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changes its babbling murmur to the roar of war。 I never understood anything of the meaning of nature until I lived under these looming stone walls and whispering pines。
So； Carley； try to understand me； or at least be kind。 You know they came very near writing； 〃Gone west！〃 after my name； and considering that； this 〃Out West〃 signifies for me a very fortunate difference。 A tremendous difference！ For the present I'll let well enough alone。
Adios。 Write soon。 Love from
GLEN
Carley's second reaction to the letter was a sudden upflashing desire to see her loverto go out West and find him。 Impulses with her were rather rare and inhibited； but this one made her tremble。 If Glenn was well again he must have vastly changed from the moody； stone…faced； and haunted…eyed man who had so worried and distressed her。 He had embarrassed her； too； for sometimes； in her home； meeting young men there who had not gone into the service； he had seemed to retreat into himself； singularly aloof； as if his world was not theirs。
Again； with eager eyes and quivering lips； she read the letter。 It contained words that lifted her heart。 Her starved love greedily absorbed them。 In them she had excuse for any resolve that might bring Glenn closer to her。 And she pondered over this longing to go to him。
Carley had the means to come and go and live as she liked。 She did not remember her father； who had died when she was a child。 Her mother had left her in the care of a sister； and before the war they had divided their time between New York and Europe； the Adirondacks and Florida； Carley had gone in for Red Cross and relief work with more of sincerity than most of her set。 But she was really not used to making any decision as definite and important as that of going out West alone。 She had never been farther west than Jersey City； and her conception of the West was a hazy one of vast plains and rough mountains； squalid towns； cattle herds； and uncouth ill…clad men。
So she carried the letter to her aunt； a rather slight woman with a kindly face and shrewd eyes； and who appeared somewhat given to old…fashioned garments。
〃Aunt Mary； here's a letter from Glenn；〃 said Carley。 〃It's more of a stumper than usual。 Please read it。〃
〃Dear me！ You look upset；〃 replied the aunt； mildly； and； adjusting her spectacles； she took the letter。
Carley waited impatiently for the perusal； conscious of inward forces coming more and more to the aid of her impulse to go West。 Her aunt paused once to murmur how glad she was that Glenn had gotten well。 Then she read on to the close。
〃Carley； that's a fine letter；〃 she said； fervently。 〃Do you see through it？〃
〃No； I don't；〃 replied Carley。 〃That's why I asked you to read it。〃
〃Do you still love Glenn as you used to before〃
〃Why； Aunt Mary！〃 exclaimed Carley； in surprise。
〃Excuse me； Carley； if I'm blunt。 But the fact is young women of modern times are very different from my kind when I was a girl。 You haven't acted as though you pined for Glenn。 You gad around almost the same as ever。〃
〃What's a girl to do？〃 protested Carley。
〃You are twenty…six years old； Carley；〃 retorted Aunt Mary。
〃Suppose I am。 I'm as youngas I ever was。〃
〃Well； let's not argue about modern girls and modern times。 We never get anywhere；〃 returned her aunt； kindly。 〃But I can tell you something of what Glenn Kilbourne means in that letterif you want to hear it。〃
〃I doindeed。〃
〃The war did something horrible to Glenn aside from wrecking his health。 Shell…shock； they said！ I don't understand that。 Out of his mind； they said！ But that never was true。 Glenn was as sane as I am； and； my dear； that's pretty sane； I'll have you remember。 But he must have suffered some terrible blight to his spiritsome blunting of his soul。 For months after he returned he walked as one in a trance。 Then came a change。 He grew restless。 Perhaps that change was for the better。 At least it showed he'd roused。 Glenn saw you and your friends and the life you lead； and all the present； with eyes from which the scales had dropped。 He saw what was wrong。 He never said so to me； but I knew it。 It wasn't only to get well that he went West。 It was to get away。 。 。 。 And； Carley Burch； if your happiness depends on him you had better be up and doingor you'll lose him！〃
〃Aunt Mary！〃 gasped Carley。
〃I mean it。 That letter shows how near he came to the Valley of the Shadowand how he has become a man。 。 。 。 If I were you I'd go out West。 Surely there must be a place where it would be all right for you to stay。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 replied Carley； eagerly。 〃Glenn wrote me there was a lodge where people went in nice weatherright down in the canyon not far from his place。 Then； of course； the townFlagstaffisn't far。 。 。 。 Aunt Mary； I think I'll go。〃
〃I would。 You're certainly wasting your time here。〃
〃But I could only go for a visit；〃 rejoined Carley； thoughtfully。 〃A month； perhaps six weeks； if I could stand it。〃
〃Seems to me if you can stand New York you could stand that place；〃 said Aunt Mary； dryly。
〃The idea of staying away from New York any length of timewhy； I couldn't do it I 。 。 。 But I can stay out there long enough to bring Glenn back with me。〃
〃That may take you longer than you think；〃 replied her aunt； with a gleam in her shrewd eyes。 〃If you want my advice you will surprise Glenn。 Don't write himdon't give him a chance towell to suggest courteously that you'd better not come just yet。 I don't like his words 'just yet。'〃
〃Auntie； you'rerathermore than blunt；〃 said Carley； divided between resentment and amaze。 〃Glenn would be simply wild to have me come。〃
〃Maybe he would。 Has he ever asked you？〃
〃No…ocome to think of it； he hasn't；〃 replied Carley； reluctantly。 〃Aunt Mary； you hurt my feelings。〃
〃Well； child； I'm glad to learn your feelings are hurt；〃 returned the aunt。 〃I'm sure； Carley； that underneath all thisthis blase ultra something you've acquired； there's a real heart。 Only you must hurry and listen to itor〃
〃Or what？〃 queried Carley。
Aunt Mary shook her gray head sagely。 〃Never mind what。 Carley； I'd like your idea of the most significant thing in Glenn's letter。〃
〃Why； his love for me； of course！〃 replied Carley。
〃Naturally you think that。 But I don't。 What struck me most were his words； 'out of the West。' Carley； you'd do well to ponder over them。〃
〃I will；〃 rejoined Carley； positively。 〃I'll do more。 I'll go out to his wonderful West and see what he meant by them。〃
Carley Burch possessed in full degree the prevailing modern craze for speed。 She loved a motor…car ride at sixty miles an hour along a smooth； straight road； or； better； on the level seashore of Ormond； where on moonlight nights the white blanched sand seemed to flash toward her。 Therefore quite to her taste was the Twentieth Century Limited which was hurtling her on the way to Chicago。 The unceasingly smooth and even rush of the train satisfied something in her。 An old lady sitting in an adjoining seat with a companion amused Carley by the remark： 〃I wish we didn't go so fast。 People nowadays haven't time to draw a comfortable breath。 Suppose we should run off the track！〃
Carley had no fear of express trains； or mot