Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-05
CHAPTER VI-Continued.

| Its an experiment." l replied. and
| again | did not depart from the truth: Il
want to help you to something better than
| you have known VIII you go to the
! country and stay with relatives of mine?'
| / knew that he would go, even before
asked the question, as it was obvious that
anybody could impress his will upon this
poor weak, Uniformed creature.
| IF you want me to do it, l WILL he
replied.
| took him down to Carlton with me,
and introduced him to Aunt Jane and
Uncle Paul, telling them of my purpose
with regard to him.
| Set him to work about the house and
on the farm / said, but give him, at
first. light duties and many encouraging
words
| I put it in the form of a request but
| knew in advance that they would not re-
fuse My uncle and aunt were too much
delighted with what they called my con-
version, and which they were now sure
was permanent, to refuse any reasonable
| request of mine.
Hes a poor. onery thing" said Uncle
| Paul to me in private, but l can see
that he amt bad. and We II do our best
with him for your sake.
! He kept his word and more Before l
| returned to Harvard l had the satisfac-
| tloH VI Seeing oetll DIT Wolh vi lIiC Ia " IL,
in fair degree of content, raking weeds.
cutting grass, and we'll fed and well
| clothed
l finished my course at the university
with honors. When the year was out
took the train for Kentucky, exultant.
proud of my mental powers and of my
| fitness for the life in which l was about
| to embark When I say Fitness" l plead
in extenuation of my seeming egotism the
extraordinary circumstances that had
| stimulated alike my will and all my fac
ulties amid the years of concentration.
| I came down into my own state in late
| June by the road that gives the most
| picturesque paSSage-that is. the abrupt
transition from the mountains to the
! green bowl that men call the bluegrass. l
went first to Louisville, and then trans
| ferred to the train for my own home. The
| same station agent who had been first to
meet me when I came back from the
penitentiary was there, but l was we'll
| known to him now.
| How are you. Mr.. Clarke?" he said.
extending long, brown hand. "Your
uncle and aunt and Seth are just behind
| me-"
| kissed Aunt Jane in the presence of
| twenty people. 1t was the first time that
| [ had dared. and she looked confused and
called me impudent, but l believe she was
glad. Uncle Paul merely said, Glad
you've come to stay now. Harry" but the
| grip he gave my hand was something ter
rible. Seth. rural-looking youth with a
race noe SO weak as III looRed year De
| fore. was shy. but / knew from the light
| in his eye that my coming gave him
pleasure. I saw also from the first glance
| that he had become. in sort, one of the
| family. and that Aunt Jane alternately
scolded and reproved him with perfect
| freedom.
1t was my plan TO open law office in
Carlton and another in Louisville. which
! was only three hours away but after two
years of strenuous study needed little
md Ind 10 talya OF
home. I began a series of rambles about
| the country, over the hills and through
| the forests. letting my mind go free, to
wander where it would. Once when the
sun was hot came to cool little spring.
| 1t was beautiful place. Deep down in
| a hollow. set around with rocks. the water
| gushed from under the biggest rock of
them all. and then flowed away in sill
yer stream through narrow ravine. All
the hollow was densely shaded with oak
hickory and maple and on the hottest
summer day one could find there grateful
GOODNESS and shadows.
1t was the slumberous hour of mdaft
ernoon. and ! had a sense of lazy luxury
as I sat on the ground and leaned my
back against an oak. | had been staring
without purpose into the clear waters of
the stream My eyes saw nothing. and
they wished to see nothing. my head was
empty. and it was content to be so.
was half asleep. just going away into
pleasant dream, and in my dream I saw
beautiful lady. wood nymph come down
among the trees. Well. the old fables of
the Greeks were pretty, full of delicate
imagining. and ii a good thing to see
a wood nymph in a dream. I Watched
her as she raised her skirts a little, show
ing a glimpse of a beautiful ankle, pick
ing her way over the leaves and grass.
She uttered startled little cry when she
beheld me, and then lifting my heavy lids
| sprans to my feet l uttered a mix
ture of profuse apologies and warm well
come.
Alicia ! said. Il think I frightened
you. but really / was asleep when you
came"
Then I shall go away. I will disturb
nobody's slumbers''
"One man is glad to have his disturbed.
Sit down, won't you?" I said and / made
seat for her by rolling a fallen bough
against a tree trunk.
She sat down and looked me over in
sort of whimsical critical manner.
well Harry Try o.. you GU are are. about to begin
Yes ! replied. I've just two weeks
more of play"
I'm satisfied with YOU" she said She
spoke seriously. and there something
almost maternal in her manner. You
should win great prizes from the world;
it owes them to you
The world pays it's debts only to those
who collect them by force" l replied.
You speak with cynicism that YOU do
| certain limits we make our own fates.t
She spoke in a manner that savored of
light reproof. and she seemed to me to be
more cheerful than at any other time
within my knowledge since that fatal
night.
At twenty-five she had grown into Il
wonderful woman, dignified, self-possess
ed. aware of the world, a woman of many
trials but with all her girlish freshness
and youthful innocence Yet left to her.
I looked at her from the corner of my
eye and | admired the tender curve OF
her chin. the wilderness of her throat and
the deep blue of her eyes, so deep that il
was almost black. Stray sunbeams pierced
the leaves of the trees and braided her
brown hair with spots of flaming gold.
My heart beat faster. but | took firm rein
on myself. Alas. and alas, | repeat it
again and again; it is terrible thing TO
be in love with another mans wife. be
she good or bad.
Il am a trespasser" she said; lit is
your land, but I claim an ownership in
this spring. a right of common, to
days when 1 am in Carlton. but l did not
know that you We're here
No trespasser was ever more well
come l said. trying to assume a tone
of light gallantry. land | shan't forgive
you if you cease trespassing.'
She did not reply to me, but sat silent
and thoughtful | noticed how her man
ner had changed with the years. She was
no longer the frightened girl, but the
woman who knew the world and was not
afraid to face ii. Her bearing toward me
| also assumed at times a new phase: it
was that of one who would protect and