THE ROAD TO LIBERTY . 
1 5 fj 
air of cultivation. The vineyards were closely 
pruned. A wonderful field of violets stretched 
almost to the village. In the distance was the 
glitter of grass, rows of artichokes and peas, 
an orchard of peach trees in blossom. 
“ It is our business/’ she laughed; “ yours 
and mine. See, I have no head for figures, 
but since I returned I have added four 
times to our capital. We keep books. I 
have a manager, very clever. I was going to 
look at a little piece of land which is for sale 
and leave these violets at the station. It is 
nothing. Walk with me here up home, and 
while they get dejeuner ready I will show you. 
Come this way. You must see the almond 
trees.” 
They passed across the field, where twenty 
or thirty blue-smocked peasants were at 
work. Felice stopped once or twice to speak 
to them. Finally they entered another gate 
and passed through an orchard, pink and white 
with blossom . The air seemed faint and sweet 
with a perfume almost exotic. The sunshine 
lay all around them. When they came out, 
she turned a little to her right and pointed to 
the road, straight and dazzlingly white — 
pointed to where it disappeared over the hills. 
“ LONDli LEFT TI-IE CAR WHILST IT WAS STILL 
CRAWLING ALONG.” 
“ After all,” she said, “ it meant something 
to me — the road to liberty.” 
They were at the edge of the orchard. ITe 
took her hands firmly in his. 
“ Felice,” he murmured, “ it may mean so 
much to you, if you will, for 1 have come back 
— I am free — I am no longer a wanderer. I, 
too, have worked, and I have been fortunate. 
And the day when 1 commenced my new life 
— and the whole reason of it — was the day we 
travelled over that road together.” 
She came closer and closer to him, and her 
eyes were softer, and she seemed to him like 
the fairest thing on earth. 
“ I have prayed,” she whispered, “oh, I 
have prayed all my days that you might 
return and bring back love with you — like 
this ! ” 
