ThefinalbarrierbetweenEricandhismother’sfaithwashisviolin，andtothatheclungasamansometimeswillclingtohisdearestsin，totheweaknessmoreprecioustohimthanallhisstrength，Inthegreatworldbeautycomestomeninmanyguises，andartinahundredforms，butforErictherewasonlyhisviolin。
　　Itstood，tohim，forallthemanifestationsofart；itwashisonlybridgeintothekingdomofthesoul。
　　ItwastoEricHermannsonthattheevangelistdirectedhisimpassionedpleadingthatnight。
　　“Saul，Saul，whypersecutestthoume？IsthereaSaulheretonightwhohasstoppedhisearstothatgentlepleading，whohasthrustaspearintothatbleedingside？Thinkofit，mybrother；
　　youareofferedthiswonderfulloveandyoupreferthewormthatdiethnotandthefirewhichwillnotbequenched。WhatrighthaveyoutoloseoneofGod’sprecioussouls？Saul，Saul，whypersecutestthoume？“
　　AgreatjoydawnedinAsaSkinner’spaleface，forhesawthatEricHermannsonwasswayingtoandfroinhisseat。Theministerfelluponhiskneesandthrewhislongarmsupoverhishead。
　　“Omybrothers！Ifeelitcoming，theblessingwehaveprayedfor。ItellyoutheSpiritiscoming！justalittlemoreprayer，brothers，alittlemorezeal，andhewillbehere。Icanfeelhiscoolingwinguponmybrow。GlorybetoGodforeverandever，amen！“
　　Thewholecongregationgroanedunderthepressureofthisspiritualpanic。Shoutsandhallelujahswentupfromeverylip。
　　Anotherfigurefellprostrateuponthefloor。Fromthemourners’
　　benchroseachantofterrorandrapture:
　　“Eatinghoneyanddrinkingwine，GlorytothebleedingLamb！
　　IammyLord’sandheismine，GlorytothebleedingLamb！“
　　Thehymnwassunginadozendialectsandvoicedallthevagueyearningofthesehungrylives，ofthesepeoplewhohadstarvedallthepassionssolong，onlytofallvictimstothebarestofthemall，fear。
　　AgroanofultimateanguishrosefromEricHermannson’sbowedhead，andthesoundwaslikethegroanofagreattreewhenitfallsintheforest。
　　Theministerrosesuddenlytohisfeetandthrewbackhishead，cryinginaloudvoice:
　　“Lazarus，comeforth！EricHermannson，youarelost，goingdownatsea。InthenameofGod，andJesusChristhisSon，Ithrowyouthelifeline。Takehold！AlmightyGod，mysoulforhis！“
　　Theministerthrewhisarmsoutandliftedhisquiveringface。
　　EricHermannsonrosetohisfeet；hislipsweresetandthelightningwasinhiseyes。Hetookhisviolinbytheneckandcrushedittosplintersacrosshisknee，andtoAsaSkinnerthesoundwasliketheshacklesofsinbrokenaudiblyasunder。
　　FormorethantwoyearsEricHermannsonkepttheausterefaithtowhichhehadswornhimself，keptituntilagirlfromtheEastcametospendaweekontheNebraskaDivide。Shewasagirlofothermannersandconditions，andthereweregreaterdistancesbetweenherlifeandEric’sthanallthemileswhichseparatedRattlesnakeCreekfromNewYorkCity。Indeed，shehadnobusinesstobeintheWestatall；butah！acrosswhatleaguesoflandandsea，bywhatimprobablechances，dotheunrelentinggodsbringtousourfate！
　　ItwasinayearoffinancialdepressionthatWyllisElliotcametoNebraskatobuycheaplandandrevisitthecountrywherehehadspentayearofhisyouth。WhenhehadgraduatedfromHarvarditwasstillcustomaryformoneyedgentlementosendtheirscapegracesonstoroughitonranchesinthewildsofNebraskaorDakota，ortoconsignthemtoalivingdeathinthesagebrushoftheBlackHills。Theseyoungmendidnotalwaysreturntothewaysofcivilizedlife。ButWyllisElliothadnotmarriedahalf-breed，norbeenshotinacowpunchers’brawl，norwreckedbybadwhisky，norappropriatedbyasmirchedadventuress。Hehadbeensavedfromthesethingsbyagirl，hissister，whohadbeenveryneartohislifeeversincethedayswhentheyreadfairytalestogetheranddreamedthedreamsthatnevercometrue。Onthis，hisfirstvisittohisfather’sranchsinceheleftitsixyearsbefore，hebroughtherwithhim。Shehadbeenlaiduphalfthewinterfromasprainreceivedwhileskating，andhadhadtoomuchtimeforreflectionduringthosemonths。Shewasrestlessandfilledwithadesiretoseesomethingofthewildcountryofwhichherbrotherhadtoldhersomuch。Shewastobemarriedthenextwinter，andWyllisunderstoodherwhenshebeggedhimtotakeherwithhimonthislong，aimlessjauntacrossthecontinent，totastethelastoftheirfreedomtogether。itcomestoallwomenofhertype——thatdesiretotastetheunknownwhichalluresandterrifies，torunone’swholesoul’slengthouttothewind——justonce。
　　Ithadbeenaneventfuljourney。Wyllissomehowunderstoodthatstrainofgypsybloodinhissister，andheknewwheretotakeher。
　　TheyhadsleptinsodhousesonthePlatteRiver，madetheacquaintanceofthepersonnelofathird-rateoperacompanyonthetraintoDeadwood，dinedinacampofrailroadconstructorsattheworld’sendbeyondNewCastle，gonethroughtheBlackHillsonhorseback，fishedfortroutinDomeLake，watchedadanceatCrippleCreek，wherethelostsoulswhohideinthehillsgatheredfortheirbesottedrevelry。Andnow，lastofall，beforethereturntothraldom，therewasthislittleshack，anchoredonthewindycrestoftheDivide，alittleblackdotagainsttheflamingsunsets，ascentedseaofcornlandbathedinopalescentairandblindingsunlight。
　　MargaretElliotwasoneofthosewomenofwhomtherearesomanyinthisday，whenoldorder，passing，givethplacetonew；
　　beautiful，talented，critical，unsatisfied，tiredoftheworldattwenty-four。ForthemomentthelifeandpeopleoftheDivideinterestedher。Shewastherebutaweek；perhapshadshestayedlonger，thatinexorableennuiwhichtravelsfastereventhantheVestibuleLimitedwouldhaveovertakenher。TheweekshetarriedtherewastheweekthatEricHermannsonwashelpingJerryLockhartthresh；aweekearlieroraweeklater，andtherewouldhavebeennostorytowrite。
　　ItwasonThursdayandtheyweretoleaveonSaturday。Wyllisandhissisterweresittingonthewidepiazzaoftheranchhouse，staringoutintotheafternoonsunlightandprotestingagainstthegustsofhotwindthatblewupfromthesandyriverbottomtwentymilestothesouthward。
　　Theyoungmanpulledhiscaploweroverhiseyesandremarked:
　　“Thiswindistherealthing；youdon’tstrikeitanywhereelse。YourememberwehadatouchofitinAlgiersandItoldyouitcamefromKansas。It’sthekeynoteofthiscountry。“
　　Wyllistouchedherhandthatlayonthehammockandcontinuedgently:
　　“Ihopeit’spaidyou，Sis。Roughingit’sdangerousbusiness；
　　ittakesthetasteoutofthings。“
　　Sheshutherfingersfirmlyoverthebrownhandthatwassolikeherown。
　　“Paid？Why，Wyllis，Ihaven’tbeensohappysincewewerechildrenandweregoingtodiscovertheruinsofTroytogethersomeday。Doyouknow，IbelieveIcouldjuststayonhereforeverandlettheworldgoonitsowngait。Itseemsasthoughthetensionandstrainweusedtotalkoflastwinterweregoneforgood，asthoughonecouldnevergiveone’sstrengthouttosuchpettythingsanymore。“
　　Wyllisbrushedtheashesofhispipeawayfromthesilkhandkerchiefthatwasknottedabouthisneckandstaredmoodilyoffattheskyline。
　　“No，you’remistaken。Thiswouldboreyouafterawhile。Youcan’tshakethefeveroftheotherlife。I’vetriedit。TherewasatimewhenthegayfellowsofRomecouldtrotdownintotheThebaidandburrowintothesandhillsandgetridofit。Butit’salltoocomplexnow。Youseewe’vemadeourdissipationssodaintyandrespectablethatthey’vegonefurtherinthantheflesh，andtakenholdoftheegoproper。Youcouldn’trest，evenhere。Thewarcrywouldfollowyou。“
　　“Youdon’twastewords，Wyllis，butyounevermissfire。I
　　talkmorethanyoudo，withoutsayinghalfsomuch。YoumusthavelearnedtheartofsilencefromthesetaciturnNorwegians。IthinkIlikesilentmen。“
　　“Naturally，“saidWyllis，“sinceyouhavedecidedtomarrythemostbrillianttalkeryouknow。“
　　Bothweresilentforatime，listeningtothesighingofthehotwindthroughtheparchedmorning-gloryvines。Margaretspokefirst。
　　“Tellme，Wyllis，weremanyoftheNorwegiansyouusedtoknowasinterestingasEricHermannson？“
　　“Who，Siegfried？Well，no。HeusedtobethefloweroftheNorwegianyouthinmyday，andhe’sratheranexception，evennow。
　　Hehasretrograded，though。Thebondsofthesoilhavetightenedonhim，Ifancy。“
　　“Siegfried？Come，that’srathergood，Wyllis。Helookslikeadragon-slayer。Whatisitthatmakeshimsodifferentfromtheothers？Icantalktohim；heseemsquitelikeahumanbeing。“
　　“Well，“saidWyllis，meditatively，“Idon’treadBourgetasmuchasmyculturedsister，andI’mnotsowellupinanalysis，butIfancyit’sbecauseonekeepscherishingaperfectlyunwarrantedsuspicionthatunderthatbig，hulkinganatomyofhis，hemayconcealasoulsomewhere。Nichtwahr？“
　　“Somethinglikethat，“saidMargaret，thoughtfully，“exceptthatit’smorethanasuspicion，anditisn’tgroundless。Hehasone，andhemakesitknown，somehow，withoutspeaking。“
　　“Ialwayshavemydoubtsaboutloquacioussouls，“Wyllisremarked，withtheunbelievingsmilethathadgrownhabitualwithhim。