PARTI
"Weoughtnevertodowrongwhenpeoplearelooking。"
I
Thefirstsceneisinthecountry，inVirginia;thetime，1880。Therehasbeenawedding，betweenahandsomeyoungmanofslendermeansandarichyounggirl——acaseofloveatfirstsightandaprecipitatemarriage;amarriagebitterlyopposedbythegirl’swidowedfather。
JacobFuller，thebridegroom，istwenty—sixyearsold，isofanoldbutunconsideredfamilywhichhadbycompulsionemigratedfromSedgemoor，andforKingJames’spurse’sprofit，soeverybodysaid——somemaliciouslytherestmerelybecausetheybelievedit。Thebrideisnineteenandbeautiful。Sheisintense，high—strung，romantic，immeasurablyproudofherCavalierblood，andpassionateinherloveforheryounghusband。
Foritssakeshebravedherfather’sdispleasure，enduredhisreproaches，listenedwithloyaltyunshakentohiswarningpredictionsandwentfromhishousewithouthisblessing，proudandhappyintheproofsshewasthusgivingofthequalityoftheaffectionwhichhadmadeitshomeinherheart。
Themorningafterthemarriagetherewasasadsurpriseforher。Herhusbandputasideherprofferedcaresses，andsaid:
"Sitdown。Ihavesomethingtosaytoyou。Ilovedyou。ThatwasbeforeIaskedyourfathertogiveyoutome。Hisrefusalisnotmygrievance——Icouldhaveenduredthat。Butthethingshesaidofmetoyou——thatisadifferentmatter。There——youneedn’tspeak;Iknowquitewellwhattheywere;Igotthemfromauthenticsources。Amongotherthingshesaidthatmycharacterwaswritteninmyface;thatIwastreacherous，adissembler，acoward，andabrutewithoutsenseofpityorcompassion:the’Sedgemoortrade—mark，’hecalledit——and’white—sleevebadge。’Anyothermaninmyplacewouldhavegonetohishouseandshothimdownlikeadog。Iwantedtodoit，andwasmindedtodoit，butabetterthoughtcametome:toputhimtoshame;tobreakhisheart;tokillhimbyinches。Howtodoit？Throughmytreatmentofyou，hisidol！Iwouldmarryyou;andthen——Havepatience。Youwillsee。
Fromthatmomentonward，forthreemonths，theyoungwifesufferedallthehumiliations，alltheinsults，allthemiseriesthatthediligentandinventivemindofthehusbandcouldcontrive，savephysicalinjuriesonly。Herstrongpridestoodbyher，andshekeptthesecretofhertroubles。Nowandthenthehusbandsaid，"Whydon’tyougotoyourfatherandtellhim？"Thenheinventednewtortures，appliedthem，andaskedagain。Shealwaysanswered，"Heshallneverknowbymymouth，"andtauntedhimwithhisorigin;saidshewasthelawfulslaveofascionofslaves，andmustobey，andwould——uptothatpoint，butnofurther;hecouldkillherifheliked，buthecouldnotbreakher;itwasnotintheSedgemoorbreedtodoit。Attheendofthethreemonthshesaid，withadarksignificanceinhismanner，"Ihavetriedallthingsbutone"——andwaitedforherreply。"Trythat，"shesaid，andcurledherlipinmockery。
Thatnightheroseatmidnightandputonhisclothes，thensaidtoher:
"Getupanddress！"
Sheobeyed——asalways，withoutaword。Heledherhalfamilefromthehouse，andproceededtolashhertoatreebythesideofthepublicroad;andsucceeded，shescreamingandstruggling。Hegaggedherthen，struckheracrossthefacewithhiscowhide，andsethisbloodhoundsonher。Theytoretheclothesoffher，andshewasnaked。Hecalledthedogsoff，andsaid:
"Youwillbefound——bythepassingpublic。Theywillbedroppingalongaboutthreehoursfromnow，andwillspreadthenews——doyouhear？Good—
by。Youhaveseenthelastofme。"
Hewentawaythen。Shemoanedtoherself:
"Ishallbearachild——tohim！Godgrantitmaybeaboy！"
Thefarmersreleasedherbyandby——andspreadthenews，whichwasnatural。Theyraisedthecountrywithlynchingintentions，butthebirdhadflown。Theyoungwifeshutherselfupinherfather’shouse;heshuthimselfupwithher，andthenceforthwouldseenoone。Hispridewasbroken，andhisheart;sohewastedaway，daybyday，andevenhisdaughterrejoicedwhendeathrelievedhim。
Thenshesoldtheestateanddisappeared。
II
In1886ayoungwomanwaslivinginamodesthousenearasecludedNewEnglandvillage，withnocompanybutalittleboyaboutfiveyearsold。
Shedidherownwork，shediscouragedacquaintanceships，andhadnone。
Thebutcher，thebaker，andtheothersthatservedhercouldtellthevillagersnothingaboutherfurtherthanthathernamewasStillman，andthatshecalledthechildArchy。Whenceshecametheyhadnotbeenabletofindout，buttheysaidshetalkedlikeaSoutherner。Thechildhadnoplaymatesandnocomrade，andnoteacherbutthemother。Shetaughthimdiligentlyandintelligently，andwassatisfiedwiththeresults——
evenalittleproudofthem。OnedayArchysaid:
"Mamma，amIdifferentfromotherchildren？"
"Well，Isupposenot。Why？"
"TherewasachildgoingalongoutthereandaskedmeifthepostmanhadbeenbyandIsaidyes，andshesaidhowlongsinceIsawhimandIsaidIhadn’tseenhimatall，andshesaidhowdidIknowhe’dbeenby，then，andIsaidbecauseIsmelthistrackonthesidewalk，andshesaidIwasadumfoolandmadeamouthatme。Whatdidshedothatfor？"
Theyoungwomanturnedwhite，andsaidtoherself，"It’sabirthmark！
Thegiftofthebloodhoundisinhim。"Shesnatchedtheboytoherbreastandhuggedhimpassionately，saying，"Godhasappointedtheway！"
Hereyeswereburningwithafiercelight，andherbreathcameshortandquickwithexcitement。Shesaidtoherself:"Thepuzzleissolvednow;
manyatimeithasbeenamysterytome，theimpossiblethingsthechildhasdoneinthedark，butitisallcleartomenow。"
Shesethiminhissmallchair，andsaid:
"WaitalittletillIcome，dear;thenwewilltalkaboutthematter。"
Shewentuptoherroomandtookfromherdressing—tableseveralsmallarticlesandputthemoutofsight:anail—fileonthefloorunderthebed;apairofnail—scissorsunderthebureau;asmallivorypaper—knifeunderthewardrobe。Thenshereturned，andsaid:
"There！IhaveleftsomethingswhichIoughttohavebroughtdown。"
Shenamedthem，andsaid，"Runupandbringthem，dear。"
Thechildhurriedawayonhiserrandandwassoonbackagainwiththethings。
"Didyouhaveanydifficulty，dear？"
"No，mamma;Ionlywentwhereyouwent。"
Duringhisabsenceshehadsteppedtothebookcase，takenseveralbooksfromthebottomshelf，openedeach，passedherhandoverapage，notingitsnumberinhermemory，thenrestoredthemtotheirplaces。Nowshesaid:
"Ihavebeendoingsomethingwhileyouhavebeengone，Archy。Doyouthinkyoucanfindoutwhatitwas？"
Theboywenttothebookcaseandgotoutthebooksthathadbeentouched，andopenedthematthepageswhichhadbeenstroked。
Themothertookhiminherlap，andsaid:
"Iwillansweryourquestionnow，dear。Ihavefoundoutthatinonewayyouarequitedifferentfromotherpeople。Youcanseeinthedark，youcansmellwhatotherpeoplecannot，youhavethetalentsofabloodhound。
Theyaregoodandvaluablethingstohave，butyoumustkeepthematterasecret。Ifpeoplefounditout，theywouldspeakofyouasanoddchild，astrangechild，andchildrenwouldbedisagreeabletoyou，andgiveyounicknames。Inthisworldonemustbelikeeverybodyelseifhedoesn’twanttoprovokescornorenvyorjealousy。Itisagreatandfinedistinctionwhichhasbeenborntoyou，andIamglad;butyouwillkeepitasecret，formamma’ssake，won’tyou？"
Thechildpromised，withoutunderstanding。
Alltherestofthedaythemother’sbrainwasbusywithexcitedthinkings;withplans，projects，schemes，eachandallofthemuncanny，grim，anddark。Yettheylitupherface;lititwithafelllightoftheirown;lititwithvaguefiresofhell。Shewasinafeverofunrest;shecouldnotsit，stand，read，sew;therewasnoreliefforherbutinmovement。Shetestedherboy’sgiftintwentyways，andkeptsayingtoherselfallthetime，withhermindinthepast:"Hebrokemyfather’sheart，andnightanddayalltheseyearsIhavetried，andallinvain，tothinkoutawaytobreakhis。Ihavefounditnow——Ihavefounditnow。"
Whennightfell，thedemonofunreststillpossessedher。Shewentonwithhertests;withacandleshetraversedthehousefromgarrettocellar，hidingpins，needles，thimbles，spools，underpillows，undercarpets，incracksinthewalls，underthecoalinthebin;thensentthelittlefellowinthedarktofindthem;whichhedid，andwashappyandproudwhenshepraisedhimandsmotheredhimwithcaresses。
Fromthistimeforwardlifetookonanewcomplexionforher。Shesaid，"Thefutureissecure——Icanwait，andenjoythewaiting。"Themostofherlostinterestsrevived。Shetookupmusicagain，andlanguages，drawing，painting，andtheotherlong—discardeddelightsofhermaidenhood。Shewashappyoncemore，andfeltagainthezestoflife。
Astheyearsdriftedbyshewatchedthedevelopmentofherboy，andwascontentedwithit。Notaltogether，butnearlythat。Thesoftsideofhisheartwaslargerthantheothersideofit。Itwashisonlydefect，inhereyes。Butsheconsideredthathisloveforherandworshipofhermadeupforit。Hewasagoodhater——thatwaswell;butitwasaquestionifthematerialsofhishatredswereofastoughandenduringaqualityasthoseofhisfriendships——andthatwasnotsowell。
Theyearsdriftedon。Archywasbecomeahandsome，shapely，athleticyouth，courteous，dignified，companionable，pleasantinhisways，andlookingperhapsatrifleolderthanhewas，whichwassixteen。Oneeveninghismothersaidshehadsomethingofgraveimportancetosaytohim，addingthathewasoldenoughtohearitnow，andoldenoughandpossessedofcharacterenoughandstabilityenoughtocarryoutasternplanwhichshehadbeenforyearscontrivingandmaturing。Thenshetoldhimherbitterstory，inallitsnakedatrociousness。Forawhiletheboywasparalyzed;thenhesaid:
"Iunderstand。WeareSoutherners;andbyourcustomandnaturethereisbutoneatonement。Iwillsearchhimoutandkillhim。"
"Killhim？No！Deathisrelease，emancipation;deathisafavor。DoI
owehimfavors？Youmustnothurtahairofhishead。"
Theboywaslostinthoughtawhile;thenhesaid:
"Youarealltheworldtome，andyourdesireismylawandmypleasure。
TellmewhattodoandIwilldoit。"
Themother’seyesbeamedwithsatisfaction，andshesaid:
"Youwillgoandfindhim。Ihaveknownhishiding—placeforelevenyears;itcostmefiveyearsandmoreofinquiry，andmuchmoney，tolocateit。Heisaquartz—minerinColorado，andwell—to—do。HelivesinDenver。HisnameisJacobFuller。There——itisthefirsttimeIhavespokenitsincethatunforgettablenight。Think！ThatnamecouldhavebeenyoursifIhadnotsavedyouthatshameandfurnishedyouacleanerone。Youwilldrivehimfromthatplace;youwillhunthimdownanddrivehimagain;andyetagain，andagain，andagain，persistently，relentlessly，poisoninghislife，fillingitwithmysteriousterrors，loadingitwithwearinessandmisery，makinghimwishfordeath，andthathehadasuicide’scourage;youwillmakeofhimanotherWanderingJew;
heshallknownorestanymore，nopeaceofmind，noplacidsleep;youshallshadowhim，clingtohim，persecutehim，tillyoubreakhisheart，ashebrokemyfather’sandmine。"
"Iwillobey，mother。"
"Ibelieveit，mychild。Thepreparationsareallmade;everythingisready。Hereisaletterofcredit;spendfreely，thereisnolackofmoney。Attimesyoumayneeddisguises。Ihaveprovidedthem;alsosomeotherconveniences。"Shetookfromthedrawerofthetypewriter—tableseveralsquaresofpaper。Theyallborethesetypewrittenwords:
$10，000REWARD
ItisbelievedthatacertainmanwhoiswantedinanEasternstateissojourninghere。In1880，inthenight，hetiedhisyoungwifetoatreebythepublicroad，cutheracrossthefacewithacowhide，andmadehisdogstearherclothesfromher，leavinghernaked。Heleftherthere，andfledthecountry。Ablood—relativeofhershassearchedforhimforseventeenyears。Address……，……，Post—office。
Theaboverewardwillbepaidincashtothepersonwhowillfurnishtheseeker，inapersonalinterview，thecriminal’saddress。
"Whenyouhavefoundhimandacquaintedyourselfwithhisscent，youwillgointhenightandplacardoneoftheseuponthebuildingheoccupies，andanotheroneuponthepost—officeorinsomeotherprominentplace。
Itwillbethetalkoftheregion。Atfirstyoumustgivehimseveraldaysinwhichtoforceasaleofhisbelongingsatsomethingapproachingtheirvalue。Wewillruinhimbyandby，butgradually;wemustnotimpoverishhimatonce，forthatcouldbringhimtodespairandinjurehishealth，possiblykillhim。"
Shetookthreeorfourmoretypewrittenformsfromthedrawer——
duplicates——andreadone:……，……，18……
ToJacobFuller:
Youhave……daysinwhichtosettleyouraffairs。
Youwillnotbedisturbedduringthatlimit，whichwillexpireat……M。，onthe……of……
YoumustthenMOVEON。Ifyouarestillintheplaceafterthenamedhour，Iwillplacardyouonallthedeadwalls，detailingyourcrimeoncemore，andaddingthedate，alsothesceneofit，withallnamesconcerned，includingyourown。Havenofearofbodilyinjury——itwillinnocircumstanceseverbeinflicteduponyou。Youbroughtmiseryuponanoldman，andruinedhislifeandbrokehisheart。Whathesuffered，youaretosuffer。
"Youwilladdnosignature。Hemustreceivethisbeforehelearnsoftherewardplacard——beforeherisesinthemorning——lesthelosehisheadandflytheplacepenniless。"
"Ishallnotforget。"
"Youwillneedtousetheseformsonlyinthebeginning——oncemayheenough。Afterward，whenyouarereadyforhimtovanishoutofaplace，seethathegetsacopyofthisform，whichmerelysays:
MOVEON。Youhave……days。
"Hewillobey。Thatissure。"
III
Extractsfromletterstothemother:
DENVER，April3，1897
IhavenowbeenlivingseveraldaysinthesamehotelwithJacobFuller。
Ihavehisscent;Icouldtrackhimthroughtendivisionsofinfantryandfindhim。Ihaveoftenbeennearhimandheardhimtalk。Heownsagoodmine，andhasafairincomefromit;butheisnotrich。Helearnedmininginagoodway——byworkingatitforwages。Heisacheerfulcreature，andhisforty—threeyearssitlightlyuponhim;hecouldpassforayoungerman——saythirty—sixorthirty—seven。Hehasnevermarriedagain——passeshimselfoffforawidower。Hestandswell，isliked，ispopular，andhasmanyfriends。EvenIfeeladrawingtowardhim——thepaternalbloodinmemakingitsclaim。Howblindandunreasoningandarbitraryaresomeofthelawsofnature——themostofthem，infact！Mytaskisbecomehardnow——yourealizeit？youcomprehend，andmakeallowances？——andthefireofithascooled，morethanIliketoconfesstomyself，ButIwillcarryitout。Evenwiththepleasurepaled，thedutyremains，andIwillnotsparehim。
Andformyhelp，asharpresentmentrisesinmewhenIreflectthathewhocommittedthatodiouscrimeistheonlyonewhohasnotsufferedbyit。Thelessonofithasmanifestlyreformedhischaracter，andinthechangeheishappy。He，theguiltyparty，isabsolvedfromallsuffering;you，theinnocent，arebornedownwithit。Butbecomforted——
heshallharvesthisshare。
SILVERGULCH，May19
IplacardedFormNo。1atmidnightofApril3;anhourlaterIslippedFormNo。2underhischamberdoor，notifyinghimtoleaveDenveratorbefore11。50thenightofthe14th。