The Upas Tree: A Christmas Story for all the Year

bright garden-borders to the wide park beyond, and wondering how on earth he sh

d to her stirrup. Then he had laid his hand upon Silverheels' mane, and looking up into his wife's glowing, hand

smiled dow

same distant journey, he shall be forgiven. Also, I have something to tell you, Ronnie, and I see the turret clock gives us an

pped lightly to the ground. Then, telling

of a thing continuously, day and night, during the best part of a week, and kept it to yourself, it is not easy to begin exp

a chair-Helen's own particular chair it so happened-but kept his riding-crop in

rning! The sun shone in through

cratched with a diamond on one of these a rough

the blotter, instead of scribbling on the beautiful diamond panes of the old Grange windows. But Helen had laughed and said: "I should think he lived before the time of blotters, dear! No doubt the morning sun was shining on t

ying to a very modern young man who, not being aware of pos

ering letters shone

quer, in this,

chanced upon the simile of a distant j

rd her

must be very tactful. He m

of her riding-habit. Her mass of beautiful hair was tucked away beneath her riding-hat. But nothing could take from the calm sweetness of her fac

en she might at last share it with Ronnie, it seemed almost impossible to wait one moment before telling him. On the other hand, it would be so absorbing to them both, that probably Ronnie's subject would be allowed to lapse, complete

the responsibil

wife. Hesitation seemed futile; p

"I want to go to

ilence, during a moment

table, seated herself in her easy-chair, and carefu

g you there. Sit down and tell me all about it, right from the beginning. It is a far cry from our happy, beautiful life here, to Cen

Helen's. His boyish face cleared visibly; then brightened into enthusiasm. He stretche

it quite easy for a fellow to tell you things. You have a way of looking past

s a waste of useful energy. But you must tell me 'the great essentials,' as they app

stood with his back

t, crawled out again and saw a railway train for the first time in twenty-three years; got on board, and came home, full of wonderful tales of his experiences? Well-you know how, after he had been out there a few years, he found he desperately needed a wife; remembered a plucky girl he had known when he was a boy in England, and managed to get a letter home, asking her to come out to him? She came, and safely reached the place appointed, at t

ooked into the exci

citing as any other? I don't quite see how you can bett

led out of the long grass thirteen feet high, at the place where the woman was waiting! Two men-do you see? And

hirteen is always apt t

d standards of twentieth century civilisation-yet all amongst the wild primitive savagery of uncivilised tribes, and the extraordinary primeval growths of the unexplored jungles, where plants ape animals, and animals ape men, and all nature rears its head with a loose rein, as if defying method, law, order and construction! Why, merely to walk through some of the tropical houses at Kew gives one a sort of lawless feeling! If I stay long among the queer gnarl

ropical plants in Kew Gardens more frequently than I realised! I shall

's and Q's! But, seriously, Helen, don't you understand how much this means to me? Both my last novels

precedent. The first couple on

d have stood there alone, calmly listening while the serpent talked theology, unless conversations with animals had been an every-day occurrence. Think how y

before, Ronnie; go on writing, simply and

ways wanting either to tell or to hear some new thing. I've got hol

dered this

window, and beat a tattoo

see?"

work well done-conscientiously done. Let popularity follow unsought, simply from the fact that you have been true to yourself, and to your instinctive inspiration; that you have seen life at its best, and tried to portray it at its highest. To go rushing of

ows on his knees, his chin in his hands, and loo

letely possessed by this new plot? Also, that Central Africa is its only possible

rite it? Why not get all the newest and best

correct, yet make a slip in some little unimportant detail. Then, by-and-by, some Johnny would come along, who could no more have written a page of your book than he could fly, but who happens to be intimately acquainted with the locality. He ignores the plot, the character-study,

tender amusem

kes the trouble to point out an error, however small, in one of your books. You are keen that your work should be perfect; and if a mistake is mentioned, it can be set right. Why, surely you remember, when you read me the scene in the manuscript you wrote just after our marriage, in which a good lady could not sit d

people I know. Unimportant slips never seem to me to matter in another fellow's work, but they would matter desperately, horribly, appallingly in one's own. Theref