this. She looked at her land- 
 lady searchingly, and drew her own conclusions as to 
 what the "blocks" meant. Thereafter, she did not go to 
 Mrs. Long for advice on any matter of morals. 
 
 Superintendent Fullerton saw Myrnie riding with Mr. 
 Adams. He generally did see, or find out, everything 
 worth seeing. The next time he saw her pass, he ran 
 out to meet her. 
 
 "Aha, and with whom did I see you driving Sunday 
 evening ? " he asked, as though he had caught her in a 
 trap. 
 
 " With Mr. Adams ; why? " she asked, off her guard. 
 
 "And do you know what and who he is?" Fuller- 
 ton asked, making his tones awesome, and looking wise. 
 
 " Yes, he is a teacher from Boston, and knows some 
 of my friends up there," she answered, simply. 
 
 " He is a married man," Fullerton said, in tones still 
 more awesome, and in half whispers, wrinkling his fore- 
 head. 
 
 " He told me he is divorced." Myrnie was straight- 
 forward and honest with everyone. If lying is ever per- 
 missible, it would have been advisable now. 
 
 " I understand that his wife has been trying to secure 
 a divorce for some time, but that he will not grant it. It 
 is in the courts now, or has been. It may have been 
 settled recently, and I not have heard of it, but I do not 
 
 79 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 think so. There is a lot of very bad talk about him." 
 His forehead was full of wrinkles again. 
 
 A sinking sensation came over her at this information, 
 but she struggled to show no sign of it. A feeling of 
 contempt for Fullerton gained possession of her, as she 
 replied : 
 
 " I think, Mr. Fullerton, that I will choose my com- 
 panions without any aid from friends." 
 
 " Sure, sure. I do not mean to meddle. I know noth- 
 ing against Adams of a certainty. It may all be black- 
 mail. I am not blaming him, or anyone else, for wishing 
 to be with you. But you have never ridden with me, and 
 I am not so much as engaged to be married though I 
 should like to be." This last in his jovial, laughing way. 
 
 " You have never asked me to ride with you." 
 
 " Then I ask you now to go with me next Sunday 
 afternoon," glowing. 
 
 " I have promised to go with Mr. Adams then." This 
 gave her a little taste of revenge, but her companion was 
 not so easily downed. 
 
 " Then make it Friday evening with me," he persisted. 
 
 Out of pure bravery, Myrnie agreed. You may be 
 sure Fullerton was on hand on Friday evening, making 
 his silly jokes and laughing at them himself. 
 
 " Are you intending to go with Adams on Sunday ? " 
 he asked. 
 
 " I told you that I was," she replied emphatically. 
 
 " I warn you not to go," and he covered his forehead 
 with the wrinkles. 
 
 " I shall not heed your warning." Myrnie's head was 
 in the air. She was ready for battle. Let the enemy 
 come on. 
 
 80 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " He is not divorced. I have taken the pains to find 
 out. I have talked with his wife, a lovely little woman, 
 and the supporter of two children." 
 
 " Of course, that was a part of your business," she 
 said, sarcastically. 
 
 " But, my dear little girl, my aim is to protect you," 
 he said, laying a hand caressingly on hers. 
 
 " Perhaps you need some one to protect you first. 
 The ' blind lead the blind and they both fall in the ditch/ 
 you know." She pushed the hand off roughly. 
 
 Fullerton enjoyed a laugh alone. " You ought to hear 
 his wife's story; she can tell you what he is," gathering 
 up his slack lines. 
 
 " I think she would do well to refrain from disgracing 
 her children by voicing such things about their father. 
 I find Mr. Adams a gentleman." 
 
 " I am not blaming him, or anyone else, for wishing 
 to be with you, as I told you before," laughing his dis- 
 gustingly good-natured laugh. 
 
 " Neither do I," she said, with contemptuous independ- 
 ence. 
 
 " Not even me ? " speaking in low tones, and placing 
 his hand on her arm, with his face close to her. 
 
 " Oh, you ? You do not count. You are immune," 
 and she drew closer into her corner. 
 
 His sides shook with laughter, while he added, " Per- 
 haps I can prove the contrary to you." He placed his 
 free arm about her. She wrenched herself free, and told 
 him to take her home at once. It was growing dark, and 
 they were several miles from home. 
 
 " Then you do not like me little bittie ? " again taking 
 hold of her. 
 
 81 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " No, Mr. Fullerton, not in that way." 
 
 "Can't I kiss little girlie?" 
 
 " No," she screamed. " Get away, and do not touch 
 me." 
 
 " All right." He sat far over on his side of the seat. 
 They drove a mile or two in a homeward direction on 
 the smooth, hard road without a word. 
 
 " Are you mad with me ? " he asked, sorrowfully. 
 
 " Never mind that, Mr. Fullerton; just take me home. 
 I did not expect to come out here to be insulted." 
 
 " Oh, you did not ? " He laughed all over, as though 
 he thought it a very great joke. Presently he stopped 
 the horse, remarking, " Guess this poor beast is tired, and 
 wants to rest." 
 
 " But how late it will be when we get home," she pro- 
 tested. 
 
 "Aren't afraid of me, are you?" 
 
 " No indeed, sir, I am not. Who could be afraid of 
 you?" 
 
 " Then I will make you afraid." He caught her 
 roughly, his hot breath against her face. 
 
 " Old fool, old woman, let me go." But these were 
 not the words to make him let her go. He laughed 
 viciously, and made a remark which she remembered 
 years after. The struggle continued, and there was a 
 moment when the girl thought she was lost, but a pro- 
 pitious thought came to her. She seized his hat and 
 threw it into the depths of the dusty road. 
 
 " Whoa," he shouted, and started for the hat. When 
 he was half way out of the buggy, Myrnie seized the 
 whip, wrenched the lines from his hands, and striking 
 the horse a few sharp blows, left the Superintendent 
 
 82 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 lying in the dusty road. He jumped and ran after her, 
 kicking up a great dust, and swearing as he ran. When 
 Myrnie reached the gate, she jumped from the carriage, 
 threw the lines on the ground, and, giving the horse a 
 smart slap on the hip with the palm of her hand, flew 
 into the house, frightened almost past breathing. Mrs. 
 Long and her son were in bed asleep. No one knew the 
 manner of her coming in. 
 
 By the time he reached the gate, the horse was trot- 
 ting a good distance ahead of him, on its way to the 
 stable a mile away in Phoenix. Fullerton ran after it, 
 shouting, " Whoa, whoa," till he was hoarse, but the 
 wary animal kept a little ahead of him all the way. Per- 
 spiring, panting, and swearing, after a run of two miles, 
 he gave a plausible excuse to the hostler at the stable, 
 and walked home a wiser and sadder man. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 WHEN Myrnie walked into town the next day, the 
 Superintendent was seen standing by the gate, some- 
 time before she reached his dwelling place. On nearer 
 approach, she noticed that he held in his fat hand a 
 boquet of beautiful roses, and that his shining counte- 
 nance wore an expectant smile. He came to the fence 
 as she approached, saying: 
 
 " Good-evening, little girl ; I plucked these for you 
 myself." Myrnie passed him without a glance in his 
 direction. 
 
 " But you can't refuse the poor innocent flowers," and 
 he tossed them over the fence to her. They fell in the 
 dusty road directly in the way of her lifted foot. She 
 stepped on them, crushing the fragrant petals, and rend- 
 ing them from their stems. A little thrill of regret ran 
 through her, as she saw the quivering beauties fall to 
 pieces ; flowers were scarce, and she loved them so ; but, 
 since he had touched them, they must be vile. 
 
 Her path lay along the high board fence which sur- 
 rounded his back yard, and by the time Myrnie reached 
 this fence, Fullerton was there, trotting along, and laugh- 
 ing through the cracks at her, trying to coax her into 
 speaking. 
 
 " Are you really so angry at me that you will not look 
 
 84 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 at me? Look here, look, look; see what I have for 
 you," but she only passed on, as though no one were near. 
 
 When she returned, walking briskly, like one quite 
 satisfied with life, Fullerton was on hand, calling to her 
 and looking the picture of distress. All his efforts were 
 vain ; she would not be reconciled. 
 
 During the early Sunday forenoon, Mrs. Long came 
 into Myrnie's room, and informed her that a lady was 
 waiting in the parlor to see her. Thinking it was one 
 of her trustees, she hurried to meet her visitor, but on 
 entering the parlor was somewhat surprised to find a 
 perfect stranger a small, pretty woman, whose black 
 eyes held depths of excited passion, behind which there 
 lurked a dancing smile, and a gleam of triumph. 
 
 " I believe this is Miss Leston," the stranger said, ris- 
 ing and extending a little, flashily jewelled hand. " I 
 am Mrs. Adams, divorced wife of W. P., whom I believe 
 you have met." 
 
 " Oh, yes," but Myrnie was so confused, she took the 
 hand with anything but composure. She looked her 
 visitor in the eye, but her cheeks grew very red. " I 
 have met Mr. Adams, yes, I have met him; sit down, 
 please, Mrs. Adams." 
 
 " Thank you," and the little lady took her seat, with a 
 nod and a smile. Myrnie, feeling that she was smiling 
 at her confusion, became instantly composed. 
 
 " I have been thinking of coming to see you for several 
 days," Mrs. Adams said, "but, until this morning, I 
 could not drum up the courage.*' 
 
 " I think of no reason why you should lack the cour- 
 age, Mrs. Adams." Myrnie was very dignified now. 
 
 " That is because you do not comprehend the true 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 state of affairs. I saw you often when you passed my 
 house, going to your music lessons, I supposed. You 
 looked like such a sincere, pure girl, and any one would 
 know, to look at you, that your aims in life were high. 
 I knew about what your life was, because I used to be 
 like that myself. Yes, I used to sit and watch you, and 
 think of the great love that was sure to come to a girl 
 like you, and I wondered how love would deal with you. 
 
 " As I looked at you, I have asked God to spare you 
 what I have suffered at the hands of a man." 
 
 Mrs. Adams paused in her rapid speech. Myrnie was 
 looking intently at her, like one charmed; Mrs. Adams 
 went on: 
 
 " What was my surprise when Superintendent Fuller- 
 ton came and told me that W. P. was making up to you." 
 
 " What business was it of Fullerton's ? " Myrnie broke 
 out. 
 
 " He is a very tender-hearted and good man, my 
 child, and wished to save you. I need not have been 
 surprised. I might have known that W. P. would have 
 discovered you. He always finds them such girls as 
 you. I believe that man can scent beauty a hundred 
 miles away, and he is always on the scent. But, one 
 woman's life is enough for that man to ruin. I feel for 
 any girl to whom he takes a notion he invariably brings 
 her to shame. I have made up my mind to warn those 
 I can in time, and that is why I am here this morning. 
 You may well look bewildered, Miss Leston. I know he 
 makes a good appearance, and acts trie perfect gentle- 
 man at first, but just you wait. I hear you have been 
 driving with him, frequently." 
 
 " Oh, no, Mrs. Adams, not frequently. Mr. Adams 
 
 86 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 overtook me on the road several times, when I was walk- 
 ing to town, and when I found that he was from Boston, 
 and knew some of my friends up there I rather felt that 
 he came nearer being a friend of mine than any one else 
 down here. When he said he was going to take two 
 Glendale teachers to the orange grove, and asked me to 
 go with them, I was very glad to go. We got the most 
 orange blossoms that day. Mr. Adams seemed such a 
 nice man; he told me he was divorced, and I supposed 
 that it had all happened years ago." 
 
 " Who were the teachers from Glendale ? " she asked 
 quickly, leaning forward in her chair, in her eager haste 
 to find out. 
 
 " I do not know. They did not come ; he told me the 
 reason why then, but I do not remember now. I was 
 eager to see an orange orchard, and to get some of the 
 flowers, and when he and Mrs. Long both urged me, I 
 went alone with him. I could see no harm in it." 
 
 " No, my dear, there was no harm in that if W. P. had 
 been a different kind of man. He was not divorced at 
 that time." 
 
 " Mercy, mercy," Myrnie exclaimed, feeling very much 
 disgraced. 
 
 Mrs. Adams saw that she was making headway. " I 
 have been trying to get a divorce from that man for six 
 months. He has fought me like a tiger, and said I 
 never should have it. But he allowed the decree the 
 next day after he took you for that drive. That you 
 may interpret as you please. I feel it my duty to lay his 
 case plainly and' frankly before you, then you may do as 
 you like. No Glendale teachers promised to go to the 
 orchard with him. Ah, but he is clever, is W. P. He 
 
 87 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 really is a wonderful judge of human nature. He 
 perceived that you are a careful girl and would not go 
 alone with him on so slight an acquaintance; he knew 
 also that the story about the orange blossoms would cap- 
 ture you, he did not doubt but that you could be caught 
 with flowers." The lady laughed knowingly. 
 
 " Evidently his scheme was a good one, and worked 
 just as he planned it," Myrnie said a little resentfully. 
 
 " Know him ? I know him like a book. Glendale 
 teachers indeed ! There is not a girl in this country, ex- 
 cept some stranger like yourself, who would be caught 
 with him. They have all heard about the Tyson woman. 
 Do you know, Miss Leston, when you first appeared on 
 the horizon, I thought you were the Tyson woman come 
 back in disguise. You resemble her some at a distance, 
 but of course you are much more beautiful than she was/' 
 
 " I do not know of whom you speak, Mrs. Adams." 
 Myrnie was horrified and dazed. 
 
 " No, of course, you don't know," and she laughed 
 merrily. " Well, she was a sport he took up with here 
 in town, and when I made it too warm for them, he goes 
 to Los Angeles and she to Georgia. But after a month, 
 my detective in Los Angeles wrote me that W. P. was 
 running a rooming house over there, and Miss Tyson 
 was his manager. I soon broke that up. He came back 
 here then, but not before Miss Tyson had stolen his 
 three hundred dollar diamond. She then disappeared. 
 I would fix her, if I could find her. It was then that I 
 commenced my suit for divorce. I wish you would 
 promise me, Miss Leston, that you will not be seen with 
 him again. This is for your own good." 
 
 " I shall never go with him again, Mrs. Adams. I am 
 
 88 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 very grateful to you for this visit. I am so glad I found 
 him out." Myrnie was very much overwrought; the 
 enormity of his sin was dawning on her. 
 
 Mrs. Adams arose ; she wore the air of one who had 
 gained her object. But she looked more pale and broken 
 than when she had come in. 
 
 " You must come to see me," she said, when she 
 reached the door. " I have two of the loveliest children 
 in the world, even if W. P. Adams is their father. Oh, 
 he can be a good man when he wants to, Miss Leston." 
 Great tears rolled down her cheeks, and for a moment 
 she was utterly broken. " He is not all, all bad," she 
 added ready to defend against another. Myrnie went 
 with her to the fence. 
 
 " This is W. P.'s buggy," Mrs. Adams, said, laughing 
 and growing wickedly mischievous. "I stole it the evening 
 before I got my divorce; found it hitched in front of a 
 saloon. Good thing I did not wait twenty-four hours 
 longer, or I should have had no right to take it. Like to 
 see him get it from me now," she called out in triumph, 
 as she waved a parting salute at the quiet girl at the gate. 
 
 Myrnie went to her room, and sat in deep thought for 
 a long time. She felt this woman's triumph over her 
 the hardest thing in life for a woman to submit to. 
 Myrnie did not like others to form her opinions for her. 
 It had always been her great fault, her English aunt had 
 frequently told her, to doubt everything she was told re- 
 lating to life, unless she could prove it for herself. This 
 disposition had led her over many stony ways, and had 
 been the cause of many a hard fall, but still she followed 
 the path bravely. Even when a child, she had a mania 
 for proving things. When told that wood alcohol was 
 
 89 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Yard. No matter how clever I think I am, she smokes 
 me out I was down at the house this morning to see 
 the children, while she was here I reckon I saw her 
 drive up from this way. She tied her horse to the fence 
 and came round the back way. I slid out the front door, 
 jumped into her buggy and drove away without her see- 
 ing me. This is my rig; the little mischief stole it from 
 me. I do not expect to keep it long, now. She will 
 manage some scheme to get it from me. She outwits me 
 every time." 
 
 "Yes, Mrs. Adams told me about that, and much 
 more," Myrnie answered. 
 
 " But say, Miss Leston," Adams broke out pleadingly, 
 "do not count this time. Do please come with me this 
 last time. I need your company this evening I want 
 your advice I must talk to someone. I swear you are 
 the only woman I have ever known who made me feel 
 the need of being a better man. Guess I have been a 
 devil all my life. If you win come with me, I promise to 
 drive on unfrequented roads, so Bertie will not see yon 
 with me." 
 
 " I am not afraid of having Bertie sec me with you," 
 Myrnie ejaculated. 
 
 "Oh, yes, you are; you are afraid." Adams had 
 found his lead. 
 
 " I promised Mrs. Adams that I would not go out with 
 you again." 
 
 " Oh, she wrung that promise from you, I wifl 
 wager," and Adams was laughing again. " I can give 
 that woman credit for being clever.'* 
 
 " And pretty," Myrnie added. 
 
 Adams looked at her in surprise. "Pretty? Ten 
 
 92 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 nature spoke to her, and she resented the fact that Mrs. 
 Adams had taken advantage of her at an impulsive mo- 
 ment, and had wrung the promise from her not to go out 
 with her husband again. 
 
 " I just do not believe he is so awfully bad," she wil- 
 fully told herself. 
 
 The girl was sitting on the veranda in front of the 
 house that afternoon, enjoying the warm winter sun- 
 shine, when Mr. Adams drove up to the gate. He 
 jumped from the vehicle with the nimbleness of youth, 
 tethered his horse to the post, and sauntered gaily up the 
 path. There was no coldness in the smile with which 
 Myrnie returned his beaming salute. She invited him to 
 come up and sit down. 
 
 " Had we not better start at once ? " he asked, feeling 
 very sure of himself. 
 
 " I think I have decided not to go, Mr. Adams/' with 
 a pleased smile. 
 
 " Why not ? " He looked his surprised disappoint- 
 ment. " I am sure the weather is without a flaw." 
 
 " I had a visitor this morning, who brought me strange 
 rumors. She came in that same conveyance there, and 
 drove that same horse there by the gate," Myrnie in- 
 formed him, watching a new kind of surprise creep over 
 his face. At first he looked dumbfounded, then puzzled, 
 then the light began to break in upon him. He threw 
 back his head, and broke into the most mirth-provoking 
 laughter one ever heard. 
 
 " The little devil, that little devil ! " but this was as far 
 as he could get. Still laughing, he tried to explain. 
 
 " That woman is the best detective that ever lived. 
 She can beat anything that ever walked in Scotland 
 
 91 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Yard. No matter how clever I think I am, she smokes 
 me out. I was down at the house this morning to see 
 the children, while she was here I reckon I saw her 
 drive up from this way. She tied her horse to the fence 
 and came round the back way. I slid out the front door, 
 jumped into her buggy and drove away without her see- 
 ing me. This is my rig ; the little mischief stole it from 
 me. I do not expect to keep it long, now. She will 
 manage some scheme to get it from me. She outwits me 
 every time." 
 
 "Yes, Mrs. Adams told me about that, and much 
 more," Myrnie answered. 
 
 " But say, Miss L/eston," Adams broke out pleadingly, 
 "do not count this time. Do please come with me this 
 last time. I need your company this evening I want 
 your advice I must talk to someone. I swear you are 
 the only woman I have ever known who made me feel 
 the need of being a better man. Guess I have been a 
 devil all my life. If you will come with me, I promise to 
 drive on unfrequented roads, so Bertie will not see you 
 with me." 
 
 " I am not afraid of having Bertie see me with you," 
 Myrnie ejaculated. 
 
 " Oh, yes, you are ; you are afraid." Adams had 
 found his lead. 
 
 " I promised Mrs. Adams that I would not go out with 
 you again." 
 
 " Oh, she wrung that promise from you, I will 
 wager," and Adams was laughing again. " I can give 
 that woman credit for being clever." 
 
 " And pretty," Myrnie added. 
 
 Adams looked at her in surprise. " Pretty? Ten 
 
 92 
 
In the Land of Hxtremet. 
 
 years ago she was the prettiest woman that ever 
 breathed. My God, she was pretty." 
 
 " She is a beautiful and charming woman yet," the 
 girl told him. 
 
 He looked at her wonderingly as she said this. He 
 was not used to hearing one woman praise another. This 
 must be a new breed, he thought. His own black-eyed 
 Bertie had always disparaged every woman, in her vain 
 attempt to keep her husband for herself. 
 
 " Yes, she is pretty she is pretty," losing himself in 
 thought. " Yes, she is pretty, but a little faded now." 
 
 " Very few women are so well preserved at her age," 
 he was told. 
 
 " And so she made you promise not to go with me, did 
 she ? " Adams was chuckling to himself. 
 
 " She did not make me promise, Mr. Adams, I assure 
 you." 
 
 " Oh, yes, she dared you to go, and you are afraid, and 
 take her dare. I know Bertie, she has a way of daring 
 people to do things, and they never recognize the dare 
 till it is too late. You took her dare, all right." 
 
 " Humph ! " was all the girl said, but she was deeply 
 annoyed. During the silence of several minutes, Myrnie 
 had time to think of Fullerton. 
 
 " Mr. Adams," she exclaimed, starting up, " I think 
 I will get my hat. This one time I think I will go with 
 you, if you will drive me up past Superintendent Fuller- 
 ton's house. I wish him to see me with you." 
 
 This pleased Mr. Adams immensely. He chuckled to 
 himself. " You must have some old score to pay off, 
 too." 
 
 " I have," was all she said. 
 
 93 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Fullerton saw them, of course. They caught him 
 peeping around a door, and they had great sport over 
 it. They then turned abruptly around, and went spin- 
 ning back on the same way they had come. They soon 
 turned off on an old dim wood-road, at his suggestion, 
 which led them miles and miles out through the mesquite 
 and cacti, and to nowhere. 
 
 During the first mile, which was driven in silence, they 
 both knew they had chosen this road through fear of 
 being seen together, and this sent a thrill of shame 
 through them both. 
 
 94 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 MR. ADAMS was thinking very seriously now. His 
 wife's visit to Myrnie did not appear amusing at all. 
 No, it was decidedly not amusing. It broke into all his 
 plans, if he had any very definite ones. 
 
 "What did Mrs. Adams tell you about me?" he 
 asked abruptly. 
 
 " She told me about the Tyson woman for one thing," 
 Myrnie answered. 
 
 " I reckon all she told you about the Tyson woman was 
 true," was his sober reply. 
 
 "Oh, you admit it, then?" 
 
 " Why not admit things, if they are true ? Supposing 
 I denied it. You would believe Bertie, anyway." 
 
 " Yes, I think I should." 
 
 Myrnie was thinking seriously, too. This situation, 
 and the conversation, seemed intolerable to her. She 
 knew she should not be here, and put out her hand, as 
 though to draw the lines and stop the horse. 
 
 "Mr. Adams, let us go back, this desert looks so 
 dreary." . 
 
 " You do not mind the desert. You just want to go 
 back. I know why, too, and it is not fair to me." 
 
 " Not fair to you ? Why, you took the advantage of 
 me, by making me think I was taking a dare." 
 
 95 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Oh, well, if you want to go back, I will turn around 
 and do so, but remember, you said if I would drive you 
 past Superintendent Fullerton's house you would go with 
 me and I did so, though I would rather Fullerton had 
 not seen us together. But if you are going back on your 
 promise, all right. But I want to drive yet that is, I 
 should like to talk to you further. There are some 
 things I want to tell you." 
 
 She looked at him pityingly. " All right, Mr. Adams, 
 go on." Her voice trembled, and she prayed to God to 
 be made stronger, and able to meet this thing that he 
 was going to tell her. 
 
 He noticed the fear in her voice, and said very ten- 
 derly : 
 
 " Please trust me, Miss Leston. I wouldn't 
 wouldn't harm you for the world, and I should defend 
 you against any danger with my life. You do not 
 know how you affect me. You make me want to be 
 good. It is not that you preach at me, but -you seem to 
 understand, and that is so much help. Then you are so 
 good yourself, and I see in you the natural reward of 
 right living. I do want to be an honorable man." His 
 voice was trembling more than hers, and he could 
 hardly control the last words. She looked into his eyes, 
 smiled kindly, and they drove on. 
 
 After awhile, he spoke again. " Dora Tyson was 
 rather a sweet girl in her way. She satisfied my desire for 
 diversion at that time. Of course, I have forgotten her 
 long ago." He did not know that these casual words 
 sent horror to the girl's sensitive nature. His own con- 
 science was so calloused, it could not know the more 
 
 96 
 
In the Land of Extremes 
 
 sensitive dictates of right living. He laughed a little 
 at some piquant memory, and continued: 
 
 " Nothing seemed to amuse Dora so much as torment- 
 ing Bertie. That girl had her completely wild all the 
 time, and Bertie hated her worse than any girl I ever 
 made love to. Dora sent Bertie some letters, in which 
 I had spoken of Dora's heavenly blue eyes; I think that 
 was the bitterest pill poor Bertie ever had to swallow. 
 She never did care as much if I looked at a brunette, 
 but, oh, a blonde, a 'nasty, washy blonde,' as she always 
 called them." 
 
 Myrnie was struggling hard with herself. In all her 
 young life such morals were unknown. Mr. Adams ap- 
 peared to be a just man, after his way of thinking. She 
 felt it her duty to help him. She wished to put him 
 right. 
 
 " I am sure your wife was justified in her feeling 
 toward the woman, Mr. Adams." 
 
 " Yes, but Bertie has always been so insanely jealous, 
 and is to this day, even though we are divorced. I sup- 
 pose it is the Vigorous vintage of old Spain' that flows 
 through her veins. She has Castilian blood, you know. 
 But I do not believe I ever should have gone astray, if 
 Bertie had not expected it of me. She always mis- 
 trusted me and threw the vilest accusations at me, before 
 I ever thought of looking at another woman. She used 
 to spy on me, and follow me, and even hired a girl to try 
 to tempt me. I was as true as steel to that woman dur- 
 ing the first years of our married life, but she finally 
 drove me to dishonesty by her mistrust of me." 
 
 " That was her very great mistake," Myrnie an- 
 swered, but she was getting a better idea of the manner 
 
 97 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of man before her. She believed him to be one of those 
 uncertain individuals, who instinctively know what you 
 think of them, and live up to the expectation in each case. 
 
 " Bertie would not bring those Tyson letters into 
 court. Did not even show them to her lawyer. Her 
 plea is for non-support and cruelty, of which there is no 
 shadow of proof. She never mentioned infidelity. If 
 she had produced those letters, she might have had her 
 divorce long ago; they reeked of infidelity, but, no, she 
 was too proud to have it appear that I cared for others. 
 Nothing but her tiger jealousy brought her to you this 
 morning. She does not care for your welfare, as she 
 told you. She was only fighting for herself, and trying 
 to defeat me. How desperately that woman has 
 fought every attachment I have ever formed. She has 
 always beaten me, too, and kept me for herself, in spite 
 of my best efforts." 
 
 Myrnie leaned back in the carriage, closely observing 
 him, as he sat revealing a wife's tragedy in his devil- 
 don't-care way, laughing here and there at the most vital 
 points. She had an idea, and wishing to test it, re- 
 marked : 
 
 " Why, Mr. Adams, that woman is a heroine, can't you 
 see that?" He gave a guilty start, which showed his 
 surprise. He could say nothing, and the girl went on, 
 " She has been fighting to protect her children, and has 
 had no one to help her. I admire her for refusing to 
 bring so vile an accusation against the father of her chil- 
 dren. Can't you see that she felt a need of being free 
 from you, and yet she would not disgrace them? A 
 mother's strongest feeling is to protect her children." 
 
 He did not reply, but Myrnie thought she saw his eyes 
 
 98 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 grow filmy and moist, as he looked over the broad desert 
 before him. 
 
 " I have always thought," she went on, to further test 
 her idea, " that a jealous person only judges another per- 
 son by himself. He accuses those about him of being 
 untrue, because he himself receives undue attention." 
 
 Mr. Adams was up in a minute. "No, no," he pro- 
 tested quickly. " No one could ever make me think 
 such a thing of Bertie, not for one minute. No, sir ; she 
 cared only for me, and has always been as loyal and lov- 
 ing as a wife could be." 
 
 " I believe you love her to this day, Mr. Adams." 
 
 " I do," he said, facing her. " Do you think I could 
 cease to love her so soon? I she is that is, well, she 
 has borne me two lovely children, and I have lived with 
 her for fifteen years. I respect my wife, that is, Mrs. 
 Adams, you know. I respect her very highly. But I 
 am sure I could forget her in time, and love some one 
 else just as much." 
 
 " But why seek another when you have her ? Why, 
 Mr. Adams, did you ever become untrue, and spoil so 
 much happiness ? " 
 
 " Why well that strange as it may seem is a thing 
 I can not explain, or even understand myself. But, hell, 
 how can a fellow help it? There are so many charming 
 women, wanting to be loved. They come around a fel- 
 low, and put themselves in his way, and make themselves 
 so attractive. It is such rare sport capturing them, and 
 taming them. Far better than shooting big game. Oh, 
 I reckon I am just a mean devil. I reckon coming from 
 Tennessee has something to do with it. I was reared in 
 Tennessee," he laughed, and went on: 
 
 99 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " I have never in all my life seen a pretty woman that 
 I did not want to make love to her, not that I care for 
 them for any length of time, but I believe it is some- 
 thing like this; before marriage, love is full of that 
 witching glamor of romance. After the babies come, 
 that vanishes, though you love your wife dearly. But 
 life becomes a bread-and-butter proposition, common- 
 place and insipid. I have never wished to lose sight of 
 romance, and by these flirtations I have been able to 
 keep romance deliciously near. Now I should prefer to 
 remain Bertie's husband, and have her and the children 
 to satisfy the father instinct in me, which instinct I seem 
 to possess in full measure. And still I want full free- 
 dom to flirt, and drift back into boyhood at times. Flirt- 
 ing makes a boy of me, and I have above all things 
 dreaded to say farewell to boyhood. Oh, I am just a 
 mean devil ; I have no excuse to offer for myself. I have 
 been entirely to blame." , 
 
 Myrnie thought over this for a time, but said' nothing. 
 She could scarcely comprehend it all. But she took up 
 a new line of questioning. 
 
 " Mrs. Adams told me that you did not grant the di- 
 vorce till after you had driven me to the orchard, and 
 that no Glendale teachers ever promised to go with you 
 on that trip." 
 
 "That is all very true, but I wonder how under the sun 
 that woman ever found that out/' This seemed very 
 funny to him, and he had to take his time to laugh over it. 
 
 " She told me she knew you better than a book," 
 Myrnie added. 
 
 "So she does. Bertie is not a very bookish woman. 
 She doesn't know many books. But that first evening, 
 
 100 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 after I met you and conversed with you, was my first 
 intention of letting her get her divorce. And, consider- 
 ing myself as good as divorced, I thought there was no 
 harm in telling you I was. Bertie was the most surprised 
 and crushed woman in the world that next morning, 
 when I gave in suddenly, and the thing was done before 
 she realized it. She did not want a divorce, did not think 
 I would ever let her have it. She was simply giving me 
 a scare, as she thought, schooling me not to go after any 
 more Tyson women. She got caught up with for once. 
 But, to tell the truth, I never thought I should consent 
 to the separation till after I had met you that first even- 
 ing. I had intended to go to Bertie, make her some 
 promises, and have her withdraw the divorce business. 
 I was in the court room that morning when the divorce 
 was granted. The woman looked liked death. I pitied 
 her. I went to her afterward, and said, 'Bertie, I have 
 a carriage here and will drive you down to the house, 
 as soon as not, if you wish.' She was pale and trembling, 
 and could not speak, but she came with me. As soon as 
 she was in the carriage, she commenced to cry. I have 
 never seen any one so utterly broken. It hurt me more 
 than I can tell, to think she was not my wife, not my 
 Bertie any more, as I sat there looking at her grief. She 
 begged me never to marry again, said she would follow 
 me to the end of the earth, and kill the woman if I ever 
 did. But I told her I could make her no promises, that 
 this was all her own doing." 
 
 "Did you have any intention of keeping the promises 
 you said you would have made her, had you asked her to 
 withdraw her plea for divorce?" Myrnie asked. 
 
 101 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 "Can't say that I thought anything about keeping, 
 them/' he told her. 
 
 "Then how could you make such promises?" she 
 asked angrily. 
 
 "Well, for the sake of my children. I love them with 
 all the strength of my being, and oh, Miss Leston, how 
 they do love me. This morning, when I went to leave 
 them, they clung to my neck and begged me not to go 
 away. They can not understand why I must go. I could 
 hardly tear myself away 'from them." The man sighed 
 wearily. 
 
 "But," interrupted the girl, "why did your meeting me 
 have anything to do with your allowing the divorce?" 
 
 Adams sat nervously fingering the lines, trying to 
 smile; but his smile was a failure. It was only a forced 
 puckering of the muscles about the mouth, he only 
 "pulled a face" as children say, for his mental attitude 
 was not a smiling one. 
 
 They had stopped the horse far out in the midst of the 
 desert, but were in the shade of a clump of trees where 
 there was a spring. Here tall cat-tails grew, and a few 
 late, purple and yellow flowers bloomed. The desert 
 spread its forlorn lap about them, far and wide. The sun 
 still beat down hot, parching the stubborn desert growth 
 everywhere, except in this shade; here was rest and 
 some verdure. 
 
 Myrnie looked steadily at her companion, expecting an 
 answer. After a little, he looked at her soberly, and, 
 clearing his throat, said, 
 
 " I may as well be truthful, since this seems the time 
 of telling the truth. I felt after I knew you, that if I 
 could win you, I could easily give up wife, babies and 
 
 102 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 all. You are my affinity." He took her hand and held 
 it firmly looking into her eyes. 
 
 She was mystified. She could not understand this, 
 and, allowing him to keep her hand, said, " Oh, no, Mr. 
 Adams, I am another man's affinity. He said so and I 
 could not be the affinity of two men. You are mistaken." 
 
 "You are the only woman who ever inspired me with 
 a desire to lead the right kind of life. I felt it from the 
 first moment I saw you. I seemed fully to see the folly 
 of my past life and I wished to live differently. You 
 could change my life. You lift me to my highest and 
 best. I still have hopes of being a good man." 
 
 To his dismay, the girl from whom he expected sym- 
 pathy just now, made the desert echo and ring with her 
 amused laugh, 
 
 "But, Mr. Adams, your wife would follow me and kill 
 me. It is pretty dangerous diversion you are seeking 
 now, to satisfy your craving for romance. Think of it. 
 How absurd." 
 
 "Is it so absurd that a man should love you?" He 
 was a little piqued. 
 
 " But think of the difference in our ages. Do you think 
 a young girl like me with all the eager hope of living 
 before her would take a man of your own age to reform 
 him? How selfish you are. Poor Mrs. Adams." 
 
 "Who is the man who called you his affinity?" His 
 Tennessee blood was raging. 
 
 "He? Oh, he, well I am engaged to be married to 
 a young man in Nova Scotia. I love him very much." 
 Surely that God did not register this lie against the girl. 
 
 "Of course, fool that I was to hope. You are too good 
 for me. I know that well." 
 
 103 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 "If you really want to be honorable, and to lead the 
 right kind of life, there is but one thing for you to do, 
 as I see it," she said. 
 
 "Marry my wife," interrupted Adams. "Perhaps she 
 would not have me now. I have grown careless of my 
 dress of late years. I used to take great pride in my 
 dress, and how Bertie doted on me. Said I was the hand- 
 somest man in the world. Yes, how she petted me and 
 flattered me. Guess I will dress up and ga and win her 
 over again." Since he thought his effort to win this 
 girl was hopeless, he turned his thought into an entirely 
 different channel. 
 
 "If, as you say, Mr. Adams, I have any good influence 
 over you at all, that influence would cause you to go 
 back to your wife and children. That would have to be 
 your first step in any attempt to lead the right kind of 
 life. Your idea about me was only one of those foolish 
 impulses about romance, and clinging to boyhood. You 
 can be a boy in spirit without doing those foolish things. 
 Your clandestine experiences during your wedded life 
 have brought you no real happiness. What have they 
 brought, indeed, but shame and suffering to yourself, 
 and to those whom you love. Those idle wanderings 
 after other women, and what kind of women have they 
 been, and what have they given you that could take the 
 place of the pure love of your little babies? You are 
 a good man, Mr. Adams. You love your family dearly. 
 You have proven that to me in many ways this afternoon. 
 You are a good man, a good man. But you will re- 
 proach yourself always, if you do not go back to this 
 good woman. Poor Mrs. Adams." 
 
 She turned her back to him and looked far off. The 
 
 104 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 awful silence of the desert enveloped them, and made 
 their thoughts burn within their brains. Myrnie felt 
 that she must scream. This strain was too great for her. 
 Was he right? Was she right? Or had all the things 
 she had been taught been false? Those principles upon 
 which she had based life and happiness ; had they lied to 
 her, had they covered the truth from her? His argu- 
 ments had impressed her deeply; sometimes she had 
 almost thought he was right, but she had not dared to 
 give up. She must prove that her theory was right, for 
 it seemed best to her. Again she prayed to be made 
 strong. 
 
 " Did you say that I am good ? Is there any possibility 
 of future goodness left in me," he asked, deeply moved. 
 
 " Why, of course there is, Mr. Adams. Through all 
 this veneer of filth with which you have allowed your- 
 self to become covered, I can see the really good man 
 that you really are. You wish to be honorable. I under- 
 stand it all so well. None of this has really tainted your 
 soul ; it can all be cleared away, and then you will be the 
 good man that you started out to be. Romance and boy- 
 hood are conditions to be kept near. You have only 
 taken a wrong path to find them. We all have this dual 
 nature. I have it in full measure " 
 
 " You, you ? " he broke in. 
 
 " Yes, me. But he who is wise will not let the bad 
 that is in him run rampant. Evil must be overcome with 
 good. You are no worse than the rest of us, only you 
 have been* unwise." 
 
 These words Myrnie remembered from the lectures 
 her English aunt used to give her, and she used them 
 now in her extremity and perplexity. 
 
 105 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 He laughed in a relieved way. Myrnie did not know 
 the comfort her words had given him. He spoke ab- 
 ruptly, carried away with a new kind of buoyancy. 
 
 " I have never known before to-day what I have been 
 seeking all my life. Now I know that I have always 
 wanted to be just and honorable. I am the kind of man 
 who must be led aright by the hand of some woman, and 
 that woman must believe in me. To-day you say I am 
 good. By George, I think you know more than all the 
 rest of them. Disreputable as I have been, there have 
 always been times when I longed to be led aright, and 
 I believe this is true with even the vilest of men. But 
 so few know how to lead. To-day I find that woman. 
 My secret desires have mostly been good, but no one 
 ever gave me credit for that. You are the only one 
 who ever knew it. They all told me I was the meanest 
 devil alive. My old step-mother used to try to beat it 
 out of me. Bertie has preached sermons about it, but 
 they did not believe in me, or give me any encourage- 
 ment to be better. A man must be led aright by the 
 angel-hand of some woman, be it mother, wife or sister. 
 Mine has been the sister." He put his hand caressingly 
 over hers, then took it up and kissed it, to which she did 
 not object, but smiled gratefully at him. 
 
 " I can not tell you what this conversation has been 
 to me," he said. " You have allowed me to open my 
 heart to you, to let out all its pent-up ideas. These I 
 have carried about with me for years, and they have 
 scorched and burned me. I did not know what to do 
 with them, but you have been broad enough to listen, 
 to weigh them, and to interpret them aright for me. 
 Where is the other woman who could have listened to 
 
 106 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 all I have told you, and still have had patience and 
 charity for me? And you are so young, so young? " 
 
 Myrnie slid out of the buggy and left him to himself. 
 He had praised her for her charity? If he had known 
 the cost, he might have praised her still more. She went 
 to the spring and gathered the straggling flowers, as 
 they nodded their heads and smiled at her. 
 
 A man past middle life sat in the carriage sobbing 
 over wasted youth. There had been no angel hand to 
 lead him. The sound of his sobs came to Myrnie now 
 and then, and made the desert wide and dreary. But 
 when she looked into the hoof-hollowed pools of crystal 
 water about the spring, and saw the reflection of the 
 great dome of the sky, and the purple daisies bending 
 over and peeping at her through these mirrors, the sheer 
 joy of youth and being came over her, and she forgot 
 the man as completely as though he had never existed. 
 She commenced to hum and sing softly. 
 
 She was only a little girl now, and commenced talking 
 to the daisies, as she plucked them from their stems. 
 " Does it hurt, poor little flowers for me to pull your 
 heads off, when you have worked so hard to grow? 
 Well, you know that is just the way this life is. But 
 you will have something to do now, out here in this 
 lonesome desert, so set to work and grow some more. 
 We mortals are only a manifestation of strife, we live 
 by strife and ," her philosophy was cut short, for the 
 man was by her side. His face was firm and peaceful; 
 bending down, he said, " I am giving myself up ; I am 
 going to do right, and you are going to guide me always. 
 Will you?" 
 
 "Always and forevermore," she promised gladly. On 
 107 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the way home, they talked it all over and laid their plans, 
 and were very happy. Mr. Adams wished Myrnie to go 
 to his wife, and tell her how it all happened, and that it 
 was she who had caused him to reform. But Myrnie 
 would not agree. 
 
 Mrs. Adams must never know that another's influence 
 had caused him to seek her in reparation for his wrong. 
 The course must be straightforward and frank. 
 
 In a few days Myrnie called on the widow, and made 
 known her mission. But Mrs. Adams boasted loudly, 
 and snapped her pretty eyes, saying, 
 
 " No, I shall never live with W. P. again. I have my 
 divorce, I fought him till I got it, and I mean to be free 
 from him forever. Not if he went on his knees to me 
 would I listen to him." 
 
 She wagged her head and vociferously announced her 
 firm resolutions, but Myrnie knew the boasting was too 
 loud to endure. She knew that her pride, and not her 
 heart, was speaking. To save her the humiliation of a 
 complete breakdown, Myrnie hurried away and left her 
 alone with her sorrow. 
 
 In a few days, Myrnie met Mr. Adams on the street. 
 He told her joyously that he had been to see Bertie 
 twice ; that on the first visit, she had made him go into 
 the dust on his knees to her, and that he had dbne so 
 gladly; that she had sent him away with a very tiny ray 
 of hope, but that on his second visit, she met him at 
 the door, and kissed him, making love to him during his 
 entire stay. He further added that the wedding would 
 occur in a few days. 
 
 " She is a little brick of a woman," he chuckled, as he 
 
 108 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 tipped his hat, and hurried away, like a boy with his first 
 sweetheart. 
 
 " Old fools are the biggest fools," the girl said to 
 herself. Perhaps she was just a little piqued, because 
 Adams seemed to have dispensed with her altogether, 
 even as the angel-guiding hand. She gave a tiny, little 
 sigh, remembering that this man had paid court to her 
 gallantly. He really looked very handsome, she thought, 
 and was one of the first to rejoice when they were quietly 
 married a few days later. It is reported that they had 
 no further troubles to air before a curious public. 
 
 109 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 MYRNIE did not see Superintendent Fullerton again 
 for a week or more. He had been absent from town dur- 
 ing her last two visits to Professor Stiner's house. No 
 doubt, most girls would have made a detour around his 
 place of residence, and thus avoided him altogether, but 
 this was not like Myrnie. She still kept the same path, 
 and chose to ignore him. About a week later, after pass- 
 ing his house on her way home, she was startled by hear- 
 ing some one running up behind her. Turning quickly, 
 she stood face to face with Fullerton. Looking at him 
 with a smile of derision, she walked away from him, but 
 he was not to be foiled so easily. Instead, he trotted 
 along beside her, and commenced talking, or rather whin- 
 ning: 
 
 " You may elude me and ignore me if you wish, but 
 I am bound to talk to you, though I shout into deaf 
 ears. You may think you have a right to treat me in 
 this way, but you have not. I am sorry for my conduct 
 of the past, and I wish, and deserve forgiveness. I swear 
 to you that I never did the like before, but there is some- 
 thing so devilishly bewitching about you, you would take 
 any man off his feet. The very first time I ever saw 
 you, I was filled with the same unquenchable fire, and I 
 say that it is no more my fault than yours. You put on 
 
 no 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 your prettiest airs for me, and send your eyes through 
 me, and there is that damned witchery in your skin." 
 
 She stopped short, and glared at him. " You lie, Mr. 
 Fullerton ; I do not put on airs for you, or any one else. 
 I was in no way to blame for your misconduct, and I do 
 not care to know you." 
 
 " But I promise faithfully to be good, if you will but 
 give me another chance. I am willing to acknowledge 
 my part of the fault, and let bygones be bygones. Let 
 us start a new friendship," he pleaded. 
 
 " Then you will have to shoulder all the blame, for 
 none of it is mine," she told him, still vexed. 
 
 " I will take the whole load of it, gladly, if you will 
 but give me a chance to square myself," he wailed, with 
 actual tears in his eyes. His repentance seemed so gen- 
 uine, Myrnie took him at his word. 
 
 " I am willing to accept your apology, and will give 
 you one chance more," she answered, " but remember 
 what you said ; remember your promise." She shook her 
 finger at him, and perched her head on one side like a 
 bird. 
 
 " Yes, yes, I remember the promise, but stop shaking 
 that finger at me, or I may break my promise this in- 
 stant. I never allow any woman to shake her finger at 
 me," and the Superintendent seized her finger and put it 
 down, returning to his old time jollity. 
 
 He went home with her invited, and walked on air. 
 That evening they sat on the veranda and talked "shop," 
 as he said, till quite late. It was the one subject on 
 which he could be entertaining. He explained to her all 
 the "ups" and " downs" of his work, discussed at length 
 the wretched condition of some of the outlying districts, 
 
 ill 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 and the incompetency of some of the teachers until even 
 Myrnie enjoyed the evening. 
 
 In a few days, Fullerton visited the school again. He 
 was louder than ever in his praise of the teacher, and 
 even the children began to consider it overdone. They 
 looked at each other, and winked, while those who sat 
 near enough, whispered to each other and laughed. If 
 the Superintendent could have heard them, he would 
 have heard something like this, " Grandmammy Fuller- 
 ton is sure gettin' bughouse," or, " Ain't he plumb 
 cracked?" 
 
 The children departed for their various homes at the 
 close of the day, but Fullerton still lingered, telling 
 Myrnie that her work was too valuable to be wasted on 
 the desert air, and that next year he should use all his 
 influence to have her placed in one of the best positions 
 in the city schools. The teacher sat at her desk, engaged 
 in writing. She thanked him warmly, without raising 
 her eyes from her work, and remarked that nothing 
 could gratify her ambition more than that. He became 
 instantly hopeful, and rushed up to her in a whirl of 
 excitement, seizing her shoulders in his iron grip, while 
 he almost whispered in her ear : " I'll tell you what, little 
 girl, you be good to me, and I will see that you prosper." 
 
 She was on her feet in an instant, and, taking up a 
 long pointer that lay near, was ready for defence; but 
 he took to his heels. This was the last time he visited 
 the school that year. 
 
 Myrnie gathered up her books, and walked home with 
 flushed cheeks, and points of steel in her eyes. They 
 looked black now. 
 
 112 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 When :Mrs. Long met her at the door, she quickly 
 asked, " Whew, what has happened? " 
 
 " Enough has happened. That Superintendent will 
 know that I do not want him to visit my school again." 
 
 This threw our jolly landlady into merriment. " Oh, 
 that's nothing, child. I know Fullerton of old; there's 
 a little teacher out at Glendale who almost goes into 
 hysterics, at the mere mention of his name." As he 
 never crossed the path of Myrnie again, except in the 
 presence of others, he had no further opportunity of an- 
 noying her, but let us hope he found some one to love 
 him in after years. 
 
 Myrnie noticed that Stiner's mind was undergoing 
 some change. At first, she could not account for it. He 
 manifested a greater interest in her music, in truth a 
 greater interest in her in every way. He told her that 
 her natural talent as a violinist was far above the aver- 
 age, in fact was most remarkable, and that if she would 
 give up all other pursuits, and devote her entire time to 
 the study, she would, without a doubt, make a great 
 success. 
 
 " I should superintend your work for a few years, then 
 you should go to Europe to be finished." He stood by 
 her as he said this. His handsome face grew dreamy, 
 and the sensitive mouth curved into a smile as he con- 
 tinued looking at her. Myrnie blushed consciously, and 
 rather liked him better than before. 
 
 " I have been thinking," he said, walking to the other 
 end of the room, "of making a great change in my life. 
 Things as they are, are altogether unsatisfactory to me." 
 
 He changed the subject abruptly. It was time for 
 Myrnie to go. He went as far as the gate with her, and 
 
 "3 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 pressed her hand in a parting handshake; a proceeding 
 unusual, and altogether unnecessary, Myrnie thought. 
 But these advances from Professor Stiner were not al- 
 together unpleasant to Myrnie. That evening, as she 
 sat alone in the moonlight, she indulged in the most deli- 
 cious day-dreams, in which she and Mr. Stiner alone 
 figured. And yet her thoughts were only those of an 
 ambitious and attractive child his confidence in her 
 ability was alluring, while he was the stepping-stone to 
 the success of which she dreamed. 
 
 The next time Myrnie came, Mr. Stiner hurried 
 through the lesson, and resumed the conversation of the 
 previous meeting. 
 
 " I think more seriously of making the changes of 
 which I spoke the other day; in plain words, of getting 
 a divorce from my wife, and starting life on this side 
 anew." 
 
 " Oh, no, Mr. Stiner, please do not do that," Myrnie 
 pleaded. 
 
 " Why not ? " he asked quizzically. ''Look at my life 
 as it is. I am in a state of perpetual longing. I want 
 my family, but my wife refuses to come to America, and 
 I cannot live in Germany. Would it not be better for 
 us both to break such a tie, and form new ones. I am 
 willing for her to do so. I am sure there is some one 
 else for me. Of late I have been thinking that perhaps 
 there is such a thing as ' the affinity.' Those who 
 understand each other perfectly, and find such sweet 
 rest in each other's society, must be affinities, don't you 
 think?" 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Stiner, those things are easily imagined, 
 don't you know ? " 
 
 114 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Well, my mind is quite made up. I have been think- 
 ing of this for a long time, but you are the only person 
 to whom I have mentioned it" He strode about the 
 room his hands in his pockets. 
 
 Myrnie was growing sick of the word "affinity." 
 Owing to her recent experiences, she was able to discern 
 which way the tide was drifting, and her one purpose 
 was to stem it in time. She crossed the room, and with 
 down-cast expression, stood looking out of a window. 
 
 " What on earth makes you look so miserable ? " he 
 asked, coming near. 
 
 " Well, it looks as though love and marriage is all a 
 sad failure ; I have always believed it to be a strong and 
 holy tie." 
 
 " Young people often have such ideals shattered," he 
 told her. 
 
 "Are they only ideals? Are they too high for attain- 
 ment in this world ? " she asked, still looking outside. 
 
 " No, no, love is not a failure at all, nor is marriage 
 always," he replied, studying her closely. 
 
 " Well, I should hate to think so. I want to believe 
 in those things, because I am going to be married my- 
 self soon, and should dislike to expect a disappointment/' 
 
 This declaration almost deprived him of his breath. 
 He underwent several shades of color, and strode about 
 the room more briskly. 
 
 " Yes, yes, of course," he replied, more to himself than 
 to her. " Every girl must fall in love and marry. That 
 is only as it should be. Yes, of course." 
 
 He came up to her, and looking at her with all tender- 
 ness, said. " Tell me all about it, all about it." 
 
 " Oh, there is not so much to tell. A young man 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 whom I love very much is coming here from Nova 
 Scotia this Spring, and it will happen then." 
 
 The young man from Nova Scotia was becoming a 
 living reality to Myrnie, despite her truthful nature. 
 
 " And you love him ? " he asked, very tenderly. 
 
 " Oh, yes ;" Myrnie's blush came in good time. That 
 evening, as she sat in the gloaming, the hero of her 
 day-dream became a dashing knight from her native 
 land, and he swam the Gut of Ganso every night, and 
 made love to her from under her window. 
 
 The perplexed girl crossed the room to avoid the 
 dreamy look of the musician. She stood before the por- 
 trait of a richly dressed woman, with two beautiful chil- 
 dren. 
 
 " I beg you, Mr. Stiner, before you take such a step 
 as you spoke of a few minutes ago, write one more letter, 
 asking your wife to come to you. Look at these darling 
 children. Must they grow up, and never know a father 
 as I have done ? Ah, you know that is a hard, bitter fate. 
 And you told me they were natural musicians. I beg of 
 you, Mr. Stiner, write one more letter.'' 
 
 He came, and looked at the portrait from over her 
 shoulder, but she moved away, and took a seat on a 
 divan in a dim corner of the room. Everything was 
 failing her; she could not distinguish wrong from right 
 anymore. Everybody was disappointing her, and she 
 was telling lies to set people right. 
 
 Presently he came, and sat by her side. " Yes, you 
 are right. I will write one more letter," he said gently. 
 
 " Then do it this minute. I am tired, and will wait 
 here till it is finished. I will drop it in the office as I go 
 by, and it will leave town to-night." 
 
 116 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 He obeyed her, and before dropping it into the slot, 
 she copied the address on the envelope. That night, she 
 worked until midnight on a letter of only four pages, but 
 she had forgotten much of her German, and was com- 
 pelled to frequently refer to her German grammar or 
 dictionary. When the letter was finished, it was one 
 long appeal from one woman to another ; from one sister 
 to another, though the sisters had never met ; they dwelt 
 on opposite sides of a great ocean, and spoke in different 
 tongues. 
 
 Myrnie's message followed closely upon the heels of 
 the other, across the vast water to the fatherland. De- 
 spite all that men say to the contrary, women are not 
 always such inhuman beasts to one another. 
 
 But the student thought it wise to give up the music 
 lessons for a period, after this interview with her teacher. 
 A Teacher's Institute was to be held at Prescott during 
 the two weeks of midwinter holidays, and this gave her 
 an excuse for doing so. 
 
 While in Prescott, she became better acquainted with 
 Superintendent Jilly, of that county, and he assured her 
 that she could get a position for the coming year in his 
 county. Mr. Jilly was a man of high repute, and a gen- 
 tleman in every sense. Myrnie felt this would be far 
 pleasanter than again teaching under the affectionate 
 Mr. Fullerton. 
 
 With considerable reluctance, Myrnie saw the two 
 weeks of vacation come to a close. She had stopped with 
 Bessie, who was now married to one of the " little oper- 
 ators." But vacations, like all things which have a be- 
 ginning, have an end. 
 
 On the return to Phoenix, Myrnie wished to resume 
 117 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 her study of music, which gave Professor Stiner great 
 joy. She entered his studio unannounced. He was 
 seated at the piano, his rugged head thrown back, his 
 glance piercing the walls, as it were, playing "Midsum- 
 mer Night's Dream;" his nimble ringers were dancing 
 over the keys, like fairies themselves. The student stood 
 looking at him in silence. Her heart ached a little ; she 
 wanted to fall in love so badly deeply and earnestly in 
 love and this man was unusually congenial to her. But 
 he turned, as though he felt her presence ; their eyes met, 
 expressing the pleasure the meeting gave them. 
 
 " Bless, your heart," he said, coming to her with out- 
 stretched hands. She did not resent the demonstration. 
 There was in it an element of purity which she felt and 
 understood. 
 
 " They are coming, they are coming !" His joy was 
 not greater than hers, and for the moment they were 
 two jubilant children. Their actions would have ap- 
 peared undignified outside of Arizona. But here the 
 motive outweighs the act. He tossed a letter into her 
 lap, written in German, and filled with declarations of 
 love and encouragement. It stated that a woman and 
 two children would leave the Old World, and come to 
 the New, with the breaking of the Spring. Again there 
 was demonstration of joy. He looked into her eyes, 
 and thanked her, knowing from what she had saved him. 
 
 " My children shall know you, and love you, and my 
 wife ," but at this point he could say no more. It was 
 a joyous lesson that day, interrupted by such outbursts 
 as these : " What a wonder this country will be to those 
 two tots. They must be very inquisitive by now," or, 
 " They will be afraid of the Indians at first, and Julia, 
 
 118 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 too; but, of course, they will soon learn they are harm- 
 less. No doubt they will be trying to play with them 
 before long ;" or, " I know that you and Julia will be the 
 best of friends. I must get a nice place, and have it all 
 ready. Next winter you shall live with us, and when 
 your young man comes from Nova Scotia, we will give 
 you a fine wedding at our house/' 
 
 Myrnie noticed that he made no further plans for her 
 higher education in music. 
 
 She smiled, but felt a little foolish, when the young 
 man from Nova Scotia was mentioned. Mrs. Stiner did 
 come to Phoenix, but she and Myrnie never met. 
 
 119 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 LIFE in the West was beginning to modify Myrnie's 
 attitude toward the world. She was an extremely im- 
 pressionable creature, and all unconscious of it. Her 
 sympathy was abnormal, and liable to lead her to almost 
 any length. The surroundings in the West were new and 
 strange to her, altogether different from the East. There, 
 where protection seemed scarcely necessary, she had been 
 unduly shielded. Here, in this wide open country, where 
 even the most astute often find themselves in need of 
 defence, she had been cast upon her own resources. 
 Perhaps there is no more evil or danger in Arizona than 
 in any other land, once you become acquainted with 
 Western ways, but the habits of the people make it ap- 
 pear so. There is less visible protection there. 
 
 Mrs. Long had performed her part, in influencing the 
 girl's thoughts on many subjects. She had diligently 
 poured into the horrified ears of Myrnie, the numerous 
 accounts of liasons, scandals and divorces which hap- 
 pened at home, as well as those she could read of at 
 large, and, as stated before, her store of such news 
 was not scant. The widow always commented upon these 
 narrations, and moralized according to her way of think- 
 ing ; though Myrnie had long since ceased to accept Mrs. 
 Long's moralizing, she was, no doubt, influenced by it 
 
 120 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 more than she knew. She considered Myrnie's inno- 
 cence a poor asset for a woman in this day and age, 
 and her aim and desire was to enlighten the " poor 
 thing." 
 
 Myrnie's ears grew less and less outraged upon hear- 
 ing these things. Perhaps the world, after all, was not 
 the place of great achievements and honesty, which she 
 had supposed. This disappointment left a void, for which 
 she had not yet found a substitute. 
 
 Each individual dwells in an intellectual realm of his 
 or her own making. Myrnie was being led out of her 
 own pure world of thought, into the mental mazes of 
 others. She was left much to herself in these days of 
 breaking Springtide. Her music teacher had gone to 
 New York, to meet and accompany his family to the 
 West. Mr. and Mrs. Adams moved to Texas, to start 
 life anew; her experiences in Phoenix, however, 
 had only been a testing, and a means of proving some 
 things, to which she still held fast. 
 
 Myrnie was learning to study people and she had stud- 
 ied her landlady closely and considered her a good aver- 
 age of the world at large. This lady was kindness it- 
 self and did everything in her power to benefit her board- 
 er's material comfort. Myrnie liked her very well on 
 the whole, but refused to accept her "advanced ideas" as 
 the widow was pleased to call them. 
 
 Mrs. Long was a tall brunette of a rather robust make. 
 She possessed large hips which wobbled as she walked. 
 But her walk was a saucy swagger, for well the lady 
 knew how bewitching widows always are. But one side 
 of her body seemed always to be a little in advance of 
 the other. Perhaps she too|^ a longer step with her right 
 
 121 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 foot than she did with her dainty left or perhaps the left 
 foot was the more modest of the two and the right was 
 to blame for the "advanced ideas." At any rate, this 
 gave her a very self-assured bearing. The dear widow 
 was inclined to be fleshy, but she ate sparingly, struggling 
 nobly to keep down her avoirdupois. 
 
 She had a habit of frequently speaking of the many 
 differences between blondes and brunettes. Brunettes 
 were far more fascinating than blondes. She would tell 
 you. Brunettes had more power over the male sex. Did 
 she not know this of a certainty? Sure she did. Dozens 
 of men had told her so. Blondes were wishy-washy and 
 were sure to fade very young. 
 
 This dashing young widow was preparing for her third 
 wedding. She had the day set for her next birthday, 
 when she would be forty, but I am sure she looked scarce- 
 ly twenty. She never told people how old she was and 
 she thought no one could ever, ever guess, but I am sure 
 that a real good judge would have known that her fat- 
 ness was the fatness of forty. One of her former hus- 
 bands was dead, the other was running at large, and she 
 had the day set for a third; and now she was busy most 
 of the time making underwear for the occasion. 
 
 " I do not care much about my wedding dress," she 
 told Myrnie, " but I am going to blow myself on under- 
 wear. I shall be married in a plain white dress that I 
 wore last summer, but just you watch my smoke, for I 
 shall blow myself on underwear." 
 
 And so she did. I wish you could have seen her 
 underwear. Piles and stacks and tills full, and all of the 
 finest. Silks, linens, lawnsdales and cambrics, all be- 
 decked with the finest laces. In short, it was underwear 
 
 122 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 to make your mouth water, everything that goes to make 
 a woman bewitching, and in these garments you may 
 be sure the widow looked resistless. 
 
 But who was to be the lucky fellow? Who indeed? 
 Of this the widow was not quite sure herself. She had 
 set the day, but had not yet decided upon the man. She 
 was promised to three " dandy" fellows. Those three 
 she held in escrow ; she would decide perhaps at the last 
 moment. These admirers of hers were the veterinary, 
 whom she called the " Doctor," a red-faced meat-cutter, 
 and a farm-hand who worked on a nearby farm. This 
 one was aged twenty-three. 
 
 I am sorry I cannot tell you which of the three she 
 chose, for I never heard myself, but I always had a 
 feeling that it was the farm hand aged twenty-three. 
 
 By preference the little school teacher courted her own 
 society in these days, and tended her peaceful little school. 
 She was trying to adjust herself to her new impressions, 
 and as a consequence was mentally dishevelled and much 
 cast down at times. Life in the big world of experience 
 which she had been so eager to meet was wanting when 
 weighed in the balance with her expectations. Spring- 
 time was breaking rapidly about her, and Springtime 
 will bring its sunshine, its flowers and its bird song, so 
 that in the face of all this she could not be melancholy 
 very long. 
 
 After a time the perplexed girl became more accustomed 
 to looking at life as it was. She reached a more settled 
 state of mind which expressed itself thus : " I can do 
 right if others do not, so let it be," and she went on 
 minding her own affairs. 
 
 Mrs. Long's son owned a fine black horse, but as the 
 123 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 boy did not care for riding, preferring to farm instead, 
 and the horse needed exercise, Myrnie was given free 
 use of the animal. Much of her spare time now was 
 spent on the back of this splendid creature. At first she 
 did not venture beyond the limits of the town, not being 
 an experienced rider, but she was gaining confidence 
 every day. Of an evening she could be seen thus 
 mounted, prancing along the shaded avenues of the cap- 
 itol, now by parks where fountains played incessantly, 
 now by long rows of cottages and fine residences. 
 
 Soon the girl extended her horseback journeys into 
 the country, sometimes riding miles from the town. It 
 was on one of these solitary rides that she met an old- 
 time friend. 
 
 She had galloped along the Salt River for a mile or 
 two, when a man also on horseback coming from an op- 
 posite direction, drew up his mount and extended a 
 friendly hand in greeting. 
 
 " Why, Mr. Harmon," she exclaimed, and the expres- 
 sion of pure delight on her face could not be mistaken. 
 Fred was happy to see that look in her eyes. 
 
 " I have been in Phoenix a month," he told her after 
 the preliminary greeting. " I am now returning from a 
 trip into the Bradshaw mountains, where I have been ex- 
 amining some manganese outcroppings. I have some 
 parties on the string who want a manganese mine." 
 
 " You have been in Phoenix for a month and have 
 never been to see me, although you knew where to find 
 me? Now I call that real mean/' 
 
 " I have inquired often enough from a jolly old friend 
 of yours, and I always received such glowing reports 
 that I concluded you did not need me. You know I 
 
 124 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 wanted to call badly enough, but you rather gave me 
 to understand, I thought, that my absence was best, 
 therefore I desisted from the pleasure. But how do you 
 like Phoenix ? " he asked. 
 
 " Maybe I like it a little, but I am sure I never liked 
 a place so little," was her reply. 
 
 " Come, tell me what is the trouble. If any one is 
 mistreating you he will have me to answer to," he told 
 her. 
 
 The girl had been wishing for some one to whom she 
 could unburden her heart, and this meeting by the very 
 nature of its unexpectedness was prone to draw forth such 
 a confidence. They dismounted and sat on the grass 
 in the shade of the newly leafing trees, while she told 
 him of her various experiences. 
 
 Fred said little while she related what had occurred 
 in the cases of Adams and Stiner. He looked at her 
 wonderingly from time to time as though this was a new 
 kind of woman to him. But when she came to Fuller- 
 ton and labored hesitatingly through the unseemly tale, 
 trying to make him comprehend what had taken place, 
 he grew pale and frantic. He arose, striding about on 
 the tender grass, grinding it with his Heels. At length 
 he took her by the hand and drew her to her feet. "Poor 
 little lonely girl," he said. " This is an outrage, but you 
 let me know if that brute ever speaks to you again and 
 I will break every bone in his lobster of a body. You 
 are a little heroine, so well have you borne yourself !" 
 
 The girl rejoiced and rested, as it were, in this arm of 
 strength which was so opportunely reached out to her. 
 Fred stood looking into her face, realizing how hope- 
 lessly and desperately he loved her. 
 
 125 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Poor little lonely girl," he said again, and she raised 
 her eyes wistfully to his. 
 
 " And here is another lobster claiming a look from you. 
 What are you going to do with me ? " he asked, smiling 
 easily. 
 
 " But you do not bother me; you are just a nice, kind 
 friend to whom I can come with my troubles. Don't you 
 remember you told me I could always do so ? " Myrnie 
 had forgotten that she had told this man that he was 
 "not a very nice man" upon the same occasion; to-day 
 he seemed the cream of all good men to her. 
 
 He took her hand and pressed it firmly. " That is what 
 I am and shall be/' he declared. 
 
 On their ride back to town it was agreed that Fred 
 should call for Myrnie on the following Sunday evening 
 and take her to his home, that she might meet his wife. 
 Surely neither realized the breakers ahead ! 
 
 Fred was happy in spite of himself. He had firmly 
 resolved to be the Platonic friend, but at stray moments 
 he found himself harboring the most ridiculously deli- 
 cious hopes. He tried hard to put them from him, but 
 that was impossible. He would keep believing that at 
 some time, in some way, Providence would come to his 
 aid. 
 
 That night he told his wife of the little friend he had 
 invited to see her, and of his having met her the summer 
 before. He ended by saying, " I am sure you will like 
 her. She is so gentle, and her presence cannot bore and 
 tire you as so many people's do." 
 
 " Why have you never told me of this charming crea- 
 ture before ? " she asked, suspicious of the animated way 
 in which Fred had spoken, though he had tried his best 
 to be matter of fact in the telling. 
 
 126 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Why Amy, do I tell you of all the girls I meet in 
 my travels? As you may imagine, I meet many girls, 
 good, bad and indifferent. I had thought no more about 
 this girl till I met her this morning, and she seems such 
 a nice person that I thought you might enjoy her com- 
 pany. There are so few people you can endure at all." 
 
 " Well, may be I shall like her, but it is doubtful. Girls 
 are such featherheads these days," she said peevishly. 
 
 However, Sunday evening brought Myrnie to the cot- 
 tage on Center Street where the invalid lay. As she 
 was ushered into the room by the nurse, she saw a thin, 
 pale woman reclining on a brass bed which was dressed 
 scrupulously clean. The under sheet was pinned down 
 so tightly and smoothly that not a wrinkle could be seen 
 in it. If there had been one harmless little wrinkle, this 
 fastidious person would have known it and would have 
 given the nurse no peace till it was smoothed out. 
 
 Large snowy pillows, with covers handsomely trimmed, 
 held the woman in a half reclining position. She wore a 
 white silk robe in lieu of a night dress, and that too was 
 a thing of beauty with its rich frills of lace. A white 
 coverlet of exquisite Mexican drawn work was thrown 
 over half of her figure, she having just thrown it back, 
 for the room was warm. A boy of about nine years 
 played on the floor with a multitude of toys, a whole toy 
 shop full, it seemed. These toys made the only litter to 
 be seen anywhere. 
 
 Myrnie was introduced to the invalid by her husband, 
 who after playing a minute with the boy, went into the 
 study, leaving the two women alone, except for the pres- 
 ence of the boy. 
 
 At first the invalid stared at the girl in a half stupid, 
 127 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 half admiring way, then she lifted a small jeweled hand 
 in a half-hearted greeting, and her listless face smiled 
 a little. Myrnie noticed that her expression was drawn 
 and emaciated, and indicative of one who suffers from 
 ennui and a small mind. 
 
 " Fred has been telling me about you/' she said. " I 
 am glad you called. Take that chair. Draw it up close 
 to me, so we can talk." 
 
 Myrnie did as she was invited, but her natural impulse 
 was to draw the chair away from the bed. 
 
 " I am sorry to find you so ill," the girl attempted to 
 make conversation, " But Mr. Harmon tells me you are 
 often quite well." 
 
 "Oh, yes," she finally drawled. "This is only one 
 of my bad spells; goodness knows, I suffer enough at 
 best. I am on the mend at present, and hope to be up in 
 a few days." 
 
 " What seems to be the nature of your trouble ? " Myr- 
 nie asked. 
 
 " Oh, nervous prostration for one thing. Goodness 
 knows my husband is to blame for most of that with his 
 stubborn ways and contrary actions. Wallace there wor- 
 ries me nearly to death too, though the Lord knows the 
 child is all I have to live for. That litter of toys drives 
 me frantic at times, but you know I have to let the little 
 fellow play. I enjoy having him play here where I can see 
 him, and I watch him for hours at a time. I can remember 
 when I was a child like that and had my mother." She 
 thought pensively for awhile and continued. "Then I 
 have stomach trouble, kidney disease and a torpid liver. 
 The doctor says the action of my heart is very defective 
 and the circulation very imperfect. My nerves are wrecks. 
 I have had six operations for internal troubles, but oper- 
 
 128 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ations give only temporary relief. This is the first real 
 bad spell I have had since last July. On the day of the 
 Fourth they thought I was dying. I go to Los Angeles 
 in Summer to escape hay fever, but this climate is best 
 for me in winter." Thus she repeated her ills and 
 counted them over proudly. Few could support such a 
 train. 
 
 " Do not ever be so foolish as to marry, child. I can 
 see that your health is perfect now. A man is to blame 
 for all a woman's ills. I just hate all living men. All 
 the good ones I ever knew died." 
 
 Myrnie made no reply to this. She looked around the 
 room and saw that it was richly and elegantly furnished. 
 Every comfort seemed supplied. A row of books stood 
 on a shelf just above the bed within reach of the invalid. 
 Myrnie could read the titles, and she saw that most of 
 them were by Corelli, a few by Gunther, and one or two 
 by Carlyle. She also observed that most beautiful hand- 
 made embroidery was everywhere. These had all been 
 made by Mrs. Harmon, besides a big box full of the 
 same work which was shown to Myrnie during her visit. 
 
 " Yes, they are beautiful," the invalid said in response 
 to the girl's praise of them ; " and I do prize them highly, 
 but I nearly lost my eyesight at the work, so I do very 
 little of it now." 
 
 The little boy came and stood by Myrnie, looking up 
 into her face inquiringly. 
 
 " Oh, good evening, little man. What is your name ? 
 Eh? How old are you? Eh?" but he would answer 
 none of her questions. She drew him up on her lap, 
 where he sat picking at her hair and pinching her 
 cheeks perhaps to see if they were real cheeks. He poked 
 a finger into her bust with, " What's that?" His mother's 
 
 129 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 bust was very flat and he did not comprehend this pro- 
 jection. His mother ordered him away, but he paid no 
 heed to her. Myrnie saw that the child was a copy of his 
 mother about the face, but his manners were those of the 
 father over again. He was not at all a precocious child, 
 being a mere baby of five years in ways and talk. 
 
 After Myrnie had told all about herself, her past as 
 well as her future aims, which information Mrs. Harmon 
 drew from her by a volley of questions, she prepared to 
 go home, lest the strength of her stay tire the invalid. 
 Mrs. Harmon promised to call at Mrs. Long's to see 
 Myrnie as soon as she should be able to do so. 
 
 " I have met Mrs. Long at Mrs. Murphy's card par- 
 ties," the invalid remarked, "She is one of those widows 
 I can't endure. She will cheat to beat anything you ever 
 saw if she gets the chance, and she manages about that 
 always." 
 
 Wallace accompanied Myrnie and Fred back to her 
 place of residence, and when the child came home, his 
 mother called him to her and pumped him concerning 
 the conversation which had taken place between his 
 father and the young lady during the drive. 
 
 A spirit of deep depression seized and held Myrnie for 
 the remainder of the evening, and that night she dreamed 
 of the place of torment. She did not comprehend this 
 melancholy. It was not usual with her. "Poor, poor 
 man ! " she said to herself over and over. 
 
 This gloom was simply the shadow of unhappiness 
 which had been thrown around her during her visit to 
 the pessimistic invalid, and Myrnie being susceptible, 
 had carried some of it home with her. 
 
 130 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 " How do you like Miss Leston ? " Fred asked his wife 
 when he returned. 
 
 " I could not say on so slight an acquaintance. I never 
 form my opinion of any one on the first meeting/' Mrs. 
 Harmon said in an animated voice. 
 
 " I do/' was her husband's reply. 
 
 " That is because you are rash and impulsive and 
 foolish. I suppose you think she is pretty ? " eyeing him 
 closely. 
 
 "Yes, I think she is very pretty, don't you?" This 
 time his face told her nothing. 
 
 " She is fresh and healthy looking," Mrs. Harmon 
 admitted, "and I suppose that is beauty as men see it. 
 But I always look deeper than that for beauty. Those 
 who have souls are beautiful to me." 
 
 " I should say Miss Leston possesses a soul, if any 
 one ever did," Fred told her. 
 
 " You would not recognize a woman's soul if you 
 met it in the big road. But that girl is sensible enough 
 not to be boresome, I can say that much for her." 
 
 " That would depend on what kind of a soul it was, 
 Amy. I think I should recognize the kind that is made 
 of leather if I saw it in the road." 
 
 " Oh, yes, that is the way when I try to have a sensible 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 conversation with you, you always delight in foolish- 
 ness." And the woman closed her lips tightly. 
 
 Wallace had sat in thought all the evening, and this 
 was unusual, for he was by nature a regular chatterbox. 
 He came to his mother when he was in his nighty and 
 ready for bed, and asked, " Mamma, was that girl the 
 Beauty Lady?" 
 
 " Ho, ho, no, darling. Why do you ask that ? " the 
 mother replied. 
 
 " Because I think she is, mamma, she is so beautiful ;" 
 but he got no audible answer to this. His mother kissed 
 him a number of times and sent him to bed. The Beauty 
 Lady was the heroine of a fairy tale, which was the child's 
 favorite of all the stories his mother told him. The 
 Beauty Lady was reputed to possess all the virtues as 
 well as great beauty. 
 
 Mrs. Harmon was out of bed in a few days. She 
 seemed well enough, and went about at ease like one who 
 enjoyed good health. Her eyes were bright and her 
 cheeks had a hint of color in them. She gained in flesh 
 and enjoyed a good appetite. Such was the mystery 
 about her chronic illness; it would come on suddenly, 
 and at such times it would seem that she must die. All 
 at once she got up and went about looking and feeling 
 as fine as could be. Her physicians were sorely puzzled 
 with her case, and insisted that her mind must in some 
 way be responsible, but this the woman denied stubbornly. 
 
 " I want you to take me out to see Miss Leston this 
 evening," she said to her husband one day at dinner. 
 
 " Do you think you are strong enough, Amy ? " he 
 asked, kindly. 
 
 132 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " You know very well that I am strong enough or I 
 should not ask to go, so why that question ? " 
 
 " It would be rather inconvenient for me to take you 
 to-day; I must meet some men on important business 
 after dinner." 
 
 " Oh, well, postpone the meeting. It is not often that 
 I ask for any of your precious time." 
 
 " I will ask Douglas to drive you to the country ; I 
 must see these men," Fred told her. 
 
 " No sir, you shall not push me off on to Douglas. You 
 shall go yourself. Now that settles it. I do not believe 
 you have an engagement at all." The woman was half 
 ready to cry, and that did settle it. Fred saw the men 
 hurriedly and appointed another time for the business 
 meeting, though it was most inconvenient for all parties 
 concerned, and he drove to the country with his family. 
 
 It was Saturday and they found Myrnie practising on 
 her violin. Of course she had to play for them, and while 
 she played, alas, Fred forgot to guard his telltale face. 
 Mrs. Harmon scarcely heard the music. She was watch- 
 ing her husand. Never before had she seen that wrapt 
 expression on his face, half ecstatic, half melancholy. At 
 times it lit into rapturous luminance, corresponding to 
 the liquid notes which the girl drew from the instrument 
 as she drew the bow lightly and gracefully across the 
 strings. Her own face changed with the music as she 
 bent and swayed to its passionate measures. Some will 
 understand when I say it was Schumann's " Traumerei" 
 that she played. Fred sat in pensive thought for a while 
 afterwards, then he grew over-talkative, and to cover 
 the awkward position in which this left them all, Myrnie 
 
 133 
 
In ike Land of Extremes. 
 
 suggested that they go out to see the little lambs in the 
 corral. 
 
 Mrs. Long's son, with his farming instincts, had con- 
 verted the few acres of land behind his mother's house 
 into a farm. He had, among other live stock, a few 
 sheep. 
 
 Wallace was wild with delight when taken inside the 
 corral. The lambs surrounded him and rubbed their wet 
 little noses against his hands and face. Then he had a 
 race with Myrnie, and a lot of fun with the baby sheep, 
 while the parents stood by the fence and enjoyed the 
 sport as well. 
 
 The sun spread its good warmth over all the earth, 
 the grass was fresh and green, flowers bloomed along 
 the irrigating ditches and the birds tried to excel each 
 other in their song; it seemed to Fred that earth had 
 never before expressed so much happiness. 
 
 The party went back to the yard, and the parents sat 
 on a rustic seat while Myrnie and Wallace played a ball 
 game of the girl's own invention. How the boy 
 screamed with delight when the game went his way, as 
 Myrnie contrived to make it ! 
 
 Of all this girl's pretty ways, there was none more 
 charming than her way with children. She won her way 
 into the hearts of children as readily and naturally as 
 she did into the hearts of men. And to play with chil- 
 dren, she often declared, was one of her chief delights. 
 She proved the truth of this statement when she played 
 their games. Perhaps it was not mere play with her. 
 The years slid back a decade or more and she became a 
 child in spirit and in looks. At such times she grew mys- 
 terious, believed in Santa Claus and in fairies and went 
 
 134 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 chasing through woods and under hedges to seek them 
 out. She became as imaginative as a child, till the chil- 
 dren she played with felt no difference between her and 
 themselves. And how fondly they loved her! 
 
 Mrs. Harmon remained silent all the evening. She 
 was still absorbed in the study of her husband, and was 
 too keen not to get an inkling of what his preoccupation 
 indicated. 
 
 Now he went to lean on the fence near the players 
 where he could get a plainer view of the animated face 
 which every minute grew more rosy and more and more 
 lovely. 
 
 His wife called him to come with her to see some 
 flower beds in the back part of the yard, as though to 
 draw him away even for a minute. She claimed to be 
 interested in the way the borders were made and wished 
 some like them herself. He refused to go, however, de- 
 claring his interest in the game. She then screamed at 
 him, and he went to save a scene. While they were 
 beyond earshot of the players, she said: 
 
 " You act like a loon over that girl ; can't take your 
 eyes off her for one minute." 
 
 With a start, Fred thought of himself for the first 
 time, but merely said, " She is certainly entertaining 
 Wallace. They make a healthy picture, like two chil- 
 dren, instead of only one." 
 
 " Yes, you are fond of health in others, but for you, I 
 should have had my health to this day." 
 
 " Why, what do you mean, Amy ? " he asked in a hurt 
 voice. 
 
 " Don't ' Amy* me. None of your business what I 
 mean. You take me home at once." 
 
 135 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Come, Wallace, mamma says it is time to go home," 
 he called as he went back to the seat. But the woman 
 stood, a gaunt figure of pale rage. 
 
 " I don't want to go home," Wallace sang out. 
 
 " Come, come/' urged the father. 
 
 " I will not do it," the boy yelled back. 
 
 " Wallace," his mother called, and the child began to 
 cry. 
 
 'Myrnie suggested that they stay till it was cooler, re- 
 marking that it was not late. 
 
 " She is even trying to rob me of the love of my child," 
 the woman said to herself, and her anger grew apace. 
 
 " I say I wish to go home. Who makes suggestions 
 to me ? " A greenish pallor overspread her face, and in a 
 minute she was vomiting. Fred was alarmed ; he ran to 
 her and held her head, while Myrnie brought restoratives, 
 and the woman soon recovered. 
 
 When Myrnie expressed her sympathy, Mrs. Harmon 
 snapped her up. The girl was bewildered and Fred was 
 embarrassed, but he dared not make excuses for his wife 
 for fear of her reproaches. 
 
 Wallace had continued to cry more loudly as his 
 mother grew ill, and now still stood whimpering, which 
 he continued all the way home, notwithstanding that his 
 mother shook and slapped him soundly. 
 
 " If that girl is a decent person, then all signs of nature 
 fail," she ripped out as they drove along. "Where in- 
 deed did she get that figure? Virgins do not develop in 
 that way." 
 
 " Oh, Amy ! I think you should be ashamed of that 
 speech," Fred exclaimed. 
 
 " I should be ashamed all the time, of course, accord- 
 
 136 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ing to you. Entertaining Wallace ! Yes, she cares a lot 
 for Wallace. I can read her there. That is only a ruse 
 she has to trap you, and you, like the fool you are, bite." 
 
 To this Fred said nothing. He knew that what he 
 should say would only make matters worse, so he sat 
 doggedly on the edge of the seat and drove the horse 
 dutifully. When they reached home Wallace came to his 
 father, and putting his arm around his neck, held him 
 tight with these words, " I want to love you, papa," as 
 he always did when he heard him being scolded. 
 
 Mrs. Harmon went to bed immediately, and there she 
 stayed for three days, to pay for her uncontrollable tem- 
 per. But, of course, Fred was entirely to blame for this 
 sickness, as he was told every time he came into the 
 house. 
 
 Upon these occasions the man would hurry from his 
 house as soon as he could. He wished to spare his wife 
 the vexing sight of himself. He tried to discern what 
 the future might hold, but only fog met his vision, dim- 
 ming every object and outline. There appeared one 
 bright path in view, but that path, by the established rules 
 of morality, was foresworn to him. He tried to keep his 
 eyes from wandering in that direction because these for- 
 bidden glances only made life harder for him; but ah! 
 this avenue was alluring in the extreme. He feared that 
 a time might come when his strength would fail him, and 
 he should rush headlong into the glories of this dream, 
 heedless of consequences. 
 
 137 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MRS. MURPHY, bosom friend of Mrs. Long, gave card 
 parties to a certain set who considered themselves the 
 " four hundred " of Phoenix. Do not smile at the idea 
 of Phoenix having its four hundred. Every community, 
 however sparsely populated and insignificant so far as 
 society is concerned, has its exclusive members. Let six 
 shipwrecked persons escape to a desert island and set up a 
 colony there. In three days the four hundred of the 
 number will, by some mark of superiority, have set itself 
 apart and have made its influence felt. This is one of 
 the strong straits in human nature. To return to Mrs. 
 Murphy. She lived in a magnificent house, large roomed 
 and spacious hailed, which served as a most delightful 
 rendezvous for this particular set of would-be four hun- 
 dreds. With her whole-souled, Celtic disposition, she 
 always contrived to make every one comfortable. You 
 could not look at her, or step inside of her house, with- 
 out feeling something of the atmosphere of comfort 
 which she reflected. 
 
 Mrs. Long had often tried to induce Myrnie to ac- 
 company her to these functions, her hostess having urged 
 her to bring her young friend, but Myrnie would never 
 consent to being numbered among these people, since, 
 according to some of Mrs. Long's reminiscences of what 
 
 138 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 took place, and of what some of the gentlemen had said 
 to her, the girl considered them a bit too smart for her. 
 
 " Honey, please do come with nre this time," the widow 
 pleaded. "Your friends the Harmons are to be there, 
 besides Judge Murdock and his bride and the Secretary 
 and his daughter." 
 
 Myrnie was a bit interested. She sat ruminating for 
 awhile. 
 
 " All right, Mrs. Long, you may telephone Mrs. Mur- 
 phy to count on me this time. I believe I should like a 
 little dip into the ' four hundred ' of Phoenix." And 
 the evening of the party found the girl quite eager to go. 
 She went with Mrs. Long and the " Doctor." 
 
 This seemed like society indeed to Myrnie, but she 
 felt conscious of being gowned more plainly than the 
 other ladies present. She did not mind this, however, 
 because she was the youngest person in the number. 
 But rich silks and lace dresses were plentiful, to say 
 nothing of jewels and diamonds. 
 
 Myrnie wore a cream crepe dress trimmed with black 
 velvet. The cut of the gown displayed to advantage her 
 fine figure. Her arms, beautiful as you can imagine 
 arms to be, were bare to the elbows, about which fell rich 
 frills of lace, but on her arms and hands were no adorn- 
 ments. Her wonderful hair was fluffed and piled high. 
 
 Simple as was her costume, how far she outshone the 
 ladies with whom she was contrasted during the evening ! 
 This fresh young beauty needed no artificial adornment. 
 That larger personality and individuality spoke, making 
 her presence felt. She reminded one of Venus with the 
 lesser stars around her, and every man present felt this 
 fact in one form or another. 
 
 139 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Which do men admire most, tight-laced figures, with 
 paint and powder and gewgaws, exhaling that odor of 
 experience, or a calm, full face resting in a bloom of 
 youth, an unconscious innocence, clear, truthful eyes, 
 sweet tender mouth, and wrapped in the atmosphere of 
 stainlessness ? But her quiet, dignified composure did as 
 much for her as did her natural refinement. She had to 
 be introduced to most of the guests present, and the 
 gentlemen, naturally enough, looked searchingly at her 
 and managed to exchange a few words with her. But 
 this disconcerted her not at all. She knew the way to 
 the hearts of all these men if she would but choose to find 
 it. Men never embarrassed her. The women alone 
 did that. 
 
 Mrs. Harmon greeted her coldly and with surprise. 
 Fred changed his demeanor at once from that of bored 
 reserve to animated jollity, of which, of course, his wife 
 did not fail to take note. When the tables commenced to 
 fill by fours and sixes for the games, Fred walked over 
 to Myrnie and asked her to play with him. " Come," he 
 said, " let us trim the Judge and Miss Florence." 
 
 " I shall be glad to play with you, Mr. Harmon, but I 
 am afraid you are choosing one who can help you win 
 few honors. I know so little about bridge. I never 
 do keep track of the cards, it is too great a strain on the 
 feminine mind." Several who were near laughed heart- 
 ily at this, but Mrs. Harmon stepped up and told them 
 that Mrs. Murphy had the tables all planned. Such was 
 indeed the case, but the plan was overruled in this 
 instance. 
 
 By this time they were seated and cutting for the deal 
 amid loud talking, joking and laughter. The dining- 
 room and library opened into the large parlor, and tables 
 
 140 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ivere placed in these three rooms at comfortable distances. 
 Hie house was lighted brilliantly. Flowers artistically 
 arranged were everywhere in profusion, permeating all 
 space with their redolence. The roses, more fragrant 
 :han the others, held out their blushing faces inviting 
 misses, proud of their early appearance, yet diffident. 
 
 Gayety of a free sort was evinced from every quarter, 
 md laughter unchecked rang through the cheerful house, 
 [n no group was there greater merriment than at the 
 fudge's table. Of course there were those tables where 
 :hey played soberly and with deep interest, but this was 
 lot the rule in regard to anything in Mrs. Murphy's 
 louse. 
 
 Mrs. Harmon's position commanded a full view of the 
 Fudge's table, and she kept a sharp eye out for what was 
 joing on. Her partner, who had played the game with 
 ler before, knew her to be a champion. In fact, she had 
 lelped to carry off the first prize at the last three parties 
 >he had been able to attend, but on this occasion, he 
 loticed that she manifested no interest in the game. She 
 ost incessantly, and others began to notice her abstracted 
 noments and speculate as to the cause. Her face wore 
 i strained alertness and her eyes were the eyes of one 
 vho listens intently. She was almost beautiful in this 
 lushed and excited watchfulness, but the game suffered. 
 5he played the ace of trumps on her partner's king. 
 
 How different with Fred. He was having the time of 
 lis life, his partner was winning with him, they were 
 laying hand in hand. One thing did upset him a little, 
 md that was the good time his partner contrived to have 
 vith other men. Fred wished she would save all her 
 imiles for him, but she would divide them. Of the single 
 
 141 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 men he had no fear ; only the married men were bother- 
 ing him. 
 
 At the close of the game it was found that Fred and 
 Myrnie had made the score of the evening, and the prize 
 was awarded them. After this, partners for refreshments 
 were drawn by lots through an ingenious invention of the 
 hostess, which device caused much laughter. 
 
 As luck would have it, Fred drew Myrnie, and much 
 sport was made of the coincidence. Mrs. Harmon had 
 drawn a whimsical bachelor, one Todd Payne, who, al- 
 though not over popular with the ladies, was a very 
 bright man nevertheless. This bachelor had been smitten 
 with Myrnie from the first sight of her, had taken inven- 
 tory of the charms with which nature had so generously 
 endowed her, but it had not as, yet been his good fortune 
 to get more than a word with her. 
 
 " Lucky dog that your husband always is. Of course, 
 he was sure to draw the girl I had hoped to get," he com- 
 plained to Mrs. Harmon. " Not that I do not appreciate 
 your company, but eligible men like being thrown with 
 eligible women, you know, and particularly women of 
 that rare type." 
 
 " I can see nothing rare about the type, Todd, and I 
 take no offence if you want to know her. We can ar- 
 range the thing nicely." Mrs. Harmon spoke smilingly. 
 " I want to be with Fred this evening, and I am sure 
 Miss Leston would prefer you to Fred, so we will just 
 go over and change partners." 
 
 " No, no," Todd protested, but Mrs. Harmon was 
 already leading him by the sleeve over to where Myrnie 
 and Fred were laughing and talking. 
 
 " We came a-bargaining," the woman ejaculated with 
 a show of assumed pleasantry. " We are both dissatis- 
 
 142 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 fied with our lot. I prefer Fred's company for refresh- 
 ments and Todd wishes to become better acquainted with 
 Miss Leston, so we have decided to change with you." 
 
 " Then we have no voice in the matter ? " Fred put 
 in, showing resistance. 
 
 " Supposing we refuse ? " Myrnie asked in the same 
 breath. 
 
 " Fate seems to have thrown us together to-night, so 
 I think we had better stay as she placed us." 
 
 " Fate, humbug ! " And Mrs. Harmon shot a light- 
 ning glance at Myrnie, meaning it to shrivel her, but it 
 had not that effect at all. 
 
 " I understand this kind of shenanegan, but it does 
 not work with me." Mrs. Harmon took her husband's 
 arm and drew him away. No one else heard this. All 
 were busy finding partners or rejoicing over partners 
 already found. Myrnie and Todd were left alone to- 
 gether; they looked at each other a little perplexed, un- 
 decided whether the lady were joking or not, but they 
 decided to treat it as such, and moved away to seek the 
 seclusion of a curtained alcove. Mrs. Murphy's house 
 was full of these cozy corners, made inviting by great 
 heaps of sofa pillows. A little table covered with deli- 
 cious refreshments was brought them by a maid. 
 
 Mrs. Harmon and her husband sat with a group of 
 others. She seemed particularly gay and youthful to- 
 night, laughing and chatting incessantly. Occasionally 
 she shot a triumphant glance toward the alcove where 
 Todd and Myrnie sat. There sober discussion was wag- 
 ing. Both being of the same turn of mind; they had 
 gotten into deep water at once and were discussing the 
 merits of the works of J. M. Barrie, whom both admired 
 greatly. 
 
 143 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 At the close of the evening's gayeties, Myrnie and 
 Todd, to the great satisfaction of one present and to the 
 chagrin of others, departed together. 
 
 As soon as Mrs. Harmon was alone with her husband, 
 she took his arm coquettishly and hugged it fondly. " I 
 feel so well to-night, Fred, I know I am going to get 
 well and strong, and we are going to be so happy to- 
 gether hereafter." 
 
 This statement was so unlike anything he had ever be- 
 fore heard from her that he discredited his own ears for 
 a few minutes. Finally he managed to say, " Nothing 
 would please me so much as to have you past all that suf- 
 fering, Amy." 
 
 " I just feel it to-night, Fred; I just know it. I am 
 going to get well." 
 
 To this he said nothing, for the first time in his life 
 being at an utter loss to understand the creature beside 
 him. 
 
 When they reached home the eager wife ran away to 
 the sleeping child, but it was not very long before Fred 
 heard her call, " Fred ! Fred, come here." 
 
 He followed her at once, wondering what she could 
 want of him, and hurried along in the dark, fearing that 
 the boy might be ill. When he reached his wife's room, 
 however, he found the child sleeping peacefully, but his 
 wife was standing beside the child's bed, clad in a dainty 
 nightdress, with her hair hanging glossy and brown about 
 her shoulders, one bare foot peeping from under her 
 robe. 
 
 " Just look at our beauty of a child, papa. How sweetly 
 he sleeps ! He is so well and strong and just like you, 
 dear; and think, he is just mine and yours." She looked 
 up at him and smiled, but Fred remained grave and 
 
 144 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 sober. She bent to kiss the forehead of the unconscious 
 sleeper, and her body touched Fred as she did so, but this 
 contact, instead of producing the effect she desired, sent 
 a thrill of disgust through him. 
 
 " Cover him well, Amy," was all he said, then turned 
 and left her, going to his own room, where he commenced 
 to disrobe and prepare for rest. Soon the door of his 
 chamber opened, and he turned to see his wife enter. 
 She perched herself in his rocker and proceeded to rock 
 and chatter about what had taken place at the party. She 
 mentioned Myrnie's name several times in a casual way, 
 complimented her once, as a means of throwing him off 
 the track, as she thought, and ended by remarking that 
 Todd Payne "was fair smashed on her." 
 
 " Did you notice the way they found the secluded cor- 
 ner?" 
 
 " You had better go to your bed, Amy, instead of sit- 
 ting out here in this cold room. You know your doctor 
 wants you to sleep in the fore part of the night as much 
 as you can." 
 
 " I have almost a notion to sleep in here with you, 
 Fred. You could keep me just as warm." She sat 
 watching her husband as he went about his nightly pre- 
 parations, but seeing no approval of her suggestion in 
 his bearing, she said: "All right, Fred. I'll go to bed 
 and be a good girl for you." She put up her mouth to be 
 kissed, something she had not done in years. 
 
 " Good night, Amy," and he kissed her forehead. 
 
 She ran away to her own room and was soon sleeping 
 the sleep of the happy, but Fred lay awake for hours 
 puzzled, and sickened, at the change which had come 
 over his wife in the last few hours. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 " I HAVE discharged my nurse , Fred. Only the maid 
 and Wallace and I have been in the house for the last 
 three days," Amy announced to her husband several days 
 later, upon his return from another one of his extended 
 jaunts of mineral hunting in the mountains. She was 
 sitting on a sunny veranda with her fancy work, dressed 
 in black silk neglige. The loose sleeve of her robe fell 
 back, displaying a small arm and tiny hand clutching an 
 embroidery hoop, wherein the most exquisite orchids 
 grew stitch by stitch, in silk. An animated light shone 
 in her eyes, and a venturesome smile played about her 
 mouth where the dimples used to be. The habitually 
 downturned corners of her mouth had taken an upward 
 trend. All these changes came to Fred with a shock of 
 surprise. He remembered when she had looked like this 
 years ago, as he looked at her long and quizzically. 
 
 " You certainly do look surprisingly well, Amy, but 
 don't you think you have acted a bit hastily? Now, do 
 not overdo yourself as you so often do, upon the advent 
 of these times of recuperation, and no doubt you can 
 keep well for a long time." 
 
 " Oh, it is plain enough that you do not think I am 
 getting well at all," she exclaimed, as she threw her work 
 in the basket disgustedly ; "and that is anything but en- 
 
 146 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 couraging. It is only for your sake that I care to get 
 well at all. Will you not help me by believing in my 
 recovery, Fred?" she asked sorrowfully. 
 
 " I will do anything to help you, Amy ; you surely know 
 that. But do you think my faith can make you whole? 
 What did the doctor say?" 
 
 " Not exactly, but it would help some if you seemed 
 pleased to have me well. You go and talk to the doctor 
 yourself. He will tell you that I need no medicine." 
 
 " How silly ! You know I have always done every- 
 thing in my power to help you recover. How do you ac- 
 count for this mysterious change? You have taken no 
 new medicine or treatment recently. If you remain so 
 well for a long time then I shall believe that you are 
 really well; but you have always had these spells of 
 temporary improvement." 
 
 " I do not try to account for my recovery. I only 
 know there came to me a great desire and determination 
 to be well, and I find myself well. I have never felt like 
 this before when I grew better; I always knew that I 
 would be sick again, but I do not think that way now. 
 Is that not enough ? " 
 
 Fred was unable to comprehend this kind of talk. He 
 thought soberly for awhile and said, " Well, maybe." 
 
 " Her case has always puzzled me," Dr. Morris con- 
 fessed to him the next day. " I have never had a case 
 like hers. I am convinced that drugs have had no part 
 in her recovery. Her malady seemed to be entirely of 
 the mind. I have always thought that if she could be 
 roused into taking an active interest in the affairs that 
 surround her, become possessed of some kind of joy, or 
 even sorrow, anything to awaken and stir her out of 
 
 147 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the rut of ennui in which she has dwelt for years, that 
 she could build up and her physical ailments would dis- 
 appear. But she would dwell in that attitude of dire 
 discontent and complaint, till her entire being and body 
 were saturated with it. The mind has a greater influ- 
 ence over the body than we know. Doctors are finding 
 this to be true, and no one in her state of mind could be 
 well. As near as I can draw from her present condition, 
 she has recently taken a new and a powerful interest in 
 life. She denies all this to me, but to be frank and truth- 
 ful with you, Harmon/ 7 here the physician lowered his 
 voice, " I should say that your wife has fallen in love, 
 she has every symptom. Now, if such be the case," 
 here the man placed a tender hand on his listener's shoul- 
 der, " do not interfere with this new attachment. I know 
 this sounds like awfully queer talk from me, old man, 
 but think what it means to her. It is her only chance 
 of recovery, and it will bring her health, happiness every- 
 thing, while if she is thwarted in this affair, death only 
 can eventually result, must follow in the footsteps of 
 ennui, which kills mind and body. Be brave Harmon. 
 Look at the thing sensibly." 
 
 A sarcastic smile crept over the face of the wretched 
 man as he stared fixedly into the benevolent eyes of the 
 speaker. He felt a wave of admiration for this man 
 before him. The speech he had just delivered showed 
 that he studied his patient closely, understood her, and 
 was brave enough to broach anything for her welfare. 
 This is the ideal physician. 
 
 Fred turned from him abruptly, strode about for a 
 minute, then stopped by a window to gaze out. He was 
 the picture of misery. 
 
 148 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " See here, old fellow, don't take it that way. Look at 
 it from my standpoint." The well-meaning doctor went 
 over to Fred and clasped his shoulder, but Fred inter- 
 rupted him. 
 
 " Yes, yes, I understand all you would say. She de- 
 serves her little hour of love and happiness, her day of 
 soul development, as well as the rest of us, and from 
 your theory it would follow that such has never been 
 hers till recently. I understand. One soul's happiness 
 is worth as much as another's, and when a life depends 
 on it yes, I understand, and I promise not to interfere." 
 Fred went out of the office before the physician could 
 speak further. 
 
 It was remarkable to note the metamorphosis through 
 which Amy had passed. Very little of her old self, either 
 in spirit or physique, seemed to remain. She grew round, 
 plump and rosy, almost girlish in appearance, notwith- 
 standing the fact that she was a woman of thirty-five. 
 There was a spring in her walk, almost a swagger, in 
 fact, instead of the weary drag of her old-time gait. 
 She sang snatches of love songs, as she went about the 
 house giving cheerful directions to the maid. She be- 
 gan to take delight in the happiness of others, and sym- 
 pathized deeply with those in trouble. Flowers absorbed 
 her, the blue sky, the song of a bird, the green growing 
 things in the garden. At last she was alive to this spark- 
 ling world of ours, was awake to its thrilling touch, while 
 but a short time back, she had been as one dead. Glory 
 be to God, she lived! 
 
 With this new participation in existence came a power- 
 ful instinct and desire to protect and guard that which 
 she valued, and with cunning forethought her eager fin- 
 
 149 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 gers reached out into the future and pulled a wire here 
 and there. For example, numerous tales of the Beauty 
 Lady were being poured into the excited ears of Wallace, 
 but alas, wonder of wonders, the enchanting being who 
 had in all the former tales been the incarnation of all 
 that was good and holy was surely going to the bad. 
 
 " But mamma," the child would protest, in the midst 
 of a thrilling tale, " you forget, mamma, that would not 
 be so. She would not pinch the babies to hear them 
 cry. The Beauty Lady is only good." 
 
 " Yes, she did do that very thing," the artful mother 
 assured him. " Perhaps she is turning bad, after all."" 
 
 " No, no, please, mamma. Let's not have her bad. 
 She is good, don't you know that, mamma ? " 
 
 Notwithstanding the poor child's tearfully earnest 
 pleadings, his designing mother continued to besmirch his 
 ideal, tearing down the idol of his childish fancy, and 
 erecting on its pedestal a something vile. She who had 
 been the creator of his angel now proved its destroyer. 
 
 The little fellow finally broke down one day, after 
 hearing how the Beauty Lady had torn down the fence of 
 swords which the fairies had set up in defence against 
 their enemies, the bears and lions. Before the wicked 
 animals could be repulsed, they attacked the fairies and 
 devoured a great many of them. 
 
 " Mamma, do please tell me just one more story in 
 which the Beauty Lady is good again ; 'cause I can't live 
 at all if she is bad all the time," was the unhappy boy's 
 last plea. 
 
 " All right, honey, dry those tears, and I will try to 
 make her good again." He clapped his hands and 
 screamed with joy, whereupon the mother launched her 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 delighted and expectant listener into the intricacies of a 
 dense jungle, where the fairies had flown far, far from 
 their enemies ; but alas ! the wicked Beauty Lady found 
 them out and led the beasts to their hiding-place. 
 
 "So you see," she told him as his under-lip quivered, 
 " she will be bad in spite of all I can do." I wonder 
 that the woman could have had the heart, but she was 
 peering far into the future. 
 
 After this all memory of the good the Beauty Lady 
 once had done was gradually erased from the child's 
 mind. He began to look only for the bad in his fallen 
 angel, and helped his mother devise means of punish- 
 ment for her. 
 
 Some days later, Wallace accompanied his father up- 
 town, where they happened to meet Myrnie on the street. 
 Fred engaged her in a short conversation, but Wallace, 
 contrary to his former inclinations in regard to Myrnie, 
 ran on ahead before she could speak to him. He hid be- 
 hind a post and watched them nervously, with a lurking 
 fear lest the girl cast an evil spell over him or his father. 
 His mother's trick was admirably effective. Piqued, and 
 jealous of the child's affection for the young woman, who 
 was to him the personification of all the fabled virtues 
 of the Beauty Lady, she had succeeded in poisoning his 
 thoughts against her by working on his easily impres- 
 sionable mind. Hence, the newly awakened wickedness 
 in the Beauty Lady! 
 
 Mrs. Harmon began to devote herself completely to 
 pleasing her husband. She prepared with her own hands 
 those dishes of which he was especially fond, and brought 
 them to him the acme of delicious perfection. She frisked 
 away like a girl to get his slippers for him. She made 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 him the most enticing den in the corner of the library 
 and allowed him to smoke there, a thing he had never 
 dared even wish to do. She dressed herself attractively 
 for him, came and sat on the arm of his chair, and lean- 
 ing on him, would read his paper with him from over 
 his shoulder. 
 
 Fred paid little heed to all this. Sometimes he chided 
 her for doing work that she paid the maid to do. 
 
 " But, Fred, I really do love to do these things for you. 
 I am well now, you know." This kind of argument got 
 the better of him. He would be compelled to succumb 
 and thank her for her kindness. She tried to heap affec- 
 tion upon him in a hundred little artful ways. This, 
 too, drew from him only cold complacence. She now 
 demanded that his evenings be spent at home with her. 
 These were his most trying hours. 
 
 One starlight night he sat alone on the veranda, fight- 
 ing with himself as but few men do struggle with their 
 baser natures, resolving every minute to love his wife 
 and to make her happy; but his truant desires would as 
 often go galloping away to a face which to him, when 
 he looked into it, was alight with the effulgence of purity 
 and all that there is in this world for man, till his soul 
 was aflame with a sacred passion. 
 
 His wife stole softly to him and cuddled down in his 
 lap. She pinched his cheek, then smoothing the hair 
 away from his brow, kissed him gently. Her kisses trav- 
 eled about over his face till they came to his mouth, and 
 there they lingered. The fragrant odor of carnations hung 
 about her. Fred had noticed this same perfume about 
 his loved one. Strange that his wife should have it. 
 She had never used anything but violets before. He 
 
 152 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 closed his eyes and fell to dreaming. If this were only 
 Myrnie. Oh, God, if she would only fondle him like 
 this ! His dreams led him on and on. Condemn him not. 
 He was only flesh and blood, only man. 
 
 His arms tightened about her and his imagination led 
 him still further. 
 
 " Come, Fred," the woman whispered, and led him to 
 her chamber. The room was very dark and the odor 
 of carnations still entranced him. 
 
 " Love me, Fred. I am well now. Let us go back to 
 the old way of life. Love me as you used to long ago. 
 Please, please, Fred." 
 
 She had her way with him. He drifted back with her 
 into the old days. Later he awoke with a start to realize 
 that, though he had tried to love her in the old way, he 
 had failed. God ! and how great was the failure, he knew 
 only when he looked at his wife still sleeping beside 
 him, and loathed her. Yet he pitied her, too, as every 
 man must pity the woman who begs him for his love. 
 How unworthy he felt ! There could be no going back 
 now. He went to his own room and tried to sleep, but 
 his heart was tearing his side. He arose, and after dress- 
 ing, walked forth into the night, directing not his steps 
 nor caring where they led him, until he found himself 
 a mile out of town walking back and forth past a cot- 
 tage on the Yuma Road, where the sacred slumbered. 
 
 Wretched and miserable, still he strode near the house, 
 back and forth, to and fro, till a big dog came plunging 
 out to where he was and set up such a barking and 
 howling, that he stole away quickly like a thief, lest some- 
 one would come to see what the hubbub was about. He 
 bent his steps homeward a little comforted, for he had 
 
 153 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 been nearer to her. As he walked along in the dim light 
 his thoughts ran into unreal courses. He wished that 
 he could walk on and on to the end of forever, forget 
 this life and all that had belonged to it, and come at last 
 to a golden isle where she should be waiting for him. 
 His mind was uplifted to its highest and best. Love gives 
 wings to the imagination of even the most prosaic. On 
 this night he realized the truths of life as he never had 
 before. He determined to foreswear that which was 
 too high for him. If he could live in the same world 
 with her and see her once in a while, and have her smile 
 at him sometimes, yes, that would be heaven. 
 
 " Poor Amy," he said, " Poor Amy/' as his thoughts 
 recurred to his wife. 
 
 Weeks went by in which Fred and Amy lived after 
 the manner of their early married life. He petted her 
 and fondled her, and tried to drift back into loving her. 
 She began to feel highly flattered to think his love had 
 endured the long, weary years of abuse she had showered 
 upon it, never giving him a word or act of kindness, let 
 alone love; and now, when she so desired, it stood at 
 her beck and call. 
 
 Little she knew of the conflict raging in the heart of 
 the one who now called her " dear," nor did she dream 
 of the lonely, nocturnal pilgrimages to the cottage a mile 
 away on the Yuma Road. 
 
 Fred told himself that there could be no harm in his 
 taking this stroll. It gave him comfort, and he would 
 indulge himself thus far. He bribed the big dog into 
 friendliness with a pound of beef which he bought for 
 the purpose, till after a time the big burly fellow looked 
 eagerly for visits. He would come bounding out to see 
 
 154 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 him, his busy tail wagging, and a dog's smile over his 
 face. On nights when Fred did not come, the dog sat 
 and howled to the lonely night. 
 
 But soon these solitary hours of adoration failed to 
 satisfy. He wanted something more tangible, more real. 
 He began to long for the presence of his loved one, or at 
 least a word from her. There were nights when he could 
 see a thin streak of light beneath her window-shade, for 
 he had already found out which was her chamber, and he 
 knew that she slept not. Was she thinking of him? 
 Did he dare hope that ? 
 
 155 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ON a shadowy night when Fred stood looking at the 
 streak of light beneath the window-shade, he saw a lithe 
 figure clad in white emerge from a side door under the 
 window and make its way to the garden at the back of 
 the house. He could dimly see the airy shape moving 
 about among the trees and shrubs, nor did he need to 
 be told who it was. It was now past the hour of ten 
 and the other members of the house were sleeping. 
 
 Fred followed the figure and came abruptly upon Myr- 
 nie as she turned a corner of the path and faced him. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Harmon, how you frightened me," she said. 
 Fred saw her start suddenly as she stopped. 
 
 " Then you knew me at once, Myrnie ? " he said com- 
 ing near. 
 
 " Yes, I was thinking of you to-night, and you walked 
 right into my thoughts and made them a reality." 
 
 " Then it was your sacred thought that drew me. But 
 strange that you should be out here at this hour. You 
 do not prowl this way of nights, do you? " 
 
 " Yes, I do, during light moon. I love the moon- 
 light. I was so lonesome and restless to-night; I could 
 not sleep, so I came seeking the calm of yon devout coun- 
 tenance;" and she pointed a slender finger toward the 
 face of the moon. 
 
 156 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " I, too, was restless and could not sleep, but I came 
 seeking the solace of this face," and placing a trembling 
 linger under her chin, he tipped it upward and looked 
 into her eyes. He then turned abruptly as though to 
 check an impulsive action, and commenced pacing back 
 and forth in deep thought, while the girl stood calmly 
 by and watched him. 
 
 He came back and stood in front of her hesitatingly, 
 " Will you talk to me ? I am in great trouble. Tell me 
 what I must do?" 
 
 " But come where we shall disturb no one," she said, 
 leading the way to/ a little summer-house in a far end of 
 the garden. The grapevines which covered the struc- 
 ture were already in full leaf, sheltering the two figures 
 from view. A propitious wind sprang up, rustling the 
 leaves and branches, and drowning the low tones of their 
 voices with its murmur. She seated herself in a low 
 chair and pointed out a bench to him, which he took 
 gloomily as he asked again, " What must I do ? " 
 
 She did not ask him the nature of his trouble. Her 
 subconscious intellect seemed to have discerned this. She 
 knew that he suffered and she felt very sorry for him. 
 Myrnie's was too tender a heart. She felt for anyone 
 who suffered, though he be a vile criminal whose suffering 
 was only the just reward of his deeds. 
 
 She held her lovely hands out to Fred and he grasped 
 them, pressing his heated face down on her cool palms. 
 His agitation passed; he sighed heavily from time to 
 time and drew from her blessed hands silent comfort. 
 
 The girl was filled with wonder at the novelty of this 
 adventure. This must be near to love, she thought. 
 Maybe it was love. Her eyes grew large and sparkled 
 
 157 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the more as they caught the reflection of the stars peep- 
 ing down through the crevices. An hour passed and 
 no word did they speak. She was thinking of the many 
 romantic tales which Mrs. Long had told her of the illicit 
 love of those who were unhappily married, and she was 
 beginning to think that in some rare cases this may be 
 justifiable. 
 
 Presently they were disturbed by a sharp voice in the 
 direction of the house. " Myrnie, where are you ? Come 
 here, child." 
 
 " Coming/' she called back as they both arose. "She'll 
 be out here in a minute," as she started to run away. He 
 still clung to her hands, muttering, " I shall come again 
 Sunday night," but she wrenched herself free and was 
 gone. 
 
 " Why will you stay out there in the night air, you 
 little romancing goose, and all alone, too. Go to bed." 
 Mrs. Long's voice was as near a scolding pitch as her 
 voice ever could be to Myrnie. 
 
 " Please do not disturb me again, Mrs. Long. I love 
 to sit out in the moonlight and think." And Myrnie's 
 arms went about the tall woman, as she stood on tiptoe 
 to kiss her cheek. She was in rather a sentimental mood 
 just then. 
 
 " Tastes differ, no doubt," said our widow. " I could not 
 blame you if you had a sweetheart, but how useless to 
 stay out there alone." If the virtuous widow had but 
 known that such was indeed the case, and that the "sweet- 
 heart " was a married man, she would have returned the 
 girl's hug soundly. For that is the kind of a woman Mrs. 
 Long was. Not knowing anything of this, however, 
 she merely sent Myrnie off with a " Go to bed, I am 
 
 158 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 freezing my toes," and each went to her room, Myrnie 
 amused at the widow's words, the widow mentally tuck- 
 ing in her stubby toes. 
 
 It was Mrs. Long who came into Myrnie's room a few 
 days later in great merriment. " What do you suppose 
 I heard up town this morning?" she asked. 
 
 " I can not imagine, Mrs. Long. What was it ? " And 
 the girl looked up from her writing in smiling expecta- 
 tion. 
 
 " Ha, ha, ha !" How our widow was enjoying herself. 
 " Well, I heard that you are trying to alienate the affec- 
 tions of Mrs. Harmon's husband, that you are trying to 
 break up her home. It is in the mouths of all the gos- 
 sips. Mrs. Murphy told me. It seems Mrs. Harmon 
 started the trash herself." 
 
 Myrnie grew ashen. An expression of fright and em- 
 barrassment went over her face. 
 
 " What did you say, Mrs. Long? " she asked, trembling. 
 
 " I said it was an infamous falsehood instigated by a 
 jealous wife. They have it that you care only for married 
 men, and that you have several times before come between 
 husband and wife. It seems that Fullerton and Mrs. 
 Harmon have been exchanging confidences, and they say 
 that you had the Adams' actually divorced, and the 
 Stiners estranged. I told her the straight of those two 
 affairs, of course, and told her to correct such yarns when 
 she heard them." 
 
 "What shall I do, Mrs. Long?" Myrnie had arisen. 
 She was pale and startled. Never before had she heard 
 her name bandied around amongst the gossips. To 
 every woman it is like a tragedy, the first time she dis- 
 covers that her name is being used in vain. 
 
 159 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Do, child ? Just follow my advice. Do nothing at 
 all. Go on treating Mr. Harmon just the same as ever, 
 a little better, if anything. That sort of truck can't hurt 
 you, child. Fact is, you are not really popular in this 
 town until some such stuff has been said about you. I've 
 had my experience in that line, I'll tell you. I used to 
 cry over it, but I do not care what they say now, and they 
 have ceased to say things about me. Now, how is a 
 woman to help it if she is pretty and attractive and men 
 fall in love, I'd like to know. Do the numb-skulls, block- 
 heads, fools, think just because a man has married some 
 one woman that he is never to care for another? Oh, 
 rot ! Such dashed nonsense makes me sick ! Whenever 
 you learn, little girl, to live for your own pleasure and 
 not to care for what narrow minds think or say or do, 
 you will have mastered the philosophy of life. If I were 
 you I would make that woman sick of her job. I'd give 
 her something to be jealous of, indeed I would, if she 
 wants to be jealous." 
 
 " No, no," Myrnie protested. 
 
 " Now, do not be the little chicken-hearted fool you 
 always have been. She has said a lot of other nasty stuff 
 about you, and she is merely aiming to ruin your name. 
 Make it hot for her ! I will help you, and see you through. 
 I never did like that woman, anyway, and I would like 
 a chance to get even with her. She accused me of cheat- 
 ing at cards one time, right before a houseful." 
 
 " No, Mrs. Long. I could never do anything like 
 that. It would be entirely out of my line School will 
 be out in a short time and I will be gone, then it will be 
 forgotten." 
 
 On the following Sunday night at about the same 
 160 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 hour, Fred came to the summer-house and waited, but 
 after about an hour, when no one had come to reward 
 his eager waiting, he stole beneath the window where the 
 thin streak of light was visible at the bottom of the shade. 
 He gazed at this light till his neck was tired. Then 
 stooping to the ground, he gathered up a handful of 
 gravel and threw it against the pane. 
 
 The troubled girl within heard the sound and started. 
 When another handful of the same again struck the pane, 
 'Myrnie went to the window and raised the sash. She 
 saw the figure of the man below and understood. Lean- 
 ing out the window, however, she shook her head at 
 him, and motioning him away, closed the window and ex- 
 tinguished the light. 
 
 He went back to the summer-house. After another 
 hour of weary waiting, hoping against hope that she 
 would change her mind and come out to him, he trudged 
 back to town, feeling that life was too heavy a burden 
 to support. But every night he made his 1 solitary pilgri- 
 mage to the summer-house, thinking that she might 
 wander out there again. The strain was beginning to 
 tell on him. At home things were taking a dreadful turn. 
 Fred had been holding to his hard set task, fighting mind, 
 body and soul with all his will power, but the will power 
 was growing weak. During the day he managed him- 
 self well enough, but when evening came with its gentle, 
 subtle influences, he was picked up as by a whirlwind 
 and carried to the place against which will power had 
 cautioned him. 
 
 And this was a man fully developed in mind, body and 
 soul. He had experienced enough to know what life 
 holds. For him there were no fantastic youthful hopes 
 
 161 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 telling him that there would be other loves, that he should 
 let this one go. He felt that in this girl he had seen the 
 " last woman," and there was nothing else for which he 
 wanted to strive. Does God or man expect mankind 
 to forswear the heaven of happiness thus given ? 
 
 Fred continued to come to the summer-house, but it 
 was not until a dark night after two full weeks of thwarted 
 expectation, when he entered the bower to sit out his 
 hour of holy meditation in that spot where her calm pres- 
 ence had soothed him, that something like an apparition 
 floated before him. He arose and stretched out his arms 
 to see if it were real, and they closed upon the dear form 
 of her he sought. She was drawn to him and kissed many 
 times, hurriedly, before either could speak. This was the 
 first time Myrnie had ever kissed thus, and it sent a 
 strange thrill through her. " This must be love, surely," 
 she thought. 
 
 " Myrnie, Myrnie," he whispered, " did you come 
 to me at last?" 
 
 " Oh, you must not. Let me go." And she tore 
 herself away. 
 
 " But we love each other, Myrnie. Think what that 
 means. This is something more than a matter of right 
 and wrong. This is a matter of life and death to 
 me. Laws were made for others, for those who cannot 
 feel, not for such as we. We are left to make our own 
 laws in these matters, for none can understand our 
 needs but ourselves. We must make our own laws." 
 
 " But you belong to another woman and the little 
 boy-," ' 
 
 " I love you better than all that. I belong to you." 
 
 " Stop. I shall hate you if you say that you love 
 162 
 
In the Land of Hxtremes. 
 
 me better than you do your. own little boy." She was 
 thinking of her own orphaned childhood. 
 
 " But listen to me, Myrnie " he commenced, but 
 she again interrupted him. 
 
 " No, you listen to me. She is saying that ," he 
 would not let her finish. 
 
 " I know all that she says. She rings it into my 
 ears. She tries to win my love now that she fears 
 another. But love that is born of jealousy is not worthy 
 of that sacred name. I hoped for her, for all of us, 
 that I might be able to endure life with her. I forced 
 myself to try, yes, I drifted back, back, and I loathe 
 myself for it. I have struggled hard, I have fought 
 myself, oh, nobody knows how hard, but there is no use. 
 I failed utterly." 
 
 "Does she know, then?" 
 
 "I think she. does," he replied. 
 
 " Oh, what shall we do ? But you must remain true 
 to her if she loves you." 
 
 " How can I pretend to be true when I am not true in 
 mind, body or soul? What can be gained by that? 
 You do not know the measures I have taken that I may 
 care a little for her again. I have even forced myself 
 back into the old conjugal relations with her, thinking 
 that some little spark of physical attraction may spring 
 into life that might hold me to her, but there is no use. 
 You are here. This has even made the gulf between 
 us yawn wider to me. There is no going against the fate 
 which draws you and me together." 
 
 The girl had drawn away from him in horror. She 
 crept close to the wall to be as far from him as possible, 
 and there she cowered. 
 
 163 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " But you must win. You will. You must not come 
 here. Fred, you have drifted back. I shall not see 
 you again." 
 
 " But listen, Myrnie, I know a plan/' he said, breath- 
 lessly. 
 
 " What is your plan ? " she asked, gaining posses- 
 sion of her faculties. 
 
 He took her hand and drew her down beside him. 
 " I have been quite successful in a financial way re- 
 cently," he began. " My commission from the sales 
 of different properties has reached over twenty thousand 
 dollars. I have properties and interests which when 
 developed will bring many times more. She is a well 
 woman now, so there could be no shame in it. I will 
 settle on her half I have in money and some permanent 
 income, and get a divorce." 
 
 " Enough ! " and she covered his mouth with a trem- 
 bling hand, as though to blot out the meaning of his 
 excited words. 
 
 " No, no, no, she loves you." 
 
 He drew her hand away and held it firmly. " I shall 
 do it in spite of all you can do, and when I come to 
 you free ? " 
 
 " I should not speak to you, should not look at you. 
 You have drifted back; that is the end of everything. 
 Promise me that you will go on in the same way with 
 her. You must." 
 
 " I cannot. It is unbearable. I tell you I will settle 
 with her; she is well now." 
 
 " My school closes in a short time and I shall go far 
 away from here. You will not know where I am. You 
 can then forget me." 
 
In the Land of Hxtremes. 
 
 " But you love me, Myrnie. You must tell me that. 
 Perhaps I could make the sacrifice if I only knew that 
 you love me. You love me, Myrnie ? " 
 
 " I don't just know. Sometimes I think that per- 
 haps I do. Then there are times when I can imagine 
 a greater love, and I long for that. I often want you 
 with me, but she is your wife, and you have a child whom 
 you both love. Think of the child in the years to come, 
 when he grows up. He will want to think kindly of his 
 father, and what if he can't?" 
 
 Fred covered his face with his hands. " Yes, I must 
 try. I must be strong. But tell me as nearly as you can, 
 Myrnie, how you feel toward me, and I shall know 
 if you love me. It will be easier if I know that you 
 love me." 
 
 " Well, it seems awfully nice to have some one think 
 so much of me and call me such nice names, and when 
 I think I am necessary to your happiness, that makes 
 me want to be with you and make you happy. But I 
 do not like you to touch me I do not want you to love 
 my body so much." 
 
 Her answer did not satisfy the man. This was not 
 like what he had hoped to hear, still, he thought the girl 
 did not know how to express herself in these matters. 
 If he had told her how he felt toward her, it would have 
 been quite different from this, might almost have fright- 
 ened her. But after a few minutes of sober thinking he 
 said, " I am sure that is the way women love. That is 
 the highest form of woman's love; all unselfish and 
 pure as snow. So now, Myrnie, my little Myrnie, I 
 know you love me too." 
 
 " Oh, do I? How delightful and fine." She clasped 
 165 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 her hands over her breast and beamed upon him, so glad 
 to be made aware of the fact that she loved him. She 
 had wanted to love some one for so long, and now it 
 had come. 
 
 " But you must stay with your wife, you know, and 
 be true to her; since you are certain that I love you it 
 will be so easy." She bent her head prettily to one 
 side like a bird, and she almost whispered the word 
 " love." It was still a sacred word on her lips. 
 
 As Fred walked home that night, he was more at sea 
 than ever. He found it impossible to comprehend his 
 own thoughts and feelings. " I will not go back," he 
 said, " I will not go back, will not." 
 
 166 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Two weeks passed and Fred had desisted from going 
 to the cottage on the Yuma Road. He felt that he had 
 been dismissed once for all. He was courting resigna- 
 tion, trying to accept his fate and put all hope from 
 him ; but hope, like the bright star that it is, would shine 
 in its full glow of radiance in this dark night of his 
 life at moments when he was off his guard. He found 
 it impossible to love his wife. He commenced to be less 
 demonstrative to her since he was convinced that the 
 fondling could not bring him nearer to her. Now that 
 his lot seemed cast inevitably with hers, he purposed 
 only to fulfill his duty to her. His own life seemed use- 
 less, worthless, a waste, and he was devoid of any inter- 
 est. Duty dragged without impetus and his only refuge 
 lay in bodily activity. If he allowed idleness to creep 
 upon him for an instant, his restlessness was unbear- 
 able. He hoped that perhaps after awhile his wild de- 
 sires would be somewhat assuaged and that he should 
 be able to live this life of self-abnegation with some de- 
 gree of tolerance. The creature comforts come to a man's 
 aid in such a crisis. 
 
 Myrnie, on the other hand, to her own surprise, began 
 to wish, since she discovered that he no longer visited 
 the summer-house, that Fred could not hold out against 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 himself. It was she who now made the nocturnal visits 
 to the secret trysting place, and when night after night 
 she waited and he did not come, her heart grew restless 
 from a feeling of loss which soon waxed into a tense 
 longing, a yearning difficult to comprehend, because it 
 was not real love. 
 
 Every girl before she has loved watches eagerly for 
 the advent of that grand passion into her life. She 
 thinks it will burst abruptly upon her like a grain of 
 popcorn exposed to the heat. So eager is she for it that 
 sometimes she thinks love has come when it has not, but 
 never can she mistake its actual presence. What Myr- 
 nie felt for Fred was not love. Perhaps she liked 
 being adored by him. True, this was the nearest to love 
 that she had ever felt, and its taste was sweet on her lips. 
 His great and powerful passion fascinated her. Her 
 inexperience exulted in his experience, as her innocence 
 attracted him. But love it was not. 
 
 " I really want him to stay with his wife, for that is 
 right," she told herself. " I only want him to come 
 here and tell me how he is progressing." Thus she 
 cheated herself into this delusion until one evening, in 
 a fit of sentimental impulse, she wrote him a note. No 
 sooner was the missive out of her hand, than she would 
 have given worlds to recall it, but the United States 
 mail service, like Time, is stern and relentless. 
 
 Fred received the note late in the evening. He walked 
 about the garden in wild joy. The dull earth had bloomed 
 again. Its wealth of color and fragrance was all about 
 him. It was hard to wait for the city clock to chime 
 nine, when he knew that Amy would be asleep. As 
 soon as he was sure of this, he hurried away breathlessly, 
 
 168 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 as fast as his legs could carry him. The note had only 
 said that the writer would be at the usual place at the 
 usual hour, but that was enough for Fred. 
 
 The impatient man found the girl sitting restfully in 
 the old place. How her calmness and quiet bearing con- 
 trasted with his ill concealed impetuosity. He wanted 
 to embrace her ardently, but she would have none of it. 
 
 " Sit down," she commanded, and he obeyed like a 
 child. 
 
 " You are so good to have sent for me. I wanted 
 to come so badly so many times," he burst out. " You do 
 not know how I have suffered." 
 
 " Hush, I only asked you to come here to tell me how 
 you are progressing," she replied. 
 
 "I have not succeeded at all. It grows harder and 
 more insupportable every day. I have come to tell you 
 that such a life is impossible for me. If I go on trying to 
 live this kind of life, it will make a criminal of me.. If I 
 wish to be true to anyone, I must be true to myself first 
 of all, must be true to my purest instincts. I love you, 
 Myrnie, always shall love you. I will follow you to the 
 ends of the earth. You love me, too, and want me, or you 
 would not have written this letter." 
 
 " No, no, I only ," she tried to speak. 
 
 " You need make no explanations. I could not be 
 mistaken in you, Myrnie." His voice was very tender 
 and made her wish so much that she could tell him that 
 she knew quite, quite well that she loved him. 
 
 "How can you expect me to entertain any feeling for 
 you now that you have gone back to the old way with 
 your wife? I might have consented before, but now I 
 never " again he took her words from her. 
 
 169 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " But listen, child, can't you understand that that means 
 nothing to me. It seemed gross, every atom of my body 
 rebelled, but I tried for the best. I did not deceive you 
 in this as I well might have done, but told you all. Oh, 
 little Myrnie," he bent very near her, " can't you see that 
 it all had to be that way ? I had to test myself to see if 
 any of the old imagined affection was still alive. Then 
 such things are so different with a man." 
 
 The girl knew so little of the things of which he spoke 
 that she did not comprehend what he was trying to tell 
 her. All she felt was that they were having a wonderfully 
 deep conversation, and she enjoyed the idea immensely. 
 She still sat thinking without a word, and he went on, 
 
 " Tell me, Myrnie, that I may hope to have you for 
 my own when all is settled." 
 
 " But you will tell her to-morrow that you do not love 
 her, and stop this pretended love-making? I cannot 
 and shall not have it going on if it is not sincere. When 
 I think of your having done it I almost hate you." She 
 was speaking wildly. Fred was a little surprised and 
 alarmed at her trembling, heated tone. He had never 
 seen her disturbed like this. Still, even this held a ray 
 of hope; it spoke of jealousy, and where there is jealousy 
 there is sometimes love. 
 
 " You must give me time. It may not be best to tell 
 her just yet. Let me have time to drift back into cold- 
 ness with her. Try to realize that the pretended love- 
 making means nothing to me." 
 
 " Time to drift back ! No !" and the girl grew vehe- 
 ment again. What Fred took for her woman's jealousy 
 was only her sense of honesty. " It means something to 
 her if it does not to you, and she deserves some consider- 
 
 170 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ation." She was looking straight at him. " There will 
 be no sigh of love from you to her from this time on. 
 You shall have nothing to do with her hereafter. She 
 must understand at once that you do not love her. I 
 demand absolute honesty in this terrible affair." (Men 
 will observe that Fred was starting wrong with this 
 woman. Women, take notice.) 
 
 The man dropped his head in his hands in dire dejec- 
 tion, and said, " Think how hard you make it for me, 
 Myrnie. It would be better " 
 
 " You find it so hard to give her up when the time 
 comes? Well, you must make your choice now, Mr. 
 Harmon." Her voice was almost dramatic. He put one 
 hand out and it fell on her knee, his face being still bur- 
 ied in the other. He was like one pleading for mercy, 
 for he was thinking how Amy would take it, was trying 
 to picture the scene. He had a kind pity for her and dis- 
 liked to give her pain. 
 
 The girl drew away from him, breaking the contact 
 between their bodies. At this indication of aversion to 
 his touch, he exclaimed, "'Myrnie, of course, I will tell 
 her at once. Thank Heaven, you have given me hope 
 at last." And he wanted to take her in his arms, but 
 she said, " No, wait till she knows." 
 
 The next morning when Amy wished to kiss Fred, he 
 brushed past her and left the house. At lunch time he 
 avoided her. A difficult and unpleasant task lay before 
 him, and oh, how he dreaded it, but there was no draw- 
 ing back now. He had set his hand to the plow and must 
 not turn back. Where his sentiments are concerned as 
 under these circumstances, nearly every man is purely 
 selfish. He makes his arguments fit his own case and 
 
 171 
 
In the Land of Extremes 
 
 feels that he is justified. When evening came, Fred 
 weeded all weakness and hardness from his heart and 
 sat in the study, cool and decided. 
 
 " Fred, what is the matter ? You seem so strange to- 
 day." Amy's words came so innocently from her lips. 
 There was a sorrowful, timid look in her eyes as she 
 came into his presence. She stood in the center of the 
 room. 
 
 He laid down his paper, looked at her steadily for a 
 moment, then placed his hands in his pockets and leaned 
 back in his chair, searching his mind for words to begin. 
 
 " You do not seem to want me near you to-day. Don't 
 you love me any more, Fred? There are times when it 
 seems to me that you can hardly endure me." 
 
 He sat up straight, took his hands from his pockets, 
 and placing them on his knees, began measuring his 
 words and looking before him ; 
 
 " I may as well be truthful with you, Amy ; my love 
 for you, real love such as a man should have for his 
 wife, died years ago. Look back over our past and see 
 if you ever did anything to nurture that love." 
 
 The woman grew pale and horrified as the full mean- 
 ing of his words came to her. Still, she looked as 
 though she had expected such an answer. 
 
 " But Fred, I love you now. I am well and want you 
 to love me. Am I not kind and affectionate now ? " 
 Her voice was an entreating wail. 
 
 " Too late, Amy. If you had been like this years 
 ago, it might have been different. But it is too late to- 
 day. I wish I could love you now, Amy, but love does 
 not come and go as the will commands, you know. In 
 the last few weeks I have tried to love you for your 
 
 172 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 sake, and you see how I have failed. I do not wish to 
 hurt you, Amy. I shrink from giving you pain, but 
 I must be truthful with you when you come to me and 
 ask for the truth. I am tired of this kind of life and 
 wish to make a change. I shall provide for you always 
 and will leave Wallace with you, but I want a divorce. 
 Can you consent to that?" 
 
 Poor Amy dropped on her knees, covering her face 
 with her folded arms at the word " divorce," as though 
 it had been a blow that felled and stunned her. Finally 
 she arose and groped about the room with wide eyes and 
 reaching arms, like one whose mind wandered ; then she 
 fell prostrate and broke into wild sobbing. 
 
 A realization of the awful thing he was doing smote 
 the man as he walked to her and picked her up. He 
 told himself that he could not go on with this, and tried 
 to soothe her, " Amy, Amy, think, be calm. Don't, don't !" 
 Thus in his arms she seemed dear to him. She had been 
 his care for so many years, and this care had so grown 
 a part of his life that he now felt he could not part 
 with it. " No, a man must do his duty," he was think- 
 ing, "must be a man first, and let his heart take care of 
 itself. I shall have to give the little girl up, dear little 
 thing. I can't desert my wife and break up this home; 
 too many tendrils from my heart have taken root around 
 it, and I must accept this fate." 
 
 Amy drew away from him and seated herself in a 
 chair. All the spirit had gone out of her, but she 
 struggled to be calm. 
 
 " Give me time to think, Fred, time to think. I will 
 tell you when I have thought." 
 
 173 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 As soon as she was composed, however, a great part 
 of his selfish love came back to him. 
 
 " You can see me in the morning." He arose, took 
 his hat and left the house. He did not come home till 
 late that night. He had been about town. 
 
 Amy sat up till midnight waiting for him, but he did 
 not come in until an hour after she had retired. She 
 arose and went to him. A smell of liquor filled the 
 room, but he was not intoxicated. 
 
 " Did you mean what you said this evening about, 
 about about divorce, Fred ? " she asked as though it 
 had all been a dream. She stood in the doorway in her 
 white robe, all the color and strength and vigor of the 
 past months' gathering gone from her. 
 
 " Yes, Amy ; let us say as little as possible about it." 
 Men wish to avoid discussing unpleasant subjects, es- 
 pecially when they are culpable, but women always per- 
 sist in going into details. 
 
 " This home shall always be yours. You and Wallace 
 shall have ample means. I shall come back to see Wal- 
 lace occasionally Now go back to bed, Amy, it is cold. 
 I must sleep for I have a long trip into the mountains 
 for to-morrow. " 
 
 This promise to come back occasionally beamed like 
 a bright light in the future to the woman who had no 
 other hope. She could live then, since she should see 
 him. And who knows but he would grow tired of his 
 freedom, and come back and wed her over again! She 
 had heard of such things, had known of instances when 
 it had occurred. How fine that would be ! She went to 
 bed, her heart beating high with hope. To win him 
 back, that was the task she should set herself. 
 
 174 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE next morning broke clear and warm as May 
 mornings do in Arizona. Fred awoke at six o'clock to 
 find his wife standing over him. He had the feeling that 
 she had been watching him in his sleep previous to his 
 waking. There were tears on her cheeks. 
 
 " Your breakfast is waiting, Fred," and she hurried 
 away. When he came into the dining room and took 
 his seat at the table, she sat quietly by and waited upon 
 him and Wallace, who would rise as early as the rest 
 of the household. She waited upon them as they ate, 
 but not a mouthful did she taste herself. The meal 
 had been prepared by her own hands and could not have 
 been more delicious. The conversation carried on be- 
 tween them was pleasant and ordinary, such as might 
 have taken place during any morning of their past mar- 
 ried years. Wallace was especially gay and talkative, 
 which helped the parents to feel at ease. 
 
 When the meal was finished, Fred bade good-bye to 
 his family in his usual way before going upon a journey. 
 
 " I consent to the divorce," Amy said before he de- 
 parted. 
 
 He wanted to tell her that he had decided not to 
 make any change in their lives, but he was not quite 
 sure yet, and wished to give himself more time to think 
 
 175 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 and see how he would feel about it since she was pre- 
 pared to meet it. That day, however, as he rode over 
 the winding trail up the mountain, the dim images of 
 love's young dream came dancing back to him, and when 
 he mounted to the summit and beheld the dim and 
 dreamy stretches of country far beyond, Myrnie again 
 had him in her power, and he* was like a feather in the 
 wind. 
 
 " Oh, my God, how I love her ! " he exclaimed aloud, 
 the figure of the girl with all its graceful motions came 
 before his mind's eye. 
 
 " But why does she not want me to go on like this, 
 keeping my home as it is, but having her for my dream 
 angel ? " he mused. " My love for her is as pure as the 
 driven snow. I do not want her sacred body; that is, 
 not now. I could live like this for awhile. It would be 
 best so until Providence sends its own way. I do not 
 want to put my fingers into the directing of my fate. 
 ' That pretended love-making must be stopped !' " he 
 broke out laughing so loudly at the recollection of Myr- 
 nie's vehement words, that his horse started and looked 
 around at him. " The little chicken is jealous and wants 
 me all to herself. Well, this is fate, this is fate. I have 
 won her and she is mine." 
 
 A week later found Fred in Prescott. All was at last 
 understood between him and his wife ; they had had their 
 talk and settlement. He flattered himself that she had 
 borne it so well, and he was beginning to breathe the air 
 of freedom, firmly believing that future circumstances 
 would prove that he had acted for the best. "She will be 
 so much happier without me as soon as she becomes ac- 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 customed to the change/' he told himself over and over 
 again, in his eager effort to believe it. 
 
 'Myrnie was in Prescott also, where she had gone to 
 spend the summer, the place being so much cooler than 
 Phoenix. She and Fred had resolved to see little of 
 each other before the divorce was secured, but as may 
 be readily imagined, they did not adhere strictly to this 
 resolution. 
 
 One morning about a week after Fred had arrived in 
 Prescott, the merry strain of whistled song that poured 
 from his happy lips was abruptly checked as the door 
 of his room was suddenly opened and a man stood in 
 the doorway unannounced. 
 
 " Why good morning, Dr. Morris," Fred broke out, 
 striding toward him in surprise. The physician eagerly 
 grasped the hand that was extended toward him. 
 
 " Good morning, Fred, good morning, good morning," 
 he replied in his fatherly way. He looked steadily into 
 the frank eyes turned to his, but failed to read what he 
 sought. 
 
 " Glad to see you, Doctor," Fred said, thinking this 
 was only one of the many visits the doctor paid Pres- 
 cott, for he had as large a practice in this as he had 
 in his home city. " How is every one in Phoenix ? " 
 
 " Not so well, not so well, Harmon. Fact is I came 
 to see you especially; came to see you on a serious and 
 very urgent matter, I may say." 
 
 "Why, what is the matter?" he asked in a tone of 
 alarm. 
 
 "Well, it is this. Mrs. Harmon has told me all." 
 The visitor was standing with his feet apart, his hands 
 in his pockets, looking grave, as becomes a doctor. " I 
 
 177 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 am her physician and all that concerns her health, you 
 see, concerns me." 
 
 A light was beginning to break upon the bewildered 
 brain of Harmon. He grew pale and unnerved, expect- 
 ing the worst. A picture of what was to come formed 
 itself distinctly in his mind as though some kind of 
 telepathy warned him. 
 
 " Phoenix is saying that you have deserted your wife 
 for that pretty young school mistress, and it is killing 
 her. She is a very sick woman. I fear she will die 
 if you do not go back to her. The blow has taken from 
 her all the strength of the past few months. I see now, 
 I understand how it is that her life hangs on your hands. 
 Her renewed interest in life came out of a renewed love 
 for you. Love is wonderful, yes, a wonderful thing! 
 What a shame, poor woman. I have studied her case, 
 and I know her so well." 
 
 The doctor paced the room, in deep thought. Fred 
 leaned against a chiffonier and listened as the doctor 
 went on, 
 
 " The poor creature struggled bravely with herself. 
 I came for you against her will, but she suffers ter- 
 ribly and is in worse health than I have ever seen her." 
 Here the doctor's voice rose to a high pitch, and he was 
 gesticulating wildly. " Harmon, if I could have laid 
 hands on you yesterday when I stood by her bed and 
 watched her suffer, I say, if I could have had you then, 
 I should have killed you! And to think of the way 
 she had been mending! This is the mistake of your 
 life, Fred, and if you do not retrace your step you will 
 regret it all your days. Your child, too, comprehends 
 something of the situation, and the little fellow's grief 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 is bitter to behold. I speak to you as man to man, as 
 father to father. I am sure Mrs. Harmon will build 
 up, once you manifest some interest in her. Come back 
 with me this evening." 
 
 Fred stepped backward as though to catch himself 
 from falling, as these words fell like a rain of blows on 
 his conscience. He leaned heavily on the piece of fur- 
 niture aghast and almost powerless. He saw it all so 
 plainly, this awful situation, his loss of Myrnie on the 
 one hand, forever; on the other, as if by his own hand, 
 the death of his wife, if he pursued the course he 
 preferred. He stood, unmanned and weak, with a 
 sense of dishonor; unmanned at the thought of his own 
 and Myrnie's disappointment, dishonored by Amy's help- 
 lessness and his son's disrespect of him. But it was only 
 for a minute that he remained thus. 
 
 He turned abruptly and faced the physician, towering 
 above the, thin stature of the man. There was no sign 
 of weakness nor indecision about him now. 
 
 " Listen to me, Dr. Morris, I have behaved only as 
 an honest man could behave. I have simply been true 
 to myself first of all, true to my own soul, to my own 
 manhood. Perhaps you think it does not require cour- 
 age to be true to one's self first in all things. I am 
 not ashamed of the fact that I told my wife the truth 
 when she asked me for the truth. All love for her was 
 dead. I told her that. Would it have been better to 
 crucify all that is best in me, all the noble impulses 
 that are inspired by a great love, lifting a man to his 
 highest and best, or to speak a lie, live a lie, and all be- 
 cause of a mistake in early life? My wife never cared 
 for me until that which she now calls love was kindled 
 
 179 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 by jealousy. Do you call that love? Is love born of 
 so petty an impulse? My wife wishes to hold that 
 which was never hers. Who are you to come to me and 
 dictate the course of honor and duty, you who have a 
 wife and children, yet live the life of a " 
 
 " Stop, Harmon ; listen to me for a moment. You 
 are thinking" only of yourself. Now that all sounds 
 awfully pretty almost makes even me believe in hon- 
 esty. But that is not a man's theory of life. Some 
 over-moral woman has put that into your head. It may 
 do for young people, but not for you. Your day is past. 
 You are married, so just put it all out of your head. 
 Love bosh! My way is the best way. When we are 
 married and are fathers, it does not do for us to desert 
 our homes for some witch of a woman who comes along 
 and snatches us off our feet. Besides, I do not love my 
 wife the less because I can't resist pretty Anne, you 
 know whom I mean. The feeling I have for Anne I 
 never had for Mrs. Morris, and, vice versa, so I am not 
 robbing either of them. My love for my wife has not 
 diminished, only grown a bit stale, you know, as all 
 married love does and fails to inspire. I must have my 
 wife and children, but I can have the pretty Anne, too, 
 bless her." 
 
 " Now you can come back to your wife, and you need 
 not give up the little school mistress. (I have seen 
 her and, by George! if I blame you.) Anne does not 
 mind Mrs. Morris so long as I keep her purse filled. 
 Those charming women are mostly like that. They are 
 such clever devils. They think that the best of our love 
 belongs to them, while our wives think that the best of 
 our love belongs to them. Two different classes of 
 
 1 80 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 women, you see, and they value different things. Theor- 
 ize all you may, Harmon, but men are built like that. 
 It has been so from the beginning of history, and that 
 is pretty conclusive proof that it is human nature. Look 
 at the birds, the peaceful beasts of the fields, they are 
 always young. Pshaw, Harmon, can't you see ? " 
 
 Fred had listened closely to this speech, following it 
 with his own train of thoughts. By the time the doctor 
 had concluded, his mind was already firm and clear as 
 to the only right course that was open to him, and he 
 had the strength to follow it. God never puts upon us 
 a heavier burden than we can bear. With a noble deter- 
 mination, and a lofty scorn of the doctor's complacent 
 acceptance of what "men are built like" he turned to 
 him and replied: 
 
 " I will go back to my wife and live an honest life with 
 her to the end, I will devote my life to her care, will re- 
 nounce that which is dearer to me than life itself. But 
 I do not do so for love of her, though I do love my child. 
 I have only a kindly sympathy for Amy, and I go back 
 because her life hangs on my hands, as you say, but 
 with no pretense of aught but human mercy. As for 
 your plan of life, I can not follow your reasoning. I 
 can not take the path you lay out for me. Any man 
 who has ever known a really pure love could not be- 
 mean his nature in that way. It destroys one's power to 
 feel the sublimity of real love, one day of which is worth 
 all the cheap sentimentality you could ever have felt. Go 
 away, go ! Leave me now. I will be at the depot to 
 meet you this evening." 
 
 Dr. Morris left the room, not in the least disconcerted 
 because another man's doctrine disagreed with his hypo- 
 
 181 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 thesis of life. He was living his own theory; let every 
 man do likewise. " To live and let live," was the doc- 
 tor's belief. 
 
 Fred wrote a long letter to Myrnie. He could not 
 trust himself to see her. He explained the situation 
 and begged forgiveness for having forced his way into 
 her life only to bring disgrace upon her. " You are 
 young," he wrote, " forget me. I know you can. Since 
 I know that I must, I wish I, too, could forget, but 
 you know how impossible that is. I dare not ask of 
 you any hope for the future, even should I ever be 
 free, for you deserve to find a better life than I could 
 give you. But oh, Myrnie, little Myrnie, think of the 
 years before me, and have some pity." 
 
 As Fred and the physician rode back to Phoenix 
 scarcely a word passed between them. Fred took a seat 
 apart from his companion. As the train rumbled along, he 
 sat with his head back in the cushion and thought, 
 thought. His little wild-goose chase after happiness 
 was at an end, still he had had some happiness, an eter- 
 nity of it. Happiness so supreme that the memory of it 
 would shine out like a bright light on his path forever. 
 That memory would never desert him, no matter what 
 should happen. " I have had my day of glory, all that 
 God decrees wise to give one man in this world," he told 
 himself, " I will now go back to Amy ; she deserves hers. 
 And there is little Wallace, too." 
 
 As all Arizona travellers know, the train from Pres- 
 cott backs into Phoenix at the unholy hour of one-thirty 
 A. M. Pleasant hour, if you do not care what you say. 
 Did you ever come into Phoenix on that train in sum- 
 mer and after going to your hotel try to sleep on the 
 
 182 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 mosquito-bar covered cot that stood on the balcony 
 just outside your door? Stripped yourself threadbare 
 and lay sweltering unable to close an eye till an hour 
 before sunrise? Then the birds sang and tried to keep 
 you awake, but it is the only hour cool enough for the 
 birds to sing, and birds must sing. Did you ever come 
 in on that train? I have, and the memory of it will 
 remain with me to my grave. One has a peculiar feel- 
 ing when he sleeps thus for the first time. He is con- 
 scious of all the other figures outstretched on their cots 
 in a line down the balcony men, women, children. 
 Perhaps a woman is on each side of you only six feet 
 away. They usually wear some thin garment. (Good 
 thing it is dark, still morning comes.) I have seen a 
 fair knee, a dainty foot, if not more, protruding from the 
 sheet, as the unconscious victim snatches her little hour 
 of slumber, regardless of the birds. A little later it is 
 astounding to see ladies in kimonos with tousled heads, 
 sneaking to their rooms, or gentlemen in pajamas on a 
 keen trot. 
 
 This goes on all over Phoenix from porches, bal- 
 conies, from elevated screen-rooms of from lawns. It 
 is Phoenix's necessary custom. People must sleep. Be- 
 cause it is a necessary custom of that land, no harm ever 
 comes of it. Every one is safe, even those dear sleep- 
 ing beauties six feet from one. 
 
 When Fred arrived in Phoenix, he declined his friend's 
 offer to accompany him to his home. He walked and 
 carried his own grip. 
 
 When he entered his wife's room, he heard her stam- 
 mered exclamation, " Thank God ! " She had heard the 
 
 183 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 train come in and had lain eagerly waiting, hardly dar- 
 ing to hope that he would come. 
 
 She smiled wanly as he walked up to her bed and 
 demanded, " How are you, Amy ? " 
 
 " Oh, you are so good, Fred, so good to have come. 
 Sit down and let us talk it all over," she wailed. 
 
 " There is no need to talk it all over. I have come 
 back to stay with you and care for you always. It is 
 all right, Amy." 
 
 " Fred, do you love me, you do, don't you, Fred ? I 
 love you so." 
 
 " That is all right, Amy. Go to sleep and rest. I 
 will sit here and watch you, I will stay with you always." 
 
 So, worn and weary from nights of sleepless weeping, 
 she was soon slumbering peacefully and heavily. Fred 
 took comfort in seeing her sleep so easily. He went 
 to the child's bed and stood gazing down at him with 
 set teeth and dry eyes, and in that moment his father's 
 heart smote him. 
 
 He seated himself by a window and spent the rest 
 of the night looking at the thin veil of moonlight in 
 which the night was wrapped. His life seemed all a 
 vague dream with a few sweet memories dotted here and 
 there. But he knew that he would always have the mem- 
 ories to smile over. Let us not try to follow the sad- 
 ness and the sweetness of his thoughts. His imagin- 
 ation carried him away into beautiful, beautiful places 
 where she would be found waiting for him. But the 
 sound of heavy breathing and the sight of two uncon- 
 scious figures lying prone before him, bound him fast 
 to his reality and pointed the finger of duty for him. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 MYRNIE answered Fred's letter. It was written while 
 the first rage of insulted anger held her, and was rather 
 relentless in an artful sarcasm. She did not pour out 
 upon him resentment and scorn, upbraiding him for 
 throwing her into the dust of groveling shame, but she 
 told him that he had forced himself upon her from the 
 first, that she could see it plainly now, and that on the 
 whole she was glad that it had happened this way, and 
 that his wife could not live without him because other 
 people could easily. Said that his conduct has shown 
 the unstability of his nature, but added that he had 
 acted wisely, and assured him that she should have no 
 difficulty in putting from her the memory of him. In 
 her own secret thoughts, this man was raised much 
 higher in her estimation for the part of honor he had 
 been able to play. This feeling she could not get 
 away from. Afterwards she wished she had not written 
 him such a hasty letter, and spent a very miserable 
 week or two over the affair. Myrnie had changed. En- 
 vironment and experience were slowly but surely work- 
 ing out in her their inevitable law. 
 
 All this was Fred's to bear and he bore it somehow. 
 He admired the girl that she could take it in this way, 
 but her letter left its sting. His love for her had grown 
 
 185 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 stronger if such were possible, and he forgave her every- 
 thing and went on loving her. 
 
 He took Amy to California for the summer, and there 
 in the cool breath that the great, peaceful ocean sends 
 landward, he nursed her back to health. He gave her 
 everything in him, his undivided thought and attention, 
 all his time and strength, everything but his love; that 
 was not his to give. 
 
 She grew quite strong again, and they all felt sure 
 that permanent health was assured, but an attack of 
 pneumonia overtook her very suddenly in the early part 
 of July. She coughed and grew very weak, taking to 
 her bed the first day. As before no nurse was employed. 
 She preferred that her husband care for her, and this 
 he did willing and tenderly. " Shall I arrange your 
 pillows for you, Amy? Let me rub your limbs to take 
 the chill away," or " Here, rest your head on my arm, 
 I think it will enable you to breathe more easily." These 
 were the kindnesses she constantly received from him, 
 and she accepted them graciously, looking her gratitude 
 in the smile she gave him. But a night came when all 
 he could do for her relieved her not. The doctor came, 
 did what he could, and went away. 
 
 " It is all over, Fred. I hear my call. I am ready to 
 go. You have been a good husband to me, Fred, better 
 than I deserved, but I did not know it till too late. For- 
 give me for that, Fred." She then sank into slumber 
 and lay with half closed eyes, and a faint smile. Pre- 
 sently she started, sat up in bed and clasped her hands, 
 "Oh, oh, oh ! " she exclaimed, and her expression was 
 one of pure delight. A fit of coughing took her, in which 
 her words came in gasps. 
 
 " Don't call any one Fred." He leaned near her, 
 186 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 endeavoring to catch her words as she went on, " I 
 want to die alone with you, Fred. Do not call any one. 
 You will marry again, and I want you to do so, and she 
 will be the pretty little teacher. She can give you what 
 I never did, happiness and real love. I never forgot 
 Tommy, Fred." Her voice grew steady, " You remem- 
 ber Tommy Mason. I was engaged to Tommy and I 
 loved him. I shall find him with mother; he died, you 
 know died of a broken heart grieving of me. Why did 
 you not let me marry Tommy? You did not care for 
 me, nor did I care for you. We all could have been happy 
 then. But oh, you were so masterful, Oh, you bad one ! " 
 Here she giggled like a girl at the memory. " But I 
 love you at last after all these years. I know you now, 
 Fred ; we both understand. What trouble comes ; and 
 all from not understanding. There is no hate, no dislike 
 in this world; there is just misunderstanding." Her 
 voice grew calm and sane, rising and falling in even, 
 musical cadences like one who was very happy. " No, 
 everybody loves everybody, only they do not know it. 
 Ah, if they only could know before this hour comes. 
 There is no enmity, there is only a lack of understand- 
 ing, only that.'" 
 
 The husband sat listening mournfully and silently to 
 her words, realizing with distinct clearness the truth in 
 them, puzzled again at this woman. He was beginning 
 to think that he had misunderstood her in the past years. 
 This was so unlike the woman he had thought her to be. 
 
 " Bring Wallace," she gasped. 
 
 Fred hurried away, and when he came back carrying 
 the half-wakened child in his arms, she was sitting up 
 in bed smiling and looking perfectly well. Her cheeks 
 were flushed and her eyes shone. She held out her 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 arms for the child, who was beginning to cry, seeming 
 to comprehend the situation. 
 
 She lay down again, the child held close to her in this 
 last hour of her unnatural strength. Her lips were 
 moving still, and Fred had to bend his ear very close 
 to her mouth to hear her say, " Yes, and you will have a 
 dear little baby girl. Will you call her Amy, and let 
 her wear the little gold chain of mine with the tiny locket 
 on her little baby neck ? Oh, the dear little baby neck ! " 
 
 Wallace was crying on his dying mother's breast, and 
 Fred was crying too. 
 
 " Sh-sh-sh," and the woman raised a hand, " Do not 
 cry. This is no time for tears. Pray. Listen to that 
 music. Pray, pray," and she commenced repeating the 
 Lord's Prayer. Father and son joined her in half whis- 
 pers, but she closed her eyes at, " As we forgive our 
 debtors," opened them wide and smiled, closed them 
 again and sighed, and was gone. She looked like one 
 quietly sleeping. Fred kissed her on the forehead. 
 
 The hush that fell as the father unlocked the child 
 from the dead mother's firm grasp was broken by the 
 child's wild sobbing. Fred held the little fellow to him 
 and wept bitterly. Poor little, motherless boy, his father 
 was weeping for his great loss. 
 
 The house was awakened, and the usual formal pro- 
 ceedings, such as every Christian burial demands, were 
 administered. After a few days, the funeral over and 
 all settled, Wallace was left with his grandmother, while 
 urgent business called Fred back to Phoenix, where 
 after a fortnight, he sent Myrnie full particulars of his 
 wife's death, recalling such of her last words as he 
 deemed befitting. But he received no reply to this, as 
 he had faintly hoped that he might. 
 
 188 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 News of the woman's death came to Myrnie while 
 she was stopping at a little summer resort, at Mineral 
 Springs, a few miles south of Prescott. This was a little 
 cosmopolitan resort. People came from all over the 
 Territory to enjoy the cool of the place and the mineral 
 water, but they seldom stayed longer than a week or 
 two. One made few acquaintances at this place that 
 would endure beyond the season of the outing, and here 
 Myrnie found a sweet asylum where she could live 
 quietly after her disturbed existence of the past year. 
 She did not want to know people, and she kept to her- 
 self almost entirely, becoming familiar only with the 
 children of the place. For this she became noted in the 
 vicinity, and was called eccentric as she played with the 
 children in all their games. She soon became their ring- 
 leader, and led them on long tramps over the hills in 
 search of flowers, odd stones or deserted birds' nests. 
 The cottage hotel at which she stopped stood a mile 
 down the creek from the post office at the Springs, but 
 she did not get her mail at this office, having made ar- 
 rangements with a stage-driver, whose route led him to 
 Turkey Creek, to have her mail dropped in a mail-box 
 which stood by the road, a mile away over the rocky 
 ridge of mountain, and for this also she was looked upon 
 as peculiar. Men glanced searchingly at her, but she 
 gave them a look that cut short any intention they 
 may have had to become better acquainted with her. 
 
 She had so ordered her mail that she might enjoy the 
 lonely stroll over the high wall of mountain, down into 
 the somber little valley on the other side, through which 
 she could see the stage road winding like a dusty strip of 
 ribbon. 
 
 From the top of this ridge one commanded an expan- 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 sive view of the surrounding country, and here Myrnie 
 always halted for a little rest. Her eyes never grew 
 weary of wandering over the earth's uneven, broken 
 surface in its seemingly infinite stretch. The high, flat- 
 topped mesas in the distance, the deep, black canons that 
 lay between and the desert valleys with their few 
 stunted trees. 
 
 Often she stood soliloquizing on the loneliness before 
 her, in crude poetic lines composed extemporaneously. 
 There was no one to hear, no one to mock the uncouth 
 lines, and she was so full of intense feeling, which she 
 had never been able to express ; she was so full of poetry, 
 passion, veneration and intensity, full to the running over, 
 but she had never found a satisfying mode of expression, 
 not even with her violin. Her vigorous nature was cry- 
 ing out to express itself, but she was too young to com- 
 prehend all this then. She only knew that she liked to 
 talk aloud to herself when no one could hear. 
 
 Myrnie was not one of those girls who have a host of 
 friends or correspondents. She lived too intensely to 
 have a large number of people in her life at the same 
 time, and it was only occasionally that she found a letter 
 in the box even after the walk over the hill was made. 
 
 One evening in August she felt a strong call to visit 
 the mail-box. This was one of those summons that we 
 are pleased to name presentiments, and she answered it 
 eagerly, never stopping on the hill top as usual, but de- 
 scended the slope hurriedly, running down the smooth 
 places, jumping from ledge to ledge where there were 
 rocks. Life and youth were burning strong within her. 
 
 By the time she reached the mail-box and tip-toed up 
 to unlock it, her strength was a little spent and she 
 was trembling. To her surprise she drew out a thin 
 
 190 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 envelope, the penmanship on which she recognized at 
 once. Tearing it open hurriedly, she drew out a single 
 sheet of paper which simply stated that the woman was 
 dead, and that a registered letter was in Prescott con- 
 taining newspaper clippings, along with a full account of 
 the last moments. 
 
 After reading this Myrnie sank down upon the ground 
 and remained for half an hour in deep thought. 
 
 " Can it be possible ? can it really be ? " she muttered. 
 " At last, at last," and it seemed to her that there was 
 rest in the knowledge of this death, though why, she 
 could not say. Thus she sat looking about the brown 
 hills, trying to realize the truth, and what it might mean. 
 
 " No, I will not. Freedom from him is too sweet. 
 He binds me so." She wondered vaguely how Fred felt, 
 but she thought in her secret thoughts that he must be 
 glad. Then she wondered if death was the end of every- 
 thing; she pondered many questions, but arose suddenly 
 and tearing the letter into bits, scooped a hollow out of 
 the soft earth with the toe of her shoe, dropped the torn 
 bits of paper into it, covered them with her foot, rolled a 
 large stone over the grave, pulled up a few dead, dry 
 weeds, and sticking them in the ground around the 
 rock, laughed mockingly. 
 
 The echo of her laugh rolled back prolonged from the 
 hills, and repeated the jeering sound. This almost 
 frightened her. It seemed that some devil was in the 
 hills yelling at her, or maybe it was the ghost of the 
 dead woman. Turning, she ascended the hill with long, 
 rapid strides, growing serious as she gained elevation. 
 On the summit she paused and looked backward; there 
 lay the familiar, barren hills, so restful, so full of peace. 
 She knew that they had been her friends, had given her 
 
 191 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 their solid consolation and comfort at times when her 
 heart had been heavy. She waved her hand to them and 
 broke out, " Good-bye hills, good-bye valley, farewell 
 mail-box, I shall see you no more. Good-bye, good-bye." 
 
 She walked rapidly home, but as long as she lives she 
 will never forget the sensations and thoughts which 
 came to her on that last walk to the lonely mail-box, nor 
 the broader vision that opened to her as she sat on the 
 bare ground looking around the somber little valley, nor 
 the sound of her own laugh coming back to her from 
 the hills. The next day she ordered her mail left at 
 Prescott. 
 
 In the days that followed she could not analyze her 
 feelings. She knew that there was great pity in her 
 heart for some one, and after a time it came to her that 
 this pity was for a little boy left motherless. Mother- 
 less ! Ah, did she not know the meaning of that word? 
 Still, there was something akin to pity for another, but 
 try as she would, she could not place it. This bore 
 heavily down upon her, and once in the night it came 
 to her like a lost spirit in a mist, and she awoke in a 
 fright to lie thinking of it, and shed some tears. Some- 
 where in her heart there was a hard, cold lump ; it rose 
 up bitterly and would not be dissolved. She could feel 
 it there hurting like a cake of ice. A grim kind of 
 satisfaction, joy even, that the woman was dead came 
 with the pain. 
 
 " He will never desert me again to go at her call. He 
 shall never have the opportunity to desert me again for 
 anyone." 
 
 192 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 AFTER a month Fred came to Prescott. His first er- 
 rand subsequent to getting settled in the hotel (of course, 
 the Burk Hotel; it is the one place where gentlefolks 
 stop in Prescott) was to locate Myrnie. He did not 
 know what he hoped, what he feared. His all-absorbing 
 wish was to find her; further than this he dared not let 
 his desires stray at this stage. To find her, however, 
 was not a difficult task. 
 
 Myrnie had come to town only a week before, in order 
 to purchase necessaries which every teacher finds in- 
 dispensable with the opening of a new school year. Her 
 duty called her within a few days. 
 
 The girl greeted Fred with cool, dignified surprise. 
 She offered him a chair in her parlor, and they talked on 
 general topics easily, but if he drifted into personal paths, 
 she artfully led away from them. However, Fred Har- 
 mon had never been a man easily driven away from the 
 things he chose for himself, and in due time the girl was 
 pressed into giving him her plans. 
 
 Thus it was as it always had been with these two 
 people; he had his way with her. He had a subtle way 
 of laying his man's needs before her, knowing that her 
 woman's heart, true to the mark, loved to give comfort 
 to the male, loved to please him, to concede to him if her 
 concessions were necessary to his happiness. 
 
 193 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " I am to teach far out in the country," she informed 
 him. " It is forty miles from here, and fifteen miles from 
 a railroad, and is one of the few spots left in the Terri- 
 tory that can truly be called Cattle Land; and that is 
 why I wish to go there. It is a district rich in school 
 funds, and pays a good salary, but most teachers refuse 
 the place because it is so far out. I took this school in 
 preference to several others which seemed more advan- 
 tageous, because I am looking for some such experience. 
 I want a complete change from what I have had." 
 
 " But, Myrnie, if you go away out there when can I 
 ever see you. Would you let me come out there to see 
 you?" 
 
 " Oh, you would not see me at all. I do not see what 
 difference that could make." 
 
 " Myrnie, you know that kind of formal talk will never 
 do with you and me. We know each other too well ; we 
 have been too close for formality to be a success." 
 
 " I mean what I say, Mr. Harmon ; it has been firmly 
 decided that all is over between us. You decided that 
 when you left Prescott last summer." 
 
 " But listen, Myrnie, you can not blame me because " 
 
 " I do not blame you at all. There is absolutely no 
 necessity for discussing this question further." She 
 stamped her foot and shook her head in a manner that 
 was sure to make him all the more persistent. 
 
 " I wrote explaining how it all came about. Surely, 
 Myrnie, you realize that I could not have done other- 
 wise." He still pleaded. 
 
 " I read the letter and I realize it fully. What more 
 can you ask? You would have been a brute to have 
 deserted the woman." 
 
 "Then you will not allow me to explain anything." 
 
 194 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 He was almost beside himself with disappointment and 
 love of her. What woman could act like this ? 
 
 " But I understand everything perfectly. There is 
 nothing left for you to explain." He noticed the tense 
 drawn look this conversation had brought to her face 
 and he took it for indications of illness. 
 
 " You look almost ill, Myrnie. Are you sure that you 
 are quite well?" he asked tenderly. 
 
 " Yes, I am well, thank you. The summer heat has 
 been a bit trying to me. I shall be myself again in a 
 short time, now that it is cool. A complete change will 
 do me worlds of good." 
 
 " And you will not forgive me, not hear one word 
 from me in patience? I know that I did right. Under 
 the circumstances I could have done nothing else. Could 
 I have let the woman die, knowing that my act had dealt 
 the blow? Could I have had the woman's life on my 
 hands ? Then you might well have loathed me. I went 
 back and performed my humane duty and gave up all 
 that was dear to me. Now I have nothing with which 
 to reproach myself. You wished me to gain my freedom 
 for your sake and I have won it honorably. Can you 
 hate me for that? Ah, how hard it was when I loved 
 you all the time, just you, Myrnie, all the time." 
 
 " No, it was like this," she said. " You cared for me 
 only in a light way, only when the ripples on the stream 
 of life were quiet and undisturbed. You soon found 
 whom you really loved when the test came. I do not 
 despise you for this. It is all very natural. She was 
 the wife of your choice, the mother of your child; you 
 had lived with her for many years, and the love of her 
 had worked deeply into your heart, and was there to 
 spring up and speak for its life when the time came. 
 
 195 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 That is the true analysis of the situation." There was 
 a ring of bitterness in the words "child" and "choice," 
 and Fred did not fail to notice it. 
 
 " Now," she continued, "when there is no one at hand 
 for whom you care more, you come back to me and ask 
 me to forget the insults you have heaped upon me. I 
 shall not do it, Mr. Harmon shall not. Do not prate 
 to me of humane duty. You were just selfish in the 
 matter, just selfish. I have come to know that what I 
 thought was love for you was only a reflection of your 
 feeling toward me. It was not a great love, was not 
 love at first sight as all true love must be." (The poor 
 little romantic girl was laboring under this worn-out 
 delusion.) I thought I cared because I knew you cared." 
 
 Fred had been pacing the room during her rapid, ex- 
 cited speech. Now he sat himself down wearily. This 
 was the way she interpreted all his sacrifice and his 
 suffering "just selfish." He felt that he had lost a 
 hard-fought battle. After a few minutes he said in a 
 low voice, 
 
 " Marriage is not necessarily the end of love, as in- 
 experienced people think. It is just as easy and natural 
 to fall in love after marriage as it was before, if the 
 person you married fails to keep your love. However, 
 an honest man must always perform his duty. I can 
 see that more plainly now than ever, and I would do it 
 the same again." (He arose to go.) "If that is the 
 way you understand it, I will say no more." Walking 
 to the door, he turned and spoke again, " I can not 
 blame you. You are so young yet, so inexperienced. 
 You look at life through untried eyes, but good bye, 
 Myrnie," extending his hand. 
 
 " Good bye, Mr. Harmon," she said sweetly. Then 
 
 196 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 they shook hands cordially, and he walked away, won- 
 dering what interest in life could keep him alive, where 
 could he go, what could he do. The girl stood watching 
 him as he walked away from her, pondering the same 
 questions for herself. 
 
 Little did she dream, as his form had vanished from 
 view, and she stood looking over the pretty town, that 
 to-morrow the attractive picture would appear strangely 
 altered. It is the trivial happenings and commonest 
 occasions that ofttimes work the greatest changes in 
 our surroundings. 
 
 A Swede who worked long hours in a mine milked 
 his cow after dark. He kept some matches and a lantern 
 in the stable for the purpose of making a light. Mice 
 usually inhabit barns and mice like chewing the phos- 
 phorus from the ends of matches. Perhaps some of the 
 mice are high-toned and this takes the place of rum 
 omelet to them. Strange that the Swede had not known 
 better than to leave the matches lying loose, but he was 
 an " Ole Oleson" like very many of his countrymen, 
 and he " Tank she bane safe enough." But the matches 
 were carried to the nests of the mice in the hay, and 
 when the matches were chewed and set burning, the hay 
 was ignited. The Swede discovered the flame while he 
 was milking his cow. He dashed his pail of milk on 
 the fire but failed to extinguish it. He then ran to his 
 horses and cows and cut their ropes, sending them 
 helter-skelter into the streets, but before he could rush 
 out and give the alarm, the whole barn was in a blaze. 
 
 The fire alarm was sounded, and after a while the 
 hose cart, ladders and engine came lumbering up the 
 
 197 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 hill. A strong wind was blowing, spreading the flames 
 in many directions. Already many of the surrounding 
 structures had caught fire, the Swede's house being one 
 of the first to go. 
 
 Gallantly and nobly did the firemen work, every ef- 
 fort being exerted to check the onrush of the flames, 
 but that night Fate seemed enlisted against Prescott. 
 It was a town of five thousand inhabitants, closely built, 
 and the majority of the buildings were inferior, wooden 
 structures, dried like tinder through the long summer 
 drought. No rain had fallen in six months. Very little 
 water remained in the reservoir. The people knew this, 
 and were frantic. Fire could not have visited their city 
 at a more unfortunate day. The water was used very 
 wisely, but its force was soon spent; the town was too 
 dry, the gale too angry. 
 
 The Swede's barn stood at the upper end of a street, 
 which was connected by a long line of frame buildings 
 with Whiskey Row, from whence an ambling line of old 
 shacks reached a half mile to the Burk Hotel. In an in- 
 credibly short space of time, the advance guard of the 
 lapping red tongues were hurrying along toward 
 Whiskey Row. If the course of the flames could not be 
 stayed before the large stores of alcoholic liquors were 
 reached, all effort must be vain. 
 
 Buildings were being pulled down, and some were 
 dynamited in the eager effort to subdue the scarlet 
 enemy, but the spiteful wind carried great flaming sheets 
 over the spaces thus made; these galloped madly on, and 
 soon explosions were heard in the direction of Whiskey 
 Row, and the people knew in their troubled hearts that 
 these were the explosions of the stores of spirits. 
 
 The fire had not travelled in one direction only. It 
 
 198 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 was also spreading along Cortez Street, taking the 
 buildings on both sides. The great fight was now to 
 keep it from reaching the storehouse of Bashford-Bur- 
 mister, for in this receptacle were large quantities of 
 mining supplies, powder, dynamite and giant caps; this, 
 too, looked like a hopeless battle. All the able-bodied 
 men and boys were fighting like Trojans, and many 
 women did what they could in their weak way, to check 
 the onrush of the conflagration; but what was the use? 
 No help could be expected from any of the sister towns. 
 Those of any size were too far distant, and the fire 
 departments of even the best of them were primitive in 
 nature and insufficient for the city's needs, like those of 
 Prescott. 
 
 By midnight the whole business section of the town 
 was in flames. A terible glare lit up the heavens, and 
 the heat was almost unbearable. Many noble workers 
 fell down, overcome at their posts, and had to be taken 
 away to places of safety. 
 
 Women cried, cursed and fainted, and some few 
 prayed: these prayers were as unavailing as were the 
 curses, for the fire demon is no respector of sentiment. 
 
 At last the flames reached the powder stores. The 
 populace fled with white faces, daring neither to enter- 
 tain hope nor fear. The explosion came, a great deafen- 
 ing roar, filling all space with its terrible sound. Then 
 followed a terrific concussion, which, however, did not 
 do the damage expected, for, strange to say, the blast 
 "pot-holed," that is, sent its force upward. Fortunately 
 enough there was only a small quantity of blasting sup- 
 plies in the town, the main magazine being two miles 
 from the city, half buried under a mountain of granite. 
 Nevertheless, the shock was so severe that many adobe 
 
 199 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 and brick structures were damaged or laid flat, while 
 people were thrown to the ground. 
 
 Only a few dwelling houses were destroyed by the 
 fire. One of the best of these was the residence of 
 Judge Crew. The Judge and his wife were in the habit 
 of frequently attending bridge parties. At such times 
 they left their two babes locked in the house with a 
 trusty Chinese cook, who sometimes slumbered too 
 soundly over his pipes, and this unfortunate evening 
 was one that the jovial Judge and his wife had chosen 
 to spend at the home of a friend a mile up Granite Creek. 
 
 At the first shrill scream of the fire alarm, the Judge 
 and his wife ran from the house in great excitement, the 
 woman screaming and falling over countless objects till 
 she fainted. The Judge, being a strong man, picked his 
 wife up and threw her over his shoulder, her poor head 
 hanging down pitifully. This precious burden impeded 
 his progress perceptibly. When the terrified spouse 
 came to consciousness, the Judge was compelled to 
 linger some little time with her before she was able to 
 follow, and when they rushed down Cortez street, the 
 blockade in the highway compelled them to take a 
 roundabout course, and by the time they reached their 
 house it was all in flames and unsafe to enter. The 
 Judge desperately attempted to force an entrance and 
 save his children, but he found the hall completely filled 
 with fire, and fell down strangled and unconscious. He 
 would have perished, but that strong hands came to his 
 aid in the nick of time. 
 
 Meanwhile the crazed mother stood screaming to the 
 firemen to save her perishing children. They made sev- 
 eral gallant attempts, but were each time forced back. 
 Some of them stood holding the crazed mother, lest she 
 
 200 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 rush into the arms of a useless death. She cried aloud 
 and beat her breast, calling upon God to save her babes. 
 
 A tall man stepped from the crowd, and inquired of 
 the woman in what part of the house her children were. 
 She pointed to a window on the second floor, "In that 
 room, sir. Oh, please save my children for me! In 
 there ! You will not all stand by and let them burn ! 
 You can see a post of the bed in which they lay through 
 the open window." Then she burst into screams of 
 agony. 
 
 The tall man cast about for a ladder, but none could 
 be had. They were all in use in other parts of the town. 
 "Give me a rope !" he shouted. A rope was fetched him, 
 but how was he to fasten it on the bedpost? 
 
 Myrnie Leston was among the excited throng that 
 crowded about the house. She had rushed with strangers 
 from quarter to quarter till she was almost exhausted. 
 She saw the act of the tall man, and was inspired to go 
 and encourage him, but she could not get through the 
 crowd. The man had made three unsuccessful attempts 
 to throw the rope through the open window over the 
 bedpost, when a slender, dark youth emerged from the 
 people and quietly said, " Give me your rope, Mister." 
 
 The rope was put into his hands. He backed off a 
 few paces, commanded the crowd to make room, took 
 the noose in his right hand, making no useless swings 
 of the rope about his head, but giving it a slanting up- 
 ward toss. All eyes saw it go circling up and over the 
 bedpost. A slight jerk to tighten the rope, and it was 
 handed back to the tall man. 
 
 Myrnie stood very near to the youth, and she was so 
 greatly overcome by the mastery of his act and the 
 cheers that greeted it that she put out a hand voluntarily 
 
 201 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 and touched him. He looked at her and smiled frankly 
 into her eyes. His easy, undisturbed smile and his eyes 
 were compelling. Then folding his arms over his chest, 
 he stepped back into the dissembling crowd. 
 
 There was too much transpiring in front of the girl 
 for her to follow the form of the courageous young man. 
 She turned quickly as a sound of smothered excla- 
 mations came to her ears. She saw the tall man scaling 
 the wall by means of the rope, then followed a half min- 
 ute of breathless silence, as he paused on the window 
 sill a moment to get breath, and as the red, yellow glare 
 flashed up and threw its halo on his face, the girl recog- 
 nized him. It was Fred. 
 
 Myrnie knew why his heart could be so tender to- 
 night; she knew why his life meant little to him, and 
 why he could so easily imperil it to assuage the woes of 
 a desolate mother. She staggered blindly as she saw 
 him dash into the smoke-filled room, but the next min- 
 ute he was back again poising on the sill for the descent, 
 but with two limp bundles under his arm. He put them 
 together under one arm, and using the free hand com- 
 menced to slide backward down the rope. When he had 
 almost reached the ground, the whole side of the house, 
 having been undermined by the fire within the lower 
 room, fell in and came with a crash to the ground. By 
 a seeming miracle the man and the two babes were 
 snatched from the burning debris, and the flames smoth- 
 ered from their clothes. 
 
 Strange as it may appear, the babes were safe, and 
 had sustained few injuries. They were placed in the 
 arms of their parents, who were frantic with joy, to the 
 extent that they omitted the formality of expressing 
 
 202 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 their gratitude to the brave rescuer till several days had 
 passed. 
 
 Neither was Fred hurt. As soon as he was released 
 by those who had taken him from the ruins, he turned 
 to see who it was who was hugging his arm. A pale, 
 frightened girl stood clinging to him, crying noiselessly. 
 
 " Myrnie," he exclaimed and they were in each others 
 arms. "Let us get away," she muttered. 
 
 " First, let us find the fellow who threw that rope for 
 me. That was the best piece of roping I ever saw." 
 They looked about, but the young man was nowhere to 
 be found. 
 
 " Who could he have been, anyway ?" Fred asked to 
 himself. Then he answered his own question, "Guess 
 he was some cowboy who happened to be in town. Sorry 
 I can't find him, I would like to shake hands with that 
 fellow." 
 
 Myrnie and Fred drew away from the assemblage of 
 huddled forms, and sought a place on higher ground 
 which had not been visited by the flames, and was 
 beyond all danger of the same. They seated themselves 
 on a piece of wooden sidewalk and beheld the devasta- 
 ting work of the fire monster. 
 
 Loud crashes of falling buildings and explosions came 
 to their ears incessantly. Dawn was breaking faintly 
 over the startled hills, and an unnatural stillness held 
 everything outside the city. The business part of the 
 town was completely destroyed, and a few of the res- 
 idences. 
 
 " The Burk hotel is almost gone," Fred remarked. 
 
 " Yes," an Irishman put in, who overheard the re- 
 mark as he passed them, "And think of the millions of 
 precious little lives that have been lost!" (meaning the 
 
 203 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 bed-bugs.) The Irishman passed on up the hill, the 
 huddled pair on the sidewalk followed him for a moment 
 with their eyes and smiles, for both of them well knew 
 the truth of his remark. 
 
 By noon of that day the flames were completely sub- 
 dued, and the town lay a heap of smoldering ruins. 
 Granite Street, as well as the "million of precious little 
 lives," had been completely wiped out, and its shiftless 
 inhabitants set adrift upon the town. There had been 
 but one case of loss of life in the whole place, though 
 hundreds of narrow escapes were accounted and a 
 number were reported injured. The one unfortunate 
 was the poor, drowsy Oriental in Judge Crew's house. 
 
 Every resident in the Territory of Arizona remembers 
 that terrible night in Prescott, and scarcely one but held 
 his grain of human interest in the town if in no 
 stronger sense, a deep sympathy for some friend who 
 suffered loss. The residents of Prescott speak of the 
 night with dread and pained faces. Many in the dead 
 of night still dream of the horror of the angry red glare 
 that filled the whole dome of the sky, as though the 
 Judgment Day had come. 
 
 Heavy-hearted, but with ever increasing zest, they 
 set to work bravely rebuilding their town, for the West- 
 ern spirit knows no defeat. Their courage and anima- 
 tion grew as they saw the modern, new structures climb 
 into the sky. To-day the town is magnificent, and stands 
 a monument to courageous hearts that thus brooked 
 their loss. Every one admits that the fire was a God- 
 send to Prescott, for now she is the favored city of the 
 Territory. But let the fire alarm sound its shrill scream 
 to-day, and the people are wild and frantic. They have 
 not forgotten. 
 
 204 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Out of the thousands who were downcast and in- 
 jured after the calamity, there were two who deemed 
 themselves benefitted and supremely happy: Myrnie 
 and Fred, of course. All was made up between them, 
 and it was settled that Fred should go East to float his 
 mining enterprises, and Myrnie should teach the Brown 
 Springs school, but that one year from the date of the 
 fire their lots were to be cast together. 
 
 Fred Harmon's troubles seemed at an end. He could 
 look before him, up the long avenues of the future, and 
 see the lines of perspective drawing to a common point 
 of joy in the distant center of his vision. All memory 
 of the dead wife and her sorrow was wiped out in the 
 great selfishness of this love, which wholly absorbed 
 and made another man of him. 
 
 Myrnie had been awakened to a sense of love. It had 
 come to her heart when she stood among the people 
 about Judge Crew's burning house ; had been flashed to 
 her from a pair of eyes which spoke from a kindred 
 soul. There in the heat and glare and danger, amid 
 scenes which reached down to the bottom of one's soul, 
 and pulled the emotions up as it were by the roots, had 
 come to her undeveloped heart love, at this hour when 
 she had least expected it. Yes, love; that for which 
 she had longed, about which she had speculated so much. 
 It had come at last, had burst upon her as a rose bursts 
 into bloom in a single ray of the sun's heat. It was in 
 her entire being ; she could feel it uplifting her and mak- 
 ing her a wonder unto herself ; and yet there was some- 
 thing so elusive and indistinct about it. It seemed to 
 vanish at times, and she was hardly able to place it upon 
 any tangible object. As she looked at Fred in the days 
 that followed, it hardly seemed to her that he was the 
 
 205 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 object of this love. When she sat in the moonlight with 
 him or in any dimly lighted place, she told herself that 
 it was Fred, and that love possessed this uncertain elf- 
 ish nature. With her renewed promise to him there came 
 too the feeling of being bound, that she had always ex- 
 perienced before, and this was unpleasant to her free- 
 born soul. Several times she was on the point of ask- 
 ing him to let her go; but her sympathy arose again, 
 at the pain he would suffer, and this kept her from mak- 
 ing a request for her liberty. 
 
 206 
 
Part II. 
 Life Among the Hammerheads. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 MYRNIE had written the clerk of the Browns Springs 
 school that as school was to open on the following- Mon- 
 day, she should appear among them on Saturday, and 
 suggested that he have a team at Myer (which was the 
 terminus of the railroad from Prescott) to meet her and 
 transfer herself and baggage to her destination. 
 
 This paticular Saturday was a busy day among the 
 ranchers at the Springs. Every man was hustling, and 
 could not spare either his services or his team. But dif- 
 ficulties of this kind were usually easily overcome among 
 the ranchers. Any of the cowboys in the community 
 would consider it an honor to be commissioned to go 
 after the new school teacher, but it now being a rushing 
 time with the cattle, they too were needed at home. 
 
 Frederic Oliver, Jim Bailey's sheep herder, better 
 known in the neighborhood as Grin, most forcibly of- 
 fered his services, and having eliminated a difficulty by 
 hiring Moor's boys to tend his flocks during his absence, 
 
 207 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 was told to ride the filly over to Myer, and to get a team 
 at Joe Myer's stable with which to bring home the new 
 teacher. 
 
 Grin was delighted, honored, uplifted. He rode to 
 the village at full gallop, using the filly disgracefully. 
 How could he afford to consider the filly? He would 
 be the first to meet the new school mistress ! 
 
 " Haven't a team left in the stable," Joe Myer, big 
 man of the town, landlord, postmaster and what not, 
 told Grin when he laid his wants before him. "But if 
 you will go up to Gray's, I think Don will be glad to let 
 you have his swift trotters and his red-wheeled black 
 top. Don always has been pretty tolerable partial to 
 schoolmarms; besides I reckon the best in the land is 
 none too good for the tribe." Thus joked good-natured 
 Joe, much beloved by miner, sheep herder and every- 
 body else. 
 
 Grin, almost exasperated, set out on a dead run to 
 the five-acre farm where the Grays' lived. The train 
 bringing the young lady was bearing down upon them; 
 he could see its smoke up at Poland Junction. He 
 breathed relief when he found the Gray brothers, Don 
 and Roy, in the barnyard with the team of trotters al- 
 most hitched to the red-wheeled buggy. When Grin 
 laid his predicament before them, they laughed loudly, 
 considering it a great joke, abandoned the ride they had 
 planned, and told Grin to run back to the depot so as 
 to be there to meet the stranger when she arrived, and 
 that as soon as they could finish hitching up the horses, 
 one of them would follow with the team. 
 
 Grin dashed back to town, hot foot, and rushed upon 
 the platform as Myrnie stepped from the car, looking 
 
 208 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 about her uneasily, feeling most conspicuous as the 
 bold-eyed loungers stared at her. Grin ran up to her, 
 his freckled face red to the neck, and the heated red- 
 ness of his scalp shining through his thin white hair 
 and blowing his excited breath into her face, as he 
 shouted : 
 
 "You're the new teacher for Browns Springs, Miss 
 L,eston, ain't you?" 
 
 " Yes, sir," said Myrnie, holding in with difficulty a 
 burst of merriment. 
 
 " Well, I'm Frederick Oliver, and right yonder comes 
 Don Gray with his crack trotters and black top, the 
 finest rig in these parts, and I'm to take you over to 
 the Springs, to Miss Moor's or to Miss Morgan's, which- 
 ever place you want to go." 
 
 Don Gray had driven up and was hitching the team, 
 having heard every word of Grin's awkward introduc- 
 tion, which, with the short, thick set of the fellow, and 
 his crude attempt at smart dress, was ludicrous in the 
 extreme. As the two came toward the buggy, Don's 
 head was bent forward. The brim of his felt sombrero 
 hid all of his face except the chin, but Myrnie could see 
 that he was laughing to himself as he handed the lines 
 over to Grin. He glanced up in time to catch the mis- 
 chievous twinkle in the eyes of the girl, and the two of 
 them gave way; the spirit of mischief controlled them, 
 and they could not withhold their laughter. 
 
 Grin looked from one to the other of them, dumb- 
 founded and all unconscious of the cause of their strange 
 behavior; but he lost no time in throwing the baggage 
 behind the seat, and when he had helped Myrnie into 
 her seat, he sprang up beside her, and broke into a vol- 
 
 209 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ley of bellows, ended by a whoop and a yell though 
 for what reason he did not know. Grin decided that if 
 Don Gray was going to start in like that and be such a 
 dandy fellow with the girls, he would do likewise and 
 a little better. He struck the horses several smart cuts 
 and drove away, while the girl beside him, still con- 
 vulsed, looked back over her shoulder at the handsome 
 dark fellow who was hanging to the edge of the plat- 
 form to support himself as he swayed about in a tumult 
 of sport, unable to control himself. 
 
 Neither of those in the buggy spoke as the trotters 
 spun over the first mile of the road, but soon Grin 
 brought his horses to a walk and addressed her, "Did 
 you ever meet Don Gray before?" 
 
 " Oh, no ; I have never met any one from out here," 
 she told him. 
 
 " Lord, a body would think you and he were old 
 chums," he said. He sat fumbling with the lines, pon- 
 dering the fact that they had not met before; then he 
 said to himself, " I wonder what they were laughing at ? 
 Search me! Schoolma'ms are sure queer." 
 
 When they had climbed to the top of the long ridge 
 which separated the two valleys, they could see the 
 country over which they were to pass as well as the hills, 
 black rocky mesas and devious canyons that lay far be- 
 yond. Some fourteen miles ahead of them, standing 
 somewhat higher than the surrounding elevations, stood 
 Eshler's Peak, like a lofty brick tower against the faint 
 purplish hue of the hills beyond. Iron Mountain and 
 Browns Hill were nearer, and not so red in their iron 
 formation. Aside from these peaks, the wide expanse 
 of desert valley was comparatively level, stretching 
 
 210 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 away thirsty and tongue-parched to the barren ranges 
 of mountains which hemmed it in on all sides. The 
 road easily could be traced over the varicolored, rolling 
 plain. Now you saw it creeping over a level space cov- 
 ered with dead dry grass; it lost itself in a ravine to 
 come into view again bending over a ridge of higher 
 dark colored ground; it lay over spaces of white lime 
 outcroppings, then further on, like a red ribbon, curved 
 around the base of Browns Hill and out of sight. Every- 
 where the country was parched, and sear, and lonely 
 looking, but Myrnie had learned to appreciate these 
 Western landscape pictures and was pleased with the 
 scene before her, though it brought a great sense of 
 isolation. 
 
 " Stop for a minute !" (she altered her commanding 
 tone) "will you, please?" And her companion obeyed. 
 
 " Must we follow that long, lonely road ?" she asked. 
 
 " That's the road, Miss. The Browns Springs neigh- 
 borhood and your school is over there, between Browns 
 Hill and Eshler's Peak. Dry Creek runs through there, 
 and the Ague Frio cuts through that canon this side of 
 Eshler's Peak. That's no dry country. It may look dry 
 to you, but it does not to an old cow. That's all fine 
 stock range, saccaton, gramma grass, filaree, and other 
 fine varieties, ripe now and full of rich seed. All the 
 range cattle are fat now and the sheep too. This is the 
 kind of a year that makes a feller feel glad he is a stock 
 man. That's only thirteen miles from here, fifteen miles 
 from Joe's, we call it. You've no notion of turning back 
 have you?" 
 
 " No, no, but it makes me feel so lonely," she told him. 
 
 " Pshaw, that will not last long ; you'll like it. Mighty 
 
 211 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 good people live over here, just as sociable and clever. 
 They're lookin' for'ard mighty keen to your comin', 
 powerful anxious to know what sort of a lookin' girl 
 you are. Gee Whiz, the surprise that's waitin' for 'm ! " 
 
 " Why, Mr. Oliver, am I so bad looking as that?" she 
 asked. 
 
 " Bad lookin' ? Gee Whiz, it's your all-fired good looks 
 that is goin' to surprise 'm. None of the other teachers 
 was ever so purty." 
 
 " Oh, you are trying to flatter me, Mr. Oliver," she 
 was laughing. 
 
 " Lord God, girl, ain't you got no lookin' glass at your 
 house?" 
 
 " Where are you going to take me to board ?" she 
 asked, ignoring his last question. 
 
 " I ain't goin' to take you no place against your will. 
 That is for you to settle. Ther's two places where they 
 want you to board; at Becky Moore's and at Lucy 
 Morgan's. Miss Morgan is the cleanest housekeeper. 
 Gee Whiz, her house is just like wax, but then I have 
 observed that a cranky woman is usually a good house- 
 keeper; but Lucy don't set the good table that Becky 
 does. Lucy, she's too stingy, yes too stingy to set the 
 meal's victuals that Becky does. Nor Lucy hain't got 
 the purty room all a'waitin' for you that Becky's got, 
 for I was down to Becky's yesterday and Grace showed 
 the room to me. Of course, Becky, she's got four kids 
 and can't be expected to keep her house done up so 
 spink-spank as Lucy can without no young ones. I 
 think you would feel more to home with Becky; she's 
 different from Lucy. Lucy is a good woman, and I 
 would not for the world say one word to cause you to 
 
 212 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 go to Becky's instead of Lucy's. But, Gee Whiz, Lucy 
 is Irish, she's got the red hair. Let a woman show me 
 the red hair and I will show you the spit-fire. Then 
 Lucy, she's got the pug-nose ; let a woman show me the 
 pug-nose and I will show you the inquisitive meddler, 
 a snupe, who goes into your trunk and reads your letters 
 when you are not at home. That's what Lucy did to 
 one teacher who boarded with her. Then she went about 
 the neighborhood after the teacher had gone and told 
 some all-fired lies about the letters. Then Lucy, she has 
 all those cowboys from the O. R. ranch hanging around 
 her place most of the time, Silvertip, The Corkonian and 
 The Terror of Doublin, we call'm, besides a hunchback 
 we call the Three-cornered Kid, all Irish, of course. 
 They are always welcome at Lucy's house, and they 
 make a regular boar's nest of her place. Becky is a fine 
 motherly woman. I go to Becky's often, she is just like 
 a mother to me." 
 
 " I think you can take me to Mrs. Moore's. I like 
 children and they will keep me from being lonesome. 
 Besides I rather need a mother myself." 
 
 " You've chosen wise, Miss. I think a whole lot of 
 you already. Soon as I set eyes on you I said to my- 
 self, 'Now, there's a girl !' You can't fool me on women, 
 I've studied 'm. Now, Lucy, she'll be as mad as a hor- 
 net because you go to Becky's, and she'll blame me for 
 it, and there is no more love between me and Lucy now 
 than the law allows. But you can tell her that I had 
 nothing whatever to do with it. You like child com- 
 pany and I admire you for it. Lucy can't blame me 
 because she is not so prolific as Becky." Grin here en- 
 joyed a quiet laugh to himself and continued, "You see, 
 
 213 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Bob Moore and Eshler Morgan are half-brothers; both 
 are cattlemen and naturally their wifes don't jibe. I 
 herd sheep for Jim Bailley; cattlemen and sheep never 
 jibe. I never do bother Bob with the sheep, but some- 
 times I let'm stray down close to Lucy just for a little 
 sport." Here he threw back his head and let out a 
 long, loud roar, which reminded the girl of deer hounds 
 she had heard in Nova Scotia. But Grin went on, 
 
 " Last summer Lucy brought her gun out and shot 
 a sheep or two for me right before my eyes, and I tell 
 you I hustled them away. Yes, Lucy and I, we love 
 each other when we are dreaming. But you will like 
 the school over here and most of the people. We sure 
 do have the big times over here in winter, dances all 
 over the country. A bunch of us fellers gets a girl 
 apiece and goes sixteen or twenty miles to a dance, go 
 to Cherry Creek, or McCabe, or to Camp Verde. But 
 our own dances right here at home in Eshler's hall suit 
 me well enough. Do you dance, Miss?" 
 
 " Yes, I am learning. I have been in this country 
 only a year, and I never danced in Nova Scotia. I am 
 rather an inexperienced dancer." 
 
 " But you've sure come to the right place to get broke 
 in. Yes siree, this am sure the place where they break 
 broncos." 
 
 " Do the young people of Myer come over to your 
 dances?" Myrnie inquired, hedging toward a question 
 that interested her. 
 
 " Yes, some of them," and after a minute's thought 
 he added, " But if it's Don Gray you're wantin' to know 
 about, I can tell you that feller is struck on himself. He 
 goes to Prescott to the swell dances ; takes his girl, Kate 
 
 214 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 with him. How could you expect a swell guy like him 
 to mingle much with us hammerheads over here? We 
 don't put on agony enough for him." 
 
 "Then he has a sweetheart ?" 
 
 " Don Gray? Well, I guess, yes! He's a full-blooded 
 ladies' man. But I'm not afraid of his gettin' struck on 
 you. He can see no one but Kate just now. She's old 
 Bremister's daughter down country on the Ague Frio. 
 He's a cattleman and considerable rich. Kate is sure 
 purty big black, snappin' eyes but Gee Whiz, black 
 eyes don't go when you are around." 
 
 Here the girl laughed outright, and asked him if he 
 did not think Don Gray might think the same. 
 
 " No danger of that ; Don Gray is plumb salmoned on 
 Kate; she's got her clutches on him. He comes over 
 to my camp and stays a week at a time. Don and I are 
 good friends, but he does not care that much for me 
 alone. My camp is only two miles from Bremister's 
 ranch. Don is gone all day some days, and some days 
 he stays at camp, and some days he herds for me if I 
 want to go to the burg, and on these days Kate is out 
 on the hills herding with him. But I savvy why Don 
 visits me so often. He never mentions her name, unless 
 I jeer him about her." 
 
 Myrnie did not reply to this. She became absorbed 
 in the scenery, turning about and looking over the 
 country they had left behind. On every side were 
 mountains, great granite mountains, hemming in the ex- 
 pansive valley, reaching far to the north and to the 
 south, much greater in length than in breadth. The low 
 land was thickly studded with sage brush, grease wood 
 and mesquite, with here and there a live oak tree. On 
 
 215 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the mountain sides were scattered scrub-oak and on the 
 rocky ledges scrub-cedar. 
 
 "That ridge we crossed back there is Pine Ridge," 
 Grin informed her, " because that pine tree that you see 
 on the summit, is the only pine tree in this section. This 
 first mountain ahead is Iron Mountain. I. T. Stewart 
 has a copper mine up on the summit of the lime and iron 
 there. The mine is closed now for lack of funds. Doc 
 Manhart is the keeper, Doc is the darnation good feller. 
 We are only five miles from Becky's now." 
 
 They rode on in silence for a mile or two; then Grin 
 raised his whip and pointed toward a bluff of rock, 
 which seemed to push its tall granite spires from the 
 end of a long ridge. These spires stood up in broken, 
 uneven lengths, casting their long shadows behind them, 
 for the evening was far advanced. 
 
 " That's Black Hawk's Stronghold. Under those rocks 
 are caves filled with rattlesnakes. Thirty years ago old 
 Black Hawk, the Comanche chief, and his braves, held 
 off Uncle Sammie's boys for a whole winter in those 
 caves." 
 
 Myrnie wished to inquire further about Kate. All 
 this news about Indians did not interest her much. How- 
 ever, she feared to manifest a deep interest in the girl, 
 since her companion had already shown suspicion of this 
 interest. 
 
 " Well, here we are at Becky's," Grin remarked as 
 they turned the summit of a round knoll, and came in 
 view of an old-fashioned lumber-house. As they ap- 
 proached the gate, a little girl in blue gingham pina- 
 fore ran to open it and stood smiling to greet them. 
 
 216 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Hello, Milly," Grin called out. "This is your new 
 teacher." 
 
 " Good evening, Milly," Myrnie said, wishing to be- 
 come friendly with her new surroundings at once. 
 
 " Hello," grinned back the dear little girl, hanging on 
 behind the buggy, and inspecting- the baggage curiously. 
 
 They went through the gate, passed some barns and 
 drove on to the house within the picket paling, to greet 
 the family who stood in the yard, Becky Moore with her 
 hands on her hips; Bob, her husband, with arms folded 
 over his chest; Grace, a healthy girl of sixteen, whose 
 tanned arms came out of the sleeves of a pink dress, 
 and two boys, Rob and Elmer, respectively twelve and 
 fourteen, standing somewhat apart, bashful but more 
 curious perhaps than all the rest. An uncouth and awk- 
 ward group they seemed to Myrnie, but the hearty wel- 
 come and their honest pleasure in meeting her were un- 
 mistakable. 
 
 The girl greeted them warmly, shaking hands with all 
 of them, even with Rob and Elmer, who offered their 
 "paws" lamely, being unused to so much ceremony. 
 
 " Come right in, Miss Leston ; I know you are plumb 
 tired out with that ride. I'll show you right to your 
 room. Law, I was only a girl and right from a thick- 
 settled part of Iowa when I first came over that road. 
 I sure thought that Bob was bringing me to the edge of 
 the jumping-off place." 
 
 " Oh, I think it is charming out here, Mrs. Moore," 
 was the cheerful reply from the girl. 
 
 " Law child, I'm glad if you do. I've grown used to 
 it now and should not care to live any place else. The 
 
 217 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ride to Myer is a pleasure trip to me now. I think you 
 will find us fair folks to live with, if a bit plain." 
 
 Mrs. Moore had led to a large room on the ground 
 floor which opened onto the veranda as well as into the 
 large living room. There was plenty of light and cheer 
 in the room and comfortable furniture, which Myrnie 
 mentally inventoried as follows: An old-fashioned bed 
 curtained in white, pillow shams starched stiff and with 
 mottoes in the centers (encircled by garlands of flowers 
 which read, "Go to sleep like the flowers," and "A glor- 
 ious morning unto you"), three chairs of different 
 styles, two rockers and a straight back, a table with a 
 red cover, a heavy old chest of drawers newly varnished, 
 a red plush-covered spring couch (which when you sat 
 down threw up your knees to hit you in the face, so 
 weak the springs had become), a washstand, with 
 blue granite-ware bowl and pitcher, and a large rug 
 which almost covered the floor. Freshly ironed muslin 
 curtains were at the windows, colored cards, old fash- 
 ioned bric-a-brac and an old chromo or two lit up the 
 dim wall-paper. This was the "purty room" Grin had 
 held out as an inducement for her to come to Becky's. 
 Later, when Myrnie had been through the house, she 
 discovered that every article of beauty the household 
 possessed had been lovingly transferred to this room. 
 
 Her baggage had been brought in and placed by lov- 
 ing hands. It did not take Myrnie long to find that the 
 one, all-absorbing, annual interest was the new school 
 teacher, she being about the only new person worth 
 while who came to dwell among these people. 
 
 The girl adjusted her belongings in her room and felt 
 almost happy. Presently the pretty, sunburned face of 
 
 218 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 little Milly was thrust in at the door to announce that 
 supper was ready. Grin Oliver had remained for the 
 meal, of course. Every face was cheerful and bright, 
 Becky Moore doing the bulk of the talking, while her 
 sleepy husband acquiesced and agreed with her in every 
 instance. The children looked at Myrnie constantly or 
 spoke in awed whispers; however, the contents of the 
 table provided more than one item of interest to the 
 hungry stranger. There was tenderloin steak, roast 
 quail, sweet home-made butter, thick cream for every- 
 thing, rich cold milk to drink, cottage cheese, fresh eggs, 
 pie and cake, and all spread out in generous family 
 style. 
 
 " Now, we haven't much to eat, but pitch right in and 
 help yourself and make yourself at home. I do hope 
 you will not starve out here among us hammerheads." 
 
 " Why, Mrs. Moore, the table is fairly groaning under 
 this load; rarely have I seen such a generous board," 
 was the girl's reply, and this set the children all laugh- 
 ing at the idea of the table's groaning. Milly hid her 
 head under the table and whispered to Rob, "Generous 
 board ! My, but she is stylish !" 
 
 Myrnie neither heard nor saw this. Mrs. Moore was 
 telling her about the school, that this year there would 
 be a good, large attendance, about fifteen pupils in all, 
 while last year there had been but ten. That last year 
 they had paid seventy-five dollars per month, but had 
 more money this year, and could pay ninety dollars, 
 since more money should be paid for teaching more 
 children, and if all this year's school money was not 
 used that it went back to the common school fund, 
 anyway. 
 
 219 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 After the meal Myrnie and the two girls went out to 
 look about the place. A wide veranda ran around three 
 sides of the house. Ill-kept flower-beds were scattered 
 about the yard, with dying bachelor buttons, phlox and 
 marigolds in them. A thin hedge of sweet peas stood 
 up along the fence, while hop vines and morning glory 
 vines sheltered the western porch. A few fruit trees 
 stood in the inclosure called the yard ; in the back part 
 stood old outbuildings without doors, littered with tools, 
 farming implements (though I do not know what use 
 there was for these), saddles, bridles, horseshoes, and 
 reeking of cowhides and sheepskins. 
 
 Dry Creek,, dry, except for a few deep holes of water 
 along its course, delved into a deep hollow along the 
 south side of the fence, the banks of which broke off 
 sheer and slippery just outside the inclosure, where pools 
 of slimy green water stood in the deep hollows. Herds 
 of range cattle came here to water, and the banks were 
 deeply tracked and cut up. 
 
 Myrnie could hear the wild doves cooing to each other 
 all along this creek, and the sense of rest and peace 
 which the sound conveyed to her overwrought nerves 
 was welcome indeed. There was another sound which 
 was not so consoling, and this Myrnie took for the bleat- 
 ing of a sheep in distress. "Baaa ! baaa !" was called out 
 at frequent intervals, till the girl began to feel that it 
 needed help. 
 
 " I wonder what is the matter with that poor sheep," 
 she remarked. 
 
 " What sheep ?" Grace asked her. 
 
 " Did you not hear that sheep bleating as though it 
 were in distress? Listen, and you will hear it." They 
 
 220 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 stood still and listened, but the sheep kept stilf. Just as 
 they were giving up the idea of hearing it again and had 
 started toward the barns, "Baa ! baa !" said the sheep. 
 
 "There," said Myrnie, "you heard it that time." To 
 her surprise the two girls threw up their hands and 
 screamed with laughter, and it was some time before 
 they could say, "That is no sheep that is a frog in one 
 of those pools." And they ran to the house to tell the 
 others about the "teacher's poor sheep," and the laughter 
 was as hearty here also. Of a verity that is the way the 
 frogs croak in Arizona. 
 
 The girls now went to the barns, where the great 
 corrals were. The fences were made high and strong 
 to hold the milling herds of cattle. A number of these 
 strong corrals stood together, opening one into another 
 by a series of bars. These Myrnie was told were used 
 for cutting out or separating horses or cattle, being con- 
 sidered better than the old way of using the open plain. 
 Upon a hillside stood the sheep-pens, made of brush 
 and the dipping bins, the sheep of a large territory being 
 brought here for the spring dipping. This ranch seemed 
 to be the center of operations of the whole country. 
 Myrnie was amazed at the stock of information these 
 two girls were able to give relative to the handling, rais- 
 ing and shipping of all kinds of live stock, especially 
 cattle, but on many subjects upon which girls of their 
 ages should have been informed, they were totally ig- 
 norant. 
 
 " Oh, it's heaps and heaps of fun to see them cut out," 
 Grace informed her. "All the cowboys in the country 
 come here because Pa has the best arrangements of any- 
 one about here, and he lets all use them, and it's fine to 
 
 221 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 i 
 
 see the sheep dipping, too. I've stayed on the top of this 
 fence all day long watching them cut out steers to ship. 
 Some of the old forty-niners are sure sinners." 
 
 "Forty-niners? What are they?" Myrnie asked. 
 
 " Those are the old, long-horned boys who have es- 
 caped the round-up for a year or two. They get lean 
 and raw-boned and wild, and are sure in for a scrap. 
 You bet the boys have to fight shy of them, or they get 
 a gutted horse," Grace replied, unconscious of the slang 
 she used. 
 
 The remainder of the evening was spent indoors, 
 Becky Moore and her brood being ravenously fed and 
 satisfied by the story of Myrnie's life in Nova Scotia, 
 which they eagerly pumped from her, and when she had 
 done they considered her a wonderful person. Bob sat 
 on the veranda in the fine moonlight playing on his 
 'Voyleen," as he called it before stylish company, "fiddle" 
 being used for home folks. Myrnie afterwards found 
 that many men in this neighborhood played a "voyleen," 
 but Grin Oliver was their best musician. How pleasant 
 to be thus thrown among people of her own taste; but 
 her playing did not seem to particularly please the ear 
 of these people at first. They liked Grin's music better ; 
 but before she had left them their taste for music had 
 been somewhat elevated. 
 
 " I never cared for a Voyleen' played by note," they 
 said at first. " It is too much like some one crying, 
 and is no good for dancing. Give us the Voyleen' played 
 by ear." 
 
 Another asked, "Do you play the Fisher's Hornpipe, 
 the Devil's Dream, Pretty Little Men in Sandyland? 
 
 222 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 No ? I am so sorry. Those are my favorites on the 
 'voyleen'." 
 
 Myrnie went to bed that night feeling very happy, 
 her senses keenly alive to the opening of a new life, 
 strange and extremely interesting. Perhaps it was a bit 
 rough, but the kindness, loving interest and pure minds 
 of the people made it seem exceedingly fine to her. She 
 knew that kindness was not handed around in this wise 
 in every quarter of the globe. This plunge into Cattle 
 Land was new to her, but she, being a true child of 
 nature, was able to appreciate it, not that she recognized 
 it as a distinct type of American life, but her impres- 
 sionable nature felt its subtle fascination. Its unbounded 
 freedom appealed to her, as she was released from all 
 former conditions. 
 
 After she had been in bed for half an hour, she re- 
 membered Fred Harmon with a start, for the first time 
 since leaving the cars at Myer. As the slow train had 
 borne her along the uneven road on her way to Myer, 
 she had with difficulty restrained the tears at the thought 
 of the long time that must elapse before she should see 
 him again. But the time since had been so full of crowd- 
 ing thoughts and new impressions that she had almost 
 forgotten his existence. She was ashamed of her neg- 
 ligence, and said her prayers in bed over again, asking 
 God to bless him. But before she slept, she remembered 
 a laughing pair of brown eyes, which held something 
 within them that was compelling, and saw the gleam of 
 even white teeth, whose clean wholesomeness was 
 heightened by the dark tan of a perfectly featured young 
 face. 
 
 223 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 MYRNIE jumped from her bed the next morning at 
 the sound of knocking at her door; she had overslept. 
 Breakfast was ready, she was informed, and by the 
 time she had finished her toilet and come out into the 
 dining-room, the family was seated at the table. The 
 same good cheer and fellowship greeted her as on the 
 previous night. 
 
 She gathered from the breakfast-table conversation 
 that a large number of cattle were to be brought to the 
 corrals that day, and branded and separated into different 
 lots. She heard them speaking of the "rodeo," a word 
 whose meaning was unknown to her, but having heard 
 also some conversation about the hay-bailing crews and 
 machine which were at work on Bremister's river bottom 
 alfalfa fields, she had in a confused way linked the two 
 ideas together, and asked quite innocently, "Is the rodeo 
 the hay-bailing machine?" 
 
 At this every member of the family fairly yelled with 
 choking laughter. Bob 'Moore beat the corner of the 
 table with his fist and silently shook from head to foot, 
 with tears streaming down his face, while the boys fell 
 on the floor and kicked the table legs in glee. Mrs. 
 Moore was speechless, and the two girls threw their 
 heads on each other's shoulders to support themselves 
 
 224 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 while they giggled. As soon as Bob could speak, he 
 drawled out between snorts: 
 
 " You Eastern school - ma'ams are awfully fine and 
 smart; you know grammar and arithmetic and manners, 
 but there are a few practical things in Arizona that 
 stump you." 
 
 Myrnie had laughed with the rest, knowing that she 
 had made another blunder, and as soon as Becky could 
 recover, she wiped her eyes and said : 
 
 " Of course it is not strange that you do not know 
 what 'rodeo' means, but you must excuse us for laughing, 
 it seems so funny to us. ' Rodeo' is an every day word 
 with us. It is the Mexican word for 'round-up'. You 
 see, here so close 'to the border of Mexico, we get into 
 the habit of using many Mexican words that are shorter 
 and more handy than our own. 'Rodeo' is used for round- 
 up all over the southwest. This is the time of the fall 
 rodeo, and the boys have gathered the cattle from the 
 whole range and have them in one herd up in the valley ; 
 to-day they will bring them here to separate them into 
 herds of each outfit's cattle. There will be some brand- 
 ing to do of the late calves. It's a good sight, Miss 
 Leston broadens a body's mind to understand cattle." 
 
 " But this is Sunday, Mrs. Moore. Do they work on 
 Sunday?" 
 
 " Work on Sunday ?" Becky Moore smiled her sweet, 
 compassionate smile, and shook her head sadly with, 
 "Indeed they do work on Sunday. Yes, they generally 
 save such jobs as brandin' or cuttin' out for Sunday. 
 The men enjoy it. It takes the place that base ball takes 
 in your country. These cowboys are proud of their 
 skill with the cattle, indeed they are. When I first came 
 
 225 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 out here it nigh broke my heart to see them all work on 
 Sunday. I was brought up religious like, but I've grown 
 used to it now till one day don't seem no more sacred nor 
 holy to me than another. It's a custom of our country, 
 and our customs grow out of necessities, and are not 
 wrong. We even laugh now at the idea of the Sabbath's 
 sacredness. It's a joke among us. But it used to trouble 
 me terribly, and I did a lot of useless praying over it in 
 those days; however, I think I've solved the matter for 
 myself sort of worked it out by my own needs and ex- 
 periences, as we have to do all things out here. You 
 see, this is a necessity. There is no church or Sunday 
 school among us, and it comes to me that one day is no 
 different from another. It's all God's time every day 
 is a seventh day; and by doing our duty, we are keep- 
 ing every day holy. I know you can't see it that way 
 you are just from a country where traditional things 
 count. But necessity governs in Arizona, and we can- 
 not afford to pay heed to precedent. We live too near 
 nature, too near to the source of things for that. I like 
 these ways better now, and I should hate to be governed 
 again by those old, narrow ways. Freedom is better 
 than bondage, where there is no evil in the freedom. 
 Our people help each other in a practical way, and are 
 generally square-toed citizens, and that is as good as 
 you can find anywhere." 
 
 Myrnie was shocked and a little surprised to hear this 
 woman talk in this way. It showed that she had thought 
 for herself more deeply than anyone would suppose. 
 There was a reason in what she said, though the girl 
 could not as yet approve of her reasoning. 
 
 A far away, softened look stole over the mother's face 
 226 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 as she continued talking, "My children have been to 
 church only a few times. Once in a while some one- 
 horse preacher strays out this way, but generally they 
 are too careful of getting their shoes dusty to come out 
 here to save the souls of the hammerheads. I am satis- 
 fied with my children ; they live near to Nature, and ain't 
 that God?" 
 
 They were disturbed by a sound of laughing, and, look- 
 ing outside, saw Bob Moore holding his sides while he 
 repeated, "Is the hay-bailin' machine the rodeo?" 
 
 And all day long some member of the family took his 
 turn at repeating the question, and to the last day that 
 Myrnie lived among these people it was considered a 
 great joke among them, never failing to put them into 
 hysterias of laughter. All the community heard of it, 
 and Myrnie enjoyed it as much as anyone else. 
 
 She, Milly and Grace walked over to the school-house 
 after breakfast to make ready for the opening of school 
 on the morrow. The school-house was a neat, lumber 
 structure of a single room, with up-to-date iron desks 
 with stationary ink-wells. The door and window cas- 
 ings were painted a vivid green both inside and out, 
 otherwise the building was unpainted. There were maps, 
 charts, every kind of needful apparatus, and Myrnie 
 was delighted with the outlook. The dead evergreens 
 of last year's closing day's decoration still hung, dust- 
 covered, on the walls. These were taken down, the walls 
 dusted, and, to the delight of Milly and Grace, were 
 adorned with a number of pretty pictures and mottoes 
 which Myrnie had brought along for the purpose. Thus 
 cleaned and embellished the room was attractive, and 
 the girls left it to go back to the ranch house, for the 
 
 227 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 dinner hour was approaching. Outside several oak trees 
 stood near enough to shield the house from the sun, and 
 down by the big spring Brown's Springs, where the 
 generous stream of water came from under a pile of 
 rocks stood a number of large cottonwood trees. The 
 spring was fenced to prevent the range cattle from de- 
 filing its pure water, but a liberal stream ran truant over 
 the flat below, making, a kind of meadow, called the 
 park, the only oasis of the kind for miles around. 
 
 When the girls had reached the summit of the hill, they 
 paused, seating themselves on some flat boulders to rest, 
 their faces toward Myer. 
 
 " Do you often go to Myer ? " Myrnie asked, again 
 hedging toward a subject of interest. 
 
 "Oh, yes; we go often. We just love to go. They 
 have fine dances and school entertainments over there," 
 Grace told her. 
 
 " Do the Myer folks come over here to your dances ?" 
 
 " Not so often ; sometimes some of the boys do." 
 
 "And girls?" 
 
 " There are so few girls in Myer. There is Jane 
 Myer, but she is so stuck-up. Mrs. Lacy comes often. 
 She is a grass widow, and I think she and John Alex 
 are going to get married. The Gray boys come once in 
 a while. Gee, I like to have them come. Don is so fine 
 and handsome." 
 
 " I think I saw him. He brought the team to the 
 depot for us, but I did not meet him," Myrnie said. 
 
 " Gee, isn't he handsome ?" Grace asked, with en- 
 thusiasm. 
 
 " Do you think so ?" was the teacher's innocent reply. 
 228 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " He is the handsomest man I have ever seen, and his 
 
 girl, Kate, is a dream." 
 
 " Tell me all about Kate," Myrnie said, striving to 
 conceal her anxiety. 
 
 " Oh, but she is not as pretty as you are," little Milly 
 put in, "Her eyes are large and black, her skin is dark- 
 ish with pinkish spots on her cheeks, and her hair is as 
 black as old Nell's mane, but she is not near so pretty 
 as you are, is she, Grace?" 
 
 " I don't hardly know," Grace smiled, speaking 
 frankly as seemed to be the way of these people. " You 
 and Kate are so different. She doesn't seem so fine as 
 you do; her hands are not near so nice, but her waist is 
 lots slimmer, she is slimmer all over and taller. I be- 
 lieve you are really prettier. I used to think Kate was 
 the prettiest girl in the world, pretty as a face on a cal- 
 endar, but I believe your face is sometimes prettier than 
 any calendar face." 
 
 Myrnie laughed at this and said, " Oh, you dear child," 
 and laid a tender hand on her shoulder. This kind of 
 frank admiration came so naturally from these people 
 that she could not doubt its sincerity. 
 
 " Well, I bet that you got lots prettier clothes," broke 
 in the stubborn Milly, "I'll bet that trunk of yours is 
 plumb chuck full of beautiful things. When are you go- 
 ing to unpack? May Grace and I watch you unpack?" 
 
 " I am going to unpack this evening, and you may 
 both watch me if you will tell me all about Kate. I 
 just love to learn about other girls." 
 
 " Bully ! Goody, goody !" Milly cried, clapping her 
 hands and dancing around, but when she turned her 
 
 229 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 face toward the ranch house, she stood still and ex- 
 claimed, " Oh, look yonder !" 
 
 Myrnie and Grace turned quickly, and saw the whole 
 trough of the valley, as it narrowed into Dry Creek, 
 filled with a moving, dun-colored mass. Myrnie's first 
 impression was of muddy water rushing forward, but a 
 second glance and Grace's words, "The boys with the 
 cattle," told her what it was. 
 
 " We must run to the house quick before they bring 
 them to the corrals, for some of them are sure to refuse 
 to go into the corral at once and may run up here. The 
 whole herd may get started this way, and Papa said 
 there were a lot of old forty-niners among them and 
 this is no safe place for us." And the three girls ran 
 pell-mell, laughing and screaching, down the hill, and 
 came to the house in time for Grace to help her mother 
 with the dinner, for the cowboys, the whole number of 
 them, were to have dinner with Becky that day, another 
 custom and necessity of the country. 
 
 Myrnie and Milly ran up-stairs, where from the win- 
 dow they had a good view of the corrals and the cattle. 
 This way and that the sea of animals surged, bellowing 
 and overriding one another, and raising a great fog of 
 dust from under their thousands of grinding hoofs, 
 which with the yells and hallooing of the herders, pre- 
 sented a particularly Western scene a picture now rap- 
 idly passing away. 
 
 Myrnie felt a great wave of feeling sweep over her, 
 being strangely moved and mystified, as every one must 
 be when he first beholds a great herd of cattle, and she 
 remembered Mrs. Moore's words, "Broadens a body's 
 mind to understand cattle." 
 
 230 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Finally the herd was packed in the great main corral, 
 where they moved about incessantly. Round and round 
 they milled, throwing up their heads in complaint against 
 this infringement of their freedom and natural rights. 
 
 The cowboys came stringing to the house for dinner, 
 and Myrnie heard one of them call out, " Come on boys, 
 to the big feed and get on the outside of your dinner. 
 There is lots of work to-day and no time to squander 
 feeding your faces. What's the matter with you, John? 
 Have you gone back on your hash?" 
 
 " Not me," answers John Alexander, whom they gen- 
 erally call John Alex for short. "I can always bank on 
 Becky; she is sure to be there with the goods." 
 
 They washed their faces and hands in tin wash-basins 
 which stood on a long bench, dried the same on long 
 roller towels that hung by a fly-specked mirror and 
 comb-case on the porch, flecked the dust from their 
 clothes with their hats, which they threw on the porch 
 floor. Slouching into their places at the long, well-filled 
 table, they fell to eating with a peculiar elation, for had 
 they not heard of the new school-mistress, who, as the 
 story went, was prettier than any calendar face? There 
 were several Mexicans among these cowboys, and these 
 left handprints of dirt on the towels, being, as Sour- 
 Dough Wilson expressed it, "afraid of water." 
 
 While the hungry cowboys munched their savory 
 dinner, Myrnie and Milly ran away to the corrals to see 
 the cattle. Milly fearlessly climbed to the top of the 
 fence, but Myrnie stood some distance away, timidly 
 watching the herd of impetuous animals as they circled 
 round and round, never weary of seeking some way of 
 egress, now staring up at dauntless Milly standing 
 
 231 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 calmly on the top tail of the high fence, clinging to a 
 post, still higher, while now and then some infuriated, 
 long-horned monster plunged upward at her, shaking 
 the whole corral with his huge bulk, as though an earth- 
 quake visited the place. At such times, Myrnie, though 
 brave as she naturally was, quaked from head to foot, 
 and begged Milly to come down, but the little girl only 
 laughed at her fears, and seemed to like nothing better 
 than to torment the untamed creatures by imitating 
 their bellows and waving her red apron at them. 
 
 Meanwhile the hungry cowboys were on the tip-toe 
 of eager expectation to see the young lady. They craned 
 their sinewy necks this way and that if they heard a 
 footstep in the adjoining room, or looked out of the 
 windows in hopes of getting a glimpse of her. Each from 
 sympathy understood the desire uppermost in the heart 
 of the other, and some one invariably called out, "rub- 
 ber" to the one who looked about, and this brought 
 about a great roar of laughter, for the word was new at 
 that time. 
 
 Seated there were Sour-Dough Wilson, a man of 
 thirty years, famed for the excellent sour-dough bis- 
 cuits he made while on the rodeo; Doc Manhart, so 
 called because he performed successful operations on 
 chickens, cutting their crops 'open with a razor and pull- 
 ing the grasshoppers out with his fingers, when the 
 gluttonous birds filled their craws so full that they would 
 not digest, and sewing the rent up with a needle and 
 white cotton thread; it was said that he had never lost 
 a case. Doc was custodian at I. T. Steward's copper 
 mine on the crest of Iron Mountain, but he always spent 
 a few days with the boys on the rodeo for the sake of 
 
 232 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 good-fellowship. Then came Awk and Dug Bremister, 
 brothers of the beautiful Kate, John Alexander, bach- 
 elor from Tonto Basin, and Eshler Morgan, husband to 
 Lucy. Then there was George Overwhacker, little and 
 dried and grizzled, living on the Barba Coma ranch 
 with his dark senora and dusky race of seven halfbreed 
 "muchachos," and Mexican Charley and two other Mex- 
 icans who shared equally with the white men. Besides 
 these there were Silvertip, so named because his locks 
 were prematurely gray, the Corkonian, the Terror of 
 Dublin and the Three-cornered Kid, cowboys from the 
 great O. R. ranch, which covers so many acres that they 
 say the children go out to milk the cows and come home 
 years afterward with full buckets, gray-headed men and 
 women. 
 
 " Becky, where is that new kid-puncher ?" Eshler 
 called out in his thin, piping voice. "Don't she know 
 that these cow-punchers can't eat their dinners for want- 
 ing to see her?" 
 
 " You bet that is right," Silvertip put in. "Haw, haw, 
 haw!" and they all set up a laugh, as a group of men 
 can do on the least provocation. 
 
 " Well, now, you listen to me, boys," Becky Moore's 
 soft voice pleaded, " I want you fellers to be mighty care- 
 ful how you meet that girl ; she is not just like the girls 
 you are used to, she is so tender and refined, and I am 
 sure that we all seem rough to her. She is just a tender 
 flower, and if you hammerheads do not go darned slow, 
 you will frighten her out of the country, and we want 
 to keep her, she is too good to lose." Becky was shak- 
 ing a hard, knotty fist at them as she finished. 
 
 " Wouldn't that curl your liver ? " Awk Bremister 
 233 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 flashed up, but just then they all grew very circumspect. 
 A sweet cheerful laugh rang out very near the door, and 
 sent the warm blood tingling through all their veins. 
 Myrnie and Millie were coming in from the corrals, and 
 were having some rare kind of fun. She came in at the 
 front door, crossed the long living-room and entered her 
 own chamber, and every eye beheld her. Her glorious 
 hair was wind-blown and partly fallen down in dis- 
 orderly confusion ; her soft, white, muslin gown with its 
 short sleeves reminded them of a summer cloud, and the 
 spicy fragrance of rare perfumes floated to the keenly 
 trained nostrils of these rustic fellows. She looked so 
 sweet and clean to them, and brought to the honest and 
 unsophisticated heart of each, a revelation of something 
 higher and better than anything they had ever known. 
 The effect produced was to sober them ; they looked into 
 their plates and ate morosely and thoughtfully, not a 
 word being spoken among' them to the close of the meal 
 except a droll, "Chase the cow up this way, Eshler," or 
 "I'd like some hen-fruit," or "I think I will try one of 
 those fried holes," or "There, freeze on to that." Each 
 felt some holier thought stirring within him man's in- 
 stinctive love for the good and pure in women. 
 
 When the meal was finished and they passed outside 
 and took up their labor again amongst the practical af- 
 fairs, they fell back into their wanton ways, and, much 
 to the embarrassment of Becky's shielding desire, Myr- 
 nie heard some one call out in a loud voice : 
 
 " Hey there, George, you damned Hassayamper, bring 
 back my hat. I have no use for this louse cage of 
 yourn." 
 
 Myrnie spent the afternoon in unpacking, much to the- 
 
 234 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 delight of Becky and the two girls. So many things had 
 to be explained, and every article examined, that the 
 whole afternoon was thus consumed. When they had 
 seen all her clothes, they thought her more wonderful 
 and grand than ever. 
 
 The cattle had been separated, and the cowboys had 
 driven them away, all except Bob's steers, which were 
 to be driven to Myer on the morrow and shipped. These, 
 a great herd within themselves, had been left in the cor- 
 ral, and Myrnie fell asleep that night lulled by the sound 
 of their bellowing, rolling and re-echoing in different 
 tones, like the opening sounds of a great stringed or- 
 chestra, testing and tuning the instruments. 
 
 235 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 first day of school was one of those fine crystal 
 days of early September, such as would set the mind 
 of even the most practical dreaming of his own van- 
 ished school days. But this first day of school at Browns 
 Springs was so unique in character, that Myrnie could 
 make no comparison between it and the school days of 
 her own childhood. 
 
 She walked over the hill that morning before the sun 
 had crept down the mountain sides and into all the 
 canyons and hollows, in a fever of enthusiastic interest. 
 Where is the teacher who did not feel this same impulse 
 on the first day of school ? She placed her books on her 
 desk, and went outside to sit on the step to await the 
 arrival of her pupils. Here a great sense of loneliness 
 crept over her such a long time it seemed before any- 
 one appeared. She was beginning to think that she 
 should be compelled to teach the empty benches, when 
 they commenced to flock in from different directions. 
 From over the top of a barren hill to the left she saw a 
 boy on horseback riding toward her, and as he passed 
 over the summit, his form in relief against the vast space 
 of clear sky, he loomed so large and gruesome that it 
 sent a thrill of horror through her. From behind her 
 Moore's four came stringing down the hill. Winnie 
 
 236 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Collins, a girl of fourteen, emerged suddenly from the 
 mouth of a ravine near by, as though she had come out 
 of the earth. Seth Bailey, adopted child of the eccentric 
 Jim, came galloping up on a frowsly burro, and the 
 three grandchildren of Aunt Sally Wilson stood before 
 Myrnie, smiling up into her face, and she did not know 
 from what quarter they had come. 
 
 A mile or more away the teacher observed a peculiar 
 looking moving object coming slowly round the curved 
 slope of Brown's Hill. As it drew nearer, the teacher 
 made it out to be a two- wheeled cart, drawn by two 
 burros, the cart containing the progeny of George Over- 
 whacker and his Mexican spouse. 
 
 No house, no sign of civilization could be seen in any 
 direction. Nothing but the gray, misty desert valley 
 stretching away to meet the still grayer and more misty 
 mountains, and the red tower-like hills that stood nearer. 
 Myrnie sent up a prayer of thanks for these trees and 
 this spring with its meadow. Here was a little rest to 
 the tired eyes of those who looked over the naked 
 country. It seemed to Myrnie that these children had 
 sprung from the heart of the desert, and were making 
 their pilgrimage to the altar of her knowledge, in a 
 crude attempt to wipe away the illiteracy of their wild 
 country. 
 
 The new teacher greeted these children in her natural, 
 pleasant way, asking them their names, and they felt at 
 home with her at once. The big boy who came on horse- 
 back told her that he had ridden eight miles from the 
 Hassayampa river, that his name was Ora Pitner, and 
 that this was the first year in three that he had been able 
 
 237 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 to attend school because he had herded his mother's 
 sheep for the last two years. 
 
 A few minutes before nine o'clock the two-wheeled 
 cart came jolting over the rocks and drew up at the door. 
 Josephine Overwhacker long and slim and lean as all 
 Mexican girls are, climbed nimbly from the awkward 
 cart and greeted the teacher with a pleased smile on her 
 dark face, but she did not give the lines over to her 
 brother Eddy who sat on the seat with her, for Yosie 
 (which is the Mexican pronounciation of her name and 
 universally used) was a horsewoman by instinct; she 
 cared for the burros herself. 
 
 At first Myrnie thought the cart contained but these 
 two persons, but on looking around quickly, she caught 
 a fleeting glimpse of three black heads and three pairs 
 of round black eyes peering over the dashboard at her. 
 When the three little images saw that she beheld them, 
 they ducked down instantly, and when she stepped up 
 to the cart to make their acquaintance, the three mu- 
 chachos huddled together in a brown heap on the floor 
 of the cart, and no coaxing, either from Myrnie or 
 Yosie, could induce them to raise their heads. 
 
 Presently Yosie's black eyes began to flash, she gath- 
 ered up a handfull of small switches, and before anyone 
 could prevent the act, was fiercely switching the bare 
 legs of the little half-breeds, at the same time pouring 
 forth a volley of fluent Mexican profanity. At this they 
 sprang from the cart and ran away like young quail, 
 hiding themselves behind the school-house, whither Myr- 
 nie followed, determined to conquer their fear of her. 
 She was none too soon, however, the last one had all 
 but crept under the school-house and beyond the reach 
 
 238 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of any grown person. Finally Myrnie, aided and 
 abetted by Yosie and Eddie, persuaded them into a 
 degree of tameness, but it was considered safer by Yosie 
 to close up the opening under the house, which she and 
 Eddie did, piling it full of stones. 
 
 Nine o'clock came, and Myrnie rang the bell joyously 
 if this bell could be made to so ring. It was a home- 
 made affair, having been constructed of the cone-like 
 tin vessel from a top of a heating stove, with a wooden 
 handle fastened to it, and a short bolt tied in by a string 
 for a clapper. When Myrnie gave this to Bob Moore 
 and asked him to buy her a new school-bell, he laughed 
 a good deal, and said it seemed to him that she was 
 getting too particular and was teaching the kids high- 
 toned tricks; but the next time he went to town, he 
 bought a bell of which even she could not complain. 
 
 The dignity of the opening of the school was greatly 
 impugned by the bashful obstinacy of the three younger 
 Overwhackers, who had never been to school before, 
 and who made repeated attempts to escape, bolting for 
 the door on each occasion. Aside from this the day was a 
 great success, and Myrnie was made happy in the after- 
 noon by receiving her mail. 
 
 Winnie Collins had left the room, and was about to 
 return when a man on horseback called out to her, "Hey 
 there, Winnie, you tell that teacher that I want to see 
 her." 
 
 " Doc Manhart is out here, teacher, and wants to see 
 you/' Winnie said as she came back into the room. 
 
 Myrnie went to the door to find that gentleman sitting 
 calmly on his horse, shuffling over a number of letters. 
 
 2 39 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Bet I got what you want pretty bad," he said with 
 no word of introduction. 
 
 " My mail," Myrnie exclaimed. " Oh, yes, I have had 
 no mail for four days." 
 
 "Us fellers out here don't get ourn but once a week, 
 but with school misses I guess it's different, especially 
 when she gets five letters at once and three of them in 
 the same hand-write. Guess you got that feller goin' 
 east instead of south. Here's one of his letters mailed 
 at Denver, one at Chicago and one at Buffalo. You got 
 him buffaloed sure." He handed her the letters, but she 
 made no reply to his remarks, simply thanked him a 
 little indignantly, and went back into the school-house. 
 
 Later, when school was out and the children had gone 
 home, Myrnie still lingered, reading her letters and 
 thinking of the man whom, Doc Manhart said she had 
 going east instead of south, when she heard a step on 
 the threshold, and looking up, she recognized the glow- 
 ing face of Grin. 
 
 " Hello there, pardner," he called out by way of greet- 
 ing. "How is school teachin' among the hammerheads 
 and Hassayampers ?" 
 
 "Fine, thank you, Mr. Oliver, how are you?" she 
 asked. 
 
 " Oh, I'm about as well off as you could expect a 
 philosopher to be in a money-loving world. You see 
 I thought I'd come down and chat with you for awhile 
 to keep you cheered up. Hope I don't smell bad, but I 
 killed one of them essence peddlers on my way down." 
 
 " What is an essence peddler ?" she asked in surprise. 
 
 " Well, if you want me to speak plainer, I can. It's 
 a skunk. I left the sheep with Seth Bailey just over the 
 
 240 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ridge there. I've got a pretty good-sized interest in you 
 since I was the means by which you got here, and since 
 you and I are both full-blooded orphans." 
 
 " Are your parents dead too ?" 
 
 " Yes ; my father died of chokation. He was a great 
 booze-fighter, and was pulling a cork out of a beer-bottle 
 with his teeth over at Joe's one night, and the cork flew 
 into his throat and choked him to death and no one knew 
 anything about it till morning. It was a good thing, I 
 guess, for I think he died to keep from going to the pen. 
 My mother was a full-blooded idiot. She lived in fear 
 and horror of the insane asylum. Her own mother and 
 grandmother before her died there. Mother died a 
 short time after father went. We never did know what 
 took her off; she just laid down and died one day. 
 Guess she died to keep from going to the insane asylum. 
 I got one sister ; she lives in New York and is a virtuoso, 
 gives concerts in the Metropolitan Opera House." 
 
 " How very sad," Myrnie responded. 
 
 " No, it's not sad. I've been better off without my 
 parents. Reckon that is cruel, but ambition is purely 
 selfish you know." 
 
 " Then your parents stood in the way of your am- 
 bition?" 
 
 " Yes, to some extent they did. My aim is to be rich, 
 big rich. But I'm not a miser like Jim Bailey. That 
 man never sleeps. If he makes a dollar he lays awake 
 all night to tickle himself over it, and if he loses a dollar 
 he lays awake to kick himself, and between the two he 
 gets no sleep. Supporting father and giving him booze 
 money was the only way I could keep him from stealing 
 his living and going to the pen. My mother was an aw- 
 
 241 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ful saintly, good woman. I take after my mother. But 
 I mean to be rich. I've got some good copper claims 
 up in the gulch that are going to make me rich. Just 
 now I am trying to find a suitable name for them. Every 
 mine has got to have the right name, or it sure is 
 hoodooed. Now that's one of the things I've laid awake 
 in the night and dreamed about." 
 
 By this time Myrnie and Grin were half way home, 
 for he would go with her to chase away the centipedes, 
 Gila monsters, coyotes and rattlesnakes, or anything 
 like that, he said. 
 
 " Now I'll tell you what is fine," Grin proceeded as 
 they climbed the hill," and that is living up at the sum- 
 mer sheep camp. It's a heap better than city life, to my 
 notion. I'll take you up there next May when we open 
 camp. We can do as we dern please up there; eat with 
 our knives, saucer our coffee and have a hell of a good 
 time. You can go about with your shoes untied and 
 your face unwashed, and you won't have to comb your 
 hair from one day's end to another. But the best part 
 is when the ewes get to lambin'. You see when a lamb 
 is born it has to be put to its mother, and I'll tell you, 
 sister, along in May the lambs get to comin' so fast that 
 it keeps you on the jump. The ewes are droppin' 
 'em all around you till you are busier than a cranberry 
 merchant. Gee whiz ! That is life. When a feller has 
 lived like that, he sure knows life." 
 
 Myrnie was laughing to herself all the evening and 
 when she was questioned repeatedly about it, she only 
 laughed more and said she could not afford to tell. She 
 was destined yet to make another blunder in her eager 
 
 242 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 desire to learn all things. After supper she accosted 
 Bob Moore and said: 
 
 " Mr. Moore, I have heard you folks use the word 
 hammerhead so often, and I do not think I know what 
 it means unless it is a kind of yellow-headed bird." 
 
 This was ducks for mischievous Bob as well as for 
 the rest of the family. They laughed, as they seemed 
 to so love to do when people made blunders. 
 
 " Yes, hammerheads are yellar-headed birds by a 
 damn sight," Bob snorted, and left the house over- 
 powered, and again Becky had to explain. 
 
 " I guess you are thinking of yellow-hammer, that is 
 a kind of yellow bird. Hammerhead is a word of our 
 own coinage. We are indebted to Grin Oliver for that 
 word, for he is the man who coined it. It simply means 
 cattle people a nickname for them." 
 
 A few days later a bunch of the cowboys accosted 
 Grin as he sat on a rock watching his flocks feed leis- 
 urely in the valley below. 
 
 "Hello, Grin, workin' at our trade?" Dug Bremister 
 called out to him. 
 
 " Sure, Dug. My cart-wheels are pilin' up as I sit 
 here on this rock philosophizing." 
 
 " We hear you have made a mash on the school 
 mistress," John Alexander called out to him. 
 
 " That is what I expected to do," Grin threw back at 
 them, elated. "There's my future wife, says I to my- 
 self the minute I cast eyes on her." At this the cowboys 
 roared. 
 
 "All right, you fellers can laugh, but I will get that 
 girl, and you will see the day. I am a psychic, I can tell 
 things. That is as plain as the nose on your face." Here 
 
 243 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the boys went wild again, tossing up their hats and firing 
 their revolvers. 
 
 " Who are you, anyway, Grin ?" Silvertip asked. 
 
 " That's just it. You fellers don't know who I am. 
 Some of these fine days you are going to find out who 
 you have been running around with all these years and 
 then you are going to feel proud of yourselves and that 
 is what I say." 
 
 More laughter from the cowboys, and Doc Manhart 
 called out, "I'll tell you what you are, Grin. You are 
 just common crazy, bug-house, nutty, in other words 
 locoed. Didn't you ever hear that a sheep herder is 
 doomed if he stays with his flocks long enough? You've 
 been with yours five years now. Pretty soon you will 
 be saying 'baa, baa,' and feeding with the nannies all 
 day long." 
 
 At this Grin jumped from his seat and commenced to 
 throw stones at his tormentors, but was pacified by 
 John Alexander, who called out, that they wanted him to 
 ride over the country to invite everybody to a dance at 
 Eshler's hall a week from Friday night being as he was 
 so smooth of speech and able to put things in the right 
 way. 
 
 " Sure thing," responded Grin, growing enthusiastic 
 again, and forgetting the insults as he always did. 
 
 " I'll be there with my voyleen," he assured them. 
 
 " Yes, we want you to play, Grin, so we fellers can 
 have a better show with the new kid-puncher. Not one 
 of us have met her yet." 
 
 "Well, what's the matter of you fellers?" Grin asked, 
 proudly. 
 
 " Oh, we've tried hard enough to meet her, but she 
 244 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 is shy to meet. She is like your sheep, Grin, she will 
 scatter." 
 
 " I'm not afraid of any of you hammerheads beatin* 
 me with " he began, proudly, but before he could finish 
 the sentence, the cowboys could not be seen for the 
 cloud of dust their ponies were making as they sped 
 across the desert. 
 
 The days preceding the dance fairly flew. There was 
 so much to be done; new dresses to be made for girls 
 and women, new suits to be purchased among the men, 
 for each cowboy was bound to appear his best. All the 
 neighborhood was in such a stir over the affair, as 
 scarcely could be imagined. Grin had spent two days 
 on Doc Manhart's swift horse, riding like mad over a 
 radius of thirty miles, inviting all those he met without 
 exception, sending word to others, and dropping notes 
 to those inaccessible, holding out as an inducement that 
 the new school-teacher would be there; and this was 
 sufficient, as Grin intuitively supposed, to set all riding 
 post haste in the direction of Eshler's Hall on that pro- 
 spective night. 
 
 245 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MYRNIE went to the dance with Moore's family, hav- 
 ing refused several invitations sent (through Becky 
 Moore) from young men whom she had not met, Doc 
 Manhart being one of the most urgent of these. 
 
 The girl's heart beat eagerly as she entered the long, 
 rough hall, decorated profusely with evergreens, and 
 lighted as brightly as oil lamps could light it. There 
 was plenty of bustle and business inside, several young 
 fellows walking about the room whittling candles on the 
 floor, which already shone with slickness. Some were 
 clearing away benches and stools from the middle of 
 the room, and others were busy tending the lamps, refill- 
 ing them, and cleaning the globes. 
 
 To this moving herd of men, women and children, 
 Myrnie seemed the main object of interest. The cow- 
 boys and sheep-herders stood in groups outside, rolling 
 cigarettes and bantering one another. From their dark 
 corners of vantage, they could look inside, through open 
 doors and windows, without being seen by those at 
 whom they wished to stare. 
 
 Since Myrnie had taken up her life among these 
 people, their world had become her world, their interests 
 her interests. Fred Harmon seemed like a dream to her 
 to-night far away and vague, and her reality was this 
 
 246 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 lighted hall, these people and this wonderful new life in 
 this lotus land of charm. She had received bundles of 
 letters from Fred once or twice a week, when some one 
 was kind enough to bring her mail to her, letters till she 
 grew tired reading them, for he wrote her almost every 
 day such outpourings of love, till it all sounded alike 
 to her. She sometimes forgot to read these letters for 
 a half day. The curious eyes of the whole neighborhood 
 managed to see some of these letters she received, all in 
 the same "handwrite," and Lucy Morgan declared it 
 was a man's "handwrite" and jumped at the conclusion 
 that she was engaged to "so some rich feller that trav- 
 eled," and told it about for a certainty. 
 
 Myrnie answered these letters sometimes, of an even- 
 ing when her isolation brought memories of him, but her 
 letters were no such outpourings as were the ones she re- 
 ceived. She gave these letters to her friends to mail for 
 her, and in no time, everybody was familiar with his 
 name. However, on this evening, the thought of him, 
 indistinct as it had grown to be, vanished quickly. She 
 was searching the crowd for a face she had hoped to 
 meet, and when she did not find that face, her heart and 
 her enthusiasm fell a little. Still she thought he might 
 be outside or that he would arrive later, and she took 
 new courage hanging to this hope. What she did see, 
 however, was women with their tanned faces wreathed 
 in smiles, in anticipation of tfie pleasure before them, as 
 they dwelt on neighborhood topics ; these had their chil- 
 dren with them some mere infants. Their husbands 
 were there with an attempt at dress high-heeled boots 
 under cheap, striped, high-water trousers, coats too 
 short for them, especially in the back, home-laundered 
 
 247 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 collars that soon showed signs of wilting, and every var- 
 iety of ties. 
 
 Cowboys and sheep-herders were plentiful, with wide- 
 brimmed sombreros, white or red handkerchiefs about 
 their necks and black store-clothes cut several years 
 behind the times. Such as these were shod in dancing 
 pumps. A number of these played on mouth-organs with 
 all the frills and accompaniments, as though it were a 
 great accomplishment. 
 
 The young ladies were there in home-made dresses, 
 much bedecked with bows of ribbon, ruffles and lace. 
 Myrnie was dressed in a sheer white organdy, but she 
 noticed that the prevailing color among these girls was 
 pink. Rather pretty they looked, she thought, though 
 they were what is generally called "tacky" by the well 
 dressed. 
 
 The new teacher received a long line of introductions 
 and felt herself fairly initiated into the circle. The or- 
 chestra marched in and took its place on a high platform 
 at one end of the room, being composed of Grin with his 
 "voyleen," who took his place proudly, his socks beam- 
 ing white between black trousers and dancing pumps; 
 Mexican Charley carried a guitar, and Lucy Morgan, 
 long and slim and red-headed, took her place at the old- 
 fashioned organ. 
 
 The first dance was called out in as loud voice as Esh- 
 ler Morgan could muster, for the honor of being floor 
 manager fell to him, and the players struck up with 
 "Pretty Little Men in Sandyland," and the hammer- 
 heads made a man rush for "pardners." Several of them 
 butted into Myrnie with their "Will you please exist me 
 in this dance," but Myrnie had promised her first dance 
 
 248 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 to Bob Moore, or rather she had made him promise to 
 lead her in the first dance. 
 
 When the couples were in place for four sets, away 
 they went in an "All join hands and circle to the left/' 
 like the stampede of cattle with which they were wont 
 to deal daily, environment having so great an influence, 
 but every heart was tuned to a seraphic harp on which 
 an angel played. Myrnie came out of this warm and 
 flushed and smiling, only to rush headlong into a waltz, 
 for she could no longer escape the onslaughts of the 
 hammerheads. 
 
 Strange that none of the other girls grew jealous of 
 her raging popularity. Instead they stood about in 
 groups and discussed her in whispers. " Isn't her hair 
 just sweet? I think I can do mine like that. I am going 
 to try to-morrow/' Or : "I wonder how that dress is 
 fixed there in the back," or "Ain't she just nice and 
 clever? Not one bit stuck-up." They took it for 
 granted that she should take precedence over them, and 
 were quite satisfied to take second place. 
 
 About ten o'clock the two Bremister boys came, ac- 
 companied by a brunette whom Myrnie knew at once 
 to be Kate. How like the apotheosis of night she looked 
 in her black gown, her fine black eyes and her raven 
 hair glittering with jeweled combs. Myrnie was fright- 
 ened a little when she saw how really beautiful Kate 
 was. Kate espied Myrnie at once, and the glances of 
 the two girls as they met for the first time were like two 
 swords that clash in the crossing. 
 
 Kate rushed up to the majority of the women and 
 girls present and presented them with a kiss. She met 
 Myrnie very coolly, but it was evident that the two girls 
 
 249 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 liked each other better "on further acquaintance," for 
 they spent a part of their spare time conversing, and 
 Kate confided to Myrnie, " We should not have been so 
 late had we not waited for Don Gray, whom I naturally 
 expected would come for me, but I received word 
 through Grin that Don was thrown from his horse and 
 has a badly sprained ankle/' 
 
 However, before midnight the dark, handsome face 
 of Don Gray appeared at an open window. Myrnie was 
 the first to behold him, and the effect was that of an 
 electric shock to her. He was looking squarely at her, 
 and the influence of his eyes set her heart going like 
 a trip-hammer. Her first act was to glance around to 
 see where Kate was, and finding that she was nowhere 
 to be seen, she frankly returned the smile he gave her, 
 and thus they met without an introduction. 
 
 The face disappeared from the window, but presently 
 she heard a soft voice say behind her, " How is life 
 among the hammerheads?" She turned to find Don 
 leaning on the window-sill behind her. 
 
 "Oh," she said, " I heard that you was thrown from 
 your horse and could not come." 
 
 " Yes, that reached your ears soon enough. I'll wager, 
 but my horses never threw me. That is one good way 
 of getting out of doing a thing you do not want to do. 
 My foot is as well as that of our nimble friend's over 
 there," and the white, even teeth gleamed pleasantly 
 between the clean lips as he smiled. 
 
 Myrnie looked toward the platform in the end of 
 the room to see Grin dancing a lively jig while Bob 
 Moore played for him, to the great delight of the house. 
 Kate was to be seen nowhere. 
 
 250 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Why did you come ? You can't dance/' she asked. 
 
 " Thought I might have one waltz on the sly, and 
 that is all I care for," he told her. 
 
 " I feel sure Kate will accommodate you," Myrnie 
 snapped, wishing to recall the words before they were 
 fully uttered. 
 
 " I do not intend to waltz with Kate at all. She is the 
 one who is not to be put wise about my foot." 
 
 " Oh, excuse me." 
 
 " I will gladly. Lucy Morgan's dining-room is only 
 a few steps from here. It is not entirely dark in there, 
 and the floor is fine; you come there when you get a 
 good chance, and we will have a waltz by starlight, and 
 no one to bother us." 
 
 " Indeed, I shall not," she told him, firmly. 
 
 " I shall expect you just the same," he told her, but 
 just then Grin finished his jig and the laughing watch- 
 ers dispersed. Kate and some other girls came into the 
 room in time to see Don disappear from the window, 
 and a wild, fearful look came into her eyes, but she 
 carried her head high and pretended not to have seen 
 him. 
 
 Presently he came limping into the room and seated 
 himself by Kate, telling her that he had ridden over 
 alone for fun, not being able to keep away. Don glanced 
 toward Myrnie, but saw that his half-brother, Roy 
 Fielding, was talking to her. Soon he limped out of 
 the room and perched himself at the open window, 
 where he remained, watching with interest, sometimes 
 with a cynical smile, the merry dancers. Myrnie pre- 
 tended to pay no heed to him; she was making herself 
 very agreeable to his half-brother, but a flame of tor- 
 
 251 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ture went through her whenever Kate stopped under the 
 window to chat with him, flashing the dangerous lights 
 from her black eyes. 
 
 At midnight supper was spread on a long table which 
 Eshler and others constructed in the middle of the hall, 
 and if ever a table groaned under its load, that one did. 
 Don sat with Kate in a half-sheepish way, which he 
 covered cleverly by the well-directed broadsides which 
 he threw at the other fellows, who answered back with 
 equal enthusiasm. Myrnie was occupied with Roy, and 
 it was plain to be seen that the boy was getting into 
 deep water. 
 
 Shortly after midnight a great clamor was heard out- 
 side, and with it the gruff voices of men swearing. Esh- 
 ler was trying to make peace, but with little success. 
 Soon the trouble was explained by the appearance of 
 Jim Bailey, stalking into the hall in a half-intoxicated 
 state, with two heavy revolvers strapped about him. 
 George Overwhacker and Mexican Charley were at his 
 heels, and several other sheep-men hovered near. 
 
 " I don't give a damn for petticoats nor kids," Jim 
 Bailey thundered. "The man who is poisoning my sheep 
 will pay for it, and if I can find him here to-night, he 
 will pay heavy too." 
 
 The women huddled together in fright, for Jim Bailey 
 was known to be troublesome when in liquor, but he was 
 hurried from the room by a number of men and the 
 wrangle went on from outside. 
 
 " This is a great place for him to come to make 
 trouble, here among women and children," Mrs. Collins 
 said. 
 
 " But he says some one is poisoning his sheep, and 
 252 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 he is not the only one who is having the very same 
 trouble. They are up to their old tricks again, and this 
 thing can not always go on/' spoke up a woman from 
 the Verde, whose husband owned sheep. 
 
 " Oh, I guess it's only a bluff he is trying to work 
 to cover his own dirt," spoke Lucy Morgan. "Only 
 last week Tuck Potter found one of his critters where 
 it had been shot down not so very far from a certain 
 sheep camp, and I guess Jim Bailey does not live on 
 mutton all the year round. This cow had the round cut 
 out. Seth Bailey was seen to have fresh beef in his 
 bucket at school about that time, and did you ever hear 
 of Jim Bailey buying any meat?" 
 
 "Yes," put in Mrs. Collins. "Let him take his in- 
 fernal sheep off this range. This is a cattle country. 
 He has been heard to make his threat that he will have 
 this range to himself in two years more." 
 
 Then all the women commenced to talk, taking vio- 
 lent sides one way or another, till it seemed that some- 
 thing must happen. 
 
 "Well, now," Becky Moore consoled, " It is bad 
 enough for the men to make trouble about this to-night, 
 and you all know that this is no place for trouble. Let 
 us women folks set a better example by making peace." 
 
 At this the groups of women broke up, for they real- 
 ized that Becky was right, and they told her as much, 
 and became more friendly in their comments; but the 
 spirit of unrest which had been stirred up among them 
 by this occurrence was by no means pacified. It was 
 evident, that the bitter enmity, which always exists 
 when sheep-men and cattle-men live in too close 
 proximity, was astir, and this was the first flashing up 
 
 253 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of the flame that was to burn so fiercely in the near 
 future. 
 
 Finally Jim Bailey and his crowd were induced to go 
 away. Mexican Charley was no longer in the orchestra, 
 but there was some one ready to take his place. Sev- 
 eral other families, all those who owned sheep, gathered 
 up their belongings and took their departure. Others 
 looked about in an uncertain way, till Eshler Morgan 
 came in and addressed them. 
 
 " Now, ladies and gents, do not let this little affair 
 interfere with our dance. This was a put-up job by 
 the whole bunch. Those fellows came here with the in- 
 tention of breaking up this dance, and nothing would 
 please them 1 so much as to be able to do so, but nothing 
 would beat them so much as to find that they can not do 
 it. Let us not mind them. So get your pardners for a 
 waltz." 
 
 These words were no sooner out of his mouth than 
 bang, bang, bang, rang out three guns from a short dis- 
 tance, and the lights were out. Jim Bailey and his crowd 
 had gone a short distance from the house and fired at 
 the lamps through the windows. Consternation reigned, 
 and there were hushes and smothered voices of fear, till 
 Eshler, aided by others, relighted the lamps, put on new 
 globes, and drew down the window blinds. A number 
 of cowboys jumped on to their ponies and followed the 
 culprits, demanding an explanation, but Jim Bailey only 
 laughed loudly, and said that he wished them to under- 
 stand that they were fair marksmen, and that he guessed 
 it was time lights were out and all good folks were in 
 bed, anyway. 
 
 Myrnie was very nervous and wished to go home, but 
 254 
 
In the Land of Extremes 
 
 no one else seemed much disconcerted, and they all as- 
 sured her that there was no danger whatever. It was 
 now looked upon as a good joke. 
 
 Don Gray came to Myrnie now that Kate had left the 
 hall again, and said: " Wasn't that rich, that shooting? 
 I would not have missed this affair to-night for a good 
 deal." 
 
 " I certainly did not enjoy it," she told him. 
 
 " Well, I expect you to enjoy it with me. This is the 
 crowning glory of my efforts, and it is rich, rich," and 
 he went away laughing before Kate came back into the 
 room. 
 
 It was not long before the whole house was waltzing 
 again, and good cheer returned to every heart. Their 
 wits seemed to be more alive than before. 
 
 " Say, Grin," called out John Alexander, as he sat 
 proudly by his widow, "have you found a name yet for 
 your copper mine up in the gulch?" 
 
 " Yes, John. I think I have," Grin answered, proudly. 
 
 " What is the name ?" John asked. 
 
 " I've called it Fool's Gulch," Grin said. 
 
 " That's a mighty appropriate name, Grin," Doc Man- 
 hart put in. 
 
 " That's what I thought," was Grin's remark. 
 
 " When you strike it rich, you are going to put me in 
 on the ground-floor right, ain't you, Grin?" Doc ban- 
 tered. 
 
 " Let you in ? Huh, I'd like to know what you have 
 ever done for me that I am to let you in," Grin flashed 
 back. 
 
 " Done for you ? Why, I chased the coyotes away 
 from your sheep a number of times when you was 
 
 255 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 wastin' your time and breath down at the school-house. 
 What have you ever done for me?" Doc asked, feeling 
 sure that he had the best of Grin for once. 
 
 " Done for you," Grin drawled, stepping up before 
 Doc, "why, I named the Gulch after you, Doc. What 
 more could you ask me to do for you?" 
 
 Doc joined in the laugh that followed this, knowing 
 that he was fairly beaten. 
 
 "Doesn't he just beat everything?" Myrnie heard 
 some one say, and turning, she found Don at her elbow. 
 
 " I do not know just what to make of him yet," she 
 said. "Tell me who and what he is." 
 
 " That is a question I wish some one would answer 
 for me. I've known him for several years and am not 
 settled in my mind about him yet. His father was a 
 drunken thief, as everybody knows, and his mother, as 
 he himself puts it, was a full-blooded idiot at times . 
 she really was crazy on occasions, and it is hard to say 
 what the combination has brought forth. But he has a 
 sister who is a musical prodigy. She was reared by a 
 rich uncle, and never had much dealings with her own 
 family. Grin goes by the name of fool, but I sometimes 
 wonder if he is not the brightest light this section has 
 produced. Everybody in the Territory has heard about 
 him, he is about the only noted person this section has, 
 and I think we ought to be proud of him. I stay with 
 him weeks at a time, and I find his company very divert- 
 ing, I never grow tired of him. Some of his ideas and 
 discoveries are really wonderful. Then in some other 
 matters he seems a perfect fool. I think he will lose his 
 mind some day, as his mother did. They do say she 
 was bright at times. I was greatly pleased with him a 
 
 256 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 few years ago, at a political meeting at Myer. John 
 Alexander had been nominated for road supervisor on 
 the Democratic ticket, but Judge Owens wanted his 
 brother to have the place, and was using every oppor- 
 tunity to turn the tide of feeling in his direction. He 
 was speaking excitedly and said, 'We do not want a man 
 from over there among those those what shall I call 
 them? Someone tell me, quick'/' 
 
 " Hammerheads !" yelled Grin from the audience, and 
 hammerheads was the watchword of the campaign, and 
 it beat John Alex. Grin was popular .after that, and 
 when questioned as to where he got the name, said it 
 was given him on the instant said he saw the simi- 
 larity in the shape of a hammer and a cowboy's head. 
 
 Don had been so pleasant and sane in this conver- 
 sation that Myrnie was beginning to think he was what 
 she wanted him to be, and she was in for forgiving 
 other things he had done which did not please her alto- 
 gether. He arose and limped from the room as the 
 floor manager called out, "Get your pardners for the last 
 waltz !" 
 
 Don went out of the door, looking back at Myrnie 
 with the smile in his eyes, and her natural desire was to 
 follow him, but she told herself that she would not. But 
 she saw Roy Fielding coming toward her, and she want- 
 ed to avoid him now more than anything, and she arose 
 and hurried from the room before he reached her. She 
 had no intention of going to the dark dining-room, or 
 at least that is what she told herself, but her feet led her 
 there in spite of herself. Don was there waiting for her. 
 She was angry with him because he had taken it for 
 granted that she would come and said, " Oh, you seem 
 
 257 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 awfully sure about my coming, but I only came here to 
 get a drink and to escape dancing. I am too tired to 
 dance." 
 
 " There is the music come on/' and he held out his 
 arm and smiled at her, "You could not be so cruel when 
 I have not danced this night," and she went to him. 
 She could see his face dimly. 
 
 They waltzed away, round and round the dark room 
 with their two hearts beating as one. This last waltz 
 was one of those continuous affairs that you meet with 
 in country places where the musicians play on and on 
 till the dancers tire each other down. Myrnie and Don 
 danced till the last note was struck and she had forgotten 
 all about her fatigue. They heard others coming toward 
 the room and they went each in an opposite direction 
 feeling a strange new thrill and delight permeating their 
 entire beings. 
 
 When Myrnie came back into the hall, she found that 
 Roy had not danced. He came to her and spoke in a 
 hurt voice, " You saw me coming and ran. I wanted 
 to dance that last dance with you so badly. Why did 
 you go? It was almost unkind of you." 
 
 " I did not see you coming. (Lie No. i !) I was so 
 tired I did not want to dance with anyone." 
 
 " Well, I guess you will let me take you home. I have 
 the crack trotters and the red-wheeled wagon, the best 
 rig in these parts." 
 
 They both laughed at this, and Myrnie said she would 
 go home with him, but she lingered till she saw Kate 
 depart. Don Gray was with her and Myrnie's heart 
 burned with anger. 
 
 258 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE next Monday at school, Myrnie was surprised 
 to have one of her small pupils come to her crying with 
 the complaint that, "Yosie hit me with a mud ball." 
 
 Myrnie hastened out to where her pupils were, and 
 was mystified to find them engaged in pitched battle 
 down by the spring. They were divided into two fac- 
 tions and were stationed some distance apart, mud balls 
 flying freely. The clay below the spring was wet and 
 in good condition to be moulded, but neither side had 
 taken possession of the spring nor forbidden the enemy 
 to make missiles of defence. Each side had two good 
 men at the spring, making balls as fast mud could be 
 rolled, and a boy apiece to carry the balls when made 
 to the seat of action, thus again exemplifying the fair- 
 mindedness of Western people, and illustrating that 
 same principle which the United States government 
 showed in the attempt to subdue the troublesome Indian 
 tribes of the West, when she furnished them with guns 
 and ammunition, and at the same time sent her, superior 
 forces against them to kill and conquer them entirely! 
 Beautiful, white-winged mercy! 
 
 The perplexed teacher chose different methods and 
 ordered the ring-leaders into their seats demanding an 
 explanation. 
 
 259 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " We do not want to have anything to do with them," 
 Winnie Collins informed her ; "their fathers own sheep." 
 The girl went on, assured that she was right, "and they 
 run their sheep on our range and destroy it for our 
 cattle." 
 
 " Yes," spoke Yosie, her black eyes flashing fire, "they 
 commenced on us first; they think because their fathers 
 were here first that our fathers have no right here, but 
 my father owns cattle as well as sheep, and my father 
 says, and I guess my father knows, that it is not lawful 
 for them to fence up the water, but that is what they do 
 and my father cuts the wires for them, too, so he does." 
 
 It was little Milly who spoke this time, "Yes, and my 
 papa says that if there is one, tiny, little bit of meanness 
 hidden away any place in a man's makeup, that owning 
 sheep will bring it to the surface, and I guess my papa 
 knows." 
 
 Myrnie smiled to herself; she could hear Bob Moore 
 saying this in his slow way, and laughing at his own 
 remark as was characteristic of him. She listened awhile 
 longer to the wrangle among the cattle people and the 
 sheep people, before she made any attempt to stop them. 
 It was no easy task to make them understand that this 
 was all wrong, that no matter what took place on the 
 range among the parents, that children must be friends 
 at school, and that she could have nothing of this kind 
 again. They at last promised her that they would let 
 their father's differences pass while on the school ground 
 or when on the road to or from school. However, one 
 boy protested "Don't let us catch them out on Saturday 
 or Sunday. We will fix them if we do," and with these 
 words they still maintained their principle. 
 
 Each day for two weeks after this new rumors came 
 260 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 to Myrnie's ears about the trouble that was brewing and 
 growing more relentless every day. Seth Bailey brought 
 word one morning that his foster-father was at home 
 very sick. Somebody had broken into his cabin during 
 his absence from home and had "salted' ' (poisoned) 
 his food, and he had eaten some of it before he detected 
 the peculiar taste. 
 
 Children on the other side said that their cattle were 
 being found shot down on the range, and that most men 
 in the community were carrying their guns wherever 
 they went, to be ready if any trouble came up. Rumor 
 had it that John Alexander had been fired at, one day 
 when he was on the range, by somebody hidden in the 
 rocks, and had almost ridden his horse to death to get 
 beyond the rain of bullets that fell all around him. Such 
 reports grew and multiplied till the school teacher was 
 so distracted that she forbid all mention whatever of the 
 subject on the school grounds; but disquieting news 
 reached her from every other source from family dis- 
 cussions at home and from every ranch house she vis- 
 ited, and she dared not take sides; she must remain 
 neutral. 
 
 Three weeks passed since the dance, and she had seen 
 nothing of Don Gray. The words he had said to her on 
 that night came to her often, but she could not under- 
 stand him. " I expect you to enjoy it with me," and 
 "this is the crowning glory of my efforts." What could 
 he have meant by this? 
 
 His brother Roy had not deserted her. He had been 
 to see her on Sundays and often on weekdays. She had 
 treated him in a friendly manner, perhaps because he 
 seemed the nearest link to Don. Then, he shielded her 
 from other tormentors whose presence was more obnox- 
 
 261 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ious, because everybody now began to think that Roy 
 had the inside track with the teacher and there was no 
 use for any other hammerhead to try all except Grin; 
 he still had hopes. 
 
 It was evident that Roy was deeply and insanely in 
 love. He took the merest kindly courtesy from her as 
 a reciprocation of his sentiments. He kept his eyes on 
 her every movement when he was with her, and could 
 not at all conceal the plight of his heart. This troubled 
 the girl a good deal, because she did not know how to 
 put him off, he not being aggressive enough that she 
 could speak to him about it. 
 
 Roy and Don, though half-brothers, were of entirely 
 different natures, Roy being after the pattern of his 
 father, Mrs. Gray's second husband, who was a fleshy, 
 blonde German named Fielding, though Roy went gen- 
 erally by the name of Gray because his mother had taken 
 back the name of Don's father. Roy having inherited 
 the dream-nature of his mother, and all the warmth 
 and impulsiveness of his German father, became the 
 kind of lover who dwells in the clouds. All the world 
 was made up of his love, nothing else. 
 
 No one about Myer knew much about Don's father. 
 But a few of the old-timers had seen him when he had 
 come back from the sea to live with Mrs. Gray for the 
 second time, and there were whispers about it that were 
 not complimentary to the lady, and conjectures and 
 doubts. But the fact of the matter was that he had been 
 a follower of the sea, light-hearted and filled with the 
 love of adventure. He had married Don's mother when 
 she was a very young girl living in a coast town of 
 Mexico, while his vessel was lying in harbor there for 
 a short time. He sailed with his ship soon after, leav- 
 
 262 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ing his young wife with promises of a speedy return, 
 but she did not see him again for many a day. News 
 came to her that he was dead. Her son was born and 
 she moved northward into the States, and in a time she 
 was married again and in a year from the time her son 
 Roy was born. Her husband died and she was left a 
 young widow a second time. 
 
 But Don's father was not dead. He returned to the 
 coast town of Mexico five years later, and finding that 
 his wife had flown, he followed her and found her where 
 she then lived in Myer, and they lived together in a 
 world of bliss for a year or two. But the old longing 
 for the sea took possession of him again, as it always 
 does those of that kind, and he went back to his ship, 
 and never returned; but the lonely woman still waits for 
 him and will not move from the place. This was the 
 man she loved. At the time of these happenings, she 
 was a handsome woman near forty years, but looked 
 much younger. People said that she painted her face 
 and dyed her hair, but I am sure that this was only the 
 jealous hits of plain-looking women. However, her 
 face was like a blossom, with its smooth, olive skin and 
 carmine lips, her eyes being large and brown, and soft 
 as a deer's. I would say that her eyes were compelling, 
 alluring, driving. But at most times, she was a gloom- 
 stricken presence, full of obscure, inexpressible sadness, 
 as if all the forms of torment made weary the soul with- 
 in. When she spoke, her face awoke into light and most 
 motherly sympathy, her eyes always holding within them 
 misty shadows, as of eyes that have wept too much. A 
 meditative silence hovers around her like that which 
 enfolds the mystic Sphinx in the lonesome depths of 
 Egypt. Her voice held a grievous timber as if telling 
 
 263 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 of disloyal love, faded dreams, unfulfilled aims and dark- 
 some waste places. This brooding gloom did not always 
 hang about her. There were times when she forgot her 
 sadness and talked like an unconscious child, times when 
 she sang softly to herself, and her voice was then like 
 a lute far away at nightfall and at such times she was 
 living the past. Times there were also when she 
 laughed gaily, and when mischief peeped from 
 her dimples, for she still kept her dimples ; but she fav- 
 ored few with this presence. She remained at home, 
 dressed daintily, and lived her inward life serenely. 
 
 Few persons were taken into her life at all and none 
 into the deeps of her silence, not even her beloved Don. 
 Everybody about Myer knew Don to be the favorite 
 child of his mother, and this caused the people in general 
 to cast their sympathy with Roy, whom they declared to 
 be honest, straightforward and open, "But the secrecy 
 of Satan is in that pair, and they are the counterpart of 
 each other." Don was not his real name, but this is 
 what the Myer people called him, because it was be- 
 lieved that he had a hint of Spanish blood in his veins; 
 then he had always held his head high. 
 
 It was about this time that Myrnie took to wandering 
 about the hills by herself, beginning to pine for a less 
 disturbed existence than that which surrounded her with 
 its neighborhood quarrels. Perhaps the reader will re- 
 member that on the day when Grin brought her to the 
 community, he had pointed out the Black Hawk Strong- 
 hold, where the caves under the tall rocks were. The 
 girl became fond of walking the mile to this place and 
 climbing about among the picturesque rocks to gather 
 the delicate ferns and mosses that grew in the damp 
 places. One day when she was climbing about this place, 
 
 264 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 she thought she heard someone walking below on the 
 rocks, but when she listened and looked and saw no one, 
 she concluded that it had been the echo of her own steps. 
 But presently she heard the step again, and it was near, 
 and turning quickly, she stood face to face with Don 
 Gray. He was smiling at her and his arms were across 
 his chest. 
 
 " Oh," she moaned, all a-tremble, " You frightened 
 me so." 
 
 " Frightened you, Myrnie," his fine eyes holding her, 
 " Don't you know I would not hurt a blessed hair of 
 your head?" His soft voice gave her confidence. 
 
 " I know, I know you would not, but I did not know 
 it was you; I thought it was Jim Bailey, and he does not 
 like me because he thinks I side with the cattle people." 
 
 " How do you know I would not hurt you ?" he asked, 
 smiling. 
 
 " Oh, I do not know, but I just know it." She was 
 smiling now. 
 
 "All right, then, come with me." He held out his 
 hand and she took it and followed him to the entrance 
 of a cave, where they seated themselves on the shelving 
 rock. 
 
 " How did you happen to come here ?" she asked him. 
 
 " I followed you here. I have been stopping with 
 Grin this week, and have seen you out by yourself a 
 number of times, and always tried to catch you, but 
 this is my first success in that line. This is a favorite 
 haunt of mine. I come here often." 
 
 " If you wanted to see me so much as that, why did 
 you not come to the house or to the school-house to see 
 me?" She asked innocently. 
 
 " Well, I have good reasons not to do that. The kid 
 
 265 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 seems so set on you, and mother seems so set on having 
 him have you, and charged me not to interfere. Once 
 before I took a girl from him and he did not speak to 
 me for a year, and mother was awfully upset over the 
 affair. She wants the kid to get married, but it would 
 break her heart if I got jarred loose from her apron 
 string." 
 
 " But I do not like Roy. His coming to see me would 
 do him no good anyhow. I never have encouraged him. 
 He puts himself forward and I have had no way to stop 
 him. But I shall tell him the next time I see him." 
 
 " I will get all the blame for it, but let us not speak 
 of unpleasant things. We have so little time together," 
 he plead in his mellifluous tones. 
 
 " There is so much unpleasantness all among these 
 people now that I have hardly had a pleasant thought 
 for weeks," she complained. 
 
 " Oh, these quarrels among the hammerheads amount 
 to nothing. You must not let them bother you. This 
 thing has been going on for years, and nothing serious 
 ever happens. They are a little more upset this time 
 than I ever saw them before. Every Spring this blazes 
 up afresh. I reckon the blood runs fiercer in spring- 
 time. I think it is the greatest fun to hear them make 
 their threats and to see them carry their guns. They do 
 not know one thing against each other of a certainty. 
 This is mostly based on suspicion. They do not want 
 to have any real trouble, and would much rather live at 
 peace with each other; still they must keep up a little 
 peck. I guess it is the gradual decline and death of the 
 dear old Western spirit, a relic of the time that they 
 boast of when they had a man for breakfast every morn- 
 
 266 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ing. I help the spirit along all I can ; I try to prolong 
 its life." 
 
 " But how do you help it along, Don?" 
 
 " Never you mind, I have my part in the game. And 
 maybe sometime I will tell you about it." After this 
 Don changed the subject, and they fell to discussing 
 pleasanter things, and sat together for hours not know- 
 ing how fast the time went. There was not a great 
 deal of talking, for it was mostly smiling. These two 
 children were carried away by an overmastering, unex- 
 plainable love for each other a love that had been in- 
 stantaneous from the first, mutual, marvelous, for two so 
 young. They had confessed this love in many ways 
 and acts, if not in words, and each knew that the other 
 knew that they both knew. They had no wish to con- 
 ceal this love from each other, and yet they hesitated 
 to speak of it, and this is the sweetest kind of love. 
 Even now as they sat by the cave's sunny mouth, their 
 faces took on divine, smiling expressions. They said 
 little they looked at each other a great deal and smiled. 
 
 When it was time for Myrnie to go, she arose and 
 said, "I must go home, now, Don, good-bye," smiling. 
 
 " Well, I shall expect you to come here after school 
 on Friday and I will be here to meet you," and he too 
 smiled and stood and watched her walk away. When 
 she had climbed down to the path and had gone some 
 distance, she turned to wave at him, and saw him 
 standing high above her, as he waved a last adieu. 
 
 Friday evening found them together at the Strong- 
 hold again, and they met there often, not realizing what 
 these meetings were coming to mean to both of them. 
 
 267 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ONE evening when Myrnie sat alone, after she 
 had spent an hour with Don at the Stronghold, she 
 commenced to examine her heart to see whither 
 it was leading her. Don Gray had never spoken 
 about himself and Kate to Myrnie and she said 
 nothing about Fred Harmon. Their visits had not 
 been spent in discussing personal things. The girl's 
 promise to Fred Harmon was binding to her con- 
 science. She knew perfectly well how he still felt toward 
 her, and she felt dutybound and determined to keep her 
 promise to him. But she told herself that she still had 
 control of her heart, and would not let that control slip 
 from her. Still she knew that the love she had held for 
 Fred was changed. No, not changed, nor shifted to an- 
 other, but it seemed to her now that this same love had 
 existed for Don all the time. It seemed to her now, as 
 she puzzled her thoughts over the matter, that it had 
 been the spirit of Don that had come to her on that ter- 
 rible night in Prescott and breathed this love to her out 
 of the night of fire, and that her soul had opened to it. 
 She did not try to comprehend this strange feeling; it 
 was beyond her at this time, but all this was soon to be 
 made clear. She felt a great pity in her heart for Fred. 
 He was dear and good, she knew and she meant to keep 
 her promise to him. She felt very tender toward Fred 
 when she thought of him, and told herself that she should 
 
 268 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 love him the same again when she saw him. She tried 
 to call that love back, tried to coax it, to grasp it. She 
 would hold fast to it; she did not want it to slip away 
 from her. She withdrew Fred's photo from its hiding 
 place, and looking long and earnestly at it, spoke in 
 whispers to it. She called him endearing names as she 
 looked at the picture, recalling all the words of endear- 
 ment he had lavished upon her, and lived over again the 
 scenes of their lovemaking, but the salt of it seemed 
 to have lost its savor and was tasteless. Still she held 
 firm, and repeated her promise to him. 
 
 " I will, I will, I will love you. I will marry you and 
 no one else. My love shall not steal from you. I love 
 you, you, you, no one else." She prayed to God to be 
 saved from this new attachment, and she made up her 
 mind to tell Don Gray about her engagement to Fred 
 and to make an end of this new affair. Why had she 
 let herself adrift, why had she? But now she had suc- 
 ceeded with herself, with her truant heart, she was so 
 sure. And when the next evening came, she was most 
 eager to get away from the school-house and to meet 
 Don. She hurried, almost ran along the stony, cactus- 
 infested path which led to the Stronghold, to make a 
 quick end of her unfaithfulness, and yet as she neared 
 the place, sly little smiles that she could not drive away 
 crept about her mouth, in the happy anticipation of see- 
 ing Don once more. 
 
 Don was there before her. She saw him high upon 
 the rocks waiting for her, his arms folded across his 
 chest. All went before her in a minute. Her fortified 
 resolve so badly wanted to dissolve. That something 
 which was turbulent and overpowering in Don's in- 
 fluence over her, that something which was tumultuous 
 
 269 ' 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 took her by storm. She paused at the foot of the cliff 
 before making the ascent, to take a firm hold on her will, 
 before coming into the full glare of his presence, and he, 
 thinking it was fatigue which held her, came scurrying 
 down to meet her, the dislodged stones rolling before 
 him as they were loosened by his impetuous feet, with 
 his mother's compelling eyes on her, and the elusive, 
 soul-supplying smile about his mouth so unconscious of 
 the state of her mind, and she knew this, so her sym- 
 pathetic heart made her speak pleasantly. 
 
 " Have you been waiting long, Don ?" 
 
 " Should say I have been here for two hours ; 
 thought you never, never would come," pretending 
 anger. 
 
 And this show of anger gave her courage to say, 
 
 " Well, I shall never, never come again to this place 
 to meet you." 
 
 " Now you are joking," but he looked a little alarmed. 
 
 " No, I mean it. I can't come here any more, Don, 
 for I am engaged to be married when this school closes 
 and it is not right for me to come here, I am sure." 
 And she said more in this vein while they climbed up 
 the rocks and seated themselves in the accustomed 
 place. 
 
 " I am engaged to be married, too, but what is the 
 odds? We might just as well come here and enjoy our- 
 selves might just as well." 
 
 Then Myrnie told him about Fred, calmly and brave- 
 ly, hesitating and stammering and almost choking 
 often, but dwelling on the virtues of the man and affirm- 
 ing, that she meant to keep her promise to him. He 
 told her that he meant to keep his promise to Kate, and 
 
 270 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 spoke of her good qualities, and in spite of everything 
 this hurt Myrnie so much worse than he knew. 
 
 " We might just as well come here anyway, Myrnie 
 might just as well. There is no harm in this, is there? 
 We might just as well come." 
 
 This sounded so easy to Myrnie. He had such an 
 easy way of putting things, seeming to dispose of all 
 the responsibility, and she wanted to agree with him and 
 say too, "might just as well," but she said "No, no," 
 very firmly and was surprised at her own strength. 
 
 Don's face did not display the shadow which passed 
 over his soul as he listened to her firm "No, no." He 
 only smiled cynically, and commenced picking up small 
 stones and throwing them at a knot on a box-elder tree 
 that stood near, and hitting the knot nearly every time. 
 After several minutes of this he said: 
 
 " Gee, but I pity the poor kid. He is crazy over you 
 goes about smiling to himself, and shaking his head as 
 though he is talking to some one. I think he is going 
 over every word you have ever said to him is perfectly 
 lost to his surroundings and speaks of making changes. 
 Poor devil, I pity him/' 
 
 " I shall tell him what I have told you the next time 
 I see him," Myrnie said, almost in tears. 
 
 Don thought for several minutes again, sighed and 
 arising, said: 
 
 "Well, then, guess I might just as well forget it; 
 might just as well. But come on; I want to show you 
 my spoil. I told you once before that I have had my 
 part in the fights of the hammerheads, and I will prove 
 that statement to you now." He walked toward the 
 cave's mouth in a daredevil way, Myrnie following in 
 
 271 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 the steps he made for her along the rocky way, knowing 
 not what she expected. 
 
 He started to enter the cave, but when she was a step 
 within the rocky entrance, she stopped and cried, 
 
 " Oh, Don, I am afraid. It looks so black in there. 
 I can't go in. Why do you go, anyway ?" 
 
 " Come on, girl, nothing in the world to fear in here. 
 Do you think I would take you into danger? I come in 
 here often." He drew a piece of candle from a niche 
 in the wall and- lighted it, and taking her hand said, 
 "Come on," and led the way. 
 
 They passed through fifty feet of straight tunnel, she 
 trembling a little and wondering if this was a mine, 
 when presently she found herself in a large rock-walled 
 room. There were heaps of something on the ground 
 covered with sheets of canvas. Don let her look all 
 about at everything, then he threw off the canvas sheets 
 and said: 
 
 " These things I have cached here so that when Kate 
 and I go to house-keeping, we shall have a good start." 
 There was mischief written all over his face. 
 
 Myrnie turned very pale, then stood staring first at 
 Don, then at the heaps of saddles, bridles, tools, bedding, 
 kitchen utensils, spurs, guns and what not. She 
 opened her mouth to speak several times, but her tongue 
 clove to its roof and she stared more, but finally she 
 asked in a firm voice : 
 
 " Where did these come from ?" 
 
 He laughed uproariously, and his laugh rolled about 
 the cave as he answered. "Oh, from one hammerhead 
 and another. Haven't you heard them tell of how their 
 neighbors stole them blind? I've managed to keep the 
 slow fires of enmity burning among them by hooking a 
 
 272 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 thing now and then and caching it here. Everybody 
 thinks these caves are filled with rattlesnakes, and they 
 fight shy of coming in here. I started the snake story 
 myself to keep them out." 
 
 " Don, do you mean to say that you have stolen these 
 things from the people about here?" she asked, looking 
 at the gruesome shadows that fell in grotesque shapes 
 about the cave. 
 
 " I do not call this stealing, this is only hooking. I 
 have no use for these things, and when the psychological 
 moment arrives I intend to restore these to their owners. 
 This is the only amusement I have had for the last three 
 years," he broke out laughing, and continued: 
 
 "After I have put certain things here, I have heard 
 the hammerheads cursing each other as they stood at the 
 counter in Myer, buying others to replace them. I always 
 condoled them on their losses and complimented them 
 on their good taste in buying others to replace them, 
 but before they knew it they were compelled to buy yet 
 others to replace those again. There are three new 
 saddles I got from Sour-dough Wilson, till the poor 
 fellow gave up in despair and traded for a worthless old 
 saddle from Mexican Charley which I have mercifully 
 allowed him to keep. And sitting on a hill side, taking 
 good aim, I've brought down a cow, or a burro now and 
 then, never shot any really valuable animals, you know, 
 but when they see them dead, they look very valuable 
 to them. Just the other day I gave John Alex such a 
 chase for his life that you never saw a man get down 
 and dig as he did. I did not allow a bullet to come 
 nearer than three feet of him. I broke into Jim Bailey's 
 cabin and put ipecac into his pot of beans. Guess you 
 heard about those things." He was laughing again. 
 
 273 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 "Don, Don, to think Don, to think!" Her voice 
 and her eyes were moist. 
 
 He went to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, 
 and said: 
 
 " Don't take it like that. It's only a joke. Listen to 
 me might just as well have a little fun as we go along. 
 You know there has been nothing and nobody to in- 
 terest me here before you came, nothing to keep me 
 from dying of monotony." 
 
 " There was Kate," she snapped at him. 
 
 c< Yes, but Kate did not make me want to be anybody. 
 I have left this place several times, but mother always 
 calls me back. She is dependent on me and she will not 
 live in any other place, and for what reason I never 
 could understand. I have made this amusement for my- 
 self to keep from doing something worse." 
 
 " You are the meanest person I have ever known, 
 Don Gray!" 
 
 " Now, now, don't you go and say that. I know I 
 am not very good, but I would like to be better, but 
 what is the use now? I thought perhaps that you and 
 I might go away from here when your school closes, 
 and I would make it known to the hammerheads where 
 their lost treasure is and restore peace among them 
 forever more." Here he went off into a fit of laughing, 
 in which Myrnie was forced to join, the tears still 
 glistening on her cheeks. 
 
 " There, there, that is right, take it as a joke for that 
 is all it has been." And he took her hand and led her 
 out of the cave, and after looking at her for some time 
 asked her if she would come again, and said that she 
 just might as well, but she refused repeatedly. 
 
 He mounted his black mare Fashion and rode away. 
 274 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Myrnie walked homeward. She was letting herself drift. 
 She did not try to bridle her inclinations. She loved 
 him, she loved him more than ever now. If he was a 
 mean man, then she loved a mean man. Her thoughts 
 were too full for utterance. Now and then a wave of 
 glad happiness swept over her like sunshine that comes 
 from behind a cloud, and she enjoyed it when it came 
 nor bid it to depart. The gloom came often enough and 
 she was learning Don's philosophy, "J ust might as 
 well." 
 
 275 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 As the days grew warmer and that drowsy feeling 
 which is known as spring fever crept over the children, 
 they began to think "picnic," and to talk it to their 
 teacher. 
 
 " It has always been a custom," Milly Moore told 
 her, shaking her wise little head, "to have a picnic on 
 the first day of May, and that is only twelve days away. 
 Shan't we have one this year, teacher?" 
 
 " It falls on school day," Myrnie told her. 
 
 " But that makes no difference. We never let school 
 interfere with a good time out here, and the trustees 
 always give the teacher the days for picnics and those 
 after a dance." 
 
 Then all the children commenced to cry, "Picnic," till 
 they secured the promise for one. Nor was it only the 
 children who were in for it, but the parents as well. In- 
 deed, there was nothing better for them, hard-worked 
 fathers and mothers as they were, than to sit on the 
 grass in the shade of a tree, on a lazy, warm day, and 
 talk of other things than their daily affairs the while 
 watching their offspring gamboling and mingling to- 
 gether in that light - heartedness that belongs to all 
 children under the sun, wherever they may be and 
 under whatever conditions. 
 
 There were never any discussions as to where these 
 276 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 picnics were to be held. It had been the custom for 
 years to hold all picnics down on Aunt Sally's bottom. 
 This was a strip of wooded bottom land which lay along 
 the Ague Frio river, near Sour-dough Wilson's ranch, 
 where he lived with his widowed mother and her three 
 orphaned grand-children. This lady was known far and 
 wide as Aunt Sally, perhaps because she was so light 
 of heart, and always kept on hand a supply of delicious 
 ice-cold buttermilk, which she liberally served to all 
 comers. Every cowboy in the country sang the praises 
 of Aunt Sally's buttermilk. Aunt Sally was a large 
 fleshy lady, and being easy-going as most fleshy people 
 are, she always gave her neighbors permission to hold 
 their picnics down on her bottom land because it was 
 the best place in all the country for such merrymakings. 
 
 Large cottonwood trees stood along this bottom land, 
 four of them clustered about the ice-cold spring that 
 gushed from among their roots; green grass carpeted 
 the ground, and birds built their nests in these trees, so 
 that there were always plenty to lend their songs for 
 the first day of May. 
 
 Roy Fielding had been making the roads smooth 
 between Myer and Browns Springs. Myrnie had told 
 him of her engagement to Fred Harmon, when he de- 
 clared his love for her all in the rush and fervor of his 
 smitten heart, but he had let this make no difference to 
 him, thinking no doubt that he would yet "win out 
 against the other fellow." 
 
 Now he came begging the privilege of taking her to 
 the picnic, but she said, 
 
 " No, Roy, I prefer to go unattended. Bob Moore 
 has promised me and my pupils a hay-ride. They are 
 all to come here early in the morning and Mr. Moore 
 
 277 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 will drive for us. Besides, I wish to give my undivided 
 time to the children, for this is the last time I shall be 
 with them in this way. School will be out in a few 
 days and I shall be gone." 
 
 " You shall be gone," and he covered his face with 
 his hands, " My God, you will be gone. Oh, can't you 
 love me, can't you?" 
 
 But she did not answer this. He had been going on 
 like this before, and Myrnie only said to him, 
 
 " You and your brother can come together." 
 
 " Oh," he flung back, " I would not be so foolish as 
 to count on him. He will be chasing down country after 
 Kate." 
 
 The morning of the first day of May found the whole 
 school, as well as Bob Moore and his wife, piled high 
 on a wagon covered with loose hay. They were dressed 
 in their Sunday best, and all were in the brightest of 
 spirits. They declared Myrnie Queen of the May, and 
 she laughingly accepted the honor, and like a queen 
 she looked and felt, decked in the flowers they lavished 
 upon her, which they had gathered all along the way, 
 for every little while the wagon stopped for this purpose. 
 
 Over the road they scurried, up hill and down hill, 
 helter-skelter, with their hearts attune to the spirit of 
 May, and their wagon was the first to arrive at the 
 grounds. Swings were thrown up and other devices 
 for providing amusement and occupation for the active 
 young people. 
 
 Soon the neighborhood began to arrive, and it was 
 not long till the grass about the springs was teeming 
 with the happy throng. No wife had forgotten the 
 spacious, well - filled dinner basket, and there was no 
 prospect of anybody going hungry. 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Aunt Sally and her son Sour-dough had walked, the 
 distance being slight, and each came lugging two big 
 demijohns of buttermilk. "Churned this very morning," 
 said Aunt Sally. 
 
 Eshler Morgan was there, seeing to it that no one 
 lacked comfort, playing the part of the kind monitor 
 that he was by nature, while his red-headed spouse with 
 her imperceptible eyebrows, sat sullenly by, miffed, no 
 doubt, because she had not been made Queen of the 
 May. 
 
 Will Collins and his family came along, with George 
 Overwhacker and his dark-complexioned partner, and 
 the seven "muchachos." The loose cowboys in the 
 community came galloping up on wild broncos, using 
 their spurs freely, making their mounts perform wildly 
 in order to show their skill in the saddle. Some few 
 of them brought girls, or a widow perhaps, but never 
 an old maid, for this is an article which Arizona is not 
 guilty of permitting, though it yields a big crop of bach- 
 elors. Plenty of widows too, but their day of widow- 
 hood is usually short. Some bachelor, widower, or even 
 some youth ten years her junior will snap her up be- 
 fore she is aware, and she is a foxy widow no longer. 
 
 Jim Bailey came to the picnic riding a mule. Bob 
 Moore said a sheep-man would naturally ride a mule, 
 and what do you suppose he brought with him noth- 
 ing but his empty stomach. Strange to say that at a 
 picnic, or at any neighborhood gathering it was the 
 custom to forget all differences. Enmity existed only 
 on the range. This was another of the necessary rules 
 of the country, otherwise there would have been few 
 gatherings, scarcity of population forbidding, and when 
 this law was broken, as it had been on the night of the 
 
 279 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 dance, a great misdemeanor against the orthodox laws 
 of the community was commited. 
 
 Now all these men sat together in a friendly group, 
 lamenting the lack of rain, for no rain to speak of had 
 fallen during the winter and spring, and the range was 
 already becoming dry. There were few places where 
 water could be had in sufficient quantities to supply the 
 stock on the broad range. 
 
 Grin Oliver, without whom no neighborhood gather- 
 ing would have been complete, came walking with his 
 five shepherd dogs trailing behind him. Jim Bailey had 
 allowed him to corral the sheep for this day. Indeed 
 there was no dearth of dogs, and dog fights were one 
 of the sports of the day. Grin was very much over- 
 dressed. He had on new ox-blood ties, and what Doc 
 Manhart was pleased to call a hot vest, and socks that 
 you could hear "atickin' " miles away. But bless Grin's 
 heart, his gift was as big as his nature. He carried 
 on his shoulder a flour sack nearly full, and it contained 
 candy and nuts for the little folks, he said. 
 
 Myrnie was busy talking to this one and that one, 
 for everybody expected a part of her time. The chil- 
 dren, too, wanted her to take a part in all their games. 
 All this she managed to do, and at the same time to 
 keep a sharp outlook on the road. Every horsebacker 
 who came galloping over the smooth road way, sent her 
 heart into her throat till she saw who it was. 
 
 Presently all the crowd was astir and the cause, as 
 Myrnie soon found, was that a black-top came spinning 
 over the road, and when the two occupants of the car- 
 riage stepped down, the teacher saw that they were Don 
 and Kate. All her courage fled, and she went pale as 
 death. She leaned against a tree to keep from falling, 
 
 280 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 and some one near, seeing her plight, hurried away to 
 get water, but she explained that it was nothing at all, 
 and said that it often happened when she was foolish 
 enough to get into a swing, and soon she was herself 
 and went smiling over to meet Kate, who looked 
 splendid in a red dress and veil. She walked proudly 
 along by Don, who wore a sheepish look, and kept glanc- 
 ing around furtively, as though he feared to meet some 
 one whom he expected to encounter here. 
 
 Myrnie had been playing boisterously with the chil- 
 dren, as the pair walked over the grass, and it had cost 
 her an effort to greet Kate so pleasantly. She only 
 smiled and nodded toward Don, who stood by picking 
 something to pieces which looked like a flower. But 
 the children called to Myrnie, and she was glad to run 
 back to them. 
 
 There was no time for ennui in this crowd. Some- 
 body was making rare fun all the time, and Grin seemed 
 to be at the head of this. To-day he was especially gay, 
 and nothing afforded him so much delight as making 
 jokes at Myrnie's expense. The news was out that 
 Myrnie had refused Roy Gray, and Grin had heard it, 
 and was in the best of humor. 
 
 " Hey there, Tim Dailey," he called to a fellow from 
 the Verde, "Come over here, I want to introduce you to 
 this little pedagog," and when he had introduced the fel- 
 low he remarked, "She is the most even-tempered little 
 pedagog that you ever saw ; she is mad all the time." . 
 
 The laugh that followed this had hardly subsided when 
 little six-year-old Sammy Wilson ran up to Myrnie with, 
 
 " Oh, teacher, I bet you can never, never guess what 
 we got at home." 
 
 " Little chicks ?" asked Myrnie. 
 281 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Nope, guess again." And Sammy's hands were 
 clasped in delight. 
 
 " Little kittens ?" she guessed again. 
 
 " Yes, sir, our old cat's got four, and I saw her have 
 every one of them." This threw some of the bystanders 
 into consternation, while some ran away to giggle; but 
 Myrnie tactfully took little Sammy by the hand and ran 
 away to join a game of drop-the-handkerchief. 
 
 Soon it was dinner time, and the good wives were busy 
 spreading the contents of their baskets out on white table 
 cloths on the clean grass. Eshler made a quantity of lem- 
 onade, and in a short time the whole number of pic- 
 nickers were seated about the plot of ground covered 
 by the tablecloths, and what had they not to eat? 
 Everybody joked, while Eshler saw that no one was 
 neglected, especially his wife, for if she was neglected 
 he should hear from her later. He scarcely had time 
 to eat for passing about this good thing or that, among 
 the children or to some bashful person. 
 
 Myrnie sat with Roy on one side of her and Grin 
 on the other, and needless to say she was not neglected. 
 She was making a great show of pleasantry in order 
 to cover the awful pain in her heart. 
 
 Kate Bremister appeared as one who elbows her way 
 into people's notice. This seemed strange for Kate has 
 been a great favorite always. She kept quiet and ap- 
 peared worn and tired. While her usually clear com- 
 plexion was marred by brown splotches. The married 
 women looked at her in a husli of wonder, horror and 
 pity in their eyes. Myrnie had noticed one or two of 
 them (who knew Becky well), talking with her in 
 whispers, and her impression was that they spoke of 
 Kate. 
 
 282 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Don, too, had little to offer. He stayed by Kate 
 closely, and if he tried to be jolly, as was his usual 
 way, his jokes were failures. He could hardly carry a 
 laugh to a successful finish, for while his face ought 
 still to be smiling, it sobered quickly and took on an 
 expression of desolate sadness. Now he sat with his 
 back to Myraie and ate gingerly, as one who is uncon- 
 scious of what he does. No one could know what he 
 suffered. 
 
 And now while they enjoy their dinner, it may be 
 well to say a word further about Kate. 
 
 283 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 KATE; Bremister was one of those girls who wear 
 bright colored ribbons in a corset cover shining through 
 a thin white waist. Jockey Club perfume was loud 
 about her and she frizzed her hair on hot irons. Her 
 forehead was broad and low, and her eyes sparkled 
 large and soft in their subdued blackness. Rings, ear- 
 rings, bracelets and jewelry of all kinds infested her 
 person, and red was her favorite color. She looked like 
 a pretty gypsy, with the shapely, brown arms always 
 bare to the elbow. She possessed the agility of a cat, 
 and while she looked lean as she climbed a hillside with 
 her long, graceful strides, she was really quite round, 
 having that shapely litheness of youth, being twenty 
 years old. She had a full bosom and often wore low- 
 cut dresses, all out of time and place. It was reported 
 that once at a dance at McCabe, that as she stooped 
 forward to pick up the handkerchief which she had 
 dropped in the circle of the quadrille, a painful accident 
 followed, which made the girls blush and the boys 
 snicker. She only blushed a little, smiled and replaced 
 her corsage with a smothered oath, and went on with 
 the dance, not in the least disconcerted. 
 
 She rode like a cowboy, threw her rope, and never 
 missed her steer. She was off her pony and had her 
 red-hot iron on his hip before the dazed creature knew 
 
 284 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 what was happening to him. She shot like a sportsman, 
 swore like a trooper when angry, and was never caught 
 reading a book. The hills and the plains or the back 
 of a horse were calling too loudly to her. She loved a 
 dog and worshipped a horse, knowing a good animal the 
 minute she saw one, and perhaps this had been the one 
 bond that had drawn her and Don Gray together, for 
 man never lived who loved horse better nor who knew 
 a horse quicker than Don Gray. And about this, their 
 one bond of sympathy, their one common absorbing in- 
 terest, had grown up a love. Only horse-fanciers know 
 how strong a bond this is. I have known it to take the 
 place of love, even the place of a child in holding a pair 
 together, when love was wanting. 
 
 In all these things Myrnie Leston was almost the op- 
 posite. She wore nothing but modest white ribbons in 
 her corsage and never dressed out of dainty, simple 
 style. She had no passion for dogs and horses; of 
 course she loved a good horse or a nice dog, and could 
 never endure to see any creature suffer for want of 
 food or otherwise; but she was destitute of that fellow- 
 feeling with these animals, which went even to a kind 
 of communion with Kate. She cared nothing for jew- 
 elry, unless it be of the best, her language was without 
 flaw, and naturally she was afraid of guns, never hav- 
 ing been accustomed to their use. And as for books, 
 she had read hundreds of them, classical and standard, 
 both poetry and prose and liked no other pastime so well. 
 
 It is time to return to our picnickers. Here sits Grin, 
 eating his way through one of Becky's delicious pump- 
 kin pies with the remark to Myrnie : " Pumpkin pie 
 always has been my favorite pie, only I hate to eat it 
 because it smudges up my ears so badly." He also re- 
 
 285 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 fused the honey that Eshler insisted on giving him, on 
 the grounds that it got into his eyebrows and tangled 
 his hair all up. Presently he picked up a piece of Lucy 
 Morgan's blackberry pie with: 
 
 " Hey there, Lucy, what kind of seeds is this pie 
 made of?" 
 
 " Hay seeds, of course, same as are in your hair," she 
 threw back vindictively. 
 
 And while they all talked and laughed Grin was heard 
 soon again, 
 
 " Tell that man over there who has such a long face 
 to wash (meaning poor, bald-headed Eshler), to pass 
 that little girl some cake." 
 
 " Now, that is a square meal," he said, when he had 
 finished and stood about with the other men picking his 
 teeth, "Makes an old bach like me feel like cutting his 
 suspenders and going straight up." 
 
 Thus the men stood about at ease and comfort, or sat 
 on the grass lazily, while the women cleared away the 
 remains of the feast. 
 
 " How is the world treating you, Silvertip?" Will 
 Collins asked. "I have not seen you since the dance." 
 
 " Oh, I'm treating myself better these days than I 
 used to, and I find when I treat myself well, I have no 
 trouble with the world." 
 
 " But is it true that you are on the water wagon for 
 sure, as they tell me?" 
 
 " Well, I'm on till I fall off, I reckon. A feller who 
 has hit booze as hard as I have, can't say for sure what 
 he will do." 
 
 " Heard Joe's cook wiped up the streets of Myer with 
 you last time you was over; that true?" 
 
 " Joe's kitchen mechanic and I did get busy with each 
 286 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 other, and made a few feathers fly, but he did not get 
 the best of me. I caved in about half his slats on his 
 larboard side before I finished with him." 
 
 When the meal was cleared away, and the baskets 
 again placed under their respective wagon-seats, some- 
 body proposed the ascent of Eshler's Peak, the base of 
 which stood only a half mile from the picnic grounds, 
 and in a short time the whole band were traveling in 
 that direction. Even the grown folks acted like children, 
 racing to certain points and challenging each other to 
 all sorts of feats. Becky Moore and Jim Bailey ran a 
 desperate foot race to a mesquite bush in front of them, 
 and you can bet on it that Becky won the race. 
 
 Kate and Don still kept close together. He helped 
 her over the rough places tenderly, and the sight of 
 this sent an ache to Myrnie's heart that was hard to 
 bear. She could not stay with Roy, who fain would 
 have lingered by her side. She ran away with Grin, 
 for this was the most diverting pastime she could de- 
 vise and poor Grin took this for a sign of special favor 
 in his case. He kept up a constant flow of surprising 
 wit, which, despite the girrs anxiety, kept her laughing. 
 Grin was at his best, and as Doc Manhart said, "He 
 pranced gaily along, far out ahead of himself, his coat 
 barely hanging on the pits of his shoulders." 
 
 Grin felt sure, very sure, that Myrnie was beginning 
 to love him. He would show these hammerheads after 
 all. Surely God was on his side to-day, he told himself. 
 
 The summit of the peak to which they were going 
 was crowned by an outcropping of iron, which stood 
 in a rim around the outer edge like a wall. On top 
 of this natural battlement some prehistoric race had 
 built a rock wall four feet high. Perhaps it was the 
 
 287 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Aztecs, for that aesthetic race roamed over this part of 
 the States before the days of Cortez. It was evident 
 that some warlike tribe had built this means of defence. 
 Loopholes had been left in the wall at intervals, and 
 could be seen now by those making the ascent, though 
 much of the artificial wall had fallen down. 
 
 There was but one place at which one could reach 
 the table land on the top of this peak, and this was a 
 narrow defile up between two huge bowlders, but if it 
 had not been for the shrubs of tough greasewood and 
 scrub cedar that grew firm-rooted in the crevices of the 
 rocks up this defile, I doubt if anyone could have reached 
 the top. But if one clung to these brush, stepping in 
 the niches of the rock, the ascent was possible for grown 
 people, easy for young folks, and a delight to the boy or 
 girl of twelve. 
 
 These shrubs had not been in existence when the an- 
 cient race used this tower of defence. No doubt they 
 had employed ladders made of rawhide or of bear-grass, 
 which they took up and let down at will. What a point 
 of vantage this must have been to whatever belligerent 
 race that held it. A scope of country for a hundred 
 miles could have been guarded by the outlooks on the 
 top of the wall. If an enemy attempted an attack, they 
 would have been discovered hours before they reached 
 even the base of the tower. And if they tried to ascend 
 and take the fort, it would have been an easy matter 
 to crush them by hurling stones from the wall above. 
 If a pack train with provisions crossed the valley, far or 
 near, it was an easy matter to keep an eye on them, to 
 locate them at night by their camp-fires, and to scurry 
 down while the guileless victims slept, surprising them 
 and plundering their camp. 
 
 288 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 But imagine Becky Moore being helped up this steep 
 place by a dozen men. She did not scream out and 
 giggle as the young girls did. No, Becky clung and 
 climbed desperately, with red face covered by beads of 
 perspiration, and even if her dress did slip up to the 
 great bend and show her left, had not Becky a perfect 
 right? But the real fun was when Aunt Sally was 
 dragged up. Aunt Sally weighed two hundred and 
 twenty-five pounds. I refuse a description of this. 
 
 The most surprising event of the day was that Kate 
 Bremister had to be helped up this place. Kate Bre- 
 mister helped to climb, she who had been reared among 
 rocks and hills and had scaled every cliff in the country 
 for many miles around. This sent the married women's 
 heads together again in whispered conversation. 
 
 Now every one has gained the top. Let us enjoy the 
 view with them, but first examine the ground at hand. 
 There is more space on top than one would suspect who 
 viewed the peak from its base, perhaps in all two acres 
 of level rock, while here and there a little plot of earth 
 filled a depression where weeds and flowers grew and 
 even bloomed in the rainy season. In the center of the 
 space stood the ruins of a huge stone house, a crude 
 fort, built no doubt in defence against storm and the 
 sun's extreme summer heat. To the east and to the west 
 of this house were two long paths, worn down a little 
 lower than the surrounding ground. These were the 
 paths in which the ancient people performed their 
 grotesque dances to the sun, for Sun Worshippers they 
 were. The path to the east was for the worship of the 
 rising sun and that to the west for the death of Sol. 
 
 The infinite stretch of desert lay far below and all 
 around. It wandered away to the west, to meet the high 
 
 289 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 broken mesas, dim and misty in their varied color of 
 rock. To the east, where the valley narrowed into a 
 long pointed sword between the converging mountains, 
 could be seen the deep, flinty sides of the canon that the 
 Ague Frio had cut through the low pass in the moun- 
 tains. To-day a herd of antelope could be seen feeding 
 up toward the end of the valley, but they were far away 
 and appeared not larger than chickens. Sometimes 
 those who were more fortunate met the drove of wild 
 camels which Fate had placed in this region. These 
 creatures when encountered in the desert do not run 
 away; they stand and stare drowsily, or else do not no- 
 tice one at all, seeming to know by that power of oriental 
 instinct, which they bring with them from the sands of 
 Arabia or from the great Sahara, that they are protected 
 by law, having been brought to this country in the early 
 days of Western settlement, in the hope that they would 
 prove useful ships of the desert on this side. But the 
 manner of man on this side did not understand, and had 
 no patience with the slowness of the creatures. When 
 the animals were found to be unavailable, they were lib- 
 erated to roam the desert and to multiply in their slow 
 way, having been supplanted by the mule and the burro. 
 It is both a surprising and an inspiring sight to meet 
 these graceful creatures in an American desert, and 
 brings to one's mind all the stories ever read about the 
 caravans in the sandy wastes of the Orient 
 
 Our friends looked about them with interest. The 
 majority of them had been to this place before, but this 
 did not prevent them from growing silent and thought- 
 ful as though the spirit of a vanished race still lingered 
 round the spot. 
 
 Don Gray stood apart from the rest on the top of the 
 290 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 wall, seeming to be lost in a maze of regrets and hazy 
 imaginings, as his eyes met the misty distance' over the 
 tops of the countless ranges of mountains that lay in 
 folds and wrinkles till the eye failed to follow minute 
 details in the distance. 
 
 I can not tell what Myrnie's thoughts were. She too 
 sat on the top of the wall at the opposite side of the 
 circle, looking far away at nothing, as though her 
 thoughts were adrift. 
 
 " This makes one feel like being a poet," Roy Gray 
 remarked to Kate, as he came where she sat on a rock, 
 her head bowed, her eyes on the ground. 
 
 " That's one of the things I've lain in the night and 
 dreamt about," put in Grin, and his words brought ev- 
 ery one back to reality. "There is no use in being a 
 poet or a novelist. There is just one trouble about it, 
 and that is that you enjoy it all before you get it. If 
 you could only wait till your book was published and 
 you had the money, before you enjoy the money and the 
 fame, there would be some sense in it, but hell ! I 
 wrote a book once. Before I had finished the first chap- 
 ter of it I had enjoyed the fame and the money in my 
 mind. I had my mansion on the Hudson, had lived 
 three weeks with the actress I had married, and was 
 whizzing around in my big red automobile. Well, the 
 damned book kind of dragged after that, but I finished 
 it and sent it to some publisher about a dozen different 
 concerns, but none of them would have anything to do 
 with it. Finally I burnt the manuscript and there is 
 where I threw up the cheese on bein' a novelist. What 
 was the use? I had been the novelist in my mind and 
 I wrote and told some of the derned publishers 1 so, too." 
 
 Few took much stock in what Grin had said. Some 
 291 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 one said "Puff," but no one else took any notice except 
 Don and Myrnie. They exchanged glances of under- 
 standing and smiled in mutual appreciation. This 
 speech gave them another glimpse into the mystery of 
 Grin's nature, and eased the pain in both their hearts 
 since they had enjoyed one moment of understanding on 
 common ground. After that the situation seemed a little 
 less tense. 
 
 Of course, Becky Moore had to add her remark, and it 
 was, "Well, I don't want any novelists or poets or such 
 like among my children. I am satisfied if they make 
 good, common clod-hoppers." 
 
 Now it was time to go home, and down the mountain 
 they commenced to file. Myrnie and Grin keeping a 
 little in advance of the others. All were running or 
 skipping, for the hill was steep, and, as Milly Moore 
 said, it was hard to keep one's break on. A dismal 
 rattling sound came from the ground at Myrnie's feet, 
 and every one knew what it was at once, for this is a 
 sound, once heard, never forgotten. 
 
 " Rattlesnake," yelled several at the same time, but 
 before anyone could say "scat," Grin had snatched 
 Myrnie in his arms and off her feet, and well that he did, 
 for the snake was coiling to strike. Then, a dozen men 
 commenced throwing stones at the startled reptile, and 
 it squirmed toward Kate. She swooned, but came back 
 to consciousness quickly and saw Sour-dough Wilson 
 pinning the serpent to the ground, where it soon de- 
 parted this life. 
 
 Grin stepped before Myrnie with a great show of feel- 
 ing and shouted, "Girl, I've saved your life, but I don't 
 expect you to fall in love with me for it, as the sayin' 
 goes. I'd have done the same thing for a nigger, so 
 
 292 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 you are under no obligations to me and that's the kind 
 of a feller I am." 
 
 Now, the killing of a snake was a common affair 
 among these people. Kate Bremister had killed many 
 of them herself without a tremor, but to-day she fainted 
 at the sight of one. This sent together again the heads 
 of the married women, the old hens. 
 
 But the cowboys picked Grin up and carried him on 
 their shoulders to the foot of the hill because of his 
 gallant speech. He bore the ride in anger, kicking and 
 pulling hair and swearing in an undertone. What did 
 it matter if John Alexander did get a bloody nose? He 
 and others were having their fun at Grin's expense, 
 and that was worth such a price. 
 
 The day was drawing to a close, and when our 
 friends reached their wagons, they piled in and hurried 
 home, having that spent feeling which always comes 
 in the wake of a picnic. 
 
 Kate and Don rode home almost in silence and Kate 
 could feel that there was a great distance between them, 
 while she readily divined its cause. I would rather not 
 tell you of the temptations that struggled in Don's mind 
 as they drove by the dangerous, deep canyons along 
 the Ague Frio, and when he looked down into these, 
 the Devil's eggs of crime hatched in nis brain, but he 
 thought of Myrnie and was ashamed and crushed them 
 all. Give him some credit for that. But, Oh, how he 
 wished that things were different and that he had 
 known Myrnie a few months sooner, before he had tied 
 his hands by an engagement. 
 
 2 93 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Miss Leston had the privilege of riding Bob Moore's 
 horse Buck when she choose. She had never cared 
 particularity for this pastime, as it was too rough and 
 hard, and the sun tanned and the wind blistered her 
 tender skin. However, on the evening of the next day 
 after the picnic, she asked Bob to saddle Buck, and feel- 
 ing that she must have action, some decided action. 
 
 Over the plain alone she flew. Buck had been stand- 
 ing in the stable for several days and wanted exercise, 
 and so was soon on a dead run ; it seemed as if nothing 
 could stop him. On he rushed, through weeds and 
 shrubs, for miles, till he came to the draw where the 
 willows and tall cat-claws grew, and into these he 
 dashed, while they clung to her skirts and tore her 
 dress as she dashed through. She was not rider enough 
 to use both hands on the rein, but had to cling to the 
 horn of the saddle with one hand, to keep from going 
 over the horse's head. The horse was fast gaining- 
 mastery over her and she knew it as well the horse did. 
 Her hat was gone, her hair down and flying to the 
 wind. She had no idea how far she had gone, and 
 was beginning to wonder how it would ever end, when 
 suddenly a man on a fine black mare dashed up beside 
 her and had her horse by the bits in an instant, soon 
 bringing him to a halt. 
 
 294 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Myrnie turned to thank her rescuer but recoiled on 
 discovering that it was Don Gray. Striking his hand 
 with her whip so as to leave a red mark, she demanded, 
 
 " Let my horse go !" 
 
 " He is running with you and would throw you. I 
 know this horse, and Bob Moore is a fool to let you 
 ride the brute alone. I have followed you for three 
 miles, and no telling how this would have turned out 
 if I had not seen you. Fashion can overtake any horse 
 in Arizona." 
 
 " Let my horse go, I say. I was running to please 
 myself." 
 
 "Now, Myrnie, you know you were not. I will not 
 let go. You could not hold this horse." 
 
 " Go away and leave me, I tell you." She was angry. 
 
 " I will not do that either," was his reply. 
 
 "What will it please you to do then, Don Gray?" 
 
 " It will please me to stay here and talk to you." 
 
 " Talk to me in secret on the range, but be careful 
 that a pair of black eyes do not see you." 
 
 " I wish the whole world would see me with you to- 
 night, whether red, green or black eyes, now that I 
 am free." 
 
 " Has some one had strings on you ?" she asked with 
 sarcasm. 
 
 " No, not strings, but cables. But the cables are 
 broken now. Read this letter," and he held the paper 
 toward her. 
 
 Myrnie took the letter and this is what she read, 
 Don: In accordance with your request, I return 
 
 your ring. I would keep it, only I have no place to 
 
 put it. Kate. 
 
 As Myrnie looked up from the paper, her eyes held 
 295 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Don's for a moment, then she covered her face with 
 her hands and broke into a nervous laugh. In spite of 
 her determination to be angry she was so happy. She 
 was so glad the note had said, "In accordance with 
 your request." She took her hands 1 down from her face 
 and gave the letter back to him and said, 
 
 " Really, it is a very well written letter, Don, and I 
 can't help admiring Kate when I read it." 
 
 " Kate is all right, Myrnie. Kate is a good girl, a 
 fine good girl, but it seems she is not the right girl for 
 me. I once thought that I never could grow tired of 
 her love. Now I see what an awful mistake I have 
 made. But I cannot help it. The mistake is made 
 and it will have to take care of itself. You have taught 
 me a new kind of love. Oh, Myrnie, a new kind of 
 love." Don's face shone as he leaned toward her. 
 
 "Oh, you did love her then?" 
 
 " I think I did, Myrnie, as much as I knew how to 
 love any one at that time. But I have grown, grown 
 a million years in love since then." 
 
 "How long since you ceased to love her?" (Observe 
 how well the general surveys her field of battle.) 
 
 " Since that night when I saw you in Prescott." 
 
 ' 'You never saw me in Prescott, Don Gray." Myr- 
 nie's head was on one side, in her most saucy attitude, 
 for she felt that she was master of the situation; but 
 she certainly was not prepared for what he said next. 
 
 " Oh, yes, Myrnie ; don't you remember the night of 
 the fire, when I threw the rope over the bed post?" 
 
 " Oh, Don, Don !" and she caught her breath with 
 difficulty. "Of course, that was you! Now I know 
 it was; now I understand it all. Now I know who I 
 loved that night, it was you all the time, you not 
 
 296 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Fred." She was quite overcome with delight and Don 
 drew his steed up close to her and took her hands. 
 
 " Myrnie, I have known you all this time. I left 
 Prescott two days after the fire, but in that two days 
 I tried every way I could think of to find you. How I 
 longed for you! and that smile of understanding and 
 appreciation you gave me, and you touched me with 
 this little hand." He was covering her hand with 
 kisses when their horses commenced biting at each 
 other and fighting, as horses sometimes will do at such 
 times. The lovers dismounted, and tying their horses 
 to the ground, cowboy fashion, they walked away. He 
 took her hand again. 
 
 " I am sure," he went on, "that nothing but the 
 strength of my longing for you brought you out here, 
 and I was ?o greatly surprised, and yet it seemed so 
 natural, when I saw it was you that day at Myer. But 
 you did not know me, and I have wanted you to dis- 
 cover me. I have loved you all the time." 
 
 " Then why have you hung after Kate all the time 
 since I have been out here. I could hate you for that " 
 
 " Kate has had strings on me of late, and one must 
 be careful how he deals with Kate. I had to bring her 
 to just the right pass to manage her and it took a long 
 time." 
 
 " Then that proves that she had a power over you, 
 which shows that you are weak and afraid, and I do 
 not like weak cowards." She drew her hand away with 
 a jerk and fastened up her glorious hair. 
 
 " Oh, no, no, Myrnie, don't, don't, please. You can't 
 understand yet for awhile," and he took her in his arms 
 while she struggled to get away; but he managed her 
 and covered her face with kisses. 
 
 297 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Once conquered, she was as gentle as a lamb. She 
 turned toward him, put her arms about his neck, and 
 drawing his face down to her own, kissed him in the 
 sweetest possible manner. (This was what she had 
 been wanting to do for so long!) 
 
 The twilight drew on, the wind tossed about among 
 the willows and cat-claws, and a cactus bird was sing- 
 ing the sweetest song ever heard. And there they stood. 
 Don't ask me what they did or said! They were two 
 young lovers in that supreme moment when they find 
 each other. 
 
 " I was on my way to tell you all," he told her as they 
 rode homeward, "and to ask you to go away with me 
 soon. We could go on the evening of the last day ot 
 your school, only a week away. I will come with a car- 
 riage as though I am to take you and your trunk to 
 Myer, but instead of going to Myer, we will turn of 
 the McCabe road and will be in Prescott in the morn- 
 ing. We can be married there, and go on to Denver. 
 After a while we can come back here if you wish. 
 Mother and Roy would get used to the thought after a 
 time, and so would Kate. Just at present it would 
 throw them into consternation and make us lots of 
 trouble. I have plenty of money. Will you go with 
 me, Myrnie?" 
 
 She just looked at him and smiled and nodded her 
 head for yes. Then after a little she said, 
 
 " But I should prefer never to return here. I have 
 learned since I knew you that I never could love Fred 
 Harmon again, and I do not care to see him now. He 
 is so much older than I, and the fact that he has been 
 married and has a child separates us. I want someone 
 
 298 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 near my own age with whom I can grow and develop 
 equally." 
 
 " I will tell Grin about the hidden treasure in the 
 caves," Don said, "and he will be delighted to be the 
 peacemaker. We shall leave peace among the Hammer- 
 heads at any rate !" And they relieved their tense feel- 
 ings by laughing freely. 
 
 All their plans were laid carefully. Myrnie com- 
 menced doing little things that would go toward being 
 ready on the eventful night, and she could hardly con- 
 trol her happy thoughts. Don's hands were as busy as 
 his brain, still he was a little uneasy. The days did not 
 fly fast enough to suit him. He was a little uncomfor- 
 table all the time, being too eager to get away. Little 
 did he realize how much was to happen in the next few 
 days. 
 
 On the evening of the last Thursday, before the close 
 of school, Grin made his way to the school-house with 
 the mission of his life in his hands. He had no doubt 
 but that he would meet with success, and these were to 
 be the last really happy sane moments Grin was ever to 
 spend. His purpose was to find Myrnie alone, but three 
 of the school children still remained, loth to part from 
 their beloved teacher, who was to be gone from among 
 them so soon. 
 
 Grin stepped inside the house without a word, and 
 stood looking at Myrnie. She and those about her 
 looked up in surprise to see the expression which rested 
 on his face ; a look of half hope and pleasure, half pain. 
 It went from his face quickly as Myrnie arose and said, 
 
 " What can I do for you, Mr. Oliver ?" 
 
 " I want to see you," Grin faltered. His face was 
 now abashed, but red and freckled as of old. 
 
 299 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Very well," she said, stepping near him. 
 
 l< Yes, Miss Leston, but I want to see you vacantly," 
 awkwardly fumbling with his hat. At this the children 
 hurried away giggling, and the two were left alone. 
 
 " What do you wish to say ?" she asked, wishing to 
 help him out of the embarassment which bound him. 
 
 "That's jest it. What do I want to say? I know 
 well enough but I do not know how to commence the 
 thing." 
 
 The girl felt very sorry for Grin, but she did not sus- 
 pect his purpose at all. 
 
 " What are you going to do when school is out ?" he 
 asked, after a whole minute of silence. 
 
 " I have hardly decided yet but I am going to Pres- 
 cott first." 
 
 " You goin' to teach here next year ?" 
 
 " The trustees have asked me to do so, but I have 
 not decided yet." 
 
 " Better come up to the sheep camp and spend the 
 summer with me." 
 
 She looked at him in horror, and seeing this and un- 
 derstandng her, he added quickly, "as my wife, you 
 know, of course." 
 
 " How preposterous !" she exclaimed, showing her 
 disgust. 
 
 " You are not too good for me. I can tell you that. 
 I saw you with that Don Gray. Guess you want him." 
 
 " What makes you think so ?" 
 
 " Oh, just because I have got such a good guesser. 
 .He thinks I have no say-so, but I'll let him know that 
 my say-so is worth as much as his say-so. You think" 
 he is an angel. Lots of girls think that. I could tell 
 
 300 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 you something about him, but I won't, that you would 
 be surprised to hear from a Dutchman." 
 
 " I fail to understand you. Why do you come to me 
 like this?" 
 
 " Well, then, I'll be plainer. I love you. Understand 
 that? I want to marry you. Understand that? I am 
 a pure man. Understand that? But I guess the world 
 ain't lookin' for virgins to-day, neither he-virgins nor 
 she-virgins. But now I've had my say-so and you can 
 do as you please with it." 
 
 " I have always valued your friendship, and appreci- 
 ated your many kindnesses to me, but I never thought 
 of loving you. I do not care for you in that way at all, 
 so let that be an end of this." 
 
 " You are the doctor, mam. I am glad you have liked 
 me. And if you ever to marry, I hope you are happy." 
 He turned and walked away hurriedly. 
 
 The bewildered girl looked about her vacantly, wiped 
 away the moisture that had come to her eyes, and sit- 
 ting down to her desk, laid her head on her arms on the 
 desk, and laughed herself almost into hysteria. She 
 arose and walked rapidly home, only to find more 
 tumult there. 
 
 Grin walked home with his heart way down, down. 
 He felt that he had done it all wrong and had lost. But 
 he called his philosophy to his aid and was too egotist- 
 ical in this philosophy to despair altogether. 
 
 He turned and looked behind him when he had 
 reached the hilltop, and saw Myrnie climbing the slope 
 behind the school-house. He snapped his fingers at her 
 and said, "Let'er go as she looks," and walked on, but 
 the words cost him a great effort, and tears commenced 
 pouring from his eyes till he could hardly see. He 
 
 301 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 stumbled and several times almost fell, but gaining his 
 feet each time, and said, as he wiped the moisture 
 away, "darn the sweat!" And from that time till he 
 met his death a few days later, he wondered why that 
 sweat would come of a sudden, when he was not over- 
 heated at all, and why the sweat was accompanied by 
 that dry aching in the throat. 
 
 Don Gray met him on the range the next morning, 
 as he peacefully tended his flocks, and sitting on a rock 
 opposite him, he commenced, 
 
 " You and I have always been good friends, have we 
 not, Oliver?" 
 
 Now, Don had never called Grin "Oliver" before, 
 and the word seemed to place restraint between them 
 and Don felt it in the hush that preceded Grin's answer. 
 
 " Friends, yes, I reckon, but what is it you want me 
 to do for you now, Don?" 
 
 Don felt a chill creep up his spine and over his scalp, 
 but he waded in and told of the hidden treasure in the 
 cave, and of the part he wished Grin to play. He had 
 planned this scene that morning as he rode over the 
 plain; and in his mind he could see Grin rolling about 
 and laughing. He had expected that Grin would enjoy 
 it all immensely. 
 
 But Grin only looked across the valley away from 
 Don, and without exhibiting any surprise or emotion, 
 answered, 
 
 " Why, yes, if these people have been deprived of 
 their goods these three years, they ought to have them 
 returned to them. I will attend to that for you, Don." 
 
 Don Gray wished that the earth would open from 
 under, and swallow him. He sat awkwardly kicking 
 the ground with the toe of his shoe. 
 
 302 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Guess you are gettin' ready to leave this man's 
 country," Grin remarked. 
 
 " Why do you think so?" was Don's interrogation. 
 
 " Because I've got such a good guesser." 
 
 Don got up and walked away. He took the path that 
 led behind the near-by hill. He could not bear the 
 thought of Grin's watching him as he walked away for 
 any distance. In all his experience Don Gray had never 
 felt so small, and weak, and mean. 
 
 Grin was again troubled with the sweat in his face, 
 but he struck up an old hymn and sang as loud as his 
 voice would carry. The song echoed and re - echoed 
 about the hills and the singer was somewhat comforted. 
 
 303 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 WHEN Myrnie reached her boarding place, after 
 Grin's declaration, as has already been said, she met a 
 greater tumult than even Grin produced in her heart. 
 
 As she came down the hill before the house, she saw 
 Lucy Morgan getting down from her flea-bitten gray 
 mare. Myrnie noticed as she passed the animal, tied 
 outside the yard gate, that it was wet and covered with 
 lather. Now it was only two miles to Lucy's house, 
 and the girl knew that Lucy must have ridden much 
 farther than that and very fast to bring her horse to 
 this condition. It came to the girl's mind that Lucy 
 must have some rare gossip, and was spreading it over 
 the community. A thought of some serious neighbor- 
 hood trouble and Jim Bailey associated themselves in 
 her mind, but when she entered her room, she could 
 plainly hear Lucy's voice from the kitchen saying, 
 
 " It was born last night, weighs only eight pounds 
 Eshler met Dr. Parson this morning on his way back 
 to Myer, and the doctor said Kate was doing fine, but 
 the baby is awfully weak. Said Mrs. Bremister had sent 
 to Prescott for Father DeLany to come to christen the 
 baby; she is afraid it might die unbaptised. But I can 
 not see what good the priest can do now. The mischief 
 is done and the disgrace is on them. 
 
 A realization of the terrible truth came flashing over 
 
 304 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Myrnie, and she felt as if the ground under her was 
 rocking and rising up. She caught a chair and fell into 
 it, trying to think, but her mind seemed in a hopeless 
 whirl. Then past events came trooping to her memory 
 clearly. She thought of the hints dropped by the mar- 
 ried women on the day of the picnic, remembered that 
 Kate had been so unlike herself and had swooned, that 
 Don had said Kate had cables on him. She thought of 
 his feverish haste to get away from the neighborhood. 
 She could see through all this now, and the realization 
 turned her soul to wormwood. 
 
 Lucy had made a pause that her hearers might grasp 
 the magnitude of her story, but now she continued : 
 
 " Kate Bremister ought to be drummed out of this 
 country on a rail, and by the married women too, and 
 I am willing to lead the crusade. I shall never look at 
 her again. Just think how she has deceived me, and I 
 have always been her friend. I shudder to think that 
 I kissed her the last time I saw her. Ugh! The dirty 
 thing." 
 
 " Why, Lucy, you should not feel that way about it," 
 Becky said. 
 
 " You don't think I should ?" Lucy's hair commenced 
 to raise and grew a shade redder, if possible, and she 
 raised out of her chair a little as she went on, 
 
 " Becky Moore, I have always been virtuous. My 
 poor old mother, who is now in her grave, taught me 
 to be virtuous, and I can say with a clear conscience 
 that I am pure, pure. And do you think a pure woman 
 should kiss a dirty hussy like that?" 
 
 " Lucy, I am sure poor Kate's kiss did not soil your 
 spotless virtue. I pity the child. I have never kissed 
 Kate, but if I could see her now, I think I should." 
 
 305 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Becky Moore, I am surprised at you," Lucy yelled. 
 
 " Not that I uphold such things, Lucy. No, no, God 
 forbid ! But it helps no one to be so hard on those who 
 make missteps in this world. The girl is young, and 
 we all know her to be a right-meaning girl. This is but 
 a fatal misstep, and I think we all ought to help her 
 up so she will avoid such again. That is not the way 
 to reform the world of women, by throwing stones at 
 them. We never know what may happen to our own. 
 Every woman, if she is honest with herself, hearing of 
 such cases as Kate's, feels shame rise within her at the 
 weakness of her sex. She feels sometimes like shunning 
 the offender, but is she worthy to do it? Are her own 
 hands so entirely clean? Has she always been, is she 
 now, so free from any unclean thought or desire that 
 she can spurn this miserable woman? Every mother 
 must admit that the temptation that came to this un- 
 fortunate girl may come to her own daughter, not per- 
 haps in this same form, but the form is immaterial. 
 Once John Wesley, seeing a thief go by him on his 
 way to jail, followed by a hooting mob said, 'But for 
 the grace of a good God, there goes John Wesley.' And 
 I think we may well pattern by him. What mother of 
 us but can say, hearing the story of Kate, 'But for 
 God's mercy, there goes my own daughter!' We are 
 all of the same blood in this world, and the sins of the 
 father's are visited unto the daughters as well as unto 
 the sons. If only those sneered who have never re- 
 ceived God's mercy for themselves or for their dear 
 ones, who would there be left among us to point the 
 finger of shame at poor Kate?" 
 
 " There would be me, Becky Moore, me. If none 
 else, then there would be me !" Lucy fairly hissed with 
 
 306 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 rage. "And here I am to point my finger at you, Becky 
 Moore," a long, slim, freckled finger was drawn at 
 Becky, and there were little tufts of red hairs between 
 the joints, "for I doubt your decency. How can you 
 uphold crime in the face of your own daughters?" 
 
 Tears coursed down Becky's cheeks as she answered, 
 "Don't be too hard, Lucy, not so hard. When I think 
 of Kate, I say, God be mercyful to me, a sinner." 
 
 Grace Moore went to her mother and kissing her, 
 turned on Lucy. The girl must have lost control of 
 her usually silent tongue as well as of her temper as 
 she broke out, 
 
 " Do you know who it is that turns women down in 
 this world and makes it a bitter place for them to live, 
 Aunt Lucy?" 
 
 " Yes, Grace, it is the whole world when they do 
 wrong." 
 
 " No, Aunt Lucy, it is the women, and do you know 
 what class of women it is?" 
 
 " Don't you dare to tell me that it is the women who 
 do those things themselves, Miss Grace," Lucy hissed. 
 
 " No, Aunt Lucy, it is the woman who wants to do 
 those things but has not the independence nor the cour- 
 age to do them !" 
 
 Lucy turned to Becky, "Now listen to that, Becky, 
 and from your own daughter. I do not intend to have 
 anything to do with Kate Bremister nor with those 
 who approve of her." 
 
 "You do not need to," Grace flashed out again, 
 "What can you know about a mother's feelings. You 
 can't be a mother. We all know you, Lucy. I think 
 I would rather be bad, bad, and do as Kate has done, 
 and have a little charity and love in my heart, than to 
 
 307 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 be like you with your warped cold heart and your 
 boast of virtue! But who knows whether you was so 
 good or not? You might have been bad for all anyone 
 knows. Nature had no way to tell on you, deficient as 
 you are." 
 
 Becky arose and wiped her tears away, gently pushing 
 her daughter from the room with, 
 
 " Child, child, what is all this you are saying ?" 
 
 " Well, I don't care ! She can't come and talk to my 
 mother like that." And Grace flung out of the room. 
 
 " Now, Lucy, there is no cause for us to have any 
 difference over this," began Becky, but Lucy interrupted 
 with, 
 
 " You hear how your daughter talks after your ex- 
 ample. Good-bye, Becky, I hope the dear Lord will keep 
 you and your daughters from evil, but I doubt it sore." 
 And flinging out of the house, she straddled her gray 
 mare and galloped home, baffled and angry. 
 
 Poor little Eshler caught it good and hard that night 
 because he would not promise never to go within speak- 
 ing distance of Kate Bremister again. Lucy had gal- 
 loped all over the neighborhood with her story, and 
 Becky was not the only woman who had pitied Kate, 
 and Lucy was sorely beset. 
 
 When Lucy had gone, Myrnie went to the kitchen, 
 where Becky sat paring potatoes, and a mother's 
 sacred tears were falling on the parings, but she looked 
 up at the girl and smiled with, 
 
 " I am so sorry, child, that you have heard this. I 
 wish you might have gone away without knowing it." 
 
 " Oh, that makes no difference, Mrs. Moore. I ad- 
 mire you for the way you look at Kate's misfortune." 
 
 308 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " That is the way I see it, and I never could be a hyp- 
 ocrit. I have offended Lucy, and Lucy means well." 
 
 "A boy baby, did she say?" Myrnie asked nervously. 
 
 "Yes; a little boy. My heart breaks for Kate's 
 mother. She is my best neighbor." 
 
 " My heart breaks for Kate," the girl told her. 
 
 " I am glad you have charity, child, for it is those 
 without it who are most liable to fall/' 
 
 Myrnie went to her room and closed the door. She 
 seated herself by the window that looked down Dry 
 Creek. She said she did not care for supper, and indeed 
 she forgot all matters of common routine, for she did not 
 even remove her clothing that night. It was moonlight 
 and a light wind was playing about. The weeping 
 willow tree that stood by the window rapped its long 
 arms lightly against the panes, and the sweet odor of 
 wild blooms came in through the open sash. In the 
 hushes that the wind made, a cactus bird sang out 
 strong and clear, as though there were not a sorrow in 
 all the earth's vast expanse. But Myrnie's eyes were 
 still dry, their lids burned with dryness and stared wide 
 open as she sat repeating these immortal lines of Burns : 
 
 Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon, 
 How can ye bloom sae fair: 
 How can ye chant, ye little bird, 
 And I sae fu' o' care! 
 
 Thou'll break my heart, thou bonnie bird 
 That sits upon the bough: 
 Thou minds me o' the happy days 
 When my fause Love was true. 
 309 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Thou'll break my heart, thou bonnie bird, 
 That sings beside thy mate: 
 For sae I sat, and sae I sang 
 And wist na' o' my fate. 
 
 Aft hae I roved my bonnie Doon 
 To see the woodbine twine, 
 And ilka bird sang o' its love; 
 And sae did I o* mine. 
 
 The next morning the saddened girl appeared per- 
 fectly calm and natural. No one knew of the awful 
 struggle and agony of the night, as no one knew of 
 her love for Don Gray. 
 
 At school that last day she was her same sweet self 
 to the children. She smiled when they came to her ex- 
 pressing their love for her, and their regret of losing her. 
 But she found it hard to control her mind. There were 
 times when she scarcely knew what she was doing. A 
 kind of unnatural haze filled her thoughts, and all 
 seemed like a dream, in which nothing mattered any 
 more. There was a great sinking in her heart but there 
 was no bitterness for anyone, except at moments when 
 little belated flames of hate flashed up for Don Gray. 
 These died quickly, and then she could have wept that 
 her heart could ever be like that, for the one who was 
 altogether lovely. It seemed then that he was dearer 
 to her than ever before. 
 
 Evening came somehow. This was the evening that 
 she was to have gone away, and she realized how differ- 
 ently she should be feeling now if she had not heard. 
 She bade her pupils a loving good-bye, kissing every 
 one of them, even to big Ora Pittner, and walked home- 
 
 310 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ward over the hill the dear, familiar way. Every little 
 bush, every cactus, every turn in the path were so well 
 known to her. This same path had always been a way 
 of gladness to her, but this last time it was a bridge of 
 sighs. Her step was slow and heavy, and now and 
 then she struck her foot against a stone. Her feet had 
 been so light on this path before. Sfie noticed all the 
 land-marks along the way, and said good-bye to them. 
 Her thoughts were a mingling of many things, and were 
 sad, infintely sad. 
 
 Clouds had been gathering, appearing and disappear- 
 ing for several days, and during the evening there had 
 been hints of thunder and lightning. Little ribbons of 
 fire flashed here and there along the horizon and then 
 came to her ears distant rumblings, which Myrnie had 
 taught the children to call Henry Hudson playing at 
 nine-pins. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 ARIZONA is a land of extremes. There is a well- 
 founded adage among old settlers in the Territory, that 
 "when it rains in Arizona, it pours.'* This may be in- 
 terpreted in many different ways, for when drouth 
 comes in Arizona, it is dry, dry and a long time dry; 
 when hard luck strikes you in Arizona, it strikes you 
 hard; or, when you strike it in Arizona, you strike it 
 big rich, etc. This is no half-way place. 
 
 When Myrnie reached the ranch house that evening-, 
 she found Grin sitting on the veranda with Becky and 
 the children, discussing the prospect of the much-needed 
 rain. The girl feared that he had come to renew his 
 proposal, but she changed her mind on this point when 
 he greeted her, for his eye met hers, honest and straight- 
 forward, unflinching. 
 
 She sat down with them to rest for awhile, feeling 
 that their honest hearts were a comfort. 
 
 " I smell a flood," said Grin, jumping to his feet and 
 trotting out into the yard, holding up his nose and sniff- 
 ing the breeze, like a dog, as it came down from the 
 eastern end of the valley. 
 
 " Smell a flood ?" said Myrnie, "What can you 
 mean ?" 
 
 " I mean that I smell a flood," persisted the sheep- 
 herder, "Can't you see that it's rainin' up there in the 
 
 312 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 mountains forty or fifty miles from here, and it's been 
 rainin' up there nearly all day. See how the clouds 
 seem to come together and pitch and fight each other, 
 and then pour down on the mountains. That is sure 
 to send a flood down here." 
 
 " How far away is the flood?" she asked him. 
 
 " Oh, I should say twenty miles. It will be three or 
 four hours before it gets down here, I should think; 
 but a flood is sure comin', and mind my word, she is a 
 big one. I can smell it plain." 
 
 " But how could you smell it if it were twenty miles 
 away?" she persisted, laughing at the idea. 
 
 "All Hassayampers and Hammerheads can smell 
 floods even if school ma'ms can't," Grin added, a little 
 vexed because she doubted his word. And then he 
 went on in a mild way, "The sense of smell gets mighty 
 keen in these high, dry altitudes, same as the brutes. 
 But it is like this. A flood in this country sweeps be- 
 fore it much filth. You see horses and cattle, as well as 
 other animals, go to the river during a drouth to get the 
 water, that sometimes stands in the deep holes along 
 the river bed, and finding it not, they die there. And 
 when the flood comes, it pushes all this ahead and that 
 singular kind of breeze that travels miles in advance of 
 the flood, carries these odors on its breast. It is a mixed 
 smell of carrion, mud and rotten wood. But I sure do 
 love the smell!" 
 
 "Well, I don't care about the flood," said Becky, 
 "But I sure would like to have some of that rain down 
 here." 
 
 Myrnie went to her room, changed her shoes, brushed 
 her hair carefully, and leaving the house by a back way, 
 commenced walking in the direction of Myer. She 
 
 313 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 walked rapidly, for she was thinking rapidly. She ex- 
 pected to meet Don, and she did not care where. She 
 had proceeded only a mile, however, and was in the dry 
 bed of the Ague Frio when she met him. 
 
 They both stopped and looked at each other, Don 
 smiling his happy fascinating smile, as he said, 
 
 "Too eager to stay at home? Come jump up here 
 and ride back to the house with me. We will have to 
 hurry, for I am afraid that a flood will come down and 
 cut us off from the Prescott road to-night." 
 
 She looked at him without reproach, and asked mild- 
 ly, "Do you think I am going away with you, Don?" 
 
 He thought she was playing with him and answered, 
 "I'm going away with you, at any rate." 
 
 " You are going to marry Kate Bremister. She has 
 borne you a son." 
 
 " My God !" He muttered. His face was ashen, he 
 sat like one with a chill, shaking from head to foot. 
 For a long time he could not speak, and during this 
 time Myrnie looked at the ground. Then he burst forth 
 speaking to himself, 
 
 " I thought that would not happen for a month yet, 
 and we would be away and she would never know." 
 
 "And there is where you miscounted," she said coldly. 
 
 " I thought you would never know," he repeated. 
 
 " Oh, Don, Don, I might have known, I might have 
 known. But no, I trusted you." 
 
 " But Myrnie," he threw his lines on the ground and 
 jumped from his seat beside her, "that all happened be- 
 fore I knew you. I never could have done like that if 
 I had known what real love was. You will forgive me, 
 Myrnie. We must go, all arrangements are made." He 
 stood in an attitude of appeal, his arms stretched out to 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 her, all the suavity of his nature coming to his aid. His 
 eyes were soft and painstricken and compelling. "We 
 might just as well go now, Myrnie; might just as well." 
 
 The distraught girl stood for a minute in a whirl of 
 indecision, her desire to go to him and say, "Yes, yes, 
 Don," was powerful, but she thought that he must have 
 looked like this to Kate when she gave up to him, and 
 she stood still looking at him. 
 
 He continued, " What is one child more or less in 
 the world, and what is the difference who is its father? 
 They are nothing to me. No one is anything to me but 
 you, you are strong, and good, and could not be induced 
 to give yourself up wrongfully. Can't you see that I 
 could not care for Kate after this?" 
 
 " Can't you see that I could not care for you after 
 this ? Kate is better than you are. The words you have 
 just spoken show you to be unworthy the name "man." Is 
 there no father-feeling in you, Don?" Her last words 
 were a whisper. "No father-feeling to be awakened?" 
 
 Don folded his arms across his chest and replied, 
 "The old man sleeps." 
 
 " For shame, Don, for shame. You are just a 
 rogue." 
 
 " I have often suspected myself of being a rogue, and 
 I have tried to reform, but reform does not seem to be 
 in me. I hate myself. I have struggled hard. What 
 can you know of this struggle, you who have no desire 
 to break laws and be wicked, what can you know of 
 this struggle? I have come to the conclusion that I 
 have inherited a love of lawlessness. There must be an 
 awful strain of blackness back among my ancestors. 
 If you do not go with me I can't help it but if you do 
 
 315 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 care for me yet, you can purge my life to cleanliness. 
 Will you go with me, Myrnie?" 
 
 " Don, you just said that I was not a woman who 
 could be induced to give myself up wrongfully and you 
 spoke true.'* 
 
 Hearing a mighty roar, they looked up the stream, 
 and there not fifty yards away was a breast of water 
 six feet high bearing down upon them. The flood came 
 as Grin had predicted, and it was a big one; they had 
 been too deeply engrossed in their own affair to hear 
 its roar till it was almost too late. 
 
 They both knew that they could not reach either bank 
 of the river. 
 
 "We may reach Ell's Isle," he shouted to her, for the 
 din of the water was almost deafening, and taking her 
 by the hand they ran desperately to the little island 
 that stood, brush covered, in the midst of the stream. 
 Don had to drag Myrnie up the steep bank. 
 
 On top of this island they were far above water and 
 there they stood, bewildered, trembling, unstrung. 
 
 The water, now was all around them and its roar was 
 so great that they could not hear each other speak. He 
 tried to say something to her but she could not hear his 
 words she finally understood by the motion of his lips 
 that he said, "horse," and looking across the stream, 
 she saw the two horses entangled by their harness in 
 some brush. They were 'above water but the light 
 wagon had broken away from them and had been car- 
 ried down the stream. 
 
 vSpeechless, the two prisoners stood, watching the 
 water climb higher as darkness commenced to creep on. 
 It commenced to rain heavily. Lightning and thunder 
 flashed and rolled about them, and the rain came down 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 still harder. Don put his coat on Myrnie. She cried 
 silently as he did so, the kindness touched her so, but 
 it was dark and he did not know that she cried. The 
 rain washed the few tears away, and soon she had to 
 discard the coat to get rid of its weight, for it was 
 drenched. 
 
 The incessant flashing of the lightning illumined the 
 water, showing them the objects which the flood carried 
 on its breast and brought floating past them. Logs and 
 whole trees still leafy and green and piled up and over- 
 riding one another, came plunging directly toward 
 them, till it seemed that they would tumble on their 
 tiny island and crush them, but the bend in the river 
 always carried them past. One of the large cottonwood 
 trees which had stood on the bank of the stream along 
 Aunt Sally's bottom came floating past with a dead cow 
 entangled in its branches. Don and Myrnie recognized 
 the tree as well as the cow. It was one of Aunt Sally's 
 best buttermilk cows. She had a bobbed tail. 
 
 Chicken coops, small outbuildings, broken timbers, 
 and wagons anything and everything came by, and the 
 two island prisoners stood and watched it all as intently 
 as though their lives depended upon it. The rain sub- 
 sided, and when their ears had become more accustomed 
 to the noise, they could better make each other under- 
 stand what they were saying. 
 
 Suddenly a lingering flash of lightning revealed a 
 part of a haybailing machine entangled in a canvas 
 wagon sheet. It came very near to them, and Don said, 
 
 "Alas, the rodeo," looking at Myrnie. She returned 
 his look without a change of expression. No doubt it 
 was the only time that joke was sprung without provok- 
 ing laughter. 
 
 317 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " The flood will have run past by midnight/ 5 Don 
 said. "Then we can " 
 
 But Myrnie interrupted him, "We are here till day- 
 break, Don." 
 
 " Well, even then," but his voice trembled so that he 
 had to commence again. "Even then, I can get Grin 
 to bring a team and we can go. You and he could go 
 back to Bob's and get your things. I do not wish to 
 see people, now that this thing is out/' 
 
 " No, I should not think so/ 5 she said. 
 
 " I suppose it is in the mouth of everybody," he 
 faltered. 
 
 " Lucy Morgan, with the co-operation of her gray 
 mare, spent the whole day yesterday, spreading the 
 news, and I imagine it is pretty well out," was her frank 
 answer. 
 
 "The old hell-cat!" he muttered; but in the face of 
 all this, he still hoped. "It will be all right, little girl ; 
 you know that I love only you. It is all right." He 
 took hold of her arm ecstatically. It seemed so hard 
 for him to give up hope. 
 
 " This is the end, Don Gray." 
 
 " Not the end, not not the end, not that." 
 
 " The end of everything, even life, Don." 
 
 " No, no," he fell down on his knees, and clasping 
 her about the limbs, he pressed his face against her 
 body. "No, no, not that." 
 
 She drew away from him and going over to the lone 
 tree, leaned against it wearily. It was the only large 
 tree on the island; it forked about two feet from the 
 ground, spreading out into two large branches, and the 
 girl seated herself in this fork. Don remained on the 
 ground where she had left him. A rift in the clouds 
 
 318 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 showed the bright moon coming up from behind Esh- 
 ler's Peak, and this light, along with the noise and 
 crash about him, brought Don to a realization of his 
 surroundings. Then the clouds came together again, 
 and all was dark. They continued to open and close al- 
 ternately, giving the lonely figures light and darkness by 
 turns. 
 
 Hearing a great splash in the water, Myrnie hurried 
 over to Don, but she found him standing quite still 
 where she had left him, as though he were trying to 
 collect his thoughts. The noise had been caused by 
 a great chunk of their island which had been torn off 
 by the force of the water. The girl took him by the 
 hand and led him like a child to the tree, wondering at 
 her own great calmness. 
 
 " Our island is being washed away, Don. There may 
 be none of it here by morning. The water is still ris- 
 ing, and it is already about our feet." 
 
 He made no reply, so she repeated her fears, but he 
 seemed to take no note of their danger, notwithstanding 
 the fact that the sounds of loud splashes which con- 
 tinued to come to their ears should have convinced him 
 that their place of safety was growing smaller every 
 hour. 
 
 Don was pacing back and forth now like one frantic. 
 She could see his face pale and haggard in the moon- 
 light, when it came, and his eyes, how they stared ! She 
 could feel the tree quiver and shake beneath her, and 
 she know that its roots were being undermined by the 
 water. Even this did not alarm her. She still sat in 
 the fork of the tree and Don continued to walk. Hours 
 went by, when she felt him trying to clasp her in his 
 
 319 
 
In the Land of Hxiremes. 
 
 arms. She almost felt afraid of him, he acted so 
 strangely. 
 
 " Don, Don, do you realize the danger of those who 
 live below here?" She asked, pushing him from her. 
 
 " My God ! My God !" she heard him mutter. "I can 
 swim, Myrnie, I will go to them and save them. I 
 will save them." 
 
 " No, the water is up to your knees. You could do 
 nothing. It is too dark. You could do nothing." 
 
 " No, I could not leave you." 
 
 " Have you no feeling, Don, no feeling ? You know 
 what I mean no father-feeling?" Her voice was a 
 whisper in his ear. 
 
 " God ! my God," was all he said, but she thought 
 there was a hint of sob in his voice. He went on. 
 
 " I could not leave you here alone like this, but Myr- 
 nie, I want to see my little child, I do want to see it." 
 He broke into sobs that were violent and terrible. It 
 was an awful struggle. His dormant manhood was 
 being brought to life at this hour. How easily and care- 
 lessly this fellow had taken life; how irresponsible he 
 had been, thoughtless of everyone but himself. He had 
 been able to laugh and joke in the face of any great 
 calamity, and this must be either a very great or a very 
 depraved soul. I leave you to judge which of the two 
 was Don's. But now he was beginning to feel the great 
 tragedies of life. It had taken the love of a good and 
 pure woman to bring him to this. 
 
 Myrnie was happy. At last he had redeemed himself 
 in her eyes. Though she never see him again, what 
 matter? He was a man and she had not been mistaken 
 in her judgment of him yes, he was a man. 
 
 When he became calm, he laid his hand on her arm. 
 and said, 
 
 320 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Pray, Myrnie. You are a good woman, and God 
 will hear your prayer. Pray for them, and tell God I 
 promise to do right by them if he will but save them." 
 
 And Myrnie prayed as she had not prayed in all her 
 life. Her own feelings and desires she sacrificed com- 
 pletely, pouring forth the plea with all her strength of 
 her being for the safety of those two lives that had 
 crossed her own. When she had concluded, a great 
 silence fell upon them. It continued for hours, in which 
 both had a peculiar feeling that great distance was 
 growing between them; they felt far, far apart. 
 
 By the sounds about them they could tell that the 
 water was subsiding but still they watched and waited 
 without speaking. And by the time dawn came peep- 
 ing into the Eastern end of the valley, the river was not 
 more than a foot deep. Daylight showed them that 
 more than half of their island had been washed away, 
 being composed of loose, rocky soil, and the great 
 forked tree which was now leaning in the direction of 
 the river, had half of its roots washed bare. 
 
 Don, guarding against the quicksand, led Myrnie in 
 a roundabout way to where the horses were. 
 
 " Which horse is gentle to ride ?" she asked. 
 
 " Puss is perfectly gentle," he told her, knowing 
 where she meant to go. 
 
 11 You go to Myer," she commanded. 
 
 " Tell her I will come about noon and bring Father 
 Delany. He will still be in town." 
 
 " I will make it all right with her, Don," she said 
 when he had helped her on the horse. 
 
 He stood with his arms folded across his chest watch- 
 ing her till she was out of sight, then, mounting the 
 other horse, he rode to Myer, his head bent, his eyes 
 on the ground. 
 
 321 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MYRNIE was obliged to pick her way carefully along 
 the course of the stream. She followed the well-worn 
 trail where she could, but in many places it had lain so 
 near the river's brink that long stretches of it, having 
 become soaked by the water, had caved off. At such 
 places the girl was compelled to go higher up on the 
 hillside and through the brush. The original path had 
 crossed the river at many sections, winding its way 
 first on one side then on the other, wherever there was 
 room for the path along the narrow canyon. But now 
 Myrnie had to keep on one side of the stream all the 
 way. 
 
 The destructive influences of the flood were every- 
 where apparent. Trees and brush along the river brink 
 had been washed out by the roots and had accumulated 
 in great piles of drift where the stream had overrun 
 its banks. The little school-teacher saw all this through 
 tearful eyes. The belated tears had commenced to flow 
 soon after she left Don ; the drouth which had held her 
 in its grip was now at an end, and a flood of tears now 
 blinded her sight. She soon wiped them away, however, 
 and slowly made her way through the rough canyon. 
 Her heart was broken but there was enough excitement 
 in that which lay before her to carry her on to the end 
 of her mission. She urged her lagging steed on up 
 hillsides so steep as to be dangerous, down precipitous 
 
 322 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 banks were she was compelled to dismount, through 
 thickets of mesquite whose sharp thorns tore her wet 
 skirts into rags, and across deeply cut ditches in which 
 still ran rivulets from the saturated earth. 
 
 Puss was sure-footed and did not stumble, but she 
 always wanted to jump the ditches and the cautious 
 rider lost much time in her efforts in prevent this. 
 
 The clouds had all passed away, not even a whitehead 
 anywhere to explain all this wetness. Every bush and 
 every blade of dead grass hung full of liquid beads, 
 which glittered like diamonds in the bright sunlight. 
 (The sun had already risen.) Such a fragrance as 
 arose from the earth, and how the birds sang! But all 
 this gave the little teacher no comfort; she scarcely 
 noticed these things. The darkness within her own soul 
 threw shadows over all the brightness. Earth now 
 wore its blackest pall for her. It took her three hours 
 to cover the three miles. When she came to the open 
 fields, at the upper end of the Bremister ranch, she 
 stopped and gazed before her, appalled. Great areas 
 of the soft rich bottomland had disappeared, had been 
 eaten away by the water's sharp teeth. 
 
 " How can the house still be there ?" she asked her- 
 self aloud, in horor. She knew that the house stood on 
 soft ground and not far from the stream. She dreaded 
 to go on over the rise in the field which hid the house 
 from view, knowing not whether she feared the house 
 was gone or was still there. She stood, hesitating. 
 
 " If it is gone," she whispered, "if it is gone ? He 
 has proven himself a man." This brought a great sense 
 of rest to her heart. "If they are gone, maybe I could 
 forgive him, perhaps " 
 
 Her words were cut short by the sight of a man com- 
 323 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 ing over the rise, leading a horse. It was Mr. Bre- 
 mister, and he was walking calmly as though all were 
 well with him. Myrnie spoke to Puss and the horse 
 moved forward, but the man had turned out of the path 
 before she reached him. His head was bowed in 
 thought. When she reached the summit of the rise, 
 there stood the house in its accustomed place among the 
 cottonwoods, with the dogs and chickens moving about 
 in their natural way. 
 
 " Kate might have died in the night ; sometimes they 
 do die afterwards." This she told herself like a drown- 
 ing man who catches at a straw. When she walked 
 upon the porch and knocked, she fully expected to be 
 confronted by the assertion that Kate was dead. But 
 alas, her active imagination had led her astray. 
 
 Mrs. Bremister met her at the door, and it would be 
 difficult to picture the surprise in the woman's face as 
 she stood staring at the bedraggled girl. 
 
 The weary visitor noticed that the face before her 
 was haggard and tear-stained, as though the woman had 
 wept all night, and this made Myrnie's own trouble 
 seen less terrible to her. Pity, sympathy wonderful 
 and tender, instantly welled up in the girl's heart, and 
 she was ready to sacrifice herself for this grief-stricken 
 mother. 
 
 Mrs. Bremister had thrown up her hands and stood, 
 unable to say one word. 
 
 " Oh," said Myrnie, looking down at her dress and 
 thinking of it for the first time, "I have been out in the 
 rain all night but I have come to see Kate. I know 
 everything." 
 
 Mrs. Bremister still stood in the doorway, barring 
 
 324 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 her entrance as though she could not grasp what Myr- 
 nie said. 
 
 " I have brought good news from Don for Kate." 
 Her sincere look and sweet tone reassured the woman, 
 who said: 
 
 " Come in, child, come in. Let me give you dry 
 clothes. This is liable to give you your death. How 
 came you in this plight?" 
 
 " I was caught on Ell's Isle by the flood and held 
 there all night/' Myrnie said, and while she changed 
 her clothes, she told the woman as much of the fabrica- 
 tion, which was rapidly weaving itself in her fertile 
 brain, as she thought wise to unfold just yet. 
 
 When she had finished, the newly made grand-mother 
 opened the door of the adjoining room and said, "Here 
 is company for you, dear! are you ready just now?" 
 
 Myrnie stepped inside the room before the invalid 
 could answer. Kate seemed unable to believe the ev- 
 idence of her own eyes. She had raised herself on her 
 elbow when her mother spoke to her, and Myrnie saw 
 by the light and hope that lurked in her eye, when she 
 first entered the room, that Kate thought it was some- 
 one else. Myrnie saw this expression change quickly 
 to one of fear and alarm, and the young mother fell 
 back on her pillow. 
 
 The girl walked toward her and tried to smile with 
 these words. "It is only me now, Kate, but Don will 
 come at noon to-day. He told me to come to tell you." 
 
 " But how does he know that I want him to come ? w 
 was her heated interrogation. 
 
 " Oh, but you do, Kate," she said in her sweetest tone. 
 
 " I do not think I do. I have gone this far without 
 
 325 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 him and can go the rest of the way, little as he may 
 doubt it." 
 
 " But you do want him, Kate. He will bring Father 
 Delaney, and he wants you to marry him. Don would 
 have come now instead of me, only he wished to catch 
 the priest in Myer." 
 
 " That he should have done a long time ago, Myrnie." 
 Kate's voice was more tender now. 
 
 " Yes, Kate, but but but you know how funny men 
 are about such things." 
 
 " But how came you here like this with word from 
 him?" Kat still doubted the girl's sincerity. 
 
 " He loves you, Kate ; loves you dearly, but his pride 
 made him shrink from this. His mother, too, has such 
 a power over him and he shrank from what she and the 
 other people would say. But he is so sorry now that 
 he did not do right by you long ago. He wants to 
 make amends." 
 
 "Oh, he does? Well, if he had suffered death a 
 hundred times in the last few months, yes, worse than 
 a hundred deaths, then what people think and even his 
 mother's feelings would be as nothing to him." 
 
 " Yes, Kate, but it is only given to women to suffer 
 like that. He was coming to see you, coming by the 
 Browns Springs road because he wished to see Grin 
 and get him to do some errand for him, and I was walk- 
 ing alone as I do so often, it was pleasant and cool, you 
 know, and we chanced to meet in the road in the dry 
 river bed. We talked for a few minutes, and suddenly 
 the terrible flood was upon us before we knew it. We 
 could not run to the banks but just barely reached EH's 
 Isle and there we were held all night." 
 
 "But why did he stop to talk to you ? That sounds 
 326 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 unlikely if he were coming here so quickly and eagerly. 
 Did he dare to mention anything to to to you, about 
 this?" The black eyes were flashing. 
 
 " Oh, no, Kate. He only asked me to carry the mes- 
 sage back to Grin because I told him that Grin was at 
 the house; he was doing that because he wanted to get 
 here all the sooner." 
 
 "What was the message?" 
 
 " Why, he he, why he wanted Grin to go to Myer 
 to bring the priest for him." 
 
 "Then what happened?" Kate asked. 
 
 " He never would have mentioned you to me if the 
 flood had not held us on that island all night. Think of 
 it," and Myrnie put intensity into her voice, "held on 
 that little piece of ground all through the black night 
 and the merciless rain pouring down and the raging 
 flood eating our island from under us, the water rising 
 round us higher and higher every minute. We did not 
 think we would ever escape from the island alive, and 
 as you can well imagine, he was crazed with anxiety 
 and all barriers fell away. He thought this house would 
 surely be washed away and you with it. He bound me 
 to a piece of log that lodged on our island and told me 
 what to tell you if you and I escaped and he did not. 
 He cried awfully, Kate, and said he wanted you and 
 his little child." 
 
 At this point both girls broke down; Kate from sheer 
 happiness, and Myrnie because she was so carried away 
 with the pathos of her own story, and because the flood 
 of grief within her had not yet spent itself. Mrs. Bre- 
 mister had stood like one stricken while the narrator 
 told her rapid story; now she fell upon her knees to 
 thank the good God who had heard and answered 
 
 327 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 her prayer. She would do her penance gladly now, 
 would wear green, the color she most disliked, to the 
 end of her days. 
 
 Kate reached out and grasped Myrnie's hand, and 
 Myrnie understood that this was her thanks to her, but 
 she was unable to return the fervid pressure which Kate 
 gave, and left her hand lay passively in that of the in- 
 valid. Thus they wept, the dark head quite near the 
 fair one. Is the world of women indeed so unjust, so 
 unfeeling? Is there no love and charity existing in the 
 hearts of the sisters of this world. They tell me, "No." 
 
 Perhaps those who read this story will look upon 
 Kate as something vile and upon Myrnie as a saint and 
 an angel. But this is not so. The universal thought of 
 the world is much biased in these matters. Fundament- 
 ally, no doubt, Kate was as pure as Myrnie. Their 
 circumstances had been different, that was all. 
 
 Myrnie had been tenderly reared and carefully 
 guarded from infancy. Every thought had been mould- 
 ed for her during her childhood; she had been sur- 
 rounded by refinement, culture, and was educated. She 
 knew life through the medium of the best literature, 
 had been environed by a religious atmosphere, taught 
 to fear evil for its own dire effects, and, having been 
 gifted with pure instincts, was able to resist most forms 
 of temptation. 
 
 Kate, on the other hand, had been left to discover all 
 things for herself. True, her mother was a Catholic, 
 and Kate called herself the same; but Mrs. Bremister 
 was a woman who forgot her religion except in cases 
 of dire need. Such religion is a failure. You can not 
 make a cat's paw of God. To Kate religion was only 
 a word. She knew little of the delicate lines between 
 
 328 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 right and wrong. Her companions all through her life 
 had been cowboys, good fellows, to be sure, but rough. 
 Of schooling Kate had received little. She had never 
 been taught to read good books. She knew only the 
 things that speak from the hills, the rocks, the range 
 and the wild places. These are pure teachers, all, if the 
 mind is developed to an extent to grasp their magnitude. 
 Kate, however, recognized only the material nature of 
 these things. Such surroundings may keep a man prim- 
 itive and honest in nature, but they are hardly the in- 
 fluences which bring out the spiritual nature of woman- 
 kind. Kate was of a nervous, active temperament, 
 not having that command and power which comes with 
 repose. 
 
 Mrs. Bremister arose at length, and stood looking 
 at the two girls. She smiled and said : 
 
 " Come, children, let us brace up. This is not so bad 
 as it might be." 
 
 "No, indeed," Myrnie added, drying her tears in a 
 relieved way. 
 
 Kate came out of her tears laughing. For a month, 
 or since the day of the picnic, she had not seen Don. 
 She thought he was lost to her, had deserted her; that 
 she was to go alone through this dark gorge of shame. 
 Now that haunting dream was dispelled. He was com- 
 ing this day to make her his wife ; he loved her, he loved 
 her still. Oh, this was too good to be true, surely, after 
 all her dreadful sufferings. She talked and chatted 
 gaily, a pretty pink coming into her cheeks. 
 
 "Well, well; this is a jolly old world after all," she 
 said, "I'm hungry, mother dear, have you any of that 
 quail broth left? Do bring me some. I can drink a 
 barrel of it; bring some crackers, too." 
 
 329 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Mrs. Bremister went to the kitchen to get the food 
 and Kate went on, 
 
 " Oh, Myrnie, don't you want to see my little, wee 
 little chicken? It is just a little two-by-four and is 
 just like him its eyes are his." And she drew an un- 
 certain looking bundle from the back of the bed, while 
 poor Myrnie thought she should strangle, her heart 
 came up and choked her so. At that moment she 
 thought she would break down, but she prayed to be 
 made stronger, and Kate did not see her emotion, being 
 so absorbed with her own interests. She went on with 
 her chatter: 
 
 " You know Myrnie, we are just the same as married; 
 we are married. Love is the only marriage. What is 
 a foolish ceremony? Does the Bible not say there is no 
 sin commited if they marry afterwards? Ho, ho, what 
 does this silly world know about anything anyhow?" 
 
 But Myrnie scored one on Kate for her boasting ex- 
 ultation when she calmly replied: 
 
 " Kate, I would rather be married by a ceremony be- 
 forehand." 
 
 " Oh, yes, of course, I suppose so, if one cares for 
 others. Pooh, I care only for my Don." 
 
 Myrnie's face went white as she looked at the little, 
 red, wrinkled individual, who would not open his eyes 
 enough to see what they were like, but closed and un- 
 closed his silly little fists as though it were a great ac- 
 complishement, and worked his button-hole mouth as 
 though he were as good as anybody's kid. Kate went 
 on talking to her incomprehensible treasure in a fond 
 mother's silly way: 
 
 " Oo is dest mover's wee, one chicken, ess oo is, too." 
 
 " I am sure he is just sweet," Myrnie managed to say.. 
 330 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 But Mrs. Bremister came back with the broth and 
 crackers and Myrnie arose to go. I think Kate was re- 
 lieved to have her depart. But Mrs. Bremister came to 
 Myrnie, and taking her hand said: 
 
 " God will bless you for the work you have done this 
 day. What a blessing you have been to this community 
 in every way! It must be a great comfort to you to 
 think of it." 
 
 Myrnie only smiled sadly and bidding Kate good-bye, 
 wished her happiness, to which Kate could not reply, 
 but looked into her eyes frankly. Mrs. Bremister 
 kissed her on both cheeks and followed her to her horse, 
 asking God again and again to bless her till Myrnie 
 wished the woman would keep her mouth shut and make 
 less demonstration. 
 
 The girl took the Myer road in order to meet Don, 
 and she met him in a buggy where the Browns Springs 
 road forked off. The holy man was with him, but Don 
 got out of the vehicle, leaving the priest uncertainly 
 holding the horses; he walked along by Myrnie till he 
 was beyond ear range of the buggy and without wait- 
 ing to be asked, Myrnie told him what she had done. 
 
 He stood in silence, his eyes on the ground as she 
 spoke and with his eyes still on the ground, he said, 
 
 " I would rather tell her the whole truth, make a 
 clean breast of it," now he looked full at her, "and go 
 down to the 'Y' in Myer and turn around and take a 
 new start in life." It was evident that he still had hopes. 
 Kate might refuse him if he did this. 
 
 The girl smiled and looked at him, shaking her head. 
 There was all the old irresistible deviltry lurking in his 
 eyes as he looked at her. He was still able to joke in 
 the face of serious matters. This made him the same, 
 
 331 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 dear old self to her, and she had to take her eyes away 
 from him. Feigning disgust, she said, 
 
 " You must not change what I have done and told 
 them, Don." 
 
 Now, he was all seriousness. "I will do whatever you 
 say, as I promised you I would last night; still, this all 
 seems so useless to me and I think I might just as well 
 tell the truth. I believe the truth is always the best in 
 any circumstance. We might just as well do as we had 
 planned. Might just as well." 
 
 He did not know how hard he was making it for her 
 to stay by her conviction of what was right. Don turned 
 and looked down the road that led to Kate, then toward 
 Browns Springs, and Myrnie saw something strange 
 come into his face as he asked, 
 
 " Myrnie, is this where our paths divide ?" 
 
 She looked at the diverging highways also, but could 
 not speak at first, then he said: 
 
 " No, Don, this is not the place. There is but one 
 place in this world where the paths of those who love 
 or have loved turn asunder, and that is at the point of 
 dishonor. Whether they be lover and sweetheart or 
 husband and wife, and it matters not whether they sep- 
 arate or remain together, from the first moment when 
 evil, deceit, or dishonor enters the heart of one in regard 
 to the other, that is where their paths divide and must 
 lie asunder forever." 
 
 " But you don't despise me, Myrnie ?" His voice 
 trembled. 
 
 " No, Don, I could not. I forgive you everything." 
 Her voice shook as much as his own. 
 
 Don stepped to the side of her horse and taking the 
 hand that hung limply by her side, drew it down to his 
 
 332 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 face. He did not touch his lips to it, but she felt the 
 hot tears falling on her palm. 
 
 Drawing her hand away hurriedly, lest she give up 
 at the last moment, she said, "Good-bye, Don!** and 
 striking Puss, galloped up the road toward Browns 
 Springs, keeping the same gait all the way home. She 
 called Becky Moore to her room and told her the same 
 story she had told Kate. 
 
 Dear Becky wept constantly, telling Myrnie that they 
 had all gone to search for her, thinking she was lost, 
 and warning her that if she did not desist from such a 
 saintly life, God would take her up from where she 
 stood, and translate her into heaven at once, which 
 must not happen, as this wicked world still had sore 
 need of the angelic ministrations. 
 
 Myrnie had no tears to shed now. She had again 
 passed beyond tears and seemed lifted above the things 
 of this world. Hurt yourself and no one can hurt you. 
 conquer yourself and no one can conquer you, crucify 
 yourself and no power in this world can touch you. 
 
 By the mighty force of her will, the girl appeared nat- 
 ural, telling her friends that she was going to a visit 
 to her old home in Nova Scotia and she would be so 
 happy to meet her old friends and relatives again. She 
 even went out to the barn and had a farewell romp on 
 the hay with Becky's children because they wanted her 
 to do so. 
 
 That evening she saw Don and the priest drive up to 
 the barn, and going to the stable where Bob Moore was, 
 get Puss. Myrnie ran upstairs in breathless fear of 
 him and hid herself. She watched him breathlessly 
 through a window. He was Kate's husband now. But, 
 
 333 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 oh, God, how she loved him! How handsome he was 
 in his free, easy movements ! 
 
 After he had gone, she heard Bob telling Becky that 
 Don and Kate had been married, and that old man B re- 
 mister was going to set Don up in breeding fine horses 
 and had presented him the ranch on Cherry Creek. 
 
 " I congratulated Don on his rapid success/' Bob 
 chuckled. "Few men get along so fast on being first 
 married, wife, kid and farm all at one clatter. Even 
 you and I did not do that well, did we, old gal?" He 
 came fooling around his wife and kissed her, which 
 pleased Becky immensely, but this fact she would not 
 acknowledge, and slapping her husband said: 
 
 " Oh, go long, you goose." 
 
 It was well for Myrnie that she was so entirely fa- 
 tigued. She went to bed and slept soundly that night, 
 and bright and early the next morning started for Pres- 
 cott with Bob Moore. 
 
 334 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 EARLY on Monday morning Grin started on his mis- 
 sion of peace. Now that school was closed, he left Seth 
 Dailey with the sheep and, mounting, went to his em- 
 ployer first. He found Jim Bailey at his breakfast. The 
 old man sat on a stool by a rough table seeming to 
 greatly enjoy his meal of black coffee, bacon and frijoles. 
 The surly fellow greeted Grin with: 
 
 " What in hell do you want now ?" 
 
 " I am leavin' the sheep with Seth to-day, Bailey, as 
 I have a mission of greater importance to perform." 
 
 " Maybe your mission is gettin' too damned important 
 for this sheep herdin' business, anyway/' Jim Bailey 
 roared viciously. 
 
 Grin understood the man before him and said, "I have 
 felt that way for sometime, but, Jim Bailey, did you ever 
 know of my neglecting your business since I have been 
 drawin' pay from you?" 
 
 " Damned if you ever did, Oliver. You are the only 
 herder I have ever had who was worth his salt. But 
 what is this rushin' business to-day?" 
 
 " I do not wish to tell you yet. But I want you to 
 come to the Stronghold this evening at four o'clock. 
 The meeting will be under the box-elder tree. Don't 
 fail to be there, Bailey." 
 
 The elder man stared at his herder in alarm and in- 
 quiry. Grin let him stare, returning the gaze. 
 
 335 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 "What in hell now?" Jim Bailey asked. 
 
 " Nothing in hell, something more like heaven," Grin 
 replied soberly. 
 
 "After another spell of staring, Jim Bailey remarked, 
 "Damned if I don't believe you are gettin' them crazy 
 spells your old, fool mammy used to have." 
 
 But Grin left him with these words, ""Better be there." 
 He knew that he could count on this man; his super- 
 stition had been aroused. 
 
 Grin next stopped at Bob Moore's ranch. Here he 
 expected a more difficult task. Bob Moore was a plain 
 man and possessed that which we call "horse sense;" 
 he was hard headed and devoid of superstition, being 
 an honest man. Superstition find lodgement only in the 
 ignorant or dishonest brain. Grin knew that he must 
 appeal to something better than superstition to catch Bob 
 Moore. 
 
 " Good mornin', Mr. Moore ! fine day after the rain." 
 Grin hailed. 
 
 " Yes, Grin, that rain was a Godsend to this country," 
 Bob answered, not looking up from greasing his har- 
 ness. 
 
 Grin was puzzled as to how he should proceed; but 
 he broke out bravely. 
 
 " You are a peace-loving man, Bob Moore ?" 
 
 Now Bob looked up in surprise, "Huh, I've tried to 
 live in peace. Yes sir; peace is a favorite motto of 
 mine, but I've found it pretty bouncin' hard sometimes 
 to keep peace here with the kind of neighbors I've had." 
 
 " There is going to be a change, Bob. There is going 
 to be peace." 
 
 " Why, what's up now, Grin ?" 
 
 336 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Can you be at the Stronghold at four o'clock this 
 evening, Bob?" 
 
 " Guess not ; I'm goin' to Myer to-day." 
 
 " But there is going to be a meetin' at the Stronghold 
 this evening that is likely to be mighty interestin' as 
 well as profitable to you. All your friends and all your 
 enemies will be there and there will be a mighty 
 readjustin' of this neighborhood's peace conditions. I 
 am to officiate. No women nor kids allowed." And 
 Grin left Bob chuckling, feeling sure, though he knew 
 not why, that he could count on Bob Moore. 
 
 Bob left his harness at once and rushed to the house 
 to tell Becky about this, for she was his good counselor 
 in all things. 
 
 " What do you think Grin has got under his fool 
 bonnet now?" he asked, as he came upon his family in 
 the dining-room. Then he told them of Grin's visit and 
 words. This set them all laughing, for the Moores 
 were mirthful people. 
 
 " Yes, go," Becky urged, and Bob was beginning to 
 feel inclined to do so. Such chances for fun like this 
 came rarely in the neighborhood, and who liked fun 
 better than Bob Moore? 
 
 "All right, guess I'll give up the Myer idea till to- 
 morrow. Can't miss any such joke as that." And Bob 
 went back to his harness chuckling and repeating, "I'm 
 to officiate. No women nor kids allowed." 
 
 His two boys came running after him, yelling: 
 
 " Can I go, pop, can I go ?" 
 
 " Naw," Bob replied, "No women nor kids allowed," 
 and snorted. 
 
 By this time Grin had reached Eshler's place. He 
 
 337 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 was at ease here, for he caught his fish with the first line 
 cast. 
 
 " Eshler, there is goin' to be a meetin' at the Strong- 
 hold this evening at four o'clock, and if you will be 
 there, you will have an opportunity to do more good 
 to your fellowmen than you ever have done in all your 
 life before. Mind, no women are allowed." 
 
 Our peacemaker knew that his friends, the loose cow- 
 boys in the country, were "busting" broncos at Sour- 
 dough Wilson's corrals and there he betook himself 
 next. As he rode up he saw John Alexander making 
 ready to mount a young horse. The saddle was in place, 
 the girth tightened, and Grin had seen the struggle that 
 placed the bit between the pony's teeth. And now the 
 prospective rider stood patting the horse's neck. 
 
 Grin drew rein and no one spoke to him, but he waited 
 calmly, knowing that they had seen him and must speak 
 to him in time, as he did not wish to appear too eager 
 or too soon. Putting on a very careless air, he sat 
 whistling at intervals a slow, easy tune. 
 
 "John," called out Sour-dough, "I'll bet you can't 
 stick that horse. He's got a devil of a mean eye." 
 
 " Bet you bottom-dollar I can," John answered bant- 
 eringly. 
 
 " Let's see you do it," Doc Manhart called out. 
 
 " If I can't, none of you fellers can ; that's a cinch," 
 John answered smiling, and with that he sprang into 
 the saddle so quickly that the colt did not know what 
 was happening to him.- The animal squatted and 
 humped himself a little but gave no further evidence of 
 being vicious. 
 
 " What do you want to bet, Sour-dough, that I can't 
 
 338 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 stick him?" John asked, springing up and down in the 
 saddle to let the horse know that he was there. 
 
 "Don't care to bet anything now, John, changed my 
 mind." 
 
 " Don't crawfish on us now, Sour-dough, stay game." 
 Doc Manhart urged. 
 
 " Bet him yourself, Doc," put in Will Collins. 
 
 " I'll bet him all right," Doc answered. I'll bet him 
 a ten." 
 
 " I take your bet," said John, and again he com- 
 menced to spring as though the horse's back were a 
 spring-board. The poor creature did not seem to know 
 what to do. It straddled about, chewing its bit and al- 
 most sitting down on its haunches. 
 
 " Hit him on the end," cried Silvertip, handing John 
 a quirt, whereupon John commenced to strike the horse 
 lightly across the hips. 
 
 It started forward, made for the group of cowboys, 
 its ears back, biting at them, its glassy eyes flashing 
 "old Harry." It was a buckskin cayuse and had, as 
 these fellows expressed it, "a blaze in its face." It was 
 a typical Western pony of the true bronco breed, and 
 those who understand the nature of these beasts, know 
 how little one can depend on them. 
 
 At this venture of the bronco, the boys ran in many 
 directions, and Grin yelled loudly, enjoying the fun at 
 their expense. The cowboys heard Grin's laugh, but 
 still they pretended not to notice him. 
 
 The horse now stood stubbornly still, looking sullen. 
 
 " Hit him again," urged the Three-cornered Kid, and 
 John obeyed. The colt began to plunge, holding its 
 head down between its knees. John went limp like a 
 rag, but stayed in the saddle. 
 
 339 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 "Bravo, caramba!' shouted Mexican Charley. "Muy 
 bonito caballo, muy bonito," as the colt went plunging 
 around the corral, standing first on one end, it appeared, 
 then on the other. 
 
 " Hold up his head," the Korkonian shouted, and this 
 would have been the proper thing to do, but it was 
 easier said than done, once the horse got his head down. 
 At times the buckskin would stop, and holding his nose 
 against one hoof, would paw and beat the ground with 
 the other, bellowing like a calf, then away it went, buck- 
 ing for five minutes without a stop. All this time John 
 flopped about limberly, his head snapping on the end 
 of his long neck as though it would fly off, but he 
 always came down in the saddle, his feet in the stirrups 
 and his long legs hooked under. At the next stop, 
 John was able to draw the horse's head up, and keeping 
 it up, struck him again. It now trotted round and 
 round, whinnying cheerfully to its mates in a nearby 
 corral as if to say, "Why did they not tell me they 
 wanted me to do this before?" 
 
 Now everybody cheered, Grin louder than the rest, 
 for John had won the ten and would have to treat, and 
 Doc had lost. 
 
 Doc felt a little beaten, and to relieve his feelings, 
 turned and shouted, 
 
 " Hello, Grin, you living fool, you !" 
 
 " Hello, you damned self. A living fool is better off 
 than a dead one. I could have told you that horse could 
 have been ridden," Grin retorted. 
 
 " What can a nanny-goat chambermaid know about 
 horses, I'd like to know?" Doc threw back at him. 
 "What in hell brought you here ? Go back to your nan- 
 
 340 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " You'll know soon enough what in hell I am here 
 for," was Grin's rapid-fire reply. 
 
 Everyone now turned and looked at Grin, but he only 
 sat trying- to untie a hard knot in his rope, as though 
 he were bent on that task alone. 
 
 " Go ahead then, idiot ; out with it," Doc demanded. 
 
 " I don't care what kind of names you call me, Doc, 
 but I got something to say to you fellers that I cal'late 
 is goin' to be mighty interestin' to you before the thing 
 is done with." 
 
 " Tell us about it, Grin," said the Terror of Dublin. 
 "This is a time for good news." 
 
 " Speak, good shepherd, I beseech thee," Silvertip 
 added. 
 
 " Ba a a !" Doc called out, in such exact imita- 
 tion of a lamb's bleat that Mexican Charley looked 
 around to see where the sheep was. 
 
 Grin had untied his knot now and sitting up import- 
 antly, began, 
 
 "Boys, its one of the things I've laid in the night 
 and dreamed about." 
 
 Doc cut him short with, "Grin, you better look out, 
 or you will hatch out some of them things you've been 
 layin' in the night all these years and they will cause 
 you some trouble." 
 
 But Grin paid no heed to this and went on : 
 
 " Boys, where have our saddles, our snaps, our 
 bridles, and even our animals gone in the last three 
 years ? Boys, you've blamed Jim Bailey for these things, 
 him and his crowd, and they have blamed you for his 
 losses. You have been enemies and carried your guns 
 when no enmity should have existed among you, for 
 none of you have been to blame. There is a mystery 
 
 341 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 about all this and I alone have the key that unlocks the 
 door of the mystery. Will you have that door unlocked ? 
 Then meet me at the Stronghold at four this evening. 
 I can restore to you your stolen goods." Grin paused. 
 
 Everyone stood spell-bound. Was this not the sub- 
 ject on which they thought most strongly? 
 
 "Are you right sure you are not crazy, Grin?" Will 
 Collins asked, rather pityingly. 
 
 "As God hears me," Grin poured forth, standing up 
 in his stirrups, holding up his hands and gazing heaven- 
 ward, "I am not follerin' in my old mother's steps and 
 I am no lyin'." Grin turned and galloped away, leaving 
 the hammerheads looking after him in bewilderment. 
 
 " What in Sam Hill ?" asked one, and, "The poor fool 
 is crazy," from another, and they stood about looking 
 foolish. 
 
 "What about this, Charley? You are one of the 
 Bailey faction?" 
 
 " Yo no se, yo no se nada," the Mexican said, shrugg- 
 ing his shoulders in the typically Mexican way, very 
 much alarmed. 
 
 " Do you think there is anything in what Grin says ?" 
 asked Will Collins, looking around at his companions. 
 
 "No, he's bug-house," Doc said. 
 
 " I do not think he is. There must be something do- 
 ing a little out of the general run of things at the 
 Stronghold. If he is playing us a fool trick, it would be 
 the first time for him when he pretends to be serious. 
 I just think I will go over this evening and see what is 
 going on. Grin is not always all bad, and he is all right 
 in his place." 
 
 " Yes," said Doc, "he is all right in his place, but his 
 place burned down." 
 
 342 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Let's see/' pondered Sour-dough, looking at the 
 sun ; "it's about noon now. Come down to the house, 
 all of you, and I will help mother get some dinner. I 
 churned about five gallons of buttermilk this morning. 
 Besides, we got a lot of fresh eggs on hand. Like egg 
 sandwiches, boys? We can have dinner and rest awhile 
 and all go over in a bunch." 
 
 No one making any objection to this, they all mounted 
 and galloped down to Aunt Sally's, swinging their hats 
 and yelling, a double picnic in store for them, first the 
 buttermilk, second the excitement expected at the 
 Stronghold. 
 
 After the meal they felt better than ever, all except 
 Mexican Charley, who had drunk so much buttermilk 
 as to be almost helpless with stomach ache. He doubled 
 up and groaned, 'Yo estoy muy mala' but when the 
 cowboys rode away from the Wilson ranch, Charley 
 followed in the rear. 
 
 Along the dusty road they swept like desperadoes. 
 When they passed Lucy Morgan's house, Lucy's wash- 
 ing hung on the line, the most conspicuous garments of 
 which were Lucy's home-made underwear. These were 
 made of unbleached muslin, were extremely long and 
 slim in the legs, with skimpy little ruffles of the same at 
 the bottoms, and looked especially ludicrous as the wind 
 filled them and tossed them about. As the cowboys 
 passed this array, John Alexander, who rode in the lead, 
 tipped his hat at Lucy's washing with this remark, "I 
 always pay my respects to such as those whenever I see 
 them." 
 
 Then on like the wind they swept, and soon reached 
 the Stronghold. All those whom Grin had summoned, 
 the whole neighborhood of men, were there. They 
 
 343 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 rested in the shade of the box-elder tree, but where was 
 Grin? He was not among the number. As may be 
 imagined, these men were not at ease; here they were, 
 friends and enemies together and they did not know 
 for what purpose they had been called there. Still, 
 there was the feeling among them that this gathering 
 was for the purpose of healing their neighborhood sore. 
 But no one could find a word to say and some sat while 
 others stood about waiting and thinking deeply, their 
 embarrassment increasing. 
 
 At length Bob Moore drolled sheepishly, "I wonder 
 where Grin is." 
 
 At this everybody laughed, and the ice being broken 
 Eshler put in, 
 
 " I had a deuce of a time keeping Lucy from coming 
 here with me, but Grin's orders were, 'No women al- 
 lowed/ but I have a feeling that she followed me, and 
 is skulking in ambush about here now." 
 
 This was followed by another roar of laughter, but 
 this time it was cut short abruptly. The tree round 
 which they sat stood directly in front of a cave, and 
 from that depth of darkness, a light was seen coming 
 toward them. 
 
 " Ghosts, by hemlocks !" shouted Jim Bailey. 
 
 Mexican Charley started to run, but Grin soon stood 
 before them with an armful of candles. He looked 
 about at everyone, and bowed profoundly, squinting his 
 small eyes from too much light. Without uttering a 
 word he commenced to pass the candles around, giving 
 one to each man. 
 
 " Ladies and gents, this is a most solemn occasion," 
 Doc Manhart tried to say mockingly, but his voice 
 hitched several times. 
 
 344 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " Going to usher us into the bowels of the unknown ?" 
 Bob Moore asked. 
 
 "Any snakes in there, Grin?" was John Alexander's 
 question. 
 
 But Grin only waved his hand mysteriously and said, 
 " Follow me," leading the way into the cave. All fol- 
 lowed, John Alexander at Grin's heels and Jim Bailey 
 in the extreme rear. Mexican Charley came back, but 
 he would not go inside the cave; he stood under the 
 box-elder and waited, ready to bolt any minute if any- 
 thing happened. 
 
 When the whole number was inside the cavern, there 
 was plenty of light, every corner being brought out of 
 its blackness. The men stood looking first at Grin, 
 then at the canvas covered heaps on the ground. Grin 
 allowed them to stare with no explanation till Bob 
 Moore muttered, 
 
 " My God, what does this mean?" 
 
 Then giving his candle to the man next to him, he 
 drew the canvas sheets away, revealing the numerous 
 articles arranged in neat order as he had placed them 
 on the previous day. 
 
 Men catching their breath could be heard swearing 
 as they recognized their own property. 
 
 " My old saddle, my new saddle, my three saddles," 
 said Sour-dough and pounced upon a pile of things 
 near him. 
 
 Then the cave's walls commenced to echo and re-echo 
 the curses, the laughter and the oaths as each man fell 
 busy sorting his own goods. For many minutes they 
 were thus occupied, then Will Collins spoke: 
 
 " Grin, you will have to explain this." 
 
 345 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 " That's what you will," and "I say so too," from 
 others. 
 
 " I can explain it all easily," Grin told them. "Not 
 a man here has had anything to do with this. You have 
 blamed each other and hated each other, now behold 
 your folly. And now gentlemen, before I explain fur- 
 ther, I think it is time for you to shake hands, to show 
 your good faith in each other." 
 
 This they all did, and they seemed to feel it deeply. 
 Grin almost had his hand wrung off by some of them 
 and when they had all done, Grin began to speak again, 
 
 "A man dwelling apart from among us has done this, 
 and all for the fun of seeing us hate each other and 
 fight it out. It has been his one amusement for the 
 past three years," Grin was eloquent and stood using 
 his hands gracefully, "But now that man has turned 
 over a new leaf and wishes to see peace among you, he 
 wishes to be forgiven. He has entrusted me with the 
 great privilege of restoring peace among you. He 
 wishes to reform, he has reformed." 
 
 " We will give him reform, when we get hold of him," 
 Jim Bailey growled between his teeth, as he stood 
 clutching his sheep hides. Several others swore their 
 revenge, but Grin said: 
 
 " I will not tell you who he is unless you promise not 
 to molest him. He has been a benefactor to you, having 
 collected your wealth and kept it for you, besides teach- 
 ing you a great lesson. It has always been his intention 
 to at sometime return these things to you, for he says 
 he had no use for them." 
 
 " We have our own ideas about that, and we know 
 who he is," said one. "It appears that he has had other 
 amusement beside this in the past year," said another. 
 
 346 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 "Come, let us find him." And they fled out of the cave, 
 leaving their goods behind them until a better time in 
 which to take them home. 
 
 When they reached the open air, they beheld a ghastly 
 face against the body of the box-elder. Don Gray 
 stood with arms folded across his chest, his back against 
 the tree. I think he wanted them to string him up then 
 and there, but they backed away from him. The look 
 in his face, the awful drawn pallor, the haunting of his 
 eyes, was too much for them. 
 
 Mexican Charley had fled again, and Jim Bailey 
 spoke in a hoarse whisper, "God, it's his ghost." 
 
 But Don said, "If you want me, here I am." 
 
 " We don't want you, Don," Eshler spoke. 
 
 " Go home to your wife and baby," was Bob's coun- 
 sel, whispered in his ear. 
 
 " You've been our banker, Don, we owe you grat- 
 itude," John Alexander added, laughing. 
 
 The hammerheads went back into the cave and got 
 much of their goods after which they departed for home. 
 Don had vanished, but Grin still remained, and climb- 
 ing to the highest point of the rocks, stood singing from 
 Psalms, fairly beside himself with sheer glory. They 
 tried to coax him down, being afraid he would fall, 
 for he seemed uncertain of his muscles like a drunken 
 man, but no one could influence him. The last man 
 who left the place saw him on the topmost pinnacle, 
 singing to a tune of his own improvising, "I will hear 
 what the Lord will speak; for he will speak peace unto 
 his people, and to his saints. But let them not turn 
 again to folly. I will lay me down in peace to sleep, 
 for thou, God, makest me to dwell in safety." 
 
 Someone among the homing party said that this af- 
 347 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 fair called for a jubilee and a dance; and a dance they 
 all declared they would have before they separated at 
 the cross roads. Each person was to come just as he 
 was found dressed, or not at all, when the invitation 
 came to him or her. When they returned to the hall 
 that night, they were a motley array. I would not care 
 to describe the costume of Aunt Sally, and Lucy Morgan 
 looked none too well, having washed that day. But a 
 dance they had, the like of which Eshler's Hall never 
 saw before nor since. Someone got a fiddle and com- 
 menced to play, and Browns Springs swooped in like 
 a whirlwind in a cornfield, picking up the dry husks, 
 and when they were all set and going it was like the 
 whirl in full force. Round and round they swung, men, 
 women, and little children, singing the song to which 
 they danced "Pretty little men in sandyland, picking 
 up potatoes as fast as they can." Those who could not 
 enter the ring for want of room, stood by and clapped 
 their hands and sang till the din was deafening. They 
 kept it up all night, Jim Bailey seeming to be the leader 
 in everything. About midnight the wagon which had 
 been sent to Myer came thundering up, and there were 
 things to eat and things to drink but the dancers took 
 no time for a well laid supper they ate between times. 
 
 Grin was not among the dancers and everybody want- 
 ed him. At different times during the night, cowboys 
 had gone from place to place, seeking him, but up to 
 three o'clock in the morning he had not been located. 
 
 " I'll find him," said John Alexander, and departed 
 fortwith. He returned a half later with the startling 
 news that he had found Grin at the Stronghold dead! 
 Bruised and mangled at the foot of a cliff he lay, where 
 he had fallen from the high rock above. The music 
 
 348 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 was hushed, the dance came to an end. Everybody was 
 in deep sorrow and set out on foot for the Stronghold, 
 muttering to themselves Grin's virtues. And there on 
 the rocks they found him, his innocent face wreathed 
 in smiles of heavenly peace. The pale moon threw its 
 tranquil light on him, kissing him gently as he lay dead. 
 
 The mourners looked upon him in awe, men in silence, 
 women and children in tears. There he lay, a philos- 
 opher, a virgin and a fool, wrapped in a glory that few 
 who visit this earth have known. They took him up 
 tenderly and carried him to Becky's, the place he would 
 want to go. 
 
 The funeral was held next day, Eshler Morgan con- 
 ducting the services, and he was laid in a lonely place, 
 under broad-spreading trees. That was the mortal end 
 of Grin. But the people of that section speak of him 
 often to this day, and laugh at the pranks he played. 
 
 349 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 UPON reaching Prescott, Myrnie secured lodgings 
 among strangers, not wishing to meet the prying eyes 
 and questions of acquaintances. She stayed in her room, 
 meaning to rest for awhile, then to lay some plan for 
 future action. But no desire for future existence came 
 to her. Her life among the affairs of men seemed at 
 an end, absolutely. Any thought of returning to the 
 home of her childhood, where she had dwelt in innocent 
 ignorance of the tragedies which had befallen her, 
 among indifferent relatives who could not understand, 
 was unbearable, much as she loved the memory of that 
 tranquil life. She felt that she must go to some new 
 place and start life over again, and she bitterly re- 
 membered Don's last words. "Go down to the 'Y', turn 
 around, and take a new start in life." 
 
 But where, from what nucleus could any new life 
 spring for her? The wells of interest in this life were 
 dry, and the sun could shine no more. And as a con- 
 sequence, no plan came to her mind. She had no wish 
 to plan; she only wished to look backward, to relive 
 the months of her past, and this she did, over and over 
 and over, night and day, morning, noon, evening, night. 
 She could not regret her action in anything; she could 
 only lament the outcome. She knew firmer and clearer 
 than ever that, ultimately, she had acted in the one way 
 that was right. Sometimes this thought came to her 
 
 350 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 and comforted her, lifting her soul to its spiritual 
 heights, and she felt that some noble purpose must 
 come to. her and lift her up, and in its accomplishment 
 she should be rewarded and able to live again. But, 
 following immediately upon the heels of this inspiration, 
 came such an immersion into the depths of despair as 
 she thought would crush all life from her, and she often 
 gave up to it in this wise; "What shall I do, what shall 
 I do? What is this that has come to me? O, God, have 
 I so sinned that I must suffer thus? Let me go mad: 
 let me lose consciousness ; let me die, only take from my 
 heart this pain." Then she would struggle and try to 
 bear it bravely, believing it cowardly to thus be mast- 
 ered by earthly circumstances. Then she prayed, hav- 
 ing been taught that God was a helper in every need. 
 But no nepenthe came to her, and for days and days 
 she thus struggled with herself. 
 
 There were times when she had all she could do to 
 keep from going to Don and lie in hiding to watch and 
 worship him in silence. She must see him at any cost. 
 She did go so far one day as to buy a ticket for Myer, 
 but the next minute she came to her better senses, and 
 she tore the ticket up and went back to her room to 
 sit alone. 
 
 She often and in many ways made attempts to throw 
 off this burden, and not be crushed and strangled by it. 
 Sometimes she went out to climb a mountain, but if she 
 succeeded in reaching the summit, the infinite view of 
 space which she gained from this elevated point in- 
 creased her sense of loneliness and desolation of heart, 
 and the result was that she always sat down and cried 
 a long time before making the descent. Oftener she 
 gave up before she was half way up the hill, and said, 
 
 351 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 "What is the use?" And, turning around, went back 
 to sit in the room again the dreary four walls of the 
 plain room with the common wall-paper, every figure 
 of which the girl had counted, this way and that, as they 
 stretched across the room in every direction. She knew 
 every rent in the curtains, and the stains on the ceiling 
 where the rain had come through, the dull carpet and 
 the pictures on the wall. 
 
 Once she went to call on some acquaintances, but the 
 aimlessness of their conversation bored her, and as they 
 sat commenting on their own affairs, their words 
 sounded dimly in her ears as though they were not for 
 her, and when she returned to her room, its quiet, 
 which had so often distressed her, seemed a delightful 
 refuge against the uninteresting outside world. So 
 after all these attempts failed, she stayed at home. She 
 could not endure the sound of her violin now. Its voice 
 seemed like the wailing of her own soul, and therefore 
 she was compelled to leave it untouched. She some- 
 times sewed in her room, and this was the one occupa- 
 tion that brought her any comfort. Thus employed she 
 could sit and stitch and stitch, and think and think. If 
 she tried to write, only morbid sentiments came from 
 her pen, laments and complaints against the all-wise ar- 
 rangements of things, and knowing that these were use- 
 less, all her literary efforts went into the waste basket. 
 Much of her time was spent looking out of the window 
 at the landscape thus framed for her. It was always 
 the same with few signs of life to change its monotony,, 
 but the trees and the brown hills within the frame did 
 not become tiresome. Perhaps a bird alighted on the 
 branches of the tree outside her window, or hopped 
 about on the grass seeking the insects that hid there, and 
 
 352 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 its movements took her attention while it lingered, and 
 when it flew away she waited for another bird to come. 
 She wondered if these birds suffered the loss of their 
 mates ever, and said to them, "Bless your little heart, 
 come and tell me all about it and I can sympathize 
 with you." 
 
 As the days wore on she grew more used to her sor- 
 row. Her face came to wear less of pain and more of 
 resigned sadness. The expression in her clear spiritual 
 eyes went to the hearts of those who chanced to look 
 into them. Her landlady knew that some great grief 
 tore the soul behind those eyes, but felt that it was too 
 deep a sorrow for her to interfere with. She only 
 smiled tenderly or touched Myrnie gently and caress- 
 ingly when she came near her, and Myrnie understood 
 these expressions of sympathy and was grateful. 
 
 When Fred Harmon came to town and sought her, 
 taking her by surprise as he always did, she almost ran 
 into his arms before she could check herself, for he now, 
 of all the world, seemed a benefactor to her. And until 
 she saw him now, she had ceased to remember his ex- 
 istence; he had not been in her thoughts since the night 
 of the flood, and at this unexpected meeting she ran 
 toward him out of the reflex memory of an old impulse. 
 
 " Myrnie," he exclaimed, and came eagerly forward 
 to meet her, but drew back in subdued wonder at the 
 look in her eyes when she stopped and held up her hands 
 before her in a protecting way, trembling. 
 
 "Do not touch me, Fred, please, till I have told you, 
 then you will hate me." 
 
 But he paid no heed to this. This was his Myrnie, 
 his beloved, the one for whom he had planned so long, 
 the one to whom he had come home with so much joy 
 
 353 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 and expectation after ten months of hard struggle in the 
 financial whirls of the East, and he had succeeded. This 
 was his 'Myrnie in flesh and blood, and could anything 
 keep her from him? He adored her, no matter what 
 she had to tell him. 
 
 He took her in his arms in spite of her efforts to stop 
 him, and kissed her as he had thought to do thousands 
 of times, and she came out of it crying. 
 
 " Is this my welcome after so much expectation, little 
 Myrnie? This is the reason you have not written to 
 me for so long. But come, tell me, I can comprehend 
 anything and shall not blame you, child." 
 
 She suffered herself to be led to a window seat, and 
 there, sitting beside him, her hands clasping and un- 
 clasping (but this was her only sign of agitation), she 
 told him her whole story unflinchingly, adding that she 
 loved him as a kind and good friend, and had tenderness 
 and sympathy in her heart for him, but not that great 
 love which she had known for Don Gray. 
 
 Fred was very uneasy during her story, sad and crest- 
 fallen until he found that Don was lost to her, then all 
 seemed clear to him. 
 
 " I shall not mind him at all, Myrnie, and I know that 
 you will forget him in a short time. You love me now 
 next best. I shall be satisfied with the love you have 
 for me till I can win all your love. You are too young 
 yet to love anyone very deeply. That great love must 
 come later. I want you to become my wife just as we 
 have planned it, and I will be so good to you that the 
 great love of your developed womanhood, as your years 
 come on, will be for me. I know it. Do you not think 
 so, Myrnie?" 
 
 " Maybe," she said, smiling sadly. 
 354 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 He used long arguments with her, wringing affir- 
 matives from her, and told her that only the isolation 
 of the cattle country had caused her to imagine an affec- 
 tion for this unworthy fellow. Myrnie listened patiently 
 to all this, and did not dispute him, but in her heart of 
 hearts she knew better. 
 
 It would seem that Fred Harmon's past experience 
 would warn him against a marriage for anyone where 
 love, first of all, did not exist, but he was so blinded by 
 his own great love that everything seemed possible to 
 him. 
 
 " Just you wait till I show you what I brought you 
 from New York," he told her, and took her to his apart- 
 ments to verify his assertion. She expected him to pro- 
 duce a jewelry case, but what was her surprise when 
 she saw him pull two large trunks from the wall with 
 these words: 
 
 " These are all for you." 
 
 And when the trunks were thrown open, how large 
 her eyes grew. In the top till of the first trunk were 
 two hats, one for dress and one for travel. Myrnie 
 wondered what they had cost; they looked so rich and 
 smart. Then, wonder of wonders, down into the trunk 
 he delved. There was a complete trousseau, and of the 
 finest. Dresses and gowns the like of which Myrnie 
 had never seen before, everything she could need and 
 much more, it seemed to her. Fred was not unaccus- 
 tomed to buying ladies' apparel. 
 
 During the unpacking the girl had stood braced 
 against the wall, her hands spread out on the wall paper, 
 and saying almost nothing; only smothered "Ahs," and 
 "Ohs," came from her, but how swiftly the thoughts 
 flew through her brain. Fred was fully enjoying her 
 
 355 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 surprise and delight. After everything was displayed 
 and some of the things tried on, and when she heard 
 fully how he had gone to milliners and modistes of the 
 best and had described her minutely to them, she under- 
 stood why everything suited and became her so well. 
 
 " Fred, do you not remember once, when you said I 
 was Cinderella, I told you yes, only I had no fairy god- 
 mother; now you are my godmother." 
 
 " Yes, don't I look motherly ?" and he hugged him- 
 self and danced about on one foot, "But this is not all," 
 he continued. 
 
 And now the jewelry cases were brought out. Myr- 
 nie had never worn jewelry or thought that she cared 
 for it particularly, but what was this? What woman 
 could stand by and see these cases opened and show no 
 emotion ? 
 
 When all had been displayed, she looked at Fred 
 earnestly and a long time, thinking how he must have 
 thought of her constantly to have done all this for her. 
 She wished she could love this man, and as she sat look- 
 ing at him, she determined to try. A love like this was 
 priceless, she told herself. 
 
 " I am afraid this is not true. Maybe it is only a 
 dream and I shall wake from it," she said, smiling. 
 
 " But I can make you realize that it is not a dream," 
 and he pinched her cheek so hard that he heard from 
 her. He pulled a lock of her hair till he heard from 
 her again, but this time it was her sweet laughter with 
 its old-time ring that affirmed her belief in the reality 
 of her surroundings. 
 
 He told her to employ a dressmaker to fit the dresses 
 to her, and that after a week they would be quietly 
 married and start on a tour of Europe to be gone for a 
 
 356 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 year, would stop in Nova Scotia first, and, if she de- 
 manded it of him, he would dwell on one side of the 
 Gut of Canso and she on the other, and he would swim 
 over every day to see her in a secret trysting place 
 among the rocks. Over all this they laughed gaily, but 
 she told him she could not consent to this without a 
 great deal of thought. And he left her for a few days 
 in which she was to think. At first it seemed impossible 
 to her but later the matter presented itself in a different 
 form. She reasoned that she could never really love 
 any man but Don ; he was lost, lost to her forever. And 
 comprehending Fred's great love for her, she thought 
 that the best purpose to which she could put her life 
 was in making him happy in payment for what he could 
 do for her. She would try to love him and would never 
 deceive him. She explained all this to him, and he was 
 satisfied and she felt justified. 
 
 The next morning, when Fred came, she met him at 
 her door, saying, "Let me look at you, Fred I really 
 have not looked at you since you came home," and he 
 smiled and stepped about quickly, making sport of her 
 desire to inspect him when in truth he was very much 
 pleased. 
 
 How really fine he was, large and strong and hand- 
 some in his perfectly mature manhood. His past months 
 of rubbing against the real business world and his own 
 success in it gave him that air of a thorough man of the 
 world. The Arizona tan had gone from his face, and 
 in its place was the clearness of Eastern eye and com- 
 plexion. His clothes, too, were of a different cut from 
 the prevalent Arizona style, which is generally at least 
 two years behind. 
 
 " How handsome you have grown I" she kindly re- 
 
 357 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 marked, and this made him so happy that he was com- 
 pelled to demonstrate his feelings. 
 
 In a week more they were married and gone. And 
 this was 'Myrnie's marriage, so different from what she 
 thought it would be. She did not forget her love for 
 Don Gray at once. She had that to struggle with for 
 a long time at intervals, but she afterwards came to 
 know that her love for Don had been but the love of 
 the body, as the first love often is, and not that great 
 love of the inward soul of which her nature was capable. 
 
 Memory of the hammerheads came to Myrnie long 
 afterwards and in many places. Perhaps it was in 
 Paris, in Italy, or in Rome of an evening when she sat 
 alone and she would have given her present all for a 
 mere sight of the sage brush, for the sounds of a cor- 
 ralled herd, or for a glimpse of the desert far away in 
 that lotus land of charm. The image of Don mingled 
 dimly with it all and made the memory hallowed. But 
 Time is our great healer, and though we may never 
 forget the heart's deep wounds, there comes a day 
 when they do not smart. 
 
 But I know of another marriage of Myrnie's in after 
 years which was altogether different from this first one, 
 but I shall not tell you of that now. I love my Myrnie 
 too much to drag her through all that at this time. If 
 you wish to know about it, you will have to tell me; 
 then, after a little rest, I will unfold the story to you. 
 
 358 
 
AFTERTHOUGHT. 
 
 SOME, no doubt, who read this story will condemn 
 Myrnie because she married one man while loving an- 
 other. Be honest with yourself; do you think there are 
 many women who under the same circumstances would 
 have done otherwise? Don, who was unworthy of her, 
 was lost to her. What other path was left open to her ? 
 Europe! Had that not always been her dream? 
 
 I have a friend, a whimsical bachelor, and he has not 
 made a fortune, and he tries to hint to me (but I will- 
 not let him) that this is the reason that no woman 
 would ever marry him. He is mistaken. Many of the 
 best women in the world marry poor men. 
 
 Now my friend, the bachelor, has no way with women. 
 He does not know how to say nice things to them, 
 does not understand "small talk." He is really bashful 
 in the presence of women, and, I must say, a little 
 afraid. He is profound and serious, and he would not 
 tell a little "white lie" to please any woman. 
 
 He and I discuss these questions with pleasure and 
 gusto and perhaps some profit, but he is always cynical 
 on this one point. When we read the "Little Minister" 
 together, he accused Margaret of discarding the dominie 
 and taking Adam Dishart back because of the bag of 
 gold which Adam threw on the table. Again, when we 
 read "The Virginian," he said that Molly Wood would 
 never have hesitated about accepting the Virginian from 
 the first if he had been a rich man. Upon both occasions 
 we quarreled. 
 
 If men's and women's places were reversed in this 
 world, I wonder would a man never consider a woman's 
 bank account before accepting her? I suppose not. 
 
 359 
 
In the Land of Extremes. 
 
 Have you never heard of a man who married a woman 
 for her money? No? 
 
 I have a very strong notion that my friend, the bach- 
 elor, would like to marry a wealthy widow of whom I 
 know. I support Myrnie in her action, but I am sure 
 to have a tiff with my friend the whimsical bachelor 
 when he has read this story. He will come to call me 
 to account for these last few pages, for he will know 
 of whom I refer herein. I am ready for him. 
 
 Perhaps some will wish to know how Don and Kate 
 fared on the horse ranch. I can say that Kate has al- 
 ways been a happy woman. Her first-born was called 
 Don, and grew to be a lover of horses, but this is not 
 the only child she has borne her husband. One little 
 girl was called Myrnie, and this little girl was her 
 father's favorite child. She grew to love books and 
 music. 
 
 Don Gray's married life was not altogether an un- 
 happy one after the first year, though on the first night, 
 they tell me, he mounted his black mare, Fashion, which 
 he loved next to his own life, and galloped from place 
 to place all night long; now to the Stronghold where he 
 met his beloved more times than this story makes record 
 of, now up hill down hill, anywhere and back to the 
 Stronghold, till the poor creature dropped down dead 
 under him. John Alexander found them the next morn- 
 ing not so far from the Stronghold, where Don lay 
 asleep, his head pillowed on the neck of his lifeless horse. 
 
 Don became a prosperous man but never a good one. 
 Kate's love, while it satisfied him in a way, did not purge 
 his soul to cleanliness. There were times when the old, 
 restless fever came over him, the old desire for double- 
 dealing, and he "rustled" a calf to satisfy this feeling 
 and as usual was never caught. And thus we leave him. 
 
 360