The Innocents: A Story for Lovers

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es of lower New York, when it seemed inconceivable that the flag-staff could get under Brooklyn Bridge-which didn't clear it by much more than a hundred feet-when a totally new New York of factories and docks, of steamers bound for Ceylon and yachts bound for Newport, was re

ed a couple of them open as though he were a steward with service stripes. He was simply immense in his manner of thrusting Mother and himself and his chairs and a mound of shawls and coats into the midst of the crowd ga

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lerk now, but a world-galloper. With his cap clapped down on one side and his youthful cigarette-holder cocked up on the other, and in his buttonhole a carnation jaunty as a red pompon, with the breeze puffing out the light silver hair about his temples and his pink cheeks glowing

f aspect, so generous and proudly affectionate, that people turned to look. It was obvious that if he had anythi

p hands at the wonder of light. Father and Mother gazed and ate chocolate ice-cream a

comparative safety of their wild voyaging that she was no longer afraid, but just sleepy. She nestled in her chair and smiled shamefacedly and said, "It's only

beguiled, and have supposed him to be one of those high persons who have whole suites to themselves and see their consorts only at state banquets, when there are celery and olives, and the squire invited to dinner. There was nothing these partners in life more enjoyed than the one night's pretense that they were aloof. But they suddenly forgot

Dandy Dick and the Candlestick." But his old mouth-organ had grown wheezy. Now he sat down and

While the sun was fair on the water and there were obviously no leviathans nor anything like that bearing down upon them he was able to conceal his fear-even from himself. But now that he didn't have to cheer Mother, now that the boat rolled forward through a black nothingness, he knew that he was afraid. He sat huddled, and remembered all the tales he had heard o

ne fear. It was the growing-pain of freedom. The cricket who chirped so gaily when he was wit

Island light. Great Gull Island! It suggested to him thunderous cliffs with surf flung up on beetling rock, screaming gulls, and a smuggler on guard with menacing rifle. He lost his fear of fear; he ceased to think about his accustomed life of two aisles and the show-case of new models and

in the aristocratic seclusion of his own berth. He was downily cu

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