the　climb　to　the　black…timbered　distance；　the　ridged　and　canyoned　country　to　the　west；　red　vents　choked　with　green　and　rimmed　with　gray；　to　the　north　the　grand　upflung　mountain　kingdom　crowned　with　snow；　and　to　the　east　the　vastness　of　illimitable　space；　the　openness　and　wildness；　the　chased　and　beaten　mosaic　of　colored　sands　and　rocks。
  Again　and　again　she　visited　this　lookout　and　came　to　love　its　isolation；　its　command　of　wondrous　prospects；　its　power　of　suggestion　to　her　thoughts。　She　became　a　creative　being；　in　harmony　with　the　live　things　around　her。　The　great　life…dispensing　sun　poured　its　rays　down　upon　her；　as　if　to　ripen　her；　and　the　earth　seemed　warm；　motherly；　immense　with　its　all…embracing　arms。　She　no　longer　plucked　the　bluebells　to　press　to　her　face；　but　leaned　to　them。　Every　blade　of　gramma　grass；　with　its　shining　bronze…tufted　seed　head；　had　significance　for　her。　The　scents　of　the　desert　began　to　have　meaning　for　her。　She　sensed　within　her　the　working　of　a　great　leveling　process　through　which　supreme　happiness　would　come。
  June！　The　rich；　thick；　amber　light；　like　a　transparent　reflection　from　some　intense　golden　medium；　seemed　to　float　in　the　warm　air。　The　sky　became　an　azure　blue。　In　the　still　noontides；　when　the　bees　hummed　drowsily　and　the　flies　buzzed；　vast　creamy…white　columnar　clouds　rolled　up　from　the　horizon；　like　colossal　ships　with　bulging　sails。　And　summer　with　its　rush　of　growing　things　was　at　hand。
  Carley　rode　afar；　seeking　in　strange　places　the　secret　that　eluded　her。　Only　a　few　days　now　until　she　would　ride　down　to　Oak　Creek　Canyon！　There　was　a　low；　singing　melody　of　wind　in　the　cedars。　The　earth　became　too　beautiful　in　her　magnified　sight。　A　great　truth　was　dawning　upon　herthat　the　sacrifice　of　what　she　had　held　as　necessary　to　the　enjoyment　of　life　that　the　strain　of　conflict；　the　labor　of　hands；　the　forcing　of　weary　body；　the　enduring　of　pain；　the　contact　with　the　earthhad　served　somehow　to　rejuvenate　her　blood；　quicken　her　pulse；　intensify　her　sensorial　faculties；　thrill　her　very　soul；　lead　her　into　the　realm　of　enchantment。
  One　afternoon　a　dull；　lead…black…colored　cinder　knoll　tempted　her　to　explore　its　bare　heights。　She　rode　up　until　her　mustang　sank　to　his　knees　and　could　climb　no　farther。　From　there　she　essayed　the　ascent　on　foot。　It　took　labor。　But　at　last　she　gained　the　summit；　burning；　sweating；　panting。
  The　cinder　hill　was　an　extinct　crater　of　a　volcano。　In　the　center　of　it　lay　a　deep　bowl；　wondrously　symmetrical；　and　of　a　dark　lusterless　hue。　Not　a　blade　of　grass　was　there；　nor　a　plant。　Carley　conceived　a　desire　to　go　to　the　bottom　of　this　pit。　She　tried　the　cinders　of　the　edge　of　the　slope。　They　had　the　same　consistency　as　those　of　the　ascent　she　had　overcome。　But　here　there　was　a　steeper　incline。　A　tingling　rush　of　daring　seemed　to　drive　her　over　the　rounded　rim；　and；　once　started　down；　it　was　as　if　she　wore　seven…league　boots。　Fear　left　her。　Only　an　exhilarating　emotion　consumed　her。　If　there　were　danger；　it　mattered　not。　She　strode　down　with　giant　steps；　she　plunged；　she　started　avalanches　to　ride　them　until　they　stopped；　she　leaped；　and　lastly　she　fell；　to　roll　over　the　soft　cinders　to　the　pit。
  There　she　lay。　It　seemed　a　comfortable　resting　place。　The　pit　was　scarcely　six　feet　across。　She　gazed　upward　and　was　astounded。　How　steep　was　the　rounded　slope　on　all　sides！　There　were　no　sides；　it　was　a　circle。　She　looked　up　at　a　round　lake　of　deep　translucent　sky。　Such　depth　of　blue；　such　exquisite　rare　color！　Carley　imagined　she　could　gaze　through　it　to　the　infinite　beyond。
  She　closed　her　eyes　and　rested。　Soon　the　laboring　of　heart　and　breath　calmed　to　normal；　so　that　she　could　not　hear　them。　Then　she　lay　perfectly　motionless。　With　eyes　shut　she　seemed　still　to　look；　and　what　she　saw　was　the　sunlight　through　the　blood　and　flesh　of　her　eyelids。　It　was　red；　as　rare　a　hue　as　the　blue　of　sky。　So　piercing　did　it　grow　that　she　had　to　shade　her　eyes　with　her　arm。
  Again　the　strange；　rapt　glow　suffused　her　body。　Never　in　all　her　life　had　she　been　so　absolutely　alone。　She　might　as　well　have　been　in　her　grave。　She　might　have　been　dead　to　all　earthy　things　and　reveling　in　spirit　in　the　glory　of　the　physical　that　had　escaped　her　in　life。　And　she　abandoned　herself　to　this　influence。
  She　loved　these　dry；　dusty　cinders；　she　loved　the　crater　here　hidden　from　all　save　birds；　she　loved　the　desert；　the　earth…above　all；　the　sun。　She　was　a　product　of　the　eartha　creation　of　the　sun。　She　had　been　an　infinitesimal　atom　of　inert　something　that　had　quickened　to　life　under　the　blazing　magic　of　the　sun。　Soon　her　spirit　would　abandon　her　body　and　go　on；　while　her　flesh　and　bone　returned　to　dust。　This　frame　of　hers；　that　carried　the　divine　spark；　belonged　to　the　earth。　She　had　only　been　ignorant；　mindless；　feelingless；　absorbed　in　the　seeking　of　gain；　blind　to　the　truth。　She　had　to　give。　She　had　been　created　a　woman；　she　belonged　to　nature；　she　was　nothing　save　a　mother　of　the　future。　She　had　loved　neither　Glenn　Kilbourne　nor　life　itself。　False　education；　false　standards；　false　environment　had　developed　her　into　a　woman　who　imagined　she　must　feed　her　body　on　the　milk　and　honey　of　indulgence。
  She　was　abased　nowwoman　as　animal；　though　saved　and　uplifted　by　her　power　of　immortality。　Transcendental　was　her　female　power　to　link　life　with　the　future。　The　power　of　the　plant　seed；　the　power　of　the　earth；　the　heat　of　the　sun；　the　inscrutable　creation…spirit　of　nature；　almost　the　divinity　of　Godthese　were　all　hers　because　she　was　a　woman。　That　was　the　great　secret；　aloof　so　long。　That　was　what　had　been　wrong　with　lifethe　woman　blind　to　her　meaning；　her　power；　her　mastery。
  So　she　abandoned　herself　to　the　woman　within　her。　She　held　out　her　arms　to　the　blue　abyss　of　heaven　as　if　to　embrace　the　universe。　She　was　Nature。　She　kissed　the　dusty　cinders　and　pressed　her　breast　against　the　warm　slope。　Her　heart　swelled　to　bursting　with　a　glorious　and　unutterable　happiness。
  That　afternoon　as　the　sun　was　setting　under　a　gold…white　scroll　of　cloud　Carley　got　back　to　Deep　Lake。
  A　familiar　lounging　figure　crossed　her　sight。　It　approached　to　where　she　had　dismounted。　Charley；　the　sheep　herder　of　Oak　Creek！
  〃Howdy！〃　he　drawled；　with　his　queer　smile。　〃So　it　was　you…all　who　had　this　Deep　Lake　section？〃
  〃Yes。　And　how　are　you；　Charley？〃　she　replied；　shaking　hands　with　him。
  〃Me？　Aw；　I'm　tip…top。　I'm　shore　glad　you　got　this　ranch。　Reckon　I'll　hit　you　for　a　job。〃
  〃I'd　give　it　to　you。　But　aren't　you　working　for　the　Hutters？〃
  〃Nope。　Not　any　more。　Me　an'　Stanton　had　a　row　with　them。〃
  How　droll　and　dry　he　was！　His　lean；　olive…brown　face；　with　its　guileless　clear　eyes　and　his　lanky　figure　in　blue　jeans　vividly　recalled　Oak　Creek　to　Carley。
  〃Oh；　I'm　sorry；〃　returned　she　haltingly；　somehow　checked　in　her　warm　rush　of　thought。　〃Stanton？　。　。　。　Did　he　quit　too？〃
  〃Yep。　He　sure　did。〃
  〃What　was　the　trouble？〃
  〃Reckon　because　Flo　made　up　to　Kilbourne；〃　replied　Charley；　with　a　grin。
  〃Ah！　II　see；〃　murmured　Carley。　A　blankness　seemed　to　wave　over　her。　It　extended　to　the　air　without；　to　the　sense　of　the　golden　sunset。　It　passed。　What　should　she　askwhat　out　of　a　thousand　sudden　flashing　queries？　〃Are　are　the　Hutters　back？〃
  〃Sure。　Been　back　several　days。　I　reckoned　Hoyle　told　you。　Mebbe　he　didn't　know；　though。　For　nobody's　been　to　town。〃
  〃How　ishow　are　they　all？〃　faltered　Carley。　There　was　a　strange　wall　here　between　her　thought　and　her　utterance。
  〃Everybody　satisfied；　I　reckon；〃　replied　Charley。
  〃Flohow　is　she？〃　burst　out　Carley。
  〃Aw；　Flo's　loony　over　her　husband；〃　drawled　Charley；　his　clear　eyes　on　Carley's。
  〃Husband！〃　she　gasped。
  〃Sure。　Flo's　gone　an'　went　an'　done　what　I　swore　on。〃
  〃Who？〃　whispered　Carley；　and　the　query　was　a　terrible　blade　piercing　her　heart。
  〃Now　who'd　you　reckon　on？〃　asked　Charley；　with　his　slow　grin。
  Carley's　lips　were　mute。
  〃Wal；　it　was　your　old　beau　thet　you　wouldn't　have；〃　returned　Charley；　as　he　gathered　up　his　long　frame；　evidently　to　leave。　〃Kilbourne！　He　an'　Flo　came　back　from　the　Tonto　all　hitched　up。〃
  CHAPTER　XII
  Vague　sense　of　movement；　of　darkness；　and　of　cold　attended　Carley's　consciousness　for　what　seemed　endless　time。
  A　fall　over　rocks　and　a　severe　thrust　from　a　sharp　branch　brought　an　acute　appreciation　of　her　position；　if　not　of　her　mental　state。　Night　had　fallen。　The　stars　were　out。　She　had　stumbled　over　a　low　ledge。　Evidently　she　had　wandered　around；　dazedly　and　aimlessly；　until　brought　to　her　senses　by　pain。　But　for　a　gleam　of　campfires　through　the　cedars　she　would　have　been　lost。　It　did　not　matter。　She　was　lost；　anyhow。　What　was　it　that　had　happened？
  Charley；　the　sheep　herder！　Then　the　thunderbolt　of　his　words　burst　upon　her；　and　she　collapsed　to　the　cold　stones。　She　lay　quivering　from　head　to　toe。　She　dug　her　fingers　into　the　moss　and　lichen。　〃Oh；　God；　to　think　after　allit　happened！〃　she　moaned。　There　had　been　a　rending　within　her　breast；　as　of　physical　violence；　from　which　she　now　suffered　anguish。　There　were　a　thousand　stinging　nerves。　There　was　a　mortal　sickness　of　horror；　of　insupportable　heartbreaking　loss。　She　could　not　endure　it。　She　could　not　live　under　it。
  She　lay　there　until　energy　supplanted　shock。　Then　she