The Broken Road

e. At each turn there was a short pause, and each pause was of the same duration. The footsteps were very light; it was almost as thoug

mastership at his old school. He had taken a first in Greats; he had obtained his mastership; for the last two years he had had a House. As he had been at the beginning, so he was now, a man without theories but with an in

for some while the footsteps overhead did not attract his attention. When he did hear them

light. Their very monotony helped them to pass as unnoticed as the ticking of a clock. Mr. Pollard continued the preparation of his class-work for a full hour, and only when

re of the footsteps overhead

down the drawingroom, Evan

ew back his he

now, sir,"

een sounding like that

ated. "Then I am afraid, sir, it's

Pollard

ne all this time?" he exclaimed.

into the study here and told you, and you answered 'All right, E

, Mr. Pollard wished to become better acquainted with the boy than would be easily possible once the term was in full swing. For he was something more of an experiment than the ordinary Indian princeling from a State well under the thumb of the Viceroy and the Indian Council. This boy came of the fighting stock

nd he held out his hand

Pollard continued, "I am sorry. I did not know t

Shere Ali replied. "

id the master with a smi

up the valley, and remembering the landmarks as I went. I had walke

o-day. There is a new boy joining whose father was a great friend of your father's. R

ght as he spoke and saw Shere

now. He was killed upon the

t room to his. If you will c

ay along a passage in

to a bureau with a bookcase on the top. He threw open the next door

ht it in Lahore first of all. My f

k and she shall give us some tea. You will dine with us to-night, an

ed, and Mr. Pollard took the occasion t

cheme of things quickly enough. He won't. He's in a strange la

anything would he have talked to him of his father who had died upon the road, or of th

our name?

replied the

he contemplated the boy solemnly. "I

ltistan remained; and in due time