Itcertainlywasveryrough——amereshellofunpaintedboardsthatscarcelyroseabovethelevelofthesurroundinggrain，andafewyardsdistantwasinvisible。Itsslightlyslopingroof，alreadywarpedandshrunkenintolongfissuresthatpermittedglimpsesofthesteel-blueskyabove，wasevidentlyintendedonlyasashelterfromthecloudlesssuninthosetwomonthsofrainlessdaysanddewlessnightswhenitwasinhabited。Throughtheopendoorsandwindowsshecouldseearowof\"bunks，\"orrudesleepingberthsagainstthewalls，furnishedwithcoarsemattressesandblankets。
Astheyounggirlhalted，themanwithaninstinctofdelicacyhurriedforward，enteredtheshanty，anddraggingarudebenchtothedoorway，placeditsothatshecouldsitbeneaththeshadeoftheroof，yetwithherbacktothesedomesticrevelations。Twoorthreemen，whohadbeenapparentlyloungingthere，rosequietly，andunobtrusivelywithdrew。Herguidebroughtheratincupofdeliciouslycoolwater，exchangedafewhurriedwordswithhiscompanions，andthendisappearedwiththem，leavingheralone。
Herfirstsenseofrelieffromtheircompanywas，Ifear，strongerthananyotherfeeling。Afterahurriedglancearoundthedesertedapartment，shearose，shookoutherdressandmantle，andthengoingintothedarkestcornersupportedherselfwithonehandagainstthewallwhilewiththeothershedrewoff，onebyone，herslippersfromherslim，striped-stockingedfeet，shookandblewoutthedustthathadpenetratedwithin，andputthemonagain。Then，perceivingatriangularfragmentoflooking-glassnailedagainstthewall，shesettledthestringsofherbonnetbytheaidofitsreflection，pattedthefringeofbrownhaironherforeheadwithherseparatedfivefingersasifplayinganimaginarytuneonherbrow，andcamebackwithmaidenlyabstractiontothedoorway。
Everythingwasquiet，andherseclusionseemedunbroken。Asmileplayedforaninstantinthesoftshadowsofhereyesandmouthassherecalledtheabruptwithdrawalofthemen。Thenhermouthstraightenedandherbrowsslightlybent。Itwascertainlyveryunmannerlyinthemtogooffinthatway。\"Goodheavens!couldn\'ttheyhavestayedaroundwithouttalking?Surelyitdidn\'trequirefourmentogoandbringupthatwagon!\"Shepickedupherparasolfromthebenchwithanimpatientlittlejerk。Thensheheldoutherunglovedhandintothehotsunshinebeyondthedoorwiththegestureshewouldhaveusedhaditbeenraining，andwithdrewitasquickly——herhandquitescorchedintheburningrays。Nevertheless，afteranotherimpatientpauseshedesperatelyputupherparasolandsteppedfromtheshanty。
Presentlyshewasconsciousofafaintsoundofhammeringnotfaraway。Perhapstherewasanothershed，buthidden，likeeverythingelse，inthismonotonous，ridiculousgrain。Somestalks，however，weretroddendownandbrokenaroundtheshanty；shecouldmovemoreeasilyandseewhereshewasgoing。Toherdelight，afewstepsfurtherbroughtherintoacurrentofthetrade-windandacooleratmosphere。Andashortdistancebeyondthem，certainly，wastheshedfromwhichthehammeringproceeded。Sheapproacheditboldly。