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〃A　baby；〃　she　reflected。　　Then　memory　came〃MY　baby！〃

She　put　her　finger　in　the　way　of　the　wandering　fists。　　First　one　of　them；　then　the　other；　awkwardly　unclosed　and　as　awkwardly　closed　upon　it。　　She　smiled。　　The　grip　tightened　and　tightened　and　tightened　until　she　wondered　how　hands　so　small　and　new　could　cling　so　close　and　hard。　　Then　that　electric　clasp　suddenly　tightened　about　her　heart。　　She　burst　into　tears　and　drew　the　child　against　her　breast。　　The　pulse　of　its　current　of　life　was　beating　against　her　ownand　she　felt　it。　　She　sobbed；　laughed　softly；　sobbed　again。

Her　mother　was　bending　anxiously　over　her。

〃What's　the　matter；　dearest？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　do　you　wish？〃

〃Nothing！〃　Pauline　was　smiling　through　her　tears。　　〃Oh；　mother；　I　am　SO　happy！〃　she　murmured。

And　her　happiness　lasted　with　not　a　break；　with　hardly　a　pause；　all　that　spring　and　all　that　summeror；　so　long　as　her　baby's　helplessness　absorbed　the　whole　of　her　time　and　thought。



XI。

YOUNG　AMERICA。


When　Pierson；　laggard　as　usual；　returned　to　Battle　Field　a　week　after　the　end　of　the　long　vacation；　he　found　Scarborough　just　establishing　himself。　　He　had　taken　two　small　and　severely　plain　rooms　in　a　quaint　old　frame　cottage；　one　story　high；　but　perched　importantly　upon　a　bank　at　the　intersection　of　two　much…traveled　streets。

〃What　luck？〃　asked　Pierson；　lounging　in　on　him。

〃A　hundred　days'　campaign；　a　thousand　dollars　net；〃　replied　the　book　agent。　　〃And　I'm　hard　as　oak　from　tramping　those　roads；　and　I've　learnedyou　ought　to　have　been　along；　Pierson。　　I　know　people　as　I　never　could　have　come　to　know　them　by　any　other　meanswhat　they　think；　what　they　want；　how　they　can　be　reached。〃

There　was　still　much　of　the　boy　in　Pierson's　face。　　But　Scarborough　looked　the　man；　developed；　ready。

Pierson　wandered　into　the　bedroom　to　complete　his　survey。　　〃I　see　you're　going　to　live　by　the　clock；〃　he　called　out　presently。　　He　had　found；　pasted　to　the　wall；　Scarborough's　schedule　of　the　daily　division　of　his　time；　just　above　it；　upon　a　shelf；　was　a　new　alarm　clock；　the　bell　so　big　that　it　overhung　like　a　canopy。　　〃You　don't　mean　you're　going　to　get　up　at　four？〃

〃Every　morningall　winter；〃　replied　Scarborough；　without　stopping　his　unpacking。　　〃You　see；　I'm　going　to　finish　this　yeartake　the　two　years　in　one。　　Then　I've　registered　in　a　law　officeJudge　Holcombe's。　　And　there's　my　speakingI　must　practise　that　every　day。〃

Pierson　came　back　to　the　sitting…room　and　collapsed　into　a　chair。　　〃I　see　you　allow　yourself　five　hours　for　sleep；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　too　much；　old　man。　　You're　self…indulgent。〃

〃That's　a　mistake；〃　replied　Scarborough。　〃Since　making　out　the　schedule　I've　decided　to　cut　sleep　down　to　four　hours　and　a　half。〃

〃That's　more　like　it！〃

〃We　all　sleep　too　much；〃　he　continued。　　〃And　as　I　shan't　smoke；　or　drink；　or　worry；　I'll　need　even　less　than　the　average　man。　　I'm　going　to　do　nothing　but　work。　　A　man　doesn't　need　much　rest　from　mere　work。〃

〃What！　　No　play？〃

〃Play　all　the　time。　　I've　simply　changed　my　playthings。〃

Pierson　seated　himself　at　the　table　and　stared　gloomily　at　his　friend。

〃Look　here；　old　man。　　For　heaven's　sake；　don't　let　Olivia　find　out　about　this　program。〃

But　Olivia　did　hear　of　it；　and　Pierson　was　compelled　to　leave　his　luxury　in　the　main　street　and　to　take　the　two　remaining　available　rooms　at　Scarborough's　place。　　His　bed　was　against　the　wall　of　Scarborough's　bedroomthe　wall　where　the　alarm　clock　was。　　At　four　o'clock　on　his　first　morning　he　started　from　a　profound　sleep。

〃My　bed　must　be　moved　into　my　sitting…room　to…day；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　soon　as　the　clamor　of　Scarborough's　gong　died　away　and　he　could　collect　his　thoughts。　　But　at　four　o'clock　the　next　morning　the　gong　penetrated　the　two　walls　as　if　they　had　not　been　there。　　〃I　see　my　finish；〃　he　groaned；　sitting　up　and　tearing　at　his　hair。

He　tried　to　sleep　again；　but　the　joint　pressure　of　Olivia's　memory…mirrored　gray　eyes　and　of　disordered　nerves　from　the　racking　gong　forced　him　to　make　an　effort　to　bestir　himself。　　Groaning　and　muttering；　he　rose　and　in　the　starlight　looked　from　his　window。　　Scarborough　was　going　up　the　deserted　street　on　his　way　to　the　woods　for　his　morning　exercise。　　His　head　was　thrown　back　and　his　chest　extended；　and　his　long　legs　were　covering　four　feet　at　a　stride。　　〃You　old　devil！〃　said　Pierson；　his　tone　suggesting　admiration　and　affection　rather　than　anger。　　〃But　I'll　outwit　you。〃

By　a　subterfuge　in　which　a　sympathetic　doctor　was　the　main　factor；　he　had　himself　permanently　excused　from　chapel。　　Then　he　said　to　Scarborough：　　〃You　get　up　too　late；　old　man。　　My　grandfather　used　to　say　that　only　a　drone　lies　abed　after　two　in　the　morning；　wasting　the　best　part　of　the　day。　　You　ought　to　turn　in；　say；　at　half…past　nine　and　rise　in　time　to　get　your　hardest　work　out　of　the　way　before　the　college　day　begins。〃

〃That　sounds　reasonable；〃　replied　Scarborough；　after　a　moment's　consideration。　　〃I'll　try　it。〃

And　so　it　came　to　pass　that　Pierson　went　to　bed　at　the　sound　of　Scarborough's　two…o'clock　rising　gong　and　pieced　out　his　sleep　with　an　occasional　nap　in　recitations　and　lectures　and　for　an　hour　or　two　late　in　the　afternoon。　　He　was　able　once　more　to　play　poker　as　late　as　he　liked；　and　often　had　time　for　reading　before　the　gong　sounded。　　And　Scarborough　was　equally　delighted　with　the　new　plan。　　〃I　gain　at　least　one　hour　a　day；　perhaps　two；〃　he　said。　　〃Your　grandfather　was　a　wise　man。〃

Toward　spring；　Mills；　western　manager　of　the　publishing　house　for　which　Scarborough　had　sold　Peaks　of　Progress　through　Michigan；　came　to　Battle　Field　to　see　him。

〃You　were　far　and　away　the　best　man　we　had　out　last　year；〃　said　he。　　〃You're　a　born　book　agent。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Scarborough；　sincerely。　　He　appreciated　that　a　man　can　pay　no　higher　compliment　than　to　say　that　another　is　master　of　his　own　trade。

〃We　got　about　fifty　orders　from　people　who　thought　it　over　after　you'd　tried　to　land　them　and　failedthat　shows　the　impression　you　made。　　And　you　sold　as　many　books　as　our　best　agent　in　our　best　field。〃

〃I'll　never　go　as　agent　again；〃　said　Scarborough。　　〃The　experience　was　invaluablebut　sufficient。〃

〃We　don't　want　you　to　go　as　agent。　　Our　proposition　is　for　much　easier　and　more　dignified　work。〃

At　the　word　dignified；　Scarborough　could　not　restrain　a　smile。　　〃I've　practically　made　my　plans　for　the　summer；〃　he　said。

〃I　think　we've　got　something　worth　your　while；　Mr。　Scarborough。　　Our　idea　is　for　you　to　select　about　a　hundred　of　the　young　fellows　who're　working　their　way　through　here；　and　train　them　in　your　methods　of　approaching　people。　　Then　you'll　take　them　to　Wisconsin　and　Minnesota　and　send　them　out；　each　man　to　a　district　you　select　for　him。　　In　that　way　you'll　help　a　hundred　young　men　to　earn　a　year　at　college　and　you'll　make　a　good　sum　for　yourselftwo　or　three　times　what　you　made　last　summer。〃

Scarborough　had　intended　to　get　admitted　to　the　bar　in　June；　to　spend　the　summer　at　an　apprenticeship　in　a　law　office　and　to　set　up　for　himself　in　the　fall。　　But　this　plan　was　most　attractiveit　would　give　him　a　new　kind　of　experience　and　would　put　him　in　funds　for　the　wait　for　clients。　　The　next　day　he　signed　an　advantageous　contracthis　expenses　for　the　summer　and　a　guaranty　of　not　less　than　three　thousand　dollars　clear。

He　selected　a　hundred　young　men　and　twelve　young　women；　the　most　intelligent　of　the　five　hundred　self…supporting　students　at　Battle　Field。　　Pierson；　having　promised　to　behave　himself；　was　permitted　to　attend　the　first　lesson。　　The　scholars　at　the　Scarborough；　School　for　Book　Agents　filled　his　quarters　and　overflowed　in　swarms　without　the　windows　and　the　door。　　The　weather　was　still　cool；　but　all　must　hear；　and　the　rooms　would　hold　barely　half　the　brigade。

〃I　assume　that　you've　read　the　book；〃　began　Scarborough。　　He　was　standing　at　the　table　with　the　paraphernalia　of　a　book　agent　spread　upon　it。　　〃But　you　must　read　it　again　and　again；　until　you　know　what's　on　every　page；　until　you　have　by　heart　the　passages　I'll　point　out　to　you。〃　　He　looked　at　Drexela　freshman　of　twenty…two；　with　earnest；　sleepless　eyes　and　a　lofty　forehead；　in　the　past　winter　he　had　become　acquainted　with　hunger　and　with　that　cold　which　creeps　into　the　room；　crawls　through　the　thin　covers　and　closes　in；　icy　as　death；　about　the　heart。　　〃What　do　you　think　of　the　book；　Drexel？〃

The　young　manhe　is　high　in　the　national　administration　to…dayflushed　and　looked　uneasy。

〃Speak　frankly。　　I　want　your　candid　opinion。〃

〃Well；　I　must　say；　Mr。　Scarborough；　I　think　it's　pretty　bad。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Scarborough；　and　he　glanced　round。　　〃Does　anybody　disagree　with　Mr。　Drexel？〃

There　was　not　a　murmur。　　Pierson　covered　his　face　to　hide　his　smile　at　this　〃jolt〃　for　his　friend。　　In　the　group　round　one　of　the　windows　a　laugh　started　and　spread　everywhere　except　to　seven　of　the　twelve　young　women　and　to　those　near　ScarboroughTHEY　looked　frightened。

〃I　expected　Mr。　Drexel's　answer；〃　began　Scarborough。　　〃Before　you　can　sell　Peaks　of　Progress　each　of　you　must　be　convinced　that　it's　a　book　he　himself　would　buy。　　And　I　see　you've　not　even　read　it。　　You've　at　most　glanced　at　it　with　unfriendly　eyes。　　This　book　is　not　literature；　gentlemen。　　It　is　a　storehouse　of　facts。　　It　is　an　educational　work　so　simply　written　and　so　brilliantly　illustrated　that　the　very　children　will　hang　over　its　pages　with　delight。　　If　you　attend　to　your　training　in　our　coming　three　months　of　preliminary　work　you'll　find　during　the　summer　that　the　book's　power　to　attract　the　children　is　its　strongest　point。　　I　made　nearly　half　my　sales　last　summer　by　turning　from　the　parents　to　the　children　and　stirring　their　interest。〃

Pierson　was　now　no　more　inclined　to　smile　than　were　the　pupils。

〃When　I　started　out；〃　continued　Scarborough；　〃I；　too；　had　just　glanced　at　the　book　and　had　learned　a　few　facts　from　the　prospectus。　　And　I　failed　to　sell；　except　to　an　occasional　fool　whom　I　was　able　to　overpower。　　Every　one　instinctively　felt　the　estimate　I　myself　placed　upon　my　goods。　　But　as　I　went　on　the　book　gradually　forced　itself　upon　me。　　And；　long　before　the　summer　was　over；　I　felt　that　I　was　an　ambassador　of　education　to　those　eager　people。　　And　I'm　proud　that　I　sold　as　many　bo