XI
ACROSS THE CONTINENT

It was not that I was dissatisfied with my New
York life ; for the weekly salary which I got for my
work, though meagre, was something, and I had
some liking for the Bohemian element in my life ;
but several circumstances combined to decree that
I should not stay any longer. For one thing, my
programme was to be abroad for tv/o years, and I
had already been more than two. My father at
home also wrote me to come home as soon as
possible.    I decided, therefore, to go home.

I had some difficulty in persuading my boss to let
me go ; and was really sorry for him, for I had
never thought he appreciated my work and relied
upon me so much. He was so disheartened that I
wished I could have changed my mind. But
everything   had   already   been   arranged—I   had