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CrtAPTKIl I. Illchard Derrlng, return
Inr from a -winter In the woods to his
another's farm home, li overtaken by till
uncle, accompanied by hla eccentric wife,
somlng to pay a visit at the farm.
CHAPTKIl II. Aunt Jerusha's ques
tlona about Emily Hutton. supposed to be
Richard's sweetheart, brlnu out the fact
that she Is to marry a merchant, Ed
wards. . ,
CHAPTEIl III. DerrlnK's disappoint
ment stimulates his ambition and un
der the ndvlce of Beth Kinney, a hermit
of the woods, he resolves to tit himself
for college. Kinney promises to teach
fotm Greek.
CHAPTEIl IV. DcrrlnB tells his moth
er his resolve, and In his grandfathers
old laboratory begins tho study of Greek.
CHAPTEIl V.-Soth Kinney hears Illch
rd's Greek recitation In tho woods while
he and Tom Bishop ply the cross-cut
saw. . 4 .
CHAPTEIl VI. Derrlne learns that he
can look Indifferently upon tho loss of
Emily. He visits Aunt Jeruslm, who vol
unteers to help him through college, mak
ing him a gift of tlOO.
CHAPTER VII.
"Who's tho fanner?" whispered tho
boy on tho back sent to his neighbor.
It was tho examination In Greek.
Richard's enrs reddened to tho tips.
Ho 8nt two scats away. But tho cars
accustomed to noto tho falling of a
leaf wero keen, and tho whisper was
loud. Ho would have It out with tho
fellow nt noon. Now ho merely
shrugged his shoulders n llttlo and de
voted himself anew to his verb.
Ho had chosen It first to con
jugate, as being tho easiest thing
on tho paper. But It was unex
pectedly difficult. Ho was confused.
Emily's saucy eyes woro coming be
tween him and tho page, snatching
away Its meaning. "I havo lovoA
you havo loved,',' his pen scratched
desperately on. How pretty sho had
looked that morning. And ho had
thought ho was over ltl Ho Bhook
himself. "I shall love " Ho glanced
despairingly nt tho clock. Tho tlmo
was nearly up. It must be tho coming
away from homo that had upset him.
Bho was not worth a thought. Ho
gathered himself for a fresh start and
wrote rapidly.
"Farmer's getting rattled," whis
pered the boy on tho tack sent.
Richard mado another mental note
and plunged on.
"Time." It was tho voice of tho as
sistant Richard dropped his pen and gath
ered up b's scattored notes, running
his eyes hastily over them. They
were enough to flunk him. Ho could
see that at a glanco. Ho handed them
In with sullen face.
"In half an hour the oral examina
tion will bo hold In this room," an
nounced tho assistant in a stereotyped
toIco.
Tho boys plunged Into tho open.
Richard sought out tho boy of the
1ack seat and salved his wounded
feelings by hand-to-hand measures.
Tho fellow got up, puffing and grin
ning a little sheepishly.
"You've got muscle," ho said envi
ously. Two upper-classmen, passing, had
stopped for a moment to watch tho
contest, "Ho'll havo a try for the
team," said one.
They Btrollcd on.
"It's the shoulders that count"
"Partly and muscle."
"And grit. Did you see his faco?
looked aB if ho was chewing iron."
Richard and the boy Bhook hands
and went back to tho classroom. Tho
professor was on the platform. Ho
bad mild brown hair and a large nose,
surmounted by spectacles. Ho
glared through them at tho hapless
youth. He had a sensitive ear for
Greek accents and tho entrance exam-
Inations wore on it Tho assistant had
been showing him tho written work.
It was very poor. His faco was pre-
pared for the worst The oral exam
ination would consist of reading in
the original Greek.
The boys subsided beneath his glare
and there was ominous silence.
"Next" growled tho professor. Ho
surveyed Richard his heavy shoul
ders and big hands and groaned in
wardly. Ho resigned himself to his
fate.
Richard struggled to his. feet His
face was red and his throat dry. Tho
words camo with rasping hoarseness.
Then the swing of the rhythm caught
him. His volco opened and deepened
and ho was off on tho lines. The bI-
lence of tho woods was about him,
nnrt thn Rmimi of thn cross-cut nnw
rose upon it Ho swayed to its tune,
the words rolling out rising and fall
ing to a kind of heavy chant. Tho
professor on the platform started a
little. He pushed his spectacles high
on his forehead and rubbed his great
nose. The wrinkles smoothed from
his brow and the peaco of days settled
upon his face. The boy on tho back
seat nuCged his neighbor. "Farmer's
getting there' he whispered.
"H-s-h!" growled tho professor.
Richard camo to a Btop, looking up
bllnklngly. Ho bad forgotten the class
and the professor. He and Ton ,,oa
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been swaying back and forth to tho
sound of tho cross-cut saw, chanting
tho deep, monotonous sounds.
Tho professor beamed on him. A
faint half-scored cheer wont up from
i tho class. The spectacles descended
I and glared, at them. "Timo to choer
when you nro out of tho woods," ho
Bald. "Next"
Tho next youth roso and blundered
on. Tho hour woro away and the cIbbs
escaped, but bruised and sore.
Tho professor detained Richard by
a gesture. "Where did you fit?" he
asked brusquely.
"At homo."
"Where?"
"In Ashton."
"Massachusetts?"
"Yes."
"There's no school there."
"No, sir; I studied by myself and
with nn old man."
"Umph!" Tho spectacles regarded
him.
"And did ho read Greek tho way
you do?"
Tho boy's face reddened. "Not ex
actly. Wo did it that way, sawing
logs I got Into tho swing of it and
forgot"
Tho professor leaned forward, tap
ping tho OdyBsey with his spectacles.
"You recited Greek in tho woods?"
"Yes, sir."
The professor's faco grow light. Ho
chuckled. "And wo think wo can
teach them Indoors!"
"Is it all right, sir?"
"All right?" growled tho professor.
Professor
the Platform
a Little.
Started
"It's tho way they did It in Greece
3,000 years ago. Go homo and thank
your lucky stars you bad something
besides boards over your head while
you learned it"
CHAPTER VIII.
A crowd of boys were waiting about
the door. The boy of the back seat
linked his arm in Richard's. "What'd
old Four-Eyes want?" ho demanded.
"Got a leather medal anywhere?"
"What'd ho say, anyhow?"
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senior by several years did not 'seem
to impress them. They gathered
about him, chaffing and questioning.
Thoy disregarded his stern look as he
tried to shoulder his way through the
crowd,
I "Oh, hold on."
"Tell us what he said."
In the end Richard complied, half
resentfully.
1 "Liked it, did he? My eye!"
They danced about him.
' "For ho liked it, don't you know,
don't you know?" they chanted, "For
ho liked it, don't you know o-oh!"
"Then Aurora, rosy-flngered daugh-
, ter of the morn," walled In tho Greek
a small, chubby lad with pink cheeks.
It was the seesaw chant of the
: woods.
) The group took It up with a shout
of Joy. They sent tho burlesque Jig
ging across the campus.
I Heads were thrust out above. "Hey,
you freshiesl Haw-haw-haw! Keep
lulet. down thero'.
I A shout of defiance went up from
the group. Thoy wero drunk with too
much Greek and with release from op
presslon.
A. deep volco underran tho chant
and Bnatchod it from them and made
It beautiful, hurling It out with force.
The group looked at him a moment
doubtlngly. Then thoy gave way and
followed his lead. The burlesque bad
become a march of triumph. Breath
less they landed him at his own door.
"Say, you fellows, what do you bet
old Four-Eyes don't let us all off easv
on account of the farmer?"
"Three cheers for farmer!"
"Hip hip!"
"Three cheers for Four-Eyes!"
Heads wero thrust out again above.
"Yah yah yah! Dry up, down there.
Yah yah!"
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on
Tho group broke up and d..-r .
with a final yell. WindowB descended
With a slam, and quiet reigned.
Tho Greek professor, crossing tho
campus five minutes later, heard only
the twittering of English sparrows
and tho quiet rustle of tho loaves. Un
derneath tho quiet, for tho professor's
ears, ran sonorous epic lines, chanted
to n deep measure. Tho professor hold
his head high and stepped to a mighty
tuno.
Tho whole class was entered with
out condition In Greek a thing un
precedented. Tho faculty 'gasped
when thoy heard tho news. Tho
students grinned. News of tho Greek
prodigy got about college. Poor Rich
ard found his path a thorny ono. He
could not appear on tho campus but
a chant in Greek would spring up of
Itself in tho distance swelling or dy
ing away to an echo, according to tho
number of students on hand, and end
ing always with tho mocking refrain:
"For ho liked it, don't you know
o-ohl"
The situation gavo him enough to
think about. Ho forgot to remember
Emily, or oven to remember that ho
had expected to remember her and bo
miserable. She rested in the back
ground of memory, a faint blur,
brushod out of existence by a grinning
yell of derision.
Ho learned to set his teeth nnd grin
back; and in tho ond ho found his un
welcome distinction nn advantage. It
might not be comfortable to be recog
nized and pointed out In every now
class he attended aa tho learned wood-
choppor; but at least ho was recog
nized. No professor forgot his name
or fumbled up and down tho class-list
trying to place him. And tho fact
that ho was older thnn tho majority
of tho class, added to the uncanny
Greek distinction, gavo him an as
sured place.
When it was known that ho was
working his wny through college num
borless opportunities sprang up. Tho
faculty gavo him tutoring and secre
tary work to do. The student body
put him on tho football team. Emily's
Image grew bo faint that Cupid must
havo wrung his infant hands in de
spair. Tho four yeara went by with undig
nified haste. Richard was conscious
of leaving undone half that ho meant
to do. IIo groaned in spirit over vast
tracts of lltorature of which he know
not oven tho name that ho could get
no time to explore. Nevertheless, ho
found himself, nt tho end of tho
course, taking honors in English. Ho
gasped a little. Then he hunted up
tho professor of English nnd laid be
fore him his secret desire.
"Want to bo a journalist?" said the
professor with a smile. "I thought it
was Greek."
Richard made a hasty gesture
"Novor!"
Tho professor laughed out. Ho was
a trim, slight man. "Had enough In
college?"
Richard nodded.
The professor drummed with his
fingers on tho tnble for a moment.
"Had you thought of trying for a col
lego position English assistant, or
something?" Ho watched Richard's
faco.
It flushed a little. "I want some
thing that will take mo Into life. I've
novor known anything but tho woods
nnd this."
Tho professor winced a little. "Well,
Journalism will take you Into life, all
right" Ho remained thoughtful a
moment "Have you ever done any
thing at it?"
'Tvo done the college news for two
papers and sent specials now and
then. But that stands for nothing
permanent"
"It will do more for you than I can,"
said the professor. Ho had drawn a
sheet of paper towards him. "How
would you like Chicago?"
"All right."
"You might as well have plenty of
life while you're about It I hear they
hustle things out there. You won't
think you're in tho woods or In col
lege." He had taken up his pen. "I
have a friend on one of the dallies. I'll
drop him a line."
"Thank you, Bir." Richard stood up
to go.
Tho professor held out his hand.
"That's all right Bring around some
of the letters you've done on the col-
Heads Were Thrust Out Again Above.
"Yah Yah Yah! Dry Up, Down
i There, Yah Yah!"
lege. They'll help you more than any
thing I can say. I'll put them In when
I write."
CHAPTER IX.
Sho wns dressed in a long cloak,
grayish-brown, with gray hat and veil
Her tall figure loomod duskily In the
bask of tho clovator. Sho wns spoak
log to the olovator boy, who stood
with his hand on the rone and slld-to
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the door as Derrlng ontored.
"This Is my reception afternoon,
Tom. If visitors ask for me, you can
show them directly to the studio."
"Yes, Miss Gordon," returned tho
boy.
"Third, please," said Dorring. His
newspaper life was teaching him to
think nnd act quickly. Ho must give
her tlmo to get at work. He stepped
out at the third floor and tho door
was slammed behind him.
Ho could spend half an hour looking
over the things on this floor. It would
all work In some timo If ho wero pro
moted, aB ho hoped to be. His posi
tion at present included a variety of
work. Ho was liable to bo called on
to write a column on any subject
from bacteria and the lako water, to
art and Its outlook in Chicago. His
column to-day was "Tho Private
Studios Connected with the Art Insti
tute" As ho had turned the corner at
Michigan avenue he had caught sight
of a roll of paper whirling lightly
across tho open space in front of tho
institute. A woman in a gray cloak
was battling with tho wind and look
ing despairingly after the hurrying
roll. It was the work of a moment for
him to dart through the crowd of
teams, rescuo it, and receive mur
mured thanks from the gray veil.
Now, by the momont's chance In the
elevator, ho had learned that sho was
ono of the artists he had come to In
terview. He would wait half an hour.
Then he would look her up. Sho would
nt least be civil to him. It was a
lucky chance.
She was seated with her back to tho
door, in the light of the north window.
Sho turned her head from her work
with a look of inquiry. The faco was
older than he had fancied through tho
folds of tho veil.
Sho half roso from her seat, her
hands full of brushes and color-tubes.
"Pray do not rise," ho said. "If you
Asked Permission to Look About the
Studio and Take Notes.
will kindly go on working I shall feel
less that I am intruding."
He explained his errand and asked
permission to look about the studio
and take notes. Ho asked the permis
sion very humbly. Ho had not ac
customed himself to tho idea that tho
public likes to bo interviewed and
written up. The slight hesitation with
which sho gave the permission
seemed to him natural and fitting.
"In fact," sho said, smiling, "I sup
pose I ought to be glad to have you;
It will advertise my work."
Sho went on with her work and they
carried on a desultory conversation.
Derrlng wandered about tho studio,
taking notes nnd pausing here and
there. A sudden exclamation caused
her to look up. Ho had turned a water-color
sketch to the light and was
examining It
'It is Ashton Pond?"ho said.
"Yes. Do you know it?"
"My homo Is there. It seems strange
to see it here out of place."
"I like to have it. It makes summer
and tho east nearer."
He looked at her in surprise. "Do
you go there?"
"I havo Bpent tho last three sum
mers there," she replied.
"And I have not been homo for tho
last four. I've spent tho vacations
away."
They fell to talking of mutual ac
quaintances and places of Interest
Sho had heard of Soth Kinney and
she knew the wood-road. The studio
became to Derrlng a very home-llko
place. They two were shut in, alone,
in tho midBt of tho quiet The great,
practical city roared outside, but thoy
did not hear it Ho did not realize
that sho showed the tact of a woman
of tho world In guiding tho conversa
tion. It seemed to him spontaneous
and natural.
When sho fell silent he Btarted in
dismay, looking at his watch. "I am
keeping you and the article must bo
In by two."
Sho gavo him her hand at parting
with tho cordiality or an old friend.
As ho hurried up Wabash avenuo
pictures of the wood-road flitted be
fore him. Ho heard the rustle of tho
leaves and saw the green moss and
the trailing linos of partridge-berry.
And in and out of the picture moved
tho figure of tho artist In its soft
grays and browns. She fitted tho
scene; sho was a part of it; yet when
ho tried to remember how she looked,
ho could not recall even tho color of
her eyes. Sho eluded his search, and
In her stead ho saw the sun shining
through tho swaying leaves and fall
ing on the vines and berries
"Look out there 1"
Tho volco waa
loud and important
Derrlng felt himself drawn swiftly
back from the advancing cable car.
Ho pulled himself together, with a
word of thanks to the Inconsed po
liceman, and devoted himself In earu-
V "7 I
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1 yr-& 55:i
est to the dangers of the Madison and
State street crossing.
CHAPTER X.
Richard's promotion came sooner
than ho had dared hope. The art critic
was to take a trip to Europe, and
Derrlng was offered the position.
Something in the quality of his ar
ticles had attracted attention; and ho
had oven handed in several specials
on his own account, that were ac
cepted with somo show of Interest.
He owed his rapid advancement
partly, too, to something that, for
want of a better name, wo call per
sonality. Those who camo near htm
felt Its influence. The office boy ap
proved of him; the managing editor
stood rendy to help him. That ho gavo
no return to the liking he Inspired
seemed to make no difference. His un
satisfied heart was a magnet, drawing
to Itself the particles of humanity and
holding them.
His new work took him to tho Art
Institute and Into tho world of artists,
and he saw his new friend often.
Sometimes they stopped for a word In
the halls; sometimes he sought her
studio In the intervals of work. Their
rolation had becomo that of good-comradeship,
Derrlng supposed that ho
felt towards her as he would have felt
towards a man If there were such a
man. He turned to her with each new
Interest Thoy discussed every sub
ject in tho range of art, literature and
life. But their intercourse was free
from even a hint of love-making. Sho
had only tho grays and browns of her
apparel.
With his promotion and increase of
salary Derrlng had changed his board
ing place to a pleasanter part of tho
city. Ho had not thought to ask her
where Bhe lived. It had not occurred
to him that ho might happen on tho
samo place until the first night at din
ner when ho raised his eye3 from his
plato and found her on thn opposite
sldo of tho table, smiling quietly at his
surprise.
That she saw the surprise was evi
dent. But that sho divined the accom
panying vexation could bo guessed
only from the caro she took to put
him at ease. It was like her. Sho
would not bo so stupid as to misun
derstand him any moro than a man
would have done.
It was three months after the be
ginning of their acquaintance that ho
hurried into tho studio one morning
to ask her to lend him a book ho had
seen in her book-case. Ho wa3 short
of material, he explained. Ho wonted
to work up the Arundel collection. If
she would lend him that book it would
snvo him a trip to tho library.
In his haste he did not notice
though he remembered afterwards
tho slight hesitation with which she
took the book from the case and hand
ed it to him. It was a small, leather
bound pocket edition, such as tourists
carry, and boro In gilt, on the side,
"Tho Masterpieces of Europe and
England."
"Yes, that 1b it." He opened lt at
random, running the leaves through
his fingers. "I will bring it back
soon."
With tho book still open In his hand
he hurried from the room.
Five minutes later he appeared
again in the doorway.
"I shall have to go to the library
after all," ho said, abruptly. "I have
brought back your book."
"I am sorry you did not find what
you wanted." She did not look up
from her work. She could not have
seen the color in his face and sho may
not have noticed the slight tremor In
his voice as he replied:
"It's no matter. I can find it at tho
library.
It had become a matter of course
that ho should come and go in this
easy way, with no ceremony; but it
had not becomo a matter of course
that he should leave the atudlo with
his pulses thundering in his ears. Yet
nothing had happened. He had turned
the leaves carelessly in his hand as he
went down the stairs.
It had stared at him from tho white
page: "To John Dalton, with love.
Helen Gordon."
It rang in his ears as he hurried on
hat and coat and hastened to the li
brary. It danced before his eyes be
tween the pages of books. "With
love." That meant a history. And
she had the book now. There had
been either a parting or a death.
Stupid! He had not guessed or
dreamed. The restful quiet of her life
covered a dead secret.
Ho found himself, through the day
and as ho walked home at night, re
peating over and over, as If It were a
refrain: "Tho ashes of a dead love."
Yes, that was what it was like that
restfulness of hers passion burned
to ashes. Why had he never guessed?
And was it dead? Would she love
again?
Tho qucrtion stung him. He quick
ened his pace. He had not thought of
her before as a woman. And yet it
was strange that ho had not. It came
to him now that her womanliness was
her chief charm. But it was so a part
of her that he had nsver separated it
from her. That she should be thought
ful of others, that her voice should bo
low and sweet, that sho should be
graceful in every motion all this was
Helen. He said tho name natr un
dor hlB breath. Ho stood bewildered
before his own consciousness. He
loved her!
During his college years Derrlng
had como to know that In love ho was
an idealist Lovo in Its truo sense
could not exist on tho earth. It was a
vision of poots impossible of realiza-
lon. Long since he had come to know
thnt hla bovhood lovo was Buch a
vision, nnd that Its realisation would
have been a kind of tragic comedy.
But always tho Ideal Bitted before him.
making him fancy that ho waa In
lovo, now hero, now there, and each
I
time he had wakened to tho knowl
edge that ho waa In lovo with an
Ideal. When he had been invltod to
the homeB of his classmates he had
fancied that he Bhould find in one of
these homes the fulfillment of his
dreams. But the sisters who met him
with cordial welcome, who danced,
flirted, and played golf and tonnts
with him, had seemed to him too
young to understand even tho alpha
bet of love as he would read It Ho
had felt very old and experienced and
out of place. Tho lovo that he might
perhaps have won from them seemed
to him pnle and insipid. Ho wroto
poems, but he dedicated them to the
ideal. Sho was a glowing presence
more real to him than any woman.
Now this ideal had paled and faded
and a quiet figure in grays and
browns filled its place.
He was passing a florist's, and ho
stopped to purchase a bunch of vio
lets. He did not tell himself they
were for her. He was not quite steady
yet from the shock that had come to
htm. He could hardly have been moro
startled if the quiet wood-road at
home had suddenly assumed a worn
mi's face and form and claimed his
lore. But deep In his heart was a
longing to make her reparation. Ho
had invaded her secret He could not
undo that But ho could let her know
that he was sorry. Sorry! Was he?
Sho was not home from tho studio.
But tho door of taor room, which waa
warmed from tho hall, stood open.
Without crossing the threshold ho
laid tho violets on a chair insldo tho
door. Would sho understand? Yes
terday he would havo said yes. To
day ho could not tell. Sho might not
understand, or sho might understand
too well.
Sho greeted him a3 quietly as usual
when sho came In to dinner that night
She wore the violets tucked carelessly
into tho lace that filled her dress. Ono
that had fallen apart from tho others
rested lightly against her throat. His
heart stopped for a second, and then
leaped forward with a bound.
Not till they were leaving tho din
ing room, when he held tho curtain
aside for her to pass, scanning her
face, did her glanco meet his. The
next moment he could not have told
what ho saw In her eyes, but ho no
longer questioned their color. Bluo
blue and deep slutabering fire. Fool!
Had ho expected her to wear her
heart on her sleeve for daws to pock
at?
He had not intended to seo her
again thatnight, but he found that he
could not rest It would make no com
ment oven In this gossipy boarding
house, if ho stopped at her door a
mlnuto. But he found that he had
suddenly grown careful, only con
scious of remark. Ho would put on hi3
hat and coat and go for a walk. Ho
might ceo her an ho jjassed her door.
She was seated In a low chair by
tho table, sewing, the light falling
Hold the
Curtain Aside
Pass.
for Her to
softly across her brown hair and on
the work In her hands. His violets
were still in her dress. Sho was the
embodiment of home, he thought as
he stood for a minute across tho
threshold. She looked up quietly
not as if she were startled to see him
there.
"You have brought mo the paper?"
she said, catching sight of the news
paper in his hand. "You are very
good." She laid down her sowing and
came to take it.
A sudden daring seized hla.. "Will
you not be good, too?" Ho lifted his
hand to the violet at her throat and
drew it from its place watching her
faco, to obey Its lightest wish. She
did not stay him. She stood with her
hands clasped, her figure swaying a
llttlo forward and her eyes following
the flower as he placed it in his coat.
In another minute she might havo
raised her eyes to his. A door
opened below a step sounded on tho
stair.
"You are not angry?" he pleaded.
"No." It was half-breathed, half
spoken, hardly audible, but It set his
pulses thrilling. Ho passed into tho
cool night air with new Joy in his
heart. Sho had understood. It was to
be, not only comradeship, but love. Ho
raised his flushed face to the quiet
stars. They stretched away into in
finite space. But only love could make
life worth the living.
(To be Continued)
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