the darkness； oddly detached and apart from all life。
The excited young man； unable to bear the weight of his own thoughts； began to move cautiously along the alleyway。 A dog attacked him and had to be driven away with stones； and a man appeared at the door of one of the houses and swore at the dog。 George went into a vacant lot and throwing back his head looked up at the sky。 He felt unutterably big and remade by the simple experience through which he had been passing and in a kind of fervor of emo… tion put up his hands； thrusting them into the dark… ness above his head and muttering words。 The desire to say words overcame him and he said words without meaning； rolling them over on his tongue and saying them because they were brave words； full of meaning。 〃Death；〃 he muttered； night； the sea； fear； loveliness。〃
George Willard came out of the vacant lot and stood again on the sidewalk facing the houses。 He felt that all of the people in the little street must be brothers and sisters to him and he wished he had the courage to call them out of their houses and to shake their hands。 〃If there were only a woman here I would take hold of her hand and we would run until we were both tired out；〃 he thought。 〃That would make me feel better。〃 With the thought of a woman in his mind he walked out of the street and went toward the house where Belle Carpenter lived。 He thought she would understand his mood and that he could achieve in her presence a position he had long been wanting to achieve。 In the past when he had been with her and had kissed her lips he had come away filled with anger at himself。 He had felt like one being used for some obscure purpose and had not enjoyed the feeling。 Now he thought he had suddenly become too big to be used。
When George got to Belle Carpenter's house there had already been a visitor there before him。 Ed Handby had come to the door and calling Belle out of the house had tried to talk to her。 He had wanted to ask the woman to come away with him and to be his wife； but when she came and stood by the door he lost his self…assurance and became sullen。 〃You stay away from that kid；〃 he growled； thinking of George Willard； and then； not knowing what else to say； turned to go away。 〃If I catch you together I will break your bones and his too；〃 he added。 The bartender had come to woo； not to threaten； and was angry with himself because of his failure。
When her lover had departed Belle went indoors and ran hurriedly upstairs。 From a window at the upper part of the house she saw Ed Handby cross the street and sit down on a horse block before the house of a neighbor。 In the dim light the man sat motionless holding his head in his hands。 She was made happy by the sight； and when George Willard came to the door she greeted him effusively and hurriedly put on her hat。 She thought that； as she walked through the streets with young Willard； Ed Handby would follow and she wanted to make him suffer。
For an hour Belle Carpenter and the young re… porter walked about under the trees in the sweet night air。 George Willard was full of big words。 The sense of power that had come to him during the hour in the darkness in the alleyway remained with him and he talked boldly； swaggering along and swinging his arms about。 He wanted to make Belle Carpenter realize that he was aware of his former weakness and that he had changed。 〃You'll find me different；〃 he declared； thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking boldly into her eyes。 〃I don't know why but it is so。 You've got to take me for a man or let me alone。 That's how it is。〃
Up and down the quiet streets under the new moon went the woman and the boy。 When George had finished talking they turned down a side street and went across a bridge into a path that ran up the side of a hill。 The hill began at Waterworks Pond and climbed upward to the Winesburg Fair Grounds。 On the hillside grew dense bushes and small trees and among the bushes were little open spaces carpeted with long grass； now stiff and frozen。
As he walked behind the woman up the hill George Willard's heart began to beat rapidly and his shoulders straightened。 Suddenly he decided that Belle Carpenter was about to surrender herself to him。 The new force that had manifested itself in him had； he felt； been at work upon her and had led to her conquest。 The thought made him half drunk with the sense of masculine power。 Although he had been annoyed that as they walked about she had not seemed to be listening to his words； the fact that she had accompanied him to this place took all his doubts away。 〃It is different。 Everything has become different；〃 he thought and taking hold of her shoulder turned her about and stood looking at her； his eyes shining with pride。
Belle Carpenter did not resist。 When he kissed her upon the lips she leaned heavily against him and looked over his shoulder into the darkness。 In her whole attitude there was a suggestion of waiting。 Again； as in the alleyway； George Willard's mind ran off into words and； holding the woman tightly he whispered the words into the still night。 〃Lust；〃 he whispered； 〃lust and night and women。〃
George Willard did not understand what hap… pened to him that night on the hillside。 Later； when he got to his own room； he wanted to weep and then grew half insane with anger and hate。 He hated Belle Carpenter and was sure that all his life he would continue to hate her。 On the hillside he had led the woman to one of the little open spaces among the bushes and had dropped to his knees beside her。 As in the vacant lot； by the laborers' houses； he had put up his hands in gratitude for the new power in himself and was waiting for the woman to speak when Ed Handby appeared。
The bartender did not want to beat the boy； who he thought had tried to take his woman away。 He knew that beating was unnecessary； that he had power within himself to accomplish his purpose without using his fists。 Gripping George by the shoulder and pulling him to his feet； he held him with one hand while he looked at Belle Carpenter seated on the grass。 Then with a quick wide move… ment of his arm he sent the younger man sprawling away into the bushes and began to bully the woman； who had risen to her feet。 〃You're no good；〃 he said roughly。 〃I've half a mind not to bother with you。 I'd let you alone if I didn't want you so much。〃
On his hands and knees in the bushes George Willard stared at the scene before him and tried hard to think。 He prepared to spring at the man who had humiliated him。 To be beaten seemed to be infinitely better than to be thus hurled ignominiously aside。
Three times the young reporter sprang at Ed Handby and each time the bartender； catching him by the shoulder； hurled him back into the bushes。 The older man seemed prepared to keep the exercise going indefinitely but George Willard's head struck the root of a tree and he lay still。 Then Ed Handby took Belle Carpenter by the arm and marched her away。
George heard the man and woman making their way through the bushes。 As he crept down the hill… side his heart was sick within him。 He hated himself and he hated the fate that had brought about his humiliation。 When his mind went back to the hour alone in the alleyway he was puzzled and stopping in the darkness listened； hoping to hear again the voice outside himself that had so short a time before put new courage into his heart。 When his way homeward led him again into the street of frame houses he could not bear the sight and began to run； wanting to get quickly out of the neighborhood that now seemed to him utterly squalid and commonplace。
〃QUEER〃
FROM HIS SEAT on a box in the rough board shed that stuck like a burr on the rear of Cowley & Son's store in Winesburg； Elmer Cowley； the junior member of the firm； could see through a dirty window into the printshop of the Winesburg Eagle。 Elmer was putting new shoelaces in his shoes。 They did not go in readily and he had to take the shoes off。 With the shoes in his hand he sat looking at a large hole in the heel of one of his stockings。 Then looking quickly up he saw George Willard； the only newspa… per reporter in Winesburg； standing at the back door of the Eagle printshop and staring absentmindedly about。 〃Well； well； what next！〃 exclaimed the young man with the shoes in his hand； jumping to his feet and creeping away from the window。
A flush crept into Elmer Cowley's face and his hands began to tremble。 In Cowley & Son's store a Jewish traveling salesman stood by the counter talk… ing to his father。 He imagined the reporter could hear what was being said and the thought made him furious。 With one of the shoes still held in his hand he stood in a corner of the shed and stamped with a stockinged foot upon the board floor。
Cowley & Son's store did not face the main street of Winesburg。 The front was on Maumee Street and beyond it was Voight's wagon shop and a shed for the sheltering of farmers' horses。 Beside the store an alleyway ran behind the main street stores and all day drays and delivery wagons； intent on bringing in and taking out goods； passed up and down。 The store itself was indescribable。 Will Henderson once said of it that it sold everything and nothing。 In the window facing Maumee Street stood a chunk of coal as large as an apple barrel； to indicate that orders for coal were taken； and beside the black mass of the coal stood three combs of honey grown brown and dirty in their wooden frames。
The honey had stood in the store window for six months。 It was for sale as were also the coat hang… ers； patent suspender buttons； cans of roof paint； bottles of rheumatism cure； and a substitute for cof… fee that companioned the honey in its patient will… ingness to serve the public。
Ebenezer Cowley； the man who stood in the store listening to the eager patter of words that fell from the lips of the traveling man； was tall and lean and looked unwashed。 On his scrawny neck was a large wen partially covered by a grey beard。 He wore a long Prince Albert coat。 The coat had been pur… chased to serve as a wedding garment。 Before he became a merchant Ebenezer was a farmer and after his marriage he wore the Prince Albert