It  was  never  so  well  understood  at  The  Wayside
that  its  owner  had  retiring  habits  as  when  Alcott
was  reported  to  be  approaching  along  the  Larch

414


THE   WAYSIDE

Path,  which  stretched  in  feathery  bowers  between
our  house  and  his.  Yet  I  was  not  aware  that  the
seer  failed  at  any  hour  to  gain  admittance,  —  one
cause,  perhaps,  of  the  awe  in  which  his  visits  were
held.  I  remember  that  my  observation  was  at-
tracted to  him  curiously  from  the  fact  that  my
m  other*  s  eyes  changed  to  a  darker  gray  at  his
advents,  as  they  did  only  when  she  was  silently
sacrificing  herself.  I  clearly  understood  that  Mr.
