upon　the　express　truck　and　pitching　the　boxes　in　at　the　doors　of　the　cars　were　but　dimly　discernible。　　Upon　the　iron　railing　that　protected　the　station　lawn　sat　other　men。　　Pipes　were　lighted。　　Village　jokes　went　back　and　forth。　Away　in　the　distance　a　train　whistled　and　the　men　loading　the　boxes　into　the　cars　worked　with　re…　newed　activity。
  Seth　arose　from　his　place　on　the　grass　and　went　silently　past　the　men　perched　upon　the　railing　and　into　Main　Street。　　He　had　come　to　a　resolution。　　〃I'll　get　out　of　here；〃　he　told　himself。　　〃What　good　am　I　here？　I'm　going　to　some　city　and　go　to　work。　　I'll　tell　mother　about　it　tomorrow。〃
  Seth　Richmond　went　slowly　along　Main　Street；　past　Wacker's　Cigar　Store　and　the　Town　Hall；　and　into　Buckeye　Street。　　He　was　depressed　by　the　thought　that　he　was　not　a　part　of　the　life　in　his　own　town；　but　the　depression　did　not　cut　deeply　as　he　did　not　think　of　himself　as　at　fault。　　In　the　heavy　shadows　of　a　big　tree　before　Doctor　Welling's　house；　he　stopped　and　stood　watching　half…witted　Turk　Smollet；　who　was　pushing　a　wheelbarrow　in　the　road。　　The　old　man　with　his　absurdly　boyish　mind　had　a　dozen　long　boards　on　the　wheelbarrow；　and；　as　he　hurried　along　the　road；　balanced　the　load　with　extreme　nicety。　　〃Easy　there；　Turk！　Steady　now；　old　boy！〃　the　old　man　shouted　to　himself；　and　laughed　so　that　the　load　of　boards　rocked　dangerously。
  Seth　knew　Turk　Smollet；　the　half　dangerous　old　wood　chopper　whose　peculiarities　added　so　much　of　color　to　the　life　of　the　village。　　He　knew　that　when　Turk　got　into　Main　Street　he　would　become　the　cen…　ter　of　a　whirlwind　of　cries　and　comments；　that　in　truth　the　old　man　was　going　far　out　of　his　way　in　order　to　pass　through　Main　Street　and　exhibit　his　skill　in　wheeling　the　boards。　　〃If　George　Willard　were　here；　he'd　have　something　to　say；〃　thought　Seth。　〃George　belongs　to　this　town。　　He'd　shout　at　Turk　and　Turk　would　shout　at　him。　　They'd　both　be　se…　cretly　pleased　by　what　they　had　said。　　It's　different　with　me。　　I　don't　belong。　　I'll　not　make　a　fuss　about　it；　but　I'm　going　to　get　out　of　here。〃
  Seth　stumbled　forward　through　the　half…darkness；　feeling　himself　an　outcast　in　his　own　town。　　He　began　to　pity　himself；　but　a　sense　of　the　absurdity　of　his　thoughts　made　him　smile。　　In　the　end　he　de…　cided　that　he　was　simply　old　beyond　his　years　and　not　at　all　a　subject　for　self…pity。　　〃I'm　made　to　go　to　work。　　I　may　be　able　to　make　a　place　for　myself　by　steady　working；　and　I　might　as　well　be　at　it；〃　he　decided。
  Seth　went　to　the　house　of　Banker　White　and　stood　in　the　darkness　by　the　front　door。　　On　the　door　hung　a　heavy　brass　knocker；　an　innovation　introduced　into　the　village　by　Helen　White's　mother；　who　had　also　organized　a　women's　club　for　the　study　of　po…　etry。　　Seth　raised　the　knocker　and　let　it　fall。　　Its　heavy　clatter　sounded　like　a　report　from　distant　guns。　〃How　awkward　and　foolish　I　am；〃　he　thought。　　〃If　Mrs。　White　comes　to　the　door；　I　won't　know　what　to　say。〃
  It　was　Helen　White　who　came　to　the　door　and　found　Seth　standing　at　the　edge　of　the　porch。　　Blush…　ing　with　pleasure；　she　stepped　forward；　closing　the　door　softly。　　〃I'm　going　to　get　out　of　town。　　I　don't　know　what　I'll　do；　but　I'm　going　to　get　out　of　here　and　go　to　work。　　I　think　I'll　go　to　Columbus；〃　he　said。　　〃Perhaps　I'll　get　into　the　State　University　down　there。　　Anyway；　I'm　going。　　I'll　tell　mother　tonight。〃　He　hesitated　and　looked　doubtfully　about。　　〃Perhaps　you　wouldn't　mind　coming　to　walk　with　me？〃
  Seth　and　Helen　walked　through　the　streets　be…　neath　the　trees。　　Heavy　clouds　had　drifted　across　the　face　of　the　moon；　and　before　them　in　the　deep　twi…　light　went　a　man　with　a　short　ladder　upon　his　shoul…　der。　　Hurrying　forward；　the　man　stopped　at　the　street　crossing　and；　putting　the　ladder　against　the　wooden　lamp…post；　lighted　the　village　lights　so　that　their　way　was　half　lighted；　half　darkened；　by　the　lamps　and　by　the　deepening　shadows　cast　by　the　low…branched　trees。　　In　the　tops　of　the　trees　the　wind　began　to　play；　disturbing　the　sleeping　birds　so　that　they　flew　about　calling　plaintively。　　In　the　lighted　space　before　one　of　the　lamps；　two　bats　wheeled　and　circled；　pursuing　the　gathering　swarm　of　night　flies。
  Since　Seth　had　been　a　boy　in　knee　trousers　there　had　been　a　half　expressed　intimacy　between　him　and　the　maiden　who　now　for　the　first　time　walked　beside　him。　　For　a　time　she　had　been　beset　with　a　madness　for　writing　notes　which　she　addressed　to　Seth。　　He　had　found　them　concealed　in　his　books　at　school　and　one　had　been　given　him　by　a　child　met　in　the　street；　while　several　had　been　delivered　through　the　village　post　office。
  The　notes　had　been　written　in　a　round；　boyish　hand　and　had　reflected　a　mind　inflamed　by　novel　reading。　　Seth　had　not　answered　them；　although　he　had　been　moved　and　flattered　by　some　of　the　sen…　tences　scrawled　in　pencil　upon　the　stationery　of　the　banker's　wife。　　Putting　them　into　the　pocket　of　his　coat；　he　went　through　the　street　or　stood　by　the　fence　in　the　school　yard　with　something　burning　at　his　side。　　He　thought　it　fine　that　he　should　be　thus　selected　as　the　favorite　of　the　richest　and　most　at…　tractive　girl　in　town。
  Helen　and　Seth　stopped　by　a　fence　near　where　a　low　dark　building　faced　the　street。　　The　building　had　once　been　a　factory　for　the　making　of　barrel　staves　but　was　now　vacant。　　Across　the　street　upon　the　porch　of　a　house　a　man　and　woman　talked　of　their　childhood；　their　voices　coming　dearly　across　to　the　half…embarrassed　youth　and　maiden。　　There　was　the　sound　of　scraping　chairs　and　the　man　and　woman　came　down　the　gravel　path　to　a　wooden　gate。　　Stand…　ing　outside　the　gate；　the　man　leaned　over　and　kissed　the　woman。　　〃For　old　times'　sake；〃　he　said　and；　turning；　walked　rapidly　away　along　the　sidewalk。
  〃That's　Belle　Turner；〃　whispered　Helen；　and　put　her　hand　boldly　into　Seth's　hand。　　〃I　didn't　know　she　had　a　fellow。　　I　thought　she　was　too　old　for　that。〃　Seth　laughed　uneasily。　　The　hand　of　the　girl　was　warm　and　a　strange；　dizzy　feeling　crept　over　him。　　Into　his　mind　came　a　desire　to　tell　her　some…　thing　he　had　been　determined　not　to　tell。　　〃George　Willard's　in　love　with　you；〃　he　said；　and　in　spite　of　his　agitation　his　voice　was　low　and　quiet。　　〃He's　writ…　ing　a　story；　and　he　wants　to　be　in　love。　　He　wants　to　know　how　it　feels。　　He　wanted　me　to　tell　you　and　see　what　you　said。〃
  Again　Helen　and　Seth　walked　in　silence。　　They　came　to　the　garden　surrounding　the　old　Richmond　place　and　going　through　a　gap　in　the　hedge　sat　on　a　wooden　bench　beneath　a　bush。
  On　the　street　as　he　walked　beside　the　girl　new　and　daring　thoughts　had　come　into　Seth　Richmond's　mind。　　He　began　to　regret　his　decision　to　get　out　of　town。　　〃It　would　be　something　new　and　altogether　delightful　to　remain　and　walk　often　through　the　streets　with　Helen　White；〃　he　thought。　　In　imagina…　tion　he　saw　himself　putting　his　arm　about　her　waist　and　feeling　her　arms　clasped　tightly　about　his　neck。　One　of　those　odd　combinations　of　events　and　places　made　him　connect　the　idea　of　love…making　with　this　girl　and　a　spot　he　had　visited　some　days　before。　　He　had　gone　on　an　errand　to　the　house　of　a　farmer　who　lived　on　a　hillside　beyond　the　Fair　Ground　and　had　returned　by　a　path　through　a　field。　　At　the　foot　of　the　hill　below　the　farmer's　house　Seth　had　stopped　beneath　a　sycamore　tree　and　looked　about　him。　　A　soft　humming　noise　had　greeted　his　ears。　　For　a　mo…　ment　he　had　thought　the　tree　must　be　the　home　of　a　swarm　of　bees。
  And　then；　looking　down；　Seth　had　seen　the　bees　everywhere　all　about　him　in　the　long　grass。　　He　stood　in　a　mass　of　weeds　that　grew　waist…high　in　the　field　that　ran　away　from　the　hillside。　　The　weeds　were　abloom　with　tiny　purple　blossoms　and　gave　forth　an　overpowering　fragrance。　　Upon　the　weeds　the　bees　were　gathered　in　armies；　singing　as　they　worked。
  Seth　imagined　himself　lying　on　a　summer　eve…　ning；　buried　deep　among　the　weeds　beneath　the　tree。　　Beside　him；　in　the　scene　built　in　his　fancy；　lay　Helen　White；　her　hand　lying　in　his　hand。　　A　peculiar　reluctance　kept　him　from　kissing　her　lips；　but　he　felt　he　might　have　done　that　if　he　wished。　　Instead；　he　lay　perfectly　still；　looking　at　her　and　listening　to　the　army　of　bees　that　sang　the　sustained　masterful　song　of　labor　above　his　head。
  On　the　bench　in　the　garden　Seth　stirred　uneasily。　Releasing　the　hand　of　the　girl；　he　thrust　his　hands　into　his　trouser　pockets。　　A　desire　to　impress　the　mind　of　his　companion　with　the　importance　of　the　resolution　he　had　made　came　over　him　and　he　nod…　ded　his　head　toward　the　house。　　〃Mother'll　make　a　fuss；　I　suppose；〃　he　whispered。　　〃She　hasn't　thought　at　all　about　what　I'm　going　to　do　in　life。　　She　thinks　I'm　going　to　stay　on　here　forever　just　being　a　boy。〃
  Seth's　voice　became　charged　with　boyish　earnest…　ness。　　〃You　see；　I've　got　to　strike　out。　　I've　got　to　get　to　work。　　It's　what　I'm　good　for。〃
  Helen　White　was　impressed。　　She　nodded　her　head　and　a　feeling　of　admiration　swept　over　her。　〃This　is　as　it　should　be；〃　she　thought。　　〃This　boy　is　not　a　boy　at　all；　but　a　strong；　purposeful　man。〃　Cer…　tain　vague　desires　that　had　been　invading　her　body　were　swept　away　and　she　sat　up　very　straight　on　the　bench。　　The　thunder　continued　to　rumble　and　flashes　of　heat　lightning　lit　up　the　eastern　sky。　　The　garden　that　had　been　so　mysterio