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the invitation showed that he did not wish for attentions or
courtesies。 There was nothing further to be done to bring him out of
his shell； and seemingly nothing more to be learned about him at
present。
In this state of things it was natural that all which had been
previously gathered by the few who had seen or known anything of him
should be worked over again。 When there is no new ore to be dug； the
old refuse heaps are looked over for what may still be found in them。
The landlord of the Anchor Tavern； now the head of the boarding…
house； talked about Maurice； as everybody in the village did at one
time or another。 He had not much to say； but he added a fact or two。
The young gentleman was good pay；so they all said。 Sometimes he
paid in gold； sometimes in fresh bills； just out of the bank。 He
trusted his man； Mr。 Paul； with the money to pay his bills。 He knew
something about horses； he showed that by the way he handled that
colt；the one that threw the hostler and broke his collar…bone。
〃Mr。 Paul come down to the stable。 'Let me see that cult you all
'fraid of；' says he。 'My master； he ride any hoss；' says Paul。 'You
saddle him；' says be； and so they did； and Paul； he led that colt
the kickinest and ugliest young beast you ever see in your lifeup
to the place where his master； as he calls him； and he lives。 What
does that Kirkwood do but clap on a couple of long spurs and jump on
to that colt's back； and off the beast goes； tail up； heels flying；
standing up on end； trying all sorts of capers； and at last going it
full run for a couple of miles； till he'd got about enough of it。
That colt went off as ferce as a wild…cat； and come back as quiet as
a cosset lamb。 A man that pays his bills reg'lar； in good money； and
knows how to handle a hoss is three quarters of a gentleman； if he is
n't a whole one；and most likely he is a whole one。〃
So spake the patriarch of the Anchor Tavern。 His wife had already
given her favorable opinion of her former guest。 She now added
something to her description as a sequel to her husband's remarks。
〃I call him；〃 she said； 〃about as likely a young gentleman as ever I
clapped my eyes on。 He is rather slighter than I like to see a young
man of his age； if he was my sun； I should like to see him a little
more fleshy。 I don't believe he weighs more than a hundred and
thirty or forty pounds。 Did y' ever look at those eyes of his；
M'randy？ Just as blue as succory flowers。 I do like those light…
complected young fellows； with their fresh cheeks and their curly
hair； somehow； curly hair doos set off anybody's face。 He is n't any
foreigner； for all that he talks Italian with that Mr。 Paul that's
his help。 He looks just like our kind of folks； the college kind；
that's brought up among books； and is handling 'em； and reading of
'em； and making of 'em； as like as not； all their lives。 All that
you say about his riding the mad colt is just what I should think he
was up to； for he's as spry as a squirrel； you ought to see him go
over that fence； as I did once。 I don't believe there's any harm in
that young gentleman；I don't care what people say。 I suppose he
likes this place just as other people like it； and cares more for
walking in the woods and paddling about in the water than he doos for
company； and if he doos； whose business is it； I should like to
know？〃
The third of the speakers was Miranda； who had her own way of judging
people。
〃I never see him but two or three times；〃 Miranda said。 〃I should
like to have waited on him； and got a chance to look stiddy at him
when he was eatin' his vittles。 That 's the time to watch folks；
when their jaws get a…goin' and their eyes are on what's afore 'em。
Do you remember that chap the sheriff come and took away when we kep'
tahvern？ Eleven year ago it was； come nex' Thanksgivin' time。 A
mighty grand gentleman from the City he set up for。 I watched him；
and I watched him。 Says I； I don't believe you're no gentleman；
says I。 He eat with his knife； and that ain't the way city folks
eats。 Every time I handed him anything I looked closeter and
closeter。 Them whiskers never grooved on them cheeks； says I to
myself。 Them 's paper collars； says I。 That dimun in your shirt…
front hain't got no life to it； says I。 I don't believe it's
nothiri' more 'n a bit o' winderglass。 So says I to Pushee； 'You
jes' step out and get the sheriff to come in and take a look at that
chap。' I knowed he was after a fellah。 He come right in； an' he goes
up to the chap。 'Why； Bill；' says he； 'I'm mighty glad to see yer。
We've had the hole in the wall you got out of mended； and I want your
company to come and look at the old place；' says he； and he pulls out
a couple of handcuffs and has 'em on his wrists in less than no time；
an' off they goes together！ I know one thing about that young
gentleman； anyhow；there ain't no better judge of what's good eatin'
than he is。 I cooked him some maccaroni myself one day； and he sends
word to me by that Mr。 Paul； 'Tell Miss Miranda；' says he； I that the
Pope o' Rome don't have no better cooked maccaroni than what she sent
up to me yesterday；' says he。 I don' know much about the Pope o'
Rome except that he's a Roman Catholic； and I don' know who cooks for
him； whether it's a man or a woman； but when it comes to a dish o'
maccaroni； I ain't afeard of their shefs； as they call 'em；them he…
cooks that can't serve up a cold potater without callin' it by some
name nobody can say after 'em。 But this gentleman knows good
cookin'； and that's as good a sign of a gentleman as I want to tell
'em by。〃
VI
STILL AT FAULT。
The house in which Maurice Kirkwood had taken up his abode was not a
very inviting one。 It was old； and had been left in a somewhat
dilapidated and disorderly condition by the tenants who had lived in
the part which Maurice now occupied。 They had piled their packing…
boxes in the cellar； with broken chairs； broken china； and other
household wrecks。 A cracked mirror lay on an old straw mattress； the
contents of which were airing themselves through wide rips and rents。
A lame clothes…horse was saddled with an old rug fringed with a
ragged border； out of which all the colors had been completely
trodden。 No woman would have gone into a house in such a condition。
But the young man did not trouble himself much about such matters；
and was satisfied when the rooms which were to be occupied by himself
and his servant were made decent and tolerably comfortable。 During
the fine season all this was not of much consequence； and if Maurice
made up his mind to stay through the winter he would have his choice
among many more eligible places。
The summer vacation of the Corinna Institute had now arrived； and the
young ladies had scattered to their homes。 Among the graduates of
the year were Miss Euthymia Tower and Miss Lurida Vincent； who had
now returned to their homes in Arrowhead Village。 They were both
glad to rest after the long final examinations and the exercises of
the closing day； in which each of them had borne a conspicuous part。
It was a pleasant life they led in the village； which was lively
enough at this season。 Walking； riding； driving； boating； visits to
the Library； meetings of the Pansophian Society； hops； and picnics
made the time pass very cheerfully； and soon showed their restoring
influences。 The Terror's large eyes did not wear the dull； glazed
look by which they had too often betrayed the after effects of over…
excitement of the strong and active brain behind them。 The Wonder
gained a fresher bloom； and looked full enough of life to radiate
vitality into a statue of ice。 They had a boat of their own； in
which they passed many delightful hours on the lake； rowing；
drifting； reading； telling of what had been； dreaming of what might
be。
The Library was one of the chief centres of the fixed population； and
visited often by strangers。 The old Librarian was a peculiar
character； as these officials are apt to be。 They have a curious
kind of knowledge； sometimes immense in its way。 They know the backs
of books； their title…pages； their popularity or want of it； the
class of readers who call for particular works； the value of
different editions； and a good deal besides。 Their minds catch up
hints from all manner of works on all kinds of subjects。 They will
give a visitor a fact and a reference which they are surprised to
find they remember and which the visitor might have hunted for a
year。 Every good librarian； every private book…owner； who has grown
into his library； finds he has a bunch of nerves going to every
bookcase； a branch to every shelf； and a twig to every book。 These
nerves get very sensitive in old librarians； sometimes； and they do
not like to have a volume meddled with any more than they would like
to have their naked eyes handled。 They