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color； red and brown； black and white； in graceful geo…
metrical patterns。 One day； on a fragment of a shallow
bowl； she found a crested serpent's head； painted in red
on terra…cotta。 Again she found half a bowl with a broad
band of white cliff…houses painted on a black ground。
They were scarcely conventionalized at all； there they
were in the black border； just as they stood in the rock
before her。 It brought her centuries nearer to these peo…
ple to find that they saw their houses exactly as she saw
them。
Yes； Ray Kennedy was right。 All these things made one
feel that one ought to do one's best； and help to fulfill some
desire of the dust that slept there。 A dream had been
dreamed there long ago； in the night of ages； and the wind
had whispered some promise to the sadness of the savage。
In their own way； those people had felt the beginnings of
what was to come。 These potsherds were like fetters that
bound one to a long chain of human endeavor。
Not only did the world seem older and richer to Thea
now； but she herself seemed older。 She had never been
alone for so long before； or thought so much。 Nothing had
ever engrossed her so deeply as the daily contemplation of
that line of pale…yellow houses tucked into the wrinkle of the
cliff。 Moonstone and Chicago had become vague。 Here
everything was simple and definite； as things had been in
childhood。 Her mind was like a ragbag into which she had
been frantically thrusting whatever she could grab。 And
here she must throw this lumber away。 The things that
were really hers separated themselves from the rest。 Her
ideas were simplified； became sharper and clearer。 She felt
united and strong。
When Thea had been at the Ottenburg ranch for two
months； she got a letter from Fred announcing that he
〃might be along at almost any time now。〃 The letter
came at night； and the next morning she took it down
into the canyon with her。 She was delighted that he was
coming soon。 She had never felt so grateful to any one；
and she wanted to tell him everything that had happened
to her since she had been theremore than had happened
in all her life before。 Certainly she liked Fred better
than any one else in the world。 There was Harsanyi； of
coursebut Harsanyi was always tired。 Just now； and
here； she wanted some one who had never been tired； who
could catch an idea and run with it。
She was ashamed to think what an apprehensive drudge
she must always have seemed to Fred； and she wondered
why he had concerned himself about her at all。 Perhaps
she would never be so happy or so good…looking again；
and she would like Fred to see her； for once； at her best。
She had not been singing much； but she knew that her
voice was more interesting than it had ever been before。
She had begun to understand thatwith her； at least
voice was； first of all； vitality； a lightness in the body and
a driving power in the blood。 If she had that； she could
sing。 When she felt so keenly alive； lying on that insensi…
ble shelf of stone； when her body bounded like a rubber ball
away from its hardness； then she could sing。 This； too； she
could explain to Fred。 He would know what she meant。
Another week passed。 Thea did the same things as
before； felt the same influences； went over the same ideas；
but there was a livelier movement in her thoughts； and a
freshening of sensation； like the brightness which came over
the underbrush after a shower。 A persistent affirmation
or denialwas going on in her； like the tapping of the
woodpecker in the one tall pine tree across the chasm。
Musical phrases drove each other rapidly through her
mind； and the song of the cicada was now too long and too
sharp。 Everything seemed suddenly to take the form of a
desire for action。
It was while she was in this abstracted state； waiting
for the clock to strike； that Thea at last made up her mind
what she was going to try to do in the world； and that she
was going to Germany to study without further loss of time。
Only by the merest chance had she ever got to Panther
Canyon。 There was certainly no kindly Providence that
directed one's life； and one's parents did not in the least
care what became of one； so long as one did not misbehave
and endanger their comfort。 One's life was at the mercy of
blind chance。 She had better take it in her own hands and
lose everything than meekly draw the plough under the
rod of parental guidance。 She had seen it when she was at
home last summer；the hostility of comfortable； self…
satisfied people toward any serious effort。 Even to her
father it seemed indecorous。 Whenever she spoke seriously；
he looked apologetic。 Yet she had clung fast to whatever
was left of Moonstone in her mind。 No more of that！ The
Cliff…Dwellers had lengthened her past。 She had older and
higher obligations。
V
ONE Sunday afternoon late in July old Henry Biltmer
was rheumatically descending into the head of the
canyon。 The Sunday before had been one of those cloudy
daysfortunately rarewhen the life goes out of that
country and it becomes a gray ghost； an empty； shivering
uncertainty。 Henry had spent the day in the barn； his
canyon was a reality only when it was flooded with the light
of its great lamp； when the yellow rocks cast purple shad…
ows； and the resin was fairly cooking in the corkscrew
cedars。 The yuccas were in blossom now。 Out of each
clump of sharp bayonet leaves rose a tall stalk hung with
greenish…white bells with thick； fleshy petals。 The nigger…
head cactus was thrusting its crimson blooms up out of
every crevice in the rocks。
Henry had come out on the pretext of hunting a spade
and pick…axe that young Ottenburg had borrowed； but he
was keeping his eyes open。 He was really very curious
about the new occupants of the canyon； and what they
found to do there all day long。 He let his eye travel along
the gulf for a mile or so to the first turning； where the fis…
sure zigzagged out and then receded behind a stone prom…
ontory on which stood the yellowish； crumbling ruin of
the old watch…tower。
From the base of this tower； which now threw its
shadow forward； bits of rock kept flying out into the open
gulfskating up