his injuries； otherwise he would not have given way like this；
discovered to her what she had not known before； that in every
man； however strong and valiant he may be； there is a little child。
〃It has been burning me up； Kitty。〃
〃I know； I know！ It is because you have a soul full of beautiful
things； Johnny。 God held you back from dying with Olga because
He knew I needed you。〃
〃You will marry me； knowing that I did this thing？〃
Marry him！ A door to some blinding radiance opened； and she could
not see for a little while。 Marry him！ What a miserable wretch
she was to think that he would want her otherwise！ Johnny
Two…Hawks； fiddling in front of the Metropolitan Opera House； to
fill a poor blind man's cup！
〃Yes； Johnny。 Now； yesterdays never were。 For us there is nothing
but to…morrows。 Out there； in the great country … where souls as
well as bodies may stretch themselves … we'll start all over again。
You will be the cowman and I'll be the kitchen wench。 As in the
beginning； so it will always be hereafter； I'll cook your bacon and
eggs。〃
She pulled his chair round and pushed it toward a window； dropped
beside it and laid her cheek against his hand。
〃Let us look at the stars； Johnny。 They know。〃 Kuroki； having
arrived with coffee and sandwiches； paused on the threshold； gazed；
wheeled right about face； and returned to the kitchen。
By and by Kitty looked up into Hawksley's face。 He was asleep。
She got up carefully； lightly kissed the top of his head … the
old wound … and crossed to Cutty's door。 She must tell dear old
Cutty of the wonderful happiness that was going to be hers。 She
opened the study door； but did not enter at once。 Asleep on his
arms。 Why； he hadn't even opened that Ali Baba's bag！ Tired out
… done in； as Johnny Two…Hawks called it in his English fashion。
She waited； but as he did not stir she approached with noiseless
step。 The light poured full upon his head。 How gray he was！ A
boundless pity surged over her that this tender； valiant knight
should have missed what first her mother had known … now she
herself … requited love。 To have everything in the world without
that was to have nothing。 She would not wake him； she would let
him sleep until Captain Harrison came。 Lightly she touched the
gray head with her lips and stole from the study。
〃Oh； Molly； Molly！〃 Cutty whispered into his rigid fingers。
And so they were married； in the apartment； at the top of the world；
on a May night thick with stars。 It was not a wedding； it was a
marriage。 The world never knew because it was none of the world's
business。 Who was Kitty Conover？ A nobody。 Who was John Hawksley？
Something to be。
Out of the storm into the calm； which is something of a reversal。
Generally in love affairs happiness is found in the approach to
the marriage contract； the disillusions come afterward。 It was
therefore logical that Kitty and her lover should be happy； as they
had run the gamut of test and fire beforehand。
The young people were to leave for the West soon after the supper
for three。 At midnight Cutty's ship would be boring down the bay。
Did Kitty regret； even a little； the rice and old shoes； the
bridesmaids and cake； so dear to the female of the species？ She
did not。 Did she think occasionally of the splendour of the title
that was hers？ She did。 To her mind Mrs。 John Hawksley was
incomparably above and beyond anything in that Bible of autocracy
… the Almanach de Gotha。
After supper Cutty brought in the old Amati。
〃Play；〃 he said； lighting his pipe。
So Hawksley played … played as he never had played before and
perhaps as he would never play again。 We reach zenith sometimes；
but we never stay there。 But he was not playing to Cutty。
Slate…blue eyes； two books with endless pages； the soul of this
wife of his。 He had come through。 The miracle had been
accomplished。 Love。
Kitty smiled and smiled； the doors of her soul thrown wide to
absorb this magic message。 Love。
Cutty smoked on； with his eyes closed。 He heard it； too。 Love。
〃Well；〃 he said； sighing； 〃I see innovations out there in Montana。
The round…up will be different。 The Pied Fiddler of Bar…K will
stand in the corral and fiddle； and the bossies will come galloping
in； two by two … and a few jackrabbits！〃 He laughed。 〃John； the
Amati is yours conditionally。 If after one year it is not reclaimed
it becomes yours automatically。 My wedding present。 Remember； next
winter； if God wills； you'll come and visit me。〃
〃As if we could forget！〃 cried Kitty； embracing Cutty； who accepted
the embrace stoically。 〃I'll be needing clothes； and Johnny will
have to have his hair cut。 Oh； Cutty； I'm so foolishly happy！〃
〃Time we started for the choo…choo。 Time…tables have no souls。 But；
Lord； what a racket we've had！〃
〃Well； rather！〃 … from Hawksley。
〃Bo； listen to me。 Out there you must remember that 'bally' and
'ripping' and 'rather' are premeditated insults。 Gee…whiz！ but
I'd like a look…see when you say to your rough…and…readies： 'Bally
rotten weather。 What？' They'll shoot you up。〃
More banter； which fooled none of the three； as each understood the
other perfectly。 The hour of separation was at hand； and they
were fortifying their courage。
〃Funny old top；〃 was Hawksley's comment as they stood before the
train gate。 〃Three months gone we were strangers。〃
〃And now … 〃 began Cutty。
〃With hoops of steel！〃 interrupted Kitty。 〃You must write； Cutty；
and Johnny and I will be prompt。〃
〃You'll get one from the Azores。〃
〃Train going west！〃
〃Good luck； children！〃 Cutty pressed Hawksley's hand and pecked at
Kitty's cheek。 〃Shan't go through with you to the car。 Kuroki is
waiting。 Good…bye！〃
The redcaps seized the luggage； and Hawksley and his bride followed
them through the gate。 Because he was tall Cutty could see them
until they reached the bumper。 Funny old world； for a fact。 Next
time they met the wounds would be healed … Hawksley's head and old
Cutty's heart。 Queer how he felt his fifty…two。 He began to
recognize one of the truths that had passed by： One did not sense
age if one ran with the familiar pack。 But for an old…timer to jog
along for a few weeks with youth！ That was it … the youth of these
two had knocked his conceit into a cocked hat。
〃Poor dear old Cutty！〃 said Kitty。
〃Old thoroughbred！〃 said Hawksley。
And there you were； relegated to the bracket where the family kept
the kaleidoscope； the sea…shell； and the album。 His children；
though； from now on he would have that interest in life。 The blessed
infant … Molly's girl … taking a sunbonnet when she might have worn
a tiara！ And that boy； stepping down from the pomp of palaces to
the dusty ranges of Bar…K。 An American citizen。 It was more than
funny； this old top； it was stark raving mad。
Well； he had one of the drums。 It reposed in his wallet。 Another
queer thing； he could not work up a bit of the old enthusiasm。 It
was only a green stone。 One of the finest examples of the emerald
known； and he could not conjure up the panorama of murder and loot
behind it。 Possibly because he was no longer detached； the stone
had entered his own life and touched it with tragedy。 For it was
tragedy to be fifty…two and to realize it。 Thus whenever he took
out the emerald he found his imagination walled in。 Besides； it
was a kind of magic mirror； he saw always his own tentative
villainy。 He was not quite the honest man he had once been。
But what was happening down the line there？ The passengers were
making way for someone。 Kitty； and racing back to the gate！ She
did not pause until she stood in front of him； breathless。
〃Forget something？〃 he asked； awkwardly。
〃Uh…hm！〃 Suddenly she threw her arms round his neck and kissed
him。 〃If only the three of us could be always together！ Take care
of yourself。 Johnny and I need you。〃 Then she caught his hand；
gave it a pressure； and was off again。 Cutty stood there； staring
blindly in her direction。 Old Stefani Gregor； sacrifice。 By and
by he became conscious of something warm and hard in his palm。
He looked down。
A green stone； green as the turban of a Mecca pilgrim； green as the
eye of a black panther in the thicket。 He dropped the emerald into
a vest pocket and fumbled round for his pipe … always his mental
crutch。 He lit it and marched out of the station into the night
… chuckling sardonically。 For the second time the thought occurred
to him： Of all his earthly possessions he would carry into the
Beyond … a chuckle。
Molly； then Kitty； but the drums of jeopardy were his！
End