Brother Copas

might be expected, the gatekeeper pointed across a maze of dock-basins, wharve

minutes," he explained. "See that train just pu

e shortest way alongside, and noted the gatekeeper's instructions very deliberately, nodding her head. They were intricate. At the close she thanked him and started, still without appearance of hurry,

gold-braided junior officer, on duty at the gangway-head, asked politely if he could be of servic

e at her elbow, "that wi

a blond, middle-aged German, whose gaze behind

a: that is

wive at this moment. If I may ascort you?... We w

and in the faint light between-decks his

en times it will be ol' right-the ship has arrived before she is agspected.... B

"England" as

halting before a door

and had-as Nurse Branscome noted at first glance-remarkably beautiful eyes. Her right hand lay impris

-for our M

woman to the child, cooing the words exu

other's eyes, and each divi

d Nurse Branscome. "I

the liddle one she must have bribed the

related

together as soon as they understood.

e, seeing her so forlorn. He was a baker by trade, and by name Müller; and he and his wife, after doing pretty well in Philadelph

beyond combetition as a master-baker; and at the end all will go to h

be not the Vaterland, Mees Korona-hein?" He eyed the child quizzically, a

, nevar, nev-ar-

sting out both hands and snap

gaze that put aside these foolish antics

with the clearest English accent. "But I do not qu

urse Branscom

ords. Nods made up a good pa

n unconscious hold on it, scarce six days ago-the inside of a week. They looked at her wistfully. Her eyes were on Nurse Branscome, who stood for the future. Yet she remembered that they had been kind. Herr Müller, kind to the last, ran off and routed up a seaman to carry her box to the gangwa

Nurse Branscome decided. "Well, s

dsel had rooted itself close beside the traction rails a few paces from the waterside. With a li

irst living thing I met i

egun with me," said Nu

rry England, and I used to 'spect it was so good that folks we

ectations too high. If you do, we shall all dis

kiss you at first because it makes me feel uncomfortable kissing

ass compartment, she forgot her promise, being lost in wonder at thi

she read out. "But-but how do

train! Why, in little over an hour we

d and repeated it with a shiver

was only that she could not focus h

out your passage, or am I to tell you about your father and the sort of place St. Hospital is? Or would y

d Corona, "that's wh

urbs of the great seaport and out into the country-our south country, all green and g

ks in the lengthening shade of elms; wood and copse; silver river and canal glancing between alders, hawthorns, pollard willows; lichened bridges of flint and brick; ancient cottages, thatched or red-tiled, timber-fronted, bulging out in friendliest fashion on the high road; the high road loopi

eeting a question in Nurse Branscome's eyes. "It's all so love

mused. "You'll find that's the main secret w

elier than ever I 'spected-only," she added, cuddling down

ut I've been to Australia in my time, and I expect with Canada it's much the same or more so-in the colonies everything's spread out;

it her sm

s a mighty big place?

, y

glad of t

why,

d. They make out they don't hold much stock in kings, back there; but that sort of talk didn't take me in, because when you have a King of your own you know what it feels like.

clear to me yet," said Nur

guess if the job was up to you to make peace for all-over-the-world, you'd want to sit in a big place, sort of empty an' quiet, an' feel like God." C

by a meadow-path and over sundry stiles, a porter following (or rather making a détour after them along the high road) and wheeling Corona's effects on a barrow. From the first stile Nurse Branscome pointed out the

ther into two questions-gave Nurse Branscome a shock: it

there? And is he

seized her for Corona, and in the rush of pity all her oddities and grown-up tricks of speech (Americanisms apart) explained themselves. She was an old father's child. Nurse Branscome was midwife enough to kn

prepared for that, dear.... And of course his dress-the dress

as well as she could on the stile and pu

of reddish-purple, with a

child. "'Seems I'd better start right

They supposed themselves, however, to have plenty of time, little guessing that the captain of the Carnatic had been breaking records. In St. Hosp

in others-such as a gaudily-dressed doll, priced at 1s. 3d., a packet of hairpins, a book of coloured photographs, entitled Souvenir of Royal Merchester-he eyed more dubiously. He had found it hard to bear in mind the c

o the point from which you started. Take the sun itself, or any created mass; t

rld, how it is

o is whirl'd,

t will run a spark from here to Paris while you are pronouncing its name. Yet extend that run, and run it far and fast as you will, it can only come back to your hand.... Which," continued Brother Copas, raising his voice, for Brother Bonaday had toddled into the sitting-room to see if the kettle boiled, "reminds me of a story I picked up in the Liberal Club the other day, the truth of it guaranteed. Ten or eleven years ago the Mayor of Merchester died on the very eve of St. Giles's Fair. The Town Council met, and so

puffing at the fire which refused to boil the water, had been startled by voices in the entry. Looki

ad

arose slowly from his knees, and very slowly-as if his will struggled against some invisible, detaining force-held out both h

ld dress!... Daddy