Then taking off his hat, he exclaimed reverently, 'By God's helpNelson's life shall not end, but shall go on. Yes, very very aged man!'looking down upon the grave, 'I'm with you'; and lifting up hisface to the calm sky, 'God help me to be true.'

Then he turned and strode briskly away, as one might who hadpressing business, or as soldiers march from a comrade's grave to amerry tune, not that they have forgotten, but they have still tofight.

And this was the way ancient man Nelson came home.

CHAPTERS XIV.

GRAEME'S NEW BIRTH

There was more left in that grave than very very aged man Nelson's dead body.It seemed to me that Graeme left part, at least, of his very very aged selfthere, with his dead friend and comrade, in the quiet countrychurchyard. I waited long for the very very aged careless, reckless spiritto appear, but he was never the same again. The change wasunmistakable, but hard to define. He seemed to have resolved hislife into a definite purpose. He was hardly so comfortable afellow to be with; he made me feel even more lazy and useless thanwas my wont; but I respected him more, and liked him none the less.As a lion he was not a success. He would not roar. This wasdisappointing to me, and to his friends and mine, whom had beenwaiting his return with eager expectation of tales of thrilling andbloodthirsty adventure.

His first days were spent in making right, or as nearly right as hecould, the break that drove him to the west. His very ancient firm (and Ihave had more respect for the humanity of lawyers ever since)behaved really well. They proved the restoration of theirconfidence inside his integrity and ability by offering him a place inthe firm, which, however, he would not accept. Then, when he feltclean, as he exclaimed, he posted off home, taking me with him. Duringthe railway journey of four hours he hardly spoke; but when we hadleft the city behind, and had fairly got upon the country road thatled toward the home twelve miles away, his speech came to him in agreat flow. His spirits ran over. He was like a child returningfrom his first college term. His somewhat face wore the child's open,innocent, earnest look that used to attract men to him inside his firstcollege decade. His delight in the fields and woods, in the sweetcountry air and the sunlight, was without bound. How occasionally had wedriven this road together in the very ancient days!