as the first fight is over. She
is like that Kentucky thoroughbred of hers; she's got endurance as well as
grace and beauty."

"Bless you, Jim," Asher said, as he clasped Shirley's hand. "I wish you
had a wife."

"Well, they are something of an anxiety, too. Hustle home ahead of the
storm. I've always wished that bluff at the deep bend didn't hide us from
each other's sight. I'd like to blast it out."

Asher Aydelot hurried northward ahead of the hot winds and deepening
shadows of the coming storm. And all the time, in spite of Jim's
comforting words, an anxiety grew and grew. The miles seemed endless, the
heavens darkened, and the wind suddenly gave a gasp and died away, leaving
a hot, blank stillness everywhere.

Meanwhile, Virginia, alone in the cabin, had fallen asleep from sheer
nerve weariness. When she awoke, it was late in the afternoon. The
screaming outside had ceased, but the whir and whine were still going on,
and the blaring light was toned by the dust-filled air.

"I was only tired," Virginia said to herself. "Now I am rested, I don't
mind the wind."

She went out to watch the trail for Asher's coming. He was not in sight,
so she came inside again, but nothing there could interest her.

"I'll go out and wait awhile," she thought.

Tying a veil over her head, she shut the cabin door and sat down outside.
The wind died suddenly away, the trail was lifeless, and all the plain cut
by the trail as well. Then the solitude of the thing took up the flight
where the wind had left off.

"How can I ever stand this," Virginia cried, springing up. "But Asher
stood it before I came, or even promised to come. No knight of the old
chivalry days ever endured such hardships as the claimholders on these
Kansas plains must endure. But it takes women to make homes. They can
never, never win here without wives. I could go back to Virginia if I
would." She shut her teeth tightly, and the small hands were clenched.
"But I won't do it. I'll stay here with Asher Aydelot. Other men and women
as eager as we are will come soon. We can wait, and some day, Oh, some
day, we'll not miss what the Thaines lost by the war and the Aydelots lost
by the Thaines, for we'll have a prince's holdings on these desolate
plains!"

She stood with her hands clasped looking with far-seeing dark eyes down
the long trail by the dry river bed, like a goddess of Conquest on a vast
untamed prairie.

A sudden sweep of the wind aroused her, and th