The Broad Highway

y, but in the east was already a faint glimmer of dawn. Reaching the stables, I paused with my hand on the door-hasp, listening to the hiss, hissing that tol

ly abroad,

oter's Hill at sunrise; but first I

nodded Adam, pick

well; it was affecting both to her and

le door had closed behind us, "that the

she doe

wonderful

, Ad

Wings, sir-and all of

e not,

ng away, they

ng away,"

ll become o'

I wonder

sold under the w

thing,

ling his forehead, "you won't be

shaking my head, "I sha'

body serv

nor yet a b

Adam knuckled his right temple again an

I, "I think it is go

s,

" said I, and h

shaken my hand, he turned an

ekeeper, was not yet astir-ere I opened the gates, I say, I paused for one last look at the house that had been all the home I had ever known since I could

pe that was fashioned to the shape of a negro's head. "It's a good pipe, sir," he went on, "a mortal good pipe, and as

ocket, I opened the gate and started of

y hollow and swathed hedge and tree; a lowering earth and a frowning heaven infinitely depressing. But the easter

t changed little by little, to a varying pink, which in turn slowly gave place to reds and yellows, until up came the sun in all his majesty, gilding vane and weathercock upon a hundred s

ing upon the city and marvel

ere such another city as London!" And presently I sighed and

ke and thicket and, lifting their voices, sang together, a song of universal praise. Bushes rustled, t

destiny, walking through a tribute world where feathered songsters carolled for me and blossoming fl

promised to send them to a publisher, a friend of his, and in my pocket was my uncle George's legacy,-namely, ten guineas in gold. And, as I walked, I began to compute how long such a sum might be made to last a man. By practising the strictes

ing earth about me, as I strode along that "Broad Highway" which was to lead me I kn