“Thisracewillnotbepulled，“saidMcLean。
“Bewithyouatthefinish，“saidScipio。
Andtheypassedon。Theydidnotseemlikerealpeopletohim。
Trampaslookedatthewallsandwindowsofthehouses。Weretheyreal？Washehere，walkinginthisstreet？Somethinghadchanged。
Helookedeverywhere，andfeelingiteverywhere，wonderedwhatthiscouldbe。Thenheknew:itwasthesunthathadgoneentirelybehindthemountains，andhedrewouthispistol。
TheVirginian，forprecaution，didnotwalkoutofthefrontdoorofthehotel。Hewentthroughbackways，andpausedonce。Againsthisbreasthefelttheweddingringwherehehaditsuspendedbyachainfromhisneck。Hishandwentuptoit，andhedrewitoutandlookedatit。Hetookitoffthechain，andhisarmwentbacktohurlitfromhimasfarashecould。Buthestoppedandkisseditwithonesob，andthrustitinhispocket。Thenhewalkedoutintotheopen，watching。Hesawmenhereandthere，andtheylethimpassasbefore，withoutspeaking。Hesawhisthreefriends，andtheysaidnowordtohim。Buttheyturnedandfollowedinhisrearatalittledistance，becauseitwasknownthatShortyhadbeenfoundshotfrombehind。TheVirginiangainedapositionsoonwherenoonecouldcomeathimexceptfrominfront；andthesightofthemountainswasalmostmorethanhecouldendure，becauseitwastherethathehadbeengoingto-morrow。
“Itisquiteawhileaftersunset，“heheardhimselfsay。
Awindseemedtoblowhissleeveoffhisarm，andherepliedtoit，andsawTrampaspitchforward。HesawTrampasraisehisarmfromthegroundandfallagain，andlietherethistime，still。A
littlesmokewasrisingfromthepistolontheground，andhelookedathisown，andsawthesmokeflowingupwardoutofit。
“Iexpectthat’sall，“hesaidaloud。
ButashecamenearerTrampas，hecoveredhimwithhisweapon。Hestoppedamoment，seeingthehandonthegroundmove。Twofingerstwitched，andthenceased；foritwasall。TheVirginianstoodlookingdownatTrampas。
“Bothofminehit，“hesaid，oncemorealoud“Hismusthavegonemightyclosetomyarm。Itoldheritwouldnotbeme。“
Hehadscarcelynoticedthathewasbeingsurroundedandcongratulated。Hishandwasbeingshaken，andhesawitwasScipiointears。Scipio’sjoymadehisheartlikeleadwithinhim。Hewasneartellinghisfriendeverything，buthedidnot。
“Ifanybodywantsmeaboutthis，“hesaid，“Iwillbeatthehotel。“
“Who’llwantyou？“saidScipio。“Threeofussawhisgunout。“
Andheventedhisadmiration。“Youwerethatcool！Thatquick！“
“I’llseeyouboysagain，“saidtheVirginian，heavily；andhewalkedaway。
Scipiolookedafterhim，astonished。“Yu’mightsupposehewasinpoorluck，“hesaidtoMcLean。
TheVirginianwalkedtothehotel，andstoodonthethresholdofhissweetheart’sroom。Shehadheardhisstep，andwasuponherfeet。Herlipswereparted，andhereyesfixedonhim，nordidshemove，orspeak。
“Yu’havetoknowit，“saidhe。“IhavekilledTrampas。“
“Oh，thankGod！“shesaid；andhefoundherinhisarms。Longtheyembracedwithoutspeaking，andwhattheywhisperedthenwiththeirkisses，mattersnot。
ThusdidherNewEnglandconsciencebattletotheend，and，intheend，capitulatetolove。Andthenextday，withthebishop’sblessing，andMrs。Taylor’sbroadestsmile，andtheringonherfinger，theVirginiandepartedwithhisbrideintothemountains。
Fortheirfirstbridalcamphechoseanisland。Longweeksbeforehandhehadthoughtofthisplace，andsethisheartuponit。Onceestablishedinhismind，thethoughtbecameapicturethathesawwakingandsleeping。Hehadstoppedattheislandmanytimesalone，andinallseasons；butatthisspecialmomentoftheyearhelikeditbest。Oftenhehadaddedseveralneedlessmilestohisjourneythathemightfinishthedayatthispoint，mightcatchthetroutforhissupperbesideacertainrockuponitsedge，andfallasleephearingthestreamoneithersideofhim。
Alwaysforhimthefirstsignsthathehadgainedthetrueworldofthemountainsbeganattheisland。Thefirstpinetreesstooduponit；thefirstwhitecolumbinegrewintheirshade；anditseemedtohimthathealwaysmetherethefirstofthetruemountainair——thecoolnessandthenewfragrance。Below，therewereonlythecottonwoods，andtheknollsandsteepfoot-hillswiththeirsage-brush，andthegreatwarmairoftheplains；hereatthisaltitudecamethedefinitechange。Outofthelowercountryanditsairhewouldurgehishorseupward，talkingtohimaloud，andpromisingfinepastureinalittlewhile。
Then，whenatlengthhehadriddenabreastoftheislandpines，hewouldfordtotheshelteredcircleofhiscamp-ground，throwoffthesaddleandblanketfromthehorse’shot，wetback，throwhisownclothesoff，and，shouting，springuponthehorsebare，andwitharopeforbridle，crosswithhimtothepromisedpasture。Heretherewasapauseinthemountainsteepness，alevelspaceofopen，greenwiththickgrass。Ridinghishorsetothis，hewouldleapoffhim，andwiththeflatofhishandgivehimablowthatcrackedsharpinthestillnessandsentthehorsegallopingandgambollingtohisnight’sfreedom。Andwhiletheanimalrolledinthegrass，oftenhismasterwouldrollalso，andstretch，andtakethegrassinhistwohands，andsodrawhisbodyalong，limberinghismusclesafteralongride。Thenhewouldslideintothestreambelowhisfishingplace，whereitwasdeepenoughforswimming，andcrossbacktohisisland，anddressingagain，fithisrodtogetherandbeginhiscasting。Afterthedarknesshadsetin，therewouldfollowthelyingdrowsilywithhisheaduponhissaddle，thecamp-firesinkingashewatchedit，andsleepapproachingtothemurmurofthewateroneithersideofhim。
Somanyvisitstothisislandhadhemade，andcountedsomanyhoursofreveryspentinitshauntingsweetness，thatthespothadcometoseemhisown。Itbelongedtonoman，foritwasdeepintheunsurveyedandvirginwilderness；neitherhadheevermadehiscampherewithanyman，norsharedwithanytheintimatedelightwhichtheplacegavehim。Thereforeformanyweekshehadplannedtobringherhereaftertheirwedding，uponthedayitself，andshowherandsharewithherhispinesandhisfishingrock。Hewouldbidhersmellthefirsttruebreathofthemountains，wouldwatchwithherthesinkingcamp-fire，andwithherlistentothewaterasitflowedroundtheisland。
Untilthisweddingplan，ithadbynomeanscomehometohimhowdeepaholduponhimtheislandhadtaken。Heknewthathelikedtogothere，andgoalone；butsolittlewasithiswaytoscanhimself，hismind，orhisfeelings(unlesssomeactioncalledforit)，thathefirstlearnedhisloveoftheplacethroughhisloveofher。Buthetoldhernothingofit。Afterthethoughtoftakinghertherecametohim，hekepthisislandassomethingtoletbreakuponherowneyes，lestbylookingforwardsheshouldlookformorethanthereality。
Hence，astheyrodealong，whenthehousesofthetownwereshrunktodotsbehindthem，andtheywerenearingthegatesofthefoot-hills，sheaskedhimquestions。Shehopedtheywouldfindacampalongwayfromthetown。Shecouldrideasmanymilesasnecessary。Shewasnottired。Shouldtheynotgoonuntiltheyfoundagoodplacefarenoughwithinthesolitude？Hadhefixeduponany？Andatthenodandthesilencethathegaveherforreply，sheknewthathehadthoughtsandintentionswhichshemustwaittolearn。
Theypassedthroughthegatesofthefoot-hills，followingthestreamupamongthem。Theoutstretchingfencesandthewidelytroddendustwerenomore。Nowandthentheyroseagainintoviewofthefieldsandhousesdownintheplainbelow。Butasthesumofthemilesandhoursgrew，theyweregladtoseetheroadlesswornwithtravel，andthetracesofmenpassingfromsight。Theploughedandplantedcountry，thatquiltofmany-coloredharvestswhichtheyhadwatchedyesterday，layinanotherworldfromthiswheretheyrodenow。Nohandbutnature’shadsownthesecropsofyellowflowers，thesewillowthicketsandtallcottonwoods。
Somewhereinapassageofredrocksthelastsignofwagonwheelswaslost，andafterthisthetrailbecameawildmountaintrail。
Butitwasstillthewarmairoftheplains，bearingthesage-brushodorandnotthepine，thattheybreathed；nordidanyforestyetcloaktheshapesofthetawnyhillsamongwhichtheywereascending。Twicethesteepnessloosenedthepackropes，andhejumpeddowntotightenthem，lestthehorsesshouldgetsorebacks。Andtwicethestreamthattheyfollowedwentintodeepcanyons，sothatforawhiletheypartedfromit。Whentheycamebacktoitsmarginforthesecondtime，hebadehernoticehowitswaterhadbecomeatlastwhollyclear。Toherithadseemedclearenoughallalong，evenintheplainabovethetown。Butnowshesawthatitflowedlustrouslywithflashes；andsheknewthesoilhadchangedtomountainsoil。Lowerdown，thewaterhadcarriedtheslightestcloudofalkali，andthishaddulledthekeenedgeofitstransparence。Fullsolitudewasaroundthemnow，sothattheirwordsgrewscarce，andwhentheyspokeitwaswithlowvoices。Theybegantopassnooksandpointsfavorableforcamping，withwoodandwaterathand，andpastureforthehorses。
Morethanonceastheyreachedsuchplaces，shethoughthemustsurelystop；butstillherodeoninadvanceofher(forthetrailwasnarrow)until，whenshewasnotthinkingofit，hedrewreinandpointed。
“What？“sheaskedtimidly。
“Thepines，“heanswered。
Shelooked，andsawtheisland，andthewaterfoldingitwithripplesandwithsmoothspacesThesunwasthrowinguponthepineboughsalightofdeepeningredgold，andtheshadowofthefishingrocklayoveralittlebayofquietwaterandsandyshore。Inthisforerunningglowofthesunset，thepasturespreadlikeemerald；forthedrytouchofsummerhadnotyetcomenearit。Hepointedupwardtothehighmountainswhichtheyhadapproached，andshowedherwherethestreamledintotheirfirstunfoldings。
“To-morrowweshallbeamongthem，“saidhe。
“Then，“shemurmuredtohim，“to-nightishere？“
Henoddedforanswer，andshegazedattheislandandunderstoodwhyhehadnotstoppedbefore；nothingtheyhadpassedhadbeensolovelyasthisplace。
Therewasroominthetrailforthemtogosidebyside；andsidebysidetheyrodetothefordandcrossed，drivingthepackhorsesinfrontofthem，untiltheycametotheshelteredcircle，andhehelpedherdownwherethesoftpineneedleslay。Theyfelteachothertremble，andforamomentshestoodhidingherheaduponhisbreast。Thenshelookedroundatthetrees，andtheshores，andtheflowingstream，andheheardherwhisperinghowbeautifulitwas。
“Iamglad，“hesaid，stillholdingher。“ThisishowIhavedreameditwouldhappen。Onlyitisbetterthanmydreams。“Andwhenshepressedhiminsilence，hefinished，“Ihavemeantweshouldseeourfirstsundownhere，andourfirstsunrise。“
Shewishedtohelphimtakethepacksfromtheirhorses，tomakethecamptogetherwithhim，tohaveforhersharethebuildingofthefire，andthecooking。Shebadehimrememberhispromisetoherthathewouldteachherhowtoloopanddrawthepack-ropes，andtheswing-ropesonthepack-saddles，andhowtopitchatent。
Whymightnotthefirstlessonbenow？Buthetoldherthatthisshouldbefulfilledlater。Thisnighthewastodoallhimself。
Andhesentherawayuntilheshouldhavecampreadyforthem。Hebadeherexploretheisland，ortakeherhorseandrideovertothepasture，whereshecouldseethesurroundinghillsandthecircleofseclusionthattheymade。
“Thewholeworldisfarfromhere，“hesaid。Andsosheobeyedhim，andwentawaytowanderaboutintheirhiding-place；norwasshetoreturn，hetoldher，untilhecalledher。
Thenatonce，assoonasshewasgone，hefellto。Thepacksandsaddlescameoffthehorses，whichheturnedlooseuponthepastureonthemainland。Thetentwasunfoldedfirst。Hehadlongseeninhismindwhereitshouldgo，andhowitswhiteshapewouldlookbeneaththegreenoftheencirclingpines。Thegroundwaslevelinthespothehadchosen，withoutstonesorroots，andmattedwiththefallenneedlesofthepines。Ifthereshouldcomeanywind，orstormofrain，thebrancheswerethickoverhead，andaroundthemonthreesidestallrocksandundergrowthmadeabarrier。Hecutthepegsforthetent，andthefrontpole，stretchingandtighteningtherope，oneendofitpeggeddownandoneroundapinetree。Whenthetighteningropehadliftedthecanvastotheproperheightfromtheground，hespreadandpeggeddownthesidesandback，leavingtheopeningsothattheycouldlookoutuponthefireandapieceofthestreambeyond。Hecuttuftsofyoungpineandstrewedthemthicklyforasoftfloorinthetent，andoverthemspreadthebuffalohideandtheblankets。
