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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