Summary

Instead of taking his normal path through the fields, Ngotho travels along the road to work the next morning, thinking over the events of the night before and his own history, which had brought him to work for Mr. Howlands, an English settler, on the lands that had belonged to his ancestors. Although Mr. Howlands does not recognize Ngotho’s connection to the land, he observes the care with which Ngotho carries out his work and feels some level of admiration for that.

Mr. Howlands came to Kenya in search of some meaning following his return from World War I. He had found that meaning in taming and conquering the African land and had returned to England only in search of a wife who would be willing to come to Kenya with him. He has little concern for his...