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lder than the hermit； and looked five years younger。
〃You're Hamp Ellison； in spite of those whiskers and that going…away bathrobe；〃 he shouted。 〃I read about you on the bill of fare at the inn。 They've run your biography in between the cheese and 'Not Responsible for Coats and Umbrellas。' What 'd you do it for； Hamp？ And ten years； toogeewhilikins！〃
〃You're just the same；〃 said the hermit。 〃Come in and sit down。 Sit on that limestone rock over there； it's softer than the granite。〃
〃I can't understand it； old man；〃 said Binkley。 〃I can see how you could give up a woman for ten years； but not ten years for a woman。 Of course I know why you did it。 Everybody does。 Edith Carr。 She jilted four or five besides you。 But you were the only one who took to a hole in the ground。 The others had recourse to whiskey； the Klondike； politics； and that similia similibus cure。 But； sayHamp； Edith Carr was just about the finest woman in the worldhigh…toned and proud and noble； and playing her ideals to win at all kinds of odds。 She certainly was a crackerjack。〃
〃After I renounced the world；〃 said the hermit； 〃I never heard of her again。〃
〃She married me；〃 said Binkley。
The hermit leaned against the wooden walls of his ante…cave and wriggled his toes。
〃I know how you feel about it；〃 said Binkley。 〃What else could she do？ There were her four sisters and her mother and old man Carryou remember how he put all the money he had into dirigible balloons？ Well； everything was coming down and nothing going up with 'em； as you might say。 Well； I know Edith as well as you doalthough I married her。 I was worth a million then； but I've run it up since to between five and six。 It wasn't me she wanted as much aswell； it was about like this。 She had that bunch on her hands； and they had to be taken care of。 Edith married me two months after you did the ground…squirrel act。 I thought she liked me； too； at the time。〃
〃And now？〃 inquired the recluse。
〃We're better friends than ever now。 She got a divorce from me two years ago。 Just incompatibility。 I didn't put in any defence。 Well； well； well； Hamp； this is certainly a funny dugout you've built here。 But you always were a hero of fiction。 Seems like you'd have been the very one to strike Edith's fancy。 Maybe you didbut it's the bank … roll that catches 'em； my boyyour caves and whiskers won't do it。 Honestly； Hamp； don't you think you've been a darned fool？〃
The hermit smiled behind his tangled beard。 He was and always had been so superior to the crude and mercenary Binkley that even his vulgarities could not anger him。 Moreover； his studies and meditations in his retreat had raised him far above the little vanities of the world。 His little mountain…side had been almost an Olympus； over the edge of which he saw； smiling； the bolts hurled in the valleys of man below。 Had his ten years of renunciation； of thought； of devotion to an ideal； of living scorn of a sordid world； been in vain？ Up from the world had come to him the youngest and beautifulestfairer than Edithone and three…seventh times lovelier than the seven…years…served Rachel。 So the hermit smiled in his beard。
When Binkley had relieved the hermitage from the blot of his presence and the first faint star showed above the pines； the hermit got the can of baking…powder from his cupboard。 He still smiled behind his beard。
There was a slight rustle in the doorway。 There stood Edith Carr； with all the added beauty and stateliness and noble bearing that ten years had brought her。
She was never one to chatter。 She looked at the hermit with her large； thinking； dark eyes。 The hermit stood still； surprised into a pose as motionless as her own。 Only his subconscious sense of the fitness of things caused him to turn the baking…powder can slowly in his hands until its red label was hidden against his bosom。
〃I am stopping at the inn；〃 said Edith； in low but clear tones。 〃I heard of you there。 I told myself that I must see you。 I want to ask your forgiveness。 I sold my happiness for money。 There were others to be provided forbut that does not excuse me。 I just wanted to see you and ask your forgiveness。 You have lived here ten years； they tell me； cherishing my memory！ I was blind； Hampton。 I could not see then that all the money in the world cannot weigh in the scales against a faithful heart。 Ifbut it is too late now； of course。〃
Her assertion was a question clothed as best it could be in a loving woman's pride。 But through the thin disguise the hermit saw easily that his lady had come back to himif he chose。 He had won a golden crownif it pleased him to take it。 The reward of his decade of faithfulness was ready for his handif he desired to stretch it forth。
For the space of one minute the old enchantment shone upon him with a reflected radiance。 And then by turns he felt the manly sensations of indignation at having been discarded； and of repugnance at having beenas it weresought again。 And last of allhow strange that it should have come at last！the pale…blue vision of the beautifulest of the Trenholme sisters illuminated his mind's eye and left him without a waver。
〃It is too late；〃 he said； in deep tones； pressing the baking…powder can against his heart。
Once she turned after she had gone slowly twenty yards down the path。 The hermit had begun to twist the lid off his can； but he hid it again under his sacking robe。 He could see her great eyes shining sadly through the twilight； but he stood inflexible in the doorway of his shack and made no sign。
Just as the moon rose on Thursday evening the hermit was seized by the world…madness。
Up from the inn； fainter than the horns of elf…land； came now and then a few bars of music played by the casino band。 The Hudson was broadened by the night into an illimitable seathose lights； dimly seen on its opposite shore； were not beacons for prosaic trolley… lines； but low…set stars millions of miles away。 The waters in front of the inn were gay with firefliesor were they motor…boats； smelling of gasoline and oil？ Once the hermit had known these things and had sported with Amaryllis in the shade of the red…and…white…striped awnings。 But for ten years he had turned a heedless ear to these far… off echoes of a frivolous world。 But to…night there was something wrong。
The casino band was playing a waltza waltz。 What a fool he had been to tear deliberately ten years of his life from the calendar of existence for one who had given him up for the false joys that wealth… …〃tum ti tum ti tum ti〃how did that waltz go？ But those years had not been sacrificedhad they not brought him the star and pearl of all the world； the youngest and beautifulest of 〃But do not come on Thursday evening；〃 she had insisted。 Perhaps by now she would be moving slowly and gracefully to the strains of that waltz； held closely by West…Pointers or city commuters； while he； who had read in her eyes things that had recompensed him for ten lost years of life； moped like some wild animal in its mountain den。 Why should〃
〃Damn it；〃 said the hermit； suddenly； 〃I'll do it！〃
He threw down his Marcus Aurelius and threw off his gunny…sack toga。 he dragged a dust…covered trunk from a corner of the cave； and with difficulty wrenched open its lid。
Candles he had in plenty； and the cave was soon aglow。 Clothesten years old in cutscissors； razors； hats； shoes； all his discarded attire and belongings； were dragged ruthlessly from their renunciatory rest and strewn about in painful disorder。
A pair of scissors soon reduced his beard sufficiently for the dulled razors to perform approximately their office。 Cutting his own hair was beyond the hermit's skill。 So he only combed and brushed it backward as smoothly as he could。 Charity forbids us to consider the heartburnings and exertions of one so long removed from haberdashery and society。
At the last the hermit went to an inner corner of his cave and began to dig in the soft earth with a long iron spoon。 Out of the cavity he thus made he drew a tin can； and out of the can three thousand dollars in bills； tightly rolled and wrapped in oiled silk。 He was a real hermit； as this may assure you。
You may take a brief look at him as he hastens down the little mountain…side。 A long； wrinkled black frock…coat reached to his calves。 White duck trousers； unacquainted with the tailor's goose； a pink shirt； white standing collar with brilliant blue butterfly tie； and buttoned congress gaiters。 But think； sir and madamten years！ 》From beneath a narrow…brimmed straw hat with a striped band flowed his hair。 Seeing him； with all your shrewdness you could not have guessed him。 You would have said that he played Hamletor the tubaor pinochleyou would never have laid your hand on your heart and said： 〃He is a hermit who lived ten years in a cave for love of one ladyto win another。〃
The dancing pavilion extended above the waters of the river。 Gay lanterns and frosted electric globes shed a soft glamour within it。 A hundred ladies and gentlemen from the inn and summer cottages flit