reathing.

These last two months had brought a settled condition to those at Arden.
At first pleasantly aroused by the advent of Dale, they were again
comfortably back in their accustomed grooves, while he, also, found a
niche which fitted his cosmos with a fair degree of ease. He was at home
with them now, and natural; and--when not absorbed with study--talked
freely in a slow magnetic way that compelled listeners. The early
reticence had given place to the full sway of an enthusiast, and
everyone within his orbit felt the influence of a peculiarly strong
attraction.

More and more was he surprising them. Merging from obscurity to the
light of action, he had developed into a human dynamo, generating power
at a high rate of speed and storing it in the dry cells of his brain.
Brent accused him of consuming so much of the atmosphere that nothing
remained; he said the air seemed lifeless after this absorbing student
had passed. He was perilously near done for, he confided to the Colonel,
if Dale's mental instrument corralled all the energetic thought waves of
Arden, and Miss Liz captured the peace and independence. And the old
gentleman had laughed like a boy, because the mountaineer was so
generously surpassing Jane's most sanguine hope.

The happiest laugh of all was from Dale, himself--that low, inaudible
movement of the throat wherewith he expressed his gayest moods. He had
been turned out in the pasture of his heart's desire, and was gathering
a harvest with feverish hands. Since the first Monday morning after his
arrival, when he crept to the schoolhouse at break of day and waited in
the opposite thicket with his long rifle to see if Tusk would come
again, the mantle of civilization wrapped quickly about him.

In the succeeding days, the mysteries of spelling and other problems
flew like chaff before his irresistible energy. He had struck a gait
which created wonderment in all. Hours bounded in no way his efforts.
Late afternoons, evenings, and nights, had been devoted to intense study
of which he could not tire. Early mornings, before breakfast, had found
him poring over a book, and the day's lessons were recited with unerring
accuracy while he dressed.

Since school had closed this zeal did not cease; rather did it grow more
ardent as Jane gave him her undivided time by especially directing
studies apace with his rapid advancement. As she fed, he devoured--as a
ravenous animal would have torn its food--and fie