The Lucky Piece

ith the burden of endless years-rousing from their long, white sleep, had put on, for the millionth time, perhaps, the

panion-his one passenger-it was a different matter. Mr. Frank Weatherby had occupied a New York sleeper the night before, awaking only at daybreak to find the train puffing heavily up a long Adirondack grade-to look out on a wet tangle of spruce, and fir, and hardwood, and vine, mingled with great bowlders and fallen logs, and everywhere the emerald moss, set a

e mystery and splendor of the forest. He had been here once, ten years ago, as a boy, but then he had been chiefly concerned with the new rod he had brought and

as waiters in the Lake Placid hotels. When pressed, he owned that his inclination for the pulpit had not been in the nature of a definite call. He had considered newspaper work and the law. A maiden aunt had entered into his problem. She had been willing to supply certain funds which had influenced the clerical decision. Perhaps it was just as well. Having thus established his identity, he proceeded to indicate landmarks of special interest, pointing out Whiteface, Colden and Elephant's Back-also Tahawus and Algonquin-calling the last two Marcy and McIntyre, as is th

at the Lodge

mb Marcy and McIntyre from here.

her and I were staying at Saranac and she let me go with a party from there. I thought it great sp

"The head guide there is the best in the mountains. This is his

uldn't be my old

't just remember his last name,

Robin Hoo

ad. The story of the Sherwood bandit

these hills and has been guiding since he was a boy. He's done it every summer to pay his way through college. Next year he graduates,

mbrella with Constance Deane. She was speaking, and he could recall her words quite plainly: "I know one young man who is going to be

faded a little, and the progress

youth with the reins, and the horses were presently s

he man who owns the Lodge when he gets started as an engineer. She's a pretty girl, and smart. Her mother'

hough the horses had dropped once more into

le later-a wholly unnecessary remark-he having received a letter from Co

outh

nd another last week, from New York, with her folks. Their names are Deane,

lady-the family, I mean-seem

he had arrived with the mail, the young lady had come in from the woods with a book and a basket of mushrooms, most of which he thought to be

ted a littl

r be moving along," he suggested.

eared the North Elba post-office-a farmhouse with a flower-garden in fr

n Brown's gr

ion looked

pilgrimage to it. Poor old John. T

at North Elba. It turn

the stage road with his eye, recalling

ow on them." Suddenly he brought his hand down on his knee. "It's just come to me," he said. "Somewhere between here and Keene there was a little girl who had berries to sell, and I

hen he suggested that, of course, she would be a good deal older

aybe not there. I suppose you do

his arrival he had acquired only such knowled

ed farmhouse, and brooks in which Frank thought there must be trout. Then by an avenue of spring leafage, shot with sunlight

f he intended to come to the Adirondacks at all this summer he should wait until they were settled in their camp. But Frank had discovered that New York in June was not the attractive place he had considered it in former years. Also that

rhaps, after all, Constance might not be overjoyed or even mildly pleased at his coming. She had

t bend," said his companion, pr

But between the hack and the Lodge were two figures-a tall young man in outing dress, carrying a basket, and a tall young woman in a walking skirt, carr

or the moment his scholastic training. "That's Robin and

t then and turned. Frank pre

nduly alarmed. As he stepped from the vehic

moment later, "Mr. Weatherby, this is Mr. Robin Farnham-a f

omen, too, trust on sight. And then for some reason there flashed again across his mind a vivid picture of Constance as she had looked up at him that wet night under the umbrella, the raindrops glistening on her cheek and in the blowy tang

I may have seen you when I was up this way ten years

owed through the br

days when I knew Miss Deane. I used to carry baskets of green corn over to Mr. Deane's camp. If you had bee

hack toward the Lodge. Constance took up the tale at th

miles. Then he used to make toy boats and sail them for me in the brook, and a playhouse, and whatev

es for the science of mycology," Robin put in, rat

appropriated-a treatise on certai

man who brought me over told me that a young lady had been bringing baskets of suspicious

lectric works at Haverford; also the asthma, which she is up here to get rid of. She is at the Lodge for the summer, and is already the general minister of affairs at large and in particular. Among other things, she warns me daily that if I persist in eating some of the specimens I bring h

d been studying some of the colo

he said, half seriously. "Some of these lo

nce, "long before we came here. By and by I'm going to join th

before you are eligible?" commented Frank

ought to be able to distinguish most of the common

one sort of bravery, no doubt. Tell me, please, how many of these