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。