ruggle
vears us not out so dot ve gannot enjoy being alife. So many iss
struggle und slave under terrible conditions. Und it iss largely
because off ignorance. Ve know not vot ve can do--und ve shrink vrom
der unknown. Here iss acres by der dousand vree to der man vot can off
it make use--und dousands vot liffs und dies und neffer hass a home.
Here iss goot, glean air--und in der shmoke und shmells und dirty
streets iss a ravage of tuberculosis. Der balance iss not true. Und
in der own vay der rich iss full off drouble--drunk mit eggcitement,
veary mit bleasures. Ach, der voods und mountains und streams, blenty
off food, und a kindly neighbor--iss not dot enough? Only der abnormal
vants more as dot. Und I dink der drouble iss largely dot der modern,
high-bressure cifilization makes for der abnormal, vedder a man iss a
millionaire or vorks in der brewery, contentment iss a state off der
mind--und if der mind vorks mit logic it vill content find in der
simple dings."

It sounded like a pronouncement of Bill's. But Lauer did not often
grow serious. Mostly he was jovially cheerful, and his wife likewise.
The North had emancipated them, and they were loyal to the source of
their deliverance. And Hazel understood, because she herself had found
the wild land a benefactor, kindly in its silence, restful in its
forested peace, a cure for sickness of soul. Twice now it had rescued
her from herself.

November and December went their appointed way--and still no word of
Bill. If now and then her pillow was wet she struggled mightily
against depression. She was not lonely in the dire significance of the
word--but she longed passionately for him. And she held fast to her
faith that he would come.

The last of the old year she went little abroad, ventured seldom beyond
the clearing. And on New Year's Eve Jake Lauer's wife came to the
cabin to stay.

Hazel sat up, wide awake, on the instant. There was not the slightest
sound. She had been deep in sleep. Nevertheless she felt, rather than
knew, that some one was in the living-room. Perhaps the sound of the
door opening had filtered through her slumber. She hesitated an
instant, not through fear, because in the months of living alone fear
had utterly forsaken her; but hope had leaped so often, only to fall
sickeningly, that she was half persuaded it must be a dream. Still the
impression strengthened. She slipped out of bed. The door of the
bedroom stood sl