y log mansion.
They noted not the overhanging gables, the lattices of native wood. To
them, yonder lay a castle in a foreign land. Here was moat and wall,
then a portcullis, and gratings warded these narrow portals against
fire of musketoon. My pet swallows' nest, demure above my door, to
them offered the aspect of a culverin's mouth; and, as now, I made my
customary approach-call, by which I heralded my return from any
excursion on the stream of an evening, I could swear these invaders
looked for naught less than a swarm of archers springing to the
walls, and the hoarse answer of my men-at-arms back of each guarded
portal. Such is the power of youthful dreaming, such the residuary
heritage of days of high emprise, when life was full of blood and wine
and love, and savored not so wholly of dull commonplace!

But indeed, (or so I presume; for at the moment my own imagination
swept on with theirs) none manned the walls or rattled the chains of
gate and bridge. The saffron Hiroshimi opened the screen door before
us, showing no surprise or interest in my strange companions. Thus we
made easy conquest of our castle. As we entered, there lay before us,
lighted softly by the subdued twilight which filtered through the
surrounding grove, the interior of that home which in three years I
had learned much to love, lonely as it was. Here I now dwelt most of
the time, leaving behind me, as though shut off by a closed door, the
busy scenes of an active and successful life. (I presume I may fairly
speak thus of myself, since there is no one else to speak.)

My pirate companions, suddenly grown shy, stood silent for a moment,
for the time rather at a loss to carry on the play which had been
easier in the open. I heard Jimmy draw a long breath. He was first to
remove his hat. But his companion was quicker to regain his poise,
although for a moment he forgot his pirate speech. "Gee!" said he.
"Ain't this great!"

I doubt if any praise I ever heard in my life pleased me more than
this frank comment; no, not even the kind word and hand-clasp of old
Judge Henderson, what time I won my first cause at law. For this that
lay about me was what I had chosen for my life to-day. I had preferred
this to the career into which my father's restless ambition had
plunged me almost as soon as I had emerged from my college and my
law-school--a career which my own restless ambition had found
sufficient until that final break with Helena Emory, which occ