Read the excerpt from "a century ride."

slowly and dreamily she pushed the wheel up the road, sometimes standing for a moment with her left hand on the rough rails of the fence, and her eyes closed in involuntary slumber. The early morning wakened, the air was full of the song of larks. The sunlight touched her wan cheeks and glistened from the tears of weariness that gathered in her haggard eyes. Her pretty lips were drawn and pale, dust clung to her little hat, and lay thick on her golden curls.

which word from the excerpt best defines "wan"?

Pale should be the correct answer.

Pale.

Explanation:

Grace E. Denison's "A Century Ride" is a short story about the protagonist Maude Mannering's decision to ride out fifty miles to and fro to get a doctor for Carr. In order to get the best doctor treatment for the fractured limb.

"Wan" is another word for something or anything that appears pale in color, appearance. It shows the tired / weak appearance of the individual. So, the use of the word "wan" in the story also means "pale". This passage from the question is from the end passage of the short story, where Maudie had returned tired and drained from all the riding to get the doctor. She had ridden a century ride - fifty miles to the doctor's place and another fifty from it.