"Oh, don't bury yourself out there. You must have a home of your own one day, Randolph. I know you don't feel like it now; but time brings changes to our feelings, as well as to everything else. And do choose an English girl for a wife!"
"Are you afraid I shall choose a dark-skinned one?" Randolph said, with a little laugh.
"I know you will be lonely out there," said Monica gravely.
"I don't know the meaning of that word," said Randolph, squaring his shoulders and compressing his lips, quite forgetting his parting words to Sidney. "I have always lived alone and thought alone; but that is second nature to me. The difficulty to me is to include my fellow-creatures in my calculations."
"Now, that is nonsense! No one has worked harder for his fellow-beings than you have."
"Yes, and have received kicks and abuse for it accordingly. Never mind! I suppose I must have one more try, and then, if I come back a failure, I'll struggle no more against the stream."
"You will never become a drifter," said Monica with conviction.
The next morning, at breakfast, Chuckles was told of Randolph's coming departure.
"Why are you going away, Cousin Ran? I'm very fond of you. I was hoping you would take me with you to London."
"I'm going a little farther than London," said Randolph. "No, you'll have to do your growing without me for a bit now, Chuckles. When I come back, I'll find you a first-class farmer, I hope."