ually it resolved itself into a sound of water about her head; a splashing, fighting

re she felt wate

re a

ou'll be all right

d?" She tried to sit up. All was

en," she heard a man's voice saying. "You've

Grant," she said. "I remember you now. But

ut a mile from here-although it may be less-is a little pond. I've carried water in the sleeve of my coat-fortunatel

desisted when a sudden tw

from the scene of the accident, so I carried you over to it. It is drier than the earth, and, for the forepart o

the darkness. "What's wrong with my

explained. "I had to do a little surgery. I could find nothing broke

y much like that which she had used to blindfold Quiver. It was easy to s

y here permanently?"

long. Search parties will be hunting for you, and they will d

ire! Tell me w

esit

continued, "and then next thing I was

he fire, and threw you, pretty heavily, to the ground.

e. "But I am not even

back. She turned and laid her fingers on hi

ing," he stammered. "You see, I had a leather coat, and I

eaning of his words came home to her. T

even in the darkness she kn

she continued presently. "

h it probably would not be noticed with so many glows on the horizon to-night." He stopped to look about. Dull splashes of red in the sky pointed out re

signal," he said, "but they'r

camp for help; it could not be more than four o

e first time Grant had heard her laugh, and he thought it very musical indeed.

ime before you came to you were talking-rather foolishly. Now if I should leave you it is not only possible, but qu

g of that!... Did I-d

ng-or fighting-I couldn't be sure which.

er; it came to her now like a bad dream out of the long, long past. How much had she said?

f up with a start. She must

as well do so companionably," she said, with an eff

gs first,"

romantic. A few years at school, and the rest of it

and other places. Even the most commonplace person has experienced romance enough for a dozen books. Quite possibly he has not recognized the romance,

... "Yes," she said,

. Take the experience of to-day, for example. I admit it has not been a commonplace day, and yet it has not been altogether extraordinary. Think of the experiences we have been through just this day, and how, if they wer

her sincerity. She had not met a man like this before. In her mind she fixed him in contrast with Transley, the self-confident and aggressive, an

ntures. It began in a very orthodox way, in a very orthodox family. My father, under the guidance, no doubt, of whatever star governs such lucky affairs, became possessed of a piece of land. In doing so he contributed to society no service whatever, so far as I have been able to ascertain. Bu

lthy," she said, "although I n

vice to society; supplied many thousands of steers for hungry

had too much money, so it was very easy for him to make more. He wanted me to go into the office with him, but some way I didn't fit in. I've no doubt there was lots of romance there, too, but I was of the wrong nature; I simply couldn't get enthusiastic over it. As we already had more money than we could pos

ty should determine the amount. I confessed that I was a little hazy about how that was to be carried out, but I insisted that the principle was right, and, that being so, the working of it out was only a matter of detail. I realize now that this was

the worries of wealth, and I came to the ranges where, no doubt to the deep chagrin of my father, I have been able to make a living, and have, incidentally, been profoundly happy. I'll take a wager that to-day

feeling that his enthusiasm had carried him int

angue," he said contritely. "You cou

a man to make his own way, rather than be lifted up by someone else. I am sure you are alread

d an amused

"You see, you don't understand me, either. I don

to make mone

shoul

a wider life for you. It would bring you into new circles. Some day you will wan

She had plunged farther

e had not been accustomed to being contradicted, but then, neither had she been accustomed to men li

all wron

y name," she said. "Nobody knows Dad exc

unconsciousness. I apologize for the libe

ginning to feel that I have been unconscious for a very

excited by her frank interest. Sh

er anything. You said that money is power. That is one of its deceits. It offers a man power, but in reality it makes him its slave. It enchains him for life;

he injured one upon the other. He was sitting in a similar position. The silence of the night had gathered about them, broken occasionally by the yapping of coyotes far down the valley. Segments of dull light fringed the horizon; the breeze was again blowing from the west, mild and balm

chance, the mazy corridors of Truth for this atom of wisdom; "the greatest wealth in the world is to be able to d

d to her about "the coming reorganization of society"? What did it mean? She was at home in discussions of herds or horses; she was at home with the duties of kitchen or reception-room; she was at home with her father or Transley or Linder o

ming reorganization o

le gleam of light and keep my eye close upon it. But you must know that society is always in a state of reorganization. Nothing continues as it w

ul and fine as marble in its soft rays. For a moment he hesitated, overwhelmed by a sudden realization of her attracti

n who got the most wealth was the man with the biggest muscle and the toughest skin. He wielded a stout club, and what he wanted, he took. His system of operation w

njust," she

tice of the cities; the justice of the vigilance committee is not the justice of judge and jury. Now to get back to our subject. When Baron Battle Ax, back in the fifth or sixth century, knocked all his rivals on the head and took their wealth away from them, I suppose there was here and there an advanced thinker who said the thing was unjust, but I am quite sure the great majority of people said things

s in the days of Battle Ax said things had always been that way and always would be that way, just so do the masses in these days of brain supremacy say things have always been that way and always will be that way. But just as there was a minority with an advanced vision of Truth in those days, so is there a minority with an advanced vision of Truth in these days. You may be absolu

cialism?" s

when they have a hundred dollars. Others can be trusted with a hundred million. All men have not been equally gifted by nature-we know that. We can't make the

deep. I have never heard it discussed before.

he hadn't much time to think about evolving a Magna Charta. But most of all I suppose it is just natural laziness. People re

at times would break into her consciousness, but in the companionship of such a man as Grant she could easily beat it off. She studied the face in the moon, and invited her soul. She

not blame herself; she could not have done otherwise; and yet-it was horrible to think about, and it would not stay away. She felt a

vered s

t her, and there was something very far removed f

ss the river to-day-he got into a deep spot-and I got wet." She c

ad for this girl a delicate consideration which Transley's nature could never know. Grant was a thinker-Transley a doer. Grant knew that the charm which enveloped him in this girl's presence was the perfectly natura

delight. Her eyes had closed; her lips were smiling faintly; her figure had relaxed.

raced its long ar