The Way of the Wind

the prairie later than June at nightfall. The mo

steps into the cellar-like habitation dimly lighted by

was only a hole in the ground; but he, accustomed to dugouts during the months he had spent on the prairi

s glad of that. For a long t

as if she had been a Queen, and went hurriedly about, building a fire of little dry twi

great love for her which glorified all service humble or exalted, but the fact that he had so descend

ding ancestors, was wounded. Not all Seth's devotion,

heir best to aid him in his effort to cheer her, somethi

er twig until the refreshing flame

dirt roof they fi

, eagerly flashing in

o hide. The thatch of the roof, the sod, the carpetless floor, the lack of furniture, the plain wooden bedstead in the corner with its mattress of straw

her face in her hands, resolutely shutting out the

, lamely, as if suddenly very tired, and went

equired to perform this simple

the one living creature in whose estimation he wished to stand high, he once more knelt on the heart

d saucers, plates and forks for two. There was but one knife

ely days of waiting to picture this first m

so near breaking a strong man's heart,-that things seeming

a napkin. He fumbled at his bandana, then hopelessly replaced it in his pocket. He grew cold at the realizati

on her love t

verlooke

s he drew up a chair and

ilence, broken only by the wail of the wind and the cr

d of it," s

?" he asked, an

raid of

me to be built on this spot; perhaps the very dugout in which they sat would form its center. He talked enthusiastically of the tall steepled temples that would be erected, of the schools and colleges, of the gay people beautifully dressed who would drive about in their carriages under the shade of tall trees that would lin

, telling how one in a neighboring country had licked up a stream that

ever come here," he a

ld her, rather than tackle the forks of two rivers. The Indians knew that. They had pitched their tents here before they had been driv

self. Why should a cyclone that could snatch up a river

ound at the shadows,

she whispered

at the table and t

raid, and tiahd, too. Travelin'

overed with sheets of the coarsest, wishing it might be a bed of down covered with silks, wishing they were

out under the wind-blown stars he looke

learns to talk aloud very openly and confidential

this po' shiverin'

anatic devoti

d the Mag