Transcriber's note: Italics text is denoted by _underscores_. [Illustration] THE AWAKENING OF THE DESERT THE AWAKENING OF THE DESERT BY JULIUS C. BIRGE _With Illustrations_ [Illustration] RICHARD G. BADGER THE GORHAM PRESS BOSTON _Copyright 1912 by Richard G. Badger_ _All Rights Reserved_ _The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A_. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I A Call to the Wilderness 11 II "Roll Out" 18 III The Advancing Wave of Civilization 24 IV A River Town of the Day 38 V Our Introduction to the Great Plains 52 VI The Oregon Trail 64 VII Society in the Wilderness 76 VIII Jack Morrow's Ranch 88 IX Men of the Western Twilight 102 X Dan, the Doctor 118 XI Fording the Platte in High Water 133 XII The Phantom Liar of Greasewood Desert 142 XIII The Mystery of Scott's Bluffs 156 XIV The Peace Pipe at Laramie 167 XV Red Cloud on the War Path 186 XVI The Mormon Trail 196 XVII Wild Midnight Revelry in the Caspar Hills 211 XVIII A Night at Red Buttes 223 XIX Camp Fire Yarns at Three Crossings 237 XX A Spectacular Buffalo Chase 252 XXI The Parting of the Ways 267 XXII The Banditti of Ham's Fork 281 XXIII Through the Wasatch Mountains 290 XXIV Why a Fair City Arose in a Desert 303 XXV Some Inside Glimpses of Mormon Affairs 324 XXVI Mormon Homes and Social Life 342 XXVII The Boarding House Train 359 XXVIII Some Episodes in Stock Hunting 380 XXIX Adventures of an Amateur Detective 393 XXX The Overland Stage Line 409 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Trail Through Salt Lake Desert Frontispiece Facing page Elk 16 Wild Cat 48