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judgment。 Meantime； I take pleasure in accepting 〃White Violet's〃
present contribution； and remain； dear madam； your obedient servant；
THE EDITOR。
The boy returned as he was folding the letter。 Mr。 Hamlin was not
only NOT in his rooms； but； according to his negro servant Pete；
had left town an hour ago for a few days in the country。
〃Did he say where？〃 asked the editor； quickly。
〃No； sir： he didn't know。〃
〃Very well。 Take this to the manager。〃 He addressed the letter；
and； scrawling a few hieroglyphics on a memorandum…tag； tore it
off； and handed it with the letter to the boy。
An hour later he stood in the manager's office。 〃The next number
is pretty well made up；〃 he said； carelessly； 〃and I think of
taking a day or two off。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said the manager。 〃It will do you good。 Where do you
think you'll go？〃
〃I haven't quite made up my mind。〃
CHAPTER II
〃Hullo！〃 said Jack Hamlin。
He had halted his mare at the edge of an abrupt chasm。 It did not
appear to be fifty feet across； yet its depth must have been nearly
two hundred to where the hidden mountain…stream； of which it was
the banks； alternately slipped； tumbled； and fell with murmuring
and monotonous regularity。 One or two pine…trees growing on the
opposite edge； loosened at the roots； had tilted their straight
shafts like spears over the abyss； and the top of one； resting on
the upper branches of a sycamore a few yards from him； served as an
aerial bridge for the passage of a boy of fourteen to whom Mr。
Hamlin's challenge was addressed。
The boy stopped midway in his perilous transit； and； looking down
upon the horseman； responded； coolly； 〃Hullo； yourself！〃
〃Is that the only way across this infernal hole； or the one you
prefer for exercise？〃 continued Hamlin； gravely。
The boy sat down on a bough； allowing his bare feet to dangle over
the dizzy depths； and critically examined his questioner。 Jack had
on this occasion modified his usual correct conventional attire by
a tasteful combination of a vaquero's costume； and； in loose white
bullion…fringed trousers； red sash； jacket； and sombrero； looked
infinitely more dashing and picturesque than his original。
Nevertheless； the boy did not reply。 Mr。 Hamlin's pride in his
usual ascendency over women； children； horses； and all unreasoning
animals was deeply nettled。 He smiled； however； and said； quietly；
〃Come here； George Washington。 I want to talk to you。〃
Without rejecting this august yet impossible title； the boy
presently lifted his feet； and carelessly resumed his passage
across the chasm until； reaching the sycamore； he began to let
himself down squirrel…wise； leap by leap； with an occasional
trapeze swinging from bough to bough； dropping at last easily to
the ground。 Here he appeared to be rather good…looking； albeit the
sun and air had worked a miracle of brown tan and freckles on his
exposed surfaces； until the mottling of his oval cheeks looked like
a polished bird's egg。 Indeed； it struck Mr。 Hamlin that he was as
intensely a part of that sylvan seclusion as the hidden brook that
murmured； the brown velvet shadows that lay like trappings on the
white flanks of his horse； the quivering heat； and the stinging
spice of bay。 Mr。 Hamlin had vague ideas of dryads and fauns； but
at that moment would have bet something on the chances of their
survival。
〃I did not hear what you said just now； general；〃 he remarked； with
great elegance of manner； 〃but I know from your reputation that it
could not be a lie。 I therefore gather that there IS another way
across。〃
The boy smiled； rather； his very short upper lip apparently
vanished completely over his white teeth； and his very black eyes；
which showed a great deal of the white around them； danced in their
orbits。
〃But YOU couldn't find it；〃 he said； slyly。
〃No more could you find the half…dollar I dropped just now； unless
I helped you。〃
Mr。 Hamlin； by way of illustration； leaned deeply over his left
stirrup； and pointed to the ground。 At the same moment a bright
half…dollar absolutely appeared to glitter in the herbage at the
point of his finger。 It was a trick that had always brought great
pleasure and profit to his young friends； and some loss and
discomfiture of wager to his older ones。
The boy picked up the coin： 〃There's a dip and a level crossing
about a mile over yer；〃he pointed；〃but it's through the woods；
and they're that high with thick bresh。〃
〃With what？〃
〃Bresh；〃 repeated the boy； 〃THAT；〃pointing to a few fronds of
bracken growing in the shadow of the sycamore。
〃Oh！ underbrush？〃
〃Yes； I said 'bresh；'〃 returned the boy； doggedly。 〃YOU might get
through； ef you war spry； but not your hoss。 Where do you want to
go； anyway？〃
〃Do you know； George；〃 said Mr。 Hamlin； lazily throwing his right
leg over the horn of his saddle for greater ease and deliberation
in replying； 〃it's very odd； but that's just what I'D like to know。
Now； what would YOU； in your broad statesmanlike views of things
generally； advise？〃
Quite convinced of the stranger's mental unsoundness； the boy
glanced again at his half…dollar； as if to make sure of its
integrity； pocketed it doubtfully； and turned away。
〃Where are you going？〃 said Hamlin； resuming his seat with the
agility of a circus…rider； and spurring forward。
〃To Green Springs； where I live； two miles over the ridge on the
far slope；〃indicating the direction。
〃Ah！〃 said Jack； with thoughtful gravity。 〃Well； kindly give my
love to your sister； will you？〃
〃George Washington didn't have no sister；〃 said the boy； cunningly。
〃Can I have been mistaken？〃 said Hamlin； lifting his hand to his
forehead with grieved accents。 〃Then it seems YOU have。 Kindly
give her my love。〃
〃Which one？〃 asked the boy； with a swift glance of mischief。 〃I've
got four。〃
〃The one that's like you；〃 returned Hamlin； with prompt exactitude。
〃Now； where's the 'bresh' you spoke of？〃
〃Keep along the edge until you come to the log…slide。 Foller that；
and it'll lead you into the woods。 But ye won't go far； I tell ye。
When you have to turn back； instead o' comin' back here； you kin
take the trail that goes round the woods； and that'll bring ye out
into the stage road ag'in near the post…office at the Green Springs
crossin' and the new hotel。 That'll be war ye'll turn up； I
reckon；〃 he added； reflectively。 〃Fellers that come yer gunnin'
and fishin' gin'rally do；〃 he concluded； with a half…inquisitive
air。
〃Ah？〃 said Mr。 Hamlin； quietly shedding the inquiry。 〃Green
Springs Hotel is where the stage stops； eh？〃
〃Yes； and at the post…office；〃 said the boy。 〃She'll be along here
soon；〃 he added。
〃If you mean the Santa Cruz stage；〃 said Hamlin； 〃she's here
already。 I passed her on the ridge half an hour ago。〃
The boy gave a sudden start； and a quick uneasy expression passed
over his face。 〃Go 'long with ye！〃 he said； with a forced smile：
〃it ain't her time yet。〃
〃But I SAW her；〃 repeated Hamlin； much amused。 〃Are you expecting
company？ Hullo！ Where are you off to？ Come back。〃
But his companion had already vanished in the thicket with the
undeliberate and impulsive act of an animal。 There was a momentary
rustle in the alders fifty feet away； and then all was silent。 The
hidden brook took up its monotonous murmur； the tapping of a
distant woodpecker became suddenly audible； and Mr。 Hamlin was
again alone。
〃Wonder whether he's got parents in the stage； and has been playing
truant here；〃 he mused； lazily。 〃Looked as if he'd been up to some
devilment； or more like as if he was primed for it。 If he'd been a
little older； I'd have bet he was in league with some road…agents
to watch the coach。 Just my luck to have him light out as I was
beginning to get some talk out of him。〃 He paused； looked at his
watch； and straightened himself in his stirrups。 〃Four o'clock。 I
reckon I might as well try the woods and what that imp calls the
'bresh；' I may strike a shanty or a native by the way。〃
With this determination； Mr。 Hamlin urged his horse along the faint
trail by the brink of the watercourse which the boy had just
indicated。 He had no definite end in view beyond the one that had
brought him the day before to that localityhis quest of the
unknown poetess。 His clue would have seemed to ordinary humanity
the faintest。 He had merely noted the provincial name of a certain
plant mentioned in the poem； and learned that its habitat was
limited to the southern local range； while its peculiar nomenclature
was clearly of French Creole or Gulf State origin。 This gave him a
large though sparsely…populated area for locality； while it
suggested a settlement of Louisianians or Mississippians near the
Summit；