‘ ‘ ‘  Edwin, walking at a brisk pace, felt he had now as much time as he needed to think things through. Regain some peace of mind.’  Time to bring his life that had become so besirk back to some sort of equanimity. It saddened him terribly that his marriage to Maureen, so wonderfully begun had soured.’ ‘ ‘  ‘œHow could I have known that Maureen would not be abole to cope with my absences?’
‘ ‘ ‘  Their whirlwind courtship began after Jock’™s great party in Albion.’  Edwin had been bowled over by that small girl with hair the colour of freshly cut hay and the eyes of a summer sky.’  Had lost all sense of direction.’  Maureen, a common enough name had suddenly become music to him.’  She needed protection and love.’  Neither of them could have foreseen what was to happen to a love that had seemed so’  perfect.
‘ ‘ ‘  As life got into full swing, Maureens need for protection and Edwin’™s lack of presence were proving too much of a burden on their way of life.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI’™m a marketing man. Always was. Can’™t give up such a market and friends! Taken me fifteen years to’  build.’ Edwin supplied nearly a quarter of Idaho’™s farmers with their needs.’  His work required him to be days away from home.’  Maureen, had always needed the feeling of being loved and protected, had not wished for or known known independence.’  These periods of loneliness torment her.’  Taking care of a child and home on her own turned out to be unbearable.
‘ ‘ ‘  Edwin’™s absences left Maureen with a feeling of helplessness and frustration.’ ‘  That was just the start.’  Imperceptibly at first,’  jealousy set in.’  Jealousy of his many friends that he met on his rounds, among them not a few handsome women. A wedge was driven deep into their relationship.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œShe was not one to understand his need for an independent kind of life,’’  were Edwin’™s thoughts that went around and around as he walked.’  He realised that they were getting him nowhere.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œHe was definitely not prepared to give up what had taken so many years to build up -‘  an enviable relationship with so many’  farmers.’  They trusted him.’  They had not only come to rely on him for most if not all of their’  farm machinery and supplies but many had become his very good friends. He loved the variety that he had in his life.’  The out-doors had always been to him an important part of living.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œA good marriage also depends on a good income,’ had been one of his arguments to Maureen, but to no avail.’ ‘  ‘œDeen needs a father just as much as he needs a mother,’’  had been one of Maureen’™s pleas, knowing, however,’  deep within that there was no hope of change.’  Edwin knew himself to be steadfast and dependable, but her jealousy and loneliness had made life intolerable for each.’  A deep rift formed in their relationship.
‘ ‘ ‘  With divorce in the offing, he had decided to go on a hike.’  He needed to get away from it all.’  Clear his head. Still the turmoil.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  The’  hike was to take him the length of Idaho, from Albion in the south to Wallace in the north.’  This distance of some three hundred and fifty miles he intended to do in ten days.’ ‘  The route covered most of the territory he commonly travelled to his farmer friends.’  Motels, too, were not for him -‘  he would bivouac.
‘ ‘ ‘  Boise,’  about a hundred and fifty miles from his start,’  he had left behind some five hours back.’ ‘  The four days he had been already on the road had brought him no nearer to his normal zest for life and that feeling of an unfettered mind in a strong,’  well-functioning body.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  It was a cloudless June day.’  He was hot and he felt his blood pulsing.’  He enjoyed the strain and more than ever realised’  the importance to himself of’  open spaces; of travelling through, what he called,’  God’™s territory.
‘ ‘ ‘  He paid scant attention at the sound of a car coming up from behind.’  His curiosity did, however,’  get the better of him when the sound indicated that it was drawing up.’  The car slowed to walking pace keeping abreast of him.’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  Turning his head he smiled briefly as he recognised the face of an attractive, middle aged woman who drawled out of the open window, ‘œHey, Ed, what’™s all this about?’’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œWalking, Liz’.’ ‘  His not very illuminating answer he spoke looking straight ahead in a serious tone.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œNo need to say the obvious, Ed.’  Put your pack in the back and pop in.’  Have a coffee and a cookie.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œI’™m walking, Liz.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAw, shucks, Ed.’  I know you better’™n that.’  Somethin’™s eatin’™ ya. Rest your kit for a while.’  It’™ll do it, if not you, the world of good.’  No strings attached.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œGotta reach’  Wallace in six more days.’  Timing myself.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œEd,’  you ain’™t yourself and this ain’™t no Olympics.’  I need some’™n from you, anyway.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œTaken ten days leave,’  Liz.’  Gotta finish what I promised myself.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œYou’™ll lose only two miles.’  What’™s two miles in the walk of a lifetime?’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œLiz, I’™ll grant you – I may be tough but you’™re tougher.’’  Edwin said this as he turned and began across the road towards the car.’  He loosened his pack and removed it from his broad shoulders.’  As he did so, Elizabeth had stopped and was standing by the open boot. They exchanged glances.’ ‘  Edwin dropped his pack inside.’  Stepping to the nearside door,’  he got in.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œBetcha this has something to do with Maureen.’’  Elizabeth’™s words struck home like arrows, each one a bull.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œYou’™ve told me often enough of her complaints but I never thought it would get so bad.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œNor did I, Liz.’  We just can’™t hit it off unless I quit this job – and this job has become as much a part of my life as Maureen and Deen.’  He’™s a great kid Liz, and for him it’™s all pain.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAw, Shucks,’ she repeated a favourite phrase.’  ‘œThat’™s bad, Ed an’™ I’™m downright sorry.’’  She turned into her driveway and drove up to a typical farm house surrounded by cottonwoods and Douglas firs.’  ‘œMaybe this tramp will do you good after all,’  Ed.’  Get your thinking straitened out a bit.’  You know too well that I got into a similar mess myself.’  But Harry turned out to be a real no good.’  And I’™ve nothing to show for those six years.’  Trouble is, Ed, we’™re too hot blooded when we’™re young.’  No sense.’  We grow up a bit and then it’™s too late.’  We find we’™ve built ourselves a mess instead of a nest.’  For all their bird brain, maybe the birds got it better than we.’
‘ ‘ ‘  As much as Edwin knew Elizabeth, this had been the longest speech he’™d ever heard her make.’  He had always admired her for her independent spirit.’  On her own now for over two years,’  Edwin had never heard her complain and she managed the large farm very well with hired hands.’  To Edwin she looked now very attractive.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œMaybe they have,’’  he answered Liz briefly.’  Edwin placed his coffee’  mug back on the table with a contented sigh.’  ‘œGot to be going Liz, ‘œ Edwin now remarked, rising from the table.’ ‘  ‘œWallace is still a long way off.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œGuess so, Ed.’  Hope the walk will clear your thinking.’  And, if you got your book with you,’  make a note for a new Deering One- forty.’  The old one is pull’™n the plug on me.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œSure Liz.’  Will do.’’  Edwin glanced at Elizabeth,’  admiration apparent.
‘ ‘ ‘  Elizabeth opened the boot’  and held up his pack for him.’  Edwin slipped his arms comfortably through the straps.
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œB’™seein’™ ya, Liz.’  Thanks for the coffee.’
‘ ‘ ‘  ‘œAw shucks,’  Ed.’’ 
‘ ‘ ‘  Her words followed Edwin as he turned and began walking, his well built body carrying the heavy pack as though it were not there.’  Reaching the end of the track,’  he turned north on the main road.’  Edwin glanced over his shoulder’  briefly at Liz’™s place.’ ‘  He made out her form in her dungarees still standing on the porch watching.’  She waved.’  Edwin waved back as he set his stride to a pace that he could keep up almost indefinitely.