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Occasionally one did not go under。 And then a man would press it under with the crook and quickly lift its head。 The work went on with precision and speed； in spite of the yells and trampling and baa…baas； and the incessant action that gave an effect of confusion。
Carley saw a pipe leading from a huge boiler to the ditch。 The dark fluid was running out of it。 From a rusty old engine with big smokestack poured the strangling smoke。 A man broke open a sack of yellow powder and dumped it into the ditch。 Then he poured an acid…like liquid after it。
〃Sulphur and nicotine；〃 yelled Flo up at Carley。 〃The dip's poison。 If a sheep opens his mouth he's usually a goner。 But sometimes they save one。〃
Carley wanted to tear herself away from this disgusting spectacle。 But it held her by some fascination。 She saw Glenn and Hutter fall in line with the other men； and work like beavers。 These two pacemakers in the small pen kept the sheep coming so fast that every worker below had a task cut out for him。 Suddenly Flo squealed and pointed。
〃There！ that sheep didn't come up；〃 she cried。 〃Shore he opened his mouth。〃
Then Carley saw Glenn energetically plunge his hooked pole in and out and around until he had located the submerged sheep。 He lifted its head above the dip。 The sheep showed no sign of life。 Down on his knees dropped Glenn； to reach the sheep with strong brown hands； and to haul it up on the ground； where it flopped inert。 Glenn pummeled it and pressed it； and worked on it much as Carley had seen a life…guard work over a half…drowned man。 But the sheep did not respond to Glenn's active administrations。
〃No use； Glenn；〃 yelled Hutter； hoarsely。 〃That one's a goner。〃
Carley did not fall to note the state of Glenn's hands and arms and overalls when he returned to the ditch work。 Then back and forth Carley's gaze went from one end to the other of that scene。 And suddenly it was arrested and held by the huge fellow who handled the sheep so brutally。 Every time he dragged one and threw it into the pit he yelled： 〃Ho！ Ho！〃 Carley was impelled to look at his face； and she was amazed to meet the rawest and boldest stare from evil eyes that had ever been her misfortune to incite。 She felt herself stiffen with a shock that was unfamiliar。 This man was scarcely many years older than Glenn； yet he had grizzled hair； a seamed and scarred visage； coarse； thick lips； and beetling brows； from under which peered gleaming light eyes。 At every turn he flashed them upon Carley's face； her neck； the swell of her bosom。 It was instinct that caused her hastily to close her riding coat。 She felt as if her flesh had been burned。 Like a snake he fascinated her。 The intelligence in his bold gaze made the beastliness of it all the harder to endure； all the stronger to arouse。
〃Come； Carley； let's rustle out of this stinkin' mess；〃 cried Flo。
Indeed； Carley needed Flo's assistance in clambering down out of the choking smoke and horrid odor。
〃Adios； pretty eyes；〃 called the big man from the pen。
〃Well；〃 ejaculated Flo； when they got out； 〃I'll bet I call Glenn good and hard for letting you go down there。〃
〃It wasmyfault；〃 panted Carley。 〃I said I'd stand it。〃
〃Oh； you're game； all right。 I didn't mean the dip。 。 。 。 That sheep…slinger is Haze Ruff； the toughest hombre on this range。 Shore； now； wouldn't I like to take a shot at him？ 。 。 。 I'm going to tell dad and Glenn。〃
〃Please don't；〃 returned Carley； appealingly。
〃I shore am。 Dad needs hands these days。 That's why he's lenient。 But Glenn will cowhide Ruff and I want to see him do it。〃
In Flo Hutter then Carley saw another and a different spirit of the West； a violence unrestrained and fierce that showed in the girl's even voice and in the piercing light of her eyes。
They went back to the horses； got their lunches from the saddlebags； and； finding comfortable seats in a sunny； protected place； they ate and talked。 Carley had to force herself to swallow。 It seemed that the horrid odor of dip and sheep had permeated everything。 Glenn had known her better than she had known herself； and he had wished to spare her an unnecessary and disgusting experience。 Yet so stubborn was Carley that she did not regret going through with it。
〃Carley； I don't mind telling you that you've stuck it out better than any tenderfoot we ever had here；〃 said Flo。
〃Thank you。 That from a Western girl is a compliment I'll not soon forget；〃 replied Carley。
〃I shore mean it。 We've had rotten weather。 And to end the little trip at this sheep…dip hole！ Why； Glenn certainly wanted you to stack up against the real thing！〃
〃Flo； he did not want me to come on the trip； and especially here；〃 protested Carley。
〃Shore I know。 But he let you。〃
〃Neither Glenn nor any other man could prevent me from doing what I wanted to do。〃
〃Well； if you'll excuse me；〃 drawled Flo； 〃I'll differ with you。 I reckon Glenn Kilbourne is not the man you knew before the war。〃
〃No； he is not。 But that does not alter the case。〃
〃Carley； we're not well acquainted；〃 went on Flo； more carefully feeling her way； 〃and I'm not your kind。 I don't know your Eastern ways。 But I know what the West does to a man。 The war ruined your friendboth his body and mind。 。 。 。 How sorry mother and I were for Glenn； those days when it looked he'd sure 'go west；' for good！ 。 。 。 Did you know he'd been gassed and that he had five hemorrhages？〃
〃Oh！ I knew his lungs had been weakened by gas。 But he never told me about having hemorrhages。〃
〃Well； he shore had them。 The last one I'll never forget。 Every time he'd cough it would fetch the blood。 I could tell！ 。 。 。 Oh； it was awful。 I begged him not to cough。 He smiledlike a ghost smilingand he whispered； 'I'll quit。' 。 。 。 And he did。 The doctor came from Flagstaff and packed him in ice。 Glenn sat propped up all night and never moved a muscle。 Never coughed again！ And the bleeding stopped。 After that we put him out on the porch where he could breathe fresh air all the time。 There's something wonderfully healing in Arizona air。 It's from the dry desert and here it's full of cedar and pine。 Anyway Glenn got well。 And I think the West has cured his mind； too。〃
〃Of what？〃 queried Carley； in an intense curiosity she could scarcely hide。
〃Oh； God only knows！〃 exclaimed Flo； throwing up her gloved hands。 〃I never could understand。 But I hated what the war did to him。〃
Carley leaned back against the log； quite spent。 Flo was unwittingly torturing her。 Carley wanted passionately to give in to jealousy of this Western girl； but she could not do it。 Flo Hutter deserved better than that。 And Carley's baser nature seemed in conflict with all that was noble in her。 The victory did not yet go to either side。 This was a bad hour for Carley。 Her strength had about played out； and her spirit was at low ebb。
〃Carley； you're all in；〃 declared Flo。 〃You needn't deny it。 I'm shore you've made good with me as a tenderfoot who stayed the limit。 But there's no sense in your killing yourself； nor in me letting you。 So I'm going to tell dad we want to go home。〃
She left Carley there。 The word home had struck strangely into Carley's mind and remained there。 Suddenly she realized what it was to be homesick。 The comfort； the ease； the luxury； the rest； the sweetness； the pleasure； the cleanliness； the gratification to eye and earto all the senseshow these thoughts came to haunt her！ All of Carley's will power had been needed to sustain her on this trip to keep her from miserably f ailing。 She had not failed。 But contact with the West had affronted； disgusted； shocked； and alienated her。 In that moment she could not be fair minded； she knew it； she did not care。
Carley gazed around her。 Only one of the cabins was in sight from this position。 Evidently it was a home for some of these men。 On one side the peaked rough roof had been built out beyond the wall； evidently to serve as a kind of porch。 On that wall hung the motliest assortment of things Carley had ever seenutensils； sheep and cow hides； saddles； harness； leather clothes； ropes； old sombreros； shovels； stove pipe； and many other articles for which she could find no name。 The most striking characteristic manifest in this collection was that of service。 How they had been used！ They had enabled people to live under primitive conditions。 Somehow this fact inhibited Carley's sense of repulsion at their rude and uncouth appearance。 Had any of her forefathers ever been pioneers？ Carley did not know； but the thought was disturbing。 It was thought…provoking。 Many times at home； when she was dressing for dinner； she had gazed into the mirror at the graceful lines of her throat and arms； at the proud poise of her head； at the alabaster whiteness of her skin； and wonderingly she had asked of her image： 〃Can it be possible that I am a descendant of cavemen？〃 She had never been able to realize it； yet she knew it was true。 Perhaps somewhere not far back along her line there had been a great…great…grandmother who had lived some kind of a primitive life； using such implements and necessaries as hung on this cabin wall； and thereby helped some man to conquer the wilderness； to live in it； and reproduce his kind。 Like flashes Glenn's words came back to