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stream of delighted interjections； borrowed from all manner of classical
and unclassical tongues。
〃Strand！ Strand！〃 he cried； when the first tumult of excitement had
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subsided； 〃you most marvelous and incomprehensible Strand！ From
what region of heaven or earth did you jump down into our prosaic
neighborhood？ And what in the world possessed you to choose our barns
as the centre of your operations； and nearly put me to the necessity of
having you arrested for vagrancy？ How I do regret that Cousin Augusta's
entreaties mollified my heart toward you。 Pardon me； I have not
introduced you。 This is my cousin； Miss Oddson； and this is my
miraculous friend； the world…renowned author； vagrant； and naturalist； Mr。
Marcus Strand。〃
Strand stepped forward； made a deep but somewhat awkward bow； and
was dimly aware that a small soft hand was extended to him； and； in the
next moment； was enclosed in his own broad and voluminous palm。 He
grasped it firmly； and； in one of those profound abstractions into which he
was apt to fall when under the sway of a strong impression； pressed it with
increasing cordiality； while he endeavored to find fitting answers to
Arnfinn's multifarious questions。
〃To tell the truth； Vording；〃 he said； in a deep； full…ringing bass； 〃I
didn't know that these were your cousin's barnsI mean that your uncle〃
giving the unhappy hand an emphatic shake〃inhabited these barns。〃
〃No； thank heaven； we are not quite reduced to that；〃 cried Arnfinn；
gayly； 〃we still boast a parsonage； as you will presently discover； and a
very bright and cozy one； to boot。 But； whatever you do； have the
goodness to release Augusta's hand。 Don't you see how desperately she
is struggling； poor thing？〃
Strand dropped the hand as if it had been a hot coal； blushed to the
edge of his hair； and made another profound reverence。 He was a tall；
huge…limbed youth； with a frame of gigantic mold； and a large； blonde；
shaggy head； like that of some good…natured antediluvian animal； which
might feel the disadvantages of its size amid the puny beings of this later
stage of creation。 There was a frank directness in his gaze； and an
unconsciousness of self； which made him very winning； and which could
not fail of its effect upon a girl who； like Augusta； was fond of the
uncommon； and hated smooth； facile and well…tailored young men； with
the labels of society and fashion upon their coats； their mustaches； and
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their speech。 And Strand； with his large sun…burned face； his wild…
growing beard； blue woolen shirt； top boots； and unkempt appearance
generally； was a sufficiently startling phenomenon to satisfy even so
exacting a fancy as hers； for； after reading his book about the Wading
Birds； she had made up her mind that he must have few points of
resemblance to the men who had hitherto formed part of her own small
world； although she had not until now decided just in what way he was to
differ。
〃Suppose I help you carry your knapsack；〃 said Arnfinn； who was
flitting about like a small nimble spaniel trying to make friends with some
large； good…natured Newfoundland。 〃You must be very tired； having
roamed about in this Quixotic fashion！〃
〃No； I thank you；〃 responded Strand； with an incredulous laugh；
glancing alternately from Arnfinn to the knapsack； as if estimating their
proportionate weight。 〃I am afraid you would rue your bargain if I
accepted it。〃
〃I suppose you have a great many stuffed birds at home；〃 remarked the
girl； looking with self…forgetful admiration at the large brawny figure。
〃No； I have hardly any；〃 answered he； seating himself on the ground；
and pulling a thick note…book from his pocket。 〃I prefer live creatures。
Their anatomical and physiological peculiarities have been studied by
others； and volumes have been written about them。 It is their
psychological traits； ii you will allow the expression； which interest me；
and those I can only get at while they are alive。〃
〃How delightful！〃
Some minutes later they were all on their way to the Parsonage。 The
sun； in spite of its mid… summer wakefulness； was getting red…eyed and
drowsy； and the purple mists which hung in scattered fragments upon the
forest below had lost something of their deep…tinged brilliancy。 But
Augusta； quite blind to the weakened light effects； looked out upon the
broad landscape in ecstasy； and； appealing to her more apathetic
companions； invited them to share her joy at the beauty of the faint…
flushed summer night。
〃You are getting quite dithyrambic； my dear；〃 remarked Arnfinn； with
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an air of cousinly superiority； which he felt was eminently becoming to
him； and Augusta looked up with quick surprise； then smiled in an absent
way； and forgot what she had been saying。 She had no suspicion but that
her enthusiasm had been all for the sunset。
III。
In a life so outwardly barren and monotonous as Augusta'sa life in
which the small external events were so firmly interwoven with the subtler
threads of yearnings； wants； and desires the introduction of so large and
novel a fact as Marcus Strand would naturally produce some perceptible
result。 It was that deplorable inward restlessness of hers； she reasoned；
which had hitherto made her existence seem so empty and unsatisfactory；
but now his presence filled the hours； and the newness of his words； his
manner； and his whole person afforded inexhaustible material for thought。
It was now a week since his arrival； and while Arnfinn and Inga chatted at
leisure； drew caricatures； or read aloud to each other in some shady nook
of the garden； she and Strand would roam along the beach； filling the vast
unclouded horizon with large glowing images of the future of the human
race。 He always listened in sympathetic silence while she unfolded to
him her often childishly daring schemes for the amelioration of suffering
and the righting of social wrongs； and when she had finished； and he met
the earnest appeal of her dark eye； there would often be a pause； during
which each； with a half unconscious lapse from the impersonal； would feel
more keenly the joy of this new and delicious mental companionship。
And when at length he answered； sometimes gently refuting and
sometimes assenting to her proposition； it was always with a slow；
deliberate earnestness； as if he felt but her deep sincerity； and forgot for
the moment her sex； her youth； and her inexperience。 It was just this
kind of fellowship for which she had hungered so long； and her heart went
out with a great gratitude toward this strong and generous man； who was
willing to recognize her humanity； and to respond with an ever…ready
frankness； unmixed with petty suspicions and second thoughts； to the
eager needs of her half… starved nature。 It is quite characteristic； too； of
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the type of womanhood which Augusta represents （and with which this
broad continent of ours abounds）； that； with her habitual disregard of
appearances； she would have scorned the notion that their intercourse had
any ultimate en