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such rare but discomposing graces as he possessed required a
certain apologetic attitude when presented to women； and that it
was only a plain man who could be always complacently self…
confident in their presence。 There was； consequently； a hesitating
lowering of this hypocrite's brown eyelashes as he said； in almost
pained accents；
〃Excuse me； but I fear I've taken the wrong road。 I'm going to
Green Springs。〃
〃I reckon you've taken the wrong road； wherever you're going；〃
returned the young lady； having apparently made up her mind to
resent each of Jack's perfections as a separate impertinence： 〃this
is a PRIVATE road。〃 She drew herself fairly up here； although
gurgled at in the ear and pinched in the arm by her companion。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Jack； meekly。 〃I see I'm trespassing on
your grounds。 I'm very sorry。 Thank you for telling me。 I should
have gone on a mile or two farther； I suppose； until I came to your
house；〃 he added； innocently。
〃A mile or two！ You'd have run chock ag'in' our gate in another
minit；〃 said the short…lipped one； eagerly。 But a sharp nudge from
her companion sent her back again into cover； where she waited
expectantly for another crushing retort from her protector。
But； alas！ it did not come。 One cannot be always witty； and Jack
looked distressed。 Nevertheless； he took advantage of the pause。
〃It was so stupid in me； as I think your brother〃looking at
Short…lip〃very carefully told me the road。〃
The two girls darted quick glances at each other。 〃Oh； Bawb！〃 said
the first speaker； in wearied accents；〃THAT limb！ He don't
keer。〃
〃But he DID care；〃 said Hamlin； quietly； 〃and gave me a good deal
of information。 Thanks to him； I was able to see that ferny wood
that's so famousabout two miles up the road。 You knowthe one
that there's a poem written about！〃
The shot told！ Short…lip burst into a display of dazzling little
teeth and caught the other girl convulsively by the shoulders。 The
superior girl bent her pretty brows； and said； 〃Eunice； what's gone
of ye？ Quit that！〃 but； as Hamlin thought； paled slightly。
〃Of course；〃 said Hamlin； quickly； 〃you knowthe poem everybody's
talking about。 Dear me！ let me see！ how does it go？〃 The rascal
knit his brows； said； 〃Ah； yes；〃 and then murmured the verse he had
lately sung quite as musically。
Short…lip was shamelessly exalted and excited。 Really she could
scarcely believe it！ She already heard herself relating the whole
occurrence。 Here was the most beautiful young man she had ever
seenan entire strangertalking to them in the most beautiful and
natural way； right in the lane； and reciting poetry to her sister！
It was like a novelonly more so。 She thought that Cynthia； on
the other hand； looked distressed； andshe must say it〃silly。〃
All of which Jack noted； and was wise。 He had got all he wanted
at present。 He gathered up his reins。
〃Thank you so much； and your brother； too； Miss Cynthia；〃 he said；
without looking up。 Then； adding； with a parting glance and smile；
〃But don't tell Bob how stupid I was；〃 he swiftly departed。
In half an hour he was at the Green Springs Hotel。 As he rode into
the stable yard； he noticed that the coach had only just arrived；
having been detained by a land…slip on the Summit road。 With the
recollection of Bob fresh in his mind； he glanced at the loungers
at the stage office。 The boy was not there； but a moment later
Jack detected him among the waiting crowd at the post…office
opposite。 With a view of following up his inquiries； he crossed
the road as the boy entered the vestibule of the post…office。 He
arrived in time to see him unlock one of a row of numbered letter…
boxes rented by subscribers； which occupied a partition by the
window； and take out a small package and a letter。 But in that
brief glance Mr。 Hamlin detected the printed address of the
〃Excelsior Magazine〃 on the wrapper。 It was enough。 Luck was
certainly with him。
He had time to get rid of the wicked sparkle that had lit his dark
eyes； and to lounge carelessly towards the boy as the latter broke
open the package； and then hurriedly concealed it in his jacket…
pocket； and started for the door。 Mr。 Hamlin quickly followed him；
unperceived； and； as he stepped into the street； gently tapped him
on the shoulder。 The boy turned and faced him quickly。 But Mr。
Hamlin's eyes showed nothing but lazy good…humor。
〃Hullo； Bob。 Where are you going？〃
The boy again looked up suspiciously at this revelation of his
name。
〃Home；〃 he said； briefly。
〃Oh； over yonder；〃 said Hamlin； calmly。 〃I don't mind walking with
you as far as the lane。〃
He saw the boy's eyes glance furtively towards an alley that ran
beside the blacksmith's shop a few rods ahead； and was convinced
that he intended to evade him there。 Slipping his arm carelessly
in the youth's； he concluded to open fire at once。
〃Bob；〃 he said； with irresistible gravity； 〃I did not know when I
met you this morning that I had the honor of addressing a poet
none other than the famous author of 'Underbrush。'〃
The boy started back； and endeavored to withdraw his arm； but Mr。
Hamlin tightened his hold； without； however； changing his careless
expression。
〃You see；〃 he continued； 〃the editor is a friend of mine； and；
being afraid this package might not get into the right handsas
you didn't give your namehe deputized me to come here and see
that it was all square。 As you're rather young； for all you're so
gifted； I reckon I'd better go home with you； and take a receipt
from your parents。 That's about square； I think？〃
The consternation of the boy was so evident and so far beyond Mr。
Hamlin's expectation that he instantly halted him； gazed into his
shifting eyes； and gave a long whistle。
〃Who said it was for ME？ Wot you talkin' about？ Lemme go！〃 gasped
the boy； with the short intermittent breath of mingled fear and
passion。
〃Bob；〃 said Mr。 Hamlin； in a singularly colorless voice which was
very rare with him； and an expression quite unlike his own； 〃what
is your little game？〃
The boy looked down in dogged silence。
〃Out with it！ Who are you playing this on？〃
〃It's all among my own folks； it's nothin' to YOU；〃 said the boy；
suddenly beginning to struggle violently； as if inspired by this
extenuating fact。
〃Among your own folks； eh？ White Violet and the rest； eh？ But
SHE'S not in it？〃
No reply。
〃Hand me over that package。 I'll give it back to you again。〃
The boy handed it to Mr。 Hamlin。 He read the letter； and found the
inclosure contained a twenty…dollar gold…piece。 A half…
supercilious smile passed over his face at this revelation of the
inadequate emoluments of literature and the trifling inducements to
crime。 Indeed； I fear the affair began to take a less serious
moral complexion in his eyes。
〃Then White Violetyour sister Cynthia； you know；〃 continued Mr。
Hamlin； in easy parenthesis〃wrote for this？〃 holding the coin
contemplatively in his fingers； 〃and you calculated to nab it
yourself？〃
The quick searching glance with which Bob received the name of his
sister； Mr。 Hamlin attributed only to his natural surprise that
this stranger should be on such familiar terms with her； but the
boy responded immediately and bluntly：
〃No！ SHE didn't write for it。 She didn't want nobody to know who
she was。 Nobody wrote for it but me。 Nobody KNEW FOLKS WAS PAID
FOR PO'TRY BUT ME。 I found it out from a feller。 I wrote for it。
I wasn't goin' to let that skunk of an editor have it himself！〃
〃And you thought YOU would take it；〃 said Hamlin； his voice
resuming its old tone。 〃Well； GeorgeI mean Bob； your conduct was
praiseworthy； although your intentions were bad。 Still； twenty
dollars is rather too much for your trouble。 Suppose we say five
and call it square？〃 He handed the astonished boy five dollars。
〃Now； George Washington；〃 he continued； taking four other twenty…
dollar pieces from his pocket； and adding them to the inclosure；
which he carefully refolded； 〃I'm going to give you another chance
to live up to your reputation。 You'll take that package； and hand
it to White Violet； and say you found it； just as it is； in the
lock…box。 I'll keep the letter； for it would knock you endways if
it was seen； and I'll make it all right with the editor。 But； as
I've got to tell him that I've seen White Violet myself； and know
she's got it； I expect YOU to manage in some way to have me see
her。 I'll manage the rest of it； and I won't blow on you； either。
You'll come back to the hotel； and tell me what you've done。 And
now； George 〃 concluded Mr。 Hamlin； succeeding at last in fixing
the boy's evasive eye with a peculiar look； 〃it may be just as well
for you to understand that I know every nook and corner of this
place； that I've alr