"And yet," he thought, "how strange it is that life must be nearly over,
before one fully learns to live."

The fire crackled cheerily on the hearth, the sunbeams danced gaily
through the old house, spending gold-dust generously in corners that
were usually dark, and the uncut magazine slipped to the floor. Above,
the violin sang high and clear. The Colonel leaned back in his chair and
closed his eyes.

When Allison came down, he was asleep, with the peace of Heaven upon his
face, and so quiet that the young man leaned over him, a little
frightened, to wait for the next deep breath. Reassured, he did not wake
him, but went for his walk alone.






VIII

"THE YEAR'S AT THE SPRING"

Outside, in the grey darkness, the earth was soft with snow. Upon the
illimitable horizon beyond the mountain peaks were straying gleams of
dawn, colourless, but none the less surely a promise of daybreak.

Rose had been awake for some time, listening to the ice-clad branches
that clattered with every passing breeze. A maple bough, tapping on her
window as ghostly fingers might, had first aroused her from a medley of