XII MISS STEWART RECEIVES A CALLER 89 XIII THE COMING OF THE RAILROAD 97 XIV THE ADMINISTRATING ANGEL 107 XV OH, MY JEAN 115 XVI "BILL" PRESCOTT PROPOSES 123 XVII HARVEST TIME AND WHAT CAME WITH IT 131 EPOCH THE SECOND I REGARDING THE INTERMARRIAGE OF RACES 143 II WHICH? 153 III MEMORIES--N. JUSTINE MCCARTHY 159 IV ORLEAN 174 V A PROPOSAL: A PROPOSITION; A CERTAIN MRS. PRUITT--AND A LETTER 186 VI THE PRAIRIE FIRE 190 VII VANITY 196 VIII MARRIED 207 IX ORLEAN RECEIVES A LETTER AND ADVICE 212 X EUGENE CROOK 221 XI REVEREND MCCARTHY PAYS A VISIT 227 XII REVEREND MCCARTHY DECIDES TO SET BAPTISTE RIGHT, BUT-- 234 XIII THE WOLF 240 XIV THE CONTEST 247 XV COMPROMISED 252 XVI THE EVIL GENIUS 259 XVII THE COWARD 267 EPOCH THE THIRD I CHICAGO--THE BOOMERANG 279 II THE GREAT QUESTION 284 III GLAVIS MAKES A PROMISE 294 IV THE GAMBLER'S STORY 299 V THE PREACHER'S EVIL INFLUENCE 305 VI MORE OF THE PREACHER'S WORK 311 VII A GREAT ASTRONOMER 317 VIII N. JUSTINE MCCARTHY PREACHES A SERMON 325 IX WHAT THE PEOPLE WERE SAYING 332 X "UNTIL THEN" 339 XI "IT'S THE WRONG NUMBER" 346 XII MRS. PRUITT EFFECTS A PLAN 354 XIII MRS. MERLEY 363 XIV "OH, MERCIFUL GOD! CLOSE THOU MINE EYES!" 369 XV "LOVE YOU--GOD, I HATE YOU!" 376 XVI A STRANGE DREAM 385 EPOCH THE FOURTH I THE DROUGHT 395 II THE FORECLOSURE 400 III IRENE GREY 407 IV WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 414 V "TELL ME WHY YOU DIDN'T ANSWER THE LAST LETTER I WROTE YOU" 421 VI THE STORY 427 VII HER BIRTHRIGHT "FOR A MESS OF POTTAGE" 436 VIII ACTION 440 IX GOSSIP 446 X A DISCOVERY--AND A SURPRISE 456 XI THE BISHOP'S INQUISITION 464 XII THE BISHOP ACTS 479 XIII WHERE THE WEAK MUST BE STRONG 482 XIV THE TRIAL--THE LIE--"AS GUILTY AS HELL!" 488 XV GRIM JUSTICE 495 XVI A FRIEND 502 XVII THE MYSTERY 508 XVIII "VENGEANCE IS MINE. I WILL REPAY" 515 XIX WHEN THE TRUTH BECAME KNOWN 523 XX AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING 529 ILLUSTRATIONS "Something happened and I was strangely glad and came here because I--I just _had_ to see you, Jean" _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE He was young, The Homesteader--just passed twenty-two--and vigorous, strong, healthy and courageous 22 He raised on an elbow and looked into her face while she staggered forward in great surprise 35