to the adventure of coming to Boston. He could see the cows coming
home through the swampy meadow as plain as if they were coming
across the Common; his mother was calling them; she and his sister
were going to milk in his absence, and he could see her now, how she
looked going out to call the cows, in her bare, grey head, gaunt of
neck and cheek, in the ugly Bloomer dress in which she was not
grotesque to his eyes, though it usually affected strangers with
stupefaction or alarm. But it all seemed far away, as far as if it
were in another planet that he had dropped out of; he was divided
from it by his failure and disgrace. He thought he must stay and try
for something, he did not know what; but he could not make up his
mind to throw away his money for nothing; at the hotel, down by the
depot, where he had left his bag, they were going to make him pay
fifty cents for just a room alone.

"Any them beats 'round here been trying to come their games on
_you_?"

At first Barker could not believe himself accosted, though the young
man who spoke stood directly in front of him, and seemed to be
speaking to him. He looked up, and the young man added, "Heigh?"

"Beats? I don't know what you mean," said Barker.

"Confidence sharps, young feller. They're 'round everywheres, and
don't you forget it. Move up a little!"

Barker was sitting in the middle of the bench, and at this he pushed
away from the young man, who had dropped himself sociably beside
him. He wore a pair of black pantaloons, very tight in the legs, and