rom some wooded gorge to rest among the
hemlock-covered islands that break its smoother path between the soft
meadows, is crossed by a strong dam; and a white village, with its
church and graveyard, clusters against the hill-side, sweeping upward
from the huge mills that stand along the shore just below the bridge.
Here and there, too, out of sight of mill or village, a quiet farmer's
house, trimly painted, with barns and hay-stacks and wood-piles drawn up
in goodly array, stands in its old orchard, and offers the front of a
fortress against want and misery. Idle aspect! fortress of vain front!
there are intangible foes that no man may conquer! In such a stronghold
was born Roger Pierce, the Man with two Shadows.

He was the son of good and upright parents. Before he came into their
arms, three tiny shapes had lain there, one after another, for a few
brief weeks, smiled, moaned, and fallen asleep,--to sleep, forever
children, under the daisies and golden-rods. For this reason they cling
to little Roger with passionate apprehension; they fought with the Angel
of Death, and overcame; and, as it ever is to the blind nature of man,
the conquest was greater to them than any gift.

The boy grew up into childhood as other children grow, a daily miracle
to see. Only for him incessant care watched and waited; unwearied as the
angel that looked from him to the face of God, so to gather ever fresh
strength and guidance for the wayward child, his mother's tender eyes
overlooked him all day, followed his tottering steps from room to room,
kept far away from him all fear and pain, shone upon him in the depths
of night, woke and wept for him always. Never could he know the hardy
self-reliance of those whom life casts upon their own strength and care;
the wisdom and the love that lived for him lived in him, and he grew to
be a boy as the tropic blossom of a hot-house grows, without thought or
toil.

It was not until his age brought him in contact with others, that there
seemed to be any difference between his nature and the common race
of children. Always, however, some touch of sullenness lurked in his
temperament; and whatever thwarted his will or fancy darkened the light
of his clear eyes, and drew a dull pallor over his blooming cheek, till
his mother used to tell him at such times that he stood between her and
the sunshine.

But as he grew older, and shared in the sports of his companions, a
strange thing came to pass. Beside