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The Light of the Western Stars
The Light of the Western Stars

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Light of the Western Stars is here in full — 235 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Warm clotheshot drinks and grubwarm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.
Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.
Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.
Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.
Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet restall drifted away.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Light of the Western Stars

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Light of the Western Stars is here in full — 235 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Warm clotheshot drinks and grubwarm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.
Line 2
Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.
Line 3
Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.
Line 4
Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.
Line 5
Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horseshoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet restall drifted away.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

aches noun US /eɪks/

plural of “ache” — a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain

From this reading “Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.”

alleviate verb US /əˈliːvieɪt/

provide physical relief, as from pain

From this reading “Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.”

coyote noun US /kaɪˈoʊti/

small wolf native to western North America

From this reading “Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.”

coyotes noun US /kaɪˈoʊtis/

plural of “coyote” — small wolf native to western North America

From this reading “Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.”

howls noun US /haʊlz/

plural of “howl” — a long loud emotional utterance

From this reading “Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.”

serenade noun US /ˌserəˈneɪd/

a musical composition in several movements; has no fixed form

From this reading “Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.”

Stewart's noun US /ˈstuːərts/

possessive form of “stewart” — United States film actor who portrayed incorruptible but modest heros (1908-1997)

thump verb US /θʌmp/

move rhythmically

From this reading “Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.”

All words in this reading · 100

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

achesnounUS /eɪks/

plural of “ache” — a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

alleviateverbUS /əˈliːvieɪt/

provide physical relief, as from pain

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

blanketsnounUS /ˈblæŋkəts/

plural of “blanket” — bedding that keeps a person warm in bed

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

campnounUS /kæmp/

temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/

a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/

clothing in general

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

coyotenounUS /kaɪˈoʊti/

small wolf native to western North America

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

coyotesnounUS /kaɪˈoʊtis/

plural of “coyote” — small wolf native to western North America

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

DarknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

drinksnounUS /drɪŋks/

plural of “drink” — a single serving of a beverage

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/

coming down freely under the influence of gravity

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

eyelidsnounUS /ˈaɪlɪdz/

plural of “eyelid” — either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/

having lost freshness or brilliance of color

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

fatiguenounUS /fəˈtiːɡ/

temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

feminineadjectiveUS /ˈfemənən/

associated with women and not with men

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

flickeringadjectiveUS /ˈflɪkərɪŋ/

shining unsteadily

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

FlorencenounUS /ˈflɔːrəns/

a city in central Italy on the Arno; provincial capital of Tuscany; center of the Italian Renaissance from 14th to 16th centuries

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

gratefuladjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtfəl/

feeling or showing gratitude

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

grubnounUS /ɡrʌb/

informal terms for a meal

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

guestsnounUS /ɡests/

plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

helpingnounUS /ˈhelpɪŋ/

an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

hoofsnounUS /hʊfs/

plural of “hoof” — the foot of an ungulate mammal

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

hotadjectiveUS /hɑːt/

used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

howlsnounUS /haʊlz/

plural of “howl” — a long loud emotional utterance

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

laughedverbUS /læft/

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

Madeline

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

Madeline's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

MexicannounUS /ˈmeksəkən/

a native or inhabitant of Mexico

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

NeitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

packedadjectiveUS /pækt/

extremely crowed or filled to capacity

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

painsnounUS /peɪnz/

an effortful attempt to attain a goal

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

rangverbUS /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

roarverbUS /rɔːr/

make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

sardine-like

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

serenadenounUS /ˌserəˈneɪd/

a musical composition in several movements; has no fixed form

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

sharpadjectiveUS /ʃɑːrp/

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

sighsnounUS /saɪz/

plural of “sigh” — an utterance made by exhaling audibly

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

Stewart'snounUS /ˈstuːərts/

possessive form of “stewart” — United States film actor who portrayed incorruptible but modest heros (1908-1997)

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

strangenessnounUS /ˈstreɪndʒnəs/

unusualness as a consequence of not being well known

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

stretchingnounUS /ˈstretʃɪŋ/

act of expanding by lengthening or widening

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

thumpverbUS /θʌmp/

move rhythmically

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

twiceadverbUS /twaɪs/

two times

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Neither fatigue nor pains, however, nor the strangeness of being packed sardine-like under canvas, nor the howls of coyotes, kept Madeline’s guests from stretching out with long, grateful sighs, and one by one dropping into deep slumber.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

voicesnounUS /ˈvɔɪsəz/

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

WarmadjectiveUS /wɔːrm/

having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat

From this reading “Warm clothes—hot drinks and grub—warm blankets,” rang out Stewart’s sharp order.

warmthnounUS /wɔːrmθ/

the sensation caused by heat energy

From this reading Darkness and roar of camp life, low voices of men, thump of horses’ hoofs, coyote serenade, the sense of warmth and sweet rest—all drifted away.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/

temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading Madeline whispered a little to Florence, and laughed with her once or twice, and then the light flickering on the canvas faded and her eyelids closed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Then, with Florence helping the Mexican women, it was not long until Madeline and the feminine side of the party were comfortable, except for the weariness and aches that only rest and sleep could alleviate.

Chapter 26 of The Light of the Western Stars by Zane Grey holds 235 sentences, grouped into 47 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 26 of The Light of the Western Stars contain?

Chapter 26 holds 235 sentences of The Light of the Western Stars, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of The Light of the Western Stars by Zane Grey exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 235 sentences, grouped into 47 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 26 of The Light of the Western Stars?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 26 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Light of the Western Stars

Common questions about reading The Light of the Western Stars by Zane Grey on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Light of the Western Stars?

Yes. All 9623 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1095 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Light of the Western Stars is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1095, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Light of the Western Stars take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1925 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Light of the Western Stars section by section

How to work through The Light of the Western Stars section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Light of the Western Stars to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Light of the Western Stars

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Light of the Western Stars, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Madeline
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Light of the Western Stars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hammond
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Light of the Western Stars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stepped
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Light of the Western Stars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Train
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Light of the Western Stars; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.