Butfartheron，acrosstheyellowwatersofthebay，beyondGoatIsland，laySanFrancisco，abluelineofhills，ruggedwithroofsandspires。FartothewestwardopenedtheGoldenGate，ableakcuttinginthesand-hills，throughwhichonecaughtaglimpseoftheopenPacific。
　　ThestationatBStreetwassolitary；notrainspassedatthishour；exceptthedistantrag-pickers，notasoulwasinsight。Thewindblewstrong，carryingwithitthemingledsmellofsalt，oftar，ofdeadseaweed，andofbilge。Theskyhunglowandbrown；atlongintervalsafewdropsofrainfell。
　　NearthestationTrinaandMcTeaguesatontheroadbedofthetracks，attheedgeofthemudbank，makingthemostoutofthelandscape，enjoyingtheopenair，thesaltmarshes，andthesightofthedistantwater。FromtimetotimeMcTeagueplayedhissixmournfulairsuponhisconcertina。
　　Afterawhiletheybeganwalkingupanddownthetracks，McTeaguetalkingabouthisprofession，Trinalistening，veryinterestedandabsorbed，tryingtounderstand。
　　“Forpullingtherootsoftheuppermolarsweusethecow-
　　hornforceps，“continuedthedentist，monotonously。“Wegettheinsidebeakoverthepalatalrootsandthecow-hornbeakoverthebuccalroots——that’stherootsontheoutside，yousee。Thenweclosetheforceps，andthatbreaksrightthroughthealveolus——that’sthepartofthesocketinthejaw，youunderstand。“
　　Atanothermomenthetoldherofhisoneunsatisfieddesire。
　　“SomedayI’mgoingtohaveabiggildedtoothoutsidemywindowforasign。Thosebiggoldteetharebeautiful，beautiful——onlytheycostsomuch，Ican’taffordonejustnow。“
　　“Oh，it’sraining，“suddenlyexclaimedTrina，holdingoutherpalm。Theyturnedbackandreachedthestationinadrizzle。Theafternoonwasclosingindarkandrainy。Thetidewascomingback，talkingandlappingformilesalongthemudbank。Faroffacrosstheflats，attheedgeofthetown，anelectriccarwentby，stringingoutalongrowofdiamondsparksontheoverheadwires。
　　“Say，MissTrina，“saidMcTeague，afterawhile，“what’sthegoodofwaitinganylonger？Whycan’tustwogetmarried？“
　　Trinastillshookherhead，saying“No“instinctively，inspiteofherself。
　　“Whynot？“persistedMcTeague。“Don’tyoulikemewellenough？“
　　“Yes。“
　　“Thenwhynot？“
　　“Because。“
　　“Ah，comeon，“hesaid，butTrinastillshookherhead。
　　“Ah，comeon，“urgedMcTeague。Hecouldthinkofnothingelsetosay，repeatingthesamephraseoverandoveragaintoallherrefusals。
　　“Ah，comeon！Ah，comeon！“
　　Suddenlyhetookherinhisenormousarms，crushingdownherstrugglewithhisimmensestrength。ThenTrinagaveup，allinaninstant，turningherheadtohis。Theykissedeachother，grossly，fullinthemouth。
　　Aroarandajarringoftheearthsuddenlygrewnearandpassedtheminareekofsteamandhotair。ItwastheOverland，withitsflamingheadlight，onitswayacrossthecontinent。
　　Thepassageofthetrainstartledthemboth。TrinastruggledtofreeherselffromMcTeague。“Oh，please！
　　please！“shepleaded，onthepointoftears。McTeaguereleasedher，butinthatmomentaslight，abarelyperceptible，revulsionoffeelinghadtakenplaceinhim。
　　TheinstantthatTrinagaveup，theinstantsheallowedhimtokissher，hethoughtlessofher。Shewasnotsodesirable，afterall。Butthisreactionwassofaint，sosubtle，sointangible，thatinanothermomenthehaddoubteditsoccurrence。Yetafterwarditreturned。WastherenotsomethinggonefromTrinanow？Washenotdisappointedinherfordoingthatverythingforwhichhehadlonged？WasTrinathesubmissive，thecompliant，theattainablejustthesame，justasdelicateandadorableasTrinatheinaccessible？Perhapshedimlysawthatthismustbeso，thatitbelongedtothechangelessorderofthings——themandesiringthewomanonlyforwhatshewithholds；thewomanworshippingthemanforthatwhichsheyieldsuptohim。
　　Witheachconcessiongainedtheman’sdesirecools；witheverysurrendermadethewoman’sadorationincreases。Butwhyshoulditbeso？
　　TrinawrenchedherselffreeanddrewbackfromMcTeague，herlittlechinquivering；herface，eventothelobesofherpaleears，flushedscarlet；hernarrowblueeyesbrimming。
　　Suddenlysheputherheadbetweenherhandsandbegantosob。
　　“Say，say，MissTrina，listen——listenhere，MissTrina，“
　　criedMcTeague，comingforwardastep。
　　“Oh，don’t！“shegasped，shrinking。“Imustgohome，“shecried，springingtoherfeet。“It’slate。Imust。Imust。
　　Don’tcomewithme，please。Oh，I’mso——so，“——shecouldnotfindanywords。“Letmegoalone，“shewenton。“Youmay——
　　youcomeSunday。Good-by。“
　　“Good-by，“saidMcTeague，hisheadinawhirlatthissudden，unaccountablechange。“Can’tIkissyouagain？“
　　ButTrinawasfirmnow。Whenitcametohispleading——amerematterofwords——shewasstrongenough。
　　“No，no，youmustnot！“sheexclaimed，withenergy。Shewasgoneinanotherinstant。Thedentist，stunned，bewildered，gazedstupidlyafterherassheranuptheextensionofB
　　Streetthroughtherain。
　　Butsuddenlyagreatjoytookpossessionofhim。Hehadwonher。Trinawastobeforhim，afterall。Anenormoussmiledistendedhisthicklips；hiseyesgrewwide，andflashed；
　　andhedrewhisbreathquickly，strikinghismallet-likefistuponhisknee，andexclaimingunderhisbreath：
　　“Igother，byGod！Igother，byGod！“Atthesametimehethoughtbetterofhimself；hisself-respectincreasedenormously。ThemanthatcouldwinTrinaSieppewasamanofextraordinaryability。
　　Trinaburstinuponhermotherwhilethelatterwassettingamousetrapinthekitchen。
　　“Oh，mamma！“
　　“Eh？Trina？Ach，whathashappun？“
　　Trinatoldherinabreath。
　　“Sohsoon？“wasMrs。Sieppe’sfirstcomment。“Eh，well，whatyoucryfor，then？“
　　“Idon’tknow，“wailedTrina，pluckingattheendofherhandkerchief。
　　“Youloafderyoungedoktor？“
　　“Idon’tknow。“
　　“Well，whatforyoukisshim？“
　　“Idon’tknow。“
　　“Youdon’know，youdon’know？Wherehafyoursensusgone，Trina？Youkissderdoktor。Youcry，andyoudon’know。
　　IsutMarcusden？“
　　“No，it’snotCousinMark。“
　　“Denutmustbederdoktor。“
　　Trinamadenoanswer。
　　“Eh？“
　　“I——Iguessso。“
　　“Youloafhim？“
　　“Idon’tknow。“
　　Mrs。Sieppesetdownthemousetrapwithsuchviolencethatitsprungwithasharpsnap。
　　CHAPTER6
　　No，Trinadidnotknow。“DoIlovehim？DoIlovehim？“A
　　thousandtimessheputthequestiontoherselfduringthenexttwoorthreedays。Atnightshehardlyslept，butlaybroadawakeforhoursinherlittle，gaylypaintedbed，withitswhitenetting，torturingherselfwithdoubtsandquestions。Attimessherememberedthesceneinthestationwithaveritableagonyofshame，andatothertimesshewasashamedtorecallitwithathrillofjoy。Nothingcouldhavebeenmoresudden，moreunexpected，thanthatsurrenderofherself。ForoverayearshehadthoughtthatMarcuswouldsomedaybeherhusband。Theywouldbemarried，shesupposed，sometimeinthefuture，shedidnotknowexactlywhen；thematterdidnottakedefiniteshapeinhermind。ShelikedCousinMarkverywell。Andthensuddenlythiscross-currenthadsetin；thisblondgianthadappeared，thishuge，stolidfellow，withhisimmense，crudestrength。Shehadnotlovedhimatfirst，thatwascertain。