Mollycontinuedtobeindustrious。
“Andthat’swhy，“saidMrs。Taylor，“Iwanteverygirlthat’sanythingtometoknowherluckwhenitcomes。ForIwasthatneartellingTaylorIwouldn’t！“
“Ifevermyluckcomes，“saidMolly，withherbacktoherfriend，“Ishallsay’Iwill’atonce。“
“Thenyou’llsayitatBenningtonnextweek。“
Mollywheeledround。
“Why，yousurelywill。Doyouexpecthe’sgoingtostayhere，andyouinBennington？“Andthecampaignersatbackinherchair。
“He？Goodness！Whoishe？“
“Child，child，you’retalkingcrossto-daybecauseyou’reatoutswithyourself。You’vebeenatoutseversinceyoutookthisideaofleavingtheschoolandusandeverythingthisneedlessway。
Youhavenottreatedhimright。Andwhy，Ican’tmakeouttosaveme。Whathaveyoufoundoutallofasudden？Ifhewasnotgoodenoughforyou，I——But，oh，it’saprimeoneyou’relosing，Molly。Whenamanlikethatstaysfaithfultoagirl’spiteallthechanceshegets，herluckiscome。“
“Oh，myluck！Peoplehavedifferentnotionsofluck。“
“Notions！“
“Hehasbeenverykind。“
“Kind！“Andnowwithoutfurthersimmering，Mrs。Taylor’swrathboiledupandpouredcopiouslyoverMollyWood。“Kind！There’sawordyoushouldn’tuse，mydear。Nodoubtyoucanspellit。ButmorethanitsspellingIguessyoudon’tknow。Thechildrencanlearnwhatitmeansfromsomeoftherestofusfolksthatdon’tspellsocorrect，maybe。“
“Mrs。Taylor，Mrs。Taylor——“
“Ican’twait，deary。Sincetheroughnesslooksbiggertoyouthanthediamond，youhadbettergobacktoVermont。Iexpectyou’llfindbettergrammarthere，deary。“
Thegooddamestalkedout，andacrosstoherowncabin，andlefttheangrygirlamongherboxes。Itwasinvainshefelltoworkuponthem。Presentlysomethinghadtobedoneoveragain，andwhenitwastheboxheldseveralchattelslessthanbeforethereadjustment。Sheplayedasortofdesperatedominostofittheseobjectsinthespace，butherewereapaper-weight，aportfolio，withtwowretchedvolumesthatnochinkwouldharbor；andlettingthemfallallatonce，shestraightenedherself，stillstormywithrevolt，eyesandcheeksstillhotfromthestingoflong-parriedtruth。There，onherwallstill，wastheminiature，thelittlesilentancestress；anduponthisfacethegirl’sglancerested。ItwasasifsheappealedtoGrandmotherStarkforsupportandcomfortacrossthehundredyearswhichlaybetweenthem。Sotheflaxengirlonthewallandsheamongtheboxesstoodamomentfacetofaceinseemingcommunion，andthenthedescendantturnedagaintoherwork。Butafteradesultorytouchhereandthereshedrewalongbreathandwalkedtotheopendoor。Whatusewasinfinishingto-day，whenshehadnearlyaweek？Thisfirstspurtoftoilhadsweptthecabinbareofallindwellingcharm，anditslookwaschill。Acrossthelanehishorse，theonehehad“gentled“forher，wasgrazingidly。Shewalkedthereandcaughthim，andledhimtohergate。Mrs。Taylorsawhergoin，andsooncomeoutinriding-dress；andshewatchedthegirlthrowthesaddleonwithquickease——theeasehehadtaughther。Mrs。Tayloralsosawthesharpcutshegavethehorse，andlaughedgrimlytoherselfinherwindowashorseandridergallopedintothebeautifulsunnyloneliness。
Tothepunishedanimalthisswitchingwasnew！andatitsthirdrepetitionheturnedhisheadinsurprise，butwasnomoreheededthanwerethebluffsandflowerswherehewastakinghisownundirectedchoiceofway。Hecarriedherovergroundsheknewbyheart——CorncliffMesa，CrowheartButte，Westfall’sCrossing，UpperCanyon；openlandandwoodland，pinesandsage-brush，allsilentandgraveandlustrousinthesunshine。Onceandagainaranchmangreetedher，andwonderedifshehadforgottenwhohewas；onceshepassedsomecow-puncherswithasmallherdofsteers，andtheystaredafterhertoo。BearCreeknarrowed，itsmountain-sidesdrewnear，itslittlefallsbegantorushwhiteinmiddayshadow，andthehorsesuddenlyprickedhisears。Unguided，hewastakingthisadvantagetogohome。Thoughhehadmadebutlittleway——amerebeginningyet——onthistrailovertoSunkCreek，herewasalreadyaSunkCreekfriendwhinnyinggooddaytohim，sohewhinniedbackandquickenedhispace，andMollystartedtolife。WhatwasMontedoinghere？Shesawtheblackhorsesheknewalso，saddled，withreinsdraggingonthetrailastheriderhaddroppedthemtodismount。Acoldspringbubbledoutbeyondthenextrock，andsheknewherlover’shorsewaswaitingforhimwhilehedrank。Shepulledatthereins，butloosedthem，fortoturnandescapenowwasridiculous；andridingboldlyroundtherock，shecameuponhimbythespring。Oneofhisarmshunguptoitselbowinthepool，theotherwascrookedbesidehishead，butthefacewassunkdownwardagainsttheshelvingrock，sothatshesawonlyhisblack，tangledhair。AsherhorsesnortedandtossedhisheadshelookedswiftlyatMonte，asiftoquestionhim。Seeingnowthesweatmattedonhiscoat，andnotingthewhiterimofhiseye，shesprangandrantothemotionlessfigure。Apatchofbloodathisshoulderbehindstainedthesoftflannelshirt，spreadingdownbeneathhisbelt，andtheman’swholestrongbodylayslackandpitifullyhelpless。
Shetouchedthehandbesidehishead，butitseemedneitherwarmnorcoldtoher；shefeltforthepulse，asnearlyasshecouldrememberthedoctorsdid，butcouldnottellwhethersheimaginedornotthatitwasstill；twicewithpainfulcareherfingerssoughtandwaitedforthebeat，andherfaceseemedlikeoneoflistening。Sheleaneddownandliftedhisotherarmandhandfromthewater，andastheirice-coldnessreachedhersenses，clearlyshesawthepatchneartheshouldershehadmovedgrowwetwithnewblood，andatthatsightshegraspedatthestonesuponwhichsheherselfnowsank。Sheheldtightbytworocks，sittingstraightbesidehim，staring，andmurmuringaloud，“Imustnotfaint；Iwillnotfaint；“andthestandinghorseslookedather，prickingtheirears。
Inthiscup-likespreadoftheravinethesunshonewarmlydown，thetallredcliffwaswarm，thepineswereawarmfilmandfilterofgreen；outsidetheshadeacrossBearCreekrosethesteep，soft，openyellowhill，warmandhightotheblue，andBearCreektumbleduponitssunsparklingstones。Thetwohorsesonthemargintrailstilllookedatthespringandtrees，wheresattheneatflaxengirlsorigidbytheslackpronebodyinitsflannelshirtandleathernchaps。Suddenlyherfacelivened。“Butthebloodran！“sheexclaimed，asiftothehorses，hercompanionsinthis。Shemovedtohim，andputherhandinthroughhisshirtagainsthisheart。
Nextmomentshehadsprungupandwasathissaddle，searching，thenswiftlywentontoherownandgothersmallflaskandwasbackbesidehim。Herewasthecoldwaterhehadsought，andsheputitagainsthisforeheadanddrenchedthewoundedshoulderwithit。Threetimesshetriedtomovehim，sohemightliemoreeasy，buthisdeadweightwastoomuch，anddesisting，shesatcloseandraisedhisheadtoletitrestagainsther。Thusshesawthebloodthatwasrunningfrominfrontoftheshoulderalso；butshesaidnomoreaboutfainting。Shetorestripsfromherdressandsoakedthem，keepingthemcoldandwetuponbothopeningsofhiswound，andshedrewherpocket-knifeoutandcuthisshirtawayfromtheplace。Asshecontinuallyrinsedandcleanedit，shewatchedhiseyelashes，longandsoftandthick，buttheydidnotstir。Againshetriedtheflask，butfailedfrombeingstilltoogentle，andhersearchingeyesfelluponashesnearthepool。Stillundispersedbytheweatherlaythesmallcharredendsofafireheandshehadmadeonceheretogether，toboilcoffeeandfrytrout。Shebuiltanotherfirenow，andwhentheflamesweregoingwell，filledherflask-cupfromthespringandsetittoheat。Meanwhile，shereturnedtonursehisheadandwound。Hercoldwaterhadstoppedthebleeding。Thenshepouredherbrandyinthesteamingcup，and，maderoughbyherdesperatehelplessness，forcedsomebetweenhislipsandteeth。
Instantly，almost，shefeltthetrembleoflifecreepingback，andashisdeepeyesopeneduponhershesatstillandmute。Butthegazeseemedluminouswithanunnotingcalm，andshewonderedifperhapshecouldnotrecognizeher；shewatchedthisinternalclearnessofhisvision，scarcelydaringtobreathe，untilpresentlyhebegantospeak，withthesameprofoundandclearimpersonalitysoundinginhisslowlyutteredwords。
“Ithoughttheyhadfoundme。Iexpectedtheyweregoingtokillme。“Hestopped，andshegavehimmoreofthehotdrink，whichhetook，stilllyingandlookingatherasifthepresentdidnotreachhissenses。“Iknewhandsweretouchingme。IreckonIwasnotdead。Iknewaboutthemsoonastheybegan，onlyIcouldnotinterfere。“Hewaitedagain。“ItismightystrangewhereIhavebeen。No。Mightynatural。“Thenhewentbackintohisrevery，andlaywithhiseyesstillfullopenuponherwhereshesatmotionless。
Shebegantofeelagreateraweinthislivingpresencethanwhenithadbeenhisbodywithanice-coldhand；andshequietlyspokehisname，venturingscarcelymorethanawhisper。
Atthis，somenearerthingwakenedinhislook。“Butitwasyouallalong，“heresumed。“Itisyounow。Youmustnotstay——“
Weaknessovercamehim，andhiseyesclosed。Shesatministeringtohim，andwhenherousedagain，hebegananxiouslyatonce:
“Youmustnotstay。Theywouldgetyou，too。“
Sheglancedathimwithasortoffierceness，thenreachedforhispistol，inwhichwasnothingbutblackenedemptycartridges。
Shethrewtheseoutanddrewsixfromhisbelt，loadedtheweapon，andsnappedshutitshinge。
“Pleasetakeit，“hesaid，moreanxiousandmorehimself。“I
ain’tworthtryin’tokeep。Lookatme！“
“Areyougivingup？“sheinquired，tryingtoputscorninhertone。Thensheseatedherself。
“Whereisthesenseinbothofus——“
“Youhadbettersaveyourstrength，“sheinterrupted。
Hetriedtositup。
“Liedown！“sheordered。
Hesankobediently，andbegantosmile。
Whenshesawthat，shesmiledtoo，andunexpectedlytookhishand。“Listen，friend，“saidshe。“Nobodyshallgetyou，andnobodyshallgetme。Nowtakesomemorebrandy。“
“Itmustbenoon，“saidthecow-puncher，whenshehaddrawnherhandawayfromhim。“Irememberitwasdarkwhen——when——whenI
canremember。Ireckontheywerescaredtofollowmeinsoclosetosettlers。Elsetheywouldhavebeenhere。“
“Youmustrest，“sheobserved。
Shebrokethesoftendsofsomeevergreen，andputtingthembeneathhishead，wenttothehorses，loosenedthecinches，tookoffthebridles，ledthemtodrink，andpicketedthemtofeed。
Furtherstill，toleavenothingundonewhichshecouldherselfmanage，shetookthehorses’saddlesofftorefoldtheblanketswhenthetimeshouldcome，andmeanwhilebroughtthemforhim。
Butheputthemawayfromhim。Hewassittingupagainstarock，strongerevidently，andaskingforcoldwater。Hisheadwasfire-hot，andthepalenessbeneathhisswarthyskinhadchangedtoadeepeningflush。
“Onlyfivemiles！“shesaidtohim，bathinghishead。
“Yes。Imustholditsteady，“heanswered，wavinghishandatthecliff。
Shetoldhimtotryandkeepitsteadyuntiltheygothome。
“Yes，“herepeated。“Onlyfivemiles。Butit’sfightin’toturnaround。“Halfawarethathewasbecominglight-headed，helookedfromtherocktoherandfromhertotherockwithdilatingeyes。
“Wecanholdittogether，“shesaid。“Youmustgetonyourhorse。“Shetookhishandkerchieffromroundhisneck，knottingitwithherown，andtomakemorebandagesherantotherollofclothesbehindhissaddleandtoreinhalvesacleanshirt。A
handkerchieffellfromit，whichsheseizedalso，andopening，sawherowninitialsbythehem。Thensheremembered:shesawagaintheirfirstmeeting，theswollenriver，theoversetstage，theunknownhorsemanwhocarriedhertothebankonhissaddleandwentawayunthanked——herwholefirstadventureonthatfirstdayofhercomingtothisnewcountry——andnowsheknewhowherlong-forgottenhandkerchiefhadgonethatday。Sherefoldeditgentlyandputitbackinhisbundle，fortherewasenoughbandagewithoutit。Shesaidnotawordtohim，andheplacedawrongmeaninguponthelookwhichshegavehimasshereturnedtobindhisshoulder。
“Itdon’thurtsomuch，“heassuredher(thoughextremepainwasclearinghisheadforthemoment，andhehadbeenabletoholdtheclifffromturning)。“Yu’mustnotsquanderyourpity。“
