A Voice in the Wilderness

benches where they were resting. That was as far as their etiquette led them. Most of them continued to smoke their pipes, and all of them stared at her unreservedly. Such a sight of exquisite f

st to teach had first been mentioned. "She's too beautiful. Far too beautiful to go among sa

g on the threshold of the log cabin, she read, in the unveiled admiration

uty a touch of the spiritual which set her above the common run of women, making men fe

ay. From a little shed room at one end his snoring marked time

ace from which all emotions had long ago been burned by cruel fires-and looked at t

e life that she herself had lost. Perhaps it was no longer possible for her features to show tenderness, but a glow of something like it bur

girl, and she acknowledged the introduction by a radiant smile, followed by the offering of her small gloved hand. Each man in dumb bewilderment instantly became her slave, and accepted the offered hand with more or less pleasure and embarrassment. The girl proved her right to be called tactful, and, seeing her advantage, followed it up quickly by a few b

ped her off with her coat and hat in his easy, friendly way, as if he had known her all his life; wh

is kind, a creature not made in the same mold as theirs. They saw it now, and watched the fairy play with almost childish interest. Just to hear her call h

him in the wilderness, sick and nigh to death, and nursed him back to life again? He was theirs; but he knew how to drop into her world, too, and not be ashamed. They

it daintily, and smiled, showing her white teeth. There was nothing of the idea of greediness that each man knew he himself felt after a fast. It was all beautiful, the way she handled the two

hey saw every night-making such a fuss about that, with words like "wide," "infinite," "azure," and "gems." Each

d been choked. Stocky, red in the face, told a funny story when commanded by the Boy, and then dissolved in mortification over his blunders. The Fiddling Boss obediently got down his fiddle from the smoky corner beside the fireplace and played a weird ol

a strange wistfulness on her apathetic face. A fine silence had settled over the group as the girl, recognizing her power

and Mom Wallis as her room-mate, Margaret Earle could not help wondering what her mother and father would think now if they c

start of wonder in the early morning, to hear the men outside splashing water a

th a hunger in her eyes at the bright waves of Ma

rty hair," said Mom

smiled in acknowledgm

Beats all how much it counts to be young-an' purty! But lan

tal words came t

d along

t is ye

e for which the

k such thoughts amid these intolerable surroundings? Then with sudden impulse she

urt her, while a dull red stole up from her neck over her cheeks and high forehead to the roots of her hay-colored

good, only it kind of give me a turn." Then, after a second: "

n the scheme of this woman's wh

he morning, so different from the blue of the night sky, was, nevertheless, just as unfathomab

the illusion of the night that the sky came down to the earth all around like a close-fitting dome. There were

ng smile. They told her they hoped she would come again and sing for them, and each one had an awkward word of parting. Whatever Margaret Earle might do with her school, she had

led Long Bill, with a deep sigh, as the ride

ungrily. "I reck'n he thin

e so!" said Big

he mesa, or the cool, dim entrance of a ca?on where great ferns fringed and feathered its walls, and strange caves

-light the night before, but now that the morning shone upon him she could not keep from looking at him. His fresh color, which no wind and weather could quite subdue, his gray-blue eyes with that mixture of thoughtfulness

comfort that many an older man might not have had. Even his talk was a mixture of boyish

e world did one like you get landed among all those dreadful men! Of course, in their way, s

in the full afternoon light, and a short

ly into the Boy's eyes and

note, but failed. "I didn't make good back there"-he waved his hand sharply toward the East-"so I came o

know," said Marg

arnestly, as if he felt t

d and pick up the lost opportunities. You can't really

ose it's

if we're in earnest

en he spoke again it was to call attention to the beauty of a silver cloud that floated lazil

tle town where the girl was to begin her winter's work. The very houses and streets

t bid good-by to this friend of a few hours and face an unknown world. It had been a wonderful day, and now it was almost done. The two looke