ly　over　shapes　and　lines　and　angles　and　surfaces　too　numerous　and　too　great　for　the　sight　of　man　to　hold；　made　an　ever…changing　spectacle　of　supreme　beauty　and　colorful　grandeur。
  She　talked　very　little　while　at　the　Canyon。　It　silenced　her。　She　had　come　to　see　it　at　the　critical　time　of　her　life　and　in　the　right　mood。　The　superficialities　of　the　world　shrunk　to　their　proper　insignificance。　Once　she　asked　her　aunt：　〃Why　did　not　Glenn　bring　me　here？〃　As　if　this　Canyon　proved　the　nature　of　all　things！
  But　in　the　end　Carley　found　that　the　rending　strife　of　the　transformation　of　her　attitude　toward　life　had　insensibly　ceased。　It　had　ceased　during　the　long　watching　of　this　cataclysm　of　nature；　this　canyon　of　gold…banded　black…fringed　ramparts；　and　red…walled　mountains　which　sloped　down　to　be　lost　in　purple　depths。　That　was　final　proof　of　the　strength　of　nature　to　soothe；　to　clarify；　to　stabilize　the　tried　and　weary　and　upward…gazing　soul。　Stronger　than　the　recorded　deeds　of　saints；　stronger　than　the　eloquence　of　the　gifted　uplifters　of　men；　stronger　than　any　words　ever　written；　was　the　grand；　brooding；　sculptured　aspect　of　nature。　And　it　must　have　been　so　because　thousands　of　years　before　the　age　of　saints　or　preachersbefore　the　fret　and　symbol　and　figure　were　cut　in　stone…man　must　have　watched　with　thoughtdeveloping　sight　the　wonders　of　the　earth；　the　monuments　of　time；　the　glooming　of　the　dark…blue　sea；　the　handiwork　of　God。
  In　May；　Carley　returned　to　Flagstaff　to　take　up　with　earnest　inspiration　the　labors　of　homebuilding　in　a　primitive　land。
  It　required　two　trucks　to　transport　her　baggage　and　purchases　out　to　Deep　Lake。　The　road　was　good　for　eighteen　miles　of　the　distance；　until　it　branched　off　to　reach　her　land；　and　from　there　it　was　desert　rock　and　sand。　But　eventually　they　made　it；　and　Carley　found　herself　and　belongings　dumped　out　into　the　windy　and　sunny　open。　The　moment　was　singularly　thrilling　and　full　of　transport。　She　was　free。　She　had　shaken　off　the　shackles。　She　faced　lonely；　wild；　barren　desert　that　must　be　made　habitable　by　the　genius　of　her　direction　and　the　labor　of　her　hands。　Always　a　thought　of　Glenn　hovered　tenderly；　dreamily　in　the　back　of　her　consciousness；　but　she　welcomed　the　opportunity　to　have　a　few　weeks　of　work　and　activity　and　solitude　before　taking　up　her　life　with　him。　She　wanted　to　adapt　herself　to　the　metamorphosis　that　had　been　wrought　in　her。
  To　her　amazement　and　delight；　a　very　considerable　progress　had　been　made　with　her　plans。　Under　a　sheltered　red　cliff　among　the　cedars　had　been　erected　the　tents　where　she　expected　to　live　until　the　house　was　completed。　These　tents　were　large；　with　broad　floors　high　off　the　ground；　and　there　were　four　of　them。　Her　living　tent　had　a　porch　under　a　wide　canvas　awning。　The　bed　was　a　boxlike　affair；　raised　off　the　floor　two　feet；　and　it　contained　a　great；　fragrant　mass　of　cedar　boughs　upon　which　the　blankets　were　to　be　spread。　At　one　end　was　a　dresser　with　large　mirror；　and　a　chiffonier。　There　were　table　and　lamp；　a　low　rocking　chair；　a　shelf　for　books；　a　row　of　hooks　upon　which　to　hang　things；　a　washstand　with　its　necessary　accessories；　a　little　stove　and　a　neat　stack　of　cedar　chips　and　sticks。　Navajo　rugs　on　the　floor　lent　brightness　and　comfort。
  Carley　heard　the　rustling　of　cedar　branches　over　her　head；　and　saw　where　they　brushed　against　the　tent　roof。　It　appeared　warm　and　fragrant　inside；　and　protected　from　the　wind；　and　a　subdued　white　light　filtered　through　the　canvas。　Almost　she　felt　like　reproving　herself　for　the　comfort　surrounding　her。　For　she　had　come　West　to　welcome　the　hard　knocks　of　primitive　life。
  It　took　less　than　an　hour　to　have　her　trunks　stored　in　one　of　the　spare　tents；　and　to　unpack　clothes　and　necessaries　for　immediate　use。　Carley　donned　the　comfortable　and　somewhat　shabby　outdoor　garb　she　had　worn　at　Oak　Creek　the　year　before；　and　it　seemed　to　be　the　last　thing　needed　to　make　her　fully　realize　the　glorious　truth　of　the　present。
  〃I'm　here；〃　she　said　to　her　pale；　yet　happy　face　in　the　mirror。　〃The　impossible　has　happened。　I　have　accepted　Glenn's　life。　I　have　answered　that　strange　call　out　of　the　West。〃
  She　wanted　to　throw　herself　on　the　sunlit　woolly　blankets　of　her　bed　and　hug　them；　to　think　and　think　of　the　bewildering　present　happiness；　to　dream　of　the　future；　but　she　could　not　lie　or　sit　still；　nor　keep　her　mind　from　grasping　at　actualities　and　possibilities　of　this　place；　nor　her　hands　from　itching　to　do　things。
  It　developed；　presently；　that　she　could　not　have　idled　away　the　time　even　if　she　had　wanted　to；　for　the　Mexican　woman　came　for　her；　with　smiling　gesticulation　and　jabber　that　manifestly　meant　dinner。　Carley　could　not　understand　many　Mexican　words；　and　herein　she　saw　another　task。　This　swarthy　woman　and　her　sloe…eyed　husband　favorably　impressed　Carley。
  Next　to　claim　her　was　Hoyle；　the　superintendent。　〃Miss　Burch；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　early　days　we　could　run　up　a　log　cabin　in　a　jiffy。　Axes；　horses；　strong　arms；　and　a　few　pegsthat　was　all　we　needed。　But　this　house　you've　planned　is　different。　It's　good　you've　come　to　take　the　responsibility。〃
  Carley　had　chosen　the　site　for　her　home　on　top　of　the　knoll　where　Glenn　had　taken　her　to　show　her　the　magnificent　view　of　mountains　and　desert。　Carley　climbed　it　now　with　beating　heart　and　mingled　emotions。　A　thousand　times　already　that　day；　it　seemed；　she　had　turned　to　gaze　up　at　the　noble　white…clad　peaks。　They　were　closer　now；　apparently　looming　over　her；　and　she　felt　a　great　sense　of　peace　and　protection　in　the　thought　that　they　would　always　be　there。　But　she　had　not　yet　seen　the　desert　that　had　haunted　her　for　a　year。　When　she　reached　the　summit　of　the　knoll　and　gazed　out　across　the　open　space　it　seemed　that　she　must　stand　spellbound。　How　green　the　cedared　foreground…how　gray　and　barren　the　downward　slopehow　wonderful　the　painted　steppes！　The　vision　that　had　lived　in　her　memory　shrank　to　nothingness。　The　reality　was　immense；　more　than　beautiful；　appalling　in　its　isolation；　beyond　comprehension　with　its　lure　and　strength　to　uplift。
  But　the　superintendent　drew　her　attention　to　the　business　at　hand。
  Carley　had　planned　an　L…shaped　house　of　one　story。　Some　of　her　ideas　appeared　to　be　impractical；　and　these　she　abandoned。　The　framework　was　up　and　half　a　dozen　carpenters　were　lustily　at　work　with　saw　and　hammer。
  〃We'd　made　better　progress　if　this　house　was　in　an　ordinary　place；〃　explained　Hoyle。　〃But　you　see　the　wind　blows　here；　so　the　framework　had　to　be　made　as　solid　and　strong　as　possible。　In　fact；　it's　bolted　to　the　sills。〃
  Both　living　room　and　sleeping　room　were　arranged　so　that　the　Painted　Desert　could　be　seen　from　one　window；　and　on　the　other　side　the　whole　of　the　San　Francisco　Mountains。　Both　rooms　were　to　have　open　fireplaces。　Carley's　idea　was　for　service　and　durability。　She　thought　of　comfort　in　the　severe　winters　of　that　high　latitude；　but　elegance　and　luxury　had　no　more　significance　in　her　life。
  Hoyle　made　his　suggestions　as　to　changes　and　adaptations；　and；　receiving　her　approval；　he　went　on　to　show　her　what　had　been　already　accomplished。　Back　on　higher　ground　a　reservoir　of　concrete　was　being　constructed　near　an　ever…flowing　spring　of　snow　water　from　the　peaks。　This　water　was　being　piped　by　gravity　to　the　house；　and　was　a　matter　of　greatest　satisfaction　to　Hoyle；　for　he　claimed　that　it　would　never　freeze　in　winter；　and　would　be　cold　and　abundant　during　the　hottest　and　driest　of　summers。　This　assurance　solved　the　most　difficult　and　serious　problem　of　ranch　life　in　the　desert。
  Next　Hoyle　led　Carley　down　off　the　knoll　to　the　wide　cedar　valley　adjacent　to　the　lake。　He　was　enthusiastic　over　its　possibilities。　Two　small　corrals　and　a　large　one　had　been　erected；　the　latter　having　a　low　flat　barn　connected　with　it。　Ground　was　already　being　cleared　along　the　lake　where　alfalfa　and　hay　were　to　be　raised。　Carley　saw　the　blue　and　yellow　smoke　from　burning　brush；　and　the　fragrant　odor　thrilled　her。　Mexicans　were　chopping　the　cleared　cedars　into　firewood　for　winter　use。
  The　day　was　spent　before　she　realized　it。　At　sunset　the　carpenters　and　mechanics　left　in　two　old　Ford　cars　for　town。　The　Mexicans　had　a　camp　in　the　cedars；　and　the　Hoyles　had　theirs　at　the　spring　under　the　knoll　where　Carley　had　camped　with　Glenn　and　the　Hutters。　Carley　watched　the　golden　rosy　sunset；　and　as　the　day　ended　she　breathed　deeply　as　if　in　unutterable　relief。　Supper　found　her　with　appetite　she　had　long　since　lost。　Twilight　brought　cold　wind；　the　staccato　bark　of　coyotes；　the　flicker　of　camp　fires　through　the　cedars。　She　tried　to　embrace　all　her　sensations；　but　they　were　so　rapid　and　many　that　she　failed。
  The　cold；　clear；　silent　night　brought　back　the　charm　of　the　desert。　How　flaming　white　the　stars！。　The　great　spire…pointed　peaks　lifted　cold　pale…gray　outlines　up　into　the　deep　star…studded　sky。　Carley　walked　a　little　to　and　fro；　loath　to　go　to　her　tent；　though　tired。　She　wanted　calm。　But　instead　of　achieving　calmness　she　grew　more　and　more　towards　a　strange　state　of　exultation。
  Westward；　only　a　matter　of　twenty　or　thirty　miles；　lay　the　deep　rent　in　the　level　desertOak　Creek　Canyon。　If　Glenn　had　been　there　this　night　would　have　been　perfect；　yet　almost　unendurable。　She　was