A Lost Leader

ey were listening to the lark, which had risen fluttering from their feet a moment or so a

ture is singing the true, uncorrupted song of life. He sings of the sunshine, the buoyant air; the pure and simple joy of existence

dwellers in cities, and even the sting of the salt breeze blowing across the marshes-ma

a very eloquent prophet for the whole kingdom of his species, but the s

till watching the bird. "The longer one lives, the more

ared, and had not travelled to this out-of-the-way corner of the kingdom to exchange purposeless platitudes with a man whose p

philosophies with you like a couple of schoolgirls. I have

ly. He had a very shrewd idea a

peated slowly. "Are you

y n

hem, very far behind. I am glad to see you here, of course, but I cannot think of any serious subject

yed this man who onc

hen, Mannering," he said. "Has

g laughe

ontinued, more seriously, "if you could only realize, my friend, how peaceful and happy life here may be, amongst the quiet places, you would bel

ed, watching his friend through half-closed e

al as the wind itself. He had bared his

d, "if I thought that they had a single

held his cigarette between his fingers

e said slowly, "fo

rned and fac

man you are, Borrowdean, and I know very well that if you have come down here wi

earnestness. He became at once more of a ma

. We appeared to be as far off any chance of office as a political party could be. To-day the whole thing is changed. We are on the ev

held up

l. I have no grievance against Rochester. The old wound, if it ever amounted to that,

ut, then," Borrow

ty policy must come before principle. A man's individuality, his whole character, is assailed and suborned on every side. There is but one life, one measure of days, that you or I know anything of. It doesn't last very long. The months and years have a knac

sun, his eyes bright and vigorous with health; Leslie Borrowdean, once his greatest friend, a man of almost similar physique, but with the ben

c. Borrowdean, I am going to say things to you which one says but once or twice in his life. I came to this country a soured man, cynical, a pessimist, a materialist by training and environment. To-day I speak of a God with bowed head, for I believe that somewhere behind all these beautiful things their prototype must exist. Don't think I've turned rant

olour came to his cheeks, the light of battle was at least in his

ll yourself together, Mannering, for Heaven's sake. Yours is the faineant spirit of the decadent, masquerading in the garb of a sham primitivism. Were you born into the world,

was filling the pools and creeks with the softly flowing, glimmering sea-water. The fishing boats, high and dry an hour ago, were pass

have no need of the world. The battle that you speak of-well, I have bee

to put a restraint upon his words. He was silent

for yourself a beautiful corner of the world. That is all very well for you, but how about the rest? How about the millions who are chained to the cities that they may earn their living pittance, whose wives and children fill the churchyards, the echoes of whose weary, never-ceasing cry must reach you even here? They are the people, the sufferers, fellow-links with you in the chain of humanity. Yo

nd his appeal was scarcely one to be treated lightly. Nevertheless, Man

tudy is, as it always has been, at your service. But I myself have finished with actual political life. Don't press me too hard. I must s

ulders despairingly. Such a

onestly believe that it was those wonderful articles of yours in the Nineteenth Century which brought back to a reasonable frame of mind thousands who were half led away by the glamour of this new campaign.

shook his

oner sit here, with a volume of Pater or Meredith, and this west wind blowing in my face, than I would hear myself acclaimed Prime Ministe

creek below. It was characteristic of the man that his face showed

ack to the house. If you are resolved to get back to t

rrowdean said.

ed. An unfamiliar sound had broken in upon the deep silence of this quiet land. Borrowdean, who was a few paces ahead

y. Even your time-forgotten paradise, Mannering,

l parts, a motor car swung into sight, and came rushing towards them. Borrowd

," he remarked. "She is on

!" Borrowde

ring

ndhills there,

a standstill below. A woman, who sat alone in th

ked. "Clara has gon

ough dazzled by the sun, she dropped her veil. Borrowdean was standing as though tur

a most unexpected visit from an old friend. May

, and Borrowdean performed an aut

returning this afternoon, and I am taking him back for an early luncheon. You w

or a moment. I must hurry now, or

ver to proceed, but

is beginning to work already. May I stay until to-morrow and walk roun

end for a moment in amazeme

ur foursome stands, then, Mrs.

file along the top of the grassy bank. The woman in the