\"Comein，\"saidtheeditor。
Thedooroftheeditorialroomofthe\"ExcelsiorMagazine\"begantocreakpainfullyunderthehesitatingpressureofanuncertainandunfamiliarhand。Thiscontinueduntilwithastartofirritationtheeditorfaceddirectlyabout，throwinghislegoverthearmofhischairwithacertainyouthfuldexterity。Withonehandgrippingitsback，theotherstillgraspingaproof-slip，andhispencilinhismouth，hestaredattheintruder。
Thestranger，despitehishesitatingentrance，didnotseemintheleastdisconcerted。Hewasatallman，lookingeventallerbyreasonofthelongformlessovercoathewore，knownasa\"duster，\"
andbyalongstraightbeardthatdependedfromhischin，whichhecombedwithtworeflectivefingersashecontemplatedtheeditor。
Thereddustwhichstilllayinthecreasesofhisgarmentandinthecurvesofhissoftfelthat，andleftadustycirclelikeaprecipitatedhaloaroundhisfeet，proclaimedhim，ifnotacountryman，arecentinlandimportationbycoach。\"Busy?\"hesaid，inagravebutpleasantvoice。\"Ikinwait。Don\'tmindME。Goon。\"
Theeditorindicatedachairwithhisdisengagedhandandplungedagainintohisproof-slips。Thestrangersurveyedthescantfurnitureandappointmentsoftheofficewithalookofgravecuriosity，andthen，takingachair，fixedanearnest，penetratinggazeontheeditor\'sprofile。Theeditorfeltit，and，withoutlookingup，said——
\"Well，goon。\"
\"Butyou\'rebusy。Ikinwait。\"
\"Ishallnotbelessbusythismorning。Icanlisten。\"
\"Iwantyoutogivemethenameofacertainpersonwhowritesinyourmagazine。\"
Theeditor\'seyeglancedatthesecondright-handdrawerofhisdesk。Itdidnotcontainthenamesofhiscontributors，butwhatinthetraditionsofhisofficewasacceptedasanequivalent，——arevolver。Hehadneveryetpresentedeithertoaninquirer。Buthelaidasidehisproofs，and，withaslightdarkeningofhisyouthful，discontentedface，said，\"Whatdoyouwanttoknowfor?\"
Thequestionwassoevidentlyunexpectedthatthestranger\'sfacecoloredslightly，andhehesitated。Theeditormeanwhile，withouttakinghiseyesfromtheman，mentallyranoverthecontentsofthelastmagazine。Theyhadbeenofasingularlypeacefulcharacter。
Thereseemedtobenothingtojustifyhomicideonhispartorthestranger\'s。Yettherewasnoknowing，andhisquestioner\'sbucolicappearancebynomeansprecludedanassault。Indeed，ithadbeenalegendoftheofficethatapredecessorhadsufferedvicariouslyfromageologicalhammercovertlyintroducedintoascientificcontroversybyanirateprofessor。
\"Aswemakeourselvesresponsiblefortheconductofthemagazine，\"
continuedtheyoungeditor，withmatureseverity，\"wedonotgiveupthenamesofourcontributors。Ifyoudonotagreewiththeiropinions\"——
\"ButIDO，\"saidthestranger，withhisformercomposure，\"andI
reckonthat\'swhyIwanttoknowwhowrotethoseversescalled\'Underbrush，\'signed\'WhiteViolet，\'inyourlastnumber。They\'repow\'fulpretty。\"
Theeditorflushedslightly，andglancedinstinctivelyaroundforanyunexpectedwitnessofhisludicrousmistake。Thefearofridiculewasuppermostinhismind，andhewasmorerelievedathismistakenotbeingoverheardthanatitsgroundlessness。
\"TheversesAREpretty，\"hesaid，recoveringhimself，withacriticalair，\"andIamgladyoulikethem。Buteventhen，youknow，Icouldnotgiveyouthelady\'snamewithoutherpermission。
Iwillwritetoherandaskit，ifyoulike。\"
TheactualfactwasthattheverseshadbeensenttohimanonymouslyfromaremotevillageintheCoastRange，——theaddressbeingthepost-officeandthesignatureinitials。
Thestrangerlookeddisturbed。\"Thensheain\'tabouthereanywhere?\"hesaid，withavaguegesture。\"Shedon\'tbelongtotheoffice?\"
Theyoungeditorbeamedwithtolerantsuperiority:\"No，Iamsorrytosay。\"
\"Ishouldliketohavegottoseeherandkinderaskedherafewquestions，\"continuedthestranger，withthesamereflectiveseriousness。\"Yousee，itwasn\'tjusttherhymin\'o\'themverses，——
andtheykindersingthemselvestoye，don\'tthey?——itwasn\'tthechyceo\'words，——andIreckontheyallushittheideeinthecentreshoteverytime，——itwasn\'ttheideesandmoralshesorto\'drewouto\'whatshewastellin\'，——butitwasthestraightthingitself，——thetruth!\"
\"Thetruth?\"repeatedtheeditor。
\"Yes，sir。I\'vebinthere。I\'veseenallthatshe\'sseeninthebrush——thelittleflicksandcheckerso\'lightandshadderdowninthebrowndustthatyouwonderhowitevergotthroughthedarkofthewoods，andthatallusseemstoslipawaylikeasnakeoralizardifyougrope。I\'veheardallthatshe\'sheardthere——thecreepin\'，thesighin\'，andthewhisperin\'throughthebrackenandtheground-vinesofallthatlivesthere。\"
\"Youseemtobeapoetyourself，\"saidtheeditor，withapatronizingsmile。
\"I\'malumberman，upinMendocino，\"returnedthestranger，withsublimenaivete。\"Gotamillthere。Yousee，sightin\'standin\'
timberandselectin\'fromthegen\'ralshowofthetreesinthegroundandthelayofrootshezsortermademetakenotice。\"Hepaused。\"Then，\"headded，somewhatdespondingly，\"youdon\'tknowwhosheis?\"
\"No，\"saidtheeditor，reflectively；\"notevenifitisreallyaWOMANwhowrites。\"
\"Eh?\"
\"Well，yousee，\'WhiteViolet\'mayaswellbethenomdeplumeofamanasofawoman，especiallyifadoptedforthepurposeofmystification。Thehandwriting，Iremember，WASmoreboyishthanfeminine。\"
\"No，\"returnedthestrangerdoggedly，\"itwasn\'tnoMAN。There\'sideasandwordstherethatonlycomefromawoman:baby-talktothebirds，youknow，andakindoffearsomekeerofbugsandcreepin\'
thingsthatdon\'tcometoamanwhowearsbootsandtrousers。
Well，\"headded，withareturntohispreviousairofresigneddisappointment，\"Isupposeyoudon\'tevenknowwhatshe\'slike?\"
\"No，\"respondedtheeditor，cheerfully。Then，followinganideasuggestedbytheoddminglingofsentimentandshrewdperceptioninthemanbeforehim，headded:\"Probablynotatalllikeanythingyouimagine。Shemaybeamotherwiththreeorfourchildren；oranoldmaidwhokeepsaboarding-house；orawrinkledschool-
mistress；orachitofaschool-girl。I\'vehadsomefairversesfromared-hairedgirloffourteenattheSeminary，\"heconcludedwithprofessionalcoolness。
Thestrangerregardedhimwiththenaivewonderofaninexperiencedman。Havingpaidthistributetohissuperiorknowledge，heregainedhispreviousairofgraveperception。\"Ireckonsheain\'tnoneofthem。ButI\'mkeepin\'youfromyourwork。Good-by。Myname\'sBowers——JimBowers，ofMendocino。Ifyou\'reupmyway，givemeacall。Andifyoudowritetothisyer\'WhiteViolet，\'andshe\'swillin\'，sendmeheraddress。\"
Heshooktheeditor\'shandwarmly——eveninitsliteralsignificanceofimpartingagooddealofhisownearnestcalorictotheeditor\'sfingers——andlefttheroom。Hisfootfallechoedalongthepassageanddiedout，andwithit，Ifear，allimpressionofhisvisitfromtheeditor\'smind，asheplungedagainintothesilenttaskbeforehim。
Presentlyhewasconsciousofamelodioushummingandalightleisurelystepattheentranceofthehall。Theycontinuedoninaneasyharmonyandunaffectedasthepassageofabird。Bothwerepleasantandbothfamiliartotheeditor。TheybelongedtoJackHamlin，byvocationagambler，bytasteamusician，onhiswayfromhisapartmentsontheupperfloor，wherehehadjustrisen，todropintohisfriend\'seditorialroomandglanceovertheexchanges，aswashishabitbeforebreakfast。
Thedooropenedlightly。Theeditorwasconsciousofafaintodorofscentedsoap，asensationoffreshnessandcleanliness，theimpressionofasofthandlikeawoman\'sonhisshoulderand，likeawoman\'s，momentarilyandplayfullycaressing，thepassageofagracefulshadowacrosshisdesk，andthenextmomentJackHamlinwasostentatiouslydustingachairwithanopennewspaperpreparatorytosittingdown。
\"Yououghttoshipthatoffice-boyofyours，ifhecan\'tkeepthingscleaner，\"hesaid，suspendinghismelodytoeyegrimlythedustwhichMr。Bowershadshakenfromhisdepartingfeet。
Theeditordidnotlookupuntilhehadfinishedrevisingadifficultparagraph。BythattimeMr。Hamlinhadcomfortablysettledhimselfonacanesofa，and，possiblyoutofdeferencetohissurroundings，hadsubduedhissongtoapeculiarlylow，soft，andheartbreakingwhistleasheunfoldedanewspaper。Cleanandfaultlessinhisappearance，hehadtheraregiftofbeingabletogetupattwointheafternoonwithmuchofthedewyfreshnessandallofthemoralsuperiorityofanearlyriser。
\"Yououghttohavebeenherejustnow，Jack，\"saidtheeditor。
\"Notarow，oldman，eh?\"inquiredJack，withafaintaccessionofinterest。
\"No，\"saidtheeditor，smiling。Thenherelatedtheincidentsofthepreviousinterview，withacertainhumorousexaggerationwhichwaspartofhisnature。ButJackdidnotsmile。
\"Yououghttohavebootedhimoutoftheranchonsight，\"hesaid。
\"Whatrighthadhetocomeherepryingintoalady\'saffairs?——atleastaladyasfarasHEknows。Ofcourseshe\'ssomeoldblowzywithfrumpledhairtryingtoropeinagreenhornwithastringofwordsandphrases，\"concludedJack，carelessly，whohadanequallycynicaldistrustofthesexandofliterature。
\"That\'saboutwhatItoldhim，\"saidtheeditor。
\"That\'sjustwhatyouSHOULDN\'Thavetoldhim，\"returnedJack。
\"Yououghttohavestuckupforthatwomanasifshe\'dbeenyourownmother。Lord!youfellowsdon\'tknowhowtorunamagazine。
YououghttoletMEsitonthatchairandtackleyourcustomers。\"
\"Whatwouldyouhavedone，Jack?\"askedtheeditor，muchamusedtofindthathishithertoinvincibleherowasnotabovetheordinaryhumanweaknessofofferingadviceastoeditorialconduct。
\"Done?\"reflectedJack。\"Well，first，sonny，Ishouldn\'tkeeparevolverinadrawerthatIhadtoOPENtogetat。\"
\"Butwhatwouldyouhavesaid?\"
\"IshouldsimplyhaveaskedhimwhatwasthepriceoflumberatMendocino，\"saidJack，sweetly，\"andwhenhetoldme，Ishouldhavesaidthatthesampleshewasofferingoutofhisownheadwouldn\'tsuit。Yousee，youdon\'twantanytriflinginsuchmatters。Youwritewellenough，myboy，\"continuedhe，turningoverhispaper，\"butwhatyou\'relackinginiseditorialdignity。Butgoonwithyourwork。Don\'tmindme。\"
Thusadmonished，theeditoragainbentoverhisdesk，andhisfriendsoftlytookuphissuspendedsong。TheeditorhadnotproceededfarinhiscorrectionswhenJack\'svoiceagainbrokethesilence。
\"Wherearethosed——dverses，anyway?\"
Withoutlookingup，theeditorwavedhispenciltowardsanuncutcopyofthe\"ExcelsiorMagazine\"lyingonthetable。
\"Youdon\'tsupposeI\'mgoingtoREADthem，doyou?\"saidJack，aggrievedly。\"Whydon\'tyousaywhatthey\'reabout?That\'syourbusinessaseditor。\"
Butthatfunctionary，nowwhollylostandwanderinginthenon-
sequiturofaninvolvedpassageintheproofbeforehim，onlywavedanimpatientremonstrancewithhispencilandknithisbrows。
Jack，withasigh，tookupthemagazine。
Alongsilencefollowed，brokenonlybythehurriedrustlingofsheetsofcopyandanoccasionalexasperatedstartfromtheeditor。
Thesunwasalreadybeginningtoslantadustybeamacrosshisdesk；Jack\'swhistlinghadlongsinceceased。Presently，withanexclamationofrelief，theeditorlaidasidethelastproof-sheetandlookedup。
JackHamlinhadclosedthemagazine，butwithonehandthrownoverthebackofthesofahewasstillholdingit，hisslimforefingerbetweenitsleavestokeeptheplace，andhishandsomeprofileanddarklashesliftedtowardsthewindow。Theeditor，smilingatthisunwontedabstraction，saidquietly，——
\"Well，whatdoyouthinkofthem?\"
Jackrose，laidthemagazinedown，settledhiswhitewaistcoatwithbothhands，andloungedtowardshisfriendwithaudaciousbutslightlyveiledandshiningeyes。\"Theysortofsingthemselvestoyou，\"hesaid，quietly，leaningbesidetheeditor\'sdesk，andlookingdownuponhim。Afterapausehesaid，\"Thenyoudon\'tknowwhatshe\'slike?\"
\"That\'swhatMr。Bowersaskedme，\"remarkedtheeditor。
\"D——nBowers!\"
\"Isupposeyoualsowishmetowriteandaskforpermissiontogiveyouheraddress?\"saidtheeditor，withgreatgravity。
\"No，\"saidJack，coolly。\"IproposetogiveittoYOUwithinaweek，andyouwillpaymewithabreakfast。IshouldliketohaveitsaidthatIwasonceapaidcontributortoliterature。IfI
don\'tgiveittoyou，I\'llstandyouadinner，that\'sall。\"
\"Done!\"saidtheeditor。\"Andyouknownothingofhernow?\"
\"No，\"saidJack，promptly。\"Noryou?\"
\"NomorethanIhavetoldyou。\"
\"That\'lldo。Solong!\"AndJack，carefullyadjustinghisglossyhatoverhiscurlsatanominouslywickedangle，saunteredlightlyfromtheroom。Theeditor，glancingafterhishandsomefigureandhearinghimtakeuphispretermittedwhistleashepassedout，begantothinkthatthecontingentdinnerwasbynomeansaninevitableprospect。
Howbeit，heplungedoncemoreintohismonotonousduties。ButthefreshnessofthedayseemedtohavedepartedwithJack，andthelaterinterruptionsofforemanandpublisherwereofamorepracticalcharacter。Itwasnotuntilthepostarrivedthatthesuperscriptionononeoftheletterscaughthiseye，andrevivedhisformerinterest。Itwasthesamehandasthatofhisunknowncontributor\'smanuscript——ill-formedandboyish。Heopenedtheenvelope。Itcontainedanotherpoemwiththesamesignature，butalsoanote——muchlongerthanthebrieflinesthataccompaniedthefirstcontribution——wasscrawleduponaseparatepieceofpaper。
Thistheeditoropenedfirst，andreadthefollowing，withanamazementthatforthemomentdominatedallothersense:——
MR。EDITOR，——Iseeyouhavegotmypoetryin。ButIdon\'tseethespondulixthatoughterfollow。Perhapsyoudon\'tknowwheretosendit。ThenI\'lltellyou。SendthemoneytoLockBox47，GreenSpringsP。O。，perWellsFargo\'sExpress，andI\'llgetitthere，onaccountofmyparentsnotknowing。We\'reveryhigh-toned，andtheywouldthinkit\'slowmakingpoetryforpapers。Sendamountusuallypaidforpoetryinyourpapers。OrmaybeyouthinkImakepoetryfornothing?That\'swhereyouslipup!
Yourstruly，WHITEVIOLET。
P。S——Ifyoudon\'tpayforpoetry，sendthisback。It\'sasgoodaswhatyoudidputin，andisjustashardtomake。Youhearme?
that\'sme——allthetime。
WHITEVIOLET。
Theeditorturnedquicklytothenewcontributionforsomecorroborationofwhathefeltmustbeanextraordinaryblunder。
Butno!Thefewlinesthathehurriedlyreadbreathedthesameatmosphereofintellectualrepose，gentleness，andimaginationasthefirstcontribution。Andyettheywereinthesamehandwritingasthesingularmissive，andbothwereidenticalwiththepreviousmanuscript。
Hadhebeenthevictimofahoax，andweretheversesnotoriginal?
No；theyweredistinctlyoriginal，localincolor，andevenlocalintheuseofcertainoldEnglishwordsthatwerecommonintheSouthwest。Hehadbeforenoticedtheapparentincongruityofthehandwritingandthetext，anditwaspossiblethatforthepurposesofdisguisethepoetmighthaveemployedanamanuensis。Buthowcouldhereconciletheincongruityofthemercenaryandslangypurportofthemissiveitselfwiththementalhabitofitsauthor?
Wasitpossiblethattheseinconsistentqualitiesexistedintheoneindividual?HesmiledgrimlyashethoughtofhisvisitorBowersandhisfriendJack。HewasstartledasherememberedthepurelyimaginativepicturehehadhimselfgiventotheseriouslyinterestedBowersofthepossibleincongruouspersonalityofthepoetess。
WashequitefairinkeepingthisfromJack?Wasitreallyhonorable，inviewoftheirwager?ItistobefearedthataveryhumanenjoymentofJack\'spossiblediscomfiturequiteasmuchasanychivalrousfriendshipimpelledtheeditortoringeventuallyfortheoffice-boy。
\"SeeifMr。Hamlinisinhisrooms。\"
Theeditorthensatdown，andwroterapidlyasfollows:——
DEARMADAM，——Youareasrightasyouaregenerousinsupposingthatonlyignoranceofyouraddresspreventedthemanagerfrompreviouslyremittingthehonorariumforyourbeautifulverses。Henowbegstosendittoyouinthemanneryouhaveindicated。Astheverseshaveattracteddeservedattention，Ihavebeenappliedtoforyouraddress。Shouldyoucaretosubmitittometobeusedatmydiscretion，Ishallfeelhonoredbyyourconfidence。Butthisisamatterleftentirelytoyourownkindnessandbetterjudgment。Meantime，Itakepleasureinaccepting\"WhiteViolet\'s\"
presentcontribution，andremain，dearmadam，yourobedientservant，THEEDITOR。
Theboyreturnedashewasfoldingtheletter。Mr。HamlinwasnotonlyNOTinhisrooms，but，accordingtohisnegroservantPete，hadlefttownanhouragoforafewdaysinthecountry。
\"Didhesaywhere?\"askedtheeditor，quickly。
\"No，sir:hedidn\'tknow。\"
\"Verywell。Takethistothemanager。\"Headdressedtheletter，and，scrawlingafewhieroglyphicsonamemorandum-tag，toreitoff，andhandeditwiththelettertotheboy。
Anhourlaterhestoodinthemanager\'soffice。\"Thenextnumberisprettywellmadeup，\"hesaid，carelessly，\"andIthinkoftakingadayortwooff。\"
\"Certainly，\"saidthemanager。\"Itwilldoyougood。Wheredoyouthinkyou\'llgo?\"
\"Ihaven\'tquitemadeupmymind。\"
CHAPTERII
\"Hullo!\"saidJackHamlin。
Hehadhaltedhismareattheedgeofanabruptchasm。Itdidnotappeartobefiftyfeetacross，yetitsdepthmusthavebeennearlytwohundredtowherethehiddenmountain-stream，ofwhichitwasthebanks，alternatelyslipped，tumbled，andfellwithmurmuringandmonotonousregularity。Oneortwopine-treesgrowingontheoppositeedge，loosenedattheroots，hadtiltedtheirstraightshaftslikespearsovertheabyss，andthetopofone，restingontheupperbranchesofasycamoreafewyardsfromhim，servedasanaerialbridgeforthepassageofaboyoffourteentowhomMr。
Hamlin\'schallengewasaddressed。
Theboystoppedmidwayinhisperiloustransit，and，lookingdownuponthehorseman，responded，coolly，\"Hullo，yourself!\"
\"Isthattheonlywayacrossthisinfernalhole，ortheoneyoupreferforexercise?\"continuedHamlin，gravely。
Theboysatdownonabough，allowinghisbarefeettodangleoverthedizzydepths，andcriticallyexaminedhisquestioner。Jackhadonthisoccasionmodifiedhisusualcorrectconventionalattirebyatastefulcombinationofavaquero\'scostume，and，inloosewhitebullion-fringedtrousers，redsash，jacket，andsombrero，lookedinfinitelymoredashingandpicturesquethanhisoriginal。
Nevertheless，theboydidnotreply。Mr。Hamlin\'sprideinhisusualascendencyoverwomen，children，horses，andallunreasoninganimalswasdeeplynettled。Hesmiled，however，andsaid，quietly，——
\"Comehere，GeorgeWashington。Iwanttotalktoyou。\"
Withoutrejectingthisaugustyetimpossibletitle，theboypresentlyliftedhisfeet，andcarelesslyresumedhispassageacrossthechasmuntil，reachingthesycamore，hebegantolethimselfdownsquirrel-wise，leapbyleap，withanoccasionaltrapezeswingingfromboughtobough，droppingatlasteasilytotheground。Hereheappearedtoberathergood-looking，albeitthesunandairhadworkedamiracleofbrowntanandfrecklesonhisexposedsurfaces，untilthemottlingofhisovalcheekslookedlikeapolishedbird\'segg。Indeed，itstruckMr。Hamlinthathewasasintenselyapartofthatsylvanseclusionasthehiddenbrookthatmurmured，thebrownvelvetshadowsthatlayliketrappingsonthewhiteflanksofhishorse，thequiveringheat，andthestingingspiceofbay。Mr。Hamlinhadvagueideasofdryadsandfauns，butatthatmomentwouldhavebetsomethingonthechancesoftheirsurvival。
\"Ididnothearwhatyousaidjustnow，general，\"heremarked，withgreateleganceofmanner，\"butIknowfromyourreputationthatitcouldnotbealie。IthereforegatherthatthereISanotherwayacross。\"
Theboysmiled；rather，hisveryshortupperlipapparentlyvanishedcompletelyoverhiswhiteteeth，andhisveryblackeyes，whichshowedagreatdealofthewhitearoundthem，dancedintheirorbits。
\"ButYOUcouldn\'tfindit，\"hesaid，slyly。
\"Nomorecouldyoufindthehalf-dollarIdroppedjustnow，unlessIhelpedyou。\"
Mr。Hamlin，bywayofillustration，leaneddeeplyoverhisleftstirrup，andpointedtotheground。Atthesamemomentabrighthalf-dollarabsolutelyappearedtoglitterintheherbageatthepointofhisfinger。Itwasatrickthathadalwaysbroughtgreatpleasureandprofittohisyoungfriends，andsomelossanddiscomfitureofwagertohisolderones。
Theboypickedupthecoin:\"There\'sadipandalevelcrossingaboutamileoveryer，\"——hepointed，——\"butit\'sthroughthewoods，andthey\'rethathighwiththickbresh。\"
\"Withwhat?\"
\"Bresh，\"repeatedtheboy；\"THAT，\"——pointingtoafewfrondsofbrackengrowingintheshadowofthesycamore。
\"Oh!underbrush?\"
\"Yes；Isaid\'bresh，\'\"returnedtheboy，doggedly。\"YOUmightgetthrough，efyouwarspry，butnotyourhoss。Wheredoyouwanttogo，anyway?\"
\"Doyouknow，George，\"saidMr。Hamlin，lazilythrowinghisrightlegoverthehornofhissaddleforgreatereaseanddeliberationinreplying，\"it\'sveryodd，butthat\'sjustwhatI\'Dliketoknow。
Now，whatwouldYOU，inyourbroadstatesmanlikeviewsofthingsgenerally，advise?\"
Quiteconvincedofthestranger\'smentalunsoundness，theboyglancedagainathishalf-dollar，asiftomakesureofitsintegrity，pocketeditdoubtfully，andturnedaway。
\"Whereareyougoing?\"saidHamlin，resuminghisseatwiththeagilityofacircus-rider，andspurringforward。
\"ToGreenSprings，whereIlive，twomilesovertheridgeonthefarslope，\"——indicatingthedirection。
