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f his large hands together like bands of iron。 〃But by God I'll have it； and if it is not a good one； you shall answer。〃 His oath sounded like an invocation to the Divine justicenot profanity。 Joseph fixed his quiet fearless eyes on Gray's。 〃I'll answer for myselfand for her〃he replied and turned away。
Still later Gray met her while dancingthe faint rose of her cheeks a shade deeper； the dazzling whiteness of her skin more pearl…like with warmth； her gaiety and happiness still mounting； her eyes still wandering among the men； culling their admiration。
〃You haven't asked me to dance to…night。 You haven't even let me tell you why I had to come with Joseph； when I wanted to come with you。〃 She gave a little pout of annoyance and let her eyes rest on his with the old fondness。 〃Don't you want to know why I broke my engagement with you？〃 And she danced on； smiling back at him provokingly。 He did not show that he heard； and although they did not meet again； he was made aware that a change had at last come over her。 She was angry now。 He could hear her laughter oftenerlaughter that was meant for his ear and she was dancing oftener with Joseph。 He looked at her repeatedly； but she avoided his eyes。
〃I am playing a poor part by staying here！〃 he said with shame； and left the house。
After wandering aimlessly about the town for some two hours； he went resolvedly back again and stood out in the darkness； looking in at her through the windows。 There she was； unwearied； happy； not feigning； and no more affected by what had taken place between them than a candle is affected by a scorched insect。 So it seemed to him。
This was the first time he had ever seen her at a ball。 He had never realized what powers she possessed in a field like this： what play； what resources； what changes； what stratagems； what victories。 He mournfully missed for the first time certain things in himself that should have corresponded with all those light and graceful things in her。 Perhaps what hurt him most were her eyes； always abroad searching for admiration； forever filling the forever emptied honeycomb of self…love。
With him love was a sacred； a grim； an inviolate selection。 He would no more have wished the woman he had chosen to seek indiscriminate admiration with her eyes than with her lips or her waist。 It implied the same fatal flaw in her refinement； her modesty； her faithfulness； her high breeding。 A light wind stirred the leaves of the trees overhead。 A few drops of rain fell on his hat。 He drew his hand heavily across his eyes and turned away。 Reaching his room； he dropped down into a chair before his open window and sat gazing absently into the black east。
Within he faced a yet blacker voidthe ruined hopes on which the sun would never rise again。
It was the end of everything between him and Amy： that was his one thought。 It did not occur to him even to reflect whether he had been right or wrong； rude or gentle： it was the end： nothing else appeared worth considering。
Life to him meant a simple straightforward game played with a few well…known principles。 It must be as open as a chess…board： each player should see every move of the other： and all who chose could look on。
He was still very young。
X THE glimmer of gray dawn at last and he had never moved from his seat。 A fine； drizzling rain had set in。 Clouds of mist brushed against the walls of his cabin。 In the stillness he could hear the big trees shedding their drops from leaf to bending leaf and the musical tinkle of these as they took their last leap into little pools below。 With the chilliness which misery brings he got up at last and wrapped his weather…coat about him。 If it were only day when he could go to his work and try to forget！ Restless； sleepless； unable to read； tired of sitting； driven on by the desire to get rid of his own thoughts； he started out to walk。 As he passed his school…house he noticed that the door of it； always fastened by a simple latch； now stood open； and he went over to see if everything inside were in order。 All his life； when any trouble had come upon him； he had quickly returned to his nearest post of duty like a soldier； and once in the school…room now； he threw himself down in his chair with the sudden feeling that here in his familiar work he must still find his homethe home of his mind and his affectionsas so long in the past。 The mere aspect of the poor bare place had never been so kind。 The very walls appeared to open to him like a refuge； to enfold themselves around him with friendly strength and understanding。
He sat at the upper end of the room； gazing blankly through the doorway at the gray light and clouds of white mist trailing。 Once an object came into the field of his vision。 At the first glimpse he thought it a doglong； lean； skulking； prowling； tawnyon the scent of his tracks。 Then the mist passed over it。 When he beheld it again it had approached nearer and was creeping rapidly toward the door。 His listless eyes grew fascinated by its motionsits litheness； suppleness； grace； stealth； exquisite caution。 Never before had he seen a dog with the step of a cat。 A second time the fog closed over it； and then； advancing right out of the cloud with more swiftness； more cunning； its large feet falling as lightly as flakes of snow； the weight of its huge body borne forward as noiselessly as the trailing mist； it came straight on。 It reached the hickory block； which formed the doorstep； it paused there an instant； with its fore quarters in the doorway； one fore foot raised； the end of its long tail waving； and then it stole just over the threshold and crouched； its head pressed down until its long； whitish throat lay on the floor； its short； jagged ears set forward stiffly like the broken points of a javelin； its dilated eye blazing with steady green fireas still as death。 And then with his blood become as ice in his veins from horror and all the strength gone out of him in a deathlike faintness； the school… master realized that he was face to face unarmed with a cougar； gaunt with famine and come for its kill。
This dreaded animal； the panther or painter of the backwoodsman； which has for its kindred the royal tiger and the fatal leopard of the Old World； the beautiful ocelot and splendid unconquerable jaguar of the New； is now rarely found in the Atlantic States or the fastnesses of the Alleghanies。 It too has crossed the Mississippi and is probably now best known as the savage puma of more southern zones。 But a hundred years ago it abounded throughout the Western wilderness； making its deeper dens in the caverns of mountain rocks； its lair in the impenetrable thickets of bramble and brakes of cane； or close to miry swamps and watery everglades； and no other region was so loved by it as the vast game park of the Indians； where reined a semi…tropical splendour and luxuriance of vegetation and where； protected from time immemorial by the Indian hunters themselves； all the other animals thatconstitute its prey roved and ranged in unimaginable numbers。 To the earliest Kentuckians who cut their way into this； the most royal jungle of the New World； to wrest it from the Indians and subdue it for wife and child； it was the no