8 TRAMPS WITH AN ENTHUSIAST. 



That made our walk noteworthy. We should 

 not regret, even if the hermit refused to bless us. 



Silently on up the road we passed, till the 

 deepening shadows reminded us of the hour and 

 the long drive before my friend, and we turned 

 back. By this time the sun had set, and the 

 sky was filled with gorgeous rosy clouds floating 

 above the richest red-purple of the mountains. 

 This surely crowned our walk. 



We were sauntering homeward, lingering, 

 waiting, we hardly knew for what, since we had 

 given up the hermit, when a single bird note 

 arrested me. Then, as his first rich clause fell 

 upon the air, I turned to my companion, who 

 was a few steps behind me. She stood motion- 

 less, both hands raised, but dumb. 



" Glorious ! " she whispered when she recov- 

 ered her voice. " Wonderful ! " she added, as 

 he warmed into fuller song. 



Quietly drawing as near as we dared, we 

 dropped upon the bank and listened in spell- 

 bound silence to our unseen melodist. Slow, 

 rapturous, entrancing was his song ; and when it 

 ended we came reluctantly back to earth, stole 

 in the growing darkness down to the farm, and 

 my friend resumed her place in the carriage 

 and drove away, saying with her good-by, " I 

 am already paid for my long journey." 



Yet after the first surprise and wonder were 



