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the days！ I could do it。〃
〃But you mustn't。 It took me years to learn how bad that was
for me。 An' right now I would love nothin' more than to
forget my work； my horses an' pets everythin'； an' just
lay around； seein' an' feelin'。〃
〃Seeing and feeling？ Yes； that must be what I mean。 But why
what is it？ There are the beauty and color the wild；
shaggy slopes the gray cliffs the singing wind the
lulling water the clouds the sky。 And the silence；
loneliness； sweetness of it all。〃
〃It's a driftin' back。 What I love to do an' yet fear most。
It's what makes a lone hunter of a man。 An' it can grow so
strong that it binds a man to the wilds。〃
〃How strange！〃 murmured Helen。 〃But that could never bind
ME。 Why； I must live and fulfil my mission； my work in the
civilized world。〃
It seemed to Helen that Dale almost imperceptibly shrank at
her earnest words。
〃The ways of Nature are strange；〃 he said。 〃I look at it
different。 Nature's just as keen to wean you back to a
savage state as you are to be civilized。 An' if Nature won；
you would carry out her design all the better。〃
This hunter's talk shocked Helen and yet stimulated her
mind。
〃Me a savage？ Oh no！〃 she exclaimed。 〃But； if that were
possible； what would Nature's design be？〃
〃You spoke of your mission in life；〃 he replied。 〃A woman's
mission is to have children。 The female of any species has
only one mission to reproduce its kind。 An' Nature has
only one mission toward greater strength； virility；
efficiency absolute perfection； which is unattainable。〃
〃What of mental and spiritual development of man and woman？〃
asked Helen。
〃Both are direct obstacles to the design of Nature。 Nature
is physical。 To create for limitless endurance for eternal
life。 That must be Nature's inscrutable design。 An' why she
must fail。〃
〃But the soul！〃 whispered Helen。
〃Ah！ When you speak of the soul an' I speak of life we mean
the same。 You an' I will have some talks while you're here。
I must brush up my thoughts。〃
〃So must I； it seems；〃 said Helen； with a slow smile。 She
had been rendered grave and thoughtful。 〃But I guess I'll
risk dreaming under the pines。〃
Bo had been watching them with her keen blue eyes。
〃Nell； it'd take a thousand years to make a savage of you；〃
she said。 〃But a week will do for me。〃
〃Bo； you were one before you left Saint Joe；〃 replied Helen。
〃Don't you remember that school…teacher Barnes who said you
were a wildcat and an Indian mixed？ He spanked you with a
ruler。〃
〃Never！ He missed me；〃 retorted Bo； with red in her cheeks。
〃Nell； I wish you'd not tell things about me when I was a
kid。〃
〃That was only two years ago；〃 expostulated Helen； in mild
surprise。
〃Suppose it was。 I was a kid all right。 I'll bet you …〃 Bo
broke up abruptly； and； tossing her head； she gave Tom a pat
and then ran away around the corner of cliff wall。
Helen followed leisurely。
〃Say； Nell；〃 said Bo； when Helen arrived at their little
green ledge…pole hut； 〃do you know that hunter fellow will
upset some of your theories？〃
〃Maybe。 I'll admit he amazes me and affronts me； too； I'm
afraid；〃 replied Helen。 〃What surprises me is that in spite
of his evident lack of schooling he's not raw or crude。 He's
elemental。〃
〃Sister dear； wake up。 The man's wonderful。 You can learn
more from him than you ever learned in your life。 So can I。
I always hated books； anyway。〃
When； a little later； Dale approached carrying some bridles；
the hound Pedro trotted at his heels。
〃I reckon you'd better ride the horse you had；〃 he said to
Bo。
〃Whatever you say。 But I hope you let me ride them all； by
and by。〃
〃Sure。 I've a mustang out there you'll like。 But he pitches
a little；〃 he rejoined； and turned away toward the park。 The
hound looked after him and then at Helen。
〃Come； Pedro。 Stay with me；〃 called Helen。
Dale； hearing her； motioned the hound back。 Obediently Pedro
trotted to her； still shy and soberly watchful； as if not
sure of her intentions； but with something of friendliness
about him now。 Helen found a soft； restful seat in the sun
facing the park； and there composed herself for what she
felt would be slow； sweet； idle hours。 Pedro curled down
beside her。 The tall form of Dale stalked across the park；
out toward the straggling horses。 Again she saw a deer
grazing among them。 How erect and motionless it stood
watching Dale！ Presently it bounded away toward the edge of
the forest。 Some of the horses whistled and ran； kicking
heels high in the air。 The shrill whistles rang clear in the
stillness。
〃Gee！ Look at them go！〃 exclaimed Bo； gleefully； coming up
to where Helen sat。 Bo threw herself down upon the fragrant
pine…needles and stretched herself languorously； like a lazy
kitten。 There was something feline in her lithe； graceful
outline。 She lay flat and looked up through the pines。
〃Wouldn't it be great； now；〃 she murmured； dreamily； half to
herself； 〃if that Las Vegas cowboy would happen somehow to
come； and then an earthquake would shut us up here in this
Paradise valley so we'd never get out？〃
〃Bo！ What would mother say to such talk as that？〃 gasped
Helen。
〃But； Nell； wouldn't it be great？〃
〃It would be terrible。〃
〃Oh； there never was any romance in you； Nell Rayner；〃
replied Bo。 〃That very thing has actually happened out here
in this wonderful country of wild places。 You need not tell
me！ Sure it's happened。 With the cliff…dwellers and the
Indians and then white people。 Every place I look makes me
feel that。 Nell； you'd have to see people in the moon
through a telescope before you'd believe that。〃
〃I'm practical and sensible； thank goodness！〃
〃But； for the sake of argument；〃 protested Bo； with flashing
eyes； 〃suppose it MIGHT happen。 Just to please me； suppose
we DID get shut up here with Dale and that cowboy we saw
from the train。 Shut in without any hope of ever climbing
out。 。 。 。 What would you do？ Would you give up and pine
away and die？ Or would you fight for life and whatever joy
it might mean？〃
〃Self…preservation is the first instinct；〃 replied Helen；
surprised at a strange； deep thrill in the depths of her。
〃I'd fight for life； of course。〃
〃Yes。 Well； really； when I think seriously I don't want
anything like that to happen。 But； just the same； if it DID
happen I would glory in it。〃
While they were talking Dale returned with the horses。
〃Can you bridle an' saddle your own horse？〃 he asked。
〃No。 I'm ashamed to say I can't；〃 replied Bo。
〃Time to learn then。 Come on。 Watch me first when I saddle
mine。〃
Bo was all eyes while Dale slipped off the bridle from his
horse and then with slow； plain action readjusted it。 Next
he smoothed the back of the horse； shook out the blanket；
and； folding it half over； he threw it in place； being
careful to explain to Bo just the right position。 He lifted
his saddle in a certain way and put that in place； and then
he tightened the cinches。
〃Now you try；〃 he said。
According to Helen's judgment Bo might have been a Western
girl all her days。 But Dale shook his head and made her do