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The Trail to Yesterday
The Trail to Yesterday

Chapter VI

Chapter 6 of The Trail to Yesterday is here in full — 95 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Trail to Yesterday
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.
"So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.
"That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.
"He has been and still is.
And now I'm willing him to you.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Trail to Yesterday

Chapter VI

Chapter 6 of The Trail to Yesterday is here in full — 95 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.
Line 2
"So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.
Line 3
"That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.
Line 4
"He has been and still is.
/hiː hæz bɪn ənd stɪl ɪz/
Line 5
And now I'm willing him to you.

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.

appraising adjective US /əˈpreɪzɪŋ/

exercising or involving careful evaluations

From this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

kindred adjective US /ˈkɪndrɪd/

similar in quality or character

From this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

profile noun US /ˈproʊfaɪl/

an analysis (often in graphical form) representing the extent to which something exhibits various characteristics

From this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

retaining verb US /rɪˈteɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “retain” — hold back within

From this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

rocking verb US /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

sleek adjective US /sliːk/

well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed

From this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

tanned adjective US /tænd/

(of skin) having a tan color from exposure to the sun

From this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

thorn noun US /θɔːrn/

something that causes irritation and annoyance

From this reading “"So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

KINDRED SPIRITS adjective + noun

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

arrived at verb + particle counted as “arrive at”

reach a destination, either real or abstract

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

two weeks noun + noun counted as “two week”

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

rocking chair noun + noun counted as “rock chair”

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

big rocking adjective + noun counted as “big rock”

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

from the East preposition + article + noun counted as “from … east”

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

at the station preposition + article + noun counted as “at … station”

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

rather more adverb + adjective

In this reading “KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading "That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "He has been and still is.

appraisingadjectiveUS /əˈpreɪzɪŋ/

exercising or involving careful evaluations

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

BennounUS /ben/

a mountain or tall hill

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

DavidnounUS /ˈdeɪvɪd/

patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

DoubleverbUS /ˈdʌbəl/

increase twofold

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

Doublernoun

an electronic device that doubles the voltage or the frequency of an input signal

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

Dowd

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

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

DuncannounUS /ˈdʌŋkən/

United States dancer and pioneer of modern dance (1878-1927)

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

EastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

evilnounUS /ˈiːvəl/

morally objectionable behavior

From this reading "That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

gallerynounUS /ˈɡæləri/

spectators at a golf or tennis match

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

I'm

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

From this reading And now I'm willing him to you.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "He has been and still is.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading "That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.

KINDREDadjectiveUS /ˈkɪndrɪd/

similar in quality or character

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

Langford

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

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

Lazette

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

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

LookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

lowerverbUS /ˈloʊər/

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

mentallyadverbUS /ˈmentəli/

in your mind

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading And now I'm willing him to you.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

profilenounUS /ˈproʊfaɪl/

an analysis (often in graphical form) representing the extent to which something exhibits various characteristics

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

questionedverbUS /ˈkwestʃənd/

past form of “question” — challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

ranchhouse

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

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

retainingverbUS /rɪˈteɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “retain” — hold back within

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading "That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.

rockingverbUS /ˈrɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “rock” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

ruggedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌɡəd/

sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

sleekadjectiveUS /sliːk/

well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading "That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.

smoothadjectiveUS /smuːð/

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/

with low volume

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

SPIRITSnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

stationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

tannedadjectiveUS /tænd/

(of skin) having a tan color from exposure to the sun

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

That's

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

From this reading "That's just it," returned Duncan, with an evil smile.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

thornnounUS /θɔːrn/

something that causes irritation and annoyance

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And now I'm willing him to you.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

weeksnounUS /wiːks/

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

willingadjectiveUS /ˈwɪlɪŋ/

disposed or inclined toward

From this reading And now I'm willing him to you.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading KINDRED SPIRITS Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks before, his face tanned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the East, David Dowd Langford sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R ranchhouse, mentally appraising Duncan, who was seated near by, his profile toward Langford.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And now I'm willing him to you.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "So this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?" questioned Langford softly.

Chapter 6 of The Trail to Yesterday by Charles Alden Seltzer holds 95 sentences, grouped into 19 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, 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 6 of The Trail to Yesterday contain?

Chapter 6 holds 95 sentences of The Trail to Yesterday, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of The Trail to Yesterday by Charles Alden Seltzer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 95 sentences, grouped into 19 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 6 of The Trail to Yesterday?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Trail to Yesterday

Common questions about reading The Trail to Yesterday by Charles Alden Seltzer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Trail to Yesterday?

Yes. All 3805 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27051 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Trail to Yesterday is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #27051, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Trail to Yesterday take to read?

About 317 minutes of reading across 761 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Trail to Yesterday section by section

How to work through The Trail to Yesterday section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of The Trail to Yesterday 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 Trail to Yesterday

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Trail to Yesterday, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Disquieting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail to Yesterday; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thoughts
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail to Yesterday; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Oppressed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail to Yesterday; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sheila
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail to Yesterday; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.