One Day A sequel to \'Three Weeks\'
FOREWORD TO MY AMERICAN FRIENDS Now after spending some very pleasant weeks in your interesting country, I feel sure that this book will find many sympathetic readers in America. Quite naturally it will be discussed; some, doubtless, will censure it--and unjustly; others will believe with me that the tale teaches a great moral lesson. Born as the Boy was born, the end which Fate forced upon him, to me, was inevitable. Each word and act of the three weeks of his parents' love-idyl must reflect in the character and life of the child. Little by little the baby King grew before my mental vision until I saw at last there was no escape from his importunity and I allowed the insistent Boy--masterful even from his inception--to shape himself at his own sweet will. Thus he became the hero of my study. This is not a book for children or fools--but for men and women who can grasp the underlying principle of morality which has been uppermost in my mind as I wrote. Those who can see beyond the outburst of passion--the overmastering belief in the power of love to justify all
AN ACCIDENT.
Some days later, Edward, mounted on his favourite Black Bess, waiting
for Rose to accompany him in a morning gallop, was amazed to see that
venturesome young lady prepare to seat herself on Flip, a crazy little
animal scarcely more than a colt, whose character for unsteadiness was
notorious.
"I have set my heart on him," was all Rose could say in answer to her
brother's protestations.
"Set your heart on him as much as you please," returned Edward, "so
long as you do not set your person on him."
"In England," ventured, the respectful Tredway, "young ladies
generally prefer a more trustworthy animal."
"Well, when we go to England," responded Rose, casting her arms around
the neck of her slandered steed, "we'll do as the English do--won't we
Flip, dear? In this country we'll have just a little of our own wild
way."
From this decision there was no appeal. The words were scarcely spoken
when there was a swift scamper of heels, a smothered sound, half
shriek, half laughter, from Rose's lips, a cloud of dust, and that was
FOREWORD TO MY AMERICAN FRIENDS Now after spending some very pleasant weeks in your interesting country, I feel sure that this book will find many sympathetic readers in America. Quite naturally it will be discussed; some, doubtless, will censure it--and unjustly; others will believe with me that the tale teaches a great moral lesson. Born as the Boy was born, the end which Fate forced upon him, to me, was inevitable. Each word and act of the three weeks of his parents' love-idyl must reflect in the character and life of the child. Little by little the baby King grew before my mental vision until I saw at last there was no escape from his importunity and I allowed the insistent Boy--masterful even from his inception--to shape himself at his own sweet will. Thus he became the hero of my study. This is not a book for children or fools--but for men and women who can grasp the underlying principle of morality which has been uppermost in my mind as I wrote. Those who can see beyond the outburst of passion--the overmastering belief in the power of love to justify all