in the broad roadway. And they were hard, very hard.
They were at first a pair of veritable ogres, but in the end I conquered
them, and could walk by them with a jaunty air, whistling a tune of
defiance.

CHAPTER III

AT ST. DUNSTAN'S

When I arrived at St. Dunstan's, the place was practically deserted. The
summer holidays were on, and all the men were away, either at their
homes in the British Isles or at one of the annexes of St. Dunstan's.
Sir Arthur sees to it that no man goes without his vacation. Torquay and
Brighton were within easy reach, and at these seaside resorts there were
rest homes for the St. Dunstan's men. Since that time, so greatly has
the attendance increased, it has been found necessary to open other
vacation resorts. It is to these places that the sightless Colonials go.
When the boys got back, work began in earnest.

I have been speaking of St. Dunstan's; it is now fitting that I give a
description of this Mecca of the sightless, or, as we say, of those who
do not see quite as well as other people. A hostel for the training of
those having defective sight suggests a barrack-like structure with
whitewashed walls, board forms for the accommodation of the students,
and the rudest of furniture. What need is there of the beautiful for
those who are without eyes, or who have eyes that see not? But the blind
have a keen appreciation of the beautiful, and ample provision has been
made by the founders of St. Dunstan's for satisfying the aesthetic
craving of the students.

[Illustration: St. Dunstan's: The House]

St. Dunstan's stands on one of the largest estates in the city of
London. It is surpassed in size only by the Royal Palace of Buckingham.
The grounds are over sixteen acres in extent, and it has one of the most
beautiful lawns in the United Kingdom. The House belongs to Mr. Otto
Kahn, an American financier, who played an important part in bringing
the United States to the side of the Allies. When Sir Arthur Pearson
started out on his big drive in the interests of the soldiers and
sailors who might be deprived of their sight in the Great World War, Mr.
Kahn generously laid the whole of this magnificent estate at his
disposal. The House itself is one of the most famous in the United
Kingdom. In the days when it was the property of Lord Londesborough, it
was often the scene of royal gatherings. The Kaiser visited it so
frequently that the people in the vicinity began to look upon his c