eauty
gave a strange thrill of joy to Steve. The mountaineer's love of the
mountains rushed upon him after all his new, pleasant experiences with
a first consciously defined emotion.

"Well," said Mr. Polk, "now the problem is how we can cover that forty
miles which lies between us and our school." But just at that moment
he spied an old man helping a woman into a wagon, and at once he
stepped up, found they were fortunately going to the same point, and
would gladly take in two passengers with the ready accommodation of
mountain people.

They travelled leisurely on and on, Steve seeing things of a familiar
type and Mr. Polk much that was fresh and interesting. They stopped
over night at a little settlement and journeyed on again next day,
reaching their destination early in the evening. When the group of
school buildings came into view, the old mountaineer pointed out the
main building with its tower, and told them which was the "gals'
sleepin' place," and which "the boys' sleepin' place," as he termed
the two dormitories. He drove directly to the president's home, a
little unpainted frame house. They were cordially received,
entertained at supper and taken afterwards to the boys' dormitory,
where Steve was given a room with several other boys. Then they walked
over to "The Hall," as it was called, and were introduced to the
teachers, who were gathering there for the study hour. They had met
several when a young woman's trim, slender figure, with a decided air
of the city about it, appeared in the doorway, and the light from
within lit up a pair of clear, steady brown eyes, a pleasant mouth
with firmness lurking in the corners, and fluffy brown hair put back
in a roll from a very attractive face.

She stood a moment there in the doorway with a casual glance for the
strangers, then suddenly caught her breath and went white, but
instantly recovered herself as the president, oblivious of any tragic
moment for her, turned and said:

"This is Miss Grace Trowbridge; she came down here all the way from
New York City to teach mountain boys and girls,--and she knows how to
do it, too."

Miss Trowbridge bowed and passed quickly within the hall.

Mr. Polk acknowledged the introduction with a look on his face that
Steve had never seen before, and the boy felt somehow that his good
friend had become a stranger as they walked back to the boys'
dormitory for the night. Next morning, too, something had come between
them, and w