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The upward climb； after they had crossed the stream；
was at first a breathless scramble through underbrush。
When they reached the big boulders； Ottenburg went first
because he had the longer leg…reach； and gave Thea a hand
when the step was quite beyond her； swinging her up until
she could get a foothold。 At last they reached a little plat…
form among the rocks； with only a hundred feet of jagged；
sloping wall between them and the cliff…houses。
Ottenburg lay down under a pine tree and declared that
he was going to have a pipe before he went any farther。
〃It's a good thing to know when to stop； Thea；〃 he said
meaningly。
〃I'm not going to stop now until I get there；〃 Thea in…
sisted。 〃I'll go on alone。〃
Fred settled his shoulder against the tree…trunk。 〃Go
on if you like； but I'm here to enjoy myself。 If you meet a
rattler on the way； have it out with him。〃
She hesitated； fanning herself with her felt hat。 〃I never
have met one。〃
〃There's reasoning for you；〃 Fred murmured languidly。
Thea turned away resolutely and began to go up the
wall； using an irregular cleft in the rock for a path。 The
cliff； which looked almost perpendicular from the bottom；
was really made up of ledges and boulders； and behind
these she soon disappeared。 For a long while Fred smoked
with half…closed eyes； smiling to himself now and again。
Occasionally he lifted an eyebrow as he heard the rattle of
small stones among the rocks above。 〃In a temper；〃 he
concluded； 〃do her good。〃 Then he subsided into warm
drowsiness and listened to the locusts in the yuccas； and
the tap…tap of the old woodpecker that was never weary of
assaulting the big pine。
Fred had finished his pipe and was wondering whether
he wanted another； when he heard a call from the cliff far
above him。 Looking up； he saw Thea standing on the edge
of a projecting crag。 She waved to him and threw her arm
over her head； as if she were snapping her fingers in the air。
As he saw her there between the sky and the gulf； with
that great wash of air and the morning light about her；
Fred recalled the brilliant figure at Mrs。 Nathanmeyer's。
Thea was one of those people who emerge； unexpectedly；
larger than we are accustomed to see them。 Even at this
distance one got the impression of muscular energy and
audacity；a kind of brilliancy of motion；of a person…
ality that carried across big spaces and expanded among
big things。 Lying still； with his hands under his head；
Ottenburg rhetorically addressed the figure in the air。
〃You are the sort that used to run wild in Germany；
dressed in their hair and a piece of skin。 Soldiers caught
'em in nets。 Old Nathanmeyer；〃 he mused； 〃would like
a peep at her now。 Knowing old fellow。 Always buying
those Zorn etchings of peasant girls bathing。 No sag in
them either。 Must be the cold climate。〃 He sat up。
〃She'll begin to pitch rocks on me if I don't move。〃 In
response to another impatient gesture from the crag； he
rose and began swinging slowly up the trail。
It was the afternoon of that long day。 Thea was lying
on a blanket in the door of her rock house。 She and Otten…
burg had come back from their climb and had lunch； and
he had gone off for a nap in one of the cliff…houses farther
down the path。 He was sleeping peacefully； his coat under
his head and his face turned toward the wall。
Thea； too； was drowsy； and lay looking through half…
closed eyes up at the blazing blue arch over the rim of the
canyon。 She was thinking of nothing at all。 Her mind； like
her body； was full of warmth； lassitude； physical content。
Suddenly an eagle； tawny and of great size； sailed over the
cleft in which she lay； across the arch of sky。 He dropped
for a moment into the gulf between the walls； then wheeled；
and mounted until his plumage was so steeped in light that
he looked like a golden bird。 He swept on； following the
course of the canyon a little way and then disappearing
beyond the rim。 Thea sprang to her feet as if she had been
thrown up from the rock by volcanic action。 She stood
rigid on the edge of the stone shelf； straining her eyes after
that strong； tawny flight。 O eagle of eagles！ Endeavor；
achievement； desire； glorious striving of human art！ From
a cleft in the heart of the world she saluted it。 。 。 。 It had
come all the way； when men lived in caves； it was there。
A vanished race； but along the trails； in the stream； under
the spreading cactus； there still glittered in the sun the
bits of their frail clay vessels； fragments of their desire。
VII
FROM the day of Fred's arrival； he and Thea were
unceasingly active。 They took long rides into the
Navajo pine forests； bought turquoises and silver brace…
lets from the wandering Indian herdsmen； and rode twenty
miles to Flagstaff upon the slightest pretext。 Thea had
never felt this pleasant excitement about any man before；
and she found herself trying very hard to please young
Ottenburg。 She was never tired； never dull。 There was
a zest about waking up in the morning and dressing； about
walking； riding； even about sleep。
One morning when Thea came out from her room at
seven o'clock； she found Henry and Fred on the porch；
looking up at the sky。 The day was already hot and there
was no breeze。 The sun was shining； but heavy brown
clouds were hanging in the west； like the smoke of a for…
est fire。 She and Fred had meant to ride to Flagstaff that
morning； but Biltmer advised against it； foretelling a
storm。 After breakfast they lingered about the house；
waiting for the weather to make up its mind。 Fred had
brought his guitar； and as they had the dining…room to
themselves； he made Thea go over some songs with him。
They got interested and kept it up until Mrs。 Biltmer
came to set the table for dinner。 Ottenburg knew some of
the Mexican things Spanish Johnny used to sing。 Thea
had never before happened to tell him about Spanish
Johnny； and he seemed more interested in Johnny than
in Dr。 Archie or Wunsch。
After dinner they were too restless to endure the ranch
house any longer； and ran away to the canyon to practice
with single…sticks。 Fred carried a slicker and a sweater； and
he made Thea wear one of the rubber hats that hung in
Biltmer's gun…room。 As they crossed the pasture land the
clumsy slicker kept catching in the lacings of his leggings。
〃Why don't you drop that thing？〃 Thea asked。 〃I
won't mind a shower。 I've been wet before。〃
〃No use taking chances。〃
From the canyon they were unable to watch the sky；
since only a strip of the zenith was visible。 The flat ledge
about the watch…tower was the only level spot large enough
for single…stick exercise； and they were still practicing there
when； at about four o'clock； a tremendous roll of thunder
echoed between the cliffs and the atmosphere suddenly
became thick。
Fred thrust the sticks in a cleft in the rock。 〃We're in
for it； Thea。 Better make for your cave where there are
blankets。〃 He caught her elbow and hurried her along the
path bef