He looked at the mare with new interest. And
the longer he gazed the more his anger subsided,
became finally downright compassion. For he
was reviewing a something he had contemplated
at odd times for weeks with many misgivings and
tenacious unbeliefs. Never had he understood
it! Never would he understand that thing! So
why lose time in an effort to understand it now?

Dropping to his knees, he fell to work with
feverish haste unbuckling straps and bands. With
the harness loose, he dragged it off and tossed it
to one side. Then, still moving feverishly, he
led the mate to the mare off the trail, turned to
the wagon with bracing shoulder, backed it clear
of the prostrate animal, and swung it out of the
way of future passing vehicles. It was sweltering
work. When it was done, with the sun, risen
to its fierce zenith, beating down upon him
mercilessly, he strode off the trail, blowing and
perspiring, and flung himself down in the baking
sand, where, though irritated by particles of sand
which had sifted down close inside his shirt, he
nevertheless gave himself over to sober reflections.

He was stalled till the next morning -- he knew
that. And he was without food-supplies to carry
him over. And he was ten miles on the one hand,
and five up-canyon miles on the other, from all
source of supplies. But against these unpleasant
facts there stood many pleasant facts -- he was
on the return leg of his journey, his wagon was
empty, and he had in his possession three dollars.

[[5]]

p004 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p005w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p006

v?