yed, welcoming the company, and
making a diversion, which saved the moment.

Sim bent and picked up the little animal.

"He's glad," said he. With a vague and gentle pat of the blankets in
the general direction of Mary Gage, his wife, he turned, head bent, and
tip-toed out into the sunlight.

Karen Jensen interrupted any conversation, having dried her tears.
"Come on back in five or ten minutes," she said. "I'll have the
wedding breakfast ready. I've baked a cake."

When they had eaten of the cake, which they all agreed was marvelous,
the minister gladly repacked his vestments in his traveling bag
preparatory to his journey back with Doctor Barnes. He turned, after a
gentle handshake, saying: "Good-by, Mrs. Gage." Sim Gage, bridegroom,
suddenly flushed dark under his brick-red skin at hearing these words.

Karen Jensen finished her labors attendant upon the wedding breakfast,
and made ready for her own departure. Wid Gardner likewise found
reason for a visit to his own homestead. Mary Gage was left alone, and
ah! how white a bride she was.

Sim Gage stood outside his own door, looking at the departing figures
of Nels and Karen Jensen crossing the meadow toward their home; turning
to catch sight of Wid, though the latter was no longer visible. In
desperation he looked upon a sky, a landscape, which for the first time
in all his life seemed to him ominous. For the first time in his life
Sim Gage, sagebrusher, man of the outlands, felt himself alone.

CHAPTER XXII

MRS. GAGE

Ten days after the wedding at Sim Gage's ranch, the mistress of that
establishment, sitting alone, heard the excited barking of the little
dog in the yard, and the sound of a motor passing through the gate.
Instinctively she turned toward the window, as the car stopped. She
heard a voice certainly familiar and welcome as well.

"Well, how do you do this morning? And how is everything?" It was
Doctor Barnes saluting her. He came up to the unscreened window where
she stood, and stood there for a time with one or other like remark,
before he passed around the house and came in at the door.

"You're alone?" said he.

"Why, yes, Mr. Gage has gone over to Mr. Gardner's. They're getting
out some building material."

"Mrs. Jensen gone home too?"

"Oh, yes. I'm mistress of the house. I wonder how it looks?"

"You'd be surprised!" said Doctor Barnes, cryptically.

He sat down, hat on knee, silent for a time, musing, loo