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Then　followed　Horatio　Turpin　and　Kitty　Poythress；　and　then　Erskine　and　his　betrothed；　he　with　fresh　feathers　of　the　hawk　and　the　scarlet　tanager　gleaming　in　his　cap　above　his　swart；　stern　aquiline　face。　Then　Peter；　beside　the　widow　Babcock；　he　openly　aflame　and　solicitous；　she　coy　and　discreetly　inviting；　as　is　the　wisdom　of　some。　Then　others　and　others　and　othersa　long　gay　pageant；　filling　the　woods　with　merry　voices　and　laughter。

They　passed　and　the　sounds　died　awaypassed　on　to　the　town　awaiting　the；　to　the　house…warming；　and　please　God；　to　long　life　and　some　real　affection　and　happiness。

Once　he　had　expected　to　ride　beside　her　at　the　head　of　this　procession。　There　had　gone　by　him　the　vision　of　his　own　life　as　it　was　to　have　been。

Long　after　the　last　sound　had　ceased　in　the　distance　he　was　sitting　at　the　root　of　the　red　oak。　The　sun　set；　the　moon　rose；　he　was　there　still。　A　loud；　impatient　neigh　from　his　horse　aroused　him。　He　sprang　lightly　up；　meaning　to　ride　all　night　and　not　to　draw　rein　until　he　had　crossed　the　Kentucky　River　and　reached　Traveller's　Rest；　the　home　of　Governor　Shelby；　where　he　had　been　invited　to　break　his　travel。

All　that　nigh　he　rode　and　at　sunrise　was　far　away。　Pausing　on　a　height　and　turning　his　horse's　head；　he　sat　a　long　time　motion…less　as　a　statue。　Then　he　struck　his　feet　into　its　flank　and　all　that　day　rode　back　again。

The　sun　was　striking　the　tree…tops　as　he　neared　the　clearing。　He　could　see　her　across　the　garden。　She　sat　quite　still；　her　face　turned　toward　the　horizon。　Against　her　breast；　opened　but　forgotten；　lay　a　book。　He　could　recognize　it。　By　that　story　she　had　judged　him　and　wished　to　guide　him。　The　smile　smote　his　eyes　like　the　hilt　of　a　knight's　sword　used　as　a　Cross　to　drive　away　the　Evil　One。　For　he　knew　the　evil　purpose　with　which　he　had　returned。

And　so　he　sat　watching　her　until　she　rose　and　walked　slowly　to　the　house。

XXII

IT　was　early　autumn　when　the　first　letters　from　him　were　received　over　the　mountains。　All　these　had　relation　to　Mount　Vernon　and　his　business　there。

To　the　Transylvania　Library　Committee　he　wrote　that　the　President　had　mad　a　liberal　subscription　for　the　buying　of　books　and　that　the　Vice…President　and　other　public　men　would　be　likely　to　contribute。

His　sonorous；　pompous　letter　to　a　member　of　the　Democratic　Society　was　much　longer　and　in　part　as　follows：

〃When　I　made　know　to　the　President　who　I　was　and　where　I　came　from；　he　regarded　me　with　a　look　at　once　so　stern　and　so　benign；　that　I　felt　like　one　of　my　school…boys　overtaken　in　some　small　rascality　and　was　almost　of　a　mind　to　march　straight　to　a　corner　of　the　room　and　stand　with　my　face　to　the　wall。　If　he　had　seized　me　by　the　coat　collar　and　trounced　me　well；　I　should　somehow　have　felt　that　he　had　the　right。　From　the　conversations　that　followed　I　am　led　to　believe　that　he　knows　the　name　of　every　prominent　member　of　the　Democratic　Society　of　Lexington；　and　that　he　understands　Kentucky　affairs　with　regard　to　national　and　international　complications　as　no　other　living　man。　While　questioning　me　on　the　subject；　he　had　the　manner　of　one　who；　from　conscientiousness；　would　further　verify　facts　which　he　had　already　tested。　But　what　impressed　me　even　more　than　his　knowledge　was　his　justice；　in　illustration　of　which　I　shall　never　forget　his　saying；　that　the　part　which　Kentucky　had　taken；　or　had　wished　to　take；　in　the　Spanish　and　French　conspiracies　had　caused　him　greater　solicitude　than　any　other　single　event　since　the　foundation　of　the　National　Government；　but　that　nowhere　else　in　America　had　the　struggle　for　immediate　self…government　been　so　necessary　and　so　difficult；　and　that　nowhere　else　were　the　mistakes　of　patriotic　and　able　men　more　natural　or　more　to　be　judged　with　mildness。

〃I　think　I　can　quote　his　very　words　when　he　spoke　of　the　foolish　jealousies　and　heartburnings；　due　to　misrepresentations；　that　have　influenced　Kentucky　against　the　East　as　a　section　and　against　the　Government　as　favouring　it：　'The　West　derives　from　the　East　supplies　requisite　to　its　growth　and　comfort；　and　what　is　perhaps　of　still　greater　consequence；　it　must　of　necessity　owe　the　secure　enjoyment　of　indispensable　outlets　for　its　own　production　to　the　weight；　influence；　and　future　maritime　strength　of　the　Atlantic　side　of　the　Union；　directed　by　an　indissoluble　community　of　interest；　as　One　Nation。'

〃Memorable　to　me　likewise　was　the　language　in　which　he　proceeded　to　show　that　this　was　true：

〃'The　inhabitants　of　our　Western　country　have　lately　had　a　useful　lesson　on　this　head。　They　have　seen　in　the　negotiations　by　the　Executive；　and　in　the　unanimous　ratification　by　the　Senate　of　the　treaty　with　Spain；　and　in　the　universal　satisfaction　of　that　event　throughout　the　United　States；　a　decisive　proof　how　unfounded　were　the　suspicions　propagated　among　them　of　a　policy　in　the　General　Government　and　in　the　Atlantic　States　unfriendly　to　their　interests　in　regard　to　the　Mississippi。　。　。　。　Will　they　not　henceforth　be　deaf　to　those　advisers；　if　such　there　are；　who　would　sever　them　from　their　Brethren　and　connect　them　with　Aliens？'

〃I　am　frank　to　declare　that；　having　enjoyed　the　high　privilege　of　these　interviews　with　the　President　and　been　brought　to　judge　rightly　what　through　ignorance　I　had　judged　amiss；　I　feel　myself　in　honour　bound　to　renounce　my　past　political　convictions　and　to　resign　my　membership　in　the　Lexington　Democratic　Society。　Nor　shall　I　join　the　Democratic　Society　of　Philadelphia；　as　had　been　my　ardent　purpose；　and　it　will　not　be　possible　for　me　on　reaching　that　city　to　act　as　the　emissary　of　the　Kentucky　Clubs。　But　I　shall　lay　before　the　Society　the　despatches　of　which　I　am　the　bearer。　And　will　you　lay　before　yours　the　papers　herewith　enclosed；　containing　my　formal　resignation　with　the　grounds　thereof　carefully　stated？〃

To　Mrs。　Falconer　he　wrote　bouyantly：

〃I　have　crossed　the　Kentucky　Alps；　seen　the　American　Caesar；　carried　away　some　of　his　gold。　I　came；　I　saw；　I　overcame。　How　do　you　think　I　met　the　President？　I　was　riding　toward　Mount　Vernon　one　quiet　sunny　afternoon　and　unexpectedly　came　upon　an　old　gentleman　who　was　putting　up　some　bars　that　opened　into　a　wheat…filed　by　the　roadside。　He　had　on　long　boots；　corduroy　smalls；　a　speckled　red　jacket；　blue　coat　with　yellow　buttons；　and　a　broad…brimmed　hat。　He　held　a　hickory　switch　in　his　hand。　An　umbrella　and　a　long　staff　were　attached　to　his　saddle…bow。　His　limbs　were　so　long；　large；　and　sinewy；　his　countenance　so　lofty；　masculine；　and　contemplative；　and　although　he　was　of　a　presence　so　statue…like　and　venerable　that　my　heart　with　a　great　throb　cried　out；　It　is　Washington！〃

〃My　dear　friend；〃　he　wrote　at　the　close；　〃it　is　of　no　little　worth　to　me　that　I　should　have　come　to　Mount　Vernon　at　this　turning…point　of　my　life。　I　find　myself　uplifted　to　a　plane　of　thought　and　feeling　higher　than　has　ever　been　trod　by　me。　When　I　began　to　draw　near　this　place；　I　seemed　to　be　mounting　higher；　like　a　man　ascending　a　mountain；　and　ever　since　my　arrival　there　has　been　this　same　sense　of　rising　into　a　still　loftier　atmosphere；　of　surveying　a　vaster　horizon；　of　beholding　the　juster　relations　of　surrounding　objects。

〃All　this　feeling　has　its　origin　in　my　contemplation　of　the　character　of　the　President。　You　know　that　when　a　heavy　sleet　falls　upon　the　Kentucky　forest；　the　great　trees　crack　and　split；　or　groan　and　stagger；　with　branches　snapped　off　or　trailing。　In　adversity　it　is　often　so　with　men。　But　he　is　a　vast　mountain…peak；　always　calm；　always　lofty；　always　resting　upon　a　base　that　nothing　can　shake；　never　higher；　never　lower；　never　changing；　from　every　quarter　of　the　earth　storms　have　rushed　in　and　beaten　upon　him；　but　they　have　passed；　he　is　as　he　was。　The　heavens　have　emptied　their　sleets　and　snows　on　his　head；these　have　made　him　look　only　purer；　only　the　more　sublime。

〃From　the　spectacle　of　this　great　man　thus　bearing　the　great　burdens　of　his　great　life；　a　new　standard　of　what　is　possible　to　human　nature　has　been　raised　within　me。　I　have　seen　with　my　own　eyes　a　man　whom　the　adverse　forces　of　the　world　have　not　been　able　to　wrecka　lover　of　perfection；　who　has　so　wrought　it　out　in　his　character　that　to　know　him　is　to　be　awed　into　reverence　of　his　virtues。　I　shall　go　away　from　him　with　nobler　hopes　of　what　a　man　may　do　and　be。

〃It　is　to　you　soley　that　I　owe　the　honour　of　having　enjoyed　the　personal　consideration　of　the　President。　His　reception　of　me　had　been　in　the　highest　degree　ceremonious　and　distant；　but　upon　my　mentioning　the　names　of　father　and　brother；　his　manner　grew　warm：　I　had　touched　that　trait　of　affectionate　faithfulness　with　which　he　has　always　held　on　to　every　tie　of　kin　and　friendship。　That　your　father　should　have　fought　against　him　and　your　brother　under　him　made　no　difference　in　his　memory。　He　had　many　questions　to　ask　regarding　youyour　happiness；　your　familyto　some　of　which　I　could　return　the　answers　that　gave　him　pleasure　or　left　him　thoughtful。　Upon　my　setting　out　from　Mount　Vernon；　his　last　words　made　me　the　bearer　of　his　message　to　you；　the　child　of　an　old　comrade　and　the　sister　or　a　gallant　young　soldier。〃

Beyond　this　there　was　nothing　personal　in　his　letter　and　nothing　as　to　his　return。

When　she　next　heard；　he　was　in　Philadelphia；　giving　his　attention　to　the　choosing　and　shipment　of　the　books。　One　piece　of　news；　imparted　in　perfect　calmness　by　him；　occasioned　her　acute　disappointment。　His　expectation　of　coming　into　possession　of　some　ten　thousand　dollars　had　not　quite　been　realized。　An　appeal　had　been　taken　and　the　case　was　yet　pending。　He　was　pleased　neither　with　the　good　faith　nor　with　the　good　sense　of　the　counsel　engaged；　and　he　would　remain　on　the　spot　himself　during　the　trial。　He　added　that　he　was　lodging　with　a　pleasant　family。　Then　followed　the　long　winter　during　which　all　communication　between　the　frontier　and　the　seaboard　was　interrupted。　When　spring　returned　at　last　and　the　earliest　travel　was　resumed；　other　letters　came；　announcing　that　the　case　had　gone　against　him；　and　that　he　had　nothing。

She　sold　at　once　all　the　new　linen　that　had　been　woven；　got　together　all　the　money　she　otherwise　could　and　despatched　it　with　Major　Falconer's　consent；　begging　him　to　make　use　of　it　for　the　sake　of　their　friendshipnot　to　be　foolis