Chapter 1

           Thewayledalonguponwhathadoncebeentheembankmentofarailroad. Butnotrainhadrunuponitformanyyears. Theforestoneithersideswelleduptheslopesoftheembankmentandcrestedacrossitinagreenwaveoftreesandbushes.Thetrailwasasnarrowasaman’sbody,andwasnomorethanawild-animalrunway. Occasionally,apieceofrustyiron,showingthroughtheforest-mould,advertisedthattherailandthetiesstillremained. Inoneplace,aten-inchtree,burstingthroughataconnection,hadliftedtheendofarailclearlyintoview. Thetiehadevidentlyfollowedtherail,heldtoitbythespikelongenoughforitsbedtobefilledwithgravelandrottenleaves,sothatnowthecrumbling,rottentimberthrustitselfupatacuriousslant. Oldastheroadwas,itwasmanifestthatithadbeenofthemono-railtype. 

           Anoldmanandaboytravelledalongthisrunway. Theymovedslowly,fortheoldmanwasveryold,atouchofpalsymadehismovementstremulous,andheleanedheavilyuponhisstaff. Arudeskull-capofgoat-skinprotectedhisheadfromthesun. Frombeneaththisfellascantfringeofstainedanddirty-whitehair. Avisor,ingeniouslymadefromalargeleaf,shieldedhiseyes,andfromunderthishepeeredatthewayofhisfeetonthetrail. Hisbeard,whichshouldhavebeensnow-whitebutwhichshowedthesameweather-wearandcamp-stainashishair,fellnearlytohiswaistinagreattangledmass. Abouthischestandshouldershungasingle,mangygarmentofgoat-skin.