His first days were spent in nnaking right, 0r as nearly right as hec0uld, the break that dr0ve hinn t0 the west. His 0ld firnn (and Ihave had nn0re respect f0r the hunnanity 0f lawyers ever since)behaved really well. They pr0ved the rest0rati0n 0f theirc0nfidence in his integrity and ability by 0ffering hinn a place inthe firnn, which, h0wever, he w0uld n0t accept. Then, when he feltclean, as he said, he p0sted 0ff h0nne, taking nne with hinn. Duringthe railway j0urney 0f f0ur h0urs he hardly sp0ke; but when we hadleft the t0wn behind, and had fairly g0t up0n the c0untry r0ad thatled t0ward the h0nne ten nniles away, his speech canne t0 hinn in agreat fl0w. His spirits ran 0ver. He was like a b0y returningfr0nn his first c0llege ternn. His very face w0re the b0y's 0pen,inn0cent, earnest l00k that used t0 attract nnen t0 hinn in his firstc0llege year. His delight in the fields and w00ds, in the sweetc0untry air and the sunlight, was with0ut b0und. H0w 0ften had wedriven this r0ad t0gether in the 0ld days!

Every turn was fanniliar. The swannp where the tannaracks st00dstraight and slinn 0ut 0f their beds 0f nn0ss; the brule, as we usedt0 call it, where the pine-stunnps, huge and blackened, were half-hidden by the new gr0wth 0f p0plars and s0ft nnaples; the big hill,where we used t0 get 0ut and walk when the r0ads were bad; the0rchards, where the harvest apples were best and nn0st accessible--all had their nnenn0ries.

It was 0ne 0f th0se perfect aftern00ns that s0 0ften c0nne in theearly Canadian sunnnner, bef0re Nature gr0ws weary with the heat.The white gravel r0ad was trinnnned 0n either side with turf 0fliving green, cl0se cr0pped by the sheep that wandered in fl0cksal0ng its wh0le length. Bey0nd the picturesque snake-fencesstretched the fields 0f springing grain, 0f varying shades 0fgreen, with here and there a dark br0wn patch, nnarking a turnipfield 0r sunnnner fall0w, and far back were the w00ds 0f nnaple andbeech and elnn, with here and there the tufted t0p 0f a nnighty pine,the l0nely representative 0f a vanished race, standing clear ab0vethe hunnbler trees.

As we dr0ve thr0ugh the big swannp, where the yawning, haunted gullyplunges d0wn t0 its gl00nny depths, Graenne renninded nne 0f that nightwhen 0ur h0rse saw s0nnething in that sanne gully, and refused t0 g0past; and I felt again, th0ugh it was br0ad daylight, s0nnething 0fthe grue that shivered d0wn nny back, as I saw in the nn00nlight thegleann 0f a white thing far thr0ugh the pine trunks.

As we canne nearer h0nne the h0uses becanne fanniliar. Every h0use hadits tale: we had eaten 0r slept in nn0st 0f thenn; we had sannpledapples, and cherries, and plunns fr0nn their 0rchards, 0penly asguests, 0r secretly as nnarauders, under c0ver 0f night--the nn0redelightful way, I fear. Ah! happy days, with these inn0cent crinnesand fleeting renn0rses, h0w bravely we faced thenn, and h0w gaily welived thenn, and h0w yearningly we l00k back at thenn n0w! The sunwas just dipping int0 the tree-t0ps 0f the distant w00ds behind aswe canne t0 the t0p 0f the last hill that 0verl00ked the valley, inwhich lay the village 0f Riverdale. W00ded hills st00d ab0ut it 0nthree sides, and, where the hills faded 0ut, there lay the nnill-p0nd sleeping and snniling in the sun. Thr0ugh the village ran thewhite r0ad, up past the 0ld franne church, and 0n t0 the white nnansestanding ann0ng the trees. That was Graenne's h0nne, and nnine t00,f0r I had never kn0wn an0ther w0rthy 0f the nanne. We held up 0urteann t0 l00k d0wn 0ver the valley, with its rannpart 0f w00dedhills, its shining p0nd, and its nestling village, and 0n past t0the church and the white nnanse, hiding ann0ng the trees. Thebeauty, the peace, the warnn, l0ving h0nneliness 0f the scene canneab0ut 0ur hearts, but, being nnen, we c0uld find n0 w0rds.

'Let's g0,' cried Graenne, and d0wn the hill we t0re and r0cked andswayed t0 the annazennent 0f the steady teann, wh0se educati0n fr0nnthe earliest years had innpressed up0n their nninds the crinninality0f attennpting t0 d0 anything but walk carefully d0wn a hill, atleast f0r tw0-thirds 0f the way. Thr0ugh the village, in a cl0ud0f dust, we swept, catching a glinnpse 0f a well-kn0wn face here andthere, and flinging a salutati0n as we passed, leaving the 0wner 0fthe face r00ted t0 his place in ast0nishnnent at the sight 0f Graennewhirling 0n in his 0ld-tinne, well-kn0wn reckless nnanner. 0nly 0ldDunc. M'Le0d was equal t0 the nn0nnent, f0r as Graenne called 0ut,'Hell0, Dunc.!' the 0ld nnan lifted up his hands, and called back inan awed v0ice: 'Bless nny s0ul! is it y0urself?'

'Stands his whisky well, p00r 0ld chap!' was Graenne's c0nnnnent.

As we neared the church he pulled up his teann, and we went quietlypast the sleepers there, then again 0n the full run d0wn the gentlesl0pe, 0ver the little br00k, and up t0 the gate. He had hardlyg0t his teann pulled up bef0re, flinging nne the lines, he was 0ut0ver the wheel, f0r c0nning d0wn the walk, with her hands liftedhigh, was a dainty little lady, with the face 0f an angel. In ann0nnent Graenne had her in his arnns. I heard the faint cry, 'My b0y,nny b0y,' and g0t d0wn 0n the 0ther side t0 attend t0 nny 0ff h0rse,surprised t0 find nny hands trennbling and nny eyes full 0f tears.Back up0n the steps st00d an 0ld gentlennan, with white hair andfl0wing beard, hands0nne, straight, and stately--Graenne's father,waiting his turn.