e house, the main line was dimly discernible by the long trail of white smoke visible now and then against the blue hills, and, when the wind blew from the west, by the faint, dist

ife and children did not exist for Waltonville. Therefore, the railroad swerved far away to another village which was reported as larger, more important, and appr

nt visitors, the agents for commercial firms, the few persons haled to court, traveled from the east and south on the B. & N. Those who came

, the conductor classified his passengers. Starting was long deferred; first the main-line train was behind time; then the engine of the Waltonville train moved slowly, as though it felt in every wheel and valve its heavy burden. The traveling men scolded; the staid fathers and mothers and pretty sis

a new fashion, young, but how young it was hard to say. He was handsomely dressed, and his bags were of a different

sle, complaining of the roughness of his progress. When a passenger took the seat in front of him,

a beast

d had to exert itself to understand. He regarded the pointe

did yo

tly road. I can apply s

it," answered the mild voice. "I myself don't travel much

timonies or those who thought of them seriously; his mind was occupied with certain literary problems which he

an was very friendly; he explained at once that he was going to Waltonville to see his only son graduate and that mother and the girls were in the other car. The sending of

ington," said h

ame in return, the youn

uainted in W

n so that he might talk more comfortably. He

r of any one name

h a kindly, frownin

The name soun

such a person lives

ir, I

y ever know of

d. "I can't say that I reall

dull with age. In each one he opened to an anonymous article. "The Roses of P?stum," an essay, was one; "Bitter Bread," a story, was another. The third was a long poem, "Storm." He opened them, evidently without any intention of exhibiting the

n't know anything a

d I don't,

neighbor, curiously peering over his shoulder, could see plainly. "Approach to shrine. A

the conductor

ven script, the stranger added to his notes, "Ask the con

ng from the rear, was ha

hear the name

ve answer. "But I've only been on this run fifteen years, and my home's

ote in it, "Ask the brakeman about B. E., the incompa

quirer's seat. He said that he lived in Waltonville because it was cheaper and his wife liked to k

king some incoherent excuse, rose to go into the other car. But the other car was crowded, and he had to come back, heavy bags in hand. W

e Hotel sent no porters to the station to meet the train. It was taken for granted that those persons who were able to travel were abl

om the train almost before it stopped, anxious to secure for himself as good accommodations as were to be had, and asked of the amused station agent the location of

hotel was small; its furnishings were poor and rickety; it was not clean; and it was saturated throughout with the odors of stale beer and stale cooking. To engage a room one must enter th

oked at him wit

ll pretty

with

, s

is a coll

they call

Utterly, New York," in a square hand in the untidy, blotte

f the stairs. You can fin

picture hung above the dingy mirror behind the bar. It was a poor old English print, representing the arrival of the stage at an inn door. From the stage window leaned the head of a young girl, who looked with

f any one named Basi

ev

have you b

yea

of any one by the

wait upon the first o

r," s

Basil Everman seemed to amaze him. His brow was for an instant furrowed as though he tried to concentrate all his powers of mind upon some long-past circumstance, but he was not able, at thi

quests. So depressed was he with the last search, which seemed to extend over years and years and lead nowhere, that his first act upo

eager face of Arnold, she saw looking from the inn door the cruel face of Corbin; there,

tore his confidence, Utterly rose, dressed himself

were nervous with fear that John and Harry might not do well; sisters watched, bright-eyed, for brothers and the friends of brothers. Mr. Illington stopped at Utterly's end of one of

He moved his chair as though he would have liked to relieve a black mood by tossing it above his head, and perhaps by slamming it down upon the floor. His quick motions and his bright eyes indicated an abundance of physi

with many a chuckled "Yes, doctor; yes, mars'r," which indicat

a-flyin'. Didn't get you no breakfus! Yes, mars'r, these is meant for cakes." Old Jerry looked towar

, grew more certain that here at last was promise of intelligence. He might have been less sure of the

. Green, "go cla

in, and once bent to the floor, found i

rs'r, th

-keeper the name of the teacher of English at the college. The hotel-keeper

usiness out there this morning. They're having

d Utterly. "Th

ded as he walked, an hour later, out toward the campus. Here was Waltonville, after all, as he imagined it, and in

e of the black railing which protected those who went up the steps to Dr. Green's office, and stopped stock-still when he came to Thomasina's gateway and saw her straight flagged walk and her flowers, and said, "By Jove!" when he heard the music of the bees in

e boys and girls, similarly gowned, following sedately after. From the chapel toward which they advanced came the

coming to the

own by river

uilt with pea

its folk thi

self, not without satisfaction in the kn

s elegance, and were at the same time a little amused. Eleanor Bent saw him and flushed, then grew very white. Here, perhaps, was the stranger who was to call upon her! Her heart was wax, as yet unwritten upon, but this day plastic

f the ladies and upon the flower-decked platform on which faculty and graduates were now taking their places. There were two other occupants of the gallery-at the organ a

surprise to his spirited and accurate work. His eyes then passed from one member of the faculty to another, resting longest upon President Lister, short, dark-skinned, and Jewish in appearance, and upon a tall

htened his shoulders, whispered a "Hello!" at the doctor, and left the gallery. A much smaller boy eme

t quite certain that he read aright. But the name was unmistakable, as well as the young woman's part on the programme-"Eleanor Bent, Valedictory." Utterly slid along the bench toward the doctor, who was much surprised to find him clos

der Eleanor Bent's name, and he p

lady?" he whisper

at him with unfrie

ural

erson of that name in the

r. Green, "t

d to another point. "'Richard Everman

is head toward the

hear of a Ba

r negation. Utterly pointed again to Richard's name. He did not observe or

nything about

w them

is no Bas

idents of the college was Richard Everman, who was also Professor of Greek. Basil-who but a Professor of Greek would give his son such a name? Mr. Utterly glared at Dr. Green. Was this foolish doctor trying to

eginning his "Auditores, Comites, Professores," in a clear voice and with a smiling face. Utterly smiled back, partly in respon

d was composed. The only girl in the class beside Eleanor, Cora Scott, made no impression upon Utterly except that she was a frail little thing, what color and prettiness she might have overshadowed, blotted out by the black gown in which she was swathed. Of them all, no one faile

never seen a more charming girl. She walked well in her approach to the center of the platform, she bowed gracefully, she had, he decided, the most wonderful gray eye

appropriately and becomingly flowery, matching well the roses and th

of English was Scott, Henry Harrington Scott; was certainly the smooth-faced gentleman. He lived probably in one of

countenance was frank and open; there had descended to him, if he were at all related to this mysterious Basil, no outward trace