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　the　shadowed　corridor。　The　subdued　rustling　had　fainted　to　nothing。　Then　out　of　the　crowd　Coke；　pale　and　desperate；　delivered　himself。

〃　Oh；　Mr。　Coke；〃　said　the　professor；　〃I　would　be　glad　if　you　would　tell　the　gentlemen　they　may　retire　to　their　dormitories。〃　He　waited　while　the　students　passed　out　to　the　campus。

The　professor　returned　to　his　room　for　some　books；　and　then　began　his　own　march　across　the　snowy　campus。　The　wind　twisted　his　coat…tails　fantastically；　and　he　was　obliged　to　keep　one　hand　firmly　on　the　top　of　his　hat。　When　he　arrived　home　he　met　his　wife　in　the　hall。　〃　Look　here；　Mary；〃　he　cried。　She　followed　him　into　the　library。　〃　Look　here；〃　he　said。　〃What　is　this　all　about？　Marjory　tells　me　she　wants　to　marry　Rufus　Coleman。〃

Mrs。　Wainwright　was　a　fat　woman　who　was　said　to　pride　herself　upon　being　very　wise　and　if　necessary；　sly。　In　addition　she　laughed　continually　in　an　inexplicably　personal　way；　which　apparently　made　everybody　who　heard　her　feel　offended。　Mrs。　Wainwright　laughed。

〃Well；〃　said　the　professor；　bristling；　〃　what　do　you　mean　by　that　？　〃

〃Oh；　Harris；〃　she　replied。　〃　Oh；　Harris。〃

The　professor　straightened　in　his　chair。　〃　I　do　not　see　any　illumination　in　those　remarks；　Mary。　I　understand　from　Marjory's　manner　that　she　is　bent　upon　marrying　Rufus　Coleman。　She　said　you　knew　of　it。〃

〃　Why；　of　course　I　knew。　It　was　as　plain…〃

〃　Plain　！〃　scoffed　the　professor。　〃　Plain　！〃

Why；　of　course；〃　she　cried。　〃I　knew　it　all　along。〃

There　was　nothing　in　her　tone　which　proved　that　she　admired　the　event　itself。　She　was　evidently　carried　away　by　the　triumph　of　her　penetration。　〃　I　knew　it　all　along；〃　she　added；　nodding。

The　professor　looked　at　her　affectionately。　〃You　knew　it　all　along；　then；　Mary？　Why　didn't　you　tell　me；　dear　？　〃

〃　Because　you　ought　to　have　known　it；〃　she　answered　blatantly。

The　professor　was　glaring。　Finally　he　spoke　in　tones　of　grim　reproach。　〃Mary；　whenever　you　happen　to　know　anything；　dear；　it　seems　only　a　matter　of　partial　recompense　that　you　should　tell　me。〃

The　wife　had　been　taught　in　a　terrible　school　that　she　should　never　invent　any　inexpensive　retorts　concerning　bookworms　and　so　she　yawed　at　once。　〃Really；　Harris。　Really；　I　didn't　suppose　the　affair　was　serious。　You　could　have　knocked　me　down　with　a　feather。　Of　course　he　has　been　here　very　often；　but　then　Marjory　gets　a　great　deal　of　attention。　A　great　deal　of　attention。〃　The　professor　had　been　thinking。　〃　Rather　than　let　my　girl　marry　that　scalawag；　I'll　take　you　and　her　to　Greece　this　winter　with　the　class。　Separation。　It　is　a　sure　cure　that　has　the　sanction　of　antiquity。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Wainwright；　〃you　know　best；　Harris。　You　know　best。〃　It　was　a　common　remark　with　her；　and　it　probably　meant　either　approbation　or　disapprobation　if　it　did　not　mean　simple　discretion。







CHAPTER　III。

THERE　had　been　a　babe　with　no　arms　born　in　one　of　the　western　counties　of　Massachusetts。　In　place　of　upper　limbs　the　child　had　growing　from　its　chest　a　pair　of　fin…like　hands；　mere　bits　of　skin…covered　bone。　Furthermore；　it　had　only　one　eye。　This　phenomenon　lived　four　days；　but　the　news　of　the　birth　had　travelled　up　this　country　road　and　through　that　village　until　it　reached　the　ears　of　the　editor　of　the　Michaelstown　Tribune。　He　was　also　a　correspondent　of　the　New　York　Eclipse。　On　the　third　day　he　appeared　at　the　home　of　the　parents　accompanied　by　a　photographer。　While　the　latter　arranged　his；　instrument；　the　correspondent　talked　to　the　father　and　mother；　two　coweyed　and　yellow…faced　people　who　seemed　to　suffer　a　primitive　fright　of　the　strangers。　Afterwards　as　the　correspondent　and　the　photographer　were　climbing　into　their　buggy；　the　mother　crept　furtively　down　to　the　gate　and　asked；　in　a　foreigner's　dialect；　if　they　would　send　her　a　copy　of　the　photograph。　The　correspondent　carelessly　indulgent；　promised　it。　As　the　buggy　swung　away；　the　father　came　from　behind　an　apple　tree；　and　the　two　semi…humans　watched　it　with　its　burden　of　glorious　strangers　until　it　rumbled　across　the　bridge　and　disappeared。　The　correspondent　was　elate；　he　told　the　photographer　that　the　Eclipse　would　probably　pay　fifty　dollars　for　the　article　and　the　photograph。

The　office　of　the　New　York　Eclipse　was　at　the　top　of　the　immense　building　on　Broadway。　It　was　a　sheer　mountain　to　the　heights　of　　which　the　interminable　thunder　of　the　streets　arose　faintly。　The　Hudson　was　a　broad　path　of　silver　in　the　distance。　Its　edge　was　　marked　by　the　tracery　of　sailing　ships'　rigging　and　by　the　huge　　and　many…coloured　stacks　of　ocean　liners。　At　the　foot　of　the　　cliff　lay　City　Hall　Park。　It　seemed　no　larger　than　a　quilt。　The　grey　walks　patterned　the　snow…covering　into　triangles　and　ovals　　and　upon　them　many　tiny　people　scurried　here　and　there；　without　sound；　like　a　fish　at　the　bottom　of　a　pool。　It　was　only　the　　vehicles　that　sent　high；　unmistakable；　the　deep　bass　of　their　　movement。　And　yet　after　listening　one　seemed　to　hear　a　singular　murmurous　note；　a　pulsation；　as　if　the　crowd　made　noise　by　its　　mere　living；　a　mellow　hum　of　the　eternal　strife。　Then　suddenly　out　of　the　deeps　might　ring　a　human　voice；　a　newsboy　shout　perhaps；　the　cry　of　a　　faraway　jackal　at　night。

From　the　level　of　the　ordinary　roofs；　combined　in　many　plateaus；　dotted　with　short　iron　chimneys　from　which　curled　wisps　of　steam；　arose　other　mountains　like　the　Eclipse　Building。　They　were　great　peaks；　　ornate；　glittering　with　　paint　or　polish。　Northward　they　subsided　to　sun…crowned　ranges。

From　some　of　the　windows　of　the　Eclipse　office　dropped　the　walls　of　a　terrible　chasm　in　the　darkness　of　which　could　be　seen　vague　struggling　figures。　Looking　down　into　this　appalling　crevice　one　discovered　only　the　tops　of　hats　and　knees　which　in　spasmodic　jerks　seemed　to　touch　the　rims　of　the　hats。　The　scene　represented　some　weird　fight　or　dance　or　carouse。　It　was　not　an　exhibition　of　men　hurrying　along　a　narrow　street。

It　was　good　to　turn　one's　eyes　from　that　place　to　the　vista　of　the　city's　splendid　reaches；　with　spire　and　spar　shining　in　the　clear　atmosphere　and　the　marvel　of　the　Jersey　shore；　pearl…　misted　or　brilliant　with　detail。　From　this　height　the　sweep　of　a　snow…storm　was　defined　and　majestic。　Even　a　slight　summer　shower；　with　swords　of　lurid　yellow　sunlight　piercing　its　edges　as　if　warriors　were　contesting　every　foot　of　its　advance；　was　from　the　Eclipse　office　something　so　inspiring　that　the　chance　pilgrim　felt　a　sense　of　exultation　as　if　from　this　peak　he　was　surveying　the　worldwide　war　of　the　elements　and　life。　The　staff　of　the　Eclipse　usually　worked　　without　coats　and　amid　the　smoke　from　pipes。

To　one　of　the　editorial　chambers　came　a　photograph　and　an　article　from　Michaelstown；　Massachusetts。　A　boy　placed　the　packet　and　many　others　upon　the　desk　of　a　young　man　who　　was　standing　before　a　window　and　thoughtfully　drumming　upon　the　pane。　He　turned　at　the　thudding　of　the　packets　upon　his　desk。　〃　Blast　you；〃　he　remarked　amiably。　〃　Oh；　I　guess　it　won't　hurt　you　to　work；〃　answered　the　boy；　grinning　with　a　comrade's　Insolence。　Baker；　an　assistant　editor　for　the　Sunday　paper；　took　scat　at　his　desk　and　began　the　task　of　examining　the　packets。　His　face　could　not　display　any　particular　interest　because　he　had　been　at　the　same　work　for　nearly　a　fortnight。

The　first　long　envelope　he　opened　was　from　a　woman。　There　was　a　neat　little　manuscript　accompanied　by　a　letter　which　explained　that　the　writer　was　a　widow　who　was　trying　to　make　her　living　by　her　pen　and　who；　further；　hoped　that　the　generosity　of　the　editor　of　the　Eclipse　would　lead　him　to　give　her　article　the　opportunity　which　she　was　sure　it　deserved。　She　hoped　that　the　editor　would　pay　her　as　well　as　possible　for　it；　as　she　needed　the　money　greatly。　She　added　that　her　brother　was　a　reporter　on　the　Little　Rock　Sentinel　and　he　had　declared　that　her　literary　style　was　excellent。　Baker　really　did　not　read　this　note。　His　vast　experience　of　a　fortnight　had　enabled　him　to　detect　its　kind　in　two　glances。　He　unfolded　the　manuscript；　looked　at　it　woodenly　and　then　tossed　it　with　the　letter　to　the　top　of　his　desk；　where　it　lay　with　the　other　corpses。　None　could　think　of　widows　in　Arkansas；　ambitious　from　the　praise　of　the　reporter　on　the　Little　Rock　Sentinel；　waiting　for　a　crown　of　literary　glory　and　money。　In　the　next　envelope　a　man　using　the　note…paper　of　a　Boston　journal　begged　to　know　if　the　accompanying　article　would　be　acceptable；　if　not　it　was　to　be　kindly　returned　in　the　enclosed　stamped　envelope。　It　was　a　humourous　essay　on　trolley　cars。　Adventuring　through　the　odd　scraps　that　were　come　to　the　great　mill；　Baker　paused　occasionally　to　relight　his　pipe。

As　he　went　through　envelope　after　envelope；　the　desks　about　him　gradually　were　occupied　by　young　men　who　entered　from　the　hall　with　their　faces　still　red　from　the　cold　of　the　streets。　For　the　most　part　they　bore　the　unmistakable　stamp　of　the　American　college。　They　had　that　confident　poise　which　is　easily　brought　from　the　athletic　field。　Moreover；　their　clothes　were　quite　in　the　way　of　being　of　the　newest　fashion。　There　was　an　air　of　precision　about　their　cravats　and　linen。　But　on　the　other　hand　there　might　be　with　them　some　indifferent　westerner　who　was　obliged　to　resort　to　irregular　means　an