indness, had closed his ears to the voice of
thousands who had called to him in the unattractive voice of a
conventional law. It had taken the deafening report of a madman's
pistol and the sight of a dead child to teach him the lesson.

At that thought he hid his face in his arm on the short turf and lay
very still.

The sea sung its endless Te Deum below him, a lark soared high to
heaven with its morning hymn, and the wind, rustling along the cliff
edge, breathed strength to the land. Day stood free and open upon
earth and called for service from those to whom the Dominion of the
earth is promised. Only by service comes lordship, only by obedience
can be found command.

At the moment of renunciation, Christopher realised for the first time
the greatness of the cost and knew how dear his life and surroundings
were to him. The Roadmaker had been his own master; the successor of
Peter Masters must be the servant of thousands. The work here would go
on, there were men ready to take his place, but he found no salve in
the thought. Deep in his heart he knew he feared the grim struggle
that lay before him, the uprooting of the old "system," the
antagonism, the necessary compromises, the slow result. His age, or
rather his youth, would be a heavy weapon against him. How could he
hope to make his voice heard above the dictates of a dozen committees
of men intent on their personal interests? He told himself
passionately the thing was Impossible, and as quickly came the
remembrance of the hoarse cry for help that had made itself heard
above the report of Plent's pistol.

Step by step through the door of humility he reached the hall of
Audience and in silence surrendered himself to the eternal Purpose.

At length he again stood on the edge and looked out to sea and for the
moment the simplicity instead of the complexity of life visible and
invisible, was written on the face of the deep. He stood bareheaded
and read the message thankfully and went back to the house with peace
in his heart.

He found a new beauty in the house he had made for himself, and as
Patricia came down the garden path to meet him, he was glad for the
real worth of the outward things he must surrender.

She met him with a question on her lips which was not uttered in face
of what she saw in his eyes. They stood for a moment with clasped
hands and he looked at her smiling, and she at him gravely, and
presently they walked to a corner of the garden over