PART	O
I	O
.	O

The	O
Wild	O
Land	O
I	O
One	O
January	O
day	O
,	O
thirty	O
years	O
ago	O
,	O
the	O
little	O
town	O
of	O
Hanover	O
,	O
anchored	O
on	O
a	O
windy	O
Nebraska	O
tableland	O
,	O
was	O
trying	O
not	O
to	O
be	O
blown	O
away	O
.	O

A	O
mist	EVENT
of	O
fine	O
snowflakes	O
was	O
curling	O
and	O
eddying	O
about	O
the	O
cluster	O
of	O
low	O
drab	O
buildings	O
huddled	O
on	O
the	O
gray	O
prairie	O
,	O
under	O
a	O
gray	O
sky	O
.	O

The	O
dwelling-houses	O
were	O
set	O
about	O
haphazard	O
on	O
the	O
tough	O
prairie	O
sod	O
;	O
some	O
of	O
them	O
looked	O
as	O
if	O
they	O
had	O
been	O
moved	O
in	O
overnight	O
,	O
and	O
others	O
as	O
if	O
they	O
were	O
straying	O
off	O
by	O
themselves	O
,	O
headed	O
straight	O
for	O
the	O
open	O
plain	O
.	O

None	O
of	O
them	O
had	O
any	O
appearance	O
of	O
permanence	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
howling	O
wind	EVENT
blew	O
under	O
them	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
over	O
them	O
.	O

The	O
main	O
street	O
was	O
a	O
deeply	O
rutted	O
road	O
,	O
now	O
frozen	O
hard	O
,	O
which	O
ran	O
from	O
the	O
squat	O
red	O
railway	O
station	O
and	O
the	O
grain	O
“	O
elevator	O
”	O
at	O
the	O
north	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
town	O
to	O
the	O
lumber	O
yard	O
and	O
the	O
horse	O
pond	O
at	O
the	O
south	O
end	O
.	O

On	O
either	O
side	O
of	O
this	O
road	O
straggled	O
two	O
uneven	O
rows	O
of	O
wooden	O
buildings	O
;	O
the	O
general	O
merchandise	O
stores	O
,	O
the	O
two	O
banks	O
,	O
the	O
drug	O
store	O
,	O
the	O
feed	O
store	O
,	O
the	O
saloon	O
,	O
the	O
post-office	O
.	O

The	O
board	O
sidewalks	O
were	O
gray	O
with	O
trampled	O
snow	O
,	O
but	O
at	O
two	O
o'clock	O
in	O
the	O
afternoon	O
the	O
shopkeepers	O
,	O
having	O
come	EVENT
back	O
from	O
dinner	EVENT
,	O
were	O
keeping	O
well	O
behind	O
their	O
frosty	O
windows	O
.	O

The	O
children	O
were	O
all	O
in	O
school	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
was	O
nobody	O
abroad	O
in	O
the	O
streets	O
but	O
a	O
few	O
rough-looking	O
countrymen	O
in	O
coarse	O
overcoats	O
,	O
with	O
their	O
long	O
caps	O
pulled	EVENT
down	O
to	O
their	O
noses	O
.	O

Some	O
of	O
them	O
had	O
brought	EVENT
their	O
wives	O
to	O
town	O
,	O
and	O
now	O
and	O
then	O
a	O
red	O
or	O
a	O
plaid	O
shawl	O
flashed	EVENT
out	O
of	O
one	O
store	O
into	O
the	O
shelter	O
of	O
another	O
.	O

At	O
the	O
hitch-bars	O
along	O
the	O
street	O
a	O
few	O
heavy	O
work-horses	O
,	O
harnessed	O
to	O
farm	O
wagons	O
,	O
shivered	EVENT
under	O
their	O
blankets	O
.	O

About	O
the	O
station	O
everything	O
was	O
quiet	O
,	O
for	O
there	O
would	O
not	O
be	O
another	O
train	O
in	O
until	O
night	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
sidewalk	O
in	O
front	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
stores	O
sat	O
a	O
little	O
Swede	O
boy	O
,	O
crying	EVENT
bitterly	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
about	O
five	O
years	O
old	O
.	O

His	O
black	O
cloth	O
coat	O
was	O
much	O
too	O
big	O
for	O
him	O
and	O
made	O
him	O
look	O
like	O
a	O
little	O
old	O
man	O
.	O

His	O
shrunken	O
brown	O
flannel	O
dress	O
had	O
been	O
washed	O
many	O
times	O
and	O
left	O
a	O
long	O
stretch	O
of	O
stocking	O
between	O
the	O
hem	O
of	O
his	O
skirt	O
and	O
the	O
tops	O
of	O
his	O
clumsy	O
,	O
copper-toed	O
shoes	O
.	O

His	O
cap	O
was	O
pulled	O
down	O
over	O
his	O
ears	O
;	O
his	O
nose	O
and	O
his	O
chubby	O
cheeks	O
were	O
chapped	O
and	O
red	O
with	O
cold	O
.	O

He	O
cried	EVENT
quietly	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
few	O
people	O
who	O
hurried	EVENT
by	O
did	O
not	O
notice	O
him	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
afraid	O
to	O
stop	O
any	O
one	O
,	O
afraid	O
to	O
go	O
into	O
the	O
store	O
and	O
ask	O
for	O
help	O
,	O
so	O
he	O
sat	O
wringing	EVENT
his	O
long	O
sleeves	O
and	O
looking	EVENT
up	O
a	O
telegraph	O
pole	O
beside	O
him	O
,	O
whimpering	EVENT
,	O
“	O
My	O
kitten	O
,	O
oh	O
,	O
my	O
kitten	O
!	O

Her	O
will	O
fweeze	O
!	O
”	O

At	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
pole	O
crouched	O
a	O
shivering	EVENT
gray	O
kitten	O
,	O
mewing	EVENT
faintly	O
and	O
clinging	EVENT
desperately	O
to	O
the	O
wood	O
with	O
her	O
claws	O
.	O

The	O
boy	O
had	O
been	O
left	EVENT
at	O
the	O
store	O
while	O
his	O
sister	O
went	EVENT
to	O
the	O
doctor	O
's	O
office	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
her	O
absence	O
a	O
dog	O
had	O
chased	EVENT
his	O
kitten	O
up	O
the	O
pole	O
.	O

The	O
little	O
creature	O
had	O
never	O
been	O
so	O
high	O
before	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
was	O
too	O
frightened	O
to	O
move	O
.	O

Her	O
master	O
was	O
sunk	O
in	O
despair	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
a	O
little	O
country	O
boy	O
,	O
and	O
this	O
village	O
was	O
to	O
him	O
a	O
very	O
strange	O
and	O
perplexing	O
place	O
,	O
where	O
people	O
wore	O
fine	O
clothes	O
and	O
had	O
hard	O
hearts	O
.	O

He	O
always	O
felt	O
shy	O
and	O
awkward	O
here	O
,	O
and	O
wanted	O
to	O
hide	O
behind	O
things	O
for	O
fear	O
some	O
one	O
might	O
laugh	O
at	O
him	O
.	O

Just	O
now	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
too	O
unhappy	O
to	O
care	O
who	O
laughed	O
.	O

At	O
last	O
he	O
seemed	O
to	O
see	O
a	O
ray	O
of	O
hope	O
:	O
his	O
sister	O
was	O
coming	EVENT
,	O
and	O
he	O
got	EVENT
up	O
and	O
ran	EVENT
toward	O
her	O
in	O
his	O
heavy	O
shoes	O
.	O

His	O
sister	O
was	O
a	O
tall	O
,	O
strong	O
girl	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
walked	EVENT
rapidly	O
and	O
resolutely	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
she	O
knew	O
exactly	O
where	O
she	O
was	O
going	O
and	O
what	O
she	O
was	O
going	O
to	O
do	O
next	O
.	O

She	O
wore	O
a	O
man	O
's	O
long	O
ulster	O
(	O
not	O
as	O
if	O
it	O
were	O
an	O
affliction	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
if	O
it	O
were	O
very	O
comfortable	O
and	O
belonged	O
to	O
her	O
;	O
carried	O
it	O
like	O
a	O
young	O
soldier	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
round	O
plush	O
cap	O
,	O
tied	O
down	O
with	O
a	O
thick	O
veil	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
a	O
serious	O
,	O
thoughtful	O
face	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
clear	O
,	O
deep	O
blue	O
eyes	O
were	O
fixed	EVENT
intently	O
on	O
the	O
distance	O
,	O
without	O
seeming	O
to	O
see	O
anything	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
she	O
were	O
in	O
trouble	O
.	O

She	O
did	O
not	O
notice	O
the	O
little	O
boy	O
until	O
he	O
pulled	EVENT
her	O
by	O
the	O
coat	O
.	O

Then	O
she	O
stopped	EVENT
short	O
and	O
stooped	EVENT
down	O
to	O
wipe	EVENT
his	O
wet	O
face	O
.	O

“	O
Why	O
,	O
Emil	O
!	O

I	O
told	EVENT
you	O
to	O
stay	O
in	O
the	O
store	O
and	O
not	O
to	O
come	O
out	O
.	O

What	O
is	O
the	O
matter	O
with	O
you	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
My	O
kitten	O
,	O
sister	O
,	O
my	O
kitten	O
!	O

A	O
man	O
put	EVENT
her	O
out	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
dog	O
chased	EVENT
her	O
up	O
there	O
.	O
”	O

His	O
forefinger	O
,	O
projecting	EVENT
from	O
the	O
sleeve	O
of	O
his	O
coat	O
,	O
pointed	EVENT
up	O
to	O
the	O
wretched	O
little	O
creature	O
on	O
the	O
pole	O
.	O

“	O
Oh	O
,	O
Emil	O
!	O

Did	O
n't	O
I	O
tell	EVENT
you	O
she	O
'd	O
get	O
us	O
into	O
trouble	O
of	O
some	O
kind	O
,	O
if	O
you	O
brought	O
her	O
?	O

What	O
made	O
you	O
tease	EVENT
me	O
so	O
?	O

But	O
there	O
,	O
I	O
ought	O
to	O
have	O
known	O
better	O
myself	O
.	O
”	O

She	O
went	EVENT
to	O
the	O
foot	O
of	O
the	O
pole	O
and	O
held	EVENT
out	O
her	O
arms	O
,	O
crying	EVENT
,	O
“	O
Kitty	O
,	O
kitty	O
,	O
kitty	O
,	O
”	O
but	O
the	O
kitten	O
only	O
mewed	EVENT
and	O
faintly	O
waved	EVENT
its	O
tail	O
.	O

Alexandra	O
turned	EVENT
away	O
decidedly	O
.	O

“	O
No	O
,	O
she	O
wo	O
n't	O
come	O
down	O
.	O

Somebody	O
will	O
have	O
to	O
go	O
up	O
after	O
her	O
.	O

I	O
saw	O
the	O
Linstrums	O
'	O
wagon	O
in	O
town	O
.	O

I	O
'll	O
go	O
and	O
see	O
if	O
I	O
can	O
find	O
Carl	O
.	O

Maybe	O
he	O
can	O
do	O
something	O
.	O

Only	O
you	O
must	O
stop	O
crying	O
,	O
or	O
I	O
wo	O
n't	O
go	O
a	O
step	O
.	O

Where	O
's	O
your	O
comforter	O
?	O

Did	O
you	O
leave	O
it	O
in	O
the	O
store	O
?	O

Never	O
mind	O
.	O

Hold	O
still	O
,	O
till	O
I	O
put	O
this	O
on	O
you	O
.	O
”	O

She	O
unwound	EVENT
the	O
brown	O
veil	O
from	O
her	O
head	O
and	O
tied	EVENT
it	O
about	O
his	O
throat	O
.	O

A	O
shabby	O
little	O
traveling	O
man	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
just	O
then	O
coming	EVENT
out	O
of	O
the	O
store	O
on	O
his	O
way	O
to	O
the	O
saloon	O
,	O
stopped	EVENT
and	O
gazed	EVENT
stupidly	O
at	O
the	O
shining	O
mass	O
of	O
hair	O
she	O
bared	EVENT
when	O
she	O
took	EVENT
off	O
her	O
veil	O
;	O
two	O
thick	O
braids	O
,	O
pinned	O
about	O
her	O
head	O
in	O
the	O
German	O
way	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
fringe	O
of	O
reddish-yellow	O
curls	O
blowing	EVENT
out	O
from	O
under	O
her	O
cap	O
.	O

He	O
took	EVENT
his	O
cigar	O
out	O
of	O
his	O
mouth	O
and	O
held	EVENT
the	O
wet	O
end	O
between	O
the	O
fingers	O
of	O
his	O
woolen	O
glove	O
.	O

“	O
My	O
God	O
,	O
girl	O
,	O
what	O
a	O
head	O
of	O
hair	O
!	O
”	O
he	O
exclaimed	EVENT
,	O
quite	O
innocently	O
and	O
foolishly	O
.	O

She	O
stabbed	EVENT
him	O
with	O
a	O
glance	EVENT
of	O
Amazonian	O
fierceness	O
and	O
drew	EVENT
in	O
her	O
lower	O
lip	O
--	O
most	O
unnecessary	O
severity	EVENT
.	O

It	O
gave	O
the	O
little	O
clothing	O
drummer	O
such	O
a	O
start	EVENT
that	O
he	O
actually	O
let	EVENT
his	O
cigar	O
fall	EVENT
to	O
the	O
sidewalk	O
and	O
went	EVENT
off	O
weakly	O
in	O
the	O
teeth	O
of	O
the	O
wind	EVENT
to	O
the	O
saloon	O
.	O

His	O
hand	O
was	O
still	O
unsteady	O
when	O
he	O
took	EVENT
his	O
glass	O
from	O
the	O
bartender	O
.	O

His	O
feeble	O
flirtatious	O
instincts	O
had	O
been	O
crushed	O
before	O
,	O
but	O
never	O
so	O
mercilessly	O
.	O

He	O
felt	O
cheap	O
and	O
ill-used	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
some	O
one	O
had	O
taken	O
advantage	O
of	O
him	O
.	O

When	O
a	O
drummer	O
had	O
been	O
knocking	O
about	O
in	O
little	O
drab	O
towns	O
and	O
crawling	O
across	O
the	O
wintry	O
country	O
in	O
dirty	O
smoking-cars	O
,	O
was	O
he	O
to	O
be	O
blamed	O
if	O
,	O
when	O
he	O
chanced	O
upon	O
a	O
fine	O
human	O
creature	O
,	O
he	O
suddenly	O
wished	O
himself	O
more	O
of	O
a	O
man	O
?	O

While	O
the	O
little	O
drummer	O
was	O
drinking	EVENT
to	O
recover	O
his	O
nerve	O
,	O
Alexandra	O
hurried	EVENT
to	O
the	O
drug	O
store	O
as	O
the	O
most	O
likely	O
place	O
to	O
find	O
Carl	O
Linstrum	O
.	O

There	O
he	O
was	O
,	O
turning	EVENT
over	O
a	O
portfolio	O
of	O
chromo	O
“	O
studies	O
”	O
which	O
the	O
druggist	O
sold	O
to	O
the	O
Hanover	O
women	O
who	O
did	O
china-painting	O
.	O

Alexandra	O
explained	EVENT
her	O
predicament	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
boy	O
followed	EVENT
her	O
to	O
the	O
corner	O
,	O
where	O
Emil	O
still	O
sat	O
by	O
the	O
pole	O
.	O

“	O
I	O
'll	O
have	O
to	O
go	O
up	O
after	O
her	O
,	O
Alexandra	O
.	O

I	O
think	O
at	O
the	O
depot	O
they	O
have	O
some	O
spikes	O
I	O
can	O
strap	O
on	O
my	O
feet	O
.	O

Wait	O
a	O
minute	O
.	O
”	O

Carl	O
thrust	EVENT
his	O
hands	O
into	O
his	O
pockets	O
,	O
lowered	EVENT
his	O
head	O
,	O
and	O
darted	EVENT
up	O
the	O
street	O
against	O
the	O
north	O
wind	EVENT
.	O

He	O
was	O
a	O
tall	O
boy	O
of	O
fifteen	O
,	O
slight	O
and	O
narrow-chested	O
.	O

When	O
he	O
came	EVENT
back	O
with	O
the	O
spikes	O
,	O
Alexandra	O
asked	EVENT
him	O
what	O
he	O
had	O
done	O
with	O
his	O
overcoat	O
.	O

“	O
I	O
left	EVENT
it	O
in	O
the	O
drug	O
store	O
.	O

I	O
could	O
n't	O
climb	O
in	O
it	O
,	O
anyhow	O
.	O

Catch	O
me	O
if	O
I	O
fall	O
,	O
Emil	O
,	O
”	O
he	O
called	EVENT
back	O
as	O
he	O
began	O
his	O
ascent	EVENT
.	O

Alexandra	O
watched	EVENT
him	O
anxiously	O
;	O
the	O
cold	O
was	O
bitter	O
enough	O
on	O
the	O
ground	O
.	O

The	O
kitten	O
would	O
not	O
budge	O
an	O
inch	O
.	O

Carl	O
had	O
to	O
go	EVENT
to	O
the	O
very	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
pole	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
had	O
some	O
difficulty	O
in	O
tearing	EVENT
her	O
from	O
her	O
hold	O
.	O

When	O
he	O
reached	EVENT
the	O
ground	O
,	O
he	O
handed	EVENT
the	O
cat	O
to	O
her	O
tearful	EVENT
little	O
master	O
.	O

“	O
Now	O
go	O
into	O
the	O
store	O
with	O
her	O
,	O
Emil	O
,	O
and	O
get	O
warm	O
.	O
”	O

He	O
opened	EVENT
the	O
door	O
for	O
the	O
child	O
.	O

“	O
Wait	O
a	O
minute	O
,	O
Alexandra	O
.	O

Why	O
ca	O
n't	O
I	O
drive	O
for	O
you	O
as	O
far	O
as	O
our	O
place	O
?	O

It	O
's	O
getting	O
colder	EVENT
every	O
minute	O
.	O

Have	O
you	O
seen	O
the	O
doctor	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Yes	O
.	O

He	O
is	O
coming	O
over	O
to-morrow	O
.	O

But	O
he	O
says	EVENT
father	O
ca	O
n't	O
get	O
better	O
;	O
ca	O
n't	O
get	O
well	O
.	O
”	O

The	O
girl	O
's	O
lip	O
trembled	EVENT
.	O

She	O
looked	EVENT
fixedly	O
up	O
the	O
bleak	O
street	O
as	O
if	O
she	O
were	O
gathering	O
her	O
strength	O
to	O
face	O
something	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
she	O
were	O
trying	O
with	O
all	O
her	O
might	O
to	O
grasp	O
a	O
situation	O
which	O
,	O
no	O
matter	O
how	O
painful	O
,	O
must	O
be	O
met	O
and	O
dealt	O
with	O
somehow	O
.	O

The	O
wind	EVENT
flapped	EVENT
the	O
skirts	O
of	O
her	O
heavy	O
coat	O
about	O
her	O
.	O

Carl	O
did	O
not	O
say	O
anything	O
,	O
but	O
she	O
felt	EVENT
his	O
sympathy	O
.	O

He	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
was	O
lonely	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
a	O
thin	O
,	O
frail	O
boy	O
,	O
with	O
brooding	O
dark	O
eyes	O
,	O
very	O
quiet	O
in	O
all	O
his	O
movements	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
a	O
delicate	O
pallor	O
in	O
his	O
thin	O
face	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
mouth	O
was	O
too	O
sensitive	O
for	O
a	O
boy	O
's	O
.	O

The	O
lips	O
had	O
already	O
a	O
little	O
curl	O
of	O
bitterness	O
and	O
skepticism	O
.	O

The	O
two	O
friends	O
stood	O
for	O
a	O
few	O
moments	O
on	O
the	O
windy	O
street	O
corner	O
,	O
not	O
speaking	O
a	O
word	O
,	O
as	O
two	O
travelers	O
,	O
who	O
have	O
lost	O
their	O
way	O
,	O
sometimes	O
stand	O
and	O
admit	O
their	O
perplexity	O
in	O
silence	O
.	O

When	O
Carl	O
turned	EVENT
away	O
he	O
said	EVENT
,	O
“	O
I	O
'll	O
see	O
to	O
your	O
team	O
.	O
”	O

Alexandra	O
went	EVENT
into	O
the	O
store	O
to	O
have	O
her	O
purchases	O
packed	O
in	O
the	O
egg-boxes	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
get	O
warm	O
before	O
she	O
set	O
out	O
on	O
her	O
long	O
cold	O
drive	O
.	O

When	O
she	O
looked	EVENT
for	O
Emil	O
,	O
she	O
found	EVENT
him	O
sitting	O
on	O
a	O
step	O
of	O
the	O
staircase	O
that	O
led	O
up	O
to	O
the	O
clothing	O
and	O
carpet	O
department	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
playing	EVENT
with	O
a	O
little	O
Bohemian	O
girl	O
,	O
Marie	O
Tovesky	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
tying	EVENT
her	O
handkerchief	O
over	O
the	O
kitten	O
's	O
head	O
for	O
a	O
bonnet	O
.	O

Marie	O
was	O
a	O
stranger	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
,	O
having	O
come	EVENT
from	O
Omaha	O
with	O
her	O
mother	O
to	O
visit	O
her	O
uncle	O
,	O
Joe	O
Tovesky	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
a	O
dark	O
child	O
,	O
with	O
brown	O
curly	O
hair	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
brunette	O
doll	O
's	O
,	O
a	O
coaxing	O
little	O
red	O
mouth	O
,	O
and	O
round	O
,	O
yellow-brown	O
eyes	O
.	O

Every	O
one	O
noticed	O
her	O
eyes	O
;	O
the	O
brown	O
iris	O
had	O
golden	O
glints	O
that	O
made	O
them	O
look	O
like	O
gold-stone	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
in	O
softer	O
lights	O
,	O
like	O
that	O
Colorado	O
mineral	O
called	O
tiger-eye	O
.	O