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and Wood…Magic grow。 He heard the free winds rushing over the
tree…tops； and saw the trail winding away before him in the
green shade。
〃You are very kind；〃 said he； 〃I hope you will not be
disappointed in me。 Sometimes I think； perhaps〃
〃Not at all； not at all；〃 said the other。 〃It's all
right。 You're well fitted for it。 And then； there's another
thing。 I guess you like my daughter Amanda pretty well。 Eh？
I've watched you； young man。 I've had my eye on you！ Now； of
course； I can't say much about itnever can be sure of these
kind of things； you knowbut if you and she〃
The voice went on rolling out words complacently。 But
something strange was working in Luke's blood；
and other voices were sounding faintly in his ears。 He heard
the lisping of the leaves on the little poplar…trees； the
whistle of the black duck's wings as he circled in the air；
the distant drumming of the grouse on his log； the rumble of
the water…fall in the River of Rocks。 The spray cooled his
face。 He saw the fish rising along the pool； and a stag
feeding among the lily…pads。
〃I don't know how to thank you； Mr。 Wilson；〃 said he at
last； when the elder man stopped talking。 〃You have certainly
treated me most generously。 The only question is； whether
But to…morrow night； I think； with your consent； I will speak
to your daughter。 To…night I am going down to the store；
there is a good deal of work to do on the books。〃
But when Luke came to the store； he did not go in。 He
walked along the street till he came to the river。
The water…side was strangely deserted。 Everybody was at
supper。 A couple of schooners were moored at the wharf。 The
Portland steamer had gone out。 The row…boats hung idle at their
little dock。 Down the river； drifting and dancing lightly over
the opalescent ripples； following the gentle turns of the current
which flowed past the end of the dock where Luke was standing；
came a white canoe； empty and astray。
III
The White Canoe
〃That looks just like my old canoe；〃 said he。 〃Somebody must
have left it adrift up the river。 I wonder how it floated
down here without being picked up。〃 He put out his hand and
caught it； as it touched the dock。
In the stern a good paddle of maple…wood was lying； in the
middle there was a roll of blankets and a pack of camp…stuff； in
the bow a rifle。
〃All ready for a trip；〃 he laughed。 〃Nobody going but me？
Well； then； au large！〃 And stepping into the canoe he
pushed out on the river。
The saffron and golden lights in the sky diffused
themselves over the surface of the water； and spread from the bow
of the canoe in deeper waves of purple and orange； as he paddled
swiftly up stream。 The pale yellow gas…lamps of the town faded
behind him。 The lumber…yards and factories and disconsolate
little houses of the outskirts seemed to melt away。 In a little
while he was floating between dark walls of forest； through the
heart of the wilderness。
The night deepened around him and the sky hung out its
thousand lamps。 Odours of the woods floated on the air： the
spicy fragrance of the firs； the breath of hidden banks of
twin…flower。 Muskrats swam noiselessly in the shadows； diving
with a great commotion as the canoe ran upon them suddenly。
A horned owl hooted from the branch of a dead pine…tree； far
back in the forest a fox barked twice。 The moon crept up
behind the wall of trees and touched the stream with silver。
Presently the forest receded： the banks of the river grew
broad and open； the dew glistened on the tall grass； it was
surely the River of Meadows。 Far ahead of him in a bend of
the stream； Luke's ear caught a new sound： SLOSH； SLOSH； SLOSH；
as if some heavy animal were crossing the wet meadow。 Then a
great splash！ Luke swung the canoe into the shadow of the bank
and paddled fast。 As he turned the point a black bear came out
of the river； and stood on the shore； shaking the water around
him in glittering spray。 Ping！ said the rifle； and the bear
fell。 〃Good luck！〃 said Luke。 〃I haven't forgotten how；
after all。 I'll take him into the canoe； and dress him up at
the camp。〃
Yes； there was the little cabin at the meeting of the
rivers。 The door was padlocked； but Luke knew how to pry off
one of the staples。 Squirrels had made a litter on the floor；
but that was soon swept out； and a fire crackled in the stove。
There was tea and ham and bread in the pack in the canoe。
Supper never tasted better。 〃One more night in the old camp；〃
said Luke as he rolled himself in the blanket and dropped
asleep in a moment。
The sun shone in at the door and woke him。 〃I must have
a trout for breakfast；〃 he cried； 〃there's one waiting for me
at the mouth of Alder Brook； I suppose。〃 So he caught up his
rod from behind the door； and got into the canoe and paddled
up the River of Rocks。 There was the broad； dark pool； like a
little lake； with a rapid running in at the head； and close
beside the rapid； the mouth of the brook。 He sent his fly out by
the edge of the alders。 There was a huge swirl on the water； and
the great…grandfather of all the trout in the river was
hooked。 Up and down the pool he played for half an hour；
until at last the fight was over； and for want of a net Luke
beached him on the gravel bank at the foot of the pool。
〃Seven pounds if it's an ounce；〃 said he。 〃This is my
lucky day。 Now all I need is some good meat to provision the
camp。〃
He glanced down the river； and on the second point below
the pool he saw a great black bullmoose with horns five feet
wide。
Quietly； swiftly； the canoe went gliding down the stream；
and ever as it crept along； the moose loped easily before it；
from point to point； from bay to bay； past the little cabin；
down the River of the Way Out； now rustling unseen through a
bank of tall alders； now standing out for a moment bold and
black on a beach of white sandso all day long the moose loped
down the stream and the white canoe followed。 Just as the
setting sun was poised above the trees； the great bull stopped
and stood with head lifted。 Luke pushed the canoe as near as he
dared； and looked down for the rifle。 He had left it at the
cabin！ The moose tossed his huge antlers； grunted； and stepped
quietly over the bushes into the forest。
Luke paddled on down the stream。 It occurred to him；
suddenly； that it was near evening。 He wondered a little how
he should reach home in time for his engagement。 But it did
not seem strange； as he went swiftly on with the river； to see
the first houses of the town； and the lumber…yards； and the
schooners at the wharf。
He made the canoe fast at the dock； and went up the Main
Street。 There was the old shop； but the sign over it read；
〃Wilson and Woods Company； The Big Store。〃 He went on to the
house with the white iron images in the front yard。 Diana was
still returning from the chase。 The fountain still squirted
from the point of the little boy's parasol。
On the veranda sat a stout man in a rocking chair； reading the
newspaper。 At the side of the house two little girls with
pig…tails were playing croquet。 Some one in the parlour was
executing 〃After the Ball is Over〃 on a mechanical piano。
Luke accosted a stranger who passed him。 〃Excuse me； but
can you tell me whether this is Mr。 Matthew Wilson's house？〃
〃It used to be；〃 said the stranger； 〃but old man Wilson
has been dead these ten years。〃
〃And who lives here now？〃 asked Luke。
〃Mr。 Woods： he married Wilson's daughter；〃 said the
stranger； and went on his way。
〃Well；〃 said Luke to himself； 〃this is just a little
queer。 Woods was my name for a while； when I lived here； but
now； I suppose； I'm Luke Dubois again。 Dashed if I can
understand it。 Somebody must have been dreaming。〃
So he went back to the white canoe； and paddled away up
the river； and nobody in Scroll…Saw City ever set eyes on him
again。
THE OTHER WISE MAN
You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East； and how
they travelled from far away to offer their gifts at the
manger…cradle in Bethlehem。 But have you ever heard the story
of the Other Wise Man； who also saw the star in its rising；
and set out to follow it； yet did not arrive with his brethren
in the presence of the young child Jesus？ Of the great desire
of this fourth pilgrim； and how it was denied； yet
accomplished in the denial； of his many wanderings and the
probations of his soul； of the long way of his seeking and the
strange way of his finding the One whom he soughtI would
tell the tale as I have heard fragments of it in the Hall of
Dreams； in the palace of the Heart of Man。
I
In the days when Augustus Caesar was master of many kings and
Herod reigned in Jerusalem； there lived in the city of
Ecbatana； among the mountains of Persia； a certain man named
Artaban。 His house stood close to the outermost of the walls
which encircled the royal treasury。 From his roof he could look
over the seven…fold battlements of black and white and crimson
and blue and red and silver and gold； to the hill where the
summer palace of the Parthian emperors glittered like a jewel in
a crown。
Around the dwelling of Artaban spread a fai