harvest　and　green　orchards；　white　roads　and　clustering　towns；
  with　here　and　there　a　little　city　　on　the　bank　of　the　mighty
  river　which　curved　in　a　vast　line　of　beauty　toward　the　blue
  Catskill　Range；　fifty　miles　away。　　Lines　of　filmy　smoke；　like
  vanishing　footprints　in　the　air；　marked　the　passage　of　railway
  trains　across　the　landscapetheir　swift　flight　reduced　by
  distance　to　a　leisurely　transition。　　The　bright　surface　of　the
  stream　was　furrowed　by　a　hundred　vessels；　tiny　rowboats　creeping
  from　shore　to　shore；　knots　of　black　barges　following　the　lead　of
  puffing　tugs；　sloops　with　languid　motion　tacking　against　the
  tide；　white　steamboats；　like　huge　toy…houses；　crowded　with
  pygmy　inhabitants；　moving　smoothly　on　their　way　to　the　great
  city；　and　disappearing　suddenly　as　they　turned　into　the
  narrows　between　Storm…King　and　the　Fishkill　Mountains。　　Down
  there　was　life；　incessant；　varied；　restless；　intricate；
  many…coloureddown　there　was　history；　the　highway　of　ancient
  voyagers　since　the　days　of　Hendrik　Hudson；　the　hunting…ground
  of　Indian　tribes；　the　scenes　of　massacre　and　battle；　the　last
  camp　of　the　Army　of　the　Revolution；　the　Head…quarters　of
  Washingtondown　there　were　the　homes　of　legend　and
  poetry；　the　dreamlike　hills　of　Rip　van　Winkle's　sleep；　the
  cliffs　and　caves　haunted　by　the　Culprit　Fay；　the　solitudes
  traversed　by　the　Spyall　outspread　before　us；　and　visible　as
  in　a　Claude　Lorraine　glass；　in　the　tranquil　lucidity　of
  distance。　　And　here；　on　the　hilltop；　was　our　own　life；　secluded；
  yet　never　separated　from　the　other　life；　looking　down
  upon　it；　yet　woven　of　the　same　stuff；　peaceful　in
  circumstance；　yet　ever　busy　with　its　own　tasks；　and　holding　in
  its　quiet　heart　all　the　elements　of　joy　and　sorrow　and　tragic
  consequence。
  The　Master　was　a　man　of　most　unworldly　wisdom。　　In　his
  youth　a　great　traveller；　he　had　brought　home　many
  observations；　a　few　views；　and　at　least　one　theory。　　To　him
  the　school　was　the　most　important　of　human　institutionsmore
  vital　even　than　the　home；　because　it　held　the　first　real
  experience　of　social　contact；　of　free　intercourse　with　other
  minds　and　lives　coming　from　different　households　and　embodying
  different　strains　of　blood。　　〃My　school；〃　said　he；　〃is　the
  world　in　miniature。　　If　I　can　teach　these　boys　to　study　and
  play　together　freely　and　with　fairness　to　one　another；　I　shall
  make　men　fit　to　live　and　work　together　in　society。　　What　they
  learn　matters　less　than　how　they　learn　it。　　The　great　thing　is
  the　bringing　out　of　individual　character　so　that　it　will　find　its
  place　in　social　harmony。〃
  Yet　never　man　knew　less　of　character　in　the　concrete　than
  Master　Ward。　　To　him　each　person　represented　a　typethe
  scientific；　the　practical；　the　poetic。　　From　each　one　he
  expected；　and　in　each　one　he　found；　to　a　certain　degree；　the
  fruit　of　the　marked　quality；　the　obvious；　the　characteristic。
  But　of　the　deeper　character；　made　up　of　a　hundred　traits；
  coloured　and　conditioned　most　vitally　by　something　secret　and
  in　itself　apparently　of　slight　importance；　he　was　placidly
  unconscious。　　Classes　he　knew。　　Individuals　escaped　him。　　Yet
  he　was　a　most　companionable　man；　a　social　solitary；　a　friendly
  hermit。
  His　daughter　Dorothy　seemed　to　me　even　more　fair　and
  appealing　by　daylight　than　when　I　first　saw　her　in　the　dusk。
  There　was　a　pure　brightness　in　her　brown　eyes；　a　gentle
  dignity　in　her　look　and　bearing；　a　soft　cadence　of　expectant　joy
  in　her　voice。　　She　was　womanly　in　every　tone　and　motion；　yet　by
  no　means　weak　or　uncertain。　　Mistress　of　herself　and　of　the
  house；　she　ruled　her　kingdom　without　an　effort。　　Busied　with　many
  little　cares；　she　bore　them　lightly。　　Her　spirit　overflowed　into
  the　lives　around　her　with　delicate　sympathy　and　merry　cheer。　　But
  it　was　in　music　that　her　nature　found　its　widest　outlet。　　In　the
  lengthening　evenings　of　late　August　she　would　play　from　Schumann；
  or　Chopin；　or　Grieg；　interpreting　the　vague　feelings　of
  gladness　or　grief　which　lie　too　deep　for　words。　　Ballads　she
  loved；　quaint　old　English　and　Scotch　airs；　folk…songs　of
  Germany；　〃Come…all…ye's〃　of　Ireland；　Canadian　chansons。　　She
  sangnot　like　an　angel；　but　like　a　woman。
  Of　the　two　under…masters　in　the　school；　Edward　Keene　was
  the　elder。　　The　younger；　John　Graham；　was　his　opposite　in
  every　respect。　　Sturdy；　fair…haired；　plain　in　the　face；　he　was
  essentially　an　every…day　man；　devoted　to　out…of…door　sports；
  a　hard　worker；　a　good　player；　and　a　sound　sleeper。　　He　came
  back　to　the　school；　from　a　fishing…excursion；　a　few　days　after　my
  arrival。　　I　liked　the　way　in　which　he　told　of　his　adventures；
  with　a　little　frank　boasting；　enough　to　season　but　not　to　spoil
  the　story。　　I　liked　the　way　in　which　he　took　hold　of　his　work；
  helping　to　get　the　school　in　readiness　for　the　return　of　the　boys
  in　the　middle　of　September。　　I　liked；　more　than　all；　his　attitude
  to　Dorothy　Ward。　　He　loved　her；　clearly　enough。　　When　she　was　in
  the　room　the　other　people　were　only　accidents　to　him。　　Yet　there
  was　nothing　of　the　disappointed　suitor　in　his　bearing。　　He　was
  cheerful；　natural；　accepting　the　situation；　giving　her　the
  best　he　had　to　give；　and　gladly　taking　from　her　the　frank
  reliance；　the　ready　comradeship　which　she　bestowed　upon　him。
  If　he　envied　Keeneand　how　could　he　help　itat　least　he
  never　showed　a　touch　of　jealousy　or　rivalry。　　The　engagement
  was　a　fact　which　he　took　into　account　as　something　not　to　be
  changed　or　questioned。　　Keene　was　so　much　more　brilliant；
  interesting；　attractive。　　He　answered　so　much　more　fully　to
  the　poetic　side　of　Dorothy's　nature。　　How　could　she　help
  preferring　him？
  Thus　the　three　actors　in　the　drama　stood；　when
  I　became　an　inmate　of　Hilltop；　and　accepted　the　master's
  invitation　to　undertake　some　of　the　minor　classes　in　English；
  and　stay　on　at　the　school　indefinitely。　　It　was　my　wish　to　see
  the　little　playa　pleasant　comedy；　I　hopedmove　forward　to
  a　happy　ending。　　And　yetwhat　was　it　that　disturbed　me　now
  and　then　with　forebodings？　　Something；　doubtless；　in　the
  character　of　Keene；　for　he　was　the　dominant　personality。　　The
  key　of　the　situation　lay　with　him。　　He　was　the　centre　of
  interest。　　Yet　he　was　the　one　who　seemed　not　perfectly　in
  harmony；　not　quite　at　home；　as　if　something　beckoned　and　urged
  him　away。
  〃I　am　glad　you　are　to　stay；〃　said　he；　〃yet　I　wonder　at　it。
  You　will　find　the　life　narrow；　after　all　your　travels。
  Ulysses　at　Ithacayou　will　surely　be　restless　to　see　the
  world　again。〃
  〃If　you　find　the　life　broad　enough；　I　ought　not　to　be
  cramped　in　it。〃
  〃Ah；　but　I　have　compensations。〃
  〃One　you　certainly　have；〃　said　I；　thinking　of　Dorothy；
  〃and　that　one　is　enough　to　make　a　man　happy　anywhere。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　answered；　quickly；　〃but　that　is　not　what　I
  mean。　　It　is　not　there　that　I　look　for　a　wider　life。　　Lovedo
  you　think　that　love　broadens　a　man's　outlook？　　To　me　it　seems
  to　make　him　narrowerhappier；　perhaps；　within　his　own　little
  circlebut　distinctly　narrower。　　Knowledge　is　the　only　thing
  that　broadens　life；　sets　it　free　from　the　tyranny　of　the
  parish；　fills　it　with　the　sense　of　power。　　And　love　is　the
  opposite　of　knowledge。　　Love　is　a　kind　of　an　illusiona　happy
  illusion；　that　is　what　love　is。　　Don't　you　see　that？〃
  〃See　it？〃　I　cried。　　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。　　Do　you
  mean　that　you　don't　really　care　for　Dorothy　Ward？　　Do　you　mean
  that　what　you　have　won　in　her　is　an　illusion？　　If　so；　you　are
  as　wrong　as　a　man　can　be。〃
  〃No；　no；〃　he　answered；　eagerly；　〃you　know　I　don't　mean
  that。　　I　could　not　live　without　her。　　But　love　is　not　the　only
  reality。　　There　is　something　else；　something　broader；
  something〃
  〃Come　away；〃　I　said；　〃come　away；　man！　　You　are　talking
  nonsense；　treason。　　You　are　not　true　to　yourself。　　You've　been
  working　too　hard　at　your　books。　　There's　a　maggot　in　your　brain。
  Come　out　for　a　long　walk。〃
  That　indeed　was　what　he　liked　best。　　He　was　a　magnificent
  walker；　easy；　steady；　unwearying。　　He　knew　every　road　and　lane
  in　the　valleys；　every　footpath　and　trail　among　the　mountains。
  But　he　cared　little　for　walking　in　company；　one　companion　was
  the　most　that　he　could　abide。　　And；　strange　to　say；　it　was　not
  Dorothy　whom　he　chose　for　his　most　frequent　comrade。　　With　her
  he　would　saunter　down　the　Black　Brook　path；　or　climb　slowly　to
  the　first　ridge　of　Storm…King。　　But　with　me　he　pushed　out　to
  the　farthest　pinnacle　that　overhangs　the　river；　and　down
  through　the　Lonely　Heart　gorge；　and　over　the　pass　of　the　White
  Horse；　and　up　to　the　peak　of　Cro'　Nest；　and　across　the　rugged
  summit　of　Black　Rock。　　At　every　wider　outlook　a　strange
  exhilaration　seemed　to　come　upon　him。　　His　spirit　glowed　like
  a　live　coal　in　the　wind。　　He　overflowed　with　brilliant　talk
  and　curious　stories　of　the　villages　and　scattered　houses　that
  we　could　see　from　our　eyries。
  But　it　was　not　with　me　that　he　made　his　longest　expeditions。
  They　were　solitary。　　Early　on　Saturday　he　would　leave　the　rest　of
  us；　with　some　slight　excuse；　and　start　away　on　the　mountain…road；
  to　be　gone　all　day。　　Sometimes　he　would　not　return　till　long
  after　dark。　　Then　I　could　see　the　anxious　look　deepen　on
  Dorothy's　face；　and　she　would　slip　away　down　the　road　to　meet
  him。　　But　he　always　came　back　in　good　spirits；　talkable　and
  charming。　　It　was　the　ne