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the moment prove。 Our nerves responded to it automatically。 We
became excited； keyed to a high tension； and so lay rigid on our backs； as
though fighting out the battles of our souls。
It was all so unreal and yet so plain to our senses that perforce
automatically our experience had to conclude it psychical。 We were in
air absolutely still。 Yet above us the trees writhed and twisted and turned
and bent and struck back； evidently in the power of a mighty force。
Across the calm heavens the murk of flying atmosphereI have always
maintained that if you looked closely enough you could SEE the windthe
dim； hardly…made…out； fine debris fleeing high in the air；these faintly
hinted at intense movement rushing down through space。 A roar of
sound filled the hollow of the sky。 Occasionally it intermitted； falling
abruptly in volume like the mysterious rare hushings of a rapid stream。
Then the familiar noises of a summer night became audible for the briefest
instant；a horse sneezed； an owl hooted； the wild call of birds came down
the wind。 And with a howl the legions of good and evil took up their
warring。 It was too real； and yet it was not reconcilable with the calm of
our resting…places。
For hours we lay thus in all the intensity of an inner storm and stress；
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which it seemed could not fail to develop us； to mould us； to age us； to
leave on us its scars； to bequeath us its peace or remorse or despair； as
would some great mysterious dark experience direct from the sources of
life。 And then abruptly we were exhausted； as we should have been by
too great emotion。 We fell asleep。 The morning dawned still and clear；
and garnished and set in order as though such things had never been。
Only our white towel fluttered like a flag of truce in the direction the
mighty elements had departed。
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XVI
THE VALLEY
Once upon a time I happened to be staying in a hotel room which had
originally been part of a suite； but which was then cut off from the others
by only a thin door through which sounds carried clearly。 It was about
eleven o'clock in the evening。 The occupants of that next room came
home。 I heard the door open and close。 Then the bed shrieked aloud as
somebody fell heavily upon it。 There breathed across the silence a deep
restful sigh。
〃Mary；〃 said a man's voice； 〃I'm mighty sorry I didn't join that
Association for Artificial Vacations。 They guarantee to get you just as
tired and just as mad in two days as you could by yourself in two weeks。〃
We thought of that one morning as we descended the Glacier Point
Trail in Yosemite。
The contrast we need not have made so sharp。 We might have taken
the regular wagon…road by way of Chinquapin； but we preferred to stick to
the trail； and so encountered our first sign of civilization within an
hundred yards of the brink。 It； the sign； was tourists。 They were male
and female； as the Lord had made them； but they had improved on that
idea since。 The women were freckled； hatted with alpines； in which
edelweissartificial； I think flowered in abundance； they sported
severely plain flannel shirts； bloomers of an aggressive and unnecessary
cut； and enormous square boots weighing pounds。 The men had on hats
just off the sunbonnet effect； pleated Norfolk jackets； bloomers ditto ditto
to the women； stockings whose tops rolled over innumerable times to help
out the size of that which they should have contained； and also enormous
square boots。 The female children they put in skin…tight blue overalls。
The male children they dressed in bloomers。 Why this should be I cannot
tell you。 All carried toy hatchets with a spike on one end built to
resemble the pictures of alpenstocks。
They looked business…like； trod with an assured air of veterans and a
seeming of experience more extended than it was possible to pack into any
one human life。 We stared at them； our eyes bulging out。 They
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painfully and evidently concealed a curiosity as to our pack…train。 We
wished them good…day； in order to see to what language heaven had fitted
their extraordinary ideas as regards raiment。 They inquired the way to
something or otherI think Sentinel Dome。 We had just arrived； so we
did not know； but in order to show a friendly spirit we blandly pointed out
A way。 It may have led to Sentinel Dome for all I know。 They departed
uttering thanks in human speech。
Now this particular bunch of tourists was evidently staying at the
Glacier Point； and so was fresh。 But in the course of that morning we
descended straight down a drop of； is it four thousand feet？ The trail was
steep and long and without water。 During the descent we passed first and
last probably twoscore of tourists； all on foot。 A good half of them were
delicate women；young； middle…aged； a few gray… haired and evidently
upwards of sixty。 There were also old men； and fat men； and men
otherwise out of condition。 Probably nine out of ten； counting in the
entire outfit； were utterly unaccustomed； when at home where grow street…
cars and hansoms； to even the mildest sort of exercise。 They had come
into the Valley； whose floor is over four thousand feet up； without the
slightest physical preparation for the altitude。 They had submitted to the
fatigue of a long and dusty stage journey。 And then they had merrily
whooped it up at a gait which would have appalled seasoned old stagers
like ourselves。 Those blessed lunatics seemed positively unhappy unless
they climbed up to some new point