I	O
.	O

The	O
Return	O
THERE	O
WAS	O
SOMETHING	O
about	O
the	O
coast	O
town	O
of	O
Dunnet	O
which	O
made	O
it	O
seem	O
more	O
attractive	O
than	O
other	O
maritime	O
villages	O
of	O
eastern	O
Maine	O
.	O

Perhaps	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
simple	O
fact	O
of	O
acquaintance	O
with	O
that	O
neighborhood	O
which	O
made	O
it	O
so	O
attaching	O
,	O
and	O
gave	O
such	O
interest	O
to	O
the	O
rocky	O
shore	O
and	O
dark	O
woods	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
few	O
houses	O
which	O
seemed	O
to	O
be	O
securely	O
wedged	O
and	O
tree-nailed	O
in	O
among	O
the	O
ledges	O
by	O
the	O
Landing	O
.	O

These	O
houses	O
made	O
the	O
most	O
of	O
their	O
seaward	O
view	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
gayety	O
and	O
determined	O
floweriness	O
in	O
their	O
bits	O
of	O
garden	O
ground	O
;	O
the	O
small-paned	O
high	O
windows	O
in	O
the	O
peaks	O
of	O
their	O
steep	O
gables	O
were	O
like	O
knowing	O
eyes	O
that	O
watched	O
the	O
harbor	O
and	O
the	O
far	O
sea-line	O
beyond	O
,	O
or	O
looked	O
northward	O
all	O
along	O
the	O
shore	O
and	O
its	O
background	O
of	O
spruces	O
and	O
balsam	O
firs	O
.	O

When	O
one	O
really	O
knows	O
a	O
village	O
like	O
this	O
and	O
its	O
surroundings	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
like	O
becoming	O
acquainted	O
with	O
a	O
single	O
person	O
.	O

The	O
process	O
of	O
falling	O
in	O
love	O
at	O
first	O
sight	O
is	O
as	O
final	O
as	O
it	O
is	O
swift	O
in	O
such	O
a	O
case	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
growth	O
of	O
true	O
friendship	O
may	O
be	O
a	O
lifelong	O
affair	O
.	O

After	O
a	O
first	O
brief	O
visit	O
made	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
summers	O
before	O
in	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
a	O
yachting	O
cruise	O
,	O
a	O
lover	O
of	O
Dunnet	O
Landing	O
returned	O
to	O
find	O
the	O
unchanged	O
shores	O
of	O
the	O
pointed	O
firs	O
,	O
the	O
same	O
quaintness	O
of	O
the	O
village	O
with	O
its	O
elaborate	O
conventionalities	O
;	O
all	O
that	O
mixture	O
of	O
remoteness	O
,	O
and	O
childish	O
certainty	O
of	O
being	O
the	O
centre	O
of	O
civilization	O
of	O
which	O
her	O
affectionate	O
dreams	O
had	O
told	O
.	O

One	O
evening	O
in	O
June	O
,	O
a	O
single	O
passenger	O
landed	EVENT
upon	O
the	O
steamboat	O
wharf	O
.	O

The	O
tide	O
was	O
high	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
fine	O
crowd	O
of	O
spectators	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
younger	O
portion	O
of	O
the	O
company	O
followed	EVENT
her	O
with	O
subdued	O
excitement	O
up	O
the	O
narrow	O
street	O
of	O
the	O
salt-aired	O
,	O
white-clapboarded	O
little	O
town	O
.	O

II	O
.	O

Mrs.	O
Todd	O
LATER	O
,	O
THERE	O
WAS	O
only	O
one	O
fault	O
to	O
find	O
with	O
this	O
choice	O
of	O
a	O
summer	O
lodging-place	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
was	O
its	O
complete	O
lack	O
of	O
seclusion	O
.	O

At	O
first	O
the	O
tiny	O
house	O
of	O
Mrs.	O
Almira	O
Todd	O
,	O
which	O
stood	O
with	O
its	O
end	O
to	O
the	O
street	O
,	O
appeared	O
to	O
be	O
retired	O
and	O
sheltered	O
enough	O
from	O
the	O
busy	O
world	O
,	O
behind	O
its	O
bushy	O
bit	O
of	O
a	O
green	O
garden	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
all	O
the	O
blooming	O
things	O
,	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
gay	O
hollyhocks	O
and	O
some	O
London-pride	O
,	O
were	O
pushed	O
back	O
against	O
the	O
gray-shingled	O
wall	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
a	O
queer	O
little	O
garden	O
and	O
puzzling	O
to	O
a	O
stranger	O
,	O
the	O
few	O
flowers	O
being	O
put	O
at	O
a	O
disadvantage	O
by	O
so	O
much	O
greenery	O
;	O
but	O
the	O
discovery	O
was	O
soon	O
made	O
that	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
was	O
an	O
ardent	O
lover	O
of	O
herbs	O
,	O
both	O
wild	O
and	O
tame	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
sea-breezes	O
blew	O
into	O
the	O
low	O
end-window	O
of	O
the	O
house	O
laden	O
with	O
not	O
only	O
sweet-brier	O
and	O
sweet-mary	O
,	O
but	O
balm	O
and	O
sage	O
and	O
borage	O
and	O
mint	O
,	O
wormwood	O
and	O
southernwood	O
.	O

If	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
had	O
occasion	O
to	O
step	O
into	O
the	O
far	O
corner	O
of	O
her	O
herb	O
plot	O
,	O
she	O
trod	O
heavily	O
upon	O
thyme	O
,	O
and	O
made	O
its	O
fragrant	O
presence	O
known	O
with	O
all	O
the	O
rest	O
.	O

Being	O
a	O
very	O
large	O
person	O
,	O
her	O
full	O
skirts	O
brushed	O
and	O
bent	O
almost	O
every	O
slender	O
stalk	O
that	O
her	O
feet	O
missed	O
.	O

You	O
could	O
always	O
tell	O
when	O
she	O
was	O
stepping	O
about	O
there	O
,	O
even	O
when	O
you	O
were	O
half	O
awake	O
in	O
the	O
morning	O
,	O
and	O
learned	O
to	O
know	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
a	O
few	O
weeks	O
’	O
experience	O
,	O
in	O
exactly	O
which	O
corner	O
of	O
the	O
garden	O
she	O
might	O
be	O
.	O

At	O
one	O
side	O
of	O
this	O
herb	O
plot	O
were	O
other	O
growths	O
of	O
a	O
rustic	O
pharmacopoeia	O
,	O
great	O
treasures	O
and	O
rarities	O
among	O
the	O
commoner	O
herbs	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
some	O
strange	O
and	O
pungent	O
odors	O
that	O
roused	O
a	O
dim	O
sense	O
and	O
remembrance	O
of	O
something	O
in	O
the	O
forgotten	O
past	O
.	O

Some	O
of	O
these	O
might	O
once	O
have	O
belonged	O
to	O
sacred	O
and	O
mystic	O
rites	O
,	O
and	O
have	O
had	O
some	O
occult	O
knowledge	O
handed	O
with	O
them	O
down	O
the	O
centuries	O
;	O
but	O
now	O
they	O
pertained	O
only	O
to	O
humble	O
compounds	O
brewed	O
at	O
intervals	O
with	O
molasses	O
or	O
vinegar	O
or	O
spirits	O
in	O
a	O
small	O
caldron	O
on	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
’s	O
kitchen	O
stove	O
.	O

They	O
were	O
dispensed	O
to	O
suffering	O
neighbors	O
,	O
who	O
usually	O
came	O
at	O
night	O
as	O
if	O
by	O
stealth	O
,	O
bringing	O
their	O
own	O
ancient-looking	O
vials	O
to	O
be	O
filled	O
.	O

One	O
nostrum	O
was	O
called	O
the	O
Indian	O
remedy	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
price	O
was	O
but	O
fifteen	O
cents	O
;	O
the	O
whispered	O
directions	O
could	O
be	O
heard	O
as	O
customers	O
passed	O
the	O
windows	O
.	O

With	O
most	O
remedies	O
the	O
purchaser	O
was	O
allowed	O
to	O
depart	O
unadmonished	O
from	O
the	O
kitchen	O
,	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
being	O
a	O
wise	O
saver	O
of	O
steps	O
;	O
but	O
with	O
certain	O
vials	O
she	O
gave	O
cautions	O
,	O
standing	O
in	O
the	O
doorway	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
were	O
other	O
doses	O
which	O
had	O
to	O
be	O
accompanied	O
on	O
their	O
healing	O
way	O
as	O
far	O
as	O
the	O
gate	O
,	O
while	O
she	O
muttered	O
long	O
chapters	O
of	O
directions	O
,	O
and	O
kept	O
up	O
an	O
air	O
of	O
secrecy	O
and	O
importance	O
to	O
the	O
last	O
.	O

It	O
may	O
not	O
have	O
been	O
only	O
the	O
common	O
aids	O
of	O
humanity	O
with	O
which	O
she	O
tried	O
to	O
cope	O
;	O
it	O
seemed	O
sometimes	O
as	O
if	O
love	O
and	O
hate	O
and	O
jealousy	O
and	O
adverse	O
winds	O
at	O
sea	O
might	O
also	O
find	O
their	O
proper	O
remedies	O
among	O
the	O
curious	O
wild-looking	O
plants	O
in	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
’s	O
garden	O
.	O

The	O
village	O
doctor	O
and	O
this	O
learned	O
herbalist	O
were	O
upon	O
the	O
best	O
of	O
terms	O
.	O

The	O
good	O
man	O
may	O
have	O
counted	O
upon	O
the	O
unfavorable	O
effect	O
of	O
certain	O
potions	O
which	O
he	O
should	O
find	O
his	O
opportunity	O
in	O
counteracting	O
;	O
at	O
any	O
rate	O
,	O
he	O
now	O
and	O
then	O
stopped	O
and	O
exchanged	O
greetings	O
with	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
over	O
the	O
picket	O
fence	O
.	O

The	O
conversation	O
became	O
at	O
once	O
professional	O
after	O
the	O
briefest	O
preliminaries	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
would	O
stand	O
twirling	O
a	O
sweet-scented	O
sprig	O
in	O
his	O
fingers	O
,	O
and	O
make	O
suggestive	O
jokes	O
,	O
perhaps	O
about	O
her	O
faith	O
in	O
a	O
too	O
persistent	O
course	O
of	O
thoroughwort	O
elixir	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
my	O
landlady	O
professed	O
such	O
firm	O
belief	O
as	O
sometimes	O
to	O
endanger	O
the	O
life	O
and	O
usefulness	O
of	O
worthy	O
neighbors	O
.	O

To	O
arrive	O
at	O
this	O
quietest	O
of	O
seaside	O
villages	O
late	O
in	O
June	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
busy	O
herb-gathering	O
season	O
was	O
just	O
beginning	O
,	O
was	O
also	O
to	O
arrive	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
prime	O
of	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
’s	O
activity	O
in	O
the	O
brewing	O
of	O
old-fashioned	O
spruce	O
beer	O
.	O

This	O
cooling	O
and	O
refreshing	O
drink	O
had	O
been	O
brought	O
to	O
wonderful	O
perfection	O
through	O
a	O
long	O
series	O
of	O
experiments	O
;	O
it	O
had	O
won	O
immense	O
local	O
fame	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
supplies	O
for	O
its	O
manufacture	O
were	O
always	O
giving	O
out	O
and	O
having	O
to	O
be	O
replenished	O
.	O

For	O
various	O
reasons	O
,	O
the	O
seclusion	O
and	O
uninterrupted	O
days	O
which	O
had	O
been	O
looked	O
forward	O
to	O
proved	O
to	O
be	O
very	O
rare	O
in	O
this	O
otherwise	O
delightful	O
corner	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
.	O

My	O
hostess	O
and	O
I	O
had	O
made	O
our	O
shrewd	O
business	O
agreement	EVENT
on	O
the	O
basis	O
of	O
a	O
simple	O
cold	O
luncheon	O
at	O
noon	O
,	O
and	O
liberal	O
restitution	O
in	O
the	O
matter	O
of	O
hot	O
suppers	O
,	O
to	O
provide	O
for	O
which	O
the	O
lodger	O
might	O
sometimes	O
be	O
seen	O
hurrying	O
down	O
the	O
road	O
,	O
late	O
in	O
the	O
day	O
,	O
with	O
cunner	O
line	O
in	O
hand	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
soon	O
found	O
that	O
this	O
arrangement	O
made	O
large	O
allowance	O
for	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
’s	O
slow	O
herb-gathering	O
progresses	O
through	O
woods	O
and	O
pastures	O
.	O

The	O
spruce-beer	O
customers	O
were	O
pretty	O
steady	O
in	O
hot	O
weather	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
were	O
many	O
demands	O
for	O
different	O
soothing	O
syrups	O
and	O
elixirs	O
with	O
which	O
the	O
unwise	O
curiosity	O
of	O
my	O
early	O
residence	O
had	O
made	O
me	O
acquainted	O
.	O

Knowing	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
widow	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
little	O
beside	O
this	O
slender	O
business	O
and	O
the	O
income	O
from	O
one	O
hungry	O
lodger	O
to	O
maintain	O
her	O
,	O
one	O
’s	O
energies	O
and	O
even	O
interest	O
were	O
quickly	O
bestowed	O
,	O
until	O
it	O
became	O
a	O
matter	O
of	O
course	O
that	O
she	O
should	O
go	O
afield	O
every	O
pleasant	O
day	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
lodger	O
should	O
answer	O
all	O
peremptory	O
knocks	O
at	O
the	O
side	O
door	O
.	O

In	O
taking	O
an	O
occasional	O
wisdom-giving	O
stroll	O
in	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
’s	O
company	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
acting	O
as	O
business	O
partner	O
during	O
her	O
frequent	O
absences	O
,	O
I	O
found	O
the	O
July	O
days	O
fly	O
fast	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
until	O
I	O
felt	O
myself	O
confronted	EVENT
with	O
too	O
great	O
pride	EVENT
and	O
pleasure	EVENT
in	O
the	O
display	EVENT
,	O
one	O
night	O
,	O
of	O
two	O
dollars	O
and	O
twenty-seven	O
cents	O
which	O
I	O
had	O
taken	EVENT
in	O
during	O
the	O
day	O
,	O
that	O
I	O
remembered	EVENT
a	O
long	O
piece	O
of	O
writing	O
,	O
sadly	O
belated	O
now	O
,	O
which	O
I	O
was	O
bound	O
to	O
do	O
.	O

To	O
have	O
been	O
patted	O
kindly	O
on	O
the	O
shoulder	O
and	O
called	O
“	O
darlin	O
’	O
,	O
”	O
to	O
have	O
been	O
offered	O
a	O
surprise	O
of	O
early	O
mushrooms	O
for	O
supper	O
,	O
to	O
have	O
had	O
all	O
the	O
glory	O
of	O
making	O
two	O
dollars	O
and	O
twenty-seven	O
cents	O
in	O
a	O
single	O
day	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
to	O
renounce	O
it	O
all	O
and	O
withdraw	O
from	O
these	O
pleasant	O
successes	O
,	O
needed	O
much	O
resolution	O
.	O

Literary	O
employments	O
are	O
so	O
vexed	O
with	O
uncertainties	O
at	O
best	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
until	O
the	O
voice	O
of	O
conscience	O
sounded	O
louder	O
in	O
my	O
ears	O
than	O
the	O
sea	O
on	O
the	O
nearest	O
pebble	O
beach	O
that	O
I	O
said	O
unkind	O
words	EVENT
of	O
withdrawal	O
to	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
.	O

She	O
only	O
became	O
more	O
wistfully	O
affectionate	EVENT
than	O
ever	O
in	O
her	O
expressions	EVENT
,	O
and	O
looked	O
as	O
disappointed	O
as	O
I	O
expected	O
when	O
I	O
frankly	O
told	EVENT
her	O
that	O
I	O
could	O
no	O
longer	O
enjoy	O
the	O
pleasure	O
of	O
what	O
we	O
called	O
“	O
seein	O
’	O
folks	O
.	O
”	O

I	O
felt	O
that	O
I	O
was	O
cruel	O
to	O
a	O
whole	O
neighborhood	O
in	O
curtailing	O
her	O
liberty	O
in	O
this	O
most	O
important	O
season	O
for	O
harvesting	O
the	O
different	O
wild	O
herbs	O
that	O
were	O
so	O
much	O
counted	O
upon	O
to	O
ease	O
their	O
winter	O
ails	O
.	O

“	O
Well	O
,	O
dear	O
,	O
”	O
she	O
said	EVENT
sorrowfully	O
,	O
“	O
I	O
’ve	O
took	O
great	O
advantage	O
o	O
’	O
your	O
bein	O
’	O
here	O
.	O

I	O
ai	O
n’t	O
had	O
such	O
a	O
season	O
for	O
years	O
,	O
but	O
I	O
have	O
never	O
had	O
nobody	O
I	O
could	O
so	O
trust	O
.	O

All	O
you	O
lack	O
is	O
a	O
few	O
qualities	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
time	O
you	O
’d	O
gain	O
judgment	O
an	O
’	O
experience	O
,	O
an	O
’	O
be	O
very	O
able	O
in	O
the	O
business	O
.	O

I	O
’d	O
stand	O
right	O
here	O
an	O
’	O
say	O
it	O
to	O
anybody	O
.	O
”	O

Mrs.	O
Todd	O
and	O
I	O
were	O
not	O
separated	O
or	O
estranged	O
by	O
the	O
change	O
in	O
our	O
business	O
relations	O
;	O
on	O
the	O
contrary	O
,	O
a	O
deeper	O
intimacy	O
seemed	O
to	O
begin	O
.	O

I	O
do	O
not	O
know	O
what	O
herb	O
of	O
the	O
night	O
it	O
was	O
that	O
used	O
sometimes	O
to	O
send	O
out	O
a	O
penetrating	O
odor	O
late	O
in	O
the	O
evening	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
dew	O
had	O
fallen	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
moon	O
was	O
high	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
cool	O
air	O
came	O
up	O
from	O
the	O
sea	O
.	O

Then	O
Mrs.	O
Todd	O
would	O
feel	O
that	O
she	O
must	O
talk	O
to	O
somebody	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
was	O
only	O
too	O
glad	O
to	O
listen	O
.	O

We	O
both	O
fell	O
under	O
the	O
spell	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
either	O
stood	O
outside	O
the	O
window	O
,	O
or	O
made	O
an	O
errand	O
to	O
my	O
sitting-room	O
,	O
and	O
told	O
,	O
it	O
might	O
be	O
very	O
commonplace	O
news	O
of	O
the	O
day	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
as	O
happened	EVENT
one	O
misty	O
summer	O
night	O
,	O
all	O
that	O
lay	O
deepest	O
in	O
her	O
heart	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
in	O
this	O
way	O
that	O
I	O
came	O
to	O
know	EVENT
that	O
she	O
had	O
loved	O
one	O
who	O
was	O
far	O
above	O
her	O
.	O

“	O
No	O
,	O
dear	O
,	O
him	O
I	O
speak	O
of	O
could	O
never	O
think	O
of	O
me	O
,	O
”	O
she	O
said	EVENT
.	O

“	O
When	O
we	O
was	O
young	O
together	O
his	O
mother	O
did	O
n’t	O
favor	O
the	O
match	O
,	O
an	O
’	O
done	O
everything	O
she	O
could	O
to	O
part	O
us	O
;	O
and	O
folks	O
thought	O
we	O
both	O
married	O
well	O
,	O
but	O
’	O
t	O
wa	O
’n’	O
t	O
what	O
either	O
one	O
of	O
us	O
wanted	O
most	O
;	O
an	O
’	O
now	O
we	O
’re	O
left	O
alone	O
again	O
,	O
an	O
’	O
might	O
have	O
had	O
each	O
other	O
all	O
the	O
time	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
above	O
bein	O
’	O
a	O
seafarin	O
’	O
man	O
,	O
an	O
’	O
prospered	O
more	O
than	O
most	O
;	O
he	O
come	O
of	O
a	O
high	O
family	O
,	O
an	O
’	O
my	O
lot	O
was	O
plain	O
an	O
’	O
hard-workin	O
’	O
.	O

I	O
ai	O
n’t	O
seen	O
him	O
for	O
some	O
years	O
;	O
he	O
’s	O
forgot	O
our	O
youthful	O
feelin	O
’s	O
,	O
I	O
expect	O
,	O
but	O
a	O
woman	O
’s	O
heart	O
is	O
different	O
;	O
them	O
feelin	O
’s	O
comes	O
back	O
when	O
you	O
think	O
you	O
’ve	O
done	O
with	O
‘	O
em	O
,	O
as	O
sure	O
as	O
spring	O
comes	O
with	O
the	O
year	O
.	O

An	O
’	O
I	O
’ve	O
always	O
had	O
ways	O
of	O
hearin	O
’	O
about	O
him	O
.	O
”	O

She	O
stood	O
in	O
the	O
centre	O
of	O
a	O
braided	O
rug	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
rings	O
of	O
black	O
and	O
gray	O
seemed	O
to	O
circle	O
about	O
her	O
feet	O
in	O
the	O
dim	O
light	O
.	O

Her	O
height	O
and	O
massiveness	O
in	O
the	O
low	O
room	O
gave	EVENT
her	O
the	O
look	O
of	O
a	O
huge	O
sibyl	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
strange	O
fragrance	EVENT
of	O
the	O
mysterious	O
herb	O
blew	O
in	O
from	O
the	O
little	O
garden	O
.	O