CONTENTS: AFTER LONG YEARS I. The Journey II. Apprenticeship III. Alfred Banford IV. The Stranger-THE CAPTIVE I. Home-Coming II. The Slave III. In the Turkish Family IV. The Lion V. The Offer VI. The Plans VII. Restored to Freedom- THE ARTIST'S MASTERPIECE I. The Gift II. Under the Emperor's Bush III. No Prophet in His Own Country IV. The Condition V. The Fulfilment- THE VINEYARD ON THE HILLSIDE I. Missing II. The Faithful Dog III. The Fond Foster-Parents IV. The Errand V. The Old Man VI. The Legacy VII. The Journey- THE DAMAGED PICTURE I. The Artist II. The Picture
III. The Discovery-

MEMORIES AWAKENED
I. The Change of Circumstances
II. The Revelation-

THE INHERITANCE
I. Mr. Acton and his Son
II. The Uninvited Guest
III. The Flowering Plant
IV. The Two Families
V. The Feast-

HOW IT HAPPENED
I. The Wooded Island
II. Far From Home
III. The Smoke-

FROM ROYAL PALACE TO LOWLY HUT
I. The Suburbs
II. The Retreat
III. The Prison
IV. The Purchase
V. Reunited-

THE UGLY TRINKET
I. The Opened Door
II. The Test
III. Reverses

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Selection from AFTER LONG YEARS - CHAPTER I -THE JOURNEY

The Duchess of Banford and her two children were driving toward their villa, when, owing to the roughness of the road, the front wheel of their coach was suddenly broken. Considerably frightened, mother and children quickly alighted. The approaching darkness, coupled with the loneliness of the place, added to the difficulty; for the prospect of spending the night in the woods was particularly distressing.

Just then a stable-boy chanced along and seeing the predicament, said: "Oh, that wheel can be easily mended. Not far from here there lives a wheelwright, and I am sure he can repair it in a very short time." The boy then looked about him, and seeing a long pole, said: "We can use this to support the wagon as it drags along. The road is rugged, and it will take us about an hour to get there."

"Is there no shorter route?" inquired the Duchess.

"This is the only wagon road; but if you wish, I will lead you along a shorter path across the fields which will cut the distance in half."

The Duchess thanked him, and asked: "Do you think that we may take this pole? It seems to me as though some wood-cutter had left it here to prop a tree."

"Oh, yes," he answered, "it belongs to the wheelwright to whom I am taking you. All the wood around here belongs to him, and he will be glad to have this pole so handy." So saying, he hurried to get the pole and helped the coachman fasten it in place. The horses then drew the carriage slowly over the rocky road, while the coachman walked alongside.

The family, however, followed the footpath, which led between tall elms and blooming shrubbery along the edge of a babbling brook.

The silence was broken now and then by the plaintive song of a nightingale. The Duchess and her two children seated themselves upon the trunk of a fallen tree and listened to the music till it ceased. A gentle wind sighed softly through the leaves of the trees, and merrily flowed the near-by brook. As the nightingale repeated its song, they all listened intently.

When the song was ended, the Duchess said: "I would give twenty pounds if I had such a bird in my garden. I have heard many nightingales sing in the city, but here in the country, in this wooded region and deep stillness, and at this twilight hour, its song seems doubly enchanting. Oh, that I might hear it sing in the little bower near my villa."