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 next day that the reaction came。 The black
fit took him。 He was silent； moody； bitter。 Holding himself
aloof； yet never giving utterance to any irritation； he seemed
half…unconsciously to resent the claims of love and friendship；
as if they irked him。 There was a look in his eyes as if he
measured us； weighed us； analysed us all as strangers。
Yes； even Dorothy。 I have seen her go to meet him with a
flower in her hand that she had plucked for him； and turn away
with her lips trembling； too proud to say a word； dropping the
flower on the grass。 John Graham saw it； too。 He waited till
she was gone； then he picked up the flower and kept it。
There was nothing to take offence at； nothing on which one
could lay a finger； only these singular alternations of mood
which made Keene now the most delightful of friends； now an
intimate stranger in the circle。 The change was inexplicable。
But certainly it seemed to have some connection； as cause or
consequence； with his long； lonely walks。
Once； when he was absent； we spoke of his remarkable
fluctuations of spirit。
The master labelled him。 〃He is an idealist； a dreamer。
They are always uncertain。〃
I blamed him。 〃He gives way too much to his moods。 He
lacks self…control。 He is in danger of spoiling a fine
nature。〃
I looked at Dorothy。 She defended him。 〃Why should he be
always the same？ He is too great for that。 His thoughts make
him restless； and sometimes he is tired。 Surely you wouldn't
have him act what he don't feel。 Why do you want him to do
that？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Graham； with a short laugh。 〃None of
us know。 But what we all want just now is music。 Dorothy； will
you sing a little for us？〃
So she sang 〃The Coulin；〃 and 〃The Days o' the Kerry
Dancin'；〃 and 〃The Hawthorn Tree；〃 and 〃The Green Woods of
Truigha；〃 and 〃Flowers o' the Forest；〃 and 〃A la claire
Fontaine；〃 until the twilight was filled with peace。
The boys came back to the school。 The wheels of routine
began to turn again； slowly and with a little friction at
first； then smoothly and swiftly as if they had never stopped。
Summer reddened into autumn； autumn bronzed into fall。 The
maples and poplars were bare。 The oaks alone kept their
rusted crimson glory； and the cloaks of spruce and hemlock on
the shoulders of the hills grew dark with wintry foliage。
Keene's transitions of mood became more frequent and more
extreme。 The gulf of isolation that divided him from us when
the black days came seemed wider and more unfathomable。
Dorothy and John Graham were thrown more constantly together。
Keene appeared to encourage their companionship。 He watched
them curiously； sometimes； not as if he were jealous； but rather
as if he were interested in some delicate experiment。 At other
times he would be singularly indifferent to everything； remote；
abstracted； forgetful。
Dorothy's birthday； which fell in mid…October； was kept as
a holiday。 In the morning everyone had some little birthday
gift for her； except Keene。 He had forgotten the birthday
entirely。 The shadow of disappointment that quenched the
brightness of her face was pitiful。 Even he could not be
blind to it。 He flushed as if surprised； and hesitated a
moment； evidently in conflict with himself。 Then a look of
shame and regret came into his eyes。 He made some excuse for
not going with us to the picnic； at the Black Brook Falls；
with which the day was celebrated。 In the afternoon； as we
all sat around the camp…fire； he came swinging through the
woods with his long； swift stride； and going at once to
Dorothy laid a little brooch of pearl and opal in her hand。
〃Will you forgive me？〃 he said。 〃I hope this is not too
late。 But I lost the train back from Newburg and walked home。
I pray that you may never know any tears but pearls； and that
there may be nothing changeable about you but the opal。〃
〃Oh； Edward！〃 she cried； 〃how beautiful！ Thank you a
thousand times。 But I wish you had been with us all day。 We
have missed you so much！〃
For the rest of that day simplicity and clearness and joy
came back to us。 Keene was at his best； a leader of friendly
merriment； a master of good…fellowship； a prince of delicate
chivalry。 Dorothy's loveliness unfolded like a flower in the
sun。
But the Indian summer of peace was brief。 It was hardly
a week before Keene's old moods returned； darker and stranger
than ever。 The girl's unconcealable bewilderment； her sense
of wounded loyalty and baffled anxiety； her still look of hurt
and wondering tenderness； increased from day to day。 John
Graham's temper seemed to change； suddenly and completely。
From the best…humoured and most careless fellow in the world；
he became silent； thoughtful； irritable toward everyone except
Dorothy。 With Keene he was curt and impatient； avoiding him
as much as possible； and when they were together； evidently
struggling to keep down a deep dislike and rising anger。 They
had had sharp words when they were alone； I was sure； but
Keene's coolness seemed to grow with Graham's heat。 There was
no open quarrel。
One Saturday evening； Graham came to me。 〃You have seen
what is going on here？〃 he said。
〃Something； at least；〃 I answered； 〃and I am very sorry
for it。 But I don't quite understand it。〃
〃Well； I do； and I'm going to put an end to it。 I'm going
to have it out with Ned Keene。 He is breaking her heart。〃
〃But are you the right one to take the matter up？〃
〃Who else is there to do it？〃
〃Her father。〃
〃He sees nothing； comprehends nothing。 'Practical
typepoetic typemisunderstandings sure to arisecome
together after a while each supply the other's deficiencies。'
Cursed folly！ And the girl so unhappy that she can't tell
anyone。 It shall not go on； I say。 Keene is out on the road
now； taking one of his infernal walks。 I'm going to meet him。〃
〃I'm afraid it will make trouble。 Let me go with you。〃
〃The trouble is made。 Come if you like。 I'm going now。〃
The night lay heavy upon the forest。 Where the road
dipped through the valley we could hardly see a rod ahead of
us。 But higher up where the way curved around the breast of
the mountain； the woods were thin on the left； and on the
right a sheer precipice fell away to the gorge of the brook。
In the dim starlight we saw Keene striding toward us。 Graham
stepped out to meet him。
〃Where have you been； Ned Keene？〃 he cried。 The cry was
a challenge。 Keene lifted his head and stood still。 Then he
laughed and took a step forward。
〃Taking a long walk； Jack Graham；；〃 he answered。 〃It was
glorious。 You should have been with me。 But why this sudden
question？〃
〃Because your long walk is a pretence。 You are playing false。
There is some woman that you go to see at West Point； at Highland
Falls； who knows where？〃
Keene laughed again。
〃Certainly you don't know； my dear fellow； and neither do
I。 Since when has walking become a vice in your estimation？
You seem to be in a fierce mood。 What's the matter？〃
〃I will tell you what's the matter。 You have been acting
like a brute to the girl you profess to love。〃
〃Plain words！ But between friends frankness is best。 Did
she ask you to tell me？〃
〃No！ You know too well she would die before she would
speak。 You are killing her； that is what you are doing with
your devilish moods and mysteries。 You must stop。 Do you
hear？ You must give her up。〃
〃I hear well enough； and it sounds like a word for her and
two for yourself。 Is that it？〃
〃Damn you；〃 cried the younger man； 〃let the words go！
we'll settle it this way〃and he sprang at the other's
throat。
Keene； cool and well…braced； met him with a heavy blow in
the chest。 He recoiled； and I rushed between them； holding
Graham back； and pleading for self…control。 As we stood thus；
panting and confused； on the edge of the cliff； a singing
voice floated up to us from the shadows across the valley。 It
was Herrick's song again：
A heart as soft； a heart as kind；
A heart as sound and free
Is in the whole world thou canst find；
That heart I'll give to thee。
〃Come； gentlemen；〃 I cried； 〃this is folly； sheer madness。
You can never deal with the matter in this way。 Think of the
girl who is singing down yonder。 What would happen to her；
what would she suffer； from scandal； from her own feelings； if
either of you should be killed； or even seriously hurt by the
other？ There must be no quarrel between you。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Keene； whose poise； if shaken at all；
had returned； 〃certainly； you are right。 It is not of my
seeking； nor shall I be the one to keep it up。 I am willing to
let it pass。 It is but a small matter at most。〃
I turned to Graham〃And you？〃
He hesitated a little； and then said； doggedly 〃On one
condition。〃
〃And that is？〃
〃Keene must explain。 He must answer my question。〃
〃Do you accept？〃 I asked Keene。
〃Yes and no！〃 he replied。 〃No！ to answering Graham's
question。 He is not the person to ask it。 I wonder that he
does not see the impropriety； the absurdity of his meddling at
all in this affair。 Besides； he could not understand my
answer even if he believed it。 But to the explanation； I say；
Yes！ I will give it； not to Graham； but to you。 I make you
this proposition。 To…morrow is Sunday。 We shall be excused
from service if we tell the master that we have important
business to settle together。 You shall come with me on one of
my long walks。 I will tell you all about them。 Then you can
be the judge whether there is any harm in them。〃
〃Does that satisfy you？〃 I said to Graham。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； 〃that seems fair enough。 I am content
to leave it in that way for the present。 And to make it still
more fair； I want to take back what I said awhile ago； and to
ask Keene's pardon for it。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Keene； quickly； 〃it was said in haste；
I bear no grudge。 You simply did not understand； that is
all。〃
So we turned to go down the hill； and as we turned；
Dorothy met us； coming out of the shadows。
〃What are you men do