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NicholasSynovic
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gasp my son he said gravely i once was called on and failed i have regretted it all my life though happily the consequences were not as fatal as i had at one time apprehended if every generation did not improve on the follies and weaknesses of those that have gone before there would be no advance in the world i want you to be wiser and stronger than i s chance of revenge came sooner than he expected not long after he got out of doors again he was on his way down to the lake where he was learning to swim when a number of boys whom he passed began to at him in their midst was the boy who had crossed the ocean with him he was setting the others on the cry that came to was s driver driver sometimes fortune chance or whatever may be the deity of occurrence places our weapons right to hand what would david have done had there not been a stony brook between him and that day y just as with burning face turned to defy his a pile of small stones lay at his feet it looked like providence he could not row a boat but he could fling a stone like young david in a moment he was sending stones up the hill with such rapidity that the group above him were thrown into confusion then fell into an error of more noted seizing a supply of he charged straight up the hill though the group had broken at the sudden assault by the time he reached the hill top they had rallied and while he was out of they made a charge on him he went down the hill like the wind while his broke after him with shouts of triumph as he reached the stone pile he turned and made a stand which brought them to a momentary stop just then a shout arose below him turned to see rushing up the hill toward him he was picking up stones as he ran heard him call out something but he did not wait for his words here was his arch enemy his conqueror and here at least he was his equal without wasting further time with those above him sprang toward his new and himself hurled his heaviest stone fortunately had been reared in the country and knew how to as well as to throw a stone or his days might have ended then and there hold on don t throw i he shouted j i am coming to help you and without waiting he sent a stone far over s head at the party on the height above who was x himself for another shot paused amazed in the midst of his aim open mouthed and wide eyed come on cried you and i together can them i the way and we wiu get above them so saying he dashed down a side alley at his heels and by making a they came out a few minutes later on hill above their enemies who were rejoicing in their easy victory and catching them unprepared them and scattered them in an instant finding himself defeated promptly surrendered and offered to on their side however had no idea of letting him off so easy i am going to take you prisoner but not until i have given you a good kicking you know better than to take sides against an american he is a rebel said he is an american said and he forthwith proceeded to make good his word and to do it in such honest style that after first taking it as a joke got angry and ran away howling gk was doubtful as to the wisdom of this severity he will tell he said let him said contemptuously he knows what he will get if he does i was at school with him last year and i am going to school with him again i will teach him to fight with any one else against an american i this episode made the two boys closer than they would have been in a year of peace his mission fruitless asked leave to return home immediately so that saw little more of his former foe and new ally a few days before their departure passing along a road came on a group of three persons two children and a french with much hair very black eyes and a small waist one of the children was a very little girl richly dressed in a white frock with a blue that almost covered it with big brown eyes and the child was a ragged girl several years older with tangled hair gray eyes and the ruddy cheeks so often seen in children of her class the was s in a state of great excitement and was talking french so fast that it was a wonder any tongue could utter the words the little girl of the fine frock and brown eyes was clutching to her bosom with a defiant air a large doll which the was trying to get from her while the other child stood by looking first toward one of them and then toward the other with an expression divided between timidity and eagerness a big picture of a with a gay frock and red shoes in a advertisement on a sign board had something to do with the trouble now the girl drew nearer to the other child and danced a few steps holding out her hand now she cast a look over her shoulder down the hill as if to see that her retreat were not cut off d it s my doll i will have it insisted the little girl away and holding it firmly at which the began again almost tearing her hair in her though he ended by giving it a pat to see that it was all right the approach	46
of drew her attention to him oh she exclaimed in desperation st it e ble i young give de doll to creature i she is not a creature insisted the little girl mocking her her brown eyes flashing she ed for me and i will give it to i like her oh i what shall i do madame abuse me mamma will not mind it is m doll aunt gave it to me i can get a plenty more and i give it to her insisted the little girl again then suddenly gaining more courage she turned quickly and before the could stop her thrust the doll into the other child s arms here you have it the with a cry of rage made a spring for the child but too late the hands had clutched the doll and turning without a word of thanks the little creature sped down the road like a frightened animal her ragged frock fluttering behind her why she did not say thank you exclaimed the child in a disappointed tone looking after the retreating figure the broke out on her vehemently in french very mingling her of her charge her abuse of the little girl and her apprehension of madame never mind she does not know any better said the child s face brightened at this friendly encouragement she is a nasty little creature you shall not play with her cried the angrily she is not nasty i like her and i will play with her declared the child what is your name asked the boy much amused by such in so small a what is your name she looked up at him with her big brown eyes how do you do t she held out her hand how do you do she shook hands with him solemnly a day or two later as was passing through one of the streets in the lower part of the village he came upon a playing a tune than most of them usually gave a crowd of children had gathered in the street among them was a little girl who inspired by the music was dancing and keeping perfect time as she tripped back and forth and swayed on the tips of her bare toes her little ragged frock and kicking with quite the air of a she divided the honors with the dismal who ground s away at his organ and she brought a of admiration into his and face for he played for her the same over and over encouraging her with and she was enjoying her triumph quite as much as any who ever tripped it on a more ambitious stage recognized in the little the tangled haired child who had run away with the little doll a few days before n general becomes an ver when the war closed though it was not recognized at first the old civilization of the south passed away fragments of the structure that had once risen so mr and imposing still stood for a time even after the foundations were a here a tower there but in time they followed the general overthrow and gradually to their fall leaving only ruins and decay for a time it was hoped that tl e might be repaired and the old life be lived again general like many others though broken and wasted in body undertook to with borrowed money but with disastrous results the conditions were all against him three or four years to repair his fallen fortunes only plunged him deeper in debt general like most of his neighbors and friends found himself facing the fact that he was hopelessly as soon as he saw he could not pay his debts he stopped spending and his i see nothing ahead of me he wrote but greater ruin i am like a horse in a every effort i make but sinks me deeper some of his neighbors took the benefit of the which was passed to give relief general was urged to do likewise but he declined though i cannot pay my debts he said the least i general becomes an can do is to acknowledge that i owe them i am to appear even for a short time to be denying what i know to be a fact he gave up everything that he owned nothing that would bring in money when was sold it brought less than the debts on it the old plate with the coat of arms on it from which generations of guests had been served and which old the butler had saved during the war went for its weight in silver the library had been until little of it remained the old pictures some of them by the best artists which had been and stored elsewhere until after the war now went to the of the place for less than the price of their frames among them was the portrait of the man in the steel coat and hat who had the general s face what general felt during this transition no one i ever knew certainly his son did not know it and did not dream of it until later in life it was however not only in the south that fortunes were lost by the war as vast as was the increase of riches at the north among those who stayed at home it did not extend to those who took the field among these was a young officer named from a little town on the sunny slope that stretches from the to the captain having entered the army on the outbreak of the war like colonel rose to the rank of general and like general received a wound that him for service his wife was a southern woman and had died abroad just at the close of the war leaving him a little girl who was the idol of his heart he was interested in the south and	46
eyes then came a fit of and when it had passed his head after a few sank back general becomes an at a word from the doctor an attendant took the child oat of the room that evening the old doctor saw that the little girl was put to bed and that night he sat np alone with the body there were many others to relieve him but he declined them and kept his alone what memories were with him what thoughts attended him through those lonely hours who can tell i general went immediately to on hearing of s death he took with him thinking that he would help to comfort the little girl the boy had no idea how well he was to know the watering place in after years the child fell to his care and clung to him finally going to sleep in his arms while the arrangements were being made they moved for a day or two over to squire s the leading man of the region where the squire s a fresh girl of ten or twelve years took care of the little orphan and kept her interested the burial in accordance with a wish expressed by general took place in a comer of the little ground at which lay on a sunny overlooking the long slope to the the child walked after the holding fast to s hand while dr and general walked after them as soon as general could hear from miss he took the child to her but to the last said that she wanted to come with her soon afterwards it appeared that general s property had nearly all gone his plantation was sold several times wrote quaint little letters in a childish hand asking about the and and chickens that had been her friends but after a while the letters ceased to come when was sold the was a certain mr of new york the father of with whom had had the rock battle mr was a stout and good man of fifty with a head like a ball and a face that was both shrewd and kindly he had during the war made a fortune out of and was now preparing to increase it in the south where the mountain region filled with coal and iron lay virgin for the first comer with sufficient courage and to take it he found the new of the state an instrument well fitted to his hands it could be the had lately moved into a large new house on fifth avenue where fashion was climbing the hill toward the park in the to get above hill and possibly to look down upon the substantial and somewhat below whose doors it had sometimes been found difficult to enter mrs was from the same town from which the came and when a young and handsome girl having social had married when he was but a clerk in the house of son and be it said she had aided him materially in advancing his fortunes she was a handsome woman and her social had grown was her only child and was the joy and pride of her heart her ambition in him he should be the leader of the town as she felt his beauty and his entitled him to be it was with this aim that she induced her husband to build the fine new house on the avenue she knew the value of a large and handsome mansion in a fashionable quarter knew little of fashion but he knew the power of money and he had absolute confidence in his wife s ability he would furnish the means and leave the rest to her the house was built and furnished by contract and mrs took pride in the fact that it was much finer than the mansion on washington square and more expensive than the house of the which was one of the big houses on the avenue and had been the talk of the town when it was built ten becomes an years before will one of the said that it was a good thing that mr did not take the contract for himself mr having spent a considerable sum in planning and preparing his southern enterprise and having obtained a from the of the state that gave him power to do almost anything he wished suddenly found himself by the fact that the people in the mountain region which he wished to reach with his road were so bitterly opposed to any such that it his entire scheme from the richest man in that section an old cattle dealer and named to tim who drove the stage from to p they were all opposed to any notions and they regarded everything that came from carpet as robbery and corruption he learned that the most influential man down there was general and that his place was for sale i can reach him said mr with a gleam in his eye i will have a rope around his neck that will lead him so he bought the place fortunately perhaps for mr he hinted something of his intentions to his counsel a shrewd old lawyer of the state who thought that he could arrange the matter better than mr could you don t know how to deal with these old fellows ie said i know men said mr and i know that when i have a hold on a you don t know general said mr the in his eye impressed the other and he yielded mr bought the plantation and left it to esq to manage the business mr wrote general a letter of the south and of mr s interest in it and invited the general to remain on the place for the present as its manager general sat for some time over that letter his face as grave as it had ever been in battle what swept before his	46
mental vision who shall know the history of two years bound the to they had carved it from the forest and had held it against the indian from there they had gone to the highest office of the state love marriage all the of life were bound up with it he talked it over with s face fell why father you will be nothing but an general smiled remembered long afterwards with shame for his speech how wistful that smile was yes i shall be something more than that i shall be at least a faithful one i wish j could be as successful a one he wrote saying that as he had failed for himself he did not see how he could succeed for another but upon receiving a very flattering he accepted the offer thus the general remained as an employ on the estate which had been renowned for generations as the home of the and as agent for the new owner he the place with far greater energy and success than he had ever shown on his own account it was a bitter cup for to have his father act as aa but if it contained any bitterness for general he never gave the least evidence of it nor betrayed his feeling by the slightest sign when mr visited his new estate he admitted that mr knew better than he how to deal with general when he was met at the station by a tall gray haired gentleman who looked like something between a general and a he was inclined to be shy but when the gentleman grasped his hand and with a voice of unmistakable sincerity said he had driven out himself to meet him to welcome him among them he felt at home general becomes an it is like yourself to whom we must look for the preservation of our civilization said general and introduced him personally to every man he met as the gentleman who has bought my old not a carpet but a gentleman interested in the development of our country sir mr in fact was treated with a distinction to which he had been a stranger during his former visits south he liked it he felt quite like a southern gentleman and with one or two whom he met held himself a little once or twice the new owner of came down with parties of to look at the country they were interested in developing it and had been getting sundry acts passed by the with this in view general s nose always took a slight elevation when the was mentioned general entertained the visitors precisely as he had done when he was the master and mr and his guests treated him in the main as if he were still the master general sat at the foot of the table opposite mr and directed the servants who still called him master and obeyed him as such mr conceived a great regard for not with a certain contempt for his inability to avail himself of the new conditions fine old fellow he said to his friends no more business sense than a child if he had he would go in with us and make money for himself instead of telling us how to make it he did not know that general would not have gone in with him in the plan he had carried through that to save his life but he honored the old fellow all the more he had stood up for the against mrs who hated all on s account the old general who was as of this as a child was always sending mrs his regards perhaps she might like to come down and see the place he suggested it is not what it used to be but we can make her comfortable his glance as it swept about him was full of mr said he feared that mrs s health would not permit her to come south this is the very region for her said the general there is a fine health resort in the mountains a short distance from us i have been there and it is in charge of an old friend of mine dr one of the best doctors in the state he was my surgeon i can recommend him bring her down and let us see what we can do for her mr thanked him with a smile time had been when mrs had been content with small health but that time was past he did not tell general that mrs remembering the fight between her son and had consented to his buying the place from a not very noble motive and vowed that she would never set her foot on it so long as a remained there he only assured the general that he would convey his invitation mr s real interest however lay in the mountains to the westward and general gave him some valuable hints as to the lying in the ridge and the mountains beyond the i will give you letters to the leading men in that region he said the two most men up there are dr and squire they have like and lot about divided up the country mr s eyes he thanked him and said that he might call on him once there came near being a clash between mr and general when mr mentioned that he had invited a number of members of the gentlemen interested in the development of the resources of the state to meet him the becomes an face changed there was a little of the nose and a slight quivering of the nostrils a moment later he spoke i will have everything in readiness for for your guests but i must ask you to excuse me from meeting them mr turned to him in blank amazement why general the expression on the old gentleman s face answered him he knew	46
that at a word he should lose his agent and he had use for him he had plans that were far reaching and the general could be of great service to him when the arrived everything on the place was in order they were duly met at the station and were welcomed at the house by the owner everything for their entertainment was prepared even the fresh was in the on the old only the one who had made these preparations was absent just before the were to return from the railway general walked into the room where mr was lounging he was and for riding everything is in order for your guests sir richard will see that they are looked after these are the keys knows them all and is entirely i will ask you to excuse me for a day or two mr had been revolving in his mind what he should say to the old gentleman he had about decided to speak very plainly to him on the folly of such something however in the general s air again him a of the an unwonted firmness of the mouth a sudden increase in the resemblance to the man in over the mantel struck a mingled pride and gravity it removed him a hundred years from the present the keen eyed liked the general and in a way honored him greatly his old fashioned ideas entertained him so what he said was said kindly he regretted that the could not stay he would have liked him to know his friends they are not such bad fellows after all why one of them is a preacher he said as he walked to the door and a very bright fellow j is regarded as a man of great ability yes sir i have heard of him his doctrine is from the wicked bible he the not good morning and general bowed himself out when the guests arrived mr admitted to himself that they were a strange lot of he was rather relieved that the general had not remained when he looked about the table that evening after the were handed around and the champagne had followed he was still more glad the set of old richard s head and the of his nose were enough to face an old and hound in the presence of a pack of could not have been more the preacher he had mentioned mr j was one of the youngest members of the party and one of the most certainly one of the most and least abashed mr had to use his own expression plucked a feather from many wings and bathed his glistening in the light of many he had been something of a doctor then had become a preacher to quote him again not exactly of the gospel as it was understood by of a creed but rather the gospel of the new of the new the gospel of liberty equality now he had found his true that of st where he could practise what he had in the light of the sun of progress and shod with the of into a higher than he had yet attained all of which being translated meant that mr having failed in several professions was bent now on general becomes an himself by the of the ignorant followers whom he was into taking him as a leader mr had had some dealing with him and had him capable and ready for any job when he had been in the house an hour mr was delighted with him and mentally decided to secure him for his agent when he had been there a day mr mentally questioned whether he had not better drop him out of his schemes altogether one curious thing was that each guest secretly warned him against all the others the prices were much higher than mr had expected but they were subject to well richard what do you think of the gentlemen asked mr of the old servant much amused at his disdain what f why our guests he used the that the general used does you call t demanded the old servant fixing his eyes on him weu no don t think i do all of them nor ain t s i said richard with contempt i been bout sixty years i reckon an i never seen nobody like eat at de table an sleep in de beds in dis house when the were gone and general had returned old richard gave mr an exhibition of the manner in which a gentleman should be treated in the and the amid the ruins of is not an inspiring figure to us while we are young it is riding up the at the head of his that then us but as we grow older we see how much greater he was when seated amid the ruins he sent his scornful message to rome so when a boy thought being a gentleman a very easy and commonplace thing he had known gentlemen all his had been bred among them it was only later on after he got out into the world that he saw how fine and noble that old man was sitting unmoved amid the wreck not only of his life and fortunes but of his world was unable to raise even the small sum necessary to send the boy to college but among the of the old home still remained the relics of a once choice library and general became himself his son s it was a very irregular system of study but the boy without knowing it was in those pastures that remain ever fresh and green there was nothing that related to science in any form i know no more of science sir than an indian the general used to say the only i ever thought i knew were politics and war and i have failed in both	46
he knew very little of the at least of the modem world once at table was wishing that they had money the engineer and the squire my son said his father quietly there are some things that gentlemen never discuss at table money is one of them such were his old fashioned views it was fortunate for his son then that there came to the neighborhood about this time a small party sent down by mr to make a preliminary survey for a railroad line up into the country above s home the young engineer mr brought a letter to general from mr he had sent his son down with the young man and he asked that the general would look after him a little and would render mr any assistance in his power the tall young engineer with his clear eyes pleasant voice and ways immediately himself with both and the sight of the instruments and much more the appearance of the young chief his knowledge of the world and his dazzling authority as clad in and l i high yellow he day after day strode forth with his little party and ran his lines sending with a wave of his hand his to right or left across deep and over awakened new in s soul the talk of building great bridges of mighty and of mountains inspired the boy what was making his calculations from which to his laws or watching the stars from his tower t this young captain was and and all in one he made them live it was a new world for he suddenly awoke both the engineer and could well have spared one of the engineer s had fulfilled the promise of his boyhood and would have been very handsome but for an expression about the dark eyes which raised a question he was popular with girls but made few friends among men and he and mr had already gave some order which refused to obey turned on him a cold blue eye what did you say f i guess this is my father s party he s paying the freight and i guess i am his son i guess it s my party and you ll do what i say or go home said mr coldly your father has no son in this party i have a unless you are sick you do your part of the work submitted for reasons of his own but his eyes lowered and he did not forget mr the two soon fell out began to give orders about the place quite as if he were the master the not to mind what he said he has been spoiled a little but don t mind him an only child is at a great disadvantage he spoke as if were one of a dozen children but misunderstood the other s concession he resented the growing intimacy between and he had discovered that was most sensitive about the old plantation and he used his knowledge and when mr interposed it only gave the sport of a new point one morning when the three were together began what he probably meant for to laugh at for about his plantation you ought to have heard him mr how he used to blow about it i did not blow about it said flushing without looking up moved in his seat uneasily shut you bother me i am working but did not heed either this warning or the look on s face his game had now a double zest he could sting and worry i don t see why my old man was such a fool as to want such a old place for anyhow he said with a little laugh i am going to give it away when i get it the engineer and the squire s face and again and his eyes began to snap then it s the only thing you ever would give away said mr without raising his eyes from his work took heart why did you come down here if you feel that way about it because my old man me five thousand if i d come you didn t think i d come to this old place for no thin did not much not if he knew you said mr looking across at him if he knew you he d know you never did anything for nothing flushed i guess i do it about as often as you do i guess you struck my governor for a pretty big pile mr s face hardened and he fixed his eyes on him if i do i work for it honestly i don t make an agreement to work and then play old soldier on him i guess you would if you didn t have to work well i wouldn t said mr firmly and i don t want to hear any more about it if you won t work then i want you to let me work growled something under his breath about that mr was working to get miss and her pile but if mr heard him he took no notice of it and turned back to the boy meantime had been calculating five thousand dollars why it was a fortune it would have relieved his father and maybe have saved the place in his amazement he almost forgot his anger with the boy who could speak of such a sum so lightly gave him a keen glance what are you so about t he demanded i don t see that it s anything to you what i say about the place you don t own it i guess a man has a right to say what he chooses of his own gk wheeled on him with blazing eyes then turned around and walked abruptly away he could scarcely keep back his tears the other boy watched him and then turned to mr who was over	46
his papers i ll take him down a point or two he s always blowing about his blamed old place as if he stiu owned it he s worse than the old man who is always blowing about before the war and his grandfather and his old pictures i can buy better ancestors on for twenty dollars mr gathered up his papers and rose to his feet you could not make yourself as good a for a million he said his eye grimly on oh couldn t it well i guess i could i guess i am about as good as he is or you either well you can leave me out of the case said mr sharply i will tell you that you are not as good as he for he would never have said to you what you have said to him if your positions had been reversed i don t understand you i don t expect you do said mr he stalked away i can t stand that boy he makes me sick he said to himself if i hadn t promised his governor to make him stick i would shake him was still under mr s biting sarcasm when the three came together again he meant to be even with and he watched his opportunity was a connection of the and had been helped at college by s father which knew one of the girls in their set miss was a cousin of and was in love with her who could never see any one succeeding without wishing to him had of late begun to fancy himself in love with her also but mr he knew was s friend he knew that was mr s friend in a little affair which mr was having with one of the leading of the town miss the daughter of of company the engineer and the squire had received that day a letter from his mother which stated that s mother was making a set at for her daughter s jealousy was set on edge and he now began to talk about at the mention of his name and whose face still e a surly look pricked up his ears you need not always be up said to you would not be if i were to tell you what i know about him he is no better than anybody else oh he is better than some said mr gave an which drew s eyes on him you think so too i suppose he said well you needn t you need not be claiming to be such a friend of his he is not so much of a friend of yours i can tell you i have heard him say as many mean things about you as any one it was s opportunity he had been waiting for one i don t believe it i believe it s a lie he declared his face as he gathered himself together his eyes which had been burning had suddenly begun to blaze mr looked up he said nothing but his eyes began to sparkle a liar yourself retorted turning red reached for him take it back at the same moment sprang and caught him but not quite in time the tip of s fingers as he at just reached the latter s cheek and left a red mark there take it back he said again between his teeth as flung his arm around him for answer landed a straight blow in his face making his nose and his head ring take that gk struggled to get free but in vain with one arm swept back with the other he held in an iron grip keep off or i will let him go he said the boy ceased and looked up into the young man s face you had just as well let me go i am going to whip him he has told a lie on my friend who saved my life and he s hit me let me go he began to now look here boys said you have got to stop right here and make up i won t have this fighting let him go i can whip him said himself and adding an epithet was standing quite still i am going to fight him he said and whip him if he me i am going to fight him again until i do whip him mr s face wore a puzzled expression he looked down at the sturdy with its steady eyes tightly mouth and chin which had suddenly grown if i let you go will you promise not to fight i will promise not to fight him here if he will come out behind the barn said but if he don t i m going to fight him here i am going to fight him and i am going to whip him mr considered if i go out there with you and let you have two rounds will you make up and agree never to refer to the subject again yes said if i whip him said come along with me i will let you two boys try each other s for two rounds but remember you have got to stop when i call time so they came to a secluded spot where the two boys took off their coats you fellows had better make up now said mr standing above them good and kindly the and the squire i don t see what we are fighting about said take back what you said about demanded there is nothing to take back declared then take that said stepping forward and tapping him in the mouth with the back of his hand he had not expected the other boy to be so quick before he could put himself on guard had fired away and catching him right in the eye he sent him staggering back he was up again in a	46
that he didn t have any particular use for just then and it had come to him that maybe the general might be able to use it to advantage he didn t care anything about security or interest the general was perplexed he did not need it himself but he was glad to borrow enough to send gk to college for a year he sent gk up to old s with a letter the old man read the letter and then looked over he read it and looked him over again much as if he were a young steer well i didn t say i d lend it to you he said but maybe i ll do it if help the general in a young man is kind of it s like your money in a harry you don t know what he s goin to be all you has to go on is the frame and your fortunately for the old cattle dealer had a good opinion of his he went on but i admit blood counts for and i m half minded to adventure some on your blood laughed he would be glad to be tried on any account he said and would certainly repay the money well i b you will if you can said the squire and that s more than i can say of everybody i ll invest a money in your future and i want to say this to you that your future will depend on whether you pay it back or not i never seen a young man as didn t pay his debts come to any good in my life and i never seen one as at young men did as didn t seen many a man d shoot yon if yon dared to question his honor an wouldn t pay yon a dollar if he was with em he took out his and the strings carefully l to count out the i have to carry a pretty good pile to buy with he chuckled but i reckon you ll be a fair substitute for one or two how much do you want t i mean how little can you along told him the amount his father had suggested it was not a great sum that seems a heap of money to put in book said tne old man thoughtfully his eyes fixed on my whole didn t cost twenty five dollars with all that you d know enough to teach the ridge college who had figured it out began to give his necessary expenses when he had ed the old man counted out his bills said he would give him his note for it and his father would it the other shook his head no i don t want any bond i ll remember it and you ll remember it i ve known too many men think they d paid a debt when they d given their bond i don t want you to think that if you re goin to pay me you ll do it without a bond and if you ain t i ain t goin to sue you i m jest goin to think what a o you are so returned home and a few weeks later was deep into new mysteries s college life may be passed over he worked well for he felt that it was necessary to work looking around when he left college the only thing that appeared in sight for was to teach school to be sure the business the universal refuge of educated as his father quoted with a smile was already but gk heard of a school which up to this time had not been overwhelmed with there was a at the college finally poor after holding out as long as he could had laid down his arms as all soldiers must do sooner or later and applied for the position the old squire remembered the straight broad shouldered boy with his s eyes and also remembered the debt he owed him and with the vision of a stern faced man with eyes of flame riding quietly at the head of his men across a field he wrote to to come if he s got half of his in him he ll em out he said so became a school teacher i know no better advice to give you said general to on bidding him good by than to tell you to govern yourself and you will be able to govern them he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that his spirit than he that a city during the years in which was striving to obtain an education as best he might had gone to one of the first of the land it was the same college which was attending indeed s being there was the main reason that was sent there mr wished his son to have the best advantages mrs desired this too but she also had a motive she wished her son to both were young men of parts and as both had unlimited means at then disposal neither was obliged to study however had applied himself to secure one of the high class honors and as he was universally respected and very popular he was regarded as certain to have it until an unexpected suddenly appeared as a rival never took the trouble to for anything until he discovered that some one else valued two young men it it was a trait he had inherited from his mother who could never see any one possessing a thing without it the young man was soon known at college as one of the leaders of the gay set his furnished rooms his expensive and his acquaintance with were talked about and he soon had a reputation for being one of the wildest of his class your son will si end all the	46
money you can make for him said one of his friends to mr well said the father i hope he wiu have as much pleasure in spending it as i have had in making it that s au he not only gave all the money he suggested a need for but he offered him large in case he should secure any of the honors he had heard of as the of the work mrs was very eager for him to win this particular prize apart from her natural ambition she had a special reason the firm of son was one of the oldest and best known houses in the country the home of was known to be one of the most elegant in the city as it was the most exclusive and both mr and mrs were recognized as representatives of the old time gentry mrs might have endured the praise of the elegance of the mansion she had her own ideas as to house furnishing and the mansion was furnished in a style too quiet and to suit her more modem tastes if it was filled with old mahogany and hung with satin mrs had carved and gorgeous and as to those white marble and those books that were everywhere she much preferred her brilliant figures which she had bought in europe and books were a nuisance about a house they ought to be kept in a library as she kept in a carved case with glass doors the real cause of mrs s dislike of mrs lay er the elder lady had always been gracious to mrs when they met as she was gracious to every one and when a very large entertainment was given by her had invited mrs to it but mrs felt that mrs lived within a charmed circle and mrs was envious it must be said that needed no to in any way that did not require too much work he and were very good friends certainly thought so but at bottom was envious of s position and and deep in his heart a long standing grudge against the older boy to which was added of late a greater one and he fancied the same girl and was beginning to favor announced to his father that the class honor would be won if he would give him money enough and the elder delighted told him to draw on him for all the money he wanted this did promptly he suddenly gave up running away from college applied himself to the acquaintance of his fellow students spent his money in and for a time it appeared that he might the prize from s grasp college boys however are a curious folk the mind of youth is virtuous it is later on in life that it becomes sordid wrote his father that he had the prize and that his only rival had given up the fight mrs openly boasted of her son s success and of her motive and sent him money young s ambition however like that of many another man o itself drew about him many companions but they were mainly men of light weight and whilst the better class of his fellow students quickly awoke to a true of the case a new element was being introduced into college two young men x the of danger was enough to set the best element in the college to meet it at the moment when felt himself victor and abandoned himself to fresh a new and irresistible force unexpectedly arose which changed the fate of the day tried to stem the current but in vain it was a wave faced defeat and he could not stand it he suddenly abandoned college and went off it was said with a his father and mother did not know of it for some time after he had left mr received the first intimation of it in the shape of a which came to him from some distant i when mrs learned of it she fell into a rage and then took to her bed the of her hopes and of her ambition had come through the i she loved best on earth finally she became so ill that mr a order to his son to come home and after a reasonable time the young man his mother s joy at meeting him everything else with her and the prodigal was received by her with that forgiveness which is both the weakness and the strength of a mother s heart the father however had been struck as deeply as the mother his ambition if of a different kind had been quite as great as that of mrs and the hard headed keen sighted man who had spent his life fighting his way to the front often with little consideration for the rights of others felt that one of his motives and one of his rewards had perished together the interview that took place in his office between him and his son was one which left its visible stamp on the older man and for a time appeared to have had an effect even on the younger with all his insolence and selfishness when unlocked his private door and allowed his son and heir to go out the clerks in the outer office knew by the young man s face quite as well as by the of thunder which had come through the fast closed door that the old man had been giving the young one a piece of his mind at first the younger man had been inclined to rebel but for once in his life he found that he had passed the limit of license and his father whom he had rather despised as foolishly was unexpectedly his master he laid before with a power which the latter could not but acknowledge the selfishness and of his conduct since he was a boy he told him of his	46
learn em a good deal or they ll learn you them boys is pretty slow at the young man intimated that he thought he was equal to it well we ll see the old fellow with something very like a twinkle in his deep eyes not as they ll do you any harm without you undertake to interfere with them he but you re pretty young to manage em jest so you ain t quite big enough either and you re too big to in through the cat hole and i allow that you don t stand no particular show after the first week or so of into the house any other way i ll get in though and i won t go in through the either i ll promise you that if you ll sustain me oh i ll sustain you the squire i ll sustain you in anything you do except to em with slow and i ain t altogether sure that wouldn be jest all right s eyes snapped and presently as the older man s gaze rested on him his ed also so the compact was struck and the went on to give further information your hours will be as usual said he from seven to two and fo to six in summer and half past seven to two and three to five in winter and you ll find all the books necessary in the book we had to have em locked up to keep em away from the rats and the dirt some of em s right de faced but i reckon yon u on with em all right well those are pretty long hours said seems to me they had better be i them s the usual hours interrupted the old man positively i ve been now for goin on year an th ain t never been any change in em an i ain t see as they ve ever been too i never see as the scholars ever learned too much in em they ain t no longer than a man has to work in the field and the work s easier looked at the old man keenly it was his first battle and it had come on at once as his father had warned him the struggle was bitter if brief but he conquered himself the old s face had hardened if you want to give satisfaction you d better try to learn them scholars an not the he said the boys is hard but we re harder looked at him quickly his eyes were resting on him and had a little twinkle in them we re a little like the old fellow at told the young preacher at he d better stick to the sins of and jacob and david and peter an let the sins o that congregation alone i ll try and give you satisfaction said the squire pleased his face relaxed and his tone changed you won t have no trouble he said good not if you re like your father i told em you was his son an i d be responsible for you looked at him with softened eyes a mention of his always went to his heart i ll try and give you action he said earnestly will you do me a favor yes the ridge college will you come over to the examination of the school when it opens and then let me try the experiment of running it my way for say two months and then come to another examination f then if i do not satisfy you do anything you say fu go back to the old way done said the cordially and so won another victory and started the school under favorable adam asked him to come and live at his house you might give a few extra lessons to fit her for a bo din school he said i want her to have the best soon himself further with the old squire he broke his young horses for him drove his wagon mended his and was ready to turn his hand to anything that came up about the place as his confidence in the young man grew the squire let into a secret you mind when you come up here with that young man from the north that engineer fellow what come a of a railroad a through this country and was a goin to carry off all the coal from the top of the down to torment remembered well he was right continued the squire and i thought if all that money was a goin to be made and them had to come like he said jest as certain as water down a hill i might as well some of it i had a little or two up there before and a little money from my cattle lumber and i went in and bought a few more jest to kind of fill in like and s up and i m a it is about time to let the come in so if you kin your young man let him know i ve kind o changed my mind miss had grown up into a plump and pretty country girl of fifteen or sixteen whose rosy cheeks hair and eyes as well as the fact that she was the only of the old who was one of the men in all that country made her quite the of the region she had already made a deep impression on both big and his younger brother was secretly in love with her but was oi so a condition which he manifested by being as plainly and as hopelessly bound in her presence as a bear tangled in a net for her benefit he would show of strength which might have done credit to a boy but let her turn on him the glow of her countenance and he was a	46
hopeless mass of found her a somewhat difficult pupil to deal with she was much more intent on making an impression on him than on in her studies after the first shyness of her intercourse with the young teacher had worn off she began for a while rather to make eyes at him which if ever dreamed of he never gave the least sign of it she therefore soon abandoned the useless campaign and for a time held him in mingled awe and disdain the college was a simple log building of a single room with a small porch in front built of logs and inside on entering on his new duties found his position much easier than he had been led to expect whether it was the novelty of the young teacher s quiet manner clear eyes broad shoulders and assured bearing or the idea of the examination with which he undertook to begin the he had a week of surprising quiet the school filled day after day and even the noted boys from jacob the six foot senior down to who was the youngest and of the three appeared duly every morning and treated the young teacher with reasonable civility if with somewhat insolent familiarity the day of the examination squire attended the ridge solemn and with a of white brief as was the examination it revealed to an astonishing state of ignorance of the simplest things it was incredible to him that with so many hours of so called study so little progress had been made he stated this in plain language and his plan for shorter hours and closer application a voice from the boys side muttered that the owner did not see anything the matter with the old hours they were good enough for them turned quickly what is that there was no answer what is that t he demanded i thought i heard you speak wall if you did i warn t to you said jacob well when you speak in school address yourself to me said he caught s eyes on him i an i t said jacob i propose to see that you do jacob s reply was something between a and a sneer and the school with a sound very much like applause next morning on his arrival at school found the door fastened on the inside a from within revealed the fact that it was no accident and the of derision that greeted his sharp command that the door should be opened immediately showed that the boys were up to their old tricks open the door instantly he called the reply was sung through the what you in de a it was little s voice and was followed by a puff of tobacco smoke through the and a burst of laughter led by an axe was lying at the near by and in two minutes the door was lying in on the school house floor and with a white face and a dangerous tremble in his voice was calling the amazed school to order he heard the lessons through and at noon the hour he had named the day before dismissed all the younger scholars the and one or two larger boys he ordered to remain as the scholars filed out there was a between jacob and his younger brother had the brains of the and he was whispering to moved his chair and seated himself near the door there was a brief muttered conversation among the and then rose put on his hat slowly and addressing the other boys announced that he didn t know what they were going to do but he was a home and ready to go and see the dance up at gates s he toward the door the others following in his wake rose from his seat go back to your places he spoke so quietly that his voice could scarcely be heard gk nowhere you go to h sneered the big leader contemptuously tain t no use for you to try to stop i kin away with two like you perhaps he could have done so but was too quick for him he seized the split chair from which he had risen and whirling it high above his head brought it crashing down on his him flat on the floor then without a second s hesitation he sprang toward the others into your seats instantly he shouted as he raised once more the but still formidable weapon by an instinct the fell into the nearest seats and s the college turned back to his first opponent who was just rising from the floor with a dazed look on his e a few drops of blood were down his forehead if you don t go to your seat instantly i ll dash your brains out said looking him full in the eye he still x ed the chair and as he his grip on it the bully sank down on the bench and broke into a about a grown man a boy with a chair suddenly in the moment of victory found himself attacked in the rear one of the smaller boys who had gone out with the rest hearing the fight had rushed back and just as drove to his seat sprang on him like a little wild cat turning seized and held him what are you doing confound he demanded angrily fm one of em the boy trying to reach him with both fist and foot i don t let nobody hit my brother found that he had more trouble in the smallest member of the tribe than in conquering the bigger brothers sit down and behave yourself he said him into a seat and holding him there i m not going to hit him again if he himself having looked to see that was not much hurt he took out his handkerchief take that and wipe your with it he said	46
quietly and taking from his desk his and some he seated himself on a bench near the door and began to write letters it grew late but the young teacher did not move he wrote letter after letter it began to grow dark he simply lit the little lamp on his desk and taking up a book settled down to read and when at last he rose and announced that the might go home the strains of the three instruments that composed the band at gates s had long since died out and was master of college his letter to the was delivered that morning saying that if they would sustain his action he would do his best to make the school the best in that section but if not his resignation was in their hands i guess he is the sort of medicine those need said dr we d better let it work i reckon he can ride em said squire it was to sustain him the fact that a smooth faced boy not as heavy as by twenty pounds had faced down and the all three together and kept from going where he wanted to go struck the humor of the and they stood by their teacher almost and even to pay for a new door which he had offered to pay for himself as he said he might have to chop it down again not that there was not some hostility to him among those to whom his methods were too novel but when he began to teach his pupils ix and showed that with his fists he was more than a match for the chief opposition to him died out and before the year ended putting into practice the art he had learned from his teacher had mr william the cock of another walk high up across the ridge for the foolishness of ridge college and speaking of its teacher as a fool little of all those opposed to him alone held out he appeared to be proof against s utmost efforts to be friends one day however did not come to school learned that he had fallen from a tree and broken his eggs for s reported was quite scornful about it but a little as wed if a boy was such a fool as to go up a tree when he had been told it wouldn t hold him she could not help it she the college did not want the eggs anyhow she said this was all the reward that little got for his devotion and courage that afternoon went over the ridge to see the home was a small farm house back of the in what was known as a an opening in the angle between the mountains where was a piece of level or partly level ground on the banks of one of the little mountain when arrived he found mrs a small woman with sharp eyes a thin nose and thin lips very stiff and suspicious she had never forgiven for his victory over her boys and she looked now as if she would gladly have set the dogs on him instead of calling them off as she did when he strode up the path and the pack dashed out at him she didn know how was she said the doctor said he was better she couldn see no change yes he could go in she s posed if he wanted to she said ith entered the boy was lying on a big bed his head resting against the frame of the little opening which went for a window through which he was peeping wistfully out at the outside world from which he was to be shut off for so many weary weeks he returned s greeting in the half surly way in which he had always received his advances since the day of the row but when sat down on the bed and began to talk to him cheerily of his daring in climbing where no one else had ventured to go he out and presently when drifted on to other stories of daring he began to be interested and after a time grew almost friendly he was afraid they might have to cut his leg off his mother who always took a gloomy view of things had scared him by telling him she thought it might have to be done but was able to him the doctor had told him that while the was very bad the leg would be saved if he had not been as hard as a knot that fall would have him up said the doctor this compliment repeated and it evidently pleased the pale face relaxed into a smile told him stories of other boys who had had similar accidents and had turned them to good of and sir william jones and all of whom had laid the foundation for their future fame when they were in bed with broken legs when came away he left the boy comforted and cheered and even the dismal woman at the door gave him a more civil parting than her greeting had been many an afternoon during the boy s went over the to see him taking him story books and reading to him until he was strong enough to read himself and when weeks later the lame boy was able to return to school had no firmer friend in all the ridge region than and had made a mental progress which perhaps he would not have made in as many months at school for he had received an impulse to know and to be something more than he was he would show who he was it was fine to to feel that he was earning his own living he was already making his way in the world and often from this first rung of the ladder the young teacher looked far up the shining	46
steep to where fame and glory beckoned with their radiant hands he would be known he would build bridges that should s he would be like and buy back the home of his fathers and be a great gentleman the first pay that he received made him a he had no idea before of the joy of wealth he x aid it to old there is the first return for your he said i don know about its bein the first return said the squire slowly but an ain t done till it s all returned his keen eyes were on s face the college i know it said laughing bnt for dr sometimes that he have died that first winter and in fact the young man did owe a great deal to the tall sided man whose clothes hung on him so loosely that he appeared in the distance hardly more than a rack to support them as he came nearer he was a simple old with a deeply and air on nearer view still you found the deep gray eyes both shrewd and kindly the mouth under its gray moustache had fine lines and at times a lurking smile which yet had in it something grave to dr owed a great deal more than he himself knew at the time for it is only by looking back that youth can the steps by which it has climbed chapter vi it is said that in a small stream which rises under a bank in a gentleman s garden after flowing a little distance a rock and into two branches one of which flows northward and into the whilst the other turning to the southward its waters into the a very small caused the and determined the course of those two streams so it is in life one afternoon in the early spring was walking home from school his books under his arm when so to speak he came on the stone that turned him from his smooth channel and shaped his course in life he was going to break a for squire that afternoon so he was hurrying but ever as he strode along down the winding road the of the tender green leaves and the of spring eyes and nostrils and called to his spirit with that subtle voice which has stirred youth since youth s own spring awoke amid the leafy trees in its call were freedom and the charm of wide spaces and the challenge of youth to the world and haunting vague memories and of love and all that makes youth youth presently became aware that a little ahead of him under the boughs were two children who were for something in the road and one of them was crying at the same moment there turned the curve be coming toward him a girl on horseback he watched her with growing interest as she galloped toward him for he saw that she was young and a stranger probably she was from the springs as she was riding one of s horses and was riding him hard the rider drew in her horse and stopped as she came up to the children heard her ask what was the matter with the little one and the older child s reply that she was crying because she had lost her money she was goin to buy with it at the store but dropped it the girl sprang from her horse oh you poor little thing come here you dear little i ll give you some money won t you hold my horse t he won t hurt you this to the elder child she threw herself on her knees in the road as regardless of the dust as were the children and drawing the sobbing child close to her took her handkerchief from her and gently wiped its little dirty face and began comforting it in soothing tones had come up and stood watching her with breath all he could see under her hat was an oval chin and the dainty curve of a pink cheek where it faded into snow and at the back of a small head a knot of brown hair resting on the of a neck for the rest she had a trim figure and wore new gloves which fitted perfectly mentally decided that she must be about sixteen or seventeen years old and from the glimpse he had caught of her must be pretty he became conscious suddenly that he had on his worst suit of clothes gk od evening he said raising his hand to his hat the girl glanced up just as the hat was lifted how do you do their eyes met and the color into s face and the hat came off with quite a flourish why she was beautiful i her eyes were as blue as wet i will help you hunt for it he said half half kindly where did she drop he did not take his eyes from the picture of the slim figure on her knees she has lost her money poor little dear she was on her way to the store to buy and lost all her money at this fresh recital of her loss the little face began to again but the girl cleared it with a kiss there don t cry i will give you some how much was a a whole this with the sweetest smile well you shall have a quarter and that s four i mean five she is not strong on said to himself she is like in that she began to feel about her skirt and her face changed oh i haven t a cent i have left my purse at the hotel this was to let me give it to her and he also began to feel in ms pocket but as he did so his countenance fell he too had not a cent i	46
have left my purse at home too he said we shall have to do like the woman in the bible and sweep diligently till we find the money she lost we are a lot said with a little laugh then as she glanced into the child s big eyes that were beginning to be troubled again she paused the next second she drew a small from her wrist and began to pull at a small gold charm here you shall have this this is gold oh don t do that said she wouldn t appreciate it and it is a pity to spoil your she glanced up at him with a little flash in her blue eyes as a vigorous twist broke the little gold piece from its chain she shall have it there see how she is smiling i have enjoyed it and i am glad to have you have it now you can get your now kiss me somehow the phrase and the tone brought back to a hill top overlooking an english village and a blue lake below set like a mirror among the green hills a little girl in white with brown eyes was handing a doll to another child even more than this one the came to him like a picture thrown by a magic lantern the child without taking her eyes from the tiny bit of metal put up her little mouth and the girl kissed her only to have the kiss wiped off with the dirty little hand the next moment the two little ones started down the road their heads close together over the bit of yellow gold then it was that for the first time took a real look at a look provoked by the casual glance she had had of him but a moment before and as she did so the color stole up into her cheeks as she thought of the way in which she had just addressed him but for his plain clothes he looked quite a gentleman he had a really good figure straight broad shoulders and fine eyes can you tell me what time it is t she asked i left my watch at the hotel i haven t a watch but i think it must be about four o it was half past three when i left school by the school clock i am not sure it was just right thank you she looked at her horse i must get back to the hotel can t her may i help you up thanks do you know how to mount met i think so he said and stepped up close to her to lift her by the elbows to her saddle she put out a foot clad in a very pretty neat shoe she evidently expected to let her step into his hand he knew of this mode of helping a lady up but he had never tried it and though he stooped and held his hand as if quite accustomed to it he was awkward about it and did not lift her so she did not get up i don t think you can do it that way said the girl i don t think so either said i must learn it but i know how to do it this way he caught her by both elbows now jump i taken by surprise she gave a little spring and he lifted her like a feather and seated her in her saddle as she rode away he stood aside and lifted his hat with an air that surprised her also as she rode away he remarked that she sat her horse very well and had a very straight slim figure but the picture of her kneeling in the dust with her arm around the little sobbing child was what he dwelt on just as she disappeared a in its gorgeous uniform flitted dipping across the road and taking his place in a bush began to sing for his mate you lucky rascal thought you don t get caught by a pretty girl in a ragged coat you have your best clothes on every day next second as the bird s rich notes rang out a deeper feeling came to him and a wave of dissatisfaction with his life swept over him he suddenly seemed than he had been then the picture of the girl on her knees came back to him and his heart softened toward her he determined to see her again perhaps dr knew her f as the young girl rode back to the hotel she had her reward in a pleasant sensation she had done a good deed in helping to console a little child and no kindness ever goes without this reward besides she had met a young strange man a country boy it was true and very plainly dressed but with the manner and tone of a gentleman quite good looking and very strong strength mere physical strength appeals to all girls at certain ages and miss s thoughts quite softened toward the stranger why he as good as picked her up he must be as strong as who his crew she recalled with approval his good shoulders she would ask the old doctor who he was he was a pleasant old man and though her mother and mrs another new york lady did not like the idea of his being the only doctor at the springs he had been very nice to her he had seen her sitting on the ground the day before and had given her his robe to sit on saying with a smile you must not sit on the wet ground or you may fall into my hands i might do worse she had said and he had looked at her with his deep eyes twinkling ah you young when do you begin flattering y and at what age do you let men off	46
knew that the best thing to do was to lower her head and her collar as he loosened the collar the whiteness of her throat struck him almost instinctively he took the little handkerchief that lay on the pine carpet beside her and spread it over her throat reverently he lifted her limp hand gently and felt her little wrist for her pulse just then her eyelids quivered her lips moved slightly stopped moved again with a faint sigh and then her eyelids opened slowly and again those blue eyes gazed up at him with a vague inquiry the next second she appeared to recover consciousness she drew a long deep breath as though she were returning from some unknown deep and a faint little color in her cheek oh it s you she said him how do you dot i think i must have hurt myself when i fell i tried to ride my horse down the bank and he slipped and fell with me and i do not remember much after that he must have run away i tried to walk but i am better now could you catch my horse for me rose and followed the horse s track for some distance along the little path when he returned the girl was still seated against the rock did you see him she asked languidly sitting up i am afraid that he has gone home he was galloping i could tell from his tracks i think i can walk i must she tried to rise but with the pain caused by the the blood sprang to her cheek for a second and then fled back to her heart and she sank back her teeth catching her lip sharply to keep down an expression of anguish i i must get back if my horse should reach the hotel without me my mother will be alarmed i promised her to be back did not hear what the hour was for she turned away her ce and began to cry quietly she tried to brush the tears away with her fingers but one or two slipped past and dropped on her dress with face stiu averted she began to feel about her dress for her handkerchief but being unable to find it she gave it up there was something about her crying so quietly that touched the young man very curiously she seemed suddenly much younger quite like a little girl and he felt like kissing her to comfort her he did the next thing don t cry he said gently here take mine he pressed his handkerchief on her he blessed heaven that it was now there is something about one s another a handkerchief that goes far toward breaking down the of and bridges years in a moment had come to feel a friendliness for the girl that he might not have felt in years and he began to soothe her i don t know what is the with me she said as she dried her eyes i am usually weak and foolish i was only afraid my mother would think something had happened to and she has not been very well she made a brave effort to command herself and sat up very straight there thank you very much she handed him his handkerchief almost grimly now i am all right but i am afraid i cannot walk i tried you will have to go and get me a carriage if you please rose and began to gather up his books and stuff them in his pockets no carriage can get up here the pines are too thick below and there is no road but i will carry you down to where a vehicle can come and then get you one she took a glance at his spare figure you cannot carry me yon are not strong enough i want yon to get me a carriage or a wagon please you can go to the hotel we are stopping at the springs by this time had forced the books into his pocket and he himself before her now he said without her protest and leaning down he slipped his arms under her and lifted her as tenderly and as easily as if she had been a little girl as he bore her along the pain subsided and she found opportunity to take a good look at his his was clean cut the mouth was pleasant and curved slightly upward but under the weight he was carrying was so close shut as to bring out the chin boldly the were rather high the gray eyes were wide open and full of light and as he advanced walking with easy strides where the path was smooth picking his way carefully where it was rough the color rose under the deep tan of his cheeks she was the first to break the silence she had been watching the rising color in his face the of his nostrils and feeling the rise and fall of his chest put me down now and rest j you are tired i am not tired he on he would show her that if he had not been able to mount her on her horse at least it was not from lack of strength please put me down it pains me she said he stopped instantly and selecting a clear place seated her softly i beg your pardon i was a brute thinking only of myself he seated himself near her and stole a glance at her face their eyes met and he looked away he thought her quite beautiful to break the silence she asked a little tone of politeness coming into her voice may i inquire what your name ist i am miss miss she added intending to make him feel at ease is my name where are you was again perfectly easy from new york i thought you were she fancied that a	46
if you will come to the hotel sometime to any perhaps there is t can you come to the hotel to morrow her tone was thank you said quietly i am afraid i cannot go to the village to morrow i have already been more than in being able to render a service to a lady i have a school and i make it a rule never to go anywhere except friday evening or saturday he lifted his hat and backed away as they drove away the girl said thank you and good by very sweetly who is he t what is he asked her mother i don t know mr he is a gentleman as stood by the roadside and saw the carriage disappear in a haze of dust he was oppressed with a curious sense of loneliness the of his position seemed to strike him all on a sudden that stout full woman with her rich clothes had interposed between him and the rest of his kind she had treated him he would show her some day who he was but her daughter he went off into a he turned and made his way slowly and in the direction of his home a new force had suddenly come into his life a new land had opened before him one young girl had it his school suddenly became a prison his field was the world as he passed along scarcely conscious of where he was he met the very man of all others he would rather have met dr he instantly informed the doctor of the accident and suggested that he had better hurry on to the springs a pretty girl with blue eyes and brown hair inquired the doctor yes the color stole into s cheeks with a silly woman for a mother who is always talking about her heart and you on the back i don t know yes i think so i know her is the limb broken t he asked with interest no i do not think it is but badly she fainted from the pain i think you say it occurred up on the ridge yes near the big pines at the summit why how did she get down there is no road he was gazing up at the pine clad spur above them i helped her down a little color flushed into his face ah you supported her she can walk on it no i brought her down i had to bring her she could not not a step oh ah i see i ll hurry on and see how she is as he rode off he gave a it might have meant any one of several things perhaps what it did mean was that youth is the same the world over and here is a chance for this boy to make a fool of himself and he will probably do it as i did as the doctor on over the rocky road his brow was knit in deep reflection but his thoughts were far away among other pines on the that boy s a ce had turned the dial back nearly forty years chapter vii finds a gentleman mrs arrived at the hotel dr t was nowhere to be found she was just sending off a messenger to despatch a to the nearest city for a surgeon when she saw the doctor coming up the hill toward the hotel at a rapid pace he tied his horse and with his saddle pockets over his arm came up the walk there was something in the quick firm step with which he came toward her she had not given him credit for so much energy mrs led the way toward her rooms giving a somewhat highly colored description of the accident the doctor following without a word taking off his gloves as he walked they reached the door and mrs flung it open with a here he is at last my poor child i she exclaimed the sight of lying on a quite mrs from the doctor s mind the next second he had taken the girl s hand and holding it with a touch that would not have a butterfly s wings he was taking a flitting of her pulse mrs continued to talk but the doctor took no heed of her a little rest with madam is all that is necessary he said quietly at length when he had made an examination but it must be rest entire rest of limb and body and mind he added after a pause will you ask mrs finds a gentleman mrs c tes to send me a kettle of hot water as soon as possible mrs had never been so completely ignored by any physician she tossed her head but she went to get the water so my man you and brought you down the ridge t said the doctor presently to the girl yes how do you know she asked her blue eyes wide open with surprise never mind i may tell you next time i come if you get well quickly he said smiling who is he she asked h e is the teacher of the school over the what is known as the ridge college said the doctor with a smile just at this moment mrs in i thought the doctor said you were not to talk the doctor s face wore an amused expression well just one more question said the girl to him how much does a sack of salt weight about two hundred pounds to be accurate no wonder he said i was light laughed the girl who is a young man named a school boy who lives about here inquired mrs suddenly the do not live about here said the doctor gk to whom you doubtless refer is the son of general who lives in an adjoining county below the ridge his	46
father was our minister during the at this moment the conversation was interrupted by the appearance of mrs gates with the desired kettle of hot water and the doctor stopping in the midst of his sentence devoted all of his attention to his patient the confidence which he displayed and the with which he worked impressed mrs so much that when he was through she said doctor i have been wondering how a man like you could be content to settle down in this mountain wilderness i know many fashionable in cities who could not have done for a bit better than you have indeed nothing like so with such simple dr s eyes rested on her gravely well madam we could not all be city doctors these few sheep in the wilderness need a little when they get sick you must reflect also that if we all went away there would be no one to look after the city people when they come to our mountain wilderness they at least need good attendance by the time awoke next morning he had determined that he would see his new acquaintance again he must see her he would not allow her to go out of his life so she should at least know who he was and mrs should know too that afternoon impelled by some strange motive he took the path over the ridge again it had been a long day and a wearing one he had tried once more but his pupils cared less for than for the in the window frame for some reason the dull routine of lessons had been than usual the scholars had never been so stupid again and again the face that he had seen rest on his arm the day before came between him and his page and when the eyes opened they were as blue as forget me he would rouse himself with a start and plunge back bravely into the mysteries of physical geography or of compound only to find himself at the first quiet moment picking his way through the pines with that white face resting against his shoulder when school was out he declined the invitation of the boys to walk with them and settled himself in his chair as though he meant to prepare the lessons for the next day after a quarter of an hour spent mostly ih he rose put up his books closed the door and took the same path he had followed the day before as he the spot where he had come on the girl he almost expected to find her propped against the rock as he had found her the mrs finds a gentleman afternoon before he was conscious of a distinct shock of loneliness that she was not there the woods had never appeared so empty the of the pines had never sounded so dreary he threw himself down on the thick brown carpet he had not felt so lonely in years what was he and what chance did he have he was alone in the wilderness he had been himself on being the superior of those around him and that strange woman had treated him with condescension when he had strained his heart out to get her daughter to the road safely and without pain his eyes rested on the level pale line of the horizon r below him down there lay all he had ever known and loved all was changed his home belonged to an alien he turned his face away on the other side the distant mountains lay a mighty across the sky he wondered if the could be higher or more beautiful a line he had been explaining the day before to his scholars to him beyond those mountains lies italy gradually it came to him that he was than his scholars those who were the true leaders of men surmounted difficulties others had crossed the mountains to find the italy of their ambition why should not he f the thought strung him up sharply and before he knew it he was standing upright his face lifted to the sky his nerves tense his beating and his breath coming quickly beyond that blue rim lay the world he would conquer and achieve honors and fame and win back his old home and build up again his fortune and do honor to his name he seized his books and with one more look at the heights beyond turned and strode swiftly along the path it was perhaps fortunate that the day had been a dull one for both mrs and had been confined to her and after the first anxiety was over mrs had been inclined to her for her carelessness and the fright she had given her they had not agreed about a number of matters had been talking about her adventure until mrs had begun to her as a country boy he was strong enough to bring me down the mountain a mile in his arms declared the girl he said it was half a mile but i am sure it was a mile mrs was shocked and charged with being susceptible enough to like all men all those who are strong and good looking protested their little difference had now been made up and who had been sitting silent with a look of serious reflection on her face said mamma why don t you invite him over to dinner mrs gave an exclamation of surprise why we know nothing about him but the girl was why mamma i am sure he is a gentleman dr said he was one of the best people about here and his father was a clergyman besides he is very interesting his father was in the war i believe he was a general mrs pondered a moment her pen in the air her thoughts flew to new york and her acquaintances there their view was her well she said	46
doubtfully perhaps later i will there is no one here whom we know except mrs i have heard that the people are very interesting if you can get at them invite him first to luncheon saturday and see how he is it is doubtless just as well that none of us has the magic mirror which we used to read of in our childhood which showed what any one we wished to know about was doing it would no doubt cause many from which in our ignorance we are happily free had known the terms on which he was invited to take a meal in the presence of mrs he would have been mrs finds a gentleman he bad been about her condescension ever since he had met her yet he no sooner received her polite note than he was in the best humor possible he brushed up his well worn clothes treated himself to a new which he had been saving all the and just at the appointed hour presented himself with a face so alight with and a manner which while entirely modest was so natural and easy that mrs was astonished she could scarcely credit the fact that this bright eyed young man with his fine nose firm chin and melodious voice was the same with the dusty hot faced looking country boy to whom she had thought of offering money for a kindness two days before when first entered the room was seated in a chair enveloped in soft white from which she gave him a smiling greeting for years afterwards whenever thought of beauty it was of a girl smiling up at him out of a cloud of white it was a charming visit for him and he reproached himself for his hard thoughts about mrs he all of his knowledge and made such a favorable impression on the good lady that she became very friendly with he did not know that mrs s kindness to him was condescension and her cordiality inspired as much by curiosity as courtesy dr has been telling us about you mr said mrs with a bow which brought a pleased smile to the young man s face he has the doctor has always been good to me i am afraid he has a higher opinion of me than i deserve he said with a boy s pretended modesty whilst his eyes strongly his words mrs assured him that such could not be the case don t you want to know what he said asked miss with a bell like laugh yes what he smiled he said if you undertook to carry a bag of salt down a mountain or up it either you would never rest until you got there her eyes and appeared half though he was inwardly pleased mrs looked shocked oh dr did not say that for i heard him she exclaimed dr was very complimentary to you mr she explained seriously he said your people were among the best families about here she meant to be gracious but s face flushed in spite of himself the condescension was too apparent your was a a a clergyman t said mrs who had started to say preacher but the other word as more complimentary my father a clergyman i no m he is good enough to be one but he was a and a a soldier said mrs looked at her daughter in some could this be the wrong why he said he was a clergyman she insisted gazed at the girl in bewilderment yes he said he was a minister she replied to his inquiry broke into a laugh oh he was a special to england after he was wounded the announcement had a distinct effect upon mrs who instantly became much more cordial to she took a closer look at him than she had given herself the trouble to take before and discovered under the and worn clothes something more than she had formerly observed the young man s expression had changed a reference to his father always him and kindled a light in his eyes it was the first time mrs had taken in what her daughter meant by calling him handsome finds a gentleman why he is quite distinguished looking she thought to herself and she reflected what a pity it was that so good looking a young man should have been planted down there in that out of the way pocket of the world and thus lost to society she did not know that the eyes opposite her were burning with a resolve that not only mrs but the world should know him and that she should recognize his chapter viii mr s a this it was astonishing how many excuses j find for visiting the village he was always wanting to consult a book in the doctor s library or get something which indeed meant that he wanted to get a glimpse of a young girl with violet eyes and pink cheeks stretched out in a lounging chair amid clouds of white pillows nearly always he carried with him a bunch of flowers from mrs s garden which were to make patches of pink or red or yellow among miss s pillows and bring a fresh light into her eyes and sometimes he took a basket of or for mrs his friends the doctor and the began to rally him on his new interest in the springs i see you are a few for the old cow said squire one afternoon as started oflf at which blushed as red as the he was carrying it was just what he had been doing well that is tiie way to the calf said the old farmer but i low the is used to pretty high he had seen mrs driving along in much richer attire than usually dazzled the eyes of the ridge neighborhood and had her with a shrewd eye miss s	46
turned out to be less serious than had been expected she herself had proved a much less patient than her mother had ever known her me s it does not take two young people of opposite sexes long to overcome the which has fixed among their especially when one of them has brought the other down a mountain side in his arms often in a sheltered corner of the long read to on or in the evenings sauntered with her through the fields of their limited experience and quoted from his chosen poems that lived in his heart and fancied her the maid of the downward look and glance thus by the time was able to move about again she and had already reached a footing where they had told each other a good deal of their past and were finding the present very pleasant and one of them at least was beginning when he turned his eyes to the future to catch the glimmer of a very rosy light it showed in his appearance in his face where a new expression of a more definite ambition and a higher resolution was beginning to take its place dr noted it and when he met he began to have a light in his deep gray eyes he had too a tender tone in his voice when he addressed the girl perhaps a vision came to him at times of another country lad weu born like this one and like this one poor wandering on the new england hills with another young girl perhaps and less than this little maiden who had come from the westward to spend a brief holiday on the banks of the and had come into his life never to of his dreams and his hopes of his struggles to achieve the education which would make him worthy of her and then of the overthrow of all of darkness and exile and wanderings when the doctor sat on his porch of an evening with his pipe looking out over the sloping hills sometimes his face grew almost melancholy had he not been intended for other things than this exile t had never married he knew what might have happened had he gone back and when he next saw there would be a softer tone in his voice and he would talk a deeper and higher philosophy to her than she had ever heard the gaudy rewards of life and in her mind ideas of something and better and finer than they he even told her once something of the story of his life and of the suffering and sorrow that had been visited upon the victims of a foolish pride and a selfish ambition though he did not confide to her that it was of himself he spoke the girl s instinct instantly told her that it was his own experience that he related and her interest was deeply excited did she ever marry doctor she asked eagerly oh i hope she did not i might forgive her if she did not but if she married i would never forgive her the doctor s eyes as they rested on her eager face had a kindly expression in them and a look of amusement there also no she never married he said nor did he oh i am glad of that she exclaimed and then more softly added i know he did not dr gazed at her calmly he did not pursue the subject further he thought he had told his story in such a way as to convey the moral without that he spoke of himself yet she had discovered it instantly he wondered if she had seen also the moral he intended to convey was able to walk now and many an afternoon invited her to stroll with him on the mountain side or up the drawing her farther and farther as her strength returned the spring is a dangerous season for a young man and a pretty girl to be thrown closely together for the first time and the woods are a perilous pasture for their thoughts it was not without some insight that the ancient poets pictured as inhabitants of the me s and made the springs and rippling streams the abiding places of their the spring came with a burst of pink and green the mountains took on delicate shades and the trees into vast flowers and as lace an excursion in the woods has been dangerous ever since the day when eve found a stranger lurking there in gay disguise and was into the tempting fruit he offered her it might be an interesting inquiry to collect even the most notable instances of those who wandering all innocent and joyous amid the have found the honey of poisonous flowers where they meant only innocence but the reader will perhaps recall enough instances in a private and history to fill the need of illustration it then to say that each afternoon that wandered with through the leafy woods he was farther in that perilous path where the su always down just ahead but the end is veiled in mist and where sometimes da f had all the charm for him of discovery for he was always finding in her some new trait and every one was he thought an added charm even to her unexpected of ignorance and knowledge her little feminine of caprice one afternoon they had strolled farther than usual as far even as the high pines beyond which was the great rock looking to the there she had asked him to help her up to the top of the rock but he had refused he told her that she had walked already too far and he would not permit her to climb it not permit me well i like that i she said with a flash of her blue eyes and springing from her seat on the brown et before he	46
could she was climbing up the high rock as as if she were a boy he called to her to stop but she took no heed he began to entreat her but she made no answer he was in terror lest she might fall and sprang after her to catch her but np up she climbed with as steady a foot and as sure an eye as he could have shown himself until she reached the top when looking down on him with dancing eyes she kissed her hand in triumph and then turned away her cheeks when he reached the top she was standing on the very edge of the precipice looking far over the long reach of sloping country to the blue line of the horizon almost gasped at her he pleaded with her not to be so please stand farther back i beg you he said as he reached her side now that is better she said with a little nod to him her blue eyes full of triumph and she seated herself quietly on the rock began to her but she laughed at him he had done it often she said and what he could do she could do the beauty of the wide landscape sank into both their minds and after a little they both took a graver tone tell me where your old home is she said presently after a long pause in which her face had grown thoughtful you told me once that you could see it from this rock pointed to a spot on the far horizon he did not know that it was to see this even more than to brave him that she had climbed to the top of the rock now tell me about it she said tell me all over what you have told me before and related all he could remember touched with her sympathy he told it with more feeling than he had ever shown before when he spoke of the loss of his home of his mortification and of his father s quiet dignity she turned her face away to keep him from seeing the tears that were in her eyes i can understand your feeling a little she said presently but i did not know that any one could have so much feeling for a plantation i suppose it is because it is in the country with its trees and flowers and little streams me s we have had three houses since i can remember the one that we have now on fifth avenue is four times as large yes six times as and a hundred times as fine as the one i can first remember and yet somehow i always think when i am sad or lonely of the little white house with the tiny rooms in it with their low and small windows where i used to go when i was a very little girl to see my father s mother mamma does not care for it she was brought up in the city but i think my father loves it just as i do he always says he is going to buy it back and i am going to make him do it i am going to buy back mine some day said very slowly she glanced at him his eyes were fastened on the horizon and there was that in his face which she had never seen there before and which made her admire him more than she had ever done i hope you will she said she almost hated for having spoken of the place as told her he had spoken when reached home that evening he had a wholly new feeling for the girl with whom accident had so curiously thrown him he was really in love with her hitherto he had allowed himself merely to drift with the pleasant tide that had been setting in throughout these last weeks but the phases that she had shown that afternoon her spirit her courage her capricious and above all that glimpse into her heart which he had obtained as she sat on the rock overlooking the wide sweep where he had had his home and where the civilization to which it belonged had had its home had shown him a new creature and he plunged into love life appeared suddenly to open wide her gates and flood him with her rosy light chapter ix mr is and mrs gives him good advice in the woods and the glimpses x shown her of a spirit somewhat different from any she had known were beginning to have their influence on it flattered her and filled her with a certain content that the young school teacher should like her so much yet knowing herself it gave her a vague feeling that he was wanting in that quality of sound judgment which she recognized in some of her other admirers it rather frightened her to feel that she was on a and often he away from her with his poetry and his fancies and she was afraid that he would discover it and think she was a something that her mother had said remained in her mind he knows so much mamma said one day why he can quote whole pages of poetry he is too romantic my dear to be practical said mrs who looked at the young men who approached her daughter with an eye as cool as a physician s glass he perhaps does know more about books than any boy of his age i am acquainted with but poetry is a very poor thing to live on and if he were practical he would not be teaching that wretched little school in the wilderness but mamma he will rise you don t know how ambitious he is and what determination he has they have lost everything the place that told me is me about his father with its	46
old pictures and all that was his old home old mr since he lost it has been farming it for mr think of that i just so said mrs he it they are all your father began life poor but he was practical and he had the ability to succeed s face softened dear old she said i must write to him even as she thought of him she could not but reflect how in business had prevented his obtaining the culture of which this young had given her a glimpse and had crushed though it could not wholly the which lived in his big heart though defended she felt in her heart there was some truth in her mother s estimate he was too romantic she soon had proof of it general came up to the just then to see at least he this out as the reason for his visit and did not know until afterwards that there was another reason for it that he had been in correspondence for some time with dr he was looking thin but when spoke of it he put it by with a smile oh i am very well we need not worry about my troubles i have but two that old wound and old age both are was very pleased to have the opportunity to introduce his father to mrs and miss as he the thin fine face with its expression of calm and its lines of fortitude he felt that it was a good card to play his resemblance to the man in that hung in the old dining room had increased the general and miss promptly became great friends he treated her with a certain distinction that pleased her mrs too was both pleased and flattered by his gracious manner she was however more critical toward him than her daughter was soon discovered s interest in the young girl it was not difficult to discover for every moment of his spare time was devoted to her in some way the general observed them with a smile in his eyes now and then however the smile died out as he heard expressing views which were somewhat new to him one evening they were all seated on the together and began to speak of making a fortune as a high aim he had heard mrs express the same sentiments a few days before my son said his father gently looking at him with grave eyes a fortune is a great blessing in the hands of the man who knows how to end it but riches considered as something to possess or to display is one of the most and of all the aims that men can have mrs s eyes opened wide and her face hardened a little thought of the toil and patience it had cost him to make even his little salary and wealth appeared to him just then a very desirable acquisition why father he said it opens the world to a man it gives such great opportunities for everything travel knowledge art science power the respect and esteem of the world are obtained by it something like this mrs had said to him meaning kindly enough to encourage him in its pursuit the old general smiled gravely opportunity for travel and the of knowledge wealth undoubtedly gives but happily they are not dependent upon wealth my son the of science the the great of the world the great the great artists the great poets philosophers and have few of them been rich he appears to have lived in another world mamma said when he had left he is an old dear i never knew so a person me is mrs s chin a now don t you be silly he lives in another world now and certainly of all the men i know none appears less fitted to cope with this world the only real people to him appear to be those whom he has read of he never tried wealth he used to be very rich don t you remember what that lady told i don t believe iv said mrs knew that this closed the argument when her mother in such cases said she did not believe a thing it meant that the door of her mind was shut and no reason could get into it mrs could not but notice that some change had taken place in of late in a way she had undoubtedly improved she was more serious more thoughtful of mrs herself less wilful yet it was not without some that mrs noted the change she suddenly had her eyes opened mrs one of her new york friends performed this amiable office she assigned the possible cause though not directly mrs rarely did things directly she was a small lady with a of the head and an voice of singular clearness with a question mark in it she was of a very good family lived in a big house on hill and had as large a circle of acquaintance as any one in new york she herself on knowing everybody worth knowing and everything about everybody she was not lacking in she was indeed so amiable that she would almost any absent friend to please one who was present she had a little grudge against for she had been struck from the first by his bright eyes and good manners but had been so much engrossed by his interest in that he had been in paying mrs that attention which she felt her position required mrs now gave mrs a judicious hint you have such a gift for knowing people she said to her and your daughter is so like you she showed her even teeth mrs was not quite sure what she meant and she answered somewhat coldly that she was glad that mrs thought so mrs soon indicated her meaning the young he is a in	46
whom your daughter is interested isn t he yes he appears so well read he brought your daughter down the mountain the day her horse ran off with her so romantic to make an acquaintance that i quite envy you there is so little real romance these days i it is to find it she sighed and mrs thought of daniel and his little bald head and round mouth yes i quite envy and your daughter who is he mrs said he was of a very old and distinguished family she gave him a that would have done honor to a i am so glad declared mrs i knew he must be of course i am sure you would never encourage such an intimacy unless he were she smiled herself off leaving mrs that woman is always sticking pins into people she said to herself but this pin had stuck fast and mrs was in quite a panic mrs determined to talk to on the first occasion that itself but she would not do it too abruptly all that would be needed would be a hint given for surely a girl of such sound sense as a girl brought up so wisely could not for a moment think of acting so foolishly and really mrs felt that she herself was very fond of this young man she might do something for something that should be of use to him in after life at first this plan took the form in her mind of getting her husband to give him a me is place but she reflected that this would bringing him where his acquaintance with them might prove inconvenient she would aid him in going to college for another year this would be a delicate way to discharge the obligation under which his kindness had placed her meantime was happily ignorant of the plot that was forming against him the warm weather was coming and he knew that before long mrs and would be flitting northward however he would make his hay while the sun shone for him so one afternoon had borne miss off to his favorite haunt the high rock in the woods he was in unusual spirits for he had escaped from mrs who of late had appeared to be rather lying in wait for him it was the spot he loved best for the pines behind him seemed to shut out the rest of the world and he felt that here he was in some sort nearer to having for his own than anywhere else it was here that he had caught that glimpse of her heart which he felt had revealed her to him this afternoon he was talking of love and of himself for what young man who talks of love talks not of himself t she was dressed in white and a single red rose that he had given her was stuck in her dress he had been reading a poem to her it contained a picture of the goddess of love out for worship without end the book now lay at his side and he was stretched at her feet if i ever am in love he said suddenly it will be with a girl who must fill full the measure of my dreams he was looking away through the pine trees to the sky far beyond but the soft light in his face came not from that far oflf tent of blue he was thinking vaguely how much than the sky were her eyes test her tone was tender she must be a beauty of course he gazed at her with that in his eyes which said as plainly as words could have said it you are beautiful but she was looking away wondering to herself who it might be i mean she must have what j call beauty he added by way of explanation i don t count mere red and white beauty has that this was not without intention had spoken of s beauty one day when she saw her at the school but she is very pretty asserted the girl so fresh and such color oh pretty yes and a wine sap apple has color but i am speaking of real beauty the beauty of the rose the freshness that you cannot define that holds fragrance a something that you love that you feel even more than you see she thought of a school friend of hers a tall beauty with whom another friend was in love and she wondered if would think her such a beauty as he described she must be sweet he went on thinking to himself for her benefit i cannot define that either but you know what i meant she decided mentally that would not fill his measure it is something that only some girls have in common with some for instance oh i don t care for sweet girls very much she said thinking of another whom the girls used to call you do he said positively i am not talking of that kind it is and gentleness fragrance warmth beauty everything oh yes that kind t she said well go on you expect to find a good deal i do he said and sat up i expect to find the best she glanced at him with new interest he was very good looking when he was spirited and his eyes now were full of light me is well beauty and sweetness she said what else i must know for i may have to help yon find her there don t appear to be many around since you have declined to accept the only pretty girl i have seen she must be good and true she must know the truth his eye fell at that instant on a humming bird a gleaming jewel of changing that poised on half invisible wings floated in a bar of sunlight before a of pink	46
as that bird knows the flowers where the honey lies where do you expect to find this as if in answer the humming bird suddenly caught sight of the red rose in her dress and darting to it thrust its deep into the crimson heart of the flower they both gave an exclamation of delighted wonder i have found her he said firmly leaning a little toward her with cheeks and close drawn lips his glowing eyes on her face the bird has found her for me the bird darted away ah it is gone what will you give her in return she turned to him and spoke half wishing to get off such delicate ground he turned and gazed into her eyes worship without end there was that in his face that made her change color she looked away and began to think of her own ideal she found that her idea of the man she loved had been of height of figure and breadth of shoulders a handsome face and fashionable attire she had pictured him as tall and straight taller than this boy and larger every way with a straight nose brown eyes and dark hair but she had thought of the style of his clothes she had fancied the he should wear and the pins that should be stuck in them he must be brave of course a beautiful a fine player she had once thought that black eyed handsome young was as near her ideal as any one else she knew he led but he was selfish and she had never admired him as much as another man who was less but was she knew more of a man a hold a good and a leader of their set it suddenly occurred to her now how much more like this man was than and following her thought of the two she suddenly stepped up on a higher level and was conscious of a certain much like that she had had the day she had climbed up before on the rock and looked far down over the wide expanse of forest and field to where his home had been she sat for a little while in deep reflection presently she said quite gravely and a little you know i am not a bit what you think i am why you treat me as if i were a superior being and i am not i am a very matter of fact girl he interrupted her with a gesture of his eyes full of light nonsense you don t know me you don t know men or you would know that any girl is the superior of the best man he you don t know girls she retorted i know one at least he said with a smile that spoke his admiration i am not sure that you do she persisted speaking slowly and very seriously she was gazing at him in a curious way the one i know is good enough for me he leaned over and took her hand and raised it to his lips then released it she did not resist him but presently she said i believe i had rather be treated as i am than as something i am not i like you too much to want to deceive you and i think you are deceived he of course protested that he was not deceived he knew perfectly well he said she was not convinced but she let it go she did not want to quarrel with him for admiring her mb is that afternoon when came in her manner was so different from what it had been of late that her mother could not but observe it one moment she was the next she was impatient and even irritable then this mood changed and she was unusually gay her cheeks glowed and her eyes sparkled but even as she reflected a change came and she drifted away again into a brown study next day while mrs was still considering what to do a card was handed her it was a name written simply on one of the slips of paper that were kept on the hotel counter below of late had not been sending up his card a servant simply announced his name this then decided her it was the most fortunate thing in the world that had gone off and was out of the way it gave mrs the very opportunity she desired if as she divined the young man wished to talk to her about anything personal she would speak kindly to him but so plainly that he could never forget it after all it would be true kindness to him to do so she had a virtuous feeling as she smoothed her hair before a mirror he was not in the sitting room when she came down so she sought for him on one of the long where they usually sat he was seated at the far end where he would be more or less secluded and she marched down on him he was evidently on the watch for her and as soon as she appeared he rose from his seat she had made up her mind very clearly what she would say to him but as she approached him it was not so easy to say as she had fancied it there was something in his bearing and expression that her from using the rather words she had his was somewhat pale his mouth was firmly set throwing out the chin in a way to make it quite strong his eyes were anxious but steady his form was very erect and his shoulders were very square and straight he appeared to her older than she had considered him it would not do to this man after greeting her he handed her a chair solemnly and the next moment straight into his subject it was so that it almost	46
took her breath away and before she knew it he had with the blood coming and going in his cheeks declared his love for her daughter and asked her permission to pay her his addresses after the first or two he had lost his embarrassment and was speaking in a straightforward manly way the color had come rushing back into his face and his eyes were filled with light mrs felt that it was necessary to do something so though she felt some she took heart and began to answer him as she proceeded her courage returned to her and seeing that he was much disturbed she became quite composed she regretted extremely she said that she had not foreseen this it was all so unexpected to et that she was quite overwhelmed by it she felt that this was a lie and she was not sure that he did not know it of course it was quite impossible that she could consent to anything like what he had proposed bo you mean because she is from the north and i am from the south he asked earnestly no of course not i have southern blood myself my grandmother was from the south she smiled at his simplicity then why this was embarrassing but she must answer why you we move in quite ah it s really not to be thought of mr she said half desperately he himself had thought of the different in which they moved but he had surmounted that difficulty though her father as he had learned had begun life as a store boy and her mother was not the most learned person in the world was a lady to her finger tips and in her own fine person was the proof of a mr strain of gentle blood somewhere those delicate features fine hands trim ankles and silken hair told their own story so he came near saying that does not make any difference bat he restrained himself he said instead i do not know that i understand you it was very to have to be so plain but it was mrs felt quite necessary why i mean that my daughter has always moved in the the most exclusive society she has had uie best advantage and has a right to expect the best that can be given her do you mean that you think my family is not good enough for your daughter there was a tone in his quiet voice that made her glance up at him and a look on his face that made her answer quickly oh no not that of course i have no doubt your family is indeed i have heard it is ur but my daughter has every right to the best that life can give she has a right to an establishment you mean money asked a little hoarsely why not in the way in which you put it but what money stands for comforts luxuries position now don t go and distress yourself about this you are nothing but a silly boy you fancy yourself in love with my daughter because she is the only pretty girl about here she is not but she is the prettiest i know ejaculated bitterly you think that and so you fancy you are in love with her it is no fancy i am asserted i would be in love with her if she were as ugly as she is beautiful oh no you wouldn t declared mrs coolly now the thing for you to do is to forget all about her as she will in a short time forget all about you i know she will though i hope she will not groaned the young man i shall never forget never his voice and manner showed such anguish that the lady could not but feel real for him especially as he appeared to be accepting her view of the case she glanced at him almost kindly is there nothing i can do for i should like very much to do something to show my appreciation of what you have done for us to make our stay here less dreary than it would have been thank you there is nothing said i am going to turn my attention now to getting an establishment he spoke half but mrs did not see it that is right she said warmly it is not right declared with sudden vehemence it is all wrong i know it is all wrong what the world thinks is right can t be all wrong mrs spoke when are you going away the young man asked suddenly in a few days she spoke vaguely but even as she spoke she determined to leave next day i thank you for all your kindness to me said standing very straight and speaking rather hoarsely mrs s heart smote her if it were not for her daughter s welfare she could have liked this boy and him a vision came to her from out of the dim past a country boy with broad shoulders suddenly flashed before her but she shut it off before it became clear she spoke kindly to and held out her hand to him with more real sincerity than she had felt in a long time you are a good boy she said and i wish i could have answered you otherwise but it would have been simple madness you will some day know that it was kinder to you to make you look at facts me is i suppose so said politely but some day mrs you shall hear of me if you do not remember i shall be dead with this bit of tragedy he turned and left her and mrs stood and watched him as he strode down the path meaning if he should turn to wave him a friendly adieu and also watching	46
known him it is said that a broken heart is a most valuable possession for a young man perhaps it was so to the rest of the dragged wearily for him but he worked like fury he would succeed he would rise he would show mrs who he was mrs having reached home began at once to lead her daughter back to what she esteemed a way of thinking than she had fallen into this opportunity came in the shape of a college commencement with a consequent boat race and all the that this cuts the knot mrs was in her way devoted to her daughter and had a definite and what she deemed an exalted ambition for her this meant that she be the best dressed girl in society be a and finally should make the most brilliant marriage of her to wit the marriage she had dreamed at times of a marriage that make her friends wild with of a title a high title had beauty style wealth and vivacity she would grace a and mamma would be madam the s mother but mamma encountered an unexpected obstacle when mrs building her air castles casually let fall her idea of a title for there was a sudden and unexpected storm from an for quarter usually in his wife s hands had two or three prejudices that were principles with him as to these he was rock his daughter was his idol for her from the time she had opened her blue eyes on him and at him vaguely he had toiled and until his hair had turned from brown to gray and then had disappeared from his round strongly set head for the love he bore her he had served longer than jacob served for and the time had not appeared long the suggestion that the money he had for from youth to age should go to some foreigner to pay his nearly threw him into a his ancestors had been driven from home to starve in the wilderness by such creatures before any d d foreign should have a dollar of his money he would a lunatic asylum with it so mrs refrained from pressing this subject any further at this time and built her hopes on securing the next most advantageous alliance a wealthy one she preferred to any of the other young men for he was not only rich but the were an old and established house and mrs was one of the old of the state whose word was law above that of even the of the new leaders to secure would be almost as good as a title an intimacy was cultivated with dear mrs and the dear boy was often brought to the house he and did not take to each other in the way mrs had hoped they simply became the best of friends and mrs had the mortification of seeing a tall and of s capture while appeared totally indifferent to him what made it harder to bear was that mrs s mother a widow with barely enough to live on was quietly walking off with the prize which mrs and a number of other mothers were striving to secure and made no more of it than if it had been her right it all came of her family connections that was the way with those old families they were so exclusive and so proud they held themselves superior to every one else and appeared to despise wealth mrs did not believe mrs really did despise wealth but she admitted that she made a very good show of doing it mrs her failure with was fain to accept in his place who though certainly not s equal in some respects was his superior in others to be sure was said to be a somewhat reckless young fellow and mr did not fancy him but mrs argued boys will be boys and you know mr you have told me you were none too good yourself on this growled that a man was a fool ever to tell his wife anything of the kind and that at least he never was in that young s class all of which mrs put aside and sacrificed herself to achieve success for her daughter and compel her to forget the little episode of the young southern with his tragic air ah the dreams of the how silly they are golden clouds at the top and just as they are reached mrs cuts the knot some little jack comes along and down the and all so mrs dreamed and a trifle anxious over s persistent reference to the charms of spring woods and a southern climate after a week or two of driving down town and eager choosing of hats and fitting of dresses started off with the girl on the of mr a wealthy dignified and cultivated friend of her husband s he had always been fond of and now got up a for her to see the boat race had thought that the time when he should leave the region where he had been so long would be the happiest hour of his life yet when the day came he was conscious of a strange at his heart these people whom he was leaving and for whom he had in his heart an opinion very like contempt on account of their ignorance and appeared to him a wholly different folk there was barely one of them but had been kind to him hard they might appear and petty but they lived close together and break through the crust one was sure to find a warm heart and often a soft one he began to understand dr s speech i have lived in several kinds of society and i like the simplest best one can get nearer to men here i do not ask gratitude i get affection had given notice that the school	46
would close on a certain day the scholars always dropped off as summer came to work in the crops and the attendance of late had been slim this last day he hardly expected to have half a dozen pupils to his surprise the school house was filled even who had been off in the mountains for some little time getting out timber was on hand large and good sitting beside in her pink ribbons and her hard enough to keep a mine fresh a little later in the day quite a number of the fathers and mothers of the children arrived in their they had come to take leave of the young teacher there were almost as many as were present at the school was quite overcome and when the hour arrived for closing the school instead of as he had expected tying up the half dozen books he kept in his desk shaking hands with the dozen children eager to be turned loose in the delightful of summer holiday turning the key in the lock and alone down the dusty road to squire s he now found the school room full not of school children only but of grown people well he had learned that they expected him to say something and there was nothing for him to do but to make the effort for an hour as he sat during the last lessons which were in the nature of a review the pages before him had been mere spaces of white and he had been what he should say yet when he rose every idea that he had tried so faithfully to put into shape fled from his brain dropping all the well turned phrases which he had been trying to frame he said simply that he had come there two years before with the conceit of a young man expecting to teach them a good deal and that he went away feeling that he had taught very little but that he had learned a great deal he had learned that the kindest people in the world lived in that region he should never forget their kindness and should always feel that his best friends were there a few words more about his hopes for the school and his feeling for the people who had been so good to him and he pronounced the school closed to his surprise at a wink from squire one of the other who had formerly been opposed to rose and addressing the assemblage began to say things about him that pleased him as much as they astonished him he said that they too had begun with some doubt as to how things would work as one could never tell what a would do till he got the harness on him but this had turned out to be a pretty good horse mr maybe cuts the knot had taught more than he knew he had some this with a cut of his eye over toward where sat big and brown in the placid content of a young for he had taught some folks that a door had to be right strong to keep out a teacher as his business anyhow they were satisfied with him and the had to employ him another year but he had declined he had business that would take him away some thought they knew that business at this there was a throughout the or portion of the room and was furious with himself for finding that he suddenly turned hot and red he himself the speaker said didn t pretend to know anything about it but he wanted to say that if mr didn t find the business as profitable as he expected the had determined to hold the place open for him for one year and had elected a successor temporarily to hold it in case he should want to come back at this there was a round of approval as near general applause as that stolid folk ever indulged in spent the next day in taking leave of his friends his last visit that evening was to dr he had not been to the village often in the evening since mrs and her daughter had left the place now as he passed up the walk the summer moonlight was falling full on the white front of the little hotel the moonlight fell on the corner of the where he had talked so often to as she lay on her and where he had had that last conversation with mrs and saw a young man leaning over some one enveloped in white half in an arm chair he wondered if the same talk were going on that had gone on there before that evening when mrs had made him look at life when stated his errand the doctor looked almost as grave as he could have done had one of his cherished refused to respond to his most careful treatment one thing i want to say to you lie said presently you have been eating your heart out of late about something and it is telling on you give it up give that girl up you will have to sooner or later they will prove too strong for you even if you do not she will not suit you you will not get the woman you are after she is an attractive young girl but she will not remain so a few years in fashionable society will change her it is the most life on earth exclaimed the doctor bitterly the place of every principle and becomes the only god she must change all is vanity repeated the doctor almost in a his eyes resting on s face well he said with a sigh if you ever get knocked down and hurt badly come back up here and i will patch you up if i am living and if not come back anyhow the place	46
strong and that the world was before him he wished to bury himself from observation until he should secure the success with which he would burst forth on an astonished world mrs and capture his first intention had been to go to the far west but on consideration he abandoned the idea were already abroad that in the great mountain range opportunity might be as golden as in that greater range on the other side of the continent had a sentiment that he would rather succeed in the south than elsewhere only get out and in and capital will come pouring after them had said old knows his business that was a good while ago and at last the awakening had begun now that carpet was at an end and affairs were once more settled in that section the wealth of the country was again being talked of in the press the chief centre of the new life was a day s drive farther in the mountains than the little hamlet which had visited once with dr when he attended an old stage driver by name and cut a bullet out of what he called his oflf leg this was the veiled to the original name of the picturesque and humorous had given the name of this was where old adam stirred by the young engineer s prophecy had taken time by the and had bought up the rights and gotten ahead of ck times and views change even in the ridge region and now after years of delay company s railroad was about to be built it had already reached after a few days with his father stopped at to see his old friends the doctor looked him over with some as gaunt as a he muttered my patient not married yet i suppose well she will be you d better tear her out of your memory before she gets too firmly lodged there boldly said he would take the chances when old saw him he too remarked on his but more well a lean dog for a long chase he said how are cattle inquired the old fellow turned his eyes on him with a keen look cattle s tolerable i been buy in a considerable number up toward where you re goin i may get you to look after em some day he chuckled wrote to that he was going to and would look out for him a little later he learned that the boy had already gone there the means of reaching from the of the railroad which company were building was still the stage a of the old time mountain coach which had all the manifold chances and changes of fortune happily for he had been obliged though it was to take the outside seat by the driver old tim to whom he recalled himself and by his coolness at hill where the road climbed over the shoulder of the mountain along a sheer cliff and suddenly dropped to the river below a point where old was wont to display his skill as a driver and try the nerves of passengers he made the old man his friend for life when the stage began to ascend the next hill the old driver actually so far as to give an account of a hold up that had occurred at that point not long before all along of the railroad them was into the country to which he laid most of the evils of the time for when you run a stage you know who you got with you declared mr but when you run a railroad you who you got well tell me about the time you were held up nobody hold me up mr if i had been goin to stop i wouldn t a started it was a fool they put up here when i was down with since then they let me pick my substitute well he said as a few lights below them there she is some pretty tough characters there too but you ain t goin to have no trouble with em all you got to do is to put the on em as looked about him in the morning after his arrival he found that his new home was only a rude camp raw and rugged a few rows of frame houses beginning to be by hasty brick stretched up the hills on the sides of roads dusty in dry weather and in wet yet it was for its size already one of the most places in the country of course the population was mainly american and they were beginning to pour sharp eyed men from the towns in black coats and long legged quiet looking and quiet in rusty clothes who along in single file silent and almost fugitive in the glare of daylight quiet they were and well nigh stealthy with something of the movement of other of the forest unless they were crossed and aroused and then like those other they were fierce almost beyond belief a small might make a great quarrel and pistols would flash as quick as light the first visit that received was from j the editor of the whistle he had the honor of knowing his distinguished father he said and had once had the pleasure of being at his old home he had seen s name on the book and had simply called to him any services he or his paper could render him there are so few gentlemen in this hole he explained that i feel that we should all stand together knowing j s history inwardly smiled mr had aged since he was the speaker of the carpet bag his black hair had begun to be sprinkled with gray and had yet farther back on his high forehead his eyes were a little and his full lips were less resolute than of old he had evidently seen bad times	46
forget him the invitation of a sovereign is equivalent to a command the world over and was as much the queen of as her victoria was queen of england or of any other country in her wide realm she was more she was absolute she could have had any one of a half dozen men cut the throat of any other man in at her bidding the mistress of the dancing academy had not forgotten her boast the institution over which she presided was popular enough almost to justify her there were few men of s age in who did not attend its and pay their tribute over the green tables that stretched along the big low room in fact miss was not of that class that forget either friends or foes whatever she was she was frankly and mr informed that she was down on him she s got it in for you he said says she s goin to drive you out of well she will not said with a flash in his eye she is a good friend and a good foe said the editor better go and offer a pinch of incense to she is worth you ought to see her dance however had made his decision a girl with eyes like was his and to her his incense was offered a day or two later was passing down the main street when he saw the young woman crossing over at the corner ahead of him stepping from one stone to another quite she was holding up her skirt and showed a very neat pair of feet in perfectly fitting boots at the crossing she stopped as passed her he glanced at her and caught her eye fastened on him she did not look away at all and inclined his head in recognition of their former meeting gk od morning she said then why don t you a good morning lifted his hat and was passing on why haven t yon been to see me she demanded pretended not to hear i thought i invited you to come and see met still did not answer but he paused his head was averted and he was waiting until she ceased speaking to go on suddenly to his surprise she bounded in front of him and her straight figure right before him did you hear what i said to she demanded yes then why don t you answer me t her gaze was fastened on his her cheeks were flushed her voice was imperative and her eyes flashed because i didn t wish to do so said calmly suddenly she out and poured at him a torrent of vigorous oaths he was so taken by surprise that he forgot to do anything but wonder and his calmness evidently her don t you know that when a lady you to come to see her you have to do it t i have heard that said beginning to look amused you do you mean to say i am not a lady t well from your conversation i might suppose you were a man said half laughing i will show you that i am man enough for you don t you know i am the of this town and that when i tell you to do a thing you have to obey me t no i do not know that said you may be the of this town but i don t have to obey you well i will show you about it and quick too see if i don t i wiu run you out of this town my young man oh i don t think you will said easily yes i will and quick too you look out for me good morning said raising his hat the of her tone and the vehemence of her manner had arrested several by who now stood looking on with interest what s the matter asked one of what are you so about f bank the young woman explained the matter with more than would have supposed oh he is just a fool let him alone said the man whilst another added he ll come around don t you bother and if he don t i will him i he s got go i won t let him now you know when i say a thing it s got to be and i mean to make him know it too asserted the young i ll have him driven out of town and if there ain t any one here that s man enough to do it i ll do it myself this declaration she framed with an sufficiently strong if an oath could make it so that evening tim came in to see he looked rather grave i am sorry you did not drop in if it was for no more than to supper he said is a bad one to have against you she s the kindest in the world but she s got a temper and when a s got a temper she s worse n a leader i don t want her against me j but i ll be hanged if i will be driven into going anywhere that i don t want to go asserted no i don t say as you should said the old driver his eye resting on with a look that showed that he liked him none the less for his pluck but you ve got to look out this ain t back in the and there s a plenty around here as would cut your throat for a wink of s eye they will give you a shake for it and if you come out of that safe it will be all right i ll see one or two of the boys and see that they don t let em double up on you a horse can t do long if he has got	46
a double load on him no matter what he is tim strolled out and though did not know it for some time he put in a word for him in one or two places which stood him in good stead afterwards the following day a stranger came up to he was a thin man between youth and middle age with a long face and a deep voice and light hair that stuck up on his head his eyes were deep set and clear his mouth was grave and his chin strong he wore a rusty black coat and short dark trousers are you mr his voice was deep and melancholy bowed he could not decide what the stranger was the short trousers inclined him to the church i am proud to know you sir i am mr the preacher he s hand expressed the pleasure he had in meeting yes sir i am proud to know you repeated mr i hear you have come out on the right side and have given a righteous reproof to that wretched dancing who is trying to destroy the souls of the young men of this town said that he was not aware that he had done anything of the kind as to destroying the young men he doubted if they could be injured by certainly not by dancing in any event he did not merit his praise mr shook his head yes sir you are the first young man who has had the courage to withstand the of that person she is the most abandoned creature in this town she the men so that i can make no impression on them even when i am holding my meetings i can hear the strains of her and the shouts of the followers that throng her den of satan i have tried to get her to leave but she will not go s reply was that he she had as much right there as any one and he doubted if there were any way to meet the difficulty i am sorry to hear you say that said the preacher i shall break up her sink of if i have to hold a revival meeting at her very door and call down and fire upon her den of wickedness if you felt so on the subject of dancing why did you come here demanded it seems to me that dancing is one of the least sins of the preacher looked at him almost i thought it my duty i have encountered ridicule and but i do not mind them i count them but wherever i have found the print of my lord s shoe in the earth there i have to set my feet also bowed the speech of mr for truth carried its with it the stiff awkward figure had changed the preacher s sincerity had lent him dignity and his simple use of a simple s words had suddenly uplifted him to a higher plane do not you think you might go about it in a less spirit t you might succeed better and do more good said no sir i will make no compromise with the even to succeed by i am sorry to find you among the as he shook hands his jaw was set fast and his eye was burning he strode off with the step of a soldier advancing in battle had not long to wait to test old s advice he was sitting in the public room of the a few evenings later among the crew that thronged that popular resort who were of many things from j s last on the new to the future of when mr himself entered his appearance was the signal for some humor for mr had long passed the time when any one but himself took him seriously here comes somebody that can tell us the news called some one come in j and tell us what you know that would take too long said mr as he edged himself toward the stove you will find all the news in the whistle to morrow just then another new arrival who had pushed his way in toward the stove said i will tell you a piece of news bill is back come back has he observed one of the company well that is more interesting to j than if the railroad had come they are hated rivals since j has taken to writing on bill says there ain t no show for him he threatened to kill i heard oh i guess he has got more sense than that drunk or sober he had better stick to men of women ain t popular in most parts an it ain t likely to get fashionable in i reckon he is for somebody said the i guess if he is going to get after all of s ardent admirers he will have his hands pretty full observed mr a sentiment which appeared to meet with general approval just then the door opened a little roughly and a man entered slowly whom knew to be mr bill himself he was a young brown bearded man about s size but more built his flannel shirt was up in front and had a full broad collar turned over a red with long ends his was set on the back of his head the gleaming of two that peeped out of his gave a touch of to his appearance his black eyes were restless and sparkling with excitement he wavered slightly in his gait and his speech was just thick enough to confirm what his appearance suggested and what he was careful to declare somewhat that he was on a of a i am a for a at i promised to run out of town before to morrow is he in here he tried to stand still but finding this difficult advanced a pause fell in the conversation around the	46
stove two or three of the men after a civil enough greeting themselves into a more comfortable posture in their chairs and it was singular though did not recall it until afterwards that each of them showed by the movement a pistol on his right hip after a general greeting which in form was nearer akin to an eternal than to anything else mr walked to the bar himself against it he turned and sweeping his eye over the assemblage ordered every man in the room to walk up and take a drink with him under veiled in too terrific language to be wholly intelligible the violence of his invitation was apparently not quite necessary as every man in the room pulled back his chair promptly and moved toward the bar leaving alone by the stove mr had ordered drinks when his casual glance fell on standing quietly inside the circle of chairs on the other side of the stove he pushed his way through the men clustered at the bar why in the don t you come up and do what i tell you are you deaf no said quietly but i ll get you to excuse me excuse you aren t too good to drink with me are you if you think you are i ll show you pretty d quick you ain t flushed drink with him said two or three men in an or take a cigar said one in a friendly aside thank you i won t drink said yet more gravely his face a little and i don t care for a cigar on mr called some one the name caught the young bully and he faced more directly he repeated his eyes on him with a cold glitter in them so you re mr are you that is my name said feeling his blood well you re the man i m a for no you won t drink me cause i won t let you you you are the that comes here a lady no i am not said keeping his eyes on him you re a liar said mr adding his usual and you re the man i ve come back here a for i promised to drive you out of town to night if i had to go to hell a it his white handled pistol was out of his with a movement so quick that he had it cocked and was looking down the barrel before he took in what had been done quickness was mr s strongest card and he bad played it often s face slightly he looked steadily over the pistol not three feet from him at the drunken creature beyond it his nerves grew tense and every muscle in his frame he saw the beginning of the in the barrel of the pistol and the gray of the bullets at the side in the he saw the cruel black drunken eyes of the young it was all in a flash he had not a chance for his life yes he had let up bill said a voice as one might to soothe a wild beast don t drop that pistol said another voice which recognized as s the half glanced at the latter as he shot a of oaths at him that glance saved he out of the line of aim and sprang upon his at the same time seizing the pistol as he went and turning it up just as pulled the the ball went into the remote corner of the ceiling and the was carried off his feet by s rush the only sounds heard in the room were the shuffling of the feet of the two and the oaths of the enraged had not uttered a word he fought like a without noise his effort was while he still the pistol to bring his two hands together behind his opponent s back a sudden of the latter s grip as he made another desperate effort to release his pistol favored and bringing his hands together he lifted his from his feet and by a twist whirled him over his shoulder and dashed him with all his might full length flat on his back upon the floor it was an old trick learned in his boyish days and practised on the and had by it ended many a contest but never one more completely than this a of applause came from the and more than one with sudden friendliness called to him to get s pistol which had fallen on the floor but had no need to do so for just then a stoutly built young fellow snatched it up it was who had come in just as the row began he had been following up the however was too much shaken to have used it immediately and when still stunned and breathless he rose to his feet the crowd was too much against him to have allowed him to renew the attack even had he then desired it as for he found himself suddenly the object of universal attention and he might had he been able to himself have slept in half the in the camp the only remark made on the event was characteristic don t let him the drop on you again the next morning found himself in some sort famous bill without a gun and him up as one of his new friends expressed it was no mean feat and was not insensible to the applause it brought him he would have enjoyed it more perhaps had not every man without exception who spoke of it given him the same advice had to look out for to have to kill a man or be killed is not the introduction to one s new home yet this appeared to the in which he was placed as if either had to die he devoutly hoped it would not	46
be himself he stuck a pistol in his pocket and walked out the next morning with very much the same feeling he supposed he should have if he had been going to battle he was ashamed to find himself much relieved when some one he met volunteered the information that had left town by light that morning couldn t stand the wouldn t even speak to him but he ll come back jest as well your gun a little while till somebody else him for you a few mornings later as was going down the street he met again the only decent in it was too late for him to turn off for when he first caught sight of her he saw that she had seen him and her head went up and she turned her eyes away he hoped to pass without appearing to know her but just before they met she cut her eye at him and though his gaze was straight ahead she said gk od morning and he touched his hat as he passed that afternoon he met her again he was passing on as before without looking at her but she stopped him good afternoon she spoke rather timidly and the color that mounted to her face made her very handsome he returned the salutation coldly and with an uneasy feeling that he was about to be made the object of another of her wrath her intention however was different i don t want you to think i set that man on you it was somebody else done it the color came and went in her cheeks bowed politely but preserved silence i was mad enough to do it but i didn t and them that says i done it lies she flushed but looked him straight in the face oh that s all right said starting to move on i wish they would let me and my affairs alone she began they re always a about me and i never done em no harm first thing they know i ll give em something to talk about the suppressed fire was beginning to blaze again and looked somewhat anxiously down the street wishing he were anywhere except in that particular company to relieve the he said i did not mean to be rude to you the other day good morning at the kind tone her face changed i knew it i was that about another happened the day before about bill she explained bill s bad enough when he s in liquor and i d have sent him off for good long ago if they had let him alone but they re always a and a at him they set him on and and not one of em is man enough to stand up to him she gave a little and then as if not trusting herself further walked hastily away mr said to soon afterwards ell you ve got one friend in as is a team by herself you ve captured she says you re the only man in as treats her like a lady was both pleased and relieved a week or two after had taken up his abode in mr was taken down with his old enemy the and went to visit him he found him in great anxiety lest his removal from the box should hasten the arrival of the railway he unexpectedly gave evidence of the highest confidence he could have in any man he asked if he take the stage until he got well readily assented so the next morning at daylight found himself sitting in the boot enveloped in old tim s in that high seat toward which he had looked in his childhood dreams it was hard work and more or less perilous work but his experience as a boy on the plantation and at squire s when he had driven the four horse wagon stood him in good stead old tim s illness was more protracted than any one had contemplated and before the first winter was out had a reputation as a stage driver second only to old himself stage driving however was not his only occupation and before the next spring had passed had become what mr called one of s rising young sons his readiness to lend a hand to any one who needed a began to tell whether it was trying to climb with his stiff joints to the boot of his stage or squire s cousin captain the sandy sandy clothed running his lines through the laurel bushes among the gray of the mountain side mr trying to new copy from a head or the shouting wagon drivers their up the muddy street he could and would help any one he was so popular that he was to be the town a tribute to his victory over mr and he too had become friends and though stuck to his resolution not to visit her establishment few days went by that she did not pass him on the street or happen along where he was and always with a half abashed nod and a rising color chapter an with the growth of mr and his friends awakened to the fact that was not the simple cattle dealer he appeared to be bat was a man to be reckoned with he not only held a large amount of the most valuable in the but had as yet proved wholly about of it accordingly the agent of company mr came down to to look into the matter he brought with him a stout middle aged named with keen eyes and a red face who was represented to be the man whom company intended to make the of their mines as soon as they should be opened the railroad not having yet been completed more than a third of the way beyond mr took the stage to owing to something that mr had let fall	46
shall have some more work for you i the agent when he went back to the north was as good as his word he told his people that there was one man in who would do their work promptly and he s straight he said he says he is from the south but he is a new issue he further reported that old the who owned the land in the gap either owned or controlled the cream of the coal beds there he either knows or has been well advised by somebody who knows the of all the lands about there and he has about blocked the game i think it s that young and i advise you to get hold of who is what what is his name asked mr mr s face brightened oh that is all right we can get him we might give him a place mr nodded mr sat down and wrote a letter to saying that he wished to see him in new york on a matter of business which might possibly turn out to his advantage he also wrote a letter to general suggesting that he might possibly be able to give his son employment and that it was on account of his high regard for the general that day met squire on the street he was dusty and travel stained i was jest to see you he said they returned to the little room which called his where the old fellow opened his saddle bags and took out a of papers they all thought i was a fool he chuckled as he laid out deed after deed while they was a i was a they thought i was cattle and i was but for every cow i bought i got a calf in the shape of the rights to a tract of land i d buy a cow and offer a man half as much again as she was worth if he d sell me the rights at a fair price and he d do it he never had no use for em an i didn t know as i should either but that young engineer o talked so positive i thought i might as well em inside my pasture fence he sat back and looked at with complacency a man to see me not long ago he continued mr black eyed man with a face white and hard an offer like a i set up and talked to him nigh all night and filled him full of old that man sized me up for a fool an i sized him up for a blamed smart yankee but i don t know as he got much the better of me doubted it too i think it was in and about the most that i ever owned continued the old after a pause you know i don t mind as much as i used to some of em of course was dr he was a yankee but i always thought he was out of the general run like a horse that young engineer o that come to my house several years ago he give me a new idea about an about some other things too he was a very pleasant fellow an he a good deal too it occurred to me t maybe you might hold of him an we might make out of these lands on our own account where is he now explained that mr was somewhere in europe well time enough he ll come home sometime an them lands ain t liable to move away yes i likes some now pretty well but lord i loves to ahead of a yankee they re so kind o to you well he said rising i thought i d come up and talk to you about it some day i ll you to look into matters a for me the next day received mr s letter him to come to new york s heart gave a bound the image of flashed into his mind as it always did when any good fortune came to him many a night with drooping eyes and energies he had sat up and worked with renewed strength because she sat on the other side of the hot lamp it is true that communication between them had been but rare mrs had objected to any correspondence and he now began to see though dimly that her objection was natural but from time to time on he had sent her a book generally a book of poems with marked passages in it and had received in reply a friendly note from the young lady over which he had pondered and which he had always and filed away with tender care took the stage that night for on his way to new york as they drove through the pass in the moonlight he felt as if he were soaring into a new life he was already crossing the mountains beyond which lay the italy of his dreams he stopped on his way to see his father the old gentleman s face glowed with pleasure as he looked at and found how he had developed life appeared to be for him in his son i will give you a letter to an old friend of mine john he has a church in new york but it is not one of the fashionable ones for he to or seek for power by doctrines fashioned to the varying hour far other aims his heart had learned to prize more skilled to raise the wretched than to rise you will find him a safe adviser you will call also and pay my respects to mr and mrs on his way owing to a break in the railroad had to change his train at a small town not far from new york among the passengers was an old lady simply and dressed who	46
had taken the train somewhere near philadelphia she was travelling quite alone and appeared to be much by her bags and the sight of an old woman like that of a little girl always softened s heart something always awoke in him that made him feel tender when first observed this old lady the entire company was streaming along the platform in that haste an offer always marks the transfer of passengers from one train to another no one appeared to notice her and under the weight of her bags and bundles she was gradually dropping to the rear of the crowd as bag in hand swung past her with the rest he instinctively turned and offered his services to help carry her she panted her thanks but declined briefly declaring that she should do very well you may be doing very well said pleasantly but you will do better if you will let me help you no thank you this time more firmly than before i am quite used to helping myself and am not old enough for that yet i prefer to carry my own baggage she added with emphasis it is not the question of age i hope that gives me the privilege of helping a lady said he was already trying to relieve her of her largest bag and one or two bundles a keen glance from a pair of very bright eyes was shot at him well i will let you take that side of that bag and this no that one now don t run away from me no i will promise not said laughing and relieved of that much of her burden the old lady stepped out more briskly than she had been doing when they finally reached a car the seats were nearly all filled there was one however beside a young woman at the far end and this to the old lady who as he her baggage close about her made him count the pieces carefully finding the tale correct she thanked him with more cordiality than she had shown before and withdrew to secure a seat for himself as however the car was full he stood up in the rear of the coach waiting until some passengers might alight at a way station the first seat that became vacant was one immediately behind the old lady who had now fallen into a cheerful conversation with the young woman beside her what do you do when strangers offer to take your bags heard her asking as he seated himself why i don t know they don t often ask i never let them do it said the young woman firmly a wise rule too i have heard that that is the way nowadays that they rob women travelling alone i had a young man insist on taking my bag back there but i am very suspicious of these civil young men she leaned over and counted her again could not help laughing to himself as she sat up she happened to glance around and he caught her eye he saw her clutch her companion and whisper to her at which the latter glanced over her shoulder and gave him a look that was almost a stare then the two conferred together while chuckled with amusement what they were saying had heard it would have amused him still more than the other there he is now right behind us whispered the old lady why he doesn t look like a robber they never do i have heard they never do they are the most dangerous kind of course a robber who looked it would be arrested on sight but he is very good looking insisted the younger woman who had in the meantime taken a second glance at who pretended to be in a book well so much the worse they are the very worst kind never trust a good looking young stranger my dear they may be all right in but never in life as her companion did not altogether appear to take this view the old lady half turned presently and taking a long look down the other side of the car to of any suspicion that she might be looking at him finally let her eyes rest on his face quite accidentally as it were a moment later she was whispering to her companion i am sure he is watching us i am going to ask you to stick close beside me when we get to new york until i find a coach an have you been to new york often asked the girl smiling i have been there twice in the last thirty years but i spent several there when i was a young girl i suppose it has changed a good deal in that time the young lady also supposed that it had changed in that time and wondered why miss the name the other had given did not come to new york oftener you see it is such an undertaking to go now said the old lady everything goes with such a rush that it takes my breath away why three trains a day each way pass near my home now one of them actually rushes by in the most impetuous and way when i was young we used to go to the station at least an hour before the train was due and had time to take out our knitting and compose our thoughts but now one has to be at the station just as promptly as if one were going to church and if you don t get on the train almost before it has stopped the dreadful thing is gone before you know it i must say it is very destructive to one s nerves her companion laughed i don t know what you will think when you get to new york think i don t expect to think at au	46
i shall j shut my eyes and trust to providence your friends will meet you there i suppose i wrote them two weeks ago that i should be there today and then my cousin wrote me to let her know the train and i replied telling her what train i expected to take i would never have come if i had imagined we were going to have this trouble the girl reassured her by telling her that even if her friends did not meet her she would put her in the way of reaching them safely and in a little while they drew into the station s first impression of new york was dazzling to him the rush the hurry stirred him and filled him with a sense of power he felt that here was the theatre of action for him the offices of company were in one of the large buildings down town the whole floor was filled with pens and off places beyond which lay the private offices of the firm mr was engaged and had to wait for an hour or two before he could secure an with him when at length he was admitted to mr s inner office he was received with some cordiality his father was asked after and a number of questions about were put to him then mr came to the point he had a high regard for his father he said and having heard that was living in where they had some interests it had occurred to him that he might possibly be able to give him a position the salary would not be large at first but if he showed himself capable it might lead to something better was thrilled and declared that what he was work and opportunity to show that he was able to work mr was sure of this and informed him briefly that it was work that they had for the clearing up of titles and securing of such lands as we may wish to obtain he added this was satisfactory to and he said so mr s shrewd eyes had a gleam of content in them of course our interest will be your first consideration he said yes sir i should try and make it so for instance proceeded mr there are certain lands lying near our lands not of any special value but still you can readily understand that as we are running a railroad through the mountains and are large sums of money it is better that we should control lands through which our line will pass saw this perfectly do you know the names of an offer any of the owners he inquired i am familiar with some of the lands about there mr pondered was so and eager that there could be no harm in coming to the point why yes there is a man named that has some lands or some sort of interest in lands that ours it might be well for us to control those properties s countenance fell it happens that i know something of those lands yes well you might possibly take those properties along with others t i could certainly convey any proposition you wish to make to mr and should be glad to do so began we should expect you to use your best efforts to secure these and au other lands that we wish interrupted mr speaking with sudden when we employ a man we expect him to give us all his services and not to be half in our employ and half in that of the man we are fighting the change in his manner and tone was so great and so unexpected that was amazed he had never been spoken to before quite in this way he however repressed his feeling i should certainly render you the best service i could he said but you would not expect me to say anything to squire that i did not believe he has talked with me about these lands and he knows their value just as well as you do mr looked at him with a cold light in his eyes which suddenly recalled to i don t think that you and i will suit each other young man he said s face flushed he rose i don t think we should mr good morning and turning he walked out of the room with his head very high as he passed out he saw he was giving some directions to a clerk and his tone was one that made glad he was not under him haven t you any brains at heard him say yes but i did not understand you then you are a fool said the young man just then caught his eye and spoke to him only nodded and went on the clerk walked about the streets for some time before he could soothe his ruffled feelings and regain his composure how life had changed for him in the brief interval since he entered mr s office i then his heart beat high with hope life was all brightness to him was already won now in this short space of time his hopes were all yet his instinct told him that if he had to go through the interview again he would do just as he had done he felt that his chance of seeing would not be so good early in the day as it would be later in the afternoon so he determined to deliver first the letter which his father had given him to dr the old clergyman s church and stood on an ancient street over toward the river from which wealth and fashion had long fled his parish which had once taken in many of the well to do and some of the wealthy now embraced within its a section which held only the poor but like an older and more noted divine dr could	46
say with truth that all the world was his parish at least all were his who were and desolate the was an old fashioned substantial house rusty with age and worn by the stream of poverty that had flowed in and out for many years when mounted the steps the door was opened by some one without waiting for him to ring the bell and he found the passages and front room fairly with a number of persons whose appearance extreme poverty an offer the doctor was out attending a meeting but would b back soon said the elderly woman who opened the door would the gentleman just then the door opened and some one entered hastily was standing with his back to the door but he knew by the movement of those before him and the lighting up of their faces that it was the doctor himself even before the maid said here he is now he turned to find an old man of medium size in a dress quite brown with age and weather but whose linen was his brow under his snow white hair was lofty and calm his eyes were clear and kindly his mouth expressed both firmness and gentleness his whole face was itself his eye rested for a moment on as the servant indicated him and then swept about the room and with little more than a nod to he passed him by and entered the waiting room though a little at being ignored by him had time to observe him as he talked to his other visitors in turn he knew his business and appeared to from the scraps of conversation he heard to know theirs also to some he gave encouragement others he but to all he gave sympathy and as one after another went out their brightened when he was through with them he turned and approached with his hands extended you must pardon me for keeping you waiting so long these poor people have nothing but their time and i always try to teach them the value of it by not keeping them waiting certainly sir said warmed in the glow of his kindly heart i brought a letter of introduction to you from my father general the smile that this name brought forth made the old man s friend for life oh yon are s son i am delighted to see yon back into my and tell me all father when left that and old fashioned as were it and its he felt as he had been in a atmosphere he had not dreamed that a man could be found in a great city he seemed to have the heart of a boy and felt as if he had known him all his life he asked to return and dine with him but gk had a vision of sitting beside at dinner that evening and declined chapter xiii in new york and had from time to time kept np a correspondence and from dr s went to call on and his mother unfortunately was now absent in the west on business but saw his mother the mansion was one of the largest and most houses on the fine old a big double mansion the door with its large fan shaped and reminded somewhat of the hall door at so that he had quite a feeling of old association as he tapped with the eagle the hall was not larger than at but was more solemn and had never seen such drawing rooms they stretched back in a long vista the heavy mahogany furniture was covered with the richest the were of heavy crimson even the walls were covered with rich crimson satin the floor was covered with in the colors into which as followed the solemn servant his feet sank deep giving him a strange feeling of a number of fine pictures hung on the walls and richly bound books lay on the shining tables amid pieces of rare l this was the impression received from the only glance he had time to give the room the next moment a lady rose from behind a tea table placed in a nook near a window at the far end of the spacious room as turned toward her she came forward she gave him a cordial hand shake and gracious words of welcome that at once made feel at home turning she started to offer him a chair near her table but had instinctively gone behind her chair and was holding it for her it is so long since i have had the chance he said as she smiled up at him her face softened it was a high bred face not always as gentle as it was now but her smile was charming you do not look like the little wan boy i saw that morning in bed so long ago do you remember i should say i did i think i should have died that morning but for you i have never forgotten it a moment since the rising color in his cheeks took away the of the speech she bowed with the most gracious smile the color stealing up into her cheeks and making her look younger i am not used to such compliments young men nowadays do not take the trouble to flatter old ladies her though faded still bore the unmistakable stamp of distinction calm gray eyes and a strong mouth and chin recalled s face the of caps rested on her gray hair like a crown and several little about her ears e the charm of to the face her voice was deep and musical she first spoke it was gracious rather than cordial but after the look she had given him it softened and from this time felt her warmth the easy cordial almost confidential manner in which she soon began to talk to him made feel as if they had been friends	46
always and in a moment in response to a question from her he was giving quite frankly his impression of the big city of its its movement its rush that up the nerves like the sweep of a swift torrent it almost takes my breath away he said i feel as if i on the brink of a torrent and had an irresistible desire to jump into it and swim against it in new york she looked at the young man in silence for a moment enjoying his sparkling eyes and then her face grew grave yes it is interesting to get the impression made on a fresh mind but so many are dashed to pieces it appears to me of late to be a that everything in its and terrible sweep fortune health peace reputation all are caught and swept away but the worst is its and its she sighed so deeply that the young man wondered what sorrow could touch her and in that beautiful mansion surrounded by all that wealth and taste and affection could give years afterwards that picture of the old time in her luxurious home came back to him just then a cheery voice was heard calling outside cousin where are it was the voice of an old lady and yet it had something in it familiar to mrs rose smiling here i am in the drawing room she said raising her voice the least bit it is my cousin a dear old friend and she explained to here i am come in here she advanced to the door stretching out her hand to some one who was coming down stair oh dear this great grand house will be the death of me yet exclaimed the other lady as she slowly descended why it is not any bigger than yours protested mrs it s twice as large and besides i was born in that and learned all its and downs and passages and corners when i was a child just as i learned the but this house it is as full of ways and as the way in pilgrim s progress and i would never learn it any more than i could the table why that you have given me is just like six times nine when you first put me in there i walked around to team my way and on my word i thought i should never get back to my own room i thought i should have to sleep in a bath tub i ed from the bath room only to land in the linen that was rather interesting then when i had calculated all your sheets and pillow cases i got out of that to what i recognized as my own room no it was the eight times seven i that was the only familiar thing i saw i could have those but my dear i never saw so many in my life no wonder you have to have all those servants i suppose some of them are to sweep the other servants up but you really must shut off those apartments and just give me one little room to myself or now that i have escaped from the i shall put on my bonnet and go straight home all this was delivered from the bottom step with a most amusing gravity well now that you have escaped come in here said mrs laughing i want a friend of mine to know a young a gentleman yes a young gentleman my dear exclaimed the other lady i am not fit to see a young i haven t on my new cap i really could not oh yes you can come in i want you to know him too he m m m this t as too low for to hear the next second mrs turned and the room holding by the hand s old lady of the train as she laid her eyes on she stopped with a little shriek shut both eyes tight and clutched mrs s arm my dear it s my robber it s what my robber he s the young man i told you of who was so suspiciously civil to me on the train i can never look him in the never saying which she opened in new her bright eyes and walked straight up to holding out her hand confess that you are a robber and save me laughed and took her hand i know you took me for one he turned to mrs and described her making him count her bundles you will admit that gentlemen were much on that train than or those who looked like insisted the old lady i came through the car and not one soul offered me a seat you deserve all the abuse you got for being so hopelessly as to offer any civility to a poor lonely ugly old woman mr does not yet know who you are mr this is my cousin miss miss dropping him a quaint little so this was little s old aunt dr s sweetheart the girl who had made him a wanderer and she was possibly the st of whom used to speak the old lady turned to mrs he is losing his manners see how he is staring what did i tell you one week in new york is to break any gentleman of good manners oh not so bad as that said mrs now you sit down there and get acquainted with each other so sat down by miss and she was soon telling him of her niece who she said was always talking of him and his father is she as pretty as she was as a child asked much too pretty and she knows it too smiled the old lady i have to hold her in with a strong hand i tell you she has got her head full of boys already other began to	46
appear just then it was mrs s day and to call on mrs was in some sort the of good society many it was true called there who were not in society at all serene and self contained old who held themselves above the newly rich who were beginning to crowd the avenues and force their way with a golden and many who lived in splendid houses on the avenue had never been admitted within that dignified they now began to drop in dressed women and handsomely appointed girls mrs received them all with that that was her native manner miss having secured her new cap was seated at her side her faded face tinged with rising color her keen eyes taking in the scene with quite as much as s had fallen back quite to the edge of the group that encircled the hostess and was watching with eager eyes in the hope that among the visitors who came in in little parties of and he might find the face for which he had been looking the name presently fell on his ear she is to marry said a lady near him to another they were looking at a handsome girl with a proud face who had just entered the room with her mother a tall lady in black with strong features and a refined voice and who were making their way through the other guests toward the hostess mrs greeted them cordially and signed to the elder lady to take a seat beside her oh no she is flying for higher game than that they both put up their and gave her a swift glance you f she nodded over toward mrs yes why she would not allow him to she has not a cent in the world her mother has spent every dollar her husband left her trying to get her off yes but she has spent it to good purpose they are old friends mrs does not care for money she has all she needs she has never forgotten that her grandfather was a general in the revolution and mrs s grandfather was one also i believe she looks in new york down on the upper end of fifth the and such don t you know what mrs s cousin said when she heard that the had a coat of she said her father must have made it something about the placid voice and air of the lady and the knowledge she displayed of the affairs of others awoke old associations in and turning to take a good look at her he recognized mrs the inquiring lady with the manner and bell like voice who used to mouse around the at gates s during s he went up to her and recalled himself she apparently had some difficulty in remembering him for at first she gave not the slightest evidence of recognition but after the other lady had moved away she was more fortunate in placing him you have known the for some time did not know whether this was a statement or an inquiry she had a way of giving a tone of to her statements he explained that he and had been friends as boys a dear fellow t smiled mrs quite one of our rising young men he wanted you know to give up the most brilliant prospects to help his father who had been failing for some time not failing t she explained with the point again of course i don t believe those i mean in health had so understood her yes he has quite gone completely shattered she sighed deeply but is said to be wonderfully clever and has gone in with his father into the bank she pursued the girl over there is to marry if her mother can arrange it that tall stuck up woman she indicated mrs who was sitting near mrs do you think her handsome said he did he thought she referred to the girl i who looked wonderfully handsome in a tailor made gown under a big white hat is almost dying she sighed it is so beautiful to find it f yes f agreed with her about its charm but hoped it was not dying out he thought of one romance he knew you used to be very romantic t could not help blushing have you seen the lately she continued had explained that he had just arrived you know is a great belief and so pretty only she knows it too well but what pretty girl does not the town is divided now as to whether she is going to marry or mr of company he is one of our leading men considerably older than herself but immensely wealthy and of a distinguished family was really in love with she lowered her that girl over there by mrs but she preferred at least her mother did so has gone back to you say you have not been to see her no you are going of course mrs was so fond of you which is she going to i mean which do people say she prefers inquired his voice in spite of himself betraying his interest oh of course he is one of the so good looking and immensely rich too they say he is really a great has his father s turn you know he came from a shop admitted his good looks and knew of his wealth but he was so confounded by the information he had received that he was in quite a state of confusion just then a young clergyman crossed the room toward them he was a stout young man with hair and a face his plump cheeks no less than his well in new waistcoat showed that the mr was no ah my dear mrs so glad to see you how well you look i haven t seen you since that charming evening	46
at mrs s do you call that charming what did you think of the dinner t asked mrs he laughed and with a glance around lowered his voice well the champagne was after the first round didn t you notice that you didn t notice it oh you are too amiable to admit it i am sure you noticed it for no one in town has such champagne as you he licked his lips with satisfaction no i assure you i am not flattering you one of my cloth how dare you charge me with it he laughed i have said as much to mrs you ask her if i haven t how is your uncle s health inquired mrs the young man glanced at her and the glance appeared to satisfy him robust isn t the word for it he bids fair to rival the in more than his piety mrs smiled you don t appear as happy as a dutiful nephew might but he is so so pious why should i wish to withhold him from the joys for which he is so ripe mrs laughed you are a sinner she declared we are all miserable he replied have you seen the lately no but i ll be bound you have what do you think of the story about old oh i think she ll marry him if mamma can arrange it children obey your parents quoted mr with a little as he away he is one of our rising young nephew of the noted dr little explained mrs you know of him of course a good deal better man than his nephew this under her breath he is his uncle s assistant and is waiting to step into his shoes he wants to marry your friend he is sure of his uncle s church if flattery can secure it just then several ladies passed near them and mrs seeing an opportunity to impart further knowledge with a slight nod moved off to scatter her information and inquiries and having made his to mrs withdrew he was not in a happy frame of mind over what he had heard the next visit that paid required more thought and preparation than that to the house he had thought of it had dreamed of it for years he was seized with a sort of when he found himself actually on the avenue in sight of the large brown stone mansion which he knew must be the abode of miss he never forgot the least detail of his visit from the shining brass rail of the outside steps and the little hard eyed servant in a striped waistcoat and brass buttons who looked at him as he went in to the same servant as he bowed to him as he came out he never forgot s first appearance in the radiance of or mrs s that baffled him utterly the footman who opened the door to looked at him with but ended in confusion of mind he stood at first in the middle of the doorway and gave him a glance of swift inspection but when asked if the ladies were in he suddenly grew more respectful the visitor was not up to the mark in appointment but there was that in his air and tone which bower recognized he would see would he be good enough to walk when he returned after a few minutes indifference had given place to in new would mr please be good enough to walk into the drawing room f sir the ladies would be down in a few moments did not know that this change in bearing was due to the pleasure expressed above stairs by a certain young lady who had refused to accept her mother s suggestion that they send word they were not at home was not in a very contented frame of mind that day for some time she had been trying to make up her mind on a subject of grave importance to her and she had not found it easy to do many questions confronted her curiously himself had played a part in the matter strangely enough she was thinking of him at the very time his card was brought up mrs who had not on her glasses handed the card to she gave a little scream at the coincidence mr how strange what is that asked her mother quickly her ears had caught the name why it is mr i was she stopped for mrs s face spoke disappointment i do not think we can see him she began why of course i must see him mamma i would not miss seeing him for anything in the world go down bower and say i will be down directly the servant disappeared now protested her mother who had already exhausted several arguments such as the inconvenience of the hour the of keeping the visitor waiting as she would have to do to dress and several other such excuses as will occur to who have plans of their own for their daughters and unexpectedly receive the card of a young man who by a bare possibility may in ten minutes upset the work of nearly two now i think it very wrong in you to do anything to give that young man any idea that you are going to that old affair protested that she had no idea of doing anything like that there was no old affair she did not wish to be rude when he had taken the trouble to that was all exclaimed mrs trouble to call of course he will take the trouble to call he would call a hundred times if he thought he could she caught her daughter s eye and could get you but you have no right to cause him oh i guess i couldn t cause him much now i fancy he is all over it now said the girl	46
lightly they au get over it it s a quick fever it doesn t last mamma how many have there been you know better isn t he always sending you books and things t he is not like those others what would mr say oh mr i he has no right to say anything the girl her face a little mr will say anything i want him to say she added as she caught sight of her mother s unhappy expression i wish you would not always be holding him up to me i like him and he is awfully good to much better than i deserve but i get awfully tired of him sometimes he is so serious sometimes i feel like breaking loose and just doing things i do she tossed her head and stamped her foot with impatience like a spoiled child well there is t began her mother the girl turned on her i thought we had an understanding on that subject mamma if you ever say anything more about my marrying i do things i vow i will why i thought you professed to like and he is certainly in love with you he certainly is not he is in love with much as he could be in love with any one but himself but if you knew him as well as i do you would know he is not in love with any one but in new mrs knew when to yield and how to do it her face grew melancholy and her voice pathetic as she protested that all she wished was her daughter s happiness then please don t mention that to me again said the girl the next second her daughter was leaning over her soothing her and assuring her of her devotion i want to invite him to dinner mamma mrs actually gasped nonsense why he would be utterly out of place this is not i do not suppose he ever had on a dress coat in his life which was true though would not have cared a button about it well we can invite him to lunch said with a sigh but mrs was she could not undertake to invite an unknown young man to her table thus the want of a dress suit limited mrs s hospitality and served a secondary and more important purpose for her i wish papa were here he would agree with me sighed the girl when the was settled miss slipped off to the lily the care she took in the selection of a toilet and the tender and delicate touches she gave as she turned before her glass might have her declaration to her mother a little while before that she was indifferent to mr and might even have given some comfort to the anxious young man in the drawing room below who in of books was examining the pictures with such interest he had never seen such a house meantime mrs executed a as soon as disappeared she descended to the drawing room but she slipped on an extra diamond ring or two thus she had a full quarter of an hour s start of her daughter the greeting between her and the man was more cordial than might have been expected mrs was surprised to find how had developed he had and though his face thin it had distinction his manner was so dignified that mrs was almost embarrassed why how you have changed she exclaimed what she said to herself was what a bother for this boy to come here now just when is getting her mind settled but i will get rid of him she began to question him as to his plans what had said to himself when the step on the stair and the rustling gown introduced mrs s figure was heavens it s the old lady i wonder what the old will do and whether i am not to see her he observed her embarrassment as she entered the room and took courage the next moment they were across the room and was himself like another young st george how was his school coming on she asked he was not teaching any more he had been to college and had now taken up it offered such advantages she was so surprised she would have thought teaching the very career for him he seemed to have such a gift for it was not sure that this was not a touch he quoted dr johnson s definition that teaching was the universal refuge of educated i do not mean to remain an all my life he added feeling that this was a touch on his part mrs pondered a moment but that was not his name his name was i know because i had some trouble getting a bill out of him changed his mind about the touch just then there was another rustle on the stair and another step this time a lighter one and the next moment appeared what was to the young man a vision s face as he rose to greet her showed what he in new for a moment at least the had x and he stood in the presence only of the girl was indeed as she paused for a moment in the wide doorway under its silken the how was he to know that she knew how effective the position a picture to fill a young man s eye and flood his ce with light and even to make an old man s eye grow young again the time that had passed had added to the charm of both face and figure and arrayed in her toilet of blue and white was radiant enough to have smitten a much harder heart than that which was at the moment in s breast and looking forth from his eager eyes the pause in the doorway gave just time for	46
the picture to be impressed forever in s mind her eyes were sparkling and her lips parted with a smile of pleased surprise how do you do f she came forward with outstretched arm and a cordial greeting mrs could not repress a mother s pride at seeing the impression that her daughter s appearance had made the expression on s face however decided her that she would hazard no more such meetings the first words of course were of the surprise felt at finding him there how did you remember i was not likely to forget you said frankly enough i am in new york on business and i thought that before going home i would see my friends this with some pride as mrs was present where are you living explained that he was an engineer and lived in ah i think that is a splendid profession declared miss if i were a man i would be one think of building great bridges across mighty rivers great mountains maybe even the sea itself said mr who so long l as s eyes were np at the thought of his profession cared not what mrs thought i if would find much to do in new york put in mrs i think the west would be a good the far west she explained it was so good in you to look us up miss said and perhaps a little for she knew what her mother was thinking if that is being good said my salvation is assured he wanted to say as he looked at her in all the multitude in new york there is but one person that i really came to see and i am repaid but he did not venture so far in place of it he made a mental calculation of the chances of mrs leaving if only for a moment a glance at her however satisfied him that the chance of it was not worth considering and gloom began to settle on him if there is anything that turns a young man s heart to lead ana it in ice it is when he has travelled a girl to have mamma plant herself in the room and mount guard knew now that mrs had mounted guard and that no power but providence would her the thought of the cool woods of the came to him like a him he turned to the girl boldly sha n t you ever come south again he asked the humming birds are waiting smiled and her blush made her charming mrs answered for her she did not think the south agreed with protested that she loved it how is my dear old doctor do you know he and i have carried on quite a correspondence this year did not know for the first time in his life he envied the doctor he is one of your most devoted admirers the last time i saw him he was talking of you in new what did he say of me do tell me with exaggerated eagerness smiled wondering what she would think if she knew too many things for me to tell his gray eyes said the rest while they were talking a sound of wheels was heard outside followed by a ring at the door sat facing the door and could see the gentleman who entered the hall he was tall and a little gray with a pleasant face he turned toward the drawing room taking off his gloves as he walked her father he is quite distinguished looking thought i wonder if he will come in he looks younger than the he was in some at the idea of meeting mr when looked at the ladies again some change had taken place in both of them their faces wore a different expression mrs of mingled and relief and miss s an expression of discontent and confusion settled himself and waited to be presented the gentleman came in with a pleased air as his eye rested on the young lady there is where she gets her high bred from her father thought rising the next moment the gentleman was shaking hands warmly with miss and cordially with mrs and then after a pause a pause in which miss had looked at her mother the girl introduced mr he turned and spoke to pleasantly mr an acquaintance we made in the south when we were there winter before last said mrs a friend of ours said the girl she turned back to tell me what dr said mr knows the i believe you know the very mrs addressed mr yes i have known since we were boys i have met his mother but i never met his father mrs was provoked at the stupidity of denying so advantageous an acquaintance but mr took more notice of than he had done before eyes had a gleam of amusement in them as he turned and looked at the young man something in him recalled the past from the south you say f yes sir he named his state with pride did i catch your name correctly f is it yes sir i used to know a gentleman of that general there were several of them answered the young man with pride my father was known as general of that was he i captured him he was desperately wounded and i had the pleasure of having him attended to and afterwards of getting him exchanged how is is he still living yes sir mr turned to the ladies he was one of the men i have known he said i was once a of his gracious hospitality i went south to look into some matters there he explained to the ladies the speech brought a gratified look into s eyes mrs was divided between her feeling of relief that mr should know of s social standing and her fear that such praise	46
might affect after a glance at the girl s face the latter men have no sense at all she said to herself had she it the speech made the girl feel more kindly toward her older admirer than she had ver done before in new s face was with tenderness as it always was at any mention of his father he stepped forward may i shake hands with you sir he grasped the hand of the older man if i can ever be of any service to of the least i hope you will let my father s son repay a part of his debt you could not do me a greater ri as he stood straight and dignified grasping the man s hand he looked more of a man than he had ever done mr was pleased i will do so he said with a smile mrs was in a this man will ruin everything she said to herself seeing that his chance of seeing alone was gone rose and took leave with some at the last moment boldly asked him to take lunch with them next day thank you said i lunch in to morrow i am going south to night but his allusion was lost on the ladies when came out a handsome trap was standing at the door with a fine pair of horses and a groom and a little later as was walking up the avenue looking at the crowds that thronged it in all the bravery of fine apparel he saw the same pair of high their way proudly among the other he suddenly became aware that some one was bowing to him and there was sitting up beside mr bowing to him from under a big hat with great white for one moment he had a warm feeling about his heart and then as the was swallowed up in the crowd felt a sudden sense of loneliness and he positively hated mrs a little later he passed in a long coat and a high hat walking up the avenue with the girl he had seen at mrs s he took off his hat as they passed but apparently they did not see him and once more that overwhelming loneliness t over him he did not get over the feeling till he himself in dr s study he had promised to go back and take supper with the old clergyman and had only not promised it absolutely because he had thought he might be invited to the he was glad enough now to go and as he received the old gentleman s cordial greeting he felt his heart grow warm again here was too this at least was hospitality he was introduced to two young both earnest fellows who were working among the poor one of them was a high and the other a and once or twice they began to discuss warmly questions as to which they differed but the old appeared to know just how to manage them come my boys no division here he said with a smile remember one flag one union one commander is still before the walls chapter xiv the hold up returned home that night he now and then thought of with a little it was apparent that mrs was his friend but after all would never think of marrying a gray haired man she could not do it his father s pleasure when he told him of the stand he had taken with mr reassured him you did exactly right sir as a gentleman should have he said as his face lighted up with pride and affection go back and make your own way owe no man anything gk went back to his little office filled with a determination to succeed he had now a double motive he would win and he would show mr who he was a visit from squire not long after he returned gave him new hope the old man chuckled as he told him that he had had an offer from for his land much larger than he had expected it had only confirmed him in his determination to hold on if it s worth that to him he said it s worth that to me we ll hold on awhile and let him open a track for us you look up the lines and keep your eye on em draw me some pictures of the lands i reckon will have a pretty good before i m through he gave a shrewd glance which however that young man did not see not long afterwards received an invitation to s wedding he was to marry miss when read the account of the wedding with the church with flowers and the couple preceded by he was as interested as if it had been his brother s marriage he tried to picture in her s dress with the old lace ed over it and the about her he glanced around his little room with grim amusement as he thought of the it might make to him if he had what mrs had called an establishment he would yet be of one fact related disturbed him was one of the and it was stated that he and miss made a handsome couple had long ago forgotten s action at college and wishing to bury all and start his new life at peace with the whole he invited to be one of his and for his own reasons accepted was now one of the most talked of young men in new york he had fulfilled the promise of his youth at least in one way for he was one of the men in the state mrs in whose heart defeat vowed that she would never bow so low as to be an at that wedding but her son was of a deeper nature he declared that he was abundantly able to manage his own affairs	46
looked so insolent as he sat back with half closed eyes and his silken black moustache that his father lost his temper i know nothing about your affairs of one kind he burst out angrily and i do not wish to know but i want to tell you that i think you are making an ass of yourself to be hanging around that woman having every one talking about you and laughing at you the young man s dark face flushed angrily what s that he said sharply she is another man s wife why don t you let her alone t pursued the father for that very reason said recovering his composure and his insolent air it let the woman alone said his father your around her has already cost us the of and incidentally two or three hundred thousand the younger man looked at the other with a flash of rage this quickly gave way to a colder gleam really sir i could not lower myself to measure a matter of sentiment by so vulgar a standard as your money his air was so intolerable that the father s patience quite gave way well by you d better lower yourself or you ll have to stoop lower than that company are out with us the have pulled out so have and others your and corners have cost me a fortune i tell you that unless we pull through that deal down yonder and unless we get that railroad to earning something so as to get a basis for you ll find yourself wishing you had my damned money oh i guess we ll pull it through said the young man he rose coolly and walked out of the office the afternoon he spent with mrs he had to go south he told her to look after some large interests they had there he made the prospects so dazzling that she suggested that he had better put a little of her money in there for her she had quite a snug sum that the had given her why do not you ask to invest it he inquired with a laugh oh i don t know he says bonds are the proper for women the hold up he rather your sex some of them said and as he watched the color come in her cheeks he added i tell you what i will do i will put in fifty thousand for you on condition that you never mention it to a soul i promise she said half gratefully and they shook hands on it that evening he informed his father that he would go south i ll get those lands easy enough he said a few days later got off the train at now quite a flourishing little health resort and in danger of becoming a fashionable one and that afternoon he drove over to squire s a number of changes had taken place in the old house since had been an new furniture of black at least on the first floor the old sofa and split chairs and pine tables a new sofa and a new piano in the parlor large with dazzling frames hung on the low walls and a carpet as shiny as a bed of and as stiff as the of a newly cut hay field was on the floor but great as were these changes they were not as great as that which had taken place in the young person for whom they had been made when drove up to the door there was a cry and a within as after a glance out toward the gate dashed up the stairs when miss after a half hour or more of careful and work before her mirror descended the old straight she was a very different person from the round faced plump school girl whom as a lad had with under the apple trees three or four years before she was quite as different as was the new piano with its deep tones from the rattling old instrument that and out of tune or as the cool self contained handsome young man in attire was from the slim boy who used to on it it was a very pretty and blushing young country maiden who now entered quite accidentally the parlor where sat mr in calm and indifferent discourse with her grandfather on the crops on cattle and on the effect of the new railroad on and prices several at a boarding school of some with ambition which had been awakened years before under the apple trees had given miss the full number of accomplishments that are to be gained by such means the years had also changed the round school girl into a slim yet strong figure and as she entered the parlor quite casually be it repeated with a large basket of flowers held carelessly in one hand and a great hat her face the that sprang to her cheeks at the wholly unexpected discovery of a visitor quite astonished by jove who would have believed it he said to himself within two minutes after she had taken her seat on the sofa near that young had conceived a plan which had vaguely suggested itself as a possibility during his journey south here was an ally to his hand he could not doubt it and if he failed to win he would deserve to lose the old squire had no sooner left the room than the visitor laid the first lines for his attack why was she surprised to see him he had large interests in the mountains and could she doubt that if he was within a thousand miles he would come by to see the cheeks and dancing eyes showed that this took effect oh you came down on business that was all i know she said looked her in the eyes business was only a convenient excuse old could	46
have attended to the business but he preferred to come himself possibly she could guess the reason he the hold looked handsome and sincere enough as he over and gazed in her face to have a wiser person than she of course had not the least idea then he must tell her to do this he found it necessary to sit on the sofa close to her what he told her made her blush very rosy again and a little as she declared her in all he said and was sure there were the prettiest girls in the world in new york and that he had never thought of her a moment and no she would not listen to she did not believe a word he said yes of course she was glad to see any old friend and no he should not go he must stay with them they expected him to do so so sent to for his bags and si ent several days at squire s and put in the best work he was capable of during that time he even had the satisfaction of seeing treat coldly and send away one or two country who rode up in all the bravery of long broad cloth coats and kid gloves but if at the end of this time the young man could congratulate himself on success in one quarter he knew that he was in the other was heels over head in love with him but her grandfather though easy and enough to all outward seeming was in a as dull as a spread out before him maps and showing that he owned which those under which the old man claimed don t you see my are older than yours t looks so said the old man calmly but is like folks they may be too old the young man tried another line the land was of no special value he told him he only wanted to quiet their titles etc but the squire not only refused to sell an acre at the prices offered him he would place no other price whatever on it in fact he did not want to sell he had bought the land for mountain pasture and he didn t know about these and mines and such like would have it after his death and she could do what she wished with it after he was dead and gone he is a fool i thought and set to work on him but the old fellow was he kissed for her but told her that women folks didn t understand about business so had to leave without getting the lands the of strangers was so great now at that there was a stream of running between a point some miles beyond which the railroad had reached and and other of a character on good days crowded the road filling the mountain pass with the cries and oaths of their drivers and the and rattling of their wheels and filling mr s soul with disgust but the vehicle of honor was still s stage it carried the mail and some of the express had the best team in the mountains and was known as the lar on bad nights the road was a little less crowded and it was a bad night that took for his journey to had been elected but had appointed his and on nights still occasionally relieved tim for in such weather the old man was sometimes too stiff to climb up to his box the way to know people said the old driver to him is to travel on the road with em there is many a man decent enough to pass for a church him on the road and you see he is a and not of no improved breed at that he wants to everything an observation that had some opportunity to appeared suddenly to have a good deal of business over in and had been on the stage several times of late when was driving it and almost always took the box seat this had occurred often enough for the hold up some of his acquaintances in to rally him about it you will have to look out for mr again they said he s run j off the track and he s still in the ring he s low but that s the time to watch a mountain cat he s on your track mr who was always very friendly with declared that it was not but who had run him off the track it s a case where virtue has had its reward he said to you have more than your enemy you have captured the prize we were all trying for take the goods the gods provide and while you live live the is the only true philosopher come over and have a f no do you happen to have a dollar about your old clothes f i have not forgotten that i owe you a little account but you are the only man of soul in this except myself and i d rather owe you ten dollars than any other man living s manner more than his words shut up most of his nothing would shut up j always treated with all the politeness he would have shown to any lady he knew that she was now his friend and he had conceived a sincere liking for her she was shy and very quiet when a passenger on his stage ready to do anything he asked obedient to any suggestion he gave her it happened that the night chose for his trip to had relieved old and he found her at the end of the route among his passengers she had just arrived from by another vehicle and was now going straight back as came around the young woman was evidently preparing to take the box seat he was conscious of a	46
feeling of embarrassment which was not diminished by the fact that his old pupil was also going over as well as was now living at was in all the splendor of a black coat and a gilded watch chain for he had been down to the ridge to see miss it had been a misty day and toward evening the mist had changed into a said to with some annoyance you had better go inside it s going to be a bad night a slight change came over her face and she hesitated but when he insisted she said quietly very well as the passengers were about to take their seats in the coach a young man enveloped in a heavy came hurriedly out of the hotel followed by a servant with several bags in his hands and pushed hastily into the group who were preparing to enter the coach in a more leisurely fashion his hat partly concealed his face but something about him called up memories to that were not wholly pleasant when he reached the coach door and another man were just on the point of helping in one of the women the young man squeezed in between them i beg your pardon he said the two men stood aside at the polite tone and the other stepped into the stage and took the back seat where he proceeded to make himself comfortable in a corner this perhaps might have passed but for the presence of the women woman at this mountain was at a as she was in the first and his friend both asserted promptly that there was no trouble about three of the ladies getting back seats and putting his head in at the door said briefly young man there are several ladies out here you will have to give up that seat as there was no response to this he put his head in again didn t you heart i say there are some ladies out here you will have to take another seat to this the of the stage replied that he had paid for his seat but there were plenty of other seats that the hold up they could have this repeated on the outside and thereupon one of the women said she supposed they would have to take one of the other seats women do not know the power of surrender this surrender had no sooner been made than every man outside was her champion you will ride on that back seat to to night or i ll ride in jim s i am for him anyhow the voice was s and i ll ride with him stand aside and let me in there i ll him out said his friend but was not prepared to yield to any one the honor of had just been down to squire s and this young man was none other than mr he had been there too had left with vengeance in his heart and this was his he was just entering the stage head foremost when the of the seat decided that discretion was the better part of and announced that he would give up the seat thereby saving the necessity of intervening which he was about to do the tenant was so that he got out of the stage and without taking any further notice of the occupants called up to know if there was a seat outside yes let me give you a hand said leaning down and helping him up how are you t looked at him quickly as he reached the boot i you the rest of his sentence was a on the in the coach below and a general of them all to a much warmer place than the boot of the stage what are you doing here asked i am driving the stage regularly there was something in the tone and look that made wish to say no but he said i have done it regularly and was glad to get the opportunity he was conscious of a certain change in s manner toward him as they drove along he asked about and his people but the other answered rather had married yes had heard that he married miss didn t he she was a very pretty girl what do you know about asked his tone oh i met her once i suppose they are very much in love with each other t gave a short laugh in love with women don t fall in love with a lump of ice i do not think he is a lump of ice said firmly did not answer at first then he said sharply well she s worth a thousand of him he married him for his money certainly not for his brains has as much as any one i know defended you think so remembered a certain five minutes out behind the stables at he wanted to ask about another girl who was uppermost in his thoughts but something restrained him he could not bear to hear her name on his lips by a curious coincidence suddenly said you used to teach at old s did you ever meet a girl named t she was down this way once said that he had met miss he had met her at springs and also in new york he was glad that it was dark and that could not see his face a very pretty girl he as a leader now that the subject was yes rather title hunting i don t expect miss cares about a title said stiffly the hold up mamma does failing that she wants old and who why mr is old enough to be her father pile s old too said she doesn t care about that either said shortly oh doesn t she you know her mother no i don t believe she does whatever her mother is she is a fine high	46
over in a special wagon it s only the mail and small that come on this stage but if they should t demanded well i suppose i d whip up my horses and cut for it said i wouldn t asserted i d like to see any man make me run when i have a gun in my x suddenly as if in answer to his boast there was a flash in the road and the report of a pistol under the very noses of the leaders which made them aside with a rattling of the bars and twist the stage sharply over to the side of the road at the same instant a dark figure was seen in the dim light which the lamp threw on the road close beside one of the horses and a voice was heard i ve got you now you i it was all so sudden that had not time to think it seemed to him like a scene in a play rather than a reality he instinctively the reins and pulled up the frightened horses seized the reins with one hand and snatched at the whip with the other but it was too late hardly conscious of what he was doing was clutching the reins with all his might trying to control the leaders broke out inside cries from the women and oaths from the men there was another of oaths and another flash and felt a sharp little burn on the arm next hold on he shouted for god s sake don t shoot hold on stop the horses the edge of the road into ihe thick bushes below i the hold up at the same moment disappeared over the wheel he had fallen or sprung from his seat the coward thought he is running the next second there was a report of a pistol close beside the stage and the man in the road at he horses heads fired again another report and dashed forward into the light of the lantern and charged straight at the robber who fired once more and then when was within ten feet of him turned and sprang over the edge of the road into the thick bushes below sprang straight after him and the two went crashing through the down the steep side of the hill the inmates of the stage poured out into the road all talking together and with the aid of succeeded in the horses the noise of the flight and the pursuit had now grown more distant but once more several shots were heard deep down in the woods and then even they ceased it had all so quickly that the passengers had seen nothing they demanded of how many robbers there were they were divided in their opinion as to the probable the men declared that had probably got the robber if he had not been killed himself at the last fire was in a passion of rage because the men had not jumped out instantly to s rescue and one of them had held her in the stage and prevented her from her head out to see the fight in the light of the lantern observed that she was handsome he watched her with interest there was something of the tiger in her movement she declared that she was going down into the woods herself to find she was sure he had been killed the men protested against this and and another man started to the rescue whilst a weather beaten fellow caught and held her ii why my i couldn t let you go down there why you d ruin your new bonnet he said the young woman snatched the bonnet from her head and it in his face you coward do you think i care for a bonnet when the best man in may be dying down in them woods t with a on the ear as the man burst out laughing and put his hand on her to soothe her she turned and darted over the bank into the woods fortunately for the rest of her apparel which must have suffered as much as the bonnet which the had picked up and now held in his hand as carefully as if it were one of the birds which ornamented it some one was heard climbing up through the bushes toward the road a little distance ahead the men stepped forward and waited each one with his hand in the neighborhood of his belt whilst the en instinctively fell to the rear the next moment appeared over the edge of the road as he stepped into the light it was seen that his face was bleeding and that his left arm hung limp at his side the men called to to come back that was there a moment later she emerged from the bushes and up the bank did you get was the first question she asked no gave the girl a swift glance and turning quietly he asked one of the men to help him off with his coat in the light of the lamp he had a curious expression on his white face was that about you she swore she was goin down there to help you said the who still held the hat a box on the ear from the young woman stopped whatever further observation he was going to make shut up don t you see he s hurt t she pushed away the man who was helping off with his coat and took his place the hold up no one who had seen her as she relieved of the coat and with fingers which might have been a trained nurse s cut away the bloody shirt sleeve would have dreamed that she was the who a few moments before had been raging in the road swearing like a and men s ears when the sleeve was removed it was	46
a large bundle under her arm and that night the stage stopped in the darkness at a little at the far end of the fast growing street and descended painfully and went into the house whilst the stage waited old tim attempted to do something to the lamp on that side and in turning it down he put it out just then with his arm in a and wrapped in a heavy coat came out and was helped by old tim up to the seat beside him the stage arrived somewhat ahead of time at the point which the railroad had now reached and old tim without waiting for daylight took the trouble to hire a and send the wounded man on declaring that it was important that he should get to a hospital as soon as possible mrs makes a match were scarce in and had been there only a day or two when mr s guidance he sought the entertainment of s hall he had been greatly struck by that night on the road when she had faced down the men and had afterwards bound up s arm he had heard from of her frequent over the road and of her fancy for he would test it it would break the monotony and give zest to the pursuit to make an on s preserve when he saw her on the little stage he was astonished at her dancing why the girl was an artist as good a figure as active a as high a as dainty a pair of ankles as he had seen in a long time not to mention a keen pair of eyes with the devil peeping from them to his surprise he found stony to his advances her eyes glittered with dislike for him he became one of the highest players that had ever entered the gilded apartment on s second floor he ordered more champagne than any man in but for all this he failed to himself with its genius still looked at him with level eyes in which was a cold gleam and when she showed her white teeth it was generally to some at him one evening after a little passage at arms her under the chin and called her darling wheeled on him keep your dirty hands to yourself she said with a flash in her eye and gave him such a box on the ear as made his head ring the men around broke into a was more than angry he was enraged he had heard a score of men call her by names he had also seen some of them get the same return that he received but none so vicious he sprang to his feet his face flushed the next second his senses returned and he saw that he must make the best of it you i he said with a laugh and caught the girl by the wrist i will make you pay for that as he tried to draw her to him she whipped from her dress a small which she wore as an ornament and drew it back let go or til drive it into you she said with fire darting from her eyes and let go amid the laughter and of those about them who were the girl on and calling to her to give it to him after this tried to make his peace but without avail though he did not know it had in her heart a feeling of hate which was it was his description that had set the on the track of her dissipated lover and though she had washed her hands of bill as she said she could not forgive the man who had injured him then having committed one error committed another he tried to get revenge and the man who sets out to get revenge on a woman starts on a sad journey at least it was so with he attributed the he had received to the girl s liking for and he began to how he should get even with them the chance presented itself as he thought when one night he attended a ball at the it was a gay occasion for the had opened their first mine and s future was assured the whole of was at least all of those who did not side with mr the preacher was there and who danced with her she was the dressed woman in the throng and to s surprise she was dressed with some taste and her manners were quiet and subdued toward morning the scene became and a call was made for to give a spanish dance the girl held back but her admirers were in no mood for refusal and the call became had gone to his room but was still there and his champagne had flowed freely at length the girl yielded and mrs makes a match after a few words with the host of the she stepped forward and began to dance she danced in such a way that the applause made the brass ring even though he hated her could not but admire her who had found it useless to try to sleep even in a remote corner of the hotel returned just then and whether it was that caught sight of him as she glanced his way or that she caught sight of s hostile face she faltered and stopped suddenly thought she had broken down and under the influence of the champagne turned with a to she can t dance he called across to the editor who was at some little distance in the crowd those nearest to the urged her to continue but she had heard s and she suddenly faced him and pointing her long bare arm toward him said put that man out or i won t go on gave a laugh go out you can t go on he said trying to steady	46
himself on his feet you can t dance any more than a cow he had never heard before the hum of an angry crowd throw him out fling him out of the window were the words he caught in a second a score of men were about him and more than a score were rushing in his direction with a sound that brought him quickly to his senses fortunately two men with cool heads were near by with a spring and a short stout young fellow with gray eyes were making their way to his side dragging men back throwing them aside ordering and before anything else had happened than the tearing of his coat half off of his back found himself with and standing in front of him defending him against the angry the determined air of the two officers held the in check long enough for them to get their attention and after a moment order was restored on condition that should to the lady and leave town this well by the handling he had received was willing to do and he was made to walk up and a humble apology to who accepted it with but indifferent grace that winter the railroad reached and or new as it was now called sprang at once so to speak from a to a full butterfly with wings in the sun of prosperity lands that a year or two before might have been had for a song and rights that might have been had for less than a song were now held at prices was sitting at his table one day writing when there was a heavy step outside and squire walked in on him when all matters of mutual interest had been talked over the squire the real object of his visit at least he began to approach it he took out his pipe and filled it well it s come he said what has come the railroad that young man said twas and so it s done he was something of a prophet the old fellow chuckled softly and lit his pipe that there friend of yours mr is been down here ag in kind o hangs around what s he up to laughed well it s pretty hard to tell what is up to at least by what he says especially when you don t tell me what he is doing the old man looked pleased had let him believe that he did not know what he was talking of and had expressed an opinion in which he agreed mrs makes a match that s what i think well it s about my land up here looked relieved has he made you another offer for it no he ain t done that and he won t do it that s what i tells him if he wants it let him make me a good offer but he won t do that he kind o circles around like a pigeon before he lights and talks about what i paid for it and a hundred per cent advance and all that i give a sight for that land he don t know years of hard work on the mountain side o days and out in the cold at nights up at the stars and how i was to of folks jest as i studied cattle that s what i paid for that land he wants me to set him a price and i won t do he might give it he looked at ain t i right t i think so he wants me to let him have control of it but i ain t a goin to do that neither that s certainly right said heartily i tell him i m a goin to hold to that for says she wants me to sell it to him too but women folks don t know about business wondered what effect this piece of information had on and also what further design the old squire had in mind i think it s about time to do something with that land if all he says is true not about my land he makes out as my land is too far away ever to be much fact is he don t allow i ve got any land he says it s all his anyway but about other everybody else s land but mine it might be a good time to look around i know as my land is the best land up here i holds the key to the situation that s what we used to call it the war well there ain t but three ways to to them back up yonder in the gap one s by way of heaven and i there ain t many land goin by that way the other is through hell a way they ll know more about hereafter and the third s through my land k ith laughed and waited he seems to be around pretty considerable caught the gleam in the old fellow s deep eye and looked away i can t make it out she likes him fastened his gaze on something out of the window i don t know him pursued the squire but i don t he d suit his ways ain t like ours he into reflection and with his eyes still fastened on something outside the window sighed to think of the old man s innocence that he should imagine that had any serious idea of marrying the of a magistrate the old squire broke the silence you don t suppose he could be after for her property do you no i do not said positively relieved that at last a question was put which he could answer directly because she ain t got any asserted the squire she s got prospects but i m goin to remove them it don t do	46
for a young woman to have too much prospects i m goin to sell that land and it down in cash where i can do what i want with it and i want you to take charge of it for me this then was the real object of his visit he wanted to take charge of his properties it was a tempting offer to make the old man had been a shrewd there is no success so sweet as that which comes to a young man that night spent out under the stars success had come and its other name was the way before still stretched steep enough but the light was on it the sunshine caught peak after peak makes a match high np among the clouds themselves and crowning the highest point bathed in perpetual sunlight was the image of had been abroad now for some time but he had followed her often when his work was done he had locked his door and shut himself in from the turmoil of the bustling noisy throng outside to dream of to read and study that he might become worthy of her he had just seen by the papers that had returned she had escaped the dangers of a foreign service but by the account she was the of the season at the which she was with her presence as he read the account a little jealousy crept into the satisfaction which he had felt as he began mr was spoken of too and there was mention of too many and in which their names appeared together in fact the forces exerted against had begun to tell her mother by her husband s determination had reluctantly abandoned her dreams of a foreign title with its attendant honors to herself and of late had turned all her energies to the suit of mr it would be a great establishment that he would give and no name in the country stood higher he was the soul of honor personal and commercial and in an age when many were to great fortunes and make a dazzling display he was content to live modestly and was known for his broad minded what did it matter that he was considerably older than reflected mrs mrs and half the mothers she knew would give their eyes to secure him for their daughters and certainly he had shown that he knew how to enter into s feelings even mr had begun to favor mr after mrs had pointed out that s next most attentive admirer was why i thought he was still trying to get that girl said he you know he cannot get her she is married replied mrs i guess that would make precious little difference to that young man if she would say the word i wish he would keep away from here oh is no worse than some others you were always unjust to him most young men sow their wild no man likes to be charged with injustice by his wife and mr s tone showed that he was no exception to this rule he is worse than most others i know and the crop of he is if he does not look out he will reap somewhere else besides in new york shall marry whom she pleases provided it is not that young man but she shall not marry him if she wants to she does not want to marry him said mrs if she had she could have done it long ago not while i lived said mr firmly but from this time mr began to in his wife s plans touching mr finally herself began to yield the influences were very strong and were exerted the only man who had ever made any lasting impression on her heart was she felt out of the question the young school teacher with his pride and his scorn of modern ways had influenced her life more than any one else she had ever known and though under her mother s management the feeling had gradually subsided and had been into what was merely a cherished recollection memory stirred at times by some picture or story of heroism and devotion reminded her that she too might under other conditions have had a real romance still after two or three years her life appeared to have been made for her by fate and she yielded not that fate was only a very ambitious and somewhat short sighted mamma aided by the mrs makes a match conditions of an artificial state of life known as fashionable society wrote a letter her upon her safe return but a feeling part shyness part pride seized him he had received no acknowledgment of his last letter why should he write again he the letter in the waste basket now however that success had come to him he wrote her a brief note her upon her return a stiff little plea for remembrance he spoke of his good fortune he was the agent for the most valuable lands in that region and the future was beginning to look very bright business he said might take him north before long and the humming birds would show him the way to the fairest roses the hope of seeing her shone in every line it reached in the midst of preparation for her marriage sat for some time in meditation over this letter it brought back vividly the time which she had never wholly forgotten often in the midst of scenes so gay and rich as to her she had recalled the in the woods with an ardent boy beside her her with eyes she had lived close to nature then and content once or twice peeped forth at her from its covert with calm and gentle eyes she had known pleasure since then joy delight but never content however it was too late now mr and her mother had won the	46
day she had at last accepted him and an establishment she had accepted her fate or had made it she showed the letter to her mother mrs s face took on an inscrutable expression you are not going to answer it of course she said of course i am i am going to write him the letter that i know how to write he is one of the best friends i ever had what will mr say mr quite understands he is going to be reasonable that is the condition this appeared to be satisfactory to mrs or at least she said no more s letter to was friendly and even kind she had never forgotten him she said some day she hoped to meet him again read this with a pleasant light in his eyes he turned the page and his face suddenly she had a piece of news to tell him which might surprise him she was engaged to be married to an old friend of her family s mr he had met mr she remembered and was sure he would like him as mr had liked him so much sat long over this letter his face hard set and very white she was lost to him he had not known till then how largely he had built his life upon the memory of deep down under everything that he had for had lain the foundation of his hope to win her it went down with a crash he went to his room and his desk took from his drawer a small of letters and other little of the past that had been so sweet these he put in the fire and with a grim face watched them blaze and burn to ashes she was dead to him he reserved nothing the newspapers described the one of the most brilliant affairs of the season they dwelt particularly on the fortunes of both parties the value of the presents and the splendor of the dresses worn on the occasion one journal mentioned that mr was considerably older than the bride and was regarded as one of the best because one of the safest matches to be found in society recalled mr dignified cultivated and coldly gracious then he recalled his gray hair and found some satisfaction in it he recalled too mrs s friendliness for him this then was what it meant he wondered to himself how he could have been so blind to it when he came to think of it mr came nearer possessing what others strove for than any one else he knew makes a match yet youth looks on youth as peculiarly its own and found it hard to look on s marriage as anything but a sale they talk about the sin of selling he said that is as very a sale as ever took place at a slave for a time he plunged into the life that offered he even began to visit but this was not for long mr s k were too to him for him to stomach them and began to show her partiality too plainly for him to take advantage of it besides after all though had failed him it was treason to the ideal he had so long carried in his heart this still remained to him he went back to his work resolved to tear from his heart all memory of she was married and forever beyond his dreams if he had worked before with enthusiasm he now worked with fury mr as wealthy as he was as completely equipped with all that success could give lacked one thing that possessed he lacked the promise of the future would show these who he was xvi visits new york and me sees a ghost foe the next year or two the tide set in very strong toward the mountains and new advanced with giant strides what had been a straggling village a year or two before was now a town and was beginning to put on the airs of a city brick buildings quite as as the town were springing up where a year before there were frame boxes the roads where had in mire not wholly of their own were becoming well paved streets out on the heights where had been a forest were sprinkled dwellings in pretty yards the smoke of panting engines rose where but a few years back old tim drew rein over his steaming horses pretty girls and well dressed women began to parade the where formerly s skirts were the only feminine attire seen and civil and engineer with his straight figure and manly face was not ignored by them but locked in his heart was the memory of the girl he had found in the spring woods she was forever beyond him but he still clung to the picture he had there when he saw dr no reference was made to the of the latter s prophecy but the young man knew from the kind tone in the older man s voice that he had heard of it meantime had not been idle and had been made and everything done to placing the properties on the market visits new york when old man came to new now he made s little office his and much quaint philosophy learned from him i reckon it s about time to try our cattle in the new york market he said at length to it was a joke he never gave up you go up there and look around and if you have any trouble send for me so talking his and reports and a few letters of introduction went to new york only one thought s joy the dearest aim he had so long had in view had disappeared the triumph of standing before and offering her the reward of his endeavor was gone all he could do was to show her what she	46
had lost this he would do he would win life s highest honors he grew grim with resolve something of this triumphant feeling showed in his mien and in his face as he plunged into the crowded life of the city from the time he passed into the throng that streamed up the long of the station and poured into the wide boats like grain pouring through a mill he felt the thrill of the life this was what he had for he would take his place here and show what was in him he had forgotten how gay the city life was every place of public resort pleased him theatres hotels beer gardens j but best of all the streets he took them all in with absolute freedom and delight business was the the trade mark it everywhere from the battery to the park it thronged the streets through the and at and railway stations and and through the great buildings that were already beginning to tower in the business sections it in the chief and through it all and beyond it all shone gilded and gleaming and dazzling in its glitter in the big hotels in the rich shops in the gaudy theatres along the fine avenues a display of wealth to make the eyes ache an exhibition of riches never seen before it did good at first to stand in the streets and watch the as it passed like a gilded of the inner new york he did not yet know the new york of homes of culture and of art of refinement and elegance the new york that has grown up since with its vast wealth its brazen glitter its tides that roll up riches as the sea rolls up the sand was not yet it was still in its infancy a as yet sleeping within its golden had no idea there were so many handsome and young women in the world as he now saw he had forgotten how handsome the american girl is in her best appointment they sailed down the avenue looking as fine as young at a show or streamed through the best streets as though not only the shops but the world belonged to them and it were no longer the meek but the proud that inherit the earth if in the on the streets there were often marked was too to remark it at least at first if women with worn faces and garments thin in the frosty air carrying large bundles in their pinched hands hurried by as though hungry not only for food but for time in which to earn food if sad eyed men with hollow cheeks sunken and clothes eagerly along he failed to note them in his first keen of the old clothes meant nothing where he came from might be the of perilous enterprise and well paid industry and food and fire were at least common to all indeed moved about almost in a trance absorbing and enjoying the sights it was humanity in life at full tide many a woman and not a few men turned to take a second look at the eager face and straight figure as with smiling yet keen eyes he stalked along with the free swinging gait caught on the mountains so different from the quick short steps of the city man beg visits new york and some who from their look and apparel might not have been beggars applied to him so often that he said to one of them a fairly well dressed man with a nose of a slightly red tinge well i must have a very benevolent face or a very one you have said the man with brazen frankness the half dollar given him on his tale of a picked pocket and a that had gone wrong laughed and passed on meantime was making some discoveries he did not at first call on he had a feeling that it might appear as if he were using his friendship for a commercial purpose he presented his business letters his letters however failed to have the weight he had expected the persons whom he had met down in new during their brief visits there were somehow very different when met in new york some whom he called on were civil enough to him but as soon as he his business they up the suggestion that he had coal property to sell sent them down to their eyes would with a shrewd light and their faces into ice one or two told him plainly that they had no money to in wild cat schemes mr of company a tall broad shouldered man with a strongly cut nose and chin and keen gray eyes that through long weighed chances with an to whom had a letter from an acquaintance one of those casual letters that mean anything or nothing informed him frankly that he had neither time nor inclination to discuss ninety nine out of every hundred of which were and the generally a failure this is not a fraud said hotly rising i do not sir he began to draw on his gloves if i cannot satisfy any reasonable man of the fact i state i am willing to fail i ought to fail with a bow he turned to the door something in s assurance went further with the shrewd eyed than his politeness had done he shot a swift glance as he was retiring toward the door why didn t make money down there he demanded half in half in denial gazing keenly over his gold glasses he usually makes money even if others lose it mr had his own reasons for not liking was standing at the door for two or three reasons one was that he the people who live down there and thought he could force them into selling him their lands and so lost the best properties there the lands	46
you have i suppose said the banker looking again at quickly yes the lands i have though you don t believe it said looking him calmly in the eyes the banker was gazing at the young man but as he observed him his began to give way that stamp of truth which men recognize was written on him mr s mind worked quickly by the way you came from down there did you know a young man named he was an engineer went over the line s eyes brightened he is one of my best friends he is in now mr nodded what do you think of him he is one of the best mr nodded he did not think it necessary to tell that was paying his addresses to his daughter you write to him said he will tell you just what i have tell him they are the lands opened the door good morning sir one moment mr leaned back in his chair whom else do you know here he asked after a second reflected a moment visits york i know mr yes i know him v y well he is an old friend of mine have you been to no sir why not r my relations with him are entirely personal we used to be warm friends and i did not wish to use his friendship for me as a ground on which to approach him in a commercial enterprise mr s countenance expressed more incredulity than he intended to show he might feel under obligations to do for me what he would not be inclined to do otherwise explained oh i don t think you need have any apprehension on that score mr said with a of amusement in his eyes it is a matter of business and i don t think you will find business men here the bounds of prudence from motives of sentiment there is no man whom i would rather have go into it with me but i shall not ask him to do it for the reason i have given good morning the banker did not take his eyes from the door until the sound of s steps had died away through his outer of ce then he reflected for a moment presently he touched a bell and a clerk appeared in the door write a note to mr and ask him to drop in to see any time this afternoon yes sir when called at mr s office he found the in a good humor the market had gone well of late and mr s moods were not altogether unlike the his greeting was more cordial than usual after a brief discussion of recent events he pushed a card across to his visitor and a casually what do you know about that man i the younger man in surprise is he in new york i have not seen him why i know all about him h used to be an old friend of mine we were boys together ever so long ago he went on to speak warmly of him well that was long ago said mr doubtfully many things have happened in that time he has had time to change he must have changed a good deal if he is not straight declared i wonder why he has not been to see met well i ll tell you what he said began mr he gave s explanation did he say that then it s true you ought to know his father he is a regular old don the don was not particularly practical he would not have done much with coal and iron lands observed the banker what do you know about this man s knowledge of such things admitted that on this point he had no information he says he knows your friend said mr with a sly look at yes i expect he if any one knows him he used to know him what does he say of him oh i think he knows him well i am much obliged to you for coming around he said in a tone of dismissal you are coming to dine with us soon i believe the are coming too and we expect home he s due next week one member of your family will be glad to see him said smiling the wedding is to take place in a few weeks i believe i hear so said the father fine young man your cousin isn t he been very successful yes once as passed along down just where new york some of the great shops were at that time before the tide had rolled so far np town a handsome carriage and pair drew np in front of one of the big shops and a lady stepped from it behind him she was a very pretty young woman and richly dressed a straight back and a well set head with a perfect toilet gave her distinction even among the handsomely appointed women who thronged the street that sunny morning and many a woman turned and looked at her with approval or envy the years that had wrought from a plain country lad into a man of affairs of such standing in new that a shrewd like had selected him for his representative had wrought a great change in had missed what she had once begun to expect romance and all that it meant but she had filled with dignity the place she had chosen if mr s in serious concerns left her life more sombre than she had expected at least she let no one know it association with a man like mr had and elevated her his high had lifted her above the level of her worldly mother and of many of those who constituted the set in which she lived he admired her he was constantly impressed by the difference between her and her and silly mother or	46
even between her and such a young woman as mrs who lived only for show and extravagance and appeared in danger of her husband and his happiness it was mrs who descended from her carriage as passed by just as she was about to enter the shop a well knit figure with square shoulders and step swinging down the street caught her eye she glanced that way and gave an exclamation the door was being held open for her by a blank faced in a uniform so she passed in but pausing just inside she glanced back through the window the next instant she left the shop and gazed down the street again but had turned a corner and so did not see him though she stood on to try and distinguish him again in the crowd well i would have sworn that that was she said to herself as she turned away if he had not been so broad shouldered and good looking and wherever she moved the rest of the day her eyes wandered up and down the street once as she was thus engaged came up he was dressed in the tip of the fashion and looked very handsome who is the happy man the question was so in keeping with her thought that she blushed unexpectedly no one ah not me but i know it was some one no woman looks so and eager for no one do you think i am like you streets trying to make y she said with a smile you do not have to try he answered lazily you do it simply by being on the street i am playing in great luck to day have you seen this morning t she asked he looked her full in the face i see no one but you when you are around she laughed lightly you will begin to believe that after a while if you do not stop saying it so often i shall never stop saying it because it is true he replied turning his dark eyes on her the a little closed you have got so in the habit of saying it that you repeat it like my that i taught once when i was younger and to say pretty he says it all the time sensible bird said mr calmly come and drive me up to the park and let s have a stroll i visits new know such a beautiful walk there are so many people out to day i saw the lady of the cat eyes and cat claws go by just now seeking some one whom she can turn again and it was the name she had given mrs i do not care who is out are you going to the this evening she asked no i rarely go there will you mention that to mrs t she apparently has not that confidence in my word that i could have expected in one so truthful as herself mrs laughed she began and then paused well what is say it you ought not to go there so often as you do why his eyes were full of insolence good by drive home she said to the coachman in a tone loud enough for her friend to hear strolled on down the street and a few minutes later was leaning in at the door of mrs s carriage talking very earnestly to the lady inside mr s attentions to had begun to be the talk of the town young mrs was not a person to allow herself to be she did not propose that the older lady who bore that name should be known by it she declared she would play second fiddle to no one but she discovered that the old lady who lived in the old mansion on washington square was mrs and that mrs occupied a position from which she was not to be moved after a little she herself was known as mrs it was the first time mrs had ever had command of much money her mother had made a good appearance and dressed her daughter handsomely but to carry out her plans she had had to and scrape to make both ends meet mrs told one of her friends that her rings knew the way to the s so well that if she threw them in the street they would roll into his shop this struggle had witnessed with that easy indifference which was part her nature and part her youth had been brought up to believe she was a beauty and she did believe it now that she had the chance she determined to make the most of her triumph sh would show people that she knew how to spend money was the aim of her life and she did show them her were the richest her was the and best appointed her soon were among the most splendid in the city those who were accustomed to wealth and to parade wondered both at mrs s tastes and at her gratification of them all the town applauded they had had no idea that the as rich as they knew them to be had so much money she must have s lamp they said only old mrs looked grave and at the extravagance of her daughter in law she never said a word of it and when the came she was too to complain of anything it was only of late that people had begun to whisper of the with which was seen with mrs certain it was that he was with her a great deal that evening was dining with the she was equally good friends with them and with their children who on their part her and considered lier to be their especial property her appearance was always the signal for a whenever she went to the she always paid a visit to the nursery from which she would return	46
breathless and with an expression of mingled happiness and pain in her blue eyes knew well why the longing look was there and though usually cold and she always softened to then more than she was wont to do visits new york pines for children she said to who pinched her cheek and like a man told her she thought every one as romantic and as affectionate as herself had mrs heard this speech she have her innocent eyes and have with silent thoughts on the blindness of men this evening mrs had come down from the nursery where shouts of childish merriment had told of her with the young who ruled there and was sitting quite silent in the deep arm chair in an attitude of profound reflection her head thrown back her white arms resting languidly on the arms of the chair her face unusually thoughtful her eyes on the gilded ceiling mrs watched her for a moment silently and then said you must not let the boy over you so mrs s reply was complete i love it i just love it presently mrs spoke again what is the matter with you this evening t you seem quite i saw a ghost to day she spoke without moving mrs s face took on more interest what do you mean who was i mean i saw a ghost i might say two ghosts for i saw in imagination also the ghost of myself as i was when a girl i saw the man i was in love with when i was seventeen i thought you were in love with then no never she spoke with sudden emphasis how interesting and you congratulated yourself on your escape t we always do i was violently in love with a little hotel clerk with hair a nose and a black moustache in the when i was that age mrs made no reply to and her hostess looked at her keenly where was it how long she started to ask how long before she was married but caught herself what did he look he must have been good looking or you would not be so pensive he looked a man how old was i mean when he fell in love with said mrs with a sort of gasp as she recalled mr s gray hair and elderly appearance rather young he was only a few years older than i was a what s his name that brought me down a mountain in his arms the second time i ever saw him i i had broken my almost i had got a bad fall from a horse and could not walk and he happened to come along of course how romantic was he a doctor did you do it on purpose mrs smiled no a young up in the mountains he was not not then but he was fine looking eyes that looked straight at you and straight through you the teeth you ever saw and shoulders he could carry a sack of salt at the recollection a faint smile about her lips why didn t you marry him he had not a cent in the world he was a poor young school teacher but of a very distinguished family however mamma took fright and me away as if he had been a oh naturally i and he was too much in love with me but for that i think i should not have given him up i was dreadfully cut up for a little while and she did not finish the sentence on this mrs made no observation though the expression about her mouth changed visits new york he made a reputation afterwards i knew he would he was bound to succeed i believed in him even then he had why don t men have some of them do asserted mrs yes has i mean unmarried men i heard he made a fortune or was making or something oh he knew more than any one i ever and made you want to know all i ever read he set me to and he is awfully good looking i had no idea he would be so good looking but i tell you this no woman that ever saw him ever forgot him is he married i don t think no if he had been i should have heard it he really believed in me mrs glanced at her with interest where is he staying i do not know i saw him through a shop window what did you not speak to him i did not get a chance when i came out of the shop he was gone that was sad it would have been quite romantic would it not but perhaps after all he did not make his fortune t mrs looked complacent he did if he set his mind to it declared mrs how about the least little light of crept into mrs s eyes mrs gave a shrug of impatience and pushed a photograph on a small table farther away as if it her oh i to that man is a heated room to the breath of hills and forests she spoke with real warmth and mrs gazed at her curiously for a few seconds still i rather fancy for a constancy you d prefer the heated rooms to the coldness of the hills your gowns would not look so weu in the forest it was a moment before mrs s face relaxed i suppose i should she said slowly with something very like a sigh he was the only man i ever knew who made me do what i did not want to do and made me wish to be something better than i was she added mrs glanced at her somewhat impatiently but she went on i was very romantic then and you should have heard him read the of the king he had the most	46
beautiful voice he made you live in arthur s court because he lived there himself mrs burst into laughter but it was not very merry my dear you must have been romantic how old were you did you it was three years before i was married said mrs firmly her friend gazed at her with a puzzled expression on her face oh i now my dear don t let s have any more of this i never indulge in it it always gives me a headache one might think you were a school girl at the word a wood in all the bravery of spring sprang into s mind a young girl was seated on the ground and outstretched at her feet was a young man fresh faced and clear eyed quoting a poem of youth and of love heaven knows i wish i were said mrs i might then be something different from what lam oh nonsense you do nothing of the kind here are you a rich woman young handsome with a great establishment perfectly free with no one to interfere with you in any way now i that s just it broke in mrs bitterly free free from what my heart for free to dress in and diamonds and die of loneliness she visits new york had sat np and her eyes were glowing and her color flashing in her cheeks in her energy mrs looked at her with a expression in her eyes i want what yon have in that house with only ourselves and sometimes i could wish i were dead i envy every woman i see on the street with her children yes i am too free i i married for respect and i have it i want devotion sympathy you have it you have a husband who you and children to fill your heart cherish it the light in her eyes was almost fierce as she leaned forward her hands ed so tightly that the showed white and a strange look passed for a moment over mrs s you are enough to give one the blue devils i she exclaimed with impatience let s have a she touched a bell but mrs rose no will go oh yes just a glass a servant appeared like an at the door what will you have t but mrs was she declined the invitation and declared that she must go as she was going to the opera and the next moment the two ladies were taking leave of each other with gracious words and the formal manner that in fashionable society quite as if they had known each other just fifteen minutes mrs drove home leaning very far back in her mrs too appeared rather fatigued after her guest departed and sat for fifteen minutes with the social column of a newspaper lying in her lap i thought she and liked each other she said to herself but he must have told the truth they cannot have cared for each other i think she must have been in love with that man chapter xvii meets day after s interview with mr he was walking up town more slowly than was his wont for gloom was beginning to take the place where disappointment had for some time been holding his experience that day had been more than usually these people with all their appeared to him to be in their way ss contracted as his they lived to wealth yet went like sheep in flocks and were so blind that they could not recognize a great opportunity when it was presented they were mere machines that ground through life as as the wheels in their turning out riches riches riches this morning had come across an article in a newspaper which in a measure explained his want of success it was an article on new it praised in sentences the place and the people gave a reasonably true account of the rise of the town set forth in a veiled way a highly colored of the properties and asserted that all the lands of value had been secured by this company and that such as were now being offered outside were those which had refused as after a thorough and searching examination the of the statements made boil with rage mr j immediately flashed into his mind as he walked along the newspaper clutched in his hand meets a man brushed against him s mind was far away on and but instinctively as his shoulder touched the stranger s he said i beg your pardon at the words the other turned and glanced at him casually then stopped turned and caught up with him so as to take a good look at his face the next second a hand was on s shoulder why glanced up in a at the vigorous looking young man who was holding out his hand to him his blue eyes full of a very pleasant light s mind had been so far away that for a second it did not return then a light broke over his he seized the other s hand the greeting between the two was so cordial that men hurrying by turned to look back at the pleasant faces and their own set countenances softened demanded where had just come from and how long he had been in town his questions one on the other with eager cordiality looked and began to explain in a rather fashion that he had been there some time and intended to hunt him up of course but he had been so taken up with business etc etc i heard you were here on business that was the way i came to know you were in town explained and i have looked everywhere for you i e you have been t he was smiling but was stiu sore from the treatment he had received in one or two offices that morning i	46
warmth sincerity and the beautiful room suddenly became a home mrs appeared somewhat shocked at his appearance well you are a sight just look at your i that he laughed feeling at his throat and trying to the crooked tie what will mr think meets thinks all right is one of the men i don t have to to but if i do he turned to i ll show yon the apology come along he seized by the hand and started toward the door you are not going to take mr up stairs exclaimed his wife mr may not share your enthusiasm wait until he sees the apology ck me along he drew toward the door but i don t began mrs what she did not think was lost to the two men for not her had with the eagerness of a boy dragged his visitor out of the door and started up the stairs telling him of the treat that was in store for him in the of a certain small young gentleman who had been responsible for his in appearing below when threw back a silken up stairs and flung open a door the scene that greeted was one that made him agree that was fully justified a yellow haired boy was rolling on the floor kicking up his little pink legs in all the abandon of his years while a little girl was sitting in a nurse s lap making efforts to join her brother on the floor at sight of his father the boy with a scrambled to his feet and with outstretched arms and open mouth showing all his little white teeth made a rush for him while the young lady suddenly changed her to descend and began to jump up and down in a frantic ecstasy of delight gathered the boy up and as soon as he could his little arms from about his neck turned him toward the child gave the stranger one of those calm looks that children give and then his face suddenly breaking into a smile with a rippling laugh of good he sprang into s outstretched arms that s i as in danger of the same process that had incurred mrs s criticism when the discovered that lady herself standing at the door down from his perch on s shoulder the boy with a shout rushed toward his mother mrs with a little shriek stopped him and held him off from her she could not permit him to her toilet her had cost too much thought but the pair were evidently on terms of good fellowship and the light in the mother s eyes even as she restrained the boy s attempt at caresses changed her and gave a new insight into her character and the hostess returned to the drawing room before and she was no longer the professional beauty the cold woman of the world the mere fashionable hostess the doors were flung open more than once as talked warmly of the boy and within got glimpses of what was hidden there which made him rejoice again that his friend had such a treasure these glimpses of unexpected softness drew him nearer to her than he had ever expected to be and on his part he talked to her with a frankness and earnestness which sank deep into her mind and opened the way to a warmer friendship than she usually gave is right she said to herself this is a man at the thought a light flashed upon her it suddenly came to her this is the ghost yet could it be possible she solved the question quickly mr did you ever know for a bare second he looked puzzled oh miss yes a long time ago he was conscious that his expression had changed so he added i used to know her very well decidedly this is the reflected mrs to herself as she anew s strong features and frame said if a woman had ever seen him meets she would not be likely u him and i think she was right why do yon ask met inquired who had now quite recovered from his little confusion of course you know yes very well we were at school together she is my best friend almost she shut her mouth as firmly as though this were the last sentence she ever proposed to utter j but her eyes as they rested on s face had the least twinkle in them did not know how much of their old affair had been told her but she evidently knew something and it was necessary to show her that he had recovered from it long ago and yet retained a friendly feeling for mrs she was an old sweetheart of mine long ago that is i used to think myself desperately in love with her a hundred years ago or so before she was and i was too he added he gained not the least idea of the impression this made on mrs she was talking to me about you only the other day she said casually again made a to open her defence i hope she said kind things about met i deserve some kindness at her hands for i have only pleasant memories of her i wonder what he means by that questioned mrs to herself and then added oh yes she did indeed she was almost enthusiastic about friendship her eyes his face lightly has she fulfilled the promise of beauty that she gave as a school girl t i used to think her one of the most beautiful creatures in the world but i don t know that i was capable of judging at that time he added with a smile for i remember i was quite desperate about her for a little while he tried to speak naturally mrs s eyes rested on his for a moment why yes many think her much	46
than she ever was she is one of the married beauties you know her eyes swept s face she was one of the sweetest girls i ever knew said moved for some reason to add this tribute well i don t know that every one would call her that indeed i am not quite sure that i should call her that myself always but she can be sweet my children her and i think that is always a good sign undoubtedly they judge correctly because directly the picture of a young girl in a riding habit kneeling in the dust with a little ragged child in her arms flashed before s mental vision and he almost gave a gasp is she married happily he asked i hope she is happy oh as happy as the day is long declared mrs cheerfully deep down in her eyes was a wicked twinkle of malice her face wore a look of content he is not altogether indifferent yet she said to herself and when said firmly that he was very glad to hear it she did him the honor to him of course you know that mr is a good deal older than yes had heard so but a charming man and immensely rich yes began to look grim aren t you going to see her inquired mrs finding that was not prepared to say any more on the subject said he should like to do so very much he hoped to see her before going away but he could not tell she is married now and must be so taken up with her new duties that i fear she would hardly remember me he added with a laugh i don t think i ever made much impression on her meets is not one to forget her friends why she spoke of you with real friendship she said smiling thinking to herself likes him and he is still in love with her this begins to be interesting a woman does not have to give up all her friends when she she added with her eyes on smiled oh no only her lovers unless they turn into friends of course those said mrs who after a moment s reflection added they don t always do that do you believe a woman ever forgets entirely a man she has really loved she does if she is happily married and if she is wise but all women are not happily married and perhaps all are not wise said some association of ideas led him to say suddenly tell me something about he was one of your wasn t he he was surprised to see mrs s countenance change her eyelids closed suddenly as if a glare were turned unexpectedly on them and she caught her breath i have known him since we were children of course you know he was desperately in love with said he had heard something of the kind he stiu likes her she is married said yes a moment later mrs drew a long breath and her lips you knew him at the same time that you first knew did you not she was simply for time yes i met him first then said don t you think has changed since he was a boy she demanded after a moment s reflection how do you mean was feeling very uncomfortable and to save himself an answer plunged along of course he has changed he did not say how nor did he give mrs time to explain herself i will tell you one thing though he said earnestly he never was worthy to loose the of your husband s shoe mrs s face changed again she glanced down for a second and then said you and have a mutual admiration society we have been friends a long time said thoughtfully but even that does not always count for so much seem so easily broken these days because there are so few that man is blessed who has such a friend said the young man earnestly mrs looked at him with a curious light in her eyes and as she gazed her face grew more thoughtful then as reappeared she changed the subject abruptly after dinner while they were smoking made tell him of his coal lands and the business that had brought him to new york to s surprise he seemed to know something of it already you should have come to me at first he said i might at least have been able to somewhat the adverse influence that has been working against you his brow clouded a little appears to be quite a personage here i wonder he has not been found out said after a little reverie shifted slightly in his chair oh he is not worth about give me your lay out now put him in possession of the facts and he became deeply interested he had indeed a motive one of friendship for the other he as yet hardly confessed even to himself the next day met by appointment and meets gave him his papers and a day or two afterwards he met a number of his friends at lunch they were and if general s old that gentlemen never discussed money at table was sound they would scarcely have met his for the talk was almost entirely of money when they rose from the table as he afterwards told felt like a squeezed orange the man to him was mr whom found to be a jovial sensible little man with kindly blue eyes and a humorous mouth his chief cross was a mr a narrow faced man with a thin white moustache that looked as if it had led a starved existence on his lip those people down there are opposed to progress he said up his pockets in a way he had as if he were afraid of having them picked i guess the have found	46
that out i don t see any money in it it is strange that doesn t see money in this said mr with a twinkle in his eye for he usually sees money in everything i guess there were other reasons than want of progress for the not paying a few days later informed that the money was nearly all but did not know until afterwards how warmly he had him you said something about sheep the other day well a sheep is a solitary and animal to a city man with money to invest my grandfather s man used to tell me sheep is kind of mr the first one through and you can t keep the others out even is jumping to get in xviii me had not yet met mrs he meant to call on her before leaving town for he would show her that he was and also that he had recovered also he wanted to see her and in his heart was a lurking hope that she might regret having lost him a word that mrs had let fall the evening he dined there had kept him from calling before a few evenings later was dining with the and after dinner said by the way we are going to a ball to night won t you come along f it will really be worth seeing having no engagement was about to accept but he was aware that mrs at her husband s words had turned and given him a quick look of scrutiny that swept him from the top of his head to the toe of his boot he had had that swift glance of inspection sweep him up and down many times of late in business offices the look however appeared to satisfy his hostess for after a bare pause she her husband s invitation that pause had given time to reflect and he declined to go but too had seen the glance his wife had given and he urged his acceptance so warmly and with such real sincerity that finally yielded this is not one of the balls said it is only a ball one of our dances so you need have no scruples about going along looked a little mrs mrs s balls are the balls my dear fellow there in general only the rich and the noble rich in prospect and noble in how can you talk so exclaimed mrs with some impatience you know better than that mrs has always been particularly kind to us why she asks me to receive with her winter but was in a mood am not i rich and you noble he laughed do you suppose my dear that mrs would ask you to receive with her if we lived two or three squares off fifth avenue t it is as hard for a poor man to enter mrs s house as for a to pass through the needle s eye her motions are and her is as regulated as that of a planet mrs protested why she has all sorts of people at her except the unsuccessful even have a little of an hour or two later found himself in such a scene of radiance as he had never witnessed before in all his life though as had said it was not one of the great to be present at it was in some sort a proof of one s social position and possibly of one s pecuniary condition was conscious of that same feeling of novelty and that had come over him when he first arrived in the city it came upon him when he first stepped from the cool outer air into the warm atmosphere of the brilliantly lighted building and stood among the young men all perfectly dressed and appointed and almost as similar as the they were receiving from the busy servants in the cloak room the feeling grew stronger as he mounted the wide marble to the broad landing which was a bower of palms and with handsome women passing in and out like birds in gorgeous and gay voices sounding in his ears it swept over him like a flood when he entered the spacious ball room and gazed upon the dazzling scene before him this is s palace he declared as he stood looking across the large ball room the nights have surely come again mrs immediately after presenting to one or two ladies who were receiving had been met and borne off by and was in the throng at the far end of the great apartment and some one had stopped on the so was left for a moment standing alone just inside the door he had a sense of being charmed later he tried to account for it was it the sight before even such perfect harmony of color could hardly have done it it must be the dazzling radiance of youth that almost made his eyes ache with its beauty perhaps it was the strain of the band hidden in the gallery among those palms the music that floated down always set him swinging back in the land of memory he stood for a moment quite then he was suddenly conscious of being lonely in all the throng before him he could not see one soul that he knew his friends were far away suddenly the strains of the and the of the horns in the big dining room of the old back in the mountains sounded in his ears and the but gay and joyous throng that and and swung over the rough boards setting the floor to swinging and the room to swaying swam in a dim mist before his eyes girls in ribbons so gay that they almost made the eyes ache faces flushed with the excitement and joy of the dance smiling faces snowy teeth hair dresses green and pink and white ringing laughter and of real all passed	46
you doing where are you staying how long are you going to be in town demanded mrs turning to at the only a day or two said laughing gold no not yet where down south at a place called new it s near the place where i used to teach it s a great city why we think new york is jealous of us oh i know about a friend of mine put a little money down there for me you know him yes i know him most of us know him observed mr turning his eyes on of course you must know him are you in with him he tells me that they own pretty much everything that is good in that region they are about to open a new mine that is to exceed anything ever known tells me i am good for i don t know how much the stock is to be put on the exchange in a little while and i got in on the ground floor that s what they call it the lowest floor of all you know yes some people call it the ground floor said wishing to change the subject you know there may be a cellar under a ground floor observed mr looked at him and their eyes met fortunately perhaps for some one came up just then and claimed a dance with mrs she moved away and then turned i shall see you again yes why i hope certainly she stopped and looked at him when are you going away why i don t exactly know very soon perhaps in a day or two well won t you come to see here i will give you my address have you a card she took the pencil he offered her and wrote her number on it come some about six mr is always in then she said i am sure you will like each other bowed she floated off smiling what she had said to mrs occurred to her yes he looks like a man she became conscious that her companion was asking a question what is the matter with you he said i have asked you three times who that man was and you have not said a word oh i beg your pardon mr an old friend of mine she said and changed the subject as to her old friend he was watching her as she danced winding in and out among the intervening couples he wondered that he could ever have thought that a creature like that could care for him and share his hard life he might as soon have expected a bird of paradise to live by choice in a coal he strolled about looking at the handsome women and presently found himself in the turning a of palms he came on mrs and mr sitting together talking earnestly was about to go up and speak to mrs but her escort said something under his breath to her and she looked away so passed on a little later went over to where mrs stood several men were about her and just after joined her another man walked up if any movement so lazy and could be termed walking i have been wondering why i did not see you he as he came up recognized the voice of he turned and faced him but if mr was aware of his presence he gave no sign of it his dark eyes were on mrs she turned to him perhaps it was because you did not use your eyes that is not ordinarily a fault of yours i never think of my eyes when yours are present said he lazily oh don t laughed mrs what were you doing a little while ago in the nothing i have not been in the this evening you have paid some one else a compliment tell that to some one who does not use her eyes said mrs there are occasions when you must the sight of your eyes he was looking her steadily in the and saw her expression change he recovered herself last time i saw you you vowed you had eyes for none but me you may remember she said lightly no did it life is too awfully short to remember but it is true it is the present in which i find my pleasure up to this time neither mrs nor mr had taken any notice of who stood a little to one side waiting with his eyes resting on the other young man s face mrs now turned oh mr she now turned back to mr you know mr t was about to step forward to greet his old acquaintance but barely nodded ah how do you dot yes i know mr if i can take care of the present i let the past and the future take care of themselves he continued to mrs come and have a turn that will make the present worth all of the past mrs you are discreet said one of the other men with a my dear fellow said the young man turning i assure you you don t know half my virtues what are your virtues one is not interfering with others he turned back to mrs come have a turn he took one of his hands from his pocket and held it out i am engaged said mrs oh that makes no difference yon are always engaged come he said i beg your pardon it makes a difference in this case said coming forward i believe this is my turn mrs t s glance swept across but did not rest on him though it was enough for to meet it for a second and without looking the young man turned lazily away shall we find a seat mrs asked as she took s arm delighted unless you prefer to dance i did not	46
know that dancing was one of your accomplishments she said as they strolled along maybe i have acquired several accomplishments that you do not know of it has been a long time since you knew me he answered lightly as they turned his eyes fell on he was standing where they had left him his eyes fastened on them as looked he started and turned away mrs had also seen him what is there between you and she asked nothing there must be did you ever have a row with him t yes but that was long ago i don t know he has a good memory he doesn t like you she spoke doesn t laughed well i must try and sustain it as best i can and you don t like few men like him i wonder why that is t and many women f questioned as for a moment he recalled mrs s face when he spoke of him some women she corrected with a quick glance at him she reflected and then went on i think partly because he is so bold and partly that he never appears to know any one else it is the most flattery in the world i like him because i have known him all my life i know him perfectly spoke politely she read his thought you wonder if i really know yes i do but somehow i cling to those i knew in my you don t believe that but i do she glanced at him and then looked away yes i do believe it then let s be old friends said he held out his hand and when she took it grasped hers firmly who is here with you to night he asked no one mr does not care for balls won t you give me the pleasure of seeing you she hesitated for a moment and then said i will drop you at your hotel it is right on my way home just then some one came up and joined the group ah my dear mrs how well you are looking this evening the full voice no less than the words sounded familiar to and turning he recognized the young clergyman whom he had met at mrs s when he passed through new york some years before the years had plainly used mr well he was dressed in an evening suit with a waistcoat which showed that his plump frame had taken on an extra and a double chin was beginning to rest on his collar mrs smiled as she returned his greeting you are my stand by mr i always know that no matter what others may say of me i shall be sure of at least one compliment before the evening is over if you are present that is because you always deserve it he put his head on one side like an robin ah if you knew how many compliments i do pay you which you never hear i my entire life is a compliment to you declared mr not your entire life mr you are like some other men you confound me with some one else for i am sure i heard you saying the same thing five minutes ago to impossible then i must have confounded her with you sighed mr with such a look at mrs out of his eyes that she gave him a laughing tap with her fan go and practise that on a i am an old married woman remember ah me sighed the gentleman marriage and death and division make barren our lives where does that come asked mrs began mr then catching s eyes resting on him with an amused look in them he turned red she addressed mr you quoted that to me once where does it come from the bible t no i read it in the newspaper and was so struck by it that i remembered it said mr i read it in said with his eyes on the other s face it pleased him to see it as he passed through the rooms caught sight of an old lady over in a comer he could scarcely believe his senses it was miss she was sitting back against the wall watching the crowd with eyes as sharp as needles sometimes her thin lips and her bright eyes snapped with inward amusement made his way over to her she was so engaged that he stood beside her a moment without her seeing him then she turned and glanced at him a ye notes he said laughing and holding out his hand an faith she ll em she answered with a nod how are i am glad to see you i was just wishing i had somebody to enjoy this with me but not a man i ought to be gone and so ought you young man i started but i thought if i could get in a corner by myself where there were no men i might stay a little while and look at it for i certainly never saw anything like this before and i don t think i ever shall again i certainly do not think you ought to see it laughed and she continued i knew things had changed since i was a girl but i t know it was as bad as this why i don t think it ought to be allowed asked this she waved her hand to include the dancing throng before them they tell me all those women dancing around there are married i believe many of them are why don t those young women have partners why some of them do i suppose the others are not attractive enough or something especially said the old lady where are their husbands why some of them are at home and some are here where the old lady turned her eyes on a couple that sailed by her	46
the man talking very earnestly to his companion who was listening is that her husband well no that is not i believe no i ll be bound it is not you never saw a married man talking to his wife in public in that unless they were talking about the last month s bills why it is perfectly brazen laughed where is her husband she demanded as mrs floated by a vision of satin and lace and white shoulders supported by who was talking earnestly and looking down into her eyes oh her husband is here well he had better take her home to her little children if ever i saw a face tliat i it is that man s why that is he is one of the leaders of society he is considered quite an observed and i don t think was a very proper person for a young woman with children to be dancing with in attire in which only her husband should see her she shut her lips grimly i know him she added i know all about them for three generations one of the misfortunes of age is that when a person gets as old as i am she knows so much evil about people i knew that young man s grandfather when he was a worthy his wife was an who thought herself better than her husband and their daughter was a pretty girl with black eyes and rosy cheeks they sent her off to school and after the first year or two she never came back she had got above them her father told me as much the old man cried about it he said his wife thought it was all right that his girl had married a smart young fellow who was a clerk in a bank but that if he had a hundred other children he d never teach them any more than to read write and figure and to think that her son should be the dancing with my cousin s daughter in law why my aunt would rise from her grave if she knew it well times have changed said laughing you see they are as good as anybody now not as good as anybody you mean as rich as that to about the same thing here doesn t it i believe it does here said the old lady with a well she said after a pause i think i will go back and tell what i have seen and if you are wise you will come with me too this is no place for plain country bred people like you and me laughing said he had an engagement but he would like to have the privilege of taking her home and then he could return with a married woman i suppose t yes i will be bound it is she added as nodded you see the danger of evil association i shall write to your father and tell him that the sooner he gets you out of new york the better it will be for your morals and your manners for you are the only man except who has been so provincial as to take notice of an unknown old woman so she went merrily down the to her carriage making her observations on whatever she saw with the freshness of a girl do you think is happy she suddenly asked yes don t you think he has everything on earth to make him happy said with some surprise but even at the moment it flitted across his mind that there was something which he had felt rather than observed in mrs s attitude toward her husband except that he has married a fool said the old lady briefly don t you marry a fool you heart i believe she is devoted to and to her children began but miss him and why shouldn t she bet isn t she his she gives him perhaps what is left over after her devotion to herself her house her her jewels oh i don t believe she cares for him declared it is impossible i don t believe she does either but she cares for herself and he her the idea of a s wife being flattered by the attention of a s when the ball broke np and mrs s carriage was called several men escorted her to it who was trying to recover ground which something told him he had lost followed her down the with one or two other men and after she had entered the carriage stood leaning in at the door while he made his and peace at the same moment you were not always so cruel to me he said in a low tone mrs laughed i was never cruel to you you mistake for no one else would say that to me so much the more pity you would be a better man if you had the truth told you oftener when did you become such an advocate of truth is it this man what man if it is i want to tell you that he is not what he a change came over mrs s face he is a gentleman she said coldly oh is he he was a stage driver mrs drew herself up if he she began but she stopped suddenly glanced beyond and moved over to the further side of the carriage just then a hand was laid on s arm and a voice behind him said i beg your pardon knew the voice and without looking around stood aside for the speaker to make his stepped into the carriage and pulled to the door before the footman could close it at the sound the impatient horses started leaving three men standing in the street looking very blank was the first to speak he turned to the others in amazement who is t he demanded oh a fellow from	46
the somewhere well knows his business said mr with a nod of genuine admiration uttered an and turned back into the house next day mr caught in a group of young men at the club and told them the story look out for he said he gave me a lesson growled an reply who was the tries to capture so many what you say gives us no light said mr one of the men oh no i ll only tell you it s not the one you think said the jolly bachelor but i am going to take lessons of that man these countrymen surprise me sometimes he was a d d stage driver said then you had better take lessons from him said he drives well he s a when reached his room he lit a cigar and flung himself into a chair somehow the evening had not left a pleasant impression on his mind was this the he had worshipped was this the woman whom he had throughout these years t why was she carrying on an affair with t what did he mean by those last words at the carriage f she said she knew him then she must know what his reputation was now and then it came to that it was nothing to him mrs was married and her could not concern him but they did concern him they had agreed to be old old friends he would be a true friend to her he rose and threw away his half smoked cigar called on mrs just before he left for the though he had no such motive when he put oflf his visit he could not have done a wiser thing it was a novel experience for her to invite a man to call on her and not have him jump at the proposal appear promptly next day frock coat kid gloves smooth flattery and all and when had not appeared on the third day after the ball it set her to thinking she imagined at first that he must have been called out of town but mrs whom she met this idea had dined with them the evening before he appeared to be in high spirits added the lady his scheme has succeeded and he is about to go south took it up and put it through for him i know it said mrs mrs s form slightly but her manner soon became gracious again says there is nothing in it could he be offended or of himself t reflected mrs mrs s next observation disposed of this theory also you ought to hear him talk of you by the way i have found out who that ghost was mrs threw a mask over her face he says you have more than the promise of your that you are the woman he has seen in new york my pursued the other looking down at her own figure of course i do not agree with him quite she laughed but then people will differ vanity is a deadly sin said the other smiling and we are told in the i forget which to envy nothing of our neighbor s he said he wanted to go to see you that you had kindly invited him and he wished very much to meet mr said mrs yes i am sure they will like each other said mrs with dignity mamma also is very anxious to see him she used to know him when he was a boy and liked him very much too though she would not acknowledge it to me then she laughed softly at some recollection he spoke of your mother most pleasantly declared mrs not without mrs noticing that she was claiming to stand as s friend well i shall not be at home to morrow she began i have promised to go out to morrow afternoon oh sha n t you why what a pity because he said he was going to pay his calls to morrow as he to leave to morrow night i think he would be very sorry not to see you oh well then i will stay in my other engagement is of no consequence her friend looked mrs s expression mrs determined that she would not be at home the following afternoon she would show mrs that she could not her so easily as she fancied but at the last moment after putting on her hat she changed her mind she remained in and ended by inviting to dinner that evening an invitation which was so graciously by mr that finding that he could take a later train accepted mrs was at the dinner too and how gracious she was to she could scarcely believe he was the same man she had known a few years before she had heard a great deal of him and had come around to dinner on purpose to meet him this was true and you have done so well too i hear your friends are very pleased to know of your success she said graciously admitted that he had had perhaps better fortune than he deserved but this mrs would by no means allow mrs not i mean the elder mrs was speaking of you you and were great friends when you were boys she tells me they were great friends of ours you know long before we met you he wondered how much the counted for in securing mrs s invitation for a good deal he knew but as much credit as he gave it he was within the mark it was only her she could no more escape from that than if she were in prison she every one by what others thought and she possessed no other yet there was a certain friendliness too in mrs the good lady had softened with the years and at heart she had always liked most of her conversation was of her	46
friends and their position was thinking of going abroad soon to visit some friends on the other side of a very distinguished family she told when left the house that night knew that he had recovered chapter xix and returned home and soon found himself a much bigger man in new than when he went away the mine opened on the property began to give from the first large promises of success picked up a newspaper one day a little later it announced in large head lines as the of such an event the death of mr william he had died suddenly in his his wife it was stated was in europe and had been the sad intelligence there was a sketch of his life and also of that of his wife their marriage it was recalled had been one of the of the season a few years before he had taken society by surprise by carrying off one of the of the season the beautiful miss the rest of the notice was taken up in conjectures as to the amount of his property and the sums he would be likely to leave to the various charitable institutions of which he had always been a liberal patron laid the paper down on his knee and went off in a mr was dead of all the men he had met in new york he had in some ways struck him the most he had appeared to him the most perfect type of a gentleman self contained and inclined to be cold but a man of elegance as well as of brains he felt that he ought to be sorry mr was dead and he tried to be sorry for his wife he started to write her a letter and of but ed at the first line and get no further yet several times a day for many days she to him each time giving him a feeling of until at length he was able to banish her from his mind prosperity is like the tide it comes each wave higher and higher until it almost appears that it will never end and then suddenly it seems to ebb a little comes up again again and before one knows it is passing away as surely as it came just when thought that his tide was in full flood it began to ebb without any apparent cause and before he was aware of it the prosperity which for the last few years had been setting in so steadily in those mountain regions had passed away and new and he were left upon the rocks came down to new from the north the were said to be hard hit by some of the failures which had occurred a few weeks later heard that mr was dead the clerks said that he had had a quarrel with his son the day after the panic and had fallen in an fit soon afterwards but then the old clerks had been discharged immediately after his death young said he did not want any dead wood in his offices also he did not want any dead property among his first steps was the sale of the old plantation learning that it as for sale got a friend to lend him the money and bought it in though it would scarcely have been known for the same place the mansion had been stripped of its old furniture and pictures soon after had left there and the plantation had gone down said that s affairs were in a bad way certainly the new head of the house gave no sign of it he ox en d a yet larger office and began ox on a more extensive scale the said that his southern would be pushed and that the stock of the gun mine would soon be on the new york exchange suddenly returned to new and new showed his presence machinery was sufficient to run a dozen mines he not only pushed the old mines but opened a new one it was on a slip of land that lay between the property and the stream that ran down from the mountain some could not understand why he should run the shaft there unless it was that he was bent on cutting the property off from the stream it was a perilous for a shaft and the had protested against it s objections proved to be well founded the mine was opened so near the stream that water broke through into it as had predicted and though a strong wall was built the water still got in and it was difficult to keep it out sufficiently to work some of the men struck it was known that had nearly come to a with the hard headed over it but won still the coal did not come it was asserted that the shafts had failed to reach coal laughed and kept on kept on till coal did come it was abroad the devoted columns to the success of the great gun mine and naturally showed his triumph he celebrated it in a great banquet at the new at which speeches were made which him to napoleon and several other mr declared him greater than for he could play the and make a small city a great one himself made a speech in which he professed his joy that he had silenced the tongue of and from a victory not for himself but for new his enemies and the enemies of new were he declared the same they would soon see his enemies for aid he was applauded to the echo all this and and more was in the next day with some very pointed satire about rival mines meantime was over and lines the old squire came to town a morning or two later i see mr s struck coal at last he said to after he had got his pipe	46
lit his ce showed that he was with information our coal showed him the he is over our i do not know just where but in here somewhere the old fellow put on his spectacles and looked long and he says he owns it all that he ll have us for pardon t for the old squire gave a chuckle of he is in and about there he pointed with a stout and finger how did you know well you see little you remember you taught him i mean i remember him perfectly he is now in new york yes well he used to be sweet on and he seems to be still sweet on her mr nodded well of course she s higher than but you know how women air i don t i know they are strange creatures said almost with a sigh as his past with one woman came vividly before him well they won t let a man go not unless he s in the way so though don t in the world about she sort o him off like till this here young come down here you know i think she and him like each other he s been to see her and is always a to his voice had an inquiry in it but took no notice of it and the old man went on well since then she s sort of cooled off to won t have him and s got sort of sour well he hates and he up and told her t other night t was the biggest rascal in new york that he had most broke his father and had put the stock of this here new mine on the market an that he didn t have coal enough in it to fill his hat that he d been down in it an that the coal all come out of our mine s eyes exactly well with that she got so mad with she wouldn t speak to him and left he d settle and show him up and he ll do it if he can where is he asked in some anxiety tell him not to do anything till i see him no i got hold of him and straightened him out he told me all about it he was right much cut up he jest cried about wrote a note to he referred to the current that the cutting had run over on their side suggesting however that it might have been by when this letter was received was in conference with his mr the interview had been somewhat stormy for the had just made the very statement that s note contained he was not in a placid frame of mind for the work was going badly and mr was seated in an arm chair listening to his report he did not like and had wished to speak privately to but had told him to go ahead that was a friend of his and as much interested in the success of the work as was s satisfaction and air vexed the just then s note came and and after reading it tossed it over first to read it and it back without the least change of expression then aft er some reflection tossed it to that s right he nodded when he had read it we are already over the line so far that the men know it s temper gave way well i know it do you suppose i am so ignorant as not to know anything but i am not fool enough to give it away you need not go around about it everywhere s eye with satisfaction the s brow which had clouded grew darker he had already stood much from this young man he had followed his orders in running the mine beyond the lines shown on the but he had accepted s statement that the lines were wrong not the workings i you to understand one thing mr he said i came here to your mines and to do my work like an honest man but i don t propose to soil my hands with any dealings or to engage in any of the law for i am a law abiding god fearing man and before i ll do it i ll go then you can go said angrily go and be d d to you i i will show you that i know my own business then i will go i do not think you do know it if you did you would never mind i want no more advice from you i would like to have a letter saying that the work that has been done since you took charge has been under your express orders i u see you condemned first i suppose it was by my orders that the cutting ran so near to the creek that that work had to be done to keep the mine from being t it was by express orders i deny it i suppose it was by my orders that the men were set on to strike t you were told of the danger and the probable consequences of your oh you are always and i will once more said the discharged official you will never make that mine pay for there is no coal there it is all on the other side of the line i won t well i will show you i at least stand a better chance to make it pay than i ever did before i suppose you propose now to go over to and tell him all you know about our work i imagine he would like to know it more than he knows already i am not in the habit of telling the private affairs of my said the man coldly he does not need any information from me he is not a fool he	46
knows it oh he does does he then you told him asserted furiously this was more than the could bear he had already stood much and his face might have warned suddenly it he took one step forward a long one and his and hairy fist under the young man s nose you lie i and you you know you lie fm a law abiding god fearing man but if you don t take that back i will break every bone in your face i ve a mind to do it anyhow rolled back out of his chair as if the knotted fist under his nose had driven him his was white as he staggered to his feet i didn t i don t what do you mean anyhow t he stammered take it back the advanced slowly i didn t mean anything what are you getting so mad about and the cat him short with a fierce gesture write me that paper i want and pay me my money write what t that the lower shaft and the last drift was cut by your order write it i he pointed to the paper on the desk sat down and wrote a few lines his hand trembled here it is he said sullenly now pay me said the the money was paid and without a word turned and walked out d him i wish the mine had fallen in on him growled you are well quit of him said mr i ll get even with him yet you have to answer your other friend observed mr i ll answer him he seized a sheet of paper and began to write it with observations far from complimentary to and he read the letter to it was a inquiry whether mr meant to make the charge that he had crossed his line if so company knew their remedy and would be glad to know at last the source whence these reports had come that will him mr nodded it ought to do it s reply to this note was sent that night it stated simply that he did make the charge and if mr wished it he was prepared to prove it s fell s been to him or some one else said mr that hates you like poison you ve got to do something and do it quick glanced up at he met his eye steadily s face showed the shadow of a frown then it passed leaving his face set and a shade paler he looked at again and licked his lips s eye was still on him what do you he asked only what others know they all know it or will soon s face settled more he cursed in a low voice and then into reflection up a strike said they are ripe for it close her down and blow her up s countenance changed and presently his brow cleared it will serve them right i ll let them know who owns these mines next morning there was posted a notice of a cut of wages in the mines there was a of excitement in new and anger among the population at dinner time there were meetings and much talking that night again there were meetings and and more talking louder talking speeches and resolutions next morning a committee waited on mr who received the men politely but coldly he thought he knew how to manage his own business they must be aware that he had spent large sums in developing property which had not yet begun to pay when it began to pay he would be happy etc if they chose to strike all right he could get others in their places that night there were more meetings next day the men did not go to work by evening many of them were drunk there was talk of violence bill who was now a was especially savage was surprised a few days later as he was passing along the street to meet he spoke to her cordially she was dressed and was than when he saw her last the color mounted her face as he stopped her and he wondered that had not thought her pretty when she blushed she was almost a beauty he asked about her people at home and inquiring in a breath when she came where she was staying how long she was going to remain etc she answered the first questions enough but when he inquired as to the length of her visit and where she was staying she appeared somewhat i have cousins here the oh you are with mr t felt relieved no i am not staying with them i am with some other friends her color was coming and going what is their their i don t know their names don t know their names no you see it s a sort of private boarding house and they took me in oh i thought you said they were friends said why yes they are i have forgotten their names don t you understand did not understand i only came a few days ago and i am going right away passed on had clearly not changed her nature thought of old s conversation months before to him he knew that the girl was vain and light headed he knew he mentioned to mr having seen the girl in town and the old fellow went immediately and took her out of the little boarding house where she had put up and brought her to his home was not long in doubt as to the connection between her presence and s several times he had occasion to call at mr s on each occasion he found there and it was very apparent that he was not an unwelcome visitor it was evident to that was trying to make an impression on the young girl that evening so	46
new first last and all the time you must think you are new ed laughed i ve got nothing against him particularly though he s injured me deeply hasn t he thrown all the men out of work i he pushed the bottle over toward the other and he poured out another drink and tossed it off you needn t be so easy about him he s been mean enough to you wasn t it him that gave the description of you that night when you stopped the stage bill bluff s face changed and there was a flash in his eye who says i done it laughed i don t say you did it you needn t get mad with me he says you did it said he didn t know what sort of man it was described you so that everybody knew you i reckon if had back stood him you d have had a harder time than you did the cloud had gathered deeper on s brow he took another drink him i ll blow up his mine and him too he growled how did you say twas to be done glanced around at the closed windows and lowered his voice as he made certain explanations i ll furnish the all right give me the money but not till it s done i haven t any doubt about your doing it he explained quickly seeing a black look in s eyes but you know yourself you re liable to get full and you t do it as well as you otherwise would oh if i say tu do it tu do it you needn t be afraid of not getting money i ain t afraid said with an oath if i don t get it m get blood his eyes bs they rested on had a sudden gleam in them when and met that night the latter gave an of his it s all fixed he said but it costs more than i a lot more he said slowly s views by his face how much more i told you my limit we had to do it said mr without stating the price swore he won t do it till he gets the cash pursued but i ll be responsible for him he added quickly noting the change in s expression again swore and changed the subject how d you come he asked what do you meant jerked his thumb over his shoulder with the lady all right he drifted for a moment into reflection the little fool s got conscientious doubts he said presently with a half smile won t go his eyes rested on s with a expression in them well why not that s natural enough she s been brought up right they re proud as anybody her you re a fool said briefly you can get some one to go through a ceremony for you that would satisfy her and wouldn t what a damned are said mr coldly s expression was between a smile and a but the smile was less pleasant than the frown and get her to go to new when you ve got her there you ve got her she can t come back or i could perform it myself t i ve been a am one now said without noticing the interruption farther than by a cold gleam in his eyes laughed oh not that i may be given to my own somewhat but i m not so bad as to let you touch any one i i take an interest in as you like said i just thought it might be a convenience to you i d help you out i don t see t you need be so what you re doing ain t so pure an lofty t you can set up for and st at once at least it s better than it would be if i let you take a hand in it sneered the following afternoon left new somewhat a few standing sullenly about the station as he passed in but he took no notice of them he passed on to his train a few nights later a tremendous explosion shook the town rattling the windows awakening people from their beds and calling the timid and the curious into the streets it was known next morning that some one had blown up the great gun mine opened at such immense cost the dam that kept out the water was blown up the machinery had been wrecked and the mine was completely destroyed the it as the deed of the the held a meeting and the charge as a foul but the continued to them as it was however around that it was not the at all one even declared that it was done by the of the company it was said that bill had boasted of it in his cups but when mr was asked about it he denied the story in he wasn t such a fool as to do such a thing as that he said for the rest he cursed mr with bell book and candle a came to one morning a few days later that had disappeared she had left new more than a week before as was supposed by her relatives the to pay a visit to friends in the adjoining state before returning home to others she had said that she was going to the north for a visit whilst yet others af that she had given another destination however this might be she had left not long after had taken his departure and her leaving was soon coupled with his name one man even declared that he had seen the two together in new york another name was connected with the girl s disappearance though in a different way suggested that mr had had something to do with it and that he could give information	46
on the subject if he would mr had been away from new for several days about the time of s departure he did that s dirty work for him that is what he didn t do for himself declared the young woman s statement was that he had been off on private business and had met with an accident the nature of this accident was evident in his appearance was hardly surprised when a day or two after the of the girl s disappearance reached him a heavy step outside his office door announced the arrival of squire when the old man opened the door was shocked to see the change in him he was haggard and worn but there was that in his face which made feel that whoever might be concerned in his s disappearance had reason to beware of meeting him you have heard the news he said as he sank into the chair which offered him said that he had heard it and regretted it more than he could express he had only waited hoping that it might prove to write to him and yes she has gone added the old man she s gone off and married without a word to me or anybody i didn t think she d a done it gasped with astonishment a load appeared to be lifted from him after all she was married the next moment this hope was dashed by the squire i always thought said the old man that that young fellow was around her a good deal i never liked him because i didn t trust him and i wouldn t a liked him anyway he added frankly and i certainly don t like him now he drifted off into reflection for a moment and then came back women folks are curious creatures s mother she appeared to like him and i suppose we will have to make up with him so i come up here to see if i can his address s heart sank within him he knew too well not to know on what a broken reed the old man leaned some folks was a pursued the old fellow speaking slowly as maybe that young man hadn t married her but i better then that because even if t a good girl which she is though she ain t got much sense he me they ain t none of em ever intimated that to me he added was glad that he had not intimated it as he looked at the squire he knew how dangerous it would be his face was settled into a which showed how perilous it would be for the man who had deceived i as feared his apprehensions were well founded but at that moment both and were fer beyond squire s reach the evening after left new a young woman somewhat closely veiled descended from the train in city here she was joined on the platform a moment later by a tall man who had the train at washington and who but for his appearance might have been taken for r j the young woman having herself to his guidance he conducted her across the and on the other side they were met by a gentleman who wore the collar of his overcoat turned up after a meeting more or less formal on one side and cordial on the other the gentleman gave a brief direction to mr and with the lady entered a carriage which was waiting and drove off mr following a moment later in another vehicle know who that is asked one of the officials of another that s f who has made such a pile of money they say he owns a whole state down south who is the lady the other laughed don t ask me you can t keep up with him they say they can t resist him an hour or two later mr who had been waiting for some time in the of a small hotel not very r up town was joined by mr whose countenance showed both irritation and who had been himself with the companionship of a of was in a more jovial mood which further irritated the other you say she has t jove she has got more in her than i thought she is a fool said shut one eye don t know about that madame de said there is nothing so clever as a good woman well what are you going to do t i don t know take a drink said mr to whom this was a frequent of a difficulty followed his advice but remained silent in fact mr after having laid most careful plans and reached the point for which he had found himself at the very moment of victory in danger of being defeated he had induced to come to new york she was desperately in love with him and would have gone to the ends f the earth for him but he had promised to marry her it was to marry him that she had as strong as was her passion for him and as vain and foolish as she was she had one principle which was stronger than any other a sense of modesty this had been in her fi om infancy among her people a woman s honor was higher than any other feminine virtue her love for but strengthened her resolution for she believed that unless he mai her his life would not be safe from her relatives now after two hours in which he had used every persuasion to his unbounded astonishment found himself facing defeat he had not given her credit for so much resolution her answer to all his efforts to overcome her determination was that unless he married her immediately she would return home she would not remain in the hotel a single night i know they will take	46
me back she said weeping this was the subject of his conversation now with his agent and he was making up his mind what to do aided by more or less frequent to the which stood between them what she says is true declared his courage stimulated by his liberal you won t be able to go back down there any more there are a half dozen men i know would consider it their duty to blow your brains out filled his glass and tossed off a drink i am not going down there any more anyhow i suppose not but i don t believe you would be safe even up here there is that devil he hates you worse than poison up they aren t going to trouble me up here i don t if he ever got a show at why don t you let me perform the ceremony t he began she knows i ve been a preacher that will satisfy her scruples and then if you ever had to make it f but no one would know then declined this with a show of virtue he did not mention that he had suggested this to the girl but she had positively refused it she would be married by a regular preacher or she would go home there must be some one in this big town suggested who will do such a job privately and keep it quiet t where is that preacher you were talking about once that took with you on the quiet t you can seal his mouth and if the worst comes to the worst there is you can always get out of it in six weeks with an order of publication j did it said mr quietly and never had any trouble about it you did well that s one part of your i didn t know about i guess there are a good many of us have little bits of history that we don t talk about much observed mr calmly i wouldn t have told you now but i wanted to help you out of the fix that you have helped me get into said with a sneer there is no trouble about it went on you don t want to marry anybody now and meantime it will give you the chance you want of old s interest down there the old fellow can t live long and is his only heir you will have it all your own way you can keep it quiet if you wish and if you don t you can acknowledge it and your friend if i had your hand i bet i d know how to play it weu by i wish you had it said angrily had been thinking hard during s statement of the case and what with his argument and an occasional application to the of he and was beginning to yield just then a sealed note was handed him by a waiter he tore it open and read i am going home my heart is broken good by with an oath under his he wrote in pencil on a card wait i will be with you directly take that to the lady he said a few lines more on another card he gave some hasty directions and left him when five minutes afterwards mr finished the and left the hotel his face had a look on it this should be worth a good deal to you j he said an hour later the rev mr performed in his private office a little ceremony at which besides himself were present only the bride and groom and a witness had come to him a half hour before with a line in pencil his services if mr was startled when he first read the request the surprise had passed away the groom it is true was when he appeared decidedly under the influence of liquor and his that the ceremony was to be kept entirely secret had somewhat disturbed mr for a moment but he remembered mr s assurance that the bride was a great in the south and knowing that was a man who rarely lost his head a circumstance which the latter by handing him a roll of to exactly one hundred dollars and the bride being very pretty and shy and most eager to be married he gave his word to keep the matter a secret until they should him to it when the ceremony was over the bride requested mr to give her her marriage lines this mr promised to do but as he would have to fill out the which would take a little time the bride and groom having signed the ery took their without waiting for the leaving mr to bring it a day or two later a of one of the less popular companies sailing to a continental i had among its passengers a gentleman and a lady who having secured their at the last moment did not appear on the passenger list it happened that they were unknown to any of the other passengers and as they were very exclusive they made no acquaintances during the voyage if mrs the name by which the lady was known on board had one regret it was that mr had failed to send her her marriage as he had promised to do her husband however made so light of it that it reassured her and she was too much taken up with her and new diamonds to think that anything else was necessary chapter xx mrs s first two years of her spent in retirement even the busy tongue of mrs could find little to in ttie young widow to be sure that accomplished critic made the most of this little and her opinion that s grief for mr could only be remorse for her indifference to him during his life every one knew she	46
always was the most becoming thing to her that i ever saw don t you remember those effects she used to produce with black and just a dash of well she wears black so deep you might think it was poor mr s pall but i have observed that whenever i have seen her there is always something red very close at hand she either sits in a red chair or there is a red shawl just at her back or a great bunch of red roses at her elbow i am glad that great window has been put up in old dr s church to william s memory or i am afraid it would have been but a small one almost the first sign that the storm which as related had struck new york would reach new was the shutting down of the mines the stated that the shutting down was temporary and declared that in a very short time when the men were brought to reason they would be opened again also that the great gun mine which had been would again be opened the mines belonging to s company did not appear for some time to be affected but the soon began to reach even the point on which had stood so se mrs s the first that came to him was when orders arrived to cut down the force and cut down also the wages of those who were retained this was done letters growing gradually more and more complaining came from the general office in new york fortunately for ran down at this time and looked over the properties again for himself he did not tell what bitter things were being said and that his visit down there was that he might be able to base his defence of on in his own knowledge what has become of mrs t asked casually is she still abroad t no she came home immediately on hearing the news you never saw any one so changed she has gone in for charity looked a trifle grim if you thought her pretty as a girl you ought to see her as a widow she is you are enthusiastic i see that has returned t s brow clouded he d better not come back here said it is a saying that misfortunes rarely come singly and it would not be so if there were not truth in it misfortunes are sometimes like they come in flocks was on his way from his office in the town to the mines one afternoon when turning the shoulder of the hill that shut the opening of the mine from view he became aware that something unusual had occurred a crowd was already assembled about the mouth of the mine above the among them many women and people were hurrying up from all directions what is it t he demanded of the first person he came to water they have struck a pocket or something and the drift over toward the line is filling up is everybody out even as he inquired knew they were not no sir all drowned knew this could not be true he forward and pushed his way into the throng that crowded about the entrance a gasp of relief went up as he appeared ah here s the it was the expression of a vague hope that he might be able to do something they gave way at his voice and stood back many eyes turning on him in helpless appeal women with blankets already in hand were weeping aloud children hanging to their skirts were in vague recognition of disaster men were growling and swearing deeply give way stand back every one the calm voice and tone of command had their effect and as a path was opened through the crowd recognized a number of the men who had been in and had just come out they were all talking to groups about them one of them gave him the first intelligent account of the trouble they were working near the entrance when they heard the cries of men farther in and the first thing they knew there was a rush of water which poured down on them sweeping everything before it it must have been a river said one in answer to a question from it was rising a foot a minute the lights were all put out and we just managed to get out in time according to their there were about forty men and boys still in the mine most of them in the gallery off from the main drift was running over in his mind the his face was a study and the crowd about him watched him closely as if to catch any ray of hope that he might hold out as he reflected his face grew down the from the mine came the roar of the water it was a desperate chance half turning he glanced at the white stricken faces about him it is barely possible some of the men may still be alive there are two i am going down to see mrs s at the words the sound through the crowd hushed suddenly na th ben t one alive said an old the murmur began again i am going down to see said if one or two men will come with me it will increase the chances of getting to them if not i am going alone but i don t want any one who has a family a dead silence fell then three or four young fellows began to push their way through the crowd amid of some of the women and the urging of others some of the women seized them and held on to them there are one or two places where men may have been able to keep their heads above water if it has not filled the drift and that is what i am	46
going to see said preparing to descend my brother s down there and i ll go said a young light haired fellow with a pale face he belonged to the night shift i ain t got any family said a small man he had a thin black band on the sleeve of his rusty brown coat several others now came forward amid mingled and encouragement but took the first two and they prepared to enter the younger man took off his silver watch with directions to a friend to send it to his sister if he did not come back the older man said a few words to a they were about a woman s grave on the took off his watch and gave it to one of the men with a few words on a leaf from a book and the next moment the three amid a silence entered the mine long before they reached the end of the ascent to the shaft they could hear the water and against the sides as it whirled through the gallery below them as they reached the water let himself down into it the water took him to about his waist and was rising it has not filled the drift yet he said and started ahead he gave a but there was no sound in answer only the of his voice the other men called to him to wait and talk it over the strangeness of the appalled them it might well have awed a strong man but on the older man plunged after him the younger clinging to the cage for a second in a panic the lights were out in a moment and plunging forward through the water which rose in places to his neck and feeling his way by the sides of the drift forward through the pitch darkness he stopped at times to but there was no reply only the strange hollow sound of his own voice as it was thrown back on him or died almost before leaving his throat he had almost made up his mind that further attempt was useless and that he might as well turn back when he thought he heard a faint sound ahead with another shout he plunged forward again and the next time he called he heard a cry of joy and he pushed ahead again shouting to them to come to him found most of the men huddled together on the first level in a state of panic some of them were and some were praying fervently whilst a few were silent in a sort of dazed bewilderment all who were working in that part of the mine were there they said except three men bill and a man named and his boy who had been cut off in the far end of the gallery and who must have been drowned immediately they told they may not be said there is one point as high as this i shall go on and see the men endeavored to him it was a useless risk of life they assured him the others must have been swept away immediately the water had come so sudden besides the water was rising and it might even now be too late to get out but was firm and ordering them back in charge of the two men who had come in with him mrs s lie pushed on alone he knew that the water was still rising he hoped slowly he had no voice to shout now but he prayed with all his might and that soothed and helped him presently the water was a little it did not come so high up on him he knew from this that he must be reaching the upper level now and then he spoke s and s names lest in the darkness he should pass them presently as he stopped for a second to take breath he thought he heard another sound besides the of the water as it about the he listened intently it was the boy s voice hold me tight father don t leave me then he heard another voice urging him to go you can t do any good staying try it but was refusing hold on i won t leave you shouted or tried to shout for his voice went nowhere but his heart was bounding now and he plunged on presently he was near enough to catch their words the father was praying and the boy was following him thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven heard him say he cried again from the darkness he heard a voice who is is that any it is i mr come quick all of you you can get out cheer up a cry of joy went up i can t leave my boy called the man bring him on your back said come on i can t said i m hurt my leg is broke gk d have mercy cried and on after a moment more he was up with the man feeling for him in the darkness and asking how he was hurt don they told him that the rush of the water had thrown him against a timber and hurt his leg and side take the boy said and go on leave me here the boy began to cry no said i will take you too can take the boy can you walk at all t i don t think so made take the boy and hold on to him on one side and slipping his arm around the injured man he lifted him and they started back he had put new courage into them and the force of the current was in their favor they passed the first high level where he had found the others when they reached a point where the water was too deep for the boy made the father take	46
him on his shoulder and they on through the blackness the water was now almost up to his chin and he grew so tired under his burden that he began to think they should never get out but he fought against it and kept on himself against the he knew that if he went down it was the end many thoughts came to him of the past he banished them and tried to speak words of encouragement though he could scarcely hear himself shout he said hoarsely and the boy shouted though it was somewhat feeble a moment later he gave a shout of an entirely different kind there is a light he cried the sound revived s fainting energies and he tried to muster his strength the boy shouted again and in response there came back strangely the shrill cry of a woman staggered forward with at times holding himself up by the side he was conscious of a light and of voices but was too exhausted to know more if he could only keep the man and the boy above water until assistance came he summoned his last of strength mrs s hold tight to the he cried i am going the rest was a confused dream he was conscious for a moment of the weight being lifted from him and he was sinking into the water as if into a soft couch he thought some one clutched him but he knew nothing more was out on the street when the of the accident reached her any accident always came home to her and she was prompt to do what she could to help in any case but this was mr s mine and had it that he was among the lost was not attired for such an emergency when she went on the streets she still wore some of her old finery though it was growing less and less of late she always acted quickly calling to a who had come to his front door on hearing the news to bring her brandy immediately she dashed into a dry goods store near by and got an of blankets and when the clerk a stranger just engaged in the store made some question about charging them to her she tore off her watch and almost flung it at the man take that idiot men are dying she said i have not time to box your jaws and up the blankets she ran out stopped a passing and flinging them into it sprang in herself with a nod of thanks to the who had brought out several bottles of brandy she snatched the reins from the half dazed driver and heading the horse up the street that led out toward the mine she lashed him into a gallop she arrived at the scene of the accident just before the first men rescued reappeared she learned of s effort to save them she would have gone into the mine herself had she not been restrained just then the men came out the shouts and cries of joy that greeted so unexpected a drowned everything else for a few moments but as man after man was met and received half dazed into the arms of his family and friends the name of began to be heard on all sides one voice however was more imperative than the others one figure pressed to the that of the dressed woman who had just been comforting and encouraging the weeping women about the mine entrance where is mr she demanded of man after man the men explained he went on to try and find three more men who are down and and his boy who went with him no one he went alone and you men let him go we could not help it he insisted we tried to make him come with us you i she cried tearing off her wrap of course he insisted for he is a man had one woman been down there she would not have let him go alone she sprang over the rope as lightly as a deer and started toward the entrance a cry broke from the crowd she s going stop her she s crazy i catch her i several men sprang over the rope and started after her hearing them turned with outstretched arms spread far apart and blazing eyes she faced them if any man tries to stop me i will kill him on the spot as god lives she cried up a piece of iron bar that lay near by i am going to find that man dead or alive if there is one of you man enough to come with me come on if not i will go alone i will go with you a tall sallow faced man who had just come up pushed through the throng and overtook her you stay here i will go it was the preacher he was still panting the girl hardly noticed him she waved him aside and dashed on a dozen men offered to go if she would come back no i shall go with you she said and knowing that every moment was precious and thinking that the only way to her was to make the attempt the men yielded mrs s and a number of them entered the mine with her the preacher among them they had just reached the bottom when the faint of something black was seen in the glimmer that their lights threw in the distance with a cry dashed forward and was in time to catch as he sank beneath the black water when the party with their burdens reached the surface once more the scene was one to revive even a heart but and were both too gone to know anything of it the crowd which up to this time had been with the excitement of the reaction following the first rescue suddenly hushed down to	46
an awed silence as and were brought out and were laid limp and unconscious on a blanket which had snatched from a man in the front of the others many women pressed forward to offer assistance but the girl waved them back a doctor she cried and reaching for a brandy bottle she pressed it first to s lips turning to the preacher who stood gaunt and dripping above her she cried fiercely man if you ever prayed pray now pray and if you save em i ll leave town i swear before god i wiu tell him so but the preacher needed no urging falling on his knees he prayed as possibly he had never prayed before in a few moments began to come to but was still unconscious and a half hour later the doctor pronounced him past hope it was some time before was able to rise from his bed and during this period a number of events had taken place affecting him and more or less affecting new among these was the sale of mr s paper to a new rival which had recently been started in the place and the departure of mr to give his own account of the matter ho take a responsible position upon a great journal he was not a man he said to waste his divine talents in the attempt to carry on his shoulders the fortunes of a boom when the world was for the benefit of his ripe experience another account of the same matter was that had begun to connect mr s name with the destruction of the mine and the consequent disaster in the son mine his paper with brazen had declared that the accident in the latter was due to the of the management this was too much for the x of new in their excited condition was dead but the man whom had rescued had stated that they had cut through into a shaft when the water broke in on them and an investigation having been begun not only of this matter but of the previous explosion in the mine mr had sold out his paper hastily and shaken the dust of new from his feet knew nothing of this until it was all over he was very ill for a time and but for the of dr who came up from to look after him and the care of a devoted nurse in the person of this history might have ended then had immediately after s accident closed her establishment and devoted herself to his care there were many other offers of similar service for new was now a considerable town and might have had a fair proportion of the sex to minister to him but dr to whom had immediately after s rescue had after his first interview with her in the sick room decided in favor of the young woman she has the true instinct said the doctor to himself she knows when to let well enough alone and holds her tongue thus when was able to take notice again he found himself in good hands a few days after he was able to get up received a him to new york to meet the s of the company as weak as he was he determined to go and against the of doctor and nurse he began to make his preparations just before left a visitor was announced or rather announced himself for squire followed hard upon his knock at the door his heavy boots he declared were enough to let anybody know he was around and give em time to stop anything they was ashamed o the squire had come over as he said to hear about things it was the first time he had seen since the accident though after he had heard of it he had written and invited to come and rest up a bit at his house when the old man learned of the summons that had come to he his pipe and a moment in silence they ll want to know why they ain t been a of their dreams t he said with a twinkle in his eyes ever notice when a man is if he what he aims at it s himself but if he it s the blamed old gun smiled he had observed that phenomenon well i they ll be fault with their gun i have been a o the signs o the times if they do don t you say to them about it but i m ready to take back my part of the property and i ve got a money i might even increase my herd with the sum he mentioned made open his eyes when hard times comes continued the old man after enjoying s surprise i had rather have my money in land than in one of these here banks i has seen money and money and land s land i don t know that it is much of a compliment to say that i has more confidence in you than i has in these here men what has come down from nobody knows where to open a bank on nobody knows what expressed his appreciation of the compliment but thought that they must have something to bank on oh they ve got something admitted the but you know what it is they bank on brass and that s what i calls it the old man s face clouded i had been that by for he said but she didn t want it my money warn t good enough for her some day she ll know better waited for his humor to pass i won t ever do for her but if ever you see her i d like you to help her out if she needs it he said promised faithfully that he would that afternoon knocked at his door and came in with that	46
mingled shyness and boldness which was characteristic of her offered her a chair and began to thank her for having saved his life well i am always becoming indebted to you anew for saving my i didn t come for that declared the girl i didn t save your life i just went down to do what i could to help you you know how that mine got t i do said they done it to do you she said and they made bill believe it was to hurt bill s dead now an i don t want you to think he had anything against you she began to cry all this was new to and he said so weu you won t say anything about what i said about bill j made him think twas against and he was that drunk he didn t know what a fool they was of him you are going away she said suddenly oh only for a very little i am going off about a little business for a short time i expect to be back very soon ah i i i am glad to hear that you are coming back she was embarrassed and was wondering more and more what she wanted of him i mrs s just wanted to say good by i am going away she was at her wrap and to tell you i have changed my business fm not goin to keep a dance house any longer i am glad of that said and then stuck fast again i don t think a girl ought to keep a dance house or a bank no agree with you what are you going to dot i don t know i thought of trying a i know right smart about hats but i d wear all the pretty ones and give all the ugly ones away she said with a poor little smile and it might interfere with mrs and she is a so i thought i d go away i thought of being a i know a little about that i used to be about the hospital at my old home and i ve had some little since she was evidently seeking his advice you saved my life said dr says you are a born nurse she put this by without comment and went on where was your home f you mean in england in the west country she nodded yes i was the girl the little lady gave the doll to you were there don t you i ran away with it i have it a part of it they broke it up but i saved the body s eyes opened wide that gave it to yes i heard you were going to be married she said suddenly i married no no such good luck for me his laugh had an unexpected tone of bitterness in it she gave him a searching glance in the dusk and presently began again i want you to know i am never going back to that any more i am glad to hear it you were the first to set me to about it i yes j i want to live straight and i m goin to i am sure you are and i cannot tell you how glad i am he said cordially yes she was looking down picking at the fringe on her wrap and i want you to know twas you done it i have had a hard you don t know how ever since i was a little bit of a till i run away from home and then twas harder and they all treated me s if i was just a a dog and the worst kind of a dog so i lived like a dog i learned how to bite and then they treated me some better because they found i would bite if they with me and then i learned what and men were and i used em i used to love to play em and i done it i used to amuse em for money and hold em off but i knew sometime i d die like a dog as i lived like and then you she paused and looked away out of the window and after a went on again they preached at me for but i don t think there s any harm and i love it better n anything else in the i do not either said you was the only one as treated me as if i some n i warn t i fought against you and tried to drive you out but you stuck and i knew then i was beat i didn t know twas you when i made such a fool of myself that laughed well i certainly did not know it was you i wanted you to know that she went on gravely because if i had i wouldn a done it for old times sake she felt for her handkerchief and not finding it readily suddenly caught up the bottom of her skirt and wiped her eyes with it as she might have done when a little girl s tried to comfort her with words of assurance the tone of which was at least i always was a fool about an i was about bill she said good by she wrung his hand turned and walked rapidly out of the room leaving with a warm feeling about his heart chapter xxi the meeting found on his arrival in new york to meet his j that a great change had taken place in business circles since his visit there when he was getting up his company even at whose office called immediately on his arrival appeared more depressed than had ever imagined he could be he looked actually care worn as they started off to attend the meeting warned that the meeting might be unpleasant for	46
him but urged him to keep cool and not mind too much what might be said to him i told you once you remember that men are very unreasonable when they are losing he gloomily told him of old s offer you may need it said when and arrived at the office of the company they found the inner office closed being a entered at once and finally the door opened and mr was invited in as he entered a was showing two men out of the room by a side door and had a glimpse of the back of one of them the tall thin figure suggested to him mr j but he was too well dressed to be mr and put the matter from his mind as merely an odd resemblance the other person he did not see s greeting was returned as it struck him some the meeting what coldly by most of them only two of the shook hands with him it was a meeting which never forgot he soon that he had need of all of his self control he was cross examined by mr it was evident that it was believed that he had wasted their money if he had not done worse the sat with a newspaper in his lap to which from time to time he appeared to refer from the line of the questioning soon recognized the source of his information you have been said coldly in reply to a question i desire to know the authority for your statement i must decline was the reply i think i may say that it is an authority which is you observe that it is one who knows what he is speaking oft he gave a glance about him at his a spy demanded coldly his eye fixed on the other no sir a man of position a man whose sources of knowledge even you would not question why this has been charged in the public prints without denial he added triumphantly it has been charged in one paper said a paper which every one knows is for sale and has been by your rival it is based not only on the statement of the person to whom i have alluded but is by others by what others t inquired by another corrected mr that only proves that there are two men who are said slowly i know but two men who i believe would have been guilty of such bare and brazen shall i name them t if you choose they are f c and a of his mr j there was a stir among the had named both men it was a fortunate shot by jove brought down a bird with each barrel said mr who was one of the to another in an proceeded to give the history of the mine and of its rival mine the property during the cross examination sat a silent witness beyond a look of satisfaction when made his points clearly or on his with some fact he had taken no part in the up to this time had not referred to him or even looked at him but he glanced at him now and the expression on his face decided mr there knows the facts he knows f c as well as i do and he has been on the ground there was a look o surprise on the face of nearly every one present how could he dare to say it oh i guess we all know him said one to relieve the bowed his assent mr shifted his position never mind mr it s your part in the transaction that we are after he said the blood rushed to s face but a barely perceptible glance from helped him to hold himself in check the glanced down at the newspaper how about that accident in our some of us have thought that it was carelessness on the part of the local management it has been charged that proper inspection would have indicated that the of an adjacent mine should have given warning in fact had given warning he half glanced around at his associates and then fastened his eyes on s eyes met his and held them he drew in his breath with a sudden sound as a man might the meeting who has received a slap full in the face beyond this there was no sound sat for a moment in silence the blow had dazed him in the tumult of his thought as it returned it seemed as if the noise of the stricken crowd was once more about him weeping women and moaning men and he was descending into the blackness of death once more the roar of that rushing water was in his ears he was once more plunging through the darkness once more he was being borne down into its depths again he was struggling gasping toward the light once more he returned to consciousness to find himself surrounded by eyes full of sympathy of devotion the eyes changed suddenly the present came back to him hostile eyes were about him rose from his chair slowly and slowly turned from his toward the others gentlemen i have nothing further to say to you i have the honor to resign my position you resign exclaimed the who been him resign your position he leaned back in his chair and laughed turned on him so quickly that he pushed his chair back as if he were afraid he might spring across the table on him yes resign i was leaning forward across the table now resting his weight on one hand anything to our association i am no longer in your employ mr his eyes had suddenly blazed and held mr eyes his voice was calm but had the coldness of a steel blade there was a movement among the they shifted uneasily in their chairs and several	46
of them pushed them back they did not know what might happen was the of controlled passion mr seemed to shrink up within himself broke the silence i do not wonder that mr should feel he said with feeling i have held off from taking part in this interview up to the present because i promised to do so and because i felt that mr was abundantly able to take care of himself but i think that he has been dealt with and has been roughly handled s only answer was a slow wave of the arm in protest toward to keep clear of the contest and leave it to him he was standing quite straight now his eyes still resting upon mr s face with a certain in them as if he were expecting him to stir again and were ready to spring on him should he do so him went on i know that much that he says is true looked at him quickly his form aud i believe that au that he says is true continued and i am unwilling to stand by longer and see this method of carried on bowed there flashed across his mind the picture of a boy rushing up the hill to his rescue as he stood by a rock pile on a defending himself against overwhelming and his face softened well i don t propose to be dictated to as to how i shall conduct my own business put in mr in a voice when the spell of s gaze was lifted from him he had recovered if heard him now he gave no sign of it nor was it needed for turned upon him i think you will do whatever this board he said with almost as much contempt as had shown he took up the defence of the management to such good purpose that a number of the other went over to his side they were willing to mr of blame they said and to show their confidence in him they thought it would be necessary to have some one to look after the property and prevent further loss until better times should come and they thought it would be best to get mr to remain in charge for the present the meeting during this time had remained motionless and silent except to bow his to he received their new expression of confidence in silence the discussion had ceased and the were on his side then he mr gentlemen he said i am obliged to you for your expression but it comes too late nothing on earth could induce me ever again to assume a position in which i could be subjected to what i have gone through this morning i will never again have any business association he turned and looked at mr mr or those who have sustained him mr shrugged his shoulders oh as to that he laughed you need have no trouble i shall get out as soon as i can i have no more desire to associate with you than you have with me all i want to do is to save what you s eyes turned on him quietly what i was into putting into your sink hole down there you may remember that you told me when i went in that you would me all i put in his voice rose into a sneer oh no none of that none of that interrupted quickly you may remember mr but interrupted him with a wave of his hand i do remember i have a good memory mr that was all done away with insisted his arm outstretched toward mr you remember that an offer was made you of your and interest and you declined y i am speaking to mm said mr not turning his eyes from i renew that offer now said coldly then that s all right mr sat back in his chair i accept your proposal principal and interest and murmurs went around the board but mr did not heed them leaning forward he seized a pen and drawing a sheet of paper to him began to a of the terms which when finished he pushed across the table to took it against s protest and when he had read it picked np a pen and signed his name firmly here witness it said mr to his next neighbor if any of the rest of you want to save your bones you had better come in several of the agreed with him though protested accepted their proposals and a paper was drawn up which most of those present signed it provided that a certain time should be given in which to raise money to make good his offer and arrangements were made to wind up the present company and to sell out and transfer its rights to a new organization some of the insisted on the right to withdraw their proposals should they change their minds it may be stated however that they had no temptation to do so times rapidly grew worse instead of better but had occasion to know how sound was squire s judgment when a little later another of the waves of depression swept over the country and several banks in new went down among them the bank in which old had had his money the old man came up to town to remind of his wisdom well what do you think of brass and he demanded let me know when you begin to against me said laughing tain t no prophecy it s jest plain sense some folks has it and some hasn t when sense tells you a thing hold on to it well you jest go ahead and things in shape and don t bother about me no use bein in a hurry neither i have observed that when times bad they generally worse it s like a fever you	46
broke into a laugh as he read her delight in the speech don t you think i am competent to attend to my own affairs even if is the soft and creature you would make i am glad you did not feel it necessary to caution me about her husband his eyes gave a flash mrs hastened to put herself that is on the side of the one present for with her the absent was always in the wrong improved his opportunities with the ability of a little by little he excited mrs s jealousy he said necessarily saw a great deal of for he was her business agent it was perhaps not necessary for him to see her every day but it was natural that he should the arrow stuck and and later at an entertainment when she saw laughing and enjoying himself in a group of old friends among whom was mrs was on fire with suspicion and her attitude toward changed so before was aware of it he found life completely changed for him as a on a strange shore in the night time without knowing of it he in the of his business drifted away from his old relation without marking the process his wife had her life and friends and he had his he made at times an effort to recover the old relation but she was too firmly held in the grip of the life she had chosen for him to get her back his wife complained that he was out of sympathy with her and he could not deny it she resented this and charged him with her no man will stand such a charge and defended himself hotly i do not think it lies in your mouth to make such a charge he said with a flash in his eye i am nearly always at home when i am not necessarily absent you can hardly say as much i do not think my worst enemy the meeting would charge me with that even would not say that she fired at the name you are always attacking my friends she declared i think they are quite as good as yours turned away he looked gloomily out of the window for a moment and then faced his wife again he said gravely if i have been hard and i have not meant to be why can t we start all over again you are more than all the rest of the world to me i will give up w you object to and you give up what i object to that is a good way to begin his eyes had a look of longing in them but mrs did not respond you will insist on my giving up my friends she said your friends t i do not insist on your giving up any friend on earth mrs and her like are not your friends they spend their time tearing to pieces the characters of others when you are present and your character when you are absent is incapable of being a friend you are always so unjust to him said mrs warmly i am not unjust to him i have known him all my life and i tell you he would sacrifice any one and every one to his pleasure mrs began to defend him warmly and so the quarrel ended worse than it had begun chapter mrs s ball next few years passed as the experience of old x had led him to fortunes went down but fortune s wheel is always turning and as the old said those that could stick would come up on top again however had he had got the mine to running again and even in the hardest times had been able to make it pay expenses other properties had failed and sold out and had been bought in by s when once more appeared in new affairs it was that was going to start again old adam s face grew dark at the he said to if that young man comes down here it s him or me i m an old man and i ain t got long to live but i want to live to meet him once if he s got any friends they d better tell him not to come he sat and puffing his pipe tried to soothe him but the old fellow had received a wound that knew no healing i know all you say and i m much obliged to you but i can t accept it it s an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth with me he has entered my home and struck me in the dark do you think i done au i have done jest for the money i was i no i wanted revenge i have set on my porch of a night and seen her mrs s ball about in them foreign cities all alone the tired and maybe sick and hungry not able to ask them folks for even a piece of her that used to set on my knee and me with her little arms and call me and claim all the little for jest the little ones y and that i ve ridden many a mile over uie mountains for how she was goin to run out to meet me when i got home and now even my old dog s died after she went away no i he broke out fiercely if he comes back here it s him or me i by the lord i if he comes back here i ll pay him the debt i owe him if she s his wife i ll make her a widow and if she ain t i ll revenge her he the beads of sweat that had broken out on his brow and without a word stalked out of the door but had no idea	46
of returning to new he found new york quite interesting enough for him about this time the breach between and his wife had grown of late gk divided the honors between them and some said it was on s account others declared that it was mrs who had come between them yet others said it was a matter of that had become tired of his wife s extravagance and had refused to stand it any longer knew vaguely of the trouble between and his wife but he did not know the extent of it and he kept up his friendly relations with her as well as with his business took him to new york from time to time and he was sensible that the life there was growing more and more attractive for him he was fitting into it too and enjoying it more and more he was like a strong who used to in heavy waves grows stronger with the struggle and finds ever new enjoyment and courage in his endeavor he felt that lie was now quite a man of the world he was aware that his point of view had changed and a little that he had changed as flattering as was his growth in he had a much more evidence of his success in the favor with which he was being received in new york the favor that mrs had shown and much old mrs s friendship had a marked effect throughout their whole circle of acquaintance that a man had been invited to these houses meant that he must be something there were women who owned large houses wore jewels in their own had their own on ground as valuable as that which the roman in old days who would almost have licked the marble steps of those to be admitted to sit at their dinner tables and have their names pi ear in the sunday issues of the newly established society journals among the blessed few so as soon as it appeared at was not only an acquaintance but a friend of these critical leaders women who had looked over his head as they drove up the avenue and had just tucked their and lowered their eyelids when he had been presented began to give him invitations among these was mrs truly the world appeared warmer and kinder than had thought to be sure it was at mrs s that mrs met him and was on very friendly terms with the pretty widow even mrs who was present on the occasion with her heart was cordial to him mrs had no idea of being left out she almost with affection as she made a place beside her on a you do not come to see all your friends she said with her smile and her most bird like voice you appear to forget that you have other old friends in new york besides mrs and mrs dear you must not be selfish and all his time you mrs s ball must let him come and see me at least sometimes this with a peculiarly innocent smile and tone declared that he was in new york very rarely and mrs with a slightly heightened color the idea that she had anything to do with his movements oh i hear of you here very often declared mrs i have a little bird tiiat brings me all the news about my friends a little bird indeed said to herself and to later i ll be bound she has not if she had a bird the old cat would have eaten it you are going to the ball of course pursued mrs no said he was not going he had been in new york only two days and somehow his advent had been overlooked he was always finding himself disappointed by discovering that new york was still a larger place new oh but you must go i we must get you an mustn t we mrs was always ready to promise anything provided she could make her engagement in and then slip out and leave the performance to her friend why yes there is not the least trouble about getting an invitation mrs can get you one easily looked no my r you write the note you know rs every bit as well as i protested mrs and i have already asked for at least a dozen there are mrs and lady who were here last winter and that charming lord who was at last summer and i don t know how many more so you will have to get the invitation for mr with some amusement declared that he did not wish any trouble taken he had only said he would go because mrs had appeared to desire it so much next morning an invitation reached lie thought he knew through whose and he accepted it that evening bs about dusk was going up the avenue on his way home a young girl passed him walking very briskly she paused for a moment just ahead of him to give some money to a poor woman who doubled up on the pavement in a black shawl was grinding out from a little organ a thin like strain good evening i hope you feel better to day heard her say in a kind tone though he lost all of the other s reply except the gk d bless you she was simply dressed in a plain dark walking suit and something about her quick elastic step and slim trim figure as she sailed along looking neither to the right nor to the left attracted his attention her head was set on her shoulders in a way that gave her quite an air and as she passed under a lamp the light showed the flash of a fine and an unusual face she carried a parcel in her hand that might have been a roll of music	46
and from the of the hour fancied her a shop girl on her way home or possibly a music teacher stirred by the glimpse of the refined face and even more by the carriage of the little head under the dainty hat quickened his pace to obtain another glance at her he had almost overtaken her when she stopped in front of a well lighted window of a music store the light that fell on her face revealed to him a face of unusual beauty something about her graceful pose as with her dark brows slightly she bent forward and intently the pieces of music within awakened old associations in s mind and sent him back to his boyhood at and under an impulse which he could better justify to himself than to her he did a very audacious and improper thing taking off his hat he spoke to her she had been so absorbed that for a moment she did not comprehend that it was she he was addressing then s ball as it came to her that it was she to whom this stranger was speaking she drew herself up and gave him a look of such withering scorn that felt himself shrink next second with her head high in the air she had turned without a word and sped up the street leaving feeling very cheap and subdued but that glance from dark eyes flashing with indignation had filled with a sensation to which he had long been a stranger something about the simple dress the high bred face with its fine scorn something about the air of mingled horror and contempt had suddenly through the worldly crust that had been him for some time and reaching his better self awakened an emotion that he had thought gone forever it was like a lightning flash in the darkness he knew that she had entered his life his resolution was taken on the instant he would meet her and if she were what she looked to again and his youth swept into his mind he already was conscious of a sense of protection he felt curiously that he had the right to protect her if he had addressed her might not others do the thought made his blood boil he almost wished that some one would attempt it that he might assert his right to show her what he was and thus himself in her eyes besides he must know where she lived so he followed her at a respectful distance till she ran up the steps of one of the better class of houses and disappeared within he was too far off to be able to tell which house it was that she entered but it was in the same block with s house walked the avenue that night for a long time pondering how he should find and explain his conduct to the young music teacher for a music teacher he had decided she must be the next evening too he strolled for an hour on the avenue from a distance every fair by but he saw nothing of her mrs s balls were as had once said the balls of the season only the rich and the noble were expected mrs s house was one of the great new which had been built within the past ten years upon the avenue it had cost a fortune within it was so that a work has been gotten up printed and published by of its art treasures furniture and into this for flattery could not have called it a was admitted along with some hundreds of other guests to night it was filled with not flowers exactly but with for the roses and were lost in the circles and banks formed of an infinite number of mrs a large handsome woman with good shoulders stood just inside the great drawing room she was attired and shone with diamonds until the eyes ached with her splendor behind her stood mr looking generally bored now and then he smiled and shook hands with the guests at times drawing a friend out of the line back into the rear for a chat then again into indifference or gloom was presented to mrs she only nodded to him moved on he soon discovered that a cordial greeting to a strange guest was no part of the in that society one or two acquaintances spoke to him but he was introduced to no one so he sauntered about and entertained himself observing the people the women were in their best and it was good was passing from one room to another when he became aware that a man who was standing quite still in the doorway was like himself watching the r his face was turned away but something about the compact figure and firm chin was familiar to him moved to take a look at his face it was mrs s ball he had a twinkle in his eye as he said didn t expect to see me here didn t expect to see myself here said i m one of the now and glanced down at his expensive shirt front and his evening suit with complacency wouldn t give a lot to have such a bosom as that t i think i look just as well as some of em he with a glance about him thought so too you are dressed for the part he said s look of interest inspired him to go on you see tain t like tis down with us where you know everybody and everything about him to the number of drinks he can carry well what do you do here asked who was trying to follow mr s calm eye as from time to time it swept the rooms resting here and there on a or following a hand he was evidently not merely a guest a exclaimed nodded yes the guests to	46
see they don t carry off each other it is the new ones that puzzle us for a while he added now there is a lady acting very mysteriously over there his eye swept over the room and then visited in that casual way it had some one in the corner across the room i don t just seem to make her out she looks all t followed the glance and the blood rushed to his face and then back again to his heart for there standing against the wall was the young girl whom he had spoken to on the street a few evenings before who had given him so a she was a creature and was standing quite alone observing the scene with keen interest her girlish figure was slim her eyes under straight dark brows were beautiful and her mouth was almost perfect her fresh face expressed interest and though generally grave as she glanced about her she smiled at times evidently at her own thoughts i don t just make her out repeated mr softly i never saw her before as i remember and t he looked at her again why i do not see that she is acting at all mysteriously said i think she is a music teacher she is about the prettiest girl in the room she may be a stranger like myself as no one is talking to her don t no stranger in here said mr you see how she is from the others most of them don t think about anything but themselves she ain t about herself at all she is others she may be a she appears mighty interested in clothes a the surprise in s tone amused his old yes a they have curious ways here why they pay money to themselves in the paper just black a look came into his face for a second that turned and followed his glance it rested on who was passing at a little distance with mrs on his arm there s one i am on my own account said the i m up with him and some day i m goin to light on him his eye gave a flash and then became as calm and cold as usual presently he spoke again i don t like i can t do it his voice had a new in it which somehow sent s memory back to the past i don t a kindness anyway he said laying his hand for a second on s arm well see you later sir he moved slowly on was glad that patient enemy was not following him s inspection of the young girl had his interest it was an unusual face high bred and fine humor about the corners of her mouth but resolution also might be read there and knew how mrs s ball those big dark eyes could flash and she was having a good time all to herself she was dressed much more simply than any other woman he saw in a plain muslin dress but she made a charming picture as she stood against the wall her dark eyes alight with interest her brown hair was drawn back from a brow of snowy whiteness and her little head was set on her shoulders in a way that recalled to an old picture she would have had an air of distinction in any company here she shone like a jewel s heart went out to her at sight of her his youth appeared to flood over him again fancied that she looked weary for every now and then she lifted her head and glanced about the rooms as though looking for some one a sense of protection swept over him he must meet her but she did not appear to know any one finally he determined on a bold expedient if he succeeded it would give him a chance to recover himself as nothing else could if he failed he could but fail so he made his way over to her but it was with a beating heart you look tired won t you let me get you a chair his voice sounded strange even to himself no thank you i am not tired she thanked him enough but scarcely looked at him but i should like a glass of water it is the only liquid i believe i cannot get you said there are three places where water is scarce the desert a ball room and the other place where was she drew herself up a little but i will try he added and went off on his return with a glass of water she took it as she handed the glass back to him she glanced at him and he caught her eye her head went up and she flushed to the roots of her brown hair oh i i beg your pardon i i i don t thank you very much i am very sorry she turned away stiffly why said flushing in spite of himself you have done me a favor in me to wait on you may i introduce myself and then i will get some one to do it in mrs or mrs they will for me the girl looked up at him at first with a hostile expression on her face which changed suddenly to one of wonder isn t this s eyes opened wide how could she know him yes you don t know me her eyes were dancing now and two were flitting about her mouth s memory began to stir she put her head on one side if you ll kiss me i ll let you ride my horse she said it can t be exclaimed delighted you are just so high measured a height just above his left watch pocket and you have long hair down your back with a little twist she turned her head and	46
showed him a head of beautiful brown hair done up in a knot just above the of a little neck and you have the she dropped her eyes before his which were looking right into though not until she had given a little flash from them perhaps to establish their identity and you used to say i was your did i this was very said how old was i then how old are you now eighteen with a slight of the slim impossible exclaimed enjoying keenly the picture she made mrs s ball all of it with a flash of the eyes for me you are just all of seven years old do you know who i thought you were her face yes a waiter she nodded brightly it was my good manners the have struck me much this evening said she smiled and the appeared again that is their business they are paid for it oh i see is that the reason others what they are well i am more than paid my you she looked pleased you are the first person i have met did you have any idea who i was the other evening she asked suddenly would have given five years of his life to be able to answer yes but he said no i only knew you were some one who needed protection he said trying to make the best of a bad situation you are too young to be on the street so late so it appeared i had been out for a walk to see old dr and to get a piece of music and it was later than i thought whom are you here with inquired to get off of delicate ground where are you staying with my cousin mrs it is my first introduction into new york life just then there was a movement toward the suggested that they should go and find mrs miss said however she thought she had better remain where she was as mrs had promised to come back i hope she will invite you to join our party she said if she does not i will invite you both to join mine declared i have no idea of letting you escape for another dozen years then however mrs appeared she was with who on seeing looked away coldly she smiled greatly surprised to find there why where did you two know each other t they explained i saw you were pleasantly engaged so i did not think it necessary to hasten back she said to said something to her in an and she held out her hand to the girl come we are to join a party in the supper room we shall see you after supper mr said he hoped so he was conscious of a sudden wave of disappointment sweeping over him as the three left him the young girl gave him a bright smile later as he passed by he saw only with mrs was at another table so joined her after the supper there was to be a novel kind of entertainment a sort of show in which were to figure a a gentleman set down in the programme with its gilt as the celebrated professor several singers a couple of and a mile the name struck with something of sadness it recalled old associations some of them pleasant some of them sad and as he stood near on the edge of the throng that filled the large apartment where the stage had been constructed during the first three or four numbers he was rather more in than in that gay company in that brilliant room professor had shown the wonders of the trained hand and the mind in a series of tricks that would certainly be wonderful did not so many men perform them mile de performed hardly less with her mrs s ball voice up and down the scale like a in a cage introducing into songs where there were none and making the simplest appear as intricate as pieces of the brothers ed over and under each other in a marvellous and absolutely manner and presently the appeared was standing against the wall thinking of and the old hall with its paper in and its benches full of eager jovial spectators when suddenly there was a roll of applause and he found himself in from the side on which he stood walked out his old friend herself he had not been able to see her until she was well out on the stage and was making her bow the next second she began to dance after the first greeting given her a silence fell on the room the best tribute they could pay to her art her grace her abandon nothing so audacious had ever been seen by certainly half the assemblage casting aside the old tricks of the the and and for applause the seemed of her audience and ss though she were trying to herself she swayed and swung and swept from side to side as though on wings bound after round of applause swept over the room men were talking in to each other women behind their she stopped panting and flushed with pride and with a certain scorn in her face and mien glanced over the audience just as she was herself for another effort her eye reached the side of the room where stood just beside miss a change passed over her face she nodded hesitated for a second and then began again she failed to catch the time of the music and danced out of time a came from the rear of the room she looked in that direction and did the with a gleam in his eye was the flushed deeply frowned lost her self possession and stopped a laugh of derision sounded at the rear for shame it is shameful said in a low voice to it is	46
the cowardly scoundrel he turned and at at the sound took a step toward the front and forward swept the audience with her flashing eyes put that man out a of astonishment and laughter greeted her outbreak you fools she turned to the play that again and play it right or fu your necks she began to dance again and soon danced as she had done at first applause was beginning again but at the sound she stopped looked over the audience and turning walked coolly from the stage who is well did you ever see anything like that well i never did the insolent creature i by jove she can dance if she chooses over the room good for her said his face of admiration did you know asked miss well the girl said nothing but she and changed color slightly you know her too said ii i do not do you remember once when you were a over in england giving your doll to a little dancing girl t when your was in such a temper t nodded s ball that is she she used to live in new she was almost the only woman in when i went there had a man laughed at her there then he would never have left the room alive mr tried it once and came near getting his neck broken for it he is getting even with her now as the girl glanced up at him his face was full of suppressed feeling a pang shot through her just then the entertainment broke up and the guests began to leave mrs beckoned to was still with her i will not trust myself to go within speaking distance of him now said so i will say good by here he made his somewhat hurriedly and moved off as mrs approached who so long as remained with miss had kept aloof and was about to say good night to mrs had on seeing turn away followed mrs every one was still of the episode of the young well what did you think of your friend s friend asked of of whom of your friend mr s young lady she is an old flame of his he said turning to mrs and speaking in an just loud enough for to hear they have run her out of new and i think he is trying to force her on the people here he has cheek enough to do anything j but i think to night will about settle him i do not know very much about such things but i think she dances very well said with heightened color moved to defend the girl under an instinct of opposition to so your friend thinks or thought some time ago said my dear girl she can t dance at all she is simply a young woman who has been run out of her own town as she ought to be run out of this as an if nothing else he to mrs a man who brought such a to a place like this ought to be kicked out of town if you are speaking of mr i don t believe that of him said coldly looked at her for a moment a curious light was in his eyes as he said i am not referring to any one i am simply he shrugged his shoulders and turned away as mrs and entered their carriage a gentleman was helping some one into a hack just behind mrs s carriage the light fell on them at the moment that stepped forward and she recognized mr and the mile he was handing her in with all the deference that he would have shown the highest lady in the land drove home in a life appeared to have changed twice for her in a single evening out of that crowd of strangers had come one who seemed to be a part of her old life they had taken each other up just where they had parted the long breach in their lives had been he had seemed the old friend and champion of her childhood who since her aunt had revived her recollection of him had been a sort of romantic hero in her dreams their meeting had been such as she had sometimes pictured to herself it would be she believed him finer higher than others then suddenly she had found that the vision was but an idol of clay all that her aunt had said of him had been dashed to pieces in a he was not worthy of her notice he was not a gentleman he was what mr had called him he had boasted to her of his intimacy with a common he had left her to fly to her and escort her home as had left the house had come out of the side entrance and they had met was just mrs s ball wondering how he could find her and he considered the meeting a fortunate one she was in a state of extreme agitation it was he first time that she had undertaken to dance at such an entertainment she had refused but had been over persuaded and she declared it was all a plot between and her manager to ruin her she would be even with them both if she had to take a pistol to right her wrongs had little idea that the chief motive of her acceptance had been the hope that she might find him among the company he did what he could to soothe her and having made a promise to call upon her he bade her good by happily ignorant of the interpretation which she who had suddenly sprung uppermost in his thoughts had upon s put upon his action walked home with a feeling to which he had been long a stranger he was somehow happier than he had been in years a young girl had	46
changed the whole entertainment for the whole almost his whole outlook on life he had not felt this way for not since had darkened life for him could love be for him again t the dial appeared to have turned back for him he felt younger more hopeful he walked out into the street and tried to look up at the stars the houses obscured them they were hardly visible the city streets were no place for stars and sentiment he would go through the park and see them so he strolled along and turned into a park the gas lamps shed a yellow glow on the trees making circles of feeble light on the walks and the shadows lay deep on the ground most of the benches were vacant but here and there a or a sat in drowsy the stars were too dim even from this ground to afford much satisfaction his thoughts flew back to the mountains and the great blue overhead with stars and a blue eyed girl amid pillows whom he used to worship an arid waste of years cut them off from the present and his thoughts came back to a sweet faced girl with dark eyes claiming him as her old friend appeared to be the old ideal rather than the former all next day thought of he wanted to go and see her but he waited until the day after he would not appear too eager he called at s office for the pleasure of talking of her but was still absent the following afternoon he called at s house the servant said mrs was out miss t she left this morning walked up the street feeling rather blank that night he started for the south but was much in his thoughts he wondered if life would open for him again when a man wonders about this life has already opened by the time he reached new he had already made up his mind to write and ask miss for an invitation to and he wrote his father a fuu account of the girl he had known as a child over which the old general beamed he forgave people toward whom he had hard feelings the world was better than he had been it he even considered more than he had done mrs s allowing to hang around her it suddenly flashed on him that perhaps was in love with crash went his kind feelings his kind thoughts the idea of making love to that pure sweet innocent creature it was horrible her innocence her charming friendliness her sweetness all swept over him and he thrilled with a sense of protection could he have known what had done to poison her against him he would have been yet more enraged as it was was at that time back at her old mrs s ball home but with how feelings from those which she had but a few days before sometimes she hated or at least declared to herself that she hated him and at others she defended him against her own charge and more and more she truly hated so you met mr said her aunt abruptly a day or two after her return how did you like him i did not like said briefly closing her lips with a snap as if to keep the blood out of her cheeks what you did not like are strange creatures nowadays in my time a a girl like would have thought him the very pink of a man i suppose you liked that young better she added grimly no i did not like him either but i think mr is perfectly horrid horrid the old lady s black eyes snapped oh he didn t ask you to dance well i think considering he knew you when you were a child and knew you were my niece he oh yes i danced with him but he is not very nice something i saw prejudiced me miss was so that she should tell her what had happened that she yielded well i saw him on the street helping a woman into a carriage a woman and why shouldn t he help her in he probably was the only man you saw that would do it if you saw the men i met a woman said slowly and pray what do you know of women not that there are not enough of them to be seen some one told and she looked it said blushing the old lady unexpectedly whipped around and took her part so warmly that suddenly found herself defending she could not bear that others should attack him though she took frequent occasion to tell herself that she hated him in fact she hated him so that she wanted to see him to show him how severe she would be l the occasion might have come sooner than she expected but alas fate was unkind was not conscious until he found that had left town how he had thought of her her absence appeared suddenly to have emptied the city by the time he had reached his room he had determined to follow her home that of sunshine which had entered his life should not be shut out again he sat down and wrote to her a friendly letter expressing warmly his pleasure at having met her his disappointment at having failed to find her he made a single allusion to the episode he had done what he could he said to soothe his friend s ruffled feelings but though he thought he had some influence with her he could not boast of having had much success in this in the light in which read this letter the allusion to the dancing girl all the rest and though her heart had given a leap when she first saw that she had a letter from when she laid it down her feeling had	46
changed she would show him that she was not a mere country to be treated as he had treated her his friend indeed when to his surprise received no reply to his letter he wrote again more asking if his former letter had been received but this shared the fate of the first meantime had gone off to visit a friend her mind was not quite as easy as it should have been felt that if she had it to go over she would do just the same thing but she began to fancy excuses for she even hunted up the letters he had written her as a boy it is probable that s failure to write did more to raise her in s estimation and fix her image in his mind than anything else she could have done knew that something had taken place but what it was mrs s ball he could not conceive at least he ever it proved to him that was rom some of the young women he had met of late su sat down and wrote to miss saying that he was going abroad on a matter of importance and asking leave to run down and spend sunday with them before he left miss s reply nearly took his breath away she not only refused his request but intimated that there was a good reason why his former letters had not been acknowledged and why he would not be received by her it was rather but it had something to do with inexplicable conduct on this wrote miss a more explicit charge and demanding an opportunity to defend himself still he received no reply and angry that he had written he took no further steps about it by the time reached home she had determined to answer his letter she would write him a severe reply miss however announced to the day of her return that mr had written asking her permission to come down and see them the blood sprang into s face and if miss had had on her spectacles at that moment she must have read the tale it told oh he did and what f she gave a swallow to restrain her impatience what did you say to him aunt have you answered the letter this was very said yes of course i wrote him not to come i preferred that he should not come could she have but seen s face oh you did yes i want no around me her head was up and her cap was i came very near telling him so too i told him that i had it from good authority that he had not behaved in altogether the most gentlemanly openly with a on the street i think he knows whom i referred to but aunt i do not know that she was i only heard she was defended who told you mr well he knows said miss with decision though i think he had very little to do to discuss such matters with you but aunt i think you had better have let him come we could have shown him our in our manner and possibly he might have some explanation i guess he won t make any mistake about that the to sit up and talk to me as if he were a bishop i have no doubt he would have explanation enough they always do chapter general visits strange lands just then the wheel turned interest was in england in american and fortunately for he had friends on that side now lived in england dancing attendance on his wife the daughter of mr of company who was to be in the fashionable set there the former agent of the with whom had quarrelled had gone back to england and had acquired a reputation as an expert by one of the so hard to account for about this time wrote to and consulted who knew the properties had incurred the s hate and the latter was urged on now by a double motive to who was bored to death with the life he was leading the story told by the old was like a trumpet to a war horse out of the correspondence with grew a suggestion to to come over and try to place the properties with an english had moreover a further reason for going he had not recovered from the blow of miss s refusal to let him visit he knew that in some way it was connected with his attention to he knew that there was a misunderstanding and felt that was somehow connected with it but he was too proud to make any farther attempt to explain it accordingly armed with the necessary papers and powers he arranged to go to england he had control of and on lands which were estimated to be worth several millions of dollars at any fair had long been trying to persuade his father to accompany him to new york on some of his visits but the old gentleman had never been able to make up his mind to do so i have grown too old to travel in strange lands he said i tried to get there once but they stopped me just in sight of a stone fence on the farther slope beyond a faint flash glittered in his quiet eyes i think i had better restrain my ambition now to from the blue bed to the brown and confine my travels to of gold i now after much urging as was about to go abroad to try and place the properties there the general consented to go to new york and see him off it happened that was called to new york on business a day or two before his father was ready to go so he a promise that he would follow him and went on ahead though general would have liked to back	46
out at the last moment as he had given his word he kept it he wrote his son that he must not undertake to meet him as he could not tell by what train he should arrive i shall travel slowly he said for i wish to call by and see one or two old friends on my way whom i have not seen for years the fact was that he wished to see the child of his friend general and determined to avail himself of this opportunity to call by and visit her s letter about her had opened a new vista in life the general found a pleasant village lying on the eastern slope of the and having written to ask general visits strange lands permission to call and pay his respects lie was graciously received by miss and more than graciously received by her niece miss would probably have met any visitor at the train but she might not have had so a heart and so rich a color in meeting many a young man few things a person more than to be received with real cordiality by a friend immediately on at a strange station from a train full of strangers but when the traveller is an old and somewhat man and when the friend is a young and very pretty girl and when after a single look she throws her arms around his neck and kisses him the capture is likely to be as complete as any that could take place in life when after asking about his baggage and exclaiming because he had sent his trunk on to new york and had brought only a as if he were only stopping off between trains finally settled herself down beside the general and took the reins of the little vehicle that she had come in there was perhaps not a more pleased old gentleman in the world than the one who sat beside her how you have grown he said gazing at her with admiration somehow i always thought of you as a little a very pretty little girl she thought of what his son had said at their meeting at the ball but you know one must grow some and it has been eleven years since then think how long that has been eleven years does that appear so long to you said the old man smiling so it is in our youth wrote me of his meeting you and of how you had changed i wonder what he meant by that said to herself the color mounting to her cheek he thought i had changed did she asked after a moment a trace of stealing into her face where it lay like a little cloud in may yes he hardly knew you you see he did not have the greeting that i got i should think not exclaimed if he had i don t know what he might have thought she grew as grave as she could he said you were the sweetest and prettiest girl there and that all the beauty of new york was there even the mrs what is her name she was miss s face relaxed suddenly with an effect of sunshine breaking through a cloud did he say that she exclaimed he did and more he is a young man of some observed the old fellow with a chuckle of gratification oh but he was only blinding you he is in love with mrs not he but protested that he was a little later she asked the general did you ever hear of any one in new who was named f of course every one knows her there i never saw her until she became a nurse when she was nursing my son she saved his life you know saved his life her face had grown almost grim no i never heard of it tell me about it saved his life twice indeed said the old general she has had a sad past but she is a noble woman and s little he told the whole story of and the brave part she had played on by his feeling he told it well no less than did he the part that had played when he was through there had been tears in s eyes and her bosom was still heaving thank you she said simply and the rest of the drive was in silence when general left he was almost as much in love with his young hostess as his son could have general visits strange lands been and all the rest of his journey he was dreaming of what life might become if and she but take a fancy to each other and once more return to the old place it would be like turning back the years and the consequences of the war the general on his arrival in new york was full of his visit to and of there is a girl after my own heart he declared to with enthusiasm why don t you go down there and get that put the question aside with a somewhat grim look he was very busy he said his plans were just and he had no time to think about marrying besides a green country girl was not the most promising wife there were many other women who etc etc many other women i exclaimed the general there may be but i have not seen them lately as to a green country girl why they make the best wives in the world if you get the right kind what do you one of these fashionable strong minded a woman s rights woman f heaven forbid when a gentleman he wants a lady and he wants a wife a woman to love him a lady to over his home not over a woman s meeting quite agreed with him as to the principle but he did	46
not know about the instance why i thought you had more said the old gentleman she is the sweetest creature i have seen in a long time she has both sense and sensibility if i were forty years younger i should not be suggesting her to you sir i should be on my knees to her for myself and the old fellow his coat straightened his figure and looked quite spirited and young at the club where introduced him his father soon became quite a toast half the s of the big room came to know him and he was nearly always surrounded by a group listening to his quaint observations of life his stories of old times his anecdotes his from or from dr johnson sir an evening or two after his appearance at the club came in and when the first greetings were over general inquired warmly after his wife pray present my compliments to her i have never had the honor of meeting her sir but i have heard of her charms from my son and i promise myself the pleasure of calling upon her as soon as i have called on your mother which i am looking forward to doing this evening s countenance changed a little at the unexpected words for half a dozen men were around when however he spoke it was in a very natural voice yes my mother is expecting you he said quietly mrs also would he said be very glad to see him her day was thursday but if general thought of calling at any other time and would be good enough to let him know he thought he could her being at home he strolled away by jove he did it well said one of the general s other acquaintances when was out of ear shot you know he and his wife have quarrelled explained to the astonished general great heavens the old gentleman looked shocked that scoundrel yes he is the devil with the women next evening as the general sat with among a group his some one approached behind him who had become a great friend of the general s greeted the come around let me introduce you to general s father the general with a pleasant smile on his face rose from his chair and turned to greet the as he did so he faced who bowed coldly the general visits strange lands old gentleman put his hand behind his back and with head looked him full in the eyes for a second and then turned his back on him i beg your pardon mr for declining to recognize any one whom you are good enough to wish to introduce to me but that man i must decline to recognize he is not a gentleman i doubt if you know one said with a shrug as he strolled away with affected indifference but a dozen men had seen the cut i guess you are right enough about that general said one of them when the general reflected on what he had done he was overwhelmed with remorse he to for having committed such a i am nothing but an old idiot sir and i hope you will excuse my constitutional weakness but i really could not recognize that man s soon set him at ease again it is well for to hear the truth now and then he said i guess he hears it rarely enough most people feed him on lies some others appeared to take the same view of the matter for the general was more popular than ever found a new zest in showing his father about the city everything astonished him he saw the world with the eyes of a child the streets the crowds the the stream of carriages that rolled up and down the avenue the elevated which had just been constructed all were a marvel to him where do these people get their wealth t he asked some of them get it from rural gentlemen who visit the town said laughing the old fellow smiled i suspect a good many of them get it from us countrymen in fact at the last we furnish it all it all comes out of the ground it is a pity that we did not hold on to some of it said the old gentleman glanced at him i do not want any of it my son s standard was the best neither poverty nor riches riches cannot make a gentleman laughed and called him old fashioned but he knew in his heart that he was right the beggars who him on the street never turned away empty handed he had it not in his heart to refuse the outstretched hand of want why that man who pretended that he had a large family and was out of work is a fraud said i ll bet that he has no family and never works well i didn t give him much said the old man but remember what lamb said shut not thy always against painted distress it is good to believe him give and under the father of a family think if thou that thou hast relieved an bachelor a week later was on his way to england and the general had returned home it was just after this that the final breach took place between and his wife it was decided that for their children s sake there should be no open separation at least for the present had business which would take him away for a good part of the time and the final separation could be left to the future meanwhile to save appearances somewhat it was arranged that mrs should ask to come up and spend the winter in new york partly as her companion and partly as for the children this might stop the mouths of some persons when the proposal first reached miss she rejected it	46
without hesitation she would not hear of it curiously enough suddenly appeared violently anxious to go but following the suggestion came an invitation from s mother asking miss to pay her a long general visits strange lands visit she needed her she said and she asked as a favor that she would let accept her daughter in law s invitation so miss consented the was shut up for the winter and the two ladies went up to new york as left for the west the very day that was she had no knowledge of the condition of affairs in that unhappy household except what gossip whispered about her this would have been more than enough but for the fact that the girl as soon as any one approached the subject and even such as mrs mrs was far too proud to refer to it all knew therefore was that there was trouble and she was there to help tide it over and she meant if she could to make it up meanwhile mrs was very kind if formal to her and the children delighted to get rid of the former whom they insisted in describing as an old cat were her devoted slaves yet was not as contented as she had fondly expected to be she learned soon after her arrival that one object of her visit to new york would be futile she would not see mr he had gone abroad in pursuit of mrs said mrs for was willing enough to hear all that lady had to say on this subject and it was a good deal you know i believe she is going to marry him she will unless she can get a title i do not believe a title would make any difference to her said rather sharply glad to have any sound reason for attacking mrs oh don t you believe it she d snap one up quick enough if she had the chance she has had a plenty of chances asserted well it may serve mr a good turn he looked very low down for a while last just after that big ball but he had quite up this fall and next thing i heard he had gone over to england after who is spending the winter there it was time she went too for people were beginning to talk a good deal of the way she ran after i go said suddenly rising i have to take the children out poor i sighed mrs i am glad they have some one to look after them s sudden change prevented any further fortunately mrs was too much delighted with the opportunity to pour her information into quite fresh ears to observe s expression the story of the trouble between mr and mrs was soon public property s plans appeared to him to be working out satisfactorily must he felt care for him to sacrifice so much for him in this assumption he let down the of prudence which he had hitherto kept up and one evening when the opportunity offered he openly declared himself to his and amazement she appeared to be shocked and even to resent it yes she liked liked him better than almost any one she admitted but she did not she could not love him she was married the idea married well what difference did that make did not many married women love other men than their husbands t had not her husband gone after another her eyes closed suddenly then her eyelids fluttered yes but i am not like that i have children she spoke slowly nonsense cried of course we love each other and belong to each other send the children to your husband mrs in horror there was that in his manner and look which astounded her abandon her children f how could she f her whole manner changed you have misunderstood me sit down i want to talk to you general visits strange lands grew angry don t be a fool you have broken with your husband now don t go and throw away happiness for a priest s a divorce and marry me if you want to but at least accept my love but he had the mark he had opened her eyes was this the man she had taken her friend for whom she had quarrelled with her husband and defied the world watched her as her doubt worked its way in her mind he could see the process in her face he suddenly seized her and drew her to him here stop this your husband has abandoned you and gone after another woman she gave a gasp but made no answer she pushed him away from her slowly and after a moment rose and walked from the room as though dazed it was so unexpected that made no attempt to stop her a moment later entered the room she walked straight up to him tried to greet her lightly but she remained grave mr i do not think ought to come as often as you do and pray why not he demanded her brown eyes looked straight into his and held them steadily because people talk about it i cannot help people talking you know what they are said amused you can prevent giving them occasion to talk you are too good a friend of cousin to cause her the honesty of her words was it spoke in every tone of her voice and glance of her eyes she is most unhappy conceived a new idea how lovely she was in her soft blue dress very well i will do what you say there are few things i would not do for you he stepped closer to her and gazed in her eyes sit down i want to talk to you thank you i must go now tried to detain her but she backed away her hands down and	46
held a little back good by miss he said one moment but she opened the door and passed out walked down the street in a sort of chapter xxiv his fortunes in another land in fact s mrs s statement to had some though very little mrs had gone abroad and had followed her on his arrival in england found somewhat changed at least in person years of high living and ease had rounded him and he had lost something of his old spirit at times an expression of weariness or discontent came into his eyes he was as cordial as ever to and when unfolded his plans he entered into them with earnestness you have come at a good time he said they are beginning to think that america is all a after talking over the matter invited down to the country we have taken an old place in for the hunting an old friend of yours is down there for a few days his eyes and we have some good fellows there think you will like some of them he added who is my friend asked her name was he replied with his eyes on s face at the name another face sprang to s mind the eyes were brown not blue and the face was the fresh face of a young girl yet accepted did not tell him that mrs had not ac their invitation until after she had heard that he was to be invited nor did he tell him that she had him to largely to the stock of the new on reaching the station they were met by a rich with two servants and after a short drive through beautiful country they turned into a fine park and presently drove up before an imposing old country house for the keep was one of the finest in all that region it was also one of the most expensive it had broken its owners to run it but this was nothing to of company at least it was nothing to mrs or to mrs who was her daughter she had plans and money was nothing to her was pleased at s exclamations of appreciation as they drove through the park with its magnificent trees its and its stretches of and roll of gracious hills and drew up at the of the mansion yet he was inclined to be a little about it too this is rather too rich for me he said between a smile and a sigh somehow i began too late it was a noble old into which he ushered the dark with age and hung with of many a chase and forgotten field a number of modern and great rich gave it an air of comfort even if they were not altogether harmonious did not see mrs till the company were all assembled in the drawing room for dinner she was a rather pretty woman distinctly american in face and voice but in speech more english than any one had seen since landing her hair and speech were arranged in the extreme london fashion she was awfully keen on everything she fancied and found most things english she greeted with somewhat more formality than he had expected from s wife and introduced him to colonel a handsome man as an american which thought his in another land rather unnecessary since no one could have been in doubt about it found on his arrival in the drawing room that the house was full of company a sort of house party assembled for the hunting suddenly there was a stir followed by a hush in the conversation and and went up here she comes said a man near who is she asked a thin woman with ugly hands dropping her with the air of a man la am replied the man beside her a friend of the host oh not of the hostess oh i don t know i met her last is wins in a walk oh she s the castle needs a new will it be in time for next season the gentleman said he knew nothing about it turned and faced she was dressed in a black gown that fitted perfectly her straight figure the soft folds clinging close enough to show the gracious curves and away behind her in a train that as she stood with her head uplifted gave her an appearance almost of majesty her round arms and perfect shoulders were of dazzling whiteness her abundant brown hair was low on her snowy neck showing the beauty of her head and her single ornament was one rich red rose fastened in her with a small diamond clasp it was the little pin that had found in the woods and returned to her so long ago though did not recognize it it was the only jewel about her and was worn simply to hold the rose as though that were the thing she valued s thoughts sprang to the first time he ever saw her with a red rose near her heart the rose he had given her which the humming bird had sought as its the other ladies were all in satin and velvet of rich colors and were flaming in and as mrs stood among them and they fell back a little on either side to look at her they appeared as it were a setting for her after the others were presented ed forward to greet her and her face lit np with a light that made it suddenly young i am so glad to see you she clasped his hand warmly it is so good to see an old friend from our ain i do not need to say i am glad to see you said looking her in the eyes you are my ain here at that moment the rose fell at her feet it had slipped somehow from the clasp that	46
held it a half dozen men sprang forward to pick it up but was ahead of he took it up and with his eyes looking straight into hers handed it to her it is your emblem it is what i always think of you as being the tone was too low for any one else to hear but her mounting color and the light in her eyes told that she caught it still looking straight into his eyes without a word she stuck the rose in her just over her heart several women turned their gaze on and him with sudden interest and one of them addressing her companion a broad shouldered man with a pleasant face said in an that is the man you have to look out for a good looking fellow who is he somebody i or our hostess wouldn t have him here the dinner that evening was a function mrs would rather have suffered a serious misfortune than fail in any of the social of her adopted land had suggested that be placed next to mrs but mrs had another plan in mind she liked and she was trying to do by her tries his fortunes in another land as she would have been done by she wanted her to make a brilliant match lord appeared designed by providence for this especial purpose the representative of an old and distinguished house owner of a indeed of an estate unhappily but not too heavily to be relieved by a fortune hunting was his most serious occupation at present he was engaged in the most serious hunt of his career he was hunting an mrs was his friend and as his friend she had put him next to mrs ordinarily mrs would have been extremely pleased to be placed next the lion of the occasion but this evening she would have liked to be near another guest he was on the other side of the board and appeared to be in the main enjoying himself though now and then his eyes strayed across in her direction and presently as he caught her glance he lifted his glass and smiled her neighbor observed the act and putting up his looked across the table then glanced at mrs and then looked again at more carefully who is your friend f he asked mrs smiled with a pleasant light in her eyes an old friend of mine mr ah fortunate man t no an american oh you have known him a long since i was a little girl oh i what is he a gentleman yes the englishman took the trouble again to put up his and take a fleeting glance across the table he looks it he said i mean what does he do is he a like our host or is he just getting to be a i hope he is replied mrs with a twinkle in her eyes that showed she enjoyed the englishman s he is engaged in she gave a rosy picture of the wealth in the region from which came all your men do something i believe said the gentleman all who are worth anything assented mrs no wonder you are a rich people something about his use of the touched her our people have a sense of duty too and as much courage as any others only they do not make any to do about it i have a a who drove a stage coach through the mountains for a while rather than do nothing and who was held up one night and jumped from the stage on the robber and chased him down the mountains and him good exclaimed the gentleman thing said mrs with cheeks stirred by what she considered a reflection on her people and that was not all he did he had charge of a mine and one day the mine was while the men were at work and he went in in the darkness and brought the men out safe good said the gentleman but he had others with him f he did not go alone t he started alone and two men volunteered to go with him but he sent them back with the first group they found and then as there were others he on by himself to where the others were and brought them out bringing on his shoulder the man who had attempted his life fine exclaimed the gentleman i ve been in some tight places myself but i don t know about that what was his name oh her eyes barely glanced his way but the earl of saw in them what he had never been able to bring there his fortunes in another land the englishman put up his and this time gazed long at chap he said quietly won t you present me after dinner in his slow mind was dawning an idea that perhaps after all this quiet american who had driven his way forward had found a place which he with all his titles and long could not enter his honest admiration had however done more to make him a place in that guarded fortress than all mrs s praises had effected a little later the guests had all departed or scattered those who remained were playing cards and appeared settled for a good while we are out of it let s have a game of said the host who had given his seat to a guest who had just come in after saying good night on the stair to one of the ladies followed him to the room a big apartment finished in oak with several large tables in it and he and began to play the game however soon for the two men had much to talk about you may go said to the servant who attended to the table i will ring for you when i want you to shut up thank you sir and	46
he was gone now tell me all about everything said i want to hear everything that has happened since i came came into exile i know about the property and the town that has grown up just as i knew it would tell me about the old squire and and and and his wife told him about them he said as he ended you started it and you ought to have stayed with it old says you foretold it all suddenly flung his cue down on the table and straightened up this is killing me sometimes i think i can t stand it another day a mind to up the whole business and cut for it gazed at him in amazement the clouded brow the burning eyes the drawn mouth all told how real that explosion was and from what depths it came was quite startled it all seems to me so empty so unreal so i am bored to death with it do you think this is he waved his arms impatiently about him it is all a sham and a fraud i am nobody i am a on a hired stage playing to not myself the lord knows i am bored enough by it but a lot of people who don t care any more about me than i do about them i can t stand this d n it i don t want to make love to any other man s wife any more than i will have any of them making love to my wife i think they are beginning to understand that i showed a little the front door not long an earl too or next thing to it an earl s eldest for doing what he would no more have dared to do in an englishman s house than he would have tried to bum it after that i think they began to see i might be something do you remember what old said to us once about marrying had been thinking of it all the evening i was not bom for this i was born to do something but for giving up i might have been like or or your man whom they are all because he did it all himself instead of getting others to do it by i i hope to live till i build one more big bridge or run one more long jove to stand once more up on the big so high that the trees look small below you and see the bridge growing under your eyes where the old had said nothing would stand s eyes sparkled and he reached out his hand and the other grasped it when returned home he was already in sight of victory tries his fortunes in another land the money had all been his own interest in the venture was enough to make him rich and he was to be general of the new company with as his manager of the mines all that was needed now was to complete the details of the transfer of the properties perfect his organization and set to work this for a time required his presence more or less in new york and he opened an office in one of the office buildings down in the city and took an apartment in a pleasant hotel when returned to new york that autumn it was no longer as a young man with eyes with hope and expectation and face alight with enthusiasm the eager had changed to the he had had experience of a world where men lived and died for the most sordid of all money mere money the fight had left its mark upon him the mouth had lost something of the smile that once about its corners but had gained in strength the eyes always direct and steady had more depth the shoulders had a set as though they had been against experience of life had him sometimes it had come to him that he might be caught by the current and might drift into the same spirit but up to this time had reassured him he knew that he had other motives the trust in him by his friends the responsibility laid upon him the resolve to justify that confidence were still there beside his eager desire for success he called immediately to see he was surprised to find how much he had aged in this short time his hair was sprinkled with gray he had lost all his lightness he was and almost you men here work too hard asserted you ought to have run over to england with me you d have learned that men can work and live too i spent some of the most profitable time i was over there in a deer forest which may have been wood as all the trees had gone somewhere if not to i half smiled but he answered wearily i wish i had been anywhere else than where i was he turned away while he was speaking and among the papers on his desk rose and rose also i will send you cards to the clubs i shall not be in town to night but to morrow night or the evening after suppose you dine with me at the university i ll have two or three fellows to meet or perhaps we ll dine alone what do you say we can talk more freely said that this was just what he should prefer and gave him a warm and suddenly himself at his desk quickly into his papers came out there was something he could not understand he wondered if the trouble of which he had heard had grown next morning looking over the financial page of a paper came on a paragraph in which s name appeared he was mentioned as one of the of a company which the paper declared was among those that had disappointed the	46
england had reached home as soon as he had his friends congratulated him and his acquaintances greeted him with a warmth that a few years before would have cheered his heart and have made him their friend for life mrs when she met him almost fell on his neck she actually called him her dear boy oh i have been hearing about you i she said the dinner at mrs s yon must come and dine with us at and tell ns all about it about what inquired about your great on the other side you see your friends keep up with you they do indeed and sometimes get ahead of me said how would to morrow suit no not to morrow saturday no we are going out saturday let me we are so crowded with engagements i shall have to go home and look at my book but you must come very soon you have heard the news of course isn t it dreadful what news he knew perfectly what she meant about the getting a divorce dreadful isn t it perfectly dreadful but of course it was to be expected any one could see that all along i could not said but i do not claim to be any one which side are you on s i suppose neither said you know always was in love with her this with a glance to obtain s views no i know nothing about it yes always she nodded of course he is making love to too and to the new at the who is that asked moved by some sudden instinct to inquire that pretty country cousin of s whom they brought there to save appearances when first left is her name suddenly grew hot yes is making love to her too why they say that is what they have quarrelled about is jealous and she is very pretty you know is like some other men just yes but was always his passion he is amusing himself with the and she poor little fool she has made a conquest you know how it is i really know nothing about it declared in a flame yes and he was always her passion t don t you think no i do not said firmly i know nothing about it but i believe she and were devoted as devoted a couple as i ever saw and i do not see why people cannot let them alone i think none too well of but i don t believe a word against her she may be silly but she is a hundred times better than some who her oh you dear boy you were always so amiable it s a pity the world is not like you but it is not it is a pity people do not let others alone and attend to their own affairs remarked grimly i believe more than half the trouble is made by the who go around don t they why every one is talking about it i have not been in a drawing room where it is not being discussed i suppose not said mr and you know they say has lost a lot of money too but then he has a large account to fall back on has a plenty what s s voice had an unpleasant in it oh you know he is her and they are great friends good by you must come and dine with us sometime soon too and mrs floated away and in the she visited told of s return and of his taking the story of and very seriously adding and you know i think he is a great the dinner at s admirer of a very great admirer of course he would like to marry just as would they all want to marry her but is the one that has their hearts she knows how to capture them you keep your eyes open you ought to have seen the way he looked when i mentioned and her my dear a man doesn t look that way unless he something here she tapped solemnly the spot where she imagined her heart to be that dry and organ that had long ceased to know any real warmth a little time afterwards to his great surprise received an invitation to dine at mrs s he had never before received an invitation to her house and when he had met her she had always been stiff and toward him this he had regarded as perfectly natural for he and had never been friendly and of late had not even kept up appearances he wondered why he should be invited now could it be true as had said laughing that now he had the key and would find all doors open to had not yet written his reply when he called that evening at mrs s she asked him if he had received such an invitation said yes but he did not intend to go he almost thought it must have been sent by mistake oh no now come won t be there and mrs wants to be friendly with you you and don t get along but neither do she and you know they have fallen poor old thing i she was talking about it the other day and she burst out crying she said he had been her idol what is the matter t oh s selfishness he is a brute t think of a man quarrelling with his mother i why i he went into a reverie in which his face grew very soft while mrs watched him presently he started i have nothing against her except a sort of general from boyhood which i am sorry to have oh well then come as people grow older they their and wish to make friends you being so old as to have experienced it t said i am nearly thirty	46
years old she said isn t it dreadful is much older than that said ah sir i have a mirror but her eyes filled with a pleasant light as said then it will what needs no proof she knew it was flattery but she enjoyed it and now you will come t i want you to come she looked at him with a soft glow in her face yes on your invitation place one good deed to thy account blessed are the said mrs when arrived at mrs s he found the company assembled in her great drawing the usual sort to be found in great drawing rooms of large new like in a great and commercial city mr called out the servant they always took this poetical view of his name mrs greeted him and solemnly she had aged much since saw her last and had also grown quite deaf her face showed traces of the desperate struggle she was making to keep up appearances it was apparent that she had not the least idea who he was but she shook hands with him much as she might have done at a funeral had he called to pay his respects among the late was mrs she was the richest dressed woman in the room and her jewels were the finest but she had an expression on her face as she entered which had never seen there her head was high and there was an air of defiance about her which the eye at once the dinner at s i don t think i shall speak to her said a voice near well i have known her all my life and until it becomes a public scandal i don t feel to cut the speaker was mrs who was in her most charitable mood oh of course i shall speak to her here but i i certainly not visit her you know she has quarrelled with her friend mrs about her husband this was behind her fan oh yes she is to be here to night quite brazen isn t iti we shall see how they meet i met a remarkably pretty girl down in the dressing room she continued one of the guests she has such pretty manners too really i thought from her politeness to me in arranging my dress she must be one of the maids until mrs spoke to her young girls nowadays are so rude they take up the mirror the whole time and never think of letting you see yourself i wonder who she can be possibly mi s s companion i think she is here she has to have some one to do the you know said mrs i should think it might be as well assented the other with a but she would hardly be here she is really her a very ill bred and rude young person said mrs the other sighed society is getting so now one might say so mixed that there is no telling whom one may meet nowadays no indeed pursued mrs i do not at all approve of and such persons being invited out i think the english way much the better there the never dreams of coming to the table except to luncheon and her friends are the housekeeper and the butler wearied of the at his ear crossed over to where mrs stood a little apart from the other ladies one or two men were talking to her she was evidently pleased to see him she talked and with just that pitch in her voice that a of excitement from time to time she glanced about her to to search the faces of the other women wondered if it were a fancy of his that they were holding a little aloof from her presently mrs came up and spoke to her backed away a little and found himself mixed up with the train of a lady behind him a dainty thing of white muslin he in some confusion and turning found himself looking into s eyes for a bare moment he was in a sort of then the expression in her face it she held out her hand and he clasped it and before he had withdrawn his eyes from hers he knew that his peace was made and mrs s drawing room had become another place this then was what meant when she spoke of the it does not in the least matter about the dress i assure you she said in reply to his apology my can repair it so that you will not know it has been torn it was only a of mine to attract your attention she was trying to speak lightly i thought you were not going to speak to me at all it seems to be a way you have of treating your old friends your oldest friends she laughed oh the insolence of youth i said wishing to keep away from a serious subject let us settle this question of age here and now i say you are seven years old you are a she said you neither forget nor learn look at me how old do i no look the dinner at mrs i am would i were you look youth and she did she was dressed in pure white her dark eyes were soft and gentle yet with mischief lurking in them and her straight brows almost black added to their lustre her dark hair was brushed back from her white forehead and as she turned noted again as he had done the first time he met her the fine and the beautiful lines of her round throat with the curves below it as white as snow perpetual youth he murmured and do you know what you she him yes age no flattery but i am proof i have learned that men are ever you refused to see me when i had left	46
word with the servant that i would see you if you called she gave him a swift little glance to see how he took her charge i did nothing of the kind i will admit that i should know where you are by instinct as sir john knew the prince but i did not expect you to insist on my doing so how was i to know you were in the city t the servant told you the servant told met as s brow in the effort to the mystery she nodded um i heard him i was at the head of the stair tapped his head it s old sheer no i don t want to see the other lady she said him so exactly that he opened his eyes wide i am staying at mrs s cousin s she continued with a little change of expression and the least little lift of her head s expression perhaps changed slightly too for she added quietly cousin had to have some one with her and i am teaching the children i am the i have always said that children nowadays have all the best things said desirous to get off delicate you know some one has said he never ate a ripe in his life when he was a boy the grown had them and since he grew up the children have them all she laughed i am very severe i assure you you look it i should think you might be himself she smiled and then the smile died out and she glanced around her i owe you an apology she said in a lowered voice for what for not answering your letters but i i don t know how to say what i wish won t you accept it without an explanation t she held out her hand and gave him the least little flitting glance of appeal i will said with au my heart thank you i have been very unhappy about it she breathed a little sigh of relief which caught mrs did not arrive until all the other guests had been there a little while but when she entered she had never looked as soon as she had greeted her hostess her eyes swept around the room and in their circuit rested for a moment on who was talking to she gave them a charming smile the next moment however her eyes stole that way again and this time they bore a graver expression the admiration that filled the younger girl s eyes was unbounded and don t you think she is the woman in the room she asked with a nod toward mrs was suddenly conscious that he did not wish to commit himself to such praise she was certainly very handsome he admitted but there were others who would pass muster too in a beauty show oh but i know you must think so every one says you do urged with a swift glance up at him which somehow would have liked to avoid the at mrs s then i suppose it must be so for every one knows my thoughts but i think she was more beautiful when she was younger i do not know what it is but there is something in society that after a few years takes away the bloom of and puts in its place just the least little shade of i know what you mean but she is so beautiful that one would never notice it what a power such beauty is i should be afraid of it was speaking almost to herself and as she was deeply absorbed in observing mrs gazed at her with renewed interest i d so much rather be loved for myself the girl went on earnestly i think it is one of the that those who want such beauty well it is one of the things which you must always hold merely as a conjecture for you can never know by experience she glanced up at him with a smile half pleased half do you think i am the sort that likes flattery t i believe you think we are all silly i thought you were too good a friend of mine to attempt that line with me declared that all women loved flattery but protested of course that he was not flattering her why should i he laughed oh just because you think it will please me and because it is so easy it is so much less trouble it takes less intellect and you don t think i am worth spending intellect on this stoutly denied she gave him a fleeting glance out of her brown eyes she however is as good as she is handsome she said returning to mrs yes j she is one of those who do good by and blush to find it fame there are not a great many like that around here smiled here comes one now f she added as mrs moved ap to them she was so glad to see miss out you must like your winter in new york she said smiling softly you have such opportunities for seeing interesting like mi here she turned her eyes on oh yes i do i see so many entertaining people said innocently they are very kind to the elder lady most turned her eyes toward with a little sparkle in them but as she read his appreciation a smile stole into them dinner was solemnly announced and the couples swept out in that stately manner appropriate to solemn occasions such as marriages and fashionable dinners do you know your asked of to whom he had been assigned don t it a and not know her place you must help me through through what the dinner you do not understand what a tremendous responsibility you have this is my first dinner i always said dinners were a part of the curse said	46
a young and girl no mr is not like other men he does not have to wait and see what others think and say before he forms an opinion i am so tired of hearing people say what they think others think even mr at church says what he thinks his congregation just as when he meets them he them and tells them what dear ladies they are and how well they look and how good their wine is why can t people think for themselves well on my word you appear to be thinking for yourself i and you also appear to think very highly of mr said mrs i do i have known mr all my life said the girl gravely he is associated in my mind with all that i loved there i did not mean to call up sorrowful thoughts said mrs i wanted you to have a good time next day mr gave himself the pleasure of calling promptly at mrs s he remembered the time when he had waited a day or two before calling on miss and had found her gone with its train of so he had no intention of repeating the error in love as in war success miss was not at home the servant said in answer to s inquiries for the ladies she had taken the children out to see madam but mrs would see mr mrs was more than usually cordial she was undoubtedly more nervous than she used to be she soon spoke of and for a moment grew quite excited i know what people say about me she exclaimed i know they say i ought to have borne and have gone on smiling and pretending i was happy even when i had the proof that he that he no longer cared for me or for my happiness but i could i was not constituted so and if i have refused to submit to it i had good reason mrs said will you please tell me what you are talking about you will hear about it soon enough she said with a a misunderstanding bitter laugh all you have to do is to on mrs or mrs any one else for five minutes if i hear what i understand you to believe that cares for some one else i shall not believe it she laughed bitterly oh you and always swore by each other i guess that you are no better than other men we are at least better than some other men said and is better than most other men she simply shrugged her shoulders and drifted into a reverie it was evidently not a pleasant one rose to go and a half hour later he quite casually called at old mrs s where he found the children having a miss looked as sweet as a rose and thought or at least hoped she was pleased to see him promptly availed himself of mrs s permission and was soon calling every day or two at her house and even on those days when he did not call he found himself up the avenue or in the park watching for the slim straight trim little figure he now knew so well he was not in love with he said this to himself quite positively he only admired her and had a feeling of protection and warm friendship for a young and girl who had once had every promise of a life of ease and joy and was by the hap of iu fortune thrown out on the cold world and into a relation of dependence he had about given up any idea of falling in love love such as he had once known it was not for him love for love s sake love that created a new world and peopled it with one was over for him at least so he said and when he had reasoned thus he would find himself hurrying along the avenue or in the park straining his eyes to see if he could distinguish her among the crowd of and that thronged the or the foot path a quarter of a mile away and if he could not he was conscious of disappointment and if he did her his heart would give a and he would go racing along till he was at her side though he visited her at mrs s where he could talk to her without the continual interruption of the children s busy tongues and could get lier to sing those old fashioned songs that somehow sounded to him sweeter than all the music in the world in t he went there so often to visit her that he began to neglect his other friends even he did not see as much of as formerly once when he was her voice to mrs she said to him yes i think she would do well in concert i am urging her to prepare herself for that not at present of course for i need her just now with the children but in a year or two the boys will go to school and the two girls will require a good french or i may take them to france then i shall advise her to try concert of course miss cannot take care of her always besides she is too independent to allow her to do it was angry in a moment he had never liked mrs so little i shall advise her to do nothing of the kind he said firmly miss is a lady and to have her and treated as an inferior by a lot of riches is more than i could stand i see no chance of her marrying said mrs she has not a cent and you know men don t marry girls these days oh they do if they fall in love there are a great many men in the world and	46
even in new york besides the small hunting money loving that one meets at the so called swell houses if those you and i know were all new york would be a very insignificant place the brains and the character and the heart the makers and leaders are not found at the dinners and balls we are honored with invitations to by mrs and her like was saying the other a misunderstanding mrs up her eyes flashed do not quote her to me her lips choked with the words she is a friend of yours and a good friend of yours declared boldly i do not want such friends as that she said flaming suddenly who do you suppose has come between my husband and met not mrs yes no said firmly you wrong them both you have been she rose and walked up and down the room in an excitement like that of an angry you are the only friend that would say that to me then i am a better friend than others he went on to defend mrs warmly when left he wondered if that outburst meant that she still loved it is not to be supposed that mr s visits to the house of mrs had gone unobserved or that portion of the set that knew mrs best which is most given to the discussion of such important questions as who visits whom too often and who has stopped visiting whom altogether with the reasons was soon busy over s visits they were referred to in the society column of a certain journal recently started known by some as the s own and some kind friend was considerate enough to send a marked copy some suggested timidly that they had heard mr s visits were due to his opinion of the j but they were immediately suppressed mrs expressed the more general opinion when she declared that even a would know that men like and mr did not fall in love with unknown that sort of thing would do to put in books but it did not happen in real life they might visit them but after which she proceeded to say as many ill natured things about miss as she could think of for the story of s stopping her ears had also gotten abroad jl pursued his way happily ignorant of the motives attributed to him by some of those who smiled on h m and invited him to their a half hour with was reward enough to him for much waiting to see her eyes and to hear her voice grow softer and more musical as she spoke his name to feel that she was in sympathy with him that she understood him without explanation that she was interested in his work these were the rewards which lit up life for him and sent him to his rooms cheered and refreshed he knew that she had no idea of taking him otherwise than as a friend she looked on him almost as a contemporary of her father but life was growing very sweet for him again it was not long before the truth was presented to him one of his club friends rallied him on his frequent visits in a certain quarter and the conquest which they flushed warmly he had that moment been thinking of he had just been to see her and her voice was still in his ears so though he thought it unusual in tom to refer to the matter it was not unnatural he attempted to turn the subject lightly by pretending to him i mean i hear you have cut out thought he had a little corner there again he too had sometimes thought that was beginning to be attentive to others thought so too i don t know that i understand you he said don t you t laughed the other haven t you seen the papers lately t chilled instantly is my friend he said quietly a misunderstanding so they say is mrs began mr with a laugh before he had quite pronounced the name leaned forward his eyes right into the other s don t say that i want to be friends with you he said earnestly don t you ever couple my name with that lady s her husband is my friend and any man that says i am paying her any attention other than such as her husband would have me pay her says what is false i know nothing about that said tom half i am only giving what others say well don t you even do that he rose to his feet and stood very straight do me the favor to say to any one you may hear intimate such a lie that i will hold any man responsible who says it jove said mr afterwards to his friend must be some fire there he was as hot as in a minute wanted to fight any one who mentioned the matter he ll have his hands full if he fights all who are talking about him and s old flame i heard half a about it at mrs s but it was none of my affair if he wants to fight about another man s wife let him it s not the best way to stop the scandal you know i think is a little relieved to get out of that added mr wants money and big money he can t expect to get money there they say the chief cause of the trouble was would not put up money enough for her he has got his eye on the combine and he is all devotion to the widow now she won t look at him she has too much sense besides she likes said as mr and his friend said if expected to silence all the tongues that were with his name and affairs he was likely to	46
be disappointed there are some people to whose minds the distribution of scandal is as great a delight as the sweetest morsel is to the tongue besides there was one person who had a reason for spreading the report had returned and was doing his best to give it circulation received in his mail one morning a thin letter over which a frown clouded his brow the address was in a he had received a letter in the same handwriting not long an letter it related to his wife and to one whom he had held in high esteem he had torn it up furiously in little bits and had dashed them into the waste basket as he had dashed the matter from his mind he was near tearing this letter up without reading it but after a moment he opened the envelope a society notice in a paper the day before had contained the name of his wife and that of mr and this was not the only time he had seen the two names together as his eye glanced over the single page of disguised writing a deeper frown grew on his brow it was only a few lines but it contained a arrow that struck and when the cat s away the will play if you have cut your wisdom teeth you ll know your mouse his name is it was signed true crushed the paper in his hand in a rage for having read it but it was too late he could not banish it from his mind so many things with it he had heard that was there a great deal why had he ceased speaking of it of late when next met there was a change in the latter he was cold and almost answered and after a little while rose and left him rather when this had occurred once or twice determined to see and have a full explanation accordingly a misunderstanding one day he went his office mr was ont but said he would wait for him in his private office on the table lay a newspaper picked it up to glance over it his eye fell on a marked passage it was a notice of a dinner to which he had been a few evenings before mrs s name was marked with a blue pencil and a line or two below it was his own name marked felt the hot blood into his then a grip came about his throat could this be the cause f could this be the reason for s could have this opinion of after ail these years he rose and walked from the office and out into the street it was a blow such as he had not had in years the friendship of a lifetime seemed to have down in a moment walked home in deep reflection that could treat him so was impossible except on one theory that he believed the story which concerned him and mrs that he could believe such a story seemed absolutely impossible he passed through every phase of regret wounded pride and anger then it came to him clearly enough that if were laboring under any such it was his duty to it he should go to him and clear his mind the next morning he went again to s office to his sorrow he learned that he had left town the evening before for the west to see about some business matters he would be gone some days to see him as soon as he returned had little difficulty in the scandalous story to its true source though he did an injustice in laying the whole blame on him meantime determined that he would not go to mrs s again until after he had seen even though it deprived him of the chance of seeing it was easier to him as he was very busy now pushing through the final steps of his deal with the english this he was the more in as his last visit south had shown him that old mr was beginning to fail i am just now to hear about said the old man and to settle with that man he added his deep eyes burning under his shaggy brows had little idea that the old man would ever live to hear of her again and he had told him so as gently as he could then i shall kill him said the old man quietly was in his office one morning when his attention was arrested by a heavy step outside his door it had something familiar in it then he heard his name spoken in a loud voice some one was asking for him and the next moment the door opened and squire stood on the threshold he looked worn but his face was serene s told him why he had come and the old man did not leave it in any doubt his greeting was brief he had gotten to new york only that morning and had already been to s office but the office was shut i have come to find her he said and i ll find her or i ll drag him through this town by his neck he took out a pistol and laid it by him on the table was aghast he knew the old man s resolution his face showed that he was not to be moved from it began to argue with him they did not do things that way in new york he said the police would arrest him or if he should shoot a man he would be tried and it would go hard with him he had better give up his pistol let me keep it for you he urged the old man took up the pistol and felt for his pocket i ll find her or i ll kill him he said i have come to do	46
one or the other if i do that i don t much what they do with me but i reckon some of em would take the side of a woman what s been treated so well i ll go on an wait for him how do you find this here he took out a piece of paper and carefully a misunderstanding sc his read a number it was the of s office began to argue again but the other s face was set like a rock he simply put up his pistol carefully fu kill him if i don t find her well i reckon somebody will show me the way good day he went out the m ment his footsteps had died away seized his hat and dashed out the figure was going slowly down the street and saw him stop a man and show him his bit of paper crossed the street and hurried on ahead of him s office was only a few blocks away and a minute later rushed into the front office the clerks looked up in surprise at his haste demanded of one of them if mr was in the clerk addressed turned and looked at another man nearer the door of the private office who shook his head no mr was not in however had seen the signal and he walked boldly up to the door of the private office mr is in but he is engaged said the man rising hastily i must see him immediately said and opening the door walked straight in was sitting at his desk over a and at the sudden entrance he looked up startled when he saw who it was he sprang to his feet his face changing slightly just then one of the clerks followed as however spoke quietly s expression changed and the next second he had recovered his composure and with it his insolence to what do i owe the honor of this unexpected visit he demanded with a curl of his lip gave a little wave of his arm as if he would sweep away his insolence i have come to warn you that old adam is in town hunting you s self contained face suddenly and he stepped a little back then his eye fell on the clerk who stood inside the door what do you want he demanded angrily you i can t you keep out when a gentleman wants to see me on private business the clerk hastily withdrew what does he want he asked of with a dry voice he is hunting for you he wants to find his and he is coming after you what the do i know about his cried that is for you to say he that he kill you unless you produce her he is on his way here now and i have hurried ahead to warn you s face already pale grew as white as death for he read conviction in s tone with an oath he turned to a bell and rang it for a cab for me at once he said to the clerk who appeared have it at my side entrance as passed out he heard him say to the tell any one who i have left town i won t see a soul a little later an old man entered company s office and demanded to see f c there was a among the men there for they all knew that something unusual had occurred and there was that about the massive grim old man with his fierce eyes that demanded attention on learning that was not in he said he would wait for him and started to take a seat there was a whispered between two clerks and then one of them told him that mr was not in the city he had been called away from town the day before and would be gone for a month or two would the visitor leave his name tell him adam has been to see him and that a misunderstanding he will come again he paused a moment then said slowly tell him i m for him and i m goin to stay here till i find him he walked slowly out followed by the eyes of every man in the office the squire spent his time between watching for and hunting for his he would about the streets and inquire for her of and strangers quite as if new york were a small village like instead of a great hive in which hundreds of thousands were their identity hardly known to any but themselves most of those to whom he applied treated him as a harmless old lunatic but he was not always so fortunate one night when he was tired out with the streets he wandered into one of the and sat down on a bench where he finally fell asleep he was awakened by some one feeling in his pocket he had just been dreaming that had found him and had sat down beside him and was him and when he first came back to consciousness her name was on his lips he still thought it was she who sat beside him and he called her by name the girl a poor painted creature was quick enough to answer to the name i am go to sleep again the joy of getting back his lost one aroused the old man and he sat up with an exclamation of delight the next second at sight of the strange painted face he you t yes don t you know met she closer beside him and worked quietly at his big watch which somehow had caught in his tight pocket no you ain t who are you what are you the young woman put her arms around his neck and began to talk he was such a dear old fellow etc etc but the old man s wit had	46
now returned to him his disappointment had him away from me woman what are you to me he demanded roughly she still clung to him using her poor but the squire was angry he pushed her off go away from me i say what do you want you ought to be ashamed of yourself you don t know who i am i am a in the church a of and i have a who is older than you if you don t go away i will tap you with my stick the girl having secured his watch with something between a curse and a laugh went off calling him an old drunk fool next moment the squire put his hand in his pocket to take out his watch but it was gone he felt in his other pockets but they were empty too the young woman had clung to him long enough to rob him of everything the squire rose and hurried down the walk calling after her but it was an officer who answered the call when the squire told his story he simply laughed and told him he was drunk and threatened if he made any disturbance to run him in the old out run who int he demanded do you know who i am young man no i don t and i don t a well i m squire of and i know more law than a hundred blue thief like you whoever says i am drunk is a liar but if i was drunk is that any reason you to let a thief rob me what is your name i ve a mind to arrest you and run you in myself i ve run many a better man in it happened that the officer s record was not quite clear enough to allow him to take the chance of a contest with so bold an as the squire of he did not know just who he was or what he might be able to do so he was willing to break even and he walked off but leaving the squire master of the field a misunderstanding the next day the old man applied to who placed the matter in s hands and persuaded the squire to return home very over the between and himself he wrote a letter asking an interview as soon as he returned but he received no reply then having heard of his return he went to his ofl ce one day to see him yes mr was in some one was with him but would mr walk in said the clerk who knew of the friendship between the two but sent in his name the clerk came out with a surprised look on his face mr was engaged went home and wrote a letter but his letter was returned and on it was the mr to hold any communication with mr after this growing angry swore that he would take no further steps chapter and the rev mr as stepped from his office one afternoon he thought he heard his name called somewhat timidly when however he turned and glanced around among the hurrying throng that filled the street he saw no one whom he knew men and women were bustling along with that ceaseless haste that always struck him in new haste to go haste to return haste to hasten the trade mark of new york life the hope of in the race a moment later he was conscious of a woman s step close behind him he turned as the woman came up beside him and she was so worn and and aged that for a moment he did not recognize her then as she spoke he knew her why i he held out his hand she seized it almost oh mr is it really i hardly dared hope it was i have not seen any one i knew for so long so long her face worked and she began to but soothed her he drew her away from the crowded into a side street you f she said and gazed at him with a silent appeal yes i knew he deceived you and you into running away with him and the rev mb i thought he loved me and he did when he married me i am sure he did but when he met that when he did asked who could scarcely believe his own ears did he marry who married when where was it who was present yes would not come until he yes i knew he promise but did he marry you afterwards t who was present have you any witnesses yes oh yes i was married here in new night r about ten o the night we got here mr our only witness mr had a pa per the preacher gave him but he lost it he did who married where was his name was i cannot re member much my memory is all gone he was a young man he married us in his room mr got him for me he offered to marry us said he was a preacher but i wouldn t have him and said i would go home or kill myself if they didn t have a preacher then mr went and came back and we all got in a carriage and drove a little way and got out and went into a house and after some talk we were married i don t know the street but i would know him if i saw him he was a young fat man that smiled and stood on his toes the picture brought up to the fat and well then you went abroad and your husband left you over there f yes i was in heaven for a little while and then he left for another woman i am sure he cared for me and he did not mean to	46
treat me so but she was rich and so beautiful what was if she gave an expressive gesture of self poor fool i said to himself poor girl he said aloud i have written but maybe he never got my letter he would not have let me suffer so s mouth shut closer she went on to tell of s leaving her of her hopes that after her child was born he would come back to her but the child was born and died then of her despair of how she had spent everything and sold everything she had to come home i think if i could see him and tell him what i have been through maybe he be different i know he cared for me for a while but i can t find him she went on hopelessly i don t want to go to him where there are others to see me for i m not fit to see even if they d let me which they wouldn t she glanced down at her worn and shabby frock i have watched for him most all day but i haven t seen him and the police ordered me away i will find him for you said grimly oh no you mustn t you mustn t say anything to him it would make it wouldn t do any good and he d never forgive me she deeply you must go home said for a second a shot over her face then a ray of light seemed to across it and then it died out she shook her head no i ll never go back there she said oh yes you you must i will take you back the mountain air will restore you she was ing her head but the look in her eyes showed that she was thinking of something far off no no i will take you repeated your grandfather will he will be all right he has just been here hunting for you the expression on her face was so singular that put his hand on her arm to his horror she burst into a laugh it was so unreal that men passing glanced at her and the rev me quickly and as they passed od turned and looked back again well good by i must find my husband she said holding out her hand nervously and speaking in a hurried manner he s got the baby with him tell em at home i m right well and the baby is exactly like grandmother but prettier of course she laughed again as she turned away and started off hastily caught up with her but but she hurried on shaking her head and talking to herself about finding her baby and about its beauty kept up with h r put his hand in his pocket and taking out several bills handed them to her here you must take this and tell me where you are staying she took the money mechanically where am it oh where am i sixteen third yes that s it no oi no hill street i ll show you the baby i must get it now and she sped away having watched her till she disappeared walked on in deep reflection hardly knowing what course to take presently his brow cleared he turned and went rapidly back to the great office building where had his offices on the first floor he asked for mr a clerk came forward mr was not in town no he did not know when he would be back after a few more questions as to the possible time of his return left his card that evening went to the address that had given him it was a small lodging house of perhaps the tenth rate the woman in charge remembered a young woman such as he described she was ill and rather crazy and had left several weeks before she had no idea where she had gone she did not know her name sometimes she called herself miss sometimes mrs took a cab and drove to the agency where had his office told him why he had come and listened with lips and eyes in which the flame burned deeper and d per i ll find her he said having set to work next directed his steps toward the house to which the rev william h had succeeded along with the fashionable church and the fashionable congregation which his uncle had left he was almost sure from the name she had mentioned that mr had performed the ceremony had from time to time connected his name with matrimonial affairs which reflected little credit on him from the time mr had found his flattery and patience rewarded the pulpit from which dr little had for years delivered a well weighed if a somewhat dry spiritual had changed mr knew his congregation too well to tax their patience with any such sermons as his uncle had been given to he treated his people instead to pleasant little which were as much like and as st john or st paul fifteen minutes was his limit eighteen at the outside weighed out like a doubtless mr had his own idea of doing good his worked hard in back streets and trod the dusty the small while he stepped on velvet carpets and cast his net for the larger fish was not as well worth saving as and better worth it for s purposes and surely he was a more agreeable dinner companion besides nothing was really proved against and the from his table fed many a but there were times when the rev william h ind the rev mr had a vision of other things when the rev mr with his plump cheeks and plump stomach with his embroidered and fine his rich and hand worked slippers had a vision of another life he remembered the	46
meeting with her and her disappearance again he did not mention for he felt that until he had the proof of his marriage he had no right to do so why i remember that old man mr said it was where my father stayed for a while her voice was full of tenderness yes it is his i remember her kindness to me we must find her i will help you her face was sweet with tender sympathy her eyes luminous with firm resolve gazed at her with a warm feeling about his heart suddenly the color deepened in her cheeks her expression changed a sudden flame seemed to dart into her eyes i wish i knew that man what would you dot demanded smiling at her i d make him suffer all his life she looked the of vengeance such a man would be hard to make suffer not if i could find him soon left her to carry out his determination and went to see mrs and told her the story she had heard it found sympathetic ears and the next day and mrs were hard at work quietly trying to find the unfortunate woman they went to dr but unfortunately the old man was ill in bed the next afternoon caught sight of walking up the street with some one and when he got nearer her it was they were so absorbed that passed without either of them seeing him he walked on with more than wonder in his heart the meeting however had been wholly accidental on s part of late had frequently fallen in with when she was out walking and this afternoon he had hardly joined her when she began to speak of the subject that had been uppermost in her mind all day she did not mention any names but told the story just as she had heard it fortunately for she was so much engrossed in her recital that she did not observe her companion s face until he had recovered himself he had fallen a little behind her and did not interrupt her until he had quite mastered himself then he asked quietly where did you get that story t mr told me and he said the man who did that was a gentleman f no he did not say that he did not give me the least idea who it was do you know who it the question was so unexpected that for a moment was confounded then he saw that she was quite innocent he almost gasped if how could i i have heard that that is something of it it is not as mr related it he has some of the facts wrong i will tell you the true story if you will promise not to say thing about it promised well the truth is that the poor creature was crazy she took it into her head that she was married to some and the mb one and ran away from home to try and find him at one time she said it was a mr then it was a man named a drunken then i think she for a time fancied it was mr himself and he glanced at her i am not sure she did not claim me once i knew her slightly poor thing she was quite insane poor thing sighed softly she felt more kindly toward than she had ever done before i shall do what i can to help you find her he added thank you i hope you may be successful i hope so said sincerely that evening called on mr and the two were together for some time the meeting was not wholly an one demanded something that mr was unwilling to with though the former made him an offer at which his eyes he had offered to carry his stock for him as long as he wanted it carried mr showed him his register to satisfy him that no entry had been made there of the ceremony he had performed that night a few years before but he was unwilling to write him a that he had not performed such a ceremony he was not willing to write a falsehood grew angry now look here he said you know perfectly well that i never meant to marry to marry any one you know that i was drunk that night and did not know what i was doing and that what i did was out of kindness of heart to quiet the poor little fool but you married her in the presence of a witness said mr slowly and i gave him her you must have been mistaken i have the of the man that he signed nothing of the kind i give you my word of honor as to that write me the letter i want he pushed the on the table nearer to who poured out a drink and took it slowly it appeared to give him courage for after a moment he shook his head i cannot looked at him with level eyes you will do it or i will sell you out he said coldly you cannot you promised to carry that stock for me till i could pay up the write me that letter or i will turn you out of your pulpit you know what will happen if i tell what i know of you the other man s face turned white you would not be so base rose and up his coat it will be in the papers day after to morrow wait gasped i will see what i can say he poured a drink out of the and it down then he seized a pen and a sheet of paper and began to write he wrote with care will this do he asked yes you promise not to use it unless you have yes and to carry the stock for me till	46
it and lets me out i will make no more promises but you did began mr put the letter in his pocket and taking up his hat walked out without a word but his eyes with a curious light chapter finds mr was calling at mrs s a few days after his interview with and the day following the interview with mr called at mrs s quite frequently of late they had known each other a long time almost ever since mr had been an at his uncle dr little s church when the stout young man had first discovered the slim straight figure and pretty face with its blue eyes and rosy mouth in one of the best with a richly dressed lady beside her he had soon learned that this was miss the only daughter of one of the men in town miss was then very devout just at the age and stage when she bent particularly low on all the occasions when such bowing is held and the mind of the young man was not affected by her since then mr had never quite banished her from his mind except of course during the brief interval when she had been a wife when she became a widow she resumed her place with renewed power and of late mr had begun to have hope now mr was far from easy in his mind he knew something of s attention to mrs but it had never occurred to him until lately that he might be successful he had feared at times but s habits had reassured him mrs would hardly marry him now however he had an uneasy feeling that might injure him and he called partly to ascertain how the ground lay and partly to any possible injury might do to his relief he found mrs more cordial than usual the line of conversation he adopted was quite spiritual and he felt elevated by it mrs also was visibly impressed presently she said mr i want you to do me a favor even to the half of my kingdom said mr bowing with his plump hand on his plump bosom it is not so much as that it is only a little of your time and maybe a little of your company i have just heard of a poor young woman here who seems to be in quite a desperate way she has been abandoned by her husband and is now quite ill the person who told me one of those good women who are always seeking out such cases tells me that she has rarely seen a more pitiable case the poor thing is absolutely destitute mrs king tells me she has seen better days for some reason perhaps that the circumstances called up not wholly pleasant associations mr s face fell a little at the picture drawn he did not respond with the alacrity mrs had expected of course i will do it if you wish it or i could have some of our workers look up the case and if the facts warrant it could apply some of our to its relief i should think however the woman is rather a fit subject for a hospital why hasn t she been sent to a hospital i wonder i don t no that is not exactly what i meant declared mrs i thought i would go myself and that as dr is ill perhaps you would go with me she seems to be in great distress of mind and possibly you might be able to comfort her i have never forgotten what an unspeakable comfort your uncle was when we were in trouble years ago oh of course i will go with you said the divine finds there is no place dear lady where i would not go in such company he added his head as much on one side as his stout neck would allow and his eyes as as he dared make them mrs however did not appear to notice this her face did not change very well then we will go to morrow i will come around and pick you up i will get the address so the following morning mrs s carriage stopped in front of the comfortable house which mr s church and after a little while that gentleman came down the steps he was not in a happy frame of mind for stocks had fallen heavily the day before and he had just received a note from however as he settled his plump person beside the lady the rev william h was as well satisfied looking as any man on earth could be who can blame him if he thought how sweet it would be if he could drive thus always the carriage presently stopped at the entrance of a narrow street that ran down toward the river the coachman appeared unwilling to drive down so wretched an alley and waited for further instructions after a few words the clergyman and mrs got out you wait here james we will walk they made their way down the street through a multitude of curious children with one common attribute dirt examining the numbers on either side and the poor creatures who had to live in such presently mrs stopped this is the number it was an old house between two other old houses mrs made some inquiries of a woman who sat sewing just inside the doorway and the latter said there was such a person as she asked for in a room on the fourth floor she knew nothing about her except that she was very sick and mostly out of her head the health doctor had been to see her and talked about sending her to a hospital the three made their way up the narrow stairs and through the dark passages so dark that matches had to be lighted to show them the way several times mr protested	46
his companion and her at any cost that is one of the spectacles i ever saw he began to this mrs vouchsafed no reply she is quite mad no wonder ah yes what do you think of her that she is s or ought to be ah yes here was a gleam of light but she is so insane that very little reliance should be placed on anything that she says in such instances you know women make the most preposterous statements and believe them in her condition she might just as well have claimed me for her husband mrs recognized this and looked just a little relieved she turned as if about to speak but shut her lips tightly and walked on to the waiting carriage and during the rest of the return home she scarcely uttered a word an hour later was seated in his private office when mr walked in greeted him with more courtesy than he usually showed him well he said what is well it s come laughed what f you have been found which have you been caught no it s you said mr his eyes on with a gleam of in them your wife has turned up he was gratified to see s cold face turn white it was a sweet revenge my wife i have no wife looked him steadily in the eyes you had one and she is in town i have no wife repeated firmly not taking his eyes from the clergyman s face what he saw there did not satisfy him i have your statement the other hesitated and reflected i wish you would give me that back i was in great distress of mind when i gave you that you did not give it said you sold it his lip curled i what you said you were when it occurred said mr i was not altogether responsible you were sober enough to make me carry a thousand shares of weak stock for you till yesterday when it fell twenty points said oh i guess you were sober enough she is in town said in a dull voice who says i have seen her where is she indifferently she is ill she is mad s face settled a little his eyes as if a blow had been aimed at him nearly then he recovered his how mad t as mad as a march hare you can attend to it he said looking the clergyman full in the face i don t want her to suffer there will be some expense can you get her into a comfortable place for a thousand dollars i will try the poor creature would be better off said the other persuading himself she cannot last long she is a very ill woman either did not hear or pretended not to hear finds you go ahead and do it i will send you the money the day after it is done he said money is very tight to day almost a panic at the board that stock t you will not trouble me about it growled something about being very busy and rose and bowed the visitor out the two men shook hands formally at the door of the inner office but it was a look that shot at the other s stout back as he walked out as mr came out of the office he caught sight of the short stout man he had seen in the street to which he had gone with mrs suddenly the association of ideas brought to him s threat he was a perspiration broke out over him went back to his private office and began once more on his books what he saw there was what he began to see on all sides ruin he sat back in his chair and reflected his face which had begun to grow thinner of late as well as harder settled more and more until it looked like gray stone presently he rose and his desk carefully left his office as he reached the street a man who had evidently been waiting for him walked up and spoke to him he was a tall thin shabby man with a face and figure on which drink was written without looking at him made an angry gesture and hastened his step the other however did the same and at his shoulder began to mr just a word get out said still walking on i told you never to speak to me again i have a paper that you d give a million dollars to get hold of s countenance showed not the least change if you don t keep away from here i ll hand you over to the police if you ll just give me a dollar i ll swear never to trouble you ag bin i have not had a to eat to day you won t let me starve f yes i will starve and be to you he suddenly stopped and faced the other i wouldn t give you a cent if you were actually starving do you see that policeman f if you don t leave me this minute i ll hand you over to him and if you ever speak to me again or write to me again or if i find you on the street about here i ll arrest you and send you down for and stealing now do you understand the man turned and silently away his face working and a in his eye an evening or two later reported to that he had found s face was black with hate and his voice was tense with suppressed feeling how did you find her inquired the preacher knew he and that man had been she s clean gone he added they ve destroyed her she didn t know me his face worked and an ominous fire burned in his eyes we must get her	46

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