et　hues；　and　the　sky　flared　golden；　and　the　strength　of　the　eternal　mountains　stood　out　in　sculptured　sublimity。　Every　day　for　two　months　and　more　Carley　had　watched　these　peaks；　at　all　hours；　in　every　mood；　and　they　had　unconsciously　become　a　part　of　her　thought。　The　train　was　relentlessly　whirling　her　eastward。　Soon　they　must　become　a　memory。　Tears　blurred　her　sight。　Poignant　regret　seemed　added　to　the　anguish　she　was　suffering。　Why　had　she　not　learned　sooner　to　see　the　glory　of　the　mountains；　to　appreciate　the　beauty　and　solitude？　Why　had　she　not　understood　herself？
  The　next　day　through　New　Mexico　she　followed　magnificent　ranges　and　valleysso　different　from　the　country　she　had　seen　coming　Westso　supremely　beautiful　that　she　wondered　if　she　had　only　acquired　the　harvest　of　a　seeing　eye。
  But　it　was　at　sunset　of　the　following　clay；　when　the　train　was　speeding　down　the　continental　slope　of　prairie　land　beyond　the　Rockies；　that　the　West　took　its　ruthless　revenge。
  Masses　of　strange　cloud　and　singular　light　upon　the　green　prairie；　and　a　luminosity　in　the　sky；　drew　Carley　to　the　platform　of　her　car；　which　was　the　last　of　the　train。　There　she　stood；　gripping　the　iron　gate；　feeling　the　wind　whip　her　hair　and　the　iron…tracked　ground　speed　from　under　her；　spellbound　and　stricken　at　the　sheer　wonder　and　glory　of　the　firmament；　and　the　mountain　range　that　it　canopied　so　exquisitely。
  A　rich　and　mellow　light；　singularly　clear；　seemed　to　flood　out　of　some　unknown　source。　For　the　sun　was　hidden。　The　clouds　just　above　Carley　hung　low；　and　they　were　like　thick；　heavy　smoke；　mushrooming；　coalescing；　forming　and　massing；　of　strange　yellow　cast　of　mative。　It　shaded　westward　into　heliotrope　and　this　into　a　purple　so　royal；　so　matchless　and　rare　that　Carley　understood　why　the　purple　of　the　heavens　could　never　be　reproduced　in　paint。　Here　the　cloud　mass　thinned　and　paled；　and　a　tint　of　rose　began　to　flush　the　billowy；　flowery；　creamy　white。　Then　came　the　surpassing　splendor　of　this　cloud　pageant…a　vast　canopy　of　shell　pink；　a　sun…fired　surface　like　an　opal　sea；　rippled　and　webbed；　with　the　exquisite　texture　of　an　Oriental　fabric；　pure；　delicate；　lovelyas　no　work　of　human　hands　could　be。　It　mirrored　all　the　warm；　pearly　tints　of　the　inside　whorl　of　the　tropic　nautilus。　And　it　ended　abruptly；　a　rounded　depth　of　bank；　on　a　broad　stream　of　clear　sky；　intensely　blue；　transparently　blue；　as　if　through　the　lambent　depths　shone　the　infinite　firmament。　The　lower　edge　of　this　stream　took　the　golden　lightning　of　the　sunset　and　was　notched　for　all　its　horizon…long　length　by　the　wondrous　white　glistening…peaked　range　of　the　Rockies。　Far　to　the　north；　standing　aloof　from　the　range；　loomed　up　the　grand　black　bulk　and　noble　white　dome　of　Pikes　Peak。
  Carley　watched　the　sunset　transfiguration　of　cloud　and　sky　and　mountain　until　all　were　cold　and　gray。　And　then　she　returned　to　her　seat；　thoughtful　and　sad；　feeling　that　the　West　had　mockingly　flung　at　her　one　of　its　transient　moments　of　loveliness。
  Nor　had　the　West　wholly　finished　with　her。　Next　day　the　mellow　gold　of　the　Kansas　wheat　fields；　endless　and　boundless　as　a　sunny　sea；　rich；　waving　in　the　wind；　stretched　away　before　her　aching　eyes　for　hours　and　hours。　Here　was　the　promise　fulfilled；　the　bountiful　harvest　of　the　land；　the　strength　of　the　West。　The　great　middle　state　had　a　heart　of　gold。
  East　of　Chicago　Carley　began　to　feel　that　the　long　days　and　nights　of　riding；　the　ceaseless　turning　of　the　wheels；　the　constant　and　wearing　stress　of　emotion；　had　removed　her　an　immeasurable　distance　of　miles　and　time　and　feeling　from　the　scene　of　her　catastrophe。　Many　days　seemed　to　have　passed。　Many　had　been　the　hours　of　her　bitter　regret　and　anguish。
  Indiana　and　Ohio；　with　their　green　pastoral　farms；　and　numberless　villages；　and　thriving　cities；　denoted　a　country　far　removed　and　different　from　the　West；　and　an　approach　to　the　populous　East。　Carley　felt　like　a　wanderer　coming　home。　She　was　restlessly　and　impatiently　glad。　But　her　weariness　of　body　and　mind；　and　the　close　atmosphere　of　the　car；　rendered　her　extreme　discomfort。　Summer　had　laid　its　hot　hand　on　the　low　country　east　of　the　Mississippi。
  Carley　had　wired　her　aunt　and　two　of　her　intimate　friends　to　meet　her　at　the　Grand　Central　Station。　This　reunion　soon　to　come　affected　Carley　in　recurrent　emotions　of　relief；　gladness；　and　shame。　She　did　not　sleep　well；　and　arose　early；　and　when　the　train　reached　Albany　she　felt　that　she　could　hardly　endure　the　tedious　hours。　The　majestic　Hudson　and　the　palatial　mansions　on　the　wooded　bluffs　proclaimed　to　Carley　that　she　was　back　in　the　East。　How　long　a　time　seemed　to　have　passed！　Either　she　was　not　the　same　or　the　aspect　of　everything　had　changed。　But　she　believed　that　as　soon　as　she　got　over　the　ordeal　of　meeting　her　friends；　and　was　home　again；　she　would　soon　see　things　rationally。
  At　last　the　train　sheered　away　from　the　broad　Hudson　and　entered　the　environs　of　New　York。　Carley　sat　perfectly　still；　to　all　outward　appearances　a　calm；　superbly…poised　New　York　woman　returning　home；　but　inwardly　raging　with　contending　tides。　In　her　own　sight　she　was　a　disgraceful　failure；　a　prodigal　sneaking　back　to　the　ease　and　protection　of　loyal　friends　who　did　not　know　her　truly。　Every　familiar　landmark　in　the　approach　to　the　city　gave　her　a　thrill；　yet　a　vague　unsatisfied　something　lingered　after　each　sensation。
  Then　the　train　with　rush　and　roar　crossed　the　Harlem　River　to　enter　New　York　City。　As　one　waking　from　a　dream　Carley　saw　the　blocks　and　squares　of　gray　apartment　houses　and　red　buildings；　the　miles　of　roofs　and　chimneys；　the　long　hot　glaring　streets　full　of　playing　children　and　cars。　Then　above　the　roar　of　the　train　sounded　the　high　notes　of　a　hurdy…gurdy。　Indeed　she　was　home。　Next　to　startle　her　was　the　dark　tunnel；　and　then　the　slowing　of　the　train　to　a　stop。　As　she　walked　behind　a　porter　up　the　long　incline　toward　the　station　gate　her　legs　seemed　to　be　dead。
  In　the　circle　of　expectant　faces　beyond　the　gate　she　saw　her　aunt's；　eager　and　agitated；　then　the　handsome　pale　face　of　Eleanor　Harmon；　and　beside　her　the　sweet　thin　one　of　Beatrice　Lovell。　As　they　saw　her　how　quick　the　change　from　expectancy　to　joy！　It　seemed　they　all　rushed　upon　her；　and　embraced　her；　and　exclaimed　over　her　together。　Carley　never　recalled　what　she　said。　But　her　heart　was　full。
  〃Oh；　how　perfectly　stunning　you　look！〃　cried　Eleanor；　backing　away　from　Carley　and　gazing　with　glad；　surprised　eyes。
  〃Carley！〃　gasped　Beatrice。　〃You　wonderful　golden…skinned　goddess！　。　。　。　You're　young　again；　like　you　were　in　our　school　days。〃
  It　was　before　Aunt　Mary's　shrewd；　penetrating；　loving　gaze　that　Carley　quailed。
  〃Yes；　Carley；　you　look　well…better　than　I　ever　saw　you；　butbut〃
  〃But　I　don't　look　happy；〃　interrupted　Carley。　〃I　am　happy　to　get　hometo　see　you　all　。　。　。　Butmymy　heart　is　broken！〃
  A　little　shocked　silence　ensued；　then　Carley　found　herself　being　led　across　the　lower　level　and　up　the　wide　stairway。　As　she　mounted　to　the　vast…domed　cathedral…like　chamber　of　the　station　a　strange　sensation　pierced　her　with　a　pang。　Not　the　old　thrill　of　leaving　New　York　or　returning！　Nor　was　it　welcome　sight　of　the　hurrying；　well…dressed　throng　of　travelers　and　commuters；　nor　the　stately　beauty　of　the　station。　Carley　shut　her　eyes；　and　then　she　knew。　The　dim　light　of　vast　space　above；　the　looming　gray　walls；　shadowy　with　tracery　of　figures；　the　lofty　dome　like　the　blue　sky；　brought　back　to　her　the　walls　of　Oak　Creek　Canyon　and　the　great　caverns　under　the　ramparts。　As　suddenly　as　she　had　shut　her　eyes　Carley　opened　them　to　face　her　friends。
  〃Let　me　get　it　over…quickly；〃　she　burst　out；　with　hot　blood　surging　to　her　face。　〃II　hated　the　West。　It　was　so　rawso　violentso　big。　I　think　I　hate　it　morenow。　。　。　。　But　it　changed　memade　me　over　physicallyand　did　something　to　my　soulGod　knows　what。　。　。　。　And　it　has　saved　Glenn。　Oh！　he　is　wonderful！　You　would　never　know　him。　。　。　。　For　long　I　had　not　the　courage　to　tell　him　I　came　to　bring　him　back　East。　I　kept　putting　it　off。　And　I　rode；　I　climbed；　I　camped；　I　lived　outdoors。　At　first　it　nearly　killed　me。　Then　it　grew　bearable；　and　easier；　until　I　forgot。　I　wouldn't　be　honest　if　I　didn't　admit　now　that　somehow　I　had　a　wonderful　time；　in　spite　of　all。　。　。　。　Glenn's　business　is　raising　hogs。　He　has　a　hog　ranch。　Doesn't　it　sound　sordid？　But　things　are　not　always　what　they　soundor　seem。　Glenn　is　absorbed　in　his　work。　I　hated　itI　expected　to　ridicule　it。　But　I　ended　by　infinitely　respecting　him。　I　learned　through　his　hog…raising　the　real　nobility　of　work。　。　。　。　Well；　at　last　I　found　courage　to　ask　him　when　he　was　coming　back　to　New　York。　He　said　'never！'　。　。　。　I　realized　then　my　blindness；　my　selfishness。　I　could　not　be　his　wife　and　live　there。　I　could　not。　I　was　too　small；　too　miserable；　too　comfort…lovingtoo　spoiled。　And　all　the　time　he　knew　thisknew　I'd　never　be　big　enough　to　marry　him。　。　。　。　That　broke　my　heart。　I　left　him　freeand　here　I　am。　。　。　。　I　beg　youdon't　ask　me　any　moreand　never　to　mention　it　to　meso　I　can　forget。〃
  The　tender　unspoken　sympathy　of　women　who　loved　her　proved　comforting　in　that　trying　hour。　With　the　confession　ruthlessly　made　the　hard　compression　in　Carley's　breast　subsided；　and　her　eyes　c