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。