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"Are you really civilized, Kut-le?" she asked one afternoon when the young ht a little white desert owl to her hammock for her inspection

Kut-le tossed the damp hair froainst the crith enveloped her like the desert sun

"Why?" he asked at last "You said the other day that I was too much civilized"

"I know, but--" Rhoda hesitated for words, "I'm too much civilized myself to understand, but so, I suppose it's a forgotten instinct, tells o--" she waved a thin hand toward cultivated fields and corral--"and take to the open desert"

Kut-le said nothing for aThen he turned toward the desert and Rhoda saw the look of joy change to one so full of unutterable longing that her heart was stirred to sudden pity However, an instant later, he turned to her with the old iht beneath my skin," he said, "is the Apache Tell me, Miss Rhoda, what's the use of it all?"

"Use?" asked Rhoda, staring at the blue sky above the peach-trees "I a! Of course, civilization is the only thing that lives I can't get your point of view at all"

"Huh!" sniffed Kut-le "It's too bad Indians don't write books! Iftheir internal mechanisetting my point of view than I do yours"

Rhoda's face as she eyed the stern young profile was very sy to her, surprised upon her face that rare, tender smile for which all who knew her watched His face flushed and his fine hands clasped and unclasped

"Tell me about it, Kut-le, if you can"

"I can't tell you The desert would show you its oer if you would give it a chance No one can describe the call to you I suppose if I answered it and went back, you would call it retrogression?"

"What would you call it?" asked Rhoda

"I don't know It would depend on rew somber and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead "The ache to be there--free in the desert! To feel the hot sun in my face as I work the trail! To sleep with the naked stars in my face! To be-- Oh, I can't make you understand, and I'd rather you understood than any one in the world! You could understand, if only you were desert-taught When you are well and strong--"