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d faces walked awkwardly about with girls on their arms。 In a room above one of the stores； where a dance was to be held； the fiddlers tuned their instruments。 The broken sounds floated down through an open window and out across the murmur of voices and the loud blare of the horns of the band。 The medley of sounds got on young Willard's nerves。 Everywhere； on all sides； the sense of crowding； moving life closed in about him。 He wanted to run away by himself and think。 〃If she wants to stay with that fellow she may。 Why should I care？ What difference does it make to me？〃 he growled and went along Main Street and through Hern's Grocery into a side street。
George felt so utterly lonely and dejected that he wanted to weep but pride made him walk rapidly along； swinging his arms。 He came to Wesley Moy… er's livery barn and stopped in the shadows to listen to a group of men who talked of a race Wesley's stallion； Tony Tip； had won at the Fair during the afternoon。 A crowd had gathered in front of the barn and before the crowd walked Wesley； prancing up and down boasting。 He held a whip in his hand and kept tapping the ground。 Little puffs of dust arose in the lamplight。 〃Hell； quit your talking；〃 Wesley exclaimed。 〃I wasn't afraid； I knew I had 'em beat all the time。 I wasn't afraid。〃
Ordinarily George Willard would have been in… tensely interested in the boasting of Moyer； the horseman。 Now it made him angry。 He turned and hurried away along the street。 〃Old windbag；〃 he sputtered。 〃Why does he want to be bragging？ Why don't he shut up？〃
George went into a vacant lot and； as he hurried along； fell over a pile of rubbish。 A nail protruding from an empty barrel tore his trousers。 He sat down on the ground and swore。 With a pin he mended the torn place and then arose and went on。 〃I'll go to Helen White's house； that's what I'll do。 I'll walk right in。 I'll say that I want to see her。 I'll walk right in and sit down； that's what I'll do；〃 he declared； climbing over a fence and beginning to run。
On the veranda of Banker White's house Helen was restless and distraught。 The instructor sat be… tween the mother and daughter。 His talk wearied the girl。 Although he had also been raised in an Ohio town； the instructor began to put on the airs of the city。 He wanted to appear cosmopolitan。 〃I like the chance you have given me to study the back… ground out of which most of our girls come；〃 he declared。 〃It was good of you； Mrs。 White； to have me down for the day。〃 He turned to Helen and laughed。 〃Your life is still bound up with the life of this town？〃 he asked。 〃There are people here in whom you are interested？〃 To the girl his voice sounded pompous and heavy。
Helen arose and went into the house。 At the door leading to a garden at the back she stopped and stood listening。 Her mother began to talk。 〃There is no one here fit to associate with a girl of Helen's breeding；〃 she said。
Helen ran down a flight of stairs at the back of the house and into the garden。 In the darkness she stopped and stood trembling。 It seemed to her that the world was full of meaningless people saying words。 Afire with eagerness she ran through a gar… den gate and； turning a corner by the banker's barn； went into a little side street。 〃George！ Where are you； George？〃 she cried； filled with nervous excite… ment。 She stopped running； and leaned against a tree to laugh hysterically。 Along the dark little street came George Willard； still saying words。 〃I'm going to walk right into her house。 I'll go right in and sit down； 〃 he declared as he came up to her。 He stopped and stared stupidly。 〃Come on；〃 he said and took hold of her hand。 With hanging heads they walked away along the street under the trees。 Dry leaves rustled under foot。 Now that he had found her George wondered what he had better do and say。
At the upper end of the Fair Ground； in Wines… burg； there is a half decayed old grand…stand。 It has never been painted and the boards are all warped out of shape。 The Fair Ground stands on top of a low hill rising out of the valley of Wine Creek and from the grand…stand one can see at night； over a cornfield； the lights of the town reflected against the sky。
George and Helen climbed the hill to the Fair Ground； coming by the path past Waterworks Pond。 The feeling of loneliness and isolation that had come to the young man in the crowded streets of his town was both broken and intensified by the presence of Helen。 What he felt was reflected in her。
In youth there are always two forces fighting in people。 The warm unthinking little animal struggles against the thing that reflects and remembers； and the older； the more sophisticated thing had posses… sion of George Willard。 Sensing his mood； Helen walked beside him filled with respect。 When they got to the grand…stand they climbed up under the roof and sat down on one of the long bench…like seats。
There is something memorable in the experience to be had by going into a fair ground that stands at the edge of a Middle Western town on a night after the annual fair has been held。 The sensation is one never to be forgotten。 On all sides are ghosts； not of the dead； but of living people。 Here； during the day just passed； have come the people pouring in from the town and the country around。 Farmers with their wives and children and all the people from the hundreds of little frame houses have gath… ered within these board walls。 Young girls have laughed and men with beards have talked of the affairs of their lives。 The place has been filled to overflowing with life。 It has itched and squirmed with life and now it is night and the life has all gone away。 The silence is almost terrifying。 One conceals oneself standing silently beside the trunk of a tree and what there is of a reflective tendency in his na… ture is intensified。 One shudders at the thought of the meaninglessness of life while at the same in… stant； and if the people of the town are his people； one loves life so intensely that tears come into the eyes。
In the darkness under the roof of the grand…stand； George Willard sat beside Helen White and felt very keenly his own insignificance in the scheme of exis… tence。 Now that he had come out of town where the presence of the people stirring about； busy with a multitude of affairs； had been so irritating； the irritation was all gone。 The presence of Helen re… newed and refreshed him。 It was as though her woman's hand was assisting him to make some mi… nute readjustment of the machinery of his life。 He began to think of the people in the town where he had always lived with something like reverence。 He had reverence for Helen。 He wanted to love and to be loved by her； but he did not want at the mo… ment to be confused by her womanhood。 In the darkness he took hold of her hand and when she crept close put a hand on her shoulder。 A wind began to blow and he shivered。 With all his strength he tried to hold and to understand the mood that had come upon him。 In that high place in the dark… ness the two oddly sensitive human atoms held each other tightly and waited。 In the mind of each was the same thought。 〃I have come to this l