UNDER THREE FLAGS
—A Story of Mystery
CHAPTER I.
“OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY.”
“No; I am not tired of life. Who could be on such aday? I am weary simply of this way of living. I wantto get away—away from this stagnant hole. It is thesame dull story over and over again, day after day, worldwithout end, amen!”
“Would you be a bit more contented in any otherspot?”
“I think so. I cannot believe that mankind in generalis so selfish, so hypocritical, and, worst crime of all, sohopelessly stupid as it is here. The world is 25,000miles in circumference. Why spend all one’s days inthis split in the mountains?”
“But, tell me, what is your ambition, then? Haveyou one?”
“You would smile pityingly if I told it you.”
“No; I’ll be as serious as—as you.”
“Then incline thine ear. I would I were the ruler ofa savage tribe, in the heart of far-away New Zealand,shut in by towering mountains from the outer world.”
“But why spend all one’s days in a valley?”
“Oh, well, if you’re going in for a valley, why nothave a good one?”
She throws herself down beside him on the grass andclasps her arms about his neck. “You foolish boy; youdon’t know what you want.”
“Don’t I?” He draws the glowing face to his andkisses it.
The two are idling in a grassy nook on the slope ofone of Vermont’s green hills, sheltered by a clump ofspruce from observation and the slanting rays of the sun.
There is an infinite calm in the la