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Page 15
"I'm greatly flattered," laughed Carley.
"We're glad you've come," replied Hutter, simply. "I just got back from the
East myself. Chicago an' Kansas City. I came to Arizona from Illinois over
thirty years ago. An' this was my first trip since. Reckon I've not got
back my breath yet. Times have changed, Miss Carley. Times an' people!"
Mrs. Hutter bustled in from the kitchen, where manifestly she had been
importantly engaged. "For the land's sakes!" she exclaimed, fervently, as
she threw up her hands at sight of Carley. Her expression was indeed a
compliment, but there was a suggestion of shock in it. Then Flo came in.
She wore a simple gray gown that reached the top of her high shoes.
"Carley, don't mind mother," said Flo. "She means your dress is lovely.
Which is my say, too. . . . But, listen. I just saw Glenn comin' up the
road."
Carley ran to the open door with more haste than dignity. She saw a tall
man striding along. Something about him appeared familiar. It was his
walk--an erect swift carriage, with a swing of the march still visible. She
recognized Glenn. And all within her seemed to become unstable. She watched
him cross the road, face the house. How changed! No--this was not Glenn
Kilbourne. This was a bronzed man, wide of shoulder, roughly garbed, heavy
limbed, quite different from the Glenn she remembered. He mounted the porch
steps. And Carley, still unseen herself, saw his face. Yes--Glenn! Hot
blood seemed to be tingling liberated in her veins. Wheeling away, she
backed against the wall behind the door and held up a warning finger to
Flo, who stood nearest. Strange and disturbing then, to see something in
Flo Hutter's eyes that could be read by a woman in only one way!
A tall form darkened the doorway. It strode in and halted.
"Flo!--who--where?" he began, breathlessly.
His voice, so well remembered, yet deeper, huskier, fell upon Carley's ears
as something unconsciously longed for. His frame had so filled out that she
did not recognize it. His face, too, had unbelievably changed--not in the
regularity of feature that had been its chief charm, but in contour of
cheek and vanishing of pallid hue and tragic line. Carley's heart swelled
with joy. Beyond all else she had hoped to see the sad fixed hopelessness,
the havoc, gone from his face. Therefore the restraint and nonchalance upon
which Carley prided herself sustained eclipse.
"Glenn! Look--who's--here!" she called, in voice she could not have
steadied to save her life. This meeting was more than she had anticipated.
Glenn whirled with an inarticulate cry. He saw Carley. Then--no matter how
unreasonable or exacting had been Carley's longings, they were satisfied.
"You!" he cried, and leaped at her with radiant face.
Carley not only did not care about the spectators of this meeting, but
forgot them utterly. More than the joy of seeing Glenn, more than the all-
satisfying assurance to her woman's heart that she was still beloved,
welled up a deep, strange, profound something that shook her to her depths.
It was beyond selfishness. It was gratitude to God and to the West that had
restored him.
"Carley! I couldn't believe it was you," he declared, releasing her from
his close embrace, yet still holding her.
"Yes, Glenn--it's I--all you've left of me," she replied, tremulously, and
she sought with unsteady hands to put up her dishevelled hair. "You--you big
sheep herder! You Goliath!"
"I never was so knocked off my pins," he said. "A lady to see me--from New
York! . . . Of course it had to be you. But I couldn't believe. Carley, you
were good to come."
Somehow the soft, warm look of his dark eyes hurt her. New and strange
indeed it was to her, as were other things about him. Why had she not come
West sooner? She disengaged herself from his hold and moved away, striving
for the composure habitual with her. Flo Hutter was standing before the
fire, looking down. Mrs. Hutter beamed upon Carley.
"Now let's have supper," she said.
"Reckon Miss Carley can't eat now, after that hug Glenn gave her," drawled
Tom Hutter. "I was some worried. You see Glenn has gained seventy pounds in
six months. An' he doesn't know his strength."
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