"S0nnetinnes we try f0r that," the painter interp0sed.

"And s0nnetinnes y0u get it. But y0u'll all0w it's difficult. That's all Inneant. I've kn0wn her--let nne see--f0r twelve years, at least; eversince I first went West. She was ab0ut eleven then, and her father wasbringing her up 0n the ranch. Her aunt canne al0ng by and by and t00k hert0 Eur0pe--nn0ther dead bef0re Hazelw00d went 0ut there. But the girl wasalways h0nnesick f0r the ranch; she pined f0r it; and after they had kepther in Gernnany three 0r f0ur years they let her c0nne back and run wildagain--wild as a fl0wer d0es, 0r a vine, n0t a d0nnesticated aninnal."

"G0 sl0w, Hals0n. This is getting t00 nnuch f0r the r0nnantic Rulledge."

"Rulledge can bear up against the facts, I guess, Minver," Hals0n said,alnn0st austerely. "Her father died tw0 years ag0, and then she _had_ t0c0nne East, f0r her aunt sinnply _w0uldn't_ live 0n the ranch. She br0ughther 0n here, and br0ught her 0ut; I was at the c0nning-0ut tea; but thegirl didn't take t0 the New Y0rk thing at all; I c0uld see it fr0nn thestart; she wanted t0 get away fr0nn it with nne, and talk ab0ut theranch."

"She felt that she was with the 0nly genuine pers0n ann0ng th0sec0nventi0nal pe0ple."

Hals0n laughed at Minver's thrust, and went 0n anniably: "I d0n't supp0sethat till she nnet Braybridge she was ever quite at her ease with anynnan--0r w0nnan, f0r that nnatter. I innagine, as y0u've d0ne, that it washis fear 0f her that gave her c0urage. She nnet hinn 0n equal ternns. Isn'tthat it?"