第1章

"Comein，"saidtheeditor。

Thedooroftheeditorialroomofthe"ExcelsiorMagazine"begantocreakpainfullyunderthehesitatingpressureofanuncertainandunfamiliarhand。Thiscontinueduntilwithastartofirritationtheeditorfaceddirectlyabout，throwinghislegoverthearmofhischairwithacertainyouthfuldexterity。Withonehandgrippingitsback，theotherstillgraspingaproof-slip，andhispencilinhismouth，hestaredattheintruder。

Thestranger，despitehishesitatingentrance，didnotseemintheleastdisconcerted。Hewasatallman，lookingeventallerbyreasonofthelongformlessovercoathewore，knownasa"duster，"

andbyalongstraightbeardthatdependedfromhischin，whichhecombedwithtworeflectivefingersashecontemplatedtheeditor。

Thereddustwhichstilllayinthecreasesofhisgarmentandinthecurvesofhissoftfelthat，andleftadustycirclelikeaprecipitatedhaloaroundhisfeet，proclaimedhim，ifnotacountryman，arecentinlandimportationbycoach。"Busy?"hesaid，inagravebutpleasantvoice。"Ikinwait。Don"tmindME。Goon。"

Theeditorindicatedachairwithhisdisengagedhandandplungedagainintohisproof-slips。Thestrangersurveyedthescantfurnitureandappointmentsoftheofficewithalookofgravecuriosity，andthen，takingachair，fixedanearnest，penetratinggazeontheeditor"sprofile。Theeditorfeltit，and，withoutlookingup，said——

"Well，goon。"

"Butyou"rebusy。Ikinwait。"

"Ishallnotbelessbusythismorning。Icanlisten。"

"Iwantyoutogivemethenameofacertainpersonwhowritesinyourmagazine。"

Theeditor"seyeglancedatthesecondright-handdrawerofhisdesk。Itdidnotcontainthenamesofhiscontributors，butwhatinthetraditionsofhisofficewasacceptedasanequivalent，——arevolver。Hehadneveryetpresentedeithertoaninquirer。Buthelaidasidehisproofs，and，withaslightdarkeningofhisyouthful，discontentedface，said，"Whatdoyouwanttoknowfor?"

Thequestionwassoevidentlyunexpectedthatthestranger"sfacecoloredslightly，andhehesitated。Theeditormeanwhile，withouttakinghiseyesfromtheman，mentallyranoverthecontentsofthelastmagazine。Theyhadbeenofasingularlypeacefulcharacter。

Thereseemedtobenothingtojustifyhomicideonhispartorthestranger"s。Yettherewasnoknowing，andhisquestioner"sbucolicappearancebynomeansprecludedanassault。Indeed，ithadbeenalegendoftheofficethatapredecessorhadsufferedvicariouslyfromageologicalhammercovertlyintroducedintoascientificcontroversybyanirateprofessor。

"Aswemakeourselvesresponsiblefortheconductofthemagazine，"

continuedtheyoungeditor，withmatureseverity，"wedonotgiveupthenamesofourcontributors。Ifyoudonotagreewiththeiropinions"——

"ButIDO，"saidthestranger，withhisformercomposure，"andI

reckonthat"swhyIwanttoknowwhowrotethoseversescalled"Underbrush，"signed"WhiteViolet，"inyourlastnumber。They"repow"fulpretty。"

Theeditorflushedslightly，andglancedinstinctivelyaroundforanyunexpectedwitnessofhisludicrousmistake。Thefearofridiculewasuppermostinhismind，andhewasmorerelievedathismistakenotbeingoverheardthanatitsgroundlessness。

"TheversesAREpretty，"hesaid，recoveringhimself，withacriticalair，"andIamgladyoulikethem。Buteventhen，youknow，Icouldnotgiveyouthelady"snamewithoutherpermission。

Iwillwritetoherandaskit，ifyoulike。"

TheactualfactwasthattheverseshadbeensenttohimanonymouslyfromaremotevillageintheCoastRange，——theaddressbeingthepost-officeandthesignatureinitials。

Thestrangerlookeddisturbed。"Thensheain"tabouthereanywhere?"hesaid，withavaguegesture。"Shedon"tbelongtotheoffice?"

Theyoungeditorbeamedwithtolerantsuperiority:"No，Iamsorrytosay。"

"Ishouldliketohavegottoseeherandkinderaskedherafewquestions，"continuedthestranger，withthesamereflectiveseriousness。"Yousee，itwasn"tjusttherhymin"o"themverses，——

andtheykindersingthemselvestoye，don"tthey?——itwasn"tthechyceo"words，——andIreckontheyallushittheideeinthecentreshoteverytime，——itwasn"ttheideesandmoralshesorto"drewouto"whatshewastellin"，——butitwasthestraightthingitself，——thetruth!"

"Thetruth?"repeatedtheeditor。

"Yes，sir。I"vebinthere。I"veseenallthatshe"sseeninthebrush——thelittleflicksandcheckerso"lightandshadderdowninthebrowndustthatyouwonderhowitevergotthroughthedarkofthewoods，andthatallusseemstoslipawaylikeasnakeoralizardifyougrope。I"veheardallthatshe"sheardthere——thecreepin"，thesighin"，andthewhisperin"throughthebrackenandtheground-vinesofallthatlivesthere。"

"Youseemtobeapoetyourself，"saidtheeditor，withapatronizingsmile。

"I"malumberman，upinMendocino，"returnedthestranger，withsublimenaivete。"Gotamillthere。Yousee，sightin"standin"

timberandselectin"fromthegen"ralshowofthetreesinthegroundandthelayofrootshezsortermademetakenotice。"Hepaused。"Then，"headded，somewhatdespondingly，"youdon"tknowwhosheis?"

"No，"saidtheeditor，reflectively；"notevenifitisreallyaWOMANwhowrites。"

"Eh?"

"Well，yousee，"WhiteViolet"mayaswellbethenomdeplumeofamanasofawoman，especiallyifadoptedforthepurposeofmystification。Thehandwriting，Iremember，WASmoreboyishthanfeminine。"

"No，"returnedthestrangerdoggedly，"itwasn"tnoMAN。There"sideasandwordstherethatonlycomefromawoman:baby-talktothebirds，youknow，andakindoffearsomekeerofbugsandcreepin"

thingsthatdon"tcometoamanwhowearsbootsandtrousers。

Well，"headded，withareturntohispreviousairofresigneddisappointment，"Isupposeyoudon"tevenknowwhatshe"slike?"

"No，"respondedtheeditor，cheerfully。Then，followinganideasuggestedbytheoddminglingofsentimentandshrewdperceptioninthemanbeforehim，headded:"Probablynotatalllikeanythingyouimagine。Shemaybeamotherwiththreeorfourchildren；oranoldmaidwhokeepsaboarding-house；orawrinkledschool-

mistress；orachitofaschool-girl。I"vehadsomefairversesfromared-hairedgirloffourteenattheSeminary，"heconcludedwithprofessionalcoolness。

Thestrangerregardedhimwiththenaivewonderofaninexperiencedman。Havingpaidthistributetohissuperiorknowledge，heregainedhispreviousairofgraveperception。"Ireckonsheain"tnoneofthem。ButI"mkeepin"youfromyourwork。Good-by。Myname"sBowers——JimBowers，ofMendocino。Ifyou"reupmyway，givemeacall。Andifyoudowritetothisyer"WhiteViolet，"andshe"swillin"，sendmeheraddress。"

Heshooktheeditor"shandwarmly——eveninitsliteralsignificanceofimpartingagooddealofhisownearnestcalorictotheeditor"sfingers——andlefttheroom。Hisfootfallechoedalongthepassageanddiedout，andwithit，Ifear，allimpressionofhisvisitfromtheeditor"smind，asheplungedagainintothesilenttaskbeforehim。

Presentlyhewasconsciousofamelodioushummingandalightleisurelystepattheentranceofthehall。Theycontinuedoninaneasyharmonyandunaffectedasthepassageofabird。Bothwerepleasantandbothfamiliartotheeditor。TheybelongedtoJackHamlin，byvocationagambler，bytasteamusician，onhiswayfromhisapartmentsontheupperfloor，wherehehadjustrisen，todropintohisfriend"seditorialroomandglanceovertheexchanges，aswashishabitbeforebreakfast。

Thedooropenedlightly。Theeditorwasconsciousofafaintodorofscentedsoap，asensationoffreshnessandcleanliness，theimpressionofasofthandlikeawoman"sonhisshoulderand，likeawoman"s，momentarilyandplayfullycaressing，thepassageofagracefulshadowacrosshisdesk，andthenextmomentJackHamlinwasostentatiouslydustingachairwithanopennewspaperpreparatorytosittingdown。

"Yououghttoshipthatoffice-boyofyours，ifhecan"tkeepthingscleaner，"hesaid，suspendinghismelodytoeyegrimlythedustwhichMr。Bowershadshakenfromhisdepartingfeet。

Theeditordidnotlookupuntilhehadfinishedrevisingadifficultparagraph。BythattimeMr。Hamlinhadcomfortablysettledhimselfonacanesofa，and，possiblyoutofdeferencetohissurroundings，hadsubduedhissongtoapeculiarlylow，soft，andheartbreakingwhistleasheunfoldedanewspaper。Cleanandfaultlessinhisappearance，hehadtheraregiftofbeingabletogetupattwointheafternoonwithmuchofthedewyfreshnessandallofthemoralsuperiorityofanearlyriser。

"Yououghttohavebeenherejustnow，Jack，"saidtheeditor。

"Notarow，oldman，eh?"inquiredJack，withafaintaccessionofinterest。

"No，"saidtheeditor，smiling。Thenherelatedtheincidentsofthepreviousinterview，withacertainhumorousexaggerationwhichwaspartofhisnature。ButJackdidnotsmile。

"Yououghttohavebootedhimoutoftheranchonsight，"hesaid。

"Whatrighthadhetocomeherepryingintoalady"saffairs?——atleastaladyasfarasHEknows。Ofcourseshe"ssomeoldblowzywithfrumpledhairtryingtoropeinagreenhornwithastringofwordsandphrases，"concludedJack，carelessly，whohadanequallycynicaldistrustofthesexandofliterature。

"That"saboutwhatItoldhim，"saidtheeditor。

"That"sjustwhatyouSHOULDN"Thavetoldhim，"returnedJack。

"Yououghttohavestuckupforthatwomanasifshe"dbeenyourownmother。Lord!youfellowsdon"tknowhowtorunamagazine。

YououghttoletMEsitonthatchairandtackleyourcustomers。"

"Whatwouldyouhavedone，Jack?"askedtheeditor，muchamusedtofindthathishithertoinvincibleherowasnotabovetheordinaryhumanweaknessofofferingadviceastoeditorialconduct。

"Done?"reflectedJack。"Well，first，sonny，Ishouldn"tkeeparevolverinadrawerthatIhadtoOPENtogetat。"

"Butwhatwouldyouhavesaid?"

"IshouldsimplyhaveaskedhimwhatwasthepriceoflumberatMendocino，"saidJack，sweetly，"andwhenhetoldme，Ishouldhavesaidthatthesampleshewasofferingoutofhisownheadwouldn"tsuit。Yousee，youdon"twantanytriflinginsuchmatters。Youwritewellenough，myboy，"continuedhe，turningoverhispaper，"butwhatyou"relackinginiseditorialdignity。Butgoonwithyourwork。Don"tmindme。"

Thusadmonished，theeditoragainbentoverhisdesk，andhisfriendsoftlytookuphissuspendedsong。TheeditorhadnotproceededfarinhiscorrectionswhenJack"svoiceagainbrokethesilence。

"Wherearethosed——dverses，anyway?"

Withoutlookingup，theeditorwavedhispenciltowardsanuncutcopyofthe"ExcelsiorMagazine"lyingonthetable。

"Youdon"tsupposeI"mgoingtoREADthem，doyou?"saidJack，aggrievedly。"Whydon"tyousaywhatthey"reabout?That"syourbusinessaseditor。"

Butthatfunctionary，nowwhollylostandwanderinginthenon-

sequiturofaninvolvedpassageintheproofbeforehim，onlywavedanimpatientremonstrancewithhispencilandknithisbrows。

Jack，withasigh，tookupthemagazine。

Alongsilencefollowed，brokenonlybythehurriedrustlingofsheetsofcopyandanoccasionalexasperatedstartfromtheeditor。

Thesunwasalreadybeginningtoslantadustybeamacrosshisdesk；Jack"swhistlinghadlongsinceceased。Presently，withanexclamationofrelief，theeditorlaidasidethelastproof-sheetandlookedup。

JackHamlinhadclosedthemagazine，butwithonehandthrownoverthebackofthesofahewasstillholdingit，hisslimforefingerbetweenitsleavestokeeptheplace，andhishandsomeprofileanddarklashesliftedtowardsthewindow。Theeditor，smilingatthisunwontedabstraction，saidquietly，——

"Well，whatdoyouthinkofthem?"

Jackrose，laidthemagazinedown，settledhiswhitewaistcoatwithbothhands，andloungedtowardshisfriendwithaudaciousbutslightlyveiledandshiningeyes。"Theysortofsingthemselvestoyou，"hesaid，quietly，leaningbesidetheeditor"sdesk，andlookingdownuponhim。Afterapausehesaid，"Thenyoudon"tknowwhatshe"slike?"

"That"swhatMr。Bowersaskedme，"remarkedtheeditor。

"D——nBowers!"

"Isupposeyoualsowishmetowriteandaskforpermissiontogiveyouheraddress?"saidtheeditor，withgreatgravity。

"No，"saidJack，coolly。"IproposetogiveittoYOUwithinaweek，andyouwillpaymewithabreakfast。IshouldliketohaveitsaidthatIwasonceapaidcontributortoliterature。IfI

don"tgiveittoyou，I"llstandyouadinner，that"sall。"

"Done!"saidtheeditor。"Andyouknownothingofhernow?"

"No，"saidJack，promptly。"Noryou?"

"NomorethanIhavetoldyou。"

"That"lldo。Solong!"AndJack，carefullyadjustinghisglossyhatoverhiscurlsatanominouslywickedangle，saunteredlightlyfromtheroom。Theeditor，glancingafterhishandsomefigureandhearinghimtakeuphispretermittedwhistleashepassedout，begantothinkthatthecontingentdinnerwasbynomeansaninevitableprospect。

Howbeit，heplungedoncemoreintohismonotonousduties。ButthefreshnessofthedayseemedtohavedepartedwithJack，andthelaterinterruptionsofforemanandpublisherwereofamorepracticalcharacter。Itwasnotuntilthepostarrivedthatthesuperscriptionononeoftheletterscaughthiseye，andrevivedhisformerinterest。Itwasthesamehandasthatofhisunknowncontributor"smanuscript——ill-formedandboyish。Heopenedtheenvelope。Itcontainedanotherpoemwiththesamesignature，butalsoanote——muchlongerthanthebrieflinesthataccompaniedthefirstcontribution——wasscrawleduponaseparatepieceofpaper。

Thistheeditoropenedfirst，andreadthefollowing，withanamazementthatforthemomentdominatedallothersense:——

MR。EDITOR，——Iseeyouhavegotmypoetryin。ButIdon"tseethespondulixthatoughterfollow。Perhapsyoudon"tknowwheretosendit。ThenI"lltellyou。SendthemoneytoLockBox47，GreenSpringsP。O。，perWellsFargo"sExpress，andI"llgetitthere，onaccountofmyparentsnotknowing。We"reveryhigh-toned，andtheywouldthinkit"slowmakingpoetryforpapers。Sendamountusuallypaidforpoetryinyourpapers。OrmaybeyouthinkImakepoetryfornothing?That"swhereyouslipup!

Yourstruly，WHITEVIOLET。

P。S——Ifyoudon"tpayforpoetry，sendthisback。It"sasgoodaswhatyoudidputin，andisjustashardtomake。Youhearme?

that"sme——allthetime。

WHITEVIOLET。

Theeditorturnedquicklytothenewcontributionforsomecorroborationofwhathefeltmustbeanextraordinaryblunder。

Butno!Thefewlinesthathehurriedlyreadbreathedthesameatmosphereofintellectualrepose，gentleness，andimaginationasthefirstcontribution。Andyettheywereinthesamehandwritingasthesingularmissive，andbothwereidenticalwiththepreviousmanuscript。

Hadhebeenthevictimofahoax，andweretheversesnotoriginal?

No；theyweredistinctlyoriginal，localincolor，andevenlocalintheuseofcertainoldEnglishwordsthatwerecommonintheSouthwest。Hehadbeforenoticedtheapparentincongruityofthehandwritingandthetext，anditwaspossiblethatforthepurposesofdisguisethepoetmighthaveemployedanamanuensis。Buthowcouldhereconciletheincongruityofthemercenaryandslangypurportofthemissiveitselfwiththementalhabitofitsauthor?

Wasitpossiblethattheseinconsistentqualitiesexistedintheoneindividual?HesmiledgrimlyashethoughtofhisvisitorBowersandhisfriendJack。HewasstartledasherememberedthepurelyimaginativepicturehehadhimselfgiventotheseriouslyinterestedBowersofthepossibleincongruouspersonalityofthepoetess。

WashequitefairinkeepingthisfromJack?Wasitreallyhonorable，inviewoftheirwager?ItistobefearedthataveryhumanenjoymentofJack"spossiblediscomfiturequiteasmuchasanychivalrousfriendshipimpelledtheeditortoringeventuallyfortheoffice-boy。

"SeeifMr。Hamlinisinhisrooms。"

Theeditorthensatdown，andwroterapidlyasfollows:——

DEARMADAM，——Youareasrightasyouaregenerousinsupposingthatonlyignoranceofyouraddresspreventedthemanagerfrompreviouslyremittingthehonorariumforyourbeautifulverses。Henowbegstosendittoyouinthemanneryouhaveindicated。Astheverseshaveattracteddeservedattention，Ihavebeenappliedtoforyouraddress。Shouldyoucaretosubmitittometobeusedatmydiscretion，Ishallfeelhonoredbyyourconfidence。Butthisisamatterleftentirelytoyourownkindnessandbetterjudgment。Meantime，Itakepleasureinaccepting"WhiteViolet"s"

presentcontribution，andremain，dearmadam，yourobedientservant，THEEDITOR。

Theboyreturnedashewasfoldingtheletter。Mr。HamlinwasnotonlyNOTinhisrooms，but，accordingtohisnegroservantPete，hadlefttownanhouragoforafewdaysinthecountry。

"Didhesaywhere?"askedtheeditor，quickly。

"No，sir:hedidn"tknow。"

"Verywell。Takethistothemanager。"Headdressedtheletter，and，scrawlingafewhieroglyphicsonamemorandum-tag，toreitoff，andhandeditwiththelettertotheboy。

Anhourlaterhestoodinthemanager"soffice。"Thenextnumberisprettywellmadeup，"hesaid，carelessly，"andIthinkoftakingadayortwooff。"

"Certainly，"saidthemanager。"Itwilldoyougood。Wheredoyouthinkyou"llgo?"

"Ihaven"tquitemadeupmymind。"

CHAPTERII

"Hullo!"saidJackHamlin。

Hehadhaltedhismareattheedgeofanabruptchasm。Itdidnotappeartobefiftyfeetacross，yetitsdepthmusthavebeennearlytwohundredtowherethehiddenmountain-stream，ofwhichitwasthebanks，alternatelyslipped，tumbled，andfellwithmurmuringandmonotonousregularity。Oneortwopine-treesgrowingontheoppositeedge，loosenedattheroots，hadtiltedtheirstraightshaftslikespearsovertheabyss，andthetopofone，restingontheupperbranchesofasycamoreafewyardsfromhim，servedasanaerialbridgeforthepassageofaboyoffourteentowhomMr。

Hamlin"schallengewasaddressed。

Theboystoppedmidwayinhisperiloustransit，and，lookingdownuponthehorseman，responded，coolly，"Hullo，yourself!"

"Isthattheonlywayacrossthisinfernalhole，ortheoneyoupreferforexercise?"continuedHamlin，gravely。

Theboysatdownonabough，allowinghisbarefeettodangleoverthedizzydepths，andcriticallyexaminedhisquestioner。Jackhadonthisoccasionmodifiedhisusualcorrectconventionalattirebyatastefulcombinationofavaquero"scostume，and，inloosewhitebullion-fringedtrousers，redsash，jacket，andsombrero，lookedinfinitelymoredashingandpicturesquethanhisoriginal。

Nevertheless，theboydidnotreply。Mr。Hamlin"sprideinhisusualascendencyoverwomen，children，horses，andallunreasoninganimalswasdeeplynettled。Hesmiled，however，andsaid，quietly，——

"Comehere，GeorgeWashington。Iwanttotalktoyou。"

Withoutrejectingthisaugustyetimpossibletitle，theboypresentlyliftedhisfeet，andcarelesslyresumedhispassageacrossthechasmuntil，reachingthesycamore，hebegantolethimselfdownsquirrel-wise，leapbyleap，withanoccasionaltrapezeswingingfromboughtobough，droppingatlasteasilytotheground。Hereheappearedtoberathergood-looking，albeitthesunandairhadworkedamiracleofbrowntanandfrecklesonhisexposedsurfaces，untilthemottlingofhisovalcheekslookedlikeapolishedbird"segg。Indeed，itstruckMr。Hamlinthathewasasintenselyapartofthatsylvanseclusionasthehiddenbrookthatmurmured，thebrownvelvetshadowsthatlayliketrappingsonthewhiteflanksofhishorse，thequiveringheat，andthestingingspiceofbay。Mr。Hamlinhadvagueideasofdryadsandfauns，butatthatmomentwouldhavebetsomethingonthechancesoftheirsurvival。

"Ididnothearwhatyousaidjustnow，general，"heremarked，withgreateleganceofmanner，"butIknowfromyourreputationthatitcouldnotbealie。IthereforegatherthatthereISanotherwayacross。"

Theboysmiled；rather，hisveryshortupperlipapparentlyvanishedcompletelyoverhiswhiteteeth，andhisveryblackeyes，whichshowedagreatdealofthewhitearoundthem，dancedintheirorbits。

"ButYOUcouldn"tfindit，"hesaid，slyly。

"Nomorecouldyoufindthehalf-dollarIdroppedjustnow，unlessIhelpedyou。"

Mr。Hamlin，bywayofillustration，leaneddeeplyoverhisleftstirrup，andpointedtotheground。Atthesamemomentabrighthalf-dollarabsolutelyappearedtoglitterintheherbageatthepointofhisfinger。Itwasatrickthathadalwaysbroughtgreatpleasureandprofittohisyoungfriends，andsomelossanddiscomfitureofwagertohisolderones。

Theboypickedupthecoin:"There"sadipandalevelcrossingaboutamileoveryer，"——hepointed，——"butit"sthroughthewoods，andthey"rethathighwiththickbresh。"

"Withwhat?"

"Bresh，"repeatedtheboy；"THAT，"——pointingtoafewfrondsofbrackengrowingintheshadowofthesycamore。

"Oh!underbrush?"

"Yes；Isaid"bresh，""returnedtheboy，doggedly。"YOUmightgetthrough，efyouwarspry，butnotyourhoss。Wheredoyouwanttogo，anyway?"

"Doyouknow，George，"saidMr。Hamlin，lazilythrowinghisrightlegoverthehornofhissaddleforgreatereaseanddeliberationinreplying，"it"sveryodd，butthat"sjustwhatI"Dliketoknow。

Now，whatwouldYOU，inyourbroadstatesmanlikeviewsofthingsgenerally，advise?"

Quiteconvincedofthestranger"smentalunsoundness，theboyglancedagainathishalf-dollar，asiftomakesureofitsintegrity，pocketeditdoubtfully，andturnedaway。

"Whereareyougoing?"saidHamlin，resuminghisseatwiththeagilityofacircus-rider，andspurringforward。

"ToGreenSprings，whereIlive，twomilesovertheridgeonthefarslope，"——indicatingthedirection。