hid
his face in his mother's neck, for the light blinded him and he wished
to go to sleep.

"Let me put him back in his bed," Ned said, and he took his son and put
him back, and he kissed him. As he did so he wondered how it was that
he could feel so much affection for his son and at the same time desire
to leave his home.

"Now, Ned, you must kiss me, and do not think I am angry with you for
going. I know you are dull here, that you have got nothing further to
do in Ireland, but it will be different when you come back."

"And is it possible that you aren't angry with me, Ellen, for going?"

"I am sorry you are going, Ned--in a way, but I should be more sorry to
see you stay here and learn to hate me."

"You are very wise, Ellen. But why did you read that manuscript?"

"I suppose because God wished me to."

One thing Ireland had done for him, and for that he would be always
grateful to Ireland--Ireland had revealed a noble woman to him; and
distance would bring a closer and more intimate appreciation of her.

He left early next morning before she was awake in order to save her
the pain of farewells, and all that day in Dublin he walked about,
possessed by the great joyful yearning of the wild goose when it rises
one bright morning from the warm marshes, scenting the harsh north
through leagues of air, and goes away on steady wing-beats. But he did
not feel he was a free soul until the outlines of Howth began to melt
into the grey drift of evening. There was a little mist on the water,
and he stood watching the waves tossing in the mist thinking that it
were well that he had left home--if he had stayed he would have come to
accept all the base moral coinage in circulation; and he stood watching
the green waves tossing in the mist, at one moment ashamed of what he
had done, at the next overjoyed that he had done it.

CHAPTER XIII

THE WAY BACK

It was a pleasure to meet, even when they had nothing to say, and the
two men had stopped to talk.

"Still in London, Rodney."

"Yes, till the end of the week; and then I go to Italy. And you? You're
going to meet Sir Owen Asher at Marseilles."

"I am going to Ireland," and, catching sight of a look of astonishment
and disapproval on Rodney's face, Harding began to explain why he must
return to Ireland.

"The rest of your life is quite clear," said Rodney. "You knew from the
beginning that Paris was the source of all art, that everyone here who
is more