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g by the stable door。 David leaped out of bed and ran to a window。 All of the people stirring about excited his mind； and he wondered what his mother was doing in the house in town。
From the windows of his own room he could not see directly into the barnyard where the farm hands had now all assembled to do the morning shores； but he could hear the voices of the men and the neighing of the horses。 When one of the men laughed； he laughed also。 Leaning out at the open window； he looked into an orchard where a fat sow wandered about with a litter of tiny pigs at her heels。 Every morning he counted the pigs。 〃Four； five； six； seven；〃 he said slowly； wetting his finger and making straight up and down marks on the window ledge。 David ran to put on his trousers and shirt。 A feverish desire to get out of doors took pos… session of him。 Every morning he made such a noise coming down stairs that Aunt Callie； the house… keeper； declared he was trying to tear the house down。 When he had run through the long old house； shutting the doors behind him with a bang； he came into the barnyard and looked about with an amazed air of expectancy。 It seemed to him that in such a place tremendous things might have hap… pened during the night。 The farm hands looked at him and laughed。 Henry Strader； an old man who had been on the farm since Jesse came into posses… sion and who before David's time had never been known to make a joke； made the same joke every morning。 It amused David so that he laughed and clapped his hands。 〃See； come here and look；〃 cried the old man。 〃Grandfather Jesse's white mare has tom the black stocking she wears on her foot。〃
Day after day through the long summer； Jesse Bentley drove from farm to farm up and down the valley of Wine Creek； and his grandson went with him。 They rode in a comfortable old phaeton drawn by the white horse。 The old man scratched his thin white beard and talked to himself of his plans for increasing the productiveness of the fields they vis… ited and of God's part in the plans all men made。 Sometimes he looked at David and smiled happily and then for a long time he appeared to forget the boy's existence。 More and more every day now his mind turned back again to the dreams that had filled his mind when he had first come out of the city to live on the land。 One afternoon he startled David by letting his dreams take entire possession of him。 With the boy as a witness； he went through a cere… mony and brought about an accident that nearly de… stroyed the companionship that was growing up between them。
Jesse and his grandson were driving in a distant part of the valley some miles from home。 A forest came down to the road and through the forest Wine Creek wriggled its way over stones toward a distant river。 All the afternoon Jesse had been in a medita… tive mood and now he began to talk。 His mind went back to the night when he had been frightened by thoughts of a giant that might come to rob and plun… der him of his possessions； and again as on that night when he had run through the fields crying for a son； he became excited to the edge of insanity。 Stopping the horse he got out of the buggy and asked David to get out also。 The two climbed over a fence and walked along the bank of the stream。 The boy paid no attention to the muttering of his grandfather； but ran along beside him and won… dered what was going to happen。 When a rabbit jumped up and ran away through the woods； he clapped his hands and danced with delight。 He looked at the tall trees and was sorry that he was not a little animal to climb high in the air without being frightened。 Stooping； he picked up a small stone and threw it over the head of his grandfather into a clump of bushes。 〃Wake up； little animal。 Go and climb to the top of the trees；〃 he shouted in a shrill voice。
Jesse Bentley went along under the trees with his head bowed and with his mind in a ferment。 His earnestness affected the boy； who presently became silent and a little alarmed。 Into the old man's mind had come the notion that now he could bring from God a word or a sign out of the sky； that the pres… ence of the boy and man on their knees in some lonely spot in the forest would make the miracle he had been waiting for almost inevitable。 〃It was in just such a place as this that other David tended the sheep when his father came and told him to go down unto Saul；〃 he muttered。
Taking the boy rather roughly by the shoulder； he climbed over a fallen log and when he had come to an open place among the trees he dropped upon his knees and began to pray in a loud voice。
A kind of terror he had never known before took possession of David。 Crouching beneath a tree he watched the man on the ground before him and his own knees began to tremble。 It seemed to him that he was in the presence not only of his grandfather but of someone else； someone who might hurt him； someone who was not kindly but dangerous and brutal。 He began to cry and reaching down picked up a small stick； which he held tightly gripped in his fingers。 When Jesse Bentley； absorbed in his own idea； suddenly arose and advanced toward him； his terror grew until his whole body shook。 In the woods an intense silence seemed to lie over every… thing and suddenly out of the silence came the old man's harsh and insistent voice。 Gripping the boy's shoulders； Jesse turned his face to the sky and shouted。 The whole left side of his face twitched and his hand on the boy's shoulder twitched also。 〃Make a sign to me； God；〃 he cried。 〃Here I stand with the boy David。 Come down to me out of the sky and make Thy presence known to me。〃
With a cry of fear； David turned and； shaking himself loose from the hands that held him； ran away through the forest。 He did not believe that the man who turned up his face and in a harsh voice shouted at the sky was his grandfather at all。 The man did not look like his grandfather。 The convic… tion that something strange and terrible had hap… pened； that by some miracle a new and dangerous person had come into the body of the kindly old man； took possession of him。 On and on he ran down the hillside； sobbing as he ran。 When he fell over the roots of a tree and in falling struck his head； he arose and tried to run on again。 His head hurt so that presently he fell down and lay still； but it was only after Jesse had carried him to the buggy and he awoke to find the old man's hand stroking his head tenderly that the terror left him。 〃Take me away。 There is a terrible man back there in the woods；〃 he declared firmly； while Jesse looked away over the tops of the trees and again his lips cried out to God。 〃What have I done that Thou dost not approve of me；〃 he whispered softly； saying the words over and over as he drove rapidly along the road with the boy's cut and bleeding head held ten… derly against his shoulder。
III
Surrender
THE STORY OF Louise Bentley； who became Mrs。 John Hardy and lived with her husband in a brick house on Elm Street in Winesburg； is a story of mis… understanding。
Before such women as Louise can be understood and their lives made livable； much will have to be done。 Thoughtful books will have to be written and