it was Rand's "Modern Classical Philosophers." It
represented Anthy's last struggling effort to keep on with her college
work. In spite of all the difficulties and distractions of the
printing-office, she had never quite given up the hope that some day she
might be able to go back and graduate. It had been her fondest desire,
the deepest purpose of her heart.

As she glanced quickly around at me I surprised on her face a curious
look. How shall I describe it?--a look of exaltation, and of anxiety,
too, I thought. But it passed like a flash, and she gave me a smile of
friendly recognition, and stepped toward me with the frank and outright
way she had. It gave me a curious deep thrill, not, I think, because she
was a woman, a girl, and so very good to look upon, but because I
suddenly saw her, the very spirit of her, as a fine, brave human being,
fighting one of the hard and bitter fights of our common life. I do not
pretend to know very much about women in general, and I think perhaps
there is some truth in one of Nort's remarks, made long afterward:

"David's idea of generalizing about women," said that young upstart, "is
to talk about Anthy without mentioning her name."

Is yours any different, Nort?--or _yours_?

Yes, I think it is true; and this I know because I know Anthy, that,
however beautiful and charming a woman may be, as a woman, that which
finally rings all the bells in the chambers of the souls of men are
those qualities which are above and beyond womanly charm, which are
universal and human: as that she is brave, or simple, or noble in
spirit.

That Anthy was deeply troubled on that summer morning I saw plainly when
the Captain came, in the keen glance she gave him. He, too, seemed
somehow changed, so unlike himself as to be almost gloomy. He gave me a
sepulchral, "Good morning, sir," and sat down at his desk without even
lighting his pipe.

Something tremendous, I could feel, was taking place there in the
printing-office, and I said to Anthy--we had been talking about the
paragraphs I brought in:

"What's been happening to the _Star_ since I was here before?"

"You've discovered it, too!" she said with a whimsical smile. "Well,
we're just now in process of being modernized." At this I heard Fergus
snort behind me.

"Bein' busted, you mean," said he.

Fergus, besides being temperamentally unable to contain his opinions,
had been so long the prop of the mechanical fortunes of the _Star_ that
h