large though sparsely…populated area for locality； while it
suggested a settlement of Louisianians or Mississippians near the
Summit； of whom； through their native gambling proclivities； he was
professionally cognizant。 But he mainly trusted Fortune。 Secure in
his faith in the feminine character of that goddess； he relied a
great deal on her well…known weakness for scamps of his quality。
It was not long before he came to the 〃slide〃a lightly…cut or
shallow ditch。 It descended slightly in a course that was far from
straight； at times diverging to avoid the obstacles of trees or
boulders； at times shaving them so closely as to leave smooth
abrasions along their sides made by the grinding passage of long
logs down the incline。 The track itself was slippery from this；
and preoccupied all Hamlin's skill as a horseman； even to the point
of stopping his usual careless whistle。 At the end of half an hour
the track became level again； and he was confronted with a singular
phenomenon。
He had entered the wood； and the trail seemed to cleave through a
far…stretching； motionless sea of ferns that flowed on either side
to the height of his horse's flanks。 The straight shafts of the
trees rose like columns from their hidden bases and were lost again
in a roof of impenetrable leafage； leaving a clear space of fifty
feet between； through which the surrounding horizon of sky was
perfectly visible。 All the light that entered this vast sylvan
hall came from the sides； nothing permeated from above； nothing
radiated from below； the height of the crest on which the wood was
placed gave it this lateral illumination； but gave it also the
profound isolation of some temple raised by long…forgotten hands。
In spite of the height of these clear shafts； they seemed dwarfed
by the expanse of the wood； and in the farthest perspective the
base of ferns and the capital of foliage appeared almost to meet。
As the boy had warned him； the slide had turned aside； skirting the
wood to follow the incline； and presently the little trail he now
followed vanished utterly； leaving him and his horse adrift breast…
high in this green and yellow sea of fronds。 But Mr。 Hamlin；
imperious of obstacles； and touched by some curiosity； continued to
advance lazily； taking the bearings of a larger red…wood in the
centre of the grove for his objective point。 The elastic mass gave
way before him； brushing his knees or combing his horse's flanks
with wide…spread elfin fingers； and closing up behind him as he
passed； as if to obliterate any track by which he might return。
Yet his usual luck did not desert him here。 Being on horseback； he
found that he could detect what had been invisible to the boy and
probably to all pedestrians； namely； that the growth was not
equally dense； that there were certain thinner and more open spaces
that he could take advantage of by more circuitous progression；
always； however； keeping the bearings of the central tree。 This he
at last reached； and halted his panting horse。 Here a new idea
which had been haunting him since he entered the wood took fuller
possession of him。 He had seen or known all this before！ There
was a strange familiarity either in these objects or in the
impression or spell they left upon him。 He remembered the verses！
Yes； this was the 〃underbrush〃 which the poetess had described： the
gloom above and below； the light that seemed blown through it like
the wind； the suggestion of hidden life beneath this tangled
luxuriance； which she alone had penetrated；all this was here。
But； more than that； here was the atmosphere that she had breathed
into the plaintive melody of her verse。 It did not necessarily
follow that Mr。 Hamlin's translation of her sentiment was the
correct one； or that the ideas her verses had provoked in his mind
were at all what had been hers： in his easy susceptibility he was
simply thrown into a corresponding mood of emotion and relieved
himself with song。 One of the verses he had already associated in
his mind with the rhythm of an old plantation melody； and it struck
his fancy to take advantage of the solitude to try its effect。
Humming to himself； at first softly； he at last grew bolder； and
let his voice drift away through the stark pillars of the sylvan
colonnade till it seemed to suffuse and fill it with no more effort
than the light which strayed in on either side。 Sitting thus； his
hat thrown a little back from his clustering curls； the white neck
and shoulders of his horse uplifting him above the crested mass of
fern； his red sash the one fleck of color in their olive depths； I
am afraid he looked much more like the real minstrel of the grove
than the unknown poetess who transfigured it。 But this； as has
been already indicated； was Jack Hamlin's peculiar gift。 Even as
he had previously outshone the vaquero in his borrowed dress； he
now silenced and supplanted a few fluttering blue…jaysrightful
tenants of the woodwith a more graceful and airy presence and a
far sweeter voice。
The open horizon towards the west had taken a warmer color from the
already slanting sun when Mr。 Hamlin； having rested his horse；
turned to that direction。 He had noticed that the wood was thinner
there； and； pushing forward； he was presently rewarded by the sound
of far…off wheels； and knew he must be near the high…road that the
boy had spoken of。 Having given up his previous intention of
crossing the stream； there seemed nothing better for him to do than
to follow the truant's advice and take the road back to Green
Springs。 Yet he was loath to leave the wood； halting on its verge；
and turning to look back into its charmed recesses。 Once or twice
perhaps because he recalled the words of the poemthat yellowish
sea of ferns had seemed instinct with hidden life； and he had even
fancied； here and there； a swaying of its plumed crests。 Howbeit；
he still lingered long enough for the open sunlight into which he
had obtruded to point out the bravery of his handsome figure。 Then
he wheeled his horse； the light glanced from polished double bit
and bridle…fripperies； caught his red sash and bullion buttons；
struck a parting flash from his silver spurs； and he was gone！
For a moment the light streamed unbrokenly through the wood。 And
then it could be seen that the yellow mass of undergrowth HAD moved
with the passage of another figure than his own。 For ever since he
had entered the shade； a woman； shawled in a vague； shapeless
fashion； had watched him wonderingly； eagerly； excitedly； gliding
from tree to tree as he advanced； or else dropping breathlessly
below the fronds of fern whence she gazed at him as between parted
fingers。 When he wheeled she had run openly to the west； albeit
with hidden face and still clinging shawl； and taken a last look at
his retreating figure。 And then； with a faint but lingering sigh；
she drew back into the shadow of the wood again and vanished also。
CHAPTER III
At the end of twenty minutes Mr。 Hamlin reined in his mare。 He had
just observed in the distant shadows of a by…lane that intersected
his road the vanishing flutter of two light print dresses。 Without
a moment's hesitation he lightly swerved out of the high…road and
followed the retreating figures。
As he neared them； they seemed to be two slim young girls；
evidently so preoccupied with the rustic amusement of edging each
other off the grassy border into the dust of the track that they
did not perceive his approach。 Little shrieks； slight scufflings；
and interjections of 〃Cynthy！ you limb！〃 〃Quit that； Eunice； now！〃
and 〃I just call that real mean！〃 apparently drowned the sound of
his canter in the soft dust。 Checking his speed to a gentle trot；
and pressing his horse close beside the opposite fence； he passed
them with gravely uplifted hat and a serious； preoccupied air。 But
in that single； seemingly conventional glance； Mr。 Hamlin had seen
that they were both pretty； and that one had the short upper lip of
his errant little guide。 A hundred yards farther on he halted； as
if irresolutely； gazed doubtfully ahead of him； and then turned
back。 An expression of innocentalmost childlikeconcern was
clouding the rascal's face。 It was well； as the two girls had
drawn closely together； having been apparently surprised in the
midst of a glowing eulogium of this glorious passing vision by its
sudden return。 At his nearer approach； the one with the short
upper lip hid that piquant feature and the rest of her rosy face
behind the other's shoulder； which was suddenly and significantly
opposed to the advance of this handsome intruder； with a certain
dignity； half real； half affected； but wholly charming。 The
protectress appearedpossibly from her defensive attitudethe
superior of her companion。
Audacious as Jack was to his own sex； he had early learned that
such rare but discomposing graces as he possessed