\"WritetomeatPeyton’sranch，andI’llseeyouwhenIcomeback，andwe’llhuntupsomethingforyoutogether。\"AsJimreceivedthepropositionwithakindofgloomyembarrassment，headdedlightly，withaglanceatthefarmhouse，\"ItmightbenearHERE，youknow;
andyou’dhavepleasantneighbors，andeveneagerlistenerstoyouroldadventures。\"
\"You’dbettercomeinaminitbeforeyougo，\"saidJim，clumsilyevadingadirectreply。Clarencehesitatedamoment，andthenyielded。ForanequalmomentJimHookerwastornbetweensecretjealousyofhisoldcomrade’sgracesandadesiretopresentthemasfamiliarassociationsofhisown。Buthisvanitywasquicklyappeased。
Needitbesaidthatthetwowomenreceivedthisfleckandfoamofasuper—civilizationtheyknewlittleofasalmostanimpertinencecomparedtotherugged，gloomy，pathetic，andequallyyouthfulheroofanadventurouswildernessofwhichtheyknewstillless？WhatavailedthecourtesyandgentlemelancholyofClarenceBrantbesidethemysteriousgloomanddarksavageryofRedJim？Yettheyreceivedhimpatronizingly，asonewhowas，likethemselves，anadmirerofmanlygraceandpower，andtherecipientofJim’sfriendship。ThefarmeraloneseemedtopreferClarence，andyetthelatter’stacitindorsementofRedJim，throughhisevidentpreviousintimacywithhim，impressedthemaninJim’sfavor。AllofwhichClarencesawwiththatsensitiveperceptionwhichhadgivenhimanearlyinsightintohumanweakness，yetstillhadnevershakenhisyouthfuloptimism。Hesmiledalittlethoughtfully，butwasopenlyfraternaltoJim，courteoustohishostandfamily，and，asherodeawayinthefaintmoonlight，magnificentlyopulentinhislargesstothefarmer，——hisfirstandonlyassertionofhisposition。
Thefarmhouse，stragglingbarn，andfringeofdustywillows，thewhitedomeofthemotionlesswagon，withthehangingfryingpansandkettlesshowinginthemoonlightlikeblacksilhouettesagainstthestaringcanvas，allpresentlysankbehindClarencelikethedetailsofadream，andhewasalonewiththemoon，thehazymysteryofthelevel，grassyplain，andthemonotonyoftheunendingroad。Asherodeslowlyalonghethoughtofthatotherdrearyplain，whitewithalkalipatchesandbrownwithringsofdesertedcamp—fires，knowntohisboyhoodofdeprivation，dependency，danger，andadventure，oddlyenough，withastrangedelight;andhislateryearsofstudy，monasticseclusion，andfinaleaseandindependence，withaneasysenseofwastedexistenceanduselesswaiting。HerememberedhishomelesschildhoodintheSouth，whereservantsandslavestooktheplaceofthefatherhehadneverknown，andthemotherthatherarelysaw;herememberedhisabandonmenttoamysteriousfemalerelation，wherehisnaturalguardiansseemedtohaveoverlookedandforgottenhim，untilhewassent，analltooyoungadventurer，toworkhispassageonanoverlandemigranttrainacrosstheplains;heremembered，asyesterday，thefears，thehopes，thedreamsanddangersofthatmomentousjourney。Herecalledhislittleplaymate，Susy，andtheirstrangeadventures——thewholeincidentthattheimaginativeJimHookerhadtranslatedandrehearsedashisown——rosevividlybeforehim。Hethoughtofthecruelendofthatpilgrimage，whichagainlefthimhomelessandforgottenbyeventherelativehewasseekinginastrangeland。Herememberedhissolitaryjourneytothegoldmines，takenwithaboy’strustandaboy’sfearlessness，andthestrangeprotectorhehadfoundthere，whohadnewsofhismissingkinsman;herememberedhowthisprotector——whomhehadatonceinstinctivelyloved——transferredhimtothehouseofthisnew—foundrelation，whotreatedhimkindlyandsenthimtotheJesuitschool，butwhoneverawakenedinhimafeelingofkinship。