not think that he is dead； as such news would probably have reached me one way or another； or Hays Hammond would have mentioned it when I had a hurried interview with him at the time of the King’s Coronation； which he attended as Special Ambassador from the United States。 I conclude； therefore； that Burnham is probably now engaged in all the Mexican fighting that has ensued upon the deposition of President Diaz； which leaves him no time for correspondence； or perhaps he is disinterring the treasure from the hidden city！ One day I hope that he will appear again and greet me in his quiet fashion as though we had parted but yesterday — I mean； of course； on this bank of the great “Divide。”
Chapter 18 RURAL ENGLAND
H。 R。 H。 returns to the country — Devotes himself to agriculture — “Farmer’s Year” — Arthur Young — Bradfield bust — Bobbin — Determines to follow Arthur Young’s example — Agreed with Daily Express for series of articles on Rural England — Visit to Cyprus and Holy Land — A Winter Pilgrimage — Rural England journeys — Heaviest labour of H。 R。 H。‘s life — Arthur Cochrane’s help — Hundreds of interviews — Practical results disappointing — Mr。 R。 W。 Hanbury — Agricultural Post — Lord Onslow — Mrs。 Asquith。
My town excitement over I returned to the country and the writing of books。 Oddly enough； I found that the thorough change of thought seemed to have rested my mind； with the result that my imagination was fresher than it had been for some years before。 Also the work itself was and has remained less irksome to me than during the years 1891 to 1895。 Still the desire haunted me to do something in my day more practical than the mere invention of romance upon romance。 By degrees it came home to me that a great subject lay to my hand； that of the sta