simple。　It　was　only　when　the　Colonel　had　mentioned　his　name；　and　then　only　because　of　her　urgent　need　of　just　such　sound　practical　advice　as　she　knew　he　could　give　that　she　had　determined　to　seek　his　servicesquite　as　she　would　have　consulted　an　architect　or　an　attorney。
  The　Vermonter　took　his　seat　on　the　extreme　edge　of　the　sofa；　squared　his　shoulders；　pulled　up　the　points　of　his　high　collar；　touched　together　the　tips　of　all　his　fingers；　and　looked　straight　at　his　hostess。
  〃I　am　greatly　obliged　to　you　for　coming；〃　she　began；　　〃for　I　know　how　busy　you　are；　but　I　have　a　question　to　ask　of　you　which　I　feel　sure　you　can　answer　better　than　anyone　I　know。　It　is　about　my　son　Oliver。　I　am　going　to　be　perfectly　frank　with　you；　and　I　want　you　to　be　equally　frank　with　me。〃　And　she　summed　up　Oliver's　aims；　temptations；　and　failings　with　a　skill　that　gained　the　Vermonter's　closest　attention。　〃With　all　this；〃　she　continued；　〃he　is　affectionate；　loves　me　dearly；　and　has　never　disobeyed　me　in　his　life。　It　is　his　love　of　change　that　worries　mehis　instabilityone　thing　one　moment；　and　another　the　next。　It　seems　to　me　the　only　way　to　break　this　up　is　to　throw　him　completely　on　his　own　resources　so　that　he　may　realize　for　once　what　life　really　means。　Now　tell　me〃　and　she　looked　searchingly　into　Cobb's　face；　as　if　eager　to　note　the　effect　of　her　question〃if　he　were　your　only　son；　would　you；　in　view　of　all　I　have　told　you；　send　him　to　New　York　to　make　his　start　in　life；　or　would　you　keep　him　here？〃
  The　Vermonter's　face　had　begun　to　lighten　as　she　progressed；　and　had　entirely　cleared　when　he　learned　why　he　had　been　sent　for。　He　had　been　afraid；　when　he　received　her　note；　that　it　had　been　about　the　mortgage。　　Cobb　was　chairman　of　the　Loan　Committee　at　the　bank；　had　personally　called　attention　to　Richard's　note　being　overdue；　and　had　himself　ordered　its　payment。
  〃My　two　boys　are　at　school　in　Vermont；　Madam；〃　he　answered；　slowly。
  〃But　Oliver　must　earn　his　own　living；〃　she　said；　earnestly。　〃His　father　will　have　nothing　to　give　him。〃
  Cobb　made　no　reply。　He　was　not　surprised。　Most　all　of　these　aristocratic　Southerners　were　on　their　last　legs。　He　was　right　about　the　note；　he　said　to　himself　it　was　just　as　well　to　have　it　paidand　he　made　a　mental　memorandum　to　inquire　about　it　as　soon　as　he　reached　his　office；　and　have　it　pressed　for　settlement　at　once。　Business　matters　must　be　kept　intact。
  〃What　do　you　want　him　to　do；　Madam？〃　he　asked；　looking　at　her　keenly　from　under　his　bushy　eyebrows。
  〃Anything　to　earn　his　bread；〃　she　replied；　in　a　decided　tone。
  Cobb　passed　his　hand　over　his　face；　pinched　his　chin　with　his　thumb　and　forefinger；　and　looked　out　of　the　window。　The　answer　pleased　him。　It　pleased　him；　too；　to　be　consulted　by　the　Horns　on　a　matter　of　this　kind。　It　pleased　him　most　of　all　to　realize　that　when　these　aristocrats　who　differed　with　him　politically　　got　into　a　financial　hole　they　had　to　send　for　him　to　help　pull　them　out。
  For　a　moment　the　Vermonter　remained　in　deep　thought。　〃Here　is　a　Southern　woman；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃with　some　common…sense　and　with　a　head　on　her　shoulders。　If　her　husband　had　half　her　brains　I'd　let　the　mortgage　stand。〃　Then　he　turned　and　faced　her　squarely；　his　eyes　boring　into　hers。
  〃Send　him　to　New　York；　by　all　means；　Madam；　or　anywhere　else　out　of　here；〃　he　said；　firmly；　but　with　a　kindly　tone　in　his　voice。　〃When　you　decide；　let　me　knowI　will　give　him　a　letter　to　a　business　friend　of　mine　who　lives　on　the　Hudson；　a　short　distance　above　the　city；　who　may　help　him。　But　let　me　advise　you　to　send　him　at　once。　I　saw　your　son　yesterday　at　the　club；　and　he　exactly　fits　your　measure；　　except　in　one　respect。　He's　got　more　grit　in　him　than　you　give　him　credit　for。　I　looked　him　over　pretty　carefully；　and　if　he　gets　in　a　tight　place　you　needn't　worry　about　him。　He'll　pull　out；　or　my　name　isn't　Cobb。　And　now　one　thing　more〃　and　he　rose　stiffly　from　the　sofa　and　buttoned　up　his　coat　〃don't　give　him　any　pocket…money。　Chuck　him　out　neck　and　heels　into　the　world　and　let　him　shift　for　himself。　That's　the　way　I　was　treated；　and　that's　the　way　I　got　on。　Good…day。〃
  CHAPTER　VII
  A　SEAT　IN　UNION　SQUARE
  Within　a　day's　journey　of　Kennedy　Square　lay　another　wide　breathing…space；　its　winding　paths　worn　smooth　by　countless　hurrying　feet。
  Over　its　flat　monotony　straggled　a　line　of　gnarled　willows；　marking　the　wanderings　of　some　guileless　brook　long　since　swallowed　up　and　lost　in　the　mazes　of　the　great　city　like　many　another　young　life　fresh　from　green　fields　and　sunny　hill…sides。　This　desert　of　weeds　and　sun…dried；　yellow　grass；　this　kraal　for　scraggly　trees　and　broken　benches；　breasted　the　rush　of　the　great　city　as　a　stone　breasts　a　stream；　dividing　its　currentone　part　swirling　around　and　up　Broadway　　to　the　hills　and　the　other　flowing　eastward　toward　Harlem　and　the　Sound。　Around　its　four　sides；　fronting　　the　four　streets　that　hemmed　it　in；　ran　a　massive　iron　railing；　socketed　in　stone　and　made　man…proof　and　dog…proof　by　four　great　iron　gates。　These　gates　were　opened　at　dawn　to　let　the　restless　in；　and　closed　at　night　to　keep　the　weary　out。
  Above　these　barriers　of　stone　and　iron　no　joyous　magnolias　lifted　their　creamy　blossoms；　no　shy　climbing　roses　played　hide…and…seek；　blushing　scarlet　when　caught。　Along　its　foot…worn　paths　no　drowsy　Moses　ceased　his　droning　call；　no　lovers　walked　forgetful　　of　the　world；　no　staid　old　gentlemen　wandered　　idly；　their　noses　in　their　books。
  All　day　long　on　its　rude　straight…backed　benches　and　over　its　thread…bare　turf　sprawled　unkempt　women　　with　sick　babies　from　the　shanties；　squalid；　noisy　children　from　the　rookeries；　beggars　in　rags；　and　now　and　then　some　hopeless　wayfarerwho　for　the　moment　　had　given　up　his　search　for　work　or　bread　and　who　rested　or　slept　until　the　tap　of　a　constable's　club　brought　him　to　consciousness　and　his　feet。
  At　night；　before　the　gates　were　closedten　o'clock　was　the　hourthere　could　always　be　found；　under　its　dim　lamps；　some　tired　girl；　sitting　in　the　light　for　better　protection　while　she　rested；　or　some　weary　laborer　on　the　way　home　from　his　long　day's　work；　and　always　passing　to　and　fro；　swinging　his　staff；　bullying　the　street…rats　who　were　playing　tag　among　the　trees；　and　inspiring　a　wholesome　awe　among　those　hiding　in　the　shadows；　lounged　some　guardian　of　the　peace　awaiting　the　hour　when　he　could　drive　the　inmates　to　the　sidewalk　and　shut　the　gates　behind　　them　with　a　bang。
  Here　on　one　of　these　same　straight…backed　wooden　seats　one　September　nighta　night　when　the　air　was　heavy　with　a　blurred　haze；　through　which　the　lamps　peered　as　in　a　fog；　and　the　dust　lay　thick　upon　the　leavessat　our　Oliver。
  Outside　the　squareall　about　the　iron　fence；　and　surging　past　the　big　equestrian　statue；　could　be　heard　the　roar　and　din　of　the　great　citythat　maelstrom　which　now　seemed　ready　to　engulf　him。　No　sound　of　merry　laughter　reached　him；　only　rumbling　of　countless　wheels；　the　slow　thud　of　never…ending；　crowded　stages　lumbering　over　the　cobbles；　the　cries　of　the　hucksters　selling　hot　corn；　and　the　ceaseless　scrapings　of　a　thousand　feet。
  He　had　sat　here　since　the　sun　had　gone　down　watching　the　crowds；　wondering　how　they　lived　and　how　they　had　earned　their　freedom　from　such　cares　as　were　now　oppressing　him。　His　heart　was　heavy。　A　long…coveted　berth；　meaning　self…support　and　independence　　and　consequent　relief　to　his　mother's　heart；　had　been　almost　within　his　grasp。　It　was　not　the　place　he　had　expected　when　he　left　home。　It　was　much　more　menial　and　unremunerative。　But　he　had　outlived　all　his　bright　hopes。　He　was　ready　now　to　take　anything　he　could　get　to　save　him　from　returning　　to　Kennedy　Square；　or　what　would　be　still　worse　from　asking　his　mother　for　a　penny　more　than　she　had　given　him。　Rather　than　do　this　he　would　sweep　the　streets。
  As　he　leaned　forward　on　the　bench；　his　face　in　his　hands；　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　his　thoughts　went　back　to　his　father's　house。　He　knew　what　they　were　all　doing　at　this　hour；　he　could　see　the　porches　crowded　with　the　boys　and　girls　he　loved；　their　bright　voices　filling　the　night…air；　Sue　in　the　midst　of　them；　her　curls　about　her　face。　He　could　see　his　father　in　the　big　chair　reading　by　the　lamp；　that　dear　old　father　who　had　held　his　hands　so　tenderly　and　spoken　with　such　earnestness　the　day　before　he　had　left　Kennedy　Square。
  〃Your　mother　is　right；〃　Richard　had　said。　〃I　am　glad　you　are　going；　my　son；　the　men　at　the　North　are　broader…minded　than　we　are　here；　and　you　will　soon　find　your　place　among　them。　Great　things　are　ahead　of　us；　my　boy。　I　shall　not　live　to　see　them；　but　you　will。〃
  He　could　see　his　mother；　too；　sitting　by　the　window；　　looking　out　upon　the　trees。　He　knew　where　her　thoughts　lay。　As　his　mind　rested　on　her　pale　face　his　eyes　filled　with　tears。　〃Dear　old　mother；〃　he　said　to　himself〃I　am　not　forgetting；　dear。　I　am　holding　on。　But　oh；　if　I　had　only　got　the　place　to…day；　how　happy　you　would　be　to…morrow。〃
  A　bitter　feeling　had　risen　in　his　heart；　when　he　had　opened　the　letter　which　had　brought　him　the　news　of　the　loss　of　this　hoped…for　situation。　〃This　is　making　one's　way　in　the　world；　is　it？〃　he　had　said　to　himself　with　a　heavy　sigh。　Then　the　calm　eyes　of　his　mother　had　looked　into　his　again；　and　h