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closet？ He got up； took the bundle out； laid it on his table； untied the kerchief； lifted carefully off the white muslin dress and the blue silk coat； and started with them toward two empty pegs on the wall。 He never closed the door of his cabin if the night was fine。 It stood open now and a light wind blew the soft fabrics against his body and limbs； so that they seemed to fold themselves about him； to cling to him。 He disengaged them reluctantlyapologetically。
Then he lay down again。 But now the dress on the wall fascinated him。 The moonlight bathed it； the wind swayed it。 This was the first time that a woman's garments had ever hung in his room。 He welcomed the mere accident of their presence as though it possessed a forerunning intelligence； as though it were the annunciation of his approaching change of life。 And so laughing to himself； and under the spell of a growing fancy； he got up again and took the little white shoes and set them on the table in the moonlighton the open Bible and the speech of St。Pauland then went back； and lay looking at them and dreaminglooking at them and dreaming。
His thoughts passed meantime like a shining flock of white doves to Amy； hovering about her。 They stole onward to the time when she would be his wife； when lying thus； he would wake in the night and see her dress on the wall and feel her head on his bosom； when her little shoes might stand on his open Bible； if they chose； and the satin instep of her bare foot be folded in the hard hollow of his。
He uttered a deep； voiceless； impassioned outcry that she might not die young nor he die young； that the struggles and hardships of life； now seeming to be ended； might never begirt him or her so closely again； that they might grow peacefully old together。 To…morrow then； he would see her； no； not tomorrow； it was long past midnight now。 He got down on his bare knees beside the bed with his face buried in his hands and said his prayers。
And then lying outstretched with his head resting on his folded hands； the moonlight streaming through the window and lighting up his dark…red curls and falling on his face and neck and chest； the cool south wind blowing down his warm limbs； his eyes opening and closing in religious purity on the dress； and his mind opening and closing on the visions of his future； he fell asleep。 V
WHEN he awoke late； he stretched his big arms drowsily out before his face with a gesture like that of a swimmer parting the water： he was in truth making his way out of a fathomless； moonlit sea of dreams to the shores of reality。 Broad daylight startled him with its sheer blinding revelation of the material world； as the foot of a swimmer； long used to the yielding pavements of the ocean； touches with surprise the first rock and sand。
He sprang up； bathed； dressed； and stepped out into the crystalline freshness of the morning。 He was glowing with his exercise； at peace with himself and with all men； and so strong in the exuberance of his manhood that he felt he could have leaped over into the east； shouldered the sun； and run gaily； impatiently； with it up the sky。 How could he wait to see Amy until it went up its long slow way and then down again to its setting？ A powerful young lion may some time have appeared thus at daybreak on the edge of a jungle and measured the stretches of sand to be crossed before he could reach an oasis where memory told him was the lurking…place of love。
It was still early。 The first smoke curled upward from the chimneys of the town； the melodious tinkle of bells reached his ear as the cows passed from the milking to the outlying ranges deep in their wild verdure。 Even as he stood surveying the scene； along the path which ran close to his cabin came a bare…headed； nutbrown pioneer girl； whose close…fitting dress of white homespun revealed the rounded outlines of her figure。 She had gathered up the skirt which was short； to keep it from the tops of the wet weeds。 Her bare； beautiful feet were pink with the cold dew。 Forgotten； her slow fat cows had passed on far ahead； for at her side； wooing her with drooping lashes while the earth was still flushed with the morn； strolled a young Indian fighter； swarthy； lean tall； wild。 His long thigh boots of thin deer…hide； open at the hips； were ornamented with a scarlet fringe and rattled musically with the hoofs of fawns and the spurs of the wild turkey； his gray racoonskin cap was adorned with the wings of the hawk and the scarlet tanager。
The magnificent young； warrior lifted his cap to the school…master with a quiet laugh； and the girl smiled at him and shook a warning finger to remind him he was not to betray them。 He smiled back with a deprecating gesture to signify that he could be trusted。 He would have liked it better if he could have said more plainly that he too had the same occupation now； and as he gazed after them； lingering along the path side by side； the long…stifled cravings of his heart rose to his unworldly； passionate eyes： he all but wished that Amy also milked the cows at early morning and drove them out to pasture。
When he went to his breakfast at the tavern； one of the young Williamsburg aristocrats was already there； pretending to eat； and hovering about the table； brisk to appease his demands； the daughter of the taverner： she as ruddy as a hollyhock and gaily flaunting her head from side to side with the pleasure of denying him everything but his food； yet meaning to kiss him when twilight cameonce； and then to run。
Truly； it seemed that this day was to be given up to much pairing： as be thought it rightly should be and that without delay。 When he took his seat in the school…room and looked out upon the children； they had never seemed so small； so pitiful。 It struck him that Nature is cruel not to fit us for love and marriage as soon as we are borncruel to make us wait twenty or thirty years before she lets us really begin to live。 He looked with eyes more full of pity than usual at blear…eyed； delicate little Jennie； as to whom he could never tell whether it was the multiplication…table that made her deathly sick； or sickness that kept her from multiplying。 His eye lit upon a wee； chubby…cheeked urchin on the end of a high； hard bench； and he fell to counting how many ages must pass before that unsuspicious grub would grow his palpitating wings of flame。 He felt like making them a little speech and telling them how happy he was； and how happy they would all be when they got old enough to deserve it。
And as for the lessons that day； what difference could it make whether ideas sprouted or did not sprout in those useless brains？ He answered all the hard questions himself； and； indeed； so sunny and exhilarating was the weather of his discipline that little Jennie； seeing how the rays fell and the wind lay； gave up the multiplication…table altogether and fell to drawing tomahawks。
A remarkable mixture of human life there was in Gray's school。 There were the native little Kentuckians； born in the wildernessthe first wild； hardy generation of the new people； and there were little folks from Virginia； from Tennessee； from North Carolina； and from Pennsylvania and other sources； huddled together； some uncouth；