carriage drove on. They walked down the road to a place where there was
a gap in the fence, and here they entered the field. Down deep in the
grass a horde of insects shouted their death songs. Their day of
judgment was soon to lie white upon the ground. Artists in their way,
with no false notes, with mission ended, they were to die in art, among
fantastic pictures wrought by the frost. Milford did not try to hide his
sadness. The girl was livelier; the girl nearly always is.

"The other day I got near you, although others were present, but now
you are far off," he said. "Must I rope you every time I want you?"

She laughed at this picture of life in the West, thrown in a word. Again
she saw men lassoing the cattle. But the potato field came back to her,
the rough words of the men, the drudgery, and her face grew sad. "I am
as close to you now as I was then."

"Not with your eyes. Stop. Let me look at you."

They halted and stood face to face. "Give me your eyes." She gave them
to him without a waver. But she reminded him that they must not miss the
train. Afar off they could see the carriage turn a corner.

"When am I to see you again?" he asked, as they walked on.

"I do not know that," she answered. "I shall not stay in the winter time
at Mrs. Goodwin's house. She will have many persons there then, and will
not need me."

"The kingdom of heaven, though it were full, would need you."

"Sometimes you are a wild book, with sentences jumping out at me," she
said. "I must rope you," she added, laughing.

"I wish you would--I wish you'd choke me to death, and----"

"And what?"

"And then take my head in your lap."

"In your other life you must have stood at the bow of a boat, making the
sea red with the blood of your enemy--and in my other life I bound up
your wounds."

They came to a broad ditch. On each side was a forest of wild
sunflowers. "You could stand in there and blaze with them," he said,
stepping down into the ditch. "Give me your hand, and I'll help you
across."

"I can jump."

"Give me your hand--and I hope you'll stumble and fall."

She stood among the sunflowers, looking down at him. "Did you see the
cowboy preacher that came West?" she asked. "Would he not have had a
wild steer if he had roped your soul?"

"Give me your hand--both."

She gave him her hands, and leaped across the ditch. "I wish there were
a thousand," he said, climbing out. "But you haven't answered me. When
am I to s