Produced by Roger Frank, Robert Homa and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net WAYSIDE COURTSHIPS BY HAMLIN GARLAND AUTHOR OF A SPOIL OF OFFICE, A LITTLE NORSK, ETC. NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY M DCCC XCVII ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright, 1897, by D. APPLETON AND COMPANY Copyright, 1895, 1896, 1897, by Hamlin Garland ----------------------------------------------------------------------- WAYSIDE COURTSHIPS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamlin Garland's Books. Uniform edition. Each, 12mo, cloth, $1.25. Wayside Courtships. Jason Edwards. A Spoil of Office. A Member of the Third House. A Little Norsk. 16mo. 50 cents. D. APPLETON & COMPANY, NEW YORK. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The meeting of true lovers' eyes Seems wrought of chance; and yet Perhaps the same grim law abides Therein as when the dead one lies Low in the grave, and memory chides, And with hot tears love's lids are wet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS. PAGE AT THE BEGINNING 1 A PREACHER'S LOVE STORY 5 A MEETING IN THE FOOTHILLS 55 A STOP-OVER AT TYRE 99 AN ALIEN IN THE PINES 171 THE OWNER OF THE MILL FARM 201 OF THOSE WHO SEEK: I.--THE PRISONED SOUL 223 II.--A SHELTERED ONE 226 III.--A FAIR EXILE 230 IV.--THE PASSING STRANGER 247 BEFORE THE LOW GREEN DOOR 253 UPON IMPULSE 263 THE END OF LOVE IS LOVE OF LOVE 279 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- AT THE BEGINNING. She was in the box; he was far above in the gallery. He looked down and across and saw her sitting there fair as a flower and robed like a royal courtesan in flame and snow. Like a red torch flamed the ruby in her hair. Her shoulders were framed in her cloak, white as marble warmed with firelight. Her gloved hands held an opera glass which also glowed with flashing light. His face grew dark and stern. He looked down at his poor coat and around at the motley gallery which reeked with the smell of tobacco and liquor. Students were there--poor like himself, but with great music-loving, hungry, ambitious souls. Men and women of refinement and indomitable will sat side by side with drunken loafers who had chanced to stumble up the stairway. His eyes went back to her. So sweet and dainty was every thread on her fair body. No smell of toil, nor touch of care, nor mark of weariness. Her flesh was ivory, her eyes were jewels, her heart was as clean and sweet as her eyes. She was perfectly clothed, protected, at ease.