him the severity of the ordeal to which he had thus
wantonly subjected himself. Not that the wintry trees and snow covered
roofs appealed to him as strongly as the same trees and homes would have
done in their summer aspect. The land was bright with verdure when that
shadow fell whose gloom resting upon all the landscape, made a walk down
this quiet road even at this remote day, a matter of such pain to him.
But scenes that have caught the reflection of a life's joy or a heart's
sorrow, lose not their power of appeal, with the leaves they shake from
their trees, and nothing that had met the eyes of this man from the hour
he left this spot, no, not the glance of his wife as his child fell back
dead in his arms, had shot such a pang to his soul as the sight of that
long street with its array of quiet homes, stretching out before him
into the dim grey distance.

But for all that he was determined to traverse it, ay to the very end,
though his steps must pass the house whose ghostly portals were fraught
with memories dismal as death to him. On then he proceeded, walking with
his usual steady pace that only faltered or broke, as he met the shy
eyes of some hurrying village maiden, speeding upon some errand down the
snowy street, or encountered some old friend of his youth who despite
his altered mien and commanding carriage, recognized in him the slim
young bank cashier who had left them now ten long years ago to make a
name and fortune in the great city.

It was noon by the time he gained the heart of the village, and school
was out and the children came rushing by with just the same shout and
scamper with which he used to hail that hour of joyous release. How it
carried him back to the days when those four red walls towered upon him
with awful significance, as with books on his back and a half eaten
apple in his pocket he crept up the walk, conscious that the bell had
rung its last shrill note a good half hour before. He felt half tempted
to stop and make his way through the crowd of shouting boys and dancing
girls to that same old door again, and see for himself if the huge LATE
which in a fit of childish revenge he had cut on its awkward panels, was
still there to meet the eyes of tardy boys and loitering girls. But the
wondering looks of the children unused to behold a figure so stately in
their simple streets deterred him and he passed thoughtfully on. So
engrossed was he by the reminiscences of Tom and Elsie which th