In the Sierra 



of it, scattering sparks and coals, so that 

 I had to keep well back to avoid being 

 burned. But the big resiny roots and knots 

 of the dwarf pine could neither be beaten 

 out nor blown away, and the flames, now 

 rushing up in long lances, now flattened 

 and twisted on the rocky ground, roared 

 as if trying to tell the storm stories of the 

 trees they belonged to, as the light given 

 out was telling the story of the sunshine 

 they had gathered in centuries of summers. 

 The stars shone clear in the strip of sky 

 between the huge dark cliffs ; and as I lay 

 recalling the lessons of the day, suddenly 

 the full moon looked down over the canon 

 wall, her face apparently filled with eager 

 concern, which had a startling effect, as if 

 she had left her place in the sky and had 

 come down to gaze on me alone, like a 

 person entering one's bedroom. It was hard 

 to realize that she was in her place in the 

 sky, and was looking abroad on half the 

 globe, land and sea, mountains, plains, lakes, 



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