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oys； girls； and womengoing to the fields in the morning and returning covered with dust in the evening。 The chattering crowd； with their rude jokes cried out from wagon to wagon； sometimes irritated him sharply。 He regretted that he also could not laugh boisterously； shout meaningless jokes and make of himself a figure in the endless stream of moving； giggling activity that went up and down the road。
The Richmond house was built of limestone； and； although it was said in the village to have become run down； had in reality grown more beautiful with every passing year。 Already time had begun a little to color the stone； lending a golden richness to its surface and in the evening or on dark days touching the shaded places beneath the eaves with wavering patches of browns and blacks。
The house had been built by Seth's grandfather； a stone quarryman； and it； together with the stone quarries on Lake Erie eighteen miles to the north； had been left to his son； Clarence Richmond； Seth's father。 Clarence Richmond； a quiet passionate man extraordinarily admired by his neighbors； had been killed in a street fight with the editor of a newspaper in Toledo； Ohio。 The fight concerned the publication of Clarence Richmond's name coupled with that of a woman school teacher； and as the dead man had begun the row by firing upon the editor； the effort to punish the slayer was unsuccessful。 After the quarryman's death it was found that much of the money left to him had been squandered in specula… tion and in insecure investments made through the influence of friends。
Left with but a small income； Virginia Richmond had settled down to a retired life in the village and to the raising of her son。 Although she had been deeply moved by the death of the husband and fa… ther； she did not at all believe the stories concerning him that ran about after his death。 To her mind； the sensitive； boyish man whom all had instinctively loved； was but an unfortunate； a being too fine for everyday life。 〃You'll be hearing all sorts of stories； but you are not to believe what you hear；〃 she said to her son。 〃He was a good man； full of tenderness for everyone； and should not have tried to be a man of affairs。 No matter how much I were to plan and dream of your future； I could not imagine anything better for you than that you turn out as good a man as your father。〃
Several years after the death of her husband； Vir… ginia Richmond had become alarmed at the growing demands upon her income and had set herself to the task of increasing it。 She had learned stenogra… phy and through the influence of her husband's friends got the position of court stenographer at the county seat。 There she went by train each morning during the sessions of the court； and when no court sat； spent her days working among the rosebushes in her garden。 She was a tall； straight figure of a woman with a plain face and a great mass of brown hair。
In the relationship between Seth Richmond and his mother； there was a quality that even at eighteen had begun to color all of his traffic with men。 An almost unhealthy respect for the youth kept the mother for the most part silent in his presence。 When she did speak sharply to him he had only to look steadily into her eyes to see dawning there the puzzled look he had already noticed in the eyes of others when he looked at them。
The truth was that the son thought with remark… able clearness and the mother did not。 She expected from all people certain conventional reactions to life。 A boy was your son； you scolded him and he trem… bled and looked at the floor。 When you had scolded enough he wept and all was forgiven。 After the weeping and when he had gone to bed； you crept into his room and kissed him。
Virginia Richmond could not understand why her son did not do these things。 After the severest repri… mand； he did not tremble and look at the floor but instead looked steadily at her； causing uneasy doubts to invade her mind。 As for creeping into his room after Seth had passed his fifteenth year； she would have been half afraid to do anything of the kind。
Once when he was a boy of sixteen； Seth in com… pany with two other boys ran away from home。 The three boys climbed into the open door of an empty freight car and rode some forty miles to a town where a fair was being held。 One of the boys had a bottle filled with a combination of whiskey and blackberry wine； and the three sat with legs dan… gling out of the car door drinking from the bottle。 Seth's two companions sang and waved their hands to idlers about the stations of the towns through which the train passed。 They planned raids upon the baskets of farmers who had come with their fam… ilies to the fair。 〃We will five like kings and won't have to spend a penny to see the fair and horse races；〃 they declared boastfully。
After the disappearance of Seth； Virginia Rich… mond walked up and down the floor of her home filled with vague alarms。 Although on the next day she discovered； through an inquiry made by the town marshal； on what adventure the boys had gone； she could not quiet herself。 All through the night she lay awake hearing the clock tick and telling herself that Seth； like his father； would come to a sudden and violent end。 So determined was she that the boy should this time feel the weight of her wrath that； although she would not allow the marshal to interfere with his adventure； she got out a pencil and paper and wrote down a series of sharp； sting… ing reproofs she intended to pour out upon him。 The reproofs she committed to memory； going about the garden and saying them aloud like an actor memorizing his part。
And when； at the end of the week； Seth returned； a little weary and with coal soot in his ears and about his eyes； she again found herself unable to reprove him。 Walking into the house he hung his cap on a nail by the kitchen door and stood looking steadily at her。 〃I wanted to turn back within an hour after we had started；〃 he explained。 〃I didn't know what to do。 I knew you would be bothered； but I knew also that if I didn't go on I would be ashamed of myself。 I went through with the thing for my own good。 It was uncomfortable； sleeping on wet straw； and two drunken Negroes came and slept with us。 When I stole a lunch basket out of a farmer's wagon I couldn't help thinking of his chil… dren going all day without food。 I was sick of the whole affair； but I was determined to stick it out until the other boys were ready to come back。〃
〃I'm glad you did stick it out；〃 replied the mother； half resentfully； and kissing him upon the forehead pretended to busy herself with the work about the house。
On a summer evening Seth Richmond went to the New Willard House to visit his friend； George Willard。 It had rained during the afternoon； but as he walked through Main Street； the sky had partially cleared and a golden glow lit up the west。 Going around a corner； he turned in at the door of the hotel and began to climb the stairway leading up to his friend's room。 In the hotel office the proprietor and two traveling men were engaged in a discussion of politics。
On the stairway Seth stopped and listened to the voices of the men below。 T