Straggling bits of forest--yellow pines, the driver called the

trees--began to encroach upon the burned-over and arid barren land. To

Carley these groves, by reason of contrast and proof of what once was,

only rendered the landscape more forlorn and dreary. Why had these miles

and miles of forest been cut? By money grubbers, she supposed, the same

as were devastating the Adirondacks. Presently, when the driver had to

halt to repair or adjust something wrong with the harness, Carley was

grateful for a respite from cold inaction. She got out and walked. Sleet

began to fall, and when she resumed her seat in the vehicle she asked

the driver for the blanket to cover her. The smell of this horse blanket

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was less endurable than the cold. Carley huddled down into a state of

apathetic misery. Already she had enough of the West.

But the sleet storm passed, the clouds broke, the sun shone through,

greatly mitigating her discomfort. By and by the road led into a section

of real forest, unspoiled in any degree. Carley saw large gray squirrels

with tufted ears and white bushy tails. Presently the driver pointed

out a flock of huge birds, which Carley, on second glance, recognized

as turkeys, only these were sleek and glossy, with flecks of bronze and

black and white, quite different from turkeys back East. "There must be

a farm near," said Carley, gazing about.

"No, ma'am. Them's wild turkeys," replied the driver, "an' shore the

best eatin' you ever had in your life."

A little while afterwards, as they were emerging from the woodland

into more denuded country, he pointed out to Carley a herd of gray

white-rumped animals that she took to be sheep.

"An' them's antelope," he said. "Once this desert was overrun by

antelope. Then they nearly disappeared. An' now they're increasin'

again."

More barren country, more bad weather, and especially an exceedingly

rough road reduced Carley to her former state of dejection. The jolting

over roots and rocks and ruts was worse than uncomfortable. She had to

hold on to the seat to keep from being thrown out. The horses did not

appreciably change their gait for rough sections of the road. Then a

more severe jolt brought Carley's knee in violent contact with an iron

bolt on the forward seat, and it hurt her so acutely that she had to

bite her lips to keep from screaming. A smoother stretch of road did not

come any too soon for her.

It led into forest again. And Carley soon became aware that they had at

last left the cut and burned-over district of timberland behind. A cold

wind moaned through the treetops and set the drops of water pattering

down upon her. It lashed her wet face. Carley closed her eyes and sagged

in her seat, mostly oblivious to the passing scenery. "The girls will

never believe this of me," she soliloquized. And indeed she was amazed

at herself. Then thought of Glenn strengthened her. It did not really

matter what she suffered on the way to him. Only she was disgusted at

her lack of stamina, and her appalling sensitiveness to discomfort.




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