CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. GERALD URWOLDT 7 II. BLACKBERRY EYES, AND WHAT FOLLOWED . . 16 III. IN COLLEGE 28 IV. THE BIG MEETINGS 43 V. A STRUGGLE 51 VI. PERSIS PAIGE 65 VII. NEW INFLUENCES 74 VIII. RACHEL BEAUCHAMP 85 IX. ONLY Two GIRLS 101 X. THE ROLL OF THE RIVER 113 XI. LESSONS IN LIFE 127 XII. ONE OF THE CERTAINTIES 144 XIII. UPTURNING 157 XIV. FINALITIES 167 XV. A DECISION 174 XVI. EXPLANATORY 185 XVII. NEW-COMERS 193 XVIII. WAR 206 XIX. GROWTH 223 XX. A VISITOR 236 XXI. NOT YET 249 6 CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAOE XXII. PICNIC 262 XXIII. A LITTLE VISIT 2SO XXIV. A RIDE INTO THE COUNTRY 292 XXV. RIVALS 314 XXVI. THE WINDY WAYS OF MEN 327 XXVII. EXTEMPORE 340 XXVIII. CHRISTMAS 352 XXIX. A SOCRATIC SOIREE 366 XXX. Ross AND PERSIS 382 XXXI. OCKLAWAHATF AGAIN 394 XXXII. SOLUTION 411 XXXIII. CERTAINTY ITSELF 427 XXXIV. ASSURANCE . 438 BLESSED SAINT CERTAINTY. CHAPTER I. GERALD URWOLDT. ONE bright September afternoon, many years ago, the people of Ocklawahaw were aroused out of their habitual indolence by the arrival of the most distinguished visitor they had ever received. When I say that this was the finest horse they had so far seen, I must explain myself by saying that Ocklawahaw was the only trading-post of an Indian Reservation in the West. It was built along the crumbling edge of a bluff overhanging a great river, which toiled slowly past, so heavily weighted was it with red soil from the regions through which it flowed. The town consisted of many score of log cab ins scattered about like dice, with a frame house upon the highest points here and there, some of them painted red, with green shutters, in which lived the leading men. There was a blacksmith-shop, a wagon- maker, a saddle-maker ortwo but the most frequented buildings were an overgrown warehouse, and a four fold log cabin nearly opposite, which served as a tav ern. The first-named structure was the wonder of