The Survivor

she was a revelation. Every moment of his life had been spent in a humdrum seclusion-every moment of hers seemed to have been lived out to its limit in those worlds of wh

robust and breezy spirit of his ancestors, seeking for a fuller life and a healthy excitement, even at the cost of hard blows and many privations. Surely this was an auspicious start-an adventure this indeed! During a momentary silence she looked across at him with genuine curiosity, her eyes half closed, her brows knitted. What enthusiasm! She was not a vain woman, and she knew that her personality had little, if anything, to do with the flush upon his cheeks and the bright light in his eyes. She herself, a much travelled, a learned, a brilliant, even a famous woman, had become only lately conscious of a certai

ou really are. A worker, a s

d up to h

no choice of mine. I had an uncle and guardian who ruled our househol

To her the word s

minis

you first saw me? It w

en chosen pastor

O

t with in English villages, but she had certainly believed that the post of preacher was filled indifferently by any member of the congregation, and she had looked upon his presence in the pulpit on that last Sunday as an ac

lage, to constrain my life between the narrowest limits, to watch ignorance, and suffer prejudices as deeply rooted as the hills. But all the same, it is nothing to laugh at. The thing itself is great and good enough-it is the people who

ispered, "ha

mured, with a sudden pal

about a past which he had already declared hateful. The terror of an hour or more ago was in his face

guard came hurrying up to the window, but a few words from the lady and a stealthily opened purse work

asket?" she said, "and opening that f

ore-and wine which was strange to him and which ran through his veins like warm magic. Once more the load of evil memories seemed to pass away from him. He was not so muc

, the shutting off of steam, the violent application of the brake. The

admirable nonchalance, makin

an accident to some one," h

no

said. "Myself I shall not loo

s way to where a little group of men were standing in a circle. So

sake, don't look!" he

Fetch a tarpau

his head towards a third-class compartment, of which the door stood open. "He was dragged half a

w who he was?" th

or where

lugg

on

riage. His hand stole for a moment to his pocket, the

id to the guard, "on t

it and spelt

know who he was, at any rate. It's lucky you f

an empty carriage, and the little troop of people me

el

ly. "A man threw himself from an empty carriage in

w who he was

d near him," he answer

as his

tently during the momentary silence which followed his speech

she said, "your own name.

of his new identity. How poor his imagination was. Never an inspiration, and she was watching

son," he said-"