IV POOR SOW’S EAR 297 V ALWAYS JUSTIFIED 306 VI INFINITE PATIENCE 316 VII FINE FEATHERS 326 VIII DRIFTING 347 IX THE LAST STRAW 353 X FIRST LIGHT 367 XI MAN’S WORLD 391 XII UNTIL WHEN? 401 XIII INTERLUDE 410 XIV SUNSHINE GLORIOUS 419 XV THE AMETHYST MOMENT 439 XVI SYMPATHY 447 XVII ENTANGLING ALLIANCES 458 XVIII EAST IS WEST 474 XIX VIA LOHENGRIN 484 XX HILL TOPS 495 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BOOK ONE DRIZZLE AND MURK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ +THE FOG+ CHAPTER I THIS FRECKLED WORLD I I straddled, precariously balanced, atop a seven-foot fence marking the northern boundary of the little Vermont school yard. As this was the opening morning for the September term, I had left home painfully dressed in the full armor of country-village scholarship. Already the puckering-string of my blouse was broken and my new dollar-and-a-quarter boots were hot upon my feet. No matter! Noisily on the philosophical old boards I whacked a barrel stave. I had aspirations toward making the lower world of pinafored humanity remark nervously of my valor and horrible propensities for breaking an arm. But I did not address that pinafored world directly. No such aplomb is possessed by a youngster of eight. A new boy edged his way into the yard twenty minutes before the bell rang and moved along my fence. He concentrated upon tallying its knotholes. I noted that he was a stranger and immediately took his measure. “’Lo!” I greeted him. “’Lo, yourself!” he responded. “What’s yer name?” I demanded, piqued. “Name, name, Puddin’ Tame; ask me again and I’ll tell yer the same!” “Aw, don’t get fresh!” I advised him. “I could ‘do’ you with one hand tied behind me—if I wanted.” “My ma licks me if I fight—when I’m dressed up. If it wasn’t for that, you couldn’t.” And the new boy looked at me gladiatorially, expecting me to believe this bravado without a question.